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Identity drama 'The Charmer' starts shoot in Denmark, Middle East
4 hours ago
Milad Alami makes feature debut on film whose DoP Sophia Olsson previously shot Sparrows and Volcano.
Swedish-Iranian director Milad Alami has started principal photography on his debut feature The Charmer in Copenhagen.
The film will also shoot at undisclosed locations in the Middle East with a second unit.
The feature is “an intense psychological drama” about a young Iranian man who wants to meet women who can help him stay in Denmark; he falls in love with one woman while another woman’s husband seeks revenge on him.
After a five-week shoot, The Charmer will be delivered in spring 2017.
Alami, who graduated from the National Film School of Denmark in 2011, won the Danish Robert award for his short Mommy; and his previous short Void starring Lars Mikkelsen played at Directors’ Fortnight in Cannes.
The script is co-written by Alami with Ingeborg Topsøe, an Nfts graduate who previously wrote Sundance-selected Volume.
“I’ve always »
- wendy.mitchell@screendaily.com (Wendy Mitchell)
'I, Daniel Blake' producer Rebecca O’Brien joins Screen Film Summit
6 hours ago
Sixteen Films exec will discuss her experience of navigating the international production market.
Rebecca O’Brien, the multi-bafta nominated producer of films including Cannes’ Palme d’Or winners The Wind That Shakes The Barley and I, Daniel Blake, has joined the line-up of speakers at the 2016 Screen Film Summit (November 24).
Click here to pick up your tickets
The regular Ken Loach collaborator, a Pact council member whose early credits include box office hit Bean (co-producer) and iconic Stephen Frears drama My Beautiful Laundrette (location manager), will discuss the advantages and pitfalls of co-productions, and offer her advice on how to navigate the international co-production market.
O’Brien, director Loach and writer Paul Laverty recently won an outstanding contribution to film award at the Scottish BAFTAs [Nov 6] for their production outfit Sixteen Films.
The company recently garnered seven Bifa 2016 nominations for I, Daniel Blake and one for documentary Versus: The Life And Films Of Ken Loach.
The Screen »
Samuel L Jackson joins Brie Larson directorial debut 'Unicorn Store'
18 hours ago
Jackson, Joan Cusack and Bradley Whitford have come on board the Oscar-winning actress’s feature directorial debut, which just began shooting in Los Angeles.
Hercules Film Fund is fully financing Unicorn Store and Rhea Films is producing the project based on an original screenplay by Samantha McIntyre.
The story centres on a woman who moves back in with her parents and receives an invitation to a store that will test her ideas of what it really means to grow up.
Larson, Lynette Howell Taylor, Greek entrepreneur and Hercules Film Fund founder Paris Kasidokostas-Latsis, Terry Dougas and The District’s David Bernad and Ruben Fleischer, who developed the script, are producing.
Jean-Luc De Fanti, Anne Woodward and McIntyre serve as executive producers.
Larson won the best lead actress this year for Room and recently worked with Jackson on Kong: Skull Island, which Warner Bros will release on March 10, 2017. Jackson just wrapped The Hitman’s Bodyguard for Lionsgate »
- jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
Us Briefs: 'The Martian Vr Experience' comes to market
18 hours ago
Fox Innovation Lab, in partnership with Rsa Films and The Virtual Reality Company, announced on Monday that its first Vr endeavour will go on sale to customers.
Starting on Tuesday (November 15), The Martian Vr Experience, will be available for $19.99 on the PlayStation Vr, which recently launched for the PlayStation 4 system, and Htc Vive via the Steam portal.
Robert Stromberg directed and Ridley Scott served as executive producer on the project, which Fox debuted at CES 2016 followed by Sundance last January. The experience allows users to assume the role of astronaut Mark Watney – portrayed by Matt Damon in blockbuster hit The Martian – as he attempts to get back to Earth.
“The Fox Innovation Lab is at the forefront of exploring virtual reality as a new storytelling medium,” said Mike Dunn, president, Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment and Fox Innovation Lab.
