The late 1990s might be remembered as a pretty good time for science fiction at the movies. There were Hollywood blockbusters with origins in sci-fi literature and loaded with VFX razzle-dazzle, while at the same time smaller and/or independent productions were offering up more cerebral, complex, concept-driven ideas.
Nestled in the middle of all this, appearing in theaters at the tail end of 1998, was a film that was perhaps the tiniest of all with regards to budget and production, but at the same time one of the biggest in terms of its central premise: Pi (aka the Greek letter π), the writing and directing debut of filmmaker Darren Aronofsky that tackled numbers theory, Jewish mysticism, and the meaning of all existence, all within 80 minutes and largely confined to one main (very cramped) set and a handful of characters.
If you’re lucky enough to live in a participating city,...
Nestled in the middle of all this, appearing in theaters at the tail end of 1998, was a film that was perhaps the tiniest of all with regards to budget and production, but at the same time one of the biggest in terms of its central premise: Pi (aka the Greek letter π), the writing and directing debut of filmmaker Darren Aronofsky that tackled numbers theory, Jewish mysticism, and the meaning of all existence, all within 80 minutes and largely confined to one main (very cramped) set and a handful of characters.
If you’re lucky enough to live in a participating city,...
- 3/14/2023
- by Don Kaye
- Den of Geek
It’s just one theater, with six screens. But news that the landlord for the Lincoln Plaza Theaters —on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, across the street from Lincoln Center — is not renewing the lease for its present (and only) operators, longtime exhibitors and distributors Dan and Toby Talbot, could be the biggest news in specialized film this year.
Totaling a little over 1,000 seats, Lincoln Plaza has been the most important single theater in the domestic specialized market since its opening in 1981. Though it no longer provides the biggest grosses for most independent and other arthouse releases, it remains the single most vital location for launching subtitled and other high-end titles in the U.S.
Initial reports say the Talbots — dominant forces for over 50 years in the New York specialized film business — were unable to make a deal to continue operation. The landlord, Milstein Properties — has not confirmed that it will continue as a theater.
Totaling a little over 1,000 seats, Lincoln Plaza has been the most important single theater in the domestic specialized market since its opening in 1981. Though it no longer provides the biggest grosses for most independent and other arthouse releases, it remains the single most vital location for launching subtitled and other high-end titles in the U.S.
Initial reports say the Talbots — dominant forces for over 50 years in the New York specialized film business — were unable to make a deal to continue operation. The landlord, Milstein Properties — has not confirmed that it will continue as a theater.
- 12/16/2017
- by Tom Brueggemann
- Indiewire
Update Below
Lincoln Plaza Cinema — the first stop for much acclaimed independent and foreign fare since 1981 — will shutter next month when its New York City lease ends, according to Deadline. Occupying an Upper West Side residential building’s basement, the six-screen theater has hosted exclusive engagements of films like “Fahrenheit 9/11” and “Certified Copy.” It is operated as a partnership between the founder of the former New Yorker Films distribution company, Dan Talbot; France’s Gaumont Film Company, a mini-major studio; and local real estate investment film Milstein Properties, the owner of the site.
Read More:Dan Talbot’s 2004 Gotham Awards Speech
Talbot’s wife of 68 years, Toby, told Deadline that they “did everything we could to ask for the lease to be extended,” to no avail, as Milstein is “looking to make money” and “get everything [they] can.”
Multiple sources told IndieWire that Howard Milstein, chairman of Milstein Properties, had been seeking...
Lincoln Plaza Cinema — the first stop for much acclaimed independent and foreign fare since 1981 — will shutter next month when its New York City lease ends, according to Deadline. Occupying an Upper West Side residential building’s basement, the six-screen theater has hosted exclusive engagements of films like “Fahrenheit 9/11” and “Certified Copy.” It is operated as a partnership between the founder of the former New Yorker Films distribution company, Dan Talbot; France’s Gaumont Film Company, a mini-major studio; and local real estate investment film Milstein Properties, the owner of the site.
Read More:Dan Talbot’s 2004 Gotham Awards Speech
Talbot’s wife of 68 years, Toby, told Deadline that they “did everything we could to ask for the lease to be extended,” to no avail, as Milstein is “looking to make money” and “get everything [they] can.”
Multiple sources told IndieWire that Howard Milstein, chairman of Milstein Properties, had been seeking...
- 12/16/2017
- by Jenna Marotta
- Indiewire
Darren Aronofsky is back. The polarizing Oscar nominee is causing a quite a stir with his latest movie, the Jennifer Lawrence-starring “mother!,” but anyone familiar with Aronofsky’s six previous features knows he’s always been a filmmaker who forces a strong reaction out of people. He’s been pushing the boundaries of his own filmmaking voice ever since “Pi” caused a frenzy at the Sundance Film Festival in 1998, and “mother!” proves he has no signs of stopping.
With “mother!” opening in theaters nationwide, we put all seven Aronofsky features against one another for the ultimate director ranking.
Read More:‘mother!’: Inside the Secretive Marketing Designed to Hide Darren Aronofsky’s Controversial Film 7. “Noah” (2014)
“Noah” is unquestionably Aronofsky’s weakest film, but that doesn’t mean it’s a total disaster. The biggest misstep the director makes in this $125 million Biblical epic is turning the odyssey of Noah into a sword-and-sandals showdown,...
With “mother!” opening in theaters nationwide, we put all seven Aronofsky features against one another for the ultimate director ranking.
Read More:‘mother!’: Inside the Secretive Marketing Designed to Hide Darren Aronofsky’s Controversial Film 7. “Noah” (2014)
“Noah” is unquestionably Aronofsky’s weakest film, but that doesn’t mean it’s a total disaster. The biggest misstep the director makes in this $125 million Biblical epic is turning the odyssey of Noah into a sword-and-sandals showdown,...
- 9/14/2017
- by Zack Sharf
- Indiewire
New York City’s movie-going options are getting even bigger, thanks to the news that Film Forum is set to not only renovate its three screens, but to add a fourth screen to its fold. The venerated theater — known for decades as a haven for specialty releases and repertory programming — will undergo a simultaneous renovation of its current screens and the addition of a new theater. Stephen Tilly, who designed Film Forum’s earlier incarnation on Watts Street (alongside Alan Buchsbaum), is the architect in charge of this project.
The news is exciting for New York cinephiles, but has a potentially even greater value for the specialty film marketplace.
Film Forum was founded in 1970, and made its mark as an independent theater equally invested in NYC-centric premieres, repertory programming, and new features alike. (A glance at its upcoming lineup speaks well to its depth of programming, including planned showings of...
The news is exciting for New York cinephiles, but has a potentially even greater value for the specialty film marketplace.
Film Forum was founded in 1970, and made its mark as an independent theater equally invested in NYC-centric premieres, repertory programming, and new features alike. (A glance at its upcoming lineup speaks well to its depth of programming, including planned showings of...
- 9/5/2017
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
How Today’s ‘Nonsensical’ Blockbuster Filmmaking Can Learn a Lesson From American Movies of the ’70s
Film critic Charles Taylor’s first collection of essays, “Opening Wednesday at a Theater or Drive-in Near You: The Shadow Cinema of the American ’70s,” explores the rich history of ’70s-era American filmmaking through a unique lens, opting to highlight some of the period’s underseen and often underappreciated gems. As one of the most fruitful times in American filmmaking, Taylor understands why certain features — including offerings from such respected filmmakers as Jonathan Demme, Walter Hill, and Irvin Kershner — didn’t quite make it big at a crowded box office, but he’s also eager to give them their due.
Told with an eye towards the current state of cinema — a blockbuster-driven machine that Taylor calls “nonsensical” and contributing to “the destruction of the idea of content” — the book is a loving look at some forgotten gems and the power of moviemaking that can often be ignored. In our excerpt from the book,...
Told with an eye towards the current state of cinema — a blockbuster-driven machine that Taylor calls “nonsensical” and contributing to “the destruction of the idea of content” — the book is a loving look at some forgotten gems and the power of moviemaking that can often be ignored. In our excerpt from the book,...
