All articles by Jeremy Kay – Page 1448
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Mean Creek kicks off Cannes showcase at LAFF
Jacob Estes' acclaimed dramaMean Creek will launch the 2004Los Angeles Film Festival's new Straight Out Of Cannes section, announcedyesterday (June 8).Director of programmingRachel Rosen said in recent years festival organisers had discussed the idea ofa new strand featuring Croisette hits, adding: "Mean Creek is a hidden treasure that we look ...
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Ambitious New York digital outfit Madstone shuts down
New York-basedentertainment company Madstone has shut down operations, according to reports.A statementissued by Madstone earlier this week said: 'The company was not able toachieve its business goals.'Goldman Sachspartner Chip Seelig and distribution veteran Tom Gruenberg founded the group in1999.Exhibition armMadstone Theaters has closed down its leased arthouse theatres in Albuquerque,Cary, ...
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Punisher takes $1.9m from openings in eight territories for CTFDI
The Punisher, the latest in a growing line of Marvel Comicsadaptations, grossed $1.9m on 600 screens in eight territories in its firstinternational outings at the weekend.Released through ColumbiaTriStar Film Distributors International (CTFDI), the vigilante saga took$913,000 on 350 in Spain and $601,000 on 145 in Australia.Latest cumulative totalsreleased by CTFDI ...
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Helen raises $1m in first international opening in Australia
The comedy Raising Helen enjoyed a decent first international foray at theweekend as it opened through Buena Vista International (BVI) in third place inAustralia on a very strong $1m on 205 screens.The distributor also opened HomeOn The Range in Colombia last week,where it scored the biggest ever bow for a ...
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Harry confirmed as third biggest international opener ever
Official figures released byWarner Bros put the international opening of Harry Potter And The PrisonerOf Azkaban at $113.5m from 7,885screens in 24 countries, which combines with the $93.7m domestic haul for a$207.2m worldwide opening.The international bow wasthe third biggest of all time behind The Lord Of The Rings: The Return ...
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UIP box office on Van Helsing reaches $140m
Universal's Van Helsing raised its international running total by $4m through 2,600screens in 37 UIP markets to $130m, with the total from all distributors risingto $139m.The picture added $670,000 from303 in the UK after a 56% drop to rank fourth on $26.2m, and overtook the finalgrosses of Jurassic Park and ...
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Jailbait wins top feature prize at Lake Placid Film Festival
Brett C Leonard's prison two-hander Jailbait won the best feature prize at the 2004Lake Placid Film Festival, while Gretchen Berland and Mike Majoros' Rolling won the best documentary award for itsexploration of wheelchair-bound people's fight for dignity.A special jury prize went to Brant Sersen's paintball mockumentaryBlackballed: The Bobby Dukes Story.Novelist ...
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$114m international opening for Harry in 24 territories...
Harry Potter And ThePrisoner Of Azkaban cast a spell over theinternational box office at the weekend, conjuring up a superb $114.1m from7,804 screens in 24 countries for Warner Bros.The figure includes the UK's Monday-Thursday $26.3m opening hauland Warner is claiming the third biggest international opening ever behind TheLord Of The ...
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...while Day After Tomorrow sweeps up a further $55m
Fox International's The Day After Tomorrow followed up last weekend's record bowfor a non-sequel with an impressive $55m, raising the picture's internationalrunning total to $178.5m.Without Japanese previews the weekend haul was $53.3m. Opening topin Japan, the picture grossed $8m including previews on 631 screens for Fox'sthird biggest ever bow excluding ...
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Azkaban a critical and box office triumph for Warner Bros
Warner Bros' decision to release Harry Potter And The PrisonerOf Azkaban in the summerpaid off handsomely as the third instalment in the children's series opened topat the weekend on a franchise record $92.7m estimated gross.Despite opening in more theatres than its predecessors, this was atriumphant bow for the studio as ...
