May 8, 2008

Sign of the Times? Insiders React To Picturehouse, Warner Indie Closures

by Eric Kohn (May 8, 2008)

The tragedy was in plain sight, but nobody thought it would hit this hard. As word spread today that Warner Bros. planned to close its specialty divisions Picturehouse and Warner Independent Pictures, shifting all projects currently in development to the larger studio and its recently absorbed subdivision New Line, a mournful tone took hold of the independent film industry. "It is a sad day when any film company, large or small, bites the dust," said President of THINKfilm Mark Urman. "One had heard and one had even considered that this was a possible scenario. It's still surprising when you see it in print."
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May 7, 2008

BIZ | Cablevision Stretches its Rainbow to Sundance Channel

by Eric Kohn (May 7, 2008)

Rainbow Media announced today a plan to purchase the Sundance Channel for $496 million. Confirming reports that the network was seeking a buyer and Rainbow Media was the lead contender, the deal finds Rainbow Media Holdings, LLC, a programming subsidiary of Cablevision Systems Corporation, buying the channel from its current owners NBC Universal, CBS, Showtime Networks and Robert Redford. The Sundance founder, meanwhile, will continue his role as the network's creative director, in addition to recieving just under $50 million from the deal, with the rest of the money divided up between the other owners.
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May 5, 2008

iW BOT | Chart-Topping 'Mister Lonely' Makes Harmony Korine the Comeback Kid

Box Office coverage presented by Rentrak Theatrical

by Steve Ramos (May 5, 2008)

"Mister Lonely," filmmaker Harmony Korine's sweet-natured drama about two lovelorn celebrity impersonators, rocketed past all art-house releases with a debut, per-screen average of $16,769 at New York's IFC Center. "Son of Rambow," British filmmaker Garth Jennings' coming- of-age comedy for Paramount Vantage, also debuted in the iWBOT top five, which ranks films by per-screen average, with $53,778 in weekend box office from five runs in New York and Los Angeles. Rounding out the iWBOT Top Five, were "Redbelt," director David Mamet's fight drama for Sony Pictures Classics, "Viva," director Anna Biller's sexploitation drama for Vagrant Films Releasing and Samuel Goldwyn's "Roman de Gare," a thriller from French master Claude Lelouch.
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May 2, 2008

DOC COLUMN | Arts Engine Celebrates 10 Years

by Agnes Varnum (May 2, 2008)

Ten years can either be a blip or an eternity depending on your perspective. The year 1997 saw President Bill Clinton inaugurated for his second term, James Cameron's "Titantic" was the top movie and a book about a young wizard named Harry Potter first hit shelves. It was before the Internet stock bust and "information superhighway" was still a promise. The world of documentary in the U.S. was one of foundation funding, public television broadcast and educational distribution with precious few docs breaking into any kind of commercial success. It was in that entrenched world that then-new filmmakers Katy Chevigny and Julia Pimsleur felt like they had little opportunity.
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April 28, 2008

iW BOT | Chinese Dam documentary "Up the Yangtze" Floods NY; Abu Ghraib film "Standard Operating Procedure" Fails to Catch Fire

Box Office coverage presented by Rentrak Theatrical

by Steve Ramos (April 28, 2008)

With the Tribeca Film Festival underway at cross-town venues, "Up the Yangtze," the Zeitgeist Films documentary about China's Three Gorges Dam and its destructive impact, led all specialty films with a standout $15,851 in earnings at New York's IFC Center. Director Yung Chang's first feature-length documentary also became 2008's top non-fiction debut; out-performing Sony Pictures Classics' highly anticipated "Standard Operating Procedure," veteran filmmaker Errol Morris' documentary about the Abu Ghraib prisoner abuse scandal. Other new releases in the iWBOT top five, which ranks by per-screen average, included "Roman de Gare," French master filmmaker Claude Lelouch's thriller for Samuel Goldwyn Films; and ThinkFilm's "Then She Found Me," actress Helen Hunt's directing debut. Returning to the iWBOT for the third straight week was Overture Films' "The Visitor," featuring Richard Jenkins as a middle-aged professor whose life changes after helping an illegal immigrant. "Holly," a drama about child prostitution from Priority Films and Slowhand Cinema Releasing, took advantage of corporate sponsorship from business information provider LexisNexis and advance group sales to earn $15,687 at New York's Quad Cinema.
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April 27, 2008

