MUMBAI: Veteran British actors Bob Hoskins and Jenny Agutter will feature in the comedy-drama Weighed In: The Story of the Mumper that is set during the Fleet Street print workers‘ strikes of the 1980s.
The film, directed by Sacha Bennett, concerns seven friends caught up in the industrial strife that weakened Britain‘s labour movement.
While Hoskins stars in awards-season contender Made in Dagenham, Agutter is noted for films like Walkabout and An American Werewolf in London.
MUMBAI: David O. Russell, better know for his film The Fighter has been chosen to be honoured by the Palm Springs International Film Festival as director of the year to be held on 8 January at the Palm Springs Convention Center.
Through directorial techniques, use of technology and complex and engaging storytelling, the films of David O. Russell are guaranteed to be riveting and innovative.
“From his very first movie to the present, the talent and style of director David O. Russell has garnered both audience and critical acclaim,” festival chairman Harold Matzner said.
In his latest effort, The Fighter, Russell works again with actor Mark Wahlberg who portrays a man refusing to take no for an answer when it comes to pursuing his dreams. The result is an excellent film.
Previous recepients of the award include Alexander Payne, Jason Reitman, Alejandro González I?árritu, Anthony Minghella, Sean Penn and Ang Lee.
MUMBAI: In an effort to get Charlton Heston‘s image on a US postal stamp, supporters of the star gathered at his Hollywood‘s Walk of Fame on Wednesday.
Heston‘s former publicist Michael Levine organized the event, and he came armed with statements of support from Phoenix Pictures chairman and CEO Mike Medavoy, entertainment attorney Bruce Ramer and others.
Heston is better known for his films like Ben Hur and The Ten Commandments and expired on 5 April, 2008. But he isn‘t eligible to adorn a stamp until 2013.
His supporters figure it‘s not too early to start lobbying the Citizen Stamp Advisory Commission, especially given that it might be an uphill climb given that the star‘s term of president of the National Rifle Association made him a polarizing figure in some circles.
Those who attended Wednesday‘s Walk of Fame event was political commentator Bruce Herschensohn and actors Stephen Macht and Patrick Kilpatrick.
Other actors who already have their face on a stamp include John Wayne, Charlie Chaplin, Groucho Marx, Lucille Ball and Jimmy Stewart.
MUMBAI: Andy and Lana (formerly Larry) Wachowski , the duo behind The Matrix films are working on a modern, urban take on the Robinhood myth.
Incidentally, the siblings have written the script for Hood and will direct the tale. In keeping with the working of the duo, Warner Bros. is not talking anything of the film. They are tapping actors and word is around that Will Smith is one of the actors of the film.
The Wachowskis have been working on their Iraqi war movie CN-9, told from the point of view of archeologists piecing together events from the US. occupation of Iraq using found footage and includes two male soldiers falling in love and a plot to assassinate George W. Bush.
Warners has been home to the Wachowskis ever since The Matrix.
MUMBAI: With an intake of almost 1 billion yen ($12 million) in the first five days since its 1 December release, live-action film Space Battleship Yamato has taken the top spot of the box-office elbowing down Harry Potter to the No. 2 spot.
Opening on 440 screens, Space Battleship Yamato pulled in 791,012 cinegoers by 5 December.
The big screen version of the classic 1974 film stars Takuya Kimura has already been sold to Taiwan, Hong Kong, Thailand, Singapore, France and Germany, with negotiations in progress for a U.S. release.
Elsewhere on the chart, Bushi no Kakeibo, a family samurai drama jumped up to third spot. Meanwhile, SP The Movie Yabohen dropped down from second to the fifth place after six weeks of its release.
MUMBAI: Iranian director Jafar Panahi has been invited to join the International Jury of the 61st Berlin International Film Festival by Berlinale Director Dieter Kosslick.
“We hope Jafar Panahi will be able to attend the Festival and perform this important task on the International Jury of the 61st Berlinale,” said Kosslick in a statement.
Earlier this year the Cannes Film Festival had invited Panahi to join its jury but he could not accept due to his imprisonment.
A winner at Cannes for his directorial debut The White Balloon and Crimson Gold, Pinahi has also been awarded by Berlinale with the Silver Bear for his 2006 film Offside.
His latest short film, The Accordion had its premiere at this year‘s Venice Film Festival.
MUMBAI: Elizabeth Taylor, Jennifer Aniston and Maggie Smith have been picked up amongst those to be honoured next month at the 2011 Women‘s Image Network (WIN) Awards.
Amongst the rest are names like Jane Lynch, philanthropist Suzanne Fleisher Roberts, mother of Comcast chairman and CEO Brian Roberts, Temple Grandin, Glee, Made in Dagenham and Secretariat and actresses Diane Lane, Sally Hawkins, Susan Sarandon and Selena Gomez.
WIN founder Phyllis Stuart said that Taylor is being honored for her “artistic genius and her HIV/AIDS activism.” The two-time Oscar-winning actress agreed to be honored but is ailing and might not be able to attend the 18 January event in Santa Monica.
Presented since 1993, the WIN awards celebrate film, television and advertising artistes who “create dimensional female media images which shape positive public opinion about the value of women and girls.”
MUMBAI: Alan Arkin (Little Miss Sunshine) received with The Bahamas International Film Festival’s Career Achievement Award that was presented by the Academy Award nominated actress Abigail Breslin.
The evening’s events kicked off with special remarks from BIFF Founder and Executive Director Leslie Vanderpool. Soon after, the audience was introduced to Abigail Breslin who was invited on stage to present BIFF’s signature ‘wooden fish’ career achievement award to a humble Arkin.
Spectators were shown a dynamic highlight reel showcasing Arkin’s five decade long career in show business.
An amazing one-on-one conversation followed on stage with Arkin and notable movie personality and critic Jeffrey Lyons. The moderated conversation covered a vast array of topics surrounding Alan Arkin’s career.
MUMBAI: Robert Downey Jr. know for his film Iron Man will feature in a musical by Warner Bros.
The actor has signed on for the untitled project, a musical about a couple of Broadway songwriters who end up taking a job at theatre camp when their breakthrough musical flops.
The film‘s music will be written by Brian Yorkey and Tom Kitt, who were the men behind Broadway musical Next to Normal.
The film will be produced by Downey‘s wife.
MUMBAI: As part of the 2011 Dallas International Film Festival (DIFF), the Dallas Film Society (DFS) and TXU Energy have teamed up to sponsor a series of awards to student filmmakers for videos relating to the future of energy.
Dubbed ‘Light Up the Red Carpet Student Film Contest‘, the wards comprise features cash awards and grants totalling $30,000.
Each winning high school will receive the following cash technology grants for its winning film programme: first place $7,500, second place $5,000 and third place $2,500.
The same prizes apply in the college division, with the difference being that the prizes to each winner will be split between the college‘s film programme and the winning video‘s director.