Screen
26 May 2011

View all stories from this issue.

Australian court slams Omnilab and Michael Smith for collusion in VPF scandal

Former DCN director could face 5 years imprisonment for breaching Corporation Law
Blue Bird

Dir/scr: Gust Van der Berghe. Belgium. 2011. 86mins
FDA Cinema Showcase previews 13 titles, hosts talent

Attack The Block, Bridesmaids, Diary Of A Wimpy Kid 2, Jack Goes Boating among films screening at Film Distributors Association event in London
Grandmaster, anyone?

Know your Queen’s Gambit from your Sicilian Defense? This is the event for you if so.
Hubert Bals Fund backs projects including UCR selection Goodbye

The Hubert Bals Fund of the International Film festival Rotterdam (IFFR) has announced the 22 projects it will be supporting in its Spring Selection Round.
Khoo meets his sensei

Singaporean director Eric Khoo has been a fan of Japanese manga master Yoshihiro Tatsumi for decades, but when he picked up his autobiography, A Drifting Life, he knew he had to turn it into a film.
Match Factory boards Duane Hopkins’ Bypass

The Match Factory has announced an international rights deal with Third Films for Duane Hopkins’ upcoming feature Bypass.
Power trip

Xavier Durringer tells Screen that Thiérry Fremaux’s decision to include Durringer’s film The Conquest, which charts Nicolas Sarkozy’s rise to power, in the Cannes line-up was a “total surprise”.
Ron Scalpello to direct Feltham for Gunslinger

Revolver Entertainment’s production arm is looking to appoint a sales agent for the project in Cannes.
Scottish VOD company Distrify partners with Centre for Moving Image

Distrify will show online trailers at the upcoming Edinburgh International Film Festival.
Spanish Film Screenings to include Blackthorn, Cousinhood

The sixth edition of the Spanish Film Screenings event in Madrid will feature some of the hottest new local titles, including Mateo Gil’s western Blackthorn and Daniel Sanchez Arevalo’s comedy
StudioCanal has hot Cannes with Romantics, Photograph

EXCLUSIVE: StudioCanal’s Harold van Lier says the market has been “exceptional” for the company which has completed strong pre-sales on its titles – a majority of which are now English-language productions.
The Long Falling

Dir: Martin Provost. France-Belgium. 2011. 103mins
The Source

Dir: Radu Mihaileanu. France. 2011. 136 mins
Voice and Music Company rebrands as Soho Square Studios

The newly named UK post house, Soho Square Studios, will focus on expanding its film, TV and commercial business.
Voir la Mer

Dir/scr: Patrice Leconte. France. 2011. 91mins
Winnie The Pooh

Dirs: Stephen Anderson, Don Hall. US. 2011. 73mins
Mandela doc in demand

The Mandela Project, co-directed by Mandela’s grandson, features exclusive interviews with the former president.
17 Girls

Dir/scr: Delphine & Muriel Coulin. France. 2011. 91mins
35 & Ticking

Dir/scr: Russ Parr. US. 2011. 104mins
4Digital Media picks up Bulla for UK

Tony Taglienti’s UK outfit takes comedy Bulla for UK theatrical and DVD
A Beautiful Life

Dir: Andrew Lau. China. 2011. 122mins
A Royal Affair

TrustNordisk were in Cannes selling Zentropa’s epic real life historical love story starring Mads Mikkelssen and Alicia Vikander.
Abramorama to release Pearl Jam doc in US

Cameron Crowe’s doc is released to coincide with the 20th anniversary of the band’s formation
Abu Dhabi’s Sanad fund selects 11 projects

The Abu Dhabi Film Festival (ADFF) has unveiled the 11 projects to receive support from its Sanad fund in the first application cycle this year.
Adrienn Pal wins at shortened Hungarian Film Week

Agnes Kocsis’ Adrienn Pal named Best Film at 42nd Hungarian Film Week
Adventures Of A Hollywood Banker

The daughter of legendary Dutch film financier Frans Afman (who passed away earlier this month) is making sure her father’s memory lives on through a documentary about his life.
Age Of Heroes

Dir: Adrian Vitoria. UK. 2011. 90mins
Al Pacino joins Fiore Films' mob project Gotti: Three Generations

The veteran actor is the latest high-profile name to join the project, which Barry Levinson is set to direct in late autumn for a late 2012 release.
Alcon Entertainment, Warner Bros extend deal through 2015

Alcon Entertainment has extended its long-term financing and distribution agreement with Warner Bros through 2015.
Almodovar’s Skin a fine fit for competition

Pedro is back on top form with a delicious horror thriller cum comedy cum love story.
American indies under the spotlight in Wroclaw

Black Rabbit Film and the New Horizons Organisation are teaming up to bring American indie films to European Audiences at the American Film Festival in Wroclaw.
American World Pictures Cannes-bound with five new titles

The LA-based production, sales and distribution company arrives on the Croisette with a fresh slate that includes Mercy, based on a screenplay by Scott Caan.
An American dream

Famke Janssen is in Cannes for her directorial debut, Bringing Up Bobby, set in Oklahoma.
An Invisible Sign

Dir: Marilyn Agrelo. US. 2011. 96mins
Anchor Bay takes Annapurna, Benaroya, Emmett's Catch .44

EXCLUSIVE: Anchor Bay Films has picked up rights to Annapurna Pictures’ Sin City thriller Catch .44 starring Bruce Willis, Forest Whitaker and Malin Akerman.
Anchor Bay takes North America on Roger Corman doc

Anchor Bay Films has picked up North American rights to the Far Hills Pictures documentary Corman’s World: Exploits Of A Hollywood Rebel.
Andrew Niccol to direct The Host starring Saoirse Ronan

Inferno Entertainment and producers Nick Wechsler, Steve Schwartz and Paula Mae Schwartz have set Andrew Niccol to direct Saoirse Ronan in the Stephenie Meyer adaptation The Host.
Annapurna moves on Terminator as market heats up

Annapurna Films has paid in the region of $20m to make at least two Terminator films following a victorious auction that parachutes another white-hot title into an already bullish Cannes market.
Anton Chekhov’s The Duel

Dir: Dover Kosashvili. US. 2010. 94mins
Archstone Distribution to launch Tombstone genre label

The Tombstone Distribution slate comprises a number of Archstone titles such as monster film Snow Beast and the Michael Madsen genre title Amsterdam Heavy.
Are you cooking for me?

Teams battle it out to cook for jury head Robert De Niro, in Cannes’ very own masterchef, Le Menu De Cannes.
Arirang

Dir: Kim Ki-duk. Korea. 2011. 100mins
Aruba to open with international premiere of Meet Monica Velour

Other international premieres include Things Fall Apart, Tequila and Nobody Can Judge Me.
Asian, Western talent sign up for Kazakh epic Myn Bala

Talent from the US, Europe and Asia have signed up for historic adventure film Myn Bala, which has just started shooting in Kazakhstan.
ASPAs to start some member voting with fifth annual awards

The Asia Pacific Screen Awards has announced that it will introduce member voting rights for the first time for select categories of the fifth annual APSAs.
ATO signs North American deal for Moll thriller The Monk

EXCLUSIVE: Memento Films International handles sales.
Australia boosts its effects/post incentive to 30%

Producers who hire Australian companies to do visual effects or other post-production work will be able to claim 30% back from the government.
AV Pictures thrills buyers with Sket

Buyers are swarming over girl gang movie Sket, on the AV Pictures slate.
Avatar and Fox win big at BVA awards

James Cameron blockbuster scoops three awards at UK home entertainment awards
B Good plans Suddenly remake

EXCLUSIVE: UK production outfit B Good Picture Company is developing a remake of the 1954 Frank Sinatra classic Suddenly.
Babylon International launches second edition in Berlin

Mentors on the European-African training and development programme include John Akomfrah and Jean-Pierre Bekolo.
Bac takes on Fouche's Memories Corner

EXCLUSIVE: The newly-revamped Bac Films has taken international rights to Audrey Fouche’s debut feature, Memories Corner.
Bachelor Days Are Over

Dir: Katia Lewkowicz. France 2011. 99mins
Bachmann launches Vox Humana archive collection

The Criterion Collection has acquired US rights to the entire archive; international film festivals including Karlovy Vary to host onstage interviews to be added to the collection.
Beauty

Dir/scr: Oliver Hermanus. South Africa/France. 2011. 104mins
Bellocchio to receive Venice lifetime achievement award

Director c is to receive a Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at this year’s festival.
Beloved

Dir/scr: Christophe Honore. 2011. France. 135mins
Beta Cinema secures US deal on My Best Enemy

The deal was one of almost two dozen sales agreements concluded by Beta Cinema at this year’s Cannes market.
Beta takes on four new films including Huntgeburth’s Tom Sawyer

On the eve of this year’s Cannes Festival, German sales outfit Beta Cinema has snapped up international sales rights to four new projects.
Beyond The Black Rainbow attracts Magnet for US

EXCLUSIVE: Magnet has picked up US rights and Mongrel Media has acquired Canada from XYZ Films to Panos Cosmatos’ sci-fi thriller Beyond The Black Rainbow.
Big Beach, Duplass Brothers kick off Safety Not Guaranteed shoot

Production is underway in Seattle on the ensemble comedy, inspired by a real request placed in the classified ads section of Backwoods Home Magazine seeking a partner for time travel.
Black & Blue Films launches DVD label

London production outfit joins with 4Digital Media for home entertainment label
Black & Blue teams with PerfectFeatures on Whisper

The project will be the first film to come out of actress Lysette Anthony’s new UK production company PerfectFeatures.
Bleiberg closes UK, China on There Be Dragons

Bleiberg Entertainment has licensed Roland Joffe’s epic There Be Dragons to key territories including
Blitz

Dir: Elliott Lester. UK. 2011. 97mins
Bollywood: The Greatest Love Story Ever Told

Dirs: Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, Jeff Zimbalist. India. 2011, 100mins
BOM Film Productions takes Korean rights to Wu Xia

Hong Kong-based We Distribution has sold Korean rights to Peter Ho-sun Chan’s Wu Xia to BOM Film Productions.
Bonsai

Dir: Cristian Jimenez. Chile-France-Argentina-Portugal. 2011. 95mins
Bosnia & Herzegovina takes over EAO presidency

Bosnia & Herzegovina takes over presidency of the European Audiovisual Observatory in 2012.
Bouchareb hires Sienna Miller as his woman for Doc & Film project

Sienna Miller, Golshifteh Farahani and frequent collaborator Roschdy Zem star in Just Like A Woman
Brendan Fraser signs on to William Tell: 3D for Moyer, Arclight Films

Fraser will play the title role in the upcoming family action film William Tell: 3D, which Arclight will introduce to Cannes buyers.
Brian Skeet to direct noir thriller Disorientated

UK film-maker Brian Skeet is to direct Disoriented, an Italian set neo-noir film starring D.B Sweeney [pictured], Dee Wallace and Michael Kearns.
Brisbane Film Festival announces new $27,000 doc prize

The winner of the Brisbane International Film Festival’s (BIFF) new global documentary competition will walk away with US$27,000.
Buyers eat up Golden Network's Seefood

Hong Kong-based Golden Network Asia has pre-sold Malaysian animation Seefood to a string of territories including Wild Side for France and Splendid for Germany.
Buyers enter Herzog's Cave for Visit Films

EXCLUSIVE: Visit Films has closed further key territories here on Werner Herzog’s 3D documentary Cave Of Forgotten Dreams.
Buyers hungry for Autlook's El Bulli doc

EXCLUSIVE: Buyers are feasting on El Bulli, Cooking In Progress, being sold by Autlook.
Buyers keen for Scorsese/von Trier

EXCLUSIVE: Buyers are beginning to pounce on the next Five Obstructions
C Sky, twofour54 Abu Dhabi strike development deal

EXCLUSIVE: Kuwaiti filmmaker Walid Al Awadi’s C Sky Pictures has signed a three-year development deal with twofour54 Abu Dhabi to develop and produce a slate of Arabic film and TV projects.
California tax credit extension moves on

A five-year, $500m extension of California’s film and TV tax credit program has been approved in the State Assembly.
Cameron Crowe Pearl Jam doc to reach 75 sites in UK

75 sites in the UK and Ireland to simultaneously screen rockumentary in September
Camilla Lackberg talks up Fjallbacka movies, TV series for TrustNordisk

Lackberg is in Cannes talking up hot project The Fjallbacka Murders, which TrustNordisk is pre-selling
Cannes 2011 Critics Jury... and the winner is?

