Small MPU – Page 703

  • News

    Cannes Europe Day takes global distribution theme

    2006-04-27T09:30:00Z

    The CannesFilm Festival has announced plans for its fourth annual Europe Day to take placeon May 23.The maintheme to be discussed will be "European Films Go Global;" with discussionscentering on getting European films seen on as many screens around the world aspossible.Filmprofessionals will gather with European culture ministers and representativesof ...

  • News

    Christen to head Tokyo operations for Unifrance

    2006-04-27T09:30:00Z

    French film export body Unifrance has named Valerie-Anne Christen to head up its operations in Tokyo.The posting was announced Wednesday with Christen set to run Asian affairs for the organisation outside China, Hong Kong and Taiwan which are overseen by Christine Pernin based in Beijing.Christen was formerly head of international ...

  • Reviews

    Middletown

    2006-04-27T00:00:00Z

    Dir: Brian Kirk. UK-Ire. 2006.90mins.The feature debut of Northern Ireland-born TV andcommercials director Brian Kirk, Middletownis a melodramatic brew of family rivalries and religious fervour set in anisolated Irish village in the 1960s. The film is marked out by some strongacting, and its theatrical prospects will certainly be boosted by ...

  • News

    Annaud feature in talks for Iberian shoot

    2006-04-27T00:00:00Z

    Spanish studio Ciudad De LaLuz is in advance negotiations to bring Jean-Jacques Annaud'slatest feature to its sound stages. Minor,which is billed as a mythological and pagan comedy set in an era before Homer,is scheduled to shoot around the end of the year.The French film-maker's newproject - produced with Xavier Castano ...

  • News

    German media funds lobby for access to private capital

    2006-04-27T15:07:00Z

    The German mediafund lobby group Bundesverband PrivatkapitalFilm & Medien (BPFM) has entered the debate onthe future of film financing in Germany as the Angela Merkel administrationprepares to unveil a new financial instrument by July 1. In a ten-pointplan, BPFM managing director and media lawyer Robert Strassercalled for "a practical regulation ...

  • News

    Bavaria sells Into Great Silence to four more territories

    2006-04-27T15:22:00Z

    TheUK's Soda Pictures and Australia's DendyFilms are among the latest distributors to have picked up Philip Groening's documentary IntoGreat Silence on life in the legendary Carthusianorder of monks.Salesagent Bavaria Film International has also sold all rights to Canada's Mongrel Media and France's Diaphana,joining previous sales made since the film's premiere ...

  • News

    Finland's Salmenpera starts Man's Job shoot

    2006-04-27T16:05:00Z

    Finnishdirector Aleksi Salmenpera has started shooting his second feature Man's Job (Miehen tyo).Salmenpera also wrote Man'sJob, the story of an unemployed man who becomes a gigolo to support hisfamily. The cast features Tommi Korpela, JaniVolanen and Maria Heiskanen. Petri Jokiranta and TeroKaukomaa are producing forBlind Spot Pictures. They expect delivery ...

  • News

    Canadian, Greek shoot starts for Podeswa's Fugitive Pieces

    2006-04-27T16:21:00Z

    Serendipity Point Films has started principal photography on its drama Fugitive Pieces. Jeremy Podeswa isdirecting and also adapted the screenplay from Anne Michaels' book of the samename. The story follows a Jewish-Polish boy who is orphaned during WWII, saved bya Greek archaelogist, and later finds love as an adult living ...

  • News

    Princess, The Host are early picks for Directors Fortnight

    2006-04-27T16:36:00Z

    The Cannes Directors Fortnight sidebar will open with Danishanimated/live-action film Princess. This is the first time in 29 years that a Danishfilm has made the Fortnight cut.The 80% animated, 20% live-action work is directed by first-time featuredirector Anders Morgenthaler, whose short Araki- The Killing of a Japanese Photographer was shown ...

  • News

    Cannes police threaten symbolic strike on festival's opening day

    2006-04-27T16:00:00Z

    Municipal police in Cannes have threatened to strike for less than one houron the opening day of the Cannes Film Festival, May 17.Agence France Presse reports that disgruntled police officers unhappy withsanctions, pressures and insufficient safety measures have said they willregister their formal intent to strike on May 10 should ...

