All articles by Geoffrey Macnab – Page 161
-
News
Rex Media kicks off sales on Russian Interceptor trilogy
A Matrix-style trilogy is being planned around stories by cult Russian sci-fi writer Vasily Golovachev, led by the first film The Interceptor which is currently in post-production. The $10m film is being sold here by George Lascu's Rex Media. Lascu is also beginning pre-sales on the next two installments. The ...
-
News
Profile: Bernd Eichinger
German producer Bernd Eichinger is one of the titans of European film production. With credits ranging from Perfume: The Story Of A Murderer to Downfall and Resident Evil, he is responsible for some very big movies. Under his leadership, Constantin Film has become one of the most successful German producers ...
-
News
French blockbuster Welcome To The Sticks triumphs in Germany, Italy
Defying conventional wisdom that local comedies don't travel, Dany Boon's French mega blockbuster Welcome To The Sticks (Bienvenue Chez Les Ch'tis) is doing a roaring trade in both Germany and Italy. The comedy - released last weekend in Germany by Prokino under the title Wilkommen Bei Den Scht'is - has ...
-
News
AFM kicks off with record world premieres and solid footing in November
Whatever the economic woes in the outside world, the American Film Market (AFM) remains in robust health. That was the message yesterday as the 29th edition of the market got underway.'There are 527 films are screening here in Santa Monica, among them 102 world premieres, the highest we've ever had,' ...
-
News
Central Partnership launches new Russian spy franchise
As the latest Bond movie Quantum Of Solace is launched worldwide, the Russiansare hatching their very own spy franchise.Here at the AFM,Moscow-based Central Partnership is introducing buyers to spy movie ManOf The East, starring Sergey Astakhov and Vladimir Epifantsev. Thefilm chronicles the adventures of Russian special intelligence agentYegor Kremnyov. ...
-
News
Christopher Hampton returns to directing with White Chameleon
Christopher Hampton is to return to directing. The Oscar-winningEnglish writer/filmmaker, who picked up a Special Jury prize in Cannesfor Carrington in 1995 and also won plaudits for his Atonementscreenplay, is now to write and direct White Chameleon.The new project is being put together by UK producer Chris Curling'sZephyr Films and ...
-
News
Stormare doubles up with Gnomes and Trolls
Swedish actor Peter Stormare (Fargo, Bad Boys II) is to voice a schizophrenic hedgehog in NonStop Sales' Gnomes AndTrolls The Secret Chamber. The versatile Stormare is then to voice acompletely different role, that of Leif The Gnome King, in the sequel.'The hedgehog will be not be part of number two,' ...
-
News
Miranda Richardson to narrate Turtle's Incredible Journey
Long-gestating wildlife feature documentary The Turtle's Song, on Sola Media's slate here, has been given a name change and has recruited Miranda Richardson as narrator.The film will now be known as The Turtle's Incredible Journey. It should finally be ready in time for the Berlinale in February.Just prior to the ...
-
News
La Fabrique De Films launches NY sales outfit for low-budget films
In a bold move underlining the growing market appetite for competitively priced genre fare, French independent distributor La Fabrique De Films is setting up its own sales outfit Overlook Entertainment, devoted to lower budget horror and cult comedies in English and foreign language.The aim is for Overlook, which will be ...
-
News
Wide's Ex-Drummer goes to Mongrel Media
Koen Mortier's controversial Ex-Drummer, the Flemish film about an abrasiverock band formed by disabled musicians, has been snapped up by Mongrel Media for Canada. The film is sold by Loic Magneron's Paris-based Wide Management.Wide Management arrives in Santa Monica with a bulging slate headlined byVolker Schlondörff's Gigola, starring Asia Argento. ...
-
News
6 Sales enters Narrows, surfs Wave
On the eve of the AFM, 6 Sales has taken international rights to The Narrows, directed by François A Velle and starring Kevin Zegers (Transamerica), VincentD'Onofrio, Sophia Bush and Eddie Cahill. Deals already closed after the film's Toronto world premiere include to Movie Bank in Benelux and Koba Films in ...
-
News
Revolver takes UK rights for Synecdoche, New York
Charlie Kaufman's directorial debut Synecdoche, New York is British-bound. On the eve of the film's London Film Festival screening, UK distributor Revolver has taken rights for UK and Eire. The deal was negotiated between Joel Kennedy of Revolver and Mark Lindsay of Kimmel International, the international sales agent.Kaufman, who scripted ...
-
News
Erik Van Looy's Loft soars to top of Belgian box office
Erik Van Looy's new feature Loft, which was recently picked up for international sales by London-based The Works, is becoming a bona fide box office smash in its home territory of Belgium.Loft, which opened last week, has now posted 125,000 admissions, five times more than the number two film in ...
-
News
Too many specialty films being released says Miramax's Daniel Battsek
Too many specialty films being released, according to Miramax President Daniel Battsek.Giving the keynote speech at Film London's second Production Finance Market (October 20-21), Battsek addressed the continuing problem of oversupply in a market that is not expanding.Asked whether Miramax had been helped by the recent closure of Warner independent ...
-
News
Fortissimo Films appoints Kees Koot to Chief Finance Officer
International film, TV, and sales outfit Fortissimo Films has appointed Kees Koot as its Chief Finance Officer. Koot will head Fortissimo's finance department out of its head office in Amsterdam. Koot joins Fortissimo from Dutch distributor A-Film Distribution where he was Finance Manager and helped create the company's Accounting and ...
-
News
Amsterdam Filmmuseum and Thought Equity Motion in $40m project
The Amsterdam Filmmuseum has entered into a partnership with US company, Thought Equity Motion.The move is part of the Netherlands' hugely ambitious 'Images For The Future' project to digitise the country's entire film, radio and TV holdings. The Filmmuseum has around $40m (Euros 30 m) to spend on its digitisation ...
-
Features
United Kingdom - Quantum leap
A London hotel a month before the worldwide roll-out of Quantum Of Solace, the 22nd James Bond movie, from October 31, and Marc Forster is looking exhausted. He signed on to direct the film in the summer of 2007 - in other words, he had a little over a year ...
-
News
Alki David's 111 Pictures options Jeffrey Archer novel
A Prisoner Of Birth, the latest novel from flamboyant and controversial ex-politician Jeffrey Archer, is to be brought to the screen. The book has been optioned by 111 Pictures, the London-based production, distribution and sales company run by Alki David.The aim is to turn the novel into a four-hour mini-series. ...
-
News
London Film Festival opens today with Frost/Nixon premiere.
The Times BFI London Film Festival (15-30 October) begins today with the world premiere of Ron Howard's Frost/Nixon. Click here for full previewHoward, cast-members Frank Langella, Michael Sheen, Kevin Bacon, Oliver Platt, Toby Jones, Matthew Macfadyen and subject of the film Sir David Frost were all expected at the premiere.Other ...
-
News
UK producer Mark Shivas has died aged 70
Film-makers have paid tribute to British producer Mark Shivas, who has died of cancer aged 70.Shivas, who died peacefully amongst family on Saturday October 11, was one of the principals in production company Headline Pictures. An immensely popular producer and one time Head of Films at the BBC, he worked ...