Exclusive: An exposé about institutionalized corruption in the Hare Krishna movement is being adapted into a feature doc by Sphere Media.
Sphere has acquired rights to non-fiction book Monkey on a Stick: Murder, Madness, which was a New York Times bestseller from 1988 that investigative journalists John Huber and Lindsey Gruson co-authored.
The adaptation will be for Canada’s Hollywood Suite for English-speaking Canada and directed by Jason Lapeyre. The book is billed as a “chilling exposé of institutionalised corruption.”
Telefilm Canada’s Theatrical Documentary Program has invested in the film, with assistance coming from the Roger’s Documentary Fund. UK-based Abacus Media Rights has distribution rights outside of Canada, with Hollywood Suite commissioning it for English-speaking Canada and a French-speaking Canadian deal very close to closing.
Lapeyre brought the doc to Canadian film and TV producer Sphere. It explores the Krishna Consciousness,...
Sphere has acquired rights to non-fiction book Monkey on a Stick: Murder, Madness, which was a New York Times bestseller from 1988 that investigative journalists John Huber and Lindsey Gruson co-authored.
The adaptation will be for Canada’s Hollywood Suite for English-speaking Canada and directed by Jason Lapeyre. The book is billed as a “chilling exposé of institutionalised corruption.”
Telefilm Canada’s Theatrical Documentary Program has invested in the film, with assistance coming from the Roger’s Documentary Fund. UK-based Abacus Media Rights has distribution rights outside of Canada, with Hollywood Suite commissioning it for English-speaking Canada and a French-speaking Canadian deal very close to closing.
Lapeyre brought the doc to Canadian film and TV producer Sphere. It explores the Krishna Consciousness,...
- 12/12/2023
- by Jesse Whittock
- Deadline Film + TV
French Canadian producer-distributor Datsit Sphere has made its second acquisition of a Kew Media Group business, swooping in to buy “Cardinal” producer Sienna Films from the embattled production group.
The Montreal and Toronto-based Datsit Sphere, which previously acquired Bgm, picked up Jennifer Kawaja and Julia Sereny’s Sienna Films in a bid to expand its global-facing drama.
Datsit Sphere spans multiple genres and its portfolio includes theatrical scripted producer Go Films, Montreal based 2D animation specialist Oasis Animation and international sales agency Wazabi Films.
Meanwhile, Toronto-based Sienna makes Billy Campbell-fronted crime drama “Cardinal,” which airs on CTV in Canada, Hulu in the U.S. and BBC Four in the U.K. Other TV credits include “Ransom” for CBS and Corus and the forthcoming “Trickster” for CBC and Aptn, the indigenous supernatural-inspired drama series based on the bestselling “Son of A Trickster” trilogy by Eden Robinson.
The firm’s feature...
The Montreal and Toronto-based Datsit Sphere, which previously acquired Bgm, picked up Jennifer Kawaja and Julia Sereny’s Sienna Films in a bid to expand its global-facing drama.
Datsit Sphere spans multiple genres and its portfolio includes theatrical scripted producer Go Films, Montreal based 2D animation specialist Oasis Animation and international sales agency Wazabi Films.
Meanwhile, Toronto-based Sienna makes Billy Campbell-fronted crime drama “Cardinal,” which airs on CTV in Canada, Hulu in the U.S. and BBC Four in the U.K. Other TV credits include “Ransom” for CBS and Corus and the forthcoming “Trickster” for CBC and Aptn, the indigenous supernatural-inspired drama series based on the bestselling “Son of A Trickster” trilogy by Eden Robinson.
The firm’s feature...
- 3/18/2020
- by Manori Ravindran
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Yahya Abdul-Mateen II is set to star opposite Dakota Fanning in the Zeresenay Berhane Mehari-directed Sweetness In The Belly based on the bestselling novel by Camilla Gibb.
Adapted for the screen by Laura Phillips, the film is a powerful love story that explores an immigrant’s life from a unique perspective. In a story that is relevant to today’s cultural landscape, Fanning stars Lilly Abdal (a role which Saoirse Ronan was originally attached), who was orphaned in Africa as a child and escaped to England as a refugee, fleeing civil war. Lost in this cold new world, Lilly embraces the immigrant community in London, attempting to reunite people with their scattered families. However, Lilly’s mission isn’t purely selfless: A passionate lost love affair is revealed between Lilly and Aziz (Abdul-Mateen II), an idealistic doctor. But can Lilly let go of the past?...
Adapted for the screen by Laura Phillips, the film is a powerful love story that explores an immigrant’s life from a unique perspective. In a story that is relevant to today’s cultural landscape, Fanning stars Lilly Abdal (a role which Saoirse Ronan was originally attached), who was orphaned in Africa as a child and escaped to England as a refugee, fleeing civil war. Lost in this cold new world, Lilly embraces the immigrant community in London, attempting to reunite people with their scattered families. However, Lilly’s mission isn’t purely selfless: A passionate lost love affair is revealed between Lilly and Aziz (Abdul-Mateen II), an idealistic doctor. But can Lilly let go of the past?...
- 11/2/2018
- by Dino-Ray Ramos
- Deadline Film + TV
In the Mold of the 'Step Up' Franchise, Watch Trailer for South African Dance Movie - 'Hear Me Move'
From Coal Stove Pictures comes South Africa's "first ever dance movie," according to the filmmakers. That might depend on how "dance movie" is being defined here. Although, based on the below trailer, "Hear Me Move" looks and feels like it's from the "Step Up" family of "dance movies. Its title is also coincidentally (or maybe not) similar to a similar 2007 American dance movie, "How She Move" which starred Rutina Wesley, and showcased the culture of "street step dancing." Opening in South African cinemas over the weekend, "Hear Me Move" showcases homegrown dance styles known as pantsula, and sbujwa, as well as...
- 3/3/2015
- by Tambay A. Obenson
- ShadowAndAct
It's a long way from Bon Temps, La, to Rwanda, ma chère, but that isn't stopping "True Blood" star Rutina Wesley.
Wesley, who stars in "True Blood" as Sookie's tough-as-nails best friend Tara Thornton, has landed the starring role in "Left to Tell," based on Immaculée Ilibagiza's memoir.
Wesley has starred in two films, the MTV/Paramount dance-off film "How She Move" and the indie "California Winter." This is sure to be a meaty part for the young actress; combined with the attention that the new season of "True Blood" will bring (starting on June 26, not that we're keeping track or anything), this could be a breakthrough move for Wesley.
Ilibagiza survived 91 days hiding in a bathroom with seven other women during 1994's Rwandan genocide.She returned home nearly starved to death, only to find that many of her family members and friends had been killed during the brutal massacres that swept the African republic.
Wesley, who stars in "True Blood" as Sookie's tough-as-nails best friend Tara Thornton, has landed the starring role in "Left to Tell," based on Immaculée Ilibagiza's memoir.
Wesley has starred in two films, the MTV/Paramount dance-off film "How She Move" and the indie "California Winter." This is sure to be a meaty part for the young actress; combined with the attention that the new season of "True Blood" will bring (starting on June 26, not that we're keeping track or anything), this could be a breakthrough move for Wesley.
