screenselect.co.uk acquires In Movies Ltd
Online DVD rental company screenselect.co.uk today announced that it has acquired the business of In Movies Ltd, the longest established industry player, resulting in the creation of the industry market leader.
Screenselect.co.uk launched in September 2003 with a mission to
"amazon" high street video rental. Backed by Simon Murdoch, the founder of amazon.co.uk, and with a number of the original amazon.co.uk launch team on board, screenselect.co.uk now offers the ‘largest DVD library on the planet’ with over 16,000 unique titles (over 10x more than the average video rental store).
In Movies was founded in 1999 by Laurence Penn and became the first UK business to offer an online DVD subscription service. With immediate effect, Laurence Penn is joining the screenselect.co.uk board. Screenselect.co.uk will also own In Movie’s exclusive editorial content, which has been built up over the past four years.
"The success of Netflix in the United States demonstrates that online rental has the potential to transform the way consumers watch, rent and own DVDs," says Laurence Penn. "Screenselect.co.uk has the funding and the know-how to be as successful in the UK and this deal allows all of us at In Movies to be part of the UK market leader."
"This is an important milestone for Screenselect.co.uk,” says managing director William Reeve. “First of all we can benefit from the invaluable expertise of Laurence and the In Movies team. Secondly, we're able to bulk up our customer and stock numbers much faster than we can do organically. And finally, this deal secures our market leadership in the UK - it makes us the biggest player, allowing us to benefit from economies of scale by deploying our sophisticated proprietary fulfillment technology across a larger operation."
Screenselect.co.uk offers 24/7 online ordering, free delivery and
returns and no late fines - ever. With Screenselect.co.uk’s £14.99 monthly fee, subscribers keep a revolving library of three DVDs at a time, which they can exchange as often as they like. Screenselect.co.uk offers not only the largest selection of titles but also the best value available in the UK.
After signing up, subscribers to screenselect.co.uk build a list of
titles that they wish to see from the 16,000+ titles on offer and
prioritise which they want to see first. Screenselect.co.uk sends out 3 immediately and once a subscriber has finished with a disc, they simply mail it back in a pre-paid envelope and the next title from the customer’s wish-list is sent out first class in the post.
As subscribers watch and rate DVDs they also benefit from
Screenselect.co.uk’s unique personalisation technology which recommends other titles for them.
With the aim of further accelerating its growth, screenselect.co.uk has embarked on an aggressive marketing campaign that has seen inserts placed in several hundred thousand DVD player boxes to be sold in the run up to Christmas. Screenselect.co.uk is also currently offering anyone who signs up a free, no obligation trial to the service.
I have been using this service in the last few weeks and it has worked very well. Their website makes selecting the movie you want very easy, and they email you when they send out a new DVD.
Monday, December 22, 2003
Wednesday, December 17, 2003
From Bradford With Love...
James Bond 007 film producer and screenwriter Michael Wilson was amongst leading figures from the worlds of arts, fundraising and film to receive Honorary Degrees from the University of Bradford recently.
The University also honoured Bill Huntley, Peter Layton and Blake Morrison.
Director of the British Film Institute Amanda Nevill, who gave Mr Wilson’s oration, said: “I am delighted that Michael Wilson has been recognised by the University of Bradford, both for his contribution to the British film industry through the iconic James Bond Films and also for his influential guidance and support to the National Museum of Photography, Film and Television.”
Michael Wilson completed his undergraduate work in Electrical Engineering at Harvey Mudd College in Claremont, USA, and received a law degree from Stanford University in 1966.
He practised at a New York firm where he specialised in international taxation, before joining Eon Productions Limited where he became the assistant to the producer on a film about a fictional British spy called James Bond, The Spy Who Loved Me.
Mr Wilson went on to executive produce Moonraker and the next two Bond movies. Alongside veteran screenwriter Dick Maibaum he co-wrote For Your Eyes Only, Octopussy, A View to a Kill, The Living Daylights and Licence to Kill. He co-produced A View to a Kill, The Living Daylights and Licence to Kill with his stepfather, the late Albert “Cubby” Broccoli.
When Bond returned to the screen six years later, Mr Wilson joined his sister Barbara Broccoli to produce GoldenEye, Tomorrow Never Dies, The World is Not Enough and Die Another Day, which coincided with the 40th anniversary of the Bond series.
Mr Wilson is also a leading expert on 19th-century photography, which he began collecting in the late 1970s. In 1998 he formed the Wilson Centre for Photography which hosts an archive to preserve early photographs and provides study and research facilities for students and researchers.
Mr Wilson is recognised for his contributions to the film industry through his development of the globally recognised and enjoyed Bond franchise. He is also recognised for his key role in the development of Bradford’s National Museum of Photography, Film and Television and its educational and curatorial agendas.
Professor Chris Taylor, Vice-Chancellor of the University, said: “We are pleased to be able to recognise the achievements of someone who has contributed so much to the film industry through the magnificent James Bond franchise. We are delighted to welcome Michael Wilson as an Honorary Graduate of the University.”
James Bond 007 film producer and screenwriter Michael Wilson was amongst leading figures from the worlds of arts, fundraising and film to receive Honorary Degrees from the University of Bradford recently.
The University also honoured Bill Huntley, Peter Layton and Blake Morrison.
Director of the British Film Institute Amanda Nevill, who gave Mr Wilson’s oration, said: “I am delighted that Michael Wilson has been recognised by the University of Bradford, both for his contribution to the British film industry through the iconic James Bond Films and also for his influential guidance and support to the National Museum of Photography, Film and Television.”
Michael Wilson completed his undergraduate work in Electrical Engineering at Harvey Mudd College in Claremont, USA, and received a law degree from Stanford University in 1966.
He practised at a New York firm where he specialised in international taxation, before joining Eon Productions Limited where he became the assistant to the producer on a film about a fictional British spy called James Bond, The Spy Who Loved Me.
Mr Wilson went on to executive produce Moonraker and the next two Bond movies. Alongside veteran screenwriter Dick Maibaum he co-wrote For Your Eyes Only, Octopussy, A View to a Kill, The Living Daylights and Licence to Kill. He co-produced A View to a Kill, The Living Daylights and Licence to Kill with his stepfather, the late Albert “Cubby” Broccoli.
When Bond returned to the screen six years later, Mr Wilson joined his sister Barbara Broccoli to produce GoldenEye, Tomorrow Never Dies, The World is Not Enough and Die Another Day, which coincided with the 40th anniversary of the Bond series.
Mr Wilson is also a leading expert on 19th-century photography, which he began collecting in the late 1970s. In 1998 he formed the Wilson Centre for Photography which hosts an archive to preserve early photographs and provides study and research facilities for students and researchers.
Mr Wilson is recognised for his contributions to the film industry through his development of the globally recognised and enjoyed Bond franchise. He is also recognised for his key role in the development of Bradford’s National Museum of Photography, Film and Television and its educational and curatorial agendas.
Professor Chris Taylor, Vice-Chancellor of the University, said: “We are pleased to be able to recognise the achievements of someone who has contributed so much to the film industry through the magnificent James Bond franchise. We are delighted to welcome Michael Wilson as an Honorary Graduate of the University.”
Is It Hobbit Forming?
Major International Lord of the Rings research project launches today
It’s Christmas, precioussss… and it’s the season for Hobbits, Elves and Dark Lords. Amidst all the movie hype an international team of academics is on a quest to find out what on Middle Earth people actually get from viewing Lord of the Rings: Return of the King. Academic researchers across 20 countries and five continents want audiences around the world to tell them about their experiences of the film.
Led by the UK team at The University of Wales, Aberystwyth, today (December 17th) will see the launch of a multi-lingual (13 languages) web questionnaire expecting to attract over 100,000 responses world wide. (www.lordoftheringsresearch.net ).
Their research is part of a major international research project using the release of the third film to investigate, for the very first time, the ways in which film fantasy plays a part in people’s lives. Each research group is monitoring the media coverage and marketing strategies that accompany the film’s release, watching the build-up of expectations in each country. Later, in-depth interviews will be carried out, to give a rich picture of why the film matters to different people.
The project’s director is Professor Martin Barker. This is the latest in a series of studies by Professor Barker, many of which have focused on audiences responses to films. Amongst them are Judge Dredd (1995), Crash (1997) and the 1999 comedy Being John Malkovich. He is currently researching responses to A Clockwork Orange and Straw Dogs, two notorious films from 1971 that recently have been re-released.
Other principal researchers, Ernest Mathijs and Janet Jones, have just completed international research into audience response to the hit reality TV show Big Brother.
According to Professor Barker, central to the work will be questions about how the Lord of the Rings, which is essentially a fantasy, connects with people’s lives.
“The Fellowship of the Ring and The Two Towers have been enormous international box office successes, yet they pose some interesting questions. The story’s background and mythology are undeniably English, yet the film is set in New Zealand with financial backing from Hollywood. It has unquestionably become a celebration of New Zealand’s rugged terrain.”
“We will be asking questions about how audiences respond the mixing of English modern myth, American cultural imperialism and New Zealand’s striking physical presence. Where in all this is Middle Earth, and what does it signify to people?
And as New Line Cinema, the film’s producers, said in their promotional programme on the film, “Now The Lord of the Rings trilogy belongs to the audience.”
The project ‘Launch and Reception of Lord of the Rings III, the functions of film fantasy’, is being funded by a £40,000 grant from the Economic and Social Research Council.
Major International Lord of the Rings research project launches today
It’s Christmas, precioussss… and it’s the season for Hobbits, Elves and Dark Lords. Amidst all the movie hype an international team of academics is on a quest to find out what on Middle Earth people actually get from viewing Lord of the Rings: Return of the King. Academic researchers across 20 countries and five continents want audiences around the world to tell them about their experiences of the film.
Led by the UK team at The University of Wales, Aberystwyth, today (December 17th) will see the launch of a multi-lingual (13 languages) web questionnaire expecting to attract over 100,000 responses world wide. (www.lordoftheringsresearch.net ).
Their research is part of a major international research project using the release of the third film to investigate, for the very first time, the ways in which film fantasy plays a part in people’s lives. Each research group is monitoring the media coverage and marketing strategies that accompany the film’s release, watching the build-up of expectations in each country. Later, in-depth interviews will be carried out, to give a rich picture of why the film matters to different people.
The project’s director is Professor Martin Barker. This is the latest in a series of studies by Professor Barker, many of which have focused on audiences responses to films. Amongst them are Judge Dredd (1995), Crash (1997) and the 1999 comedy Being John Malkovich. He is currently researching responses to A Clockwork Orange and Straw Dogs, two notorious films from 1971 that recently have been re-released.
Other principal researchers, Ernest Mathijs and Janet Jones, have just completed international research into audience response to the hit reality TV show Big Brother.
According to Professor Barker, central to the work will be questions about how the Lord of the Rings, which is essentially a fantasy, connects with people’s lives.
“The Fellowship of the Ring and The Two Towers have been enormous international box office successes, yet they pose some interesting questions. The story’s background and mythology are undeniably English, yet the film is set in New Zealand with financial backing from Hollywood. It has unquestionably become a celebration of New Zealand’s rugged terrain.”
“We will be asking questions about how audiences respond the mixing of English modern myth, American cultural imperialism and New Zealand’s striking physical presence. Where in all this is Middle Earth, and what does it signify to people?
And as New Line Cinema, the film’s producers, said in their promotional programme on the film, “Now The Lord of the Rings trilogy belongs to the audience.”
The project ‘Launch and Reception of Lord of the Rings III, the functions of film fantasy’, is being funded by a £40,000 grant from the Economic and Social Research Council.
Friday, December 12, 2003
THE LOS ANGELES FILM SCHOOL INVITES THE PUBLIC TO SHORT FILM EVENT TONIGHT: 12 December 2003
One of the World's Best Equipped Film Schools Continues to Celebrate its Commitment to Spotlighting Independent Filmmaking at Monthly Event.
Come see LA's Hottest Shorts. The Los Angeles Film School has opened its doors since November 16, 2002 to the world's newest
filmmakers providing a 350 seat state-of-the-art screening arena.
This Friday Night Shorts will feature
Pings Ben Hope
Seafood Heaven Angela Lane Stablein
Deadbeat Deavid Rolland
7th Bottle Gustavo Camelot
Hide and Secrets Joey Velazquez
When: Friday, December 12th, 2003
What time: 7:00pm
Where: The Los Angeles Film School R Theater
6363 Sunset Blvd. (One block east of Cahuenga)
Entrance on Ivar, adjacent to parking garage.
Cost: $2 admission
*If you would like to submit a film or would like more information on
this event, please contact Iris Green 323.860.0789.
6363 Sunset Blvd. Suite 400
Hollywood, California 90028
www.lafilm.com
One of the World's Best Equipped Film Schools Continues to Celebrate its Commitment to Spotlighting Independent Filmmaking at Monthly Event.
Come see LA's Hottest Shorts. The Los Angeles Film School has opened its doors since November 16, 2002 to the world's newest
filmmakers providing a 350 seat state-of-the-art screening arena.
This Friday Night Shorts will feature
Pings Ben Hope
Seafood Heaven Angela Lane Stablein
Deadbeat Deavid Rolland
7th Bottle Gustavo Camelot
Hide and Secrets Joey Velazquez
When: Friday, December 12th, 2003
What time: 7:00pm
Where: The Los Angeles Film School R Theater
6363 Sunset Blvd. (One block east of Cahuenga)
Entrance on Ivar, adjacent to parking garage.
Cost: $2 admission
*If you would like to submit a film or would like more information on
this event, please contact Iris Green 323.860.0789.
6363 Sunset Blvd. Suite 400
Hollywood, California 90028
www.lafilm.com
Thursday, December 11, 2003
Scottish films enjoy success in first year of new scheme
New Found Films, a digital feature scheme launched by Scottish TV & Grampian TV in collaboration with Scottish Screen at the beginning of the year has reaped rich rewards for both the commissioners and the producers.
'Afterlife' and 'Blinded' are the two features developed and produced under New Found Films, which is an evolution of the New Found Land half-hour drama scheme.
Afterlife produced by Gabriel Films, stars Kevin McKidd, Lindsay Duncan, Shirley Henderson and Paula Sage. It premiered at the Edinburgh International Film Festival in August where it won the 'Audience Award'. Since then interest in the film has gathered pace and Afterlife was invited to screen at the London Film Festival. Acclaimed by critics and public alike, the film also attracted interest from America with an invitation from
the American Film Institute International Film Festival in Los Angeles which saw Afterlife premiere in the States last month. Scottish TV can exclusively reveal that following its successful screening in LA, Afterlife has been chosen to appear at the prestigious Palm Springs Film Festival in January, one of the largest festivals of its kind in America.
The second New Found Film, Blinded, starring Peter Mullan, Jodhi May, Anders Berthelsen, Samantha Bond and Phyllida Law is produced by Oscar Films. Recently completed, Blinded has successfully undergone a small number of test screenings where reaction from the audience has been extremely positive. It is expected that Blinded will enjoy festival and cinema success in 2004.
Imation To Sponsor 'MTV at the Movies'
Imation Europe B.V. has concluded an exciting new contract with MTV Networks Europe to sponsor 'MTV at The Movies'. The pan-European package is part of its strategy to broaden the reach of the Imation brand within the digital consumer market.
The sponsorship will comprise on-air sponsorship billboards attached to MTV Movie Specials, MTV Making the Movie and MTV Movie Awards programming and dedicated advertising spots across all MTV Networks. On-line integration across MTV's nine European web sites will include banner ads, reciprocal links to regional Imation websites, E-newsletters, and competitions. An integrated presence at both the MTV party at the world famous Cannes Film Festival and the MTV Film Awards in Hollywood is also included.
New Found Films, a digital feature scheme launched by Scottish TV & Grampian TV in collaboration with Scottish Screen at the beginning of the year has reaped rich rewards for both the commissioners and the producers.
'Afterlife' and 'Blinded' are the two features developed and produced under New Found Films, which is an evolution of the New Found Land half-hour drama scheme.
Afterlife produced by Gabriel Films, stars Kevin McKidd, Lindsay Duncan, Shirley Henderson and Paula Sage. It premiered at the Edinburgh International Film Festival in August where it won the 'Audience Award'. Since then interest in the film has gathered pace and Afterlife was invited to screen at the London Film Festival. Acclaimed by critics and public alike, the film also attracted interest from America with an invitation from
the American Film Institute International Film Festival in Los Angeles which saw Afterlife premiere in the States last month. Scottish TV can exclusively reveal that following its successful screening in LA, Afterlife has been chosen to appear at the prestigious Palm Springs Film Festival in January, one of the largest festivals of its kind in America.
The second New Found Film, Blinded, starring Peter Mullan, Jodhi May, Anders Berthelsen, Samantha Bond and Phyllida Law is produced by Oscar Films. Recently completed, Blinded has successfully undergone a small number of test screenings where reaction from the audience has been extremely positive. It is expected that Blinded will enjoy festival and cinema success in 2004.
Imation To Sponsor 'MTV at the Movies'
Imation Europe B.V. has concluded an exciting new contract with MTV Networks Europe to sponsor 'MTV at The Movies'. The pan-European package is part of its strategy to broaden the reach of the Imation brand within the digital consumer market.
The sponsorship will comprise on-air sponsorship billboards attached to MTV Movie Specials, MTV Making the Movie and MTV Movie Awards programming and dedicated advertising spots across all MTV Networks. On-line integration across MTV's nine European web sites will include banner ads, reciprocal links to regional Imation websites, E-newsletters, and competitions. An integrated presence at both the MTV party at the world famous Cannes Film Festival and the MTV Film Awards in Hollywood is also included.
Thursday, December 04, 2003
Moving Conversations - Poetry in Motion
Lively panel discussion about poetry with some of Scotland’s leading arts and cultural figures, followed by cult 1995 film Il Postino
Venue: The Filmhouse, Lothian Road, Edinburgh
Date: Friday 12 December, 2003
Time: 8pm
Tickets: £6.50 per ticket (£5.50 Concessions) call 0131 228 2688 to book.
Edinburgh based Futurist Cinema Company is running another of its popular Moving Conversations on 12 December. This time the venue is Edinburgh’s Filmhouse and the subject for a lively panel discussion is poetry, arranged in conjunction with The Scottish Poetry Library. The panellists, who will each identify their essential poetic movie will be acclaimed Scottish poet,
Donny O’Rourke; former SNP culture spokesman, Mike Russell; journalist and cultural commentator, Brian Morton and director of The Scottish Poetry Library, Robyn Marsack. The discussion will be followed by a showing of the art-house hit Il Postino.
The event fits well with the Scottish Poetry Library’s continued mission to take poetry out into the wider Scottish community. Il Postino, which was a hit film in 1995 celebrates the life of exiled Chilean poet, Pablo Neruda. It is fitting therefore that the event takes place on the cusp of Neruda’s centenary celebrations in 2004.
Robyn Marsack, Director of the Poetry Library is excited by the prospect of Moving Conversations: “When Mike brought the idea to us, we jumped at the chance to reach a wide and different audience for poets and poetry. I am very pleased to be amongst such distinguished company on the panel and look forward to hearing about their choices of film.”
To widen awareness about the work of the Scottish Poetry Library and Moving Conversations, the multimedia poem Twenty Blessings will be shown on the video screens in the Filmhouse bar throughout November. Also, on the night itself, a Scottish Poetry Library bookshop will be open in the cinema foyer selling some of Scotland’s leading contemporary verse publications.
Moving Conversations starts at 8pm on Friday 12 December. Tickets cost £6.50 (£5.50) concession and can be obtained from the Filmhouse box office (Tel: 0131 228 2688).
As the old saying goes, “Robert Burns….doesn’t he.”
