Screen
31 July 2009
View all stories from this issue.
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Zhang Pimin promoted to deputy director of China's SARFT
China’s State Council has promoted Zhang Pimin, deputy director of the country’s Film Bureau, to the same role for the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television (SARFT). He replaces Lei Yuanliang who is retiring. -
A Perfect Getaway
Dir. David Twohy.US.2009 -
Alquimia looks for screenwriters with Puerto Rican connections
New York-based Latino content development company Alquimia Films is working with the Puerto Rico Film Commission to uncover new screenwriters. -
Anchor Bay promotes three executives to SVP
Anchor Bay Entertainment has promoted three of its executives. Julie Cartwright is now senior vice president of marketing, and Sally Seraphim and Raymond Zinar are both now senior vice president of sales. -
Australia's Red Dog legend to hit the big screen
The true story of a dog that roamed Australia making friends is to be made into a film after securing funding from a group of Australian investors and regional film bodies. -
Babelgum starts content partnership with Funny Or Die
Mobile and web content platform Babelgum continues to strike interesting deals, this time starting an exclusive wireless licensing agreement to bring FunnyOrDie videos to mobile platforms.The deal covers two years, and will offer a stand-alone Funny Or Die-branded iPhone application as well as Funny Or Die content in all Babelgum applications.Also, the comedy channel on Babelgum’s website will include a Funny Or Die branded section that will host new content after it is premeire -
Breathless continues winning streak with jury prize at Fantasia
The Montreal-based Fantasia Film Festival ends today after welcoming 90,000 fans with 40% of its 195 screenings sold out since the event started July 9. -
British 3D film StreetDance starts shooting in London
StreetDance, the Vertigo Films’ feature starring the winners of TV show Britain’s Got Talent, has begun shooting in in London. -
Chiko
Dir. Özgür Yildirim.Germany.2008 -
Cine Fest Petrobras Brasil-NY kicks off with If I Were You 2
The seventh-annual Cine Fest Petrobras Brasil-NY kicked off last night with a Central Park Summerstage concert by Silvia Machete and screening of Brazilian box-office record-setter If I Were You 2, directed by Daniel Filho. -
Composer Marvin Hamlisch to be honoured at World Soundtrack Awards
Oscar-winning composer Marvin Hamlisch, Oscar-nominee Alexandre Desplat, Mark Streitenfeld and renowned Japanese composer Shingeru Umebayashi will perform at this year’s Ghent Film Festival. -
Creation
Dir. Jon Amiel.UK.2009 -
Dance Flick
Dir. Damien Wayans.US.2009 -
Dark Castle starts shooting White's The Losers in Puerto Rico
Dark Castle Entertainment has started principal photography on The Losers, which will shoot entirely on location in Puerto Rico. -
District 9
Dir. Neill Blomkamp.US.2009 -
Domestix to handle domestic sales on documentary Jesse's Story
Beverly Hills-based Domestix has taken on domestic sales rights to Jesse’s Story. -
Dowler finishes shoot for directorial debut Rock And Roll The Movie
Actor-writer-director Darren Dowler has finished prinicpal photography on his feature directorial debut, Rock And Roll The Movie, for California-based Saddle Ranch Productions. -
Dutch court blocks users from The Pirate Bay
A Dutch court has ruled that access to controversial file-sharing site Pirate Bay will be cut off in the Netherlands. It will be banned for a two month trial. -
Edward Zwick joins Academy Board after run-off race
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) announced today that Edward Zwick has won the run-off race for the open Directors Branch seat on the 2009-2010 Board of Governors. -
Egoyan's Chloe to world premiere at Toronto
Atom Egoyan’s psychological drama Chloe will make its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival while the North American premiere of Jean-Marc Vallée’s period biopic The Young Victoria will close the festival. -
EPIX adds Samuel Goldwyn Films as content partner
Samuel Goldwyn Films has entered an exclusive output agreement for up to 20 of its theatrical releases in 2010-2011 to play across all EPIX platforms. -
Expanded DocuWeeks to screen 18 features for Oscar qualification
The International Documentary Association (IDA) kicks off its 13th annual DocuWeeks theatrical showcase today. -
FDA to target UK cinema audiences with anti-piracy campaign
The Film Distributors Association (FDA) is launching a campaign in UK cinemas this weekend appealing for audiences’ help to combat film theft. -
First steps of a box-office giant
The news that China has become the second biggest territory outside the US for Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen, with a $62m (rmb423m) gross as of July 19, demonstrates the dizzying potential of the country’s box-office market. -
French Producers Guild starts desk for US, international producers
