Category: Movies

MUMBAI: China‘s appeal against a ruling that it must stop forcing US content owners to use state-owned companies to distribute movies and books has been rejected by the World Trade Organization (WTO).

The ruling effectively breaks the monopoly that China Film Group Corporation and Huaxia Film Distribution currently have on the distribution of foreign films in China. Under the current rules, the US studios usually take around 17 per cent of the box-office of revenue-sharing films.

However the WTO ruling does not address China‘s import quota of 20 revenue-sharing foreign films a year.

“With the rejection of China‘s appeal, the WTO has taken a major step forward in leveling the playing field for America‘s creative industries seeking to do business in China,” said Motion Picture Association chairman Dan Glickman, in a statement.

“In spite of all the restrictions we face, there is no shortage of US filmed entertainment in China. Unfortunately, far too much of it is pirated,” Glickman added.

In its argument, China had argued that it needed to impose controls on the market that are in line with the country‘s stage of economic development and also to protect public morals.

The WTO judges agreed that China has the right to ban foreign films and books that government censors deem objectionable.

The ruling comes at a time when China‘s theatrical market is expanding rapidly – box office is expected to grow by 40 per cent to $882m this year. US movies such as Transformers 2 and 2012 have seen big numbers in China this year, grossing around $60 million apiece.

Meanwhile Avatar is due to open in China in the beginning of January – a time that is usually reserved for local productions.
 

MUMBAI: Swedish crime writer Henning Mankell will write a drama series on the life of director Ingmar Bergman. The series will be shown by national broadcaster Sveriges Television (STV) in 2012.

The crime writer, best known for the Inspector Kurt Wallander series, is to work on the screenplay next year and the series will be produced in four one-hour episodes.

Said Mankell, “What fascinates me is the price Bergman had to pay for his uncompromising creativity – it darkened many aspects of the rest of his life. What interests me is what one might call the ‘price of obsession‘ and I believe there is much that is generally applicable in his story.”

He added that he plans to cover Bergman‘s life from several angles and will cover both his lighter and darker periods. Mankell said that the screenplay would be a challenge but that he plans to cover a wide spectrum of his life – from his theatre experiences at a youth club in Stockholm to the life he led on the island of Faro.

Mankell has also written several plays and books for children and adolescent readers and in 2008 he was listed as the ninth best-selling author in the world.

MUMBAI: James Cameron‘s Avatar that is raking in accolades worldwide for its spectacular visual effects and the emotional connect has won four nominations at the Golden Globe awards, in the following 4 categories: best motion picture – Drama, best director, best original score and best original song.

Produced by 20th Century Fox, Avatar is an epic action adventure. The film was first conceived by Cameron 14 years ago, when the means to realize his vision did not yet exist.

Starring Sam Worthington, Siqourney Weaver and Zoe Saldana, Avatar is the story of a crippled ex-marine, thrust unwillingly into an effort to settle and exploit an exotic planet rich in bio-diversity, who eventually crosses over to lead the indigenous race in a battle for survival.

MUMBAI: A California appeals Court has rejected Roman Polanski‘s request to have his sex case dismissed. The California 2nd District Court of Appeal announced that it had denied the petition with justices saying that they are “deeply concerned” about the alleged misconduct.

“We encourage all participating parties to do their utmost to ensure that this matter now draws to a close in a manner that fully addresses the issues of due process and fundamental fairness raised by the events of long ago,” opined the court.

Attorneys for Polanski argued earlier this month that misconduct in the case was grounds for dismissal of a charge of having unlawful sex with a minor. They also contended Polanski didn‘t need to be present to argue for dismissal.

The Court disagreed on both issues. “The passage of more time before this case‘s final resolution will further hamper the search for truth and the delivery of any appropriate relief, and it will also prolong the agony that the lack of finality in this matter continues to cause Samantha Geimer,” the opinion reveals.

Polanski fled the US in 1978 on the eve of sentencing. He pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful sexual contact with a minor. He remains under house arrest in his Swiss house.

MUMBAI: Actress Sandra Bullock has been named as the ‘Entertainer of the Year‘ by Entertainment Weekly.

The 45-year-old actress nominated in both the Drama and Comedy or Musical fields for The Blind Side and The Proposal has beaten the star cast of vampire series True Blood to grab the top spot on Entertainment Weekly‘s ‘Entertainers of the Year‘ list. 

Other Hollywood A-listers making it to the list included country singer Taylor Swift, actor Alec Baldwin, veteran actress Meryl Streep, Ryan Reynolds, ‘American Idol‘ star Adam Lambert and filmmaker James Cameron.

MUMBAI: Thirty-two year, Brittany Murphy, the actress who made a name for herself in he debut film Clueless and rose to stardom in 8 Mile expired in Los Angeles. However, the cause of her death is not known.

Born 10 November, 1977 in Atlanta, Murphy grew up in New Jersey and later moved with her mother to Los Angeles to pursue acting. 

Her career started in the early 1990s with small roles in television series, commercials and movies. She is best known for parts in “Girl, Interrupted,” Clueless and 8 Mile.

She dated Ashton Kutcher, who co-starred with Murphy in 2003‘s romantic comedy Just Married.

In his condolence message, Kutcher said, “today, the world has lost a little piece of sunshine.”

MUMBAI: Filming of Hallmark‘s film Class that stars Jodi Lynn O‘Keefe, Justin Bruening, Constance Marie and Eric Roberts is now in progress.

The film follows a well-to-do law student Bruening who is given an assignment to help a disadvantaged single mother (O‘Keefe, Prison Break) find a job. 

His professor makes this assignment as his requirement for Bruening to graduate. A series of incidents and unexpected events lead them to realize that they‘re more alike than they had at first thought and they come to understand that they have a lot to learn from each another.

Class being produced under the banner of Larry Levinson Productions by Erik Heiberg and Lincoln Lageson is being directed by Dave Cass from a script written by Pam Wallace.

MUMBAI: Jermaine Jackson‘s ambitious global tribute to his brother Michael Jackson has been scrapped for the second time.

It may be recalled that organisers at World Awards Media led by Jermaine cancelled a Austria concert in September this year after they failed to secure stars to perform at the event. The show was later re-scheduled for London, it is reported. 

The recent concert appeared to be in trouble after an executive decision to dissolve the company behind the project was taken last month. “The company cannot sign any new contracts and will certainly not plan any new events,” liquidator for the organisers Martin Schneider said.

However, Jermaine has declined to go ahead with the show that was to feature Mary J Blige, Chris Brown and veteran singer Natalie Cole.