Small MPU – Page 1429
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News
Academy re-draw documentary eligibility rules from 2004
In a bid to place a greater emphasis on the theatrical appeal of Oscar-nominated documentaries - and distance them further from their television funders - the Academy of Motion Picture Arts& Sciences has tightened eligibility rules for non-fiction films. The new rules will kick in for 2004 Academy Awards. ...
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Columbine voted best documentary of all time
Michael Moore'sfeted documentary Bowling for Columbine has been named the all-time favourite non-fiction film bymembers of the International Documentary Association (IDA). Announcing "Top20 at 20" today (Dec 12), an eclectic top 20 list to coincide with its20th anniversary, the IDA became the latest body to honour Moore'sstrident examination of America's ...
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Sig Libowitz joins Paramount Classics in acquisitions and co-production role
Former GoodMachine production executive Sig Libowitz has joined Paramount Classics as vicepresident of acquisitions and co-productions, the specialty distributor'sco-presidents Ruth Vitale and David Dinerstein announced today (Dec 12). Underimmediate appointment, Libowitz will handle day-to-day responsibilities foracquisitions and co-productions and reports directly to Vitale and Dinerstein.Libowitz workedfor five years at Good ...
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Telefilm Canada tightens funding screws
The number ofCanadian film production companies that can qualify for public box officesubsidies is being dramatically reduced under new guidelines just issued byTelefilm Canada.Canada'sprincipal film funding agency announced yesterday that as many as 15 productioncompanies will be eliminated from next year's roster of those receiving"performance envelope funding" for their English-language ...
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News
Chicago set as Berlinale opening night spectacular
Chicago, the star-studded musical based on the celebrated Broadway show of the same title, will open next year's Berlin festival on Feb 6 in an out-of-competition slot."I am delighted that we will be able to start the coming Berlinale with this splendid cinematic experience and these international stars. Chicago will ...
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Reviews
The Hours
Dir: Stephen Daldry. US. 2002. 114mins. What must have appeared a risky proposition going into production, The Hours is one of those rare book-to-film projects which flourishes in its cinematic realisation. Making it look like as if it were effortless, writer David Hare and director Stephen Daldry have turned Michael ...
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Warner Bros makes first foray into Chinese-language film production
Warner Bros is making its first foray into Chinese-language film production with an adaptation of best-selling illustrated love story, Turn Left, Turn Right, to be written and directed by one of Hong Kong's most successful filmmaking teams - Johnnie To and Wai Ka-fai. Japanese heartthrob Takeshi Kaneshiro will star in ...
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News
Film Consortium's Jimmy Spud gets lottery boost
The Film Consortium (TFC), the UK National Lottery studio franchise which last week agreed in principle to be bought by production umbrella WhiteCliff, has secured lottery cash worth £1.2m ($1.9m) for its feature Jimmy Spud. The £3.7m ($6m) project, adapted by Lee Hall from his radio play I Luv You, ...
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News
14 Irish companies get MEDIA development funds
The Media Programme has confirmed Euros 1.07m in development funding for 14 Irish film and television companies. Ten of the companies have received slate funding support which will take the form of a rolling credit line over the next three years. They are Element Films, Fastnet Films, Octagon Film Productions, ...
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Infernal Affairs has record-breaking Hong Kong opening
Hong Kong action thriller Infernal Affairs grossed an astounding $330,000 (HK$2.57m) when it opened in its home territory on Thursday night (December 12) - the biggest opening of the year in Hong Kong and the biggest opener of all time outside a public holiday.By the end of the weekend (Dec ...
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News
Kenworthy pulls back from DNA
Love, Actually, which wrapped this month, marks the end of an era for producer Duncan Kenworthy, who is stepping back from running UK National Lottery franchise DNA Films to focus on producing."Until now I have been co-chairman with Andrew [Macdonald]," said Kenworthy, best known as producer on Four Weddings ...
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News
Screen International votes for its top 10 movies of 2002
Screen International has voted Pedro Almodovar's Talk To Her as its favourite film of 2002 in a global poll of its staff and correspondents. It was a poll that by and large favoured small, personal stories that were toast of festivals this past year over the big budget spectacles that ...
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News
Singapore's MediaCorp forms joint venture with Hong Kong's CosMedia
Singapore's MediaCorp and Hong Kong-based ad sales company CosMedia Group have formed a joint venture - CosMediaCorp Ltd - to distribute television programming produced by Chinese state-owned enterprise, China Great Wall Art and & Culture Centre. China Great Wall - a member of the China Radio, Film and Television Group ...
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News
First Hand Films takes int'l rights on Truth & Lies
First Hand Films has picked up international rights on Seville-based Maestranza Films' forthcoming English-language "false documentary" Truth & Lies, a co-production with Germany's Broadview.tv and France's Dune. Billed as a "journalistic thriller" mixing real events and news clips with fiction, Truth & Lies tells the story of two journalists investigating ...
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News
Hughes departure from Australia's FFC confirmed as Dec 31
Two senior investment managers at the Film Finance Corporation (FFC), Terry Jennings and Chris Oliver, will be the "caretaker" chief executives once Catriona Hughes departs on December 31 as planned. The government financier is the most influential force in Australia's film industry. Hughes stayed on after her contract expired in ...
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News
J Lo scores romantic comedy hit with Maid In Manhattan
Columbia's Maid In Manhattan went straight to the top over the weekend with a career-high $19m opening for star Jennifer Lopez, according to studio estimates released today (Dec 15). The comedy-romance averaged a decent $6,694 from 2,838 theatres and beat off Paramount's Star Trek: Nemesis by a whisker as the ...
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News
About Schmidt wins best picture vote from LA critics
The Los Angeles Film Critics Association (LAFCA) voted the drama About Schmidt best picture of the year today (Dec 14), while top directing honours went to Pedro Almodovar for the acclaimed comedy-drama, Talk To Her (Hable Con Ella). Best actor was a tie between Jack Nicholson, for his performance in ...
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Major Cineplex to launch Thailand's biggest cinema
Thailand's leading exhibitor, Major Cineplex, has been awarded a contract to operate the country's largest entertainment complex - housing 16 screens and more than 4,000 seats - which will form part of a mammoth shopping and leisure development to be built in the heart of downtown Bangkok.The ambitious $139m (baht ...
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News
Zentropa sets up international arm
Peter Aalbaek Jensen, co-founder and producer at progressive Danish production outfit Zentropa, is setting up an offshoot - Zentropa Internationale - to oversee projects for the company not originating in DenmarkOle Sondberg will head up the new outfit's financial department while Lars Duus will steer the drama department. Sondberg and ...