ITV

Category: International

  • Lionsgate acquires US rights of You’re Next

    Lionsgate acquires US rights of You’re Next

    MUMBAI: Lionsgate, a leading global entertainment company, has acquired the US and Canadian distribution rights of Your‘re Next.


    Directed by Adam Wingard from a script by Simon Barrett, the film is a petrifying horror story starring Sharni Vinson, Joe Swanberg, A.J. Bowen, Nicholas Tucci and Barbara Crampton.



    In Your‘re Next, during a family reunion getaway, the Davison family comes under a sadistic attack. When Crispian Davison (Bowen) brings his new girlfriend (Vinson) along to celebrate the wedding anniversary of his parents (Moran and Crampton), the family‘s evening together is shattered when a gang of mysterious killers begin to hunt the family down with brutal precision. Unfortunately for the killers however, one of the victims harbors a secret talent for fighting back.


    Jason Constantine negotiated the deal on behalf of Lionsgate with Eda Kowan, SVP of Acquisitions and Co-Productions, and Wendy Jaffe, the Acquisitions and Co-Production team‘s EVP of Business & Legal Affairs.



    “This project represents everything that we look for in a horror film,” explains Jason Constantine, who negotiated the deal, of the company‘s decision to acquire the film. “It is a celebration of its genre, featuring top notch performances from a sophisticated script, brilliantly directed, that will leave audiences on the edge of their seats – when they‘re not jumping out of them,” he added.



    Additionally, the distribution company has acquired Red Granite Pictures‘ Friends With Kids. The film has been produced by Riza Aziz and Joey McFarland‘s Red Granite Pictures with Jennifer Westfeldt and Jon Hamm‘s Points West Pictures, producer Jake Kasdan and Locomotive led by Joshua Astrachan and Lucy Barzun Donnelly. Red Granite is also handling international sales.



    The film is Westfeldt‘s directorial debut, following the two critically acclaimed independent films that she previously wrote and starred in, KISSING JESSICA STEIN and IRA & ABBY.



    Friends With Kids boasts of an ensemble cast of beloved actors with palpable chemistry, many of whom have appeared onscreen together in previous collaborations: Adam Scott, Jennifer Westfeldt, Jon Hamm, Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Chris O‘Dowd, Megan Fox and Edward Burns.

  • Sony Pictures has US rights of Where Do We Go Now?

    Sony Pictures has US rights of Where Do We Go Now?

    MUMBAI: Sony Pictures Classics has acquired the US rights of Nadine Labaki‘s Where Do We Go Now?

    Produced by Anne-Dominque Toussaint of Les Films des Tournelles, Where Do We Go Now? won the Cadillac People‘s Choice Award at the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival, Best European Film at the 2011 San Sebastian Film Festival. The film is Lebanon‘s entry in the Best foreign language film category for the 2012 Academy Awards.

    Set in a remote village where the church and the mosque stand side by side, Where Do We Go Now? follows the antics of the town‘s women to keep their blowhard men from starting a religious war. Women heartsick over sons, husbands and fathers lost to previous flare-ups unite to distract their men with clever ruses, from faking a miracle to hiring a troop of Ukrainian strippers.

    “Nadine Labacki has made a warm, human film that is both perfect for this moment in time and will satisfy audiences across the country. We couldn‘t be happier about distributing Where Do We Go Now? and to be working again with our good friends at Pathé International,” said a statement of Sony Pictures Classics.

    “To be added to this list of highly distinguished filmmakers supported by Sony Classics is an achievement in itself for me! I am proud and honored to say that I have become now part of the very prestigious Sony Classics family!”remarked director Nadine Labacki.

  • Iron Man 3 to be shot in North Carolina

    Iron Man 3 to be shot in North Carolina

    MUMBAI: The Shane Black-directed Iron Man 3 will be in North Carolina, says Marvel Studios.

    The studio had sought to film the superhero sequel at Michigan‘s Raleigh Michigan Studios but wanted between $20 million and $30 million as incentives. But, because of a cap implemented on film incentives earlier this year by the Michigan state government that any film incentive more than $25 million would have to be brought before the legislature, the shoot there was cancelled.

    Ultimately, the studio decided to shoot the film in North Carolina. The film starring Robert Downey Jr. is expected to be released in May 2013.
     

  • Zurich fest presents Polanski lifetime achievement award

    Zurich fest presents Polanski lifetime achievement award

    MUMBAI: After exactly two years, Roman Polanski was presented with his lifetime achievement award at the Zurich Film Festival.

    "What can I say? Better late than never. It‘s a very moving moment for me. It‘s a strange anniversary for me – two years, day-for-day," the 78-year-old director has been quoted as saying.
     
    In 2009, when he was on his way to accept the honour, Polanski was detained on an American warrant in child sex charges upon landing at the Zurich airport. He fought extradition to the US and was allowed to walk free in 2010 after several months of jail time and house arrest at his Swiss chalet.

    The noted director is best known for his films like Chinatown, Rosemary‘s Baby and The Pianist.

  • Sony not to pay for 3D glasses from 1 May next year!

    Sony not to pay for 3D glasses from 1 May next year!

    MUMBAI: In a move that might see an uproar by exhibitors at large, Sony Pictures Entertainment has notified theater owners by way of a letter that it will no longer pay for 3D glasses from 1 May next year.

    Sony, along with other studios, is in favor of moving toward an ownership model, requiring moviegoers to buy their 3D glasses at the theatre (the studios argue that it could be a new revenue stream for exhibitors). Such a system is already in place in a number of foreign territories, including the U.K., Australia, Italy and Spain.

    However, American consumers are now used to getting the glasses for free when they pay a 3D surcharge (usually 3 or 4 dollars), and the habit could be hard to break.

