All articles by Jeremy Kay – Page 1338

  • News

    Ganz joins cast of Irreverent's Canadian comedy Restaurant

    2006-05-05T00:00:00Z

    Bruno Ganz has singed to star in Vancouver-based IrreverentMedia's romantic comedy The Best Restaurant In The World. Ever.Ganz, who won plaudits for his role as Adolph Hitler in OliverHirschbiegel's German 2005 best foreign language Oscar nominee Downfall, joins Marc-Andre Grondin in the cast.Monica Mitchell directs from a screenplay by Rick ...

  • News

    Peckos exits Tartan, sets up niche US distributor

    2006-05-05T00:00:00Z

    Distribution executive M J Peckos has left Tartan Films USA aftertwo years to launch the niche distributor Mitropoulos Films."The distribution business is changing at its core. Nicheproduct will require new venues and marketing strategies and Mitropoulos Filmsplans to explore this ever changing marketplace," Peckos said. "As filmmakers continue to face ...

  • News

    Saw III to start on Monday in Toronto for Lionsgate, Twisted

    2006-05-05T00:00:00Z

    Lionsgate and Twisted Pictures will start production on Saw IIIwill in Toronto on May 8and are expected to wrap in June.Lionsgate International president Nick Meyer and LionsgateInternational Sales president Stephanie Denton will commence sales at Cannes.As previously reported, the third instalment in the lucrativehorror franchise is set to open this ...

  • News

    Zeta Jones nears deal to star in Death Defying Acts

    2006-05-04T04:00:00Z

    Catherine Zeta Jones in final talks to join Guy Pearce in theAustralia-UK co-production Death Defying Acts, a drama about Harry Houdini.Filming is scheduled to begin later this summer in the UK withGillian Armstrong set to direct from a screenplay by Tony Grisoni and BrianWard.The Australian Film Finance Corporation, BBC Films ...

  • News

    Posey, Poupaud take leads in Cassavates drama

    2006-05-04T04:00:00Z

    Production is set to begin in New York on May 5 on HD Net Films'romance Broken Englishstarring Parker Posey and Melvil Poupaud.Japan's Phantom Films and France-based Back Up Films areco-producing the story based on a screenplay by John Cassavetes' daughter ZoeCassavetes, who makes her feature directorial debut.Posey plays a high-flying ...

  • News

    Strangers to open New York's NewFest on June 1

    2006-05-04T00:00:00Z

    Paul Dinello's Strangers With Candy will open the 18th Annual NewFest, NewYork's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender film festival that runs from Jun1 to 11.Strangers With Candy stars Amy Sedaris, Stephen Colbert and Dinello and was written byDinello and Colbert as a prequel to the Comedy Central series of the ...

  • News

    Alliance Atlantis, Arclight team for US distribution joint venture

    2006-05-04T00:00:00Z

    Alliance Atlantis Motion Picture Distribution (MPD) and ArclightFilms are launching the US-based distribution joint venture Union Station Media.Former Lionsgate acquisitions executive Paul Gardner will run theLos Angeles-based company, which will initially release 12-18 titles a year onthe DVD, television, cable, internet, VOD, PPV and electronic sell-thruplatforms.The first three pictures are ...

  • News

    Danielak's Arsenal picks up Rosario Dawson thriller

    2006-05-04T00:00:00Z

    Yarek Danielak's fledgling international sales house ArsenalPictures has picked up international rights to the psycho-thriller Descent starring Rosario Dawson.City Lights Pictures' Danny Fisher, MEGA Films' Morris SLevy and Dawson's Trybe Films are producing the story of a rape victim whoreinvents herself as a seductress in order to gain revenge.'Descent is ...

  • News

    Barbakow takes over as president of board at Santa Barbara festival

    2006-05-04T00:00:00Z

    The 22nd annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF)will take place in 2007 from Jan 25 to Feb 4.Festival organisers have also announced new officers for the SBIFFboard of directors, headed up by president Jeff Barbakow, the former chairmanand chief executive officer of MGM/UA, who takes over from Arnold Kassoy.The ...

  • News

    TWC takes international rights to crossword doc Wordplay

    2006-05-04T00:00:00Z

    The Weinstein Company (TWC) has acquired all international rightsto Patrick Creadon's crossword documentary and Sundance hit Wordplay and will commence sales at Cannes.Christine O'Malley produced the feature, which profiles NY Times crosswordeditor Will Shortz and charts the fortunes of contestants in the AmericanCrossword Puzzle Tournament founded by Shortz.Crossword aficionados Bill ...