- 6/7/2017
- by Indiewire Staff
- Indiewire
Cohen Media Group has acquired the North American rights to Michel Hazanavicius’ free-wheeling Jean-Luc Godard biopic “Redoubtable,” which premiered late last week at the Cannes Film Festival.
Set in Paris 1967, “Redoubtable” follows Godard as he’s forced to re-examine himself after the reception of “La Chinoise,” his political film about young revolutionaries. Seeming to foreshadow France’s civil unrest in May of 1968, the director is shaken by the crisis and irrevocably changed by his own deep-rooted conflicts and misunderstandings. It is set for a North American release in early 2018.
Louis Garrel stars as Godard, with Stacy Martin as Anne Wiazemsky and Bérénice Bejo in a supporting role.
Read More: Cannes 2017: 9 Hot Acquisition Titles That Will Have Buyers Chasing Foreign Films
CEO Charles Cohen has never met a French movie he doesn’t like, so the pairing of his outfit and Hazanavicius’ French film about a French filmmaker is a match made in acquisition heaven.
Set in Paris 1967, “Redoubtable” follows Godard as he’s forced to re-examine himself after the reception of “La Chinoise,” his political film about young revolutionaries. Seeming to foreshadow France’s civil unrest in May of 1968, the director is shaken by the crisis and irrevocably changed by his own deep-rooted conflicts and misunderstandings. It is set for a North American release in early 2018.
Louis Garrel stars as Godard, with Stacy Martin as Anne Wiazemsky and Bérénice Bejo in a supporting role.
Read More: Cannes 2017: 9 Hot Acquisition Titles That Will Have Buyers Chasing Foreign Films
CEO Charles Cohen has never met a French movie he doesn’t like, so the pairing of his outfit and Hazanavicius’ French film about a French filmmaker is a match made in acquisition heaven.
- 5/26/2017
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
Wild Bunch screens Christian Carion’s latest film in Cannes.
Cohen Media Group has acquired North American rights to the thriller My Son (Mon Garcon) starring Guillaume Canet and Melanie Laurent.
Christian Carion directs the recently completed film that Wild Bunch is screening in Cannes.
My Son centres on a husband and wife who are growing apart as the man receives a message from his distraught ex-wife during a stop-over in France.
When she says their son has gone missing, the man begins a search and will stop at nothing to get him back.
Carion directed French Oscar nominee Joyeux Noel and Farewell (L’affaire Farewell) and most recently Come What May, which Cohen Media Group distributed last autumn.
“Following our success with Come What May we are delighted to continue our close relationship with Christian Carion,” Cohen Media Group chairman and CEO Charles Cohen said.
“I’m really happy to work again with Cohen’s crew...
Cohen Media Group has acquired North American rights to the thriller My Son (Mon Garcon) starring Guillaume Canet and Melanie Laurent.
Christian Carion directs the recently completed film that Wild Bunch is screening in Cannes.
My Son centres on a husband and wife who are growing apart as the man receives a message from his distraught ex-wife during a stop-over in France.
When she says their son has gone missing, the man begins a search and will stop at nothing to get him back.
Carion directed French Oscar nominee Joyeux Noel and Farewell (L’affaire Farewell) and most recently Come What May, which Cohen Media Group distributed last autumn.
“Following our success with Come What May we are delighted to continue our close relationship with Christian Carion,” Cohen Media Group chairman and CEO Charles Cohen said.
“I’m really happy to work again with Cohen’s crew...
- 5/16/2017
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
New York’s greatest B-movie legend is coming back to the Big Apple. Prolific writer-director-producer Larry Cohen returns to his native New York this weekend to appear at a retrospective of his New York-set films at the newly-renovated Quad Cinema.
Read More: ‘Kill Switch’ Teaser Trailer: Dan Stevens Stars in Apocalyptic Sci-Fi Thriller — Watch
The writer behind 2002’s “Phone Booth” and director of “A Return to Salem’s Lot,” Cohen directed 20 movies and wrote dozens of screenplays for both film and television during his roughly 50 year career. Many of his most well-known films were set in New York.
“It was my favorite place to shoot,” Cohen said. “New York is the world’s greatest backlot.”
The retrospective, entitled “Larry Cohen’s New York,” will include the “Whisper” cut of Cohen’s 1976 horror-thriller “God Told Me To,” a version that has never been screened in New York before. The other films...
Read More: ‘Kill Switch’ Teaser Trailer: Dan Stevens Stars in Apocalyptic Sci-Fi Thriller — Watch
The writer behind 2002’s “Phone Booth” and director of “A Return to Salem’s Lot,” Cohen directed 20 movies and wrote dozens of screenplays for both film and television during his roughly 50 year career. Many of his most well-known films were set in New York.
“It was my favorite place to shoot,” Cohen said. “New York is the world’s greatest backlot.”
The retrospective, entitled “Larry Cohen’s New York,” will include the “Whisper” cut of Cohen’s 1976 horror-thriller “God Told Me To,” a version that has never been screened in New York before. The other films...
- 5/4/2017
- by Graham Winfrey
- Indiewire
“In the future, everyone will be world-famous for 15 minutes,” Andy Warhol famously said, but the legendary artist probably didn’t expect that such a sentiment would apply to his own screen tests, which have endured over the decades as a curious, intimate look at the inner workings of his creative process.
Filmed during the ’60s-era heyday of his Warhol Factory, the black and white screen tests feature a slew of Warhol regulars — from Ondine to Edie Sedgwick, Lou Reed to Bob Dylan — and other famous faces of the day, all lensed on Warhol’s own Bolex camera. Nearly 500 of the screen tests were filmed, though Warhol did not use or exhibit all of them. Favorites were arranged into various compilations that were then screened by Warhol for assorted audiences, though they’ve continued to inspire and delight fans for decades past their original filming.
Read More: Quad Cinema Reborn:...
Filmed during the ’60s-era heyday of his Warhol Factory, the black and white screen tests feature a slew of Warhol regulars — from Ondine to Edie Sedgwick, Lou Reed to Bob Dylan — and other famous faces of the day, all lensed on Warhol’s own Bolex camera. Nearly 500 of the screen tests were filmed, though Warhol did not use or exhibit all of them. Favorites were arranged into various compilations that were then screened by Warhol for assorted audiences, though they’ve continued to inspire and delight fans for decades past their original filming.
Read More: Quad Cinema Reborn:...
- 5/3/2017
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
[Editor’s Note: This post is presented in partnership with Movies on Demand. Catch up on the latest films On Demand here.]
Movies on Demand has another month of audience favorites in store, including some of the most popular titles of the year so far. Check out five of our favorite films from the upcoming month below, as well as the full list of great movies available throughout May.
1) “I Am Not Your Negro” (Available May 2)
Raoul Peck’s documentary about the life and work of James Baldwin is a stunning tribute to the writer’s vital work. Even thirty years after his death, Baldwin’s words still cut to the heart of issues confronting American society. With performances of Baldwin’s writing from narrator Samuel L. Jackson, Peck provides a deeply human gateway to understanding the achievements and contributions of a man who still has much to say about how our country understands race.
2) “The Salesman” (Available May 2)
Somewhat lost in the weeks of Oscars aftermath is the recognition of director Asghar Farhadi’s latest film,...
Movies on Demand has another month of audience favorites in store, including some of the most popular titles of the year so far. Check out five of our favorite films from the upcoming month below, as well as the full list of great movies available throughout May.
1) “I Am Not Your Negro” (Available May 2)
Raoul Peck’s documentary about the life and work of James Baldwin is a stunning tribute to the writer’s vital work. Even thirty years after his death, Baldwin’s words still cut to the heart of issues confronting American society. With performances of Baldwin’s writing from narrator Samuel L. Jackson, Peck provides a deeply human gateway to understanding the achievements and contributions of a man who still has much to say about how our country understands race.
2) “The Salesman” (Available May 2)
Somewhat lost in the weeks of Oscars aftermath is the recognition of director Asghar Farhadi’s latest film,...
