All articles by Nancy Tartaglione – Page 28

  • News

    FRANCE

    2004-03-29T00:00:00Z

    The Jacques Perrin produced Les Choristes opened in the number one spot scoring nearly 1 million admissions in its first week. The film is a sort of Mr Holland's Opus starring Gerard Jugnot which Miramax will handle stateside. Malabar Princess jumped to number 2 from the third spot last week ...

  • News

    ... but faces opposition in France

    2004-03-29T00:00:00Z

    French exhibitor MK2 has refused to program Mel Gibson's The Passion Of The Christ when it is released by Quinta Distribution on Wednesday. Marin Karmitz, president of the successful cinema circuit, told Agence France Presse that he considers the film "fascist, antisemitic and of an unheard violence.""To watch a man ...

  • News

    Lescure to head Equinoxe workshop

    2004-03-24T04:00:00Z

    Former Canal Plus chief Pierre Lescure will act as president of the upcoming Equinoxe screenwriters' workshop in Marrakech from April 26-May 3. Former president Jeanne Moreau will take up the role of honorary president.Since its inception 11 years ago, the twice yearly event has generated 64 films which have won ...

  • News

    FRANCE

    2004-03-22T00:00:00Z

    Jennifer Aniston and Ben Stiller opened strong in Along Came Polly this week with nearly half a million tickets sold - narrowly beating out French romance Une Vie A T'Attendre which did nearly as well on slightly fewer screens. The Thierry Klifa directed film boasts a stellar cast with Nathalie ...

  • News

    Unifrance returns to UK with French Film Season

    2004-03-22T00:00:00Z

    French film export body Unifrance has unveiled the programme for its annual promotional event in the UK, the Renault French Film Season.In partnership with the French Institute of London and exhibitor UGC UK, Unifrance will underwrite a tour of the UK by four French films that are soon to start ...

  • News

    Jet Set producers ready cult French surf comedy

    2004-03-15T04:00:00Z

    DirectorJames Huth will begin shooting comedy Brice De Nice in mid-April in Nice and Biarritz.The film is based on a character created by comedian Jean Dujardin who hasbecome something of a cult figure in France in recent years.Brice DeNice is a hapless surfer - he can barely even swim - ...

  • News

    FRANCE

    2004-03-11T00:00:00Z

    The top three titles this week were barely a breath apart with a strong opening for Warner Bros.' Malabar Princess which lands in the top spot with a healthy $8,692 per screen.The family film beat out the other new films including Tim Burton's Big Fish which entered the chart at ...

  • News

    Malick's Che decision deals morale-denting blow to indie sector

    2004-03-10T04:00:00Z

    Terence Malick's surprise decision to pull out of Che, a $40m picture about the life of Cuban revolutionary Che Guevara that he had co-written, has dented the pride and perhaps the finances of sales house Wild Bunch - but the blow is unlikely to be fatal either to the French ...

  • News

    French cinema admissions show early strength

    2004-03-10T04:00:00Z

    With 34.82 million tickets sold since the beginning of the year, the French box-office is up 4.8% on 2003 according to figures released by the CNC this week.February saw a rise of 3.2% over 2003 for 19.5 million admissions. However, French films' market share is down to 39.3% compared with ...

  • News

    French directors call for curbs on film print numbers

    2004-03-08T04:00:00Z

    About 200 filmmakers have signed an open letter in Frenchdaily Le Monde calling for a limit tothe number of prints sent out to theatres on a film's release.Among the signatories were members of the Agence Pour LeCinema Independant Et Sa Diffusion (ACID) including Chantal Akerman, CedricKlapisch, Bertrand Tavernier, Nicolas Philibert, ...

  • News

    FRANCE

    2004-03-08T00:00:00Z

    The top two films at the French box office traded places last week with three week old hit comedy Podium shooting back up to number one from second position knocking last week's winner The Crimson Rivers: Angels Of The Apocalypse down a notch.Podium has garnered 2.6 million admissions so far ...

  • News

    StudioCanal parts company with Schmidt

    2004-03-05T00:00:00Z

    Michel Schmidt, deputymanager of France's StudioCanal, has left the company.At present, there is noreplacement for Schmidt and his next steps are not known. Neither Schmidt norStudioCanal chose to comment on the departure although it is understood that itwas based on a mutual agreement.Schmidt joined Canal from hispost as head of ...

  • News

    France appoints new national ratings chief

    2004-03-04T04:00:00Z

    France's film council (CNC) has announced the appointment of Sylvie Hubac to the post of president of the national ratings board known as the Commission de Classification.Hubac was nominated by culture minister Jean-Jacques Aillagon and the proposal was then ratified by Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin.Hubac studied at France's national administration ...

  • News

    Gaumont revamps senior management team

    2004-03-01T04:00:00Z

    French major Gaumont, which has seen its films struggle tomake a significant impact at the local box office over the past two years, hasannounced a re-organisation of its management structure.The changes involve managing director Patrice Ledouxstepping away from the helm to concentrate on production while chairman NicolasSeydoux will play a ...

  • News

    FRANCE

    2004-02-27T00:00:00Z

    In a strong week at the French box office Crimson Rivers 2 : Angels Of The Apocalypse opened to nearly one million admissions in its first week. The sequel to 2000's hit Crimson Rivers changed directors and one of its leads but that didn't hurt it any - with critics ...

  • News

    French wine flows into production sector

    2004-02-25T04:00:00Z

    French wine producers have begun actively sponsoring French production in return for their wines being prominently displayed in films.The next work from Claude Lelouch, Les Parisiens - the first part of a trilogy called Le Genre Humaine - benefited from a sponsorship deal with the Conseil Interprofessionnel Des Vins d'Alsace ...

  • News

    Cannes firms up closing weekend changes

    2004-02-23T00:00:00Z

    The Cannes Film Festival has announced its schedule for the closing weekend of May 22 and 23.As previously reported, the awards ceremony will be moved from its traditional slot on Sunday to Saturday evening.Following the prizes, a premiere screening will be held although it is not yet known what the ...

  • News

    Barbarian plunders top Cesar prizes

    2004-02-22T00:00:00Z

    Denys Arcand's The Barbarian Invasions (LesInvasions Barbares) scooped three key Cesarawards on Saturday night in Paris winning in the best picture, best directorand best screenplay categories.The film, which won acting and writing awards at Cannes last year, is alsonominated for two Oscars next Sunday in the best foreign film and ...

  • News

    Almodovar's Educacion to open Cannes

    2004-02-20T00:00:00Z

    Pedro Almodovar's Bad Education (La Mala Educacion) will open the 57th Cannes Film Festival on May 12 organisers announced on Friday.Festival organisers told ScreenDaily.com that they are as yet unsure if the film will be screened in competition.In a statement, Almodovar said, "The joy that has overcome me at the ...

  • News

    FRANCE

    2004-02-19T00:00:00Z

    A smash in its first week out, Podium cracked the one million admissions mark to earn over $8m on 554 screens. The film, which stars Benoit Poelvoorde, handily beat out the Jan Kounen directed Blueberry which opened in fourth place.The comic book adaptation from producer Thomas Langmann was a disappointment ...