iW NEWS | WGA Award Cody, Coens, Gibney

For the 60th anniversary of their annual awards, the Writers Guild of America announced their winners Saturday night. Diablo Cody won for best original screenplay for "Juno," Joel and Ethan Coen won for their adaptation of Cormac McCarthy's "No Country For Old Men," while Alex Gibney won in the documentary category for "Taxi To The Dark Side." [Peter Knegt]  
[permalink]   [ filed under Awards Watch, Honors ]

iW NEWS | Arthouse Acquires Haring Doc

Arthouse Films announced that it has acquired all North American rights and Worldwide Theatrical and DVD Rights (minus certain territories) for director Christina Clausen's doc, "The Universe of Keith Haring." Maid with the cooperation of the deceased artist's estate, the film explores the background and career of Haring and includes interviews with Yoko Ono, Madonna, Grace Jones, Andy Warhol and Jean-Michel Basquiat, among others. "By using audio excerpts of Keith's own voice to narrate the film it was possible for me to bring the viewer in close contact with this extraordinary young man," said Clausen in a statement. "We look forward to working with Arthouse on the release to get it to the widest audience possible." [Peter Knegt] 
[permalink]   [ filed under Acquisitions, Documentary ]

iW NEWS | WGA Presidents Announce Tentative Agreement to End 3 Month Strike

"We have a tentative deal," reported WGAW president Patric M. Verrone and WGAE president Michael Winship, in a letter to Writers Guild of America members today. The complete email message, posted on the United Hollywood blog, indicates that the pact, "creates formulas for revenue-based residuals in new media, provides access to deals and financial data to help us evaluate and enforce those formulas, and establishes the principle that, 'When they get paid, we get paid'." WGA members will gather today (Saturday) at meetings in Los Angeles and New York regarding ratification of the pact and ending the work stoppage that began more than three months ago. "Much has been achieved, and while this agreement is neither perfect nor perhaps all that we deserve for the countless hours of hard work and sacrifice," Verrone and Winship said, "Our strike has been a success." [Eugene Hernandez]  
[permalink]   [ filed under Biz ]

iW NEWS | Weinsteins Launch Third Rail Releasing for Edgier, Maverick Titles

The Weinstein Company is launching a new distribution label, dubbed Third Rail Releasing. While not a genre label, the banner will release edgier fare by maverick filmmakers, debuting with the upcoming release of George A Romero's "Diary of the Dead." Output is expected to hit 6 - 10 films per year. The banner is being formed in conjunction with TWC home video arm partner, Genius Products, and is the first in a series of moves by the company -- in the wake of the recent hiring of new COO Lee Solomon -- aimed at developing new opportunities for TWC's units. [Eugene Hernandez] 
[permalink]   [ filed under Biz ]

EFM NEWS | Magnet Bucks a "Donkey Punch" for North America

North American rights to British thriller "Donkey Punch" have been acquired by Magnet Releasing, Magnolia Pictures' genre label. The film, directed by Olly Blackburn recently premiered at Sundance and will be released in the U.K. by Optimum Releasing this summer. Magnolia's SVP Tom Quinn and director of acquisitions Dori Begley, negotiated the deal with London-based Lumina Films' Samantha Holrley and Miles Ketley of Wiggin LLP. "Donkey" follows the travails of seven young adults who meet in a nightclub and decide to continue the party aboard a yacht in the Mediterranean. The fun is interrupted when one dies, leading to a ruthless fight for survival. The film is screening in the European Film Market currently underway in Berlin with Lumina handling international sales. [Brian Brooks] 
[permalink]   [ filed under Acquisitions, Berlin ]

EFM NEWS | NonStop Gets "Frozen River"

Courtney Hunt's "Frozen River" has been acquired by NonStop Entertainment for distribution in Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Iceland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. [Eugene Hernandez]  
[permalink]   [ filed under Acquisitions, Berlin ]

