Screen
19 May 2000
View all stories from this issue.
-
Advanced spots UFO
Publicly traded German distributor Advanced Medien is making a push into high concept video and TV movies through the purchase of a 51% stake in Unified Film Organization (UFO), the five year-old LA-based production and sales operation run by Phillip Roth, Jeff Beach and Ken OlandtAdvanced had sealed an output deal with UFO in November last year and out of that the two companies began talks about a closer relationship. "They make high concept movies which sell well internationally and -
A-Film plucks first Chicken
Dreamworks' Chicken Run is to be the first title handled by San Fu Maltha's new Dutch theatrical distribution outfit A-Film BV through an output deal which he has just signed with Pathe International.The $40m animated feature, produced by Aardman Animation studios and directed by Peter Lord and Nick Park, is jointly backed by Pathe and Canal Plus through their C+P partnership.Maltha has also formed an informal partnership with Belgian distributor CineLibre/CineArt to deve -
Ali G hangs with WT2
Ali G, the TV creation of UK comedy phenomenon Sacha Baron-Cohen, is hanging with the Working Title massive, for real. Baron-Cohen, famous for his spoof gangsta rapper - complete with Day-Glo tracksuit, wrap-around shades and chunky jewellery - is striking a development deal with the UK production powerhouse. The white-hot comedian is developing a slate of features which he is to write and star in through Working Title's WT2 division.While the debut project is not finalised, Ali -
Angel swoops on Peter Bech
Danish mini-major Angel Films, which covers production, distribution, international sales and a facility house, has sealed an output deal with local production outfit Peter Bech Film.Angel will handle Nordic distribution on Peter Bech's slate but has not decided whether it will also handle international sales. The two companies previously worked together on Tomas Gislason's Like A Rock which is currently in post-production. "Angel has so many interesting projects happeni -
Arsenal set to exit Kinowelt
Germany's Kinowelt is set to offload one element of its rapidly-expanding empire - specialist distributor Arsenal Filmverleih - which is expected to seek an independent existence. The company, which handles modern arthouse staples such as The War Zone, Flores Del Otro Mundo, La Balia and Ghengis Blues, became part of the Kinowelt stable of distributors two years ago when it was refinanced. Kinowelt wholly owns Arsenal's catalogue, but only partially o -
Atlas racks up sales
Atlas International has scored a raft of sales on teen comedy Ants In The Pants (Harte Jungs), Regina Ziegler's three latest Erotic Tales and its US sci-fi action picture Star Force. Ants, which Constantin and Propaganda are remaking in English through their joint production and distribution joint venture, has been sold to Eurocine for Argentina, Asia Film for Peru, Bolivia and Colombia, Top Rank for India, Ani Movie Entertainment for South Korea, Suraya for -
Aurum plans thriller for English first
Spanish distributor-producer Aurum Producciones is developing its first English-language feature film, an untitled thriller from The Man With Rain In His Shoes director Maria Ripoll.According to Aurum head Francisco Ramos the company is close to securing US and European co-producers on the project. The script came from a "US studio," Ramos said, and is planned for an early 2001 shoot in North America with a mixed Spanish-American cast.Ramos, the producer behind this winter's Spa -
Bertolucci, others sign up for Atomfilms shorts
Top theatrical directors Bernardo Bertolucci, Nicolas Roeg, Jim Jarmusch, Chris Marker and Aki Kaurismaki have signed up to make a collection of short films that will be screened on the Internet by webcaster and short films boutique Atomfilms. The quintet are the first of 15 leading directors committed to make the ten-minute films on the subject of time under the banner Ten Minutes Older. Atomfilms is financing the films with German finance house MBP, Odyssey Television and Mata -
Bornedal, Obel take on Lady
