Screen
30 June 2011

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33 Postcards

Dir: Pauline Chan. Australia-China. 2011. 97mins
A Better Life

Dir: Chris Weitz. US. 2011. 98mins
Black & White & Sex

Dir/scr: John Winter. Australia. 2011. 92mins
Bombay Beach

Dir: Alma Har’el. US. 2011. 76mins
eOne takes North American rights to The Family Tree

Hope Davis and Dermot Mulroney star in the offbeat comedy exploring the frailties of the modern American family.
Ghosted

Dir/scr: Craig Viveiros. UK. 2011. 98mins
Mario Gianani

Italian producer Mario Gianani talks to Screen about getting his lucky break and working with Bernardo Bertolucci on his upcoming project Io E Te.
MPCA, SPWA play Assassination Games with Van Damme

Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions takes worldwide media rights to the hitman story, the latest Jean-Claude Van Damme collaboration with Brad Krevoy and ambitious Los Angeles-based MPCA.
Mr Popper's Penguins

Dir: Mark Waters. US. 2011. 93mins
Principles of Life

Dir: Constantin Popescu. Romania. 2010. 97mins
RAI slate includes new Ozpetek film

Rai Cinema’s CEO Paolo Del Brocco on Monday unveiled the state-run film company’s 2011-2012 line up, budget and new projects in the production pipeline.
The Rabbi's Cat

Dirs: Joann Sfar, Antoine Delesvaux. France. 2011. 90mins
The Unmasking

Dir: Nicolae Margineanu. Romania. 2010. 82mins
Ukraine eyeing Eurimages membership

Ukraine is the next East European country signalling interest to become a member of the Council of Europe’s co-production fund Eurimages.
X-Men schools opposition at UK box office

Fox’s latest spin off in the Marvel franchise takes £5.4m from 507 screens
A Company launches new distribution company in Czech Republic, Slovakia

Berlin-based content licensing company A Company on July 2 launched EEAP Film Distribution CZ-SK to cover distribution in the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
A personal portrait of Karlovy Vary

The Karlovy Vary International Film Festival takes place in a stunning spa town, but its strong line-up and networking opportunities mean sightseeing is not always top of the agenda for industry visitors. Dan Fainaru [pictured] offers his take on the festial and the town.
A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas

Dir: Todd Strauss-Schulson. US. 2011. 89mins
Academy awards posthumous membership to Restrepo co-director

The late war photographer Tim Hetherington died in April while covering the conflict in Libya.
Academy invites four to join board

Cinematographer Richard P Crudo, producer Gale Anne Hurd, composer David Newman and film editor Michael Tronick have been voted on for the first time.
Actor Martin Donovan plans to direct again after feature debut Collaborator

Martin Donovan has unveiled his directorial debut Collaborator as a world premiere in competition at Karlovy Vary.
Adalbert’s Dream

Dir: Gabriel Achim. Romania. 2011. 96mins
Adam Wimpenny

Working on thrillers The Mandrake Experiment and Rift.
AFM to launch five-day conference in November

The series will cover finance, pitching, marketing, production and distribution and run concurrently with the market from Nov 4-8 in Santa Monica.
Against all odds

When the financing on Stephen Frears’ new drama Lay The Favorite, starring Bruce Willis, fell apart twice, producers Paul Trijbits and Anthony Bregman faced a race against time to re-assemble and refinance the project and keep the director and all the cast on board.
Aida Takla O'Reilly named HFPA president

O’Reilly was voted in at the Hollywood Foreign Press Association’s (HFPA) annual election meeting on June 7 and succeeds Phil Berk.
Alan Parker & Arjun Rose

The celebrated writer and director of some 14 films including Bugsy Malone, Mississippi Burning and Evita talks to the young film-maker who made his first film in 18 days about the importance of time, titles and trust.
Albatross

Dir: Niall MacCormick. UK. 2011. 90mins
Alexandra Roach

A regular on Welsh TV soap Pobol Y Cwm from the age of 11 to 18, Alexandra Roach graduated from RADA last year after four years there (she had to repeat a year due to a back injury) and is still training with acting coach Dee Cannon.
Alliance, Lionsgate prepare to unveil Maple Pictures sale

Alliance Films is close to paying in the region of $40m for Lionsgate-owned Canadian distributor Maple Pictures, according to press reports.
An accent on genre

Features about cannibals and female assassins are among the 15 new projects on offer to French partners at this month’s Paris Project co-production platform (July 4-7).
An appetite for Hungary

As the territory’s popularity has soared, so have costs.
Antigone, Or Let’s Make Movies In Transylvania!

Dir: Nandor Jakob-Benke. Hungary-Romania. 2011. 83mins
Antonia Campbell-Hughes

In Rebecca Daly’s The Other Side Of Sleep, a Directors’ Fortnight title at Cannes, Antonia Campbell-Hughes gives an intense, internalised performance as a young girl who sleepwalks her way into a murder in a small Irish town.
Arclight, Singapore's IFS Capital sign financing deal on Mental

Arclight Films has brought on Singapore’s IFS Capital to finance the comedy Mental, reuniting director PJ Hogan with Toni Collette 17 years after they collaborated on Muriel’s Wedding.
Argentina's No Return takes top prize at Transilvania’s Cluj

Romanian Days awards go to Morgen and Outbound at Transilvania International Film Festival.
Arjun Rose

Suicide Kids set for release in autumn.
Bad Teacher

Dir: Jake Kasdan. US. 2011. 92mins
BCTV to pay tribute to Sir Sydney Samuelson

The British Cinema and Television Veterans will celebrate the work of the former British film commissioner at a special central London event.
Bergman Week wraps with best-ever ticket sales