EFM NEWS | Scorsese Set With Marley Film

Announced at the European Film Market this morning in Berlin -- the day after the world premiere of "Shine A Light" -- is the news that Martin Scorsese will make an authorized documentary about musician Bob Marley. Produced by Tuff Gong Pictures and Steve Bing's Shangri-La Entertainment, the film is being sold internationally by Fortissimo Films. Marley's son Ziggy is an executive producer of the film. [Eugene Hernandez] 
[permalink]   [ filed under Berlin, Movies ]

iW NEWS | Oscar Nominated Short Programs Open February 15

Magnolia Pictures and Shorts International will release the ten Academy Award-nominated short films in two separate programs (live action and animated) nationwide on Friday, February 15, 2008. The nominated live action shorts are "At Night," "Il Supplente" (The Substitute), "Le Mozart Des Pickpockets" (The Mozart of Pickpockets), "Tanghi Argentini" and "The Tonto Woman," while animated nominees include "I Met The Walrus," "Madame Tutli-Putli," "Meme Les Pigeons Vont Au Paradis" (Even Pigeons Go To Heaven), "My Love" and "Peter and the Wolf." There will be separate admission for each program. [Peter Knegt] 
[permalink]   [ filed under Awards Watch, Events ]

iW NEWS | Sidetrack Picks Up "Corman"

Sidetrack Films has announced its acquisition of the worldwide rights for Alex Stapleton's documentary, "King of the B's: The Independent Life of Roger Corman." Corman has directed more than 50 films and produced more than 300, including "Little Shop of Horrors" and "Rock and Roll High School." Sidetrack's Jared Moshe and Richard Lim will executive produce along with Josh Levin of Gallant Films. [Peter Knegt]  
[permalink]   [ filed under Acquisitions ]

iW NEWS | Golden Trailers Set For May

The 9th Annual Golden Trailer Awards gala, which honors movie promotion, will take place on Thursday, May 8, 2008 at the Orpheum Theatre in Los Angeles. Established in 1999, the Golden Trailer Awards have become a coveted mark of achievement in the industry, and are awarded in 55 categories covering domestic and foreign movie trailers, video game trailers, movie posters, TV spots and overall marketing campaigns for title releases. This year's call for entries will be issued officially to the industry today, with March 27, 2008 set as the deadline for general submissions. Applications are available at their website. 
[permalink]   [ filed under Awards Watch, Biz ]

iW NEWS | Brooks Institute Awarded 35mm Project Grant

The Brooks Institute announced that it has been chosen as the recipient of the 35mm Project, a Kodak-sponsored grant enabling Brooks Institute film students to produce a 35mm short film and collaborate with notable film industry professionals, who will serve as project mentors. Students participating in the project enroll in the Project class, apply for specific production jobs, ranging from producer to director and gaffer to accountant, and receive course credit for their hands-on training experience. The Project involves a 150-person film crew; more than 30 vendors; rental equipment, valued at more than $1 million. This is the fifth consecutive year the Institute has received this award. [Peter Knegt] 
[permalink]   [ filed under Film School, Honors ]

iW NEWS | After Dark Acquires "Frontier(s)"

After Dark Films announced that it has acquired the North American rights to Xavier Gen's "Frontier(s)." The horror film, which screened at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2007, will be releasing theatrically on May 9, 2008 in select markets, and then on DVD on May 13, 2008 through Lionsgate, through After Dark's output deal with that studio. [Peter Knegt] 
[permalink]   [ filed under Acquisitions ]

New York Film Office To Discuss Permits at Apple Store SoHo

Representatives from The New York City Mayor's Office of Film Theatre and Broadcasting will be at the Apple Store SoHo this Friday, February 8 at 6:30pm to give a step-by-step tutorial about the new application process for using their online permit system for filming in New York City. For more details please visit here.

