Large MPU – Page 1459
-
News
Vivendi reduces its losses to Euros 1.1bn
Vivendi Universal recorded a net loss of Euros1.14bn for 2003, down from the record breaking loss by a French company of Euros 23.3bn that it registered in 2002.The group said that the results reflected tighter management of costs and the disposal of several assets, although the sale of the US ...
-
News
ROMANIA
Cold Mountain kept its leading position at the Romanian box office for the second week running despite a hefty 44% fall-off compared to its opening weeks' performance.Same can't be said about The Last Samurai which is still making a strong 5,000 each weekend despite running for six weeks already.Of last ...
-
News
UK/IRELAND
While the UK chart saw a new leader in Columbia TriStar's Mona Lisa Smile this week and surprisingly strong support from second-placed UIP romantic drama Honey, it was limited releases that held most sway.BVI launched '70s TV spin-off Starsky & Hutch in London's Odeon Leicester Square and in sites across ...
-
News
Parliament ratifies Belgian tax shelter
Members of the Belgian parliament yesterday unanimously voted in favour of the country's proposed tax shelter scheme (see ScreenDaily.com 8 Jan 2004)The scheme, which took practical effect from Jan 1, permits reductions in corporate tax bills in return for guarantees on production spending in Belgium.Investors are able to enjoy a ...
-
News
Germany's Senator holds crisis talks with banks
German producer-distributor Senator Entertainment is to hold talks with its financing banks in a bid to save the company from collapse.The move was announced yesterday when the Berlin based company said it had to write-off the value of some of its film assets and investments - a move which could ...
-
News
Roberts smashes box office again
Julia Roberts confirmed her place in the very highest pantheon of movie stars over the weekend with a spectacular $28.2m opening for her latest tour de force Erin Brockovich. The story of a real-life single mother who won a record settlement for victims of water contamination, the movie had won ...
-
News
Oz's Rialto aquires arthouse trio
Rialto Entertainment has picked up three arthouse titles for distribution in Australia and New Zealand as a result of negotiations at the AFM.The three titles are: Joshua Marston's Maria Full Of Grace from HBO Films London, Ken Loach's Ae Fond Kiss from The Works and Ondrej Trojan's Zelary from Menemsha ...
-
News
UK film sector welcomes new funding rules
UK qualifying films will be able to access 20% of their budget in tax-related support under dramatic new rules unveiled by UK Chancellor Gordon Brown in today's (March 17) budget.Replacing tax-based support under Section 48, the new system will offer filmmakers a credit or rebate worth 20% of budgets that ...
-
News
Wu joins Genz's Chinaman in Denmark
Los Angeles-based Chinese actress Vivian Wu has agreed to play the female lead in Henrik Ruben Genz' Danish comedy drama Chinaman, which shoots in Copenhagen from April 16 for seven weeks.Wu, who was born in Shanghai in 1966, had her acting breakthrough in The Last Emperor (1987).She will appear opposite ...
-
News
Singapore to host India's international Academy Awards
Singapore is to host the fifth International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) Awards on May 22.The IIFA Awards, which are designed to raise the international profile of Indian film, have previously been held in London, Sun City in South Africa, the Genting Islands in Malaysia and Johannesburg.Stars from both Indian and ...
-
News
Burt & Raquel together again in Forget About It
Filming is underway inArizona and New Jersey this week on Beverly Hills Film Studio's (BHFS) UScomedy adventure Forget About It,starring Burt Reynolds, Raquel Welch and Charles Durning.Styled as Grumpy Old Men meets Analyze This, Forget About It centres on an East Coast wiseguy whose efforts tostick to the straight and ...
-
News
Van Peebles gets ShoWest international lifetime award
Melvin Van Peebles will receive the ShoWest 2004International Lifetime Achievement Award, completing a distinguished talentroster set to appear when the Las Vegas industry convention runs from Mar22-25.Van Peeblesfamously directed and starred in the 1971 blaxploitaiton picture SweetSweetback's Baadasssss Song and his other credits include the 1968 drama The Story Of ...
-
News
Lantern Lane to handle US distribution of Seeing Other People
Lantern Lane Entertainmenthas picked up US distribution rights to film and television companyPariah's romantic comedy Seeing Other People, which recently earned a US Comedy Arts Festivalbest actress prize for Julianne Nicholson.A limited US release isplanned in New York, Los Angeles and two additional markets on May 7, expandingto other cities ...
-
News
Comment: UK tax changes hit middlemen
The UK government has overhauled tax-based funding for films by cutting out the middlemen.Still no doubt smarting from the negative press over last month's clamp down on GAAP funds, finance minister Gordon Brown this week set out to tighten up a sector where some funds, he said, were abusing the ...
-
News
Mickie, Chesneau join Celluloid Dreams
Charlotte Mickie and Sebastian Chesneau are to bolster the sales team of French film sales powerhouse Celluloid Dreams. Their arrival coincides with the forthcoming departure of long-standing Celluloid sales executive Pierre Menahem.Having handled titles including Bowling For Columbine and Ararat, veteran seller Mickie recently saw her job eliminated by Alliance ...
-
News
Verve takes UK rights to Winterbottom's Code 46
Fledgling UK distributor Verve Pictures has acquired Michael Winterbottom's Code 46 and is planning a 60 print release for the film in September.Code 46 is the biggest title which Verve has yet handled. The sci-fi drama, starring Tim Robbins and Samantha Morton, received its world premiere at last year's Venice ...
-
News
Chan sets off Applause to boost Asian production
Hong Kong filmmaker Peter Chan has formed a production company - Applause Pictures - with Teddy Chen, director of 1997 actioner Downtown Torpedoes, and the former head of Hong Kong video company Panorama Allan Fung. According to Chan, the goal of the company is "to bring Asian filmmakers together and ...
-
News
Silver Bullet to open Bucharest Studios in April
Romanian production company Silver Bullet Film is to open new studio facilities in the country at the end of April.Work began on Bucharest Studios, situated in Romania's capital, at the beginning of February. Initial work is underway on a 1000 square metre sound stage, which is expected to be operational ...
-
News
France's Spring cinema promotion attracts 2.5 million
France's annual Spring promotional drive 'Printemps Au Cinema' clocked up 2.5 million spectators, who took advantage of the cut-price ticket offer at cinemas across the country.The three-day figure meant no change compared with the 2003 promo drive and was a touch disappointing after a strong start on Sunday, when numbers ...
-
Reviews
Blind Flight
Dir: John Furse. UK. 2003. 96 minsExceptional performances from Ian Hart and Linus Roache lend a compelling authority to the true story of hostages Brian Keenan and John McCarthy. Both actors get under the skin of two very different characters, capturing their individual personalities but also illuminating the common humanity ...
