ITV

Category: International

  • MPI Pictures launched

    MPI Pictures launched

    MUMBAI: Chicago-based MPI Media Group is launching a new theatrical distribution division, MPI Pictures, to handle six to eight theatrical releases per year – focusing on foreign-language films, indies and high-end genre fare.

    While Greg Newman, executive vice president of MPI Media Group, will oversee the new division, Marie Therese Guirgis has come aboard as head of theatrical distribution. Additionally, Emily Woodburne and marketing executive Dan Goldberg have been hired to help oversee the initial slate.

    “The mission is to buy films and release films theatrically that appeal to at least a broad niche demographically,” Guirgis has reportedly said.

    The new entity is kicking off with an initial slate of seven films, which it has been assembling since last fall, and Newman and Guirgis will be heading to the upcoming Cannes Film Market to scout additional titles.

    While MPI is primarily a home entertainment company, it has also begun producing and releasing genre movies, through its Dark Sky Films, such as Ti West‘s horror tale The Innkeepers, released through Magnolia, and Jim Mickle’s Stake Land, released by IFC. By creating its own distribution company, it will be able to release its own future productions itself.

    MPI’s initial slate has films from Petra Eopperlein and Michael Tucker’s mixed martial arts documentary Fightville, which received a limited theatrical release April 20, since it is primarily intended for the VOD and digital markets, to the French feature Little White Lies, directed by Guillame Canet, which is scheduled to open Aug. 24 as a traditional platform New York/Los Angeles release before expanding to the top 20 markets or more.

    The slate also includes: A Bag of Hammers, starring Jason Ritter and Rebecca Hall and directed by Brian Crano, May 11; Americano, directed by Mathieu Demy and starring Demy and Salma Hayek, June 15; The Big Picture, directed by Eric Lartigau and starring Romain Durais and Catherine Deneuve, October; Yelling to the Sky, directed by Victoria Mahoney and starring Zoe Kravitz and Jason Clark, January, 2013; and The Heineken Kidnapping, directed by Maarten Treurniet and starring Rutger Hauer.

  • CenemaCon’s Lifetime achievement award to Stallone

    CenemaCon’s Lifetime achievement award to Stallone

    MUMBAI: Sylvester Stallone has been presented with a lifetime achievement award at CinemaCon in Las Vegas. “Sylvester Stallone has proven himself time and time again to be a prolific actor, writer and director over the years.
    Throughout his incredible career spanning nearly 40 years, Stallone has established his ability to continually captivate his audiences,” CinemaCon general manager Mitch Neuhauser has been quoted to have said.
    Stallone, who made his big screen return with the 2010 box office hit The Expendables is currently orking on prison thriller The Tomb along with fellow action star Arnold Schwarzenegger.

  • Avengers gets off to a flying start overseas

    Avengers gets off to a flying start overseas

    MUMBAI: Opening last Wednesday, the Marvel Studios and Disney latest release The Avengers has got off to a flying start in the international box office scene after it notched up the second-highest opening of all time in Australia behind Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2.

    The film grossed $6 million compared to $7 million (Deathly Hallows Part 2) while it opened 214 per cent ahead of Iron Man 2 ($1.8 million). To boot, Avengers posted the biggest opening day ever in New Zealand after earning $800,000. The film also grossed $3 million when it also opened in France.
    Avengers, which has begun its foreign rollout a week ahead of its domestic launch scheduled on May 4. The film is setting down in a total of 42 foreign markets this weekend.

    The film is expected to break all box office records both domestically and overseas. IMAX is playing the film in many of its theatres overseas.

  • SEC sends letters of inquiry to film studios about China deals

    SEC sends letters of inquiry to film studios about China deals

    MUMBAI: The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has sent letters of inquiry to at least five movie studios in the past two months, including News Corp’s 20th Century Fox, Disney, and DreamWorks Animation seeking information about potentially inappropriate payments to government officials in China.
    The letters ask for information about potential inappropriate payments and how the companies dealt with certain government officials in China. The SEC is said to be investigating whether the American entertainment companies have paid bribes or had any illegal dealings with Chin se officials.
    China has become a top priority for American entertainment companies looking to take advantage of its booming population and love of entertainment. The state-owned China Film Group tightly limits the number of foreign releases allowed in the country to about 20 per year, though in February a deal was cut to allow more American films to screen in the country.
    If true, an investigation could lead to prosecution for violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, which makes it illegal for Americans to pay bribes to foreign government officials in order to facilitate their business dealings.
    While the law has been on the books in the US since the ‘70s, it has not been properly put to use yet.
    The total Chinese box office has soared in recent years with multiplexes coming up by the dozens. In 2009-10, James Cameron’s Avatar grossed more than $193 million in China, helping the film to become the highest-grossing film of all time.

  • Korean film fest in Hollywood from 23 June

    Korean film fest in Hollywood from 23 June

    MUMBAI: The first ever Look East: Korean Film Festival will take place on 23 and 24 June in Hollywood with a weekend of notable Korean film talent.

    Headed by producer Martha Chang, the fest will take advantage of the fact that Los Angeles has the largest population of people of Korean descent outside Korea. “Korea and its influences, whether it be in movies, food or music, seems to be everywhere,” said Chang.

    Directors whose work will screen at the event include Kwon Taek Im, Jee-woon Kim and Chang-dong Lee while champion of Korean cinema Pierre Rissient will be recognized for his contributions to Asian films.

    As part of the celebration, stars from Korea including actors Byung-hun Lee and Sung-ki Ahn will cast their hand and footprints at Grauman‘s Chinese Theatre where screenings will also be held.

