Screen
1 Nov 2012

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Bille August signs up for Nabokov's Laughter

Danish filmmaker Bille August has signed up to direct an adaptation of Vladimir Nabokov’s 1932 novel Laughter in the Dark.
Holy Motors to kick off Thessaloniki

Expected guests include Bahman Ghobadi, Aki Kaurismaki, Costa Gavras, Cristian Mungiu and Andreas Dresen.
7 Boxes wins best feature at inaugural Cockatoo fest

A fast-moving action film from Paraguay, 7 Boxes, directed by Juan Carlos Maneglia and Tania Chembori, has won the Golden Feather Award for best dramatic feature at Sydney’s inaugural Cockatoo Island Film Festival.
AAM signs more deals for digital cinema rollout in Latin America

Paramount and Universal have now joined Sony and Warner Bros in agreeing to supply their films in digital format.
AFI FEST announces Presentations and Conversations

The Presentations comprise a restored version of Billy Wilder’s Sunset Boulevard on Saturday (3) and a chance to see finallists in the Levi’s Show Us The Way Short Film Showcase on Nov 7.
AFI FEST audience rewards A Royal Affair, Nairobi Half Life

AFI FEST 2012 organisers have announced the audience award winners leading up to Thursday’s night’s world premiere closing night gala screening of Lincoln.
AFM buzz: UK sellers

High-profile titles include Imagine starring Al Pacino, Roger Michell’s new rom-com, and a Nelson Mandela biopic. Andreas Wiseman reports.
AFM buzz: US sellers

New titles include Martin Scorsese’s The Wolf Of Wall Street and Panorama’s The Voices. Jeremy Kay reports.
AFM finance conference: Equity market robust

Experts struck a mostly bullish note at the AFM Finance Conference’s Current Issues In Film Finance panel.
AFM Hong Kong panel: Chinese audiences seek quality movies

Speakers at the co-production panel, held as part of ‘Hong Kong Day’ yesterday, discussed how Chinese audiences are gravitating towards films that reflect one culture rather than co-productions or ‘hybrid’ films.
AFM touts 6% buyer climb despite slow market

Market organisers on Monday projected data through the end of the market’s final day on Nov 7 and said the number of acquisitions executives rose from 1,523 in 2011 to 1,616.
AFM, are you ready to rock?

Industry veterans put down deal memos long enough to share some tunes on Santa Monica Pier.
AKA and Bow Street Films form low-budget joint venture

AKA and Bow Street Films have merged to create a slate of sub-$3m films that Celluloid Nightmares will sell worldwide. First to go will be Parts Per Billion starring Frank Langella, Gena Rowlands, Rosario Dawson and Josh Hartnett.
Alain Chabat sets down in LA for shoot of Quentin Dupieux's Réalité

EXCLUSIVE: Film [pictured], also featuring Elodie Bouchez and Jon Heder, is currently shooting in Los Angeles.
All Rights Entertainment takes on Mumbai Cha Raja

Paris and Hong Kong-based sales company All Rights Entertainment has picked up international rights excluding India to Manjeet Singh’s Mumbai Cha Raja.
All Six Feet heads Vesuvio AFM slate

Vesuvio Entertainment has boarded sales rights for the drama about the relationship between music promoter “Punkin Pie” Irene Laughlin and actress Lana Clarkson, who died in Phil Spector’s mansion in 2003.
Alliance for Intellectual Property unveil The Content Map

Portal shows the burgeoning wealth of legal content available online and aims to help people access it with ease and confidence.
American Film Festival unveils full lineup

Saftey Not Guaranteed [pictured], Jack and Diane and How To Survive A Plague among titles to screen at the third edition of the festival, which runs Nov 13-18.
Amour leads European Film Awards nominations

Haneke’s Palme d’Or winner leads with six nominations; The Hunt and Shame get five nominations.
Anchor Bay Films hires distribution ace Bill Lewis

Lewis joins as svp of theatrical distribution and marketing and most recently served as evp and general sales manager at Summit Entertainment, where he worked on the Twilight and The Hurt Locker, among others.
Andrew Scott joins Irish comedy The Stag

Co-written by Oscar-nominee Peter McDonald and John Butler, the film is set to commence shooting on Monday (Nov 12).
Any Day Now, Quartet, Central Park Five triumph in Chicago audience awards

The 48th Chicago International Film Festival announced the Audience Choice Awards on Friday (26).
Anyone for a round of blood?

Halloween, Netflix style.
Aqui Y Alla, Miss Lovely win top prizes at Mumbai fest

Aqui Y Alla, directed by Spain’s Antonio Mendez Esparza, scooped both best film and best director in the international competition for first features at the close of the Mumbai film festival last night (Oct 25).
Argo rules US charts in third weekend on $12.4m

A weak session at the box office saw Warner Bros’ Academy Awards frontrunner climb to the top of the pile to reach a respectable $60.8m while stablemate Cloud Atlas led the new arrivals and opened in third place on $9.4m.
Ariane Fraser, Delphine Perrier launch Highland Film Group slate

EXCLUSIVE: Ariane Fraser’s Highland Film Group and Delphine Perrier’s production and sales company Stonebrook International have joined forces as Highland Film Group and arrive at the AFM with a bumper sales slate led by teen assassin thriller Barely Lethal from producer Brett Ratner.
Arpa to honour Frances Fisher, USC Shoah Foundation, Lusine Sahakyan

The 15th Annual Arpa International Film Festival will honour stage and film actress Frances Fisher with the Career Achievement Award.
ARRI boards sales for Indian Summer

EXCLUSIVE: ARRI Worldsales has boarded world sales (excluding UK and Ireland) for Brian Ward’s Indian Summer.
Arrow Entertainment acquires Single in South Beach

Romantic drama stars Kevin Sorbo, Haley Webb, Carlos Ponce and Tinsel Korey.
Artificial Eye to release Zaytoun in the UK

Eran Riklis’ drama [pictured] premiered at Toronto and will have its US premiere at AFI Fest in November.
Arts Alliance Media unveils Locksmith

System aims to make digital cinema key delivery simpler and easier.
ASC to honour quartet at February awards show

Dean Semler, Rodney Charters, Robby Müller and Curtis Clark will be honoured at the 27th Annual American Society Of Cinematographers awards night on Feb 10 in Hollywood.
Astérix and Obélix Scottish premiere

Friday (Nov 9) saw the Scottish premiere of Astérix And Obélix: God Save Britannia take place at the Filmhouse Edinburgh as part of the 20th French Film Festival UK.
ATX Television Festival, Final Draft announce pitch contest

The ATX Television Festival has announced its first pitch competition in collaboration with Final Draft for aspiring writers to pitch original ideas for a scripted series to top television decision makers.
Autlook takes on Mussels In Love

Also at CPH: DOX, Taskovski Films announces several deals.
BAFTA survey reveals insufficient careers advice risks next generation of film talent

Findings of inaugural report to be discussed at industry summit on Nov 15.
Baja Int’l Film Festival to honour Ed Norton, Matt Dillon

The inaugural festival’s honorees will include Directors Guild Of America president Michael Apted, Virginia Madsen, Diego Luna, Melissa Leo and director Nicolas Echevarria.
Balinale aims to attract production as well as patrons

Indonesian feature Lovely Man [pictured], directed by Teddy Soeriaatmadja, has been voted the most popular film overall by audiences at the 6th Balinale International Film Festival.
Bart Walker joins ICM Partners from Cinetic Media

Cinetic Media partner Bart Walker has left the company and joined ICM Partners as partner.
Belle

Bafta-winning writer/director Amma Asante returns with an unusual period drama. Wendy Mitchell visits the set of Belle, which is produced by Damian Jones and sold by Bankside
Ben Affleck to receive Santa Barbara honour

The director and star of awards season frontrunner Argo will collect the Modern Master Award at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival on Jan 26.
Benaroya on board to produce Felony as shooting begins

Benaroya Pictures made the announcement on Monday (5) and joins Goalpost Pictures Australia and Blue-Tongue Films on the drama, which The Solution Entertainment Group has been selling at AFM. Village Roadshow will distribute in Australia.
Benaroya Pictures boards Hateship as financier

Benaroya Pictures has come on to finance Hateship, Friendship, Courtship, Loveship, Marriage. As reported exclusively on Screendaily last week, the Weinstein Company commenced international pre-sales at the AFM.
Beta books deals for Famous Five and Physician

EXCLUSIVE: Beta Cinema sees strong demand for new titles including Enid Blyton update The Famous Five and big budget adventure The Physician.
Beta brings Paganini biopic, Enid Blyton adaptations to AFM

Acclaimed violinist David Garrett plays composer Paganini alongside Joely Richardson; Beta also showcases Uberto Pasolini’s Still Life and big budget epic The Physician.
BFI hitting the road for ‘Future Plan’ tour

The BFI is planning road shows across the UK throughout November to spread the message of its five-year growth plan.
Bigfoot: The Lost Coast Tapes

