All articles by Tim Dams – Page 64
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UIP targets booming Russian market
UIP is considering opening its own distribution office in Russia, a country expected to become one of highest grossing cinema markets in Europe within five years.UIP currently distributes its films in Russia through East West, a local distributor which it has worked with for the past 13 years.A UIP source ...
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Knibbs quits UCI for Vue
Steve Knibbs has been appointed as chief operating officer of UK exhibitor Vue Entertainment. Knibbs will report to Tim Richards, CEO of Vue.Knibbs joins from United Cinemas International (UCI) where he was senior vice president, Northern Europe. Former Warner Village UK managing director Melyvn Angell has been tipped by many ...
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Blanchett retuns to Oz for Little Fish
Academy-Award nominee Cate Blanchett is set to return Australia early next year to work on one of the features in a new slate of films approved by the Film Finance Corporation Australia (FFC). Blanchett will play the lead in Little Fish, a drama set in 'Little Saigon' in Sydney's western ...
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UK distributors urge common policy on BAFTA screeners
Senior industry figures have called for all UK distributors - including those operating independently of the Hollywood studios - to agree a common line on whether or not to send out screening tapes to BAFTA members this year.The call follows Tuesday's controversial announcement by the Motion Picture Assocation of ...
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Optimum snares Van Sant's Elephant for UK
UK distributor Optimum Releasing has acquired the UK rights to 2003 Palme D'Or winner Elephant.The Gus Van Sant film was sold by HBO Films London.Elephant also collected the best director award at the Cannes Film Festival.Other recent Optimum acquisitions include Julie Bertucelli's Since Otar Left and Faouzi Bensaidi's A Thousand ...
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Four UK writers scoop funding for high concept pitches
The UK Film Council has unveiled the winners of its latest '25 Words Or Less' film initiative - which called on writers to pitch their concept for a romantic comedy, science fiction or teen movie in not more than 25 words. The four winners will each be awarded £10,000 in ...
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Ladies In Lavender kicks off for Dance
Charles Dance's directorial debut, Ladies In Lavender, has kicked off seven weeks of principal photography in Cornwall, London and at Pinewood Studios.Good Bye, Lenin! star Daniel Bruhl plays Andrea, a handsome and charismatic Polish castaway who is discovered by two spinsters - played by Dame Judi Dench and Dame Maggie ...
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UPI appoints Suzuki as Japan president
Universal Pictures International (UPI) has appointed Mutsumi Suzuki as president of Universal Pictures Japan (UPJ). Based in Tokyo, Suzuki will report to Wayne Borg, vice president, Universal Pictures, Latin America and Asia Pacific. The appointment is effective from Sept 30..Suzuki succeeds Tada Wakabayashi, who has held the role ...
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Online DVD rental market hots up in UK
Two ambitious online DVD rental services have launched into the UK within a week of each other - both looking to tap into the booming DVD market.Screenselect.co.uk is backed by the founder of Amazon UK, while the directors of rival service Videoisland.com include Simon Franks, chief executive of distributor Redbus.Both ...
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UK Film Council offers funds to short film-makers
The UK Film Council's New Cinema Fund is inviting filmmakers and production companies with unfinished short films to apply to the £50,000 Completion Fund. The Fund, now in its second year, was developed to provide vital funds for the completion of short film projects.The Completion Fund is part of the ...
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Dirty Pretty Things leads BIFA nominations
Stephen Frears' Dirty Pretty Things has emerged as the frontrunner for this year's British Independent Film Awards (BIFAs), earning seven nominations. Sixteen Years of Alcohol and Buffalo Soldiers received five nominations followed by Wilbur Wants To Kill Himself, Young Adam, In This World and Bright Young Things, each of which ...
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BSkyB chief Ball announces decision to step down
Tony Ball has officially confirmed that he is to step down from his job as chief executive of British Sky Broadcasting.Rumours of his departure have been circulating for the past week in the UK press, with James Murdoch - son of Rupert Murdoch - being tipped to replace him.Ball will ...
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Vatican cardinal backs Gibson's Passion
A top Vatican cardinal has praised Mel Gibson's controversial film The Passion as "a triumph of art" and has rejected fears it could spark a wave of anti-Semitism. Cardinal Dario Castrillon Hoyos, head of the Vatican department in charge of priests, who saw an unfinished version of the film, told ...
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UK producers pair up for Magic Light Pictures
UK producers Martin Pope and Michael Rose have joined forces to launch a new UK based film company Magic Light Pictures which they will jointly own and run.Specialising in comedy and family entertainment, Magic Light Pictures aims to produce talent driven, quality feature films for a worldwide, commercial audience - ...
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Scott Free's Tristan & Isolde begins shoot in Ireland
Filming has begun in Galway, Ireland on Scott Free's Tristan & Isolde, directed by Kevin Reynolds.Set in the Dark Ages, it is the story of a princess and young warrior's love affair which threatens to tear apart an uneasy peace between England and Ireland.Written by Dean Georgaris (Lara Croft Tomb ...
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UK Film Council calls on distributors to apply for support
The UK Film Council has called on film distribution companies planning to release British films at UK cinemas between Dec 1 and March 31, 2004 to apply for support from its UK Film Distribution Programme.The £1m funding programme is retrospective and aims to reward distributors who release British films in ...
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Zein named as chair of UK producers body Pact.
Tiger Aspect Productions managing director Andrew Zein is to replace Eileen Gallagher as chair of UK producers association, Pact. Margaret Matheson, managing director Bard Entertainment will continue as vice chair of film for a second year.Eileen Gallagher, managing director of Shed Productions and current chair of Pact said: "I've thoroughly ...
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Awards favourites line up for London Film Festival
The Times bfi London Film Festival (Oct 22 - Nov 6) has lined up a string of Oscar buzz films for its main programme up this year.The Festival opens with Jane Campion's psychological thriller In The Cut, starring Meg Ryan, Mark and Jennifer Jason Leigh. The Closing Night film is ...
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Pathe banks on UK production future
Pathe Pictures has secured a $32m (£20m) revolving facility deal with banks SG Corporate and Investment Banking (SG CIB) and Natexis Banques Populaires. The move signals Pathe's ambitions to continue backing big budget productions out of the UK after the expiry of its National Lottery franchise in Spring 2004, which ...
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Barclays to bankroll 'Valleywood'
Barclays Bank has emerged as the lead funder of Dragon International Film Studios, the planned international studio complex in Wales being championed by Lord Attenborough.The deal with Barclays is still subject to due diligence and a formal announcement of the bank's involvement is expected within a fortnight.Dubbed 'Valleywood', the £140m ...