 
[permalink]   [ filed under Events ]

iW NEWS | Magnet Takes "Cocaine"

Magnet Releasing, the genre arm of Magnolia Pictures has acquired the world distribution rights to rakontur's "Cocaine Cowboys 2: Hustlin' With The Godmother." The film is the sequel to Magnolia's 2006 documentary, "Cocaine Cowboys." The sequel follows cocaine dealer Charles Crosby beginning in 1991 on the inner-city streets of Oakland, California. "The first 'Cocaine Cowboys has turned out to be a seminal crime documentary, an iconic title that has developed huge name recognition," said Magnet/Magnolia President Eamonn Bowles in a statement. "We're really excited to be partnering again with the savvy storytellers at rakontur for an equally amazing story." Magnolia Home Entertainment has DVD rights to the film. [Peter Knegt] 
[permalink]   [ filed under Acquisitions, Documentary ]

NYT: Ganis Urges Nominees To Attend Oscars

"It would be such a terrible shame if, through no fault of yours and no fault of ours, the current conditions prevented us from shining that brightest possible light," said Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences president Sid Ganis at the annual nominee luncheon. Michael Cieply reported on the event, suggesting that "the usually congenial Mr. Ganis gave the assembled actors and filmmakers something of a lecture."  
[permalink]   [ filed under Awards Watch, Biz ]

LAT: There Will Be Catchphrases

Michael Ordona reports on the onslaught of catchphrases resulting from three Oscar contenders, "Juno," "No Country For Old Men" and "There Will Be Blood." Ordona notes: "Case in point: the misanthropic oilman played by Daniel Day-Lewis in Paul Thomas Anderson's "There Will Be Blood" - his devastating taunt to a bewildered foe, "I ... drink ... your ... milkshake!" has somehow crept into the lexicon of the moment. A fan video mashing up "Blood" footage and Kelis' 2003 hit "Milkshake" has more than 80,000 hits on YouTube."  
[permalink]   [ filed under Trends ]

iW NEWS | Doc Filmmakers Join Forces for Cinelan

Morgan Spurlock, Ross Kauffman, Eugene Jarecki, Jessica Yu and Steve James are among the filmmakers on board as advisors and contributors to Cinelan, the new short doc initiative being spearheaded by company CEO David Schrieberg. Based upon the creation of a steady stream of three-minute films, Cinelan will syndicate the docs via online and offline outlets, launching in partnership with Guardian News & Media, Picturehouse Cinemas and the Vizumi Network. Other filmmakers already on board include Marilyn Agrelo, Kiki Allgeier, Joanna Chejade-Bloom, Jeremy Chilnick, Mark Francis, Nick Francis, Grant Gee, Cameron Hickey, Liz Mermin, Lila Morgan, Al Morrow, Max Pugh, Jerry Rothwell, Katy Sevigny, Marc Silver, Floyd Webb and Jeremiah Zagar. Key execs on board for Cinelan, which is backed by Arts Alliance and formally launching at the Berlinale, include COO David Laks, as well Karol Martesko-Fenster, Wai Mun Yoon and filmmaker relations team Kiki Allgeier, Jeremy Boxer and Mark Rabinowitz. The company is currently accepting pitches from professional filmmakers and exploring other potential syndication partners. For more information, visit the Cinelan website. [Eugene Hernandez] 
[permalink]   [ filed under Documentary, Trends ]

BERLINALE '08 | Bier, Bonnaire Exit Berlin Jury

At the Berlin International Film Festival, jurors Susanne Bier and Sandrine Bonnaire dropped out on the first day of the event. Bier said, in a statement, that she had to stay in the U.S. due to "unforeseen circumstances related to her next film." Meanwhile, Bonnaire resigned from the jury because she will be unable to stay in Berlin for the duration of the festival, due to family reasons. [Eugene Hernandez] 
[permalink]   [ filed under Berlin, Festivals ]

EFM NEWS | Celluloid Signs "Wackness"

Celluloid Dreams has signed a deal to rep international sales for Jonathan Levine's "The Wackness," the recent dramatic audience award winner at the Sundance Film Festival. The film, recently acquired for North American distribution by Sony Pictures Classics, stars Ben Kingsley, Josh Peck, Famke Janssen, Mary Kate Olsen, Olivia Thirlby and Method Man. It was produced by Occupant Films partners Keith Calder, Felipe Marino and Joe Neurauter. The film is screening for buyers tomorrow and next week at the European Film Market in Berlin. [Eugene Hernandez] 
[permalink]   [ filed under Acquisitions, Berlin ]

iW NEWS | Anne Hathaway Is ShoWest's "Female Star"