Dir: Corey Grant. US. 2012. 90mins
Billy Ray to deliver Nicholl keynote at Academy

Billy Ray will deliver the keynote address at the Academy Nicholl Fellowships In Screenwriting ceremony on Nov 8 in Los Angeles.
Black Nights Film Festival unveils EurAsia competition line-up

Everyday, Hannah Arendt and Wadjda [pictured] among films in contention.
Black Nights to give posthumous Lifetime Achievement Award to Theo Angelopoulos

Greek film director died in a car accident this January.
Blanchett to head jury for DIFF's IWC Schaffhausen award

The Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF) and luxury Swiss watch manufacturer IWC Schaffhausen have announced that Cate Blanchett will head the jury for the IWC Schaffhausen Filmmaker Award at this year’s edition of the festival.
Bond is back to challenge Paranormal Activity 4

The 23rd James Bond film Skyfall bursts on to the screen in the UK, Russia, France, South Korea, Brazil and Belgium this weekend through Sony Pictures Releasing International.
Bond is back with a vengeance: Skyfall opens on $80.6m

UPDATE: Sony Pictures and MGM’s 23rd entry in the James Bond pantheon delivered an astonishing result as it opened top in all 25 markets, seven of them through Sony Pictures Releasing International (SPRI) markets and the remainder through MGM licensees.
Breaking Glass snaps up Our Paradise, Out In The Open

Breaking Glass Pictures has signed two films for theatrical release in the first quarter of 2013 after closing deals for Our Paradise and Out In The Open.
Breakthrough to screen Tony Gitone, Summerhood at AFM

Toronto-based Breakthrough Entertainment arrives in Santa Monica with market premiere screenings for The Resurrection Of Tony Gitone, Summerhood and Please Kill Mr Know It All.
Broken leads BIFA pack with nine nominations

Genre titles Sightseers and Berberian Sound Studio close behind with seven nods each.
Brügger planning controversial "assassination" doc

Controversial Danish journalist and film-maker Mads Brügger, whose exposé of African diamond smuggling in The Ambassador provoked fury and lawsuits, is working on another Africa-set documentary that is set to be equally explosive.
Buyers dreamy for Mister Smith’s Imagine

David Garrett has sold hot new comedy-drama Imagine, starring Al Pacino, Jeremy Renner and Julianne Moore, to UK, France, Australia and a host of other territories.
Buyers drive to Yellow Affair's Road North

Sales outfit The Yellow Affair has sold Mika Kaurismäki’s comedy drama Road North to Japan (Alcine), Canada (Kinosmith), Benelux (Bridge Rights) and Estonia (Estinfilm).
Buyers flood to Embankment's Le Weekend

EXCLUSIVE: Buyers bite on Roger Michel rom-com Le Weekend as $21m sci-fi Our Robot Overlords closes finance.
Buyers flow to WestEnd’s Joe

EXCLUSIVE: Deals on new Nicolas Cage drama include a mid-six figure deal with Wild Side for France.
Buyers go to The Deep and After Lucia with Bac

EXCLUSIVE: Bac has closed a host of territories on its Icelandic and Mexican foreign language Oscar contenders.
Buyers soak up IM Global musical Sunshine

IM Global has reported a strong response to the comedy-musical Walking On Sunshine with Kylie Minogue and Gemma Arterton attached to star.
Buying American

The enduring strength of the independent sector will be a source of comfort at a time when genuine star-driven projects are thin on the ground. Jeremy Kay reports
Byrne, Weaving, Otto line up for Australian omnibus

Rose Byrne, Hugo Weaving and Mirando Otto have joined the cast of Australian omnibus film The Turning, based on Tim Winton’s story collection.
Canada’s Double Dutch International acquires comedy Conception

Josh Stolberg wrote, directed and produced the rom-com about the stories of nine couples on the night they conceive.
Cargo Entertainment starts talks on King's Highway

EXCLUSIVE: Adrien Brody is attached to star in the thriller King’s Highway, the latest title that Cargo Entertainment president Mark Lindsay has introduce to AFM buyers.
Cargo starts talks on Shattered Hand

Thomas Jane is set to make his feature directorial debut on A Magnificent Death From A Shattered Hand and will star alongside Nick Nolte, Jeremy Irons. Cargo Entertainment has commenced talks with buyers at AFM and Paradigm arranged financing and represents North American rights.
Cargo, Jump Street solidify Australian ties

EXCLUSIVE: Cargo Entertainment and Australia’s Jump Street Films have signed a multi-year output deal and formed a financing, production, distribution and sales company to develop original Australian content.
Caroline Rowland in talks to make New York Cosmos film

EXCLUSIVE: Director [pictured] of official London 2012 Olympics film First could make film about revival of New York football team.
Celluloid Dreams boards sales on Bone Tomahawk

Wild Side has made a preemptive mid-six figure swoop on French rights to the AFM horror Western to star Kurt Russell, Peter Sarsgaard, Richard Jenkins and Jennifer Carpenter. CAA and UTA co-represent the package and US rights.
Celluloid spins sales on Frances Ha

EXCLUSIVE: Celluloid Dreams has picked up Noah Baumbach comedy Frances Ha [pictured] and closed deals for France (Memento), Australia (Transmission) and Benelux (A-Film), with further sales imminent.
Celluloid's Tomahawk chops into Australia

EXCLUSIVE: Transmission picks up upcoming horror Bone Tomahawk for “good six figures” from Celluloid Dreams.
Chasing Mavericks

Dirs: Curtis Hanson, Michael Apted. US. 2012. 115mins
Chasing Santa Claus

Dir: Hiroki Iwabuchi. Japan. 2012. 81mins
China prices skyrocket at AFM

Asking prices for Chinese rights to US product are going through the roof at this year’s AFM, due to the influx of mainland Chinese buyers hungry for 3D action titles and star-driven films.
China's Fantawild unwraps slate of creature features

Chinese theme park giant and content producer Fantawild is attending AFM for the first time this year with a slate of creature features and VFX-driven pictures.
Chow Yun-fat bluffs for Wong Jing

Chow Yun-fat is attached to star in gambling-themed action drama Bluffing, which is being produced by Wong Jing’s Hong Kong-based Mega-Vision Project Workshop.
Christie demos laser projector prototype in Beijing

Company also demo Christie IMB, which converts and delivers content within a secure environment to all of their 2K and 4K, DCI-compliant Solaria Series 2 projectors.
Christine D'Souza moves to WME Global

EXCLUSIVE: The highly regarded executive will operate alongside Graham Taylor and the core independent financing and packaging team.
Cinedigm, Alloy Digital strike digital distribution deal

EXCLUSIVE: Digital distributor and theatre conversion specialist Cinedigm Entertainment Group has struck a deal with Alloy Digital to deliver packaged content from the latter’s SMOSH and Clevver YouTube channels to ancillary platforms.
Cinema do Brasil brings seven titles to AFM

Brazilian film promotion body Cinema do Brasil is presenting seven titles to buyers during the AFM including Brazil’s foreign language Oscar submission The Clown.
Cinema do Brasil launches Distributors World Cup

The contest between distributors of Brazilian film since 2005 will reward the winner with a trip to the Rio Carnival in February 2013.
Cinephil adds sales for The Gatekeepers

EXCLUSIVE: Metrodome and Madman Entertainment have picked up acclaimed documentary The Gatekepers from Cinephil Sales for UK and Australia, respectively.
Cinesite appoints Eamonn Butler as animation director

Butler [pictured] joins from Double Negative where he was head of animation
CineTel boards The Cure by David Gould

CineTel Films has acquired international sales rights to action/thriller The Cure, written produced and directed by visual effects veteran David Gould.
CJ Entertainment America to channel ancillary through Inception

Inception Media Group has signed a deal to act as the US home video and digital distributor of the CJ Entertainment America pipeline.
CJ swings into Jungle

EXCLUSIVE: CJ Entertainment has come on board to close financing on SC Films’ family animation Jungle Shuffle, due for delivery in Q4 2013.
Clive Owen, Juliette Binoche fall for Words And Pictures

Fred Schepisi will direct the rom-com and Curtis Burch produces through his Latitude Productions in association with Gary Cogill of Dallas-based Lascaux Films.
Clive Owen, Morgan Freeman to star in The Last Knights

EXCLUSIVE: Bill Johnson’s IF Entertainment arrives at its first AFM with the action adventure The Last Knights.
CMG closes Sarila deals for Russia, Germany

Ed Noeltner’s Cinema Management Group (CMG) has licensed Canadian 3D animated adventure The Legend Of Sarila to Luxor for Russia, Telepool for Germany and 5 Star Pictures for Israel.
Colin Firth, Michael Fassbender to star in Genius

The acting royalty will star in the true-life drama, which FilmNation is introducing to international buyers at AFM. CAA arranged financing and represents North American rights.
Columbia Pictures acquires US rights to Foxcatcher

The studio has also come on board to co-finance with Annapurna Pictures chief Megan Ellison, whose Panorama Media is handling international sales on Bennett Miller’s Moneyball follow-up.
Confession Of Murder