Lively panel discussion about poetry with some of Scotland’s leading arts and cultural figures, followed by cult 1995 film Il Postino
Venue: The Filmhouse, Lothian Road, Edinburgh
Date: Friday 12 December, 2003
Time: 8pm
Tickets: £6.50 per ticket (£5.50 Concessions) call 0131 228 2688 to book.
Edinburgh based Futurist Cinema Company is running another of its popular Moving Conversations on 12 December. This time the venue is Edinburgh’s Filmhouse and the subject for a lively panel discussion is poetry, arranged in conjunction with The Scottish Poetry Library. The panellists, who will each identify their essential poetic movie will be acclaimed Scottish poet,
Donny O’Rourke; former SNP culture spokesman, Mike Russell; journalist and cultural commentator, Brian Morton and director of The Scottish Poetry Library, Robyn Marsack. The discussion will be followed by a showing of the art-house hit Il Postino.
The event fits well with the Scottish Poetry Library’s continued mission to take poetry out into the wider Scottish community. Il Postino, which was a hit film in 1995 celebrates the life of exiled Chilean poet, Pablo Neruda. It is fitting therefore that the event takes place on the cusp of Neruda’s centenary celebrations in 2004.
Robyn Marsack, Director of the Poetry Library is excited by the prospect of Moving Conversations: “When Mike brought the idea to us, we jumped at the chance to reach a wide and different audience for poets and poetry. I am very pleased to be amongst such distinguished company on the panel and look forward to hearing about their choices of film.”
To widen awareness about the work of the Scottish Poetry Library and Moving Conversations, the multimedia poem Twenty Blessings will be shown on the video screens in the Filmhouse bar throughout November. Also, on the night itself, a Scottish Poetry Library bookshop will be open in the cinema foyer selling some of Scotland’s leading contemporary verse publications.
Moving Conversations starts at 8pm on Friday 12 December. Tickets cost £6.50 (£5.50) concession and can be obtained from the Filmhouse box office (Tel: 0131 228 2688).
As the old saying goes, “Robert Burns….doesn’t he.”
Tuesday, December 02, 2003
What's on at the Science Museum, London, UK: December 2003 and January 2004
The Lord of the Rings Motion Picture Trilogy - The Exhibition
To 11 January 04
To celebrate the UK premiere of The Return of the King, the Science Museum is offering half price entry to The Lord of the Rings Motion Picture Trilogy - The Exhibition to anyone who dresses up as character from the trilogy. The special offer will apply on Thursday 11 December, the day the film's real stars gather in London for the premiere at the Odeon in Leicester Square.
To qualify for half price entry, visitors must convince staff that
they resemble a character from the famous films. Visitors in fancy dress can also take a free photo of themselves shrunk to the size of a hobbit on Gandalf's famous cart.
Hundreds of props from the movies including models, armoury and
costumes are on display alongside interactive computer demonstrations of the cutting-edge technology used to bring the story to life.
The family exhibition has opened before the final instalment of the
film trilogy and the Science Museum will be its only European venue.
Visitors also have a chance to see the first two films of the trilogy at the Science Museum's cinema.
The Lord of the Rings Motion Picture Trilogy - The Exhibition has
already sold more advance tickets than any previous exhibition at the Science Museum. We have extended the weekend opening hours of the exhibition and, although some Tickets will be available at the door, advanced booking is the only way to guarantee entry.
The fascinating exhibition includes:
* Demonstrations of special effects, including the combining of 'real' and 'digital' action and CGI (computer-generated-image technology).
* A scaling interactive explaining one way that the films managed to make characters seem different heights, and which allows visitors to become Hobbit sized in a scene from The Fellowship of the Ring - and then buy a print of themselves.
* A display on the prosthetics which transformed actors, including Hobbit hands and feet.
* Weapons belonging to Arwen, Gandalf, Frodo, and Aragorn.
* Outfits including Arwen's riding costume, Galadriel's stunning dress and Gandalf's robes.
The exhibition culminates with a face-to-face encounter with the central icon from the films - The One Ring.
Tickets can be pre-booked on 0870 906 3890 24 hours (booking fee applies) or at www.sciencemuseum.org.uk
Films showing at the Science Museum IMAX Cinema
Santa vs. the Snowman (U) until 16 January 2004.
He's a busy man but Santa has made an entry in his diary to make a special return visit to the Science Museum IMAX cinema this Christmas. That's right, Santa is back in glorious 3D with his old arch enemy the Snowman and his snow minions to battle for the rights to Christmas. If you didn't see Santa vs. the Snowman last Christmas you must get yourself down to the Science Museum this year for the festivities. Santa vs. the Snowman is a perfect family film with humour for all ages and 3D digital technology that brings Christmas to life. So get yourself to the Science Museum and you could be ducking snowballs, jet-propelled reindeer and hot
chocolate squirt-guns all without leaving your seat!
Bugs! 3D (U)
Join Heirodula and Papilio, a praying mantis and a caterpillar, for a
rainforest adventure like no other and discover the ups and downs of being an insect. Delve into their miniature life enlarged on the giant IMAX screen and see the world through their eyes where grass towers like skyscrapers and raindrops are the size of cannon balls. You may find that creepy crawlies are not as creepy as you think!
Ghosts of the Abyss (U)
Join Hollywood actor Bill Paxton and a crew of diving experts as they embark on a journey to one of the most famous shipwrecks of all time - the Titanic.
Directed by James Cameron, Ghosts of the Abyss captures the awe and wonder of the crew as they see the Titanic for the first time and follows their story as they attempt to get closer to the wreck using the latest technology. With a digital surround sound system and 3D imagery, you will feel that you are actually accompanying them in their underwater voyage.
Everest (U)
Everest is the true story of a team of climbers who found hope in the wake of tragedy. Their successful ascent of Mount Everest just days after fellow mountaineers died there, is a compelling story about the human spirit and a mountain they love, respect and sometimes fear.
Everest takes audiences across creaking icefalls, gaping chasms and up towering cliffs, through a harrowing rescue, and into the danger zone of oxygen-thin altitude.
Find out more at www.everestfilm.com
Space Station 3D (U)
Prepare for the launch of the first ever 3D IMAX movie to be filmed in Space and experience life onboard the new International Space Station. Float alongside the first men and women to inhabit the new station and see how the astronauts shower, shave and keep fit without gravity to help them. Film sponsored by Lockheed Martin and filmed in association with NASA.
T-Rex: Back to the Cretaceous (U)
Join Ally, the daughter of a museum curator, as she attempts to carry out her own research into dinosaurs with a science experiment that goes disastrously wrong. When Ally finds herself transported into the Cretaceous period she discovers what dinosaurs were really like and learns more than her father could ever imagine. With state-of-the-art 3D technology you can
be there too experiencing the roar of a T-Rex and the tremors of its footsteps. If you missed this amazing 3D adventure last time, don't make the same mistake again!
SOS Planet 3D (U)
From the ocean floor to the heart of the rainforest, experience the plight of our fragile planet and its changing environments in this 3D animated extravaganza. Join polar bears, pandas, turtles and monkeys in this thought-provoking journey that highlights the most pressing environmental issues of our time!
Imax Booking Line 0870 870 4771
More info: www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/imax
Prices: £7.10 adults and £5.95 children/concessions
------------------------------------------------
Events
Science Museum visitors can discover the secrets of camera trickery and filmmaking at a special series of adult and children's events linked to The Lord of the Rings Motion Picture Trilogy - The Exhibition
Christmas Holidays 27 December - 4 January
27 - 29 December, 2 - 4 January
Inventing the Image (demonstration)
Enter a giant camera obscura, handle objects from the museum's collections and join in with this action packed investigation of how the movies come to life.
11.30 - 12.15
13.30 - 14.15
15.15 - 16.00
28 - 31 December, 3 - 4 January
Top of the props! (workshop)
There are only two days left until filming begins and the Props
Department have forgotten to make helmets for the actors. Pass your young prop makers exam, and you can make your own helmet then use a simple special effect to add a touch of magic.
11.00 - 11.30
13.00 - 13.30
14.30 - 15.00
30-31 December, 2-4 January
Lights, Camera, Action (drama)
Do you know how a film is put together? Spectrum Film Productions
don't! Their latest film is going badly wrong. Join them as they attempt to fix it and watch the end results.
12.30 - 13.00
14.30 - 15.00
15.45 - 16.15
NB: Events cannot be pre-booked and entry is on a first come first
served basis. Admission to the Science Museum is free for all visitors. A charge applies to the Science Museum IMAX® Cinema, simulator rides and The Lord of the Rings Motion Picture Trilogy - The Exhibition.
Tickets can be pre-booked on 0870 906 3890 24 hours (booking fee applies) or at www.sciencemuseum.org.uk
The Lord of the Rings Motion Picture Trilogy - The Exhibition
To 11 January 04
To celebrate the UK premiere of The Return of the King, the Science Museum is offering half price entry to The Lord of the Rings Motion Picture Trilogy - The Exhibition to anyone who dresses up as character from the trilogy. The special offer will apply on Thursday 11 December, the day the film's real stars gather in London for the premiere at the Odeon in Leicester Square.
To qualify for half price entry, visitors must convince staff that
they resemble a character from the famous films. Visitors in fancy dress can also take a free photo of themselves shrunk to the size of a hobbit on Gandalf's famous cart.
Hundreds of props from the movies including models, armoury and
costumes are on display alongside interactive computer demonstrations of the cutting-edge technology used to bring the story to life.
The family exhibition has opened before the final instalment of the
film trilogy and the Science Museum will be its only European venue.
Visitors also have a chance to see the first two films of the trilogy at the Science Museum's cinema.
The Lord of the Rings Motion Picture Trilogy - The Exhibition has
already sold more advance tickets than any previous exhibition at the Science Museum. We have extended the weekend opening hours of the exhibition and, although some Tickets will be available at the door, advanced booking is the only way to guarantee entry.
The fascinating exhibition includes:
* Demonstrations of special effects, including the combining of 'real' and 'digital' action and CGI (computer-generated-image technology).
* A scaling interactive explaining one way that the films managed to make characters seem different heights, and which allows visitors to become Hobbit sized in a scene from The Fellowship of the Ring - and then buy a print of themselves.
* A display on the prosthetics which transformed actors, including Hobbit hands and feet.
* Weapons belonging to Arwen, Gandalf, Frodo, and Aragorn.
* Outfits including Arwen's riding costume, Galadriel's stunning dress and Gandalf's robes.
The exhibition culminates with a face-to-face encounter with the central icon from the films - The One Ring.
Tickets can be pre-booked on 0870 906 3890 24 hours (booking fee applies) or at www.sciencemuseum.org.uk
Films showing at the Science Museum IMAX Cinema
Santa vs. the Snowman (U) until 16 January 2004.
He's a busy man but Santa has made an entry in his diary to make a special return visit to the Science Museum IMAX cinema this Christmas. That's right, Santa is back in glorious 3D with his old arch enemy the Snowman and his snow minions to battle for the rights to Christmas. If you didn't see Santa vs. the Snowman last Christmas you must get yourself down to the Science Museum this year for the festivities. Santa vs. the Snowman is a perfect family film with humour for all ages and 3D digital technology that brings Christmas to life. So get yourself to the Science Museum and you could be ducking snowballs, jet-propelled reindeer and hot
chocolate squirt-guns all without leaving your seat!
Bugs! 3D (U)
Join Heirodula and Papilio, a praying mantis and a caterpillar, for a
rainforest adventure like no other and discover the ups and downs of being an insect. Delve into their miniature life enlarged on the giant IMAX screen and see the world through their eyes where grass towers like skyscrapers and raindrops are the size of cannon balls. You may find that creepy crawlies are not as creepy as you think!
Ghosts of the Abyss (U)
Join Hollywood actor Bill Paxton and a crew of diving experts as they embark on a journey to one of the most famous shipwrecks of all time - the Titanic.
Directed by James Cameron, Ghosts of the Abyss captures the awe and wonder of the crew as they see the Titanic for the first time and follows their story as they attempt to get closer to the wreck using the latest technology. With a digital surround sound system and 3D imagery, you will feel that you are actually accompanying them in their underwater voyage.
Everest (U)
Everest is the true story of a team of climbers who found hope in the wake of tragedy. Their successful ascent of Mount Everest just days after fellow mountaineers died there, is a compelling story about the human spirit and a mountain they love, respect and sometimes fear.
Everest takes audiences across creaking icefalls, gaping chasms and up towering cliffs, through a harrowing rescue, and into the danger zone of oxygen-thin altitude.
Find out more at www.everestfilm.com
Space Station 3D (U)
Prepare for the launch of the first ever 3D IMAX movie to be filmed in Space and experience life onboard the new International Space Station. Float alongside the first men and women to inhabit the new station and see how the astronauts shower, shave and keep fit without gravity to help them. Film sponsored by Lockheed Martin and filmed in association with NASA.
T-Rex: Back to the Cretaceous (U)
Join Ally, the daughter of a museum curator, as she attempts to carry out her own research into dinosaurs with a science experiment that goes disastrously wrong. When Ally finds herself transported into the Cretaceous period she discovers what dinosaurs were really like and learns more than her father could ever imagine. With state-of-the-art 3D technology you can
be there too experiencing the roar of a T-Rex and the tremors of its footsteps. If you missed this amazing 3D adventure last time, don't make the same mistake again!
SOS Planet 3D (U)
From the ocean floor to the heart of the rainforest, experience the plight of our fragile planet and its changing environments in this 3D animated extravaganza. Join polar bears, pandas, turtles and monkeys in this thought-provoking journey that highlights the most pressing environmental issues of our time!
Imax Booking Line 0870 870 4771
More info: www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/imax
Prices: £7.10 adults and £5.95 children/concessions
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Events
Science Museum visitors can discover the secrets of camera trickery and filmmaking at a special series of adult and children's events linked to The Lord of the Rings Motion Picture Trilogy - The Exhibition
Christmas Holidays 27 December - 4 January
27 - 29 December, 2 - 4 January
Inventing the Image (demonstration)
Enter a giant camera obscura, handle objects from the museum's collections and join in with this action packed investigation of how the movies come to life.
11.30 - 12.15
13.30 - 14.15
15.15 - 16.00
28 - 31 December, 3 - 4 January
Top of the props! (workshop)
There are only two days left until filming begins and the Props
Department have forgotten to make helmets for the actors. Pass your young prop makers exam, and you can make your own helmet then use a simple special effect to add a touch of magic.
11.00 - 11.30
13.00 - 13.30
14.30 - 15.00
30-31 December, 2-4 January
Lights, Camera, Action (drama)
Do you know how a film is put together? Spectrum Film Productions
don't! Their latest film is going badly wrong. Join them as they attempt to fix it and watch the end results.
12.30 - 13.00
14.30 - 15.00
15.45 - 16.15
NB: Events cannot be pre-booked and entry is on a first come first
served basis. Admission to the Science Museum is free for all visitors. A charge applies to the Science Museum IMAX® Cinema, simulator rides and The Lord of the Rings Motion Picture Trilogy - The Exhibition.
Tickets can be pre-booked on 0870 906 3890 24 hours (booking fee applies) or at www.sciencemuseum.org.uk
Wednesday, November 19, 2003
LEXUS IF (INSIDE FILM) AWARDS WINNERS ANNOUNCEMENT
Gettin’ Square and Japanese Story, the people’s choice in Australian film
Winners for the 2003 Lexus IF (Inside Film) Awards were announced in Sydney earlier this month, at a prestigious event staged at Wharf 8 in Pyrmont. Hosted by Deborah Mailman, the live broadcast was followed by a celebratory party presented by Autore South Sea Pearls. Gettin' Square and Japanese Story earned the highest accolades on the night. Japanese Story collected four IF awards including Best Film, Best Direction, Best Actress and Best Cinematography. Gettin' Square won five IF awards including Best Actor, Best Script, Best Music, Best Sound and Best Editing.
This year's star studded awards event was attended by luminaries of the Australian film industry and supported by high profile identities from fashion, art and music. Guests included Toni Collette, Deborah Mailman, Geoffrey Rush, Stephen Fry, Bryan Brown, Rachel Ward, Claudia Karvan, Rose Byrne, Rachael Blake, Barry Otto, Helen Buday, Kick Gurry, Leona Edmiston, Sigrid Thornton, Jill Bilcock, Robert Connolly, Akira Isogawa, Sophie Lee, Peter Morrissey, The Hon. Bob Carr MP, Sarah Jane Clarke, Heidi Middleton, Peta Wilson, Gillian Armstrong, Sam Worthington and Jan Chapman.
The winner of the SHOWTIME IF Award for Best Feature Film is Japanese Story (Prod: Sue Maslin)
Sue Brooks was awarded the Animal Logic IF Award for Best Direction for Japanese Story.
Gettin' Square's Chris Nyst won the Mushroom Pictures IF Award for Best Script.
The winner for the Kodak IF Award for Best Cinematography was Ian Baker for Japanese Story.
The Autore South Sea Pearls IF Award for Best Actor was awarded to David Wenham for his unforgettable performance in Gettin' Square.
Toni Collette's powerful performance in Japanese Story earned her the Instyle IF Award for Best Actress.
The winner of the Gray & Perkins Lawyers IF Award for Best Short Film was Roy Höllsdotter Live (Prod: Trevor Blainey and Dir: Matthew Saville).
The winner of the Rising Sun Pictures IF Award for Best Animation went to Ward 13 (Prod / Dir: Peter Cornwell).
The Odyssey Channel IF Award for Best Short Documentary was awarded to Painting With Light in a Dark World (Prod: Renata Shuman and Dir: Sascha Ettinger).
Wildness (Prod: Michael McMahon and Dir: Scott Millwood) was awarded the Discovery Channel IF Award for Best Documentary.
The Yalumba Independent Spirit Award was awarded to Khoa Do for his powerful debut feature The Finished People.
The winner of the Ztudio What IF? Award for Best Unproduced Screenplay was Rie Natalenko for Heloise.
The BMG IF Award for Best Music went to Chit Chat Von Loopin Stab and 3K Short from Machine Gun Fellatio for Gettin' Square.
The winners of the Tracks IF Award for Best Sound were John Schiefelbein, Antony Gray and Ian McLoughlin for Gettin' Square.
The LaB sydney IF Award for Best Production Design was awarded to Steven Jones-Evans for Ned Kelly.
The Frameworks IF Award for Best Editing went to Ken Sallows ASE for Gettin' Square.
Jill Bilcock was recognised for her outstanding contribution to the Australian film industry as an editor, as the recipient of the Freixenet Living Legend IF Award.
Australian comedy, Crackerjack, was awarded the Film Finance Corporation Australia IF Award for Box Office Achievement.
Matthew Saville was awarded the Lexus IF Award for Rising Talent for his comic writing and directing talent shown in his short film Roy Höllsdotter Live. His short feature was screened this year at the Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Adelaide film festivals and on SBS. In June 2003, the film won the Dendy Award for Best Short Film (over 15mins) at the Sydney Film Festival and Best Original Script for Television at the 2003 Australian Writers' Guild Awards, and has been nominated for two AFI awards.
The Inside Film Magazine IF Award for Film Festival of the Year was awarded to Popcorn Taxi.
Lexus IF Awards 2003, started by Inside Film (IF) magazine and now in their fifth year, are the people's choice awards for Australian film and are recognised as a major event on the entertainment industry calendar. Deborah Mailman hosted the prestigious awards ceremony held on Wednesday November 12th at Wharf 8, Sydney.
Gettin’ Square and Japanese Story, the people’s choice in Australian film
Winners for the 2003 Lexus IF (Inside Film) Awards were announced in Sydney earlier this month, at a prestigious event staged at Wharf 8 in Pyrmont. Hosted by Deborah Mailman, the live broadcast was followed by a celebratory party presented by Autore South Sea Pearls. Gettin' Square and Japanese Story earned the highest accolades on the night. Japanese Story collected four IF awards including Best Film, Best Direction, Best Actress and Best Cinematography. Gettin' Square won five IF awards including Best Actor, Best Script, Best Music, Best Sound and Best Editing.