    “This is an issue that has to be resolved between us and our exhibition partners. We are trying to give them a very lengthy lead time in regards to the change in policy,” Sony worldwide president of distribution Rory Bruer has said in a statement.

    The prices of 3D glasses is no laughing matter though, studios can spend $5 million to $10 million worldwide for a films but most of the cost is incurred in the North American marketplace.

    Sony has two high-profile 3D films lined up next summer by way of Men in Black III and The Amazing Spider-Man.

    Glasses for smaller films can cost $1.5 million to $2 million. Translated, 3D glasses account for about 50 cents of a theater ticket.

  • Polanski apologises to victim in new documentary

    Polanski apologises to victim in new documentary

    MUMBAI: Directing his apology to Samantha Greimer, the woman he sexually assaulted 33 years ago, Roman Polanski has made a new documentary that had its world premiere Tuesday at the Zurich Film Festival.

    "She is a double victim: my victim and a victim of the press," the director says near the end of the documentary Roman Polanski: A Film Memoir.
     
    The film, shot while Polanski was under house arrest in Switzerland two years ago awaiting possible extradition, offers little new information not already in the public record.

    It is also unlikely to sway anyone on the fence in the Polanski case. The film — one long, wide-ranging conversation between Polanski and his old friend and colleague, producer Andrew Braunsberg.

    The Greimer case takes up only a small portion of the film while the bulk of the film is dedicated to Polanski‘s childhood in German-occupied Poland, including his escape from the Warsaw ghetto and his early life and career.

    Polanski chose to use the 2011 Zurich Film Festival as the platform for the world premiere of the documentary, picking the date almost two years to the day when he was arrested en route to a ceremony to receive a lifetime achievement award.

  • Bond bids goodbye to India

    Bond bids goodbye to India

    MUMBAI: James Bond has bid goodbye to India even before landing here. In spite of a green signal from the Indian railways, the shoot of the British super spy film has been shelved.

    “The production company, India Take One Productions, have communicated to the railway ministry that they are not shooting the next Bond film in India, and that they are looking at other places,” sources from the railway ministry have said in a statement.

    The producers of the film titled Bond 23, wanted to shoot high-speed stunts on the Indian Railways. There was a request to shoot on the rooftop of a moving train, as well as inside a tunnel. However, due to security reasons, they were facing trouble getting the permission.

    In spite of the Railway ministry‘s go-ahead signal, officials were worried about the production team‘s demand of “locking off the lines for seven-eight hours a day for seven days in a row”.

    The crew is now likely to move to South Africa for the shoot.

  • Peter Kujawski is executive vp of Universal

    Peter Kujawski is executive vp of Universal

    MUMBAI: Universal has named Peter Kujawski as its executive vice president of worldwide acquisitions. He joins the studio from Universal‘s specialty company Focus Features, where he served as executive vice president of international sales.

    Kujawski will report to Universal co-chairman Donna Langley and be based in Los Angeles. He will also work closely with David Kosse, Universal‘s president of international.
     
    "Peter‘s vast experience selling specialty films gives him a unique perspective on the global marketplace and undeniably qualifies him to lead our acquisitions efforts," Langley said in a statement.

    The move reflects a centralizing and streamlining of Universal‘s acquisitions department, that was earlier handled by Christian Grass, the then president of international production and acquisitions before he left in June last.

    Kujawski will oversee Universal‘s acquisitions from around the globe and "maximize distribution opportunities" for the company.
     
    As a key member of Focus‘ international sales team, Bruno is credited with selling films ranging from Pedro Almodóvar‘s Volver and Zhang Yimou‘s House of Flying Daggers to Michel Gondry‘s Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and Sofia Coppola‘s Lost In Translation to the upcoming Cloud Atlas from Tom Tykwer and Andy and Lana Wachowski and Hyde Park on Hudson from Roger Michell.

  • Oldman, Theron among Gotham fest awards

    Oldman, Theron among Gotham fest awards

    MUMBAI: Gary Oldman and Charlize Theron will receive top honours at the 21st annual Gotham Independent Film Awards in New York on 28 November.

    The stars will be joined by director David Cronenberg and movie boss Tom Rothman for accepting ‘Career Tribute Awards’ at the event.
     
    "We are truly honoured to pay tribute to four cinematic film luminaries, all of whom have greatly contributed to independent film, and have steadfastly supported the film community in their own individual and unique ways," a film award spokesperson has been quoted to have said.

    Last year, the awards were presented to Robert Duvall, Hilary Swank and filmmakers Darren Aronofsky and James Schamus.
     

  • Lion King short of claiming No 3 spot

    Lion King short of claiming No 3 spot

    MUMBAI: In a big surprise, Disney’s The Lion King is doing exceedingly well and if all goes well, it is about to edge out Pixar’s Finding Nemo and become the fourth top-grossing animated film of all time to claim the no. 3 spot.

    Till Sunday, the film has grossed $77.7 million globally, including a 10-day domestic total of $61.7 million. That puts the film’s total gross at $862.1 million, just behind Finding Nemo’s worldwide tally of $867.9 million.

    Moreover, Lion King shows signs of eclipsing Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs ($886.7 million) and take the No. 3 spot, considering that it will do another $40 million business worldwide.

    The No. 1 animated pic of all time worldwide is Disney and Pixar’s Toy Story 3 ($1.1 billion), followed by DreamWorks Animations’ Shrek 2 ($919 million), Dawn of the Dinosaurs, Nemo and rounding out the top five is Lion King.

    “During the daytime, we are seeing family business. But in the evening, it’s a date-night title for a generation that loved the film when they were younger,” said Disney executive vice president of distribution Dave Hollis.

    According to exit polling, couples make up 20 percent of Lion King’s audience, while teens make up roughly 9 percent. The remainder of the audience is families.