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James Franco, Hal Hartley Films Feature in Berlin’s Panorama Lineup
1 hour ago
London — Berlin Film Festival’s Panorama section has revealed its first 19 films, which include Hal Hartley’s latest “Ned Rifle,” and “I Am Michael,” in which James Franco stars as a gay rights activist.
Hartley, who presented “After Henry Fool and Fay Grim” in Panorama in 2007, concludes his trilogy with “Ned Rifle,” which the section refers to as a masterpiece.
Justin Kelly delivers his directorial debut, “I Am Michael,” which was co-produced by Gus Van Sant. In it, Franco portrays a gay rights activist during the 1980s, who then tries to turn straight in the 1990s.
Director Mark Christopher presents “54 — The Director’s Cut,” 17 years after the film’s premiere. The original movie — about the legendary New York nightclub Studio 54 — was heavily edited by its investors.
Films from East Asia make a strong showing, with a number of modern history movies that could be labelled “national traumas.” Pics include “Paradise in Service, »
- Leo Barraclough
Japan’s Wowow Partners With Sundance for ‘Green Porno’
3 hours ago
Tokyo – Leading Japanese pay broadcaster Wowow is partnering with Sundance Productions to produce “Isabella Rossellini’s Green Porno Live.”
The film records Rossellini’s eco-themed stage show, which is based on her popular shorts about animal sexuality. The show is currently on tour in the Us, after making the rounds of France, Italy, the UK and Australia.
The director is Jody Shapiro, who also worked on the Green Porno project, while Wowow La office head Kayo Washio and Sundance Productions president Laura Michalchyshyn are executive producing. Ovation TV has acquired rights for the U.S., Wowow for Japan. Forward Entertainment is selling the docu internationally.
“The success of our endeavor is also a manifestation of a new interest in the environment, especially among the younger generations,” Rossellini said in a statement. “I chose humor as my expression because many taboos or difficult subject matters such as environmental problems or sex »
- Mark Schilling
‘Mr. Turner,’ ‘Birdman’ Top London Critics’ Nominations
3 hours ago
London — Mike Leigh’s “Mr. Turner” leads the field for the 35th London Film Critics’ Circle Awards: The painterly biopic received nominations in seven categories, including Film of the Year, Director of the Year and Actor of the Year for Timothy Spall.
While the total for Leigh’s film was boosted by two citations in the group’s separate British-only categories, Alejandro Gonzalez Inarittu’s “Birdman” scored six nods, with five apiece for Richard Linklater’s “Boyhood,” Wes Anderson’s “The Grand Budapest Hotel,” Jonathan Glazer’s “Under the Skin” and James Marsh’s “The Theory of Everything.” All are among the 10 pics shortlisted for Film of the Year, alongside Dan Gilroy’s “Nightcrawler,” Damien Chazelle’s “Whiplash” and a pair of foreign-language titles, Pawel Pawlikowski’s “Ida” and Andrey Zvyagintsev’s “Leviathan.”
In something of a surprise, the heavily-buzzed Benedict Cumberbatch starrer “The Imitation Game” landed five bids, including »
- Guy Lodge
Ruby Barnhill Joins Mark Rylance in Steven Spielberg’s ‘The Bfg’
4 hours ago
London — Newcomer Ruby Barnhill is set to play Sophie in Steven Spielberg’s adaptation of Roald Dahl’s “The Bfg.”
Barnhill joins Mark Rylance, previously announced as The Big Friendly Giant, in the film, which is set for release in 2016, 100 years since Dahl’s birth in Llandaff, Wales.
“The Bfg” is the story of a young orphan girl and the mysterious friendly Giant who introduces her to Giant Country. The story was published in 1982, and is available in 39 languages.
“The Bfg” will be 10-year-old Barnhill’s first feature film role. She has been acting for two years and will appear soon in the BBC BAFTA award-winning children’s drama “Four O’Clock Club.”