Ilibagiza survived 91 days hiding in a bathroom with seven other women during 1994's Rwandan genocide.She returned home nearly starved to death, only to find that many of her family members and friends had been killed during the brutal massacres that swept the African republic.
- 6/10/2011
- by Jenni Miller
- NextMovie
Exclusive: Just as a new season of True Blood returns to HBO, Rutina Wesley has been set to star in Left To Tell, a biopic about Immaculee Ilibagiza that's based on her betselling memoir. The project is set up at mPower. Ilibagiza's life was dramatically transformed during the 1994 Rwandan genocide campaign where she and seven other women spent 91 days, huddled silently together in a cramped bathroom of a local pastor's home. Entering the bathroom a vibrant, 115-pound university student with a loving family, she came out of that room weighing 65 pounds, and soon learned that most of her family had been brutally murdered. The film's being produced by Stephen McEveety and will be co-directed by Steve Berkowitz & Keith VanderLaan. Wesley most recently starred in How She Move, which was acquired during Sundance, and the indie California Winter. She's repped by Inspire Entertainment.
- 6/9/2011
- by MIKE FLEMING
- Deadline
The dance flick Sur le rythme, the soon-to-be brother in arms of the Canadian dance flick How She Move, will come out on August 12 in Quebec's theatres. Moreover, a full-length trailer has been released.
Delphine Lamarre (Mylène St-Sauveur) is twenty years old. She has to make a choice between living her dream as a profesional dancer or taking the path imposed by her parents, which means studying medecine. However, her encounter with Marc Painchaud (Nico Archambault) will give her hope. In fact, she'll take part in more and more auditions and she'll stand up before her parents.
Nico Archambault, the season 1 winner of So You Think You Can Dance Canada, will take part in the choreography of the dance scene.
This film was penned by Caroline Héroux (À vos marques, party!) and was entirely produced with private funds.
Moreover, Sur le rythme also stars Marina Orsini, Paul Doucet, France Castel,...
Delphine Lamarre (Mylène St-Sauveur) is twenty years old. She has to make a choice between living her dream as a profesional dancer or taking the path imposed by her parents, which means studying medecine. However, her encounter with Marc Painchaud (Nico Archambault) will give her hope. In fact, she'll take part in more and more auditions and she'll stand up before her parents.
Nico Archambault, the season 1 winner of So You Think You Can Dance Canada, will take part in the choreography of the dance scene.
This film was penned by Caroline Héroux (À vos marques, party!) and was entirely produced with private funds.
Moreover, Sur le rythme also stars Marina Orsini, Paul Doucet, France Castel,...
- 5/24/2011
- by anhkhoido@gmail.com (Anh Khoi Do)
- The Cultural Post
Ok, first of all: Some of you are going to say that these are harmless fluff films, and what's the point in getting all riled up about that. And that's an excellent point, and one that I haven't much of a response to, except for this: Shut the fuck up, you worthless fucking killjoy. If you're going to get annoyed because I'm annoyed, than feel free to fuck off and die and go find a website where people are reasonable and the writers give a shit what you think. Just because it's harmless fluff, doesn't mean it has to be goddamn terrible.
There, that's good to get off my chest.
There are two trailers in this post, and I encourage you to watch them. Not because they're good, because sweet merciful crap, they are truly awful. But because I'd like you to see just how goddamn unoriginal teen movies have become.
There, that's good to get off my chest.
There are two trailers in this post, and I encourage you to watch them. Not because they're good, because sweet merciful crap, they are truly awful. But because I'd like you to see just how goddamn unoriginal teen movies have become.
- 4/18/2011
- by TK
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is accepting submissions for the Don and Gee Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting, which awards up to five $30,000 fellowships to new screenwriters. Alum of the fellowship include Ehren Kruger ("The Ring," "Transformers"), Kurt Kuenne ("Dear Zachary"), Andrew Marlowe ("Air Force One"), Randall McCormick ("Speed 2"), Annmarie Morais ("How She Move"), Eric Nazarian ("Mongol"), Mike Rich ("Secretariat"), Rebecca Sonnenshine ("Happily Ever After"), Victoria ...
- 3/7/2011
- Indiewire
Joe Matukewicz has been named senior vice president of worldwide acquisitions for Relativity Media.
Matukewicz was vice president of acquisitions and co-productions for Paramount Vantage and Paramount Worldwide Acquisitions Group. During his tenure, Paramount acquired such high-profile projects as “An Inconvenient Truth,” “The Duchess,” “How She Move,” “Hustle & Flow,” “The Machinist,” “Jay-z: Fade to Black” and “Mad Hot Ballroom.”
In his new post, Matukewicz will serve as the head of acquisitions and work with the Relativity production team to evaluate projects for acquisitions and production for the studio. He reports to Tucker Tooley, president of worldwide production, and Peter Adee, president of theatrical marketing and distribution.
The first movie Matukewicz acquired for Relativity Media is David Ellis’ “Untitled 3D Shark Thriller” from Nick Meyer’s Sierra Pictures.
Matukewicz was vice president of acquisitions and co-productions for Paramount Vantage and Paramount Worldwide Acquisitions Group. During his tenure, Paramount acquired such high-profile projects as “An Inconvenient Truth,” “The Duchess,” “How She Move,” “Hustle & Flow,” “The Machinist,” “Jay-z: Fade to Black” and “Mad Hot Ballroom.”
In his new post, Matukewicz will serve as the head of acquisitions and work with the Relativity production team to evaluate projects for acquisitions and production for the studio. He reports to Tucker Tooley, president of worldwide production, and Peter Adee, president of theatrical marketing and distribution.
The first movie Matukewicz acquired for Relativity Media is David Ellis’ “Untitled 3D Shark Thriller” from Nick Meyer’s Sierra Pictures.
- 1/20/2011
- by admin
- Moving Pictures Network
After How She Move, here comes another Canadian dance flick: Charles-Olivier Michaud's Sur le rythme. So far, only the teaser is available online.
Delphine Lamarre (Mylène St-Sauveur) is twenty years old. She has to make a choice between living her dream as a profesional dancer or taking the path imposed by her parents, which means studying medecine. However, her encounter with Marc Painchaud (Nico Archambault) will give her hope. In fact, she'll take part in more and more auditions and she'll stand up before her parents.
This film was penned by Caroline Héroux (À vos marques, party!) and was entirely produced with private funds.
Moreover, Sur le rythme also stars Marina Orsini, Paul Doucet, France Castel, Miles Faber and Lina Roessler.
Delphine Lamarre (Mylène St-Sauveur) is twenty years old. She has to make a choice between living her dream as a profesional dancer or taking the path imposed by her parents, which means studying medecine. However, her encounter with Marc Painchaud (Nico Archambault) will give her hope. In fact, she'll take part in more and more auditions and she'll stand up before her parents.
This film was penned by Caroline Héroux (À vos marques, party!) and was entirely produced with private funds.
