Large MPU – Page 1457

  • News

    Germany, UK step up anti-piracy operations

    2004-03-16T04:00:00Z

    Anti-piracy operations in both Germany and the UK say they are making increasing inroads against DVD and video pirates.In its annual report for 2003, the German Federation Against Copyright Theft (GVU) revealed that the fines German courts imposed in copyright cases increased to more than Euros 500,000.Even though proceedings were ...

  • News

    Henning Mankell readies Wallander film series

    2004-03-16T04:00:00Z

    Internationally best-selling Swedish author Henning Mankell's popular police commissioner Kurt Wallander is heading for the big and the small screen in no less than 13 feature length episodes.Three will be theatrically released, the first Wallander: Before The Frost in time for Christmas. The remaining episodes will be shown on TV.The ...

  • News

    Disney to launch TV channel into India

    2004-03-16T04:00:00Z

    Walt Disney is to launch a satellite TV channel in India next year.Andy Bird, president Walt Disney International met Indian Minister for Information and Broadcasting Ravi Shanker Prasad in Mumbai yesterday (Mar 15) to discuss investment plans for the service.The station has been given the government go-ahead.Disney plans to spend ...

  • News

    Indian entertainment revenues to hit $9.5bn by 2008

    2004-03-15T00:00:00Z

    India's entertainment industry will generate $9.5bn in revenues 2008, according to a new study by consultants Ernst & Young.Revenues for the industry - which includes films, radio, television and live events - grew by 15% in 2003 to $4.2bn.Film revenues are currently worth $1bn, according to Ernst & Young, second ...

  • News

    Good Lawyer's Wife wins Deauville Asian film fest

    2004-03-15T00:00:00Z

    The top prize at the Deauville festival of Asian film, the Lotus d'Or was yesterday (Sun 14 March) awarded to Korean film A Good Lawyer's Wife by director Im Sang-Soo.The festival, now in its the sixth edition, was long on Korean films and martial arts pictures. It included a retrospective ...

  • News

    Oz's Aurora script programme selects Caesar's Prime Mover

    2004-03-16T04:00:00Z

    Writer/director David Caesar's Prime Mover is one of four projects chosen for Australia's third Aurora intensive scriptwriting programme.The director of Dirty Deeds, Mullet and Idiot Box is working with producer Vincent Sheehan on what is billed as a diesel-fuelled love triangle between Thomas, his wife Melissa, and his truck. Caesar ...

  • News

    Liberty Media to create cable giant in France

    2004-03-15T00:00:00Z

    UnitedGlobalCom, part of John Malone's Liberty Media, has confirmed that it is to buy the 50.1% controlling stake in leading French cable network Noos that is currently owned by the Suez group. The move could be the first step towards a major rationalisation of the still fragmented French cable sector.Separately, ...

  • News

    Spring bounce for French cinema promotional drive

    2004-03-15T00:00:00Z

    France's annual Spring promotional drive 'Printemps Au Cinema' got off to a good start yesterday (Sunday 14 March) with 1.2 million tickets sold at the box office. That represents a 15% increase on the same day last year and is the biggest single day total in the five year history ...

  • News

    Markoe promoted to post-production executive vp at MGM

    2004-03-16T04:00:00Z

    MGM Pictures has promoted BruceMarkoe to executive vice president of feature post production, where he willoversee all aspects of budgeting and post production and source economical newfilm-making technologies.Markoe will report directlyto Andy Davis, the studio's executive vice president of physical production."Bruce has become a vitalpart of MGM since he joined ...

  • News

    Shore to kick off Rings symphony tour in Belgium

    2004-03-16T04:00:00Z

    Veteran composer HowardShore is launching the European tour of his Oscar winning The Lord Of TheRings score with a concert in theBelgian city of Antwerp on Apr 16.The Lord Of The Rings Symphony: Six Movements for Orchestra and Chorus isbeing organised by the Flanders International Film Festival, a longtimesupporter of ...

