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Celluloid Dreams, uMedia Tie Knot
13 hours ago
Paris — Hengameh Panahi’s Paris-based Celluloid Dreams, one of Europe’s most respected sales companies, and Brussels’ uMedia, a burgeoning Euro mini-studio, have tied the knot on an alliance that ranges across film financing, production, acquisition and international sales.
The partnership marks out uMedia’s status as one of the Europe’s fastest-growing go-to movie companies for European and U.S. indies alike. It also gives Celluloid Dreams the bigger company backing that specialty film sales agents, however well connected, now crave in tougher times.
UMedia’s sales arm uConnect and Celluloid shared offices at Berlin, with uConnect taking joint responsibility with Celluloid Dreams for the sale of Celluloid Dreams’ slate. Now sealing a long-term expanded alliance, uMedia and Celluloid Dreams can explore fully the options on an enviable range of film operations.
Raising a reported Euros110 million ($145 million) in tax shelter coin last decade, uMedia has diversified rapidly from 2010 into production, »
- John Hopewell and Elsa Keslassy
Melissa McCarthy Pic ‘Tammy’ Release Set for July 2, 2014
19 hours ago
Warner Bros. has dated Melissa McCarthy road-trip comedy “Tammy” for July 2, 2014.
The New Line project, which also stars Allison Janney, Susan Sarandon and Mark Duplass, is on track to begin shooting in May with McCarthy starring and co-directing with spouse Ben Falcone. McCarthy and Falcone are also producing from a script they co-wrote.
Pic follows a women who, after losing her job and learning that her husband has been unfaithful, hits the road with her profane, hard-drinking grandmother (Sarandon). Janney will play the mother of McCarthy’s character.
“Tammy” will open against Disney’s fantasy “Maleficent,” starring Angelina Jolie, and Sony’s comedy “Sex Tape,” starring Jason Segel and Cameron Diaz. »
- Dave McNary
Singer-Actress Deanna Durbin Dead at 91
19 hours ago
Singer-actress Deanna Durbin, who was the highest-paid female star in Hollywood in 1947 but permanently exited the movie biz the next year at the age of 26, has died, her fan club announced Tuesday. The announcement did not give a date or cause of death. She was 91.
Durbin initially landed at MGM after a successful audition for a part in a planned biopic of opera singer Ernestine Schumann-Heink. She actually made her film debut in the 1936 MGM short “Every Sunday,” with Judy Garland (the two were only six months apart in age), and the opera film was never made. Soon thereafter Universal signed Durbin to a contract.
Her first film at U was “Three Smart Girls” (remade decades later as “The Parent Trap”). That big box office hit, in which she played the perfect teenage daughter, paved the way for many more of the same, and Durbin was credited with saving the studio from bankruptcy. »
- Carmel Dagan
Film Review: ‘It Boy’
20 hours ago
An experienced but slightly wishy-washy French magazine editor transforms herself into a red-lipped, predatory cougar in order to get ahead in “It Boy,” a pacey romantic comedy that makes the most of the chemistry and star quality of ace leads Virginie Efira and Pierre Niney. After co-helming horror items “Them” and Jessica Alba starrer “The Eye,” Gallic director David Moreau not only goes solo here but also impressively switches gears with a brightly packaged, fluffy and often funny entertainment. Local March release is closing in on 1.4 million admissions and could serve as remake fodder and theatrical catnip for distribs offshore.
Alice Lantins (Efira), the 38-year-old fashion editor at the (fictional) Rebelle magazine, is a perfectionist, as seen in an opening sequence in which she tries to reason with a Brazilian printer about the exact colors she wants on the page. She’s extremely demanding, but she would also rather be safe than sorry. »
- Boyd van Hoeij
Tunie, Rubin-Vega, Crockett, Richardson Topline ‘Fall To Rise’ (Exclusive)
20 hours ago
Tamara Tunie (“Flight”), Daphne Rubin-Vega and dancers Katherine Crockett and Desmond Richardson will topline the indie drama “Fall to Rise.”
Tiffany Bartok and Patrick R. Morris are producing “Fall to Rise,” which will begin shooting this week in New York City at the Baryshnikov Arts Center. Gill Holland is exec producing.
The movie will be the feature directorial debut of Jayce Bartok of Vinyl Foote Prods., who is helming from his own script. Bartok wrote the 2007 indie drama “The Cake Eaters,” starring Kristen Stewart.
Crockett, a principal dancer with Martha Graham, portrays a legendary dancer driven to dance again after the birth of her baby despite the protest of her best friend, portrayed by Rubin-Vega.
