ITV

Category: Movies

  • Spice reduces ticket prices for morning shows, gold class

    NEW DELHI: Clearly hit by recession and the resultant fall in viewer attendance, Spice cinemas situated in Spice World in Noida has reduced the Morning show ticket prices till 10 am down to 30 and 40 rupees throughout the week including the weekend with immediate effect.


    Earlier, the theatre had announced a reduction in the cost of their Gold Class tickets for the morning shows from Rs 500 to Rs 200.


     
    Spice World CEO Subhojit Lahiri said: ‘Now everyone can enjoy the international quality and ambience of our theatres without paying an arm or a leg for it. What is even better is that we offer the low prices throughout the week including the weekend.”


    Spice Cinemas is North India’s biggest multiplex with eight screens having over 1800 seats, offering over 43 shows in a day.

  • Entertainment Capital Advisors appointed advisors of Regal Group

    MUMBAI: Boutique media and entertainment financing and strategy company, Entertainment Capital Advisors (ECA), has been appointed to advise on strategy and raise capital by the recently launched film investment company, Regal Entertainment Group.


    The Group launched by American Israeli businessman Adi Cohen, is seeking to build a pan-European media company with a focus on film production and distribution. It aims to aid smaller budget film-makers by creating access to talent, soft funding and subsidies in individual regions.


    Cohen is a venture capitalist with a background in high risk, security high-tech stocks but the for the past two years has been managing director of GC Corporation, a private venture capital fund that invests in media and entertainment.


    Regal currently owns a 75 per cent stake in Barcelona-based production company, Zip Films, and a majority shareholding in its distribution and management subsidiaries. It is in advanced negotiations to acquire a large stake in publicy-listed German company, VCL Film + Medien.


    If the deal goes ahead, Regal intends to build the theatrical capabilities of VCL and further strengthen its core business of DVD distribution. It is also close to buying two Spanish cinema exhibitors with a total of 190 screens.


    The group said that it believes the difficult global economic conditions have created an opportunity for investors seeking to build “businesses for the future”, and that the changing landscape in film has increased the gap between the major blockbuster productions and smaller budget films, which require local production and distribution model.


    Regal is looking for a listing on the London Alternative Investment Market (AIM) during the course 2010 but is currently backed by private and institutional investors from Spain, Germany, Israel and the US, including Cayman Islands-based venture capital fund CA Capital Markets and Jordi Rediu, the owner of Zip Films.

  • Marrakech film fest highlights climate change

    MUMBAI: This year‘s Marrakech International Film Festival that got underway on 4 December will have climate change as its limelight.


    The nine-day festival devoted all of Sunday to environmental issues wuill screen three documentaries on the dangers of climate change. Three films titled Home directed by France‘s Yann-Arthus Bertrand was screened in Djemaâ El Fna Square. An Inconvenient Truth from American Davis Guggenheim and The Titanic Syndrome made by Albert Li?vre and Nicolas Hulot were shown on Sunday.


    The festival began with a tribute to American actor Christopher Walken and a shines the limelight on and offers tributes to stars and directors such as Morocco‘s Said Taghmaoui.


    Actor Sir Ben Kingsley, Moroccan actor Sa?d Taghmaoui and Serbian director Emir Kusturica will also be feted at the festival, which is marking its ninth year.


    A total number of 100 films will be screened during the festival. Of these, 15 films from eight countries are in the running for the festival‘s grand prize, the Etoile d‘Or. Eight of the films competing are the first works of their respective directors.


     

  • Alcon Ent. to co-produce A Dolphin Tale

    MUMBAI: Andrew Kosove and Broderick Johnson‘s Warner Bros-based Alcon Entertainment will finance and co-produce A Dolphin Tale with Richard Ingber.


    Charles Martin Smith will write and direct the story about a young boy who befriends an injured dolphin who loses her tail in a crab trap and inspires his community to help the afflicted animal.


    Alcon Entertainment‘s Steve Wegner developed the story written by Smith. David Fierson secured the rights from Clearwater Marine Aquarium and David Yates.


    The film will be released through Alcon‘s output deal with Warner Bros.

  • Piedmont’s Michael Corbett receives gold Peak award

    MUMBAI: Michael Corbett, director of Piedmont Community College‘s Film and Video Production Technology programme, received a first place gold Peak Award at the Peak City International Film Festival‘s Filmmakers Awards Gala on 21 November.


    Corbett was cited for a television commercial, Trains Don‘t Trespass. He served as pro bono director of photography on the North Carolina-produced commercial that presents the dangers associated with crossing railroad tracks without proper attention to safety precautions.


    Corbett has been directing PCC‘s award-winning films and videos since 2000. He is active in the Piedmont Triad Film Commission and works to promote the film industry in North Carolina.


    In addition to Corbett‘s award, several PCC film students were credited at the premier showing of The Rusty Bucket Kids Club: the Adventure of the Magic Glasses on 20 November during the Apex festival.


