VAR | TF1's Binet in police custody

TF1 International president Patrick Binet was taken into police custody in Paris late this week after the death of a man at Binet's apartment, Variety confirmed yesterday. 
[permalink]   [ filed under Biz ]

The Week in Fests | Cannes and Banja Luka

The latest from the festival scene this week. A link exchange by Variety.com and indieWIRE.

FEW U.S. PICS SET FOR CANNES FESTIVAL
'New York' only American film competing

BANJA LUKA LAUNCHES FILM FEST
Week long event unspools early May

CANNES TO CLOSE WITH A DIFFERENT "WHAT JUST HAPPENED?"
Sundance Debut Changed for Upcoming Fest

More at Variety's Festival Central 
[permalink]   [ filed under Festivals ]

iW NEWS | A Lifesize "Monster" for U.S. and Canada

Worldwide distribution to director Cullen Hoback's "Monster Camp" have been picked up by Lifesize Entertainment. The company palns a U.S. and Canadian theatrical release in May. The award winning doc received top honors at the Rome International Film Festival, Miami Underground Film Festival and Cinequest. The film is a glimpse into the world of live-action role playing ("LARPing"), a real-life version of the videogame phenomenon World of Warcraft. "'Monster Camp' is an enlightening, entertaining and energetic look at an American subculture that also provides a broader commentary on the desire we all feel at times to escape the mundane tediousness of everyday life," commented Lifesize acquisitions manager Marc Hughes in a statement. [Brian Brooks] 
[permalink]   [ filed under Acquisitions ]

NYT: High-Wire Act for a Film Festival

Tribeca Film Festival coverage sponsored by Stella Artois.

In this year's Tribeca Film Festival, which begins on Wednesday and runs through May 4 at theaters around New York, that balance has tilted more toward art, although there are still plenty of bells and whistles. Stephen Holden reports. 
[permalink]   [ filed under Festivals, New York ]

AP: Ethan Coen, the quiet man, has an off-Broadway play

Ethan Coen's "Almost an Evening," three one-act plays, has opened at The Theatres at 45 Bleecker Street to warm reviews -- which might seem like tepid grits after winning Academy Awards for best picture, best director and best adapted screenplay (all with Joel, of course) for "No Country for Old Men." Douglas J. Rowe reports. 
[permalink]   [ filed under People ]

CANNES '08 | L'Affiche: Inspired By Lynch

Cinema poster artist Pierre Collier has created the poster and visual identity for the 61st Festival de Cannes, inspired by a photograph by David Lynch. The festival will run May 14th through 25th. Check out the image on indieWIRE's Cannes blog. 
[permalink]   [ filed under Cannes, Festivals ]

VAR | IFC takes in Madonna's 'Wisdom'

IFC Entertainment acquired North American rights to Madonna's, "Filth and Wisdom," according to Variety. indieWIRE interviewed Madonna about the film earlier this year in Berlin (video clip from the film).  
[permalink]   [ filed under Acquisitions ]

NYT: Roger Ebert, the Critic Behind the Thumb

On April 1 Roger Ebert published a letter to readers of The Chicago Sun-Times that was essentially a farewell to the long-running, widely syndicated weekly program that has made him not simply the best-known movie reviewer in America, but the virtual embodiment of this curious profession. A.O. Scott reports. 
[permalink]   [ filed under People ]

AP: SAG signs interim pact with independent film company

The Screen Actors Guild has cut a deal that would let its members work for an independent film company regardless of a future strike against the major studios. AP reports. 
[permalink]   [ filed under Biz ]

HR | Jeff Sackman leaving ThinkFilm

Jeff Sackman is leaving ThinkFilm, the company he co-founded, according to The Hollywood Reporter.  
[permalink]   [ filed under Industry Moves ]

Guardian: Almodovar and Cruz embrace new project

Pedro Almodovar and Penelope Cruz are teaming up again, following their acclaimed collaboration on "Volver." Their new project is a drama entitled "Los Abrazos Rotos" (Broken Embraces), which begins filming next month in Spain. The Guardian reports. 
[permalink]   [ filed under Production ]

