All articles by Mark Johnson
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News
Belgium prepares new film tax shelter legislation
Belgium's proposed tax-shelter legislation is to be readied for parliamentary debate at a meeting between finance minister Didier Reynders and film producers this week (Oct 3).The current proposal, drawn up by Senator Philippe Monfils, is aimed at encouraging domestic and foreign investors to set up limited partnerships for specific productions. ...
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Hundred Steps clinches Brussels' Golden Iris
Marco Tullio Giordana's The Hundred Steps (I Cento Passi) was awarded top honours at the 28th Brussels International Film Festival, which closed Saturday night. The film, a true story of a young Sicilian militant who mounts a rebellion against the reigning mafia don, won the Golden Iris for Best Film ...
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Belgium close to accord in rental terms war
Belgian exhibitors' federation, the FCB, and distributors' association, the ABDF, appear to be nearing an agreement in a two-year battle over the distributor-exhibitor split of box office grosses.Both sides are currently drawing up a joint proposal for a new federal accord to be submitted to the Belgian Council of Competition. ...
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Netherlands launches Internet film festival
The Netherlands Film Festival (September 20-29) is launching a virtual event - the Netherlands Internet Film Festival - which is designed to give greater exposure to Dutch film-makers.Starting from June 29, up to 21 short to medium-length films will be webcast each week on the festival's web-site (www.filmfestival.nl), seven in ...
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The Nine Lives Of Tomas Katz
Dir: Ben Hopkins. UK. 1999. 84mins.Prod co: Strawberry Vale Film &TV. Int'l sales: United Artists Films. Prod: Caroline Hewitt. Scr: Ben Hopkins. DoP: Julian Court. Ed: Alan Levy. Music: Dominik Scherber. Main cast: Thomas Fisher, Janet Henfrey, Ian McNeice, Tim Barlow. Ben Hopkins' The Nine Lives Of Tomas Katz is ...
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UGC acquires Gaumont's Antwerp multiplex
French exhibition giant UGC is buying rival Gaumont's 17-screen multiplex in Antwerp, Belgium for $22m (FFr150m), as part of its Europe-wide expansion plan kickstarted by the acquisition of the UK's Virgin circuit last year.UGC currently has two multiplexes in Brussels but plans to increase this number to five by next ...
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The Nameless wins Brussels Golden Raven
Spanish title The Nameless, directed by Jaume Balaguero, was awarded the Golden Raven at the 18th Brussels Festival of Fantasy, Thriller and Science Fiction Films (March 17 - April 1). The prize includes $25,000 (BFr1m) towards the film's domestic or international promotion. The Nameless has previously picked up the European ...
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Kinepolis bullish on expansion despite losses
Belgian exhibitor Kinepolis Group is planning to open six new multiplexes throughout Europe by December after reaching its legal investment limit in Belgium with 125 screens.The first to open will be the 12-screen Forum Kinepolis in Nimes, France to be followed by an eight-screen multiplex in Ede, The Netherlands in ...
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Bzz, Suburbanites win at Brussels Animation fest
Short animated features Bzz, directed by Benoit Feroumont, and Suburbanites, directed by Stefan Vermeulen, emerged as the big winners at the Brussels Animation Festival (Feb 29 - March 11).Bzz was awarded the First Prize from the French-speaking community, worth BFr100,000, and the Freezeframe prize, worth BFr150,000. Vermeulen's Suburbanites picked up ...
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Alone scores double Iris in Brussels
Benito Zambrano's directorial debut Alone (Solas) was awarded both the Iris d'Or for best European film and Iris d'Argent for best actress (Ana Fernandez) at the 27th International Film Festival in Brussels.The Spanish film was produced by Antonio Perez-Perez' Maestranza Films and shot entirely in Seville on a modest budget ...