Rosefelt Returns with New Consulting Service

Recently announced was the return to PR work by veteran Reid Rosefelt. The former president of boutique firm Magic Lantern, Rosefelt has announced the launch of a new consulting business for filmmakers in need of PR services. As Rosefelt recently explained, he is targeting filmmakers who are unable to secure publicists for festivals or self-distribution. In a statement this week, Rosefelt said:

"It's very expensive to hire a publicist for Sundance and even filmmakers who have the money aren't able to get one for various reasons. I'm trying to fill that void. I won't go to Sundance with them, but I can help them do a better job on their own."

In his 25 years of work on the business, Rosefelt has worked on numerous acclaimed indie and foreign language films, including movies from Jim Jarmusch, Errol Morris, Pedro Almodovar, David Mamet, Ang Lee, Todd Solondz, Lisa Cholodenko, Hal Hartley, Werner Herzog, Wim Wenders, Rainer Werner Fassbinder, Andrei Tarkovsky, Jean-Luc Godard, and many others. He was also a PR consultant for Sundance Institute. With filmmakers now hearing about their acceptance into the upcoming Sundance Film Festival, Rosefelt is offering guidance, including a list of PR resources and tips on his website, as well as information on his own abilities. Rosefelt is planning a PR seminar in New York next year and is considering a similar event in Los Angeles. For more information, visit his website. [Eugene Hernandez] 
[permalink]   [ filed under Biz ]

Sundance Institute and NHK Pick 12 Finalists for annual Awards

Sundance Institute and NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation) announced Friday the 12 finalists for the 2007 Sundance/NHK International Filmmakers Awards. The awards "recognize emerging artists in international cinema," and are presented to film directors from Europe, Latin America, the United States, and Japan to support them in realizing their next projects. The four winners, selected by members of an international jury, will be announced during the 2007 Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, taking place January 18-28. The 12 finalists are: Jens Jonsson for "The Ping-Pong King" (Sweden); Dagur Kari for "The Good Heart" (Iceland); Ursula Meier for "Home" (Switzerland); Lucia Cedron for "Agnus Dei" (Argentina); Jorge Gaggero for "Dog Security" (Argentina); Josue Mendez for "Dioses" (Peru); Isamu Hirabayashi for "The Care and Feeding of Insects" (Japan); Tomoko Kana for "Two by the River" (Japan); Yoshinori Saitou for "Chicken Choice" (Japan); Caran Hartsfield for "Bury Me Standing" (U.S.); Jake Mahaffy for "Free in Deed" (U.S.) and Kazuo Ohno for "Mr. Crumpacker and the Man from the Letter" (U.S.) The winning director from each region will receive a $10,000 award and a guarantee from NHK to purchase the Japanese television broadcast rights upon completion of their project. In addition, Sundance Institute will work closely with the award recipients throughout the year, providing ongoing resources and support in seeking out opportunities to finance and distribute their projects. "These projects transcend geographic, cultural and political boundaries and represent the range of stories being developed by filmmakers around the world," commented Alesia Weston, associate director of the Feature Film Program, International in a statement about the nominees. For more information, visit the Sundance Institute website. [Brian Brooks] 
[permalink]   [ filed under Honors ]

Weinstein Company and IFC Entertainment Take "Out of the Blue"

The Weinstein Company and IFC Entertainment have co-acquired all North American rights to the controversial drama "Out of the Blue," which will be released though IFC's First Take day and date banner and hit theatres simultaneously with VOD. The Weinstein Company will be releasing the film on DVD through Genius Products, LLC. The joint announcement was made today by Michelle Krumm, EVP of acquisitions for The Weinstein Company and Jonathan Sehring, IFC Entertainment President. Written by Graeme Tetley with director Robert Sarkies, the film, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in September, is the true story of David Gray who, on November 13, 1990, shot and killed over a dozen townspeople in his hometown Aramoana, a quiet and tight knit community on New Zealand's South Island. "Out of the Blue" stars Matt Sunderland and Karl Urban and was shot on location earlier this year in New Zealand's Otago region. "This is one of the eeriest and most riveting films I have seen and is definitely a stand out that will have people on the edge of their seats in front of both big and small screens across the states," commented Sehring about the film in a statement. IFC First Take has tentatively planned a Spring 2007 theatrical release. [Brian Brooks] 
[permalink]   [ filed under Acquisitions ]

