The Guardian: Kissing Cowboy; Interview with Heath Ledger

Heath Ledger made his name as a hunky teen heartthrob. But his portrayal of a gay ranchhand in "Brokeback Mountain" has made him an Oscar favourite. He talks to Howard Feinstein in The Guardian. 
[permalink]   [ filed under People ]

Polychrome Opens Theatrical Deal for "Red Doors"

Writer/director Georgia Lee's award-winning debut feature film "Red Doors," produced by Blanc de Chine Entertainment, will be distributed by Polychrome Pictures in association with Warner Bros. Home Video. Polychrome acquired theatrical rights to "Red Doors" and will also handle TV and home video distribution via their Warner Bros. deal. In addition, Forward Entertainment has come on board to represent the film for worldwide sales excluding North America. The deals were brokered by Ira Deutchman of Emerging Pictures; Deutchman is also executive producer on the film. The film premiered at the 2005 Tribeca Film Festival, where it was awarded best feature film in the "NY, NY Competition." "Red Doors" went on to win the special jury prize for ensemble acting at CineVegas, the HBO audience award for first narrative feature and grand jury award for screenwriting at OutFest. In addition to the theatrical and home video deals, CBS and Paramount network television have ordered a one-hour pilot script based on the feature. [Brian Brooks] 
[permalink]   [ filed under Acquisitions ]

Wong Kar Wai named jury president for Cannes '06

Chinese director Wong Kar Wai ("In the Mood for Love") has been named president of the jury for the Cannes Film Festival, which will take place May 17 - 28. Wong is the first Chinese jury president in the festival's history, organizers said. Wong, who first journeyed to the French Riviera resort in 1989 with his film "As Tears Go By," became the first Chinese director to win the best director prize at the festival, for "Happy Together," in 1997. Last year's Cannes jury was headed by Serbian director Emir Kusturica. 
[permalink]   [ filed under Festivals ]

Paramount Classics Names Israel as New EVP of Production and Acquisitions

Paramount Classics president John Lesher announced the appointment of Amy Israel as executive vice president of production and acquisitions at the studio's specialty film label. Israel joins Paramount Classics from The Orphanage, a film, TV, animation VFX company, where she has served as head of production and as a producer since 2003. She recently produced "Griffin & Phoenix," directed by Ed Stone. Israel recently co-executive produced "Shall We Dance" for Miramax Films, directed by Peter Chelsom and "Hysterical Blindness" for HBO, directed by Mira Nair. Prior to becoming a producer, Israel was co-head and senior vice president of the acquisitions and co-production department at Miramax Films where she worked for eight years (1992-2000). "Amy's extensive background and stellar reputation makes her an ideal choice to help us create a wholly new, dynamic production and acquisition-driven film business," Lesher said in a statement. "Her expertise as a producer, and her involvement in some of the most successful independent films of the last decade speak volumes about her leadership and the direction we want to take our new specialty film label." [Brian Brooks]  
[permalink]   [ filed under Industry Moves ]

Directors Guild Names Nominees for Directors Award

The Directors Guild of America's vice president Betty Thomas today announced the five nominees for the DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Feature Film for 2005. The nominees are: George Clooney, "Good Night, and Good Luck"; Paul Haggis, "Crash"; Ang Lee, "Brokeback Mountain"; Bennett Miller, "Capote"; Steven Spielberg, "Munich." Fifty-one out of fifty-seven times since the DGA Award's founding in 1949, the DGA Award winner has won the Academy Award for best director. The winner will be named at the 58th annual DGA Awards dinner on Saturday, January 28th, at the Hyatt Century Plaza Hotel Los Angeles. [Brian Brooks] 
[permalink]   [ filed under Honors ]

Jon Stewart Named Host of 78th Academy Awards

"The Daily Show" host Jon Stewart has been set to host the 78th Academy Awards telecast, producer Gil Cates announced today. This will be Stewart's first stint as Oscar host. "I'm truly honored to be hosting the show," said Stewart in a statement. "Although, as an avid watcher of the Oscars, I can't help but be a little disappointed with the choice. It appears to be another sad attempt to smoke out Billy Crystal." Stewart has appeared in several motion pictures, including "Death to Smoochy," "Big Daddy," "The Faculty" and "Playing by Heart." Prior to taking over "The Daily Show" in 1999, Stewart's television credits included a one-hour HBO comedy special, "Jon Stewart: Unleavened," and a recurring role as himself on HBO's series-within-a-series, "The Larry Sanders Show." He also hosted "The Jon Stewart Show" on MTV, which went on to be nationally syndicated. [Brian Brooks] 
[permalink]   [ filed under People ]