Crockett was featured as a dancer in “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” and Richardson was in the film version of “Chicago.” »
- Dave McNary
Film Review: ‘Expedition to the End of the World’
20 hours ago
With Mozart’s “Requiem” a perfectly ironic choice of opening motif, “Expedition to the End of the World” takes viewers on a journey that only incipient human extinction might have made possible. Danish helmer Daniel Dencik’s docu is a scientific exploration of the previously ice-blocked fjords of northeastern Greenland, which have been defrosted by global warming, and whose discoveries about the origins of life and man are ripe (a little overripe) for examination. With a mood and setting worthy of a murder story by Jack London, this audience-friendly, atmospheric work could be remade as a thriller, although that’s really what it is already.
Boasting a crew that includes a geologist, a geographer, a geochemist, a marine biologist and a couple of artists (one of whom glibly suggests we all invade Switzerland when climate change eventually makes it uncomfortable elsewhere), the three-masted schooner Activ slides up an artery into »
- John Anderson
Tribeca Film Review: ‘In God We Trust’
21 hours ago
An unlikely protagonist grants first-time filmmakers Victor Kubicek and Derek Anderson a personalized, well-structured entree into the convoluted schemes by which Bernie Madoff made off with billions in investors’ money in “In God We Trust.” Eleanor Squillari, Madoff’s personal secretary of 25 years, describes her devastation and shock upon learning that the biggest financial scam in U.S. history was perpetrated right under her very nose, embarking on a private crusade to aid the FBI investigation by phoning colleagues and poring over a quarter-century’s worth of receipts, notes, schedules and correspondence. Engrossing docu could attract niche play before its inevitable tube airing.
Detailing the fine points of a decades-long fraud with the breadth and complexity of a delirious juggling act might have made for heavy sledding in a more straight-on, objective documentary. But the filmmakers’ decision to frame the information through the eyes of one of the thousands Madoff duped, »
- Ronnie Scheib
Cohen Media Group Takes U.S. On ‘Mademoiselle C.’
30 April 2013 1:32 PM, PDT
Cohen Media Group has acquired all U.S. rights to Fabien Constant’s documentary ‘Mademoiselle C.” for release in the spring of 2014.
Film centers on former Vogue Paris editor-in-chief and French fashion stylist Carine Roitfeld, who left the magazine last year to create a new fashion magazine, “Cr.” The doc covers the first editorial meeting through to the extravagant launch party in New York.
The film also features interviews from Tom Ford, Karl Lagerfeld and Donatella Versace.
The distribution agreement was negotiated by Charles Cohen and Gary Rubin of Cohen Media Group with Adeline Fontan Tessaur of Elle Driver. »
- Dave McNary
Illumination Taps Tito Ortiz as VP of development
30 April 2013 11:24 AM, PDT
Veteran animated feature film executive Tito Ortiz has returned to Chris Meledandri’s Illumination Entertainment as its new VP of development.
Ortiz was one of the original employees at Illumination when it opened its doors in 2007, serving as director of development until 2011. Ortiz left to pursue a music career but was continuing to help assist the company in developing several properties.
Ortiz will be involved in the development of new feature film projects including the upcoming reboot of “Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas!,” which will be helmed by Pete Candeland.
Illumination has “Despicable Me 2” set to bow on July 3. »
- Justin Kroll
Sofia Coppola’s ‘Bling Ring’ To Close Seattle Film Festival
30 April 2013 11:19 AM, PDT
The Seattle International Film Festival has selected Sofia Coppola’s “The Bling Ring” as its closing night film on June 9 — five days before its domestic release.
The festival, now in its 39th year, had previously announced that Joss Whedon’s “Much Ado About Nothing” would open the fest on May 16.
The festival plans to screen 272 features and 175 shorts, including 48 North American premieres. The lineup includes Jim Rash’s “The Way, Way Back”; Steven Bernstein’s “Decoding Annie Parker”; David Gordon Green’s “Prince Avalanche”; David Lowery’s “Ain’t Them Bodies Saints”; Noah Baumbach’s “Frances Ha”; James Ponsoldt’s “The Spectacular Now”; the world premiere of Adam Rodgers’ “Middleton” and Joe Swanberg’s “Drinking Buddies.”
Newly-minted distributor A24 has set a June 14 limited domestic release for real-life theft drama “The Bling Ring,” starring Emma Watson. Movie centers of group of teens from an affluent Los Angeles neighborhood that robbed »
- Dave McNary
Lily James to Star in Disney’s ‘Cinderella’
30 April 2013 10:53 AM, PDT
Lily James is Disney’s Cinderella.
The “Downton Abbey” actress will star in the Mouse’s upcoming live-action version of the classic fairy tale that Kenneth Branagh will direct, based on a script by Chris Weitz and a pitch by Aline Brosh McKenna (“The Devil Wears Prada”). Cate Blanchett co-stars as the evil stepmother.
