South Asian Films at Toronto

Several South-Asian-centered films are trying to gain wider exposure at Toronto, including Shonali Bose's "Amu," about the massacre of Sikhs after the 1984 assassination of Indira Gandhi; Paul Mayeda Berges' "Mistress of Spices," based on Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni's bestselling novel, and Buddhadev Dasgupta's "Kalpurush," about a man struggling with the shadow of his draconian father. Arthur J Pais for Rediff reports.  
[permalink]   [ filed under Festivals, Toronto ]

indieWIRE Presents: Neil Gaiman and "MirrorMask"

indieWIRE continues its monthly series with Apple Store - SoHo that presents indie film professionals discussing various aspects of the filmmaking process. Neil Gaiman, the best selling writer of the DC Comics series "Sandman," and the upcoming novel "Anansi Boys" will discuss his latest project, "MirrorMask," which was made with his longtime collaborator, award-winning artist David McKean. View details in indieWIRE Calendar.  
[permalink]   [ filed under Events ]

Roadside Attractions Takes "Wah-Wah" North American Rights

Roadside Attractions has picked up North American distribution rights to Richard E. Grant's directorial debut, "Wah-Wah," while Hopscotch has nabbed the film for Australia and New Zealand, sales company The Works announced Thursday. The film opened last month's Edinburgh Film Festival and was a Special Presentation at the Toronto International Film Festival. The deals were negotiated by Joy Wong, head of The Works International, Howard Cohen and Eric DArbeloff of Roadside Attractions with Troy Lum and Sandie Don for Hopscotch. "Wah-Wah" is a semi-autobiographical coming of age at the end of an age story, set during the last gasp of the British Empire in Swaziland. Told through the eyes of young Ralph Compton, the plot focuses on the dysfunctional Compton family whose gradual disintegration mirrors the end of British rule. [Brian Brooks]  
[permalink]   [ filed under Biz ]

Shoreline Entertainment To Take "Brooklyn Lobster" for Worldwide Sales

Shoreline Entertainment has acquired writer/director Kevin Jordan's "Brooklyn Lobster" for worldwide sales. Presented by Martin Scorsese, "Brooklyn Lobster" had its world premiere September 9th as an official selection of the Toronto International Film Festival. The film stars Danny Aiello and Jane Curtin and centers on a Brooklyn workingman struggling against the foreclosure of his lobster farm, which is inspired by Jordan's own family's lobster shop. [Brian Brooks] 
[permalink]   [ filed under Biz, Toronto ]

INDUSTRY MOVES: Micah Green Heading West to CAA

Surprising New York's film insiders, Cinetic Media's Micah Green is leaving New York to join CAA. While Green will not represent specific individual clients, he will work with the agency on repping client projects for sale, and also developing new initiatives at the agency, specifically focusing on financing and distribution partnerships. Among the immediate goals is setting up a partnership between CAA and Cinetic Media to jointly rep films, in particular at festivals like Sundance. Green began working with John Sloss in 1997, working in the former Sloss Special Projects division and later as part of the launch or Cinetic Media. He will begin work at CAA in the coming weeks, moving permantly to L.A. with his family by the end of the year. [Eugene Hernandez] 
[permalink]   [ filed under Industry Moves ]

Hollywood Fest To Open With "Kiss Kiss"

The 2005 Hollywood Film Festival will open on October 18th with a screening of Shane Black's "Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang," starring Robert Downey Jr., Michelle Monaghan, and Val Kilmer. The fest will run through October 24th in Los Angeles. 
[permalink]   [ filed under Festivals ]

Cinequest Goes for DVDs

The Cinequest festival has unveiled plans to launch its own DVD label, offering films from the event's annual lineup, in partnership with Netflix. In the words of an announcement from Cinequest:

This model is a new solution to distribute the truly independent film that doesn't fit into the traditional model of studio films or quasi-independent films cast with movie stars.