Moreover, Sur le rythme also stars Marina Orsini, Paul Doucet, France Castel, Miles Faber and Lina Roessler.
- 1/11/2011
- by anhkhoido@gmail.com (Anh Khoi Do)
- The Cultural Post
Reposting this from Friday. I got lots of helpful responses, and even learned of a couple of titles that I didn’t know existed. So, here’s the post again, to continue the flow, in case you missed the original post, and have some titles to add that haven’t already.
Alright folks, I need some help from you guys here. As the title suggests, I’m working on a future post, and one part of my research requires that I compile a complete list of independent black feature films that have been released theatrically in the USA since the beginning of this century. And that’s where you come in.
First, I should define some terms here; “black feature film” means fictional narrative films that tell stories primarily about people of African descent (no documentaries). The cultural/racial heritage of the filmmaker is irrelevant. And “independent” means that the...
Alright folks, I need some help from you guys here. As the title suggests, I’m working on a future post, and one part of my research requires that I compile a complete list of independent black feature films that have been released theatrically in the USA since the beginning of this century. And that’s where you come in.
First, I should define some terms here; “black feature film” means fictional narrative films that tell stories primarily about people of African descent (no documentaries). The cultural/racial heritage of the filmmaker is irrelevant. And “independent” means that the...
- 12/12/2010
- by Tambay
- ShadowAndAct
I’m convinced everything sounds better with a British accent. Streetdance 3D is the British 3D version of Step Up in reverse. In Max Giwa and Dania Pasquini’s formula dance picture, a rouge instructor at a prestigious London ballet school (played by Charlotte Rampling) brings in street dancers to inject her stiff ballerinas with some life.
Nichola Burley stars as Carly, by day a gorgeous sandwich shop delivery girl, by mid-afternoon and evening an ambitious street dancer. Of coarse she’s been dumped by a sleazy boyfriend and rebounds with you guest it, one of her ballet students who is a stock leading man type. Much is recycled, but we haven’t seen it before in 3D and with a British accent.
The dance movie, I admit has always been a guilty pleasure spectacle; there have been good dance movies (Stomp the Yard was wonderful and inspiring) and ones...
Nichola Burley stars as Carly, by day a gorgeous sandwich shop delivery girl, by mid-afternoon and evening an ambitious street dancer. Of coarse she’s been dumped by a sleazy boyfriend and rebounds with you guest it, one of her ballet students who is a stock leading man type. Much is recycled, but we haven’t seen it before in 3D and with a British accent.
The dance movie, I admit has always been a guilty pleasure spectacle; there have been good dance movies (Stomp the Yard was wonderful and inspiring) and ones...
- 10/7/2010
- by John Fink
- The Film Stage
Before she fought vampires, the actress got her start at a performing-arts high school.
By MTV News Staff
Rutina Wesley
Photo: MTV News
Rutina Wesley is probably best known for her recent work on "True Blood," where she plays Tara Thornton, the spirited, sass-tacular sidekick of Sookie Stackhouse. But before that, she impressed on the Broadway stage and starred in the 2007 film "How She Move," both of which showed off her first passion: dance.
Wesley grew up in Las Vegas, the daughter of a tap-dancing father and a showgirl mother, and as a teen, she attended the prestigious Las Vegas Academy, a performing arts magnet school, where prospective students must audition to be accepted. Naturally, she danced to get her spot.
Once she got into the Academy, she faced a whole new series of challenges, as she reveals on the next episode of MTV's "When I Was 17."
"The first show...
By MTV News Staff
Rutina Wesley
Photo: MTV News
Rutina Wesley is probably best known for her recent work on "True Blood," where she plays Tara Thornton, the spirited, sass-tacular sidekick of Sookie Stackhouse. But before that, she impressed on the Broadway stage and starred in the 2007 film "How She Move," both of which showed off her first passion: dance.
Wesley grew up in Las Vegas, the daughter of a tap-dancing father and a showgirl mother, and as a teen, she attended the prestigious Las Vegas Academy, a performing arts magnet school, where prospective students must audition to be accepted. Naturally, she danced to get her spot.
Once she got into the Academy, she faced a whole new series of challenges, as she reveals on the next episode of MTV's "When I Was 17."
"The first show...
- 9/17/2010
- MTV Music News
I've seen all of the contemporaneity urban dances movies (in fact, I reviewed them all in one fell swoop), and anyone who has ever seen them must understand that it's easy to find a modicum of guilty pleasure in them. It's hard not to marvel at the talent on display in the electric, dazzling dance sequences. Fancy editing or no, it's impressive how these people move and contort and throw their bodies around, and it's difficult not to get swept up in the kinetic energy.
But there's also the flip side to this genre: Terrible, predictable, increasingly inane plots. They've mined all the Karate Kid underdog inspiration out of them, and they've more than thoroughly explored the fish out of the dance floor story lines: There's the poor white kid, the rich white ballet dancer, the black guy trying to make it out of the ghetto, etc. etc. ad infinitum,...
But there's also the flip side to this genre: Terrible, predictable, increasingly inane plots. They've mined all the Karate Kid underdog inspiration out of them, and they've more than thoroughly explored the fish out of the dance floor story lines: There's the poor white kid, the rich white ballet dancer, the black guy trying to make it out of the ghetto, etc. etc. ad infinitum,...
- 8/9/2010
- by Dustin Rowles
So there I was reading This Slant writer’s evisceration of Armond White’s negative review of Toy Story 3, which led me to This chart someone created, comparing the movies Armond White panned to those he praised, where I was surprised to find out that Shadow & Act’s favorite African American film critic actually once praised a Tyler Perry work! But maybe I shouldn’t be surprised… he is Armond White, noted contrarian, even though he himself has stated, in his defense, “I don’t say these things to call attention to myself or to get a rise out of people. I say them because I believe them.”
Question is whether you believe him… or maybe you really just don’t give a rat’s-ass about this pugilist and his polemics.
Well, if anything, he’s entertaining! At least, I find him so. He’s somehow managed to demand...
Question is whether you believe him… or maybe you really just don’t give a rat’s-ass about this pugilist and his polemics.
Well, if anything, he’s entertaining! At least, I find him so. He’s somehow managed to demand...
- 7/8/2010
- by Tambay
- ShadowAndAct
If you're a television addict, then you already know this Sunday (June 13) begins season three of HBO's vampire drama, "True Blood." We couldn't be more excited. Not to mention, Rutina Wesley, who's performed on Broadway in "The Vertical Hour" and starred in the film "How She Move," kicks butt as she tries to keep Sookie and herself out of trouble in their small Southern town of Bon Temps, Louisiana.Essence.com chatted with Rutina about how she isn't playing an angry black woman, marrying beyond color and just who controls Tara's mind during this season of "True Blood..."...
- 6/12/2010
- Essence
While it's still in post-production, New Year's trailer has been online for quite a while. For the moment, a release date (or peperhaps a presence at the next Toronto International Film Festival) has yet to be announced.
