http://www.indiewire.com/ indieWIRE: filmmakers. biz. fans. en Copyright 2009 2009-07-05T16:27:23+00:00 http://www.indiewire.com/article/box_office_holiday_doesnt_hurt_locker_moon_flies_in_expansion/ http://www.indiewire.com/article/box_office_holiday_doesnt_hurt_locker_moon_flies_in_expansion/#When:16:27:23Z With fairly few specialty newcomers finding their way to theaters this holiday weekend, Kathryn Bigelow’s “The Hurt Locker” had no trouble hanging on to its place at the top of the iW BOT.  The Iraq War thriller - likely riding its Oscar-buzz worthy reviews - expanded from 4 to 9 screens this weekend, and found a $126,000 three-day gross.  While its $14,000 per-theater-average is less than half its near 2009 high … News, Box Office 2009-07-05T16:27:23+00:00 http://www.indiewire.com/article/cinemadaily_07.03.09_manero_moment/ http://www.indiewire.com/article/cinemadaily_07.03.09_manero_moment/#When:20:55:42Z “‘Tony Manero’ is one of those movies that sneak up on you from behind and take a pickax to your head,” proclaims Salon.com’s Andrew O’Hehir, writing about the Cannes ‘08 Director’s Fortnight entry, “Tony Manero.” It opens in U.S. theaters today, starting off in New York City from newly christened Lorber Films. Chilean Pablo Larrain’s second feature is the story of titular alter-ego Manero, described by O’Hehir as, “a disheveled 52-year-old … Features 2009-07-03T20:55:42+00:00 http://www.indiewire.com/article/cinemadaily_07.02.09_karlovy_kick_off/ http://www.indiewire.com/article/cinemadaily_07.02.09_karlovy_kick_off/#When:22:41:49Z Deemed “the anti-Cannes festival” by the New York Times, the Karlovy Vary Film Festival kicks off tomorrow in the Czech Republic. indieWIRE has the lineup for the fest here, with Sophie Barthes’ “Cold Souls,” Andreas Dresen’s German comedy “Whisky with Vodka,” and Iranian director Abdolreza Kahani’s “Twenty” among the films in competition. “Europe’s first big international post-Cannes showcase of the year - the Karlovy Vary Film Festival - has a reputation … 2009-07-02T22:41:49+00:00 http://www.indiewire.com/article/more_changes_at_tribeca_as_non_profit_organization_head_leaves/ http://www.indiewire.com/article/more_changes_at_tribeca_as_non_profit_organization_head_leaves/#When:22:08:13Z Leadership changes continue at Robert DeNiro and Jane Rosenthal’s Tribeca organizations, this time affecting the non profit side of their business. Brian Newman, who over the course of the past five years transformed arts funder National Video Resources into Renew Media and then merged the organization with the Tribeca Film Institute, has formally announced his resignation as CEO of TFI. Newman reiterated yesterday that the desire for new, entrepreneurial opportunities led … News 2009-07-02T22:08:13+00:00 http://www.indiewire.com/article/the_orchard_picks_up_deals_with_national_lampoon_and_others/ http://www.indiewire.com/article/the_orchard_picks_up_deals_with_national_lampoon_and_others/#When:18:16:11Z Yesterday, digital music distribution company The Orchard announced that it has formed comprehensive marketing, distribution, and services partnerships with National Lampoon, IndiePix Films & Independent Film Sales.  As part of the agreement, The Orchard will act as National Lampoon’s exclusive film distributor for iTunes and work with the company to secure additional, targeted premium retail opportunities.  The deal with start with the digital releases of “National Lampoon’s Bag Boy” and “National … News 2009-07-02T18:16:11+00:00 http://www.indiewire.com/article/indiepix_sees_key_departures_as_it_lays_rumors_to_rest/ http://www.indiewire.com/article/indiepix_sees_key_departures_as_it_lays_rumors_to_rest/#When:12:58:28Z More change recently hit the indie biz with two key departures at IndiePix. Ryan Harrington, who joined the company last summer to spearhead the newly launched IndiePix Studios, the production and filmmaker relations arm of the online consumer film website, left in what he described as an “amicable parting.” The company’s documentary acquisitions point person, Danielle DiGiacomo, also announced her exit in an email to industry colleagues last month, saying, “after … News 2009-07-02T12:58:28+00:00 http://www.indiewire.com/article/one_good_turn..._anne_fontaines_the_girl_from_monaco/ http://www.indiewire.com/article/one_good_turn..._anne_fontaines_the_girl_from_monaco/#When:11:40:12Z French romantic comedies are the art-house import equivalent of pimped-out Hollywood blockbusters. Both appeal to a wide and diffuse target audience — moderately cultured bourgeois and pop thrill seekers — and both are basically critic-proof. Where Michael Bay obliterates scrutiny with fireballs and shiny screeching machinery, French comedies gently neutralize