All News articles – Page 3796

  • News

    Hancock scores exceptional $78.3m international opening for SPRI

    2008-07-06T22:13:00Z

    Seven letters dominated the box office over the weekend as Hancock, pushed out by Sony Pictures Releasing International (SPRI) across half the world, demolished its rivals thanks to an estimated $78.3m gross from 5,444 screens in 50 markets.The exceptional result is borne out by the comparisons. Based on grosses in ...

  • News

    Will Smith takes July 4th weekend - again - with Hancock

    2008-07-06T20:59:00Z

    Will Smith, an Independence Day weekend winner four times over the past 12 years, maintained his champion's form as Hancock savaged the competition with an estimated $66m haul over three days rising to $107.3m over five following Tuesday night's launch.The tale of a reluctant, boozy superhero who has to change ...

  • News

    Karlovy Vary and Locarno premieres unveiled at Previews in Cologne

    2008-07-04T16:02:00Z

    World premieres at this week's Karlovy Vary International Film Festival and Locarno's forthcoming Piazza Grande open-air programme are among 23 films being presented at the German Films Previews in Cologne from July 10-13.Tom Schreiber's Dr Aleman, which has been invited to Karlovy Vary's international competition, will have its market premiere ...

  • News

    Beeban Kidron joins UK Film Council board

    2008-07-04T15:59:00Z

    Director Beeban Kidron has joined the UK Film Council's Board of Directors.The appointment was made by Margaret Hodge MP, Minister for Culture, today. Kidron will serve on the board for four years until 1 July 2012.Kidron is currently in post-production on her next film, Hippie Hippie Shake, for Working Title. ...

  • News

    Alliance Films reverses Globe and Mail screening ban

    2008-07-04T14:13:00Z

    Distributor Alliance Films has reversed its decision to ban critics from the Globe and Mail newspaper at its preview screenings.The Toronto-based distributor had told the paper its reviewers were no longer welcome following a negative review and a negative column of Sex And The City as well as a front-page ...

  • News

    New Polish partners board Agnieszka Holland's 15.7m War My Love!

    2008-07-04T14:09:00Z

    Polish Television and Polish Telecommunications have boarded SPI Film Studio's upcoming production War My Love!, directed by Agnieszka Holland.The project was pitched at last year's Mannheim Meetings as Christine, a drama based on the life of Krystyna Skarbek, a woman Winston Churchill described as the most outstanding British spy of ...

  • News

    Metrodome promotes Sara Frain to General Manager of Distribution

    2008-07-04T12:07:00Z

    Metrodome Group has promoted Sara Frain is to be promoted from General Manager - Theatrical & Broadcast to the newly created position of General Manager of Distribution.This move follows the departure of the current General Manager of Home Entertainment Tom Stewart who will be leaving the company at the end ...

  • News

    European Commission firms up plans for global film cooperation

    2008-07-04T12:01:00Z

    The details of how a global film cooperation programme might work have become clearer following a recent public hearing on the international film industry in Brussels.The hearing is the latest step in a series of public consultations and studies that will help define the new MEDIA MUNDUS programme and offered ...

  • News

    BritDoc UK competition includes Man On Wire, Starstruck

    2008-07-04T11:30:00Z

    BritDoc, the Oxford-based documentary festival now hosting its third-annual event, has announced this year's competition films.The British Competition will include:Blood Trail - dir. Richard Parry A young war photographer ventures to Sarajevo in 1993 and tries to make a name for himself. Chosen - dir. Brian Woods Middle class men ...

  • News

    Karlovy Vary kicks off with De Niro lined up for Crystal Globe

    2008-07-04T08:55:00Z

    Robert De Niro will this evening receive a Crystal Globe forOutstanding Contribution to World Cinema at the 43rd Karlovy Vary InternationalFilm Festival, which opens today.The actor will be on hand for the opening screening of his latest film, What Just Happened'Before the festival, De Niro told the local daily Hospodarske ...