According to New Year's Facebook fan page, the story goes like this:
A group of 20-something “Gen Y”-ers reunite at a New Year’s Eve bash in middle-class suburbia. Numbed by the 9-to-5 conformity of real life after university, the party provides a welcome escape full of drinking, smoking, making-out, and bag-tag. But when a near-death experience, a pregnancy, and the appearance of past rivals disrupt the night, each must take a crash course in growing up or risk succumbing to a life of false comfort and complacencyFinally, the film was directed by Phil Borg. He also wrote the script with Julian DeZotti.
Besides, the film stars Julian DeZotti, Joanna Douglas...
According to New Year's Facebook fan page, the story goes like this:
A group of 20-something “Gen Y”-ers reunite at a New Year’s Eve bash in middle-class suburbia. Numbed by the 9-to-5 conformity of real life after university, the party provides a welcome escape full of drinking, smoking, making-out, and bag-tag. But when a near-death experience, a pregnancy, and the appearance of past rivals disrupt the night, each must take a crash course in growing up or risk succumbing to a life of false comfort and complacencyFinally, the film was directed by Phil Borg. He also wrote the script with Julian DeZotti.
Besides, the film stars Julian DeZotti, Joanna Douglas...
- 4/28/2010
- by anhkhoido@hotmail.com (Anh Khoi Do)
- The Cultural Post
Believe it or not, Mongrel Media, a Canadian film distributor, puts its products on iTunes. Moreover, as far as I know, downloading a film on iTunes is legal. The following is the list of some films and there are Canadian films among them.
Canadian Feature films:
* Away from Her.
* Breakfast with Scot.
* Cairo Time.
* Growing Op.
* How She Move.
* Love & Savagery.
* Nurse.Fighter.Boy.
* One Week.
Foreign feature films:
* Mary and Max.
* The Narrows (2008).
* Scenes of a Sexual Nature.
* Wendy and Lucy.
Documentaries:
* Big River Man.
* Blood on the Flat Track.
* The Corporation.
* A Crude Awakening: The Oil Crash.
* Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father.
* Flow: For Love of Water.
* Garbage Warrior.
Canadian Feature films:
* Away from Her.
* Breakfast with Scot.
* Cairo Time.
* Growing Op.
* How She Move.
* Love & Savagery.
* Nurse.Fighter.Boy.
* One Week.
Foreign feature films:
* Mary and Max.
* The Narrows (2008).
* Scenes of a Sexual Nature.
* Wendy and Lucy.
Documentaries:
* Big River Man.
* Blood on the Flat Track.
* The Corporation.
* A Crude Awakening: The Oil Crash.
* Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father.
* Flow: For Love of Water.
* Garbage Warrior.
- 2/5/2010
- by anhkhoido@hotmail.com (Anh Khoi Do)
- The Cultural Post
On January 9, 1989, Nina Dobrev, whose full name is Nina Const Dobreva, was born in Bulgaria. Nina’s parents are an artist and computer specialist. Nina has one sibling, an older brother. When she was two her family moved to Toronto, Ontario and she has lived there until recently moving to Los Angles and Georgia for filming her latest role. Nina is clearly full of great acting talent but she also has other interests. Nina attended J.B. Tyrrell Sr. Public School, Wexford Collegiate School for the Arts, and Dean Armstrong Acting School. She is interested in dance, gymnastics, theatre, music, acting, and modeling. At 5 ft. 6½ in., she is a graceful beauty to watch. Nina has competed professionally in gymnastics and loves to travel. She is fluent in Bulgarian, French, and English. Nina helped to create a school in Kenya called Free the Children. The school is a non-profit organization built...
- 10/29/2009
- by klilius@corp.popstar.com (Kristy Lilius)
- PopStar
I don’t know about you, but when Sunday Funday night rolls around, all I want are my fat pants, Thai food and some quality time with the supernatural beings on True Blood. Now before you get all, “Oh Sookie — I love her!” on me, let me tell you I could kind of care less about Sookie Stackhouse and vampire Bill Compton. For me, it’s all about Sookie’s Bff Tara, played by Rutina Wesley.
What makes her so special? Well, have you seen her? She is gorgeous and her body is like a brick house. Her skin looks as though it has been bathed in honey and milk and kissed by pixies in the garden of hotness.
Beyond the superficial, Wesley is able to capture the balance of sassy attitude and childlike naivety of Tara’s character in a way that makes her likeable. To be honest, when the series started out,...
What makes her so special? Well, have you seen her? She is gorgeous and her body is like a brick house. Her skin looks as though it has been bathed in honey and milk and kissed by pixies in the garden of hotness.
Beyond the superficial, Wesley is able to capture the balance of sassy attitude and childlike naivety of Tara’s character in a way that makes her likeable. To be honest, when the series started out,...
- 8/5/2009
- by Stubbs
- AfterEllen.com
Fans of HBO's Vampire series True Blood were treated to a special Comic-Con preview of the second half of Season Two this past weekend.
Now the preview has hit the web, and we've got the video for you below, along with a run-down of what you missed in San Diego.
The True Blood Panel and Q&A session took place on Saturday —
Just as it seemed things were settling down in the backwoods Louisiana town of Bon Temps, deadly new twists and evil forces have begun to threaten Sookie Stackhouse and everyone around her. Mixing romance, suspense, mystery, and humor, True Blood kicked off its 12-episode second season on June 14 on HBO. The series, which earned a Golden Globe nomination for Best Television Series—Drama for its debut season, follows the romance between waitress Sookie Stackhouse (Anna Paquin, the X-Men films; Golden Globe-winner for True Blood season one; Oscar-winner for...
Now the preview has hit the web, and we've got the video for you below, along with a run-down of what you missed in San Diego.
The True Blood Panel and Q&A session took place on Saturday —
Just as it seemed things were settling down in the backwoods Louisiana town of Bon Temps, deadly new twists and evil forces have begun to threaten Sookie Stackhouse and everyone around her. Mixing romance, suspense, mystery, and humor, True Blood kicked off its 12-episode second season on June 14 on HBO. The series, which earned a Golden Globe nomination for Best Television Series—Drama for its debut season, follows the romance between waitress Sookie Stackhouse (Anna Paquin, the X-Men films; Golden Globe-winner for True Blood season one; Oscar-winner for...
- 7/28/2009
- by no-reply@fangoria.com (James Zahn)
- Fangoria
The 2009 Edition of Comic-Con gets underway this week at the San Diego Convention Center, promising the biggest pop-culture event of the year.
Fangoria will be there reporting on the action live from the show floor, with constant updates on all the genre panels, announcements, and more - bringing all the latest Sdcc '09 Horror News direct to you right here on Fangoria.com
For those of you planning to attend the 100% Sold-out show, here's a look at what to expect for genre programming on Saturday, July 25th, 2009.
10:00-11:00 Idw: Angel on the Rise— With L.A. back from Hell, what's next for Idw's Angel comics? Fans of the show and the tall, dark, and brooding fangster can find out who's still fighting, who's been eaten, and what sinister forces are still to come during this panel featuring Juliet Landau (Angel writer/actress), Brian Lynch (Angel: After the Fall...
