UK News – Page 811
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HanWay sees Afterlife with Gurinder Chadha
HanWay Films is starting worldwide sales here at the AFM on Gurinder Chadha's next film, It's A Wonderful Afterlife. The family comedy will start shooting in February 2009.Chadha bills the project as My Big Fat Greek Wedding meets Shaun Of The Dead. The film is set in multi-cultural London, where ...
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Profile: Nick Fraser, editor of BBC's Storyville
The economy of docs is more fragile than it was five years ago,' says Nick Fraser, one of the world's key players in the field as the editor of the BBC's Storyville, the public broadcaster's renowned international documentary strand. 'The promise has been fulfilled in the quality of titles but ...
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Aramid backs first German P&A fund for independents
Aramid Capital Partners (ACP) is behind the launch of PA CO, the first fund in Germany specialised in P&A financing for independent films.The Munich-based $ 12.5m (Euros 10m) fund will be headed by PA CO director and distribution veteran Manfred Wenzel who previously held senior positions at Kinowelt and VCL ...
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Aramid launches second entertainment fund, Aramid II
Following the success of its first entertainment fund (Aramid I), film financier Aramid Capital Partners has launched a second fund.The new fund was created to meet the growing demand for investment opportunities, following PricewaterhouseCooper's forecast of 7.3% growth in the global entertainment industry in 2009.Aramid I has raised $300m since ...
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Richard Jobson reignites the spirit of '77
The notion of punk cinema has been kicking around for a few years, based on the idea that a new generation of film-makers pick up a camera and take distribution into their own hands.Scottish film-maker Richard Jobson is an undisguised champion of the 'spirit of 1977' for film and he ...
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High School Musical ready to rock international marketplace
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures International (WDSMPI) will seek to mobilise the tweens this weekend as Disney Channel's smash High School Musical brand makes its first foray into theatres in the form of High School Musical 3: Senior Year.Zac Efron and his posse of all-singing, all-dancing friends step into more ...
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Slingshot and Pathe announce low budget multi-picture pact
Pathe and Slingshot have signed a deal which will see Pathe distribute a slate of four films produced by Slingshot, and co-financed with BBC Films and Screen West Midlands.The deal provides guaranteed UK theatrical distribution and international sales representation for no less than 4 titles, which will be selected from ...
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Stockholm International Film Festival dedicated to Sydney Pollack
The 19th edition of the Stockholm International Film Festival has unveiled its 2008 programme, screening more than 170 films from 40 countries.'And we are keeping up the momentum,' explained festival director Git Scheynius at today's (Oct 22) press conference in Stockholm; 'no less than a third of the entries are ...
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Berenice Fugard joins Optimum as head of acquisitions
Berenice Fugard has been appointed as head of acquisitions for StudioCanal and Optimum Releasing. She will be based in London and will report both to Optimum Releasing CEO Will Clarke, and Ron Halpern executive vice-president, international production and acquisitions for StudioCanal.Fugard will be responsible for acquiring films for Optimum Releasing ...
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Meirelles attends charity gala screening of Blindness in London
Fernando Meirelles is to attend a charity gala of his film Blindness in London in aid of charity ABC (Action for Brazil's Children) Trust.The screening at Apollo Cinemas Piccadilly Circus on October 31 will be the first time the film has played in the UK, coming a month before the ...
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UK initiative to bring female led comedy features to the big screen
Sally Phillips (Bridget Jones' Diary) and Olivia Poulet (Margaret, Killing me Softly) are among 13 women selected to take part in Last Laugh: Women Create Comedy, the new feature film development initiative from Warp X and Birds Eye View, supported by industry body Skillset.The initiative aims to bring female led ...
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UK Opposition party promises more Lottery money for film
A Conservative government would increase National Lottery-funded spending on film by 10%, shadow cultural secretary Jeremy Hunt told the Screen International UK Film Finance Summit.He said the oppositon - currently leading the government in opinion polls - was committed to the creative sector.'We recognise that the film industry is extremely ...
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Kenny Glenaan's Summer tops BAFTA Scotland film nominations
The Kenny Glenaan drama Summer leads the film nominations for this year's BAFTA Scotland awards. Click to see Screen review.Summer is one of three contenders for Best Film and has also secured nominations for Robert Carlyle's central performance and for Best Director. Carlyle stars a a middle-aged man facing up ...
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Alki David's 111 Pictures options Jeffrey Archer novel
A Prisoner Of Birth, the latest novel from flamboyant and controversial ex-politician Jeffrey Archer, is to be brought to the screen. The book has been optioned by 111 Pictures, the London-based production, distribution and sales company run by Alki David.The aim is to turn the novel into a four-hour mini-series. ...
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London Film Festival opens today with Frost/Nixon premiere.
The Times BFI London Film Festival (15-30 October) begins today with the world premiere of Ron Howard's Frost/Nixon. Click here for full previewHoward, cast-members Frank Langella, Michael Sheen, Kevin Bacon, Oliver Platt, Toby Jones, Matthew Macfadyen and subject of the film Sir David Frost were all expected at the premiere.Other ...
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Conservatives to outline UK film policy at Screen finance summit
Jeremy Hunt, UK shadow secretary of state for culture, media and sport, will outline the Conservatives alternative film policies in a keynote speech at Screen International's annual UK Film Finance Summit.Hunt's speech at London's Waldorf Hotel on Thursday will focus on an 'alternative blueprint for a sustainable UK film industry.'Click ...
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UK producer Mark Shivas dies age 70
British producer Mark Shivas has died aged 70 from cancer, it was confirmed today.Shivas was an immensely popular producer who was Head of Drama and then Head of Films at the BBC. He worked with many of the best British directors of his era as well as with several international ...
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The Blue Tower takes top UK prize at Raindance
Writer-director Smita Bhide's feature debut The Blue Tower has been named top UK feature at indie festival Raindance. The Southall-set film stars Abhin Galeya, Alice O'Connell, Indira Joshi in an intriguing cross-cultural thriller.Marcos Jorge's Estomago Rio award-winning melange of food, sex and power took the top international prize.The prizes were ...
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Met Film School launches four new industry degrees
Ealing Studios-based Met Film School has launched four new two-year degrees in film-industry specialist subject areas.The move follows last year's success with an intensive two-year BA in film-making.The new degrees are: BA Film & Television; BA Film & Digital Media; BA Film, Visual Effects & Animation; and BA Film & ...
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Preview: The Times BFI London Film Festival
There is a fierce debate about the future and the identity of The Times BFI London Film Festival (LFF). Stewart Till, chairman of the UK Film Council (UKFC) has made no secret of his desire to see the LFF transformed into a 'bigger, louder festival' with 'more impact on the ...