Dir/scr: Jeong Byong-gil. South Korea. 2012. 119mins
Content Media, Preferred Content launch joint venture

Content Media Corporation and Preferred Content have launched a film, television and digital production and development joint venture, kicking off with supernatural thriller Mr. Jones.
CPH: DOX hosts 65 world premieres

With 65 world premieres, 25 international premieres and audience figures expected to be in the region of 50,000, CPH: DOX, the largest documentary festival in Scandinavia, is continuing to grow.
Crawlspace

Dir: Justin Dix. Australia. 2012. 83mins
Curzon acquires Knutsford Cinema

UK cinema chain Curzon has secured its first cinema outside of London, signing a 25-year lease for the Knutsford Civic Centre and Studio Cinema.
Curzon's Bold Visions Season to kick off with Lanthimos' Alps

Season to feature specially curated feature films released simultaneously in Curzon cinemas and On Demand.
Dafoe, Audiard and Troell to be awarded in Stockholm

23rd edition of the Stockholm International Film Festival runs Nov 7-18.
Daniel Dencik plans his first dramatic feature about slave trade

Likely controversial project is about slave trading Danish officer in the 1830s.
Danny Glover, Derek Luke join Phil Driscoll prison drama

Danny Glover, Derek Luke and Brian Dennehy will star alongside Grammy winner Phil Driscoll in Saboa Entertainment’s true-life prison drama Long Day Journey.
Dark Corners, Jet Black among Solar Pictures maiden slate

Co-CEOs Kearie Peak [pictured] and Christopher Taylor said the LA-based finance and production company has lined up Dark Corners, Jonestown, Jet Black and The Girl Who Knew Too Much for the first half of 2013.
Deals roundup: Dracula, The Bunny Game, Closed Circuit, UFO

Deals from Filmexport Group, Jinga’s UXB and Gaia Media.
DIFF unveils line-up for co-production market

The Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF) has unveiled the 15 projects selected for this year’s co-production market, Dubai Film Connection (DFC).
Disney to buy Lucasfilm for $4.05bn; new Star Wars in 2015

The Walt Disney Company is to acquire Lucasfilm for $4.05bn in stocks and cash - and is planning to release Star Wars: Episode 7 in 2015.
Distribution round-up: Breaking Glass takes Laurence Anyways

The third film from Xavier Dolan will open in the US and earned Suzanne Clement a best actress win at Cannes in Un Certain Regard as well as best Canadian film in Toronto. Separately, Kino Lorber has picked up Ain’t In It For My Health.
Distribution round-up: Lionsgate Home Ent acquires Hellbenders

Lionsgate Home Entertainment has picked up North America and India to JT Petty’s horror-comedy following the world premiere in Toronto. The Exchange represents international rights and is in talks with AFM buyers.
Distribution round-up: SPWA snags Foxcatcher

Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions (SPWA) has acquired Latin America, Eastern Europe, Scandinavia, South Africa from Panorama Media to Bennett Miller’s (pictured) Moneyball follow-up. In other developments, Phase 4 Films has picked up North American rights to Long Time Gone, while Factory 25 has acquired world rights to The Sheik And I.
Distribution round-up: XLrator finds Inbred, FDM takes Samsara

XLrator Media has picked up all US rights from Darclight to the horror comedy Inbred. Separately, Freestyle Digital Media has acquired digital and television rights to Samsara.
Doha to honour late director Yash Chopra

The Doha Tribeca Film Festival (DTFF) is to pay tribute to the work of acclaimed Indian director Yash Chopra, who died last month.
Doha Tribeca Film Festival announce Arab Film Competition jury and lineup

Fourth edition of the festival, which runs Nov 17-24, will also hold a special showcase of Algerian cinema.
Doha's industry talks include conversations with Robert De Niro, Mira Nair

Also, MENA premiere of Argo added to DTFF programme.
Dominick Fairbanks joins Poverty Row's The First

Douglas Fairbanks Jr’s grandson Dominick Fairbanks has come on as co-producer on Poverty Row Entertainment’s Mary Pickford biopic The First.
Dracula project among 10-strong Steven Paul roster

EXCLUSIVE: Steven Paul has wrapped production on Dracula: The Dark Prince, one of 10 features he has committed to producing in the next 12 months through his group of companies SP Entertainment Group, Crystal Edge and Crystal Sky.
Drafthouse Films acquires US rights to The Act Of Killing

Joshua Oppenheimer’s Danish documentary premiered at Telluride and Toronto and enlists former members of the Indonesian death squad to reenact their atrocities in a range of cinematic genres.
Drafthouse Films appoints marketing, distribution executive

Sumyi Khong Antonson [pictured] is named vp of marketing and distribution and reports to Drafthouse COO James Emanuel Shapiro.
Dubai film festival unveils Muhr AsiaAfrica titles

The Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF) has unveiled the first batch of titles that will compete for its Muhr AsiaAfrica Awards, including Brillante Mendoza’s Thy Womb and Wang Bing’s award-winning documentary San Zimei - Three Sisters.
Dylan Wilcox named svp acquisitions at Relativity Media

The veteran executive will report to Relativity president Tucker Tooley and production president Robbie Brenner.
EFD to distribute DNA's Proclaimers feature, now underway in Scotland

EXCLUSIVE: Entertainment Film Distributors has backed and will distribute Proclaimers musical, with Dexter Fletcher [pictured] directing Peter Mullan and Jane Horrocks.
Elijah Wood clicks on Nacho Vigalondo’s Open Windows

EXCLUSIVE: Wild Bunch launches international sales on Spanish director’s English-language debut which began shooting on a high-security set in Madrid this week.
Elle Driver nabs The Late Bloomer ahead of AFM

Comedy stars Elijah Wood as sex therapist who goes through puberty at 30-years-old.
EMP, Media Asia team for Kwok's firefighting drama

Hong Kong’s Media Asia has boarded Emperor Motion Pictures’ As The Light Goes Out, a big-budget firefighting drama to be directed by Derek Kwok and star Nicholas Tse and Shawn Yue.
Emperor launching Ip Man biopic at AFM

Hong Kong-based Emperor Motion Pictures is introducing a biopic of Wing Chun master Ip Man, to be directed by Herman Yau, at AFM.
Emperor to unleash Dante Lam's Demon Within

Hong Kong-based Emperor Motion Pictures (EMP) will be launching sales on That Demon Within, a cop thriller from leading action director Dante Lam, at the upcoming AFM.
Empress Road reveals horror slate

Empress Road Pictures has unveiled a slate of horror titles, building on last year’s success with Elevator.
eOne expands operations in Belgium

EXCLUSIVE: The new office will focus on theatrical distribution in Belgium and home entertainment in the French-speaking market; Jeffrey de Graaff [pictured] will lead theatrical activities.
eOne goes on Viking saga with Salt

EXCLUSIVE: eOne has taken multiple territories on upcoming action film Northmen – A Viking Saga.
eOne takes multiple territories on Scorched Earth

VMI Worldwide announced on Thursday (Nov 1) that it licensed rights on the Sean Bean thriller prior to the market for the US, UK, France, Germany, Australia and Scandinavia.
eOne's box office up 46%

eOne has reported strong growth despite reduced EBITDA.
EuropaCorp and Belga Films sign three-year output deal

Wide-ranging deal also covers co-production, financing via the Belgian tax shelter and diversification into next generation multiplexes.
Exclusive Media brings JFK drama Parkland to AFM

Paul Giamatti, Billy Bob Thornton and Jacki Weaver have signed on to the JFK feature Parkland. Exclusive Media will finance, jointly produce with Playtone and handle world sales.
Exclusive Media unveils pre-AFM sales on Tombstones

Alex Walton and the team have closed a raft of major territories on the upcoming Liam Neeson thriller A Walk Among The Tombstones led by a deal with Alliance Films for the UK, Canada and Spain. Universal holds US rights and production is set for February 2013 in New York City.
Feng's Back to 1942 revealed as one of Rome's surprise films

Marco Mueller has revealed that the first of the two surprise films at this year’s Rome Film Festival will be the world premiere of Feng Xiaogang’s Back to 1942.The historial epic’s cast, in addition to Chinese stars such as Zhang Guoli, Fan Wei and Chen Daoming, includes Adrien Brody and Tim Robbins. They play an American journalist and Catholic priest living in China during the war against Japan.Feng’s credits include Aftershock, The Banquet and If You Are The One.Rome
Film Factory boards Manuel Martín Cuenca's Caníbal

Company will introduce the project to distributors at AFM.
Film finance roundtable: 'The advantage is having great material'

EXCLUSIVE: The money’s around, but only for perfectly packaged product. That was the message from film finance experts during a special roundtable discussion during AFM.
Film4 marks 30th anniversary with '30 Films for 30p'

From Nov 1, a a different film from Film4’s back catalogue will be available to download each day from Film4OD.
FilmDistrict snaps up US rights to Olympus Has Fallen

