AP: Wong has stellar reputation in West

For his English-language debut "My Blueberry Nights," Wong Kar-wai didn't have to churn out a B-movie for a Hollywood studio. Instead, he called his own shots, working with his own production company to make a movie about an American road trip that drew some big stars: Jude Law, Natalie Portman, Rachel Weisz. Min Lee reports. 
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Reuters: Sarajevo festival shows films it helped produce

Festival coverage sponsored by Stella Artois.

Bosnia's soul-searching "It's Hard to be Nice" opens the 13th Sarajevo Film Festival (SFF), the biggest celebration of Balkan cinema, on Friday evening. Film selector Elma Tataragic said movies proposed as projects at the festival's CineLink co-production market in previous years would for the first time be shown. "We have finally fulfilled our dream--that authors propose and develop their projects at CineLink, find co-producers there, complete the films and show them at the festival," Tataragic told Reuters. 
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iW NEWS | Museum of Moving Image and Tribeca Cinemas to Host 1st Croatian Film Fest

New York's Museum of the Moving Image and Tribeca Cinemas will host the inaugural Croatian Film Festival September 13 - 16, with director Arsen A. Ostojic introducing his film "A Wonderful Night in Split" (Ta divna Splitska noc), which will open the event. The film is described as "three intertwined love stories set on a New Year’s Eve within the ancient medieval walls of Split." The event will close with "All for Free," a film about the "disoriented Balkan postwar generation." For more information and a full line up, visit their website. [Brian Brooks] 
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iW NEWS | Tribeca Sets '08 Dates

Festival coverage sponsored by Stella Artois.

The 7th Tribeca Film Festival will take place April 23 - May 4, 2008 in venues throughout Manhattan, the fest announced Thursday. Submissions open September 10 with the early deadline for features and shorts set for November 16 and the final deadline set for December 14. A late deadline for 2008 feature work in progress is January 11. For more information, visit their website. [Brian Brooks] 
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iW NEWS | Julie Christie to Receive Aspen Filmfest Honor

Festival coverage sponsored by Stella Artois.

Actress Julie Christie will receive the "Independent by Nature Award" at the Aspen Filmfest on September 29. The honor " recognizes a film artist who embodies individualism and creative risk-taking." Christie revied an Oscar for best actress in 1965 for "Darling." Other roles include "Dr. Zhivago" (1965), "Shampoo" (1975), "Hamlet" (1996) and her latest Lionsgate's "Away From Her" in which she plays a woman stricken with Alzheimer's Disease. "We are honored to celebrate this exceptionally gifted actor," commented Aspen Film executive director Laura Thielen in a statement. Aspen Filmfest takes place September 26 - 30. [Brian Brooks] 
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BBC: Hallam Foe starts film festival

Festival coverage sponsored by Stella Artois.

The Edinburgh International Film Festival is getting under way with the UK premiere of a romantic drama starring "Billy Elliot" actor Jamie Bell. The event, which is in its 60th year, opens with the first showing in Britain of "Hallam Foe," also with Sophia Myles. BBC reports. 
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iW NEWS | Fortissimo Acquires Toronto '07 Film "Love Comes Lately"

Fortissimo Films has acquired worldwide sales rights outside Germany to "Love Comes Lately" by Jan Schuette from zero fiction film/zero west filmproduktion. The film, based on a series of short stories by Nobel Prize for Literature recipient Isaac Bashevis Singer and shot in English in several US locations including New York and Los Angeles, starts Otto Tausig ("Nocturne Indienne") and Elizabeth Pena ("Transamerica") "deals with human longings, both real and imagined, and the never ending dream of love and the power of fiction" according to Fortissimo. The film is slated to screen as a Special Presentation in the upcoming Toronto International Film Festival. The deal was brokered between Fortissimo’s co-chairman Wouter Barendrecht and zero fiction's Martin Hagemann. [Brian Brooks] 
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iW NEWS | Toronto Adds Two Galas Among 73 Titles to Line up

Festival coverage sponsored by Stella Artois.