Screen reveals the winner of our annual international critics jury vote in Cannes. See the full grid here and find out which film won.
Cannes adds new Apres le Sud screening after Fortnight subtitles glitch

Cannes Market has added a new screening of Heat Wave (Apres le Sud), for Saturday May 21 at 3:45 at Arcades 1.
Cannes buyers flock to Pompeii, End Of Watch, Great Hope Springs

A revitalised Cannes market has translated into sell-outs on key titles as buyers flocked to Summit International’s Pompeii and
Cannes buys for former Yugoslavia include Megacom taking six award winners

Distributors from the territories of the former Yugoslavia have acquired rights to a number of films from Cannes official programme and Marche.
Cannes deals signed by CMG

Cinema Management Group (CMG) has reported more than 30 sales deals on its Cannes slate of animated features and action films.
Cannes Film Festival

The stars and top industry execs are out at the Cannes Film Festival, May 11-28, 2011
Cannes market boosted by festival hits, $100m studio-level projects

High deal volume, a compelling roster of commercial must-haves and the return of a competitive US marketplace coupled with a renewed appetite for Japanese pre-buys were among the highpoints of a stirring Cannes market.
Cannes you kick it?

Forget the FA Cup Final. The only football match worth watching on Saturday was Nike’s first annual celebrity tournament here in Cannes.
Carry On Star Wars

Barbara Windsor comes face to face with a group of stormtroopers as Elstree & Borehamwood gets the Hollywood treatment.
Cash call for Kiwi shoot

New Zealand film-maker Samuel Miller is calling on the international production community in Cannes to help make his feature, Highland Heist, in earthquake-torn Christchurch.
Cassel in talks for Dobermann sequel

Richard Rionda Del Castro of Marco Polo Production and Gilles Thompson of Acteurs Auteurs Associés (AAA) are joining forces to produce
CBS locks up US rights to The Woman In Black

CBS Films has preemptively acquired US distribution rights for the gothic horror starring Daniel Radcliffe.
Celine Rattray, Trudie Styler launch Maven Pictures

The New York City-based company aims to produce three to five films a year for distribution across all platforms and will also finance development and provide equity for films across a wide range of budgets.
Chiba to star in Lone Warrior

Japanese actor and martial artist Sonny Chiba is to star in Lone Warrior, a period adventure from US writer-director Cameron Fertitta.
Chinese film festival to be held during ScreenSingapore

Singapore’s Media Development Authority (MDA) is organising a film festival of Chinese cinema to be held alongside the inaugural edition of ScreenSingapore (June 5-12).
Cineart, Lumiere kickstart Belgian deals

Continuing its longstanding relationship with Ken Loach, Belgian distributor Cineart has confirmed that it will release Loach’s latest The Angels’ Share (currently shooti
Cinema Libre takes US rights to Genius On Hold

Cinema Libre Studio and Top Cat Productions have struck a US distribution deal for documentary Genius On Hold and has committed $500,000 in p&a to release in at least 25 US cities starting in October.
Cinemavault secures deals on Somewhere Tonight

John Turturro stars in the urban fable which will screen at the upcoming Karlovy Vary International Film Festival.
Circles (Krugovi)

The Trap director Srdan Golubovic’s latest feature is the true story of a Serbian soldier who risked his life to protect a Muslim civilian during the war in Bosnia.
CMG hits stride on Croisette with diverse slate

EXCLUSIVE: Ed Noeltner’s Cinema Management Group has closed deals on zombie slacker film Deadheads with Eagle for Australia and New Zealand, Splendid for Germany and Benelux and Front Row for the Middle East.
Code Blue

Dir: Urszula Antoniak. Netherlands-Denmark. 2011. 81mins
Columbia takes Bigelow's Bin Laden project for US

Columbia Pictures has acquired US rights to Kathryn Bigelow and Mark Boal’s film about the black ops mission to capture or kill Osama bin Laden.
Cooking up a treat

Wendy Mitchell checks out the menu for Alain Ducasse’s opening night dinner at Electrolux’s Agora pavillion in Cannes.
Corpo Celeste

Dir/scr: Alice Rohrwacher. Italy-France. 2011. 98mins
Corsicato starts shoot for Il Volto, backed by new BLS fund

Neapolitan director Pappi Corsicato’s new comedy Il Volto Di Un’Altra (The Face Of Another) kicks off shooting this week in Italy’s Northern Trentino Alto-Adige region.
Cross Creek hires Russell Gewirtz to write Black Mass

EXCLUSIVE: Brian Oliver’s Cross Creek Pictures has hired Inside Man screenwriter Russell Gewirtz to write Black Mass, a $35m project about the unholy alliance between the FBI and the Boston mob.
Daniels to direct McConaughey, Efron, Maguire in The Paperboy

Buyer interest is swirling around the $20m Lee Daniels project The Paperboy, a sexy thriller that has been reconfigured with Matthew McConaughey, Zac Efron, Sofia Vergara and Tobey Maguire in talks to star.
Danish Film Institute on von Trier: 'Great artists make stupid remarks'

UK distributor stands by release; Susanna Bier’s Italian co-producer shows solidarity with her.
Danny Dimbort leaves Avi Lerner to head Red Granite sales

Danny Dimbort is to leave his longtime business partner Avi Lerner and go with Christian Mercuri to head the new sales division at Riza Aziz and Joey McFarland’s LA-based production and finance company.
Darclight boards musical horror spoof Tracey's Slumba Party

Arclight Films genre unit Darclight has picked up international rights excluding the UK, Australia and New Zealand to Louise Alston’s upcoming horror musical spoof Tracey’s Slumba Party.
David Heyman to receive Producer Of The Decade Award at CineEurope

CineEurope will present its 2011 “Producer of the Decade” award to David Heyman.
De Niro, Keaton say 'I do' to Big Wedding for Nu Image/Millennium

Robert De Niro, Diane Keaton, Katherine Heigl and Amanda Seyfried will star in comedy The Big Wedding aka Gently Down The Stream, which Nu Image is pre-selling in Cannes.
Declaration Of War

Dir: Valerie Donzelli. France. 2011. 100mins
Del Toro to serve as LA Film Festival guest director

Guillermo del Toro has been named guest director at the Los Angeles Film Festival and will select a film to present that has been an influence on his work, followed by an on-stage interview.
Dench, McKellen bite for zombie romp

EXCLUSIVE: Ian McKellen, Judi Dench, Gillian Anderson, and Mark Williams are attached to star in Matthew Butler’s 18th century zombie romp, The Curse Of The Buxom Strumpet.
Diana doc controversy heats up on Croisette

Keith Allen says his controversial Princess Diana documentary Unlawful Killing is unlikely to receive a release in the UK for legal reeasons.
Dias de Gracia

Dir/scr: Everardo Gout. Mexico/France. 2011. 128mins
DiCaprio to star in Wolf for Red Granite, Appian, EMJAG

Leonardo DiCaprio will star in The Wolf Of Wall Street for new LA-based Red Granite Pictures, based on the memoir of the convicted fraudster turned motivational speaker Jordan Belfort.
Disney, UTV to co-produce slate of family films

The Walt Disney Company India and Mumbai-based UTV Motion Pictures have formed a creative alliance to co-produce a slate of Disney-branded films aimed at family audiences.
Dixie Theatrical Coporation launches, backed by oilman Greg Hall

Filmmaker PJ Pettiette and Claudie Viguerie have partnered with Louisiana Oil magnate Greg Hall to form Dixie Theatrical Corporation.
Does this sound familiar?

According to British film-maker Lajaune Lincoln, it’s the sale agents you need to watch, not the fake accomodation sellers.
Dogwoof acquires UK rights to Leaving Baghdad

EXCLUSIVE: Dogwoof Films has picked up UK rights to Koutaiba Al Janabi’s controversial drama Leaving Baghdad, which had its world premiere at the Dubai International Film Festival.
Dogwoof acquires UK rights to Steve James' The Interrupters

EXCLUSIVE: Dogwoof plans an autumn theatrical launch in the UK, and the BBC will broadcast subsequently.
Dogwoof bites on An African Election

UK outfit takes Merz’s US political doc about Ghana which premiered at Sundance
Doha Film Institute unveils slate of 25 grant recipients

The Doha Film Institute (DFI) has announced the slate of 25 projects in various stages of production that will receive grants in its second funding round.
Doha Tribeca to host world premiere of Black Gold

Quinta Communications’ Arabian epic Black Gold will make its world premiere at the 2011 Doha Tribeca Film Festival (DTFF), which is scheduled to run October 25-29 at Katara Cultural Village.
Dominic Purcell joins cast of Vikingdom, Epic Pictures closes deals

Patrick Ewald’s Epic Pictures Group licenses a host of deals on slate
Double win for The Giants in Directors Fortnight

Belgian director Bouli Lanners’ third feature, The Giants, has been awarded two prizes at this evening’s Directors’ Fortnight closing ceremony.
Down and dirty

Israeli actress Hagar Ben Asher’s feature directing debut The Slut is screening in Critics’ Week.
Drive

Dir: Nicolas Winding Refn. US. 2011. 100mins
Drive-ing music

Find out about those ’80s-leaning pop tunes that had a starring role in Drive.
Dubai Film Connection to launch focus on documentaries

The Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF) is expanding its co-production market, Dubai Film Connection, with a focus on documentary films.
Dubai Film Market reports 60% increase in business

The Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF) has announced that the December 2010 edition of the Dubai Filmmart assisted sales for a record 224 films from around the world, a 60% increase from its 2009 edition.
Duch, Master Of The Forges Of Hell

Dir: Rithy Panh. France. 2011. 103mins
Duncan Clark promoted to President of Distribution for UPI

Clark previously has served as Executive Vice President of Distribution for UPI since 2006.
Dutch Courage

With the Dutch government recommending 30% cuts in the culture sector, local film industry experts brace for film spending cutbacks and potential job losses and bankruptcies.
Dylan Dog: Dead Of Night

Dir: Kevin Munroe. US. 2011. 107mins
Easternlight scores pre-sales on White Vengeance

EXCLUSIVE: Arclight Films’ Easternlight banner has closed a string of sales on new pick-up White Vengeance, which Daniel Lee is currently shooting in China.
EastWest picks up zombie-comedy Harold’s Going Stiff

Keith Wright directs the story of a zombie and his new female friend who must evade zombie hunters.
Echo Bridge to handle foreign sales on Active sci-fi trio

The agreement covers international sales on three new CGI sci-fi films from Active Entertainment and producer Ken Badish.
EIFF partners with Screen on industry conference

The Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF) is to host a major new film industry conference, developed and produced in partnership with leading global trade brand Screen International.
EIFF to feature new music strand Sound Tracks

It is part of the new-look Edinburgh International Film Festival, which runs June 15-26.
EIFF to open with McDonagh's The Guard

Edinburgh has announced its line-up, a third of which will consist of documentaries; Lynne Ramsay’s We Need To Talk About Kevin, starring EIFF patron Tilda Swinton, will not screen at the festival.
Elena

Dir: Andrei Zvyagintsev. Russia. 2011. 109mins
Emperor’s Bullets hit trio of territories

EXCLUSIVE: Hong Kong-based Emperor Motion Pictures (EMP) has closed a trio of deals on Jiang Wen’s blockbuster Let The Bullets Fly including a sale to Amuse Soft in Japan.
Ender's Game, Expendables 2 among buying spree for Taiwan's SSG

Johnny Lin’s Taiwanese buyer SSG has closed multiple deals here, taking rights from Sierra/Affinity to hot title Ender’s Game, Parker and The Place Beyond The Pines.
Ennio Morricone to head Rome jury

Morricone will be joined by dancer Roberto Bolle
Entertainment One reports 12.5% annual growth

Parent company releases annual results for year ending March 31, 2011, with EBITDA up 20% from last year
eOne reports Cannes spree

Entertainment One (eOne) has reported acquiring more than 50 films — including multi-territory buys Pompeii, Parker and The Big Wedding - at what filmed entertainment president Patrice Theroux said was “the best Cannes we’ve ever had.”
eOne reports deals on competition entry Sleeping Beauty

EXCLUSIVE: eOne Films International reports strong interest here on Julia Leigh’s psycho-sexual drama Sleeping Beauty, which premiered in competition last night [12].
Eros gets Ready for starry Cannes slate

India’s Eros International has acquired international rights to Salman Khan vehicle Ready, adding it to a star-studded Cannes slate that also includes Ra.One starring Shah Rukh Khan and Rana with Tamil superstar Rajnikanth.
Essential to commence sales on Pan starring Eckhart, Robb

Aaron Eckhart and AnnaSophia Robb will star in the dark spin on Peter Pan that was originally set up at New Line as a directing vehicle for Guillermo del Toro.
EuropaCorp strikes deal with theme park giant Europa Park

Luc Besson’s EuropaCorp enters theme park business
EuropaCorp to shift focus to TV and international sales

After a turbulent 12 months, Luc Besson’s EuropaCorp came out fighting on Wednesday [May 4] with the announcement of a four-year strategic action plan it hopes will return it to profit in 2011/12 and puts the accent on increased TV production and international sales.
EuropaCorp’s international sales fell by 56 percent in 2010/11

Increased box office receipts and domestic television sales reverse losses.
Everything you wanted to know about Finland..