This year's star studded awards event was attended by luminaries of the Australian film industry and supported by high profile identities from fashion, art and music. Guests included Toni Collette, Deborah Mailman, Geoffrey Rush, Stephen Fry, Bryan Brown, Rachel Ward, Claudia Karvan, Rose Byrne, Rachael Blake, Barry Otto, Helen Buday, Kick Gurry, Leona Edmiston, Sigrid Thornton, Jill Bilcock, Robert Connolly, Akira Isogawa, Sophie Lee, Peter Morrissey, The Hon. Bob Carr MP, Sarah Jane Clarke, Heidi Middleton, Peta Wilson, Gillian Armstrong, Sam Worthington and Jan Chapman.
The winner of the SHOWTIME IF Award for Best Feature Film is Japanese Story (Prod: Sue Maslin)
Sue Brooks was awarded the Animal Logic IF Award for Best Direction for Japanese Story.
Gettin' Square's Chris Nyst won the Mushroom Pictures IF Award for Best Script.
The winner for the Kodak IF Award for Best Cinematography was Ian Baker for Japanese Story.
The Autore South Sea Pearls IF Award for Best Actor was awarded to David Wenham for his unforgettable performance in Gettin' Square.
Toni Collette's powerful performance in Japanese Story earned her the Instyle IF Award for Best Actress.
The winner of the Gray & Perkins Lawyers IF Award for Best Short Film was Roy Höllsdotter Live (Prod: Trevor Blainey and Dir: Matthew Saville).
The winner of the Rising Sun Pictures IF Award for Best Animation went to Ward 13 (Prod / Dir: Peter Cornwell).
The Odyssey Channel IF Award for Best Short Documentary was awarded to Painting With Light in a Dark World (Prod: Renata Shuman and Dir: Sascha Ettinger).
Wildness (Prod: Michael McMahon and Dir: Scott Millwood) was awarded the Discovery Channel IF Award for Best Documentary.
The Yalumba Independent Spirit Award was awarded to Khoa Do for his powerful debut feature The Finished People.
The winner of the Ztudio What IF? Award for Best Unproduced Screenplay was Rie Natalenko for Heloise.
The BMG IF Award for Best Music went to Chit Chat Von Loopin Stab and 3K Short from Machine Gun Fellatio for Gettin' Square.
The winners of the Tracks IF Award for Best Sound were John Schiefelbein, Antony Gray and Ian McLoughlin for Gettin' Square.
The LaB sydney IF Award for Best Production Design was awarded to Steven Jones-Evans for Ned Kelly.
The Frameworks IF Award for Best Editing went to Ken Sallows ASE for Gettin' Square.
Jill Bilcock was recognised for her outstanding contribution to the Australian film industry as an editor, as the recipient of the Freixenet Living Legend IF Award.
Australian comedy, Crackerjack, was awarded the Film Finance Corporation Australia IF Award for Box Office Achievement.
Matthew Saville was awarded the Lexus IF Award for Rising Talent for his comic writing and directing talent shown in his short film Roy Höllsdotter Live. His short feature was screened this year at the Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Adelaide film festivals and on SBS. In June 2003, the film won the Dendy Award for Best Short Film (over 15mins) at the Sydney Film Festival and Best Original Script for Television at the 2003 Australian Writers' Guild Awards, and has been nominated for two AFI awards.
The Inside Film Magazine IF Award for Film Festival of the Year was awarded to Popcorn Taxi.
Lexus IF Awards 2003, started by Inside Film (IF) magazine and now in their fifth year, are the people's choice awards for Australian film and are recognised as a major event on the entertainment industry calendar. Deborah Mailman hosted the prestigious awards ceremony held on Wednesday November 12th at Wharf 8, Sydney.
TROY
Troy is inspired by Homer's The Iliad, it stars Brad Pitt as unconquerable hero Achilles. Director Wolfgang Petersen commented: "Brad has both the talent and the magnetism to make Achilles believable as a tremendous warrior and charismatic leader without sacrificing his humanity in the process". The film's outstanding cast boasts both rising talent and illustrious veterans.
Prince Hector is played by Eric Bana, star of Ang Lee's Hulk. Orlando Bloom, who first received widespread acclaim for his work in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, plays the recklessly charming Prince Paris. Diane Kruger is Helen, the queen whose beauty launched a thousand ships, and Brendan Gleeson plays Menelaus, the king she left behind. The avaricious King Agamemnon is played by distinguished actor Brian Cox. Also joining the cast as Achilles' mother Thetis and King Priam of Troy are cinematic luminaries Julie Christie, winner of the Best Actress Oscar for her starring role in Darling, and Peter O'Toole, himself a seven-time Academy Award nominee and the recipient of an honorary Oscar for his contributions to cinema history. Petersen is grateful to have a cast of the highest calibre. "We're fortunate to have a blend of very talented new actors who are on the verge of becoming major stars, in the company of widely renowned established actors," says the director.
Troy will be released in the UK early Summer 2004
Troy is inspired by Homer's The Iliad, it stars Brad Pitt as unconquerable hero Achilles. Director Wolfgang Petersen commented: "Brad has both the talent and the magnetism to make Achilles believable as a tremendous warrior and charismatic leader without sacrificing his humanity in the process". The film's outstanding cast boasts both rising talent and illustrious veterans.
Prince Hector is played by Eric Bana, star of Ang Lee's Hulk. Orlando Bloom, who first received widespread acclaim for his work in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, plays the recklessly charming Prince Paris. Diane Kruger is Helen, the queen whose beauty launched a thousand ships, and Brendan Gleeson plays Menelaus, the king she left behind. The avaricious King Agamemnon is played by distinguished actor Brian Cox. Also joining the cast as Achilles' mother Thetis and King Priam of Troy are cinematic luminaries Julie Christie, winner of the Best Actress Oscar for her starring role in Darling, and Peter O'Toole, himself a seven-time Academy Award nominee and the recipient of an honorary Oscar for his contributions to cinema history. Petersen is grateful to have a cast of the highest calibre. "We're fortunate to have a blend of very talented new actors who are on the verge of becoming major stars, in the company of widely renowned established actors," says the director.
Troy will be released in the UK early Summer 2004
Filmmaking School
November 29 to 30, 2003, Raindance welcomes Dov S-S Simens – internationally recognised as the world’s leading independent filmmaking instructor – back to London for his acclaimed Two-Day Hollywood Film School™.
Quentin Tarantino, Baz Luhrman, Guy Ritchie, Chris Nolan, Phillipa Braithwaite and Robert Rodriguez are just a few names from a long list of phenomenally successful directors who launched their filmmaking careers after participating in Dov S-S Simens’ intensive filmmaking course. Other high-profile attendees have included Michael Jackson, Queen Latifah and Will Smith.
Over one weekend Dov will teach budding filmmakers everything they need to know about how to make a movie - from producing, directing and shooting to marketing, financing and distributing it.
Dov S-S Simens is an award-winning filmmaker with over fifteen years of hands-on experience in the independent film industry. He has taught thousands of filmmakers across the world in his trademark no-nonsense, straight-talking style - with recent graduates of the workshop going on to produce or distribute films such as Blair Witch Project, Memento, My Big Fat Greek Wedding and Barbershop.
For details tel: 0207 7387 3833
Visit: www.raindance.co.uk
November 29 to 30, 2003, Raindance welcomes Dov S-S Simens – internationally recognised as the world’s leading independent filmmaking instructor – back to London for his acclaimed Two-Day Hollywood Film School™.
Quentin Tarantino, Baz Luhrman, Guy Ritchie, Chris Nolan, Phillipa Braithwaite and Robert Rodriguez are just a few names from a long list of phenomenally successful directors who launched their filmmaking careers after participating in Dov S-S Simens’ intensive filmmaking course. Other high-profile attendees have included Michael Jackson, Queen Latifah and Will Smith.
Over one weekend Dov will teach budding filmmakers everything they need to know about how to make a movie - from producing, directing and shooting to marketing, financing and distributing it.
Dov S-S Simens is an award-winning filmmaker with over fifteen years of hands-on experience in the independent film industry. He has taught thousands of filmmakers across the world in his trademark no-nonsense, straight-talking style - with recent graduates of the workshop going on to produce or distribute films such as Blair Witch Project, Memento, My Big Fat Greek Wedding and Barbershop.
For details tel: 0207 7387 3833
Visit: www.raindance.co.uk
The Third Harry Potter
Warner Bros. Pictures is pleased is announce the summer release of the feature film of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, the third in the series of films based on J.K. Rowling's hugely popular novels. Academy Award nominee Alfonso Cuarón (Y Tu Mamá También) takes the helm as director with David Heyman, Chris Columbus and Mark Radcliffe as producers. In Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Harry Potter and his friends Ron and Hermione return as teenagers to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for their third year of study, where they delve into the mystery surrounding an escaped prisoner who poses a dangerous threat to the young wizard.
The story reunites Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson in this third film as Harry, Ron and Hermione. The cast is joined by Gary Oldman, who plays the ominous figure of Sirius Black, Michael Gambon who takes on the role of Hogwart's revered Headmaster Albus Dumbledore, Julie Christie who plays the role of the big-hearted Three Broomsticks pub barmaid Madam Rosmerta and Emma Thompson as the eccentric Professor of Divination, Sibyll Trelawney.
Release date : June 2004
Warner Bros. Pictures is pleased is announce the summer release of the feature film of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, the third in the series of films based on J.K. Rowling's hugely popular novels. Academy Award nominee Alfonso Cuarón (Y Tu Mamá También) takes the helm as director with David Heyman, Chris Columbus and Mark Radcliffe as producers. In Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Harry Potter and his friends Ron and Hermione return as teenagers to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for their third year of study, where they delve into the mystery surrounding an escaped prisoner who poses a dangerous threat to the young wizard.
The story reunites Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson in this third film as Harry, Ron and Hermione. The cast is joined by Gary Oldman, who plays the ominous figure of Sirius Black, Michael Gambon who takes on the role of Hogwart's revered Headmaster Albus Dumbledore, Julie Christie who plays the role of the big-hearted Three Broomsticks pub barmaid Madam Rosmerta and Emma Thompson as the eccentric Professor of Divination, Sibyll Trelawney.
Release date : June 2004
LOVE, SEX AND DEATH
Actor Ian Hart (Harry Potter), Ricky Tomlinson (Royale Family) and Singer Jarvis Cocker star in eight award winning short films due to be aired on Granada TV later this month.
Chris Bisson (former Coronation Street and East is East star) presents the series of short films about love, sex and death. The eight films, which were recently screened in New York as part of the Transatlantic Express, are the winning entries in the first round of digital shorts from visionary writers, directors and producers from the North West of England.
North West Vision funded the films, in association with the Film Councils New Cinema Fund. Each film was shot on location in the region using professional cast and crew, receiving support from many of our first class facilities and film friendly locations.
Alice Morrison, Chief Executive of North West Vision:
“ The digital shorts scheme is designed to encourage new, fresh, innovative and inventive ways of telling stories utilising digital technology. These eight films do exactly that and we are pleased that Granada TV is giving our North West film makers a platform for their work”.
The films will be shown on Granada TV on Friday the 14th, 21st and 28th November 2003 at 11.30pm.
Actor Ian Hart (Harry Potter), Ricky Tomlinson (Royale Family) and Singer Jarvis Cocker star in eight award winning short films due to be aired on Granada TV later this month.
Chris Bisson (former Coronation Street and East is East star) presents the series of short films about love, sex and death. The eight films, which were recently screened in New York as part of the Transatlantic Express, are the winning entries in the first round of digital shorts from visionary writers, directors and producers from the North West of England.
North West Vision funded the films, in association with the Film Councils New Cinema Fund. Each film was shot on location in the region using professional cast and crew, receiving support from many of our first class facilities and film friendly locations.
Alice Morrison, Chief Executive of North West Vision:
“ The digital shorts scheme is designed to encourage new, fresh, innovative and inventive ways of telling stories utilising digital technology. These eight films do exactly that and we are pleased that Granada TV is giving our North West film makers a platform for their work”.
The films will be shown on Granada TV on Friday the 14th, 21st and 28th November 2003 at 11.30pm.
Tuesday, November 18, 2003
Morgan Creek
Morgan Creek has just signed a 3-year-long distribution deal with Universal and is making radical changes in the boardroom. We got the opportunity to speak to their newly appointed President of Production, Brad Luff, about these developments. See the feature at:
http://www.talkingpix.co.uk/ArticleMorganCreek.html
Reviews
Remember every week we are adding new (and old) reviews to our Reviews page (that sounds logical even to me). This week we've added Martyn Bamber's review of Cabin Fever and Alan Pavelin's review of The Life of Oharu. We have also added Martyn's review of the latest Matrix movie to Howard Schumann's reviews of the full trilogy. Nearly every week Howard Schumann contributes 3 or more reviews, and they are always worth looking out for.
Whether you are an amateur or professional writer we always welcome your contributions to Talking Pictures.
Funding
Like most websites we are always looking for grants or funding. If you know of any possibilities in this direction let us know. Contact us at: valis23a@aol.com
Morgan Creek has just signed a 3-year-long distribution deal with Universal and is making radical changes in the boardroom. We got the opportunity to speak to their newly appointed President of Production, Brad Luff, about these developments. See the feature at:
http://www.talkingpix.co.uk/ArticleMorganCreek.html
Reviews
Remember every week we are adding new (and old) reviews to our Reviews page (that sounds logical even to me). This week we've added Martyn Bamber's review of Cabin Fever and Alan Pavelin's review of The Life of Oharu. We have also added Martyn's review of the latest Matrix movie to Howard Schumann's reviews of the full trilogy. Nearly every week Howard Schumann contributes 3 or more reviews, and they are always worth looking out for.
Whether you are an amateur or professional writer we always welcome your contributions to Talking Pictures.
Funding
Like most websites we are always looking for grants or funding. If you know of any possibilities in this direction let us know. Contact us at: valis23a@aol.com
Friday, November 14, 2003
NORTH WEST CELEBRITIES VISIT HOUSE OF COMMONS
A host of North West celebrities will be uniting at the House of Commons next week (19/11/03) to -help raise the profile of the media industry in England’s North West.
Jonny Vegas (Comedian), Sue Johnston (Royale Family) and William Roache (Ken Barlow, Coronation Street) are just some of the well-known names that will be showing their support at the event organised by North West Vision and the North West Development agency.
The aim of the event, which will be hosted by Phil Woolas MP, is to showcase the North West’s Media industry to MP’s and influential decision makers from the world of media.
England’s North West already has a thriving media industry and has been home to an array of fantastic productions and produced a host of talented performers. The industry is the largest outside London with 11% of all network programming being produced in the Northwest, including Hollyoaks, Cold Feet, The Forsyte Saga and Coronation Street. Just recently Manchester and Liverpool were home to the remake of Alfie, starring Brit actor Jude Law. Both cities doubled up as New York for a two week shooting period and £1.5 million was ploughed into the local economy as a result.
Contributing hundreds of millions of pounds to the regional economy, the future of the Film and TV industry is both vital to, and a great opportunity for, the Northwest. Growing confidence in the region’s productions and new investment in skills training is creating a strong base for a new generation of visionary entrepreneurs.
Steve Morrison, Chair of North West Vision and owner of Chrysalis TV said:
"We are delighted that the TV and Film industry in the Northwest has such support and generates such interest amongst our local MPS. It is a great sign of the strength of the industry that some of the best-loved names in TV will be there to help North West Vision explain its plans for growing the talent and businesses in the region."
Gaining the support of top decision makers at this event is vital to maintaining a strong and healthy media industry in England’s North West.
A host of North West celebrities will be uniting at the House of Commons next week (19/11/03) to -help raise the profile of the media industry in England’s North West.
Jonny Vegas (Comedian), Sue Johnston (Royale Family) and William Roache (Ken Barlow, Coronation Street) are just some of the well-known names that will be showing their support at the event organised by North West Vision and the North West Development agency.
The aim of the event, which will be hosted by Phil Woolas MP, is to showcase the North West’s Media industry to MP’s and influential decision makers from the world of media.
England’s North West already has a thriving media industry and has been home to an array of fantastic productions and produced a host of talented performers. The industry is the largest outside London with 11% of all network programming being produced in the Northwest, including Hollyoaks, Cold Feet, The Forsyte Saga and Coronation Street. Just recently Manchester and Liverpool were home to the remake of Alfie, starring Brit actor Jude Law. Both cities doubled up as New York for a two week shooting period and £1.5 million was ploughed into the local economy as a result.
Contributing hundreds of millions of pounds to the regional economy, the future of the Film and TV industry is both vital to, and a great opportunity for, the Northwest. Growing confidence in the region’s productions and new investment in skills training is creating a strong base for a new generation of visionary entrepreneurs.
Steve Morrison, Chair of North West Vision and owner of Chrysalis TV said:
"We are delighted that the TV and Film industry in the Northwest has such support and generates such interest amongst our local MPS. It is a great sign of the strength of the industry that some of the best-loved names in TV will be there to help North West Vision explain its plans for growing the talent and businesses in the region."
Gaining the support of top decision makers at this event is vital to maintaining a strong and healthy media industry in England’s North West.
The Lowdown
New On Talking Pictures
We are pleased to present Emma Dixon's new weekly column 'The Lowdown' on Talking Pictures. It covers film, TV, music, literature and anything else happening in the world of arts and entertainment. View it at:
http://www.talkingpix.co.uk/ColumnLowdown1.html
First Animators in Residence Announced for Bradford
The National Museum of Photography, Film & Television have announced the four animators chosen for this year's Animator in Residence scheme.
The winners were announced at the launch event on Thursday 13 November with the guests also having a sneak preview of the new animation gallery where they will be based, sharing the space with Wallace and Gromit, the Wombles and many other icons of British animation.
AIR is Channel 4's Animator in Residence Scheme run in conjunction with the National Museum for Photography Film & Television in Bradford. AIR supports the creative development work of talented animation graduates with a particular focus on the craft of the discipline. 4 animators are chosen to work in an animation booth, situated in the new animation gallery. Here they
develop their own original idea for a short animated film into a proposal for Channel 4 for commission.
This year's winners are:
Reena Kalsi
1 November - 31 January
Benji Davies
1 February - 30 April
Laura Heit
1 May - 31 July
Alys Hawkins
1 August - 31 October
Ben Turner, Creative director at Cosgrove Hall Films, one of this year's judges, said 'This year saw a fascinating diversity of original ideas, styles and techniques from all over Britain. The artists and animators selected will put on a great show of creativity in Bradford. Do go and see them...get inspired!'
The night's announcements were followed by screenings of all the completed films from Year 12 (2001 - 02) and the development pieces from Year 13 (2002 - 03) of the scheme. All of the year 12 completed AIR scheme films have been commissioned by Channel Four and will be screened in the in the 7.55pm slot (press week 48) as follows:
Monday 24th November 2003
AIR: New Balls Please
Contract No: 36030
Director: Richard James Producer: Jayne Bevitt, Sherbet Productions
Temperatures rise on Centre Court as a new talent turns up the heat.
Tuesday 25th November 2003
AIR: Big Feet
Director: Clare Harford Producer: Phil Davies, Creative Film Productions
A teenage girl longs for big feet and decides to have a foot enlargement
operation.
Wednesday 26th November 2003
AIR: Moo(n)
Director: Leigh Hodgkinson. Producer: Maria Manton, Slinky Pictures
Relief for the common cold
Thursday 27th November 2003
AIR: The Girl and the Horse
Director: Rebecca Manley. Producer: Chris Shepherd, Slinky Pictures
The friendship between a girl and a horse grows and fills the void.