  • News

    Cronica De Una Fuga moves into Cannes competition

    2006-04-27T17:11:00Z

    As Cannes Festival artistic director Thierry Fremaux predicted, there has been an addition to theofficial competition for this year's festival.CronicaDe Una Fugaby Adrian Caetano has moved from Un Certain Regard tothe main competition section while Murali K. Thalluri's debut Two Thirty 7, has been placed in UnCertain Regard. The first ...

  • News

    The Works takes on Scenes of a Sexual Nature

    2006-04-27T17:39:00Z

    The Works International hastaken on international sales for Ed Blum's Scenesof a Sexual Nature, which will have its market debut at Cannes. The film, written by Aschlin Ditta, follows sevencouples during a summer afternoon around London's Hampstead Heath. Blum also produced the film, with VadimJean and Suran Goonatilake servingas executive ...

  • News

    Vivendi Universal merger deal only days away

    2000-06-15T18:33:00Z

    It looks as if Vivendi chairman Jean-Marie Messier will be saying 'Bonjour Hollywood' within just a matter of days after both he and his prospective second-in-command Edgar Bronfman Jr separately confirmed that their hot-and-heavy negotiations to take over Seagram are all but wrapped up. The resulting Paris-based media and communications ...

  • News

    Universal hires Duncan Clark as international distribution evp

    2006-04-27T00:00:00Z

    Universal Pictures has made a key appointment ahead of next year'smove towards complete autonomy in overseas operations, hiring Duncan Clark asexecutive vice president of international distribution.Clark, who spent 13 years at Columbia TriStar Film Distributors International(CTFDI) and the last four as president, will be based in London and reportdirectly to ...

  • News

    Epstein rejoins Littles at Little Film Company

    2006-04-28T00:00:00Z

    Los Angeles-based productionand worldwide sales company Little Film Company has hired Clay Epstein as vicepresident of sales and acquisitions.Epstein will report directlyto company chiefs Robbie and Ellen Little and will oversee sales, distributionand marketing of the slate, as well as identifying potential acquisitions.Prior to joining The LittleFilm Company, Epstein served ...

  • News

    Meltdown to soar past $350m for Fox International

    2006-04-28T00:00:00Z

    Ice Age 2: The Meltdown was due to cross $350m by the end of the week andFox International executives expect it to remain the dominant tile heading intothe three-day weekend.Strong holdovers in allmarkets will add considerably to the $349m international running total reportedby the close of Apr 27. China will ...

  • News

    Podeswa's Fugitive Pieces starts for Serendipity Point in Canada, Greece

    2006-04-28T00:00:00Z

    Production has begun inToronto and the Greek islands of Lesbos and Hydra on Serendipity Point Films'long-gestating drama Fugitive Pieces.The film marks a return tomovies for Jeremy Podeswa, a now experienced TV director who hasn't made a feature since The Five Senses in1999. Toronto-based SerendipityPoint founder Robert Lantos is producing the ...

  • News

    Palfrey, Wittering among titles at Jackson Hole

    2006-04-28T00:00:00Z

    Dan Ireland's Mrs PalfreyAt The Claremont, David Scheinmann'scomedy The West Wittering Affairand Jackie Oudney's VagaBond Shoesare among the line-up in the upcoming Jackson Hole Film Festival in Yellowstone,US.Also screening are severalSundance entries, among them UK filmmakers Nick and Marc Francis' coffeedocumentary Black Gold, Hilary Brougher'sdrama Stephanie Daley, and HamTran's Vietnamese ...

  • News

    Asia, Latin America boost involvement in Cannes Market

    2006-04-28T10:29:00Z

    Despite the lack of Asian films in official selection this year, producers,distributors and sales agents from the region are upping their participation atthe Cannes Market.Market president Jerome Paillard told ScreenDaily.comthat the current overall inscription rate is up 8% over last year with morethan 10,000 participants.Most notably, Asian involvement is up ...

  • News

    Spain's Dygra Films to launch sales division

    2006-04-28T00:00:00Z

    Spanish animation producer Dygra Films will launch an international sales departmentat the upcoming Cannes Film Festival.Dygra executive producer Tania Pinto DaCunha, formerly of London's HanWay and Spain's Lolafilms, will head thenew Madrid-based department, working with sales executive Lucas Mackey.Lumina Films' Marina Fuenteswill act as temporary sales consultant and continue to ...