Small MPU – Page 416

  • News

    Everett, Watson dive into The Woods with Fellowes

    2003-09-01T00:00:00Z

    Emily Watson, Tom Wilkinson and Rupert Everett will lead the cast in Julian Fellowes' directorial debut, A Way Through The Woods.Watson, who starred in Lars Von Triers Breaking The Waves, takes the role of Anne, happily married to James( Wilkinson,) until the arrival of Bill (Everett) turns their idyllic village ...

  • News

    SWEDEN

    2003-09-01T00:00:00Z

    The successful run of Daniel Lind Lagerloef's romantic comedy Miffo was halted after two weeks in the top spot by Buena Vista's Pirates Of The Caribbean, which blasted its way to the top with an impressive screen average of $12,162 from its high 87 prints. However, Reza Bagher's Capricciosa proved ...

  • News

    MPAA brings first UK lawsuit

    2003-09-02T04:05:00Z

    The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) widened its fight against movie pirates yesterday by mounting its first legal action in the English High Court against DVD copying firm 321 Studios.The MPAA, which has been involved in a series of legal claims and couter claims against 321 Studios in the ...

  • News

    Toshiba moots link-up with AOL-Time Warner

    2000-02-22T11:24:00Z

    In a bid to boost its low profile in the Internet business, Toshiba has announced plans to enter into talks with AOL-Time Warner about the distribution of content in Japan."We have long had a strong relationship with Time Warner. Since the merger with AOL they have been emphasising their Internet ...

  • News

    ITALY

    2003-09-01T00:00:00Z

    The Hulk grossed a huge Euros 2.8m for UIP on its opening weekend in Italy, taking an impressive screen average of Euros 6,345 from 441 screens.The second highest new entry last weekend was Monsieur Ibrahim Et Les Fleurs Du Coran, whose release distributor Lucky Red timed to coincide with the ...

  • News

    Miramax is top priority says new Lauren chief

    2003-09-02T04:05:00Z

    Spanish distributor-exhibitor Lauren Films has appointed Francesc Guardans as its new CEO to run the day-to-day operations of the company, whose financial difficulties have led to takeover talks in recent months.Guardans' most pressing task will be to ask for time and support from creditors, banks and suppliers - including Miramax, ...

  • News

    Italian job for Spain's Family

    2003-09-02T04:05:00Z

    In what is set to become the second Spanish film to get an Italian make-over, Lucky Red's Andrea Occhipinti has acquired Italian remake rights to Fernando Leon's comedy Family (Familia).The Mondays In The Sun director's 1996 movie, Family, tells the story of a lonely man who hires professional actors to ...

  • News

    The Return and Zatoichi light-up Venice

    2003-09-02T04:05:00Z

    Two films in the Venice competition have been logging strong buyer interest and notching sales even before their world premieres later this week. Russian first film The Return by directed by Andrey Zvyagantsev, has added deals with France's Ocean Films and The Netherlands' Contact Films to previous licence agreeements signed ...

  • News

    EU calls for co-ordination not cash

    2003-09-02T04:05:00Z

    Better co-ordination of the public money available to European film, rather than a need for more cash, was one of the main conclusions to emerge from a four-day meeting that concluded in Venice this weekend.The other major policy proposal was for Europe's television broadcasters to make air-time available for promotion ...

  • News

    RAI bags hot US trio

    2003-09-02T04:05:00Z

    Italy's Rai Cinema has pre-bought Italian distribution rights to a trio of hotly anticipated US pictures: Martin Scorsese's The Aviator, Lakeshore's upcoming Philip Roth adaptation, American Pastoral, and Miramax's major new Jennifer Lopez vehicle, Shall We Dance.Sold by Initial Entertainment Group (IEG) and written by John Logan, The Aviator follows ...

  • News

    MIFED announces market premieres

    2003-09-02T04:05:00Z

    MIFED has announced that its 70th edition, which runs from November 9 - 13, will screen the market premieres of a host of highly-anticipated films, including Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill, Infernal Affairs 2, and Robert Altman's The Company. Also receiving a market screening in MIFED are Venice and Toronto titles ...

  • News

    T3 opens well in China, crosses $250m milestone

    2003-09-02T00:00:00Z

    Terminator 3: Rise Of The Machines passed $250m at the international boxoffice at the weekend when it scored the second biggest opening of the year inChina behind The Matrix Reloaded.Columbia TriStar FilmDistributors International (CTFDI) opened the sci-fi sequel at number one inChina on an impressive $1.3m.The film added $8.2m from ...

  • News

    MPAA piracy chief meets Thailand prime minister

    2003-09-02T00:00:00Z

    Continuing itsefforts to stamp out intellectual property violation, the Motion PictureAssociation of America's (MPAA) chief anti-piracy officer held talks with theprime minister of Thailand last week. Ken Jacobsen,the MPAA's senior vice president and director of worldwide anti-piracyoperations, told Thaksin Shinawatra that while the number of pirate copiesavailable on the street ...

  • News

    Argentina and Brazil sign co-distribution pact

    2003-09-02T00:00:00Z

    Argentina and Brazil have signed a historic cross-distribution andpromotional pact that will pave the way for more releases of their product ineach other's markets. Gustavo Dahl, head of Brazil's fledgling national film agency Ancineand Jorge Coscia of Argentina's film institute, Incaa signed the pact lateAugust. The accord, which calls for ...

  • News

    Giffoni children's fest gets cash boost

    2000-02-22T12:37:00Z

    The Giffoni Film Festival has had a $1m budget increase (70% from public organisations, 30% from private sponsors) for this year's event which runs from July 15-22.Sharon Stone and Oliver Stone and expected to be among the guests at the event which celebrates its 30th birthday this year. The festival, ...

  • News

    Jeepers Creepers 2 ends summer with a bang

    2003-09-02T00:00:00Z

    United Artists' JeepersCreepers 2 ruled over the long LaborDay weekend, opening number one on an estimated $18.5m as the summer seasonofficially ended with a flourish and four titles passed $100m.The top 12 films grossed anestimated $101.2m, up 11% on the same period last year and the third successiveweekend rise.Overall the ...

  • News

    MPAA seeks to stop UK DVD software outfit 321 Studios

    2003-09-02T00:00:00Z

    The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) is seeking aninjunction from the High Court in London preventing the sale and distributionof 321 Studios' DVD-pirating software.MPAA president Jack Valenti said in a statement, 'Companies thatstand to profit from the violation of copyright laws should be brought to book.'No-one should be under ...

  • News

    Samurai drama has the edge at Venice festival

    2003-09-02T00:00:00Z

    Six days in and there has been no buying frenzy this year at the Venice festival. But both buyers and critics appear satisfied with the quality and range of films on offer across the festival's different sections. After the disappointing reception for Woody Allen's opening night film Anything Else, the ...

  • News

    Competition films fuel buyer action

    2003-09-01T04:05:00Z

    Two films in the Venice competition have been logging strong buyer interest and notching up sales even before their world premieres later this week. Russian first film The Return, directed by Andrey Zvyagantsev, has added deals with France's Ocean Films and The Netherlands' Contact Films to previous licence agreements signed ...

  • News

    Kitano edges into lead at quality festival

    2003-09-02T00:00:00Z

    Six days in and there has been no buying frenzy this year at the Venice festival. But both buyers and critics appearsatisfied with the quality and range of films on offer across the festival's different sections. After the disappointing reception for Woody Allen's opening night film Anything Else, the best ...