- 5/2/2017
- by Indiewire Staff
- Indiewire
New York is undergoing a renaissance for independent movie theaters, with newcomers like Metrograph and the Alamo Drafthouse joining stalwarts like Film Forum, Bam and the Film Society of Lincoln Center in making New York one of the preeminent American cities for cinephiles. Now the scene is about to accommodate one more newcomer — although in some ways, this one’s been around for a while.
Strictly speaking, the Quad Cinema won’t be the newest multi-screen theater on the block when it opens its doors April 14. In fact, it’ll be the oldest. The first multiplex in the city when it opened in 1972, the Quad catered to passionate audiences for decades before slowly declining in recent years due to disrepair and a decline in programming quality linked to an increased number of four-walled screenings.
So Charles S. Cohen, the real-estate mogul and owner and founder of Cohen Media Group who...
Strictly speaking, the Quad Cinema won’t be the newest multi-screen theater on the block when it opens its doors April 14. In fact, it’ll be the oldest. The first multiplex in the city when it opened in 1972, the Quad catered to passionate audiences for decades before slowly declining in recent years due to disrepair and a decline in programming quality linked to an increased number of four-walled screenings.
So Charles S. Cohen, the real-estate mogul and owner and founder of Cohen Media Group who...
- 4/12/2017
- by Andrew Lapin
- Indiewire
Back in October, Dalian Wanda Group chairman Wang Jianlin had to admit that, after years of exponential growth, the China box office was slowing. The numbers proved him right: 2016’s worldwide box office of $38.6 billion rose just 1 percent, mostly because of a drop in China. While 71% of the global box office is international, it’s now North America that’s growing.
Ouch.
If those are our bragging rights, they come at a very high cost. After several years of massive, 30 percent-40 percent growth, China seemed like the answer to the nagging problem of North America’s thoroughly mature theatrical market. DVDs might be dead, theater chains aren’t growing, admissions are stagnant — but hey, China has more than 1.3 billion people! And suddenly, “Now You See Me” was a global franchise.
Now, the 2016 box office decline in China ($6.6 billion, down from $6.8 billion in 2015) may not bode well for the studios’ current...
Ouch.
If those are our bragging rights, they come at a very high cost. After several years of massive, 30 percent-40 percent growth, China seemed like the answer to the nagging problem of North America’s thoroughly mature theatrical market. DVDs might be dead, theater chains aren’t growing, admissions are stagnant — but hey, China has more than 1.3 billion people! And suddenly, “Now You See Me” was a global franchise.
Now, the 2016 box office decline in China ($6.6 billion, down from $6.8 billion in 2015) may not bode well for the studios’ current...
- 3/27/2017
- by Anne Thompson
- Thompson on Hollywood
As voters hover over their ballots, which are due February 21, the Best Foreign-Language Feature category presents a dilemma that’s unique to this year. Traditionally, many don’t vote in this category unless they’ve seen all the films. While the Academy sends links as well as screeners for all five nominees, it’s an honor system.
No one’s asking them to do anything differently now, but this year they may have a different reason to vote. Three out of the five documentary short Oscars focus on fallout from the Syrian conflict, as does documentary feature “Fire at Sea.”
Iranian director Asghar Farhadi, who won an Oscar in 2012 for “A Separation” and whose second Oscar-nominated film, “The Salesman” (Cohen Media), is playing on more than 65 screens and could pass the $1 million mark this weekend, grabbed a lot of press when he canceled his plans to attend the February 26th...
No one’s asking them to do anything differently now, but this year they may have a different reason to vote. Three out of the five documentary short Oscars focus on fallout from the Syrian conflict, as does documentary feature “Fire at Sea.”
Iranian director Asghar Farhadi, who won an Oscar in 2012 for “A Separation” and whose second Oscar-nominated film, “The Salesman” (Cohen Media), is playing on more than 65 screens and could pass the $1 million mark this weekend, grabbed a lot of press when he canceled his plans to attend the February 26th...
- 2/18/2017
- by Anne Thompson
- Thompson on Hollywood
As voters hover over their ballots, which are due February 21, the Best Foreign-Language Feature category presents a dilemma that’s unique to this year. Traditionally, many don’t vote in this category unless they’ve seen all the films. While the Academy sends links as well as screeners for all five nominees, it’s an honor system.
No one’s asking them to do anything differently now, but this year they may have a different reason to vote. Three out of the five documentary short Oscars focus on fallout from the Syrian conflict, as does documentary feature “Fire at Sea.”
Iranian director Asghar Farhadi, who won an Oscar in 2012 for “A Separation” and whose second Oscar-nominated film, “The Salesman” (Cohen Media), is playing on more than 65 screens and could pass the $1 million mark this weekend, grabbed a lot of press when he canceled his plans to attend the February 26th...
No one’s asking them to do anything differently now, but this year they may have a different reason to vote. Three out of the five documentary short Oscars focus on fallout from the Syrian conflict, as does documentary feature “Fire at Sea.”
Iranian director Asghar Farhadi, who won an Oscar in 2012 for “A Separation” and whose second Oscar-nominated film, “The Salesman” (Cohen Media), is playing on more than 65 screens and could pass the $1 million mark this weekend, grabbed a lot of press when he canceled his plans to attend the February 26th...
- 2/18/2017
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
Turner Classic Movies and Robert Osborne are getting some healthy competition as Cohen Media Group launches ‘Cohen Film Classics,’ a new classic film series, hosted and curated by Cmg CEO and consummate cinephile Charles Cohen. The series premieres Friday night, with Academy Award winning filmmaker Chuck Workman’s 2013 documentary, “What is Cinema?”
Workman’s documentary combines archival interviews with film visionaries such as Chantal Akerman, Robert Bresson, Robert Altman, and Akira Kurosawa, along with newly conducted ones with Mike Leigh, David Lynch, and Jonas Mekas. In their own words, the filmmakers explore the meaning of the art to which they have devoted their lives.
Read More: ‘Downton Abbey’ Creator Julian Fellowes Reveals He’s Working on a Film Version
Following the premiere of “What Is Cinema?,” the series will show these four films every Friday in February: “Sudden Fear,” from 1952, featuring Joan Crawford and Jack Palance, “Hangmen Also Die,” Fritz Lang...
Workman’s documentary combines archival interviews with film visionaries such as Chantal Akerman, Robert Bresson, Robert Altman, and Akira Kurosawa, along with newly conducted ones with Mike Leigh, David Lynch, and Jonas Mekas. In their own words, the filmmakers explore the meaning of the art to which they have devoted their lives.
Read More: ‘Downton Abbey’ Creator Julian Fellowes Reveals He’s Working on a Film Version
Following the premiere of “What Is Cinema?,” the series will show these four films every Friday in February: “Sudden Fear,” from 1952, featuring Joan Crawford and Jack Palance, “Hangmen Also Die,” Fritz Lang...
- 1/28/2017
- by Jude Dry
- Indiewire
The company said on Wednesday that Todd Green has been named senior vice-president of content distribution and licensing and Carrie Lieberman director of content distribution and licensing.
First Look Media also announced that Lydia Cheuk has been named senior vice president, business and legal affairs. Josh Epstein, executive vice-president and chief business officer, made the announcements. Green and Lieberman are pictured.
eBay founder and philanthropist Pierre Omidyar launched the company in 2013. It co-financed Spotlight and the slate of projects include Risk by Laura Poitras and director Aj Schnack’s docuseries on the presidential campaign, NomiNation.
Chinese actress Jing Tian will star alongside John Boyega, Scott Eastwood and Cailee Spaeny in Legendary Entertainment’s Pacific Rim sequel, set to open through Universal Pictures on February 23, 2018. Legendary will distribute directly in China through its parent company Wanda. Steven S. DeKnight directs. Tian’s Chinese credits include New Police Story and Special ID with Donnie Yen. She will next...
First Look Media also announced that Lydia Cheuk has been named senior vice president, business and legal affairs. Josh Epstein, executive vice-president and chief business officer, made the announcements. Green and Lieberman are pictured.
eBay founder and philanthropist Pierre Omidyar launched the company in 2013. It co-financed Spotlight and the slate of projects include Risk by Laura Poitras and director Aj Schnack’s docuseries on the presidential campaign, NomiNation.