Bill Lawrence, Head of Film at the National Museum of Photography, Film & Television, said: 'King Kong, Gromit, Micky Mouse and Popeye - 4 of the greatest stars of the 20th Century. But all arose from the mind of the animator. NMPFT is proud and delighted to be part of a new beginning in animation, seeking the great talents for the 21st Century, the creators of the global stars of the next 50 years. Our thanks to Channel Four for sharing this development with us and to animators for baring their imaginations to visitors to the Museum."
New On Talking Pictures
We are pleased to present Emma Dixon's new weekly column 'The Lowdown' on Talking Pictures. It covers film, TV, music, literature and anything else happening in the world of arts and entertainment. View it at:
http://www.talkingpix.co.uk/ColumnLowdown1.html
First Animators in Residence Announced for Bradford
The National Museum of Photography, Film & Television have announced the four animators chosen for this year's Animator in Residence scheme.
The winners were announced at the launch event on Thursday 13 November with the guests also having a sneak preview of the new animation gallery where they will be based, sharing the space with Wallace and Gromit, the Wombles and many other icons of British animation.
AIR is Channel 4's Animator in Residence Scheme run in conjunction with the National Museum for Photography Film & Television in Bradford. AIR supports the creative development work of talented animation graduates with a particular focus on the craft of the discipline. 4 animators are chosen to work in an animation booth, situated in the new animation gallery. Here they
develop their own original idea for a short animated film into a proposal for Channel 4 for commission.
This year's winners are:
Reena Kalsi
1 November - 31 January
Benji Davies
1 February - 30 April
Laura Heit
1 May - 31 July
Alys Hawkins
1 August - 31 October
Ben Turner, Creative director at Cosgrove Hall Films, one of this year's judges, said 'This year saw a fascinating diversity of original ideas, styles and techniques from all over Britain. The artists and animators selected will put on a great show of creativity in Bradford. Do go and see them...get inspired!'
The night's announcements were followed by screenings of all the completed films from Year 12 (2001 - 02) and the development pieces from Year 13 (2002 - 03) of the scheme. All of the year 12 completed AIR scheme films have been commissioned by Channel Four and will be screened in the in the 7.55pm slot (press week 48) as follows:
Monday 24th November 2003
AIR: New Balls Please
Contract No: 36030
Director: Richard James Producer: Jayne Bevitt, Sherbet Productions
Temperatures rise on Centre Court as a new talent turns up the heat.
Tuesday 25th November 2003
AIR: Big Feet
Director: Clare Harford Producer: Phil Davies, Creative Film Productions
A teenage girl longs for big feet and decides to have a foot enlargement
operation.
Wednesday 26th November 2003
AIR: Moo(n)
Director: Leigh Hodgkinson. Producer: Maria Manton, Slinky Pictures
Relief for the common cold
Thursday 27th November 2003
AIR: The Girl and the Horse
Director: Rebecca Manley. Producer: Chris Shepherd, Slinky Pictures
The friendship between a girl and a horse grows and fills the void.
Bill Lawrence, Head of Film at the National Museum of Photography, Film & Television, said: 'King Kong, Gromit, Micky Mouse and Popeye - 4 of the greatest stars of the 20th Century. But all arose from the mind of the animator. NMPFT is proud and delighted to be part of a new beginning in animation, seeking the great talents for the 21st Century, the creators of the global stars of the next 50 years. Our thanks to Channel Four for sharing this development with us and to animators for baring their imaginations to visitors to the Museum."
Friday, November 07, 2003
11th RAINDANCE FILM FESTIVAL
**Record Breaking Attendances at 11th Raindance Film Festival
The 11th Raindance Film Festival has broken all previous attendance records with screenings averaging 70% audience attendance - a figure which is up 40% from last year.
The quality of films screened at this year's festival has led to audiences commenting that Raindance have this year offered the best selection of films than ever before - over 300 have been screened from all over the world.
**You Saw Them Here First...
Raindance Film Festival is renowned as a place for the discovery of films, often screening titles which go on to become box office hits months after the festival.
After screening at Raindance, Mexican film A Beautiful Secret sparked a bidding war for European distribution rights. The film, which moved some members of Raindance audiences to tears, opens in Mexico next week on an unheard of 450 screens.
Other audience favourites were UK horror picture The Last Horror Movie, Christina Ricci starrer Miranda and French film Malefique.
CLOSING NIGHT RAINDANCE
**Samantha Morton and Sadie Frost attend Jury Prize Awards
Raindance Film Festival will tonight recognise and reward the most outstanding films of this year's festival with the annual Jury Prizes, to be announced before the screening of closing night film 16 Years of Alcohol.
Prizes will be awarded for the best films in the following categories, as voted by the Raindance Jury Panel which this year included Samantha Morton, Trudi Styler, Sadie Frost and Rankin: Official Selection Feature, Official Selection Short, UK Feature, UK Short, Debut Feature and Documentary. The Raindance Audience Award will also be presented to the most popular film amongst Raindance audiences at this year's festival.
**BIFA Winning Director Introduces Closing Night Film
Richard Jobson, who took the Award for Best Directorial Debut at Tuesday's BIFA awards, will introduce closing night film 16 Years of Alcohol, the film on which his talents were recognised.
The film takes the audience on a journey into the violent world of Frankie Mac, and his 16 years of suffering as an alcoholic from boyhood to manhood. It is a painfully real piece of work, with the camerawork and direction beautifully capturing the city of Edinburgh where the film is set.
**Celebrate a Record Breaking Raindance at the Closing Night Gala Party
The Raindance Film Festival has, over the past two weeks, brought over 300 of the best independent films from the UK, Europe and the rest of the world to audiences, in the festival which has seen attendance records broken at many of the screenings and events. To celebrate the closing night of the 11th annual festival Raindance are hosting the Closing Night party at Rouge Nightclub.
**Record Breaking Attendances at 11th Raindance Film Festival
The 11th Raindance Film Festival has broken all previous attendance records with screenings averaging 70% audience attendance - a figure which is up 40% from last year.
The quality of films screened at this year's festival has led to audiences commenting that Raindance have this year offered the best selection of films than ever before - over 300 have been screened from all over the world.
**You Saw Them Here First...
Raindance Film Festival is renowned as a place for the discovery of films, often screening titles which go on to become box office hits months after the festival.
After screening at Raindance, Mexican film A Beautiful Secret sparked a bidding war for European distribution rights. The film, which moved some members of Raindance audiences to tears, opens in Mexico next week on an unheard of 450 screens.
Other audience favourites were UK horror picture The Last Horror Movie, Christina Ricci starrer Miranda and French film Malefique.
CLOSING NIGHT RAINDANCE
**Samantha Morton and Sadie Frost attend Jury Prize Awards
Raindance Film Festival will tonight recognise and reward the most outstanding films of this year's festival with the annual Jury Prizes, to be announced before the screening of closing night film 16 Years of Alcohol.
Prizes will be awarded for the best films in the following categories, as voted by the Raindance Jury Panel which this year included Samantha Morton, Trudi Styler, Sadie Frost and Rankin: Official Selection Feature, Official Selection Short, UK Feature, UK Short, Debut Feature and Documentary. The Raindance Audience Award will also be presented to the most popular film amongst Raindance audiences at this year's festival.
**BIFA Winning Director Introduces Closing Night Film
Richard Jobson, who took the Award for Best Directorial Debut at Tuesday's BIFA awards, will introduce closing night film 16 Years of Alcohol, the film on which his talents were recognised.
The film takes the audience on a journey into the violent world of Frankie Mac, and his 16 years of suffering as an alcoholic from boyhood to manhood. It is a painfully real piece of work, with the camerawork and direction beautifully capturing the city of Edinburgh where the film is set.
**Celebrate a Record Breaking Raindance at the Closing Night Gala Party
The Raindance Film Festival has, over the past two weeks, brought over 300 of the best independent films from the UK, Europe and the rest of the world to audiences, in the festival which has seen attendance records broken at many of the screenings and events. To celebrate the closing night of the 11th annual festival Raindance are hosting the Closing Night party at Rouge Nightclub.
Tuesday, November 04, 2003
End of Brookside
After 21 years the Liverpool-based soap opera is coming to an end tonight. It has always tackled controversial subjects long before the major soaps (Coronation Street and EastEnders), and it has certainly put most of it's characters through hard times. Sinbad, the window cleaner, nearly lost his legs and was accused of being a child molester. Jimmy Corkhill, lost his son to drugs, his wife left him, and he had a mental breakdown. And, the list goes on. Anyone who came to Brookside would be cursed with ill luck and disaster.
Brookside had it's grim and silly storylines, but it seemed to run out of steam and viewers about a year ago. After being dumped to a Saturday afternoon slot it has ended up on an even worse Tuesday late night slot. It seems that after years of being a flagship for Channel 4 it's being scuppered with little fanfair or dignity.
What are your views about Brookside or the other soaps? Email them to me at valis23a@aol.com
After 21 years the Liverpool-based soap opera is coming to an end tonight. It has always tackled controversial subjects long before the major soaps (Coronation Street and EastEnders), and it has certainly put most of it's characters through hard times. Sinbad, the window cleaner, nearly lost his legs and was accused of being a child molester. Jimmy Corkhill, lost his son to drugs, his wife left him, and he had a mental breakdown. And, the list goes on. Anyone who came to Brookside would be cursed with ill luck and disaster.
Brookside had it's grim and silly storylines, but it seemed to run out of steam and viewers about a year ago. After being dumped to a Saturday afternoon slot it has ended up on an even worse Tuesday late night slot. It seems that after years of being a flagship for Channel 4 it's being scuppered with little fanfair or dignity.
What are your views about Brookside or the other soaps? Email them to me at valis23a@aol.com
New On Talking Pictures...
The Science Museum, London, and Fox TV are collaborating in the production of a Meeting The Aliens project. Meeting Aliens (working title) is designed to reach a worldwide audience across multiple platforms, including an international touring exhibition, a primetime event television mini series, publishing, new media, and extensive licensing and merchandising opportunities.
We also have plenty of related articles in the SF and Horrorsection of our Feature Article menu page.
On the subject of sf, Gerry Anderson's production company is looking for investors to fund his new series of Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons.
The Science Museum, London, and Fox TV are collaborating in the production of a Meeting The Aliens project. Meeting Aliens (working title) is designed to reach a worldwide audience across multiple platforms, including an international touring exhibition, a primetime event television mini series, publishing, new media, and extensive licensing and merchandising opportunities.
We also have plenty of related articles in the SF and Horrorsection of our Feature Article menu page.
On the subject of sf, Gerry Anderson's production company is looking for investors to fund his new series of Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons.
Monday, November 03, 2003
WEEKEND AT RAINDANCE
**Sell-Out Halloween at Raindance Film Festival
Raindance audiences were queuing up to get the fright of their lives on Friday as The Last Horror Movie and the Horror Shorts Programme saw sell-out audiences once again at Raindance. The Last Horror Movie is a truly frightening film which is nominated for a Raindance Jury Prize, being awarded on Friday. Truly scary cinema is rare these days, so audiences were in for a real treat with the films on offer from Raindance...
More Sell-Outs!
Miranda - a sexy and highly original adult comedy starring Christina Ricci and John Simm had its UK Premiere to a sell-out audience. The film is also nominated for best UK feature. Similarly, the magnificent Infernal Affairs, hotly tipped to be the winner in the foreign language category at next year's Oscars, played out to a sell-out screening.
TODAY AT RAINDANCE
**Dazed & Confused Present an Evening at the Edge of Cinema
Style bible Dazed & Confused, media partners at this year's Raindance Film Festival, present an evening of films from filmmakers such as Isaac Julien, Lynne Ramsay and Andrew Kotting, whose work represents a blurring of the boundaries of cinema. In their work, cinema meets the world of other visual arts head on: photography, video, performance and film. The films will be followed by a panel discussion on the interplay between cinema and art.
**MUST SEE: Nine Souls
Japanese director Toshiaki Toyoda, winner of the Best New Director Award from the Japan Director's Guild for his first film Pornostar, shows us modern Japan as we've never seen it before in affable comedy Nine Souls. Toyoda sets his focus on the characters - nine prisoners on the run - and the dynamics between them, as the individual dramas of each of the convicts flare up one by one as they all touch base with their past lives. The result is an even-handed yet undeniably potent blend of comedy, tragedy, pathos, and redemption.
TOMORROW AT RAINDANCE
**MUST SEE: Road Dogs: Contemporary Easy Rider with Unbeatable Soundtrack
In Road Dogs - labelled by Variety as Boyz on the Road - two Afro-American men take to the road in order to leave their violent pasts behind, creating a thoroughly enjoyable Road Movie coined as a contemporary Easy Rider. An incredible soundtrack including tracks from artists as diverse as Snoop Dogg, Korn and Mystic plays compliments the glorious photography of America's beauty spots.
**MUST SEE: Trilogie 1: On The Run
The first part of Lucas Belvaux's trilogy of films showing at Cine Lumiere which work on the principle of cross encounters - the main characters of one film have minor roles in the others and vice versa. Although they share sets, scenes and characters, the films are genetically 'different'. The first is a thriller, the second a comedy and the third a melodrama. The director will be introducing each film (playing on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday), and participating in a Q&A after Thursday's showing.
**Sell-Out Halloween at Raindance Film Festival
Raindance audiences were queuing up to get the fright of their lives on Friday as The Last Horror Movie and the Horror Shorts Programme saw sell-out audiences once again at Raindance. The Last Horror Movie is a truly frightening film which is nominated for a Raindance Jury Prize, being awarded on Friday. Truly scary cinema is rare these days, so audiences were in for a real treat with the films on offer from Raindance...
More Sell-Outs!
Miranda - a sexy and highly original adult comedy starring Christina Ricci and John Simm had its UK Premiere to a sell-out audience. The film is also nominated for best UK feature. Similarly, the magnificent Infernal Affairs, hotly tipped to be the winner in the foreign language category at next year's Oscars, played out to a sell-out screening.
TODAY AT RAINDANCE
**Dazed & Confused Present an Evening at the Edge of Cinema
Style bible Dazed & Confused, media partners at this year's Raindance Film Festival, present an evening of films from filmmakers such as Isaac Julien, Lynne Ramsay and Andrew Kotting, whose work represents a blurring of the boundaries of cinema. In their work, cinema meets the world of other visual arts head on: photography, video, performance and film. The films will be followed by a panel discussion on the interplay between cinema and art.
**MUST SEE: Nine Souls
Japanese director Toshiaki Toyoda, winner of the Best New Director Award from the Japan Director's Guild for his first film Pornostar, shows us modern Japan as we've never seen it before in affable comedy Nine Souls. Toyoda sets his focus on the characters - nine prisoners on the run - and the dynamics between them, as the individual dramas of each of the convicts flare up one by one as they all touch base with their past lives. The result is an even-handed yet undeniably potent blend of comedy, tragedy, pathos, and redemption.
TOMORROW AT RAINDANCE
**MUST SEE: Road Dogs: Contemporary Easy Rider with Unbeatable Soundtrack
In Road Dogs - labelled by Variety as Boyz on the Road - two Afro-American men take to the road in order to leave their violent pasts behind, creating a thoroughly enjoyable Road Movie coined as a contemporary Easy Rider. An incredible soundtrack including tracks from artists as diverse as Snoop Dogg, Korn and Mystic plays compliments the glorious photography of America's beauty spots.
**MUST SEE: Trilogie 1: On The Run
The first part of Lucas Belvaux's trilogy of films showing at Cine Lumiere which work on the principle of cross encounters - the main characters of one film have minor roles in the others and vice versa. Although they share sets, scenes and characters, the films are genetically 'different'. The first is a thriller, the second a comedy and the third a melodrama. The director will be introducing each film (playing on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday), and participating in a Q&A after Thursday's showing.
Tuesday, October 28, 2003
YESTERDAY AT RAINDANCE
**Film Highlight: Suor Sorrisso
Roger Deutsch introduced his film Suor Sorrisso, which is based on the life of the Singing Nun who topped the Beatles. Despite reports of Roger attempting to 'put straight the Hollywood story' with his dark tale, he revealed that he made the film knowing just a few facts about the Singing Nun and built his film around that...
TODAY AT RAINDANCE
**Film Highlight: Porn Star: The Legend of Ron Jeremy
UGC Shaftesbury Avenue, London. 11 pm
This entertaining and fascinating comedy looks into the life of pornstar Ron Jeremy, who has enjoyed a career in the adult film industry spanning 25 years. He has appeared in over 1600 motion pictures - including the classics Ally McFeel and Natural Born Thrillers - has made millions of dollars and slept with thousands of beautiful women. So, just how did Ron Jeremy, an unassuming schlub from Long Island, become the hardest working man in show business? Prepare yourself for a penetrating look inside the world of America's most unlikely sex star with Porn Star: The Legend of Ron Jeremy.
TOMORROW AT RAINDANCE
**Event Highlight: Live! Ammunition! & Guest Panel Q&A
Sway Nightclub, 61 - 65 Great Queen Street, London. 7 - 8.15 pm
Live!Ammunition! returns - the infamous fast-paced live pitching event brought to you only by Raindance Film Festival...
You have two minutes to pitch your great-idea-for-a-movie to a panel of Industry Professionals without being gonged off! Panel includes: Robert Jones (UK Film Council), Dean Goldberg (Park Caledonia), Michael Cowan (Spice Factory), Richard Elfman (Producer, Writer, Director) Andre Burgess (Consultant to Telecom & Media Industries) …more to follow!
**Film Highlight: Dans Ma Peau
UGC Shaftesbury Avenue, London. 7.30 pm
Esther's life is nearly perfect perfect face, perfect job, perfect man. Then she starts to mutilate herself. This exquisitely grisly piece of cinema inspired such dedication that actors' skin is actually sliced for the cameras' unflinching gaze.
**Film Highlight: Suor Sorrisso
Roger Deutsch introduced his film Suor Sorrisso, which is based on the life of the Singing Nun who topped the Beatles. Despite reports of Roger attempting to 'put straight the Hollywood story' with his dark tale, he revealed that he made the film knowing just a few facts about the Singing Nun and built his film around that...
TODAY AT RAINDANCE
**Film Highlight: Porn Star: The Legend of Ron Jeremy
UGC Shaftesbury Avenue, London. 11 pm
This entertaining and fascinating comedy looks into the life of pornstar Ron Jeremy, who has enjoyed a career in the adult film industry spanning 25 years. He has appeared in over 1600 motion pictures - including the classics Ally McFeel and Natural Born Thrillers - has made millions of dollars and slept with thousands of beautiful women. So, just how did Ron Jeremy, an unassuming schlub from Long Island, become the hardest working man in show business? Prepare yourself for a penetrating look inside the world of America's most unlikely sex star with Porn Star: The Legend of Ron Jeremy.
TOMORROW AT RAINDANCE
**Event Highlight: Live! Ammunition! & Guest Panel Q&A
Sway Nightclub, 61 - 65 Great Queen Street, London. 7 - 8.15 pm
Live!Ammunition! returns - the infamous fast-paced live pitching event brought to you only by Raindance Film Festival...
You have two minutes to pitch your great-idea-for-a-movie to a panel of Industry Professionals without being gonged off! Panel includes: Robert Jones (UK Film Council), Dean Goldberg (Park Caledonia), Michael Cowan (Spice Factory), Richard Elfman (Producer, Writer, Director) Andre Burgess (Consultant to Telecom & Media Industries) …more to follow!
**Film Highlight: Dans Ma Peau
UGC Shaftesbury Avenue, London. 7.30 pm
Esther's life is nearly perfect perfect face, perfect job, perfect man. Then she starts to mutilate herself. This exquisitely grisly piece of cinema inspired such dedication that actors' skin is actually sliced for the cameras' unflinching gaze.