ShoWest has named Anne Hathaway it's ShoWest Female Star of the Year, it was announced today. Hathaway will be presented with the award at ShoWest's closing night ceremony on Thursday, March 13 at Bally's and Paris Las Vegas. Robert Downey, Jr. was recently announced as ShoWest's Male Star of the Year. [Peter Knegt] 
[permalink]   [ filed under Honors ]

iW NEWS | Companies Invite Youth To Film Their Issue

FYI - Film Your Issue is a global internet based competition inviting more than 25 million high school and college students in the U.S. alone to engage in pressing contemporary issues by creating and uploading two-minute short films on issues that impact their generation. It was announced that USA TODAY, The United Nations, The Associated Press, The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, The NAACP, The Humane Society of the United States, MTV, MySpace, SILVERDOCS: AFI/Discovery Channel Documentary Festival and personalities including Walter Cronkite and Tom Brokaw will joined forces for the fourth annual competition, which is intended to "engage young adults 14-24 years old in pressing social issues using the power of the internet and User Generated Content." Beginning on February 15, 2008, films can be uploaded on participating platforms including MTV, YouTube and AFI Screen Nation, as well as promoted on MySpace TV, after registering on www.filmyourissue.com. Select entries will be highlighted on MySpace TV and distributed by The Associated Press to its 1,800 Online Video Network media outlets. The jury includes Cronkie, Brokaw, Harvey Weinstein and Bill Mahar. The submission deadline is April 14, 2008. [Peter Knegt] 
[permalink]   [ filed under Events ]

Reuters: Striking writers to debate labor deal on Saturday

The Writers Guild of America plans to brief its members this weekend on a deal taking shape to end their 3-month-old strike, using the meetings to gauge rank-and-file support for the labor plan, union leaders said on Tuesday. Steve Gorman reports. 
[permalink]   [ filed under Biz ]

iW NEWS | Sarajevo to Fete Haynes

Todd Haynes will be the "Tribute" director this summer at the 14th Sarajevo Film Festival, organizers have announced. As part of the festivities spotlighting the American director the festival, taking place August 15 - 23 will screen a selection of Haynes' films and will participate in Q&As following screenings as well as what the festival describes as "one large public interview." [Brian Brooks] 
[permalink]   [ filed under Festivals ]

AP: Vanity Fair cancels annual Oscar party

It's typically the hottest party in town on Oscar night -- but not this year. Vanity Fair has canceled its annual Academy Awards party, the magazine announced Tuesday. Sandy Cohen reports. 
[permalink]   [ filed under Awards Watch, Biz ]

iW BOT UPDATE | "Playing With Lior" Tops Chart

"Praying with Lior," First Run Features' documentary about a devout teenage Jewish boy with Down's syndrome, was atop the iW BOT in its opening weekend, according to final numbers posted this afternoon at indieWIRE.com. The film enjoyed a debut of $8,401 from New York's Cinema Village. Spanish-language experimental film "The Silence Before Bach," Roadside Attractions' Beirut-set melodrama "Caramel," filmmaker Cristian Mungiu's abortion drama,"4 Months 3 Weeks and 2 Days," and "Live and Become," Menemsha Films' drama about an Ethiopian refugee starting over in Israel, rounded out the top 5. This week's indieWIRE box office article was posted yesterday. [Peter Knegt] 
[permalink]   [ filed under Biz ]

Reuters: Hollywood on verge of deal to end writers strike

Negotiators for Hollywood studios and striking writers have agreed to terms of a new contract that could be presented to union leaders in days and, if approved, end their three-month-old labor clash later this week, two sources told Reuters on Monday. Steve Gorman reports. 
[permalink]   [ filed under Biz ]

AP: Oscar nominees hopeful show will go on

Optimism was in the air among Academy Awards nominees -- both on their films' prospects and the chances that Hollywood's crippling writers strike will end in time for the Oscars show to go on as planned. David Germain reports. 
[permalink]   [ filed under Awards Watch, Biz ]