Antoine Fuqua directed the Millennium Films White House thriller starring Gerard Butler, Aaron Eckhart and Morgan Freeman.
FilmFestival Cottbus

22nd edition of the festival closed last night (Nov 11) with record number of over 19,500 visitors.
First 4K post facility in Europe will use DaVinci Resolve

Cinemage, part of Groupe Image, will use Blackmagic Design’s DaVinci Resolve 9 for Linux in its new 4K post production facility.
Flashback Memories 3D

Dir: Tetsuaki Matsue. Japan. 2012. 72mins
Fly Me To The Moon

Dir: Pascal Chaumeil. France. 2012. 104mins
Ford's Resolution brings Duband on board; Cold Patrol planned for 2013

Pete Ford’s Melbourne-based Resolution Independent has brought on board Wayne Duband, former president of Warner Bros International, as executive producer for Resolution’s planned slate of big-budget genre films.
Foresight lines up Rob Reiner thriller You Belong To Me

EXCLUSIVE: Harrison Ford and Zac Efron (pictured) are in advanced negotiations to star in the psychological thriller backed by Foresight Unlimited that Rob Reiner will direct.
Francis Lawrence to direct Hunger Games 3 and 4

The filmmaker is currently directing Catching Fire and has signed a deal to reprise his role on The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 and 2.
Freestyle plans theatrical release for InAPPropriate Comedy

Freestyle Releasing has acquired North American rights to the sketch comedy and plans a theatrical launch followed by DVD and VoD through Freestyle Digital Media.
Gambit

Dir: Michael Hoffman. US. 2012. 90mins
Garo And The Wailing Dragon

Dir/scr: Keita Amemiya. Japan. 2012. 96mins
Gaspard Ulliel to star in Bonello’s Yves Saint Laurent biopic

EXCLUSIVE: Film is due to shoot late spring. Script will be available before Berlin.
Gaumont kicks off sales on Brats

Anthony Marciano’s film [pictured] stars Alain Chabat, Sandrine Kiberlain and Max Boubli.
Genesis grabs The Hoarder

Genesis Film Sales has added thriller The Hoarder to its AFM slate.
Germany boosts film funding to €70m

Germany’s State Minister for Culture and Media Bernd Neumann has secured an additional €10m for the DFFF incentive programme’s annual budget from next year, bringing the total available to domestic and international productions up to €70m.
Germany chomps on Fresh Meat

Capelight Pictures has acquired German rights to New Zealand horror comedy Fresh Meat.
GFP Bunny

Dir/scr: Yukata Tsuchiya. Japan. 2012. 82mins
GFT and Edinburgh's Filmhouse launch online player

Venues have joined forces with Distrify to offer online streamings of curated films.
Global Eagle to buy Row 44, most of Advanced Inflight Alliance

Representatives of Global Eagle founders Harry Sloan and Jeff Sagansky said the deal created the largest entertainment and connectivity platform for the worldwide airline industry.
Global Media Group adds AKA Private to slate

The Global Media Group has added AKA Private to its sales slate.
Global Screen spends Night with Binoche

EXCLUSIVE; German sales company boards drama starring Binoche, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau and U2 drummer Larry Mullen Jr.
God's Horses wins Golden Spike in Valladolid

Hannah Arendt takes Silver Spike while The Fifth Season receives jury special mention.
Good Films unveils ambitious six-film slate

Miriam Segal, the producer behind Viggo Mortensen drama Good, has resurfaced with a slate of six new films with budgets of up to $55m.
Grindstone picks up US on Dark Feed; Recreation to sell int'l

Grindstone Entertainment Group has acquired all US rights to writer-directors Michael Rasmussen and Shawn Rasmussen’s directorial debut horror feature. Ariel Veneziano’s Recreation Media will handle international sales.
Hand In Hand

Dir: Valerie Donzelli. France-Belgium. 2012. 85mins
Haneke wins in Vienna; Austrian film fund boost

Directors Michael Haneke, Kenneth Lonergan, Tizza Covi and Rainer Frimmel were among the winners at the 50th Viennale.
Here Media head Paul Colichman heralds advent of HTML 5

The next iteration of internet architecture will liberate filmmakers, cut out middle men and pave the way for potentially lucrative “differentiated content”, attendees at the International Film Finance, Production And Distribution Conference in Los Angeles heard on Monday (5).
Hitchcock

Dir: Sacha Gervasi. US. 2012. 99mins
Home, Stung sell well for XYZ, Celluloid Nightmares

Celluloid Nightmares has struck a multi-territory deal with Wild Bunch on Home, Nicholas McCarthy’s follow-up to Sundance hit The Pact.
Hot projects on Screenbase

Ewan McGregor will star in thriller Son Of A Gun, and Clio Barnard finished shooting The Selfish Giant.
Hot projects on Screenbase

Colin Firth will star in Genius while Catherine Deneuve will play the lead in Robert Cantarella’s debut feature.
Housos Vs Authority

Dir/scr: Paul Fenech. Australia. 2012. 107mins
Huayi takes Control with Kenneth Bi project

Beijing-based Huayi Brothers is producing $12m action thriller Control, directed by Hong Kong’s Kenneth Bi and starring Daniel Wu and Yao Chen.
Hulu takes Russian films from Roskino, Gravitas Ventures

VOD release set for 12 Russian titles from Roskino’s catalogue.
Hyde Park International kicks off talks on The Wonder

Karl Urban, Willow Shields from The Hunger Games franchise and Taiwan’s Leehom Wang will star in the upcoming 3D family adventure.
IDA Festival to feature tribute to NFB interactive works

The festival is set to run from Nov 14-25 in Amsterdam and features a number of key works from the National Film Board Of Canada (NFB).
IFC feels Java Heat from Margate House Films

The US deal on Conor Allyn’s action thriller starring Lutz and Mickey Rourke was announced on Monday (5).
IFP announces audience award nominees

The nominees for the 3rd Annual Gotham Independent Film Audience Award are: Artifact, Beasts Of The Southern Wild, Burn: One Year ON The Front Lines Of The Battle To Save Detroit, The Invisible War (pictured), and Once In A Lullaby: The PS 22 Chorus Story.
Image acquires US rights to action sci-fi Stranded

Roger Christian directed the Minds Eye Entertainment production in association with Moving Pictures Media. Christian Slater stars with Brendan Fehr, Amy Matysio and Michael Therriault.
Image to release The Numbers Station in the US

The RLJ Entertainment subsidiary has acquired US rights from Content Media to the thriller starring John Cusack and Malin Akerman.
Imagina to handle world sales of Marcelo Pineyro's Ismael

EXCLUSIVE: Imagina International Sales is working with Zeta Cinema and Antena 3 Films on the intimate drama about family relations directed by Marcelo Piñeyro (The Method).
IMAX adds 15 theatres to South Korea’s CJ CGV Holdings circuit

The expanded revenue share deal will add 15 IMAX theatres to China and will bring the number of the company’s theatres in South Korea and China to 65.
Imposter, Sugar Man lead Cinema Eye Honors nominations

Documentaries including Room 237 and 5 Broken Cameras also up for awards.
Inaugural Baja International Film Festival unveils slate

Eighty films including Pablo Larrain’s Chilean Oscar submission No and Peter Ramsay’s Rise Of The Guardians will screen from Nov 14-17 at the first Los Cabos event founded by Corona Beer heir and Mexican property developer Eduardo Sanchez Navarro.
India's DAR Media gains approval for film fund

Mumbai-based DAR Media has gained approval from the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) for a film fund that is raising $18.5m (Rs100m) in its first round.
Intandem closes deals on thriller Ocean Beach

EXCLUSIVE: AFM deals for thriller include Germany, Latin America, CIS and Middle East; Intandem also attaches Sam Claflin to The Laureate.
Intandem out with Terrimel on Holidater

Intandem is teaming with LA-based Terrimel Entertainment to produce rom-comedy Holidater in spring 2013.
Interactor Media unveils Cavemen as maiden project

Herschel Faber’s directorial debut rom-com will be the first to go under producer Cole Payne’s new Los Angeles-based film and television production, distribution and management company.
Investors eye acquisition of Russia's Karo Film

A group of investors is in the final stages of negotiations to acquire Karo Film, Russia’s second largest cinema chain.
Irish Film Board signs up to Guiding Lights for second year

The British film industry’s flagship mentoring scheme will again extend beyond the UK as a result.
Jacqueline Lyanga

AFI FEST director Jacqueline Lyanga talks to Jeremy Kay about the festival ahead of the closing night gala.
James Richards wins 2012 Film London Jarman Award

Richards was selected from a shortlist of ten artists.
Japan's Showgate buys into Bergdorf's

Fortissimo Films has sold Japanese rights to Matthew Miele’s documentary feature Scatter My Ashes At Bergdorf’s to Showgate Japan.
Jared Underwood unveils Solar Media Capital