The Toronto International Film Festival has added 73 more titles to its line up, with two galas as well as special presentations, in addition to films added to the fest's Masters, Contemporary World Cinema, Visions and Vanguard sections. Alexi Tan's Taiwan/China/Hong Kong production "Blood Brothers," the story of three siblings who are lured to the crime world in 1930s Shanghai will screen as a gala as well as Indian director Rituparno Ghosh's "The Last Lear." The film, starring Indian superstar Amitabh Bachchan, follows veteran theater actor Harish Mishra (Bachchan) who becomes gravely ill. The star's director, Siddharth (Arjun Rampal), however, keeps a cold distance, refusing to visit him, but Mishra decides to leave the comfort of his home and joins the cast and crew on location, taking up the position of "outsider" and proclaiming the superiority of Shakespeare. Among TIFF's Special Presentations are Francois Ozon's latest "Angel," "Chacun son Cinema," by various directors who made shorts in honor of the 60th Festival de Cannes this past May as well as Marjane Satrapi and Vincent Paronnaud's Cannes jury winner "Persepolis." Joining Contemporary World Cinema are Nick Broomfield's "Battle for Haditha," Sarah Gavron's "Brick Lane," and Lone Scherfig's "Just Like Home." Cannes Palme d'Or winner "4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days" by Cristian Mungiu will join Visions, while "Boy A" by John Crowley and "White Lies, Black Sheep" by James Spooner will screen in the Vanguard section. "Our commitment to promoting international voices has never been stronger," said Noah Cowan, TIFF co-director in a statement. "As seen by this year's titles from around the world, the global industry is thriving and we are proud to have these filmmakers present their work at TIFF, often as world premieres. Not only does this international presence speak to the diversity of the city of Toronto, but in seeing ourselves reflected in films from other countries, we see how the art of filmmaking unites us all." [For a full list including descriptions, please visit the iW Insider Blog.] [Brian Brooks] 
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IFC Takes New Breillat Film, "The Last Mistress"

IFC First Take has announced the acquisition of all North American rights to to Catherine Breillat's "The Last Mistress," which is set to screen at the upcoming New York Film Festival (see indieWIRE lineup article). The film, starring Asia Argento, debuted this year in Cannes and was produced by Jean-Francois Lepetit. Set in 19th century France, it is described as the story of, "the love affair between tempestuous Spanish mistress Vellini and distinguished well-bred Ryno de Marigny." IFC's acquisitions VP Arianna Bocco and director of acquisitions Liz Nastro negotiated the deal with Eric Lagesse and Valentina Merli from Pyramide International. "Pairing Catherine Breillat with Asia Argento has produced one of the most entertaining, witty and electrically charged films in recent memory," said IFC Entertainment president Jonathan Sehring, in a statement. "Not only is this Catherine Breillat's most accessible film, it's also one of her best. We're thrilled to bring it to American audiences and look for it to be one of her most successful." The film joins Cristian Mungui's "4 Months, 3Weeks & 2 Days," Gus Van Sant's "Paranoid Park," and Hou Hsiao Hsien's "Flight of the Red Balloon" on IFC's New York festival lineup. (indieWIRE reported on shifts in IFC Entertainment's business strategy yesterday.) [Eugene Hernandez] 
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iW NEWS | Ganis Elected to 3rd Term as AMPAS President

Sid Ganis was re-elected president of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences Tuesday night by the group's board of governors, AMPAS announced Wednesday. This is Ganis' third consecutive term in the position. In addition, Robert Rehme, an Executives Branch governor and former AMPAS president, was re-elected first vice president; Actors Branch governor Tom Hanks and Music Branch governor Charles Bernstein were elected to vice president posts; Producers Branch governor Hawk Koch was elected treasurer and Short Films and Feature Animation Branch governor Jon Bloom was elected secretary. "I'm truly honored to have the opportunity to continue to serve as president of the Academy," said Ganis in a statement. "There are so many interesting projects going on in the organization. I'm excited to have the chance to help steer those along and to bring even more to our wide-reaching agenda." [Brian Brooks] 
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iW NEWS | Pusan Promotion Plan Selects 35 Titles for October Event

Festival coverage sponsored by Stella Artois.

Asian pre-market project the Pusan Promotion Plan has selected 35 films from 18 countries that will participate in its tenth edition, which coincides with the Asian Film Market and the Pusan International Film Festival in October. Iranian director Bahman Ghobadi ("Half Moon") joins the roster with his untitled project, while Fruit Chan ("Dumplings") will take part with "Don't Look Up." "Tsotsi" producer Peter Fudakowski will take part with "The Secret Sharer," while Taiwanese director Tsai Ming-liang travels to Pusan as producer for "New Sorrowful to a Ghost." U.S. co-productions include "First Page Taipei," "The Flicker's Dance" and "The Sea of Tranquility." Slated for October 8 - 11, the event will once again partner with IFP New York's No Borders project, in which select titles will screen at the IFP Market in addition to PPP's ongoing partnerships with Rotterdam's Cinemart, HAF (Hong Kong Asia Film Financing Forum) and the Producers Network of the Cannes Marche du Film. For more information including PPP's full line up, visit their website. [Brian Brooks] 
[permalink]   [ filed under Festivals, World Cinema ]

INDUSTRY MOVES | Nugent As Consultant for 15th Hamptons Fest, Joining Koury at Chachere at October Event

Festival coverage sponsored by Stella Artois.