On one easy to use website!
Ex Inferis heats up for Opus as Cannes buyers circle

EXCLUSIVE: Ken DuBow’s LA-based Opus Distribution will be introducing buyers on the Croisette to the horror film Ex Inferis from director Leonardo Araneo.
Farts of Fury

Dirs: Andres Maimik, Rain Tolk. Estonia. 2011. 110 mins
Fast & Furious Five plunders record $87m for Universal

The heist film added an estimated $86.6m through UPI from 6,979 sites in 58 territories as the running total climbed to $184.4m and the film remained the biggest worldwide release for the second weekend.
Fast Five takes $58m as Thor, Rio reach milestones

Fast & Furious Five remains the top attraction overseas and used an estimated $58m haul through Universal/UPI to boost the running total to $271.7m.
FDA launches screenings event for Scottish media

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Jane Eyre, The Help among films to be screened.
Fertile Ground

This year’s Guiding Lights mentoring programme produced more than just films, as Sarah Cooper discovered at the wrap party.
Festival affair

Frederic Boyer yesterday hosted a Cannes lunch for festival directors and programmers
Film auditing veterans Fisher and Okkersen come together

Christa Okkersen’s License Control and HW Fisher & Company have announced the launch of their new outfit
Film Bridge adds Madly In Love to Cannes slate

Film Bridge International is handling worldwide distribution on the hit Belgium rom-com Madly In Love (Smoorverliefd) here.
Film Bridge summons 12 Angry Women for Cannes duty

EXCLUSIVE: Film Bridge International has launched talks here on the female ensemble 12 Angry Women, a comic twist on Sidney Lumet’s classic courtroom drama 12 Angry Men.
Film Factory gets Inertia

Vicente Canales’ aggressive new sales outfit Film Factory Entertainment has taken international sales rights on Inertia, a feature film to be directed by Gonzalo López Gall
Film London partners with Rio Film Commission

Film London and Filme Rio-Rio Film Commission have signed a partnership agreement to develop the exchange of trade, talent and culture within their cities’ film industries.
Film London's Microwave starts shoot for Borrowed Time

The seventh film to come out of Film London and BBC Films’ microbudget scheme is a comedy drama directed by Jules Bishop.
Film New Zealand opens LA office

New Zealand national film body Film New Zealand and local post production outfit Park Road Post Production are joining forces to open an LA-based office.
Film4 to develop Bruce Chatwin feature

The script about the iconic travel writer is being written by Hari Kunzru and Katie Kitamura.
Film4's Commissioning team grows with addition of Piers Wenger

Wenger leaves BBC Wales where he has worked on Doctor Who.
FilmDistrict acquires domestic rights to sci-fi Looper

FilmDistrict has announced its second major acquisition in Cannes, teaming up with TriStar on Rian Johnson’s highly anticipated time travel conceit.
FilmDistrict boards Angelina Jolie directorial debut

Busy FilmDistrict has inserted the actress’ feature directorial debut In The Land Of Blood And Honey into its 2011 slate and will release in the US on Dec 23.
FilmDistrict Playing The Field with Gerard Butler and Jessica Biel

EXCLUSIVE: Riding high on the success of its inaugural releases, FilmDistrict has picked up US rights from Nu Image/Millennium Films to Gabriele Muccino’s rom-com Playing The Field, starring Gerard Butler and Jessica Biel.
FilmDistrict, Inferno close US deal for Arabian Nights

FilmDistrict has finalised its US acquisition of the 3D adventure Arabian Nights to star Liam Hemsworth from the upcoming The Hunger Games in a deal that has been in the works since the AFM last year.
FilmNation adds Heroes Of Nanking to Cannes slate

Glen Basner’s sales, production and financing company has boarded the bulk of international sales on Zhang Yimou and producer Zhang Weiping’s epic starring Christian Bale.
FilmNation to fully finance, sell Oren Peli project

EXCLUSIVE: Glen Basner’s FilmNation is to fully finance its first film, a prestige genre title from Paranormal Activity creator Oren Peli set to go this summer.
Films Distribution moves deals on House of Tolerance

EXCLUSIVE: Bertrand Bonello’s competition title House Of Tolerance continues to sell well.
FilmSharks closes deals on Brazilian smash Our Home The Astral City

EXCLUSIVE: FilmSharks International has closed a deal for the smash Brazilian spiritual drama Our Home The Astral City (Nosso Lar) with VideoVision for all rights in Africa.
Filmsharks makes sales on Torrente 4

Buenos Aires based sales company FilmSharks has sold theatrical distribution rights to Santiago Segura’s 3D US box office hit Torrente 4: Lethal Crisis in a number
Finecut adds Un Certain Regard titles, Leafie to Cannes slate

Korean sales company Finecut has arrived in Cannes with several new titles including Un Certain Regard entries The Day He Arrives, directed by Hong Sangsoo, and Kim Ki-duk’s dramatic documentary Arirang.
Finecut sells festival pair to Japan

EXCLUSIVE: Korea’s Finecut has sold both its Un Certain Regard titles to Japan – Kim Ki-duk’s Arirang has been sold to Crest International, while Hong Sangsoo’s The Day He Arrives has gone to Bitters End.
Finecut sells Un Certain Regard pair to Taiwan’s Catchplay

Korea’s Finecut has sold Arirang, Kim Ki-duk’s controversial self-portrait, and Hong Sang-soo’s The Day He Arrives to Taiwan’s Catchplay.
Finnish Film Foundation re-appoints MD Irina Krohn

Appointment of former politician Krohn is effective from August 1, 2011
FIP dives into thriller business with Mortensen on Plan

Fox International Productions (FIP) has brokered a deal for the worldwide rights to Everybody Has A Plan starring Viggo Mortensen and Soledad Villamil from the 2010 foreign language Oscar winner The Secret In Their Eyes.
First French live action 3D feature Behind the Walls to hit screens in July

Young French filmmakers embrace 3D; other hot projects at Dimension 3 include Shooting D’Artagnan.
Five Star adds 3D horror Dark Flight to Cannes slate

Thai production and sales outfit Five Star Production is unleashing four new high-profile titles at Cannes, including 3D horror film Dark Flight.
Focus signs two-film deal with Coraline producers Laika

The first title is comedy thriller ParaNorman and will be released on Aug 17, 2012, with the untitled second project to follow in 2014.
Focus takes US rights to Seeking A Friend For The End Of The World

Steve Carell and Keira Knightley will star in the story of neighbours who fall for each other as earth faces imminent destruction.
Footnote

Dir: Josef Cedar. Israel. 2011. 105mins
Fortissimo jumps on Fortnight title Sur La Planche

Fortissimo Films has acquired international rights to Moroccan director Leila Kilani’s Sur La Planche which is screening in the Directors’ Fortnight section at Cann
Fortissimo picks up Taiwanese epic Seediq Bale

Fortissimo Films has picked up Taiwanese epic Seediq Bale, directed by Wei Te-sheng whose Cape No. 7 is the highest-grossing local film ever in Taiwan.
Fortissimo sells Wong Kar Wai’s Grandmasters to Japan

EXCLUSIVE: Fortissimo Films has sold Wong Kar-wai’s hotly-anticipated martial arts epic The Grandmasters to Gaga Corporation for Japan.
Fortissimo, WME go to New York with Maisie

Fortissimo Films will handle international sales and WME domestic on Red Crown Productions’ What Maisie Knew, set to star Julianne Moore, Alexander Skarsgard and Steve Coogan.
Four world premieres at Dungog Film Festival

Four-day event opens with UK/Australian co-production Oranges And Sunshine
Four X-Filme classics find new home at The Match Factory

Run Lola Run (Lola Rennt) and Wintersleepers (Winterschläfer) among the four to move to Cologne-based sales agent
Fox Greater China executive Tu Ming dies of bone cancer

20th Century Fox Greater China Managing Director Tu Ming passed away on Sunday morning of bone cancer, at the age of 47.
Fox International becomes first to cross $1bn in 2011

The studio reached the milestone on May 8; the 11th year it has accomplished the feat.
Fox International Productions to present award at HAF

Fox International Productions (FIP) and the Hong Kong Asia Film Financing Forum (HAF) are collaborating on a new award to be given out annually at HAF beginning next year.
Fox International promotes Kearey to key marketing and distribution role

Rebecca Kearey has been promoted to evp of international marketing and distribution and previously served as svp at Fox Searchlight International.
Fox lines up 3D Glee concert film for summer

Glee Live! 3D will screen for two weeks in theatres commencing Aug 12 and is a collaboration between Twentieth Century Fox Television, Twentieth Century Fox Film and Glee creator Ryan Murphy.
Frans J Afman, pioneer of indie financing, dies at 77

Afman, the executive credited with revolutionising independent film financing during his time as an executive at Credit Lyonnais Bank in Holland in the 1980s, has died after a long illness. He was 77.
From one Michael ...to another

Markus Schleinzer has gone from casting Michael Haneke’s films to having his own feature in competition.
Future of MEDIA up for discussion in Cannes

The ninth edition of Cannes’ European Rendezvous focuses on MEDIA’s preparations for the new programme
Gaga announces acquisitions including Devil’s Double

Hot off its success with The King’s Speech, Japan’s Gaga Corporation has announced a string of further acquisitions, including
Generator Entertainment back former soldier's spy-thriller

Sven Hughes’ directorial debut The Federation backed by UK producers
Getting Heavy

Celebrating the 25th anniversary of Heavy Metal Parking Lot
Gifted celebrities

In the name of investigative journalism we head to the freebie suite in Cannes.
Ginisty new Chairman of EAO’s Advisory Committee

Benoît Ginisty, Director General of FIAPF, assumes additional role with EAO
Golden Network adds Chan’s Mural to Cannes slate

Hong Kong-based Golden Network Asia has picked up international rights to $13m fantasy action picture Mural, written and directed by Gordon Chan.
Goodbye

Dir/scr: Mohammad Rasoulof. Iran. 2011. 104mins
Greetings to Maya for US

Maya Entertainment has acquired US rights to Greetings to the Devil from Celluloid Nightmares. American Latino and multi-cultural specialist Maya will release the thriller theatrically and on its VOD platform.
Guilty Of Romance

Dir/scr: Sion Sono. Japan. 2011. 143mis
H2O closes sales on Samuel Jackson thriller The Samaritan