"Maxed Out" Set with Magnolia, Truly Indie and Red Envelope

Magnolia Home Entertainment, Truly Indie and Netflix's Red Envelope Entertainment have jointly acquired North American rights to James Spurlock's South by Southwest Film Festival special jury prize winner "Maxed Out" for theatrical and DVD release, the companies announced Friday. Directed by Scurlock and edited by Alexis Spraic, the feature is a journey inside the American debt-style, where, according to a release, "things seem fine as long as the minimum monthly payment arrives on time." The film shows how the modern financial industry really works, explains the true definition of "preferred customer" and reveals why the poor are getting poorer and the rich getting richer. The deal was negotiated by Magnolia's head of acquisitions Tom Quinn, head of business Affairs Jason Janego along with Bahman Naraghi, head of Red Envelope Entertainment as well as Red Envelope's head of acquisitions and distribution Liesl Copland. Josh Braun of Submarine Entertainment and Roger E. Kass represented the filmmaker. "This film is an excellent blend of humor and drama that lays bare the reality behind credit card debt in America," said Naraghi in a statement. "'Maxed Out' is exactly the kind of film that we are pleased to be able to bring to a wider audience." [Brian Brooks] 
[permalink]   [ filed under Acquisitions ]

Kino International Picks "In the Pit" for January Release

Juan Carlos Rulfo's Mexican doc "In the Pit," which won the Jury Prize for World Cinema Documentary at this year's Sundance Film Festival has been picked up by Kino International the company announced Friday. The film, which will be released in January, 2007, is described as an "in-depth and remarkably candid portrait of the workers who built the Second Deck of Mexico City's inner Periferico freeway. Although a major architectural structure, the most impressive information about this elevated freeway is the sheer number of lives that it impacts." After opening in New York and Los Angeles, Kino will expand the film to further cities. [Brian Brooks] 
[permalink]   [ filed under Acquisitions ]

Scorsese and Affleck Join Next Generation of Film programs

Martin Scorsese and Ben Affleck will take part in the last two installments of "The Next Generation of Film" program, the Film Society of Lincoln Center announce. Scorsese will take part in an onstage conversation on November 27 and a screening of "Hollywoodland" and onstage discussion with Affleck is slated for December 6 at the Walter Reade Theater. Scorsese will focus on the films made by George Seaton and William Perlberg in the 1950s and ‘60s, including "The Counterfeit Traitor," "The Bridges at Toko-Ri" and "The Proud and Profane." For more information, visit the Film Society of Lincoln Center website. [Brian Brooks]  
[permalink]   [ filed under Events ]

SF Chronicle: Early Buzz on Oscars

Kowtowing to young audiences, who prefer watching stuff blow up to following nuanced stories, major studios are finding it increasingly difficult to rack up Oscar nominations. The lion's share of them may wind up going to "Babel," "The Queen," "The Last King of Scotland," "Little Children," "Little Miss Sunshine" and "The Illusionist"--all smaller films that opened in limited release and have been marketed to sophisticated filmgoers. One encouraging trend this year is the number of strong performances by women. The playing field may get really crowded next month with the openings of "Blood Diamond," "Dreamgirls," "The Good German" and "The Good Shepherd"--the big studios' best shots at garnering Academy Award recognition. Ruth Stein reports. 
[permalink]   [ filed under Awards Watch, Movies ]

Aspen Filmfest Re-christened "Aspen Film"

Film arts organization Aspen Filmfest is changing its name to Aspen Film. The official change will debut during the group's upcoming "Academy Screenings" series (December 18 - January 1), which will spotlight "anticipated" features and documentaries leading up to the Academy Award season. According to the organization, the move to Aspen Film will "distinguish the year-round parent organization from its seasonal events including Aspen Shortsfest, Aspen Filmfest, Academy Screenings and summerFILMS, as well as numerous educational programs. Individual event and program names will not be altered. "We are nearing our 30th year as a thriving organization that operates many film programs all year long," commented executive director Laura Thielen in a statement. "While our festivals and film series enjoy a high profile, we also present numerous other community programs including extensive youth outreach. We believe it is important to clarify our organizational scope and mission for the public." [Brian Brooks] 
[permalink]   [ filed under Biz ]

The Guardian Interview: Isabelle Huppert

She has played a repressed spinster, a bisexual bohemian and a nymphomaniac nun. But her latest role could top even that. Even if she is nothing like the fearsomely unhinged characters she regularly plays, Isabelle Huppert is quite a scary prospect. As an actor, she is dauntingly accomplished--rarely does a Cannes Film Festival go by without her. She has won the best actress award there twice (for "The Piano Teacher" in 2001, and in 1978 for "Violette Noziere"), and is a former jury member. Steve Rose speaks with Huppert. 
[permalink]   [ filed under People ]