through learned banter, exotic settings, and scantily clad gamines. The machine works something like this: an older gentleman clicks into place … Reviews, In Theaters 2009-07-02T11:40:12+00:00 http://www.indiewire.com/ipop/photo/spike_and_rosie_do_the_right_thing/ http://www.indiewire.com/ipop/photo/spike_and_rosie_do_the_right_thing/#When:20:13:47Z Spike Lee and Rosie Perez at the DGA theater in New York City on Monday night, celebrating the 20th anniversary of “Do The Right Thing.” “Not only was it an incredibly made film, but politically, it really made you confront a lot of shit,” said filmmaker Jim McKay, discussing Lee’s film with indieWIRE in an article looking at the significance of the movie. “I don’t think I ever left a film … New York 2009-07-01T20:13:47+00:00 http://www.indiewire.com/article/are_we_fighting_to_preserve_a_business_or_an_artform/ http://www.indiewire.com/article/are_we_fighting_to_preserve_a_business_or_an_artform/#When:18:56:59Z Last week I posted, on Twitter and Facebook, that I was “contemplating the increasingly striking tension between art and industry.” That comment came after a lengthy email exchange with a good friend who was reacting to the recent James Stern keynote speech at the Los Angeles Film Festival. The remarks struck my friend, a New York indie filmmaker, as being too focused on the business of movies. Must filmmakers really ponder … Features, First Person 2009-07-01T18:56:59+00:00 http://www.indiewire.com/article/cinemadaily_debut_07_01/ http://www.indiewire.com/article/cinemadaily_debut_07_01/#When:18:50:43Z If the buzz on Twitter is any indication, Michael Mann’s “Public Enemies,” one of the top trending tweeted topics right now, should be quite popular this weekend. In theaters today, “Enemies” is one of two new movies from veteran directors joining Agnès Varda’s “The Beaches of Agnès”. At the risk of being too NYC-centric right out of the gate, not to be missed this holiday weekend are “Carte Blanche: Marcus Hu … Features 2009-07-01T18:50:43+00:00 http://www.indiewire.com/article/maggots_figs_and_light_the_power_of_three_at_frameline_33/ http://www.indiewire.com/article/maggots_figs_and_light_the_power_of_three_at_frameline_33/#When:18:07:31Z As the theaters of Frameline - the world’s largest and oldest LGBT film festival - darkened for the 11 days of its 33rd edition, a grainy nostalgic image of a clunky projector being wound with film stock greeted attendees; the words “February 9, 1977, Gay Community Center, San Francisco” briefly wobbled on screen, and a swell of strings and horns vaguely reminiscent of the Star Wars theme built up as the … Features, Festivals 2009-07-01T18:07:31+00:00 http://www.indiewire.com/article/a_tiff_wish_list_31_potential_toronto_premieres/ http://www.indiewire.com/article/a_tiff_wish_list_31_potential_toronto_premieres/#When:15:50:26Z In celebration of Canada Day, indieWIRE is offering some speculation on the country’s biggest celebration of film, the Toronto International Film Festival. The fest started announcing titles last week, and will be announcing a big block of programming at its July 14th press conference. The 34th edition of the fest runs September 10 - 19, and while it’s essentially assured a large number of Cannes and Berlin titles will have their … Features, Festivals, Toronto 2009-07-01T15:50:26+00:00 http://www.indiewire.com/article/oscilloscope_teams_with_warner_brothers_digital_distribution/ http://www.indiewire.com/article/oscilloscope_teams_with_warner_brothers_digital_distribution/#When:12:10:28Z “We went out to breakfast with these cats,” Adam Yauch said in a statement regarding Oscilloscope Laboratories’s new deal with Warner Brothers Digital Distribution, “had a good time hanging out shooting the shit.. so I said - what the hell, they seem like they know what they’re doing. Let’s do this.” And with that, Oscilloscope Laboratories has signed an exclusive distribution agreement with Warner Bros. Digital Distribution (WBDD) to bring Oscilloscope’s … News 2009-07-01T12:10:28+00:00 http://www.indiewire.com/article/succinct_crusty_reflective_and_always_the_artist_agnes_varda_talks_beaches/ http://www.indiewire.com/article/succinct_crusty_reflective_and_always_the_artist_agnes_varda_talks_beaches/#When:12:00:13Z “The grandmother of the New Wave,” Agnes Varda’s (“The Gleaners and I”) latest documentary returns with a movie that synthesizes 50 years of filmmaking, and 80 years of life. Accoridng to New York’s Film Forum, where “The Beaches of Agnes” will open Wednesday, July 1, the film focuses on this early member of the French New Wave. Varda has worked with Chris Marker, Alain Resnais, Jean-Luc Godard, Jane Birkin, Michel Piccoli, … Features, Interviews 2009-07-01T12:00:13+00:00