“After a lengthy search, I feel Roald Dahl himself would have found Ruby every bit as marvelous as we do,” Spielberg said. “We have discovered a wonderful Sophie in Ruby Barnhill.”
Luke Kelly, managing director of the »
- Leo Barraclough
Mark Adams to Join Edinburgh Film Festival as Artistic Director
5 hours ago
London — Mark Adams, a former head of programming at the U.K.’s National Film Theatre, is set to take the reins at the Edinburgh Intl. Film Festival as artistic director.
Adams is also a former director of cinema at the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London. For the past four years, he has been chief film critic for U.K.-based film trade magazine Screen International, whose editor, Wendy Mitchell, is stepping down this month to join the British Council.
Adams is also a film critic for the Sunday Mirror. He previously worked as a staffer at Variety, the Hollywood Reporter and Moving Pictures International.
Adams said: “I’m thrilled to be helping the Edinburgh International Film Festival develop and grow, and am looking forward to bringing new, challenging, entertaining and exciting cinema to the city. This is a great festival that deserves its recognition and can only get better and better. »
- Leo Barraclough
Spanish Films Hit Modern Box Office Highs
6 hours ago
Madrid – In a milestone result for more fulsomely-budgeted movies made out of Spain, Spanish films punched a 2014 25.5% domestic market share through Dec. 7, their best home-turf result since 1977.
That slice of Spain’s total box office cake may slim a notch by the end of the year, maybe to 24%, said Arturo Guillen, VP, Rentrak, Emea. But it will remain a 37-year-old modern record.
Meanwhile, Hollywood youth-orientated titles almost entirely underperformed, ravaged by rampant piracy and the parlous state of Spain’s crisis-hit youth, often without the money to go to cinema theaters.
For Tinseltown, there is a silver lining, however: As big Hollywood titles under-index in Spain, nearly all the major studios have moved into local pic distribution, even co-production. Hollywood majors distributed all Spain’s seven highest-grossers of 2014.
The large question for them and Spain’s industry now is whether Spain can get anywhere near these modern highs next year »
- John Hopewell
Film Review: ‘Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks’
8 hours ago
A flat-footed stage piece gets a better screen interpreter than it deserves in Gena Rowlands, a delight to watch even in the creaky, listless affair that is “Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks.” Adapted by Richard Alfieri from his own widely produced play, and directed by Arthur Allan Seidelman (who helmed the original 2003 Broadway production), this two-hander about a Florida retiree and her gay dance instructor serves up lessons in tolerance and acceptance that feel as stale and inauthentic as the characters’ ready-made tragic backstories. Still, the popularity of the source material and the rare prospect of seeing Rowlands in a substantial movie role should give the English-language Hungarian production a commercial boost in DVD/VOD play following a brief waltz through theaters.
A ballroom full of dancing extras and a brief reckless-driving scene provide some obligatory “opening up” of this bare-bones two-hander, which consists of little more than the »
- Justin Chang
China Box Office: ‘Fleet’ Sails on as Top Film
12 hours ago
Hong Kong – Enlight Media’s teen romantic comedy “Fleet of Time” held on to the number one spot at the Chinese box office that it claimed on its opening weekend.
The picture added $35.6 million for a 10-day cumulative score of $72.6 million, according to local ratings agency Entgroup.
It beat newcomer “Meet Miss Anxiety,” which earned $13.9 million in its opening three days, and topped “The Crossing Part 1,” which added $7.64 million for a $26.4 million 13-day total.
Another Chinese comedy, “Women Who Flirt,” was in fourth with $6.92 million for the week and a $34.1 million total after 17 days.
With Hollywood films not getting a release in December, holdover “Penguins of Madagascar” was the top U.S. title with $3.64 million for the week, giving it a total of $40.7 million.