South Africa movie industry must tap talent pool: Morgan Freeman

American movie hotshots have advised South African filmmakers to stop taking their cue from abroad, saying talent and inspiration were the key ingredients to a winning recipe. "If you talk to a lot of people in the business, particularly among the talent pool, many of them come from disadvantaged areas," Oscar-winning Hollywood actor Morgan Freeman told a roundtable discussion in Cape Town on South African filmmaking. AFP reports. 
[permalink]   [ filed under People ]

Baichwal's "Manufactured Landscapes" at Zeitgeist

Zeitgeist Films has acquired all U.S. rights to Jennifer Baichwal's "Manufactured Landscapes," based on the work of photographer Edward Burtynsky. In the words of an announcement today, "the film takes the viewer primarily to China, where Baichwal examines the rarely witnessed sites of that country's massive industrial revolution." The film won the Best Canadian Feature Film Award at the 2006 Toronto International Film Festival and Zeigeist previously released Baichawal's "Let It Come Down: The Life of Paul Bowles." The company is planning a Summer 2007 release. [Eugene Hernandez] 
[permalink]   [ filed under Acquisitions, Documentary ]

Cage and Connery Ready for Honors at 3rd Bahamas International Film Festival

The Bahamas International Film Festival announced plans for its third annual event taking place at the Atlantis Paradise Resort outside Nassau December 7 - 10. As previously announced, Oscar winner Nicolas Cage will be the recipient of the Career Achievement Tribute, while the BIFF Tribute Chopard Award will go to Sir Sean Connery. Director Susanne Bier's "After the Wedding" will open the festival and six films will screen in the fest's narrative competition, while five are slated for the doc competition. BIFF's "New Visions" competition includes six titles, and the festival will screen additional work in its Panorama World Cinema and Caribbean Spotlight sections in addition to special screenings "Johnny Slade's Greatest Hits" by Larry Blamire and "The Origins of AIDS" by Catherine Peix and Peter Chappell. "BIFF is committed to exhibiting films that showcase unique international themes as well as combining both enjoyment and thought provoking concepts via the cinematic arts," commented Leslie Vanderpool, founder and executive director of BIFF. "We have screened hundreds of films from all over the world which we will be showcasing a slate of fifty narrative, documentary and short films over the festival's four days." For more information and a full line up, visit the Bahamas International Film Festival's website. [Brian Brooks] 
[permalink]   [ filed under Festivals ]

Global Film Initiative Moves to San Francisco

The Global Film Initiative, an international organization which focuses on promoting "cross-cultural understanding" by funding and distributing films from developing countries in the United States has moved its offices from New York to San Francisco. The Initiative aims to capitalize on the emerging technologies coming out of the Bay Area. As part of the move to San Francisco, the Global Film Initiative has hired key new staff members, including new executive director Kristin Wiederholt, Sheila Cadigan who takes of the role of director of acquisitions, development and marketing and Santhosh Daniel who will serve as the new director of granting, logistics and strategic technologies. [Brian Brooks] 
[permalink]   [ filed under Biz ]

MoMA to Present Full Ten Hour "Mondovino"

New York's Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) will present the theatrical premiere of the full version of Jonathan Nossiter's winemaking documentary "Mondovino," presented in five two-hour programs December 2 - 10. Shot over several years in seven countries, the film is actually ten autonomous stories exploring the clash between the modern global economy and the individualized art of wine making. The edited two-hour version of the film premiered at the 2005 Festival de Cannes in competition. For more information, visit the MoMA website. [Brian Brooks] 
[permalink]   [ filed under Events ]

ThinkFilm Gets "Darryl Hunt" Doc

Ricki Stern and Annie Sundberg's "The Trials of Darryl Hunt," which debuted back in January at the Sundance Film Festival, has been acquired by ThinkFilm. The company is planning a 2007 release of the film, which has just been named to the short list of films under consideration for a best documentary Academy Award nomination. The film is the story of Hunt's decade-long battle to free himself from prison after a wrongful conviction. It has won audience and jury awards at numerous film festivals throughout the year, including Sedona, Full Frame, Newport, Galway, Bend, Nashville, Seattle, Chicago, Raindance and more. [Eugene Hernandez] 
[permalink]   [ filed under Acquisitions ]

REELER: What's Up at the Village Voice?