    Students Robert Corbett, Jacques Shy II, Darron Slagle, Darren Thompson and Joseph Wyatt along with PCC graduate Karen Harris were cited for their work on the premiere episode, a pilot for a children‘s television series. PCC also received special recognition for its support of the production.


    At the sold-out gala, held at the Halle Cultural Arts Center, Jerry Mathers of the Leave It to Beaver television series received a Continuing Lifetime Achievement Award just prior to the showing of The Rusty Bucket Kids Club.

  • I&B ministry appoints expert committees to upgrade NFA, IFFI

    NEW DELHI: Following an assurance given earlier this year, the I&B ministry has set up two expert committees for upgradation of the National Film Awards (NFA) and the International Film Festival of India (IFFI).


    I&B Minister Ambika Soni had reiterated her promise at the inauguration on 23 November of the IFFI 2009 that concluded in Goa last week.


    For the National Film Awards, the Expert Committee consists of filmmakers Shyam Benegal, Ashoke Vishwanathan, Vishal Bhardwaj, Nagesh Kukunoor, Mohan Agashe, Jahnu Barua, Shaji Karun, Ms. Sai Paranjape, Ms Waheeda Rehman, Central Board of Film Certification Chairperson Sharmila Tagore and Rajiv Mehrotra (of Public Service Broadcasting Trust). The Ministry would be represented by the Joint Secretary (Films) V B Pyarelal, as Member Secretary and Directorate of Film Festivals Director S M Khan.


    This Committee will make recommendations for changes to be made in the Regulations for the Awards as well as the Dadasaheb Phalke award. The Committee will elect its own chairperson in its first meeting.


     
    The IFFI Expert Committee will have film personalities like Govind Nihalani, Karan Johar, Pritish Nandy, Prasoon Joshi, Kamal Haasan, A K Bir, Laxmikant Shetgaonkar, Ms. Shabana Azmi, Ms Pooja Shetty Deora, Kishwar Desai, mediaperson Maithili Rao, Children’s Film Society, India, Chairperson Nandita Das and Maharashtra Legislative Council member Charanjit Singh Sapra. The Ministry will be represented by Joint Secretary (Films) V B Pyarelel as Member Secretary, and Mr S M Khan, apart from the Chief Secretary of Goa Sanjeev Srivastava.


    This Committee will also recommend changes on the lines of other reputed International Festivals. It will also make recommendations regarding the changes to be made in the selection of Indian Panorama films. The Committee will elect its own Chairperson in the first meeting.


    The National Film Awards were instituted by the Government in 1954 and need to be changed to keep pace with technological growth in filmmaking. Soni wants IFFI to be profiled higher to be recognized as one amongst the best film festivals of the world comparable to the Cannes Film Festival and the Berlin Film Festival etc.

  • Reliance Big Pictures co-producing Raavan; to release film next year

    MUMBAI: Reliance Big Pictures is co-producing Mani Ratnam directed film Raavan along with Madras Talkies, the production house of the noted director.


    Denying a media report that had stated that the production house had withdrawn from the venture, Reliance Big Pictures CEO Sanjeev Lamba said, “We are associated with the film from day one and we are proud to be associated with Mani Ratnam, one of the finest directors in the country.”


    The film is now in the post-production stage and will be released globally by March-April next year,” added Lamba.


    Raavan starts with Abhishek’s sister getting publicly disgraced by the role played by South star Vikram. To take revenge, a raged Abhishek enters Vikram’s house but doesn‘t find him there. In order to teach Vikram a lesson, Abhishek kidnaps Vikram‘s wife, played by Aishwarya Rai. Knowing that the police was chasing him, Abhishek hides in the nearby jungle. And here the story takes an ‘U’ turn, when both Abhi-Ash fall in love.


    The film has been shot in the jungles of Kochi and later in Jhansi.


    Raavan, said to be a modern take on Ramayana, also stars Manisha Koirala, Govinda, Ravi Kishan, Tejaswini Kolhapure and Ajay Gehi.

  • Toronto to host IIFA awards in 2011

    MUMBAI: Keeping everyone guessing about the location of the 2010 edition, the organizers of IIFA have gone ahead and announced the venue of the 2011 edition of International Indian Film Academy Awards.


    Canada will play host to the 2011 IIFA. The IIFA weekend and IDEA IIFA Awards ceremony will be held in the Greater Toronto Area from 16 to 19 June.


    Canada has an Indo-Canadian and Asian population of over 960,000, from which the Greater Toronto Area has a population of 550,000 Indians. Having traveled to over 9 countries and 3 continents in the last decade, it will be IIFA‘s premiere in North America in Canada‘s largest city, Toronto.


    The IIFA Weekend caps a four-day celebration of Indian Cinema, including a Film Festival, various film briefings, a world-wide film premiere, a trade and business Forum, an IIFA Foundation event and escalate into the night of nights, the IDEA IIFA Awards.


