Small MPU – Page 3365

  • News

    Paul Schrader to serve as jury president for Berlinale Competition

    2007-01-11T15:38:00Z

    US writer-director Paul Schrader (American Gigolo, Mishima) will head up the seven-person International Jury deciding on the Golden Bear and Silver Bears at next month's Berlinale (Feb 8-18). The other members of the jury are: Palestinian actress-writer-director Hiam Abbass, whose recent acting credits include The Syrian Bride, Paradise Now and ...

  • News

    Memento partners with ID and acquires Angosto

    2007-01-11T15:43:00Z

    France 's Memento Films has joined with ID Distribution to create a partnership which will see the two companies work together on acquisitions, international sales, production and French distribution. Memento principals Emilie Georges and Alexandre Mallet-Guy and ID Distribution's Isabelle Dubar have combined their teams and are planning to 'take ...

  • News

    CanWest, Goldman buy Alliance Atlantis for $1.95 bn

    2007-01-11T16:11:00Z

    CanWest Global Communications and New York-based investment bank Goldman Sachs completed their takeover of Alliance Atlantis Communications ( AAC ) yesterday. The final price for the Canadian broadcaster and film distributor was pegged at $1.95 bn (C$2.3 bn). The acquisition cements CanWest's position as the nation's largest media company. The ...

  • News

    Swedish films' local market share slips 9% in 2006

    2007-01-11T16:31:00Z

    In spite of the release of 36 new Swedish features in 2006, local productions sold only 3m cinema tickets - down 300,000 (9%) from 2005 - to control 20% of the theatrical market, against 22.6% the previous year, according to preliminary statistics from the Swedish Film Institute. International blockbusters, led ...

  • News

    Serbian 2006 box office takings down by 36%, admissions drop 43%

    2007-01-11T17:23:00Z

    The first estimates of Serbian-Montenegrin box-office in 2006 show the biggest decline since the economic embargo imposed by the UN Security Council from 1992 to 1995. From January to November, Serbian theaters sold 1.52m admissions, falling 43% from 2005's 2.65m 2 and earning a total gross of about $4.5m (SD306m), ...

  • News

    Momentum MD Marchand suspended and replaced by Napper

    2007-01-11T17:47:00Z

    UK distributor Momentum Pictures has suspended managing director Xavier Marchand.Former Sony executive Richard Napper has been appointed in his place on an interim basis with immediate effect while the company searches for a permanent replacement. No specific reasons were given for Marchand's suspension, but a spokesperson from Momentum's parent company ...

  • News

    Rainmaker signs Clark Johnson for $25m Chinese Wall

    2007-01-12T04:00:00Z

    Producers Georgina Townsley and Paul Goldin of the UK 's Rainmaker Films have signed director Clark Johnson to their legal/political thriller Chinese Wall. The budget is about $25m and the project will shoot in the second half of 2007. The film is set in the US and Africa. Casting will ...

  • News

    Stephen Frears to lead Cannes jury in 60th year

    2007-01-11T18:24:00Z

    The Festival de Cannes has tapped director Stephen Frears as its jury president for the 60th edition, which runs May 16-27. Fears has directed films including The Queen, My Beautiful Laundrette, The Grifters, High Fidelity, Dirty Pretty Things and 1987 Cannes competitor Prick Up Your Ears. 'Of course, it's an ...

  • News

    Sundance signs shorts deal with iTunes

    2007-01-12T05:01:00Z

    The Sundance Institute and the Sundance Channel have signed a content deal with iTunes whereby a broad selection of narrative, documentary and animation shorts from the upcoming 2007 Sundance Film Festival will be available for download.The shorts will become available from Jan 22 and downloads will be priced at $1.99 ...

  • News

    ASC nominates Lubezki, Pope, Zsigmond, Semler, Richardson

    2007-01-12T00:06:00Z

    Emmanuel Lubezki (Children Of Men), Dick Pope (The Illusionist), Robert Richardson (The Good Shepherd), Dean Semler (Apocalypto), and Vilmos Zsigmond (The Black Dahlia) will contest the feature film category in the 21st Annual American Society of Cinematographers (ASC) Outstanding Achievement Awards.The winner will be announced at the awards gala ...

  • News

    BSkyB takes control of Open

    2000-07-17T15:20:00Z

    UK satellite broadcaster BSkyB is taking control of interactive TV service Open in a deal that values the company at about $1.8bn (£1.2bn).BSkyB is raising its stake in Open from 32.5% to 80.1%, acquiring the holdings of banking group HSBC and Japanese electronics company Matsushita. HSBC is selling its ...

  • News

    Canadian films to tour India with TIFFG's Film Circuit

    2007-01-12T00:09:00Z

    Four Canadian films will be screened in Mumbai, India and Kathmandu, Nepal as part of the international touring programme of the Toronto International Film Festival Group's Film Circuit. The films are: Sarah Polley's Away From Her, Aubrey Nealon's A Simple Curve, Bernard Emond's La Neuvaine and Michael McGowan's Saint Ralph. ...

  • News

    Ten nominees announced for WGA Awards

    2007-01-12T00:11:00Z

    The Writers Guild of America, West (WGAW) and the Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE) have announced their nominees for top honours for 2006.The Original Screenplay nominees are:Babel (Guillermo Arriaga)Little Miss Sunshine (Michael Arndt)The Queen (Peter Morgan)Stranger Than Fiction (Zach Helm)United 93 (Paul Greengrass).Adapted screenplay nominees are:Borat (screenplay by Sacha ...

  • News

    Pathfinder, Smokin' Aces hit international markets ahead of US

    2007-01-12T02:04:00Z

    Fox International launches action adventure Pathfinder in four international territories this weekend in advance of its domestic opening on April 27; meanwhile Universal/UPI opens crime caper Smokin' Aces in the UK ahead of its US opening on Jan 26.The overseas-first opening policy is becoming more prevalent and was used last ...

  • News

    The Queen reigns over BAFTA nominees

    2007-01-12T09:29:00Z

    Stephen Frears’ The Queen leads the nominations for the The Orange British Academy Film Awards, or BAFTAs. The film was recognised in 10 categories.

  • News

    BAFTA reaches for operatic heights

    2007-01-12T10:09:00Z

    If you are looking for a Wagnerian spectacle, the next Orange British Academy Film Awards (BAFTAs) may well provide it.

  • News

    Homegrown, not Hollywood, talents impress BAFTA voters

    2007-01-12T12:39:00Z

    The rally cry 'The British are coming' has held true for this year's BAFTA nominees. BAFTA voters have backed British talent to an unprecedented degree this year, ignoring heavyweight American contenders like Bobby, Flags Of Our Fathers and Blood Diamond in favour of homegrown films. Helen Mirren had long been ...

  • News

    Gaumont unveils Warnier's Seeds Of Death at Rendez-Vous

    2007-01-12T12:57:00Z

    Gaumont will premiere Regis Warnier's latest film, Seeds Of Death, on Friday night at Paris' Unifrance Rendez-Vous of French film. The thriller stars Jose Garcia, Marie Gillain, Michel Serrault and Olivier Gourmet and is a sure to be a hot item amongst buyers at the weekend market. Also on Gaumont's ...

  • News

    BAFTA leaders say British films are recognised on merit, not nationality

    2007-01-12T14:06:00Z

    With The Queen and Casino Royale leading the BAFTA nominees, the Academy's leaders say that UK films have held their own against international competitors for BAFTA voters. 'It's a very strong British year,' says BAFTA film committee chairman David Parfitt, who has produced films including BAFTA winner Shakespeare In Love. ...