Chinese actress Jing Tian will star alongside John Boyega, Scott Eastwood and Cailee Spaeny in Legendary Entertainment’s Pacific Rim sequel, set to open through Universal Pictures on February 23, 2018. Legendary will distribute directly in China through its parent company Wanda. Steven S. DeKnight directs. Tian’s Chinese credits include New Police Story and Special ID with Donnie Yen. She will next...
- 9/21/2016
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Back when Sony released Rob Marshall’s overwrought and glossy $85-million flop “Memoirs of a Geisha,” I remember saying, “Merchant Ivory could have made a better version of this for $12 million.”
The production company founded by the late, great New York producer Ismail Merchant and James Ivory, his directing partner for 40 years, produced a remarkable collection of low-budget indie dramas from 1963 through 2005, the year Merchant died. Their films were so instantly recognizable that “Merchant Ivory” became not only a brand but also a description of an art film genre often identified in ads with ivy trellises.
Cohen Media recently acquired (with some difficulty) the rights to most of their library (21 films, 10 shorts and several documentaries). New York cinephile and real estate mogul Charles Cohen said he acquired the Merchant Ivory brand “to raise the profile in the minds of a new audience and remind older audiences of the high quality films Merchant Ivory embodied.
The production company founded by the late, great New York producer Ismail Merchant and James Ivory, his directing partner for 40 years, produced a remarkable collection of low-budget indie dramas from 1963 through 2005, the year Merchant died. Their films were so instantly recognizable that “Merchant Ivory” became not only a brand but also a description of an art film genre often identified in ads with ivy trellises.
Cohen Media recently acquired (with some difficulty) the rights to most of their library (21 films, 10 shorts and several documentaries). New York cinephile and real estate mogul Charles Cohen said he acquired the Merchant Ivory brand “to raise the profile in the minds of a new audience and remind older audiences of the high quality films Merchant Ivory embodied.
- 8/31/2016
- by Anne Thompson
- Thompson on Hollywood
Back when Sony released Rob Marshall’s overwrought and glossy $85-million flop “Memoirs of a Geisha,” I remember saying, “Merchant Ivory could have made a better version of this for $12 million.”
The production company founded by the late, great New York producer Ismail Merchant and James Ivory, his directing partner for 40 years, produced a remarkable collection of low-budget indie dramas from 1963 through 2005, the year Merchant died. Their films were so instantly recognizable that “Merchant Ivory” became not only a brand but also a description of an art film genre often identified in ads with ivy trellises.
Cohen Media recently acquired (with some difficulty) the rights to most of their library (21 films, 10 shorts and several documentaries). New York cinephile and real estate mogul Charles Cohen said he acquired the Merchant Ivory brand “to raise the profile in the minds of a new audience and remind older audiences of the high quality films Merchant Ivory embodied.
The production company founded by the late, great New York producer Ismail Merchant and James Ivory, his directing partner for 40 years, produced a remarkable collection of low-budget indie dramas from 1963 through 2005, the year Merchant died. Their films were so instantly recognizable that “Merchant Ivory” became not only a brand but also a description of an art film genre often identified in ads with ivy trellises.
Cohen Media recently acquired (with some difficulty) the rights to most of their library (21 films, 10 shorts and several documentaries). New York cinephile and real estate mogul Charles Cohen said he acquired the Merchant Ivory brand “to raise the profile in the minds of a new audience and remind older audiences of the high quality films Merchant Ivory embodied.
- 8/31/2016
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
It's called the "now what" moment. It's that moment of truth for filmmakers who, having won applause at the Sundance Film Festival and perhaps even secured distribution, now have to ask themselves that dreaded question: How will their film avoid instant oblivion? How will it find an audience? For Charles Cohen, the "now what" moment at the 2008 Sundance prompted, not defeat, but an ambitious business plan — one involving not only his film, Frozen River, but also scores of…...
- 1/21/2016
- Deadline
Chairman and CEO Charles Cohen announced the North American deal for the Cannes Un Certain Regard prize winner on Monday.
Iceland’s Grimur Hakonarson wrote and directed Rams, about estranged brothers on neighbouring sheep farms who come together when a virus threatens their flocks.
Cohen Media Group plans a February 2016 theatrical release.
Senior vice-president John Kochman negotiated the deal with CEO Jan Naszewski of Warsaw-based New Europe Film Sales.
Iceland’s Grimur Hakonarson wrote and directed Rams, about estranged brothers on neighbouring sheep farms who come together when a virus threatens their flocks.
Cohen Media Group plans a February 2016 theatrical release.
Senior vice-president John Kochman negotiated the deal with CEO Jan Naszewski of Warsaw-based New Europe Film Sales.
- 8/17/2015
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
The upcoming weekend boasts an onslaught of new Specialty titles vying for audiences. In all likelihood, however, many will have a short big screen life as the fall’s awards contenders ramp up and crowd others out. Five of this week’s dozen-plus newcomers are spotlighted here with Fox Searchlight’s The Drop edging on a wide release. The feature starring Tom Hardy, Noomi Rapace and James Gandolfini will bow in over 800 theaters. TWC’s The Disappearance Of Eleanor Rigby also joins the fray with a platform release. The film also has two accompanying titles told from the perspective of its two main characters, which will be released in more limited runs in October. Magnolia will open its thriller Honeymoon in a day and date release while Dada Films’ Swearnet: The Movie breaks a movie record with the most F-bombs ever. And Cohen Media Group’s My Old Lady bowed Wednesday in limited release.
- 9/11/2014
- by Brian Brooks
- Deadline
My Old Lady director Israel Horovitz at MoMA premiere on Samuel Beckett's Cascando: "I once recited a poem of mine to Beckett." Photo: Anne-Katrin Titze
The New York première of Israel Horovitz's My Old Lady, starring Kevin Kline, Kristin Scott Thomas and Maggie Smith, was hosted by Meryl Streep, David O. Russell and Glenn Close at MoMA. Among those attending were producers Rachael Horovitz and Gary Foster, Charles Cohen, Paul Haggis, Gina Gershon, Joanna Coles, the Beastie Boys' Adam Horovitz, Phil Jackson, Alex Gibney, Ophelia Lovibond, Colin Callender, Mark Feuerstein, Erin Richards, Billy Magnussen and Julia Jones.
Israel Horovitz with co-host Meryl Streep: "It's probably rare for you to be talked to by a first time feature director who begins by saying, let me tell you about my grandchildren." Photo: Anne-Katrin Titze
"If you do not love me I shall not be loved," a line from Samuel Beckett's Cascando,...
The New York première of Israel Horovitz's My Old Lady, starring Kevin Kline, Kristin Scott Thomas and Maggie Smith, was hosted by Meryl Streep, David O. Russell and Glenn Close at MoMA. Among those attending were producers Rachael Horovitz and Gary Foster, Charles Cohen, Paul Haggis, Gina Gershon, Joanna Coles, the Beastie Boys' Adam Horovitz, Phil Jackson, Alex Gibney, Ophelia Lovibond, Colin Callender, Mark Feuerstein, Erin Richards, Billy Magnussen and Julia Jones.
Israel Horovitz with co-host Meryl Streep: "It's probably rare for you to be talked to by a first time feature director who begins by saying, let me tell you about my grandchildren." Photo: Anne-Katrin Titze
"If you do not love me I shall not be loved," a line from Samuel Beckett's Cascando,...
- 9/10/2014
- by Anne-Katrin Titze
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
Cohen Media Group has acquired all U.S. rights to the Catherine Deneuve vehicle “In the Name of My Daughter,” which is set to world premiere out of competition at Cannes. Variety first reported the acquisition of the film, which stars Deneuve as Agnes Le Roux, a casino heiress who disappeared in 1977. The drama was directed by Andre Téchiné’s with Adele Haenel and Guillaume Canet rounding out the cast. The deal was negotiated by Charles Cohen and Adeline Fontan Tessaur, co-founder of the film's rep Elle Driver. "In the Name of My Daughter" is set for release in early 2015.