Danish director Ole Bornedal, who directed 1994 chiller Nightwatch and its English-language remake for Miramax in 1996, is set to direct The Lady And The Thief with long-time collaborator Michael Obel of Thura Film producing.Obel says he is close to securing German, French and Danish co-producers on the $8m project, which is also likely to be backed by Danish Film Institute. The film is a romantic road movie about a high society woman who decides to run away from her lif -
Buyers bag The Mexican
Will Tyrer and Chris Ball's Newmarket Group has sold rights in three major territories to The Mexican, starring Brad Pitt and Julia Roberts.The co-production with DreamWorks SKG has gone to Gaga Communications in Japan, Helkon in Germany and Tri Pictures in Spain.Summit Entertainment assisted in the sale of the film in which Pitt plays a reluctant bagman who has to settle a score with both a crime kingpin and his girlfriend Roberts. Gore Verbinski (Mouse Hunt) is d -
CANNES DEALS ROUND-UP
Germany's Senator Film has become the first international distributor to sign up to the highly anticipated package of studio-level films being put together by former Disney chief Joe Roth. The five-year deal initially gives Senator all media rights in all German-speaking territories. It is promised a minimum of six films per year with budgets in the $10m-$100m range. Julia Roberts has a non-exclusive deal with Roth to star in three of the films over the next five years. The first film to be -
Cannes-archy on the Croisette
Cannes regulars are calling on festival organisers and city administrators to enforce far tighter security measures along the Croisette after an unprecendented wave of violence and gang-related petty crime have left many here injured, mugged or fearful of their own safety."I swear it has got out of hand this year," said Nikki Parker, head of publicity firm Denmead Marketing, after she was grabbed in her Sun Riviera hotel room by an intruder wearing a stocking over his face. "I do not f -
Capitol gains Zoetrope slate
UK-based Capitol Films has linked with VCL and MGM to handle international sales on the American Zoetrope slate that the German company agreed to co-finance and distribute internationally prior to Cannes.The pact encompasses 10 films over three years, with MGM handling North American distribution through United Artists Films. The three companies are already partnered on Scott Kalvert's $20m Deuces Wild, while Capitol is working with MGM on Ghost World.Capitol, head -
Chen Kaige plots Killing with Graham
Chen Kaige, the legendary "Fifth Generation" Chinese film-maker, will finally make his English-language film debut directing US starlet Heather Graham in a London-set erotic thriller called Killing Me Softly. The movie is being produced by Tom Pollock and Ivan Reitman's Montecito Film Co.Kirk D'Amico's Myriad Pictures is representing international rights to the film at Cannes, domestic distribution is as yet unsigned.While none of the principals could be reached for comme -
China Star inks Star TV output deal
Hong Kong-based China Star Entertainment Group has finalised a US$30m three-year output deal with pay-TV provider Star TV for 100 films to be produced under its One Hundred Years Of Films production banner. Star is taking pay-TV rights for Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan on the titles. About a dozen directors have signed to make films including Ringo Lam, Gordon Chan, and Johnnie To, who was voted best director for his work on The Mission at the most recent Hong Kong film award -
Chunhyang
Dir: Im Kwon Taek. South Korea. 2000. 120 mins.Prod cos: Taehung Pictures. Domestic dist: Mirae Asset. Int'l Sales: Le Studio Canal, tel: (33) 1 53 64 85 55). Exec prods: Kim Dong Joo, Seok Dong Jun, Park Do Jun. Prod: Lee Tae Won. Scr: Kim Myoung Kon, based on the Pansori song by Cho Sang Hyun. Dop: Jung Il Sung. Prod des: Min Un Ok. Ed: Park Soon Duk. Music: Kim Jung Gil. Main cast: Yi Hyo Jeong, Cho Seung Woo, Kim Sung Nyu, Lee Jung Hun, Choi Jin Young, Cho Sang Hyun, Kim Myung H -
Constantin, Propaganda redo German comedy hits
