All articles by Jeremy Kay – Page 1482
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Showtime brands new theatrical unit for independent films
Showtime Networks has launched Showtime Independent Films, itsfirst foray into financing films directly for the independent theatricalmarketplace.The fledgling outfit has collaborated with specialty producers anddirectors to create three low budget titles that will be presented under thebanner at Sundance, which runs from Jan 15-25, 2004.Jacob Kornbluth's inner city drama The ...
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Nemo, S.W.A.T, Master embark on major int'l launches
Following a sensational European weekend Finding Nemo will still be the one to watch this upcoming weekend with major bows planned for Italy on Dec 3 and Japan on Dec 6.The animated hit has grossed $233.8m in international waters and should do well in Japan, bearing in mind that when ...
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IDT close to acquisition of DVD/video company Anchor Bay
US-based animation and live-action producer-distributorIDT Entertainment is on the verge of acquiring the home video outfit Anchor BayEntertainment Group from Handleman Company after signing a definitiveagreement.Under the termsof the deal, which is expected to close by mid-December, IDT Entertainment willgain an international video and DVD distribution foothold through Anchor Bay'sdirect-to-consumer ...
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Tribeca Film Festival buys New York movie house
Tribeca Film Festival co-founders Robert De Niro, JaneRosenthal and Craig Hatkoff have acquired rep theatre The Screening Room in NewYork, which they will use to enhance services at the festival and De Niro'snearby Tribeca Film Institute and hire out for commercial purposes.The partnersacquired a long lease renewable through to 2023 ...
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Ducard named vp at MGM Home Entertainment
Malik Ducard hasbeen promoted to vice president of worldwide business development andacquisitions at MGM Home Entertainment.In his new roleDucard will spearhead the division's global acquisition projects, targetingdomestic and international features and domestic family-oriented programmingwith particular emphasis on the direct-to-video market.He will alsooversee library valuation and acquisition efforts as well as ...
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Disney crosses $3bn barrier in 2003
Poweredby the phenomenal success of Pixar's Finding Nemo and the Jerry Bruckheimer-produced The Pirates OfThe Caribbean, the Buena Vista FilmDistribution Group (BVFDG) has made history by becoming the first studio topass $3bn at the global box office in a single year.BVFDG comprises the domestic operation controlled byBuena Vista Pictures Distribution ...
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Sheridan's In America leads Indie Spirit nods
Fox Searchlight's InAmerica dominated the 2004 IFPIndependent Spirit Awards nominations with six nominations in the US indieworld's equivalent of the Oscars.Jim Sheridan's film wasfollowed by HBO Films/Fine Line Features' American Splendor (this year's Grand Jury Prize winner at Sundance) andSamuel Goldwyn Films/ Fireworks' Raising Victor Vargas with five nominations each.All ...
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Judge in screener ban suit will announce decision on Friday
The New York federal judge presiding over the case brought by acoalition of independent film-makers to overturn the MPAA screener ban isexpected to deliver a ruling on Friday (Dec 3).US district judge Mukasey adjourned court yesterday (3) followinga day of testimony and legal argument, saying he would return on Friday ...
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Mystic River wins National Board of Review
The first blood in this highlycontentious awards season has gone to Clint Eastwood's Mystic River, which was named today best film by the usuallyidiosyncratic National Board of Review (NBR).Sean Penn was named best actorfor his performances in both Mystic River, released by Warner Bros, and Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu's 21 Grams, ...
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Beazoglou joins business and legal affairs at Warner Independent
In the latest executive appointment to the fledglingspecialty division Warner Independent Pictures (WIP), Despina Beazoglou hasjoined as vice president of business and legal affairs.Effectiveimmediately, Beazoglou will report to executive vice president of businessaffairs and operations Andrew Kramer and will be involved in handling thebusiness and legal affairs for WIP and ...
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Balseros, Revolution win top honours at IDA Awards
Carlos Bosch and Josep MDomenech's account of Cuban castaways in Balseros and Kim Bartley and Donnacha O'Briain's first-handchronicle of the 2002 Venezuelan coup in The Revolution Will Not BeTelevised have shared top featurecompetition honours in the International Documentary Association's 19th annualIDA Distinguished Documentary Achievement Awards.Both titles were presentedby HBO/Cinemax Documentary ...
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Master And Commander scores $15m maiden wide weekend for Fox
FoxInternational's Master And Commander: The Far Side Of The World stirred up the international waters overthe weekend as it grossed $15m haul from 2,944 screens in 31 territories.The naval epic's high spot was a $1.1m number one openingon 152 screens in Russia for Fox's fourth biggest bow of all time ...
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Revolutions passes $250m in international for Warner
The Matrix Revolutions continued to decelerate in its fourth weekend in theinternational arena as it added an estimated $11.9m from all territories toraise the running total to $253.5m.Figures released by WarnerBros reveal the final episode in the sci-fi trilogy drew 1.9m admissions from6,081 screens. Reloaded grossed$454m at the international theatrical ...
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Nemo submerges competition with $37m weekend
Buena Vista International(BVI) executives are predicting Finding Nemo will pass $300m in international ticket sales bynext Monday (Dec 8) after a stunning $37m weekend haul raised the animated hit'srunning total to $230.8m.The acclaimed title andleading contender for next year's best animated picture Oscar has become Disney's11th animated title to pass ...
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Wellspring teams with Gilula for US video distribution
US-basedWellspring Media has moved to bolster its video distribution and originalprogramming operations through a deal with Mark Gilula's Stanford Media Group.Gilula will headup Wellspring's home video operation and work with the company's team toservice sales to current key accounts, open additional distribution channels,acquire new programming and arrange strategic marketing partnerships.Wellspring'shome ...
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Universal celebrates $15.4m gross for Love Actually
Universal's Love Actually grossed an estimated $15.4m through UIP from 2,300sites in 18 countries over the weekend to raise its international cumulativetotal to $48.7m.The romantic comedy stayedtop in its second week in the UK, adding $8.4m from 477 sites and dropping 11%including previews (25% excluding) for a magnificent $25.9m running ...
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AFMA hires two PR agencies to up policy work in 2004
AFMA, the tradebody that runs the AFM and represents 170 independent producers anddistributors worldwide, has hired public relations firms The Lippin Group andPodestaMattoon.The moveestablishes a bi-coastal entertainment and policy communications network forAFMA, which is preparing to go head-to-head with embattled MIFED organizerswhen it launches an AFM market in November 2004.Entertainment ...
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CTFDI opens Bad Boys II top in Japan, SWAT top in Australia
Entering the final stretch of an international campaign that beganin July, the action sequel Bad Boys 2 opened top in its final market of Japan at the weekend onan estimated $3.5m.Executives at ColumbiaTriStar Film Distributors International (CTFDI) expect the film to prosper inJapan going into the holiday season and in ...
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Cat beats Mansion by a whisker
Universal's The Cat InThe Hat stayed top by a whisker overthe holiday weekend, adding an estimated $25.6m for $77m in its second weekwhile Buena Vista's The Haunted Mansion opened second on $25.3m.Three other openers gracedthe top ten with varying degrees of success as the top 12 films combined forthe second ...
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Finding Nemo eyes $200m international haul
Riding high on a sensational European run, Finding Nemo is expected to pass $200m in international ticket sales this upcoming weekend with wide releases in France and Spain and strong holdover business.Following an international table-topping weekend last week, the worldwide animated hit has amassed $190.8m at the international box office ...