Nonfiction Campaign: Can Errol Morris's "Standard Operating Procedure" Break the Political Doc Deadlock?

by Anthony Kaufman (April 27, 2008)

Election years are typically strong for political documentaries. Capitalizing on citizens' hunger for issues that the mainstream media is either ignoring or mishandling, audiences flock to theaters to get a deeper sense of what's going on in the world. At least that was the thinking in 2004, with the blockbuster sales of "Fahrenheit 9/11" and also given the multi-million-dollar grosses of "The Fog of War," "Control Room," "Super Size Me," and "The Corporation." Even "Going Upriver: The Long War of John Kerry" wasn't swift-boated in theaters, earning more than $614,000.
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April 21, 2008

iW BOT | "Visitor" Stays Atop Specialty Chart; Weinstein Loses with "Osama"

Box Office coverage presented by Rentrak Theatrical

by Steve Ramos (April 21, 2008)

"The Visitor," the Overture Films drama about a middle-aged professor aiding a Syrian street musician, remained atop the specialty charts for a second week with a $9,250 per-screen average. An art-house success for the new film division of Starz Entertainment, filmmaker Tom McCarthy's friendship drama continued to spotlight actor Richard Jenkins in his first leading role. Enthusiastic crowds at Toronto's Cinesphere helped return Abramorama's "The Singing Revolution," about Estonians protesting Soviet occupation through massive song festivals, to the iWBOT Top Five. Other specialty films fronting the iWBOT, which ranks by per-screen average, were "Young@Heart," Fox Searchlight's documentary about a senior choir that performs alternative fare from The Clash and Sonic Youth; "GLASS: A Portrait of Philip in Twelve Parts," filmmaker Scott Hicks' documentary about composer and musician Philip Glass for Koch Lorber Films, and First Run Features' "Constantine's Sword," director Oren Jacoby's documentary about the historical role of Christianity in wars, conflicts and violence. Lagging far behind was director Morgan Spurlock's Middle East road documentary, The Weinstein Company's "Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden?"
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April 14, 2008

Changing Industry: As Dentler Moves to Cinetic's New Rights Management Division, A Pierson Steps in to Lead SXSW

by Brian Brooks and Eugene Hernandez (April 14, 2008)

Rising expectations for the future of film distribution paved the way for a pair of important industry moves within the independent movie industry today. Word that SXSW Film Festival head Matt Dentler would leave the increasingly important South by Southwest festival to join a new arm of Cinetic Media aimed at repping digital rights came alongside the announcement that Janet Pierson is replacing him in Austin. Dentler will serve as head of marketing and programming operations within the new Cinetic Rights Management (CRM) unit, while fellow board member at the local Austin Film Society, Pierson has been named the new producer of the fest and conference that runs alongside the popular annual SXSW Music event.
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iW BOT | "Visitor" is Big Man on Specialty Chart; Crowds Cheer "Young@Heart's" Rock and Roll Seniors

Box Office coverage presented by Rentrak Theatrical

by Steve Ramos (April 14, 2008)

"The Visitor," filmmaker Tom McCarthy's acclaimed drama about a lonely professor befriending a Syrian street musician and his family, distanced itself from all specialty releases with weekend earnings of $86,488 and a $21,622 per-screen average for Overture Films. "Visitor," McCarthy's sophomore picture, as well as Overture's first art-house buy, became the first specialty chart topper for the fledgling film division of Starz Entertainment. Second place belonged to "Young@Heart," director Stephen Walker's documentary about a New England senior choir whose eclectic repertoire includes The Clash and James Brown. "Young@Heart" averaged $13,078 from four debut locations for Fox Searchlight Pictures. Rounding out the iWBOT top five, which ranks films by per-screen average, were "Flight of the Red Balloon," Taiwanese filmmaker Hou Hsiao-hsien's drama for IFC First Take, "My Blueberry Nights," Hong Kong master Wong Kar Wai's debut English language film for The Weinstein Company and "Dark Matter," director Chen Shi-Zheng's drama about a troubled Chinese college student for First Independent Pictures.
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April 7, 2008

iW BOT | "Red Balloon" Soars in New York Debut; "Blueberry Nights," "Jellyfish" Dazzle Audiences