The Solar Entertainment Group co-founder has launched subsidiary Solar Media Capital and brought on his former colleague at Comerica Entertainment Group Andrew Robinson to run the new operation.
Jason Bateman to make directorial debut on Bad Words

The actor will make his feature directorial debut on Darko Entertainment, Aggregate Films and MXN Entertainment’s comedy.
JCA completes HD restoration of Trainspotting

JCA co-founder and commercial director Matt Bowman talks to ScreenTech about the restoration.
Jeff Berg announces departure from ICM Partners

In a move that had been expected since the management buyout in May, the former chairman and CEO of ICM said on Friday (26) that he was leaving the company.
Jennifer Garner joins Dallas Buyers Club

Voltage Pictures holds international rights and has begun talks with buyers at the AFM.
Jinga sells Sawney to Grindstone for US

Jinga’s cannibal horror Sawney sells to Grindstone for North America.
Jinga's After goes to Japan

Ryan Smith’s dark fantasy stars Steven Strait and Karolina Wydra.
Joanna Hogg shooting third feature in London

Joanna Hogg, whose credits include the acclaimed Archipelago and Unrelated, is now shooting her third feature in London.
Jodie Foster to receive Cecil B DeMille Award

The Hollywood Foreign Press Association made the announcement on Thursday (Nov 1).
Joe Carnahan to direct Stretch for IM Global, Blumhouse

EXCLUSIVE: IM Global has come on board to finance the action title starring Patrick Wilson (pictured), one of several new titles to emerge on the opening day of the market.
Joe Swanberg, AJ Bowen among cast on The Sacrament

The producers have spilled the beans on the cast of Ti West’s horror film financed by Worldview Entertainment and IM Global genre division Octane. The latter will continue talks with international buyers at the AFM this week and CAA represents US sales.
John Cusack to star in Cargo's Stephen King adaptation Cell

EXCLUSIVE: The star is getting back into the Stephen King business after the global hit 1408. New York and LA-based Cargo Entertainment arranged financing on Cell and president of distribution Mark Lindsay will introduce what is expected to become one of the buzz titles of the AFM to international buyers. Paradigm represents US rights.
Johnnie To's Drug War revealed as second surprise film in Rome

Drug War (Duzhan) by Johnnie To has been revealed as the second surprise film completing the roster for the Rome Film Festival’s 2012 Competition.
Jonathan Demme to receive CAS Filmmaker Award

The filmmaker will collect the honour at the 49th Cinema Audio Society (CAS) Awards on Feb 16 in Los Angeles.
Jude Law joins cast of Queen Of The Desert

Sierra/Affinity represents international sales on Werner Herzog’s period drama, which also stars Naomi Watts and Robert Pattinson.
JuntoBox Films, Indiegogo joins forces to help filmmakers

The collaborative studio announced at AFM it has teamed up with the crowdfunding platform and greenlit Sharon Is Caring, the fourth project selected by JuntoBox co-chairman Forest Whitaker.
K5 to handle sales on Eggers' Witch of New-Canaan Woode

Van Hoy and Knudsen to produce with Redmond and Bekerman.
Kuro

Dir/scr: Daisuke Shimote. Japan. 2012. 100mins
Lars von Trier’s Nymphomaniac taken by Australia’s Transmission

Transmission Films has secured all rights in Australia and New Zealand to Lars von Trier’s forthcoming erotic drama Nymphomaniac.
Last Vegas begins principal photography in Las Vegas

CBS Films and Good Universe’s comedy starring Michael Douglas, Robert De Niro, Morgan Freeman and Kevin Kline has commenced shooting in Las Vegas and will continue on to Atlanta, Georgia.
Latin Side of the Doc unveils participants

16 projects to be pitched at the fourth Latin Side, which runs Nov 7-9, while nine projects are selected for Docs in Progress.
Le Pacte reveals snapshot of Wenders' Sebastiao Salgado doc

Wim Wenders co-directing Shade and Light with photographer’s son Juliano Salgado.
Leomark closes VoD delas on Pinching Penny

Erik Lundmark’s Leomark Studios has licensed VoD rights to the crime caper Pinching Penny to Beijing-based JY Entertainment.
Lesson Of The Evil

Dir/scr: Takashi Miike. Japan. 2012. 128mins
Lightning strikes bundle of sales on AFM slate

The Santa Monica-based production and sales company has licensed action title Dead Drop, Liam Hemsworth wartime romance Love And Honor and comedy Struck By Lightning to Pinnacle Films/All Interactive Entertainment for Australia and New Zealand.
Lightning talks up Scorned with Billy Zane

AnnaLynne McCord, Zane and Viva Bianca have signed on to the revenge thriller, which Lightning Entertainment is selling at the AFM.
Lincoln

Dir: Steven Spielberg. US. 2012. 150mins
Lionsgate International boards Pawn Sacrifice for AFM

Ed Zwick directs Tobey Maguire in the Cold War tale of volatile chess Grandmaster Bobby Fischer in a welcome A-list project to drop into the upcoming market.
Lionsgate seals French output deal with Metropolitan

The development follows other similar deals with StudioCanal in Germany, Nordisk in Scandinavia, Alliance network’s Aurum in Spain and Roadshow Pictures in Australia. The self-distribution partnership with IDC in Latin America was recently extended.
Lionsgate secures output deal with Belgium’s Belga Films

Belgian distributor Belga Films is to release Lionsgate’s titles in Benelux following proven success with The Hunger Games and Twilight.
Lionsgate strikes UK VOD deal with pizza firm Domino’s

Lionsgate UK has struck a deal with pizza delivery firm Domino’s, which will see Domino’s offer Lionsgate films alongside its pizzas via a streaming service; The Hunger Games, Dirty Dancing among titles.
Lionsgate’s Michael Burns extends contract through 2017

The vice-chairman has signed a new employment contract that keeps him in the post through October 2017.
Liz Mackiewicz joins Cohen Media Group

The veteran sales executive arrives as svp of international distribution.
Locarno's Chatrian talks about programme plans and Cukor retrospective

Locarno’s new artistic director Carlo Chatrian to continue festival’s “idea of cinema as a meeting place and act of discovery” as he unveils plans to dedicate the 2013 retrospective to George Cukor and announces a reshuffle of selection committee.
London Critics' Circle joins with Missing People for 2013 awards

London Critics’ Circle Film Awards has partnered with the charity Missing People for next year’s 33rd awards ceremony.
MacKinnon, Rahimi projects among Film Bazaar line-up

UK director Gillies MacKinnon and French-Afghan filmmaker Atiq Rahimi are among the 26 filmmakers who have had projects selected for the co-production market of this year’s Film Bazaar in Goa, India.
Madagascar 3 crosses $500m at international box office

Top brass at distributor Paramount Pictures International said the family smash is on course to overtake Shrek Forever After’s $513.9m mark to become DreamWorks Animation’s biggest hit outside North America.
Magnet acquires US rights to Hammer from Vertigo, Protagonist

Farren Blackburn’s feature directorial debut Viking quest saga Hammer Of The Gods stars Charlie Bewley and James Cosmo.
Mamoru Oshii readies international co-production

Japanese director Mamoru Oshii will direct live action military sci-fi thriller The Last Druid: Garm Wars as an international co-production.
Material

Dir: Craig Freimond. South Africa. 2012. 94mins
MEDIA-supported VOD initiative courts controversy

Windows debate spurred on by exhibition cancellation of titles launch through special VOD programme.
Mega-Vision reloads Young And Dangerous franchise

Hong Kong’s Mega-Vision Pictures (MVP) is producing a remake of the popular Young And Dangerous franchise, directed by hot up-and-coming director Daniel Chan.
Memento boards thriller Back in Crime

Paris-based sales company also set to premiere first images from Jim Mickle’s cannibal picture We Are What We Are [pictured].
Metrodome strike UK deal for found footage horror Hollow

Distributor will release the film [pictured], the first on Parkland Pictures’ new genre label Darkland Distribution, in January.
Metrodome, Salt team on production slate

EXCLUSIVE: UK distributor Metrodome will exec produce and distribute the slate, with sales handled by Salt; production partners include Ben Wheatley’s producers Rook Films, Fulwell 72 and Black Camel.
Michael Madsen among cast on The Lost Tree

Lacey Chabert will also star on the horror project alongside Scott Grimes, Clare Kramer and Thomas Ian Nicholas.
Mike Lobell

Producer Mike Lobell talks to Screen about the making of Gambit.
Millennium Entertainment to release Khumba in North America

Millennium Entertainment has picked up the 3D family animation, which has been a big seller for Cinema Management Group (CMG).
Momentum high on Altitude’s The Good People

Momentum has taken UK rights to Altitude Film Sales’ horror The Good People, to be directed by Corin Hardy [pictured].
More photos from Viennale - Vienna International Film Festival

Photos from the final days of the 50th Viennale, which closed on November 7.
Morgan Compagnon, Pascale Marchand join Legend3D

Company president Ian Jessel made the announcements on Monday (5).
Moviepilot launches social media agency