“The Martian Vr Experience is a testament to the opportunity for filmmakers to connect with audiences in new »
- jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
IMAX, Marvel Television strike 'Inhumans' deal
23 hours ago
IMAX will exclusively premiere the first two episodes of Marvel’s The Inhumans in 2017 as it seeks to expand programming beyond traditional blockbuster corridors.
In an unprecedented arrangement, the large-screen pioneer will debut a version of the first two episodes of the upcoming ABC series from Marvel Television for two weeks in its worldwide theatres at the start of September 2017.
The deal marks the company’s first foray as a financing participant in a TV pilot and series and is the first time a live-action television series will launch this way.
ABC, IMAX and Marvel Television intend to create a joint marketing and promotion plan for the series across their platforms, which would also be the first cross-platform marketing launch of a television series.
Marvel’s The Inhumans is based on a race of superhumans first introduced in Marvel Comics by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in 1965.
The series will explore the hitherto untold story of Black »
- jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
Marco Mueller discusses surprise exit as Macao reveals line-up
14 November 2016 5:22 AM, PST
Mueller said his unexpected resignation was due to “divergent opinion” with the festival organisers.
The inaugural International Film Festival and Awards Macao (Iffam) today unveiled its lineup of 49 feature films, one day after the abrupt departure of festival director Marco Mueller.
The six-day festival will open on Dec 8 with the Asian premiere of Valérie Müller and Angelin Preljocaj’s Polina, which recently premiered at Venice Days.
The 11-strong international competition section consists of three world premieres (Macao-born Tracy Choi’s debut feature Sisterhood, Shinobu Yaguchi’s Survival Family and Shanker Raman’s debut feature Gurgaon) and two international premieres (Elon Doesn’t Believe In Death by Ricardo Alves Jr and Hide And Seek by Liu Jie).
The rest of the competition is filled by six Asian premieres, including 150 Milligrams by Emmanuelle Bercot, Free Fire by Ben Wheatley [pictured], Queen Of Spades by Pavel Lungin, Saint George by Marco Martins, The Winter by Emiliano Torres and Trespass Against Us by [link »
Marco Mueller discusses departure as Macao reveals line-up
14 November 2016 5:22 AM, PST
Mueller said his unexpected resignation was due to “divergent opinion” with the festival organisers.
The inaugural International Film Festival and Awards Macao (Iffam) today unveiled its lineup of 49 feature films, one day after the abrupt departure of festival director Marco Mueller.
The six-day festival will open on Dec 8 with the Asian premiere of Valérie Müller and Angelin Preljocaj’s Polina, which recently premiered at Venice Days.
The 11-strong international competition section consists of three world premieres (Macao-born Tracy Choi’s debut feature Sisterhood, Shinobu Yaguchi’s Survival Family and Shanker Raman’s debut feature Gurgaon) and two international premieres (Elon Doesn’t Believe In Death by Ricardo Alves Jr and Hide And Seek by Liu Jie).
The rest of the competition is filled by six Asian premieres, including 150 Milligrams by Emmanuelle Bercot, Free Fire by Ben Wheatley [pictured], Queen Of Spades by Pavel Lungin, Saint George by Marco Martins, The Winter by Emiliano Torres and Trespass Against Us by [link »
BFI, Film4, Soda team on UK-France co-pro 'I Am Not A Witch'
14 November 2016 5:08 AM, PST
Exclusive: Rungano Nyoni wraps Zambia-set satire; Embrace Of The Serpent’s David Gallego is DoP.
Principal photography has wrapped on satire I Am Not A Witch, the debut feature from Welsh-Zambian filmmaker Rungano Nyoni, who was previously BAFTA-nominated for short Mwansa The Great.
The present day African satire about beliefs in witchcraft, revolves around a nine year old girl, Shula, who is accused of being a witch. Shula is the first child to be taken to a travelling witch camp, where she is tethered to a spool with a ribbon. She is told that should she cut the ribbon and attempt to escape, she will be cursed and transformed into a goat.
