Large MPU – Page 868

  • News

    Japan's Sun Music unveils details of debut film production

    2008-01-30T11:40:00Z

    Japanese talent management company Sun Music has announced details of its first feature film production, a drama entitled Yesterdays. The main character will be played by 25-year-old Takashi Tsukamoto in his first leading role. The story follows Tsukamoto's mission to find his estranged dying father's ex-lover, when he slips back ...

  • News

    Swedish box office flat but local films increase market share

    2008-01-30T12:00:00Z

    Swedish cinema attendance fell by 1% to 15.2 million admissions in 2007, although local productions managed to increase market share. Local films pulled in 3.2 million spectators last year, for a market share of 21.1%, compared to admissions of 2.9 million for a 18.8% market share in 2006. However, the ...

  • News

    Edgerton debut to feature in AFC's IndiVision Lab

    2008-01-30T12:17:00Z

    The Australian Film Commission (AFC) has unveiled the eight low-budget projects that will take part its IndiVision Project Lab, one of which will be the directorial debut of Kinky Boots star Joel Edgerton. Edgerton's film The Professor is a thriller about a top forensic scientist investigating a family murder-suicide, who ...

  • News

    Lola appoints Wagner as marketing director

    2000-09-21T15:58:00Z

    Ludwig Wagner has been appointed the marketing director for Spanish producer Lolafilms. Based out of the London office, Wagner will direct the marketing and publicity of all of Lola's films, both Spanish and English-language. He will also assist Lola UK head of sales Nicole Mackey. Wagner is a former independent ...

  • News

    Russia's Very Best Film dominates international chart

    2008-01-30T14:31:00Z

    Russian comedy The Very Best Film (Samiy Luchshiy Film) claimed the international crown this weekend with a mammoth $17.8m opening weekend in two territories, accounting for 9% of the international top 40 revenue. For the full international chart, compiled by Len Klady, go to Global Box Office.The parody, distributed through ...

  • News

    EU ruling hits fight against online piracy

    2008-01-30T15:21:00Z

    The battle against the illegal downloading was dealt a major blow as the European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled that internet service providers (ISPs)cannot be obliged to release customers' personal data during civil legal claims raised by copyright owners.The point was settled in a legal action taken by Promusicae, a ...

  • News

    Korean admissions up by 3.5% according to KOFIC

    2008-01-30T15:50:00Z

    Korean admissions increased by 3.5% to 158.8 million in 2007, according toa year-end report by the Korean Film Council (KOFIC), contradicting earlier figures released by exhibitor CJ CGV which estimated a 5.5% dip in admissions. However, KOFIC agreed with CJ CGV that the market share of local films was down ...

  • Reviews

    Nerakhoon (The Betrayal)

    2008-01-30T15:40:00Z

    Dir: Ellen Kuras and Thavisouk Phrasavath, US, 2008, 87mins.Even by the standards of independent documentaries, Ellen Kuras's Nerakhoon is the ne plus ultra of ultra-marathons. For her directorial debut, the cinematographer spent 23 years with the family of her co-director, Thavisook Phrasavath (Tavi), as Laotions settled in New York ...

  • Reviews

    Bottle Shock

    2008-01-30T16:38:00Z

    Dir. Randall Miller. US, 2008,112minsBottle Shock is a dramatization of a California winery's rise from obscurity to victory over French wines in a blind-tasting competition in France in 1973. It is based on a true story, and produced by friendly souls from the winemaking region North of San Francisco. ...

  • News

    NonStop picks up Sundance winner King Of Ping Pong

    2008-01-30T17:20:00Z

    Swedish director Jens Jonsson's Sundance winner, The King Of Ping Pong, has been picked up for international distribution by Sweden 's NonStop Sales. Jonsson's feature debut, which took first prize in Sundance's World Cinema Dramatic Competition and was also awarded for Best Cinematography (Askild Vik Edvardsen), opened Sweden 's Göteborg ...

