All News articles – Page 4874
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Bayside Shakedown 2 smashes Japanese records
Bayside Shakedown 2, the sequel to a 1998 hit cop thriller, recorded the best-ever opening for a Japanese film, following its July 19 release on 400 screens. In its first three days the film grossed $15.7m(Y1.8bn) on 1,260,934 admissions. The previous record holder, Hayao Miyazaki's animated smash Spirited Away, earned ...
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Valenti hails US trade agreements with Chile, Singapore
Motion PictureAssociation of America (MPAA) president Jack Valenti hailed another blow toworldwide piracy yesterday (24) as Congress passed two trade agreements withChile and Singapore.The agreements,passed by members of the US House of Representatives, eliminate tariff andcustoms barriers to US entertainment products and pave the way for strictenforcement of copyright standards.'Today'saction ...
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O'Connor to head HBO US theatrical releasing arm
HBO Films hascemented its theatrical ambitions with the launch of a domestic releasing armsupported by a distribution partnership with Fine Line Features, the specialtydistribution division of HBO's AOL Time Warner sister company New LineCinema.United Artistsmarketing chief Dennis O'Connor has been brought in to head up the newunit - called HBO ...
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Studios look to consolidate summer box office takings
With upcoming international releases thin on the ground in the major territories this weekend, several films stand to consolidate their running totals.The French release of international hit Johnny English is cause for interest. The comedy, which has taken $117.3m to date internationally for UIP, was unable to repeat that success ...
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Good Bye, Lenin! tops 6m German admissions
After 23 weeks on release in Germany, Wolfgang Becker's tragicomedy Good Bye, Lenin! has now passed the 6m admissions mark and clocked up over Euros 36m in box office takings.The X Filme creative pool production now qualifies for a Golden Screen with star Award, sponsored by the German exhibitors association ...
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Dimsey steps down from Film Victoria after seven weeks
Ross Dimsey, the general manager of industry development and investment at State Government agency Film Victoria, has stepped down after a mere seven weeks in the job. Those who are closely involved are being tight-lipped about what exactly happened. A statement released by Film Victoria says that the role was ...
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McKellen eyes role in Merchant Of Venice alongside Pacino
Ian McKellen says that he "very much hopes" to play a role in a new Merchant Of Venice movie which is set to star Al Pacino."I very much hope to play Antonio in the film, when the money arrives to make it," said McKellen, who was attending the Giffoni International ...
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Danish Film Institute makes key appointments
The Danish Film Institute has made a string of appointments to some of its key positions. Influential managing director Henning Camre has had his six-year contract prolonged another two years until 2006. He has been the key to the restructuring and development of the new film policy at the institute ...
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Irish government funds key arthouse venues
The Irish Minister for Arts John O'Donoghue has announced the first recipients of capital funding through the Cultural Cinema Consortium scheme to assist the development of specialist cinemas. Euros 750,000 each has been offered to Kino Cinema in Cork and Limerick Filmhouse in Limerick which allow both operators to develop ...
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Comcast mulls Vivendi Universal bid
Comcast, the US cable giant, may be poised to join the race to buy the US entertainment assets being sold by Vivendi Universal. These include Universal studios, cable channels including Sci-Fi and theme parks.According to several US press sources, including the Wall Street Journal, Comcast has expressed to Vivendi a ...
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Woods tipped to take Irish Film Board post
Mark Woods, an expatriate Irishman based for many years in Australia is being strongly tipped as the new CEO of the Irish Film Board following Rod Stoneman's departure in September. However, a spokesperson for the Irish Film Board has refused to give air to the unofficial news, which has had ...
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HVE, Constantin ready German teen comedy zombie flic
After scoring box office success with comedies aimed at the youth market such as the Erkan & Stefan franchise and Feuer, Eis Und Dosenbier, Munich production house Hofmann & Voges Entertainment (HVE) is now turning its attention to producing the first German teen zombie comedy Die Nacht Der Lebenden Loser ...
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Obituary: John Schlesinger
John Schlesinger, the Oscar-winning director of Midnight Cowboy, died on Friday, near his home in Palm Springs, California. The British-born, veteran film-maker, suffered a debilitating stroke in December 2000, from which he never fully recovered. Recent weeks had seen the 77 year old's health deteriorate significantly.Schlesinger, along with Tony Richardson, ...
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At least 12 international buyers target Locarno for the first time
US distributors Zeitgeist and Kino International, Sweden's Nonstop Entertainment, Brazil's Imovision, Spain's Lolafilms and Poland's Best Film are among a raft of international buyers attending the Locarno International Film Festival for the first time this year.Nadia Dresti of the festival's Industry Office told Screen Daily that acquisition executives from Japan's ...
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Australia/UK co-productions benefit from FFC cash
Two 'commercial' Australia/UK co-productions are among four feature films to receive backing from Australia's Film Finance Corporation Australia (FFC) in its latest round of funding.Irresistible, a thriller about a woman who believes she is being stalked by her husband's beautiful co-worker, is written and directed by Ann Turner and executive ...
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Reda resigns from Winchester board
Winchester Films' US-based CEO Hadeel Reda has left the board of directors of its UK parent Winchester Entertainment and is shedding her title of chief executive officer.Reda is to pursue independent producing but will continue overseeing Winchester's ongoing US projects and seek projects for the company's international sales team."I've been ...
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London Imax release reloads Warners coffers
The BFI London Imax is providing Warner Bros' summer blockbuster The Matrix Reloaded with an extra lease of life in a large screen format.Opening on July 4, The Matrix Reloaded: The Imax Experience scored its biggest opening worldwide at the London location with $61,301 (£38,681) taken over three days. Eight ...
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Sundance, Strand share Son Frere US rights
Strand Releasing hasacquired US theatrical and home entertainment rights and The Sundance Channelhas acquired US TV rights to Patrice Chereau's Berlin prize winner SonFrere. According to the two deals,the film will have its US premiere on The Sundance Channel in early 2004 aspart of an on-air focus of Chereau's work. ...
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Calendar Girls set for open air world premiere
Nigel Cole's highly anticipated Calendar Girls is set to make its world premiere at the Locarno International Film Festival (Aug 6-16), as an outdoor screening in the Piazza Grande in front of a potential audience of 7,000.The high profile, public screening is seen by distributor Buena Vista International as an ...
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Dumas-Zajdela appointed to CNC funding role
Frederique Dumas-Zajdela has been named president of the commission of France's CNC which deals with approving feature films for state funding. Dumas Zajdela manages local production house Noe Productions and will take over the CNC functions from Margaret Menegoz who was recently named president of French film export body Unifrance. ...