Small MPU – Page 3569

  • News

    Celluloid Dreams picks up Royston Tan's 4:30

    2005-12-15T20:30:00Z

    French sales outfit CelluloidDreams has acquired worldwide rights excluding Japan and Singapore to 4:30, the latest film from young Singapore writer/director Royston Tan whose credits include 15.The film is a quiet andintrospective drama about urban loneliness with only two main characters, aChinese boy and his Korean tenant. "We view 4:30 ...

  • News

    Becker Films sells Control to four territories

    2005-12-15T20:30:00Z

    Becker Films International(BFI) has signed off on four deals for Control,the upcoming biopic about Joy Division front man Ian Curtis. Paradiso has thefilm in Benelux, La Fabrique de Film in France, Momentum Pictures in the UK and sister companyDendy in Australia and New Zealand."It seems to have struck achord with ...

  • News

    Atmo and Zentropa to partner on animation film

    2005-12-15T00:00:00Z

    Swedishproduction outfit Atmo and Lars Von Trier's Zentropa are partneringon an unusual new cartoon venture - an adult-themed, English-language animatedsatire which promises to lay bare the political tensions at the heart of modernEurope.Metro, asthe animated feature is called, is written and directed by TarikSaleh (whose Guantanamo Bay documentary Gitmo received ...

  • Reviews

    Hoodwinked

    2005-12-16T05:00:00Z

    Dir: Cory Edwards. US.2005. 81mins.Written and directed by a trio of virtually unknownfilm-makers, computer animated family comedy Hoodwinked feels like a cheap and cheerful cross between Shrek and Looney Tunes. The cheapness - mostlyexposed in relatively rudimentary CG work - makes Shrek-level theatrical successunlikely; but the cheeriness of this sassy ...

  • Reviews

    Lassie

    2005-12-16T05:00:00Z

    Dir/scr: Charles Sturridge. UK-Ire-Fr-US 2005.Hansomely crafted, full of lively performancesfrom both animals and humans, and with far more satirical bite than might havebeen expected, Charles Sturridge's Lassie is a richlysatisfying affair.In drawing his inspirationdirectly from Eric Knight's 1938 story, Sturridge hastaken the famous collie away from Hollywood and back to ...

  • News

    Obaba and Princesas dominate the 20th Goya Awards

    2005-12-15T00:00:00Z

    Montxo Armendariz's Obaba and Fernando Leon's Princesses are the frontrunners in the nominations for the 20th anniversary edition of Spain's Oscar-equivalent Goya Awards, which will take place January 29.Obaba, a Basque Country-set adaptation of an award-winning novel, earned 10 nominations including in the best film and director categories. The movie ...

  • News

    Martin Lawrence nearly dethrones M: I 2

    2000-06-05T01:01:00Z

    20th Century Fox's Martin Lawrence-starrer Big Momma's House opened with a surprisingly strong $25.6m (estimated) over the weekend at the North American box office, giving Paramount's Mission: Impossible 2 a run for its money. However, the Tom Cruise action adventure clung to the top spot with $27m in its second ...

  • News

    Academy rejects Dutch Oscar entry

    2005-12-15T00:00:00Z

    Dutch Oscar candidate, Bluebirdhas been rejected for this season's Academy Awards. The film was first made fortelevision and therefore does not qualify. Bluebirddid get its theatrical release, but only after its premiere on television. Producer Egmond Film tried topersuade the Academy to accept Bluebirdbut to no avail. The Netherlandswill now ...

  • News

    Obaba and Princesas dominate the Goyas

    2005-12-15T00:00:00Z

    Montxo Armendariz's Obaba andFernando Leon's Princesses are thefrontrunners in the nominations for the 20th anniversary edition of Spain's Oscar-equivalent Goya Awards, which willtake place January 29.Obaba, aBasque Country-set adaptation of an award-winning novel, earned 10 nominationsincluding in the best film and director categories. The movie is Spain's nomination to the ...

  • News

    Egypt's bid to try and entice foreign production

    2005-12-15T00:00:00Z

    In a bid to compete with Moroccofor foreign productions coming to North Africa and the Middle East, Egyptian filmindustry officials are expected to recommend a single government entity to handlelocation shoot permissions, replacing the Byzantine system of multipleauthorities that exists now. Film industry veterans led by producer Khaled Alkhamissi are ...