Fangoria will be there reporting on the action live from the show floor, with constant updates on all the genre panels, announcements, and more - bringing all the latest Sdcc '09 Horror News direct to you right here on Fangoria.com
For those of you planning to attend the 100% Sold-out show, here's a look at what to expect for genre programming on Saturday, July 25th, 2009.
10:00-11:00 Idw: Angel on the Rise— With L.A. back from Hell, what's next for Idw's Angel comics? Fans of the show and the tall, dark, and brooding fangster can find out who's still fighting, who's been eaten, and what sinister forces are still to come during this panel featuring Juliet Landau (Angel writer/actress), Brian Lynch (Angel: After the Fall...
- 7/19/2009
- by no-reply@fangoria.com (James Zahn)
- Fangoria
It’s official, the full schedule for San Diego Comic-Con is now online. This year promises to be an exciting time and it looks like there will be plenty of stuff to keep us busy at the Con. From panels to screenings to booths and everything in between, we’ll bring it all to you right here at The Flickcast.
Looking over the schedule for this year, here’s a few of the TV and Movie events, panels, and more that we are particularly interested in and the days on which they happen. Tomorrow, look for our picks of the coolest and most interesting comics and games-related panels and events coming up at the Con.
Wednesday, July 22
6:00-9:00 Special Sneak Peek Pilot Screenings— Comic-Con and Warner Bros. Television proudly present exclusive pilot premiere screenings of some of the most buzzed-about new TV series of the 2009–2010 season—Human Target,...
Looking over the schedule for this year, here’s a few of the TV and Movie events, panels, and more that we are particularly interested in and the days on which they happen. Tomorrow, look for our picks of the coolest and most interesting comics and games-related panels and events coming up at the Con.
Wednesday, July 22
6:00-9:00 Special Sneak Peek Pilot Screenings— Comic-Con and Warner Bros. Television proudly present exclusive pilot premiere screenings of some of the most buzzed-about new TV series of the 2009–2010 season—Human Target,...
- 7/13/2009
- by Chris Ullrich
- The Flickcast
While it may seem as if a lot of the "big name" genre projects showing off their wares at 2009's San Diego Comic-Con have favored the front end of the show's run, the last two days are pretty chock full of panels and screenings as well. Here's a rundown of Saturday's schedule for those of you sniffing out the horror goods.
Saturday, July 25
10:00-11:00 - Idw: Angel on the Rise — With L.A. back from Hell, what's next for Idw's Angel comics? Fans of the show and the tall, dark, and brooding fangster can find out who's still fighting, who's been eaten, and what sinister forces are still to come during this panel featuring Juliet Landau (Angel writer/actress), Brian Lynch (Angel: After the Fall), Peter David (Fallen Angel), plus the reveal of the all-new monthly Angelwriter and more! Room 7Ab
10:15-11:15 - Eastwick Pilot Screening and...
Saturday, July 25
10:00-11:00 - Idw: Angel on the Rise — With L.A. back from Hell, what's next for Idw's Angel comics? Fans of the show and the tall, dark, and brooding fangster can find out who's still fighting, who's been eaten, and what sinister forces are still to come during this panel featuring Juliet Landau (Angel writer/actress), Brian Lynch (Angel: After the Fall), Peter David (Fallen Angel), plus the reveal of the all-new monthly Angelwriter and more! Room 7Ab
10:15-11:15 - Eastwick Pilot Screening and...
- 7/12/2009
- by The Woman In Black
- DreadCentral.com
Dance Flick
Starring Shoshana Bush, Damon Wayans, Jr., Essence Atkins, and Amy Sedaris
Directed by Damien Dante Wayans
Rated PG-13
The good thing about the new Wayans family spoof, Dance Flick, is you'll know within 60 seconds whether or not it's for you. A dance battle begins the movie, with two teams of dancers throwing out their best moves in an effort to outduel each other.
Roughly half a minute into the film, a dancer slides across the floor, leg hiked in the air, and urinates on a competitor. Some fifteen seconds later, another dancer contorts his body and accidentally shoves his head up his own ass.
You either think that's funny or you don't. If you think it's funny, then your ship has come in. And you're way too easily enteratined. However, if it's not up your alley, the rest of the 80-something minutes here won't offer you much of a respite.
Starring Shoshana Bush, Damon Wayans, Jr., Essence Atkins, and Amy Sedaris
Directed by Damien Dante Wayans
Rated PG-13
The good thing about the new Wayans family spoof, Dance Flick, is you'll know within 60 seconds whether or not it's for you. A dance battle begins the movie, with two teams of dancers throwing out their best moves in an effort to outduel each other.
Roughly half a minute into the film, a dancer slides across the floor, leg hiked in the air, and urinates on a competitor. Some fifteen seconds later, another dancer contorts his body and accidentally shoves his head up his own ass.
You either think that's funny or you don't. If you think it's funny, then your ship has come in. And you're way too easily enteratined. However, if it's not up your alley, the rest of the 80-something minutes here won't offer you much of a respite.
- 5/22/2009
- by Colin Boyd
- GetTheBigPicture.net
Chicago – HBO sent over the details on the complete first season of their excellent “True Blood” with Anna Paquin today and included a video preview that we just had to share. Details on the release below the video.
Synopsis:
For the first time ever, HBO Home Entertainment® is simultaneously releasing a DVD and Blu-ray version of an HBO® original series when True Blood: The Complete First Season hits stores on May 19, 2009 – just weeks before the second, highly-anticipated season of the show premieres on the network. True Blood: The Complete First Season on DVD and Blu-ray features 12 episodes on five discs and is the perfect antidote for audiences that want to catch up or catch on to HBO’s highest-rated series of 2008.
The meticulously-crafted and alluring world of True Blood, which will also be available for digital download beginning May 19th, 2009, is created and executive produced by Alan Ball...
Synopsis:
For the first time ever, HBO Home Entertainment® is simultaneously releasing a DVD and Blu-ray version of an HBO® original series when True Blood: The Complete First Season hits stores on May 19, 2009 – just weeks before the second, highly-anticipated season of the show premieres on the network. True Blood: The Complete First Season on DVD and Blu-ray features 12 episodes on five discs and is the perfect antidote for audiences that want to catch up or catch on to HBO’s highest-rated series of 2008.
The meticulously-crafted and alluring world of True Blood, which will also be available for digital download beginning May 19th, 2009, is created and executive produced by Alan Ball...
- 4/7/2009
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
"Cloverfield," "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," "The Dark Knight," "Frost/Nixon," "Iron Man," "Milk," "Mummy: The Tomb of the Dragon Emperor," and "Revolutionary Road" are some of the films vying for the Golden Reel Awards given by the Motion Picture Sound Editors.
Sound editing categories range from sound effects to dialogue.
"Bolt," "Kung Fu Panda," "Madagascar 2," and "Wall-e" are among the nominees for the Best Sound Editing: Animation in a Feature Film category.
The 56th Annual Golden Reel Awards will be held Feb. 21 at the Westin Bonaventure Hotel.
Want to know which category "High School Musical 3: Senior Year" was nominated under? Click Read More to see the complete list of nominees.