Box Office coverage presented by Rentrak Theatrical

by Steve Ramos (April 7, 2008)

"Flight of the Red Balloon," Taiwanese filmmaker Hou Hsiao-hsien's drama inspired by the 1956 French classic "The Red Balloon," soared above its art-house competitors with earnings of $35,222 for IFC First Take at New York's Paris Theatre and IFC Center. Close behind was "My Blueberry Nights," Hong Kong master Wong Kar Wai's debut English language film. "Blueberry Nights" struck a $12,358 per-screen average from six runs for the Weinstein Company. "Jellyfish," a Tel Aviv-set drama from husband-and-wife filmmakers Etgar Keret and Shira Geffen, earned $25,352 for Zeitgeist Films from four Greater New York locations. Returning to the iWBOT top five, which ranks films by per- screen average were Abramorama's "The Singing Revolution," a documentary about Estonia's struggle to end Soviet occupation through song festivals, and Cinema Guild's "Alexandra," Russian filmmaker Alexander Sokurov's war drama.
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March 30, 2008

Webolution or Wild Unknown: Digital Rights in Indiewood 3.0

by Anthony Kaufman (March 30, 2008)

Is online distribution the future for indie releases? Probably, but for now, don't bet your budget on it. This year, at festivals from Sundance to Berlin to SXSW, industry professionals and filmmakers have been debating the state of feature streaming and online delivery at cocktail parties and on official panels with names like "Webolution!" and "Filmmakers on Demand."
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March 24, 2008

iW BOT | "Planet B-Boy" Spins Atop Specialty Chart; "Same Moon" Shatters Record for Spanish-Language Debuts

Box Office coverage presented by Rentrak Theatrical

by Steve Ramos (March 24, 2008)

"Planet B-Boy," director Benson Lee's break dancing documentary for Elephant Eye Films, jumped past all art-house releases with a debut, per-screen average of $13,889. "Under the Same Moon," director Patricia Riggen's immigration drama, a co-release for Fox Searchlight and the Weinstein Company, broke opening-weekend records for a Spanish-language film with three-day earnings of $2.8 million from 266 screens. "Love Songs," French filmmaker Christophe Honore's Paris- set musical for IFC Films and Red Envelope Entertainment, averaged $10,244 from two New York runs. Rounding out the iWBOT Top Five, which ranks films by per-screen average, were "Boarding Gate," French filmmaker Olivier Assayas' thriller featuring Asia Argento and Michael Madsen, and "Praying with Lior," director Ilana Trachtman's documentary for First Run Features about a Jewish boy with Down's Syndrome preparing for his Bar Mitzvah.
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March 18, 2008

"Manda Bala" Wins Big at First Cinema Eye Awards

by Eugene Hernandez (March 18, 2008)

Born out of anger, to use the words of filmmaker Jason Kohn, the inaugural Cinema Eye Honors for documentary films awarded three prizes to "Manda Bala (Send A Bullet)" on Tuesday night in New York City. Kohn's doc, nominated in six of the nine Cinema Eye categories, was honored as best picture and also received awards for cinematography and editing.
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March 17, 2008

Beyond The Art House: True Indies Find Real Theatrical Alternatives Outside Commercial Venues

by Steven Rosen (March 17, 2008)

Commercial urban art houses are often so filled up with studio specialty division releases that truly independent films have a tough time getting in. But a vibrant and varied alternative scene is growing to get these endangered small movies seen - and maybe even to make a little money. It involves cinematheques, non-profit film centers with niche-oriented programming, film clubs, museums, microcinemas and cafes, universities, and more. Despite the growth of online platforms and on-demand sources for home viewing, these outlets are committed to providing communal moviegoing experiences, often with an educational component. And traditional distributors are working with them, even while continuing to try for extended engagements in the commercial theaters.
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March 9, 2008

SXSW '08 DISPATCH | As "Nights and Weekends" Debuts, Swanberg & Gerwig Sign Worldwide Deal with IFC

by Eugene Hernandez (March 9, 2008)