The venture will focus on movie and TV marketing to help studios promote their releases.
MPAA honours Avex Group founder and TIFF chairman Tom Yoda

The ceremony took place on Nov 5 in Washington DC in recognition of Yoda’s “outstanding contribution to the Japanese filmmaking industry.”
Myriad Pictures to sell Olivia Wilde comedy Relanxious

CEO Kirk D’Amico has introduced the project from The Allegiance Theater to buyers at AFM.
Myriad talks up Wonderful Tonight with Patrick Dempsey, Amanda Seyfried

Kirk D’Amico’s Myriad Pictures will handle world sales on Castle Rock’s Wonderful Tonight to star Patrick Dempsey and Amanda Seyfried.
National Schools Film Week draws record audiences

This year’s National Schools Film Week drew more than half a million pupils and has drawn praise from Culture Minister Ed Vaizey.
Nature Calls

Dir/scr: Todd Rohal. US. 2012. 79mins
New Europe sells Forager, Distance; builds shorts slate

Warsaw-based New Europe Film Sales has sold Now, Forager: A Film About Love and Fungi to Accent Film for Australia and Imagine for Benelux.
New Films to commence production on Air Disturbance

Joe Dante will commence shooting the horror thriller on Nov 27 in Los Angeles.
Nina

Dir: Elisa Fuksas. Italy. 2012. 78mins
No One Live goes to Anchor Bay for multiple territories

WWE Studios and Pathé produced and Ryuhei Kitamura directed the recent Toronto world premiere about a botched kidnapping.
Nora Mullally to head business and legal at CEG

British music business affairs executive Nora Mullally has joined Cutting Edge Group as director of business affairs and head of the legal department.
Oi Leng Lui and Peta Browne join uConnect

uMedia’s sales arm are currently in AFM selling Giuseppe Tornatore’s The Best Offer, starring Geoffrey Rush, Donald Sutherland and Jim Sturgess.
Oscilloscope Laboratories hires Amanda Lebow

Lebow arrives from Submarine as part of an initiative to ramp up the digital department and will take the lead on digital and ancillary sales.
Other Angle takes His Wife to AFM

French sales company will also premiere Omar Sy-starrer On The Other Side of the Tracks.
Oz filmmakers spend $66m on filming overseas

New research shows that Australian filmmakers are being much more outward looking than in the past: nearly half of the 28 Australian features that went into production during the 12 months up to June 30, and were made for more than $519,000 (A$500,000), were wholly or partly filmed abroad.
Panorama, Cross Creek to co-finance 999

EXCLUSIVE: Panorama Media will finance 999, John Hillcoat’s follow-up to Lawless, and is in talks with Cross Creek Pictures to come on board as co-financier.
Paolo and Vittorio Taviani to receive Cinema Italian Style Award

The prize goes to a person or people who have “promoted exchange between the Italian and international film industry.” Previous recipients include George Clooney, Penelope Cruz, Terry Gilliam, Vittorio Storaro, Milena Canonero, John Turturro and Douglas Kirkland.
Papadopoulos and Sons to get European Parliament screening

EXCLUSIVE: Sales consultancy 7&7 also adds thrillers Vampires vs Leprechauns and DEADlocked.
Paramount Pictures, MGM team up on Hercules

Brett Ratner will direct Dwayne Johnson in the adaptation of the graphic novel Hercules: The Thracian Wars.
Peace Point Rights, Stealth announce distribution agreement

Agreement sees Peace Point Rights service worldwide television, home entertainment and digital distribution rights for Stealth’s catalogue.
Pirate Bay film to be distributed for free

File-sharing website The Pirate Bay is at the forefront of the pro-piracy movement. It’s only fitting then that new feature doc about them, TPB AFK: The Pirate Bay Away From Keyboard, is to be given away for free.
Plus Camerimage unveils debut competition line-up

Beasts of the Southern Wild and Electrick Children are among the selection of debut films up for awards at the Plus Cameriage festival.
Populaire

Dir: Regis Roinsard. France-Belgium. 2012. 111mins
Premiere Entertainment to start AFM talks on The Outsider

EXCLUSIVE: Elias Axume and svp of sales and acquisitions Jack Campbell will talk up the thriller, which has started shooting and stars Jason Patric, James Caan, the UK’s Craig Fairbrass and Shannon Elizabeth.
Production underway in Los Angeles on Electric Slide

Jim Sturgess and Isabel Lucas star in Electric Slide, which has commenced production in Los Angeles. The film is a Myriad Pictures presentation of a Killer Films Production in association with Media House Capital. Myriad is handling international sales at the AFM and will partner with UTA on US rights.
Quartet, Ginger & Rosa to bookend Torino Film Festival

The 30th edition, which runs Nov 23 to Dec 1, will feature 43 world premieres, 11 international premieres and 13 European premieres.
Radiant Films Int'l warms to Decoding Annie Parker

EXCLUSIVE: President and CEO Mimi Steinbauer will handle sales and debut footage at AFM on the drama starring Samantha Morton and Helen Hunt.
Rainbow World strikes deal with Wide for Approved For Adoption

The animated documentary [pictured] will be the company’s first release.
Rainstorm fires up Duff McKagan biopic

Rainstorm Entertainment will produce It’s So Easy And Other Lies, based on the autobiography of Guns N’ Roses bass player Duff McKagan.
Raven Banner acquires Justin McConnell's The Eternal

The Toronto-based company arrives at the AFM with worldwide rights on the vampire tale to star Michael Biehn. Raven Banner to produce with Unstable Ground Inc.
Raven Banner closes deals on Manborg

MPI Media Group has picked up US rights to Steve Kostanski’s sci-fi action Manborg.
RealD strikes deal with China’s Womei Theater Chain

The licensor of 3D technologies will equip 100 screens across the chain’s theatres.
Recidive falls for Romeo and Juliet

EXCLUSIVE: Musical Romeo and Juliet: A Love Song has been sold to Recidive SAS for France.
Red Dawn

Dir: Dan Bradley. US. 2012. 94mins
Red Sea Media boards world sales on Free Samples, Sleeping Around

Roman Kopelevich’s LA-based production and sales company announced the pair of new projects on the eve of AFM.
Red Sea strikes production pact with Enderby Entertainment

Red Sea Media’s genre label Dead Sea Media has closed the four-film deal with Enderby and its genre label Tony-Seven Films. Red Sea and Ton-Seven introduced the titles at AFM and Red Sea will handle international sales.
Relativity Media signs Thai output deal with Sahamongkol

The agreement will run through 2015. Relativity has renewed its output deal with Aqua/Pinema Group in Turkey and Gulf Films in the Middle East through 2018 and with MGN in CIS/Eastern Europe through 2019.
Reunion Pictures restructures corporate management team

The Canadian film and TV production company announced the move in light of “a significant increase in its production, development and business activities.”
Richard Wilson appointed CEO of CTBF

The Trustees of the Cinema and Television Benevolent Fund have appointed Richard Wilson [pictured] as CEO.
Rick Carter

An interview with the Oscar-winning production designer from newly published book Production Design.
Robert Redford to collect Houston award

The filmmaker and Sundance Film Festival founder will take part in a 90-minute on-stage conversation during the 2012 Houston Cinema Arts Festival (HCAF) and receive the Levantine Cinema Arts Award on Friday (9).
Roger Avary to direct Castle Wolfenstein film

Panorama Media and Samuel Hadida will partner on video game adaptation Castle Wolfenstein written and to be directed by Pulp Fiction screenwriter Roger Avary.
Rome reveal full international jury; add two new films to programme

Timur Bekmambetov [pictured], Chris Fujiwara among jurors at the seventh edition of festival which runs Nov 9-17.
Sacha Gervasi talks Hitchcock

Hitchcock director Sacha Gervasi took AFM delegates behind the scenes of his new film, fresh from the previous night’s world premiere.
Sarah Jessica Parker boards comedy Mixtape

Aldamisa International commences sales at AFM on the music-driven coming-of-age story from Jim Wedaa Productions and Maven Pictures.
SC Films re-teams with The Animation Picture Company on Flying South

EXCLUSIVE: SC Films acquires 3D family animation Flying South and thriller Bullet ahead of AFM.
Scarcity of AFM must-haves drives up prices

In contrast to the deadly Storm Sandy that ravaged the East Coast on the eve of the AFM and delayed the arrival of a number of attendees, the pace of the market itself some 3,000 miles away in Santa Monica has been far more languid.
Screen Australia invests in Avery, Lance debuts

Screen Australia has invested in two debut features - Julius Avery’s Son Of A Gun and Stephen Lance’s My Mistress - and provided two years of working capital to four producers: Jessica Brentnall, Angie Fielder, Nicole O’Donohue and Nelson Woss.
ScreenSingapore to host world premiere of Last Tycoon

Distribution Workshop’s The Last Tycoon, starring Chow Yun-fat, will receive its world premiere on the opening night of ScreenSingapore on December 4.
Searching For Sonny

