Small MPU – Page 451
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News
FRANCE
Despite the beating it took from the critics, The League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen opened at number one this week - largely due to a lack of strong competition, but also thanks to a very visible poster campaign that's been running for some weeks. Another surprise was the poor performance of ...
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Hong Kong star to Focus on distribution
Hong Kong star Andy Lau has established a new company, Focus Films, which will be involved in the co-financing, distribution and acquisition of both local and international films. The new outfit is part of a major restructuring of Lau's business interests which span production, distribution and artist management. Focus Films ...
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Kher named as Indian Censor chief
Indian actor Anupam Kher, who has appeared in Bend It Like Beckham has been appointed chief of India's Censor Board. The move was announced by the Indian information and broadcasting minister Ravi Shankar Prasad in New Delhi, who said Kher had worked in commercial cinema, cross-over cinema and had considerable ...
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Extraordinary weekend for Fox as BVI goes in for Kill
Fox International's The League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen (LXG) will be the one to watch this upcoming weekend with openings in Italy and Japan.Last weekend's mighty European roll-out propelled the action title's running total to $54.3m and a second consecutive number one performance at the international box office looks likely.LXG opens ...
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Hungarian adaptations win state funding
Three literary adaptations have received distribution aid from the Motion Picture Public Foundation of Hungary.To qualify for the aid, filmmakers and distributors have to commit to generating 80-100,000 admissions. Eight films received aid, with the largest sums going to: Tamas Sas' adaptation of Apam Beajulna (This'd Make Daddy Faint) by ...
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CNC figures paint mixed picture for French box office
France's National Cinema Centre (CNC) this week released box office figures for September - as well as unveiling an accord with the UK Film Council and announcing the winner of its screenwriting prize.While overall figures for 2003 continue to spell depressing news - down 5.6% compared to 2002 - the ...
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Australian critics single out four films
The same four films - Alexandra's Project, Gettin' Square, Japanese Story and Swimming Upstream - have been nominated in the best film, best director and best editing categories of the annual awards of the Film Critics Circle of Australia. All four films were also nominated for their screenplays, alongside Black ...
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Korea's CJ unveils production drive
Encouraged by economic recovery in the region, DreamWorks backer CJ Entertainment is stepping up production in its native Korea to 10-12 pictures a year. The company has produced only 10 pictures to date."We stepped back from production during the economic crisis, but the time is now right to increase our ...
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Oz post house Soundfirm opens China outpost
Australian post-production outfit Soundfirm, which has credits including Zhang Yimou's Hero and Moulin Rouge, has established an outpost in Beijing to provide services for both local and international projects. The Melbourne-based company has a strong track record with Asian film, stretching from Jackie Chan blockbuster Rumble In The Bronx through ...
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Five Italian films win Brazilian distribution
Five Italian films have found distribution in Brazil at the International Rio De Janeiro Film Festival (Sep 25 - Oct 9) after Italy became the first country to join an experimental international scheme aimed at encouraging the distribution of independent films across the world. The scheme, which operates under ...
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Intermission joins landmark year at Irish box office
Intermission hit the Euros 2m milestone for BVI at Irish cinemas on Wednesdaynight, adding to the lustre of 2003 as a landmark year at the local box officefor films made in Ireland. With several strong titles yet to be released in the final quarterIrish-made films have already reached a combined ...
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Agencies launch Writers and Artists Group International
Talent boutique Writersand Artists Agency (WAA) and music agency Artist Group International (AGI) havejoined forces under the banner of Writers and Artists Group International.Both companies, whichhave offices in New York and Los Angeles, will continue to operate as their ownbrands while also offering clients an enhanced and confluent service throughthe ...
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Valenti takes piracy fight to Europe
Inthe latest bid to stamp out piracy and the causes of piracy, MPAA chief JackValenti is heading for Dublin on Oct 11 to hold talks with Irish Prime MinisterBertie Ahern.Thefive-day trip is seen as an opportunity to urge Ahern and his top brass to takea lead on the anti-piracy fight ...
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Palm picks up Legend Of Leigh Bowery
PalmPictures and Arthouse Films have acquired worldwide distribution rights toCharles Atlas's The Legend Of Leigh Bowery and plan a New York releaseon Nov 21 with DVD and video to follow in 2004.Thedeal was negotiated for Palm Pictures and Arthouse Films by David Koh, head ofacquisitions and production, and Jose Martinez ...
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AFI Fest unveils 24 world premieres
Worldpremieres of Mark Sobel's Kennedy era drama The Commission and Lisa GayHamilton's profile of activist Beah Richards in Beah: A Black Woman Speaksare among an eclectic line-up unveiled by organisers of the AFI Fest 2003,which runs from Nov 6-16.Theroster of 134 international titles includes 72 world, North American and USpremieres ...
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MDP Worldwide changes name to Media 8 Entertainment
Reflectinga shift in business strategy towards production and financing, MDP Worldwidehas changed its name to Media 8 Entertainment.Media8 will continue to actively operate its in-house distribution division tolicense both international and domestic rights to its films."Media8 Entertainment is now one of the few independents in the marketplace that hasthe financial ...
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Castle Hill, Dream acquire What Alice Found
CastleHill Productions and Dream LLC have acquired US and English-speaking Canadianrights to A Dean Bell's award-winning crime drama What Alice Found.Thecompanies will jointly release the film in US theatres, starting with New Yorkon Dec 5 and Los Angeles and San Francisco on Dec 19.Thedeal was brokered by Dream LLC's chief ...
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Thompson joins Prisoner Of Azkaban
Emma Thompson has swelled the ranks of Warner Bros' ensemblecast on Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban after signing on to playthe eccentric professor of divination Sybll Trelawney.Thompson joins Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint,Maggie Smith, Robbie Coltrane, Alan Rickman, Gary Oldman, David Thewlis andMichael Gambon - who stepped ...
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H2V Entertainment prepares inaugural animated slate
H2VEntertainment, a Montreal-based production and distribution house that softlaunched in 2000, is approaching completion on its inaugural slate of threefully financed animation features.Manga Latina: Killer On The Loose, Monica Made In Americaand Pinatas are all aimed at the teen and young adult market and are dueto wrap in spring 2004.Fivemore ...
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Reviews
Carmen
Dir: Vicente Aranda. Sp-UK-It. 125 minsAs in any of the dozens of previous film versions of Carmen, the revelation in Vicente Aranda's latest take on the classic Merimee novel (rather than the Bizet opera) is Carmen herself, played here by actress Paz Vega. After provocative turns in Julio Medem's Sex ...