- 5/14/2014
- by Casey Cipriani
- Indiewire
Chairman and CEO Charles S Cohen announced (17) that the company has picked up North American and English-language remake rights to the French thriller.
Eric Barbier directed Berenice Bejo, Yvan Attal and Jean-Francois Stévenin in The Last Diamond (Le Dernier Diamant), the French Vertigo Productions thriller about a jewel thief who befriends a gem expert in the run-up to a significant auction.
Cohen Media Group evp John Kochman brokered the deal with agency Other Angle Pictures head of sales Olivier Albou and anticipates an early 2015 Us theatrical release.
The film is set to receive its international premiere at Colcoa in Los Angeles on April 25 and opens in France at the end of the month.
Cohen recently partnered with Dreamworks Studios on the remake of French thriller The Prey, which Charles Cohen is producing.
Anchor Bay Films has secured North American rights to Distant Horizon’s live action adaption of Yasuomi Umetsu’s anime revenge story Kite starring [link=nm...
Eric Barbier directed Berenice Bejo, Yvan Attal and Jean-Francois Stévenin in The Last Diamond (Le Dernier Diamant), the French Vertigo Productions thriller about a jewel thief who befriends a gem expert in the run-up to a significant auction.
Cohen Media Group evp John Kochman brokered the deal with agency Other Angle Pictures head of sales Olivier Albou and anticipates an early 2015 Us theatrical release.
The film is set to receive its international premiere at Colcoa in Los Angeles on April 25 and opens in France at the end of the month.
Cohen recently partnered with Dreamworks Studios on the remake of French thriller The Prey, which Charles Cohen is producing.
Anchor Bay Films has secured North American rights to Distant Horizon’s live action adaption of Yasuomi Umetsu’s anime revenge story Kite starring [link=nm...
- 4/17/2014
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Darren Aronofsky returns this week with biblical epic Noah, a disaster movie to end all disaster movies starring Russell Crowe as the man who receives an apocalyptic message from God.
The term "visionary" is bandied around all-too-frequently, but in the case of Aronofsky he really does fit the bill. Frequently tackling men and women plunging into psychological turmoil, the filmmaker has cemented himself as one of the top American directors across just six features.
Whether he's exploring a mathematician with a power drill pointed at his head in Pi or life, death and rebirth through The Fountain, Aronofsky always delivers a unique movie-going experience. With Noah in cinemas this week, Digital Spy takes a look at six draw-dropping scenes from Aronofsky's back catalogue...
Pi (1998)
A screeching soundtrack and some dynamic visual imagery (thanks to Aronofsky's pioneering "Snorricam" technique) heighten the pressure and paranoia on number cruncher Max Cohen as he...
The term "visionary" is bandied around all-too-frequently, but in the case of Aronofsky he really does fit the bill. Frequently tackling men and women plunging into psychological turmoil, the filmmaker has cemented himself as one of the top American directors across just six features.
Whether he's exploring a mathematician with a power drill pointed at his head in Pi or life, death and rebirth through The Fountain, Aronofsky always delivers a unique movie-going experience. With Noah in cinemas this week, Digital Spy takes a look at six draw-dropping scenes from Aronofsky's back catalogue...
Pi (1998)
A screeching soundtrack and some dynamic visual imagery (thanks to Aronofsky's pioneering "Snorricam" technique) heighten the pressure and paranoia on number cruncher Max Cohen as he...
- 4/2/2014
- Digital Spy
Charles Cohen on Catherine Deneuve in On My Way: "an incredible performance by the iconic Catherine Deneuve." Photo: Anne-Katrin Titze
The Film Society of Lincoln Center, uniFrance Films and Cohen Media Group presented on the opening night of New York's Rendez-Vous with French Cinema at the Paris Theatre, Emmanuelle Bercot's On My Way (Elle s'en va), starring Catherine Deneuve. François Ozon with his star of Young And Beautiful (Jeune Et Jolie), Géraldine Pailhas, directors Sébastien Betbeder - 2 Autumns, 3 Winters (2 Automnes, 3 Hivers), Justine Triet - Age Of Panic (La Bataille De Solférino), Katell Quillévéré - Suzanne, Axelle Ropert - Miss And The Doctors (Tirez La Langue, Mademoiselle), Rebecca Zlotowski - Grand Central, and co-screenwriter Antonin Baudry of The French Minister (Quai D’Orsay) were among those who walked the red carpet.
Young and Beautiful director François Ozon with his star Géraldine Pailhas Photo: Anne-Katrin Titze
The evening was hosted with style by Charles Cohen,...
The Film Society of Lincoln Center, uniFrance Films and Cohen Media Group presented on the opening night of New York's Rendez-Vous with French Cinema at the Paris Theatre, Emmanuelle Bercot's On My Way (Elle s'en va), starring Catherine Deneuve. François Ozon with his star of Young And Beautiful (Jeune Et Jolie), Géraldine Pailhas, directors Sébastien Betbeder - 2 Autumns, 3 Winters (2 Automnes, 3 Hivers), Justine Triet - Age Of Panic (La Bataille De Solférino), Katell Quillévéré - Suzanne, Axelle Ropert - Miss And The Doctors (Tirez La Langue, Mademoiselle), Rebecca Zlotowski - Grand Central, and co-screenwriter Antonin Baudry of The French Minister (Quai D’Orsay) were among those who walked the red carpet.
Young and Beautiful director François Ozon with his star Géraldine Pailhas Photo: Anne-Katrin Titze
The evening was hosted with style by Charles Cohen,...
- 3/8/2014
- by Anne-Katrin Titze
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
As we spend a month looking at the great Stanley Kubrick, we can also look at the filmmakers who were clearly influenced by Kubrick. “Kubrickian” films tend to exercise incredible control of the camera, are extremely ambitious, tend to deal with much weightier themes, and always maintain a sense of mystery, like a there’s an invisible fog always hovering over the film. This list could be sharply focused on about five directors working today but, though a number of these filmmakers appear in this list of 40, we’re spreading the wealth a bit. Let’s get to it.
40. Watchmen (2009)
Directed by Zack Snyder
What makes it Kubrickian? It’s surprisingly cold and detail-oriented, unlike most of Zack Snyder’s other work (well, detail-oriented in a positive way). Watchmen is based on the acclaimed graphic novel of the same name by David Gibbons and Alan Moore, about a desolate alternative...
40. Watchmen (2009)
Directed by Zack Snyder
What makes it Kubrickian? It’s surprisingly cold and detail-oriented, unlike most of Zack Snyder’s other work (well, detail-oriented in a positive way). Watchmen is based on the acclaimed graphic novel of the same name by David Gibbons and Alan Moore, about a desolate alternative...
- 3/5/2014
- by Joshua Gaul
- SoundOnSight
Protagonist Pictures has concluded sales in several territories for Israel Horovitz’s feature debut My Old Lady, starring Maggie Smith, Kevin Kline and Kristin Scott Thomas; shooting to begin in Paris on Sept 26.
The film has sold to the UK (Curzon Film World), Australia and New Zealand (Hopscotch/eOne), Germany and Switzerland (Ascot Elite), Scandinavia (Svensk), Benelux (Imagine), South Africa (Nu Metro), Israel (Lev Films), Greece and Cyprus (Feelgood), Middle East (Front Row), Portugal (Lusomundo), and Airlines (Eim).
Cohen Media Group’s acquistition of the film for North America was announced last week.
The cast is led by Maggie Smith, Kevin Kline, Kristin Scott Thomas and Dominique Pinon.
BBC Films is backing the project.
The film is written by Horovitz, on whose award-winning play the screenplay is based. Horovitz’ screenwriting credits include Istvan Szabo’s Sunshine, Author! Author!, and Cannes Prix du Jury winner The Strawberry Statement.
In My Old Lady, Kline plays Mathias...
