Large MPU – Page 870

  • News

    FilmMates role for ex-Miramax man

    2005-05-13T04:00:00Z

    Former Miramax Internationalpresident Ian Jessel has joined the board of directors on Alan Goda's ambitiousLos Angeles-based finance, production and distribution company FilmMates Entertainment.Jessel will serve as advisor and help structure domesticand international strategic alliances as FilmMates ramps up activities, and isbusily setting up meetings with potential filmmaking partners.FilmMates' debut slate ...

  • News

    Endeavour tries China with Shanghai Media Group

    2005-05-13T04:00:00Z

    Hollywood talent agencyEndeavor has entered into a strategic partnership with China's second-largestmedia giant, the Shanghai Media Group (SMG), and its subsidiary, ShanghaiInteractive Television (SiTV).The agreement sees Endeavorassisting SMG in acquiring programming for its rapidly expanding TV content andmanagement business. SMG recently launched anational distribution platform for 14 digital pay-TV channels, ...

  • News

    Caplan goes on spending spree for UK Film Council

    2005-05-13T04:00:00Z

    Weeks after she was appointed as the head of the UK Film Council'sPremiere Fund, Sally Caplan has already made a handful of sizable investments. The Fund, itemerged in Cannes, is backing Severance, the latest horror picture from Chris Smith (Creep), backed by Qwerty Films and sold byHanway.Caplan is alsoinvesting in ...

  • News

    Palace leaps for Lemming

    2005-05-13T04:00:00Z

    Palace Films has alreadysnapped up Australian rights for three Competition titles including the openingnight film Lemming.The Australian company hasalso taken director Marco Tullio Giordana's Once You're Born You Can NoLonger Hide from TF1, screening on Monday.The third pick-up is AmosGitai's comedy Free Zone, screening on Thursday, from BAC Films.Palace is ...

  • News

    UGC International embraces Family Hero

    2005-05-13T00:00:00Z

    French sales outfit UGCInternational is to handle Family Hero, the new film from Une Vie A T'Attendre director Thierry Kilfa starring Catherine Deneuve,Gerard Lanvin, Miou-Miou, Geraldine Pailhas and Michael Cohen.At Euros 12m Hero is written by Klifa and Christopher Thompson andwill be produced by UGC International president Said Ben Said's ...

  • News

    FilmFour seals Warner alliance

    2000-05-09T19:10:00Z

    The UK's FilmFour and US studio Warner Bros Pictures have formed a long-term co-production alliance, FilmFour chief executive Paul Webster and Warner president of worldwide production Lorenzo di Bonaventura have announced.The deal, aimed at achieving FilmFour's long-cherished goal of making bigger-budget pictures, starts with Gillian Armstrong's Charlotte Gray, starring Cate ...

  • News

    Filmwerks for Chris Davis International

    2005-05-13T04:00:00Z

    Chris Davis International is representing a raft of titles at Cannes forLos Angeles-based production company Filmwerks, which has accelerated itsproduction schedule following a development funding deal with Robert LadesichFilms.Available projects includeAlbert Pyun's true-life horror tale Infection, which is scheduled for delivery in July and starsScott Paulin, Virginia Dare, and Norbert ...

  • News

    French pair launch Borsalino with focus on Asian film

    2005-05-13T04:00:00Z

    Wild Bunch salesexecutive Gael Nouaille and Laurent Baudens, formerly of Gemini Films, are inCannes christening a new company which will specialise in the distribution ofvideo and TV rights for Asian films. Callingthemselves Borsalino, the two will focus on getting Asian catalogue films toaudiences in Latin American which Nouaille and Baudens ...

  • News

    Morena makes waves in Mexico

    2005-05-13T04:00:00Z

    Spain'sMorena Films is continuing its policy of shooting outside Spain with two newfilms set in Mexico and ArgentinaTheEuros 2.5m Mexican co-production La Zona, set in a wealthy Mexico Cityenclave surrounded by slums, is being directed by Rodrigo Pla. The La ZonaFilms co-production will be sold by Wild Bunch.Andshooting next fall ...

  • News

    The Works signs up Italian pair

    2005-05-13T04:00:00Z

    UK-based sales company The Works hasboarded two films world premiering at Cannes: Critics' Week entry TheHorizon Of Events (L'Orizzonte Degli Eventi) and Come Into The Light (Alla Luce DelSole).Horizon Of Events is directed byDaniele Vicari, whose Velocita Massima played at the Venice International FilmFestival. The story focuses on a nuclear ...