Sales chief Mark Horowitz has announced a raft of deals on the story of an ex-con who meets a mysterious woman as he is being lured back into a life of crime.
Hamming it up

Screen caught up with Jon Hamm and his long term girlfriend Jennifer Westfeldt, who are in Cannes to promote their feature Friends With Kids, which wrapped in February.
Hanezu

Dir/scr: Naomi Kawase. Japan. 2011. 91mins
Hangover 2 breaks records with $86.5m domestic opening

The Hangover Part II has notched the biggest domestic opening ever for a live action comedy, grossing an estimated $86.5m at the North American box office over three days and $118.1m since its Thursday (May 26) release.
Hangover, Panda sequels score big at international box office

The Hangover Part II and Kung Fu Panda 2 romped into the international marketplace this weekend, taking $60.2m and $57m respectively.
Hannibal Classics boards Sleight Of Hand with Depardieu, Sutherland, Cantona

Hannibal Classics is selling action comedy Sleight Of Hand here in Cannes, starring Kiefer Sutherland, Gerard Depardieu, Til Schweiger, Thomas Jane, Johnny Hallyday, Jon Lovitz and Eric Cantona.
Hara-Kiri: Death Of A Samurai

Dir: Takashi Miike Japan. 2011. 126mins
Helen Hughes appointed head of production at Framestore

It is part of the London based visual effects company’s plans to expand its production department.
HFPA welcomes trio of new members

Kirpi Uimonen Ballesteros, Barbara Gasser and Mirai Konishi have been admitted to the organisation.Ballesteros writes for the Ilta-Sanomat, Kouluainen and Suosikki (Finland), while Gasser writes for M-Starmedia Verlag and Maxima (Austria) and Konishi writes for CUT and eiga.com (Japan).All three were voted in at the membership meeting on May 6 and join the association’s current roster of 82 active members.
High Point makes sales on Blame

High Point Films has done a flurry of sales in Cannes on Michael Henry’s debut thriller Blame, starring Damian de Montemas, Sophie Lowe and Kestie Morassi.
Hobbit titles revealed

New Line, Warner and MGM have announced the titles of Peter Jackson’s two Hobbit films and confirmed the films’ release dates.
Holdom lines up Marcel, Deathtrap Dungeon

Mark Holdom, Inc., the Los Angeles-based production and financing company run by Mark Holdom in Italy and Sam Braslau in LA, has announced further details of its slate.
Hong Kong’s Universe lines up new Chan, Pang Brothers projects

Hong Kong’s Universe Films Distribution is launching four new titles at Cannes, including an untitled $20m action film from Benny Chan.
Horrid Henry leads premieres at 2011 LUFF

EXCLUSIVE: Horrid Henry: The Movie 3D headlines the premieres at this year’s London UK Film Focus (LUFF)
Hot projects on Screenbase

German feature Schilf, and UK productions Truth About Lies and Disoriented are among the new films that have made its way on our European production database, Screenbase.
Hot projects on Screenbase

French feature Le Grand Soir (The Big Night) and French-German co-production Le Fils De L’autre (The Son Of The Other) are among the Screenbase additions this week.
Hot projects on Screenbase

Cannes might be quietening down but Screenbase is still buzzing with the many new projects that have found its way into it.
House Of Tolerance

Dir/scr: Bertrand Bonello. France. 2011. 125mins
Huda to direct feature version of PSP game Gangs Of London

The Kidulthood director has acquired the rights to develop the 2006 PSP game Gangs Of London into a feature version with Pulse Films.
Hyde Park Imagenation, BBC to co-finance Lost Christmas

The joint venture between LA-based Hyde Park Entertainment and Imagenation Abu Dhabi has partnered with the BBC to co-finance John Hay’s
Iain Softley starts shooting Trap For Cinderella

The film is being sold by newly formed company Ealing Metro, which combines the sales teams of Prescience and Ealing Studios.
Icon Australia picks up motorcycle doc TT3D

EXCLUSIVE: The film, produced and financed by CinemaNX, is currently breaking box office records in the UK.
Icon Australia snaps up Mayday concert film from Double Edge

Icon Film Distribution has acquired all Australian rights to concert film Mayday 3DNA from Taiwan-based Double Edge Entertainment.
IM Global impresses Cannes buyers with new titles

By the half-way mark Stuart Ford’s IM Global has reported brisk business on its slate including the Sam Worthington action title The Last Days Of American Crime.
IM sells Enchanted to major markets

IM Global has announced sales of BBC Earth Films’ Enchanted Kingdom 3D to territories including France, Germany, China, Korea and Russia.
IMAX, Southern Theatres unveil revenue share deal

The announcement marks the first time IMAX has entered into a joint revenue sharing arrangement with a regional exhibitor.
Inception to open European digital facility

Los Angeles-based digital media services company Inception Digital Services (IDS) is joining forces with authoring studio Infomedia GmbH Multi Media Services to open a European facility in Dortmund, Germany.
Independent goes to Hell And Back Again

EXCLUSIVE: Independent distribution takes docs and comedy Tiny Furniture for UK
Independent secures more deals on We Need To Talk About Kevin

The raft of international sales comes after Oscilloscope picked up North American rights to Lynne Ramsay’s Cannes competition film yesterday.
India’s NFDC to promote six filmmakers at Cannes

India’s National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) will be promoting six local filmmakers at this year’s Cannes, part of a range of activities designed to increase collaboration between Indian and overseas film industries.
Indomina closes spate of sales on Reign Of Blood, The Shrine

EXCLUSIVE: Indomina has closed deals on Reign Of Blood with G2 for the UK, Luxor for the CIS and Koch in Germany on the project,
Indomina invites buyers to Enter Nowhere

Indomina has closed a deal with Falcon for the Middle East on new sales title Enter Nowhere, a horror story starring Sara Paxton, Shaun Sipos, Scott Eastwood, Katherine Waterston and Christopher Denham.
Indomina takes world on Basinger drama Over The Wall

Kim Basinger and Nick Stahl are attached to star with Freddy Rodriguez in Over The Wall, which Indomina is representing for worldwide sales here.
Intandem partners with Mary Alice Productions

Intandem Films Los Angeles-based Mary Alice Productions will produce and finance slate of films in the $20-$40 million budget range.
International arthouse label Fox World Cinema launches

Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment launched the division, which will operate alongside Fox International Productions (FIP) and release prestige international films on DVD, VoD and digital download.
It’s a knockout

Screen goes twelve rounds with Mark Wahlberg (sort of) at Bethnal Green’s York Hall.
Italian distributors close a raft of hot deals in Cannes

Eagle takes on films including Inbetweeners and Cloud Atlas; Moviemax gets I Don’t Know How She Does It; Videa gets End of Watch, along with many other titles.
Italy's M2 Pictures plucks Wallflower, Nurse 3D

Italian Indie distributor M2 Pictures, which opened in October 2010 is making tracks in the territory, adding high profile Hollywood pictures to their 2012 slate during the Cannes market.
Jacques of all trades

Stella Artois and Future Cinema imagine the life of a bon vivant on the Croisette in the ’60s.
James Cameron joins forces with Christie to push next-generation 3D

Christie and Cameron’s Lightstorm to exhange research and tech support
James Foley thriller in Bavaria Film Partners slate, Dakota Fanning attached

Coming of age thriller Furious Angel one of the first projects lined up for production by new Munich-based co-production/co-financing entity
James Robinson's Inverness files for bankruptcy

Inverness Distribution, the Bermuda-based company formerly known as Morgan Creek International, has filed for Chapter 15 bankruptcy.
James Robson joins Grant Thornton corporate finance division

The UK accountancy firm is expanding its media business.
Japan’s Free Stone launches with Heaven’s Story, Kokuei package

Japanese sales company Free Stone Production is making its Cannes debut with award-winning Berlin title Heaven’s Story and a special package of avant-garde pinku (aka erotic) movies from Japanese production house Kokuei.
Jean Gentil wins top award at Jeonju Film Festival

Israel Cardenas and Laura Amelia Guzman drama takes top Woosuk Award
Jennifer Garnick returns to IFTA as vp communications

The publicity executive previously handled IFTA’s publicity mandate as a client during her time as vp of The Lippin Group.
Jinga does more sales on A Serbian Film

On the eve of its North American theatrical release through Invincible Pictures, Jinga films has closed several territories for Srdjan Spasojevic’s uber controversial A Serbian Film.
Joe Pichirallo named chair of film and TV at Tisch

Pichirallo was one of the executives hired by Fox to set up Fox Searchlight where he was promoted to svp before going on to serve as evp at Focus Features.
Judi Dench to get Crystal Globe at Karlovy Vary

The 46th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival will present Judi Dench with its Crystal Globe for Outstanding Artistic Contribution to World Cinema.
Julia Leigh

Cannes Meet The Debutants: Acclaimed Australian novelist Julia Leigh makes her debut with Competition title Sleeping Beauty.
Juno Temple joins Brass Teapot for Northern Lights

EXCLUSIVE: White hot Juno Temple and Michael Angarano will star in The Brass Teapot, a darkly comic morality tale packaged by Gersh Agency that TF1 is selling internationally and is being fast-tracked for a July start in New York.
Kaleidoscope adds Mercenaries to Cannes slate

UK sales outfit adds action-epic to festival slate
Kaleidoscope sees future with A Lonely Place To Die

Brit thriller stars Melissa George, Ed Speelers and Sean Harris
Karl Markovics

Screen talks to actor-turned director Karl Markovics, whose directorial debut Breathing picked up the Europa Cinemas Label in Cannes last week.
Katie Holmes, Chace Crawford are Responsible Adults for Myriad

Myriad Pictures holds international rights and commences talks with buyers this week on the rom-com to be directed by Jon Poll, who previously directed Charlie Bartlett and produced Dinner For Schmucks.
Khan, Kaif to star in Ek Tha Tiger for Yash Raj Films

India’s Yash Raj Films has tapped Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif to star in upcoming romantic thriller Ek Tha Tiger, directed by Kabir Khan and produced by Aditya Chopra.
Kino Lorber strikes US deal for The Fairy with MK2

Directors Fortnight opener has sold to 15 territories.
Kinowelt and Universum buy big in Cannes

New films by Niels Arden Oplev, Olivier Megaton and Martin Scorsese were bought by German independent distributors Kinowelt and Universum Film at this year’s Cannes Film Fest
Kitano's delayed Outrage 2 aiming for 2012 release

Office Kitano annouces production will restart next year after being delayed by earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster.
KMI boards Amber Heard starrer Syrup for Cannes

Kathy Morgan International is talking up the edgy comedy Syrup starring Amber Heard, Shiloh Fernandez and Kellan Lutz from the Twilight franchise.
KNCC takes Middle East rights to Tora Bora

Kuwait National Cinema Company (KNCC) has acquired Middle East rights to Afghanistan-set drama Tora Bora, produced by C Sky Pictures.
Kon-Tiki shoot underway in Norway

Joachim Roenning and Espen Sandberg’s feature will also shoot in Malta, Thailand, Bulgaria and New York.
Korea’s 9ers sells Ronin Pop and Try To Remember

Korea’s 9ers Entertainment has scored a string of deals on sci-fi action title Ronin Pop and romantic drama Try To Remember.
Korea’s bom sells Come Rain to Japan, launches Countdown

Korean production house bom Film Productions has sealed a Japanese deal on its Berlin competition title Come Rain, Come Shine, which has been snapped up by Pony Canyon.
Kumar’s Monsoon set to hit India

EXCLUSIVE: Amit Kumar, director of award-winning short The Bypass, is gearing up to shoot his debut feature, The Monsoon Shootout, as a co-production between the UK, India, Netherlands and France.
Kung Fu Panda 2

Dir: Jennifer Yuh Nelson. US. 2011. 90mins
Kylie...in 3D

Screen went along to an exclusive screening of Kylie’s concert film at London’s sexy new nightspot The Box.
LA Greek Festival to celebrate fifth anniversary