APC, the French Producers’ Guild, has now started an American & International Desk to advise foreign producers who seek a French company to work with on the new French Tax Rebate For International Production (TRIP). -
Funny People gets off to slow start in lacklustre domestic weekend
Funny People was not quite funny enough to inspire the US box office to a stellar weekend - the new Judd Apatow comedy/drama, starring Adam Sandler and Seth Rogen, was top of the chart with an estimated $23.4m. -
G.I. Joe: The Rise Of Cobra
Dir. Stephen Sommers.US.2009 -
Gamer
Dir. Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor.US.2009 -
Gladstone, Sloane team with Berger Kahn for new LA-based law firm
The Los Angeles office of Berger Kahn has re-formed as Gladstone Michel Weisberg Willner & Sloane LLC. -
Grande expectations
The Locarno International Film Festival (Aug 5-15) is burnishing its reputation for distinctive arthouse and indie programming with a line-up filled with tales of the unexpected. -
Haeundae takes South Korean box office by storm
Tsunami blockbuster Haeundae has taken the South Korean box office by storm clocking up 5 million admissions from 712 screens in less than two weeks. -
Harry Potter nears $500m mark; The Hangover crosses $100m
Warner Bros Pictures International continues to stir up magic with Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince, which made an estimated $42.7m on 13,200 screens in 64 markets this weekend. -
Harry Potter's box office spell remains unbroken
Warner Bros’ Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince held on to the top of ScreenDaily’s international top 40 chart for a third week, after conjuring up $44.1m across 63 territories. -
Hunger claims top awards at Poland's Era New Horizon festival
Hunger, the debut film from British artist Steve McQueen, has scooped two of the top prizes at the 9th Era New Horizons International Film Festival in Wroclow, Poland. -
Ice Age 3 set to break international record for animation
Fox’s Ice Age 3 is on the cusp of melting a big record this weekend, to become the highest-grossing animated film of all time at the international box office. -
Image takes North American rights to Dare starring Emmy Rossum
Image Entertainment has aquired all North American rights to Dare, which premiered at Sundance. -
Industry must adapt to market conditions
Producer Kevin Loader’s In The Loop is being released in the US in theatres and on video-on-demand. This is the shape of the future, says the Screenwriters’ Festival chairman. -
Japan's Movie-Eye files for bankruptcy
Japanese producer-distributor Movie-Eye Entertainment, distributor of Oscar-winners Crash and Million Dollar Baby, has filed for bankruptcy according to a fax sent to creditors yesterday. -
Jeff Junge promoted to SVP at Warner Home Entertainment
Jeff Junge has been promoted to Senior Vice President, Business Management, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group. -
Jeff Katz kicks off Titmouse deal with Special Dead
Producer and comic book author Jeff Katz has signed a four-picture deal with Titmouse Animation. -
Joe Eszterhas sees Virgin for Mpower
Joe Eszterhas has signed on to write a screenplay about the Virgin of Guadalupe for Los Angeles-based Mpower Pictures. -
LA Shorts Fest honours 8th Samurai, Alma, Hotel, Bouttenniere
The LA Shorts Fest has announced the winners from its 2009 edition, with Justin Ambrosino’s The 8th Samurai taking the Best of the Fest prize. -
Lefevre, Summit debate casting decision for Twilight Saga: Eclipse
An unusual public debate has erupted over a casting decision for the third twilight film, Eclipse. -
Mandate, Zaillian's Film Rites sign Healy to write Vigalondo's Gangland
Film Rites, the venture between Mandate Pictures and filmmaker Steve Zaillian, has announced that Pat Healy has come on board to write the script for Nacho Vigalondo’s Gangland. -
MasterImage to supply 40+ 3D systems to UK exhibitor Empire
Burbank, Calif.-based MasterImage USA has struck a 3D systems deal with the UK’s Empire Cinemas. -
McPherson's The Eclipse to open LA Irish Film Festival
Conor McPherson’s supernatural drama The Eclipse, a hit with its world premiere in Tribeca, will be the opening night gala film of the 2009 Los Angeles Irish Film Festival. -
MercuryMedia to handle select international distribution for Microcinema
San Francisco-based Microcinema International has partnered with London-based MercuryMedia to distribute certain Microcinema titles in Europe, Australia and Asia. -
MOTELx - Lisbon International Horror Film Festival
Lisbon, Portugal, September 02 - 06 -
New Films expands into US theatrical business
New Films International president Nesim Hason is expanding the 30-year company into the US theatrical market and has named its first two titles. -
Nora Ephron’s Julie & Julia to close Rome Film Festival
Nora Ephron’s Julie & Julia, starring Meryl Streep, will close the fourth edition of the International Rome Film Festival. -
