Category: International

Sony Pictures acquires rights to Jacques Audiard’s Rust & Bone

MUMBAI: Sony Pictures Classics has acquired all North American, Latin American and Eastern European rights to Jacques Audiard‘s directorial venture Rust & Bone from Hengameh Panahi of Celluloid Dreams.

The film, which recently wrapped production, was co-written by Jacques Audiard and Thomas Bidegain and adapted from the acclaimed book of short stories by Craig Davidson.

Just as he did with the prison genre in A Prophet, Jacques Audiard will renew the love story with Rust & Bone.

Rust & Bone stars Academy Award winner Marion Cotillard (Midnight in Paris) and Matthias Schoenarts (Bullhead), and is produced by Pascal Caucheteux, who SPC had previously worked with on the features, Of Gods & Men and A Prophet.

“Jacques Audiard is one of Europe‘s finest directors, and the same goes for producer Pascal Caucheteux. We are thrilled to be working with them, and Hengameh Panahi of Celluloid Dreams, once again,” said Sony Pictures Classics.

February 2, 2012
Katy Perry mulls 3D concert film

MUMBAI: Katy Perry, the American singer, songwriter and actress, is in talks with Paramount, for a documentary-style 3D film on the singing sensation.

As per THR, “Perry could prove to be an ideal subject for a documentary-style concert film.”

THR writes. “Not only is she a top-selling act, her core audience consists of teen girls, the same demo that made the Bieber, Cyrus and Jonas Bros. films successful. On top of that, her performances and style are so colourful and visual that they may lend themselves to the cinema experience.”

Paramount had last year released concert film featuring Justin Bieber, Justin Bieber: Never Say Never, which released on 11 February. It holds the domestic box office record for a concert film with $73 million.

The worldwide record is held by Michael Jackson‘s This Is it, which grossed $261.2 million in 2009.

February 1, 2012
Thailand calls for greater cooperation among Asean film commissions

MUMBAI: The representatives from the Department of Tourism, Thailand Film Office have called for increased regional cooperation among film commissions in the Asean countries during the recently concluded Asian Film Commissions Network (AFCnet), ASEAN – ROK Cooperation Project in Vietnam and Myanmar.

“AFCnet efforts at encouraging film commissions in the region to share their expertise and co-venture with one another is a way to expand our business efforts in a very competitive international environment,” said Thailand Film Office Film Business Promotion Section chief Worateera Suvarnsorn,.

Suvarnsorn along with Ubolwan Sucharitakul, Chief of the Thailand Film Office Shooting Permit Consideration Section ,had presented a Thailand Case Study titled “Invigorating Tourism Through Films” at the event.

Citing several of Thailand’s high profile foreign productions filmed in the Kingdom, such as 20th Century Fox’s The Beach (2000), and Warner Bros‘ The Hangover Part II (2011), Sucharitakul called for coordinated film tourism routes to be promoted which will facilitate increased tourism between neighboring countries.

The Seminar, a series of information and networking meetings sponsored by AFCnet and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade of the Republic of Korea, was held with film commission representatives of Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Myanmar, and the Philippines in preparation for the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) which will come into effect in 2015.

February 1, 2012
SnagFilms secures $7 mn financing deal

MUMBAI: Washington DC-based digital film distributor SnagFilms has closed a $7 million equity and debt financing deal as part of its ambitious plans to accelerate the company‘s growth.

In addition to new equity, the company has arranged its first debt facility with Silicon Valley Bank. The deal will see veteran media and Internet executive Terry Semel and David Fialkow, co-founder and managing director of General Catalyst Partners joining the company as new investors.

Semel, who is also the former chairman of Former Yahoo Inc. and Warner Bros, will also join the company‘s board.

The new funding will be used by SnagFilms to extend a library of high-quality independent films that now numbers over 3000 titles and includes fictional films in addition to documentaries; to continue its technology development to provide films across all digital platforms and devices; and to market its films in all channels.

SnagFilms had expanded its library last besides increasing its presence on over 100 devices, including 95 per cent of all tablets, all Android smartphones, OTT devices and connected TVs, and throughout the web world on its website and extensive digital network of affiliated sites and blogs.

The company also significantly expanded its transactional platform distribution with Comcast and FiOS video on demand and with digital pay-on-demand platforms iTunes, Hulu, Amazon, YouTube Movies, and will soon launch on DirecTV and digital streaming providers Vudu, Samsung Media Hub and XBOX Live.

"After a phenomenal year of growth in 2011, SnagFilms is poised for even greater success in 2012," stated Ted Leonsis, SnagFilms‘ founder and chairman. "This new investment by all our current investors, along with new funding from two tech and media-savvy newcomers, are true testaments to our strong belief in SnagFilms‘ tremendous potential for long term success. Digital delivery isn‘t just the wave of the future — it is the driving force now for filmmakers to reach large audiences and spread their passion, and to create new revenue streams that make their next film possible."

"I have spent a long time at the intersection of films and new media," said Terry Semel, former Co-CEO and Co-Chair of Warner Bros and CEO and Chairman of Yahoo. "Movie studios don‘t have a monopoly on great stories, yet small distribution companies struggle to assemble the footprint necessary to reach a scale audience. SnagFilms has that base — the necessary contracts and relationships to distribute thousands of great stories, with the capital required to lead its field."

January 31, 2012
Dreamworks Reliance Entertainment’s ‘The Help’ dominates Sag Awards

MUMBAI: At the Screen Actors Guild (Sag) Awards, ‘The Help‘ from Dreamworks and Reliance Entertainment won all the awards it was nominated for.

The movie won for supporting actress Octavia Spencer, lead
actress Viola Davis and also for best ensemble in a motion picture. In her acceptance speech, Davis paid tribute to fellow nominee Meryl Streep who plays Margaret Thatcher in ‘The Iron Lady‘.

