Small MPU – Page 1438

  • News

    Credit line saves RTV Family Entertainment

    2002-06-21T04:05:00Z

    Animation production house RTV Family Entertainment has moved out of temporary insolvency after receiving a bridging credit line from its bank syndicate backed by a letter of credit from majority shareholder Ravernsburger AG. This step restores RTV to full financial solvency, but additional cash funds of Euros 4m will be ...

  • News

    Finnish cinema operator to build 14-screen site in Latvia

    2002-06-21T04:05:00Z

    The Finnish multiplex operator Finnkino OY and local department store group Stockmann will invest $39m in a cinema and retail complex in the Latvian capital of Riga. Stockmann is providing $23m, while Finnkino will contribute $16.2m to the project.The six-storey building to be completed in the autumn of 2003, will ...

  • News

    Italy's Giffoni film festival to welcome Streep, Makhmalbaf

    2002-06-21T04:05:00Z

    Meryl Streep and Iranian filmmaker Mohsen Makhmalbaf will be among the guests at this year's Giffoni Film Festival, one of the premier festivals dedicated to youth-oriented cinema and the only one whose jury is entirely composed of international school children.Artistic director Claudio Gubitosi, who founded the festival 32 years ago, ...

  • News

    Sweden appoints Dane as film commissioner

    2002-06-21T04:05:00Z

    After years of casting a covetous eye in the direction of booming Denmark, the Swedish Film Institute has appointed Per Nielsen, a Danish national, as its new Commissioner for feature film. The 45-year-old producer, scriptwriter and musician has previously been a Film Commissioner for the Danish Film Institute. For the ...

  • News

    Hamill, Struthers star in Pied Piper's thriller Constricted

    2002-06-21T00:00:00Z

    Mark Hammill and Sally Struthers have taken the lead roles in independently financed psychological thriller Constricted which started shooting yesterday in the US. The film, being produced by Pied Piper Productions' Holly Mosher, is written and directed by Christian Otien (Lady In The Box). It also stars Brad Hunt, Majandra ...

  • News

    Empire, First Run team for US rights to Chabrol's Chocolat

    2002-06-21T00:00:00Z

    Empire Pictures and First Run Features have pacted to buy US rights to Claude Chabrol's popular thriller Merci Pour Le Chocolat which premiered at the Venice Film Festival two years ago and won the Prix Louis Delluc in 2001.Empire will oversee the film's theatrical release this summer and First Run ...

  • News

    Myriad options Cannell bestseller Riding The Snake

    2002-06-21T00:00:00Z

    Myriad Pictures has optioned the film rights to Stephen J Cannell's best-selling novel Riding The Snake, a conspiracy thriller set in the world of Chinese organized crime. The film will be produced by Kirk D'Amico, president of Myriad Pictures, alongside Doug Rosen, vice president of production at Cannell Studios, Lucas ...

  • News

    Blueprint for ottfilm/Telepool distribution deal

    2002-06-21T00:00:00Z

    German theatrical distributor ottfilm and Munich-based Telepool have concluded a three-year first look deal for the international distribution of feature films.The first title under the arrangement will be Rolf Schuebel's Euros 4.5m Blueprint, starring Franka Potente (Run Lola Run), Sebastian Koch (Amen) and Hilmir Snaer Gudnason (101 Reykjavik), which begins ...

  • News

    Europeans proving faithful to Gere thriller

    2002-06-21T00:00:00Z

    20th Century Fox's adult thriller Unfaithful is enjoying success as counter-programming to the chart storming blockbuster fare, Spider-Man and Star Wars: Episode II.Aimed at a more mature audience the film has enjoyed a host of strong openings and performances in Europe since debuting in Sweden on May 31. With an ...

  • Reviews

    Scooby-Doo

    2002-06-21T00:00:00Z

    Dir: Raja Gosnell. US. 2002. 86 mins.Corporate film-making has become so transparent these days that Hollywood studios are not even making a pretence of masking their priorities on a project like Scooby-Doo. Moving at a pace so frenetic it makes MTV look stately, and blanketed in radio-friendly pop tunes (rock ...

