Large MPU – Page 842

  • News

    Barbieri to direct Em for LA-based Freedom Films

    2005-03-29T04:00:00Z

    Actor turnedproducer Brian Presley's LA-based production company Freedom Films hasannounced its first two projects, the dramas Em and El Camino, which are both scheduled to startfilming this summer.The tragicromance Em will bedirected by Tony Barbieri, and produced by Presley, Johnny Martin of MartiniFilms, and Ted Melfi of Goldenlight Films, with ...

  • Reviews

    Sin City

    2005-03-29T00:00:00Z

    Dirs: Robert Rodriguez,Frank Miller. US. 2005. 124mins.In translating FrankMiller's Sin City series of graphic novels from one artistic medium toanother, co-director Robert Rodriguez - who felt so strongly about sharingcredit with the author that he resigned from the Directors' Guild of Americawhen they balked at dual acknowledgment - delivers what ...

  • News

    Monster movie scores $4.7m pre-sale to Japan

    2005-03-30T04:00:00Z

    The Host, a big-budget monster movie to be shot by one ofKorea's most respected directors, clinched a massive $4.7m pre-sale to Japan'sHappinet .Pictures at the recent Hong Kong FilMart.The deal, which includes a $1.5m investment stake plusdistribution rights for Japan, is unusually high for a film which is still twomonths ...

  • News

    Celador promotes Colson to joint managing director

    2005-03-30T04:00:00Z

    Celador Films, the film armof the UK TV company behind Who Wants To Be A Millionaire', has promotedChristian Colson to joint managing director.Colson, previously directorof production and development, will share the role with chairman and Celadorfounder Paul Smith. Since joining Celador fromMiramax Films in 2002, Colson has completed Separate Lives, ...

  • News

    Avica unveils plans for Irish digital cinema network

    2005-03-30T04:00:00Z

    US digital cinema outfit Avica has unveiled plans tobuild a digital exhibition network on 515 screens across Ireland, both Northand South.Avica has launched a new subsidiary, Digital Cinema Ltd(Ireland) (DCL), backed by Euros 40m in venture capital, to install thenetwork.Avica claims that "Ireland will be the world's firstdigital nation" as ...

  • News

    CLARIFICATION

    2000-05-03T16:19:00Z

    In a recent article on Screendaily.com (April 19), Golden Harvest Entertainment managing director CK Phoon was quoted as saying that Golden Harvest "bankrolled about 30% of the production slate of Media Asia Group in 1999." This may have been taken as implying that Golden Harvest invests directly in Media Asia's ...

  • News

    Valiant effort for UK animation at Easter box office

    2005-03-29T00:00:00Z

    UK animation hopeful Valiant had to settle forfifth place in the UK box office charts over the Easter holiday weekend.The first CGI feature to be made in the UK put in acreditable performance - considering the warm weather and stiff competition -taking $2m (£1.1m) including $253,788 (£136,020) of previews.With schools ...

  • News

    Warner Bros restructures global brand management division

    2005-03-30T04:00:00Z

    Warner Bros Entertainment'sGlobal Brand Management has announced its line-up of senior executivesresponsible for promoting properties throughout the company's divisions.Joining executive vicepresident of global brand management Diane Nelson are new vice presidents Irika Slavin, Sandy Yi, Lisa St Amandand Amber Fredman. The quartet will support Warner Bros Global BrandManagement's directive ...

  • News

    Strand announces US pick-ups of Berneri, Marconi films

    2005-03-30T05:00:00Z

    Strand Releasing hasacquired US rights to Anahi Berneri's Argentina-set drama A Year WithoutLove (Un Ano Sin Amor) and Rodolphe Marconi's French romance The LastDay (Le Dernier Jour).A Year Without Love premiered in the Berlinale's Panorama Section, where it won the Teddy Award for best feature for its chronicle of a ...

  • News

    Gong Li lands leading role in Mann's Miami Vice

    2005-03-30T05:00:00Z

    Gong Li hasjoined Colin Farrell and Jamie Foxx in the cast of Michael Mann's upcoming MiamiVice project forUniversal Pictures.The Chinesestar, whose credits include a handful of Zhang Yimou classics, Farewell My Concubine, 2046 and the upcoming Memoirs Of A Geisha, will play Isabella, the Chinese-Cubanwife of an international crime syndicate ...

