Small MPU – Page 1708

  • News

    Samy Boy signs A Different Loyalty producer Peristent to first look

    2003-07-17T04:00:00Z

    Samy Boy Pictures, adivision of Los Angeles-based financing and production company Samy BoyEntertainment, has finalised a first-look deal with Matthew Rhodes and JuddPayne's production outfit Persistent Entertainment.Samy Boy will provide equityfinancing for selected projects of varying budgets from Persistent, which isrelocating to share office space with Samy Boy.Linda Lichter of ...

  • News

    MGM Home Entertainment takes control of Australian operation

    2003-07-17T04:00:00Z

    MGM Home Entertainment hastaken another step in its worldwide expansion plans by assuming control ofoperations in Australia.MGM executive Don Huntonwill head up a full-scale sales, marketing and distribution apparatus that isbeing planned for the territory, one of the fastest growing DVD markets in theworld.As managing director,Australia, Hunter will oversee new ...

  • News

    Tokuma to enter exhibition with Warner Mycal stake

    2000-02-16T18:09:00Z

    Japan's Tokuma Group plans to invest in the country's largest multiplex operator Warner Mycal, as well as make films exclusively for the chain, according to group president Yasuyoshi Tokuma. The moves form part of Tokuma's strategy to create a vertically integrated film company. The group already includes the Tokuma Shoten ...

  • News

    Warner picks up Coninx's latest for Belgium and Netherlands

    2003-07-17T04:00:00Z

    Warner Bros PicturesInternational has acquired Belgian director Stijn Coninx's family drama VerderDan De Maan (Sea Of Silence) for distribution in the Netherlands and Belgium.Set against the backdrop ofthe 1960s Space Race, Verder Dan De Maan follows the spiritual and emotionaljourney of a nine-year-old girl and her father.Coninx, whose creditsinclude Hector, ...

  • News

    German indies win distribution funding

    2003-07-18T04:00:00Z

    Theatrical distributors X Verleih, Salzgeber & Co Medien and Alamode Film have been awarded prizes worth Euros 100,000 each to invest in distribution campaigns for German and other European films.Each of the companies was awarded the special distributor prize by German culture minister Christina Weiss in recognition of "their special ...

  • News

    Greek film-makers face Olympic hurdle

    2003-07-18T04:00:00Z

    With the Athens 2004 Olympic Games fast approaching, a palpable sense of excitement is growing around the event in Greece - as well as a scramble to get the country's athletics and transport infrastructure ready in time.Greek film-makers, however, could be forgiven for being less than happy at the prospect ...

  • Reviews

    Old, New, Borrowed And Blue (Se Til Venstre, Der Er En Svensker)

    2003-07-17T00:00:00Z

    Dir. Natasha Arthy. Denmark. 2003. 90mins.This new romantic comedy is the best proof that a Dogme tag does not necessarily indicate a film is a meaningful or even a challenging experience. Old, New, Borrowed And Blue's sitcom-type humour and occasional melodramatic touches will probably provide a safe niche on international ...

  • News

    Jerusalem festival line-up sparks debate

    2003-07-18T04:00:00Z

    Despite a political situation that has kept international celebrities away, the 20th Jerusalem Film Festival has seen most of its screenings sold out - as well programming a record eight new Israeli feature films in its main line-up.The standout Israeli film as the festival approaches its final day is Ra'anan ...

  • News

    UK prepares for Hulk onslaught

    2003-07-17T00:00:00Z

    UK eyes will be on UIP's The Hulk this weekend after previews for the Ang Lee film were hit by soaring temperatures in the territory last weekend. That The Hulk will claim a number one UK/Ireland bow is not in doubt but how much it can muster is a bigger ...

  • News

    Six directors selected for Cannes' Residence

    2003-07-17T00:00:00Z

    The Cannes Film Festival's annual young filmmakers' workshop announced its participants on Wednesday for the upcoming session. The Festival Residence is a four-month programme aimed at helping filmmakers prepare a first or second film project.The list of directors heading to this year's programme which begins on October 1 is: Karin ...