Feature Film
Best Sound Editing: Sound Effects, Foley, Dialogue and Adr Animation in a Feature Film
Bolt
Fear[s] of the Dark
Horton Hears a Who
Kung Fu Panda
Madagascar 2
The Tale of Despereaux
Wall-e
Waltz With Bashir
Best Sound Editing: Sound Effects,...
Sound editing categories range from sound effects to dialogue.
"Bolt," "Kung Fu Panda," "Madagascar 2," and "Wall-e" are among the nominees for the Best Sound Editing: Animation in a Feature Film category.
The 56th Annual Golden Reel Awards will be held Feb. 21 at the Westin Bonaventure Hotel.
Want to know which category "High School Musical 3: Senior Year" was nominated under? Click Read More to see the complete list of nominees.
Feature Film
Best Sound Editing: Sound Effects, Foley, Dialogue and Adr Animation in a Feature Film
Bolt
Fear[s] of the Dark
Horton Hears a Who
Kung Fu Panda
Madagascar 2
The Tale of Despereaux
Wall-e
Waltz With Bashir
Best Sound Editing: Sound Effects,...
- 1/26/2009
- by Manny
- Manny the Movie Guy
In the wake of White Chicks and Little Man, the Wayans Brothers return to grace the world with the presence of next February's Dance Flick, which lampoons last February's Step Up 2: The Streets, not to mention Save the Last Dance, You Got Served, How She Move, maybe Center Stage, possibly Robert Altman's The Company, and probably plenty of stuff that isn't related to actual dance flicks.
Having watched the initial Scary Movie last week for the first time since my formative teen years, their spoof efforts there still aren't on par with SM3 (which they didn't do), but remain above SM2 (which they did do). In short: humor that's dated and crude is right up their alley (I'm frankly impressed they remembered to work Flashdance in), and besides, you saw that break-dancing newborn, right? Call up Calista Flockhart, and count me out already.
Starring the usually amusing Amy Sedaris...
Having watched the initial Scary Movie last week for the first time since my formative teen years, their spoof efforts there still aren't on par with SM3 (which they didn't do), but remain above SM2 (which they did do). In short: humor that's dated and crude is right up their alley (I'm frankly impressed they remembered to work Flashdance in), and besides, you saw that break-dancing newborn, right? Call up Calista Flockhart, and count me out already.
Starring the usually amusing Amy Sedaris...
- 11/15/2008
- by William Goss
- Cinematical
"Dance Flick", a spoof comedy project by the Wayans brothers has received its first trailer. A satirical movie that parodies many dancing films like "Hairspray", "High School Musical", "Save the Last Dance" and "Step Up 2 the Streets", "Dance Flick" is sort of a family project that involves many of the Wayans clan.
The film is taking on the story of a rich, white girl named Megan from the suburbs who finds herself on a series of misadventures when she moves to the mean streets of the inner-city after her mom dies. Megan then befriends some people who share similar interest with her, dancing.
"Basically, it's 'Step Up 2' on the streets, and our Tracy Transfat character, who's kinda like the big chubby girl from 'Hairspray,' got tossed into the air and lands on the car from 'How She Move' and blows the windows out, and so that's...
The film is taking on the story of a rich, white girl named Megan from the suburbs who finds herself on a series of misadventures when she moves to the mean streets of the inner-city after her mom dies. Megan then befriends some people who share similar interest with her, dancing.
"Basically, it's 'Step Up 2' on the streets, and our Tracy Transfat character, who's kinda like the big chubby girl from 'Hairspray,' got tossed into the air and lands on the car from 'How She Move' and blows the windows out, and so that's...
- 11/15/2008
- by AceShowbiz.com
- Aceshowbiz
I wasn't going to report on the news from The Hollywood Reporter about a new movie called Not Another Not Another Movie which will apparently be a spoof movie of spoof movies such as Scary Movie and Meet the Spartans. The flick is going to star Chevy Chase, Burt Reynolds, Vinnie Jones, Michael Madsen, all to be referred to as "People With No Shame" from this point forward. There is no real reason to report on the film other than to call it stupid and ask, "Who would want to watch that?" However, considering Scary Movie 4 made over $90 million and Meet the Spartans made over $38 million I can only assume there are a lot of people out there that line up for this crap. But I think the line has now been drawn with news from MTV that the Wayans brothers are making a dance movie spoof flick called...
- 11/10/2008
- by Brad Brevet
- Rope of Silicon
Lionsgate's Rambo proved neither dynamite nor dud during the weekend with an estimated $18.2 million opening, yet the Sylvester Stallone starrer lost the battle for the domestic boxoffice in an $18.7 million sneak attack by the Fox comedy Meet the Spartans.
Rambo, in which the Weinstein Co. holds 50% equity, performed roughly as expected. But Spartans, a New Regency co-production that spoofed last year's 300, took advantage of an eleventh-hour surge in young male interest to capture the frame.
Fox's Katherine Heigl starrer 27 Dresses fell a modest 41% in its second frame to ring up $13.6 million and finish in third place. Paramount's monster film Cloverfield, which topped the domestic chart last weekend, fell a big 68% in its sophomore session to $12.7 million in fourth place with a $64.3 million cume.
Sony's serial-killer thriller Untraceable, starring Diane Lane, debuted fifth with $11.2 million, while Paramount Vantage's urban step-dancing film How She Move debuted outside the top 10 with $4.2 million.
The Overture comedy Mad Money fell a modest 40% in its second weekend to ring up $4.6 million in 10th place, pushing its 10-day cume to $15.3 million.
Industry boxoffice marked a sixth consecutive improvement compared with the same session a year earlier, Nielsen EDI said. Year-to-date, 2008 is up 15% over the same portion of last year.
Oscar best-film nominees dominated the weekend's specialty action.
Fox Searchlight's comedy Juno rung up another $10.3 million in sixth place to take its cume to a distributor-record $100.2 million.
Paramount Vantage's Daniel Day-Lewis starrer There Will Be Blood, a Miramax co-production, added 496 theaters for a total of 885 and grossed $4.9 million in eighth place. That represented a sturdy $5,522 per venue, with Blood now boasting a $14.8 million cume ahead of an anticipated expansion Friday to more than 1,400 theaters.
The Miramax-distributed "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly," a Par Vantage co-production, added 16 playdates for a total of 123 and grossed $402,000, or $3,268 per engagement, with a $3.1 million cume.
Rambo, in which the Weinstein Co. holds 50% equity, performed roughly as expected. But Spartans, a New Regency co-production that spoofed last year's 300, took advantage of an eleventh-hour surge in young male interest to capture the frame.
Fox's Katherine Heigl starrer 27 Dresses fell a modest 41% in its second frame to ring up $13.6 million and finish in third place. Paramount's monster film Cloverfield, which topped the domestic chart last weekend, fell a big 68% in its sophomore session to $12.7 million in fourth place with a $64.3 million cume.
Sony's serial-killer thriller Untraceable, starring Diane Lane, debuted fifth with $11.2 million, while Paramount Vantage's urban step-dancing film How She Move debuted outside the top 10 with $4.2 million.