Visitors to Faro included Istvan Szabo, cinematographer Manuel Alberto Ciaro and Henning Mankell (who has written forthcoming biopic series to be directed by Susanne Bier).
Bernie

Dir: Richard Linklater. US. 2011. 99mins
Beyond The Black Rainbow

Dir/scr: Panos Cosmatos. Canada. 2011. 110mins
Bill Duke joins Freaky Deaky for director Charles Matthau

The Elmore Leonard crime caper also stars Sienna Miller, William H Macy, Brendan Fraser and Matt Dillon. Duke will play the role of homicide detective Wendell Robinson.
Bill Leimbach to unveil World War II epic at ScreenSingapore

The Beneath Hill 60 producer will be at the inaugural ScreenSingapore to raise financing for Singapore Sunset In 3D.
Borrowed Time

The seventh film to come out of Film London’s microbudget scheme Microwave is a comedy drama directed by London Film School graduate Jules Bishop and produced by Olivier Kaempfer for Parkville Pictures.
Building Bloc: A history of Karlovy Vary

Set up after the Second World War, the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival has outlasted decades of political and social upheaval to become a fixture on the festival calendar.
Canada's Multiple Media, Pacific Northwest launch Cross Country

Multiple Media Entertainment (MME) and the fledgling Vancouver-based Pacific Northwest Pictures (PNP) have launched the distributor Cross Country Entertainment (CCE).
Carey Fitzgerald

21 years after she founded sales company High Point, Carey Fitzgerald talks to Screen about adapting to change, moving into UK distribution and the secrets of survival.
Cars 2

Dir: John Lasseter. US. 2011. 106mins
Casting Workbook launches in UK

Resource for actors, agents and casting directors now available in UK
Cate Blanchett and Clare Stewart at the Sydney Film Festival

Festival patron Cate Blanchett and festival director Clare Stewart at the opening night of the Sydney Film Festival
CBS Films names Christine Batista svp of national partnerships and publicity.

Batista will be responsible for the studio’s national and field publicity operations as well as promotions, product integrations and national partnerships.
Cell 211 director Monzon gears up for The Kid, Murder Weekend

Multi-award winning Spanish writer-director Daniel Monzón has revealed further details of his new projects to follow his hit Cell 211.
CEM closes deal for Czech distributor Bontonfilm

Media kingpin secures the addition from Bancroft Private Equity, LLP and minority shareholders
Charles Henri Belleville

Collaborating with Tom Hardy.
Chew, Ooi launch Singapore-based talent, production outfit

Sukee Chew of Los Angeles-based Hopscotch Pictures and Andrew Ooi of Vancouver-based Echelon Talent Management have launched a Singapore-based production and talent management outfit, The COcreative Company.
Chinese Take-Away

Dir/scr: Sebastian Borensztein. Argentina-Spain. 2011. 100mins
Cineart takes on titles including Winding Refn's Drive and Only God Forgives

Leading independent Benelux distributor Cineart has revealed details of its latest round of acquisitions.
Cinema Guild takes US rights to Once Upon A Time In Anatolia

Nuri Bilge Ceylan’s Turkish Cannes competition entry shared the Grand Prix and follows a motley crew of men who search for a missing body in the Anatolian steppes.
Cineworld CFO Richard Jones steps down

Cineworld veteran resigns with immediate effect after 15 years at exhibition chain
Circus Road Films to handle domestic sale on Joy

The drama from Red Love Film follows two sisters who come to terms with a devastating loss.
Class of 2010: where are they now?

Stars of Tomorrow, today. Screen catches up with the blossoming careers of some of last year’s alumni, including Downton Abbey’s Jessica Brown Findlay and Claire Wilson, who is writing Oliver Twist contemporary retelling Twist for Ruby Films and Rocket Pictures.
Colin Kennedy

After I Love Luci, crossing Atlantic Bridge.
Competition makes Perfect Sense

Production company Sigma are giving away a pair of tickets to the International premiere of David Mackenzie’s Perfect Sense at the EIFF, which will be attended by hot Scot Ewan McGregor.
Contrafilm’s Beau Flynn, Trip Vinson part ways

After 10 years together the executives have chosen to pursue individual projects and will continue to collaborate on titles.
Corin Hardy

Yeti survival story set up at Big Talk.
Creative England announces new interim board

Caroline Norbury to assume role of “establishment director” as part of drive to ready Creative England for October start date
Dad Made Dirty Movies

Dir/scr: Jordan Todorov. US. 2011. 58mins
Daniel Sharman

After finishing Tarsem Singh’s Immortals earlier this year — he plays Ares, trouble-making son of Zeus — Daniel Sharman took some time off.
Deborah Lincoln promoted to Senior VP, Corporate Comms, WB International

Deborah Lincoln has been promoted to Senior Vice President, Corporate Communications, International, Warner Bros. Entertainment
Deluxe creates Method Studios effects banner

Deluxe Entertainment Services Group is to re-brand its visual effects companies Method and CIS Visual Effects as Method Studios.
Dench and Fukunaga kick off Karlovy Vary in style

Dame Judi and I both avoid eating pigs head at the opening party.
Denmark's Nordisk Film picks up big US titles in Cannes

The Danish major reported an “excellent” Cannes, with distribution deals done on a series of titles, including four from Summit.
Dirty Girl, Buck among Provincetown audience favourites