  • News

    Peter La Terriere to produce Quiver

    2005-12-15T00:00:00Z

    Ex-Trainspotting hardman and former Bond villain RobertCarlyle is to star as Cupid in a new romantic comedy, Quiver, being set up by London-based First Foot Films. Frenchactress Virginie Ledoyen (The Beach) will play the woman whobreaks his heart. Also in the cast is James McAvoy.Scripted by Liam Gavin, Quiver is ...

  • News

    Gerardmer elects Hideo Nakata as President

    2005-12-15T00:00:00Z

    TheGerardmer Fantastic Film Festival (January 25-29 2006) has named director Hideo Nakata as president of the main jury for its13th edition. TheJapanese thrill master has previously been to Gerardmerwith Ring in 2000 and Dark Water in 2003 which took both thecritics and grand prizes that year.Frenchwriter, director and actor Sam ...

  • News

    TPS and Canal Plus back at the negotiating table

    2005-12-15T00:00:00Z

    FollowingSunday's announcement of merger negotiations between rival satellite platformsTPS and Canal Plus, France's writers, directors, producersassociation (ARP) has called for careful reflection by the government beforeallowing such a marriage.In a pressrelease, ARP stressed the importance of meeting with government officials inorder to "reinforce the conditions of maintenance and development ofindependent ...

  • News

    New Spanish studio secures its first international production

    2005-12-15T00:00:00Z

    Additional reporting by Nancy Tartaglione-VialatteThe third installment in France'shugely popular Asterix series will shoot at Spain'snew City of Light studio complexnext year, marking the studio's first major international production.The budget of around $95.6m (80m Euros)Asterix At The Olympic Games (AsterixAux Jeux Olympiques) isexpected to begin shooting next May or June ...

  • News

    Sogepaq sells Goya-nominated Virgins to US

    2005-12-15T00:00:00Z

    Spain's Sogepaq has sold allrights for the US to Picture This! Entertainment on Alberto Rodriguez's coming-of-age drama 7Virgins (7 Virgenes).The announcement comes onthe same day the film turned heads with six nominations for the Spanish FilmAcademy's Goya Awards including in the best film, director and original scriptcategories.7 Virgins, a Tesela ...

  • News

    Kong opening day strong, but not record-breaking

    2005-12-15T00:00:00Z

    King Kong fell short of delivering the gargantuandomestic opening day results Universal executives had been hoping for onWednesday as the picture generated approximately $9.8m from 3,568 theatres.Studiospokespeople quickly shifted their focus to the weekend, predicting mightygrosses on the back of strong word-of-mouth."We knew weweren't launching a sequel and it's at ...

  • News

    Vitale sets new roots as president of First Look

    2005-12-16T04:00:00Z

    Former ParamountClassics co-head Ruth Vitale has joined First Look Studios as president.Reporting tostudio chief executive officer Henry Winterstern, Vitale will oversee thetheatrical division, working closely with First Look International and FirstLook Home Entertainment.Vitale's arrivalcomes during a period of ramping-up for the company, which recently brought inKen DuBow as executive vice ...

  • News

    Telefonica buys 25% of producer Media Park

    2000-06-05T01:11:00Z

    Spanish telecoms giant Telefonica has acquired a 25% stake in Barcelona-based content producer and broker Media Park in a transaction worth a reported $60m (pts10,500m). The shares will be managed by Telefonica subsidiary Telefonica Media. Local reports suggest that Telefonica paid as much as five times what Media Park shares ...

  • News

    Emerging to re-release 1972 Oscar winner in US

    2005-12-16T00:00:00Z

    Emerging Pictures will re-release 1972's Oscar-winning documentaryMarjoe on Jan 13 2006at New York's IFC Center theatre, followed by a wider roll-out.Howard Smith and Sarah Kernochan's feature chronicles the life andtimes of faith healer Marjoe Gortner, whose charisma and dynamic style ensuredcapacity crowds in arenas across America.'Emerging Pictures is thrilled to ...

  • News

    Willis to star in intense drama for Ziskin, Relativity

    2005-12-16T04:00:00Z

    Bruce Willis will star inthe drama Morgan's Summitfor Laura Ziskin Productions and Relativity Media.Relativity also arrangedfinancing and partners Ryan Kavanaugh and Lynwood Spinks will serve asexecutive producers alongside producer Ziskin.Arclight Films is handlinginternational sales on the project, which is set to begin filming in LosAngeles next year.Dead Poets Society screenwriter ...