ITV

Category: Movies

  • French distributor Philippe Hellmann expires

    MUMBAI: Philippe Hellmann who founded the French distribution company and UGC PH has expired. However, no cause of his death was announced. He is survived by his wife Marianne and his children.


    Hellmann served as president of UGC PH, wich is an independent distributor and international co-producer.


    His colleagues at UGC PH said, “We are all profoundly affected by this sudden loss. He was a friend and an amazing person to work with. Philippe had dedicated his life to the cinema, with talent and passion. He especially contributed to the renown of the Italian, British and independent cinema in France, and he accompanied directors and films with delicacy and dedication.”


    Hellmann was also owner and manager of the famed Grand Rex cinema in Paris.He recently served as producer of Lisa Cholodenko‘s acclaimed The Kids Are All Right.
     

  • Stammering Association sends legal notice to makers of Golmaal 3

    MUMBAI: Accusing the makers of Golmaal 3 of higlighting stammering and making mockery of it, the Indian Stammering Association (TISA) has sent a legal notice to the producers of the film.


    The association wants the makers to delete all the scenes where the character stammers. In the film, Shreyas Talpade who plays the character of Laxman, stammers and the other characters make fun of him.


    The producers have to respond to the notice before 14 December.


    Golmaal 3 released on 5 November. The movie is directed by Rohit Shetty and also stars Mithun Chakraborty, Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor, Arshad Warsi, Tusshar Kapoor and Kunal Khemu among others.
     

  • Satyam Cineplexes to add 12 screens by year-end, launches multiplex in Jodhpur

    MUMBAI: Delhi-based Satyam Cineplexes plans to add 12 screens by the year-end to take its total tally to 32.


    Satyam just launched a new multiplex at Ansal Royal Plaza in Jodhpur. The new three-screen multiplex that will screen between 15 to 18 shows per day has a seating capacity of 663.


    Besides Indore and Jodhpur, the company plans to build multiplexes in tier ll cities like Aurangabad, Mysore, Rohtak and Jaipur. It has already raised Rs 550 million through private equity, internal accruals and debt for the next 30 screens that it will open in the near future.


    Said Satyam Cineplexes managing director Deven Chachra, “Our 30 years of experience in the cinematic business will give us an edge over other players in Jodhpur and I am sure that we will be able to continue our success story here too. With the launch in Jodhpur our total screens reaches 20 and we have plans to take the total count to 32 by the end of 2010.”
     

  • Panda planning trilogy of I Am Kalam

    MUMBAI: Nila Madhab Panda, whose debut film I Am Kalam is inspired by the life of the former president A.P.J.Abdul Kalam, is working on two more films to make a trilogy on the lives of helper boys popularly know as ‘chhotus.‘


    “It will be a trilogy. I am working on both the stories (part II and part III) and it will be like (Satyajit Ray‘s) Apu trilogy on the growth of the main character and different facets of his life,” Panda says.


    Produced by Smile Foundation, a national development organisation, I Am Kalam is a movie on the plight of the underprivileged and highlights how the privileged can play a role to uplift the former.


    Unlike the first part, the sequels won‘t be inspired by the ex-president. The trilogy will actually concentrate on the story of chhotus and will delve into various facets of their lives. “I will start shooting the second part early next year,” Panda revealed. 


    I Am Kalam marks the debut of Delhi-based 12-year-old underprivileged child Harsh Mayyar in the lead and French theatre actress Beatrice Ordeix. Gulshan Grover and child actor Hussan Saad play pivotal roles. It is tentatively slated for release early next year.


    Panda, who hails from Orissa, has produced and directed over 60 documentaries, short films, television drama and films for national broadcasters in the last 12 years.
     

  • Social Network collects Rs 23 million in opening weekend

    MUMBAI: Sony Pictures’ The Social Network has roped in Rs 23 million in its first weekend, according to an official statement.


    The movie, based on the Facebook promoter, released with 91 prints on 12 November. 


    Said Sony Pictures India MD Kercy Daruwala, “This is one of those very rare films that are appreciated by both audiences and critics. We were extremely confident of strong word-of-mouth following its debut as the opening film at the Mumbai Film Festival in October. Post the overwhelming reception at the festival, our marketing strategy was to make it a film not to be missed.”


    Sony Pictures India‘s next releases are Dwayne Johnson-starrer Faster that will release on 10 December and award-winning documentary Inside Job that will also release on the same day. The Johnny Depp-Angelina Jolie starrer The Tourist will release on 31 December.

  • NFDC’s Film Bazaar in Goa to add offerings

    MUMBAI: The 4th edition of Film Bazaar will be bigger and better with some more offerings than the previous years.


    With an aim to continue the age old tradition of improving trade relations between the SAARC nations, NFDC has invited projects from these countries this year. For the very first time, film projects from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka will be part of Film Bazaar 2010.