The film has sold to the UK (Curzon Film World), Australia and New Zealand (Hopscotch/eOne), Germany and Switzerland (Ascot Elite), Scandinavia (Svensk), Benelux (Imagine), South Africa (Nu Metro), Israel (Lev Films), Greece and Cyprus (Feelgood), Middle East (Front Row), Portugal (Lusomundo), and Airlines (Eim).
Cohen Media Group’s acquistition of the film for North America was announced last week.
The cast is led by Maggie Smith, Kevin Kline, Kristin Scott Thomas and Dominique Pinon.
BBC Films is backing the project.
The film is written by Horovitz, on whose award-winning play the screenplay is based. Horovitz’ screenwriting credits include Istvan Szabo’s Sunshine, Author! Author!, and Cannes Prix du Jury winner The Strawberry Statement.
In My Old Lady, Kline plays Mathias...
- 9/9/2013
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
Kristin Scott Thomas joins cast to play Maggie Smith’s daughter.
Cohen Media Group has acquired all Us and Canadian rights to My Old Lady.
Kristin Scott Thomas has joined Maggie Smith, Kevin Kline and Dominique Pinon have joined the cast of Israel Horovitz’s feature debut.
The project starts shooting in Paris on Sept 26. Protagonist Pictures is handling international sales.
The North American deal was negotiated by Cohen Media Group Executive VP Gary Rubin and Cinetic Media’s John Sloss and Steven Farneth on behalf of the producers.
The story is about a New Yorker (Kline) who goes to sell a flat he inherited from his estranged father. He discovers a refined older woman (Smith) living there with her daughter (Scott Thomas).
Producers are Rachael Horovitz (Moneyball), Gary Foster (Sleepless in Seattle) Nitsa Benchetrit and David Barrot.
Co-producing on the ground in Paris are David Atrakchi, Boris Mendza and Gael Cabouat for Fulldawa Films. Charles Cohen and [link...
Cohen Media Group has acquired all Us and Canadian rights to My Old Lady.
Kristin Scott Thomas has joined Maggie Smith, Kevin Kline and Dominique Pinon have joined the cast of Israel Horovitz’s feature debut.
The project starts shooting in Paris on Sept 26. Protagonist Pictures is handling international sales.
The North American deal was negotiated by Cohen Media Group Executive VP Gary Rubin and Cinetic Media’s John Sloss and Steven Farneth on behalf of the producers.
The story is about a New Yorker (Kline) who goes to sell a flat he inherited from his estranged father. He discovers a refined older woman (Smith) living there with her daughter (Scott Thomas).
Producers are Rachael Horovitz (Moneyball), Gary Foster (Sleepless in Seattle) Nitsa Benchetrit and David Barrot.
Co-producing on the ground in Paris are David Atrakchi, Boris Mendza and Gael Cabouat for Fulldawa Films. Charles Cohen and [link...
- 9/6/2013
- by wendy.mitchell@screendaily.com (Wendy Mitchell)
- ScreenDaily
Dolphin Entertainment, Inc. and Mattel, Inc., have partnered to develop the live-action, feature-length film “Max Steel” based on Mattel’s franchise property of the same name. The film will be produced by Dolphin Films, a newly-formed subsidiary of Dolphin Entertainment. Open Road Films will distribute “Max Steel” in the U.S. as the first of a multi-picture agreement with Dolphin Films. The film will be given a wide release in theaters in the fourth quarter of 2014.
Bill O’Dowd, CEO, Dolphin Entertainment said:
“Today marks the beginning of an exciting new relationship between Dolphin Entertainment and Mattel, two companies that have consistently worked to delight and entertain children all over the world. We couldn’t think of a better property to kick off Dolphin’s feature film division than Max Steel, which tells a story of the power of friendship and teamwork, with a heavy dose of humor – all qualities...
Bill O’Dowd, CEO, Dolphin Entertainment said:
“Today marks the beginning of an exciting new relationship between Dolphin Entertainment and Mattel, two companies that have consistently worked to delight and entertain children all over the world. We couldn’t think of a better property to kick off Dolphin’s feature film division than Max Steel, which tells a story of the power of friendship and teamwork, with a heavy dose of humor – all qualities...
- 9/4/2013
- by Kellvin Chavez
- LRMonline.com
Dolphin Entertainment and Mattel have partnered to develop the live-action story based on Mattel’s toy and consumer product IP of the same name. n
Dolphin Films, the newly formed subsidiary of Dolphin Entertainment, will produce. Open Road Films will distribute in the Us wide in the fourth quarter of 2014.
The release will mark the first of a multi-film agreement with the company designed to focus on films aimed at families, tweens, teens and young adults.
Max Steel tells of teenager Maxwell McGrath and his alien companion Steel who combine powers to become the eponymous superhero.
Dolphin Entertainment CEO Bill O’Dowd will produce the film alongside Julia Pistor for Mattel.
O’Dowd has appointed Charles Cohen, former COO of MGM Studios, to serve as president of Dolphin Films.
CAA introduced Dolphin and Mattel.
Dolphin Films, the newly formed subsidiary of Dolphin Entertainment, will produce. Open Road Films will distribute in the Us wide in the fourth quarter of 2014.
The release will mark the first of a multi-film agreement with the company designed to focus on films aimed at families, tweens, teens and young adults.
Max Steel tells of teenager Maxwell McGrath and his alien companion Steel who combine powers to become the eponymous superhero.
Dolphin Entertainment CEO Bill O’Dowd will produce the film alongside Julia Pistor for Mattel.
O’Dowd has appointed Charles Cohen, former COO of MGM Studios, to serve as president of Dolphin Films.
CAA introduced Dolphin and Mattel.
- 9/4/2013
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
One of the most interesting U.S. Distributors these days is Cohen Media Group. Its films are daring and interesting, ranging from documentaries like Chasing Madoff and Frozen River to multi-award winning Spanish film Blancanieves. Later this month it will release the daring film The Attack based on the best selling novel L'Attentat by renowned Algerian writer Yasmina Khadra.
The Attack, directed by Ziad Doueiri and written by Ziad Doueiri and Joelle Touma won three honors at the recently concluded Col*Coa, the second largest French Film Festival in the world after Cannes. The Col*Coa Audience Award, the Critics Special Prize and the new Coming Soon Award, a prize given in association with Kpcc 89.3, to a film presented with an attached U.S. distributor.
“Stunning.... a film of intelligence and emotional power. Quite apart from its social importance, The Attack is a damn good, pulse-pounding mystery.”Victoria Ellison, La Weekly
“Chilling, brilliantly filmed and inherently fascinating. The film unfolds masterfully, without a single false step. It’s hard to imagine any audience remaining unmoved by this mournful tale. -- Stephen Farber, The Hollywood Reporter
Cohen Media Group's principals are stellar and yet not flamboyantly "Hollywood". Charles Cohen, Chairman and CEO has developed the spectacular Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood as one of his real estate projects. I love how its red glass hull looms over my own neighborhood in West Hollywood and how I can write every day at the beautiful West Hollywood Library whose glass wall compasses the entire Pcd as the view from my seat.
Partner Edmondo Schwartz personifies the modern hybrid of both entrepreneur and financer. His interests encompass the real estate, entertainment, restaurant and financing fields. He is currently President of Ems Enterprises, a full service real estate firm; General Partner of The Saike Group, an investment-banking firm; and President of Burritos International, a restaurant concept development company, which owns, operates, and develops fast food restaurants. In the past, Schwartz has also served as President of Empire Pictures, a distributor of foreign and independent films in the theatrical, DVD and television markets throughout the United States. Mr. Schwartz currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Bergen Performing Arts Center. He is a former board member of the Make a Wish foundation of Metro New York and was involved with City Meals on Wheels.
On the filmic side of this company, partner Steve Scheffer served over twenty-five years as a senior executive at Home Box Office (HBO) primarily as President of Film Programming responsible for overseeing the acquisition of all motion pictures for HBO as well as HBO’s investments in and production of theatrical films. Prior to HBO, Scheffer held executive positions at Time Life Films, Allied Artists, Polydor Records, MGM and Columbia Pictures.