  • News

    UK sales outfit keeps an eye on Latin America

    2005-05-13T04:00:00Z

    London sales outfit One EyedFilms, a Brazilian film specialist, has broadened its scope to include filmsfrom across Latin America and makes its Cannes debut with three multipleaward-winning titles on its slate.Among its firstSpanish-language pick-ups is Uruguayan film Alma Mater, a Rosemary'sBaby-like tale about a woman who believes she may be ...

  • News

    Curse holds key to second Wallace & Gromit film

    2005-05-12T00:00:00Z

    Wallace& Gromit could soon be the subject of a second full-length feature filmfrom Nick Park, assuming the first, The Curse Of The Were-Rabbit, is a big box office hit forDreamWorks when it is released in North America on Oct 7.Ifgreenlit, the Wallace & Gromit sequel might even be squeezed into ...

  • News

    Karmitz heads to China, son takes the reigns at MK2

    2005-05-13T04:00:00Z

    Veteran jack of all filmtrades Marin Karmitz is turning over the bulk of his business to son Nathaniel.Karmitz told Screen it was"change, but with continuity".Nathaniel Karmitz has beenat MK2 for ten years and was notably responsible for making the DVD label ahit. He has just been promoted to deputy managing ...

  • News

    UK Film Focus shapes up for London Screenings status

    2005-05-13T04:00:00Z

    Neil Jordan's BreakfastOn Pluto, which is tipped forcompetition slots in Venice and Toronto, headlines a slate of over two dozenBritish films, many of them world premieres, at next month's second London UKFilm Focus (LUFF), running June 27-30. More than 140 internationalbuyers have been invited to the publicly-funded event and most ...

  • Reviews

    Hooligans

    2005-05-12T00:00:00Z

    Dir. Lexi Alexander.US-UK. 2005. 108mins.An exciting, if superficial, exploration of footballviolence in the UK, this tight little drama is a showcase for an exceptionalpair of young British actors and German-born debut feature director LexiAlexander. Lord Of The Rings star Elijah Wood, clearly eager to breakout of hobbit mode, acquits himself ...

  • News

    Celluloid takes first look at IFC

    2000-05-09T19:30:00Z

    French sales outfit Celluloid Dreams has sealed a first-look agreement with the US' Independent Film Channel (IFC) following its acquisition of international rights to IFC-produced title Happy Accidents, directed by Brad Anderson and starring Marisa Tomei and Vincent D'Onofrio.Celluloid, headed by Hengameh Panahi, is about to pick up a second ...

  • News

    Pressman ponders ContentFilm exit

    2005-05-13T04:00:00Z

    Whither Ed Pressman' Itseems that the veteran producer of such classics as Badlands and Wall Street is stepping down from his role as joint-chief executive of ContentFilm,the company he founded with John Schmidt in 2001.A spokesperson for Pressman did not deny the rumoursand it is understood that he will continue ...

  • News

    Loggerheads, Summer Storm bookend NewFest 2005

    2005-05-12T00:00:00Z

    New York premieres of Tim Kirkman's drama Loggerheads and MarcoKreuzpaintner's Summer Storm bookend the 17th Annual NewFest, thegay, lesbian and transgender event which runs from Jun 2-12.Loggerheads premiered at Sundance earlier this year and stars Kip Pardue, BonnieHunt and Michael Learned in the story of a drifter whose arrival in ...

  • News

    Hurley rounds out New Line's Cleaner cast

    2005-05-13T04:00:00Z

    Elizabeth Hurley has roundedout a dynamic cast on New Line's upcoming action comedy The Cleaner, joining Lucy Liu and American comedian Cedric TheEntertainer on the project, which is set to go into production this summer witha North American release set for 2006.Les Mayfield has been linedup to direct the $27m ...

  • News

    Arclight launches North American distribution arm

    2005-05-13T04:00:00Z

    Arclight Filmshas launched Arclight Releasing, a full-service North American distributioncompany that will be managed by former Artisan and Lions Gate acquisitionsexecutive Paul Gardner.The company willchiefly acquire programming for the sell-through market, however it will alsohandle limited theatrical releases and service the pay/cable broadcast,video-on-demand and pay-per-view markets.Initial plans are for theunit ...