  • News

    Jeunet completes Long Engagement casting

    2003-07-18T04:00:00Z

    Amelie director Jean-Pierre Jeunet has rounded out the casting on his next film, A Very Long Engagement (Un Long Dimanche De Fiancailles), which he plans to start shooting in early August outside Paris.Teaming up again with his Amelie muse Audrey Tautou, Jeunet has put together a list of actors that ...

  • News

    Linde and Pressman among 2003 Gotham honorees

    2003-07-18T04:00:00Z

    Glenn Close, Steve Buscemi, Focus Features co-president DavidLinde and producer Ed Pressman are to receive the IFP Gotham Awards at the 13thannual IFP annual Gotham Awards Gala on Sept 22.The honours recognise people who have made significant contributionsto the New York film-making community, and for the first time this year ...

  • News

    Jeong to take over as COO at Showbox

    2003-07-18T00:00:00Z

    Jeong Taesung, known as the international face of thePusan Promotion Plan (PPP) projects market is to become chief operating officerof the major Korean film conglomerate Showbox. Thehigh profile move means that the forthcoming PPP (5-7 October), held inparallel to the Pusan International Film Festival, will be Jeong's last in ...

  • News

    Estudio's debut release powers Mexican box office

    2000-02-16T18:54:00Z

    The first feature produced by start-up Mexican film company Estudio Mexico, Gimme Power (Todo El Poder), has burst into Mexico's box office chart. After a successful debut on 320 screens on January 20 the film continues to dominate in cinemas falling just 11% in the last two weeks. To date, ...

  • News

    Kurt Rieder joins UIP Asia

    2003-07-18T00:00:00Z

    UIP has appointed Kurt Rieder as vice president, sales and marketing of its Asian operations, replacing Roger Pollock who relocated from Singapore to London earlier this year.Rieder will oversee the release of all UIP product in the region, excluding Japan, from early September. He is currently managing director of Singapore-based ...

  • News

    Chapman, Greenroom launch PR agency EC2PR

    2003-07-18T00:00:00Z

    London-based publicist Emma Chapman is setting up a new film PR agency EC2PR, in collaboration with entertainment on-line marketing and PR company Greenroom Digital.Chapman, who was previously at Shine Communications, has recently headed publicity and distribution campaigns for films including Walter Salles' highly anticipated The Motorcycle Diaries, and events including ...

  • News

    Brown named head of marketing at UGC cinemas UK

    2003-07-18T00:00:00Z

    Julia Brown has been appointed head of marketing at UGC Cinemas in the UK and Ireland. She will head up a team of eight and will report to Mike Thomson, the commercial director.Brown will map out the marketing strategy and look at all existing marketing tools for the next stages ...

  • News

    New head appointed at Czech Television

    2003-07-18T00:00:00Z

    Czech authorities named a well-known news anchor, Jiri Janecek, to head state-owned Czech Television, the primary backer of local-language films in the Czech Republic. The appointment of Janecek is intended to bring stability to the public broadcaster, which has suffered in recent years from financial troubles and a high turnover ...

  • News

    AOL TW sells DVD business for $1.05bn

    2003-07-21T04:05:00Z

    Toronto-based Cinram International will pay $1.05bn to acquire the DVD and CD manufacturing and distribution businesses of AOL Time Warner in the US and Europe. The deal, which should close in Autumn 2003, includes exclusive long-term agreements with Warner Home Video, Warner Music Group and New Line Cinema to manufacture, ...

  • Reviews

    Struggle

    2003-07-18T00:00:00Z

    Dir: Ruth Mader. Austria. 2003. 74minsThis is one of those strange films that leaves you scratching your head and wondering 'now what the heck was that all about'' What initially seems like a glum exercise in sub-Dardennes brothers-style neo-realism eventually becomes closer in spirit to Ulrich Seidl's Dog Days (Hundstage, ...