LAT: No tote bag for President Bush

Public broadcasting officials vowed Monday to fight drastic cuts President Bush is seeking to make to federal financing for public television and radio, warning that the reductions would seriously impair station operations. Bush's proposed 2009 budget, released Monday, would more than halve the federal allocation to public broadcasting over the next two years, the deepest cuts to the system that he's proposed during his administration. Matea Gold reports. 
[permalink]   [ filed under Biz ]

iW NEWS | Beastie Boy Launches Oscilloscope Pictures, Fenkel to Head Company

Adam Yauch of the Beastie Boys is launching the new film distribution company, Oscilloscope Pictures. David Fenkel of ThinkFilm is heading the new company and overseeing acquisitions, domestic distribution and international sales for the new unit. Oscilloscope plans to acquire completed films and also offer finishing funds to projects and intends to handle post-production, marketing, creative services and delivery in-house. Also already on board is Dan Berger, formerly of ThinkFilm. [Eugene Hernandez] 
[permalink]   [ filed under Biz ]

INDUSTRY MOVES | Bonn Leaving Film Society of Lincoln Center

After five years as executive director of the Film Society of Lincoln Center, Claudia Bonn is leaving the post next month. In April, she will join Wave Hill as the new head of the public garden and cultural center in the Riverdale section of the Bronx. Bonn has spent more than 15 years at the Film Society, previously serving as Director of Administration and as Director of Development. The organization's board is actively searching for a replacement. 
[permalink]   [ filed under Industry Moves, New York ]

IFC Gets "Ballast" Ahead of Berlinale

Park City coverage sponsored by BE KIND REWIND.

IFC Films today announced the acquisition of Lance Hammer's 2008 Sundance Film Festival dramatic competition debut, "Ballast." The company has acquired North American rights to the movie, which is set to screen in competition at the upcoming Berlinale. The deal was negotiated by VP of acquisitions Arianna Bocco and William Morris Independent's Cassian Elwes. Asked what prompted the idea for this film, in an interview with indieWIRE, director Hammer said recently, "The Mississippi Delta in winter is a cold and austere flatscape - almost lunar. Vast cotton acreages are fallow and devoid of human activity. The flatness is interrupted only by occasional hardwood outcroppings, which are grey and leafless. The skies are steel and saturated with rain. There is an energetic resonance in the Delta that moves me, especially in the winter. It is something that I cannot easily articulate but has to do with a sense of sorrow, and the dignity of endurance in the face of sorrow. It's quite palpable...I'm hopeful that some of this tone has been conveyed with this iteration." 
[permalink]   [ filed under Acquisitions, Berlin, Park City ]

NYP | Tribeca Fest Dropping '08 Prices, Consolidating Venues

The New York Post reports today that the Tribeca Film Festival will lower its general ticket prices and consolidate its venues this year (dropping general ticket prices from $18 to $15 this year and launching packages with lower rates). "We tried to balance our budget by increasing ticket prices, which was a big mistake," festival co-executive director Nancy Schafer told the Post. "So we're listening to our customers." She and co-exec director Paola Freccero indicated that the fest will abandon most uptown Manhattan screenings, anchored this year mainly at Tribeca Cinemas, Pace College, Borough of Manhattan Community College, AMC Loews Village VII, the City Cinemas Village East, and AMC Loews 19th Street. Notably, Battery Park screenings near TriBeCa and showings at multiplexes on 34th St., the Upper East Side, Chelsea and others have been eliminated. To balance the budget for its upcoming festival (running April 23 to May 4 this year), the festival will drop the number of features to about 120 - 125, according to the New York paper. Last year, indieWIRE reported that the fest raised prices from $12 to $18 for a ticket, much higher than the prices at most other fests. 
[permalink]   [ filed under Festivals, New York ]