The Overture comedy Mad Money fell a modest 40% in its second weekend to ring up $4.6 million in 10th place, pushing its 10-day cume to $15.3 million.
Industry boxoffice marked a sixth consecutive improvement compared with the same session a year earlier, Nielsen EDI said. Year-to-date, 2008 is up 15% over the same portion of last year.
Oscar best-film nominees dominated the weekend's specialty action.
Fox Searchlight's comedy Juno rung up another $10.3 million in sixth place to take its cume to a distributor-record $100.2 million.
Paramount Vantage's Daniel Day-Lewis starrer There Will Be Blood, a Miramax co-production, added 496 theaters for a total of 885 and grossed $4.9 million in eighth place. That represented a sturdy $5,522 per venue, with Blood now boasting a $14.8 million cume ahead of an anticipated expansion Friday to more than 1,400 theaters.
The Miramax-distributed "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly," a Par Vantage co-production, added 16 playdates for a total of 123 and grossed $402,000, or $3,268 per engagement, with a $3.1 million cume.
- 1/28/2008
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Arriving almost exactly one year after the surprise boxoffice hit Stomp the Yard is this grittier, Canadian-made drama also showcasing the exhilarating urban dance form.
Considering that it features the sort of cliched story line that wouldn't have been out of place in an Andy Hardy movie, How She Move doesn't exactly break any new ground. But the terrific dance numbers on display should please its teenage target audience.
Set in the gritty Jane-Finch Corridor of Toronto, the film depicts the travails of young Raya Green (Rutina Wesley), the daughter of hard-working Jamaican immigrants. It looked like Raya, a terrific dancer as well as brilliant student, was on the fast track out of the ghetto, thanks to her acceptance into an exclusive prep school. But when her sister dies of a drug overdose, she's forced to return to the public school in her own neighborhood where she started her education.
But she thinks she's found a way back out in the form of a dance competition featuring a major cash payoff. She persuades the members of the all-male Jane Street Junta to allow her to join their dance outfit led by the charismatic Bishop (Dwain Murphy). It isn't long before sparks fly between the two, as Raya dazzles him and the other boys in the group with her aggressive dance moves. But her determination to succeed at any cost drives a wedge between her and her fellow troupe members, and Raya ultimately has to decide where her true loyalties lie.
Annmarie Morais' semi-autobiographical script admirably attempts to inject thoughtful sociological ideas into the mix, displaying a thematic complexity uncommon to such teen-oriented genre efforts. But the strength of the film ultimately comes less from the dramatic elements than the highly energetic dance numbers choreographed by Hi Hat that, while not photographed to their best advantage, nonetheless manage to be thrilling.
Director Ian Iqbal Rashid, using mainly 16mm hand-held photography, applies an interestingly gritty touch to the proceedings. Young Wesley displays an intense charisma and powerful moves in the central role, while Melanie Nicholls-King is deeply moving as Raya's concerned Mom.
HOW SHE MOVE
Paramount Vantage
MTV Films
Credits:
Director: Ian Iqbal Rashid
Screenwriter: Annmarie Morais
Producers: Jennifer Kawaja, Julia Sereny, Brent Barclay
Director of photography: Andre Pienaar
Production designer: Aidan Leroux
Music: Andrew Lockington
Co-producer: Claire Prieto
Costume designer: Kimberley Ann Rush
Editor: Susan Maggi
Cast:
Raya Green: Rutina Wesley
Bishop: Dwain Murphy
Michelle: Tre Armstrong
Quake: Brennan Gademans
Trey: Shawn Desman
E. C.: Kevin Duhaney
Faye Green: Melanie Nicholls-King
Running time -- 90 minutes
MPAA rating: PG-13...
Considering that it features the sort of cliched story line that wouldn't have been out of place in an Andy Hardy movie, How She Move doesn't exactly break any new ground. But the terrific dance numbers on display should please its teenage target audience.
Set in the gritty Jane-Finch Corridor of Toronto, the film depicts the travails of young Raya Green (Rutina Wesley), the daughter of hard-working Jamaican immigrants. It looked like Raya, a terrific dancer as well as brilliant student, was on the fast track out of the ghetto, thanks to her acceptance into an exclusive prep school. But when her sister dies of a drug overdose, she's forced to return to the public school in her own neighborhood where she started her education.
But she thinks she's found a way back out in the form of a dance competition featuring a major cash payoff. She persuades the members of the all-male Jane Street Junta to allow her to join their dance outfit led by the charismatic Bishop (Dwain Murphy). It isn't long before sparks fly between the two, as Raya dazzles him and the other boys in the group with her aggressive dance moves. But her determination to succeed at any cost drives a wedge between her and her fellow troupe members, and Raya ultimately has to decide where her true loyalties lie.
Annmarie Morais' semi-autobiographical script admirably attempts to inject thoughtful sociological ideas into the mix, displaying a thematic complexity uncommon to such teen-oriented genre efforts. But the strength of the film ultimately comes less from the dramatic elements than the highly energetic dance numbers choreographed by Hi Hat that, while not photographed to their best advantage, nonetheless manage to be thrilling.
Director Ian Iqbal Rashid, using mainly 16mm hand-held photography, applies an interestingly gritty touch to the proceedings. Young Wesley displays an intense charisma and powerful moves in the central role, while Melanie Nicholls-King is deeply moving as Raya's concerned Mom.
HOW SHE MOVE
Paramount Vantage
MTV Films
Credits:
Director: Ian Iqbal Rashid
Screenwriter: Annmarie Morais
Producers: Jennifer Kawaja, Julia Sereny, Brent Barclay
Director of photography: Andre Pienaar
Production designer: Aidan Leroux
Music: Andrew Lockington
Co-producer: Claire Prieto
Costume designer: Kimberley Ann Rush
Editor: Susan Maggi
Cast:
Raya Green: Rutina Wesley
Bishop: Dwain Murphy
Michelle: Tre Armstrong
Quake: Brennan Gademans
Trey: Shawn Desman
E. C.: Kevin Duhaney
Faye Green: Melanie Nicholls-King
Running time -- 90 minutes
MPAA rating: PG-13...
- 1/25/2008
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
PARK CITY -- As the unexpectedly insane buying frenzy at the Sundance festival was reaching a fever pitch, Paramount Vantage seemed to be staying out of the spotlight. That all changed Tuesday morning when the studio announced that it has acquired two films, How She Move for $3-4 million and Son of Rambow, the fest's biggest buy so far at $7 million.
Each hefty purchase was notable because neither film features any big or even recognizable actors. How She Move, an urban drama centered in the world of step dancing, closed early Tuesday morning after an all-night bidding war that attracted several specialty divisions. Vantage picked up virtually all worldwide rights to the film from director Ian Iqbal Rashid and first-time feature screenwriter Annmarie Morais.
Move, an entry in the World Cinema dramatic competition, was produced by Jennifer Kawaja, Julia Sereny and Brent Barclay. UTA and Celluloid Dreams represented the project in the sale.