  • News

    Stark contrast in 2002 cinema admissions across Europe

    2002-06-24T04:05:00Z

    Following news that 2002's US box office is running some 20% ahead of last year, results from European territories are revealing some stark contrasts in box office fortunes for the first five months of this year.According to the Danish Film Institute, 2002 could be the most profitable in 20 years ...

  • News

    National Amusements becomes first Int'l exhibitor in Russia

    2002-06-24T04:05:00Z

    National Amusements has announced plans to build Russia's largest cinema, an 11-screen multiplex in Moscow, making it the first major international exhibitor to venture into the Russian market.Called Kinostar, the new complex will be built and operated by Rising Star Media, a new joint venture set up by National Amusements ...

  • News

    Hong Kong's FilMart to be biggest event yet

    2002-06-24T04:05:00Z

    The sixth Hong Kong International Film and Television Market (FilMart) is set to be the biggest yet, with a 23% increase in the number of pre-registered buyers to 1,400, according to organisers, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (TDC).Exhibitor numbers for the three-day event, which kicks off Wednesday (June 26), ...

  • News

    US producer Saban Entertainment joins KirchMedia bidders

    2002-06-24T04:05:00Z

    US producer Haim Saban is set to join the growing list of bidders for the insolvent KirchMedia, albeit in collaboration with further strategic partners, according to the latest issue of the German news weekly Focus.The magazine reported that Saban Entertainment, a regular business partner of Kirch in the past, ...

  • News

    Spain's Lolafilms secures Euros 18m capital boost

    2002-06-24T04:05:00Z

    The financial restructuring of Spain's Lolafilms has concluded with majority backer Admira and Lola CEO Andres Vicente Gomez both subscribing to the Euros 18m capital amplification for the company. Gomez lifts his interest in Lola from 13% to 30% after buying out minority shareholders, while Admira - the media unit ...

  • News

    Cat bags Spain's top Cinema Jove prize

    2002-06-24T04:05:00Z

    Korean director Jeong Jae-Eun took home the top Valencian Moon award Saturday from Spain's youth-oriented Cinema Jove International Film Festival (June15-22) for his debut feature film, Take Care Of My Cat (Go Yang I Rul Boo Tak Hae). The tale of five childhood friends grappling with young adulthood walked away ...

  • News

    Gaia's new Golden Prize goes to Heaven

    2002-06-24T04:05:00Z

    The newly-launched Gaia International Film Festival of Portugal closed its first annual edition Saturday night (june 22) with the awarding of its non-monetary Golden Prize for Best Film to Tom Tykwer's Heaven. Guillermo del Toro won the festival's Silver Prize for The Devil's Backbone (El Espinazo Del Diablo) and the ...

  • News

    Beckham scores in Sydney

    2002-06-24T04:05:00Z

    Bend It Like Beckham won the Euros 15,000 Prix UIP for best European film on Friday 21 June at Sydney Film Festival closing night and was voted the most popular film by audiences at one of the event's two venues. Another UK film, Paul Greengrass's Bloody Sunday, was voted best ...

  • News

    Fox South Africa switches from Ster Kinekor to Nu Metro

    2002-06-24T04:05:00Z

    After 37 years distributing its product theatrically through Ster Kinekor in South Africa, 20th Century Fox is transferring its theatrical business to rival distributor/exhibitor Nu Metro from the 1 August 2002. Nu Metro has handled the video distribution of Fox product since 1994 and the decision is seen as a ...

  • News

    German Camera Awards announced

    2002-06-24T04:05:00Z

    Directors of photography Peter Nix (Wie Feuer Und Flamme) and Hans-Guenther Buecking (Der Tanz Mit Dem Teufel) were among the prize-winners at this year's German Camera Awards in Cologne, which also included an Honorary Award for veteran cinematographer Juergen Juerges.Other Awards went to Matthias Fleischer for the short Der Kuscheldoktor, ...