For weeks now, indie film insiders have been bemoaning the steady stream of departures at The Village Voice. In a lengthy 3,000 word story at The Reeler, S.T. VanAirsdale takes a close look at the paper and the big changes that have been taking place in the Film section at the publication. As VanAirsdale noted, "readers have witnessed the last six months' turnover and attrition spin the 51-year-old paper into a somewhat benign -- some would say banal -- version of its former self." And as he adds in the opening of the article:

For everyone fretting about the changes sweeping the vaunted film section of the Village Voice, you can relax: Jim Hoberman is staying. There is that. The interim replacement for fired section editor Dennis Lim may have lasted only two days before giving his notice, the budget may roughly amount to just a third of its size prior to last winter's merger with the New Times chain, the popular year-end critics' poll may have been cancelled, a number of respected freelance critics and feature writers may have disappeared from its pages and its de-emphasis on local independent and repertory releases may end up alienating some of its advertisers, but at least you have that one institutional continuity to bank on. Everything else is anybody's guess.

 
[permalink]   [ filed under Biz ]

Cinema Libre Partners to Produce and Distribute Feature Films

L.A.-based distributor Cinema Libre that it will produce two to five humanitarian, environmental or social issue movies per year in partnership with non-profit foundations and NGOs (non-governmental organizations). The company's first film made in partnership with the international aid organization Action Against Hunger, "The Empire In Africa," was selected for the Critics Week at Cannes and has won best documentary awards this year at the Slamdance Film Festival. The film, co-financed by both companies, examines the humanitarian crises resulting from the decade long civil war in Sierra Leone. A second project, "Progress vs. Poverty," has recently started production. Directed by Diaz, the documentary feature will question why there continues to be such poverty in light of so much progress, through interviews with global experts, spokespeople for the IMF, the World Bank and NGOs on the ground in Kenya, South Africa, Venezuela, Bolivia, Brazil, South Korea and the United States. [Brian Brooks] 
[permalink]   [ filed under Biz ]

SF360: 50 years of Janus Films

It doesn't seem like too much of a stretch to group Janus Films with those few indispensable American institutions, which have historically acted not just to distribute or exhibit art, but to actually represent a vision of what art is and can be. When Bryant Halliday and Cyrus Harvey founded the company 50 years ago, they parlayed their experience as film programmers into distribution. No one else was bringing international cinema to American screens, so Halliday and Harvey took it upon themselves; from the beginning, Janus was the exclusive province of film lovers, that stately coin logo being the seal of film as art. If the French New Wave's politiques des auteurs provided the theoretical underpinning for the emerging American cinephilia of the '60s, Janus Films was the engine. Max Goldberg reports. 
[permalink]   [ filed under People ]

Dame Helen Mirren to be Honored at 22nd Santa Barbara International Film Festival

Dame Helen Mirren will be honored with a tribute and receive the award for "Outstanding Performance of the Year" for her role in "The Queen" at the upcoming 22nd annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival, the event announced Tuesday. The event will take place Friday, January 26th during the 22nd SBIFF, which takes place January 25 - February 4. "It is an honor to celebrate Dame Helen Mirren's performance in this role," commented SBIFF executive director Roger Durling in a statement. "She beautifully captured the conflict this woman felt in a time of personal tragedy and public loss. The way she was able to balance power and vulnerability with this portrayal was incredible." [Brian Brooks] 
[permalink]   [ filed under Festivals ]

Foundation to Help Women Filmmakers Established in Memory of Adrienne Shelly

The Adrienne Shelly Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the memory of writer/director/actress Adrienne Shelly, is being founded by her husband, Andy Ostroy. Plans include a Womens' Filmmaking Scholarship Fund, with a particular emphasis on awarding film school scholarships and helping women make the transition from acting to directing. "I know what Adrienne would want most would be to help women get a chance to pursue their dream," commented Ostroy in a statement. More initiatives from the foundation will be announced at a later date. Those wanting to contribute can send checks made out to The Adrienne Shelly Foundation, via Belardi'Ostroy LLC, 16 West 22nd Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10010. Checks should be post-dated December 15th, until the legal status of the foundation is finalized. [Brian Brooks] 
[permalink]   [ filed under People ]