Abe Sylvia’s Dirty Girl (pictured) won the HBO Audience Award Best Narrative Feature at the closing ceremony of the 2011 Provincetown International Film Festival.
Disney/Pixar's Cars 2 on top overseas on $43m launch

Cars 2 dominated the international arena as a $42.9m weekend haul based on estimates from the first wave of 18 markets set up the latest Pixar release for what looks to be another big run.
Dorset In Film

A cinematic journey through the picturesque British county
Douglas Booth

London-born Douglas Booth landed an agent when he was 15, when actors are still subject to child labour laws.
Duke and Duchess of Cambridge to attend Bafta event

The Royals are scheduled to turn up to the inaugural Brits To Watch dinner in Los Angeles on July 9.
Dutch distributors sanction AAM digital cinema rollout

14 members of the NVF sanction AAM and Cinema Digitaal cinema conversion
East side story

Young, enthusiastic audiences as well as sales companies and festival programmers on the lookout for great regional product make Karlovy Vary International Film Festival (July 1-9) the place to be in Europe this month.
EC proposes €1.6bn for culture and the audiovisual industry from 2014-2020

The European Commission has proposed in its Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) for 2014-2020 to allocate €1.6bn for culture and the audiovisual industry.
Ellen Chenoweth

The acclaimed US casting director talks to Screen about the Actors Studio, working with the Coen brothers and unearthing Hailee Steinfeld.
Elliot Knight

There was a UK-wide casting process for the title role in Sinbad, Sky 1 TV’s 2012 tentpole drama that seemed to involve every agent in the country. Finally, after a few false starts, came the news: unknown Birmingham-born actor Elliot Knight had landed the role, and will spend the next eight months in Malta filming the 13-episode series.
EM Media extends board to cover East of England

Roger Morris, Lucy Ward and Bill Thompson are joining the board of EM Media following the expansion of the agency’s remit after the demise of Screen East.
Enlight Pictures gets new management, announces 10-film slate

Beijing-based media group Enlight Media has appointed a management team for its film production and distribution subsidiary Enlight Pictures, and announced a slate of 10 films to be produced later this year.
eOne inks output deal with Lakeshore for Australia, NZ

Multiyear deal which extends existing relationship kicks off with Amanda Seyfried thriller Gone
eOne to handle home entertainment release of TT3D

Deal done with producer/distributor CinemaNX.
Essential Killing cleans up at Polish Film Festival

Jerry Skolimowski’s Afghanistan set drama picked up six awards including the top prize.
EU commissioner: we won't cut MEDIA Programme

The funding source’s budget is to be kept at its current level and could possibly be increased in the European Union’s budget period for 2014-2010, EU budget commissioner Janusz Lewandowski told a delegation of filmmakers in Warsaw on Friday [17].
Fast Romance

Dir: Carter Ferguson. UK. 2010. 93mins
Film Sales Company, First Run strike US deal on Garbo: The Spy

First Run Features has acquired US theatrical, DVD and select ancillary rights from The Film Sales Company to Garbo: The Spy.
Fixed Point Films to adapt family drama Hope's Wish

LA-based Fixed Point Films’ Jonah Hirsch and Shining Star Productions’ Stuart Stout will turn Stuart and Shelby Stout book Hope’s Wish into a feature and have set Oscar-winner Diana Ossana to adapt the screenplay.
Frances Lea

Strawberry Fields headed for LFF.
FrightFest to open with Don’t Be Afraid Of The Dark

Guillermo Del Toro, Julian Gilbey thrillers bookend London horror festival
Game, set, match in Karlovy Vary

Some cinema cheers for the Czech champion.
Gemma Stockley joins Revolver as Head of DVD Sales

Former Warner Home Video Senior National Account Manager joins UK indie distributor.
Georgia King

Audiences will soon see Georgia King playing opposite Michelle Ryan and Harry Treadaway in Matthias Hoene’s London-set CockneysVs Zombies.
Get On Your Bike for classic Ealing films

The Lavender Hill Mob re-issue sparks cycle tour of classic locations
Ghent to honour Ronni Chasen with tribute concert

Elliot Goldenthal, Howard Shore, and Hans Zimmer will attend a closing ceremony concert in honour of the late publicist Ronni Chasen at the 38th Ghent Film Festival on Oct 22.
Give Up Tomorrow scoops Audience Award at Sheffield Doc/Fest

The festival, which ran for the first time in its new June slot, wrapped on sunday night (June 12) with the number of delegates reaching a record high.
Got To Run

Dir/scr: Robbie Moffat. UK. 2011. 90mins
Greek drama livens up crowd at Karlovy Vary pitch

The industry crowd cheers for the pitch of Babis Makrides’ L.
Green Lantern

Dir: Martin Campbell. US. 2011. 114mins
Green Lantern opens top in US on $53m for Warner Bros

Green Lantern opened top of the charts on $52.7m according to Warner Bros estimates, though box office observers were quick to point out it was the lowest debut for a superhero film this summer.
Gucci Tribeca doc fund announces funding grantees

New film from Margaret Brown and Jason Orans among funding recipients
Gun Hill Road to open LA Outfest in July

Rashaad Ernesto Green’s Gun Hill Road will open ths year’s Outfest, set to run in Los Angeles from Jul 7-17.
High Point Media Group moves into UK distribution

The first film to come out of the company’s new distribution arm will be Hanro Smitsman’s debut feature Skin starring Emmy nominated Robert de Hoog.
Honey 2

