Small MPU – Page 4291

  • News

    Sony closes German film production arm

    2003-03-12T00:00:00Z

    Sony Pictures Entertainment's (SPE) German production arm Deutsche Columbia Pictures Filmproduktion (DCPF) is to be closed down due to "the difficulties of the media market and the downward box-office trends in Germany", according to SPE chairman and CEO John Calley. "It just makes more sense for us to refocus our ...

  • News

    New co-production market to be launched at Las Palmas film fest

    2003-03-13T04:05:00Z

    The fourth edition of the Las Palmas International Film Festival (March 28-April 5), is to introduce a new co-production market: EuroForum (April 3-5).The event follows a growing and successful new trend in festivals whereby film projects in their early stages are presented to potential co-producers, financiers and distributors. Organisers say ...

  • News

    Saban, TF1 venture left as sole bidder for KirchMedia

    2003-03-12T00:00:00Z

    In a surprise development, German publisher Heinrich Bauer has withdrawn from the bidding for the KirchMedia empire, leaving the way open for US media mogul Haim Saban and partner TF1.However, Bauer spokesman Andreas Fritzenkoetter stressed that his company's "interest in a commitment in ProSiebenSat.1 Media AG and the rights trading ...

  • News

    International specialist Heller promoted at Paramount Home Ent

    2003-03-13T04:00:00Z

    Amy Heller has been promotedto vice president of planning and business development at Paramount HomeEntertainment (PHE), senior vice president of planning JC Galiana announcedtoday (Mar 12). Heller, who has been with PHE since 1998, previously held theposition of executive director of planning and business development and isresponsible for executing the ...

  • News

    Artisan, Miramax complete Dirty Dancing 2 cast

    2003-03-13T04:00:00Z

    HavanaNights: Dirty Dancing 2co-producers and co-financers Artisan Entertainment and Miramax Films haveannounced final casting on the follow-up to the 1987 original. Set inrevolution-era Cuba in 1958, the story centres on a romance between Katey, a17-year-old American girl whose family has moved to Cuba, and Javier, a Cubanman. Principal photography is ...

  • News

    Alliance Atlantis acquires The Station Agent

    2003-03-13T04:00:00Z

    Alliance Atlantis hasacquired international rights (excluding the English-speaking world and Italy)to The Station Agent, one of thehits of this year's Sundance Film Festival. Written and directed by TomMcCarthy, the film won the 2003 Audience Award and the Waldo Salt screenwritingprize at the festival where Miramax Films bought rights in the ...

  • News

    J Lo to teach dance moves to Gere in Miramax remake

    2003-03-13T04:00:00Z

    Jennifer Lopezis in negotiations to star with Richard Gere in Miramax Films' remake of1996 Japanese megahit Shall We Dance' which Peter Chelsom will direct. The film would markLopez's third film with Miramax after Jersey Girl which is scheduled to open in Nov in theUS and An Unfinished Life which starts ...

  • Reviews

    The Grudge

    2003-03-13T00:00:00Z

    Dir: Takashi Shimizu. Japan. 2003. 92mins.The Grudge (Juon), the scare-a-minute hit by newcomer Takashi Shimizu, is the latest Japanese horror film to join the Tokyo-to-Hollywood parade, with Sam Raimi's Ghost House Pictures picking up the remake rights and hiring Shimizu to direct the US version. It is hardly surprising, given ...

  • News

    New president of RAI quits after six days

    2003-03-13T00:00:00Z

    Paolo Mieli has stepped down as president of RAI just six days after being appointed to the position and without once having stepped into the Italian state broadcaster's headquarters.Mieli, the former editor of the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, cited 'political and technical difficulties' behind his resignation, and that he ...

  • Reviews

    Tears Of The Sun

    2003-03-13T00:00:00Z

    Dir: Antoine Fuqua. US. 2003. 118mins Will they or won't they' Sony Pictures is denying a report in the Los Angeles Times that, due to the unusually high level of anti-American sentiment around the world, the studio plans to delay the international release of its new military-themed action/drama, Tears Of ...

  • News

    Online Film Fest premieres Figgis' DV feature

    2000-02-04T01:08:00Z

    Mike Figgis' experimental Time Code, the first digital video production to be fully financed and released by a Hollywood studio, will have its world premiere at the Yahoo! Internet Life Online Film Festival on March 22 in Los Angeles.A dark comedy thriller about Hollywood filmmaking, Time Code was backed by ...

  • News

    Tears Of The Sun

    2003-03-13T00:00:00Z

  • News

    Industry prepares for 2004 pre-Oscar calendar crush

    2003-03-14T04:05:00Z

    With much of the film industry focused on the Oscars later this month, it's hard to believe that anybody could be thinking about next year's Academy Awards ceremony.Yet that's what many senior figures in charge of film festivals and awards ceremonies worldwide are doing right now - thanks to the ...

  • News

    Video rental windows face extinction

    2003-03-14T04:05:00Z

    Video rental windows around the world could soon be a thing of the past, home entertainment experts predicted this week after an eight-month stand-off in the UK between video giant Blockbuster and Warner Bros came to an abrupt end.An agreement between the studio and the world's biggest home entertainment player ...

  • News

    Vivendi offloads Babelsberg tour and theme park

    2003-03-14T04:05:00Z

    Vivendi Deutschland has offloaded its 100% interest in Babelsberg studio tour and theme park to Schatz Entertainment GmbH und Co. Filmpark Babelsberg KG in line with the French media empire's concentration on core activities at the film and television production centre.Commenting on the takeover by former studio tour manager Friedhelm ...

  • News

    The Hours to receive German Film Award

    2003-03-14T04:05:00Z

    Stephen Daldry's drama The Hours has been named as this year's winner of the German Film Award's golden Lola statuette for best foreign film.The film, which has been nominated for nine Academy Awards, will be released in Germany by Constantin Film for Highlight Film on March 27 and receive the ...

  • News

    German Film Board hands out record amount of cash

    2003-03-14T04:05:00Z

    A record Euros 22.6m in retroactive "reference" funding is to be distributed to around 100 German producers and distributors by the German Federal Film Board (FFA) for successful theatrical releases of German films in 2002. Last year, the FFA had handed out Euros 21.6m. The Oscar-nominated Nowhere In Africa and ...

  • News

    New head of production appointed at Nordisk Film

    2003-03-13T00:00:00Z

    Norwegian producer Aage Aaberge has been named head of feature film production at Nordisk Film & TV in Norway to boost the company's production volume. This also means that the Nordisk-controlled Northern Lights is merged into Nordisk Film & TV. Former Lights chief Axel Helgeland, who produced I Am Dina, ...

  • News

    Warner Village Cinemas in talks to sell UK circuit

    2003-03-13T00:00:00Z

    Less than a week after the UK's largest exhibitor Odeon Cinemas was sold for $694m, it has emerged that Warner Bros International Theatres (WBIT) and Village Roadshow are also in discussions for the sale of their UK joint venture Warner Village Cinemas. A WBIT spokesperson confirmed that negotiations were taking ...

  • News

    Sir Alan joins board of governors at BAFTA/LA

    2003-03-14T04:00:00Z

    Sir Alan Parker is to jointhe board of governors of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts/LosAngeles (BAFTA/LA), it was announced today (Mar 14) by Gary Dartnall, thechairman of the board of directors of BAFTA/LA. Parker will take his place amonga who's who of film-makers and performers that includes ...