The Los Angeles Greek Film Festival (LAGFF) will kick off its fifth anniversary event on Jun 9 with the gala screening of Lea Binzer’s documentary Pelican’s Watch.
Lall Brothers launch arthouse label with Chittagong drama

EXCLUSIVE: Bhuvan and Akshay Lall have launched an arthouse label, Lall Brothers Filmworks, to produce and distribute a slate of high-quality Indian films.
Lamont's Apple signs Pratchett to adapt Warrior Daughter

EXCLUSIVE: Producer Angus Lamont announces a number of projects developed for his Crab Apple Films with slate funding from Creative Scotland.
Lars von Trier admits comments were 'unintelligent and hurtful'

Von Trier apologises in an open letter to the industry, but also flags up freedom of speech issues after Iran comments to the festival.
Las Acacias

Dir: Pablo Giorgelli. Argentina/Spain. 2011. 85mins
Le Havre

Dir/scr: Aki Kaurismäki. Finland-France-Germany. 2011. 93mins
Le Pacte travels to Amazonia with Ragobert

EXCLUSIVE: White Planet director Thierry Ragobert will commence the 3D nature extravaganza Amazonia beginning in September with Jean Labadie’s Le Pacte handling world sales
Leadersheep

Dir: Christian Rouaud. France 2011. 118 mins
LFS relaunches London Film Society

London Film School to host masterclasses and workshops for society dormant since 1939.
Life In A Day website encourages public to get involved in film's distribution

The site aims to involve the UK public in the promotion and distribution of Kevin Macdonald’s user generated YouTube documentary, in keeping with the spirit of the film.
Lightning boards international rights on Mexican hit El Narco

Lightning Entertainment has acquired international rights to the Mexican hit El Infierno and has commenced talks with buyers here on the crime story - retitled El Narco for the international market.
Lightning boards Trip 3D, signs three-film deal with Scorpio

EXCLUSIVE: Santa Monica-based Lightning Entertainment has announced two deals, adding horror film One Way Trip 3D to its sales slate and singing a three-film worldwide distribution deal with LA’s Scorpio Studios.
Lightning heads to Croisette with comedy-horror The Revenant

Kerry Prior’s festival hit follows horror comedy about two slackers who become zombies and use their newfound powers to become vigilante crime fighters. David Anders, Chris Wylde star.
Linde signs international output deals, confirms Reliance backing

David Linde has unveiled a network of international output deals with distributors including Entertainment One, Tele Munchen and Nordisk Film and confirmed that Reliance Entertainment will back his new production and financing venture.
Linklater's Bernie to open LA festival

Richard Linklater’s Bernie will get its world premiere as the opening night film of the 2011 Los Angeles Film Festival (June 16-26).
Lionsgate to commence production on Chainsaw Massacre

The film partners Lionsgate with Nu Image. Lionsgate holds US rights and Nu Image is selling in Cannes.
Lionsgate UK acquires Big Wedding, Paperboy and Chainsaw 3D

Lionsgate UK continues its fruitful relationship with Nu Image, picking up trio from LA outfit
Lionsgate UK takes two from Nu Image

Lionsgate UK has been on the acquisitions trail picking up deals on a number of titles including rom com Playing The Field with Gerard Butler and Simon West’s action thriller Medallion, starring Nicholas Cage, from Nu Image.
Liotta thriller Ticket Out sells for Spotlight

EXCLUSIVE: President of international sales Jack Campbell of Hollywood-based Spotlight Pictures has closed key territories here on the Ray Liotta thriller Ticket Out, screening in the market tonight [14].
Little Film Co closes Latin America on Quaid thriller Darkness

The Little Film Company has licensed the Dennis Quaid thriller Beneath The Darkness to California Filmes for all Latin America.
Little Film Co touting Sutherland, Bosworth in Fairytale

Kiefer Sutherland, starring here in Lars von Trier’s Melancholia, and Kate Bosworth are lined up to play lovers in Fairytale Of New York, which The Little Film Company has introduced to buyers here.
Liza Johnson

Artist turned film-maker Liza Johnson makes her feature debut with Return, a portrait of her hometown in Ohio starring Linda Cardellini, Michael Shannon and Tim Blake Nelson, which is screening in Cannes’ Directors Fortnight.
Locarno to honour Abel Ferrara

Maverick director to receive career achievement award, Leopard Of Honour
Locarno’s Pere reveals “stronger American presence”; Rohrer moves to Solothurn

Locarno’s Olivier Père is expecting to have a “stronger American presence” for his second outing as artistic director at this year’s festival (Aug 3-13).Speaking exclusively to ScreenDaily during a visit to Berlin, Père said: “This year will see a difference from 2010 in that we have turned more of our attention to the American films and I think we will have a stronger American presence.”“Of course, to begin with, we will have Mike Medavoy receiving the Raimondo Rezzonico Prize
Location Flanders launches $36,000 grant

Once every year, thegrant will go to a foreign film or television series that extensively puts Flanders in the spotlight
LoveFilm and Disney extend streaming deal to Germany

The deal follows a similar contract signed between Disney and LoveFilm UK in April.
LoveFilm, Miramax ink streaming deal

There Will Be Blood, The Aviator, Sin City among titles available.
Loverboy

Dir: Catalin Mitulescu. Romania/Sweden/Serbia. 2011. 94mins
Mads with passion

Zentropa’s A Royal Affair combines a royal romance with a good old fashioned scandal.
Magic City Memoirs takes top honours at Ibiza Film Festival

Aaron Salgado’s drama Magic City Memoirs walked away with the best film, best screenplay and best actor awards at the fifth Ibiza International Film Festival on Sunday, while Ed Gass-Donnelly won best director for Small Town Murder Songs.
Magnet Media signs three-film deal with Prime Focus

Jeanette Buerling’s LA-based finance and production house Magnet Media Group has closed a three-film deal with effects company Prime Focus and will shoot all three in Germany in association with MMC Studios.
Magnolia takes worldwide rights to Jack And Diane

Magnolia International head Laird Adamson will commence sales in Cannes next week on the “twisted tale of young love” starring Juno Temple, Riley Keough [pictured], Cara Seymour and pop icon Kylie Minogue.
Magnolia, Madman pre-buy Obstructions, A Royal Affair

Magnolia Pictures and Madman have pre-bought North American and Australia/New Zealand rights respectively to Lars von Trier and Martin Scorsese collaboration The Five Obstructions: Scorsese Vs Trier and A Royal Affair.
Malaysia ramps up international co-productions

Malaysia is stepping up its presence at Cannes this year, unveiling a slate of international projects and organising a country pavilion in the Palais for the first time.
Malick gets chatty with God

Tree Of Life requires its audience to surrender to its mood, pace and message. Cynics need not bother.
Malik, Parker launch new production company Pari Passu

EXCLUSIVE: The first feature on the slate will be January, a co-production with Face Films.
Manila-set Snow White finishes shoot, gets new supporters

Dutch Production house Springfilm and UK producer Film and Music Entertainment have completed shooting on Manila-shot fiction feature Snow White (aka Lilet Never Happened).
Maricel Alvarez joins cast of Woody Allen’s Bop Decameron

Biutiful actress Maricel Alvarez will join the ensemble cast of Woody Allen’s next project
Marie-Claude Poulin and Pierre Even

Montreal-based Item 7 partners Marie-Claude Poulin and Pierre Even have worked on independent features such as C.R.A.Z.Y. and The Hurt Locker. They are in pre-production gearing up to shoot Komona in the Congo jungle this summer.
Martin Compston to star in Hawkes' debut feature Piggy

Martin Compston will take the lead role in Piggy, Kieron Hawkes’ feature directorial debut.
Matthew Rhodes appointed president as Mandalay Vision moves to LA

Matthew Rhodes has been named president of Mandalay Vision in the wake of Celine Rattray’s departure to form Maven Pictures with Trudie Styler.
Maura Ford launches producer-friendly Seven & Seven

Seven & Seven will offer support to independent producers enabling them to retain control during the sales process.
Maya boards sales on Hammers and Repeaters for Cannes

Comedy A Bag Full Of Hammers premiered at SXSW and stars Jason Ritter, Jake Sandvig, Chandler Canterbury and Rebecca Hall. The story follows two misfits who form an unlikely family when they encounter an abandoned child.
Maya picks up Benavides Born

Maya Entertainment has acquired worldwide rights to All She Can, which premiered in this year’s Sundance dramatic competition under its original title Benavides Born.
MEDIA head Silver defends industry consultation

Silver dismissed the charge that industry was “not part of the process” in planning the new MEDIA programme.
Melancholia

Dir/scr: Lars Von Trier. Denmark-Sweden-France-Germany. 2011. 135mins
Memorial service announced for advertising veteran Peter Howard-Williams

Former Rank Screen Advertising MD to receive London memorial service on May 25
Messer buys remake rights to Alien Vs Ninja

EXCLUSIVE: Japan’s Nikkatsu has sold English-language remake rights to Alien Vs Ninja to Arnold Messer and Phoenix Pictures, which Messer runs with Mike Medavoy.
Mia Maestro set for Maya's Darkness

Maya Entertainment is to produce psychological suspense thriller The Darkness of the Road, with Mia Maestro (The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1) attached to star.
Michael

Dir/scr: Markus Schleinzer. Austria. 2011. 96mins
Michel Petrucciani

Director Michael Radford. France-Germany-Italy. 2011. 102mins
Midnight In Paris

Dir/scr: Woody Allen. US-Spain. 2011. 94mins
Millennium Entertainment swoops on Sundance entry Little Birds

Millennium Entertainment has picked up North American rights to Elgin James’ Sundance entry Little Birds starring Juno Temple, Kay Panabaker, with Kate Bosworth and Leslie Mann.
Minds Meet finds itself Deep In A Dream Of You

Belgian outfit to start production on Caroline Strubbe’s follow-up to 2009 feature Lost Persons Area
Miramax to exhibit at MIPCOM, Lang to give keynote

Miramax CEO Mike Lang to present keynote address during market.
Miramax, Dimension partner on Amityville sequel

Miramax has delved into the vaults to partner with Dimension on The Amityville Horror: The Lost Tapes in the first project to go under the partnership with the Weinsteins to make sequels to Miramax properties.
Miramax, Netflix unveil streaming agreement

Miramax CEO Mike Lang has wasted little time cutting deals to exploit the library here on the Croisette and has announced a streaming agreement with Netflix to start in June.
Miss Bala

Dir: Gerardo Naranjo. Mexico. 2011. 113mins
MK2 closes US deal on Something In The Air

IFC has picked up North American rights to Olivier Assayas’ film.
MK2 shines to Hermanus’ Beauty

MK2 has announced the acquisition of a handful of official selection titles including Oliver Hermanus’ Un Certain Regard entry Beauty.
M-Line seals Japanese deal on Haunters

EXCLUSIVE: Seoul-based sales company M-Line Distribution has sealed a slew of deals on action drama Haunters, directed by Kim Min-suk, including a sale to Japanese distributor Twin Co.
Money talks

Screen chats to director Roger Donaldson, who is in Cannes to promote his new film, Cities, which begins shooting in September.
MoonQuake picks up Nick Cassavetes script Kentucky Rhapsody

The film joins three additional projects that the new LA and New York-based company has in active development as part of a multi-million dollar development fund.
MPI grabs Hammers for North America

MPI Media Group has acquired all North American rights to comedy-drama A Bag of Hammers. The company is planning an August theatrical release to be followed by VOD and DVD availability.
Muse lines up slate of hot literary adaptations

EXCLUSIVE: Slate includes films of novels Lunar Park by Brett Easton Ellis, An Expensive Education by Nick McDonell and London Fields by Martin Amis.
My Little Princess

Dir: Eva Ionesco. France. 2011. 105mins
Naomi Kawase boards two short film initiatives

Cannes competition director Naomi Kawase has announced the launch of a short film omnibus project dedicated to the victims and survivors of the disaster-afflicted Tohoku region of Japan.
Neil La Bute checks into UK's Crooked House