Dir: Bille Woodruff. US. 2011. 110mins
Hothouse for hotshots

The NFTS’s Lynda Myles tells Louise Tutt why she believes film schools give hopeful film-makers the best possible start.
Hudson's Academy era begins with rule change bombshell

In a dramatic switch and clear populist play aimed at higher ratings, the Academy has instituted a merit-based system that will generate anywhere from five to 10 contenders in Oscar’s prestige best picture category.
Human Centipede II gets 18 certificate in UK after cuts

After four months of wrangling with the BBFC, controversial sequel passes board.
Icarus Films takes US rights to El Sicario Room 164

Gianfranco Rosi’s documentary about a Mexican hitman premiered in Venice last year.
If The Seed Does Not Die

Dir: Sinisa Dragin. Romania-Serbia-Austria. 2010. 113mins
In Training

Screen went to check out Sam Hoare’s short film Training Day - and discovered that the director/actor is about to embark on some very different training for his role opposite Matt Smith in a new BBC drama.
Ingenious launches fourth Shelley EIS fund

UK-based Ingenious Ventures has launched its fourth Shelley Media Fund.
Jay Basu

Prolific writer has The Dinosaur Project.
Joe Cole

The 22-year-old actor-writer Joe Cole came up through the National Youth Theatre (NYT) — “I did it for a bit of fun,” says the London native. “School hadn’t worked out for me; I didn’t have great expectations.”
Joe Cornish & Charles Henri Belleville

The director of Attack The Block and co-writer of Steven Spielberg’s The Adventures Of Tintin tells the young film-maker behind The Inheritance what he learned from making his first theatrical feature
John Boyega

In the few short months since Attack The Block screened at SXSW, things have changed for Peckham-born John Boyega.
John Maclean

Michael Fassbender is his Man On A Motorcycle.
John Malkovich to star in Salvatores' Siberian Education

The actor will head up the cast of Gabriele Salvatores’ upcoming English language project about the Siberian criminal underworld.
Jonathan Demme working on screenplay for Zeitoun

Speaking in Aruba, Demme says he has finished New Orleans documentary I’m Carolyn Parker.
Joshua Bowman

Joshua Bowman is about to become well-known in the US, and he would like to repeat that in the UK.
Judy Moody And The Not Bummer Summer

Dir: John Schultz. US. 2011. 91mins
Jules Bishop lines up second feature Cafe Finito

The UK director is currently shooting his debut feature Borrowed Time as part of Film London’s Microwave scheme.
Kanter plans to bring Steinbeck field trip to life

Emmy Award-winning television producer Robert Kanter has acquired exclusive worldwide documentary rights to John Steinbeck’s non-fiction work The Log From The Sea Of Cortez.
Karlovy Vary 2011, part one

Photos from the first half of the 46th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival in the Czech Republic.
Karlovy Vary: where to eat, drink and screen films

Where does the industry work, rest and play at the festival? And where can you get a good vegetarian meal? International executives share their tips for a great trip.
Kim Cattrall eyes new Bearden film, West End Cleopatra

Actress talks about new projects as Meet Monica Velour opens the second Aruba International Film Festival.
Kim Cattrall: Women's Work

The actress moves past Samantha Jones and proclaims her love for Brits including Stephen Frears and Helen Mirren.
Kung Fu Panda KO’s opposition in UK

Paramount’s Kung Fu Panda 2 bares its claws in the UK, grossing £6.2m on debut
KVIFF 2011 Q&A: Jiri Bartoska

The Festival president talks about the event’s role in discovering and promoting international film-making talent
KVIFF 2011 Q&A: Karel Och and Krystof Mucha

Karlovy Vary’s artistic director Karel Och and executive director Krystof Mucha discuss what they are particularly looking forward to in this year’s programme
KVIFF 2011: Hot films

Sundance award-winners, SXSW crowd-pleasers and a slew of world premieres mix with features from rising local film-makers in this year’s KVIFF competition line-up. We look at three strands.
KVIFF 2011: Works In Progress

Works in Progress, the main industry event at the festival, will this year feature entries from Turkey, Greece and Georgia for the first time.
LAFF rounds out with awards, Dark screening

In the two top awards of the Los Angeles Film Festival, Stephane Lafleur’s Familiar Ground won the Narrative Award and Beverly Kopf and Bobbie Birleffi’s Wish Me Away took the Documentary Award last night [26].
Last Night

Dir: Massy Tadjedin. US-France. 2011. 93mins
Legendary plans Robinson project

Legendary Pictures is to make a film about Jackie Robinson, the forties American baseball player who broke the sport’s colour barrier.
Life in a Day to get digital US premiere

Cinedigm Digital Cinema and National Geographic Entertainment are to release Life in a Day to digital cinemas across the US on July 24, five days before National Geographic gives the user-generated documentary its traditional US theatrical launch.
Lighting up the screen

The sons of screenwriter Brian Clemens will be showing a taster of their intended first feature, a multi genre exploration of fate called The Lighter, at the BFI on July 11.
Lionsgate confirms Alliance-Maple acquisition

Alliance’s successful $38.5m play for Lionsgate-owned Maple and its film library gives the ambitious Canadian operation distribution rights to the Lionsgate slate for the next five years.
London Indian Film Festival to open with Delhi Belly

The line-up for the second edition of the festival will also include Anurag Kashyap’s That Girl In Yellow Boots.
Lottery funding to support UK film export should continue, says UK industry

A new industry led alliance is calling for more export funding to fill the gap created by the closure of the UKFC’s export unit as its last initiative, From Britain With Love, launches.
Lux Prize's 10 finalists unveiled in Karlovy Vary