  • News

    UK film-makers should spread co-production wings, conference told

    2008-07-04T06:27:00Z

    Co-productions may open up opportunities to UK film-makers that are restricted by thelimitationsinlocal film finance, the third International Screenwriters Festival in Cheltehnam was told.Producer Mike Downey of Film and Music Entertainmentsaid international deals were an opportunity for UK film-makers to sidestep the usual cornerstone funders of British film: Channel 4, ...

  • News

    Alex Cox plans Repo Man sequel Repo Chick

    2008-07-04T06:00:00Z

    Maverick British writer-director Alex Cox (Sid & Nancy, Walker) is plotting a follow-up to his 1984 cult hit, Repo Man.Cox has already completed the screenplay for the project, Repo Chick, and is looking for studio backing. The original Repo Man was distributed domestically by Universal.The new film comes billed as ...

  • News

    Tilda Swinton launches unusual film festival in Scotland

    2008-07-04T06:00:00Z

    Actress Tilda Swinton has unveiled plans for the newest, most unusual film festival in the UK. The Ballerina Ballroom Cinema Of Dreams, as the event is currently called, will take place over 8 1/2 days in a Ballroom in Nairn, in the north-east of Scotland, next month (Aug 15-23).The festival ...

  • News

    Festival preview: Osian's Cinefan Festival of Asian & Arab Cinema

    2008-07-04T00:00:00Z

    Now the Indian film industry is making more noise on the world stage, its film festivals are also starting to attract a more international crowd. One of the best known outside India is Mumbai-based Osian's Cinefan Festival of Asian & Arab Cinema, which this year takes place July 10-20 in ...

  • News

    Profile: Chris Coen's Halcyon Pictures

    2008-07-04T00:00:00Z

    If producers look for the quickest way to expand their businesses, the usual first step is to move into sales.But Chris Coen, who has produced Wristcutters: A Love Story, Deepwater and Michael Haneke's recent US remake of Funny Games, has taken a different sideways step, into distribution.His London-based Halcyon Pictures ...

  • News

    In Focus: Fox Filmed Entertainment

    2008-07-04T00:00:00Z

    When New Regency's adventure movie Jumper opened through Fox in Korea in February, Fox co-chairman and co-CEO Jim Gianopulos called New Regency president of filmed entertainment Sanford Panitch to deliver the good news.The film had grossed $4.8m to score Fox's seventh biggest ever opening in the territory.But, Panitch recalls, that ...

  • News

    Screen Opinion: Feel the fear and do it anyway

    2008-07-03T23:29:15Z

    A word that has recurred with increasing frequency over the last few weeks is 'scary'.It is not an unknown word, of course: film is a scary business. It is, at heart, about betting the house on predictions of future audiences' tastes, and showing blind faith in a limited distribution infrastructure.Showing ...

  • News

    SPRI unleashes Hancock on 5,500 prints across the world

    2008-07-03T21:13:00Z

    Sony Pictures Releasing International (SPRI) unleashes Will Smith in half the world's multiplexes this weekend to tie in with the action picture's Independence Day holiday launch in North America.The story of an alcoholic superhero who makes good will touch down on approximately 5,500 prints in 50 territories.Despite a mostly lukewarm ...

  • News

    Jan-Pelgrom de Haas takes CEO post at Kinowelt Group

    2008-07-03T16:06:00Z

    Jan-Pelgrom de Haas has been appointed as CEO of the Kinowelt Group with immediate effect as the successor to Bertil Le Claire who stepped down from this post at the end of May.Commenting on the choice of de Haas, Kinowelt's founders Michael and Rainer Koelmel said that the 45-year-old media ...

  • News

    Asia House launches new UK festival at London's Renoir

    2008-07-03T14:32:00Z

    Asia House will launch the first Asia House Festival of Asian Film this August in London.The series will screen films from Singapore, South Korea, Iran, Indonesia and China.Asia House is partnering with Curzon Cinemas for the showcase of festival favourites.The event runs Aug 22-28 at London's Renoir Cinema. The opening ...