  • News

    Paramount Australia pacts with start-up Transmission

    2008-01-30T21:00:00Z

    Dendy Films' executives Andrew Mackie and Richard Payten are leaving the company to establish a new Australian/New Zealand distributor, Transmission, that will conduct most of its business through a joint venture with Paramount's local theatrical and home entertainment divisions. The deal was negotiated with Paramount in the US and is ...

  • News

    Canning, Sherman launch Aus/UK production outfit See-Saw

    2008-01-30T21:00:00Z

    UK-based acquisitions executive Iain Canning and Australian producer Emile Sherman have launched Australia/UK-based production outfit See-Saw Films. One of the first credits for the new company will be as producer of an English-language remake of writer/director Guillem Morale's 2004 Spanish mystery thriller The Uninvited Guests (El Habitante Incierto).Canning and Sherman ...

  • News

    CineMart prizes go to new projects from Sophie Fiennes, Liew Seng Tat

    2008-01-30T22:00:00Z

    At tonight's CineMart 2008 closing night party in Rotterdam, the Arte France Cinema Award for best project this year's co-production market went to The Pervert's Guide To Ideology, to be directed by UK film-maker Sophie Fiennes.The honour also comes with $14,856 (Euros 10,000) in cash. The film will continue Fiennes' ...

  • News

    Atonement scoops top honours at UK's new Attenborough awards

    2008-01-31T00:30:00Z

    The UK regional film journalists awards, newly christened the Richard Attenborough Film Awards, have announced its results for 2008, with Atonement taking top honours as film of the year.Atonement continued its winning streak with Joe Wright named best director, James McAvoy named actor of the year, and Christopher Hampton named ...

  • News

    Sky starts shooting three films over next month

    2000-09-21T18:42:00Z

    Sky Pictures, the feature production arm of satellite broadcaster BSkyB, is readying three features to start shooting over the next month, kicking off with Gypsy Woman.The film, scheduled to crank up on September 25, stars The Talented Mr Ripley's Jack Davenport and Neve Mackintosh, whose credits include the recent BBC2 ...

  • News

    Salvatores gears up for 10-week shoot for As God Commands

    2008-01-30T19:42:00Z

    Oscar-winning Italian director Gabriele Salvatores will begin principal photography February 11 on the thriller As God Commands (Come Dio Comanda), based on the eponymous best-selling book by Niccolo Ammaniti.Maurizio Totti's Colorado Film co-produces with Rai Cinema who will distribute nationally via 01 Distribution. Totti confirmed the film's budget has risen ...

  • News

    EFM hosts digital debates

    2008-01-31T06:53:00Z

    The European Film Market (EFM) and Arts Alliance Media (AAM), are hosting a series of debates at this year's Berlinale.The sessions will be from 5pm-6pmat the ballroom of the Marriott Hotel will cover various aspects of digital distribution.Embrace Digital Distribution: Drive Your Business Into The Future will look at both ...

  • News

    Woody Allen's Vicky Cristina Barcelona lands with the Weinsteins

    2008-01-30T22:26:00Z

    The Weinstein Company (TWC) has acquired North American rights to Woody Allen's upcoming comedy Vicky Cristina Barcelona starring Javier Bardem, Patricia Clarkson, Penelope Cruz, Scarlett Johansson and Rebecca Hall.Johansson and Hall play two Americans on holiday in Barcelona who become romantically involved with a flamboyant artist and his crazy ex-wife. ...

  • News

    A Very British Gangster finds US home at Anywhere Road

    2008-01-30T23:10:00Z

    San Francisco-based distributor Anywhere Road has acquired all North American rights to Donal MacIntyre's hit Sundance 2007 documentary A Very British Gangster.Anywhere Road president Robert Ogden Barnum plans a summer release for the edgy profile of Dominic Noonan, head of a celebrated Manchester family who balances a reputation as a ...

  • News

    Caroline Stern leaves Horizon for Cinemavault

    2008-01-30T23:23:00Z

    Former Horizon Motion Pictures vice president of sales and acquisitions Caroline Stern has joined Toronto-based Cinemavault as head of sales.Stern relocates from Vancouver and will travel with the Cinemavault team to the EFM in Berlin next week to commence sales on Stephanie Black's new Bob Marley documentary Africa Unite, among ...