Winner gets financial support from European Parliament.
Magnolia Pictures takes US rights to Tucker & Dale Vs Evil

The award winning comedy-horror screened in Sundance last year and stars Alan Tudyk and Tyler Labine as a pair of well intentioned Appalachian hillbillies who fall foul of a group of preppy campers.
Matt Taabu developing first feature King Of Flies

UK director Matt Taabu, whose short film Threads won the best film award at the Rob Knox Film Festival in London this weekend, is developing his first feature, King Of Flies (working title).
Maya signs international deals on Cafe

Maya Entertainment has sold Jennifer Love Hewitt romantic comedy Café to 13 international markets.
Maya to launch third Indie Film Series in July

Maya Entertainment’s third annual tour will bring acclaimed Latino-themed films to seven cities and kicks off in New York, Los Angeles and Chicago on Jul 29.
MEDIA backs European festivals training event

First European festivals training event to run during the Motovun Film Festival in Croatia
Melbourne International Film Festival to open with The Fairy

World premieres include dramas from Schepisi, Hewitt, Do and Lahiff; closing film will be Nicolas Winding Refn’s Drive.
MGM names Roma Khanna head of television group and digital

Khanna joins the company after recent tenure as president of Universal Networks international & digital initiatives.
Michael Pearce

BAFTA nominated for Rite.
Mike Lerner

The founder of London-based Roast Beef Productions talks to Screen about his latest feature doc, Danfung Dennis’s Sundance winning Hell And Back Again, which will jointly premiere at Sheffield Doc/Fest and the EIFF.
Mike Medavoy and SFG team for WWII feature

Producer Mike Medavoy and Shanghai Film Group are teaming on a feature and a related six-hour miniseries set in China
Millennium Entertainment acquires US rights to Puncture

Adam Kassen and Mark Kassen directed the legal drama starring Chris Evans. Millennium plans an autumn release.
Mongrel Media takes Canadian rights to Circumstance

The distributor acquired Maryam Keshavarz’s (pictured) feature directorial debut and Sundance audience award winner from Participant Media.
Monte Hellman reveals process behind Road to Nowhere in Karlovy Vary

“We had directions for an ending that would have made the film a black comedy. But when I got on set that morning, I started to change my mind. I thought of a new idea,” the director said.
Mother’s Day

Dir: Darren Lynn Bousman. US. 2011. 112mins
MPEG to honour sound editor Don Hall

The renowned winner of numerous awards will collect the Motion Picture Editors Guild’s (MPEG) Fellowship and Service Award at a ceremony on Oct 15 in Los Angeles.
Murdoch and Gianopulos address market restrictions and piracy in Shanghai

News Corp chairman Rupert Murdoch, Fox Film Entertainment CEO Jim Gianopulos and MPAA chairman Chris Dodd address Shanghai International Film Festival
MyAnna Buring

Sweden-born and UK-raised, MyAnna Buring (pronounced ‘Me-Anna’) hit the ground running on graduation from LAMDA with a prominent role in Neil Marshall’s 2005 horror film The Descent.
Nader & Simin, A Separation a surprise box office hit in France

Memento Distribution aiming for one million entries for Iranian director Asghar Farhadi’s Berlin Golden Bear winner capturing marital breakdownin modern-day Iran.
Nancy Carson, Thomas Molter win distributor award at CineEurope

Warner Bros. Pictures International veterans are honoured at June exhibitor conference
New international film festival to start in Tashkent, Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan’s capital Tashkent is to host its first international film festival this October organised by the Uzbekkino National Agency and the Forum of Culture and Arts of Uzbekistan.
New iPhone app to provide low cost production scheduling tool

Northern Film & Media has funded the new app, which brings the production stripboard system to a mobile device for the first time.
No badge required

Informal and fun, Ireland’s Galway Film Fleadh (July 5-10) is also becoming a significant European co-production hub.
Norwegian Wood secures release in mainland China

Tran Anh Hung’s Norwegian Wood has passed censorship in mainland China and will be released in the territory later this year through China Film and Shanghai Huayu Film Company.
Odeon & UCI Cinemas acquires seven multiplexes in Italy

Odeon subsidiary UCI Italia takes seven multiplexes from Giometti Cinema
Open Road confirms US deal on The Host

The fledgling distributor has added the upcoming Stephenie Meyer adaptation The Host to its inaugural roster and has set a Mar 29 2013 release.
Open Road partners with Universal Studios Home Entertainment

Universal Studios Home Entertainment (USHE) will handle all marketing, sales and distribution services for Blu-ray, DVD and digital platforms of Open Road Films’ theatrical titles.
Optimum, Kinowelt to be rebranded as StudioCanal

New name, logo comes into effect Sept 1; Danny Perkins says UK will be business as usual except the name change; Kinowelt to move to Berlin.
Page Eight

Dir/scr: David Hare. UK. 2011. 100mins
Palace pictures

US movie palaces of yesteryear are brought to life in a beautiful photo collection
Paladin gets Connected for US

Sundance documentary competition entry Connected: An Autoblogography about Love, Death & Technology is to be distributed in the US by Paladin.
Palm Springs International ShortFest unveils roster

More than 330 films will screen at the Palm Springs International ShortFest, Short Film Festival & Film Market, set to run from Jun 21-27.
Panda 2 stays top overseas for PPI on $55m hold

DreamWorks Animation’s Kung Fu Panda 2 held on to the top spot overseas through PPI as a confirmed $55.4m from 11,110 sites in 51 countries boosted the running total to $281.4m.
Panda 2, Thor drive PPI past $1bn in 2011 ticket sales