Eyeing its 15th anniversary in October, the Hamptons International Film Festival is set for October 17 - 21, 2007 with Newport International Film Festival programming director David Nugent on board as a consultant. Nugent is joining five-year Hamptons fest veteran Josh Koury, the festival's Programming Manager. Festival artistic director Raj Roy recently left the event to become the Chief Curator of the Film Department at MoMA. The festival has also yet to announce a new executive director after the departure of Denise Kassel following last year's event. "Despite the distinct changes the festival has faced this year, I believe it enters its 15th year in a tremendously solid place," said the festival's managing director Gianna Chachere, in a statement. "This is due, in large part, to the HIFF Staff and Board, the Hamptons community, supportive audiences and talented filmmakers-whose curiosity, caring and sense of community help make this event possible." [Eugene Hernandez] 
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Guardian: Hollywood tears up script to make anti-war films while conflicts rage

For Americans sitting in cinemas watching the summer's fun movies, such as "The Simpsons" and "Hairspray," the trailer for "Lions for Lambs" is jarring and unexpected. It opens with a moody shot of the Washington Memorial, and shifts to a series of quick-fire scenes about President George Bush's "war on terror." "Lions for Lambs," scheduled for release in the US on November 9, is not a documentary nor an art house film nor even a Michael Moore-style piece of agitprop. It is mainstream Hollywood, starring Tom Cruise, Meryl Streep and Robert Redford, who also directed it. Ewen MacAskill reports. 
[permalink]   [ filed under Movies ]

iW NEWS | Wes Anderson's Latest to Close 51st London Fest

Festival coverage sponsored by Stella Artois.

Wes Anderson's "The Darjeeling Limited," which will open the New York Film Festival next month, will close the 51st London Film Festival on November 1, 2007, organizers announced today. In the words of an announcement, the film is the story of "three American brothers who have not spoken to each other in a year [who] set off on a train voyage across India with a plan to find themselves and bond with each other - to become brothers again like they used to be." Written by Anderson, Roman Coppola and Jason Schwartzman, the film was produced by Anderson, Scott Rudin, Roman Coppola and Lydia Dean Pilcher. In a statement, today, London Film Festival artistic director Sandra Hebron said, "Wes Anderson and his knockout cast are at their sparkling best in 'The Darjeeling Limited', and we're very excited to be closing our Festival with this original and hugely enjoyable film from one of our favourite auteurs." The fest will open with David Cronenberg's "Eastern Promises" October 17th. [Eugene Hernandez] 
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AFP: Biggest-budget S. Korean movie set for US debut

A monster movie which is South Korea's biggest-budget film has become a sell-out at home before its release next month in the United States, the distributor said Monday. "D-War," a graphics-rich science fiction blockbuster, has sold 5.7 million tickets since its release on August 1, distributor ShowBox said. At 30 million dollars the movie is the most expensive film ever made in South Korea. It is to be shown on 1,700 screens in the United States on September 14, the widest US release for a Korean film. AFP reports. 
[permalink]   [ filed under Movies, World Cinema ]

iW NEWS | Palm Springs Short Fest Sets '07 Line up

Festival coverage sponsored by Stella Artois.

Showcasing its 13th edition August 23 - 29, the 2007 Palm Springs International Festival of Short Films & Short Film Market (ShortFest) has unveiled its roster of 332 films from 35 countries. Included in the line up are 54 world premieres as well as 12 North American and 20 U.S. debuts. The selection is organized into 50 themed programs which cover a variety of topics including war, security issues, immigration, animation, crime, romance, sex, horror, musicals, Jewish-related issues and gay and lesbian life among others. Also this year is a special focus on films from the United Kingdom as well as Kenya. "This year's line-up exemplifies the exciting surge of new vitality and talent emerging in the field of short filmmaking worldwide," commented festival director Darryl Macdonald in a statement. "Both the official festival line-up and the film market are overflowing with smart, provocative and entertaining new work - a testament to the huge number of exceptional young talents flooding into the world of filmmaking." A jury of five industry professionals will screen this year's short films selected for competition in nine categories for a total of $14,000 in cash prizes including Best Animation, Documentary, Live Action, "Best of Festival" and the "Future Filmmaker Award." The Panavision Grand Jury Award winner will receive a digital or film camera package valued at $60,000 and two days studio time courtesy of Casablanca Studios. An additional $7,500 in Kodak film stock will be presented to the film winners in the student award categories. Foir more information including the full line up, visit the festival's website. [Brian Brooks] 
[permalink]   [ filed under Festivals, Shorts ]

iW NEWS | Kino Picks Up U.S. Rights to "Beaufort" and "Times and Winds"