NYT: Guild Chief for Actors Is No Pacifist

To understand why Hollywood is taking the threat of a strike by the Screen Actors Guild seriously, look no further than Alan Rosenberg's actions during a solidarity march last November with striking screenwriters. Brooks Barnes reports. 
[permalink]   [ filed under Biz ]

Reuters: CinemaNow, Technicolor unveil new delivery platform

Digital entertainment company CinemaNow and Technicolor said on Tuesday they had developed a new digital movie delivery platform to sell to online retailers and hardware companies. Reuters reports. 
[permalink]   [ filed under New Media & Technology ]

SF360: Dawn Logsdon, on new hope in an old neighborhood, "Faubourg Treme"

One giant storm and the government malfeasance that followed transformed New Orleans into a metanym, but directors Dawn Logsdon and Lolis Eric Elie dig through the rubble of the horrific disaster to find a deeper, richer history of one particular New Orleans neighborhood. Susan Gerhard reports. 
[permalink]   [ filed under People ]

iW NEWS | CAVU To Release "Take Out"

New York-based CAVU Pictures has announced it will release writer-director Sean Baker's "Take Out" beginning at the Quad Cinemas on June 6, 2008. The film, which premiered at the 2004 Slamdance Film Festival, details a day-in-the-life of an illegal Chinese immigrant working as a deliveryman in New York City. The film will expand to several markets through the summer. [Peter Knegt] 
[permalink]   [ filed under ]

HR | Vivendi acquires 'New York' rights

Tribeca Film Festival coverage sponsored by Stella Artois.

aunching a new theatrical distribution arm, Vivendi Entertainment is partnering with Palm Pictures to acquire U.S. rights to the anthology, "New York, I Love You," which is currently filming in the city, according to The Hollywood Reporter. 
[permalink]   [ filed under Acquisitions, New York ]

iW NEWS | Icarus Takes "Dust"

Icarus Films announced Wednesday that has acquired the North American rights to German filmmaker Hartmut Bitomsky's "Dust." Shot on 35mm, the documentary examines dust particles in a detailed and distinctly visual manner, aiming to suggest new understandings of human bodies and environments. The film premiered at the Venice International Film Festival last year, and will Icarus is planning its North American theatrical run in November 2008. [Peter Knegt] 
[permalink]   [ filed under Acquisitions ]

iW BOT | "The Visitor" Tops Chart

Tom McCarthy's "The Visitor" from Overture Films is atop the weekly iW BOT box office chart, which was published this afternoon. The film earned $86,488 on four screens over the weekend, for an average of $21,622. More in this week's box office column, which was published last night. [Peter Knegt] 
[permalink]   [ filed under Biz ]

iW NEWS | HBO Doc Films Announces Summer Slate

Beginning June 9, 2008 and running through August 25, 2008, HBO Documentary Films will air a new film every Monday night at 9:00pm (ET/PT). The slate was announced Tuesday, and includes Marina Zenovich's "Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired" on June 9th; Greg Whiteley's "Resolved" on June 16th; Jezza Neumann's "China's Stolen Children" on July 14th; Edet Belzberg's "The Recruiter" on July 28th; Ivan O'Mahoney and Laura Winter's "Baghdad High" on August 4th; Paul Taylor's "We Are Together" on August 11th; and Timothy Greenfield-Sanders' "The Black List, Vol. 1" on August 25th. For full programming, check out HBO's website. [Peter Knegt] 
[permalink]   [ filed under Biz, Documentary ]

iW NEWS | "Bad Guys" Takes Three Nods at Beverly Hills Fest

Rick Jacobson's pulp crime drama "Bad Guys" won three awards, including the audience prize for best feature, best producer and best actor nods at the 8th Beverly Hills International Film Festival. "Hole in the Paper Sky" by Bill Purple and starring Jessica Biel won the audience award for best short as well as best screenplay. In other acknowledgments, The first annual Beverly Hills Film Festival "Living Legends Award" was presented to photojournalist and Hollywood photographer Phil Stern by producer/director Brett Rattner at the Beverly Hills Hotel on April 13. The world premiere of "Bad Guys" opened the festival April 9. [Brian Brooks] 
[permalink]   [ filed under Festivals ]

iW NEWS | Redwood, Truly Indie, and Magnolia Team For "Graduation"