Neil La Bute (In The Company of Men) is to direct an adaptation of a novel by British crime writer, Agatha Christie.
Network connects with five, including Ave and Return

Network Releasing takes UK rights to five features including Lisa Johnson’s Return
New films by da Silva, Coskun, Skafar in Sarajevo's CineLink selection

Sarajevo Film Festival’s co-production market CineLink has announced its selection for the 2011 edition
New Films International pairs Guttenberg, Elizabeth in Romance

New Films International is launching sales here on A Novel Romance starring Shannon Elizabeth and Steve Guttenberg.
New Films International to handle sales on Score

EXCLUSIVE: New Films International has boarded dales is talking up Score: A Hockey Musical starring Noah Reid, Allie MacDonald, Olivia Newton-John and Nelly Furtado.
New Kaurismaki Is A Cracker

Aki Kaurismaki’s Le Havre received cheers, shouts of “Bravo” and sustained applause at its 8.30am screening today, greeted as the most pleasurable film in competiton thus far.
NFI boards dark comedy Petunia starring Brittany Snow, Thora Birch

New Films International will commence sales on the Croisette next week on Yale Productions’ tale of a New York family coming to terms with the chaos of life.
Nikkatsu plans world tour to celebrate 100th anniversary

EXCLUSIVE: Japan’s oldest studio Nikkatsu Corporation is planning to celebrate its 100th anniversary with a world tour of some of its iconic films.
Nobody Knows My Name

Dir: James Nicholson, France. 2010. 85mins
Northern Film and Media to become private company

NFM is relinquishing its status as a regional screen agency in favour of a new business model; it will sit outside of the Creative England structure.
Northern Ireland Screen plans Cannes preview for George's Whole Lotta Sole

Northern Ireland Screen will present a two minute promo teaser from Terry George’s siege comedy Whole Lotta Sole starring Brendan Fraser at its networking chairman’s lunch today in Cannes.
Nu Image cuts German deals for Texas Chainsaw, Wedding

EXCLUSIVE: Nu Image has licensed all German-speaking rights on Constantin Film to Texas Chainsaw Massacre 3D and closed a deal with Telemunchen for Robert De Niro comedy The Big Wedding.
NY Asian festival sets premieres

This year’s New York Asian Film Festival will give world premieres to Takashi Miike’s Ninja Kids!!! and Eiji Uchida’s The Last Days of the World and international premieres to the Johnnie To-produced Punished and Yu Irie’s Ringing in Their Ears.
NYFEST, Hudson River Park, New York

Celebrities battle it out during the 1st annual NY Film & Entertainment soccer tournament, run in conjunction with Tribeca Film Festival.
Odeon Cinesa adds two cinemas in Bilbao area

UCI and Cinesa, part of the ODEON Group, expand their portfolio with the purchase of two cinemas in Bilbao area
Odin’s Eye acquires 9/11-themed drama The Space Between

Sydney-based Odin’s Eye Entertainment (OEE) has picked up international rights to Travis Fine’s The Space Between, starring Academy Award-winning actress Melissa Leo (The Fighter).
Oil Change

Screen talks to the directors of controversial documentary The Big Fix about the BP oil spill.
Oliver S. Milburn to adapt feature version of School's Out

The feature adaptation of Scott Andrews’ boarding school set novel has received development funding from Screen South.
On The Road travels to Greece, Canada, Scandinavia

MK2 closes more deals on Walter Salles’ upcoming road movie.
Once Upon A Time In Anatolia

Dir: Nuri Bilge Ceylan. Turkey /Bosnia-Herzegovina. 2011. 157mins
Online platform StudioBeyond to connect film industry

A new online platform, StudioBeyond, is aiming to become the first integrated online office space specially designed for the movie and TV industry.
Open Road Films takes US on Killer Elite starring DeNiro, Statham

New distributor has scheduled for a nationwide release this autumn in more than 2,000 theatres and is committing a $25m p&a spend.
Orange and Canal Plus abandon plans to merge cinema channels

Canal Plus to take minority stake in Orange cinema channels instead
O-Scope takes domestic rights to The Other F Word

Oscilloscope Laboratories and Showtime Networks have acquired SXSW documentary The Other F Word
Oslo, August 31st

Dir: Joachim Trier. Norway. 2011. 96mins
Ossard gets into the space race

Producers Chris Bolzli and Claudie Ossard are gearing up for their latest venture, Gagarin: Race For The Stars
Out Of Bounds

Dir: Frederikke Aspock. Denmark. 2011. 72mins
Outplay likes Lira's Drama

EXCLUSIVE: Outplay has picked up distribution rights for France, Belgium, Switzerland and Luxembourg to Matias Lira’s controversial debut feature Drama.
Outside Satan

Dir/scr: Bruno Dumont. France. 2011. 109mins
Pablo Giorgelli

Argentinian director Pablo Giorgelli’s first feature Las Acacias is screening in Cannes’ Critics Week.
Pacino to premiere Wilde Salome at Venice

The veteran actor will collect the Jaeger-Le Coultre Glory To The Filmmaker 2011 Award at the Biennale and premiere his latest directorial effort, Wilde Salome.
Paris Cinema Festival unveils details of 9th edition

Eight films to compete and more than 40 pre-premieres to screen in Paris event running July 2-13.
Paris Cite du Cinema on track for 2012 opening

A decade after Luc Besson first mooted the idea, construction of France’s state-of-the-art film studio complex the Cité du Cinema is on schedule and will be completed in time for a grand opening ahead of Cannes 2012, EuropaCorp project chief Paul Kistner has confirmed.
Parlay Films to sell Something For Your Birthday in Cannes

Lisa Wilson’s Parlay Films has picked up all international rights on the rom-com to star Malin Akerman and James Marsden.
Participants announced for second Pixel Lab in Germany

UK producer Marc Boothe of B3 Media and former head of acquisitions for the Match Factory Tobias Pausinger are amongst the 32 participants.
Pater

Dir: Alain Cavalier. France. 2011. 105mins
Peeter Simm to direct ensemble feature Lonely Island

The film is the first European co-production to be backed by the Belarus government.
Peter Nichols appointed chairman of Prescience

Nichols is the owner of wealth management group Chancery, which has raised over $800m for UK films in the last ten years.
Phase 4 adopts Space Dogs for North America

Phase 4 Films has acquired all US and Canadian rights to animated 3D feature Space Dogs from Epic Pictures Group.
Phase 4 picks up Canadian rights to Red State

Kevin Smith’s genre thriller premiered at Sundance and centres on a group of teenagers who fall into the clutches of an evangelist and his sinister army of followers.
Phase 4 ties knot for US rights to Another Happy Day

Phase 4 Films has acquired all US rights from Mandalay Vision to Sundance premiere Another Happy Day starring Ellen Barkin, Demi Moore, Ezra Miller and Kate Bosworth.
PiFan's It Project selects 18 films from 8 territories

New projects from Joko Anwar, Woo Ming Jin, Daniel Chan and more.
Pirates 4 has $90.1m North American debut

Pirates Of The Caribbean: On Stranger Tides opened in North America with an estimated $90.1m this weekend, making Disney’s fourth Pirates film the biggest domestic opener of the year so far but only the third best starter in the franchise’s history.
Pirates 4 sets new international opening record

Pirates Of The Caribbean: On Stranger Tides scored the biggest international opening of all time this weekend, grossing an estimated $256.3m.
Pirates Of The Caribbean: On Stranger Tides

Dir: Rob Marshall. US. 2011. 136mins
PJ Hogan, Toni Collette reunite on comedy Mental

Universal has signed on for Australian and UK rights to director PJ Hogan’s comedy Mental which, like his 1994 debut film Muriel’s Wedding, has Toni Collette in the lead role.
Play

Dir: Ruben Ostlund. Sweden. 2011. 118mins
Prescience, Mandalay strike two-year production finance pact

UK financier Prescience will invest $50m in production financing for up to six films to be produced by LA-based Mandalay Pictures under the terms of a two-year deal.
Pressman signs Noyce for Bloodsport; lands Venice slot for Moth Diaries

EXCLUSIVE: Phillip Noyce to direct and Robert Mark Kamen to script a reinvention of iconic Jean Claude Van Damme actioner Bloodsport.
Priest

Dir: Scott Stewart. US. 2011. 87mins
Producers show Optimism for new UK/Australian venture

The new production company, Optimism, is being officially launched in Cannes.
Production on doc Jodorowsky's Dune heads to US

Production on Frank Pavich’s film has wrapped in France, Switzerland and the UK and will continue this summer in the US.
ProSight, Aon/Albert G Ruben launch "game-changer" completion guarantee

ProSight Specialty Insurance and Aon/Albert G Ruben are unveiling in Cannes a joint product they claim to be a comprehensive completion guarantee to cover all risks associated with the filmmaking process.
PTZ International closes deals on Headwinds

Jalil Lespert’s film stars Audrey Tautou and Benoit Magimel.
Rahman to compose music for Chopra’s next film as director

Oscar-winning composer A.R. Rahman will compose the music for Yash Chopra’s long-awaited return to directing, which is set to star Shah Rukh Khan.
Rana director denies cancellation of project due to star’s health

KS Ravikumar, the director of Tamil star Rajnikanth’s latest blockbuster Rana, which is currently shooting, has denied rumours that the project has been cancelled due to the star’s ill health.
Ray Winstone to star in BBC adaptation of Great Expectations

It is the second adaptation of Dickens’ classic novel currently in the works, with the feature version set to star Ralph Fiennes in same role.
Rebecca Daly

Irish director Rebecca Daly’s feature debut The Other Side Of Sleep played in Cannes’ Directors Fortnight. She talks to Screen about her inspirations, shooting in Ireland and sleepwalking.
Recreation Media, DPS form post-production alliance

Los Angeles-based sales company Recreation Media has signed a partnership with post-production laboratory Digital Post Services (DPS) to offer complete post finding for select projects.
Reel Suspects heats up deals on Q, Meat

Matteo Lovadina’s new sales outfit Reel Suspects has been doing a roaring trade at its first Cannes.
Reincarnated... and revived on Kickstarter

Jennifer Fox’s new film My Reincarnation has raised more than $150,000 via Kickstarter, becoming the site’s fourth highest earning film project (and the top funding for a completed film).
Relativity president Michael Joe segues to Elliot Management Corp

In a sign that New York-based Elliott Management Corporation is tightening its purview over Relativity Media, Michael Joe has moved over from president of Relativity to a new role at the financial backer.
Renny Harlin drops out of $20m Mannerheim

Producer Markus Selin expected to announce another director soon.
Restless

Dir/scr: Gus Van Sant. US. 2011. 95mins
Return

Dir/scr: Liza Johnson. US. 2011. 97mins
Revolver moves with Ghosted; Billie Piper joins Truth About Lies

London-based Motion Picture House ramps up productions
Revolver takes UK rights to competition title Sleeping Beauty

It is the second controversial Australian title to be picked up by the UK distribution company in Cannes, following Justin Kurzel’s Snowtown.
Richard Woolfe to become creative director of Prime Focus Productions

Former Channel 5, Sky 1 and Living controller Richard Woolfe has resurfaced at post house Prime Focus, where he will spearhead the business’ move into production.
Ridley Scott begins Prometheus shoot at Pinewood

It will be the fifth time the director has shot at the UK studio.
Road movie Idea In America to open through Indomina Releasing

Indomina Releasing has acquired worldwide rights to the romantic road movie Idea In America to star Orlando Bloom, Cristina Capatondi, Nick Nolte and Stanley Tucci.
Rob Marshall, John DeLuca to remake The Thin Man for Warner Bros

The Lucamar partners have signed on to Warner Bros’ remake and Marshall will direct his Pirates Of The Caribbean 4 star Johnny Depp.
Rome based Indiecinema proposes new funding model

The venture proposes a new model for indepedent cinema in Italy.
Rossellini films to be digitally restored

Film entities Cinecitta Luce, Bologna-based CSC- Cineteca Nazionale and France’s Coproduction Office have joined together to digitally restore ten Roberto Rossellini films in an initiative called The Rossellini Project.
Royal Road touting thriller A Girl And A Gun