President Daniel Battsek most recently was President of National Geographic Films, where he acquired projects for development/production, operated a boutique theatrical domestic distribution arm for art-house titles and documentaries including the Oscar-nominated Restrepo, and oversaw National Geographic large-screen and IMAX projects. Prior to joining National Geographic, Mr. Battsek served at Miramax Films, where as head of international he established a very positive image and reputation for himself. He was instrumental in acquiring, green-lighting or distributing such renowned and award winning films as Tsotsi (Best Foreign Language Oscar), The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, The Queen, Happy-Go-Lucky, No Country for Old Men (Best Feature Film Oscar) and There Will Be Blood.
And worker bee, Gary Ruben, Executive Vice President at the Cohen Media Group, has headed his own company and began his career in the first days of video, working with Media Home Entertainment as head of acquisitions so many years ago. Over 25 years of experience in the motion picture and television business, he formed and ran First Independent Pictures, a specialty distribution company, was Executive Vice President, Sales and Acquisitions for Artisan Entertainment, was at October Films, where he held the position of VP, Ancillary Distribution and Library Acquisitions.
A new addition is John Kochman who is helping Cmg with French films. He is also Unifrance's long-time New York-based director.
Cohen Media Group has Blancanieves now in U.S. release and coming soon are The Artist and the Model by Fernando Trueba and sold to them by 6 Sales, The Attack, In the House by Francois Ozon and also screening at Col*Coa, Terraferma, You Will Be My Son. Past films included The Other Son, The Thief of Bagdad, Tristana, Farewell, My Queen; The Lady, Delicacy, Chasing Madoff, Frozen River, My Afternoons with Margueritte, Oranges and Sunshine.
The Attack directed by Ziad Doueiri is a Lebanese feature, an intense drama about an Israeli-Palestinian man whose life is shattered after discovering the secrets his wife has kept from him. Co-written by Joelle Touma and the film's director Ziad Doueiri, the film stars Ali Sulliman (Paradise Now) and Reymonde Amsellem. It was in the Official Selection: 2012 Telluride Film Festival, Official Selection 2012 Toronto International Film Festival and received Special Mention of the Jury at the 2012 San Sebastian Film Festival and was the Winner of the Golden Star (Best Film) at the 2012 Marrakech International Film Festival.
The Attack, directed by Ziad Doueiri and written by Ziad Doueiri and Joelle Touma won three honors at the recently concluded Col*Coa, the second largest French Film Festival in the world after Cannes. The Col*Coa Audience Award, the Critics Special Prize and the new Coming Soon Award, a prize given in association with Kpcc 89.3, to a film presented with an attached U.S. distributor.
“Stunning.... a film of intelligence and emotional power. Quite apart from its social importance, The Attack is a damn good, pulse-pounding mystery.”Victoria Ellison, La Weekly
“Chilling, brilliantly filmed and inherently fascinating. The film unfolds masterfully, without a single false step. It’s hard to imagine any audience remaining unmoved by this mournful tale. -- Stephen Farber, The Hollywood Reporter
Cohen Media Group's principals are stellar and yet not flamboyantly "Hollywood". Charles Cohen, Chairman and CEO has developed the spectacular Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood as one of his real estate projects. I love how its red glass hull looms over my own neighborhood in West Hollywood and how I can write every day at the beautiful West Hollywood Library whose glass wall compasses the entire Pcd as the view from my seat.
Partner Edmondo Schwartz personifies the modern hybrid of both entrepreneur and financer. His interests encompass the real estate, entertainment, restaurant and financing fields. He is currently President of Ems Enterprises, a full service real estate firm; General Partner of The Saike Group, an investment-banking firm; and President of Burritos International, a restaurant concept development company, which owns, operates, and develops fast food restaurants. In the past, Schwartz has also served as President of Empire Pictures, a distributor of foreign and independent films in the theatrical, DVD and television markets throughout the United States. Mr. Schwartz currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Bergen Performing Arts Center. He is a former board member of the Make a Wish foundation of Metro New York and was involved with City Meals on Wheels.
On the filmic side of this company, partner Steve Scheffer served over twenty-five years as a senior executive at Home Box Office (HBO) primarily as President of Film Programming responsible for overseeing the acquisition of all motion pictures for HBO as well as HBO’s investments in and production of theatrical films. Prior to HBO, Scheffer held executive positions at Time Life Films, Allied Artists, Polydor Records, MGM and Columbia Pictures.
President Daniel Battsek most recently was President of National Geographic Films, where he acquired projects for development/production, operated a boutique theatrical domestic distribution arm for art-house titles and documentaries including the Oscar-nominated Restrepo, and oversaw National Geographic large-screen and IMAX projects. Prior to joining National Geographic, Mr. Battsek served at Miramax Films, where as head of international he established a very positive image and reputation for himself. He was instrumental in acquiring, green-lighting or distributing such renowned and award winning films as Tsotsi (Best Foreign Language Oscar), The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, The Queen, Happy-Go-Lucky, No Country for Old Men (Best Feature Film Oscar) and There Will Be Blood.
And worker bee, Gary Ruben, Executive Vice President at the Cohen Media Group, has headed his own company and began his career in the first days of video, working with Media Home Entertainment as head of acquisitions so many years ago. Over 25 years of experience in the motion picture and television business, he formed and ran First Independent Pictures, a specialty distribution company, was Executive Vice President, Sales and Acquisitions for Artisan Entertainment, was at October Films, where he held the position of VP, Ancillary Distribution and Library Acquisitions.
A new addition is John Kochman who is helping Cmg with French films. He is also Unifrance's long-time New York-based director.
Cohen Media Group has Blancanieves now in U.S. release and coming soon are The Artist and the Model by Fernando Trueba and sold to them by 6 Sales, The Attack, In the House by Francois Ozon and also screening at Col*Coa, Terraferma, You Will Be My Son. Past films included The Other Son, The Thief of Bagdad, Tristana, Farewell, My Queen; The Lady, Delicacy, Chasing Madoff, Frozen River, My Afternoons with Margueritte, Oranges and Sunshine.
The Attack directed by Ziad Doueiri is a Lebanese feature, an intense drama about an Israeli-Palestinian man whose life is shattered after discovering the secrets his wife has kept from him. Co-written by Joelle Touma and the film's director Ziad Doueiri, the film stars Ali Sulliman (Paradise Now) and Reymonde Amsellem. It was in the Official Selection: 2012 Telluride Film Festival, Official Selection 2012 Toronto International Film Festival and received Special Mention of the Jury at the 2012 San Sebastian Film Festival and was the Winner of the Golden Star (Best Film) at the 2012 Marrakech International Film Festival.
- 4/22/2013
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
Brit film executive Daniel Battsek, who ran Miramax Films after the Weinsteins left Disney, has landed at Cohen Media Group as president. Battsek was president at National Geographic Films until it shut down in December 2011. He will work closely with Cohen Media Group chairman and CEO Charles Cohen on the acquisition, production and distribution of Cmg titles, as well the Cohen Film Collection, which includes The Rohauer Library. Among films coming in 2013 is Pablo Berger’s "Blancanieves," starring Maribel Verdu and Angelina Molina, which is Spain’s foreign language Oscar submission; Fernando Trueba’s "The Artist and the Model," co-starring Jean Rochefort and Claudia Cardinale; Francois Ozon’s" In the House," which stars Kristin Scott Thomas; and Rachid Bouchareb’s first American film, "Just Like A Woman," starring Sienna Miler. Battsek will also supervise Cmg’s production slate. In the pipeline...
- 12/14/2012
- by Anne Thompson
- Thompson on Hollywood
Cohen Media Group has acquired "The Other Son" out of the 2012 Berlin market, for U.S. distribution. This marks the company's second buy out of Berlinale, following their acquisition of the festival's opening night film, "Farewell, My Queen." Full release below: The Other Son (Le Fils De L’Autre) Acquired For U.S. Release By Cohen Media Group For Immediate Release New York, February 14, 2012—“The Other Son,”(“Le fils de l’Autre”) which screened in the 2012 Efm/Berlin market has been acquired for U.S. distribution. The deal was announced today by Charles S. Cohen, Chairman and CEO of Cohen Media Group. The deal was negotiated between Mr. Cohen and Raphael Berdugo, Managing Director of Paris based Cite Films. Mr. Berdugo stated “I am delighted to begin collaboration with the Cohen Media Group team and especially with its guiding force, Charles Cohen. Mr....