The SXSW Film Festival, annual meeting place for that infamous interconnected movement of new American filmmakers known as Mumblecore, has yielded a deal for the new film from prolific DIY director Joe Swanberg. In a pact brokered in recent days, IFC Entertainment quickly acquired worldwide rights to Swanberg and Greta Gerwig's "Nights and Weekends," announcing the deal as the film had its world premiere tonight (Sunday) here in Austin, TX. and less than a year after distributing Swanberg's "Hannah Takes The Stairs," which debuted here last March.
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March 3, 2008

iW BOT | King of Queens: Koch Lorber's "Chop Shop" Top Debut; "Counterfeiters" Leads Oscar Winners

Box Office coverage presented by Rentrak Theatrical

by Steve Ramos (March 3, 2008)

"Chop Shop," director Ramin Bahrani's coming-of-age drama for Koch Lorber Films, out-performed all specialty debuts with weekend earnings of $8,475 at New York's Film Forum. "The Counterfeiters," Austrian filmmaker Stefan Ruzowitzky's Best Foreign Film Oscar winner for Sony Pictures Classics, led all Oscar victors, including Miramax's Best Picture winner "No Country for Old Men," with a sophomore week per-screen average of $10,295. Rounding out the iWBOT Top Five, which ranks films by per-screen average were "The Duchess of Langeais," veteran French director Jacques Rivette's period drama for IFC Films, Sony Classics' "The Band's Visit," an Israeli film about an Egyptian police band lost in rural Israel; and "In Bruges," writer/director Martin McDonagh's hit men comedy for Focus Features.
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Docs Across America: Can Michael Moore Save the Theatrical Nonfiction Market?

by Anthony Kaufman (March 3, 2008)

After a dismal year for the theatrical nonfiction business, when aside from Michael Moore's "Sicko," only two documentaries - "No End in Sight" and "In the Shadow of the Moon" - made just over a million dollars, the iconoclastic documentary filmmaker wants to change all that. Last month, at the International Documentary Association's annual Oscar documentary celebration, Moore called for "Doc Night in America" (see related indieWIRE article), a plan which would see major theater chains dedicating one screen, one night a week, to non fiction film. While the proposal remains in its nascent stages, it has already spurred talk, both positive and negative, within the documentary community and the industry, at large. Will Moore's plan take off? And if it does, is it a good or bad thing for documentary releasing?
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Nonprofit Marriage: Renewed Tribeca Film Institute Merging with Leading Filmmaker Funding Organization

Tribeca Film Festival coverage sponsored by Stella Artois.

by Eugene Hernandez (March 3, 2008)

In a time of persistent change for nonprofit organizations that seek to support independent filmmakers, two New York City based entities are merging, with the hopes of creating a more viable oufit for the field. Robert DeNiro and Jane Rosenthal's Tribeca Film Institute (a sibling of their for-profit Tribeca Film Festival) will join forces with Renew Media, the organization that has funneled millions of dollars in funding to indie filmmakers and artists over nearly twenty years. The news comes as arts funding for organizations and individual filmmakers seems to be in an increasing state of flux and as the changes have even sent some groups into extinction.
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February 27, 2008

DOC COLUMN | Documentary Shorts Are Seeing New Opportunities For Life

by Agnes Varnum (February 27, 2008)

Tim Sternberg's wife was working in India and while visiting, he stumbled onto a story--an aging father and his son who project old films into a darkened box for poor kids to watch--that he wanted to film. As is often the case with creative folks, he bounced ideas off of friend Francisco Bello who was also captivated and traveled to India to help Tim capture the story. "It was a classic 'go for it' moment," said Sternberg. "We connected to the subject matter but we made it quickly and somewhat by the seat of our pants."
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February 26, 2008

DISPATCH FROM BRAZIL | Golden Bear Upset: A Look at the Controversy Behind "Tropa de Elite"

by Michael Gibbons (February 26, 2008)

Shocking critics and industry insiders in a move that no one saw coming, the 58th Berlin International Film Festival awarded its top prize, the Golden Bear, to the Brazilian film "Elite Squad" (Tropa de Elite). The award was a remarkable coup for the film that made its international premiere with subtitle problems and that Variety had written off as "a one-note celebration of violence-for-good that plays like a recruitment film for fascist thugs." Yet, earlier this month the Berlin jury headed by Costa-Gavras, a renowned political filmmaker, defiantly gave the award in what they said was a unanimous decision. While it may seem like it came from nowhere, "Elite Squad"'s Golden Bear is far from the first time this provocative film has pushed buttons, nor will it be the last.
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