![[Clockwise from top left]: Paul Thomas Anderson, Chloe Zhao, Ryan Coogler, Park Chan-wook](https://d1nslcd7m2225b.cloudfront.net/Pictures/274x183/9/0/0/1467900_writerdirectors_192733.jpg)
All articles by Sandy George – Page 65
-
News
Australian exhibitors appoint industry negotiator
The Cinema Owners Association of Australia (COAA) has appointed exhibitor Andrew Halkett as a negotiator, a role that positions him between members and film distributors when disagreements occur over film policy or terms.The appointment is one of a number of outcomes and changes that have flowed from meetings this month ...
-
News
Brisbane fest launches feature competition
The Brisbane International Film Festival's tenth anniversay edition is mounting a retrospective on the work of Roman Polanski and a spotlight on the new UK directors such as Jonathan Glazer. Australian film La Spagnola, starring Spanish actor Lola Marceli, opens the event, which runs July 26-August 4. Glazer's Sexy Beast ...
-
News
AFC increases producers' development fund
The Australian Film Commission (AFC) has put aside $596,000 (A$1.16m) in public money for this financial year for producers -- and writer/directors in exceptional circumstances - to develop a slate of projects. This is nearly double last year's allocation although the cap on individual awards remains $35,975 (A$70,000). The extra ...
-
News
Four films break Australian drought
Australian government agency: the Film Finance Corporation (FFC) has approved investment in features for the first time since March, when funds for the 2000/2001 year ran dry.First is Craig Lahiff's Black And White starring Robert Carlyle, based on the true story of injustice done to an Aboriginal man. A rare ...
-
News
Seven Network partners with magazine group
Australia's Seven Network has announced it is to spend $33m (A$65m) to take a 50% interest in PMP Limited's many magazine businesses, which include the titles New Idea, TV Week, That's Life and Home Beautiful. The deal also includes the magazine distribution company Gordon and Gotch and an option for ...
-
News
Moulin Rouge outdances Strictly Ballroom in Oz
Baz Luhrmann's compatriots have voted Moulin Rouge the best of his films - with their wallets. In its seventh week on release in Australia it has overtaken his debut Strictly Ballroom to become the fourth biggest local film ever, with a domestic gross of $11.3m (A$22.4m). Strictly Ballroom grossed $8.11m ...
-
News
Divided We Fall wins UIP prize at Sydney festival
Czech Director Jan Hrebejk's Divided We Fall was voted the inaugural winner of the UIP-sponsored Prix UIP for best European film at the Sydney Film Festival.The prize, awarded in the contemporary world cinema section, carries a cash prize of $12,930 (Euros15,000) for producers Ondrej Trojan and Pavel Borovan.Audiences also voted ...
-
News
Alibrandi producer takes ABC role
Robyn Kershaw, the producer of last year's award-winning film Looking For Alibrandi, will take up the role of head of drama at Australian national broadcaster ABC from July 2. Changes to ABC staffing, programming and operations have been the source of some controversy over the past year, with managing director ...
-
News
Australia moves towards film-friendly tax rules
Taking a leaf out of film-friendly tax laws in countries such as Canada, Ireland and the UK, Australia has taken a first step towards film-specific legislation providing a clear-cut pathway for local taxpayers to invest in offshore films shooting in Australia. Australians, in theory at least, can invest in such ...
-
News
Australia's Southern Star posts 35% rise in sales
Australia's Southern Star Group registered sales revenues of $101m (A$193m) in the 12 months to March 31, a 35% rise over the previous year. The company's operating profit before tax and abnormals was $4.4m, double the previous result. Executive chair Neil Balnaves attributed the improvement to better cost controls, foreign ...
-
News
Kimatrai to take over Fox office in Australia
Korean cinemas were besieged by a raft of new releases, but it was not the predicted winner that took the spot. Beating Blade II, was CJ Entertainment's unlikely blockbuster The Way Home. It also had a mighty impressive two-day screen average of $13,700.It is the story of a seven-year old ...
-
News
Oz industry reacts bitterly to tight Govt budget
"We are fighting for survival," said Catriona Hughes, chief executive of Australia's Film Finance Corporation (FFC), in reaction to the very small increases for film announced in this week's budget.Other commentators noted that the proposed A$50m budget for the FFC, the Australian industry's biggest film investor, is only half that ...
-
News
Australia unveils $16m funding boost
Australian film-makers and Australia-based productions have secured a funding boost worth $16.6m (A$31.6m) for the next four years from the state government of Victoria.Film production secured an extra $8.2m over the period, bringing the toal available to about three times current levels. Local film administration and support agency Film Victoria, ...
-
News
Village makes new retreat from Euro exhibition
Village Roadshow has sold its sold 13-screen cinema site in Switzerland to Pathe, and its 45 Hungarian screens at six sites to Intercom, its jointventure partner in the region. The company has also offloaded its remaining 50% property interest in Village Entertainment Park to the Pradera European Retail Fund, and ...
-
News
Crocodile Dundee in LA in Australia
Crocodile Dundee In LA, the third film in Australia's most successful franchise ever, was the most popular film over the Easter weekend grossing A$2.25m ($1.13m) from 234 screens from its opening Thursday April 12 to Monday April 16. In its favour were two public holidays, but these were offset by ...
-
News
Thinking outside the Fox: Slaviero quits Oz branch
Robert Slaviero, Australian managing director of Twentieth Century Fox Film Distributors, created a shock wave when he officially resigned on Tuesday (Apr 17). Slaviero said it was an amicable separation and he is doing everything possible to create a smooth transition up to his departure on July 6.It is very ...
-
News
Australia rings the changes to awards rules
Starting this year, films will only qualify for Australia's principal awards system if they have had a theatrical release in the previous year. Until now eligibility for AFI (Australian Film Institute) Awards has instead been on the basis of when a film was made, often resulting in released pictures being ...
-
News
Sydney prepares to welcome Matrix marathon
Warner Bros in Los Angeles and the Premier of New South Wales Bob Carr in Sydney simultaneously announced today that Australia will host production of two sequels to the action thriller The Matrix, Warner Bros' biggest hit to date with a worldwide gross of US$450m. Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne ...
-
News
One small step for The Dish; a leap for Premiere
Sydney-based Richard Sheffield and Wellington-based Larry Parr will launch New Zealand distribution entity Premiere Filmed Entertainment with the Australian hit film The Dish. The film, which had revenues of $16.8m from Australian cinemas alone will be released mid-year as a joint venture with its producers, Melbourne-based Working Dog. The film, ...
-
News
SingTel set to buy Cable & Wireless Optus.
After months of speculation Singapore Telecommunications (SingTel) looks sure to buy Cable & Wireless Optus, Australia's second biggest telecommunications company and parent company of pay TV platform Optus Television.Optus has welcomed SingTel's offer of $2.3 (A$4.57) per share, which values Optus's equity at over $8.5 billion (A$17 billion), but it ...