The Latest From IDFA

While indieWIRE is currently on a Thanksgiving holiday, editors Eugene Hernandez and Brian Brooks are in Amsterdam covering the International Documentary Festival Amsterdam, a first dispatch from the festival and the first iPOP shots will be published this weekend. In the meantime, Eugene is writing about the festival on his indieWIRE blog. 
[permalink]   [ filed under Documentary, Festivals ]

MoMA Set for "Five Decades" Maysles Retrospective

A look at five decades of films by documentarians Albert Maysles and David Maysles will be presented during the Museum of Modern Art's "Maysles Films: Five Decades". The series opens on December 1st with "Psychiatry in Russia" (1955) and "Grey Gardens" (1976), Albert Maysles will be among the attendees. The series will continue through December 31, 2005 at the museum. [Eugene Hernandez] 
[permalink]   [ filed under Events ]

Fortissimo Gets "Wisdom"

Fortissimo Films has announced its investment in and acquisition of worldwide sales rights outside of Asia to Jacob Cheung's "A Battle of Wisdom." Andy Lau will star in the historical martial arts epic with Korean actor Ahn Sung-ki, Chinese actress Fan Bing Bing, Chinese actor Wang Zhiwen, and Choi Si-won. The $16 million film began production in September and is based on a popular animated series about China's warlord period, according to an announcement. Cheung is producing, along with Iseki Satoru, Lee Jooick and Huang Jianxin. Yoshitsuru Yoshimitsu is co-producing. Iseki Satoru of World Top (H.K.) Ltd negotiated the deal with Michael J Werner from Fortissimo. [Eugene Hernandez] 
[permalink]   [ filed under Acquisitions ]

Four Films Named Balkan Fund Recipients at Thessaloniki Fest

Four film projects were named recipients of the Balkan Fund Award, a cash award worth €10,000 at the Thessaloniki International Film Festival, currently underway in Greece. The award-winners include "Conversation with Serafim," screenwriter and director Silviu Purcarete, Libra Films (Romania); "Asphyxiation,"screenwriter and director Asli Ozge, DKFY (Turkey); "Cum in the Rye," screenwriter Dimitrije Vojnov, director and producer Srdjan Dragojevic, Delirium Films (Serbia & Montenegro); "Welcome Aboard," screenwriter and director Constantine Giannaris, Highway Productions (Greece). This year, its third in operation, the Balkan Fund proceedings included twelve projects that were selected from among 50 candidates. The Balkan Fund aims to help filmmakers from the Balkan region and develop their future films. [Brian Brooks] 
[permalink]   [ filed under Festivals ]

Sundance Channel Names Lynn Kirby SVP of Original Programming and Development

Sundance Channel has announced the appointment of Lynne Kirby as Senior Vice President, Original Programming and Development. The announcement was made today by Laura Michalchyshyn, Executive Vice President, Programming & Marketing, Sundance Channel, to whom Kirby will report. Kirby comes to Sundance Channel from The Discovery Channel, where she has been serving as the head of New York based development. She will be based in New York. Kirby will be responsible for overseeing the development and production of Sundance Channel's original series and films. She will manage a team that includes Samuel J. Paul, Director, Original Programming and Development, Melissa Haggerty, Manager, Original Programming and Development, and Ann Rose, Supervising Producer, Original Programming. "We are thrilled to bring Lynne on board," Michalchyshyn commented in a statement. "Her 10 years of cable television experience, savvy programming expertise and relationships in the independent film community make her the perfect person to shepherd Sundance Channel through the expansion of our original programming slate." [Brian Brooks] 
[permalink]   [ filed under Industry Moves ]

THINKFilm and Screen Media Lure "Loverboy" to North America

THINKFilm in partnership with Screen Media Films has acquired North American theatrical rights to "Loverboy" a drama starring Kyra Sedgwick and directed by Kevin Bacon, it was announced by THINK's theatrical division head, Mark Urman, and Screen Media's president, Robert Baruc. The film had its world premiere at Sundance in January and was a featured presentation at the Hamptons International Film Festival last month. THINK will release "Loverboy" next spring to coincide with the launch of the second season of Sedgwick's popular dramatic series, "The Closer." Based on the highly regarded novel by Victoria Redel, "Loverboy" tells the story of Emily Stoll, (Sedgwick) a beautiful, financially secure single woman who longs for the unconditional love that comes with having her own child. Men are only of interest to Emily as sexual partners, and when she gives birth to her son Paul, (the result of an anonymous encounter), he becomes the center of her universe. But, when Paul reaches school age, and his natural curiosity draws him to the outside world, Emily has to act quickly to hold onto the love of her life. The film is a Mixed Breed Films/Danny Bigel/Michael Mailer Production. The deal was negotiated by Fred Gaines of Gaines, Solomon Law Group on behalf of the filmmakers, Richard Rapkowski and Randy Manis on behalf of THINKFilm, and David Fannon on behalf of Screen Media. [Brian Brooks] 
[permalink]   [ filed under Acquisitions ]

The Top Ten, so far...

Each Monday, indieWIRE compiles the final weekend numbers for specialty releases in theaters. This is our top ten for the past weekend so far, with most numbers already in. The top ten is subject to change before the final chart is published tomorrow and the weekly box office column is written. 1. "Classe Tous Risques" (Rialto) - $11,945 wknd ($11,945 per scrn) 2. "Breakfast on Pluto" (Sony Classics) - $33,279 wknd ($11,093 per scrn) 3. "Pride And Prejudice" (Focus) - $2,141,554 wknd ($9,690 per scrn) 4. "Sarah Silverman: Jesus is Magic" (Roadside) - $130,915 wknd ($7,273 per scrn) 5. "The Syrian Bride" (Koch Lorber) - $7,235 wknd (7,235 per scrn) 6. "Zizek!" (Zeitgeist) - 7,062 wknd (7,062 per scrn) 7. "Blackmail Boy" (Picture This!) - $5,335 wknd (5,335 scrn) 8. "Pulse" (Magnolia) - $10,189 wknd ($5,094 per scrn) 9. "The Squid and the Whale" (Goldwyn/Sony) - $280,866 wknd (3,511 per scrn) 10. "Ballets Russes" (Zeitgeist) - $41,306 wknd (3,442 per scrn) 
[permalink]   [ filed under Biz ]

AP: Fox to Offer Movies Online Via Movielink

Movielink, a joint venture of five Hollywood studios to offer movies over the Internet, has signed a deal with Twentieth Century Fox, allowing it to offer movies from all major studios for the first time. The deal, announced Monday, comes at a time when studios and TV networks are looking at alternative ways to distribute programs, including video on demand and portable devices, such as Apple's iPod. A.P. reports. 
[permalink]   [ filed under Biz ]

LA Times: Anthony Hopkins: Wild Dark Horse in the Best Actor Derby

Stand back, derby watchers! Making a last-minute dash onto the best actor track is wily old Anthony Hopkins, riding a 1920 Kiwi motorcycle at record speed. Hopkins is so determined to break into that Oscar race that he and Magnolia Pictures "are screening the hell" out of "The World's Fastest Indian," according to Pete Hammond, who moderates many of Variety's screenings. "The World's Fastest Indian" is the real-life story of a 72-year-old New Zealand man who spends his retirement building an Indian motorcycle that he takes, without much funding or a support team, to race in Utah, where he sets a new land-speed record that still stands today. Magnolia plans to give the film a qualifying run in Los Angeles and New York theaters the week of Dec. 9, then open it wide nationally on Feb. 4. Tom O'Neil reports. 
[permalink]   [ filed under Awards Watch, People ]