Monday, October 27, 2003
INDUSTRY LUMINARIES SELECT SHORT LIST FOR BEST SHORT FILM OF 2003
TCM CLASSIC SHORTS award ceremony, announcing the best short film of 2003, takes place on 5th November at the National Film Theatre as part of The 47th Times bfi London Film Festival (the festival runs from 22 October - 6 November 2003). Jude Law, Ralph Fiennes and Bernardo Bertolucci are just three of the fifteen judges tasked with finding the top directors of the future.
This year TCM CLASSIC SHORTS received 320 entries, 30% more than in 2002. The six finalists’ films will be shown at the ceremony and the judges will award trophies and cash prizes totalling £10,000 to the top three films.
This year’s six short listed directors whose films have caught the eyes of the judges are (in random order) Amit Kumar, Toby Haynes, Matthew Santiago Whitecross, Alicia Duffy, Michael Baig Clifford and Dominic Santana.
The full panel of judges includes many of the biggest names in the industry; Jude Law, Ralph Fiennes, Bernardo Bertolucci, Richard Eyre, Stephen Frears, Mark Herman, Wendy Ide, Nick James, Richard Jobson, Colin Kennedy, John Madden, Ismail Merchant, Barry Norman, Stephen Woolley and Tina McCann. Many of these actors, directors and producers have lent their support and expertise to the initiative since its inception and have been invaluable in helping nurture new talent.
The British Film institute and the London Film Festival has played host to TCM CLASSIC SHORTS since the competition began in 2000. Among the bright new talent it has discovered and encouraged are, Gerald McMorrow, director of THESPIAN X, Brian Percival, director of About A Girl, which won the Best Short BAFTA and director, Toby MacDonald whose Je T’Aime John Wayne also received a BAFTA Best Short nomination.
There will also be an opportunity to see the films from winners and runners-up when they are shown on TCM as part of a special Classic Shorts Weekend on November 8th and 9th.
Further information is available at: www.tcmonline.co.uk and for further information about The Times bfi London Film Festival, please log onto: www.lff.org.uk
TCM (Turner Classic Movies) a Time Warner Company draws from an extensive library of timeless movies presenting them in a contemporary style reinterpreting their place in history and their relevance to people’s lives today. In the UK, an average of 5.1 M viewers tune in to TCM each month, making TCM the 2nd highest rating movie channel (behind Sky Premiere). TCM is available via cable and satellite and reaches over 9 million households in the UK.
TCM CLASSIC SHORTS 2003 SHORTLIST
THE BYPASS
Directed by Amit Kumar
2003 17 mins
A honeymooning couple in India is attacked and killed by bandits who steal their money and a gold watch. A policeman interrupts the mayhem, finding the watch, and keeping it but not the cash. A cycle of theft and murder ensues as possession of the booty passes between the policeman, the robbers, a cafe owner and some travellers.
LOST AND FOUND
Directed by Toby Haynes
2003 15 mins
An award-winning lost and found property officer deals with all objects (including a handbag full of cash) with honesty and aplomb. However, the contents of a gold and black tin prove too much of a temptation. The officer, rather obsessed with his growing bald patch, wears the wig he has found, but comes unstuck when the owner comes to claim it.
JOB STREET
Directed by Matthew Santiago Whitecross
2003 10 mins
This evocative and stylish short drama examines the exploitation and racism faced by three illegal immigrant workers and the desperation it can lead to. Riveting and moving, it is a simple message eloquently told and gives a different perspective to the continued attacks on Immigrates from a hostile British press.
THE MOST BEAUTIFUL MAN IN THE WORLD
Directed by Alicia Duffy
2002 6 mins
A girl. A dog. A mother. A topless man. This bewitching snapshot examines an encounter between a young girl and a topless man. As the small girl searches for something to do on a hot day, she aimlessly walks into the path of a stranger. It may be a sexual awakening for the girl or an encounter of a potentially more sinister nature.
BROWN PAPER BAG
Directed by Michael Baig Clifford
2003 13 mins
A bitter-sweet drama about a love-struck alcoholic couple. Following an evening of entertaining pub banter, the woman glasses a barmaid in a drunken jealous rage. The man, looking for his missing girlfriend at an AA meeting, discusses his alcohol problem and the abuse he experienced at the hands of his alcoholic father. His girlfriend is found unconscious and taken into hospital where she dies.
CLAVERDEEK
Directed by Dominic Santana
2003 11 mins
The extraordinary story of one man's obsession with another man's happiness. John Claverdeek is hated by his neighbour who sets about ending his happiness by various viciously cunning means. When all else fails, a dastardly plot to kill him with explosives and a border collie is the final solution.
TCM CLASSIC SHORTS award ceremony, announcing the best short film of 2003, takes place on 5th November at the National Film Theatre as part of The 47th Times bfi London Film Festival (the festival runs from 22 October - 6 November 2003). Jude Law, Ralph Fiennes and Bernardo Bertolucci are just three of the fifteen judges tasked with finding the top directors of the future.
This year TCM CLASSIC SHORTS received 320 entries, 30% more than in 2002. The six finalists’ films will be shown at the ceremony and the judges will award trophies and cash prizes totalling £10,000 to the top three films.
This year’s six short listed directors whose films have caught the eyes of the judges are (in random order) Amit Kumar, Toby Haynes, Matthew Santiago Whitecross, Alicia Duffy, Michael Baig Clifford and Dominic Santana.
The full panel of judges includes many of the biggest names in the industry; Jude Law, Ralph Fiennes, Bernardo Bertolucci, Richard Eyre, Stephen Frears, Mark Herman, Wendy Ide, Nick James, Richard Jobson, Colin Kennedy, John Madden, Ismail Merchant, Barry Norman, Stephen Woolley and Tina McCann. Many of these actors, directors and producers have lent their support and expertise to the initiative since its inception and have been invaluable in helping nurture new talent.
The British Film institute and the London Film Festival has played host to TCM CLASSIC SHORTS since the competition began in 2000. Among the bright new talent it has discovered and encouraged are, Gerald McMorrow, director of THESPIAN X, Brian Percival, director of About A Girl, which won the Best Short BAFTA and director, Toby MacDonald whose Je T’Aime John Wayne also received a BAFTA Best Short nomination.
There will also be an opportunity to see the films from winners and runners-up when they are shown on TCM as part of a special Classic Shorts Weekend on November 8th and 9th.
Further information is available at: www.tcmonline.co.uk and for further information about The Times bfi London Film Festival, please log onto: www.lff.org.uk
TCM (Turner Classic Movies) a Time Warner Company draws from an extensive library of timeless movies presenting them in a contemporary style reinterpreting their place in history and their relevance to people’s lives today. In the UK, an average of 5.1 M viewers tune in to TCM each month, making TCM the 2nd highest rating movie channel (behind Sky Premiere). TCM is available via cable and satellite and reaches over 9 million households in the UK.
TCM CLASSIC SHORTS 2003 SHORTLIST
THE BYPASS
Directed by Amit Kumar
2003 17 mins
A honeymooning couple in India is attacked and killed by bandits who steal their money and a gold watch. A policeman interrupts the mayhem, finding the watch, and keeping it but not the cash. A cycle of theft and murder ensues as possession of the booty passes between the policeman, the robbers, a cafe owner and some travellers.
LOST AND FOUND
Directed by Toby Haynes
2003 15 mins
An award-winning lost and found property officer deals with all objects (including a handbag full of cash) with honesty and aplomb. However, the contents of a gold and black tin prove too much of a temptation. The officer, rather obsessed with his growing bald patch, wears the wig he has found, but comes unstuck when the owner comes to claim it.
JOB STREET
Directed by Matthew Santiago Whitecross
2003 10 mins
This evocative and stylish short drama examines the exploitation and racism faced by three illegal immigrant workers and the desperation it can lead to. Riveting and moving, it is a simple message eloquently told and gives a different perspective to the continued attacks on Immigrates from a hostile British press.
THE MOST BEAUTIFUL MAN IN THE WORLD
Directed by Alicia Duffy
2002 6 mins
A girl. A dog. A mother. A topless man. This bewitching snapshot examines an encounter between a young girl and a topless man. As the small girl searches for something to do on a hot day, she aimlessly walks into the path of a stranger. It may be a sexual awakening for the girl or an encounter of a potentially more sinister nature.
BROWN PAPER BAG
Directed by Michael Baig Clifford
2003 13 mins
A bitter-sweet drama about a love-struck alcoholic couple. Following an evening of entertaining pub banter, the woman glasses a barmaid in a drunken jealous rage. The man, looking for his missing girlfriend at an AA meeting, discusses his alcohol problem and the abuse he experienced at the hands of his alcoholic father. His girlfriend is found unconscious and taken into hospital where she dies.
CLAVERDEEK
Directed by Dominic Santana
2003 11 mins
The extraordinary story of one man's obsession with another man's happiness. John Claverdeek is hated by his neighbour who sets about ending his happiness by various viciously cunning means. When all else fails, a dastardly plot to kill him with explosives and a border collie is the final solution.
RAINDANCE OPENING WEEKEND
The 11th Raindance Film Festival opened on Friday night with thought-provoking documentary Capturing the Friedmans - and it was clear to see why this cutting-edge film was awarded the Grand Jury prize at Sundance earlier this year. This powerful film intersperses interviews with members of the Friedman family with video-diary footage taken at the time of the controversial case, inviting the audience to question the guilt or innocence of the accused at every turn. Sitting amongst the audience were Ken Russell, this year's Director in Residence, internationally renowned photographer and Raindance juror Rankin and actor Marc Warren, who stars in short film Perfect, screening at the festival. The screening was followed by an exclusive party at Rouge, which saw directors and audiences mingling and possibly swapping filmmaking tips as they danced the night away.
More familiar faces arrived to enjoy the screenings on Saturday, including In the Cut director Jane Campion, and TV impressionist Alistair McGowan. Director in residence Ken Russell spoke to Mark Kermode about his inspirations and influences as a director, encouraging aspiring filmmakers to pick up a camera and shoot - as he now does in his back garden with family and friends. The audience was treated to a rare screening of Savage Messiah, cited by Russell as the film he is most proud of.
Fuse, one of this year's Raindance Official Selection films, played to a sold out screening to much praise - many heralding the film as one of the best independent features to emerge for years.
TODAY AT RAINDANCE
**Film Highlight: Phone
UGC Shaftesbury Avenue, London. 7.30 pm
In Phone mysterious and threatening phone calls seem to have the power to terrorise, possess, and even kill those who are unfortunate enough to answer. Phone is a terrifying piece of modern technological horror which mirrors the cult Japanese classic The Ring in pace and style, transforming the benign ring of a phone into a frightening sound.
TOMORROW AT RAINDANCE
**Film Highlight: Twilight Samurai
UGC Shaftesbury Avenue, London. 7.10 pm
Twilight Samurai is a tender and compassionate film from acclaimed director Yoji Yamada, which topped this year's box office in Japan and swept the boards at the 2003 Japanese Academy Awards. This is Yamada's 77th film, marking his 41s year as a director.
**Film Highlight: Porn Star: The Legend of Ron Jeremy
UGC Shaftesbury Avenue, London. 11 pm
This entertaining and fascinating comedy looks into the life of pornstar Ron Jeremy, who has enjoyed a career in the adult film industry spanning 25 years. He has appeared in over 1600 motion pictures - including the classics Ally McFeel and Natural Born Thrillers - has made millions of dollars and slept with thousands of beautiful women. So, just how did Ron Jeremy, an unassuming schlub from Long Island, become the hardest working man in show business? Prepare yourself for a penetrating look inside the world of America's most unlikely sex star with Porn Star: The Legend of Ron Jeremy.
The 11th Raindance Film Festival opened on Friday night with thought-provoking documentary Capturing the Friedmans - and it was clear to see why this cutting-edge film was awarded the Grand Jury prize at Sundance earlier this year. This powerful film intersperses interviews with members of the Friedman family with video-diary footage taken at the time of the controversial case, inviting the audience to question the guilt or innocence of the accused at every turn. Sitting amongst the audience were Ken Russell, this year's Director in Residence, internationally renowned photographer and Raindance juror Rankin and actor Marc Warren, who stars in short film Perfect, screening at the festival. The screening was followed by an exclusive party at Rouge, which saw directors and audiences mingling and possibly swapping filmmaking tips as they danced the night away.
More familiar faces arrived to enjoy the screenings on Saturday, including In the Cut director Jane Campion, and TV impressionist Alistair McGowan. Director in residence Ken Russell spoke to Mark Kermode about his inspirations and influences as a director, encouraging aspiring filmmakers to pick up a camera and shoot - as he now does in his back garden with family and friends. The audience was treated to a rare screening of Savage Messiah, cited by Russell as the film he is most proud of.
Fuse, one of this year's Raindance Official Selection films, played to a sold out screening to much praise - many heralding the film as one of the best independent features to emerge for years.
TODAY AT RAINDANCE
**Film Highlight: Phone
UGC Shaftesbury Avenue, London. 7.30 pm
In Phone mysterious and threatening phone calls seem to have the power to terrorise, possess, and even kill those who are unfortunate enough to answer. Phone is a terrifying piece of modern technological horror which mirrors the cult Japanese classic The Ring in pace and style, transforming the benign ring of a phone into a frightening sound.
TOMORROW AT RAINDANCE
**Film Highlight: Twilight Samurai
UGC Shaftesbury Avenue, London. 7.10 pm
Twilight Samurai is a tender and compassionate film from acclaimed director Yoji Yamada, which topped this year's box office in Japan and swept the boards at the 2003 Japanese Academy Awards. This is Yamada's 77th film, marking his 41s year as a director.
**Film Highlight: Porn Star: The Legend of Ron Jeremy
UGC Shaftesbury Avenue, London. 11 pm
This entertaining and fascinating comedy looks into the life of pornstar Ron Jeremy, who has enjoyed a career in the adult film industry spanning 25 years. He has appeared in over 1600 motion pictures - including the classics Ally McFeel and Natural Born Thrillers - has made millions of dollars and slept with thousands of beautiful women. So, just how did Ron Jeremy, an unassuming schlub from Long Island, become the hardest working man in show business? Prepare yourself for a penetrating look inside the world of America's most unlikely sex star with Porn Star: The Legend of Ron Jeremy.
Thursday, October 23, 2003
Casa De Los Screening
Tonight is the Time Out First Night screening at The Times bfi 47th London Film Festival of John Sayles's latest film CASA DE LOS BABYS starring Maggie Gyllenhaal, Marcia Gay Harden, Susan Lynch, Mary Steenburgen, Daryl Hannah, Lili Taylor, Rita Moreno and Vanessa Martinez.
The special screening commences at 8.30pm at the Odeon West End cinema, Leicester Square.
Dates of the Festival: 22 October - 6 November, 2003
www.lff.org.uk
Tonight is the Time Out First Night screening at The Times bfi 47th London Film Festival of John Sayles's latest film CASA DE LOS BABYS starring Maggie Gyllenhaal, Marcia Gay Harden, Susan Lynch, Mary Steenburgen, Daryl Hannah, Lili Taylor, Rita Moreno and Vanessa Martinez.
The special screening commences at 8.30pm at the Odeon West End cinema, Leicester Square.
Dates of the Festival: 22 October - 6 November, 2003
www.lff.org.uk
Wednesday, October 22, 2003
Mayor announces plan to increase funding for London Film Festival
As The Times bfi London Film Festival gets underway, Mayor Ken Livingstone has announced that he is working with the London Development Agency to provide extra funding for the festival, now in its 47th year.
The new funding, to begin in 2004, will be channelled through Film London, which provides dedicated support, promotion and development for the film industry in the capital.
The Mayor, who has played a key role in the establishment of Film London, said: 'Film is a key contributor to the economy, generating around £700m each year, with 85 per cent of film production based in the capital and 70 per cent of the workforce in London and the South East. Film in London must be able to thrive as a cultural asset and key creative industry. I am working with the London Development Agency, Film London and the British Film Institute to help the London Film Festival develop its international reputation and to ensure that the capital's film industry continues to grow.
This weekend (Saturday 25 October), as part of his ongoing commitment to The Times bfi London Film Festival, the Mayor will also host the British Gala screening of Roger Michell's new film The Mother, which received support from Film London and was shot and produced in the capital.
The Mayor continued: 'The Times bfi London Film Festival has an unrivalled reputation for bringing inspirational cinema from around the world to the capital and I am delighted to be supporting it for the third year running.
'The British Gala is a particularly important way to celebrate the wealth of talent we have here. This year's British Gala film, The Mother, is a great example of a film produced and shot on location in London and directly assisted by Film London, which has been established to help our film industry grow and to promote London as a filmmaking capital.'
Adrian Wootton, CEO Film London, added: 'Film London exists to promote our city as an accessible, world recognised 'film capital'. The recognition of our role by the Mayor of London marks a major milestone for the agency and we are fortunate in gaining the support of a range of other influential bodies, including the UK Film Council. As our co-sponsorship of this year's British Gala, The Mother, demonstrates, Film London, the Mayor and the LDA appreciate the importance of the Times bfi London Film Festival, not only to the capital’s cultural life, but also a means of showcasing our city to the world’s film industry. Today's announcement means that Film London will now be able to offer even more support to the Festival in years to come.'
Sandra Hebron, Artistic Director for The Times bfi London Film Festival, said: 'This additional funding from the Mayor of London marks a welcome and significant investment in the future of The Times bfi London Film Festival. It ensures that the Festival will continue to develop as a world-class event, which engages with the widest possible audience in the capital.'
As The Times bfi London Film Festival gets underway, Mayor Ken Livingstone has announced that he is working with the London Development Agency to provide extra funding for the festival, now in its 47th year.
The new funding, to begin in 2004, will be channelled through Film London, which provides dedicated support, promotion and development for the film industry in the capital.
The Mayor, who has played a key role in the establishment of Film London, said: 'Film is a key contributor to the economy, generating around £700m each year, with 85 per cent of film production based in the capital and 70 per cent of the workforce in London and the South East. Film in London must be able to thrive as a cultural asset and key creative industry. I am working with the London Development Agency, Film London and the British Film Institute to help the London Film Festival develop its international reputation and to ensure that the capital's film industry continues to grow.
This weekend (Saturday 25 October), as part of his ongoing commitment to The Times bfi London Film Festival, the Mayor will also host the British Gala screening of Roger Michell's new film The Mother, which received support from Film London and was shot and produced in the capital.
The Mayor continued: 'The Times bfi London Film Festival has an unrivalled reputation for bringing inspirational cinema from around the world to the capital and I am delighted to be supporting it for the third year running.
'The British Gala is a particularly important way to celebrate the wealth of talent we have here. This year's British Gala film, The Mother, is a great example of a film produced and shot on location in London and directly assisted by Film London, which has been established to help our film industry grow and to promote London as a filmmaking capital.'
Adrian Wootton, CEO Film London, added: 'Film London exists to promote our city as an accessible, world recognised 'film capital'. The recognition of our role by the Mayor of London marks a major milestone for the agency and we are fortunate in gaining the support of a range of other influential bodies, including the UK Film Council. As our co-sponsorship of this year's British Gala, The Mother, demonstrates, Film London, the Mayor and the LDA appreciate the importance of the Times bfi London Film Festival, not only to the capital’s cultural life, but also a means of showcasing our city to the world’s film industry. Today's announcement means that Film London will now be able to offer even more support to the Festival in years to come.'
Sandra Hebron, Artistic Director for The Times bfi London Film Festival, said: 'This additional funding from the Mayor of London marks a welcome and significant investment in the future of The Times bfi London Film Festival. It ensures that the Festival will continue to develop as a world-class event, which engages with the widest possible audience in the capital.'
Friday, October 17, 2003
Raindance Film Festival
The 11th Raindance Film Festival has an exciting range of events and screenings for film fans and filmmakers. One of these events is a rare chance to see cult British director Ken Russell in person:
KEN RUSSELL, DIRECTOR-IN-RESIDENCE
Interview/ Screening (Savage Messiah) / Q & A
SATURDAY 25 OCTOBER AT
MIDDAY UGC HAYMARKET
Ken Russell has always had a problem with critics. Part of the reason is that his 80 films for television and cinema always defy the expected. When Russell achieves artistic and commercial success, he then changes direction. Poor critics (is there such a thing as a rich critic?) are left stranded. Russell's output and diversity are staggering.