  • News

    Kent Jusick installed as executive director and curator of MIX NYC festival

    2006-05-04T00:00:00Z

    MIX NYC, the media arts organisation behind the New York Lesbian& Gay Experimental Film Festival, has installed a new team of directors.The four-person committee is led by executive director andfilmmaker and curator Stephen Kent Jusick.Co-directors are Canadian-born artist, photographer anddocumentarian Szu Burgess, animator, artist and diversity activist Kate Huh,and filmmaker ...

  • News

    Molter promoted to senior vp of distribution at WBPI

    2006-05-04T00:00:00Z

    Thomas Molter has been promoted to senior vice president of distributionat Warner Bros Pictures International (WBPI).Among his duties Molter will oversee digital theatrical releases strategyand evaluate new theatrical growth opportunities involving IMAX and other 3Dformats.He is also responsible for distribution strategy in developingmarkets such as China, Vietnam and Russia, and ...

  • News

    Voltage takes back sales rights on Flyboys

    2006-05-03T04:00:00Z

    Dean Devlin and Nicolas Chartier's sales agency Voltage Pictureshas taken back from Lionsgate International the first world war epic Flyboys produced by Devlin's ElectricEntertainment.Under the amicable agreement Voltage will handle all internationalrights at Cannes.Directed by Tony Bill, Flyboys stars James Franco as a young fighterpilot volunteer in Europe. Martin Henderson ...

  • News

    BVI partners with MegaStar for Vietnam distribution

    2006-05-03T04:00:00Z

    Buena Vista International (BVI) has formed a partnership withMegaStar Joint Venture Company to distribute pictures in Vietnam.MegaStar is a joint venture between Envoy Media Partners headed byTed Shugrue and Phuong Nam Corporation, and has offices in Hanoi and Ho ChiMinh City.The joint venture will be run in Vietnam by Lim ...

  • News

    Arclight already closing deals for Un Certain Regard's 2:37

    2006-05-02T04:00:00Z

    ArclightFilms will handle worldwide sales at the Cannes market for first-time Australian director Murali K Thalluri's drama 2:37, which was recently added to the Un Certain Regard line-up at Cannes.Arclighthas already closeddeals with Village Roadshow in Australia, SND in France, Manga in Spain, andCinequanon in Japan.2:37 is the interwoven story ...

  • News

    Weinstein Co buys rights on Shephard's Bosnia

    2006-05-02T04:00:00Z

    TheWeinstein Company (TWC) has picked up North American, Australian and NewZealand rights to Richard Shepard's Spring Break In Bosnia, the director's second film after The Matador.Productionon the comic thriller is set to begin this summer in Europe. The film is backedby Intermedia and QED International, and QED will handle worldwide ...

  • News

    Weinstein Co buys rights on Shephard's Bosnia

    2006-05-02T04:00:00Z

    TheWeinstein Company (TWC) has picked up North American, Australian and NewZealand rights to Richard Shepard's Spring Break In Bosnia, the director's second film after The Matador.Productionon the comic thriller is set to begin this summer in Europe. The film is backedby Intermedia and QED International, and QED will handle worldwide ...

  • News

    Focus takes international rights on Gondry's Rewind

    2006-05-02T04:00:00Z

    FocusFeatures has acquired international rights to Michel Gondry's upcoming picture BeKind Rewind starring Jack Black.FocusFeatures International will begin sales at Cannes on Focus' third collaborationwith Gondry following Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind and Dave Chappelle's Block Party, which is on release in North America.Gondrywill direct from his own screenplay ...

  • News

    Hollywood Film Festival sets '06 dates as Oct 17-23

    2006-05-02T00:00:00Z

    The 10th annual Hollywood Film Festival will take place in LosAngeles from Oct 17-23, culminating in the Hollywood Awards on the final night.Festival organisers said they plan to expand the roster of eventsthis year and will announce more details on symposiums, premieres and specialscreenings later in the year.'We are very ...

  • News

    Cotter joins Legendary Pictures as vp, creative affairs

    2006-05-02T00:00:00Z

    Alysia Cotter has joined Burbank-based Legendary Pictures in thenewly created role of vice president of creative affairs.Cotter (pictured) will report to Legendary's chief creativeofficer Jon Jashni and assist in managing Legendary's development andproduction slate.Legendary Pictures formed a partnership with Warner Bros in 2005to co-produce and co-finance at least 25 pictures ...