The Guardian: "Red Road" rolls over competition

"Red Road," the Cannes jury prize-winning thriller about a CCTV operator bent on revenge, has swept the board at this year's Scottish Baftas. The movie won five awards, including best film, best actress for Kate Dickie, best actor for Tony Curran, as well as best director and best screenplay for Andrea Arnold. The ceremony took place on Sunday night in Glasgow. The Guardian reports. 
[permalink]   [ filed under Awards Watch, Honors ]

SF360: Second Look at 3rd I South Asian Film Festival

Three days, nine films, eight shorts, and endless bliss courtesy of last weekend's fourth annual 3rd I South Asian Film Festival. This year's lineup showcased a wide range of tastes. Opening night at San Francisco's Yerba Buena Theater Friday started off with a super rare screening of British Asian Dub documentary "Foundation & Empire," followed by a local South Asian Shorts, featuring a Q&A that included every director in attendance. Jennifer Young reports. 
[permalink]   [ filed under Festivals ]

Starz Launches Film Studio: Overture Films

Starz, LLC has announced the creation of Overture Films, a company described in an announcement Monday as "a new motion picture studio." The new production and distribution outfit will be headed by CEO Chris McGurk and COO Danny Rosett, both formerly of MGM. A unit of Liberty Media's premium movie service and production/distribution arm, Overture will produce, acquire and release 8 - 12 feature films per year, with a mandate to, "produce quality films that take creative risks and break new ground." Based in Los Angeles with releases set to start in the middle of next year, Overture will begin with a slate that is made up of 60% productions and 40% acquisitions. Mondays announcement indicated a range of projects and genres are targeted (including dramas, socially minded projects, thrillers, comedies, horror films and urban projects), with reports indicating that movies budgeted in the $30 million range are the focus. In a statement, McGurk said:

"Unburdened by the infrastructure and red tape of big studios, Overture Films will provide a unique opportunity for creative talent to return to the fundamentals of film making: original stories, gifted actors and innovative directors. At our studio the creative talent will be central not just in making the films but in helping to develop and execute the marketing and promotional campaigns, including the Internet. Overture Films will embrace and empower talent as true partners in the entire process of making and distributing films."

The complete press release is available on the Starz website. [Eugene Hernandez] 
[permalink]   [ filed under Biz ]

"The Lives of Others" and "American Blackout" Take Top High Falls Film Festival Honors

Floian Henckel Von Donnersmarck's "The Lives of Others" won the High Falls Film Festival's audience award for best narrative over the weekend, concluding the event, which emphasizes women in film. "Lives" is Germany's official entry for best foreign-language Oscar consideration. Ian Inaba's "American Blackout" won best documentary, while "Sintonia," written and directed by Jose Mari Goenaga took best short. And, "Sticks & Stones" by Rehema Imani Trimiew won High Falls' "Audience Award from the Women of SoFA" prize. As previously announced "Copying Beethoven" (which opened the fest) director Agnieszka Holland as well as actors Shirley Knight ("Open Window") and Famke Janssen ("The Treatment"), producer Lauren Shuler Donner were honored with the festival's "Susan B. Anthony 'Failure is Impossible'" Award. [Brian Brooks] 
[permalink]   [ filed under Festivals ]

"Volver" "Avatar" and "Sharkwater" Among Winners at 21st Ft. Lauderdale International Film Festival

Ishai Setton's "The Big Bad Swim" won the best American indie award, while Pedro Almodovar's "Volver" took best film at the 21st Ft. Lauderdale International Film Festival Sunday. Also taking jury prizes were Lluis Quilez's "Avatar" (best short), Rob Stewart's "Sharkwater" (best doc), David Wall best director for "Mrs. Worthington's Party," George Gallo best screenplay for "Local Color," and Adolfo B. Alix Jr.'s "Donsol" (best low budget feature). Joe Pantoliano won best actor for his role in "Canvas," while Monic Hendrickx took best actress for her role in "Leef!" Michael Negrin took best cinematographer for "Local Color," and the festival's Humanitarian Award went to Mark Dornford-May's "Son of Man." The audience prize for best narrative went to Joe Greco's "Canvas," and best doc went to "Sharkwater." Ian Ziering's "Man vs. Monday" won in the short category. The lengthy festival, which opened with "Volver" on October 16 continues through November 14. [Brian Brooks] 
[permalink]   [ filed under Festivals ]