Forced to decide whether to accept her fate as a witch, Shula ignites a rebellion within the camp.
The film shot for six weeks in Zambia’s capital Lusaka and the rural areas around it, and features a cast of non-professional actors, led by nine »
- andreas.wiseman@screendaily.com (Andreas Wiseman)
Film4, BFI, Soda team on UK-France co-pro 'I Am Not A Witch'
14 November 2016 5:08 AM, PST
Exclusive: Rungano Nyoni wraps Zambia-set satire; Embrace Of The Serpent’s David Gallego is DoP.
Principal photography has wrapped on satire I Am Not A Witch, the debut feature from Welsh-Zambian filmmaker Rungano Nyoni, who was previously BAFTA-nominated for short Mwansa The Great.
The present day African satire about beliefs in witchcraft, revolves around a nine year old girl, Shula, who is accused of being a witch. Shula is the first child to be taken to a travelling witch camp, where she is tethered to a spool with a ribbon. She is told that should she cut the ribbon and attempt to escape, she will be cursed and transformed into a goat.
Forced to decide whether to accept her fate as a witch, Shula ignites a rebellion within the camp.
The film shot for six weeks in Zambia’s capital Lusaka and the rural areas around it, and features a cast of non-professional actors, led by nine »
- andreas.wiseman@screendaily.com (Andreas Wiseman)
Cottbus Grand Prix goes to Russia's 'Zoology'
14 November 2016 4:07 AM, PST
Festival’s industry strand crowns work-in-progress winners from Macedonia and Ukraine.
The Grand Prix of FilmFestival Cottbus (8-13 November) went to Russia for the fourth time in the last six years, with filmmaker Ivan I. Tverdovsky taking the top award for his second feature Zoology after also winning top honours for his debut Corrections Class in 2014.
The other previous winners from Russia had been Angelina Nikonova in 2011 with Twilight Portrait and Alexander Veledinsky in 2013 with The Geographer Who Drank His Globe Away.
Moreover, Tverdovsky is the third film-maker to win Cottbus’s top prize twice in the festival’s 26-year history following Slovakia’s Martin Sulik (1993: Everything I Like and 1995: The Garden) and Serbia’s Oleg Novkovic (2006: Tomorrow Morning and 2010: White White World).
The international jury, which included veteran Israeli producer Marek Rosenbaum and Serbian actress-director Mirjana Karanovic, described Zoology as ¨an original and emotional story about loneliness, love, hope and »
- screen.berlin@googlemail.com (Martin Blaney)
Chinese firm buys Voltage Pictures in $350m deal (report)
14 November 2016 3:56 AM, PST
According to reports, Chinese metal company Anhui Xinke has bought a controlling stake in The Hurt Locker and Dallas Buyers Club outfit Voltage Pictures.
Anhui Xinke New Materials, a Chinese copper-processing firm located west of Shanghai, has acquired a majority stake in Voltage Pictures, the Hollywood production and sales firm behind Oscar-winning films The Hurt Locker and Dallas Buyers Club.
Reuters reports that the metals company announced Sunday (November 13) that it has bought an 80% stake in Midnight Investments, the holding company behind Nicolas Chartier’s Voltage, reportedly for 2.39bn yuan ($350.71m).
Anhui Xinke said in the statement that the acquisition of Voltage will enable the firm to strengthen its position in the domestic and international film industry, boosting its profitability.
Voltage could not be reached at time of publication.
Earlier this month, Anhui Xinke established Wotaiji International Media Ltd, based in Hong Kong, to acquire media assets. The copper firm has had no previous apparent links to the »
Chinese firm buys Voltage in $350 million deal
14 November 2016 3:56 AM, PST
According to reports, Chinese metal company Anhui Xinke has bought a controlling stake in The Hurt Locker and Dallas Buyers Club outfit Voltage Pictures.