His following is enormous and varies from classical music devotees to horror and science fiction fans. Ken Russell's early documentaries for the BBC Elgar (1962) and Song of Summer (1968) about Delius remain among the most loved television ever.
Russell's range of work includes the Who's rock opera Tommy (1975), the sci-fi Altered States (1980), Crimes of Passion (1984), the cult Salome's Last Dance (1988) and the horror Lair of the White Worm (1988). He doesn't slow down, recently he revisited Elgar on television (2002), and directed the international festival success The Fall of the Louse of Usher (2002). In his spare time he directs opera and theatre, pop videos (Elton John's Nikita) and has published five books.
His talk will be followed by a Q and A and a special screening of his film SAVAGE MESSIAH
FOR TICKETS:
UGC HAYMARKET
63-65 Haymarket London SW1Y 4RL
Box Office 08709 070712 Tickets UKP7.90 / 5.00
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THIS AND ALL EVENTS AT THE RAINDANCE FILM FESTIVAL:
http://www.raindance.co.uk
The 11th Raindance Film Festival has an exciting range of events and screenings for film fans and filmmakers. One of these events is a rare chance to see cult British director Ken Russell in person:
KEN RUSSELL, DIRECTOR-IN-RESIDENCE
Interview/ Screening (Savage Messiah) / Q & A
SATURDAY 25 OCTOBER AT
MIDDAY UGC HAYMARKET
Ken Russell has always had a problem with critics. Part of the reason is that his 80 films for television and cinema always defy the expected. When Russell achieves artistic and commercial success, he then changes direction. Poor critics (is there such a thing as a rich critic?) are left stranded. Russell's output and diversity are staggering.
His following is enormous and varies from classical music devotees to horror and science fiction fans. Ken Russell's early documentaries for the BBC Elgar (1962) and Song of Summer (1968) about Delius remain among the most loved television ever.
Russell's range of work includes the Who's rock opera Tommy (1975), the sci-fi Altered States (1980), Crimes of Passion (1984), the cult Salome's Last Dance (1988) and the horror Lair of the White Worm (1988). He doesn't slow down, recently he revisited Elgar on television (2002), and directed the international festival success The Fall of the Louse of Usher (2002). In his spare time he directs opera and theatre, pop videos (Elton John's Nikita) and has published five books.
His talk will be followed by a Q and A and a special screening of his film SAVAGE MESSIAH
FOR TICKETS:
UGC HAYMARKET
63-65 Haymarket London SW1Y 4RL
Box Office 08709 070712 Tickets UKP7.90 / 5.00
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THIS AND ALL EVENTS AT THE RAINDANCE FILM FESTIVAL:
http://www.raindance.co.uk
Thursday, October 16, 2003
NORTH WEST SHORT FILMS SHOWCASED IN THE BIG APPLE
Eight short films made by talented Northwest filmmakers will be screened in New York next week (20/10/03) as part of the regional Transatlantic Express event.
The eight visionary films which were all funded by North West Vision, explore issues of love, death and sex and star celebrities such as the singer Jarvis Cocker and actor Ian Hart (star of Harry Potter). All eight of the films will be shown at Two Boots Pioneer Theatre in New York on Monday the 20th October.
The main aim of Transatlantic Express is to showcase the best in music, fashion, film, TV, and visual arts. It will provide a unique business to business and profiling opportunity for the region’s creative talent.
Alice Morrison, Chief Executive for North West Vision said:
“ I am ecstatic that the talented work of some of the North West’s finest film makers will be shown in New York. Transatlantic Express is a wonderful way in which to showcase the regions creative professionals and we are very proud to be part of it”.
At its heart, Transatlantic Express is a creative industries international trade event that uses the dynamics of the creative industries to generate opportunities in one of the best markets for the UK and Northwest’s products. Combining international trade and export support from Great Merseyside Enterprises (GME), CBI and the British Consulate in New York with a series industry showcases, the project enables the enterprises involved to show off their products to best advantage, with the back up of the experience the trade agencies.
ACME and CIDS, co-ordinate the film/TV element of Transatlantic Express 2003 in consultation with established North West Vision.
North West Vision films being showcased
Screening at 8.00pm on Monday, 20th October at Two Boots Pioneer Theatre, 155 East 3rd Street, New York. For ticket information contact the theatre on (212) 254 3300.
5 WAYS JOHN WAYNE DIDN’T DIE: Pulp frontman Jarvis Cocker plays a hapless, newly wed killer in this offbeat comedy.
SLEEP MY LOVE: The story of an aggrieved tramp, once a loving husband, until a devastating incident tore his life apart.
CANNED MAN: The future - and Kim Mavers is looking for the perfect man so she buys one in a tin. “Just add water for the man of your dreams”.
IN MEMORIAM: The story of a loner, Bernard, trapped in the past since the loss of his wife.
JOURNEY: Ernest, recently widowed, longs to rejoin his wife in their spiritual home in Barbados. But he sees his “journey” can only be achieved by taking his own life.
PUT YOUR COAT ON: Amoré in an anorak. A young girl hits the bright lights of the big city. A bloodstained coat suggests a tragic end or is this just a love story after all?
UNHINGED: Psychiatrist Dr. Snell tries his utmost to rid his patient, Eric (played by Harry Potter star Ian Hart), of his curious fetish.
INCENSE: Film, without words, about secrets in a middle-class, suburban Asian home where a mother, haunted by the past, fills the home with incense smoke to ward off evil.
Eight short films made by talented Northwest filmmakers will be screened in New York next week (20/10/03) as part of the regional Transatlantic Express event.
The eight visionary films which were all funded by North West Vision, explore issues of love, death and sex and star celebrities such as the singer Jarvis Cocker and actor Ian Hart (star of Harry Potter). All eight of the films will be shown at Two Boots Pioneer Theatre in New York on Monday the 20th October.
The main aim of Transatlantic Express is to showcase the best in music, fashion, film, TV, and visual arts. It will provide a unique business to business and profiling opportunity for the region’s creative talent.
Alice Morrison, Chief Executive for North West Vision said:
“ I am ecstatic that the talented work of some of the North West’s finest film makers will be shown in New York. Transatlantic Express is a wonderful way in which to showcase the regions creative professionals and we are very proud to be part of it”.
At its heart, Transatlantic Express is a creative industries international trade event that uses the dynamics of the creative industries to generate opportunities in one of the best markets for the UK and Northwest’s products. Combining international trade and export support from Great Merseyside Enterprises (GME), CBI and the British Consulate in New York with a series industry showcases, the project enables the enterprises involved to show off their products to best advantage, with the back up of the experience the trade agencies.
ACME and CIDS, co-ordinate the film/TV element of Transatlantic Express 2003 in consultation with established North West Vision.
North West Vision films being showcased
Screening at 8.00pm on Monday, 20th October at Two Boots Pioneer Theatre, 155 East 3rd Street, New York. For ticket information contact the theatre on (212) 254 3300.
5 WAYS JOHN WAYNE DIDN’T DIE: Pulp frontman Jarvis Cocker plays a hapless, newly wed killer in this offbeat comedy.
SLEEP MY LOVE: The story of an aggrieved tramp, once a loving husband, until a devastating incident tore his life apart.
CANNED MAN: The future - and Kim Mavers is looking for the perfect man so she buys one in a tin. “Just add water for the man of your dreams”.
IN MEMORIAM: The story of a loner, Bernard, trapped in the past since the loss of his wife.
JOURNEY: Ernest, recently widowed, longs to rejoin his wife in their spiritual home in Barbados. But he sees his “journey” can only be achieved by taking his own life.
PUT YOUR COAT ON: Amoré in an anorak. A young girl hits the bright lights of the big city. A bloodstained coat suggests a tragic end or is this just a love story after all?
UNHINGED: Psychiatrist Dr. Snell tries his utmost to rid his patient, Eric (played by Harry Potter star Ian Hart), of his curious fetish.
INCENSE: Film, without words, about secrets in a middle-class, suburban Asian home where a mother, haunted by the past, fills the home with incense smoke to ward off evil.
Wednesday, October 15, 2003
MAJOR HOLLYWOOD FILM FOR SCOTLAND
A $32m Hollywood movie starring Adrian Brody (The Pianist) and Keira Knightley (Bend it Like Beckham, Pirates of the Caribbean) with George Clooney as one of its producers is set to shoot in Scotland, Frank McAveety Minister for Culture announced at a press conference at Scottish Screen this morning..
The movie entitled "The Jacket", will be directed by John Maybury and is to be produced by international star George Clooney & Steven Soderbergh's Section Eight production company, with Peter Gruber's Mandalay Pictures in association with German production company VIP Medienfonds.
The film which will reaffirm Scotland as a great film-making destination, will be shot in Scotland early in the new year. It is estimated that it will generate around $10m for Scotland's economy and will employ a large film crew, the majority of whom will be recruited in Scotland.
Securing the film for Scotland is a major coup and there is tremendous prestige in having a major film featuring some of Hollywood's biggest names. This will raise Scotland's profile as a place to come and make films, and for movie enthusiasts to visit.
Speaking at the announcement at Scottish Screen Headquarters in Glasgow, Mr McAveety said:
"This news is simply fantastic for Scotland, fantastic for those involved in the film industry in Scotland, and fantastic for filmgoers.
"Scottish Screen and the Glasgow Film Office must be congratulated in their roles in convincing the film's American and German producers that Scotland has everything to offer production companies who are looking for locations to shoot their films.
"There are many spin-offs associated with this film - a large crew recruited in Scotland will be employed for this production, hotels in shoot locations will feel the benefits, and so too will local shops and restaurants.
"But most of all the prestige in providing the backdrop for a Hollywood blockbuster with famous Hollywood stars coming to Scotland, will attract other film companies and convince them that Scotland is a great place come and use our rich and varied film locations."
Steve McIntyre, Chief Executive of Scottish Screen said:
"We are delighted that Scottish Screen along with the Glasgow Film Office have been able to attract this most important film to shoot in Scotland. We look forward to working closely with the producers and the Scottish crew over the next few months."
Councillor Charlie Gordon, of Glasgow City Council added:
"I'm delighted with the important role the Glasgow Film Office has played in bringing this movie to Scotland.
"Since its inception in 1997, the Film Office and Glasgow City Council have provided invaluable logistical and financial support to many feature films and TV dramas.
"Now we're going to have a little bit of Hollywood come to our shores, and we can show the most important market in the film industry just how good we are at this kind of work."
Peter McAleese the UK co-producer said:
"I am truly delighted to be able to bring this project to my adopted home city of Glasgow. I'm looking forward to working closely with both the Glasgow Film Office and Scottish Screen to ensure large numbers of the internationally respected Scottish crew members resident here, along with some of the world's best off-screen support services located in and around
the city, are used to best advantage on this fantastic project.
"If we do our job well I hope this film will lead a charge of productions back into Scotland from Hollywood."
A $32m Hollywood movie starring Adrian Brody (The Pianist) and Keira Knightley (Bend it Like Beckham, Pirates of the Caribbean) with George Clooney as one of its producers is set to shoot in Scotland, Frank McAveety Minister for Culture announced at a press conference at Scottish Screen this morning..
The movie entitled "The Jacket", will be directed by John Maybury and is to be produced by international star George Clooney & Steven Soderbergh's Section Eight production company, with Peter Gruber's Mandalay Pictures in association with German production company VIP Medienfonds.
The film which will reaffirm Scotland as a great film-making destination, will be shot in Scotland early in the new year. It is estimated that it will generate around $10m for Scotland's economy and will employ a large film crew, the majority of whom will be recruited in Scotland.
Securing the film for Scotland is a major coup and there is tremendous prestige in having a major film featuring some of Hollywood's biggest names. This will raise Scotland's profile as a place to come and make films, and for movie enthusiasts to visit.
Speaking at the announcement at Scottish Screen Headquarters in Glasgow, Mr McAveety said:
"This news is simply fantastic for Scotland, fantastic for those involved in the film industry in Scotland, and fantastic for filmgoers.
"Scottish Screen and the Glasgow Film Office must be congratulated in their roles in convincing the film's American and German producers that Scotland has everything to offer production companies who are looking for locations to shoot their films.
"There are many spin-offs associated with this film - a large crew recruited in Scotland will be employed for this production, hotels in shoot locations will feel the benefits, and so too will local shops and restaurants.
"But most of all the prestige in providing the backdrop for a Hollywood blockbuster with famous Hollywood stars coming to Scotland, will attract other film companies and convince them that Scotland is a great place come and use our rich and varied film locations."
Steve McIntyre, Chief Executive of Scottish Screen said:
"We are delighted that Scottish Screen along with the Glasgow Film Office have been able to attract this most important film to shoot in Scotland. We look forward to working closely with the producers and the Scottish crew over the next few months."
Councillor Charlie Gordon, of Glasgow City Council added:
"I'm delighted with the important role the Glasgow Film Office has played in bringing this movie to Scotland.
"Since its inception in 1997, the Film Office and Glasgow City Council have provided invaluable logistical and financial support to many feature films and TV dramas.
"Now we're going to have a little bit of Hollywood come to our shores, and we can show the most important market in the film industry just how good we are at this kind of work."
Peter McAleese the UK co-producer said:
"I am truly delighted to be able to bring this project to my adopted home city of Glasgow. I'm looking forward to working closely with both the Glasgow Film Office and Scottish Screen to ensure large numbers of the internationally respected Scottish crew members resident here, along with some of the world's best off-screen support services located in and around
the city, are used to best advantage on this fantastic project.
"If we do our job well I hope this film will lead a charge of productions back into Scotland from Hollywood."
CALLING ALL BUDDING WRITERS!
North West Vision and the UK Film Council Development Fund, in partnership with the First Film Foundation, are pleased to announce the launch of a new and exciting initiative to develop feature film writers from the North West region.
This is a fantastic opportunity for new writers to receive both script development funding and high quality industry supports, by taking part in an intensive six month programme to develop strong feature film scripts. The final scripts will be submitted to the UK Film Council who will be seeking to option the best scripts for further development.
Helen Bingham, Head of Production at North West Vision said:
“This is a wonderful new scheme in which we want to uncover the hidden talented writers in the North West. We are looking for people that have a secret passion and flair for writing. This scheme will give these talented individuals the chance to unleash their potential with the guidance and support of industry professionals.”
If you want to find out more then please attend one of the workshops in Liverpool, Manchester or Cumbria. North West Vision and First Film Foundation will provide training /advice on how to put together a strong submission. The workshops will cover the fundamentals of what is a synopsis, log line, outline and treatment and will focus on how to turn a great idea into a great proposal and eventually a great script.
If you have a great idea and you are interested in finding out more about the scheme please come along to one of the workshops.
Liverpool City Centre - Tuesday 21st October 2003 (9.30 - 5.30)
Manchester City Centre - Wednesday 22nd October 2003 (9.30 - 5.30)
Kendall, Cumbria - Sunday 16th November 2003 (9.30 - 5.30)
Interested? Want to know more?
Places are limited, so to book your FREE place on one of the above days by sending an email to First Film Foundation at: info@firstfilm.co.uk.
Please note:
First Film Foundation, not North West Vision will be handling all enquires for the workshops. Please contact First Film on Tel: 020 7580 2111 and ask for Jeremy Cliff, Project Co-ordinator.
North West Vision will release the schemes full guidelines and application form on its website next week.
To be eligible to apply you must:
- be interested in writing a feature film
- aged 18 or over
- live or work in the North West Region (Cheshire, Cumbria, Greater Manchester, Lancashire, Merseyside)
- companies or organisations are not eligible
- Students are not eligible
What experience do I have to have to apply?
Applications are only open to writers who have not previously had a feature script commissioned by a UK body. Short film and TV writers will be welcomed.
Who is First Film Foundation?
First Film exists to help new British writers, producers and directors make their first feature film. First Film provides a range of high quality and unique development programmes that give the filmmakers the skills, knowledge, experience and contacts they need to develop a career in the film industry. Website: www.firstfilm.co.uk.
How many workshop places are available?
The workshops in Liverpool and Manchester can take up to 36 participants and the workshop in Kendal will be restricted to a maximum of 15 participants.
When will the Guidelines and Application Form be available?
These will be on North West Vision's website by 15th October 2003
How many writers will be selected?
Initially 20 writers will be selected to undertake individual one to one sessions with a script consultant.
These one to ones will be held in Manchester and Liverpool on December 15th, 16th and 17th December 2003. Then from these 20, 5 writers will be awarded £1,000 each (plus development support) to produce a full treatment. From these 5 treatments two writers will then be selected to produce a first draft. For this they will be awarded £4,500.
How do I apply?
The deadline for submissions will be 1st December 2003. We will ask writers to submit
Log Line (2/3 sentences)
250 word Synopsis
Outline of no more than 2 pages
A writing sample of no more than 10 pages (this could be a short film script or a selection of scenes)
To find out more about what we expect to be submitted book a place onto one of our websites
North West Vision and the UK Film Council Development Fund, in partnership with the First Film Foundation, are pleased to announce the launch of a new and exciting initiative to develop feature film writers from the North West region.
This is a fantastic opportunity for new writers to receive both script development funding and high quality industry supports, by taking part in an intensive six month programme to develop strong feature film scripts. The final scripts will be submitted to the UK Film Council who will be seeking to option the best scripts for further development.
Helen Bingham, Head of Production at North West Vision said:
“This is a wonderful new scheme in which we want to uncover the hidden talented writers in the North West. We are looking for people that have a secret passion and flair for writing. This scheme will give these talented individuals the chance to unleash their potential with the guidance and support of industry professionals.”
If you want to find out more then please attend one of the workshops in Liverpool, Manchester or Cumbria. North West Vision and First Film Foundation will provide training /advice on how to put together a strong submission. The workshops will cover the fundamentals of what is a synopsis, log line, outline and treatment and will focus on how to turn a great idea into a great proposal and eventually a great script.
If you have a great idea and you are interested in finding out more about the scheme please come along to one of the workshops.
Liverpool City Centre - Tuesday 21st October 2003 (9.30 - 5.30)
Manchester City Centre - Wednesday 22nd October 2003 (9.30 - 5.30)
Kendall, Cumbria - Sunday 16th November 2003 (9.30 - 5.30)
Interested? Want to know more?
Places are limited, so to book your FREE place on one of the above days by sending an email to First Film Foundation at: info@firstfilm.co.uk.
Please note:
First Film Foundation, not North West Vision will be handling all enquires for the workshops. Please contact First Film on Tel: 020 7580 2111 and ask for Jeremy Cliff, Project Co-ordinator.
North West Vision will release the schemes full guidelines and application form on its website next week.
To be eligible to apply you must:
- be interested in writing a feature film
- aged 18 or over
- live or work in the North West Region (Cheshire, Cumbria, Greater Manchester, Lancashire, Merseyside)
- companies or organisations are not eligible
- Students are not eligible
What experience do I have to have to apply?
Applications are only open to writers who have not previously had a feature script commissioned by a UK body. Short film and TV writers will be welcomed.
Who is First Film Foundation?
First Film exists to help new British writers, producers and directors make their first feature film. First Film provides a range of high quality and unique development programmes that give the filmmakers the skills, knowledge, experience and contacts they need to develop a career in the film industry. Website: www.firstfilm.co.uk.
How many workshop places are available?
The workshops in Liverpool and Manchester can take up to 36 participants and the workshop in Kendal will be restricted to a maximum of 15 participants.
When will the Guidelines and Application Form be available?
These will be on North West Vision's website by 15th October 2003
How many writers will be selected?
Initially 20 writers will be selected to undertake individual one to one sessions with a script consultant.