SAG Picks Its Nominees

The Screen Actors Guild has named the five films nominated for its outstanding performance by a cast in a motion picture, selecting "Brokeback Mountain," "Capote," "Crash," "Good Night, and Good Luck," and "Hustle & Flow". [Eugene Hernandez] 
[permalink]   [ filed under Awards Watch, Honors ]

Sundance Channel Sets Fest TV Host

The Sundance Channel has announced that Whitney Cummings from TV's "Best Week Ever" and "Punk'd" will host the cable network's "Festival Dailies" on-air coverage of the 2006 Sundance Film Festival later this month. Daily coverage will air at 9 p.m. ET from January 20 - 29, for 30 minutes each day. 
[permalink]   [ filed under Festivals, Park City ]

DVD & Cable Windows Narrowing

In a piece for the Wall Street Journal, a trio of writers explore the likely upcoming overlap of cable and DVD release windows for movies. They write, and we excerpt:

Historically, movie studios have staggered distribution points -- called "windows" in the industry -- to maximize revenue...Now, declining box-office figures and slower growth in DVD sales, along with the emergence of new technology, have prompted talk of collapsing or eliminating the traditional windows...on balance, studios and cable operators hope that they will make more money if they give consumers quicker access to movies they want, in the form they want them.

 
[permalink]   [ filed under Biz ]

PGA Picks Smaller Films

The Producers Guild of America has announced its nominees for the best movie of the year, picking five films and their producers: "Brokeback Mountain" (James Schamus, Diana Ossana), "Capote" (Caroline Baron, William Vince, Michael Ohoven), "Crash" (Paul Haggis, Cathy Schulman), "Good Night, and Good Luck" (Grant Heslov), and "Walk the Line" (James Keach, Cathy Konrad). The awards will be presented on January 22nd. [Eugene Hernandez] 
[permalink]   [ filed under Awards Watch, Honors ]

WGA Announces Nominees for Writers Guild Awards

The Writers Guild of America, west and The Writers Guild of America, East have announced nominations for outstanding achievement in writing for the screen during 2005.

Nominated for best original screenplay are "Cinderella Man" (Screenplay by Cliff Hollingsworth and Akiva Goldsman, Story by Cliff Hollingsworth), "Crash" (Screenplay by Paul Haggis & Bobby Moresco, Story by Paul Haggis), "The 40 Year-Old Virgin" (Written by Judd Apatow & Steve Carell), "Good Night, And Good Luck" (Written by George Clooney & Grant Heslov), and "The Squid and the Whale" (Written by Noah Baumbach).

Nominated for best adapted screenplay are "Brokeback Mountain" (Screenplay by Larry McMurtry & Diana Ossana, Based on the Short Story by Annie Proulx), "Capote" (Screenplay by Dan Futterman, Based on the Book by Gerald Clarke), "The Constant Gardener" (Screenplay by Jeffrey Caine, Based on the Novel by John le Carre), "A History of Violence" (Screenplay by Josh Olson, Based on the Graphic Novel by John Wagner and Vince Locke), and "Syriana" (Based on the Book "See No Evil" by Robert Baer).

The awards will be presented on February 4, 2006 in New York and Los Angeles. [Eugene Hernandez]

 
[permalink]   [ filed under Awards Watch, Honors ]

Streep To Receive Coolidge Award in Boston

The Coolidge Corner Theater in Boston has announced that Meryl Streep will receive the 2006 Coolidge Award at an annual event that will take place on April 5 - 6, celebrating "a selected film artist whose work advances the spirit of original and challenging cinema." The ceremony will be preceded by a month of programming at the theater, including screenings and seminars. Previous recipients include director Zhang Yimou and cinematographer Vittorio Storaro. [Eugene Hernandez] 
[permalink]   [ filed under Honors ]

Indies and Stars

Last night in New York City I ran into a talented emerging filmmaker who has spent years trying to put together his first feature. Along the way he has secured the support of a legendary indie producer and with money to make the movie now seemingly within reach, the two are trying to secure a few celebrity names so they can actually close a deal to make the movie. Awaiting funding answers from a few folks who work outside the Indiewood specialty scene, the filmmaker bemoaned the fact that even the most passionate indie execs are asking the filmmaker and his producer to lure as many name actors as possible for the film. In The Hollywood Reporter today, Gregg Goldstein some of these issues, writing, "In the mid-1990s, an influx of bankable actors invaded the scene, willing to work for scale wages on labors of love to prove their credibility or revive sagging careers. Many filmmakers now contend that getting an indie film made or seen today without stars is harder than ever before." [Eugene Hernandez] 
[permalink]   [ filed under Biz ]