Dir/scr: Andrew Disney. US. 2012. 94mins
Sensational Skyfall adds $156m to reach $289.1m international

UPDATED: James Bond remained irrepressible outside North America and is closing in on $300m after a mere 10 days. The result puts Sony Pictures Releasing International’s (SPRI) total box office for the year-to-date on $2.16bn – overhauling the $2.14bn record with two months of the year to go.
Seven Arts founder Peter Hoffman talks Thomasina, Winter Queen

Peter Hoffman’s Seven Arts has moved into self-distribution and is lining up a remake of the family property Thomasina after acquiring rights from the late author Paul Gallico’s estate.
SFFS unveils Kenneth Rainin finallists

Thirteen finalists have been announced in the eighth round of the Kenneth Rainin Foundation of the San Francisco Film Society.
Sharp cuts

Screen delves into the inner workings of the BBFC thanks to its silent censor panel (held on Friday at the BFI Southbank) and their special centenary book Behind the Scenes at the BBFC.
Sheryl Crow adds original song to The Hot Flashes

The Grammy winner has written an original theme song for The Hot Flashes, which Lightning Entertainment is selling at AFM.
Shirley MacLaine, Christopher Plummer to star in Elsa & Fred remake

Michael Radford will direct Shirley MacLaine and Christopher Plummer in the English language remake of the Spanish-Argentinean hit Elsa & Fred.
Shortlist announced for Scottish Shorts

Twelve teams of emerging writers, directors, animators and producers have been shortlisted for the Scottish Shorts programme 2012/13.
Shout! Factory, SC Films International enter multi-film pact

UK genre titles Cockneys Vs. Zombies [pictured] and Tower Block, both written by James Moran, to be distributed by Shout! Factory.
Showbox sells Confession of Murder

Korean’s Showbox Mediaplex has sold action thriller Confession Of Murder to multiple territories, including Japan (Twin Co) and German-speaking Europe (Splendid Films).
Sierra/Affinity to start AFM talks on The Keeping Room

The Civil War era thriller will star Olivia Wilde, Hailee Steinfeld and Nicole Beharie. Wind Dancer Films will finance and produce with Gilbert Films and Anonymous Content. WME Global arranged financing and represents North American rights.
Sierra/Affinity-Par deal offers independent opportunity

The synergy between the studio and independent worlds came into sharp focus on Friday with fresh developments on a pair of Paramount titles and, separately, Red Granite’s red-hot Wolf Of Wall Street.
Silent Hill: Revelation

Dir: Michael J. Bassett. US. 2012. 94mins
Simon West to direct Heat remake for SJ Pictures

Jason Statham will play the Burt Reynolds character from the original. Sierra/Affinity commenced pre-sales in earlier this year in Berlin.
Sky seals NBCU movies and carriage deal

Sky has struck a wide-ranging deal with NBC Universal giving it exclusive TV access to all the US giant’s movies and extending carriage of its UK channels on the pay platform.
Skyfall adds $86.5m to soar to $427.8m overseas

UPDATE: Skyfall brought in a confirmed $86.5m international through Sony Pictures releasing International (SPRI) and MGM licensees from 11,843 screens in 83 territories as the tally climbed to $427.8m.
Skyfall continues to shake up records at the UK box office

Latest Bond takes a superlative-defying $25.7m (£16.1m), through Sony, to stand at a mighty $85.2m (£53.4m) after just ten days.
Skyfall notches record debut in the US

Eon, Sony and MGM’s Skyfall pulled off the biggest debut of the franchise on an estimated $87.8m through Sony and powered a 31% climb for the top 12 box office against the same session last year.
Skyfall records hat-trick as it climbs UK's all-time list

Latest Bond mission now biggest-ever non-3D film and fourth biggest overall in UK history following a storming estimated $18.2m (£11.4m) third weekend.
Skyfall sets new UK box office record

Latest Bond takes an extraordinary $59.8m (£37.2m) in its first week, the biggest seven day gross in UK box office history.
Skyfall shakes international box office, stirs up $125.2m

James Bond soared past $100m through Sony and MGM licensees on Tuesday (Oct 30) and there should be plenty more from 007 this weekend as he ventures into more than 50 territories.
Skyfall soars to the top of the UK box office

The long-awaited return of Bond doesn’t disappoint as it scores $32.4m (£20.1m) through Sony to break records in the UK.
Skyfall surges past $320m internationally

The James Bond thriller reached the mark by the end of Tuesday and remains on course to finish well over $400m through Sony and MGM markets by the end of Sunday, not including its first three days in North America.
Skyfall targets $400m tally in third weekend

The enduring appeal of James Bond has propelled Sony and MGM’s thriller to $334.6m in less than two weeks and there should be plenty more fireworks this weekend to shake and stir international box office.
Skyfall topples Dark Knight with highest UK gross of 2012

Latest Bond now up to $95.4m (£59.7m) in just over 12 days.
Sony to release West of Memphis in UK on Dec 21

Amy Berg’s documentary [pictured] out in the UK four days before its US release on Dec 25.
Spain's Vértice faces uncertainty after losing $13.9m

Vértice 360, one of Spain’s biggest producer-distributors, has announced losses of $13.92m for the year to date.
Speranza13 Media to commence sales at AFM on Molly Moon

Camela Galano will introduce Amber Entertainment’s family adaptation to buyers in Santa Monica this week.
Speranza13, Amber Entertainment strike sales partnership

Camela Galano’s Speranza13 has signed on to handle exclusive sales on Ileen Maisel and Lawrence Elman’s Amber Entertainment slate and has just introduced the company’s third project Stronghold to AFM buyers.
Spitfire's Formula 1 doc to screen at Austin Grand Prix

Exclusive Media’s Spitfire Pictures will unveil its Formula 1 documentary 1 at a special event to kick off the inaugural 2012 Formula 1 US Grand Prix on Nov 15.
Splintered Thing sparks sales for Voltage Pictures

EXCLUSIVE: Voltage has closed key sales heading into AFM on its upcoming rom-com A Many Splintered Thing starring Chris Evans and Michelle Monaghan. McG is producing with Voltage chief Nicolas Chartier and production is set to begin in Los Angeles on Saturday (Nov 3).
Spotlight shines on Stuck Between Stations, Oogieloves

EXCLUSIVE: Spotlight Pictures has come on board to sell Stuck Between Stations and The Oogieloves In The Big Balloon Adventure.
Star Alliance to co-produce Masked Warrior, Zombie II

Hong Kong production and sales outfit Star Alliance is gearing up to start shooting two co-productions - Monkey: The Masked Warrior with Thailand’s Nakob Co and Zombie II with Taiwan’s Heyshine International, Sky Films and Entertaining Power.
Starz Denver Film Festival to honour Paolo and Vittorio Taviani

The siblings directed Italy’s foreign language Oscar submission Caesar Must Die [pictured] and will collect the fourth annual Maria and Tommaso Maglione Italian Filmmaker Award.
Stealth strikes UK deal for The Magnificent Eleven

Eureka Entertainment will release the comedy [pictured] in March 2013.
Stellan Skarsgård joins Hector And The Search For Happiness

Peter Chelsom will direct the German/Canadian comedic drama, set to begin shooting in January.
Stockholm’s industry line-up draws record figures

British film-maker Sophie Fiennes and 11 new films from the Nordic and Baltic regions are among the highlights of the industry line-up at this year’s Stockholm International Film Festival.
Storm Sandy disrupts AFM travel plans

East Coast-based industry professionals have been revising itineraries frantically as they attempt to reach Santa Monica in time for the first day of the market on Wednesday (31).
Strand acquires North American rights to The Condemned

Roberto Busó-García’s psychological thriller will open in spring 2013. Meanwhile Grindstone Entertainment has picked up North American rights to Viking invasion tale The Darkest Day.
Submarine genre label Torpedo lines up Thai remake

Torpedo Pictures will produce the English language version of the thriller 6IXTYNIN9.
Sundance’s Film Forward reveals line-up

Touring festival Film Forward has unveiled the titles that will be taken to communities throughout the US and around the world in 2013.
Svensk thrils buyers with thrillers

EXCLUSIVE: Swedish sales outfit Svensk Filmindustri has closed AFM deals on The Paganini Contract, The Hypnotist and Marie Kroyer.
Synchronicity maiden slate to include Elijah Wood in Cooties

President of international distribution Ruzanna Kegeyan arrives at the market with the first three titles since The Solution Entertainment Group and LA-based Siren Studios launched the genre production and sales outfit last summer.
Tai Chi Hero

Dir: Stephen Fung. Hong Kong, China. 2012. 103mins
Taking a trip to Oak Hampton

Screen checks out the latest Secret Cinema production, which runs to Dec 2.
Tasher Desh

Dir: Q. India-Belgium. 2012. 114mins
Taussig named Revolver MD; "new focus" for Gunslinger

Nick Taussig to oversee more co-productions for Gunslinger.
The Act of Killing wins CPH:DOX