All U.S. rights to Joseph Cedar's "Beaufort" (2007) and Turkish director Reda Erdem's "Times and Winds" (2006) have been acquired by Kino International, the company announced Monday. Winner of the 2007 Berlin Film Festival's best director award, "Beaufort" chronicles on a cinemascope canvas the final days of an Israeli army unit's tense, painful withdrawal in 2000 from a strategic fortress near the Lebanese border, marking the end of nearly two decades of controversial occupation. Described as "intensely lyrical," "Times and Winds" took both the FIPRESCI and Best Turkish Film Awards at the 2006 Istanbul Film Festival. The film hauntingly depicts the dreams and strivings of three young people in a seemingly placid, remote Turkish mountain village--their communing with nature, sexual awakenings and struggles against the strictly disciplined culture of their parents. Kino president Donald Krim negotiated the acquisition of "Beaufort" with Thorsten Schaumann of sales company Bavaria Films. An early 2008 release in New York, Los Angeles and Boston is currently in the works, with additional markets to follow. Krim also sealed the acquisition of "Times and Winds" with Gulin Ustun of Atlantik Film. A November New York opening is planned following the film's premiere at Anthology Film Archives' annual Turkish Film Showcase. [Brian Brooks] 
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iW NEWS | Truly Indie Fixes "Broken" for U.S.

Truly Indie will handle the U.S. release of Alan White's thriller "Broken," starring Heather Graham, Jeremy Sisto and Linda Hamilton. The film is described as a "harrowing tale of a young woman trying to move on from her checkered past as her possessive ex-boyfriend threatens to pull her back in." The film premiered at the AFI Film Fest 2006 and has been selected to screen as the opening night film at Visionfest 2007. The film will open theatrically in New York October 5 followed by other select cities including Los Angeles later that month. The deal was negotiated by producer Jerry Wayne with Truly Indie executive director Kelly Sanders and head of business and legal affairs Jason Janego. "'Broken' is exceptional not only for its challenging narrative structure and emotional depth, but also for Heather Graham's incredible performance." commented Sanders in a statement. "She lends humanity and wit to Hope's tragic story--it's one of the most remarkable roles of her career." [Brian Brooks] 
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iW BOX OFFICE | The Top Ten So Far

Each week, indieWIRE receives the final weekend numbers for specialty releases in theaters. This is our top ten for the three day 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. Weekend box office data provided by Rentrak as of Monday, 6:00 p.m. EST.
1. "2 Days In Paris" (IDP/Samuel Goldwyn Films) $173,641 wknd ($17,364 per scrn) 2. "Rocket Science" (Picturehouse Films) $58,536 wknd ($9,756 per scrn) 3. "Pierrot Le Fou" (Janus Films) $6,187 wknd ($6,187 per scrn) 4. "Dans Paris" (IFC First Take) $12,231 wknd ($6,116 per scrn) 5. "Chak De India" (Yash Raj Films) $351,887 wknd ($5,676 per scrn) 6. "No End In Sight" (Magnolia Pictures) $118,581 wknd ($5,647 per scrn) 7. "Becoming Jane" (Miramax) $2,902,117 wknd ($4,829 per scrn) 8. "The Treatment" (New Yorker) $4,605 wknd ($4,605 per scrn) 9. "Blame It On Fidel" (Koch Lorber Films) $8,829 wknd ($4,415 per scrn) 10. "Descent" (City Lights Pictures Releasing) $8,411 wknd ($4,206 per scrn) [To be included in the indieWIRE Box Office Chart, distributors must submit information about their films to Rentrak at studiogrosses@rentrak.com by the end of the day each Monday.] 
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R.I. Fest Honors Freeman, Shenkman, Weimberg & Ryan, and More

Festival coverage sponsored by Stella Artois.