  • News

    Romania hosts Seed Of Chucky shoot

    2004-03-16T04:00:00Z

    Seed Of Chucky, the fifth picture in the Child's Play franchise about berserk homicidal dolls, beganproduction in Romania yesterday (Mar 15).It joins a growing list ofhorror pictures which are shooting in the country including the completed TheMethod and Blessed and upcoming productions Man With A Movie Camera directed by Bernard ...

  • News

    De Luca lands in production deal at Sony

    2004-03-16T04:00:00Z

    Mike De Luca, who leaves hisjob as DreamWorks head of production in June, is in final talks to set up athree-year production deal with Columbia Pictures.Once the contracts aresigned De Luca and his Michael De Luca Productions will move on to the Sony lotin Culver City in July."Mike is a ...

  • News

    Friedlander leaves Fine Line for Warner Independent

    2004-03-16T04:00:00Z

    Steven Friedlander hasjoined the fledgling specialty distributor Warner Independent Pictures (WIP) asexecutive vice president of distribution.Friedlander will directlyhandle domestic theatrical distribution and will shepherd the pictures as theymove into other media through Warner Bros Entertainment's divisions, includinginternational, home video and television."Steven is not only abrilliant theatrical distribution executive but also ...

  • News

    Bertelsmann exits AOL joint ventures

    2000-03-20T15:45:00Z

    European media giant Bertelsmann and America Online (AOL) have decided to patch up their differences over AOL's expansion strategy. Under a deal heralded as a $250m "strategic global alliance" Bertelsmann has secured an outlet for its on-line content and has agreed to sell its interests in AOL Europe and AOL ...

  • News

    Dukakis, McCarthy, others, join Serenade's Wonderful cast

    2004-03-16T04:00:00Z

    Olympia Dukakis, JimGaffigan, Thomas McCarthy (writer/director of The Station Agent), and Naseeruddin Shah (Monsoon Wedding, TheLeague Of Extraordinary Gentlemen) havejoined Edie Falco, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Tony Shalhoub in the cast of TheGreat New Wonderful, the first projectfrom low-budget production house Serenade Films.The picture weaves togetherfive stories set against the backdrop ...

  • News

    Thunderbirds are go at Tribeca Film Festival

    2004-03-16T04:00:00Z

    Organisers behind the thirdannual Tribeca Film Festival have confirmed that Working Titles' live-actionversion of Thunderbirds willreceive its world premiere at the New York City event in May.A spokesperson for thepicture's US distributor Universal Pictures neither confirmed nor denied thepremiere status, adding that it was conceivable there may be a public ...

  • News

    Angrisani joins Miramax as vp, international publicity

    2004-03-16T04:00:00Z

    Larry Angrisanihas joined Miramax Films as New York-based vice president of internationalpublicity.Angrisani willliaise with distributors and festivals around the world and play a role inimplementing the company's strategic initiatives.Reporting toAmanda Lundberg, executive vice president of worldwide publicity, and RickSands, chief operating officer, he will also work closely with Miramax'sUK-based international ...

  • News

    Latin American countries unite to protect their film industries

    2004-03-16T00:00:00Z

    On the eve of the signing an ambitious pan-Latin American filmagreement, the head of Argentina's film institute has underlined hisdetermination to face off against the MPAA, protect the local film industry andsupport moves to make film and other "cultural products" an exception in worldtrade agreements.INCAA head Jorge Coscia and representatives ...

  • News

    Mona Lisa Smile is top in UK, brings total to $64.7m for CTFDI

    2004-03-16T00:00:00Z

    Sony/Revolution's drama Mona Lisa Smile opened number one in the UK at the weekend through ColumbiaTriStar Film Distributors International (CTFDI), grossing $2.3m on 414 screens.Overall the picture took $3m toraise its industry-wide running total to $64.7m.In other runningtotals, the horror picture Gothika added $4.9m for $37.5m, drama Big Fish added ...

  • News

    BVI's Brother Bear tops $100m, opens second in Japan

    2004-03-16T00:00:00Z

    Buena Vista International's animated hit Brother Bear passed $100m at the weekend thanks to a$6.2m haul that raised the picture's international running total to $103.3m.Key drivers were Italy, where the picture stayed top for thesecond weekend in a row on $2.2m for $5.4m, and Japan, where it opened secondon $1.9m ...