Anhui Xinke New Materials, a Chinese copper-processing firm located west of Shanghai, has acquired a majority stake in Voltage Pictures, the Hollywood production and sales firm behind Oscar-winning films The Hurt Locker and Dallas Buyers Club.
Reuters reports that the metals company announced Sunday (November 13) that it has bought an 80% stake in Midnight Investments, the holding company behind Nicolas Chartier’s Voltage, reportedly for 2.39bn yuan ($350.71m).
Anhui Xinke said in the statement that the acquisition of Voltage will enable the firm to strengthen its position in the domestic and international film industry, boosting its profitability.
Voltage could not be reached at time of publication.
Earlier this month, Anhui Xinke established Wotaiji International Media Ltd, based in Hong Kong, to acquire media assets. The copper firm has had no previous apparent links to the »
'Kills On Wheels' wins in Thessaloniki
14 November 2016 2:46 AM, PST
Hungarian action-comedy Kills On Wheels and Icelandic-Danish coming of age story Heartstone take top prizes at Greek festival.Scroll down for full list of winners
Hungarian director Attila Till’s Kills On Wheels (Tiszta Szivvel) has been named best film at the 57th Thessaloniki International Film Festival (Nov 3-13) winning the “Theo Angelopoulos” Golden Alexander award.
The film beat out 16 first and second films screened in this year’s competition section.
Kills On Wheels’ three leading young actors, Zoltan Fenyvesi, SzaboIcs Thuroczy and Adam Fekete were jointly awarded the Best actor trophy.
The film, arriving from the Chicago film festival where it won the Roger Ebert award, deals with three wheelchair-using young adults who decide to offer their services to the mafia in an effort to overcome their daily routines. World sales are handled by the Hungarian Film Fund.
Icelandic-Danish co-production Heartstone (Hjartasteinn) by Icelandic director Gudmundur Arnar Gudmundsson, was awarded the Special Jury Prize, Silver Alexander »
- alexisgrivas@yahoo.com (Alexis Grivas)
Image Nation launches $300m fund with Cicc
14 November 2016 2:23 AM, PST
Image Nation Abu Dhabi and China’s Cicc are teaming up on three initiatives, including a $300m fund for film and TV.
Image Nation Abu Dhabi has signed a long-term strategic partnership with China Intercontinental Communication Center (Cicc) covering a film fund, TV programming and training.
The two parties are launching the $300m ‘Culture China – Image Nation Content Fund’, which will invest in mainstream films and TV programming from Hollywood, China and other countries worldwide.
The seven-year fund has an initial capital base of $100m, contributed equally by Image Nation and Cicc, and will seek other China-based partners in return for limited partnership interests.
Image Nation is already an active investor in international co-productions through its relationships with Hyde Park Entertainment and Parkes/MacDonald. Cicc and Image Nation will jointly manage the fund and recently hired Derek Dauchy as an advisor, based in Los Angeles.
In addition, Cicc is partnering with Image Nation’s new factual entertainment »
- lizshackleton@gmail.com (Liz Shackleton)
Relativity, Storyoscopic set $200m slate fund
14 November 2016 1:08 AM, PST
Ryan Kavanaugh’s Relativity Studios and Storyoscopic Films on Monday announced a joint venture whereby Storyoscopic will produce and finance approximately five or more projects a year.
Films produced under the joint venture and backed by what a source said would be at least $200m in production funding will release internationally via Relativity’s network of output partners and go through Relativity Europa Distribution (Red) in the Us.
Relativity launched Red in 2010 after it acquired Overture Films from John Malone’s Liberty Media and four years later EuropaCorp came on board in a reported $130m deal to acquire a 50% stake.
The venture comes as Relativity shifts its focus towards financing, producing and distributing family films and branded features with global appeal.
George Lee and Marcus Englefield, the duo behind 2D-to-3D conversion specialists Venture 3D, have worked with Hollywood and Chinese partners and launched Storyoscopic in 2013 to make family and genre films in the $15-50m range »
- jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
15 articles