All articles by Adam Minns – Page 58
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AFM: Metrodome forms prod venture with Danish duo
Metrodome Distribution, the UK distributor of British hit Human Traffic, has formed a UK production company with Nicolas Winding Refn and Henrik Danstrup, the up-and-coming film-makers behind the two Danish films Pusher and Bleeder.Titled NWR UK, the company will produce English-language features from the Danish duo, with director Winding Refn's ...
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AFM: Cineart, A-Film acquire Magnolia
The freshly-formed Benelux distribution alliance between Cineart and A-Film is understood to have secured Paul Thomas Anderson's Magnolia, its first title from New Line Cinema.Cineart targeted the ensemble drama even before it scooped three Oscar nominations this month (including one for Tom Cruise as Best Supporting Actor) and then walked ...
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UPI floats Bullwinkle, Hannibal
Universal Pictures International (UPI) is sounding out selected territorial buyers at the American Film Market (AFM) on a clutch of high-profile studio titles headed by the $90m The Adventures Of Rocky And Bullwinkle and Ridley Scott's Hannibal, the sequel to Silence Of The Lambs.The move is seen as a bid ...
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Grosvenor steps up sale and leaseback activity
Canadian-UK financier Grosvenor Park has started providing funding for films through the UK's tax-based sale and leaseback system at financing or production stage rather than after the film is completed.Grosvenor aims to provide about 6% of the budget on projects its finances at this stage. The company is finalising deals ...
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Film Company takes off with Palm's Spaceman
UK-based sales outfit The Film Company (TFC) has secured worldwide rights to Spaceman, winner of the audience award for best competition feature at the Austin Film FestivalTFC acquired the film from Palm Pictures, which picked up the title following positive US reviews from its festival run. Directed by Internet humorist ...
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FilmFour to bankroll Pasolini's Emperor
The UK's FilmFour is fully-financing The Emperor's New Clothes, a historical fantasy being produced by The Full Monty's Uberto Pasolini and directed by Palookaville's Alan Taylor.Adapted by Kevin Molony from Simon Leys' novel The Death Of Napoleon, the script tells the story of how Napoleon did not die in exile ...
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DreamWorks sponsors Bristol animation fest
DreamWorks SKG, the US studio which recently struck a long-term deal with Bristol-based animation production house Aardman Animations, is sponsoring a new animation festival in the city. The event, titled Animated Encounters (May 19-21), will include preview scenes from Aardman's highly-anticipated June release, Chicken Run, which Pathe Distribution is handling ...
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BFC appoints Jones as first director
The British Film Commission (BFC) has made a raft of appointments headed by the recruitment of Terri Jones as the body's first director.Jones, formerly director of production at UK TV station LWT, will oversee the day-to-day running of the BFC. She will also assist commissioner Steve Norris in setting and ...
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CAA strikes first-look deal with Bloomsbury
US talent and literary agency Creative Artists Agency (CAA) has struck an innovative first-look deal with Bloomsbury Publishing, a leading UK independent publisher with a portfolio that has yielded The English Patient, The Piano and Shine.Under the terms of the deal, Bloomsbury will filter the manuscripts it believes have most ...
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BFI to unveil plans for new London film centre
UK Government-backed film and TV body the British Film Institute (BFI) will this week unveil plans for a film centre at London's South Bank complex.The new development will replace the institute's often-criticised National Film Theatre, a venue for some screenings during November's London Film Festival (LFF). The new complex will ...
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Milan to launch feature film festival in September
Milan's four-year-old short film festival, Cortometraggio, is to be expanded into an international feature film festival from this September.The MilanoFilmFestival (Sept 11-17) is to run two competitions, one dedicated to full-length films and one to shorts. The event aims to showcase overseas films that have not found distribution in Italy.The ...
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Rudge to head Universal Video, continental Europe
Universal Pictures International Video (UPIV) has appointed Phil Rudge to the post of vice president of Continental Europe.Rudge, formerly managing director of Universal Pictures Video UK (Rental Division), will report to UPIV president Peter Smith. Based in London, he will manage all local sales and marketing operations across Spain, France, ...
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Redbus boosts slate with Buena Vista, UK titles
UK distributor Redbus Film Distribution has acquired a slate of high-profile titles including Buena Vista International's Play It To The Bone, starring Antonio Banderas and Woody Harrelson, and Gun Shy, with Liam Neeson and Sandra Bullock.The titles are to be joined by a third as-yet-undisclosed Buena Vista film, which is ...
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SKA gears up for period drama, soccer film
Guy Ritchie and Matthew Vaughn's SKA Films, the UK production company behind Lock, Stock & Two Smoking Barrels and the upcoming Snatch, is readying at least two other projects to shoot this year.Newcomer Simon Cooke is to direct a $12m-15m period film in the UK this autumn. SKA expects to ...
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Alliance, Canal Plus confirm UK distribution pact
Alliance Atlantis and France's Le Studio Canal Plus have confirmed a deal for Alliance to handle UK distribution on a slate of Le Studio's high-profile English-language titles (Screendaily, Feb 3).The deal covers all UK rights to Simpatico, starring Sharon Stone and Jeff Bridges; Kathryn Bigelow's Weight Of Water, with Sean ...
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Livingstone to steer specialist fare for UIP
Universal has finalised the appointment of David Livingstone, formerly president of marketing at Universal Pictures International, to oversee the release of specialist films through the studio's international outlet, United International Pictures. Livingstone's brief will include titles from the UK's Working Title Films and DNA Films as well as projects from ...
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Relph takes BAFTA chair as membership surges
UK producer Simon Relph is replacing Tim Angel as chairman of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA).Relph will take up the position on July 1. Angel has been chairman for three years after the traditional two-year post was renewed for an additional year.Relph assumes chairmanship as BAFTA ...
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Carlton, United merger hits competition snag
The proposed merger between UK media congloms Carlton Communications and United News & Media has hit a setback after being referred to the Competition Commission.The widely-expected decision by trade and industry secretary Stephen Byers comes after the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) raised concerns regarding both TV programming and advertising. ...
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Harris, Madigan sign up for Elton John project
Elton John's London-based film production company Rocket Pictures has partnered with Ed Harris and Amy Madigan for an adaptation of A L Kennedy's novel So I Am Glad.The husband and wife acting team will star in and, with Rocket co-founder David Furnish, produce the project through their US production ...
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Entertainment gurus resurrect Hammer horror label
An investment consortium headed by leading lights in the UK film, music, publishing and advertising sectors has acquired classic British horror and genre franchise Hammer Film Productions.The group aims to boost sales on Hammer's library - which encompasses 179 feature films including The Curse Of Frankenstein and Dracula - plus ...