NY International Latino Festival gives prizes to Pachamama, Stages
The 2009 New York International Latino Film Festival has announced the award winners from its 10th anniversary event. -
Pandorum
Dir. Christian Alvart.US.2009 -
Planet Green to kick off documentary strand with The Last Beekeeper
US TV channel Planet Green will start new weekly documentary strand Reel Impact, hosting the world TV premiere of Jeremy Simmons’ SXSW selection The Last Beekeeper on September 12. -
Pray The Devil Back To Hell to go on peace tour of grassroots screenings
Director Gini Reticker and producer Abigail Disney of documentary Pray The Devil Back To Hell are organising a Global Peace Tour of grassroots screenings across the world in September and October. -
Production sees rises in the East as numbers decline in the West
India is the most prolific film-producing nation in the world, according to the latest research figures. -
Pusan's Asian Cinema Fund supports 25 projects
The Pusan International Film Festival (PIFF) has announced 25 recipients of its Asian Cinema Fund and has revealed two new funds to support overseas projects and distribution. -
Quantum Of Solace, Man On Wire up for Conch sound awards
The UK Screen Association, the film and TV industry body, has revealed the shortlist for its annual Conch awards, which honour audio post production in film, TV and advertising -
Reitman’s Up In The Air to world premiere at TIFF
Jason Reitman’s frequent flyer comedy Up In The Air, starring George Clooney, will make its world premiere as a special presentation at the Toronto International Film Festival, it was announced today (July 30). -
Rosefelt, Harris launch beta version of legal film finder SpeedCine
SpeedCine has launched its beta version today, offering a searchable database to find legal films online internationally. That includes free and paid streams or downloads. -
Sam Taylor-Wood's Nowhere Boy to close London Film Festival
The world premiere of Nowhere Boy, the hotly anticipated debut film from British artist Sam Taylor-Wood, will close The Times BFI 53rd London Film Festival. -
Spielberg hops on to direct Harvey for Fox and DreamWorks
Steven Spielberg’s next project will be directing Harvey, to be co-financed by 20th Century Fox and DreamWorks Studios. -
Summit to release Knowing on revenue-sharing scheme in China
China is set to import thriller Knowing into cinemas on the mainland on a revenue-sharing basis. -
Sweden and Norway see record cinema admissions
Cinema attendance in Sweden reached its highest level in the first half of the year for five years. Admissions reached 7.6 million – up 26.8% compared to last year. -
Technomedia buys VRT Enterprises, launches new digital cinema arm
Florida-based Technomedia has restructured its Cinema Technologies Group and launched TMS Digital Cinema LLC. In a related move, Technomedia has acquired Miami-based VRT Enterprises, a digital cinema engineering services and product development company. -
The Crimson Wing: Mystery Of The Flamingos
Dir. Matthew Aeberhard and Leander Ward.Tanzania.2009 -
The Hurt Locker
Dir. Kathryn Bigelow.US.2008 -
The long road back
The six territories formed after the break-up of Yugoslavia still face plenty of challenges in terms of film distribution and exhibition, but Vladan Petkovic sees signs of optimism on the eve of the Sarajevo Film Festival in Bosnia (Aug 12-20).The most popular theatrical titles in the six states that once made up Yugoslavia are, as everywhere else, Hollywood titles. Ice Age: Dawn Of The Dinosaurs is top of the charts in Croatia, Serbia and Sloven -
The Time Traveler's Wife
Dir. Robert Schwentke.US.2009 -
The triumphant transformation of Sarajevo
As the Sarajevo Film Festival (August 12-20) grows in stature, so does its importance as a launch pad for international films into the region. Mike Goodridge reports -
The US deal conundrum
With US distributors in crisis, international buyers might be able to fill the gap - except they’re only interested in English-language films that have US distribution sewn up . -
Thriller (and rom-com) in Manila
Multiplex growth and a burgeoning middle class are driving growth at the Philippines box office, which is benefiting both US and local product -
Treasury minister Stephen Timms to lead Digital Britain
Treasury minister Stephen Timms is replacing Lord Stephen Carter as UK communications minister. It is understood the appointment aims to keep the government’s Digital Britain plan on track. -
UK film veteran Lawrence Safir dies at age 62
International film veteran Lawrence Safir, 62, died in London on August 5 after a long illness. -
Venice to host 71 world premieres across a "global" line-up
The Venice Film Festival has revealed a total of 71 world premieres – including 23 in competition - across the programme for its 66th edition. -
Zurich Film Festival will honour Polanski, host retrospective
The Zurich Film Festival will present its Golden Eye Award to Oscar-winning director Roman Polanski.