Emma Watson had been considered for the role, but a deal could not be worked out.
Allison Shearmur (“The Hunger Games: Catching Fire”), David Barron (“Jack Ryan”) and Simon Kinberg are producing the film.
“Cinderella” is the latest fairy tale Disney is getting into the megaplex after Tim Burton’s “Alice in Wonderland,” Sam Raimi’s “Oz: The Great and Powerful” and Angelina Jolie vehicle “Maleficent,” based on “Sleeping Beauty’s” villainess. Studio also is developing a live action version of “Beauty and the Beast,” with “Trance”-scribe Joe Ahearne writing the script.
Studio hopes »
- Marc Graser
Andy Garcia, Ray Romano Join ‘Rob the Mob’
30 April 2013 10:02 AM, PDT
Andy Garcia and Ray Romano have joined Michael Pitt and Nina Arianda in Raymond De Felitta’s heist drama “Rob the Mob.”
The movie, currently in production, is produced by Bill Teitler, whose credits include ‘What Maisie Knew” and “Jumanji.”
Pitt and Arianda portray a real-life couple who, after hearing testimony at Mafia boss John Gotti’s trial that mob social clubs are gun-free, brazenly robbed the underground spots operated by major crime families.
The Exchange is selling international markets at Cannes along with Randall Miller’s “Cbgb,” Richard Lagravanese’s “The Last 5 Years,” Jean-Claude Van Damme’s “Swelter” and Sebastian Silva’s “Magic Magic,” which will have its international premiere in the Directors’ Fortnight. »
- Dave McNary
Europe Drops Threat to Cut Coin for Hollywood Shoots
30 April 2013 8:30 AM, PDT
Brussels — European governments are free to continue using public coin to woo Hollywood productions now that regulators have withdrawn a threat to cap the use of subsidies as bait.
A complicated series of caps for non-European productions was proposed last year when the European Commission began revising public subsidy rules. The aim was to prevent European Union countries using subsidies to compete among themselves for prestigious Hollywood projects. The bigger a movie’s production budget, the tighter the cap.
These caps have disappeared from the latest draft of the policy, known as Cinema Communication, which was released for comment on April 30. Arguments that additional safeguards are needed to prevent distortions in the European market have also gone, leaving the policy with a much more positive attitude to foreign productions and the contribution they make to the local industry.
However, the Commission says it will monitor developments in this area to »
- Leo Barraclough
Godard, Greenaway, Pera Portmanteau Pic to Close Critics’ Week
30 April 2013 5:01 AM, PDT
Paris — Cannes’ Critics’ Week will close on a humor-filled, experimental note with the screening of “3X3D,” a portmanteau pic comprising three shorts helmed by Jean-Luc Godard, Peter Greenaway and Edgar Pera.
Set against the backdrop of 2,000-year-old Portuguese city Guimaraes, the three shorts — Greenaway’s “Just in Time,” Godard’s “The Three Disasters” and Pera’s “Cinesapiens” — explore 3D and question its evolution within the film world, and its impact on audiences’ perceptions.
“Time” takes a look at the layering of images; “Disasters” centers on the history of 3D, which the fest says “could be the premise of (Godard’s) next film”; while “Cinesapiens” playfully explores the history of cinema.
Pic was produced by Portuguese producer Rodrigo Areias. Urban Distribution Intl. handles international sales and will distribute in France.
The Euro-centric 52nd Critics’ Week edition, helmed by artistic director Charles Tesson, will kick off with Katell Quillevere’s drama »
- Elsa Keslassy
Tribeca, Doha Film Institute End Partnership
30 April 2013 4:07 AM, PDT
Rome — Tribeca Enterprises and the Doha Film Institute have ended their partnership, four years after launching the Doha Tribeca Film Festival, in what appears to be a recurring pattern with Gulf fests.
Doha will continue to have a fest managed by the Dfi, but with a new format, details of which will be announced at Cannes.
The Doha-Tribeca split comes after Australian-born Al Jazeera TV journo and film exec Amanda Palmer, who set up the Doha Tribeca fest in 2009, exited as its topper last July. Palmer was replaced by young Qatari banking exec Abdulaziz Al-Khater.
It also follows former Tribeca artistic chief Peter Scarlet’s exit as artistic director of the Abu Dhabi Film Festival last August, indicating a desire by Emirates fests to go solo once they have laid the foundations and acquired know-how from outside experts.
“With Dfi having successfully formed strong community and industry bonds, the new »
- Nick Vivarelli
Myriad Takes Int’l Distribution on Biel, Scodelario Pic ‘Emanuel’
29 April 2013 7:35 PM, PDT
Rounding out its Cannes slate, Myriad Pictures has acquired international distribution rights to Francesca Gregorini’s ”Emanuel and the Truth About Fishes,” starring Jessica Biel and Kaya Scodelario.