Germany's Constantin Film and LA-based production and management outfit Propaganda Films have announced that the first two pictures to be produced by their 50/50 production-distribution joint venture will be English-language remakes of hit German comedies - Der Bewegte Mann and Harte Jungs. 1994's Der Bewegte Mann remains Germany's all time local box office champion with a phenomenal $65m box office take, while recent smash Harte Jungs has already grossed $8 -
Cowboy lassos Antidote for arthouse releases
Cowboy Booking International, the New York releasing boutique, has created a new specialised distribution operation that will draw on an initial $1m private equity fund raised by Antidote Films to acquire and put out ten films a year.The new co-venture between Cowboy and Antidote will go by the name Code Red. Their slate, which will cover the spectrum of art-house product from international festival prize-winners and US indies to classic international films, already includes two-picks -
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Dir: Ang Lee. US-China. 2000. 120 mins.Prod.cos: China Film Co-Production Corp. and Asia Union Film & Entertainment Columbia Pictures Film Production Asia in association with US dist: Sony Pictures Classics. Intl sales: Good Machine Intl. Prods: Bill Kong, Hsu Li Kong, Ang Lee. Scr: Wang Hui Ling, James Schamus, Tsai Kuo Jung. DoP: Peter Pau. Prod des: Tim Yip. Ed: Timm Squires. Music: Tan Tun. Main cast: Chow Yun-Fat Chow, Michelle Yeoh, Zi Yi Zhang, Chen Chang, Sihung Lung.Ang -
Dinosaur
Dirs: Ralph Zondag. Eric Leighton. US. 1999. 82 mins.Prod co: Walt Disney Pictures. US dist: Buena Vista. Intl dist: Buena Vista Intl. Prod: Pam Marsden. Co-prod: Baker Bloodworth. Scr: John Harrison, Robert Nelson Jacobs, based on an original screenplay by Walon Green. Music: James Newton Howard. Ed: H Lee Peterson. Prod des: Walter P Martishius. Visual effects supervisor: Neil Krepela. Art dir: Cristy Maltese. Digital effects supervisor: Neil Eskuri. Main cast (voices): D B Sweene -
Easy Film starts up feature arm
Danish commercials and documentary outfit Easy Film has launched a feature arm headed by producer Sanne Glaesel.The start-up, which has already associate produced Swede Roy Andersson's highly-anticipated Cannes competitor Songs From The Second Floor, is developing an adaptation of Danish author Leif Davidsen's award-winning 1998 novel Peter Lime (Limes Billede). Davidsen previously wrote such international bestsellers as The Russian Singer, which was adapted in 1993, and The Ser -
Fast Food, Fast Women
Dir: Amos Kollek. US. 2000. 98 minsProd Co: Lumen Films. Int'l Sales: Celluloid Dreams. Prod: Hengameh Panahi. Co-prod: Avram Ludwig. Scr: Amos Kollek. DoP: Jean-Marc Fabre. Prod des: Stacey Tanner. Ed: Sheri Bylander. Mus: David Carbonara. Main cast: Anna Thomson, Jamie Harris, Louise Lasser, Robert Modica, Lonette McKee.As welcome as a cool breeze on an humid day, Fast Food, Fast Women is the kind of film that sends you into the world with a spring in your step and a b -
Filmax thrills with Factory
Barcelona-based mini-studio The Filmax Group has closed a string of sales on four English-language titles from its Fantasic Factory sci-fi and terror genre division - Brian Yuzna's Faust, Jack Sholder's Arachnid, Stuart Gordon's Dagon and Yuzna's Beyond Reanimator.StudioCanal has taken French-speaking European rights on the four titles while Helkon has taken German rights to all but Faust and Japan's World Television has acquired Dagon and B -
FilmFour rings up Lucky sales
FilmFour International, the sales arm of the UK's FilmFour, has sold Peter Cattaneo's Our Lucky Break to Amuse for Japan.The UK comedy, Cattaneo's follow-up to The Full Monty, also went to Academy/Lady Film for Italy and Rosebud for Greece. Paramount and Miramax Films acquired territories including the US earlier in the market.Sad Fuckers Club, the tentatively titled debut from director-producer team John McKay and Lee Thomas, went to Vertigo for Spain. The -
FilmFour, Key back Vinterberg
The UK's FilmFour will take English-speaking territories on It's All About Love, the English-language debut from Festen director Thomas Vinterberg. Budgeted at an estimated $13m, the New York-set futuristic love-story, written by Vinterberg and Mogens Rukov, revolves around a world famous ice-skater separated from her lover. Key Films has boarded as Italian co-producer, while Trust Film Sales is taking non-English rights on the Nimbus Film production. Birgitte Hald is pro -