These one to ones will be held in Manchester and Liverpool on December 15th, 16th and 17th December 2003. Then from these 20, 5 writers will be awarded £1,000 each (plus development support) to produce a full treatment. From these 5 treatments two writers will then be selected to produce a first draft. For this they will be awarded £4,500.
How do I apply?
The deadline for submissions will be 1st December 2003. We will ask writers to submit
Log Line (2/3 sentences)
250 word Synopsis
Outline of no more than 2 pages
A writing sample of no more than 10 pages (this could be a short film script or a selection of scenes)
To find out more about what we expect to be submitted book a place onto one of our websites
Trilogy of New Liverpool Films Announced
DSTM secure local talent… and Johnny Vegas for their first film production.
Award winning actors Dean Sullivan and Tina Malone have today unveiled enterprising plans to produce a trilogy of short films. With a budget of 50K raised by DSTM through private funding, “Reuben Don’t Take Your Love to Town” is the first of the films to be shot in and around Liverpool over the coming months. Shot on 35mm film and with production values second to none, the films will act as forerunners to a major feature film, currently in development, which will go into production next year.
Written and produced by Tina Malone and directed by Brookside (Channel 4) actor Dean Sullivan, best known for his inspirational portrayal of Jimmy Corkhill, the first of the films “Reuben Don’t Take Your Love to Town” examines the story of a taxi driver desperately seeking to rekindle the lost romance within his marriage. Featuring Neil Fitzmaurice, Louis Emerick, Celia Imrie and Johnny Vegas, the film tackles the universal issues of love, sex, romance and communication and the complex way in which these subjects colour our lives.
Both Dean Sullivan and Tina Malone have very strong associations with Liverpool and have recently formed a production and training Company, DSTM. Their company ethos is to employ the cream of Liverpool actors and crews whilst nurturing the wealth of talent that exists within the region.
Said Tina Malone, “All too often film companies come to Liverpool merely to use it as a double for somewhere else – what we intend to do is show Liverpool in its true light, to display the lavish, sumptuous city of ours with its inspirational architecture and diversity of culture. I am pleased to be working with Dean, an actor and director whom I both respect and admire and look forward to our collaboration on this project”.
Dean Sullivan added, “Having worked primarily in front of the camera for the last eighteen years, I am delighted to have the opportunity to devote my energies to directing these films. It is a most exciting time for the film industry in our city and Tina and I aim to be at its forefront – watch this space!”
DSTM secure local talent… and Johnny Vegas for their first film production.
Award winning actors Dean Sullivan and Tina Malone have today unveiled enterprising plans to produce a trilogy of short films. With a budget of 50K raised by DSTM through private funding, “Reuben Don’t Take Your Love to Town” is the first of the films to be shot in and around Liverpool over the coming months. Shot on 35mm film and with production values second to none, the films will act as forerunners to a major feature film, currently in development, which will go into production next year.
Written and produced by Tina Malone and directed by Brookside (Channel 4) actor Dean Sullivan, best known for his inspirational portrayal of Jimmy Corkhill, the first of the films “Reuben Don’t Take Your Love to Town” examines the story of a taxi driver desperately seeking to rekindle the lost romance within his marriage. Featuring Neil Fitzmaurice, Louis Emerick, Celia Imrie and Johnny Vegas, the film tackles the universal issues of love, sex, romance and communication and the complex way in which these subjects colour our lives.
Both Dean Sullivan and Tina Malone have very strong associations with Liverpool and have recently formed a production and training Company, DSTM. Their company ethos is to employ the cream of Liverpool actors and crews whilst nurturing the wealth of talent that exists within the region.
Said Tina Malone, “All too often film companies come to Liverpool merely to use it as a double for somewhere else – what we intend to do is show Liverpool in its true light, to display the lavish, sumptuous city of ours with its inspirational architecture and diversity of culture. I am pleased to be working with Dean, an actor and director whom I both respect and admire and look forward to our collaboration on this project”.
Dean Sullivan added, “Having worked primarily in front of the camera for the last eighteen years, I am delighted to have the opportunity to devote my energies to directing these films. It is a most exciting time for the film industry in our city and Tina and I aim to be at its forefront – watch this space!”
Monday, October 13, 2003
BAFTA NORTH IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE CITY OF LIVERPOOL, BLACK SCREEN FESTIVAL and ODEON CINEMA PRESENTS...
IMAGES OF CHINA - CHINESE FILM FESTIVAL
BAFTA North in association with the City of Liverpool, Black Screen Festival and Odeon Cinema is proud to present a programme of events featuring a selection of critically acclaimed Chinese films to celebrate Chinese culture.
Thursday 16 October, 7.30pm, Odeon Cinema, London Road, Liverpool:
A SIGH directed by Feng Xiaogang and starring Zhang Guoli, Xu Fan and Liu Bei.
A touching drama that deals with one of China’s most sensitive subjects, adultery. Zhang Guoli plays writer Liang Yazhou, who has been married for ten years with a beautiful six-year-old daughter and appears completely happy with his life. Until one day he meets an intriguingly attractive young woman, Li Xiaodan, his screen writing executive assistant. A passionate affair ensues and Liang is forced to choose between the wife he loves and his impassioned lover.
Friday 17 October, 6.30pm, Odeon Cinema, London Road, Liverpool:
THE MISSING GUN directed by Chuan Lu and starring Wen Jiang, Shi Liang and Jing Ning. Set in present day rural China, THE MISSING GUN is a fast-paced thriller following small town policeman Ma Shan, who wakes up one morning to discover his gun is missing. Events take a sinister turn when his first love turns up dead and the incriminating bullet appears to have come from his own gun.
Friday 17 October, 1.00pm, Odeon Cinema, London Road, Liverpool:
I AM A FISH directed by Li Honghe and starring Li Lida and Ma Jingwu.
This children’s film tells the story of a young boy, Lu Xiaochun and his peaceful life with his grandfather in a little village by the sea. His serene existence is interrupted by the death of his grandfather and his parents’ decision to send him to school in the big city. Unhappy in his new home, Xiaochun meets an elderly man, Ma Changyu and with his help he finds his spirit again and successfully swims across the Qiongzhou Strait and creates a Guinness record.
For details email BAFTA North:
baftanorth@virgin.net
IMAGES OF CHINA - CHINESE FILM FESTIVAL
BAFTA North in association with the City of Liverpool, Black Screen Festival and Odeon Cinema is proud to present a programme of events featuring a selection of critically acclaimed Chinese films to celebrate Chinese culture.
Thursday 16 October, 7.30pm, Odeon Cinema, London Road, Liverpool:
A SIGH directed by Feng Xiaogang and starring Zhang Guoli, Xu Fan and Liu Bei.
A touching drama that deals with one of China’s most sensitive subjects, adultery. Zhang Guoli plays writer Liang Yazhou, who has been married for ten years with a beautiful six-year-old daughter and appears completely happy with his life. Until one day he meets an intriguingly attractive young woman, Li Xiaodan, his screen writing executive assistant. A passionate affair ensues and Liang is forced to choose between the wife he loves and his impassioned lover.
Friday 17 October, 6.30pm, Odeon Cinema, London Road, Liverpool:
THE MISSING GUN directed by Chuan Lu and starring Wen Jiang, Shi Liang and Jing Ning. Set in present day rural China, THE MISSING GUN is a fast-paced thriller following small town policeman Ma Shan, who wakes up one morning to discover his gun is missing. Events take a sinister turn when his first love turns up dead and the incriminating bullet appears to have come from his own gun.
Friday 17 October, 1.00pm, Odeon Cinema, London Road, Liverpool:
I AM A FISH directed by Li Honghe and starring Li Lida and Ma Jingwu.
This children’s film tells the story of a young boy, Lu Xiaochun and his peaceful life with his grandfather in a little village by the sea. His serene existence is interrupted by the death of his grandfather and his parents’ decision to send him to school in the big city. Unhappy in his new home, Xiaochun meets an elderly man, Ma Changyu and with his help he finds his spirit again and successfully swims across the Qiongzhou Strait and creates a Guinness record.
For details email BAFTA North:
baftanorth@virgin.net
Thursday, October 09, 2003
Top Cowboy
To celebrate 100 Years of Westerns and its own Western Week 13th - 19th October, TCM (Turner Classic Movies) the 2nd rated movie channel in the UK, has commissioned an independent survey to find out exactly which screen cowboy is the UK public’s favourite. Conducted by independent company (IPSOS) in September 2003, the poll reveals that CLINT EASTWOOD is the most favourite western actor with 62% of the votes, followed closely by John Wayne in second with 53% and Steve McQueen third with 31%.
For more visit Top Cowboy.
Who is your favourite cowboy? Are you a Western fan or do you think this genre has hit the duat for good? Let us know by emailing valis23a@aol.com and I'll put the best comments on the website.
To celebrate 100 Years of Westerns and its own Western Week 13th - 19th October, TCM (Turner Classic Movies) the 2nd rated movie channel in the UK, has commissioned an independent survey to find out exactly which screen cowboy is the UK public’s favourite. Conducted by independent company (IPSOS) in September 2003, the poll reveals that CLINT EASTWOOD is the most favourite western actor with 62% of the votes, followed closely by John Wayne in second with 53% and Steve McQueen third with 31%.
For more visit Top Cowboy.
Who is your favourite cowboy? Are you a Western fan or do you think this genre has hit the duat for good? Let us know by emailing valis23a@aol.com and I'll put the best comments on the website.
Monday, October 06, 2003
UK DRIVERS PREFER THE ITALIAN JOB
Motorists in have declared that their favourite car movie of all time is The Italian Job, which was first released over 30 years ago in 1969.
A study of used car buyers reveals that 33% of motorists were most impressed by the classic Michael Caine comedy caper, telling the story of a Gold Bullion raid by cockney criminals in Italy.
The original film was a huge hit in the UK, but when released in the US it fared extremely badly. The English sense of humour probably didn’t help, so it comes as no surprise the much anticipated re-make, at the cinemas now, features American actor, Mark Whalberg (Planet of the Apes) who will play the role of Charlie Crocker. Gang members include Edward Norton (Fight Club), Jason Statham (Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels) and Donald Sutherland.
The research, undertaken by the UK’s second largest motor retailer, CD Bramall revealed that joint second with 18% of the vote were the Herbie films and James Bond’s timeless car chases.
CD Bramall’s marketing director, Neil Addley, said: “The results show that the British public love a car with character. Whether it’s the classic and now very trendy Mini Cooper, a favourite of Madonna’s, a quirky Volkswagen Beetle or a sophisticated Bond car, it just goes to show that we are a nation with taste. While sales don’t necessarily follow movie popularity the car is often a key component of many new movies, including Harry Potter and the new Batman movie staring British actor Christian Bale.
See our review of the original The Italian Job.
Motorists in have declared that their favourite car movie of all time is The Italian Job, which was first released over 30 years ago in 1969.
A study of used car buyers reveals that 33% of motorists were most impressed by the classic Michael Caine comedy caper, telling the story of a Gold Bullion raid by cockney criminals in Italy.
The original film was a huge hit in the UK, but when released in the US it fared extremely badly. The English sense of humour probably didn’t help, so it comes as no surprise the much anticipated re-make, at the cinemas now, features American actor, Mark Whalberg (Planet of the Apes) who will play the role of Charlie Crocker. Gang members include Edward Norton (Fight Club), Jason Statham (Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels) and Donald Sutherland.
The research, undertaken by the UK’s second largest motor retailer, CD Bramall revealed that joint second with 18% of the vote were the Herbie films and James Bond’s timeless car chases.
CD Bramall’s marketing director, Neil Addley, said: “The results show that the British public love a car with character. Whether it’s the classic and now very trendy Mini Cooper, a favourite of Madonna’s, a quirky Volkswagen Beetle or a sophisticated Bond car, it just goes to show that we are a nation with taste. While sales don’t necessarily follow movie popularity the car is often a key component of many new movies, including Harry Potter and the new Batman movie staring British actor Christian Bale.
See our review of the original The Italian Job.
Friday, October 03, 2003
Scenario!
London Film School and the Institut francais Explore Writing For The Screen
Scenario! takes place from 6 to 12 October at the cine lumiere, Institut francais,17 Queeensberry Place, London, SW7 2DT.
Highlights include Stephen Fry talking about his new film Bright Young Things; Richard Jobson talking about his first feature 16 years without alcohol; Hanif Kureshi will discuss his screenwriting career; and, there will be previews and a TV Writing Event.
For more details visit www.lfs.org.uk/scenario.htm
London Film School and the Institut francais Explore Writing For The Screen
Scenario! takes place from 6 to 12 October at the cine lumiere, Institut francais,17 Queeensberry Place, London, SW7 2DT.
Highlights include Stephen Fry talking about his new film Bright Young Things; Richard Jobson talking about his first feature 16 years without alcohol; Hanif Kureshi will discuss his screenwriting career; and, there will be previews and a TV Writing Event.
For more details visit www.lfs.org.uk/scenario.htm
Star Cast At Marrakech Film Festival
Oliver Stone and Jeremy Irons are the star guests at the forthcoming Marrakech Film festival.
The festival, now in its third year, runs from 3 October, 2003 to Wednesday, 8 October, 2003. The event is held under the patronage of the King of Morocco, HM Mohamed V1, and a total 0f 72 films will be screened.
Jeremy Irons will lead the jury to judge the short films category, and German filmmaker Volker Schlondorff (Death of a Salesman, The Tin Drum) will head the feature-length film jury.
Oliver Stone, Sir Ridley Scott and French actor Alain Delon will be honoured at the opening night ceremony on 3 October. Oliver Stone is currently shooting Alexander in Morocco, and Ridley Scott filmed Black Hawk Down here and parts of Gladiator.
The opening night will also feature a tribute to Daniel Toscan du Plantier, who founded the Marrakech Film Festival and died earlier this year.
For details of the festival visit: www.visitmorocco.com
Oliver Stone and Jeremy Irons are the star guests at the forthcoming Marrakech Film festival.
The festival, now in its third year, runs from 3 October, 2003 to Wednesday, 8 October, 2003. The event is held under the patronage of the King of Morocco, HM Mohamed V1, and a total 0f 72 films will be screened.
Jeremy Irons will lead the jury to judge the short films category, and German filmmaker Volker Schlondorff (Death of a Salesman, The Tin Drum) will head the feature-length film jury.
Oliver Stone, Sir Ridley Scott and French actor Alain Delon will be honoured at the opening night ceremony on 3 October. Oliver Stone is currently shooting Alexander in Morocco, and Ridley Scott filmed Black Hawk Down here and parts of Gladiator.
The opening night will also feature a tribute to Daniel Toscan du Plantier, who founded the Marrakech Film Festival and died earlier this year.
For details of the festival visit: www.visitmorocco.com
ASOLOARTFILMFESTIVAL
22-28 September, 2003
Asolo – Montebelluna
GRAN PREMIO ASOLO 2003 TO MARIO MARTONE
The jury of the AsoloArtFilmFestival 2003, with the following members: Vittorio Fagone (President of the jury), Corrado Balest, Luca Massimo Barbero, Giuseppe Barbieri, Fabrizio Borin, has awarded the following prizes after viewing the 59 films in competition:
GRAND PRIZE ASOLO FOR BEST FILM IN COMPETITION to Nella Napoli di Luca Giordano by Mario Martone (Ananas, Italy, 2001).
PRIZE ASOLO FOR BEST FILM ON ART to Orba/Cian by Eduardo López López (Jaime Genovart, Argentina, 2003).
A Special Mention for the following film in the same category: Lluvia by Diego Agudo Pinilla (Emilio Lujan, Spain, 2002).
PRIZE ASOLO FOR BEST FILM ON LIVES OF ARTISTS to Martha Argerich, Evening Talks by Georges Gachot (Georges Gachot/Ideale Audence, France, 2002).
PRIZE ASOLO FOR BEST VIDEO/COMPUTER ART to Gestalt by Thorsten Fleisch (Thorsten Fleisch, Germania, 2003) ex aequo with Regard de pierre by Pierre Yves Cruaud (Pierre Yves Cruaud, France, 2002).
PRIZE ASOLO FOR BEST EXPERIMENTAL PRODUCTION (SCHOOLS) to Roll over Ehrenfeld by Olaf Geuer (Academy of Media Arts Cologne, Germany, 2002).
A Special Mention for the followings films: Aggigma by Giuliano Vece and Petra Biondina Volpe (KHM, Germany, 2002) and to Cocteau Cento by Dan Boord and Luis Valdovino (Luis Valdovino, Fine Arts Department, University of Colorado, USA, 2003).
In addition, the jury has signalled the praiseworthy activity done by the Istituto Statale d’Arte di Urbino “Scuola del Libro” – Section Animation Drawing (2002) which revealed itself to be actively involved in experimenting new audiovisual techniques.
PRIZE GIAN FRANCESCO MALIPIERO FOR BEST SOUND TRACK to Foreign Bodies by Isabelle Birebent (Isabelle Birebent, Germany, 2002).
SPECIAL PRIZE “FLAVIA PAULON”: The Presidency of the Asolo International Art Festival (A.I.A.F.) has instituted this year the Special Prize “Flavia Paulon” entitled to the founder of both the “Festival of Films on Art and the Lives of Artists” (1973) and of the “International Cartoon Festival” (1974) and has assigned it to Mario Verdone for extraordinary and incomparable merits accumulated during over half a century of activity in the fields of historical research, of critical interpretation, of promotion and diffusion of the cinematographic culture.
22-28 September, 2003
Asolo – Montebelluna
GRAN PREMIO ASOLO 2003 TO MARIO MARTONE
The jury of the AsoloArtFilmFestival 2003, with the following members: Vittorio Fagone (President of the jury), Corrado Balest, Luca Massimo Barbero, Giuseppe Barbieri, Fabrizio Borin, has awarded the following prizes after viewing the 59 films in competition:
GRAND PRIZE ASOLO FOR BEST FILM IN COMPETITION to Nella Napoli di Luca Giordano by Mario Martone (Ananas, Italy, 2001).
PRIZE ASOLO FOR BEST FILM ON ART to Orba/Cian by Eduardo López López (Jaime Genovart, Argentina, 2003).
A Special Mention for the following film in the same category: Lluvia by Diego Agudo Pinilla (Emilio Lujan, Spain, 2002).
PRIZE ASOLO FOR BEST FILM ON LIVES OF ARTISTS to Martha Argerich, Evening Talks by Georges Gachot (Georges Gachot/Ideale Audence, France, 2002).
PRIZE ASOLO FOR BEST VIDEO/COMPUTER ART to Gestalt by Thorsten Fleisch (Thorsten Fleisch, Germania, 2003) ex aequo with Regard de pierre by Pierre Yves Cruaud (Pierre Yves Cruaud, France, 2002).
PRIZE ASOLO FOR BEST EXPERIMENTAL PRODUCTION (SCHOOLS) to Roll over Ehrenfeld by Olaf Geuer (Academy of Media Arts Cologne, Germany, 2002).
A Special Mention for the followings films: Aggigma by Giuliano Vece and Petra Biondina Volpe (KHM, Germany, 2002) and to Cocteau Cento by Dan Boord and Luis Valdovino (Luis Valdovino, Fine Arts Department, University of Colorado, USA, 2003).
In addition, the jury has signalled the praiseworthy activity done by the Istituto Statale d’Arte di Urbino “Scuola del Libro” – Section Animation Drawing (2002) which revealed itself to be actively involved in experimenting new audiovisual techniques.
PRIZE GIAN FRANCESCO MALIPIERO FOR BEST SOUND TRACK to Foreign Bodies by Isabelle Birebent (Isabelle Birebent, Germany, 2002).
