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FILM NEWS - SEPTEMBER - ALL THE FILM NEWS WORTH READING

Wednesday, October 03, 2012 Craig Grobler 0 Comments

Film News The Establishing Shot This time on The Establishing Shot in all the the film news worth reading about -  Dredd Producer & Writer Alex Garland Talks Dredd, Titus Welliver Talks Marvel's Item 47 And Comics,Independent Spotlight – Mother’s Milk , Lauren Laverne Interviews David Walliams At Bfi Screen Epiphany – The Spy Who Loved Me, Director Ole Bornedal Talks About The Possession, The Best Russian Roulette Scenes In Movies, Film's Most Unlikely Romances, Bourne Spy Trilogy Tops Conspiracy Movie List, Lars Von Trier's Challenge To The People Will Premiere On October 12, 2012, Doctor Who’s Matt Smith To Appear At Mcm London Comic Con, Destination Star Trek London - A Three Day Official Event Celebrating The Star Trek Universe, Mcm London Comic Con – Excel London – 26-28 October, Skyfall Royal World Premiere Announced For London, 23rd October 2012, Sir Peter Jackson’s “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” Is Selected For The Royal Film Performance 2012, Premiere Of The Newly Restored Hitchcock Silent Classic, Champagne, By To Be Streamed Exclusively On The Space This Thursday, Cigarette Burns Cinema Presents: Psycho Vs Psycho!, Tim Burton’s Frankenweenie European Premiere Opens The 56th Bfi London Film Festival, Intandem Films Presentgrassroots A Film By Stephen Gyllenhaal Released In Cinemas November 9th 2012 After Receiving European Premiere At The 56th Bfi London Film Festival, Park Circus At The Bfi London Film Festival, Peccadillo Pictures At The 56 Th Bfi London Film Festival 10-21st October 2012, My Brother The Devil Picks Up 3 Award Nominations At The Bfi London Film Festival, The World’s End, Third Comedy Teaming Director Edgar Wright With Stars Simon Pegg And Nick Frost, Commences Production, Principal Photography Begins On A Long Way Down, Intandem Films Cook Up A Little Bit Of Magic With Jadoo, Hollywood Film Awards To Honor Dreamworks Animation's "Rise Of The Guardians" With The 2012 "Hollywood Animation Award", Entertainment One Inks Multiyear Output Deal With Dreamworks Studios, Branagh Shooting Jack Ryan In London, Lionsgate Presents The British, All-Star Adaptation Of The Dickens’ Classic Great Expectations In Cinemas November 30th 2012, Baz Luhrmann’s 3d Adaptation Gets Sought After Summer Release Date,  Fortissimo Films Aquires Terence Davies’ ‘Sunset Song’ Peter Mullan &Amp; Agyness Deyn To Star, Cate Blanchett And Mia Wasikowska Confirmed For John Crowley’s Carol, Cuban Fury Final Production Blog Update, Principal Photography On Kevin Macdonald’s To Begin On How I Live Now Has Begun, Cee Lo Green Joins The Cast Of Exclusive Media’s “Can A Song Save Your Life?”, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire Begins Production, Exclusive Paranormal Activity 4 Clip Available For Fans On New One-Sheet Artwork, Cloud Atlas - Toronto International Film Festival World Premiere, British Film Dredd Is Box Office Number 1, Black Power Salute Apology, Status Quo Will Reunite After 25 Years To Celebrate The Release Of Hello Quo - The Definitive Documentary On The Rock Band, Oscar-Nominated Margin Call On Dvd And Blu-Ray 12th November, Where The Trail Ends, Just Buried, Entertainment Film Distributors Is Pleased To Present The International Box-Office Record Breaker Untouchable, To Rome With Love, Big Boys Gone Bananas!*, Ray Harryhausen: Special Effects Titan Open In Cinemas From 9 November, The Arena Hotel Presents Previously Unseen Beatles Archive  Exclusively On The Space, Room 237.

Since our last update we have moved our operation to a new purpose built space that will ideally compliment our Establishing Shot activities. The down side to this is that a huge chunk of time was needed to plan and co-ordinate this and we are still not fully settled, secondarily our online services provided by O2 were disrupted and due to some sort of unexplained event our  promised 5 day timeframe for activation shifted to an 18 day period. Annoying and frustrating but in all fairness O2 have consistently given us great service across broadband and mobile so we can live with this inconvenience.

Since our last update we have met with Writer/ Producer Alex Garland and DREDD himself Karl Urban to chat about DREDD which is still showing in cinemas.

We briefly met evil mastermind (OK actually really nice guy with a fondness for English Rom Coms?) and the writer behind SINISTER - C. Robert Cargill which opens in cinemas this Friday, our chat with Cargill should be up soon.