 
[permalink]   [ filed under Festivals ]

"Chappelle's Block Party" Deal Rumored

Word on the Toronto fest party circuit Tuesday night was that Focus Features has nabbed Michel Gondry's "Dave Chappelle's Block Party" in a multi-million dollar deal. A deal has not yet been formally announced. 
[permalink]   [ filed under Acquisitions ]

Here! Gets "Queens" From Fortissimo

Here! Films has nabbed North American rights to Manuel Gomez Pereira's "Queens" (Reinas), from Fortissimo Film Sales. The company is planning a release early next year in conjunction with regent Releasing. The film is described as as "ensemble comedy that finds five headstrong mothers coping with the personal family conflicts surrounding the impending marriages of their gay sons at a mass wedding." Written by Yolanda Garcia Serrano, Joaquin Oristrell and Pereira, the film stars Marisa Paredes, Carmen Maura, Veronica Forque, Mercedes Sampietro, and Betiana Blum, along with "the sons," Gustavo Salmeron, Unax Ugaldo, Hugo Silva, Paco Leon, Daniel Hendler, Raul Garcia, Tito Valverde, Lluis Homar and Jorge Perugorria.  
[permalink]   [ filed under Acquisitions, World Cinema ]

INDUSTRY MOVES: Roban Joins Stone Village

Stone Village Pictures has hired Michael Roban as its Head of Business Affairs and Chief Operating Officer, reporting to Scott Steindorff and Stone Village Pictures' partner, Andrew Molasky. Roban is joining the company from Participant Productions where he served as EVP of Business Affairs and Operations, he also recently headed business affairs and acquisitions at Content Film. 
[permalink]   [ filed under Industry Moves ]

Warner Gets "Metal" Doc From Seville

Seville International has sold all U.S. rights to Sam Dunn, Scot McFadyen and Jessica Joy Wise's "Metal: A Headbanger's Journey" to Warner Home Video. The film, having its world premiere here at the Toronto International Film Festival follows a professional anthropologist, and metal fan, as he explores the mythology around the music. The film features Tony Iommi (Black Sabbath), Rob Zombie, Alice Cooper, Arch Enemy, Dee Snider (Twisted Sister), Geddy Lee (Rush) and others. Seville International is handling international sales, with Seville Pictures planning a Canadian theatrical release. [Eugene Hernandez] 
[permalink]   [ filed under Acquisitions, Documentary, Toronto ]

Buscemi, Tucci and Blaban to Remake Van Gogh Trilogy as Homage to Murdered Director

Steve Buscemi, Stanley Tucci and Bob Balaban have signed on to direct a remake of a trilogy by murdered Dutch director Theo van Gogh. Van Gogh, a descendant of the painter, was killed because of "Submission," a short film he made with liberal Dutch politician Ayaan Hirsi Ali, a Somali refugee who fled an arranged marriage. The film portrayed violence against women in Islamic societies and was shown on Dutch television. Van Gogh's last film "06/05: The Sixth of May" will have its North American premiere at the Toronto Film Festival on Thursday, Sept 15 as will "All Souls," a compilation of sixteen vignettes from seventeen Dutch directors based on episodes surrounding van Gogh's death. 
[permalink]   [ filed under Production, Toronto ]

Fox Searchlight Gets "Trust The Man"

In a deal that is expected to be announced shortly here in Toronto, Fox Searchlight has acquired Bart Freundlich's "Trust The Man", which debuted at the festival last night. Company president Peter Rice confirmed the pact for indieWIRE shortly after today's crowded press and industry screenings at the Varsity theaters. As for the other big deal of the fest, Jason Reitman's "Thank You For Smoking", Rice said simply, "We have a signed deal, it's our movie, we got it." [Eugene Hernandez] 
[permalink]   [ filed under Acquisitions, Toronto ]

Filmmaker Thom Fitzgerald and the "AIDS THING"

Filmmaker Thom Fitzgerald is keeping a diary that is being published in CTV.ca about his experience at the Toronto International Film Festival with his feature, "3 Needles." He laments how a bout of the flu causes some concerns that his illness is far more severe due to his two past films featuring characters with AIDS:

Even with the first film, The Event, which was about the right to die with dignity, I was often asked by journalists and fans if I was HIV-positive. Often with a furrowed brow, they demand "What's with the AIDS THING?