The company reached the milestone on Jun 10, four days earlier than its prior record and for the fifth consecutive year.
Panda rules overseas on $57m as Pirates 4 heads for $700m

An excellent weekend for Paramount Pictures International (PPI) saw Kung Fu Panda 2 cruise past $200m to dominate the overseas arena on a confirmed $56.7m weekend haul alongside a $6.7m debut for Super 8 from Australia and a handful of territories.
Patrick Duynslaegher appointed artistic director of Ghent Film Festival

It is part of a wider restructure of the Ghent Film Festival’s team, ahead of the 38th edition which runs October 11-22.
Patton, Hernandez join Abbie Cornish in The Girl

Goldcrest is handling international sales on David Riker’s road movie which just wrapped shooting in Texas and Mexico.
Phoebe Fox

“I have to admit to being smitten by… Phoebe Fox,” said The Daily Telegraph’s Charles Spencer of RADA’s sought-after 2010 graduate.
PiFan line-up to include Blind, The Yellow Sea

The 15th Puchon International Fantastic Film Festival (PiFan) has announced it line-up, with the event to open with Bollywood: The Greatest Love Story Ever Told, the documentary which premiered in Cannes recently.
Pirates 4 becomes Disney’s biggest international release

The fourth entry in the adventure series has overtaken Alice In Wonderland to stand at $695.5m and is now the fourth biggest overseas release in history.
Pirates 4 becomes fourth film to cross $700m overseas

Disney’s locomotive is now the company’s biggest grosser internationally after reaching $700.9m on Wednesday [15].
Pirates 4 becomes third biggest international release

The latest entry in Disney’s Pirates canon reached the milestone on Wednesday [22] and is bearing down on $1bn worldwide. Disney stablemate Cars 2 from Pixar revs up for the first wave of international markets.
Pirates 4 bids to hold on to overseas crown

Pirates Of The Caribbean: On Stranger Tides will be locked in a battle for international box office supremacy this weekend with The Hangover Part II, X-Men: First Class and Kung Fu Panda 2.
Pirates 4 crosses $600m overseas as X-Men sparkle

Disney’s Pirates grossed $69m to reach $600m after ruling the waves for the third straight weekend despite a spirited launch by Fox’s X-Men prequel and a second weekend for The Hangover Part II that saw the Warner Bros/Legendary Pictures comedy sequel cross $150m.
Pirates rules the world

How did Pirates Of The Caribbean: On Stranger Tides gross so much internationally so rapidly? Jeremy Kay reports
Provincetown Int’l Film Festival to run Jun 15-19

The festival opens tonight [15] with The Perfect Family and closes with Master Harold And The Boys.
Reality Czech

How are Eastern Europe’s established location strongholds responding to increased regional competition for footloose international projects? In the Czech Republic, which is very well-regarded by producers, its production rebate has already run dry this year
Relativity Media promotes Kyle Davies to head global distribution

The executive steps into the shoes vacated by former head of worldwide distribution and marketing Peter Adee, who announced back in April that he was stepping down.
Relativity Media to release Soderbergh’s Haywire

For the second time in a week the company has taken over distribution from a film that Lionsgate was set to release.
Relativity spins off Universal fund

In a move designed to avoid “inherent conflicts of interest,” Relativity Media is spinning off its Universal Pictures co-financing fund to its minority stakeholder Elliott Management Corporation.
Revolver in tune with Kings Of Leon doc

Talihina Sky: The Story Of Kings Of Leon will get its European premiere at the Edinburgh International Film Festival
Richard Madden

Richard Madden is on his way. Now appearing in Channel 4’s Sirens, a six-part comedy-drama about three paramedics, he is also part of HBO’s Game Of Thrones ensemble and has signed on for the second series from July.
Rising Romania

Some of the world’s leading film-makers are scouting locations in a territory that is keeping busy despite having no financial incentives.
River Road's Bill Pohlad to move ahead on Brian Wilson biopic

The River Road founder first revealed the long-gestating project to Screendaily last summer and has hired Oscar nominee Oren Moverman to write the screenplay.
Robert Emms

A year ago, LAMDA-trained Robert Emms did not see himself in film. “I just wanted to be one of those actors who works at the National Theatre the whole time,” he says.
Robert McKillop

To direct a subversive romantic comedy.
Rowan Athale

Wasteland to shoot in September.
Russian theatre giant Cinema Park buys Rising Star

Russian theatre chain Cinema Park has acquired Rising Star Media, the group that operates in the country under the name Kinostar de Lux.
Santosh Sivan

The Indian director talks about his new project, Urumi, a period fantasy epic which is being made in English, Hindi and Malayalam versions.
Sarajevo means business

The rising stars of south-eastern European cinema will be showcased at this year’s Sarajevo Film Festival (July 22-30) in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Scott Graham

Cannes veteran plans Shell.
Screen Stars of Tomorrow amongst BAFTA's Brits to Watch

Jessica Brown Findlay, Tom Hughes and Jack Thorne are amongst the 42 rising Brit stars who will be honoured at the inaugural Brits to Watch dinner in LA on July 9.
Screen unveils 2011 Stars of Tomorrow

Talents chosen this year include Julian Fellowes’ new Romeo and an actor handpicked by Steven Spielberg; plus filmmakers shooting features with Idris Elba and Tom Hardy. Full list revealed here.
ScreenSingapore wraps with Larry Crowne, attracts 700 trade attendees