Morgan J. Freeman's "Just Like the Sun" won the grand prize for best feature at the 2007 Rhode Island International Film Festival (RIIFF), which concluded on Sunday night in Providence. The festival presented some 320 films from 70 countries, according to organizers. First place in the competition was Richard Shenkman's "The Man from Earth," which also won the award for best screenplay for the work of Jerome Bixby. Gary Weimberg & Catherine Ryan's "Soliders of Conscience" won the grand prize for best documentary at the festival, which was honorarily co-chaired by R.I. Governor Donald Carceiri, Providence Mayor David M. Cicilline; and US Senator Jack Reed. The festival, which is one of 61 that qualify short films for Academy Award consideration, awards its best short prize to Guys Thys' "Tanghi Argenti" from Belgium. Joseph Mazzello won the directorial discovery award for "Matters of Life and Death," while Kristian A. Soderstrom won the international discovery award for "Darkness of Truth" from Sweden. The grand prize for best experimental film went to Arend Steenbergen's "Twee Dromen" and the award for alternative spirit went to Rob Williams' "Back Soon." A complete list of winners is available on the festival website. [Eugene Hernandez] 
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iW NEWS | Gilmore Heading Edinburgh's Powell Jury Surveying New British Cinema

Festival coverage sponsored by Stella Artois.

Geoff Gilmore will lead the jury for the Michael Powell Award at this month's 61st Edinburgh International Film Festival, August 15 - 26, 2007 in Scotland. Films eligible for the prize, which honors the best new British feature film at the festival include, Anand Tucker's "And When Did You Last See Your Father?", Anton Corbijn's "Control," Jim Threapleton's "Extraordinary Rendition," David Mackenzie's "Hallam Foe," Wilma Finnigan and Duncan Finnigan's "My Life as a Bus Stop," Greg Loftin's "Saxon," Simon Miller's "Seachd - the Inaccessible Pinnacle," Justin Edgar's "Special People," Gary Love's "Sugarhouse," Roger Goldby's "The Waiting Room," and Tom Shankland's Waz." Joinging Gilmore, the director of the Sundance Film Festival, on the jury will be novelist Jonathan Coe, actress Natalie Press, filmmaker Pawel Pawlikowski, actress Kate Dickie and critic Jay Weissberg. [Eugene Hernandez] 
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The Guardian Interview: Martin Scorsese

The new film from Martin Scorsese sees him turn once more to one of his greatest passions: rock'n'roll. And who better as his subjects than the Rolling Stones? In an exclusive interview, the great director talks to Craig McLean in The Guardian. 
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AFP: Austrian film director Franz Antel dies aged 94

Austrian film director Franz Antel, whose cinematic career spanned over seven decades, died overnight in Vienna at the age of 94, a spokesman for his wife Sybille said Sunday. AFP reports. 
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AP: "Y Tu Mama Tambien" stars promote rights

"Y Tu Mama Tambien" stars Gael Garcia Bernal and Diego Luna said a gala dinner they are hosting Saturday will raise money to support human rights and shine light on poverty and injustice in Mexico. The $300-a-plate meal in the capital will benefit Mexico's Commission for the Defense and Promotion of Human Rights as well as Witness, an organization founded by singer Peter Gabriel that promotes the use of video and film to document human rights abuses. A.P. reports. 
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NYT | The Man Who Asked Hard Questions

In the New York Times, Woody Allen on Ingmar Bergman: "Bergman enjoyed the process. He cared little about the responses to his films. It pleased him when he was appreciated, but as he told me once, "If they don't like a movie I made, it bothers me -- for about 30 seconds." He wasn't interested in box office results, even though producers and distributors called him with the opening weekend figures, which went in one ear and out the other. He said, "By mid-week their wildly optimistic prognosticating would come down to nothing." He enjoyed critical acclaim but didn't for a second need it, and while he wanted the audience to enjoy his work, he didn't always make his films easy on them." 
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MOJO | Weekend Box Office Estimates: "Paris" x 2 and "Science"

Of the specialty and indie films that debuted in theaters this weekend, Box Office Mojo reports an estimated gross of $181,000 for from Samuel Goldwyn Films' "2 Days in Paris" on 10 screens, for an estimated $18,100 per screen, while Picturehouse's "Rocket Science" earned an estimated $56,900 on 6 screens for $9,483 per screen. According to Mojo estimates, IFC First Take's "Dans Paris" made an estimated $13,200 on 2 screens for an estimated $6,600 in its opening weekend. indieWIRE will publish an initial indieWIRE BOT Top Ten on Monday afternoon and final weekend numbers on Tuesday afternoon.  
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