- 2/14/2012
- Indiewire
French-Algerian director Rachid Bouchareb built a small but loyal following of art-house moviegoers for his Foreign-language dramas Days of Glory, about North African men enlisting in the French army during World War II, and Outside the Law, about the Algerian struggle for independence after World War II. Variety reported today that the French born Bouchareb looked to increase his audiences via three English-language dramas. Bouchareb teamed with producer Charles Cohen on Just Like a Woman, starring Sienna Miller and Golshifteh Farahani as two women from different backgrounds who go on a journey of self-discovery together.
- 8/12/2011
- Upcoming-Movies.com
French-Algerian director Rachid Bouchareb built a small but loyal following of art-house moviegoers for his Foreign-language dramas Days of Glory, about North African men enlisting in the French army during World War II, and Outside the Law, about the Algerian struggle for independence after World War II. Variety reported today that the French born Bouchareb looked to increase his audiences via three English-language dramas. Bouchareb teamed with producer Charles Cohen on Just Like a Woman, starring Sienna Miller and Golshifteh Farahani as two women from different backgrounds who go on a journey of self-discovery together.
- 8/12/2011
- Upcoming-Movies.com
French-Algerian director Rachid Bouchareb built a small but loyal following of art-house moviegoers for his Foreign-language dramas Days of Glory, about North African men enlisting in the French army during World War II, and Outside the Law, about the Algerian struggle for independence after World War II. Variety reported today that the French born Bouchareb looked to increase his audiences via three English-language dramas. Bouchareb teamed with producer Charles Cohen on Just Like a Woman, starring Sienna Miller and Golshifteh Farahani as two women from different backgrounds who go on a journey of self-discovery together.
- 8/12/2011
- Upcoming-Movies.com
Cohen Media’s burgeoning selection of distribution titles is starting to look shrewder all the time. Amidst their current catalogue of films include My Afternoon with Margueritte, Outside the Law (both French language productions), Oranges and Sunshine (Jim Loach’s directorial debut) and forthcoming World War II drama, Operation Mincemeat. Plainly, the company is seeking to invest in slightly smaller and more cerebral fare than that which typically dominates the multiplexes; however, Cohen’s latest project is likely to have considerable commercial appeal, particularly in the United States as it depicts the business life of one of the recent financial meltdowns greatest villains, Bernard Madoff.
Madoff, for those who aren’t aware of him was and investment banker gaoled for over a hundred years for his part in the defrauding and embezzlement of clients and investor’s money to a sum of well over $17 billion in 2009. The documentary entitled Chasing...
Madoff, for those who aren’t aware of him was and investment banker gaoled for over a hundred years for his part in the defrauding and embezzlement of clients and investor’s money to a sum of well over $17 billion in 2009. The documentary entitled Chasing...
- 4/19/2011
- by Ben Szwediuk
- Obsessed with Film
It’s Pi Day! (March 14…3.14…get it?) And what better way to pay homage to those first three digits in the number that never ends or repeats than by looking back at the aptly-named “Pi,” director Darren Aronofsky’s first feature film all about one man’s obsession with that pesky mathematical phenomenon.
“Pi” launched Aronofsky’s career, earning him the Directing Award at the 1998 Sundance Film Festival, along with an Independent Spirit Award for Best First Screenplay. It was a critical success at the time, and – despite very limited release in theaters – pulled in over $3 million at the U.S. box office. Not bad for a movie made with a $60,000 budget!
Read more about Aronofsky's feature film debut past the jump!
Those familiar with Aronofsky’s more recent work will be pleased to recognize that much of his style originated with “Pi.” A mathematical calculation unto itself, the psychological...
“Pi” launched Aronofsky’s career, earning him the Directing Award at the 1998 Sundance Film Festival, along with an Independent Spirit Award for Best First Screenplay. It was a critical success at the time, and – despite very limited release in theaters – pulled in over $3 million at the U.S. box office. Not bad for a movie made with a $60,000 budget!
Read more about Aronofsky's feature film debut past the jump!
Those familiar with Aronofsky’s more recent work will be pleased to recognize that much of his style originated with “Pi.” A mathematical calculation unto itself, the psychological...
- 3/14/2011
- by Katie Calautti
- MTV Movies Blog
Darren Aronofsky's Black Swan hit theaters a few weeks ago, but has been expanding wider and wider each week. There's a good chance that if you live near a theater, you'll have the opportunity to see it this weekend, and many of you already have (the movie is doing gangbusters at the box office, making over $22 million to date). Aronofsky hasn't yet made a film that I haven't liked/loved and after 2008's The Wrestler, his name finally began entering the popular consciousness. With Christmas upon us, and many families and couples flocking to the theaters this weekend, we thought it would be a good opportunity to ask: What did you think of Aronofsky's latest film? Is it a worthy follow-up to The Wrestler? Does it live up to the rest of Aronofsky's oeuvre? Does Natalie Portman really deliver an Oscar-worthy performance? And what of Mila Kunis, Vincent Cassel,...
- 12/25/2010
- by David Chen
- Slash Film
Some movies simply demand repeat viewings, and a second watch often reveals new details you’d missed the first time. Here’s our pick of ten movies that deserve to be watched twice…
The vast majority of films produced are made purely for money, and this isn't really all that surprising when cash is still very much considered king in Hollywood. Nevertheless, every now and then a film comes out that commands your attention, engages your senses, and stays with you for quite sometime after it's finished.
Some call it art, others proclaim it the work of a genius and some, rather more simply, refer to it as a decent film. Either way, it doesn't really matter how you label them, one simple fact unites them all: some films are so good you have to see them at least twice, whether it's to understand the complexities of the plot, or...
The vast majority of films produced are made purely for money, and this isn't really all that surprising when cash is still very much considered king in Hollywood. Nevertheless, every now and then a film comes out that commands your attention, engages your senses, and stays with you for quite sometime after it's finished.
Some call it art, others proclaim it the work of a genius and some, rather more simply, refer to it as a decent film. Either way, it doesn't really matter how you label them, one simple fact unites them all: some films are so good you have to see them at least twice, whether it's to understand the complexities of the plot, or...
- 8/19/2010
- Den of Geek
By Gregg Kilday
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has struck a new, ten-year deal with Lighthouse International, the New York-based nonprofit whose building on East 59th St. houses the theater used by the Academy.
The agreement provides an East Coast office for the Academy and covers plans to upgrade the lobby and theater, which will be renamed The Academy Theater at Lighthouse International.
Under the new contract, which extends and expands a seven-year relationship between the two organizations, the Academy will complete the upgrade of the theater’s projection and sound systems to allow for digital and 3-D presentations, as well as 35 mm projection.
Lighthouse, through a contribution from Charles S. Cohen, a member of its board of directors, and his wife, Clo Cohen, will upgrade the 236-seat theater and lobby area with new furnishings, carpets and wall coverings. The renovation will begin on March 1 and be...
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has struck a new, ten-year deal with Lighthouse International, the New York-based nonprofit whose building on East 59th St. houses the theater used by the Academy.
The agreement provides an East Coast office for the Academy and covers plans to upgrade the lobby and theater, which will be renamed The Academy Theater at Lighthouse International.
Under the new contract, which extends and expands a seven-year relationship between the two organizations, the Academy will complete the upgrade of the theater’s projection and sound systems to allow for digital and 3-D presentations, as well as 35 mm projection.
Lighthouse, through a contribution from Charles S. Cohen, a member of its board of directors, and his wife, Clo Cohen, will upgrade the 236-seat theater and lobby area with new furnishings, carpets and wall coverings. The renovation will begin on March 1 and be...
- 12/9/2009
- by By Gregg Kilday
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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