Vantage also picked up worldwide rights (excluding Japan, Germany and French free tv) to Son of Rambow, an 80s-era tale of young friends inspired to become filmmakers by their favorite Sylvester Stallone movie.
Each hefty purchase was notable because neither film features any big or even recognizable actors. How She Move, an urban drama centered in the world of step dancing, closed early Tuesday morning after an all-night bidding war that attracted several specialty divisions. Vantage picked up virtually all worldwide rights to the film from director Ian Iqbal Rashid and first-time feature screenwriter Annmarie Morais.
Move, an entry in the World Cinema dramatic competition, was produced by Jennifer Kawaja, Julia Sereny and Brent Barclay. UTA and Celluloid Dreams represented the project in the sale.
Vantage also picked up worldwide rights (excluding Japan, Germany and French free tv) to Son of Rambow, an 80s-era tale of young friends inspired to become filmmakers by their favorite Sylvester Stallone movie.
- 1/24/2007
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Amid an unexpected feeding frenzy at the Sundance Film Festival, indie mogul Harvey Weinstein continued to gobble up a smorgasbord of films. In the wake of deals for Grace Is Gone and a co-buy with Lionsgate of Teeth, the Weinstein Co., partnering with First Look Studios, bought worldwide rights to the Justin Theroux-directed romantic comedy Dedication for $4 million. Then, partnering with Fox Searchlight, it took world rights on the Mexican heart-tugger La Misma Luna for $5 million-$6 million.
"It's like Bloomingdale's before Christmas," said ThinkFilm's Mark Urman, who plunked down a hefty sum -- more than $2.5 million -- for the docu In the Shadow of the Moon. "It's a stronger collection of films. It's ironic that Sundance wanting to focus on films that were less commercial has made the festival more of a market than ever."
Paramount Vantage, which seemed to be staying out of the spotlight, announced Tuesday the acquisition of worldwide rights to two films, How She Move, for which it paid slightly $3 million in partnership with MTV Films, and Son of Rambow, the fest's biggest buy so far at about $7 million. Those two purchases were notable because neither film features any recognizable actors.
After the Cinetic Media party Monday night at Zoom, a number of deep-pocketed buyers, from Sony Pictures Classics to Lionsgate, jumped into yet another bidding war over the Mexican film Luna, directed by Patricia Riggen. The bilingual, border-crossing drama about a boy searching for his mother, eventually sold at dawn Tuesday to Searchlight and the Weinstein Co.
Weinstein and Searchlight president Peter Rice partnered on Zach Braff's 2004 Sundance pickup Garden State. Searchlight will take the lead in North America and South America, while the two companies will pick and choose which will handle international territories on a case-by-case basis, they said. They will split the global pot 50-50.
The film has the potential to reach Latin American moviegoers and a wide crossover audience not only in the U.S. but around the world, producer Ram Bergman said. "Harvey was passionate about the picture," he said. "He got the movie. The combination of Fox domestic and Weinstein international is the best of both worlds."
Luna stars recent Golden Globe winner America Ferrera (Ugly Betty) as well as Adrian Alonso (The Legend of Zorro). Written by Ligiah Villalobos, Riggen and Villalobos produced the film along with Gerardo Barrera, Norman Dreyfuss and Bergman.
"It's like Bloomingdale's before Christmas," said ThinkFilm's Mark Urman, who plunked down a hefty sum -- more than $2.5 million -- for the docu In the Shadow of the Moon. "It's a stronger collection of films. It's ironic that Sundance wanting to focus on films that were less commercial has made the festival more of a market than ever."
Paramount Vantage, which seemed to be staying out of the spotlight, announced Tuesday the acquisition of worldwide rights to two films, How She Move, for which it paid slightly $3 million in partnership with MTV Films, and Son of Rambow, the fest's biggest buy so far at about $7 million. Those two purchases were notable because neither film features any recognizable actors.
After the Cinetic Media party Monday night at Zoom, a number of deep-pocketed buyers, from Sony Pictures Classics to Lionsgate, jumped into yet another bidding war over the Mexican film Luna, directed by Patricia Riggen. The bilingual, border-crossing drama about a boy searching for his mother, eventually sold at dawn Tuesday to Searchlight and the Weinstein Co.
Weinstein and Searchlight president Peter Rice partnered on Zach Braff's 2004 Sundance pickup Garden State. Searchlight will take the lead in North America and South America, while the two companies will pick and choose which will handle international territories on a case-by-case basis, they said. They will split the global pot 50-50.
The film has the potential to reach Latin American moviegoers and a wide crossover audience not only in the U.S. but around the world, producer Ram Bergman said. "Harvey was passionate about the picture," he said. "He got the movie. The combination of Fox domestic and Weinstein international is the best of both worlds."
Luna stars recent Golden Globe winner America Ferrera (Ugly Betty) as well as Adrian Alonso (The Legend of Zorro). Written by Ligiah Villalobos, Riggen and Villalobos produced the film along with Gerardo Barrera, Norman Dreyfuss and Bergman.
- 1/24/2007
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
- Quick Links Complete Film Listing: Premieres: Dramatic Comp: Docu Comp: World Docu Comp: Spectrum: Park City at Midnight: New Frontier: Short Film Programs January 18 to 28, 2007 Counting Down: updateCountdownClock('January 18, 2007'); Blame It On Fidel (France), directed and written by Julie Gavras, which takes the point of view of a 9-year-old girl whose parents become political radicals in early '70s Paris. Drained (Brazil), directed by Heitor Dhalia and written by Marcal Aquino and Dhalia, about the life change of a devious pawnbroker.Driving With My Wife's Lover (South Korea), directed by Kim Tai-sik and written by Kim Joen-han and Kim, which describes the long taxi journey of a man and the cab driver he's learned is having an affair with his wife.Eagle Vs. Shark (New Zealand), directed and written by Taika Waititi, a portrait of two social misfits who try to find love. A Miramax release in its world premiere.
- 1/18/2007
- IONCINEMA.com
- Here is the complete listing for this year's Sundance film festival which kicks off tomorrow!January 18 to 28, 2007 Counting Down: updateCountdownClock('January 18, 2007'); Premiere's section lineup:An American Crime - Tommy O'Haver Away From Her - Sarah Polley Black Snake Moan - Craig BrewerChapter 27 - Jarrett Schaefer Chicago 10 - Brett Morgen Clubland - Cherie Nowlan The Good Night - Jake Paltrow King of California - Mike Cahill Life Support - Nelson George Longford - Tom Hooper The Nines - John August Resurrecting the Champ - Rod Lurie The Savages - Tamara Jenkins Son of Rambow - Garth Jennings Summer Rain - Antonio Banderas Trade - Marco Kreuzpaintner Year of the Dog - Mike White Dramatic Competition:Adrift in Manhattan - Alfredo de Villa Broken English - Zoe CassavetesFour Sheets to the Wind - Sterlin HarjoThe Good Life - Steve BerraGrace Is Gone - James C. StrouseHounddog - Deborah Kampmeier Joshua
- 1/17/2007
- IONCINEMA.com
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