EXCLUSIVE: Filip Jan Rymsza and Liz Federowicz of LA-based Royal Road Entertainment are here talking up the $5m thriller A Girl And A Gun, which they are producing with former HandMade Films evp of production Thomas D Adelman.
Royal Road, Karim Ainouz swimming with Sharks

Brazilian director Karim Ainouz, here in Directors Fortnight with The Silver Cliff (O Abismo Prateado) is attached to direct 1950s French Riviera thriller The Beauty Of Sharks with Faye Dunaway in talks to play a supporting role.
Russia, China create new film fund

The Russians and the Chinese film industries are coming together.
Russia's new distributor Nashe Kino buys Chainsaw, Hercules 3D at Cannes market

New Russian distributor Nashe Kino took on The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 3D and Hercules 3D from Nu Image.
Saint sells for Film Factory

Dick Maas’ controversial horror film Saint (Sint), which has been accused of traumatizing kids and of sullying the Saint Nicholas Day celebrations in the Netherlands, is proving a hot seller in the Cannes market place
Saldana, Wilde join cast of The Words

Literary thriller stars Bradley Cooper, Jeremy Irons and Dennis Quaid.
Samuel Goldwyn Films swoops on US rights to Sacrifice

The distributor plans to release Chen Kaige’s revenge tale in the US later this year.
Screen Media takes Jig for North America

Screen Media Films has acquired North American rights to Jig, director Sue Bourne’s documentary following nine dancers through the Irish Dancing World Championships in Gl
ScreenSingapore unveils world premieres including Ready

ScreenSingapore has announced the line-up of films that will screen at this year’s inaugural event (June 5-12), including the world premieres of Hong Kong martial arts comedy Treasure Inn and Bollywood blockbuster Ready.
Sean Durkin

Director Sean Durkin returns to Cannes with Sundance hit Martha Marcy May Marlene after winning Best Short at Directors’ Fortnight last year.
Seduced Circumstances among winners at LAAPFF

Ian Gamazon took home both the grand jury prize for outstanding fiction film and outstanding director award for Living In Seduced Circumstances at the 2011 Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival.
Senator Film sets up Munich base after 17-year absence

Germany’s Senator Entertainment has established two new production arms in Munich after 17 years’ absence from the Bavarian capital.
Sheffield Doc/Fest and EIFF to host joint premieres

Both festivals now take place in June; documentaries to be screened at both festivals will include James Marsh’s Project Nim.
Sheffield Doc/Fest unveils line-up

The line-up includes 110 films including 79 documentary features.
Shekhar Kapur

The director of Elizabeth: The Golden Age talks about producing documentary, Bollywood, The Greatest Love Story Ever Told, which is screening in official selection at Cannes.
Shooting wraps on Brad Pitt crime tale Cogan's Trade

Principal photography has ended in New Orleans on the crime tale Cogan’s Trade, which reunites Pitt with The Assassination Of Jesse James director Andrew Dominik.
Shoreline picks up China-bound Captain Nemo

EXCLUSIVE: Shoreline Entertainment has acquired worldwide rights to 3D action adventure Captain Nemo, which is scheduled to start shooting in Beijing in August with Hugh Bonneville heading the cast.
Silverstein launches Topanga Pictures with Freerunner

Lawrence Silverstein has launched Santa Monica-based sales and production company Topanga Pictures, here with the Sean Faris and Danny Dyer parkour action film Freerunner.
Sky recruits Ann Mensah to head drama team

Former Head of Drama, BBC Scotland and Head of Independent Drama, BBC joins Sky
Sleeping Beauty

Dir/scr: Julia Leigh. Australia. 2011. 101mins
SND reports strong sales on Livid

EXCLUSIVE: SND has done a raft of sales on Livid, a vampire fantasy from Inside directors Alexandre Bustillo and Julien Maury.
Something to talk about

Lynne Ramsay talks Cannes, Connecticut and champagne on the beach.
Sony takes UK home entertainment rights to AV’s Plans

EXCLUSIVE: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (SPHE) has acquired UK home entertainment rights to Best Laid Plans from AV Pictures.
Sorrentino, Refn don't dazzle

Regulations, reviews and von Trier reaction as the competition nears its end.
SPC takes US on Palme d'Or hopeful Footnote

Sony Pictures Classics tales North and Latin American rights for Joseph’s Cedar’s Palme d’Or contender from WesEnd Films
Spielberg bulks up on DreamWorks’ Lincoln cast

Tommy Lee Jones, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Hal Holbrook, James Spader, John Hawkes, Tim Blake Nelson, Bruce McGill and Joseph Cross are in talks to join.
Splice makers win TFC award

Vincenzo Natali and Doug Taylor, director and co-writer respectively of sci-fi thriller Splice, have been awarded the second annual Telefilm Canada (TFC) Golden Box Office Award and a prize of $40,855 (C$40,000).
Spotlight Films announces deals on thriller Pressed

Spotlight Films sales chief Jack Campbell has closed a slew of deals on the Luke Goss action thriller Pressed.
SPWA swoops on North American rights to Magnet thriller Retreat

Thandie Newton stars opposite Cillian Murphy as a frail married couple in an isolated island cottage who encounter a wounded, armed stranger bearing news of an airborne pandemic. Jamie Bell rounds out the key cast.
Star China Media announces new management team

Star China Media (SCM), a media and entertainment joint venture between China Media Capital and News Corporation, announced the appointment of Tian Ming as the company’s CEO and Cao Zhigao as its COO.
Stars in shorts

Dominic Cooper and Anamaria Marinca are among stars to have appeared in shorts shot in London this year.
Stephenson named Canadian Academy CEO

Former Toronto International Film Festival executive director Helga Stephenson has been appointed interim CEO of the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television, replacing Sara Morton.
Stockholm Film Festival launches fund for female directors

The production fund will help a female director to develop her first feature.
Stop The Press

Sarah Cooper vows to write more hardhitting stories after watching Page One: A Year Inside The New York Times at Sheffield Doc/Fest.
Stopped On Track

Dir: Andreas Dresen. Germany. 2011. 110 mins
Strong response to Asian Short Film Awards

The inaugural Asian Short Film Awards@ScreenSingapore has received 90 entries from 15 countries and regions since it opened for submissions two months ago.
Submarine to handle sales on Katie Aselton girl thriller Black Rock

The Freebie writer-director Katie Aselton will direct and star alongside Lake Bell and Kate Bosworth in the all-girl thriller Black Rock, which Submarine is representing here for worldwide sales.
Summit signs pay TV deal with HBO

Summit Entertainment has signed an exclusive output deal with HBO that will see the US pay TV network screening Summit titles released theatrically between January 2013 and the end of 2017.
Summit swoops on Snitch for US rights

Summit Entertainment will release Snitch starring Dwayne Johnson in the US, it emerged in Cannes on Monday afternoon [16].
Summit, RCR team up to co-finance Highlander

Summit Entertainment and Beverly Hills-based RCR Media Group will co-finance the Highlander reboot, it emerged today [16].
Sundance entry Crime After Crime to open in New York

The film recently won the San Francisco International Film Festival’s Golden Gate Award for investigative documentary feature and focuses on two rookie lawyers who take on a wrongful imprisonment case.
Sundance Selects takes Declaration

Sundance Selects is acquiring all US rights to Valérie Donzelli’s Cannes Critics’ Week entry Declaration of War.
Sundance Selects takes US on Sleeping Beauty

Sundance Selects acquired US rights to Cannes competition entry Sleeping Beauty on Sunday night [15] as momentum gathered on several domestic plays on the Croisette.
Sur La Planche

Dir/scr: Leila Kilani. Morocco/France/Germany. 2011. 110mins
Swedish Film Institute backs new films including Hassel 12

Four features get backing of $2.5m.
Swell Season to open Silverdocs

Nick August-Perna’s The Swell Season has been set to open the Silverdocs Documentary Festival, with Chris Paine’s Revenge of the Electric Car as closing film and Steve James’ The Interrupters as the Centerpiece title.
Sydney reveals competition lineup

Four films now in the running for awards at Cannes, including two homegrown titles, and two Berlin award winners are among the 12 films in competition at the Sydney Film Festival (SFF).
Taiwan’s Double Edge picks up Spin Kid, Gangster Rock

Taiwan-based Double Edge Entertainment has acquired two music-themed Taiwanese films – Spin Kid and Gangster Rock – and also sealed two deals on concert film Mayday 3DNA.
Take Shelter

Dir/scr: Jeff Nichols. US. 2011. 116 mins
Taormina festival to honour Oliver Stone, Monica Bellucci, Tarak Ben Ammar

Maghreb cinema to be guest territory and basis for roundtable.
Tatsumi

Dir/scr: Eric Khoo. Singapore. 2011. 96mins
Tattooed on my brain

Have a look at the redband trailer for The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo.
Telefilm Canada finances five new French-language films

Filmmakers include Podz, Rafael Ouellet, Sébastien Rose.
Thailand’s M Pictures signs up for 3D Sex And Zen

China 3D Digital Entertainment has sold Hong Kong box office smash 3D Sex And Zen: Extreme Ecstasy to M Pictures for Thailand.
The Artist

Dir/scr: Michel Hazanavicius. France. 2011. 100mins
The Artist, A Separation bookend 17th Athens International Film Festival

Festival expands; 175 titles presented in a record fifteen different sections
The Big Fix

Dir: Josh Tickell. US. 2011. 112mins
The cat's whiskers

Cannes got off to a glamourous start with a Puss In Boots photo call attended by Antonio Banderas and Salma Hayek.
The Conquest

Dir: Xavier Durringer. France 2011. 105 mins
The Day He Arrives

Dir/scr: Hong Sangsoo. South Korea 2011. 79mins
The Film Department to shut down on May 27

Company co-heads Mark Gill (pictured) and Neil Sacker took the decision after they were unable to raise $200m in recapitalisation.
The Fjallbacka Murders shoot underway

€30m TV and film project being sold by TrustNordisk in Toronto
The Giants

Dir: Bouli Lanners. Belgium/France/Luxembourg. 2011. 84mins
The Hangover Part II

Dir: Todd Phillips. US. 2011. 101mins
The Inbetweeners Movie makes it four in a row in the UK

Hit comedy takes further £2.1m for £39.4m to beat out newcomers Friends With Benefits and Jane Eyre
The Infidel director to shoot a short film for Bournemouth University

Josh Appignanesi has boarded a research-based film project for Bournemouth University’s Centre for Qualitative Research.
The Iron Lady goes to Weinsteins in US deal

The Weinsteins have picked up all US rights to the Margaret Thatcher biopic in a deal brokered with Pathe.
The Island

Dir/scr: Kamen Kalev. Bulgaria-Sweden. 2011. 108mins
The Kid With A Bike

Dir/scr: Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne. France-Belgium-Italy. 2011. 87mins.
The Letter takes top prize in Cannes Cinéfondation

The Cannes Cinéfondation and Short Films Jury, presided over by Michel Gondry, awarded their prizes on Friday evening to three films chosen from 1,600 submissions.
The Look

Dir: Angelina Maccarone. France. 2011. 94mins
The Minister

Dir/Scr: Pierre Schoeller. France. 2011. 112mins
The Other Side Of Sleep

Dir: Rebecca Daly. Ireland-Netherlands-Hungary, 2011. 88 mins
The Outback insiders

The young stars of Ivan Sen’s Toomelah will be hitting the red carpet in Cannes tonight.
The road to Morocco

Screen catches up with Timothy Burrill and Peter Webber who are in Cannes to raise money for their Moroccan set feature The Spider’s House.
The Silver Cliff

Dir: Karim Ainouz. Brazil. 2011. 85mins
The Skin I Live In

Dir: Pedro Almodovar. Spain. 2011. 116mins
The Snows of Kilimanjaro

Dir: Robert Guédiguian. France-Belgium-Italy. 2011. 107mins
The Third Floor launches new European venture with Framestore