Films Sans Frontieres acquires Golden Bowl
James Ivory's Cannes competition title The Golden Bowl, which is being sold by TF1 International, has been acquired by French arthouse distributor Films Sans Frontieres.Films Sans Frontieres - which previously acquired Peter Greenaway's Eight And A Half Women from TF1 - intends to give Golden Bowl a 150-print outing, the largest Galeshka Moravioff's 18 year-old company has ever handled.Moravioff - who is also an exhibitor, through his 22-screen Bastille-Sain -
Fine Line swings for Eco's Pendulum
In a rare move for both parties, Fine Line Features has optioned Umberto Eco's metaphysical thriller Foucault's Pendulum.The move marks not only the first time in more than a decade that the renowned Italian author has granted film rights to his work, but an unusual step for Fine Line, which usually boards projects at later stages of development.Fine Line president Mark Ordesky announced the deal; Ileen Maisel, Fine Line's London-based senior vice-president of European productio -
Fox trots with Roth again'
The Fox Broadcasting network is believed to have acquired the US free TV rights to the package of studio-level films being put together by former Disney chief Joe Roth.Fox, where Roth was once chairman of the studio, is the first US major network in years to commit in advance to a package of movies from an independent producer - a testament to Roth's talent connections and Hollywood clout. Normally, the major distributors sell their films individually or in packages in a pricing formul -
Fridriksson directs Jarman pic
Veronique Cayla and Thierry Fremaux are the two new names for every producer and director to watch, having today been appointed to top roles at the Cannes film festival.The two will report directly to Gilles Jacob who is giving up his role as general manager, having taken over as festival president in June. The new triumvirate becomes effective from January 2001. Fremaux, a film historian who was previously in the running to head the Cinematheque Francaise, will be responsible f -
Harry, A Friend Who Wishes You Well
Dir: Dominik Moll. France. 2000. 117 mins.Prod co: Diaphana Films/M6. Int'l sales: Mercure Distribution. Prod: Michel Saint-Jean. Scr: Dominik Moll, Gilles Marchand. DoP: Matthieu Poirot-Delpech. Prod des: Michel Barthelemy. Ed: Yannick Kergoat. Mus: David Sinclair Whitaker. Main cast: Laurent Lucas, Sergi Lopez, Mathilde Seigner, Sophie Guillemin, Liliane Rovere.Although audiences may not go entirely wild about Harry, Dominik Moll's intriguing second feature has e -
Helkon extends ties with Zide, Perry
Germany's Helkon Media is believed to have struck yet another US production deal, agreeing to fully finance films in the $10m range from producers Warren Zide and Craig Perry (American Pie, Final Destination) and their production company Zide/Perry under a two-year arrangement. They will be joined in those films by producer Ash Shah.The trio are already teamed on Fusion International's Repli-Kate, a comedy that Helkon agreed to fully finance earlier this year. -
IFG, Working Title strike two-year pact
International Film Guarantors (IFG) has sealed a multi-picture agreement with Working Title Films whereby IFG will the principal completion guarantor on films from the company for the next two years.The deal - overseen by IFG's London and Los Angeles offices - also covers films to be produced by Working Titles lower budget division WT2 Films.The first film to be bonded under the deal will be Bridget Jones' Diary based on the novel by Helen Fielding and set to start shooti -
InterCom in $25m boost
Andy Vajna's distribution and exhibition concern InterCom has received a $25m cash injection that will help finance expansion beyond its roots in Hungary and Romania.The equity expansion sees the arrival of GE Capital, Raiffeisen Private Equity and ABN Amro as shareholders. Vajna will remain the majority shareholder. The cash will go towards an unspecified "series of initiatives" that are expected to include an expansion of the Hollywood Multiplex chain. InterCom plans to increa -
IPO values Intermedia more than PolyGram