    It is also for the first time this year, that the Film Bazaar will organise industry screenings for filmmakers to showcase their films to potential producers, distributors, agents, buyers and representatives of international film festivals.


    Like every year, the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) has organised its annual film networking event Film Bazaar India-10 at the Marriott Resort, Goa, from 23 to 26 November. The Bazaar will go alongside the International Film Festival of India (IFFI).


    The film market is designed to address the current needs of filmmakers and the idea behind it is to provide a proficient stage for prospective buyers and sellers of film rights from India and abroad. The event will witnesses multi-cultural diversity of delegates who come to find people with the same business interests.


    Film Bazaar has grown and gained wide popularity since its inception in 2007. Last year, over 350 delegates from 22 countries had attended Film Bazaar. The bazaar aims at creating opportunities for networking and business for producers, filmmakers and distributors from across the world.

  • Resul Pookutty, Boman Irani to hold workshops at IFFI

    MUMBAI: The 41st International Film Festival of India (IFFI) beginning in Goa on 22 November will have Oscar award-winner film sound designer Resul Pookutty conducting workshop on sound techniques.


    Boman Irani will also conduct a workshop on evolution of comedy in Hindi cinema. 


    Detailing about the workshops, director of union information and broadcasting ministry‘s film festival directorate S.M. Khan said that the two would be interacting with film aficionados at interactive workshops called ‘Masterclass‘.


    “Pookutty will be conducting a masterclass on 27 November while Irani would be conducting his masterclass on 1 December. While Pookutty’s class will be moderated by veteran filmmaker Govind Nihalani, well-known journalist Kishwar Desai would moderate that of Irani,” averred Khan.


    The 10-day event will go on till 2 December.

  • Aguilera gets Hollywood Walk of Fame award

    MUMBAI: Singer-actress Christina Aguilera has been given a Hollywood star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.


    “Oh my goodness! How amazing it is to see all of your fabulous faces. This is a huge staple in my life. Thank you all from the bottom of my heart,” said the 29-year-old pop diva Aguilera.


    Her star, the 2,432nd on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, was unveiled nine days before her first film Burlesque is to reach theatres.


    Aguilera, who stars opposite Cher, plays a small-town girl raised in foster homes who chases her dreams to a Los Angeles burlesque club.


    Aguilera was just a child when she broke into show business nearly 20 years ago as a member of “The New Mickey Mouse Club,” a show that also counted Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake as cast members.


    Aguilera won her first Grammy for best new artiste in 1999. Ever since she collected three more including awards for best pop vocal in 2003, for Beautiful and in 2006 for Ain‘t No Other Man.

  • Survival wins award for tribal rights

    MUMBAI: Survival International‘s film Mine: Story of a Sacred Mountain will be bestowed the award for Best Short in the International Human Rights category at the Artivist Film Festival held in Hollywood on 15 November.


    The film has been viewed by over 650,000 people around the world. It even came to the attention of James Cameron. Mine will be screened on 4 December at the Egyptian Theater in Hollywood, California.


    Survival was at the forefront of a global campaign against Vedanta‘s mine for several years, with the film playing a crucial role.


    The film, narrated by British actress and activist, Joanna Lumley, depicts the struggle of the Dongria Kondh tribe of Orissa, India, to save their sacred mountain from Vedanta Resources‘ proposed open pit bauxite mine.


    Survival‘s US Coordinator, Tess Thackara, who will accept the award says, ‘We are very honored to have been awarded this prize. ‘Mine‘ was an integral part of our campaign for the Dongria Kondh and shows what an invaluable part film can play in human rights advocacy. We hope all those inspired by Mine will continue to support other tribal peoples around the world.”


    In August, the Dongria Kondh won an historic victory as India‘s environment minister blocked the controversial mine.
     

  • Eros to distribute two films of Excel Entertainment

    MUMBAI: Eros International Media Ltd (Eros International) has acquired the worldwide rights of Excel Entertainment‘s forthcoming releases – Zoya Akhtar‘s Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara and Abhinay Deo‘s Game.


    The two films will release in 2011. 


    Says Eros International Media managing director Sunil Lulla, “Ritesh Sidhwani and Farhan Akhtar are great producers and have carved a niche for themselves for producing some edgy cinema. Eros International is delighted to associate with them and release these highly anticipated films through our extensive distribution network and thereby showcasing the movies to a global audience.”


    Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara, a young fun film shot largely across Spain, is directed by Zoya Akhtar and has Hrithik Roshan, Farhan Akhtar, Abhay Deol, Katrina Kaif and Kalki Koechlin.



    Game, directed by Abhinav Deo, is a whodunit with twists and turns and stars Abhishek Bachchan, Kangana Ranaut, Sarah Jane Dias, Jimmy Shergill, Shahana Goswami, Gauhar Khan, Boman Irani and Anupam Kher.