Redwood Palms Pictures, Truly Indie, and Magnolia Pictures announced that they will partner in acquiring Mike Mayer's teen-heist film "Graduation" for both theatrical and DVD release. The film stars Riley Smith, Shannon Lucio, Adam Arkin and Huey Lewis and details four high school friends who decide to rob a bank to help pay for college. Redwood Palms and Truly Indie will handle theatrical distribution of the film, which will premiere May 2, 2008 in Austin, Seattle, San Francisco, Berkeley and Minneapolis, and Magnolia will release the film on DVD. [Peter Knegt] 
[permalink]   [ filed under Acquisitions ]

iW NEWS | NYU's First Run Fest Announces Winners

New York University's 66th annual First Run Film Festival, which screens the work of student films from the Kanbar Institute of Film and Television at the Tisch School of the Arts, announced their award winners at a ceremony at the Cantor Film Center Monday night. This year's festival screened 105 films, videos, multimedia, and animation projects, and six films were singled out for over $50,000 in cash prizes. The first prize winners of the Charles and Lucille King Family Foundation Awards for Excellence in Filmmaking were Andrew MacLean for "Sikumi" in the Graduate Division, and Benedict Campbell for "Lloyd Neck" in the Undergraduate Division. MacLean and Campbell also both won their divisional awards for the screenwriting and directing, totaling $15,000 in prizes for each. They join past recipients Spike Lee, Ang Lee and Nancy Savoca, among others. A panel of industry professionals selected the winning films from a group of 14 finalists. [Peter Knegt] 
[permalink]   [ filed under Festivals, Film School, Honors ]

INSIDE WORD | Cannes Shifts Lineup Launch Date

Organizers of the Festival de Cannes have an extra week before announcing the Official Selection lineup for the 2008 festival. Previously set to be announced at a Paris press conference this Thursday, April 17th, the lineup will now be announced on Wednesday, April 23rd.  
[permalink]   [ filed under Festivals ]

VAR | Time Warner drops ax on New Line

As expected, Time Warner is cutting up to 450 jobs at New Line Cinema this week, according to Variety, leaving as few as 40 people at the company, which is being significantly downgraded from an independent studio to a small niche label within WB. 
[permalink]   [ filed under Biz ]

iW NEWS | FilmFest DC Announces 2008 Slate

The 22nd Annual Washington, DC International Film Festival (FilmFest DC) announced its lineup today, including spotlighta on New Latin American Cinema and Politics & Film. The festival will commence April 24, 2008 with the opening night film, Phillippe Faucon's "Two Ladies," which will screen at the historic Lincoln Theatre. The New Latin American spotlight will feature thirteen films from eight countries, including "Elite Squad" from Brazil, "Silent Light" from Mexico, and "PVC-1" from Columbia. The Politics & Film section includes Constantin Costa Graves' "Mon Colonel" and Iran's "Buddha Collapsed Out of Shame." "This is an exciting year for the festival," said Festival Director Tony Gittens in a statement. "We have a large selection of DC premieres, international festival headliners, and award winners plus a handful of Official Foreign Language Film Oscar Selections. In addition, we are offering a strand of films from Washington, DC directors." The festival will close on May 4, 2008 with the DC premiere of Emmanuel Mouret's "Shall We Kiss." For more information, please visit the fest's website. [Peter Knegt] .  
[permalink]   [ filed under Festivals ]

iW NEWS | AMPAS Releases Dates for 81st Oscars

The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences announced key dates for its 81st edition of the Academy Awards. Academy President Sid Ganis noted that the ceremony will take place Sunday, February 22, 2009, at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, and will be televised by ABC. Other dates include the mailing of nomination ballots on December 26, 2008, the nomination announcement on January 22, 2009 a the Samuel Goldwyn Theater, and final polls closing at 5pm PT on February 17, 2009. The dates coincide with those since the move of the Oscars from March to February, with exception of a move of nomination announcement from a Tuesday to a Thursday, to avoid conflicting with the 2009 Presidential Inauguration. [Peter Knegt] 
[permalink]   [ filed under Awards Watch, Biz ]

iW NEWS | Janet Pierson Named New Producer of SXSW Film Fest; Dentler Heading to Cinetic

