All articles by Adam Minns – Page 24
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New chief appointed at UK's FilmFour
Channel 4 drama chief Tessa Ross is to head its new film division FilmFour, the broadcaster confirmed on Wednesday.Ross will step down as head of drama to focus on film, a move seen as crucial in proving that the channel is committed to film after closing down its stand-alone operation ...
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Kenworthy pulls back from DNA
Love, Actually, which wrapped this month, marks the end of an era for producer Duncan Kenworthy, who is stepping back from running UK National Lottery franchise DNA Films to focus on producing."Until now I have been co-chairman with Andrew [Macdonald]," said Kenworthy, best known as producer on Four Weddings ...
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Film Council funds scheme to improve cinema access for sensory impaired
UK support body the Film Council has unveiled a£500,000 National Lottery package to boost the accessibility of films for people with sensory disabilities.A pilot project will install selected cinemas with captioning and audio description equipment. With matching funding from cinema owners, the cash is to allow up to 75 cinemas ...
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BAFTA declares Oscar reject The Warrior is British
The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) has confirmed it considers The Warrior as British, despite the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' decision that the film is ineligible as the UK entry for the foreign-language Oscars.Duncan Kenworthy, chair of BAFTA's film committee, said in a ...
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Academy slays Warrior's Oscar ambitions
The Warrior producer Bertrand Faivre has expressed his frustration at the American Academy's decision to bar the acclaimed production from competing as the UK entry for the foreign language Oscars.The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences said this week its committee members voted against The Warrior because Hindi was ...
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UK shooting costs come under fire
UK support body the Film Council is aiming to slash production costs under a code of practice for films budgeted at $3.1m - $6.2m (£2m-£4m). Producers body PACT and crews union BECTU are already negotiating an agreement based on the code, which, coupled with other proposals in the Council's report, ...
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Optimum adds two to 2003 UK release slate
UK independent distributor Optimum Releasing has picked up all UK rights to Roger Dodger from Alliance Atlantis and XX/XY from Senator International.Artisan Entertainment is currently distributing Roger Dodger in the US, where the Venice title is on more than $650,000. The film, which stars Campbell Scott and Isabella Rossellini, tells ...
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Karel Reisz dies, aged 76
Karel Reisz, director of Saturday Night And Sunday Morning, the major box-office success of British New Wave cinema in the early 60s, has died in London aged 76.The Czech-born filmmaker had been ill for six months with a blood disorder. He leaves a wife, Betsy Blair, and three sons.Reisz became ...
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BFI endorses Carnages at Regus London film festival
The British Film Institute's Sutherland Trophy went to French film Carnages by Delphine Gleize as this year's London Film Festival wound to a close.Other awards saw the FIPRESCI prize going to The Angel On The Right and the Satyajit Ray Award go to Rachida. Thespian X, by Gerald McMorrow, won ...
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UK government moves to tighten co-production rules
The Great Goose Caper, a Chevy Chase family film currently shooting in Canada, is not the UK government's ideal co-production. Certainly, its UK spend of 26% of its budget is within existing co-production requirements. But co-productions with such a minimal UK involvement have triggered a dramatic overhaul of UK production ...
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Aardman's Rose goes solo with Sirolo
Michael Rose, who spearheaded Aardman Animations' drive into features with its hit debut Chicken Run, has left the UK animation company to set up his own production outfit, Sirolo Films.The London-based venture has formed an informal partnership with Celluloid Dreams, the Paris-based sales agency of Hengameh Panahi, who aims to ...
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Pathe takes over FilmFour slate
Pathe UK has confirmed it is taking over 11 titles from FilmFour, the UK film operation being scaled back by broadcasting parent Channel 4.Pathe will handle UK distribution and international sales on the package, which includes Motorcycle Diaries, To Kill A King, It's All About Love and Once Upon A ...
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Gil Junger starts shooting If Only
If Only, the first UK collaboration between Box Film and Intermedia, has started shooting in London with a cast headed by Jennifer Love Hewitt and Paul NichollsDirected by Gil Junger, whose credits include 10 Things I Hate About You, the American girl in London romance is being produced by Junger ...
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UK's Winchester signs seven-year deal with Universal
Winchester Entertainment said Tuesday it has struck a seven-year video distribution deal with Universal Pictures' UK arm.Winchester, which launched its UK theatrical distribution operation this year with Lantana, receives an advance from Universal as well as ongoing royalties.The studio is expected to start releasing Winchester titles on video and DVD ...
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UK's Prism Leisure acquires Odyssey
UK video and DVD distributor Prism Leisure has acquired the Odyssey group of companies, distributor of titles including Merchant Ivory's Howards End and Scum.The acquisition comes hard on the heels of Prism's take-over of home entertainment merchandising operation Music & Video International. The budget trade distributor now boasts a catalogue ...
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New production outfit: light club launched by Day
Elinor Day, the former deputy head of production at FilmFour who was responsible for such films as East Is East and Oscar hopeful The Warrior, has launched her own production company, the light club.The venture has an umbrella deal with Box Film, the TV and film company founded by former ...
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Gareth Jones to spearhead Winchester production
Winchester Films has appointed Gareth Jones to head UK production activities. The ex-Alibi Films International chief joins the UK company as head of UK film production and finance, effective from next week.Jones, who was formerly head of HandMade Films, will act as the contact point for producers outside the US ...
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Miramax shakes up its Euro gang
Ending months of speculation, Miramax Films has confirmed a major shake-up of the London-based team responsible for implementing its production and acquisitions activities across Europe.New York-based development chief Colin Vaines will head the London-based operation as executive vice-president of European production and development. Former UK-based chief Allon Reich is joining ...
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Fresh buyers emerge in UK
Arguably the only sellers' market left in Europe, the competitive UK distribution sector is heating up further as fresh companies emerge, fuelled by UK tax funding.First amongst the new entrants is ex-Metrodome distribution chief Rupert Preston, who this week confirmed a deal for Nicolas Winding Refn's English-language debut Fear X ...
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Wes Anderson clan gathers round HanWay comedy
UK-based sales agent HanWay has boarded The Squid And The Whale, the quirky New York comedy being produced by Wes Anderson, the director behind Rushmore and The Royal Tenenbaums.Bill Murray, Laura Linney and John Turturro are in advanced talks to star in the $8.5m story of an eccentric family, which ...