  • Fox embraces digitization, to stop distributing 35mm films within two years

    Fox embraces digitization, to stop distributing 35mm films within two years

    MUMBAI: Bringing an end to 35mm film prints, 20th Century Fox has become the first major Hollywood studio to officially announce that it will distribute all of its films domestically in a digital format within the next year or two. bringing an end to 35mm film prints, according to National Association of Theatre Owners president-CEO John Fithian.

    “Last year, I stood on this stage and predicted that domestic distribution of movies in the format of celluloid film could cease by the end of 2013. That prediction is becoming a reality,” Fithian has reportedly said. “As a letter from our friends at Fox confirms, no one should rely on the distribution of film prints much longer.And we know that most other distributors share that belief,” he added.
     
    The CEO said that 27,000 US screens have been converted to digital, more than two-thirds of the total. He also promised that efforts to help smaller cinema operators convert to digital continue in earnest. The movement to digital is designed to cut down dramatically on print fees and projection costs.

    Fithian and Motion Picture Association of America chairman and CEO Chris Dodd were speaking at a press briefing. Dodd suggested that the rift between Hollywood and Silicon Valley over recent online piracy legislation could solve itself without congressional input if the sides can come to an nderstanding.

    He said that entertainment companies and technology firms could sign a memo of understanding whereby piracy sites are identified by certain means, but he didn‘t rule out another round of legislation that could be supported by both sides. He also conceded the consumer was left out of the discussion by the MPAA during the SOPA battle.

    On the subject of premium VOD, both speakers said studios and exhibitors no longer are feuding over the topic and are working to find an acceptable compromise.

  • Australian HC rejects studios’ allegations on infringement

    Australian HC rejects studios’ allegations on infringement

    MUMBAI: The Australian High Court has dismissed allegations of a group of international and Australian studios who said that Perth-based iiNet authorised the infringement of their copyright when its customers downloaded movies and television programs.
    The entertainment industry claimed that iiNet, Australia‘s third-largest ISP, should be punished for illegal video downloads made by its customers. In 2010, Australia‘s Federal Court said companies like iiNet could not be held accountable for Internet piracy. The case put forward by thirty four American and Australian film, television and music companies including Warner Bros, Disney and 20th Century Fox was seen as an ambitious attempt to force Internet service providers to act against piracy.
    But the Australian Federation Against Copyright Theft (FACT) insisted that the judgment set a dangerous precedent that allowed ISPs to ignore the widespread plundering of online material. Though its appeal has been thrown out by Australia‘s highest court but its managing director Neil Gane feels that tougher anti-piracy laws will follow soon.
    “We are disappointed by today‘s decision. You know the judges in the High Court have, you know, unanimously recognized that legislative change is now required to deal with the widespread copyright infringements that are occurring across Australian networks,” Gane has reportedly said.
    The global film and television industry says it will now pursue other avenues including targeting software developers who help internet users watch illegally downloaded videos.

  • Lindsay Lohan yet to sign for Elizabeth Taylor film

    Lindsay Lohan yet to sign for Elizabeth Taylor film

    MUMBAI: Lindsay Lohan, who is yet to sign her contract to play the late Elizabeth Taylor in a new film, is planning on signing the contract this week if all proceeds as scheduled. The major parts of the contract are in place and all that is needed now is signatures of Lindsay and the producers of the project.
    Lohan will play Taylor who died of congestive heart failure last year in a forthcoming film. The shooting of the film is due to start in just a few weeks in Canada.
    Recently it was claimed that the makers behind the film were concerned about her ability to tell the truth after conflicting reports of an alleged altercation with Marisa Dugas at the Chateau Marmont hotel. The star claims that she was not at the hotel on 5 April but the woman has filed a police report accusing her of battery.

    Two further reports have been given, claiming Lindsay – who was released from probation last month – was present at the party.

  • Think Like a Man debuts with $33 million

    Think Like a Man debuts with $33 million

    MUMBAI: Think Like a Man scored one of the best openings in recent memory for an African-American themed film debuting at $33 million. It may well topple Liongate‘s blockbuster The Hunger Games which has now grossed $357 million domestically.
    Think Like a Man is about four men whose love lives are disrupted when their partners begin using advice from Harvey‘s book and received an A CinemaScore. The film made for a modest $12 million to $13 million, follows the success of Screen Gems‘ The Vow and Underworld Awakening earlier this year, and marks another victory for Screen Gems‘ Clint Culpepper.
    “In terms of African-American themed films, Think Like a Man exceeded many of Tyler Perry‘s recent films. Perry‘s Good Deeds debuted to $15.6 million earlier this year, while last year‘s Madea‘s Big Happy Family opened to $25.1 million last year.
    Warner Bros.‘ film adaptation of Nicholas Sparks‘ The Lucky One came in at No. 2 turning in a better-than-expected $22.8 million in a boost for Zac Efron. The film received a B+ CinemaScore.
    Overseas, Lucky One opened to a strong $3.8 milion from only nine territories, with $2.5 million coming from Australia, where it bumped holdover Battleship from the No. 1 spot.
    After ruling the domestic box office for four consecutive weekends, the most since Avatar — Lionsgate‘s Hunger Games fell to No. 3, grossing $14.5 million for a domestic total of $357 million.

  • Two couples in Ridley Scott’s The Counsellor

    Two couples in Ridley Scott’s The Counsellor

    MUMBAI: Penelope Cruz may star along husband Javier Bardem and Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt in the upcoming Ridley Scott film The Counselor.

    Earlier, Cruz and Bardem have worked together when they appeared in the 1992 film Jamon Jamon and later in 2008 in Woody Allen‘s Vicky Christina Barcelona.

    In addition to Bardem, the gritty drama based on the McCarthy novel of the same name Michael Fassbender and Brad Pitt have already signed on to co-star in the film.
    Also in talks is Jolie, though she may have trouble balancing the part with her starring role in Maleficent that releases in 2014.