 
[permalink]   [ filed under People, Queer Cinema, Toronto ]

Conservatives Embrace "March of the Penguins"

With it's inspiring story of ultimate perseverance and dedication to their children and their mate, "March of the Penguins," the hugely successful documentary that follows the mating ritual of Emperor penguins in Antarctica, has drawn loyal support from Christian conservatives and intelligent design advocates, who feel the film "most passionately affirms traditional norms like monogamy, sacrifice and child rearing." Jonathan Miller reports for the New York Times. 
[permalink]   [ filed under Documentary, Movies ]

Ivan Reitman Sums It Up

With the deal for "Thank You For Smoking" unresolved and Fox Searchlight and Paramount Classics battling it out, in the Toronto Star Martin Knelman comes up with the best quote so far on the matter, from the the director's father Ivan Reitman:

"A lot of movies at this festival were struggling to find distributors," said Ivan Reitman, Hollywood producer and father of Jason Reitman. "This film was fortunate enough to find more than its share."

 
[permalink]   [ filed under Acquisitions, Lead Story ]

First Look Studios Takes U.S. Rights to Hillcoat's "The Proposition"

First Look Studios has acquired all U.S. rights to "The Proposition," directed by John Hillcoat and written by rock music icon Nick Cave, it was announced Sunday night by Henry Winterstern, CEO and co-chairman, and Bill Lischak, president and COO of First Look Studios. The deal was negotiated by First Look's Peter Lawson and The Works' Joy Wong. Chosen as an Official Selection of the 2005 Toronto International Film Festival, "The Proposition" is the story of two brothers in conflict. The feature's international cast includes Emily Watson ("Life and Death of Peter Sellers"), Guy Pearce ("Memento"); Ray Winstone ("Sexy Beast"), Danny Huston ("21 Grams"), John Hurt ("Dogville"), and David Wenham ("The Lord of The Rings"). First Look Studios is planning a theatrical release for January 2006. [Brian Brooks] 
[permalink]   [ filed under Acquisitions, Toronto ]

Offshore Entertainment Launches with Morgan J. Freeman's "Just Like the Son"

The new film, television and music production company Offshore Entertainment made its official launch on Sept. 8. Its film arm, Offshore Pictures, will premiere Morgan J. Freeman’s “Just Like the Son,” featuring Rosie Perez in a "story of a juvenile delinquent who befriends a second grader while doing community service, and learns about responsibility as they take a road trip across America." Offshore Entertainment's CEO Christopher Woodrow and LaSalleHolland’s Lillian LaSalle are the executive producers of this debut film, with Jamin O’Brien and LaSalleHolland’s Gill Holland and Mathew Parker as producers. For more information, visit Offshore Entertainment. [Aileen Torres] 
[permalink]   [ filed under Biz, Production ]

Picture This! Gets "The Masseur"

Picture This! Entertainment has announced its acquisition of North American rights to Brillante Mendoza's "The Masseur" (Masahista), which premiered at the Locarno festival this year where it shared the Golden Leopard Prize. Starring Alan Paule, the film is the story of a romance novel writer who visits a massage parlor and meets a young, handsome masseur. The deal was negotiated by Doug Witkins for Picture This! Entertainment, and by Ferdinand D. Lapuz of Ignatius Films for Gee Entertainment Productions. The company will release the movie next Spring, after fest trips to Thessaloniki, Flanders, Ghent, Chicago and Vienna. [Eugene Hernandez] 
[permalink]   [ filed under Acquisitions ]

Barkins and Kaplan Unveil Applehead Pictures

Actress Ellen Barkin and writer George Barkin have launched Applehead Pictures, with Caroline Kaplan leaving IFC Films to join them in forming the New York-based independent production company. The first project on tap for the new partnership is Richard Yates' 1976 novel "Easter Parade", the story of two sisters told over a period of 40 years. George Barkin, Ellen's older brother and former editor-in-chief of the Harvard Lampoon, is writing the screenplay. "While we don't see ourselves producing the next 'Fantastic Four', we certainly plan on developing a wide range of material and don't want to label ourselves as a company limited by a small indie vision", said Barkin in a statement. Cinetic chief John Sloss introduced Kaplan to the Barkins and helped set up the new company, according to an announcement. Kaplan, a former SVP of Productions and Acquisitions at IFC Entertainment, had her last day at the company last week. The move marks one of two senior vice president departues at IFC recently, with Ron Tsuruda leaving and Wellspring's Ryan Werner joining the company last week. 
[permalink]   [ filed under Industry Moves ]