A European-based film company worth more than PolyGram Filmed Entertainment (PFE) was born on Frankfurt's trading floors when Intermedia and Pacifica Co's flotation as Internationalmedia pushed its valuation just shy of Euro 1.4bn ($1.27bn) yesterday morning.Over-subscribed 14 times, the IPO for the UK, US and German-based company started trading 8.97m shares at euros 35 each. In selling 25% of the company, Internationalmedia raised more than euros 287m before costs were factored in. T -
Key, Manga, Korea get Better Than Sex
France Television Distribution (FTD) has sold hot market title Better Than Sex, which it also co-produced, to Italy's Key Films, Spain's Manga Films and Korea's Film Art Centre. President Films, one of FTD's two theatrical sales labels, along with arthouse specialist Art Box, has also sold the film to Greece, Finland, India and Israel. Better Than Sex - a first effort by Jonathan Teplisky which features two of Australia's most high-profile actors, David Wenham and Susie P -
Liberator set to line up Zentropa France slate
Liberator Films, the Paris-based arm of the expanding Zentropa Entertainment empire, is seeking to develop a slate of films that go beyond the titles associated with Dogme95 and Lars Von Trier."There has never been a better time to make French films as so many other French film-makers are turning their attention to English-language projects," said Marianne Slot, head of Liberator. "We are actively targeting French directors who can meet the challenges we have set." Liberator and -
Lion's Gate smells Loach's Roses
Lions Gate Films has secured North American rights on Ken Loach's competition film Bread And Roses from UK sales house The Sales Co. Several other companies were circling the Los Angeles-set tale of striking janitors, but Lions Gate's Tom Ortenberg and Mark Urman clinched the deal through the company's distribution experience and the enthusiasm of Ortenberg, a former political activist. -
M6 arm snags Nurse, Gangs
M6 Interactions, the trading offshoot of the French broadcaster, has been discreetly building a major theatrical and home video distribution operation that will market such high profile recent acquisitions as Neil LaBute's Nurse Betty and Martin Scorsese's Gangs Of New York in France.The outfit, under Thierry Desmichelle, M6 Interactions' deputy general manager in charge of film, teamed up with CLT-Ufa to co-acquire Scorsese's $100m period gangster film that will then be -
McCormack to reign in My Kingdom
Catherine McCormack has signed to star as the daughter of Richard Harris and Lynn Redgrave in UK gangster movie My Kingdom which is being directed by Don Boyd and produced by Neal Weisman of Close Grip Films, Gabriela Bacher of Primary Pictures and BSkyB's film production arm Sky Pictures. Overseas Filmgroup is handling international sales on the project at Cannes.McCormack will play Cath, the eldest of the three daughters of Harris' crime lord in the movie, a contemporary updat -
Medea announces $800,000 handout
The newly launched Mediterranean and European Programme for Audiovisual Development, dubbed Medea, has unveiled the details of its application and awards process. The programme will dole out up to 900,000 Euros annually to 25 feature film and documentary projects from countries in the European Union and Mediterranean region.Medea, which is funded by the European Commission and spearheaded by the regional government of Andalusia, Spain, has just opened the applications process for subsi -
MGM buys Nine Yards for Japan
MGM has acquired Japanese rights to Franchise Pictures' hit comedy The Whole Nine Yards in an unusual single territory acquisition for the studio which from November will distribute all its pictures internationally through 20th Century Fox.The Japanese deal, which was the last unclosed territory on the film,was signed on the eve of Cannes. Directed by Jonathan Lynn and starring Bruce Willis and Matthew Perry, The Whole Nine Yards grossed $57m on its domestic release throu -
Miramax in sales Heaven