  • News

    Weinsteins announce departure

    2005-03-30T00:00:00Z

    Bob and Harvey Weinstein are to leave Miramax, the company they founded 25 years ago.In a statement today, Disney and the Weinstein's confirmed the long-awaited decision. The Weinsteins will stay at Miramax on a non-exclusive basis until September 30 but will begin work immediately on a new as yet unnamed ...

  • News

    Disney, Miramax announce divorce

    2005-03-30T00:00:00Z

    Following protractednegotiations, Disney and Miramax top brass announced yesterday [29] that Harveyand Bob Weinstein will leave the Disney fold when their contracts expire onSept 30 to set up a fully integrated media company, tentatively titled The WeinsteinCompany.In a conference call with reporters that revealed little by way of newdevelopments, Disney ...

  • News

    Disney and Weinsteins reach agreement on divorce

    2005-03-30T00:00:00Z

    After months of publicnegotiations and anguish, Disney and Miramax topbrass announced yesterday [29] that Harvey and Bob Weinstein will leave theDisney fold when their contracts expire on Sept 30 to set up an integrated media company, tentatively titled TheWeinstein Company.In a conference call with reporters that revealed littleby way of ...

  • News

    Weinstein Company names first 13 movies on domestic distribution slate

    2005-03-30T00:00:00Z

    As Harvey and Bob Weinsteinride out their contractual term as Miramax co-chairmen under the Disneyumbrella, they have already finalised at least 13 films to be released undertheir new venture The Weinstein Company.While the brothers areobliged to oversee all the unreleased Miramax titles in the pipeline untiltheir departure on Sept 30, ...

  • News

    Weinstein Co reveals debut slate

    2005-03-30T00:00:00Z

    As Harvey andBob Weinstein ride out their contractual term as Miramax co-chairmen under the Disney umbrella, their main focus must now surely lie with the inauguralslate for their new venture, temporarily called The Weinstein Company.While the brothers are obliged to oversee all the unreleased Miramax titles inthe pipeline until their ...

  • News

    Showtime lines up first six films in Masters Of Horror series

    2005-03-30T00:00:00Z

    ShowtimeNetworks, IDT Entertainment's New Arc Entertainment, Industry Entertainment andNice Guy Productions have announced the first six titles in their Masters OfHorror series by acclaimedgenre filmmakers, set to begin production in Vancouver in April.John Landis (AnAmerican Werewolf In London) will direct Deer Woman starring BrianBenben, which Landis co-wrote with his son ...

  • News

    Films Distribution picks up De L'Histoire Ancienne

    2000-05-03T16:21:00Z

    In the run-up to Cannes, French international sales company Films Distribution has acquired Critics' Week title De L'Histoire Ancienne, directed by Orso Miret.The deal follows Films Distribution's acquisition of Un Certain Regard title Wild Blue, directed by Belgian film-maker Thierry Knauff, last week (Screendaily, April 26).De L'Histoire Ancienne - about ...

  • News

    European indie players move into profit

    2005-03-30T00:00:00Z

    Three European independentfilm outfits - Germany's Constantin and the UK's Civilian Content and Metrodome- unveiled positive financial results for 2004 this morning (March 30).Leading German producer anddistributor Constantin Film announced 2004 net profits of $9.1m (Euros 7m) onrevenues of $319.8m (Euros 246.9m). This compared with a net loss of $12.8m(Euros ...

  • News

    Fortissimo takes on sales for Berlin winner U-Carmen

    2005-03-30T00:00:00Z

    Fortissimo Films has acquired worldwide distribution rights (outsideof South Africa) to U-Carmen eKhayelitsha, Mark Dornford-May's adaptation of the Carmen opera, which won the Golden Bear at this year's Berlin International Film Festival.Nelleke Driessen, Fortissimo co-managing director, and NicoleMackey, senior vice president international sales, saw the film in Berlin. Mackey said, ...

  • Reviews

    Live And Become (Va, Vis Et Deviens)

    2005-03-30T00:00:00Z

    Dir.Radu Mihaileanu. Fr-Is-It-Bel. 2005. 153mins.Highlyemotional but massively overlong, director Radu Mihaileanu's Live And Becometackles a burning issue of our time, the search for identity. Here he follows ablack Ethiopian Christian over the course of 20 years, from when, aged nine, heescapes amid a convoy of Falasha Jews being flown to ...