LA previsualization company The Third Floor is reaching out to Europe via a partnership with UK based visual effects outfit Framestore.
The Tree Of Life

Dir/scr: Terrence Malick. US. 2011. 138mins
Thomas Dekker to star in Rose By Name

Nightmare on Elm Street star Thomas Dekker has signed on for Shawn Linden’s sophomore feature Rose By Name, which has begun shooting in Montreal.
Thomas Kretschmann to play lead in Argento's Dracula

EXCLUSIVE: $10m 3D thriller gets distribution from Les Films De L’Astre in France and Italia Film in Middle East.
Thor delivers Marvel’s third biggest US debut on $66m

The estimated weekend tally was a commendable result for a relatively unknown property starring Australia’s Chris Hemsworth and Natalie Portman.
Thor retains UK box office crown

The UK box office displays decent depth as five films gross over $1.6m (£1m) for the first time in eight weeks.
Thor stays top in US on $35m second weekend hold

Marvel Studios’ superhero adaptation Thor extended its reign at the North American box office through Paramount as the Norse god of thunder added an estimated $34.5m for $119.3m after the second weekend.
Thor, Fast & Furious Five line up for international showdown

Both PPI’s Thor and UPI’s Fast & Furious Five have already crossed $100m overseas and are expected to dominate the landscape this weekend.
Tianjin’s Rabbit hops over to Italy

EXCLUSIVE: China’s Tianjin Film Studio has sold 3D animated feature film Legend Of A Rabbit to Italian distributor CDF Pictures.
TLA reaps Harvest

TLA Releasing has acquired UK and US rights for Benjamin Cantu’s German drama
TLA Releasing takes US, UK to Iceland's Jitters

TLA Releasing has acquired US and UK rights to Baldvin Z’s Icelandic teen drama Jitters (Oroi). The film is based on the novels of Ingibjorg Reynisdottir and follows the lives of youngsters as they deal with sexuality and identity.
Toomelah

Dir/scr: Ivan Sen. Australia. 2011. 106mins
Topanga licenses parkour thriller Freerunner with SND, Eagle

Lawrence Silverstein’s Topanga Pictures has closed a slew of deals on parkour title Freerunner, with SND acquiring French rights, Horizon One moving on Australia and Eagle set to release in Italy.
Toronto 2012 Bumper

DEADLINE EXTENDED Screen International presents our 2012 Toronto Product Guide; submissions now due Aug 20.
Trevor Wright head to Cannes as Unified sales consultant

Sales veteran Trevor Wright has joined Unified Pictures in a consultancy role and will attend Cannes with Unified founder Keith Kjarval and president of distribution and acquisitions Ann Dubinet.
Trevor Wright joins Unified Pictures in consultancy role

The international sales veteran will attend Cannes with Unified founder Keith Kjarval and president of distribution and acquisitions Ann Dubinet.
Tribeca Film takes North American rights to Turkey Bowl

Kyle Smith’s real-time comedy set in Los Angeles premiered at SXSW and follows a group of friends who gather to play a backyard game of American Football.
TrustNordisk's Cannes deals led by 9 buys for A Royal Affair

Clinching more than 50 deals with almost 40 distributors worldwide, Danish international sales company, TrustNordisk, saw this year’s Cannes International Film festival as ”the best market for years”.
Turin Horse to Cinema Guild for US

The Cinema Guild has acquired US distribution rights to Hungarian film-maker Bela Tarr’s The Turin Horse, winner of the Jury Grand Prix Silver Bear at this year’s Berlin I
Udaan wins Best Debut Feature at East End Film Festival

Vikramaditya Motwane’s drama scores top award at London festival
UK actors Max Irons and Claire Foy set to star in Boris Damast’s Vivaldi

Celsuis is handling international sales on the historical drama to shoot this autumn; Patricia Riggen also planning different Vivaldi project.
UK films get US showcase

The UK Film Council is joining forces with the Film Society of Lincoln Center and digital distributor Emerging Pictures to present From Britain With Love, a showcase that will give six independent UK films screenings in ten cities across the US.
UK training body ArtsEd to screen shorts in LA

UK training body ArtsEd (Arts Educational Schools London) is launching a new initiative to screen 16 short films starring their final year acting students, in both LA and London this summer.
UK’s G2 Pictures strikes multi-film deal with IM Global

Distributor strikes deal for films including Bunraku, Everything Must Go and After Dark
UK's Metrodome picks up three from Fox

UK distributor boards Miss Bala, Everybody Has A Plan and Bunker in Cannes.
Uma Thurman in talks to join Clive Owen on Foresight's Blind

EXCLUSIVE: Clive Owen is confirmed and Cannes competition juror Uma Thurman is in talks to star in the romance Blind, which Mark Damon’s Foresight Unlimited is selling here.
Unforgivable

Dir: Andre Techine. France/Italy. 2011.113mins
Universal to distribute Fox home entertainment in New Zealand

Universal will distribute Fox titles on DVD and Blu-ray, taking over from Village Roadshow
Unlawful Killing

Dir: Keith Allen. UK. 2011. 90mins
Untitled Mat Whitecross Project

Shooting has just wrapped on Mat Whitecross’s follow up to Sex&Drugs&Rock&Roll, a road movie thriller starrring Ray Winstone and Jim Sturgess which is funded by CinemaNX.
US release for Sex and Zen 3D

China Lion Film Distribution has signed a deal with Pegasus Motion Pictures to handle North American distribution of Sex and Zen 3D: Extreme Ecstasy.
US VOD 'test' for Source Code

In a move the company characterised as a “test” of new window patterns, Summit Home Entertainment is to make sci-fi thriller Source Code available in the US via VOD and electronic sell through (EST) two weeks ahead of the film’s DVD and Blu-ray release.
UTV's Heroine starring Aishwarya Rai unveiled at Cannes

UTV Motion Pictures unveiled its upcoming production Heroine, starring Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and directed by Madhur Bhandarkar, at Cannes on Friday (May 13).
Verve takes Las Acacias for UK

UK outfit acquires Camera d’Or winner Las Acacias by Pablo Giorgelli.
Veteran Robin James kicks off new Australian production company

Ploughed Field Productions started by PFTC ex-head James with Tony Gilby.
Viacom 18 to distribute Paramount releases in India

Viacom 18, the 50:50 joint venture between Viacom and India’s Network 18, has announced a strategic alliance with Viacom-owned Paramount Pictures International (PPI) to distribute PPI releases across India.
Visit tempts Cannes buyers with Toomelah, Heat Wave, Bellflower

EXCLUSIVE: New York-based Visit Films has acquired international rights to a trio of market titles here, including Ivan Sen’s Aboriginal drama Toomelah which premieres in Un Certain Regard today [13].
Volcano

Dir/scr: Rúnar Rúnarsson. Iceland. 2011. 99mins
Voltage sparks to Bousman's The Barrens

EXCLUSIVE: Nicolas Chartier’s Voltage Pictures has picked up international sales rights to upcoming creature feature The Barrens from Saw franchise director Darren Bousman.
Voltage to commence sales on Thanks For Sharing

The Gilbert Films and Class 5 Films project marks the directorial debut of Oscar nominated The Kids Are All Right writer Stuart Blumberg and will star Mark Ruffalo and Tim Robbins.
Von Trier is serious, meditative in Melancholia

There’s nobody like Lars Von Trier to divide audiences and his latest opus Melancholia is already doing just that, some calling it an unqualified masterpiece and others a load of rubbish.
W2 Media to release Peter Smalls Is Dead in North America

The new distributor run by president and CEO John Flock and backed by Warren Nimchuk and Warren Fergus plans to release the comedy in October.
Wachowskis, Tykwer outline Cloud Atlas vision to buyers

Cloud Atlas directors Andy and Lana Wachowski and Tom Tykwer presented their vision of the ambitious David Mitchell adaptation to buyers at the Olympia Cinema today [13].
Walk Away Renee

Dir/scr: Jonathan Caouette. US-France. 2011. 90mins
Wallonian Fund grows to €10 million per year

Frédéric Delcor, the General Secretary of the Communauté Française in Belgium, has revealed further details of the cultural fund to support French-speaking filmmakers in Belgium.
Warner Bros Home Entertainment Group buys Flixster

The acquisition of the film discovery app includes the reviews website Rotten Tomatoes.
Warp Australia serves for Kurzel’s Ivan Lendl Never Learnt To Volley

Warp Films Australia is re-teaming with Snowtown director for his next film Ivan Lendl Never Learnt To Volley.
Wavelength takes on Defurne's North Sea, Texas

London-based company has taken on sales duties for Belgian auteur Bavo Defurne’s title
We have two winners

The Artist and The Kid With A Bike delight Cannes audiences.
We Need To Talk About Kevin

Dir: Lynne Ramsay. UK. 2011. 110mins
Weathering the Cannes storm

Screen chats to Carol McGregor about raising the financing for her Scottish set feature Between Weathers. The question is…will Ewan be in it?
Weekly International Box Office April 29-May 1

Thor lays siege to a buoyant international market, taking $89.2m at an average of $10,613 in 54 territories.
Weekly International Box Office May 20 -22

Pirates of The Caribbean: On Stranger Tides laid siege to the international market, grossing a record-breaking $222m over three days.
Weekly International Box Office May 6 - 8

Fast Five showed an impressive change of gear to leapfrog Thor into first place as Rio became top overseas earner of 2011.
Weinsteins circling domestic deal on The Wettest County

The Weinstein Company is understood to be close to acquiring domestic rights on John Hillcoat’s The Wettest County.
Weinsteins strike deal for most of world on Wu Xia

The Weinstein Company has taken worldwide rights outside Asia and French-speaking Europe from We Distribution to Peter Ho-Sun Chan’s martial arts film noir Wu Xia.
Wes Bentley signs on to Lionsgate’s Hunger Games

The studio’s weekly casting announcement for the upcoming young adult thriller brings the star of American Beauty into the mix.
Where Do We Go Now?

Dir: Nadine Labaki. France-Lebanon-Italy-Egypt. 2011. 100mins
Whoopi’s wise words

Three young film-makers - and Screen - met the legendary Whoopi Goldberg in aid of charity Films Without Borders.
Wide takes on Panahi’s This Is Not A Film

Wide Management takes on Cannes selection from Jafar Panahi and Mojtaba Mirtahmasb
Wide's EoF announces new partners, new title

EXCLUSIVE: Bartek Konopka’s debut Fear Of Falling is EoF’s first European title.
Wild Bunch takes Julia X 3D for Germany

Wild Bunch acquires from Dixie Theatrical and has tentatively set a 2011 release date
Wild Bunch, Weinsteins confirm multi-territory deal on The Artist

TWC has taken the film in the US as well as the UK, Australia, South Africa, Latin America and Eastern Europe.
Winding Refn partnering to produce Black's Game

EXCLUSIVE: Winding Refn and production company Zik Zak (Volcano) are partnering on thriller Black’s Game.
Windmill strikes finance deal on The Moth Diaries

EXCLUSIVE: Newly launched Irish post production and finance company Windmill Lane Entertainment has struck an innovative finance deal on Ed Pressman production The Moth Diaries.
Withoutabox adds festivals to innovative submission system

Abu Dhabi, CPH PIX (Copenhagen), Guadalajara, New York, Stockholm and Warsaw have all linked to the International Film Festival Submissions System.
Working Title on board for development of Kormakur's Vikingr

The $60m epic will likely shoot in the next two years.
Wu Xia

Dir: Peter Chan Ho-sun. Hong Kong-China. 2011. 116mins
Xavier Marchand and Victor Loewy

Momentum president Xavier Marchand and Alliance Films CEO Victor Loewy discuss the success of The King’s Speech, the pay TV market and the virtual print fee.
X-Men: First Class

Dir: Matthew Vaughn. US. 2011. 132mins
Yellow Sea flows to Europe, Japan

Korea’s Showbox has sold Na Hong-jin’s The Yellow Sea (aka The Murderer) to Nonstop Entertainment for Scandinavian and Baltic territories and Klockworx for Japan.

Screen26 May 2011

Screen
26 May 2011