The ceremony aired live on Zee Studio. Jean DuJardin won best actor for ‘The Artist‘ which is expected to sweep the Oscar Awards. He beat out Hollywood hearthtrobs George Clooney, Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio as well as mexican actor Demian Bichir.

On the television side, Best Ensemble in a Drama Series went to Boardwalk Empire while Best Ensemble in a Comedy Series went to Modern Family. Alec Baldwin won another award for his role in the sitcom 30 Rock. Best Female Actor in a Comedy Series went to Betty White for ‘Hot in Cleveland‘. She had won last year as well.

January 31, 2012
Grey takes top honours at weekend box office

MUMBAI: American action thriller, The Grey, has surpassed analyst expectations to rake in $20 million in the US and Canadian cinemas to lead the box office over the weekend.

The Liam Neeson starring movie had earned positive appraisal from the critics and was predicted to earn $14.5 million. The movie released 27 January across 3,185 US and Canadian theatres and earned an average of $6,279 per-theatre.

The movie was bought for $5 million by distributor Open Road Films, owned by Regal Entertainment Group, AMC Entertainment Holdings Inc. and Cinemark Holdings Inc. It was launched in response to shrinking output by major studios.This was the distributor’s second release following “Killer Elite” in September.

The film also went past last week’s top film Underworld: Awakening, which has been relegated to second position with sales worth $12.5 million. The vampire-versus-wolf series has earned $45.1 million since it opened on 20 January.

At the third spot was Katherine Heigl-starring One for the Money, which had sales worth $11.8 million in its first weekend. While, Anthony Hemingway-directed Red Tails war film about black fighter pilots in World War Two, got $10.4 million to land in fourth place in its second weekend in theaters.

Fifth on the box office was Sam Worthington-starring thriller film Man on a Ledge with sales of $8.3 million, according to Hollywood.com Box-Office.

January 30, 2012
Mission Impossible – Ghost Protocol sets franchise record

MUMBAI: Tom Cruise-starring Mission Impossible – Ghost Protocol has earned $571 million at the box office, thereby becoming the the most successful movie franchise in the action series and also outgrossing Mission: Impossible 2‘s $546.4 million globally in the process.

Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol has passed $200 million in North America and, combined with its strong performance internationally of $369 million through Sunday, has achieved the new feat of being the most successful in the franchise series at the box office.

On the foreign theatrical circuit, the movie had a total weekend gross of $25 million drawn from 7,837 locations in 63 markets.

The pictures‘ box office take in China from some 3,000 sites is more than five times the comparable market opening figure compiled by 2006’s Mission: Impossible III, which generated total foreign box office of $263.8 million.

Paramount vice chairman Rob Moore said, “Brad Bird, Tom Cruise, J.J. Abrams and the entire team who worked on ‘M:I4‘ created an incredibly entertaining film, one that fans worldwide embraced in record numbers.”

January 30, 2012
‘Bridesmaids’ cast to present at 84th Academy Awards

MUMBAI: Six actresses – Rose Byrne, Ellie Kemper, Melissa McCarthy, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Maya Rudolph and Kristen Wiig – from the comedy ‘Bridesmaids‘ will be presenters at the 84th Academy Awards, telecast producers Brian Grazer and Don Mischer announced.

McCarthy received her first Oscar nomination this year for her supporting role in the film, and Wiig also became a first-time nominee for the film‘s original screenplay. All six will be making their first Oscar show appearances.

The Academy Awards will air on Star Movies on 27 February. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries, including on ABC in the US.

January 28, 2012
Walt Disney executive takes studio to Court

MUMBAI: A former executive vice president of Walt Disney Pictures Glen Lajeski has filed a lawsuit against the studio in state court alleging that his contract was breached when he was fired by the company last June. Lajeski was involved in movie music marketing at Walt Disney Pictures

Lajeski began his tenure with Disney in 1996 as vice president of music marketing. The suit says that during his time with the company, he spearheaded the success of the soundtrack for O Brother, Where Art Thou? and also worked on soundtracks for such films as Coyote Ugly, Pirates of the Caribbean and Armageddon.

Lajeski was ultimately promoted to the title of executive vice president, music/creative marketing. His most recent contract with the company began on 2 January, 2008.

The suit says that Lajeski was fired on or about June 15 “without specifying any cause for the termination and providing no opportunity to cure.” I further goes on to say that the marketing personal’s employment contract was not set to expire until 1 January, 2013.

January 28, 2012
The Artist claims top spot at AACTA Intl awards

MUMBAI: The Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts has announced the winners of the opening edition of the AACTA International Awards that recognises International achievements in films in the following five award categories: Best Film, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Actor and Best Actress.

Taking a step ahead to a possible Oscar win the black and white, silent film The Artist was pronounced the big winner. The AACTA International Awards awarded the ‘Best Film’ award to producer Thomas Langmann while the ‘Best Direction’ award was given to French director Michel Hazanavicius.

The film’s lead actor, Jean Dujardin, was adjudged ‘Best Actor’ for his powerful performance as George Valentin.

On the other hand, Meryl Streep took home the AACTA International Award for ‘Best Actress’ for her role in The Iron Lady edging out five other nominees in the category, with her impressive portrayal of former British Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher.

The award for ‘Best Screenplay’ proved fiercely competitive with two joint winners. The winners were the adapted screenplay from The Ides of March for George Clooney, Grant Heslov and Beau Willimon and the original screenplay from Margin Call for first time writer and director J.C. Chandor.

The AACTA International Awards recognise film excellence regardless of geography, as determined by a jury of eminent Australian screen practitioners from a cross-section of crafts, and with a wealth of local and international experience.

January 28, 2012