“Interstellar” finished its 31-day run on Friday, Dec. 12, with a total of $122 million, according to Entgroup, and an estimated RMB752 million ($122.9 million) according to Warner Bros. »
- Patrick Frater
Christian Bale’s ‘Knight of Cups’ Scores International Distribution Deals
13 hours ago
Terrence Malick’s “Knight of Cups,” starring Christian Bale, has been sold to most major foreign markets ahead of its appearance at the Berlin Film Festival in February.
FilmNation has sold the U.K. and Germany to StudioCanal, France to Metropolitan, Australia to Roadshow, Italy to Adler, Russia to Central Partnership, Canada to eOne, Latin America to Sun and Scandinavia to Svensk.
CAA and Wme Global will handle U.S. rights in Berlin.
Bale plays a bewildered man in a life of Hollywood excess. Natalie Portman, Cate Blanchett, Antonio Banderas and Brian Dennehy also star.
Nicolas Gonda, Sarah Green and Ken Kao are producing. Malick’s last film, “To the Wonder,” starred Ben Affleck and Olga Kurylenko and grossed less than $3 million worldwide. His 2011 film, “The Tree of Life,” took in more than $50 million worldwide.
Screen first reported the international deals.
»
- Dave McNary
Ricky Gervais Ready to Heckle Tina Fey, Amy Poehler at Golden Globes
13 hours ago
Ricky Gervais — a newly minted Golden Globe nominee for his work in the Netflix comedy series “Derek” — is ready to return to the Beverly Hilton and face the playful jabs from Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, the ceremony’s hosts. He knows he will be a target and already has planned a strategy to deflect their zingers.
“I’m going to heckle back,” Gervais told Variety at the world premiere of his film “Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb” in New York on Dec. 11. “I’m taking on a microphone to have control of the big speaker system so that it’s a fair fight.”
The comedian is no stranger to the Hollywood Foreign Press Association’s annual award show. He won a Golden Globe in 2004 for his starring role in the original British version of “The Office” and hosted the show three times. Many felt that he »
- Paul Chi
‘Interstellar’ Tops $100 Million in Imax Box Office
16 hours ago
Christopher Nolan’s space adventure “Interstellar” has topped $100 million in Imax theaters worldwide since its release on Nov. 5.
The milestone has only been achieved on three other films — “Avatar,” “The Dark Knight Rises” and “Gravity.”
Warner Bros. is handling the international release and Paramount is handling domestic, where the Imax run concluded on Sunday except for 12 locations. New Line’s “The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies” will open at Imax locations on Friday.
Nolan used Imax cameras for more than an hour of “Interstellar” and sequences shot in 35mm film have been digitally re-mastered with Imax technology.
The film is directed by Christopher Nolan, written by Jonathan Nolan and Christopher Nolan, and produced by Emma Thomas, Christopher Nolan and Lynda Obst.
“Interstellar” has grossed more than $621 million at the worldwide box office with $166 million domestically and $455 million internationally.
»
- Dave McNary
Robert Taylor, Director of ‘Nine Lives of Fritz the Cat,’ Dies at 70
16 hours ago
Robert “Bob” Taylor, an award-winning animator, producer and director best known for animated TV series including “TaleSpin” and animated films such as “The Nine Lives of Fritz the Cat,” died December 11 in Woodland Hills, Calif., of complications from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. He was 70.
Born in Boston, Taylor began his career in animation in 1966 at Terrytoons in New York with Ralph Bakshi. He worked on Bakshi’s X-rated animated feature “Fritz the Cat,” and in 1974 directed sequel “The Nine Lives of Fritz the Cat,” which played in competition at Cannes. He also worked with Bakshi as an animator on “Heavy Traffic,” “Coonskin” and “Wizards.”