iW NEWS | "La Soledad" Wins Big at Spain's Goya Awards

Jaime Rosales's critically acclaimed "La Soledad" was a big winner at Spain's Goya Awards on Sunday night in Madrid, nabbing the prizes for best picture and best director. An arthouse release that only reached a limited audience, the film topped Juan Antonio Bayona's hugely successful "El Orfanato" (The Orphanage) for best film and also won the best new actor prize for Jose Luis Torrijo, but "The Orphanage" did win the best new director prize, and the award for original screenplay, among other awards. Reporting to indieWIRE on the Goya's, a reader reiterated that the victory for Rosales' film was a major upset given that "The Orphanage" sold millions of tickets, while "La Soledad" was a modest release reaching just tens of thousands of moviegoers. [Eugene Hernadez] 
[permalink]   [ filed under Honors, World Cinema ]

iW NEWS | "Persepolis" Wins IFFR Audience Award

As the festival came to a close, Marjane Satrapi and Vincent Paronnaud's "Persepolis" won the audience award at the 2008 International Film Festival Rotterdam. The event concluded with a screening of Eran Kolirin's "The Band's Visit." [Eugene Hernandez]  
[permalink]   [ filed under Festivals, World Cinema ]

iW NEWS | "4 Months" Again Leads iW BOT; "Caramel" Opens Well

According to indieWIRE Box Office Tracking (iW BOT) estimates from Rentrak, Cristian Mungiu's "4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days" is set to top the iW BOT for the second weekend in a row. The IFC Films release grossed $122,400 on 17 screens, averaging $7,200. Expanding from 2 screens last weekend, "4 Months" has totaled just over $196,000. Close behind was the debut of Nadine Labaki's "Caramel." The Roadside Attractions release averaged $7,123 from 11 screens for a total of $78,355. Roadside's other current release, "Teeth," had a mild third weekend, taking in $47,653 from 14 screens and averaging $3,404. Oscar hopefuls continued to raise their grosses this weekend. With 3 weekends remaining until Oscar night, "Juno" and "There Will Be Blood" remained in the iW BOT top ten, each averaging around $3,100. "Juno"'s cumulative gross now stands at $110.23 million while "Blood" stands at $21.15 million. indieWIRE publishes its weekly box office column on Mondays and final weekend numbers for specialty and limited release films on Tuesdays. Get the latest in the indieWIRE Box Office section. [Peter Knegt]  
[permalink]   [ filed under Biz ]

iW NEWS | WGA Reaches Interim Agreement's with GreeneStreet, KIller, Open City, and This is that

With word of a pending WGA strike settelment on the horizon, leading New York independent production companies GreeneStreet Films, Killer Films, Open City Films, and This is that corporation have secured interm agreements with the guilds, allowing them to get back to work immediately. "We are thrilled that the WGA was immediately open to negotiating an interim agreement with our four East Coast independent production companies," said Jason Kliot and Joana Vicente of Open City in a statement this afternoon, also representing GreeneStreet and Killer. In a statement, Ted Hope and Anne Carey, of This is that said, "Twelve long weeks ago, when AMPTP failed to come to terms with the WGA, the media kept reporting that the writers were striking the 'producers'. Here in the New York Indie film community, we felt the writers' contract requests were more than reasonable. To come to the WGA, not just as individual companies, but as a united producer group, clarifies our support for and our solidarity with the WGA's position." Meanwhile, numerous media outlets have reported this weekend that a broader settlement to the strike is imminent. "Hollywood's striking writers and major studios have reached the outlines of a new employment contract," according to the LA Times. "A final contract could be presented to the Writers Guild of America board as early as Friday, "The tentative deal came after two weeks of talks that culminated in a marathon bargaining session Friday." [Eugene Hernandez] 
[permalink]   [ filed under Biz ]

iW NEWS | "No Country" For PGA

Joel and Ethan Coen furthered their Oscar frontrunner status Saturday night by winning the Producer's Guild of America for "No Country For Old Men." Scott Rudin as well as Ethan and Joel Coen were given the Darryl F. Zanuck producer of the year award. The film was released by Miramax/Paramount Vantage. This adds to key awards from the DGA and SAG. In other categories, Michael Moore's "Sicko" took the best documentary feature award while Brad Bird's "Ratatouille" took best animated feature. Last year's recipient of the feature film award was "Little Miss Sunshine." [Peter Knegt] 
[permalink]   [ filed under Awards Watch, Honors ]