Janet Pierson has been named the new producer of the SXSW Film Festival and Conference, the organization has just announced. Matt Dentler, who has served as producer of the fest since 2004, has accepted a position in New York City to head the marketing and programming operations of Cinetic Media's new digital rights management unit, the festival said in an announcement. Pierson has a long history in the independent film world. In 1986 she and husband John Pierson began producer rep work that eventually lead to the release of groundbreaking work including "Roger and Me," "She's Gotta Have It," "Slacker" and "Clerks." A board member of the Austin Film Society, she was the co-creator of the TV series "Split Screen" on the Independent Film Channel. "I've been a huge fan and supporter of SXSW Film since its inception," commented Pierson in a statement. "I'm thrilled now to take on the challenge of continuing its exciting growth." [Brian Brooks] 
[permalink]   [ filed under Festivals, SXSW ]

iW NEWS | Visit Acquires "Momma's Man"

Visit Films has acquired international rights to Azazel Jacob's Sundance breakout "Momma's Man." The film, which also screened recently at New Directors/New Films, was acquired domestically by ThinkFilm earlier this year. "This film represents the evolution of current American independent cinema," said Visit's Ryan Kampe and Sylvain Tron in a statement. "It has such a strong footing in classic cinema and yet feels so fresh and daring." Visit will premiere the film during the Marche du Film at the Cannes Film Festival for international buyers. [Peter Knegt] 
[permalink]   [ filed under Acquisitions ]

iW NEWS | Jaman To Distribute BBC Online

Jaman.com has announced the acquisition of a collection of fils from BBC Worldwide America for online distribution. "Jaman is very pleased to expand our library with this selection from the BBC, one of the most prestigious producers of content that entertains, informs and educates," said founder and CEO Guarav Dhillon in a statement. Among the acquired titles are Lara Agnew's doc "Abortion Ship," Jean Stewart's AIDS drama "Nervous Energy," and Jon Jones' "When I'm 64." [Peter Knegt] 
[permalink]   [ filed under Acquisitions ]

VAR | 'Warlords' dominates HK film awards

Peter Chan's "The Warlords" was the big winner at the Hong Kong Film Awards on Sunday, reports Variety. 
[permalink]   [ filed under Honors, World Cinema ]

iW NEWS | Weekend Estimates: "The Visitor" Leads iW Bot, Tops "Young@Heart"

Tom McCarthy's "The Visitor" (from Overture Films) debuted solidly with an estimated $88,000 on 4 screens, for an estimated $22,000 per screen average, according to indieWIRE Box Office Tracking (iW BOT) estimates from Rentrak this afternoon. "The Visitor" topped Fox Searchlight's doc "Young@Heart," also on four screens, which made an estimated $52,312 for an estimated $13,000 per screen. Since debuting on Wednesday, the 2007 Los Angeles Film Festival hit has earned more than $63,000. An English-language version of Sony Pictures Classics' "Persepolis" opened quietly over the weekend. On 136 screens it made just $81,297 according to an SPC estimate, for an average of only $598. So far, the combined grosses for both versions of the film are at more than $4.3 million. In its second weekend, "Flight of the Red Balloon" (from IFC Films) made an estimated $25,152 from two screens (an average of $12,576) and about $76,000 so far, while "My Blueberry Nights" (from The Weinstein Company) made more than $45,000 on six screens (for a $7,614 average). It has earned an estimated $148,325 so far. 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. [Eugene Hernandez] 
[permalink]   [ filed under Biz ]