Other winners include Leviathan, Beware of Mr Baker and A Normal LIfe.
The Black Square

Dir/scr: Hiroshi Okuhara. Japan. 2012. 144mins
The Bronx Bull joins Arclight sales slate for AFM

Arclight Films has taken on sales rights to The Bronx Bull starring William Forsythe, Joe Mantegna, Paul Sorvino, Natasha Henstridge, Penelope Ann Miller, Tom Sizemore and Robert Davi.
The Comedy

Dir: Rick Alverson. US. 2012. 95mins
The Discoverers

Dir/scr: Justin Schwarz. US. 2012. 104mins
The Exchange nabs international rights to Rob The Mob

Brian O’Shea and Nat McCormick will attend the AFM with the real-life Bonnie And Clyde thriller to star Michael Pitt and Nina Arianda.
The Floating Castle

Dirs: Isshin Inudo, Shinji Higuchi. Japan. 2012. 145mins
The Global Media Group boards Chez Upshaw for AFM

The comedy stars Kevin Pollak and Ileana Douglas as a married couple who turn their ailing B&B into an assisted suicide business.
The Man With The Iron Fists

Dir: RZA. US. 2012. 95mins
The Mill vs. Hurricane Sandy: how facilities continued to deliver in extreme weather

The Mill’s CEO Robin Shenfield and Ben Hampshire, managing director of their LA office, explain how they continued service during Sandy.
The Other Son wins top prizes at Tokyo film festival

The 25th Tokyo International Film Festival (TIFF) wrapped on Sunday with top Tokyo Sakura Grand Prix and best director award going to Lorraine Levy’s French film The Other Son [pictured].
The Quiet Ones

John Pogue’s supernatural thriller The Quiet Ones, starring Jared Harris, Sam Claflin and newcomer Olivia Cooke, is inspired by a real 1970s poltergeist experiment. Wendy Mitchell visits the set of Hammer’s latest spooky production.
The Sapphires trio reteam on thriller Six Mile Bottom

EXCLUSIVE: Goalpost Film and Goalpost Pictures re-team with writer Keith Thompson on historical thriller.
The Works boards LFF hit Kelly + Victor

EXCLUSIVE: Kieran Evans’ acclaimed debut [pictured] stars Antonia Campbell-Hughes and Julian Morris as young lovers in Liverpool.
The Works finds Jared Leto’s Artifact

Leto’s documentary [pictured] won the People’s Choice Award Documentary at TIFF.
Tiberius Film adds three with AFM buys

Deals led by raunchy comedy Johnson acquired from Salt.
TIDE Experiment plans four “day-and-date” releases in 2013

France’s cinema industry guild L’ARP has joined forces with European sales agents Fandango, Goldcrest, Urban Distribution and WIDE and more than 30 members of Europa Distribution.
TIFFCOM closes with mixed reactions to new venue

The 9th TIFFCOM market in Tokyo closed yesterday (Oct 25) at its new venue in Odaiba with buyer registration up 120% year-on-year to 983. Organisers announced a total of 12,863 participants with a record 229 exhibitors including 113 first-time exhibitors.
Tim Robbins attached to direct, star in Man Under

Michelle Pfeiffer and Chloe Moretz will also star in the drama from EMJAG Productions and Film 360.
To The Arctic crosses $11.7m worldwide on IMAX

The 3D release from MacGillivray Freeman Films, IMAX Filmed Entertainment and Warner Bros launched on Apr 20 and has amassed
Toby Wilkins lines up Dead Sand with Stealth, 77 Films

Splinter and The Grudge 3 director Toby Wilkins will helm Dead Sand, a zombie/war thriller that will start shooting in March 2013 in Morocco.
Toei sings with A Chorus Of Angels

Japanese studio Toei is ringing up sales on Junji Sakamoto’s A Chorus Of Angels, which has gone to Hong Kong (Golden Scene) and Taiwan (Skydigi).
Tricoast to sell Tolstoy adaptation Two Jacks

Tricoast Worldwide is selling Two Jacks starring Danny Huston, Sienna Miller, Jack Huston, Billy Zane and Jacqueline Bisset.
Tug Of War!

Dir: Nobuo Mizuta. Japan. 2012. 111mins
TWC picks up Bong Joon-ho's Snowpiercer

Leading South Korean distributor CJ Entertainment has confirmed The Weinstein Company has picked up English-speaking rights to Bong Joon-ho’s upcoming Snowpiercer after a screening of a 10-minute promo reel at the AFM.
TWC takes select territories on Kon-Tiki

The deal with HanWay Films covers North America, the UK and Italy. Joachim Roenning and Espen Sandberg’s film is Norway’s official foreign language Oscar submission.
Twenty-one features to vie for Oscar animation prize

The Academy issued the longlist on Friday (2), adding that some of the titles have not yet executed their Los Angeles qualifying runs.
Ulrich Seidl pitches doc about sex tourism

Revered Austrian auteur Ulrich Seidl’s new feature doc Old Ist Gold is among the projects being presented at CPH: Forum, the coproduction event at CPH Dox in Copenhagen this week.
Under The Milky Way buys majority stake in UK's Content Republic

International VOD aggregator Under The Milky Way has acquired a majority stake in London-based digital distributor Content Republic.
Union Pictures takes Canadian rights to Ginger & Rosa

Sally Potter’s Telluride world premiere stars Elle Fanning, Alessandro Nivola, Christina Hendricks, Annette Bening and newcomer Alice Englert.
Universal dates Ice Cube comedy Ride Along

Universal Pictures will release the Kevin Hart and Ice Cube comedy on Jan 17, 2014.
Universal salutes Saving General Yang

Hong Kong’s Pegasus Motion Pictures has signed a string of sales on Ronny Yu’s Saving General Yang, including a deal with Universal Pictures International Entertainment for the UK, Germany, Switzerland and Austria.
Universal snags UK and select territories for Wolf

Red Granite International has closed a key negotiation, licensing the Martin Scorsese-Leonardo DiCaprio reunion on The Wolf Of Wall Street to Universal Pictures International (UPI) for the UK, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Spain and Scandinavia.
UPI renews distribution in Kazakhstan

UPI Russia has signed a licensing agreement with Interfilm Distribution Company in Kazakhstan, who will distribute all UPI titles in the region starting with Chasing Mavericks [pictured].
US-China Summit talks co-production

US producers need more time to figure out China’s co-production rules, but opportunities remain, was the major message at the US-China Film Summit held at UCLA on Tuesday (Oct 30).
Vicki Brown flies to Altitude

Vicki Brown, former Focus Features International sales coordinator, has joined Will Clarke’s Altitude Films as international sales executive.
Viennale - Vienna International Film Festival

Images from the first weekend of the festival, which runs to Nov 7.
Vince Vaughan to star in, produce Triple Time

The comedian will star in Triple Time as a US Marshall who must race to solve a conspiracy when the plane he travels in with a prisoner explodes.
Visit Films boards sales on The Wait

EXCLUSIVE: Ryan Kampe’s Visit Films has acquired world sales rights to M Blash’s The Wait starring Jena Malone and Chloë Sevigny.
Waiting For The Sea

Dir: Bakhtiar Khudoijnazarov. Germany-Russia-Belgium-France. 2012. 109mins
Warner Bros acquires UK post-production house De Lane Lea

Warner Bros Studios Leavesden (WBSL) has acquired leading UK sound mixing and post production facility De Lane Lea.
WestEnd takes Kwanten leap

EXCLUSIVE: Sales outfit boards rom-com The Right Kind of Wrong, starring True Blood’s Ryan Kwanten [pictured].
Where Does Love Go?

Dir/scr: Bunyo Kimura. Japan. 2012. 86mins
World Cinema Fund backs four new projects

WCF jury made their selection from 95 submissions from a total of 37 countries, awarding production funds totalling €140,000.
Wreck-It Ralph

Dir: Rich Moore. US. 2012. 101mins
Wreck-It Ralph opens top on $49m in strong US session

An early November surge saw the North American top 12 climb 53% against last weekend and gain 20% on the comparable session in 2011 as Buena Vista’s highly regarded animation stormed to the top.
XLrator picks up US rights to Under The Bed

XLrator Media has acquired all US rights to the horror-thriller in a deal negotiated with Ehud Bleiberg, whose Compound B handles international sales at the AFM.
Yau starts shooting 3D horror as pan-Asian co-production

Hong Kong director Herman Yau has started shooting his first 3D production, suspense horror The Second Coming, as a Hong Kong-Singapore-Taiwan co-production.
Yen to star in Emperor's Enter The Master

Hong Kong’s Emperor Motion Pictures (EMP) is currently scouting overseas locations for $22m martial arts blockbuster Enter The Master, which is scheduled to start shooting in January 2013.
Yuen Wo-ping to direct action thriller Vigilantes

Renowned action choreographer Yuen Wo-ping is set to direct and produce English-language action thriller Vigilantes - The Lost Order as a co-production between China and Canada.

Screen1 Nov 2012

Screen
1 Nov 2012