Miramax International has already sold Heaven, set to star Cate Blanchett, to Asmik Ace for Japan, Lauren Films for Spain and Village Roadshow for Greece, despite only unveiling the project two weeks ago.German director Tom Tykwer will make his English-language debut with the film, from a script by late Polish film-maker Krzysztof Kieslowski. Production is scheduled to start in July.Asmik, Lauren and Village Roadshow Greece also bought Bounce, starring Gwyneth Palt -
Miramax plans return to Colditz
Miramax Films is planning a major film franchise set in notorious German prisoner-of-war fortress Colditz, originally seen on film in Guy Hamilton's gung-ho 1954 classic. The studio has acquired remake rights to that film as well as exclusive movie rights to the book on which it was based by John Patrick Reid and two follow-up books Colditz: The Latter Days and Colditz: The Full Story.Rafael Yglesias, whose credits include Fearless and Death And The Maiden, is writing the -
Miramax takes four from Media Asia
Hong-Kong powerhouse, Media Asia has struck a four-picture deal with Miramax Films for North American distribution. The deal, which lifts Media Asia's Cannes deal total to $6m, is headed by Purple Storm, the sci-fi actioner which recently cleared up at the Taiwan Golden Horse and Hong Kong academy awards. The other three are recent library titles. Big as it is, the Miramax package agreement may still be eclipsed in financial terms by an imminent distribution accord on -
New Line closes Rings distribution circle
New Line International has slotted the final key pieces into the worldwide distribution structure on its ambitious $300m Lord Of the Rings trilogy currently shooting in New Zealand. The Time Warner-owned studio is now rallying its partners for a massive coordinated promotional and merchandising blitz for the worldwide simultaneous release of the first film The Fellowship Of The Ring on Dec 14, 2001.C+P, the buying alliance between StudioCanal and Pathe, has bought the fil -
Nu Image, Artisan tape up Ticker
Avi Lerner and Danny Dimbort's Nu Image is teaming up with Artisan Entertainment to finance and distribute Steven Seagal-starrer Ticker to be directed by Albert Pyun. Dennis Hopper and Tom Sizemore will join Seagal. Artisan will distribute the film in North America and Nu Image will handle international rights. Paul Rosenblum is producing the picture. Gary Rubin, senior vice president, television, at Artisan did the deal with Lerner and Dimbort. -
O Brother, Where Art Thou'
Dir: Joel Coen. US. 2000. 102mins.Prod co: Working Title. US dist: Buena Vista . Int'l sales: UPI (00 44 207 307 1300). Exec prods: Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner. Prod: Ethan Coen. Co-prod: John Cameron. Scr: Ethan Coen,Joel Coen. DoP: Roger Deakins. Prod des: Dennis Gassner. Eds: Roderick Jaynes, Tricia Cooke. Music: T Bone Burnett. Main cast: George Clooney, John Turturro, Tim Blake Nelson, John Goodman, Holly Hunter, Chris Thomas King, Charles Durning, Wayne Duvall.The hero -
Paramount, Miramax team on Lucky Break
The UK's FilmFour has sold Our Lucky Break, Peter Cattaneo's follow-up toThe Full Monty, to Miramax Films and Paramount for North America and Australia/New Zealand. The two US studios will jointly release the film in North America, while FilmFour will distribute in the UK. "The deal uses Paramount's distribution muscle and Miramax's marketing nous," said Paul Webster, chief executive of FilmFour.Webster added that the project is now greenlit. Cattaneo will direct from a s -
Queen Isabelle is back
Isabelle Adjani, who was last seen in the Hollywood remake of Diabolique in 1996, is coming back to to the big screen in a French film that will shoot next year after year's finished acting on the Parisian stage. The star of Queen Margot and Camille Claudel, and former Cannes jury president, will take the starring role in La Repentie, Laetita Masson's next project that looks virtually assured of a Cannes slot in 2002.The acclaimed French film-maker's -
Renn develops English Deputy, Cinderella
Pathe's French production subsidiary Renn Productions is developing two English-language titles - The Deputy, to be directed by Costa-Gavras, and a cinematic version of Cinderella, to be directed by Bruno Aveillon.The Deputy is an adaptation of a novel by Rolf Hochhuth, scheduled to start shooting in February 2001. The film will be Costa-Gavras' first since Mad City in 1997.Renn's Claude Berri previously produced three English-language films, Roman P -