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IFC Films buys racing documentary for spring 2005 theatrical release
IFC Films hasacquired North American rights to Dana Brown's off-road racing documentary DustTo Glory, whichchronicles the legendary annual desert race in Mexico's Baja peninsula. Thecompany plans to release it in spring 2005.The productionreunited Brown with Step Into Liquid producers C Rich Wilson and Scott Waugh of Bronwa Pictures.Baja champion Mike ...
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Azkaban breaks UK three-day opening record
HarryPotter And The Prisoner Of Azkabanhas beaten the three-day record for a picture in the UK with £11.5m ($20.1m) inticket sales, passing the £10.8m November 2002 opening weekend of HarryPotter And The Chamber Of Secrets.Addedto projected grosses for Jun 3, the picture has taken an estimated £14.3m ($25.2m)in its first ...
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Burnt Orange cranks up with King, Babbit, Carrera projects
Fledglingproduction outfit Burnt Orange Productions is in development on its first threeprojects due to shoot this summer from directors Zalman King, Jamie Babbit andCarlos Carrera.Headedup by producer and former AFI Conservatory vice chair Carolyn Pfeiffer, BurntOrange plans to produce eight or nine low budget titles in its first threeyears.WMAIndependent, William ...
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Outfest lineup opens with D.E.B.S., closes with Home
Outfest, the Los AngelesInternational Gay and Lesbian Film Festival, has unveiled its lineup for its 22ndevent which takes place July 8 to 19.Angela Robinson's lesbianspy romp D.E.B.S., whichpremiered at the Sundance Film Festival, will open the festival which is thelargest festival in southern California and one of the largest gay ...
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Fox scores slew of Asian rights on Cannes hit 2046
Fox International has acquired a slew of Asian rights to WongKar-wai's Cannes hit 2046, building on a relationship established by the recent partnershipbetween the director and Fox Searchlight Pictures.The distributor picked uprights in South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, thePhilippines, Indonesia and India."We are very proud to be ...
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Warner set to take the world Prisoner with Harry Potter
Warner Bros Pictures International will unload its second majorrelease in three weeks when the eagerly anticipated Harry Potter And ThePrisoner Of Azkabanopens in 24 countries this weekend.The third instalment in thelucrative franchise sets sail on the back of enthusiastic reviews and hasalready shown a taste of things to come with ...
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Warner strikes three-picture deal with Italy's Vanzina brothers
Warner Bros Pictures Italy is to collaborate with the celebratedVanzina brothers, through their production company International Video 80, onthree Italian-language pictures.Carlo Vanzina will direct all three and co-write with Enrico, withWarner Bros Pictures International retaining all worldwide rights."This agreement marks our second collaboration with the Vanzinabrothers," Richard Fox, executive vice ...
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Porchlight strikes US DVD deal with Questar
LosAngeles-based Porchlight Entertainment has signed a deal for the homeentertainment release of 27 of its family-oriented titles through Chicago-basedproduction, marketing and distribution outfit Questar.Among the titlesincluded in the agreement are family kidnap drama A Month Of Sundays starring Rod Steiger, the faith-baseddrama Small Miraclesstarring Jonathan Pryce, and the wartime drama ...
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Lions Gate, IFC, Showtime join Bob and Harvey's 9/11 coalition
Fahrenheit 9/11 will be released theatrically in the US on Jun 25through a coalition of Harvey and Bob Weinstein's fledgling FellowshipAdventure Group, Lions Gate Films and IFC Films.Pay-TV rights will behandled by Showtime, Lions Gate's pay-TV partner, leaving an announcement stillpending for home entertainment. Focus Features and Columbia TriStar HomeEntertainment ...
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Lasorsa, Kelley get promoted at New Line Home Entertainment
Matt Lasorsa and PamelaKelley have been promoted to executive vice president of marketing andexecutive vice president of sales respectively at New Line Home Entertainment.Lasorsa and Kelley haveshepherded tentpole titles such as The Lord Of The Rings trilogy and key franchises including AustinPowers, A Nightmare On ElmStreet, Rush Hour and Blade ...