Taylor went on to direct the animated film “Heidi’s Song” in 1982 and animated TV series including Emmy award-winning “TaleSpin,” “Goof Troop,” “The Flintstone Kids,” and “Challenge of the GoBots.” Though he was uncredited, it was well known that Taylor was the co-director of Hanna-Barbera’s “Rock Odyssey, »
- Lisa Schulz
Oscars Announce Shortlist for Makeup and Hairstyling
17 hours ago
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences have announced the short list in the Makeup and Hairstyling category for this year’s Oscars.
The seven films in competition include a mix of fantasy/sci-fi (“The Amazing Spider-Man 2,” “Guardians of the Galaxy,” “Maleficent”), reality work (“Foxcatcher,” “The Theory of Everything”) and stylized pieces (“The Grand Budapest Hotel,” “Noah”).
Nominations for the 87th Academy Awards will be unveiled Thursday, Jan. 15. Polls officially close the week prior on Jan. 8 at 5 p.m. Pt.
Among the films with notable hair/makeup work that were missing from Oscar’s shortlist: “Get on Up,” “The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies,” “Into the Woods” and “Unbroken.”
Hosted by Neil Patrick Harris, the 2015 Oscars will unfold Feb. 22 at the Dolby Theatre.
Here’s the complete list:
“Foxcatcher”
“The Grand Budapest Hotel”
“Maleficent”
“Noah”
- Variety Staff
Watch: Trailer for Christian Bale’s ‘Knight of Cups’
18 hours ago
FilmNation has released an enigmatic new trailer for Terrence Malick’s “Knight of Cups” on the heels of its selection to contend in competition at February’s 65th Berlin Intl. Film Festival.
The trailer presents Bale as a bewildered man in a quandary with how to lead his life now that he’s become part of life in the fast lane in Hollywood.
“All those years living the life of someone I didn’t even know,” he intones at the start of the trailer.
Cate Blanchett and Natalie Portman also star in what has been described as a story of celebrity and excess.
“Knight of Cups” will have its world premiere at Berlin, where Malick won a Golden Bear in 1999 for “The Thin Red Line.” Sarah Green and Nicolas Gonda are the producers.
»
- Dave McNary
Sony Pictures CEO at Town Hall Meeting: ‘This Will Not Take Us Down’
18 hours ago
Sony Pictures Entertainment CEO Michael Lynton and Co-Chairman Amy Pascal told employees Monday that the cyber security breach that exposed personal information and internal documents was a “criminal attack” that challenged the studio, but would not be its undoing.
“This will not take us down,” said Lynton. “You should not be worried about the future of this studio.”
He added that he was angry about the situation.
The hackers unfairly targeted Sony’s business and its staff, the studio chiefs argued, and stressed that “innocent people” are the victims of the assault. Employees gathered in two groups on Sony’s Culver City, Calif. lot — the first presentation kicked off at 12:30 p.m. and the second one followed at approximately 1 p.m.
The attacks have exposed film budgets and scripts, private emails and salary breakdowns. Stolen information has also included the social security numbers of thousands of past and present Sony staffers. »
- Brent Lang
Saban Buying U.S. Rights to Pierce Brosnan’s ‘How to Make Love Like an Englishman’
19 hours ago
Saban Films is in exclusive negotiations to acquire the U.S. distribution rights to romantic comedy “How to Make Love Like an Englishman,” starring Pierce Brosnan, Salma Hayek and Jessica Alba.
It’s the sixth acquisition for Saban, which launched in the spring and bought awards contender “The Homesman” as its first release.
“How to Make Love Like an Englishman” is directed by Tom Vaughan from Matthew Newman’s script. Brosnan plays a Cambridge University professor who’s forced to re-evaluate his life of hedonistic excess after he manages to get a graduate student, played by Alba, pregnant.
Bill Bromiley and Ness Saban negotiated on behalf of Saban Films and CAA on behalf of the producers. The Solution Entertainment Group is handling international sales.