6,000 people attended the inaugural ScreenSingapore event which pulled in 700 trade attendees
ScreenSingapore, June 5 - 12

Tom Hanks, Zhang Ziyi and Lee Byung Hun were among the stars at the ScreenSingapore closing night red carpet gala premiere of Larry Crowne
Screwed

Dir: Reg Traviss. UK. 2011. 110mins
Searchlight takes over UK distribution on Tree Of Life

Fox Searchlight will release Terrence Malick’s Palme d’Or winner on Jul 8 after striking a deal with Bill Pohlad’s River Road Entertainment in the wake of the Icon debacle.
Seattle bestows awards on Gandu, On The Ice

“Q” Kaushik Mukherjee won the best new director grand jury prize as the 37th Seattle International Film Festival came to a close on Sunday [12].
Sebastian Armesto

Having just finished Rocket To The Moon at London’s National Theatre, Sebastian Armesto is becoming increasingly visible.
Sebastian Foster

Writer has four features in the works.
Second edition of Moscow Business Square attended by about 350 professionals

Moscow Co-Production Forum included new project from team behind Innocent Saturday, as well as Sarah Bernhardt English-language project.
Senna

Dir: Asif Kapadia. UK. 2011. 105mins
Sheffield Doc/Fest, June 8-12

The 18th edition of Sheffield Doc/Fest wrapped June 12. The festival moved from November to its new June slot for the first time this year with delegate attendance at a record high.
Sholem to International Film Circuit

International Film Circuit has acquired US rights to documentary Sholem Aleichem: Laughing in the Darkness, about the writer who helped forge the modern Jewish identity and whose stories became the basis of musical Fiddler on the Roof.
Shoreline, Perfect Circle launch Straightline Animation

Shoreline Entertainment and Perfect Circle Productions have partnered on a new animated acquisition and production division called Straightline Animation.
Smurfin’ all over the world

Put a little blue into your life with Global Smurfs Day.
Sobini's Sexy Evil Genius adds cast

Seth Green, Michelle Trachtenberg, Billy Baldwin, and Harold Perrineau Jr have joined the cast of Sobini Films’ Sexy Evil Genius.
Sofia rides production wave

Is there more to Bulgaria than low costs and a stunning New York City film set? And a case study of Kon-Tiki
SPC takes US on Cronenberg’s A Dangerous Method

The distributor closed the deal with UK-based Hanway Films, reuniting with both Cronenberg and producer Jeremy Thomas.
Spider-Man producer Laura Ziskin dies at 61

Laura Ziskin, the producer behind Sony’s global smash Spider-Man franchise as well as No Way Out, died on Sunday following a battle with breast cancer. She was 61.
Stars of Tomorrow 2011

Screen presents the Stars of Tomorrow 2011 — talent destined to shine on the international stage. These rising actors, directors and writers were selected and profiled by Fionnuala Halligan.
Stars of Tomorrow 2011 photos

Stars were photographed at London’s Club at the Ivy in June 2011. All photos by Adam Scourfield.
Status Quo stars to appear in feature comedy

Francis Rossi and Rick Parfitt will make cameos in Don Gallacher’s comedy Deeper N Down, about a Status Quo tribute band.
Stefan Georgiou

Debut feature Dead Cat screened at LUFF.
Strand, Pro-Fun fall for Sabine Bernardi’s Romeos

The distributor acquired all North American rights to the relationship drama from Media Luna New Films and plans a late 2011 launch.
Stranger Things directors plan London-set feature

The writing/directing team of Eleanor Burke and Ron Eyal, in Karlovy Vary with the international premiere of their award-winning feature Stranger Things, are already writing the script for their next feature together.
Strippers vs Werewolves get snappy

British comedy horror films launches tasty teaser poster
Strong Danish cast confirmed for Bier's Love

Trust Nordisk handling sales on Susanne Bier’s $8m latest scheduled for an Aug 2012 release
Super 8

Dir/scr: J.J. Abrams. US. 2011. 112mins
Super 8 tops US charts in $38m opening weekend

Paramount’s sci-fi mystery defied expectations to pull off a solid launch and earn the first number one debut for an original storyline of the summer, while Relativity Media’s Judy Moody flopped in seventh place.
Superhero Fatigue

The deluge of superhero movies this summer could spell saturation for a genre that is exhibiting a serious lack of adventure.
Susan Bedusa earns development stripes at 4th Row Films

The executive is promoted to vp of development at the production company.
Sweet success

One clever film-maker caught our attention today by bringing us a copy of her short film Join The Dots..and chocolate!
Swinging With The Finkels

Dir/scr: Jonathan Newman. UK. 2011. 85mins
Switzerland, Germany and Austria sign trilateral co-production agreement

Trilateral co-production agreement between Switzerland, Germany and Austria comes into effect, but international visibility of Swiss cinema dealt a blow by ministry’s cost-cutting.
Talent of two cities

Screen’s chief critic catches up with the latest local cinema from two European territories with the aid of two very different events: Romania’s Transilvania International Film Festival and the Madrid de Cine screenings in Spain
Tarsem commences shoot on Relativity’s Snow White

FilmNation handled international sales on the film in Cannes, where it was one of a handful of must-have $100m projects in a resurgent marketplace.
The Balkan answer

With established film infrastructures and fascinating landscapes, Serbia and Croatia have been quietly luring productions away from the nearby centres of Prague and Budapest. Now both are introducing valuable tax incentives to give international producers two competitive new location hubs.
The Flying Guillotine gets new director and start date

The Flying Guillotine, a film produced by Peter Ho-sun Chan and handled by his We Distribution, has changed director from Teddy Chen (Bodyguards and Assassin) to Andrew Lau Wai-keung (Infernal Affairs).
The Future of Edinburgh?