SPECIAL PRIZE “FLAVIA PAULON”: The Presidency of the Asolo International Art Festival (A.I.A.F.) has instituted this year the Special Prize “Flavia Paulon” entitled to the founder of both the “Festival of Films on Art and the Lives of Artists” (1973) and of the “International Cartoon Festival” (1974) and has assigned it to Mario Verdone for extraordinary and incomparable merits accumulated during over half a century of activity in the fields of historical research, of critical interpretation, of promotion and diffusion of the cinematographic culture.
Thursday, October 02, 2003
BAFTA announce the launch of a new crystal mask
BAFTA UK and BAFTA North have today announced the inauguration of a new crystal mask to be awarded annually within the BAFTA North region. This prestigious award, which is intended to recognise outstanding achievement within the moving image industry, will be bestowed upon a newcomer at one of the major Northern film festivals.
The beautifully crafted mask will be unveiled at an event sponsored by Tower Films by award winning actor and comedian Johnny Vegas, in the presence of a specially invited audience of 200 celebrities, BAFTA supporters and local dignitaries on Friday 10th October 2003, 1.30pm at The World of Glass, St Helens.
Said Michael Attwell, Chairman BAFTA, “The Academy is delighted to initiate this innovative award as a way of recognising and celebrating the excellence of so much talent within the Northern regions.”
Maureen Sinclair, Director, BAFTA North said, “It is fantastic that The Academy is supporting the wealth of talent in the North by way of endorsing this prestigious award. I am extremely excited by this development and anticipate it becoming one of the most highly coveted annual awards in the region”
Steve Marsden, Chief Executive, Tower Films added, “ As a major film finance company based in the North, we are very pleased to be supporting BAFTA North in this way and look forward to our continued association in the future.”
BAFTA UK and BAFTA North have today announced the inauguration of a new crystal mask to be awarded annually within the BAFTA North region. This prestigious award, which is intended to recognise outstanding achievement within the moving image industry, will be bestowed upon a newcomer at one of the major Northern film festivals.
The beautifully crafted mask will be unveiled at an event sponsored by Tower Films by award winning actor and comedian Johnny Vegas, in the presence of a specially invited audience of 200 celebrities, BAFTA supporters and local dignitaries on Friday 10th October 2003, 1.30pm at The World of Glass, St Helens.
Said Michael Attwell, Chairman BAFTA, “The Academy is delighted to initiate this innovative award as a way of recognising and celebrating the excellence of so much talent within the Northern regions.”
Maureen Sinclair, Director, BAFTA North said, “It is fantastic that The Academy is supporting the wealth of talent in the North by way of endorsing this prestigious award. I am extremely excited by this development and anticipate it becoming one of the most highly coveted annual awards in the region”
Steve Marsden, Chief Executive, Tower Films added, “ As a major film finance company based in the North, we are very pleased to be supporting BAFTA North in this way and look forward to our continued association in the future.”
Cliff Richard -The World Tour
There's a whole lot of shakin' goin' on this October when Cliff Richard - The World Tour comes to video courtesy of VCI. Available from 13 October, Cliff Richard's World Tour concert, complete with fly-on-the-wall documentary, is available exclusive to video and is the ultimate authorised souvenir for every Cliff fan.
Packed with previously unseen material and exclusive behind-the-scenes footage, Cliff Richard - The World Tour brings you closer than ever before to the legend himself. Accompany Cliff as he talks you through the highs and lows of being on the road whilst taking you backstage to see all the preparation that goes into making his concerts.
As this special DVD / VHS shows, the world's most eligible 'Bachelor Boy' really enjoys the touring lifestyle, the hotels and the performing. From Belfast to Bangkok, Stavanger to Sydney, Cliff is followed by adoring fans wherever he goes. Prepare to be amazed at the lengths some people will go to just to see Cliff in person!
More than just a documentary, Cliff Richard - The World Tour presents real insight into the star's success. Hear how Cliff deals with the nerves at live concerts, how his performance is powered by the fan's enthusiasm and why he recently took a year off….
Followed by a spectacular, two-hour outdoor concert performance in Napier, New Zealand - It is a fantastic celebration of his greatest hits and his interpretation of all time classics. The concert is an event not to be missed featuring well-loved classics including Devil Woman, We Don't Talk Any More and The Young Ones. Watch Cliff give his all in the last performance of his tour with rock and pop classics from the golden age of music like All Shook Up and What a Wonderful World.
Cliff Richard - The World Tour is available from 13 October 2003 from VCI
VHS RRP: £14.99 Cat No: VC7010
DVD RRP: £19.99 Cat No: VCD0288
Certificate: Exempt
Length: approx. 190 minutes
There's a whole lot of shakin' goin' on this October when Cliff Richard - The World Tour comes to video courtesy of VCI. Available from 13 October, Cliff Richard's World Tour concert, complete with fly-on-the-wall documentary, is available exclusive to video and is the ultimate authorised souvenir for every Cliff fan.
Packed with previously unseen material and exclusive behind-the-scenes footage, Cliff Richard - The World Tour brings you closer than ever before to the legend himself. Accompany Cliff as he talks you through the highs and lows of being on the road whilst taking you backstage to see all the preparation that goes into making his concerts.
As this special DVD / VHS shows, the world's most eligible 'Bachelor Boy' really enjoys the touring lifestyle, the hotels and the performing. From Belfast to Bangkok, Stavanger to Sydney, Cliff is followed by adoring fans wherever he goes. Prepare to be amazed at the lengths some people will go to just to see Cliff in person!
More than just a documentary, Cliff Richard - The World Tour presents real insight into the star's success. Hear how Cliff deals with the nerves at live concerts, how his performance is powered by the fan's enthusiasm and why he recently took a year off….
Followed by a spectacular, two-hour outdoor concert performance in Napier, New Zealand - It is a fantastic celebration of his greatest hits and his interpretation of all time classics. The concert is an event not to be missed featuring well-loved classics including Devil Woman, We Don't Talk Any More and The Young Ones. Watch Cliff give his all in the last performance of his tour with rock and pop classics from the golden age of music like All Shook Up and What a Wonderful World.
Cliff Richard - The World Tour is available from 13 October 2003 from VCI
VHS RRP: £14.99 Cat No: VC7010
DVD RRP: £19.99 Cat No: VCD0288
Certificate: Exempt
Length: approx. 190 minutes
Wednesday, October 01, 2003
FILM FANS WARNED 'DON'T FLUSH THE FISH' WITH UK LAUNCH OF FINDING NEMO
After hundreds of children 'liberated' their pet fish down the toilet, following the launch of Finding Nemo in the United States, two environmental organisations are keen to avert a similar catastrophe when the animated blockbuster opens in the UK on 3 October 2003.
"Finding Nemo is a very engaging film, and parents who already have aquariums need to explain to their children that the fish will not survive if they are flushed," says Paul Holthus, president of the Marine Aquarium Council (MAC), a non-profit marine conservation group based in Hawaii. "We also urge parents whose children are inspired by the film to start a saltwater tank, to think carefully before buying tropical marine fish for their children."
To coincide with the premier, the United Nations Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre, (UNEP-WCMC) in Cambridge, is launching a groundbreaking report, From Ocean to Aquarium: The Global Trade In Marine Ornamentals, which for the first time uses industry data to highlight the most threatened tropical species and makes suggestions and recommendations on their future protection.
Data for the new report has largely come from the Global Marine Aquarium Database, a joint collaborative effort between UNEP-WCMC, the Marine Aquarium Council (MAC) and members of various aquarium trade associations.
Copies of the report are available from the UNEP web site at:
www.unep.org
or at:
http://www.unep-wcmc.org/resources/publications/UNEP_WCMC_bio_series/17.htm
From Ocean to Aquarium is accessible online at www.unep-wcmc.org/marine/GMAD/.
A review of Finding Nemo and more details about the Don't Flush... campaign go to Talking Pictures.
After hundreds of children 'liberated' their pet fish down the toilet, following the launch of Finding Nemo in the United States, two environmental organisations are keen to avert a similar catastrophe when the animated blockbuster opens in the UK on 3 October 2003.
"Finding Nemo is a very engaging film, and parents who already have aquariums need to explain to their children that the fish will not survive if they are flushed," says Paul Holthus, president of the Marine Aquarium Council (MAC), a non-profit marine conservation group based in Hawaii. "We also urge parents whose children are inspired by the film to start a saltwater tank, to think carefully before buying tropical marine fish for their children."
To coincide with the premier, the United Nations Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre, (UNEP-WCMC) in Cambridge, is launching a groundbreaking report, From Ocean to Aquarium: The Global Trade In Marine Ornamentals, which for the first time uses industry data to highlight the most threatened tropical species and makes suggestions and recommendations on their future protection.
Data for the new report has largely come from the Global Marine Aquarium Database, a joint collaborative effort between UNEP-WCMC, the Marine Aquarium Council (MAC) and members of various aquarium trade associations.
Copies of the report are available from the UNEP web site at:
www.unep.org
or at:
http://www.unep-wcmc.org/resources/publications/UNEP_WCMC_bio_series/17.htm
From Ocean to Aquarium is accessible online at www.unep-wcmc.org/marine/GMAD/.
A review of Finding Nemo and more details about the Don't Flush... campaign go to Talking Pictures.
Golden Horse Film Festival
Taiwan's answer to the Oscars, the 40th Golden Horse Film Festival is running from November to December 2003. Previous winners have included Ang Lee, director of this year's Hulk, who was born in Taiwan in 1954.
The event is great for film fans and it also offers the opportunity to enjoy the natural wonders of Taiwan.
For full details visit:
www.taiwan.net.tw
Taiwan's answer to the Oscars, the 40th Golden Horse Film Festival is running from November to December 2003. Previous winners have included Ang Lee, director of this year's Hulk, who was born in Taiwan in 1954.
The event is great for film fans and it also offers the opportunity to enjoy the natural wonders of Taiwan.
For full details visit:
www.taiwan.net.tw
Tuesday, September 30, 2003
‘CITY OF GOD’ DIRECTOR SUPPORTS ACTION FOR BRAZIL’S CHILDREN
Leading Brazilian director Fernando Meirelles has agreed to support Action for Brazil’s Children Trust (ABC Trust) by attending a special Charity screening of his movie at the Everyman in Hampstead, London on October 8th, 2003.
Following a reception and screening of the film, Meirelles will attend a Question & Answer session, chaired by journalist Ian Hayden-Smith. The Charity’s founder Trustee Jimena Page and CEO Mark Ereira will also answer queries relating to ABC Trust’s work.
Meirelles graduated in architecture before working on TV and then
advertising films. His 02 Filmes studio has become the largest in Brazil and he has won many prizes for his work in commercials. Meirelles directed his first feature film in 1997 and released ‘City of God’ in 2002. Based on Paulo Lins’ best selling novel ‘Cidade de Deus’ the film is shocking, thrilling and often uncomfortably funny. Set in the world’s most notorious slum, it is undeniably one of the most vital and entertaining films of the last decade. The story is based on true characters and charts the story of a young boy, whose ambition is to become a photographer and escape the world
of drug dealing and crime, which has become everyday life for millions of children living on the streets of Brazil.
Meirelles’ experiences working with street children in Rio, many of whom feature in the film, led him to set up a Charity film project, Nos Do Cinema, which is now supported by ABC Trust. Commenting on this, Meirelles said: "I am very excited at the prospect of ABC Trust supporting 'Nos do Cinema'. I have been producing a TV series with the same group of kids who
figured in 'City of Gods' and have had more outstanding results. This is so much more than Charity, this is an investment in new talent and the future! We have kids who will grow into excellent actors, directors and technicians and that is what I'm interested in: quality." Mark Ereira, who will introduce Meirelles on the 8th, said: ‘We’re delighted that Fernando has agreed to help us. ‘City of God’ itself and the local film project he has subsequently set up amply demonstrate his genuine and ongoing commitment.
The philosophy behind Nos do Cinema is in total keeping with our remit, to empower kids off the street and into a meaningful future.”
Meirelles will also attend an MVC/Warner Village screening of ‘City of God’ in Birmingham on Oct 9th to mark the DVD launch. MVC have also organised an in store signing in Chiswick on Oct 10th. These events will also support ABC Trust’s work.
For details of these screenings visit the ABC Trust website.
Leading Brazilian director Fernando Meirelles has agreed to support Action for Brazil’s Children Trust (ABC Trust) by attending a special Charity screening of his movie at the Everyman in Hampstead, London on October 8th, 2003.
Following a reception and screening of the film, Meirelles will attend a Question & Answer session, chaired by journalist Ian Hayden-Smith. The Charity’s founder Trustee Jimena Page and CEO Mark Ereira will also answer queries relating to ABC Trust’s work.
Meirelles graduated in architecture before working on TV and then
advertising films. His 02 Filmes studio has become the largest in Brazil and he has won many prizes for his work in commercials. Meirelles directed his first feature film in 1997 and released ‘City of God’ in 2002. Based on Paulo Lins’ best selling novel ‘Cidade de Deus’ the film is shocking, thrilling and often uncomfortably funny. Set in the world’s most notorious slum, it is undeniably one of the most vital and entertaining films of the last decade. The story is based on true characters and charts the story of a young boy, whose ambition is to become a photographer and escape the world
of drug dealing and crime, which has become everyday life for millions of children living on the streets of Brazil.
Meirelles’ experiences working with street children in Rio, many of whom feature in the film, led him to set up a Charity film project, Nos Do Cinema, which is now supported by ABC Trust. Commenting on this, Meirelles said: "I am very excited at the prospect of ABC Trust supporting 'Nos do Cinema'. I have been producing a TV series with the same group of kids who
figured in 'City of Gods' and have had more outstanding results. This is so much more than Charity, this is an investment in new talent and the future! We have kids who will grow into excellent actors, directors and technicians and that is what I'm interested in: quality." Mark Ereira, who will introduce Meirelles on the 8th, said: ‘We’re delighted that Fernando has agreed to help us. ‘City of God’ itself and the local film project he has subsequently set up amply demonstrate his genuine and ongoing commitment.
The philosophy behind Nos do Cinema is in total keeping with our remit, to empower kids off the street and into a meaningful future.”
Meirelles will also attend an MVC/Warner Village screening of ‘City of God’ in Birmingham on Oct 9th to mark the DVD launch. MVC have also organised an in store signing in Chiswick on Oct 10th. These events will also support ABC Trust’s work.
For details of these screenings visit the ABC Trust website.
Friday, September 26, 2003
17th Leeds International Film Festival
There will be over 200 screenings and events from 2 to 12 October at the Leeds International Film Festival. The Opening Gala features Bright Young Things and on the last day there's a Film Music Gala at Leeds Town Hall. Full details can be found at: www.leedsfilm.com
If you would like to report on this event for Talking Pictures we can supply a press pass. Preference will be given for people who have already written for our website. We cannot pay for travel, accommodation or other expenses but this is a great opportunity to join-in one of the best film festivals in the UK, network with filmmakers, and we'll put your reviews and reports on Talking Pictures. Email me as soon as possible if you would like to attend: valis23a@aol.com
There will be over 200 screenings and events from 2 to 12 October at the Leeds International Film Festival. The Opening Gala features Bright Young Things and on the last day there's a Film Music Gala at Leeds Town Hall. Full details can be found at: www.leedsfilm.com
If you would like to report on this event for Talking Pictures we can supply a press pass. Preference will be given for people who have already written for our website. We cannot pay for travel, accommodation or other expenses but this is a great opportunity to join-in one of the best film festivals in the UK, network with filmmakers, and we'll put your reviews and reports on Talking Pictures. Email me as soon as possible if you would like to attend: valis23a@aol.com
Tuesday, September 23, 2003
MOVIES GET FIRST UK SHOWINGS IN SUPPORT OF INTERNATIONAL ARMS CAMPAIGN
SPUN and SHOTTAS have their first UK showings in October as part of DJ Saved MY Life – a series of nights from AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL and the ICA to highlight their International Arms Campaign.
The impressive movie programme includes an exclusive preview screening of the speed-freak story SPUN, the first feature film from video wunderkind JONAS AKERLUND whose controversial contributions to the art form have included The Prodigy’s “Smack My Bitch Up”, Madonna’s “Ray of Light”/ “American Life” and Robbie Williams’ “Come Undone”.
Also featured is a re-mastered version of FRITZ LANG’s ground-breaking METROPOLIS, LARS VON TRIER’s DANCER IN THE DARK, the Jamaican guns and gangster film SHOTTAS (starring Wyclef Jean, Ky Mani Marley, and Lennox Lewis) and – from Brazil - CIDADE DE DEUS (CITY OF GOD) (same subject, different nation). It’s backed by NOTICIAS DE UNA GUERRA PARTICULAR (NEWS OF A PRIVATE WAR) a documentary that tells the real story of the ghetto-dwellers that inspired CITY OF GOD, co-directed by the film’s director Katia Lund.
The movies play a part in a series of nights at the ICA, that have been curated by JO WHILEY, ZANE LOWE, THE DREEM TEEM, TONY WILSON and VERITY SHARP & FIONA TALKINGTON: all under the umbrella of DJ SAVED MY LIFE.
In addition to this line-up of movies, DJ SAVED MY LIFE also features talks, discussions and major musical acts including THE THRILLS, HUNDRED REASONS, BILLY BRAGG, THE MUSIC and BIG BROVAZ.
DJ SAVED MY LIFE has been conceived to raise funds and awareness for THE INTERNATIONAL ARMS CONTROLS campaign.
AMNESTY is always finding new ways to communicate fundamental human rights messages. Entertainers have played a key, and very active role in promoting AMNESTY causes over the years. DJ SAVED MY LIFE marks a continuation of a great tradition.
Those who were at the first Secret Policeman’s Ball are now a privileged elite: DJ SAVED MY LIFE is a historic event that will open up a new front for AMNESTY as it recruits the next generation of newly-radicalised support.
www.amnesty.org.uk/dj
SPUN and SHOTTAS have their first UK showings in October as part of DJ Saved MY Life – a series of nights from AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL and the ICA to highlight their International Arms Campaign.
The impressive movie programme includes an exclusive preview screening of the speed-freak story SPUN, the first feature film from video wunderkind JONAS AKERLUND whose controversial contributions to the art form have included The Prodigy’s “Smack My Bitch Up”, Madonna’s “Ray of Light”/ “American Life” and Robbie Williams’ “Come Undone”.
Also featured is a re-mastered version of FRITZ LANG’s ground-breaking METROPOLIS, LARS VON TRIER’s DANCER IN THE DARK, the Jamaican guns and gangster film SHOTTAS (starring Wyclef Jean, Ky Mani Marley, and Lennox Lewis) and – from Brazil - CIDADE DE DEUS (CITY OF GOD) (same subject, different nation). It’s backed by NOTICIAS DE UNA GUERRA PARTICULAR (NEWS OF A PRIVATE WAR) a documentary that tells the real story of the ghetto-dwellers that inspired CITY OF GOD, co-directed by the film’s director Katia Lund.
The movies play a part in a series of nights at the ICA, that have been curated by JO WHILEY, ZANE LOWE, THE DREEM TEEM, TONY WILSON and VERITY SHARP & FIONA TALKINGTON: all under the umbrella of DJ SAVED MY LIFE.
In addition to this line-up of movies, DJ SAVED MY LIFE also features talks, discussions and major musical acts including THE THRILLS, HUNDRED REASONS, BILLY BRAGG, THE MUSIC and BIG BROVAZ.
DJ SAVED MY LIFE has been conceived to raise funds and awareness for THE INTERNATIONAL ARMS CONTROLS campaign.
AMNESTY is always finding new ways to communicate fundamental human rights messages. Entertainers have played a key, and very active role in promoting AMNESTY causes over the years. DJ SAVED MY LIFE marks a continuation of a great tradition.
Those who were at the first Secret Policeman’s Ball are now a privileged elite: DJ SAVED MY LIFE is a historic event that will open up a new front for AMNESTY as it recruits the next generation of newly-radicalised support.
www.amnesty.org.uk/dj
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