Castle Hill Productions Drives Worldwide Theatrical Rights for "The Tollbooth"

Castle Hill Productions has acquired worldwide theatrical rights to writer/director Debra Kirschner's "The Tollbooth," the company announced Tuesday. The Hamptons International Film Festival film will open at the Quad Cinemas in New York February 3rd with dates in Long Island, NY and Los Angeles to follow. The film comically explores the dynamics of a contemporary Jewish American family living in Brooklyn. Marla Sokoloff ("The Practice") stars in this coming-of-age story about a young woman's struggle to find her identity as she rebels and questions her family's values. The deal was negotiated by Castle Hill Productions' president of marketing and distribution Mel Maron and New York-based entertainment lawyer LynnAnn Klotz. [Brian Brooks]  
[permalink]   [ filed under Acquisitions ]

Writers Guild Announces Nominees for 2006 Documentary Screenplay Award

The Writers Guild of America, west (WGAw) and the Writers of America, East (WGAE) have announced nominations for outstanding achievement in documentary writing for the screen during the 2005 season. Nominees include "Cowboy del Amor," written by Michele Ohayon; "Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room," written by Alex Gibney; "The Fall of Fujimoir," written by Ellen Perry, Zack Anderson and Kim Roberts; "March of the Penguins," narration written by Jordan Roberts, based upon the story by Luc Jacquet and screenplay by Luc Jacquet and Michel Fessler; and "Street Fight," written by Marshall Curry. The guild’s Documentary Screenplay Award was established "to honor the writer's role in documentary film." [Brian Brooks] 
[permalink]   [ filed under Honors ]

35th International Film Festival Rotterdam to Open with Nagasaki's "Heart, Beating in the Dark"

The 35th edition of the International Film Festival Rotterdam will open with the European premiere of Shunichi Nagasaki's "Heart, Beating in the Dark" on Wednesday January 25. The Japanese director will also honored by Rotterdam as its "Filmmaker in Focus" with tribute screenings of a choice of his works Nagasaki will attend the opening night ceremony. The film is part remake and part sequel of Nagasaki's own film of the same title from 1982 as well as its own "making off." The principal actors from 1982 return in the 2005 version, while a new young couple is on the run. [Brian Brooks] 
[permalink]   [ filed under Festivals ]

What the Moviegoers Think

Chatting with moviegoers outside theaters in SoCal, the Los Angeles Times's John Horn and Scott Collins explore the film viewing habits of movie fans today. They write, "As the box office closed out 2005, moviegoing was down 7% with about 1.4 billion tickets sold for the year. While studio executives disagreed over why theater attendance declined (some blamed the movies themselves, others cited the allure of DVDs and video games, and several others said the 7% slide was statistically meaningless)..."  
[permalink]   [ filed under Biz ]

The Troubles of '05

The Hollywood Reporter writes (via Reuters), "Ask any Hollywood studio executive whether 2005 was a good year and you'll get an emphatic no. That's because the major studios are under severe duress and they know it." The trade paper looks at '05 for such industry execs as: Jobs & Iger, Soderbergh & Clooney, Cuban & Wagner, Schamus & Linde, Spielberg & Jackson, and more. 
[permalink]   [ filed under Biz ]

Arty, Movie Posters

In The New York Times, Christian Moerk explores the latest in movie posters, writing, "The formula that once guaranteed success is now so ubiquitous that posters in that vein are nearly invisible. So what does it take to get noticed some 80 years later, especially when you're selling yet another horror film, without the luxury of big stars? Surprisingly, the answer may be fine art." 
[permalink]   [ filed under Biz ]

Woody Headed to Spain?

The Guardian reported this weekend that Woody Allen has his sights set on Spain as the setting for an upcoming movie. The British paper said that Allen, "signed an agreement this week with a Spanish production company to shoot a film in Barcelona by 2007." 
[permalink]   [ filed under Movies ]

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year from the entire indieWIRE team. The next edition of indieWIRE: Daily will be published via email on Tuesday, January 3rd.

We will update indieWIRE.com with limited content in the meantime, however for more frequent updates, we invite you to visit our new blogs section, featuring blogs hosted by indieWIRE as well as links to some of our other favorites.

We wish all of our readers and colleagues all the best in 2006.

 
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