NY Times: Scenes From a Marriage Not Unlike His Own

"Apoplectic with fear" is how the writer and director Jeff Lipsky summed up his state of mind a few weeks before the release of "Flannel Pajamas." Opening in New York on Wednesday, the film traces the arc of a marriage from the characters' first flush of attraction through the relationship's small daily erosions. "My whole future is going to be carved out in 96 hours," Mr. Lipsky said, his nervous energy and Woody Allen-like persona surfacing at regular intervals during a late breakfast in SoHo with the film's male lead, Justin Kirk, in town from Los Angeles. Nancy Ramsey reports. 
[permalink]   [ filed under People ]

SF360: Mary Badham, on a "Mockingbird" mission

I was six months old when I went to my first movie--and I swear I remember images from it. You see, I sometimes have flashes of shots from "To Kill a Mockingbird," but all of them are upside-down. My mother tells me that I saw the film from a bassinette on the theater seat--thus began my life-long love affair with the film. I grew up in Alabama, which is also the setting of the book and the film. Every year, one of the three television stations we received would show "To Kill a Mockingbird." Laura Irvine speaks with Mary Badham in SF360. 
[permalink]   [ filed under People ]

Chicago Sun-Times: Seventh time "Up" for Apted

In 1964, director Michael Apted interviewed a group of seven-year-old British schoolchildren for a BBC television documentary called "7 Up." Apted, now known for directing such features as "Coal Miner's Daughter" and "Gorillas in the Mist," has since returned to film these subjects every seven years. They are now 49. Roger Ebert, who lists the "Up" series among his ten greatest films of all time, interviewed Apted in London for the release of the latest installment, "49 Up." 
[permalink]   [ filed under People ]

SPC and Participant Partner for new Errol Morris Doc

Sony Pictures Classics and Participant Productions have announced their partnership for Errol Morris' new documentary, "S.O.P." (which stands for "Standard Operating Procedure"). The new film looks at the Abu Ghraib prison scandal. In the words of an announcement, it "will examine the unintended consequences of the Iraqi war with a focus on events at Abu Ghraib prison, notorious for the shocking photos which began to appear in global media in 2004. It is the story of soldiers who believed they were defending democracy but found themselves plunged into an unimagined nightmare." This marks the third film Sony Pictures Classics has co-financed with Morris; in addition to "The Fog of War," Sony Pictures Classics released Morris' "Fast, Cheap & Out of Control" in 1997. Julie Bilson Ahlberg, Morris' producing partner on "The Fog of War," has the same role on "S.O.P." Diane Weyermann, EVP of documentaries for Participant Productions, is responsible for daily oversight of the film for Participant. In a statement, Errol Morris said:

"I feel this is one of the most significant films I have ever worked on," said Morris. "There is a mystery about the war in Iraq. Not just how and why it started, but what it is ultimately about. It is a mystery that I am trying to investigate."

 
[permalink]   [ filed under Production ]

AFI Fest Honors "Grbavica" and "Buddha's Lost Children" With Top Jury Prizes

AFI Fest 2006 awarded its prizes Sunday in Los Angeles with Jasmila Zbanic's "Grbavica: The Land of My Dreams" winning the narrative grand jury prize at the festival. Bosnia and Herzegovina's official entry for the 2006 Best Foreign Language Film Academy Award, the film was recently acquired by Strand Releasing. Mark Verkerk's "Buddha's Lost Children" won the documentary grand jury prize. Feature audience awards went to Carla Garapedian's "Screamers" and Lucy Walker's "Blindsight" (tie, documentary) and Fredi M. Murer's "Vitus" (narrative). The festival will close tonight (Sunday) with the world premiere of Zhang Yimou's "Curse of the Golden Flower." [Eugene Hernandez] 
[permalink]   [ filed under AFI Fest, Festivals ]

Box Office Estimates: "Volver," "Babel," "Fur"

Pedro Almodovar's "Volver" maintained a healthy percentage of its box office in its second weekend, according to a Sony Pictures Classics estimate. The film made an estimated 172,340 on 5 screens, for a per screen average of 34,468 and an estimated total of 466,204 so far. (Last weekend, the film made $197,703 on 5 screens for $39,541 per screen.) Paramount Vantage expanded "Babel" to 1,251 screens this weekend, earning an estimated 5,650,631, for an average of 4,517 and an estimated total of 7,487,893 so far. "Fur: An Imaginary Portrait of Diane Arbus," from Picturehouse, earned an estimated $30,000 on 4 screens, according to Box Office Mojo, for an estimated $7,500 per screen average. [Eugene Hernandez]  
[permalink]   [ filed under Biz ]