    Speaking on hosting IIFA 2011 in Ontario, Dalton McGuinty, Premier of Ontario said, “Ontario is thrilled to host the 2011 International Indian Academy Awards. I thank IIFA for the great honor of hosting the weekend in Toronto.


    “With so many film buffs living in Ontario, Indian film stars and executives will feel right at home. We look forward to an eventful and successful Weekend and Awards.”


    Known for its cultural, entertainment and metropolitan scene, Toronto is an ideal choice for IIFA 2011. As Canada‘s economic capital, Toronto is considered a global city and is one of the top financial centres in the world. The Toronto International Film Festival welcomes more than 450,000 people every year, including film executives, movie buffs and everyday citizens in a celebration of film.


    The International Indian Film Academy is also looking at fringe activities that will take place in parts of Brampton and Mississauga and will work very closely with the Toronto International Film Festival, Luminato – The Toronto Festival of Arts and the Rogers Centre, where the IDEA IIFA Awards 2011 will be held.


    Averred IIFA Director Viraf Sarkari, “We are pleased to announce IIFA‘s North American premiere in Toronto, Ontario in 2011. The city has much to offer and the Weekend and Awards promise to be bigger than ever as IIFA steps into Canada.
    We have earlier experienced a great response in Toronto with The Unforgettable Tour and hope to find the same experience with IIFA 2011.”


    The decision for the 2010 edition of the awards will be announced soon.

  • Paul Broucek is music chief of Warner Bros. Pictures

    MUMBAI: Warner Bros. Pictures has named Paul Broucek as its president of music. Broucek will assume control of overall creative direction of music operations and oversee administrative, production and day-to-day business functions.


    Broucek, a long time music executive and producer who headed the New Line Cinema creative music team for 12 years, will report to Warner Bros Pictures Group president Jeff Robinov.


    He will also oversee New Line Records, serving as its president, and reporting to New Line Cinema president Toby Emmerich regarding that business.


    Most recently, Broucek launched Common Market, a music consulting, production and publishing company that specializes in productions of films, television, records, online, commercials, games and new media.


    He also formed a creative partnership with record producer Salaam Remi for a lineup of film projects such as Sex And The City 2 and before that worked with Fairlight Instruments of Australia and Record Plant in Los Angeles.

  • Three Indian films among others vying for Golden Globe award

    MUMBAI: Harischandrachi Factory and Chandni Chowk To China are among 69 foreign-language films that have qualified for the 67th Annual Golden Globe Awards. Of these, five nominees will be announced on 15 December. The awards will take place on 17 January next year.


    Among the other films are Palme d‘Or winner The White Ribbon, A Prophet, Mother and City Of Life And Death, About Elly (Iran), Ajami (Israel), Baaria (Italy), Backyard (Mexico), Broken Embraces (Spain), Broken Promise (Slovak Republic), Can Not Live Without You (Taiwan), Cell 211 (Spain), Chameleon (Hungary), Chilango Chronicles (Mexico), City Of Life And Death (China), Coco Before Chanel (France), The Dancer And The Thief (Spain), Dawson, Island 10 (Chile), A Day At The Museum (France), Donkey (Croatia), Eden Is West (France), For a Moment, Freedom (Austria/France), I Galantuomini (Italy).


    The Girl On The Train (France), The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo (Sweden), God‘s Offices (France/Belgium), Grandpa Is Dead (Philippines), Grown Ups (France/Sweden), Hello Goodbye (France/Israel/Italy), Hipsters (Russia), I Killed My Mother (Canada), I Saw The Sun (Turkey), Il Grande Sogno (Italy).


    John Rabe (Germany), Lebanon (Israel), Letters To Father Jacob (Finland), London River (Algeria), Louise-Michel (France/Belgium/Luxembourg), Made In Hungaria (Hungary).
    The Maid (Chile), Max Manus (Norway), Micmacs (France), The Misfortunates (Belgium), Mother (South Korea), My Queen Karo (Belgium), Nobody To Watch Over Me (Japan) Police, Adjective (Romania), Prank (Hungary), Prince Of Tears (Hong Kong/Taiwan), A Prophet (France) Protektor (Czech Republic), Queen To Play (France/Germany), Refractaire (Draft Dodgers) (Luxembourg), The Reverse (Poland), The Road From Elephant Pass (Sri Lanka), Rudo And Cursi (Mexico), Samson & Delilah (Australia).


    The Secret Of Her Eyes (Argentina), Secrets Of State (France), Someone I Loved (France/Belgium/Italy), Southern District (Bolivia), Terribly Happy (Denmark), Thirst (South Korea), Vincere (Italy), The Waltz (Italy), Ward No. 6 (Russia), Welcome (France), The White Ribbon (Germany), Winter In Wartime (The Netherlands), With A Little Help From Myself (France).