As the 65th edition of the EIFF closes with bad buzz, the UK film industry calls for a strong artistic director and a move back to August.
The Interrupters wins Sheffield Doc/Fest Special Jury Award

British documentary film-maker Nick Broomfield was presented with the festival’s Inspiration award; legendary documentary director Albert Maysles picked up the Lifetime Achievement Award.
The Rabbi’s Cat pounces on top prize at Annecy

Gainsbourg director Joann Sfar’s pro-tolerance tale is set against the backdrop of Algerian capital of Algiers in the 1920s.
Tinker, Tailor set for awards season US launch

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy has been set for a North American release on Nov 18 through Focus Features, positioning the big screen version of John Le Carre’s cla
Toby Regbo

Still only 19, Londoner Toby Regbo first made an indelible impression as the young Nemo in Jaco Van Dormael’s Mr Nobody.
Tom Cullen

“All you need is someone to take a punt on you,” muses Tom Cullen.
Tribeca Film picks up Shut Up Little Man!

Tribeca Film has acquired select US rights from Closer Productions including VoD, theatrical, digital, DVD and festival to Shut Up Little Man! An Audio Misadventure.
Trinity picks up horror The Bunny Game for UK

Controversial horror to get UK home ent distribution through new x-rated label Trinity X.
Tulchin, Norris join producers roster on The Laureate

Harris Tulchin has boarded Deya Productions’ Robert Graves drama The Laureate as executive producer while former British Film Commissioner Steve Norris joins as UK producer.
TWC hires Leah Holzer as production vp

Leah Holzer has joined The Weinstein Company as vice-president of production, reporting to production head Donna Gigliotti in New York.
Uday Singh appointed head of MPA’s India office

Uday Singh has been appointed managing director of the Mumbai-based Motion Picture Distributors Association (MPDA), which is the wholly-owned India office of the Motion Picture Association (MPA).
UK board bans The Human Centipede II

The ‘potentially obscene’ Human Centipede sequel ‘poses risk of harm to viewers,’ BBFC says.
UK producers must lobby to rejoin Eurimages

For too long UK producers have been been deprived of access to funds and co-producers that their European counterparts take for granted.
UTV acquires rights to best-selling novel Chanakya’s Chant

Mumbai-based UTV Motion Pictures has acquired rights to Ashwin Sanghi’s best-selling novel Chanakya’s Chant, which will be adapted into a feature film by the studio.
Van Damme signs up to MPCA's Six Bullets

Brad Krevoy’s MPCA has signed a second deal in a week with Jean-Claude Van Damme.
Vanessa Kirby

It has been a whirlwind 18 months for London-born Vanessa Kirby.
Vibrant Palm Springs Int'l Shortfest unveils winners

Zaid Abu Hamdan’s Bahiya & Mahmoud (Jordan/USA) won the 2011 Palm Springs International ShortFest’s Best Of Festival Award last night [26] and becomes eligible for Oscar consideration.
Warner Bros signs China VoD deal with YOU On Demand

Warner Bros has signed a pay-per-view (PPV) and video-on-demand (VoD) deal with VoD platform YOU On Demand Media, which is an official partner of Chinese state-owned movie channel CCTV-6.
Warner Bros, Imagine team up on Blood Wars

The studio has came on board to handle film and television rights on the action property while Imagine’s Brian Grazer will serve as producer.
Warp speeds ahead

UK production outfit Warp Films has a reputation for innovative, low-budget film-making. Now the 10-year-old company is shifting up a gear with international partners, bigger budgets and intriguing titles.
Watchmen's Alex Tse to adapt The Crow

Relativity Media is producing along with Ed Pressman and Apaches Entertainment and Tse will get to work adapting the comic book series and strip by James O’Barr.
Weekender

Dir: Karl Golden. UK. 2011. 90mins
Weekly International Box Office June 3 - 5

Pirates crosses $600m, X-Men: First Class enters the fray and local productions fare well in Japan
Weekly International Box Office May 27 – 29

Pirates Of The Caribbean cruises to $125m in second week as US dominates international
Weinsteins take US rights to Madonna's W.E.

The Weinstein Company (TWC) has picked up Madonna’s drama, one of two acquisitions it made in the dying days of Cannes along with a competition title that is expected to be announced this week.
WME Global head Taylor urges filmmakers to embrace revolution

Graham Taylor gave attendees at the Los Angeles Film Festival an upbeat appraisal of the independent space on Saturday [18], highlighting a “time of revolution, when the only way to act is entrepreneurially.”
Woody Allen unveils cast for The Bop Decameron

The director’s first film to be financed by Medusa Film is currently in pre-production ahead of a Jul 11 start date in Rome.
Working Title options rom-com novel Charlotte Street

Danny Wallace’s upcoming debut novel follows a disillusioned teacher in London who tracks down an unknown woman in a series of photographs.
X-Men prequel in global launch

X-Men: First Class becomes Hollywood’s latest global summer release this weekend, opening on 8,127 screens in 75 international markets at the same time as it makes its North American debut.
X-Men: First Class opens top in US on $56m

The latest incarnation of X-Men returned to action as Fox’s mutants debuted top in North America to ensure the fourth consecutive weekend climb compared to a year ago.

Screen30 June 2011

Screen
30 June 2011