Seagull flies with Independent Artists
Los Angeles-based distributor and sales agent Independent Artists (IA) has signed a first-look deal with Spanish start-up The Seagull Productions (TSP). The initial five-year deal gives IA first-look for US distribution on all TSP productions, while TSP gets first-look as Spanish co-producer on IA films.The deal will include the first feature from IA's newly launched production arm, director Raul Ruiz's $11m Box Of Rain, as well as TSP's debut film The Seagull, a $12m fil -
SIC takes stake, pics from Morena
Portugal's leading private free TV broadcaster, SIC, has acquired a 10% stake in Juan Gordon's Madrid-based production outfit Morena Films. The broadcaster has also acquired all rights for Portugal on three Morena projects which it will co-produce, and taken TV rights on three other Morena productions. The deal marks SIC's entrance into the international film production and acquisitions market.SIC will co-produce and take all rights in Portugal on two of Morena's forthcoming film produ -
Skinner signs up for UK comedy
UK actor-comedian Frank Skinner has signed to star in Crust, a comedy to be written and directed by newcomer Mark Locke.The project tells the story of "three ordinary people going for gold with a seven foot boxing shrimp". It is being produced through Henry Van Moyland's Los Angeles-based Incubator Productions and Nick O'Hagan's newly-formed London outfit Giant Films.Shooting is scheduled to start at the end of this year.Skinner boasts several theatre credits as we -
Terra firms up Lycos acquisition
Terra, the Spanish and Portuguese-speaking world's leading internet portal majority owned by telecoms giant Telefonica, has closed a deal to acquire multi-brand network Lycos in a stock-for-stock transaction worth $12.5bn.The new company, dubbed Terra Lycos, has also closed a $1bn dollar, five-year commerce deal with European media giant Bertelsmann, which maintains an existing joint venture with Lycos called Lycos Europe. The deal will give Terra Lycos preferred access to Bertelsmann -
TF1 gets Lost And Delirious
TF1 International has picked up worldwide rights on Lea Pool's first English-language project, Lost And Delirious, which starts shooting May 29 in Lennoxville.The C$7m film, set in a girls' boarding school in English-speaking Canada in the 1960s, is produced by Lorraine Richard of CiteAmerique. It stars hot young Canadian actresses Piper and Jessica Pare (of Denys Arcand's Cannes closer Stardom).TF1's foreign sales arm, under CEO Didier Sapaut and international sal -
Trio joins Helkon in European power play
Helkon International Pictures (HIP) has unveiled its own network of distributor partners who will jointly release movies from Hollywood producers as well as originate its own big budget films that can be shot in Europe. The consortium marks a concerted attempt to help level the playing field with Hollywood, giving Europe a creative voice proportionate to its new-found financing clout.Joining Helkon in Germany are Eagle Pictures in Italy, Tri Pictures in Spain and Redbus Film Dis -
UAF to stike Winterbottom gold
United Artists Films (UAF) is close to striking a first-look deal with director-producer team Michael Winterbottom and Andrew Eaton, sources confirmed.The move comes after UAF and Pathe Pictures financed the duo's epic love-story Kingdom Come set during the goldrush. That picture was one of three pictures, along with Directors' Fortnight entry Girlfight and Maggie Greenwald's Songcatcher, sold to Japanese distributor ShochikuThe first-look deal, which will c -
Via Digital boards Spanish prod'n
Spanish digital satellite platform Via Digital has boarded Spanish title Tercavida (working title) as a co-producer alongside Madrid's PHF and Karma Films. The film, a comedy set in Madrid under second-time director Fernando Huertas, begins shooting this week. Via takes free and pay-TV rights to the project.Although the entrance of Via in the local production sector would be welcomed by Spanish producers, sources at the platform say it is too soon to talk about any further produ