“Tanner Hall” director Gregorini helmed from her own script and produced with Matthew R. Brady.
The film, which premiered at Sundance in January, will be screened for buyers at Cannes.
“Emanuel,” which also stars Alfred Molina, Aneurin Barnard, Jimmi Simpson and Frances O’Connor, centers on a sensitive teen who lives with her father and stepmother and develops a bond with a young mother who moves in next door and bears a striking resemblance to her late mother.
Myriad’s slate at Cannes includes “Electric Slide,” “The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby,” “The Curse of Downers Grove,” “Weightless” and “The World Made Straight.” »
- Dave McNary
Film Review: ‘Tai Chi Hero’
29 April 2013 6:52 PM, PDT
The central paradox of Stephen Fung’s “Tai Chi” franchise is that it uses all manner of digital trickery to tell a story about the perils of modernization. That contradiction aside, “Tai Chi Hero,” the second entry in the projected trilogy, is a sporadically engaging martial-arts extravaganza that looks even better compared with its predecessor, last year’s borderline-insufferable “Tai Chi Zero.” While this 19th-century tale of provincial kung fu masters and their more technologically advanced enemies is a similarly rambunctious, CG-laden diversion, it boasts significant improvements with its less frenetic style and more focused storytelling. Expect the gravity-resistant sequel to land somewhere in “Zero’s” commercial ballpark ($24 million worldwide).
Once again the action swirls around Chen Village, an isolated mountain hamlet whose inhabitants practice a form of kung fu so extraordinary that no one from the outside world is allowed to learn it. The lone exception is Yang Luchan »
- Justin Chang
Sundance Selects Takes North America On ‘Elaine Stritch: Shoot Me’
29 April 2013 3:59 PM, PDT
Sundance Selects has acquired North American rights to Chiemi Karasawa’s “Elaine Stritch: Shoot Me,” a week after the documentary made its world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival.
The film was produced by Karasawa and Elizabeth Hemmerdinger and exec produced by Alec Baldwin and Cheryl Wiesenfeld.
Sundance Selects has not set a release date.
Scott Foundas gave the movie an upbeat review for Variety: “Painting a surprisingly tender, insulin-injections-and-all portrait of a star known for her brassy demeanor and Teflon exterior, this feature directing debut for vet docu producer Chiemi Karasawa (‘The Betrayal,’ ‘Tell Them Anything You Want’) should earn wide fest and ancillary exposure, plus limited theatrical, where it will prove catnip to the cabaret crowd and those entranced by the artistry of great performers.”
The film includes interviews with Hal Prince, George C. Wolfe, Nathan Lane, Cherry Jones, Tina Fey, James Gandolfini and John Turturro.
The deal »
- Dave McNary
Bow Tie Acquires Clearview Cinemas
29 April 2013 3:24 PM, PDT
The nation’s oldest theater chain, Bow Tie Cinemas, has entered into an agreement to acquire all of Cablevision’s Clearview Cinemas locations, totaling 41 theaters, including Chelsea Cinemas in Manhattan.
The acquisition, which is subject to regulatory closing conditions, will make Bow Tie the nation’s eighth-largest theater circuit, with the most locations in the New York metro area.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
“This is a transformational acquisition for Bow Tie Cinemas and an exciting new chapter in our company’s rich history,” said Bow Tie CEO Ben Moss. “Bow Tie makes long-term commitments in the communities where we own theaters by building local partnerships, employing local people and engaging with our patrons.”
Based in Ridgefield, Conn., Bow Tie Cinemas is a family-owned and operated company over 100 years old. The chain, which began during the time of nickelodeons and vaudeville, currently operates 22 theaters located primarily throughout the Northeast. »
- Andrew Stewart
Tribeca Festival Logs Strong Attendance, Ticket Sales
29 April 2013 3:01 PM, PDT
A total of 117,000 people turned out for the screenings and events of the 2013 Tribeca Film Festival, according to figures reported by the fest, with more than 95% of all available tickets sold.
The attendance tally goes up to 450,000 when it includes the fest’s free community events, such as this year’s outdoor screenings of pics including “The Birds,” “Beetlejuice” and Tribeca doc “Lil Bub and Friendz.”
Among the standout buzzmagnets of the festival’s overall programming — a wide-ranging array of offerings from traditional movies to a hackathon to a street fair — were the forays into new media, which has been a focus of growth for the Tribeca team.
Streaming footage of the festival’s April 27 screening of vidgame “Beyond: Two Souls” — seen in an extended gameplay excerpt, followed by a panel featuring gamemaker David Cage and star Ellen Page — has been viewed online more than 2 million times. The showcase of »
- Gordon Cox
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