Southpaw Entertainment’s Richard B. Lewis and Irish DreamTime’s Beau St.Clair produced alongside PalmStar Media Capital’s Kevin Frakes and Raj Brinder Singh, Remington Chase, »
- Dave McNary
J.K. Simmons Joins ‘Kong: Skull Island’
20 hours ago
Following his Golden Globe nomination for his critically acclaimed performance in “Whiplash,” J.K. Simmons has landed his next role alongside Tom Hiddleston in Legendary’s King Kong origin tale “Kong: Skull Island.”
The film will focus on the giant gorilla’s mysterious and dangerous world — something previous films in the genre have only touched on. Max Borenstein, who also wrote the screenplay for Legendary’s “Godzilla” reboot, wrote the first draft with “Flight” scribe John Gatins penning a rewrite.
Jordan Vogt-Roberts is directing.
The pic will bow on March 10, 2017.
Simmons is repped by Gersh. Deadline first reported the news.
»
- Justin Kroll
Kodi Smit-McPhee’s ‘Slow West’ Bought by A24, DirecTV for U.S.
20 hours ago
A24 and DirectTV have acquired all U.S. rights from HanWay Films to John Maclean’s directorial debut “Slow West,” starring “Dawn of Planet of the Apes” star Kodi Smit-McPhee, Michael Fassbender and Ben Mendelsohn.
“Slow West” will have its world premiere next month at the Sundance Film Festival in the World Cinema Dramatic Competition.
The film, set at the end of the 19th century, follows the story of a 16-year-old, played by Smit-McPhee, as he journeys across the American frontier in search of the woman he loves. Fassbender plays a mysterious traveler; Mendelsohn plays an outlaw.
Fassbender and Maclean worked together previously on two short films — “Man on a Motorcycle” and “Pitch Black Heist.”
“Slow West” is produced by Fassbender’s partner Conor McCaughan of Dmc Film, Iain Canning and Emile Sherman of See-Saw Films and Rachel Gardner of Rachel Gardner Films. It’s the first project to be produced by Dmc Film. »
- Dave McNary
Sony Hack: Amy Pascal Apologizes to Harvey Weinstein, Lining Up Studio Supporters
20 hours ago
Sony Pictures Entertainment is trying to get out in front of the devastating cyber-attack that has left the company reeling before the next batch of stolen documents leaks online.
Co-chair Amy Pascal has been reaching out to various executives and A-list stars across the industry to apologize preemptively for any disparaging comments she might have made in her correspondence. The Weinstein Co. chairman Harvey Weinstein was among the executives and actors who received an apologetic call from Pascal, insiders tell Variety.
The studio is also becoming more aggressive in mounting a defense after spending the initial days after the hacking essentially performing triage. It is working with the Motion Picture Association of America on a letter of support that would be signed by all of the other major studio heads. The language of the letter has been a sticking point, and some rival studio chiefs are reluctant to become embroiled in the issue. »
- Brent Lang and Ramin Setoodeh
The Black List Announces 2014 Screenplays
20 hours ago
“Catherine the Great” by Kristina Lauren Anderson took the No. 1 spot on this year’s Black List of the top unproduced screenplays.
The script centers on the upbringing and marriage of the woman who became the empress of Russia.
The annual lineup consists of the year’s best unproduced scripts in Hollywood as voted on by more than 250 studio execs. Previous alumni of the list include “Slumdog Millionaire,” “Argo,” “The King’s Speech,” “Foxcatcher,” “Whiplash” and “The Imitation Game.”
This year’s announcement was made by tweets with a YouTube link to a video announcement. Participants included Reese Witherspoon, Elizabeth Banks, Daniel Radcliffe, David Oyelowo, Rashida Jones, Will McCormack, Rian Johnson, Ava Duvernay, Damien Chazelle, Phil Lord & Chris Miller, Matthew Weiner and Billy Ray.
The first project announcement, presented by Nathan Fillion, was for “Professor Pasghetti” by Jeff Feuerstein. It centers on a famous children’s author with an affinity for drugs and hookers. »
- Dave McNary
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