And we also had a chat with actor Titus Welliver about his role in Marvel’s short film ITEM 47 and his love of comics.

We have also seen a number of great films - I got to go along to the Stella Artois Premiere of the reflective and energetic LCD Soundsystem based music documentary Shut Up and Play The Hits - it is a technically flawless music documentary up there with the best of them, it is ostensibly about a very popular band coming to an end but delves into the of cult of celebrity and music culture. I have to say that I didn't really know LCD Soundsystem before - but the film left me wandering why not. I should have a full event report up soon.


We also got see the re-release s of Steven Spielberg’s Raiders of The Lot Ark at the IMAX and the Jameson Cult Film Club screening of  Jaws at Amity Beach or as it is locally known the Greenwich Yacht Club. Jaws was the best JCFC screening yet and I was reminded of how brilliant both these classic Spielberg films are and it is hard to believe that few films since are in the same league. Both Raiders of The Lost Ark and Jaws are now available in high definition Blu-ray format. A full write up of the JCFC Jaws Experience will be up soon.

We got to see the most (justifiably) hyped film at the moment Looper (review here!) which we were lucky enough to see early on while very little was known about it and loved it, we got to watch it again at a special Stella Artois/Picturehouse screening and my wife loved it this time so it’s not just one for the boys, again a full write up will be available soon.

Since last time we missed out opportunities to chat with Jennifer Lynch about Chained and hope that in the future that our paths will cross again. We also missed a screening of the documentary Room 237 which looks into Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining. We have been waiting ages for Room 237 and will hopefully have a review up soon.



The Establishing Shot: INDEPENDENT SPOTLIGHT – MOTHER’S MILK 
Mother’s Milk is a powerful, moving and often funny drama, based on the award-winning novel by Edward St. Aubyn about an English family forced to come to terms with the imminent loss of their beloved holiday house in Provence.

Mother's Milk Jack Davenport
Image: Jack Davenport, Thomas Underhill, Annabel Mullion and Diana Quick in Mother's Milk
Told through the eyes of an intelligent young boy, Robert (Thomas Underhill); then his troubled father Patrick (Jack Davenport) and finally his long-suffering mother Mary (Annabel Mullion), it depicts their growing sense of betrayal and family breakdown after Eleanor (Margaret Tyzack), the ailing grandmother, decides to leave her house to Seamus (Adrian Dunbar) an Irish conman intent on setting up a New Age Foundation instead of her own family.

Unable to get through to his stroke-ridden mother, Patrick descends into drunkenness and despair, embarking on a short adulterous affair as he struggles to contain his anger and frustration towards the charlatan who has deceived his mother and threatened the family inheritance.

Mother's Millk Trailer - 9 November 2012

Mother’s Milk stars Jack Davenport, Annabel Mullion, Thomas Underhill, Adrian Dunbar, Diana Quick, Margaret Tyzack

Mother’s Milk is based on the novel by Edward St. Aubyn and stars Jack Davenport, Annabel Mullion, Adrian Dunbar, Diana Quick and Margaret Tyzack.

Mother’s Milk opens in cinemas from 9th November 2012



The Establishing Shot: INTERVIEWS - DAVID WALLIAMS & OLE BORNEDAL 
LAUREN LAVERNE INTERVIEWS DAVID WALLIAMS AT BFI SCREEN EPIPHANY – THE SPY WHO LOVED ME
In the short video shot at his BFI Screen Epiphany David Walliams discuses why The Spy Who Loved Me is his favourite film, David’s thoughts about Bond’s place in British culture and how David used Bond films whilst he was swimming the channel

Video: Amex Entertainment Insider Lauren Laverne speaks to David Walliams at his BFI Screen Epiphany

In her role as 'Amex Entertainment Insider', Lauren is going behind the scenes of some of some of the UK's most inspiring events this summer. Here she visits the prestigious home of The British Film Institute to get a sneak peek behind the scenes of David Walliams' Screen Epiphany.

This summer, Lauren has already been behind the scenes of Hard Rock Calling, the National Theatre Inside Out Festival and will be gracing the red carpet at the 56th BFI London Film Festival and experiencing chefs' creations in kitchens during the London Restaurant Festival. She will be getting the inside track from the people who make these events happen, offering a new perspective for those attending and bringing the events to life for everyone else.

To follow Lauren's journey, visit Facebook.com/AmericanExpressUK, follow @AmexUK on Twitter and join the conversation at #AmexLondon. For more information about American Express and the Preferred Seating programme visit Amex.co.uk/potential


DIRECTOR OLE BORNEDAL TALKS ABOUT THE POSSESSION
Based on a true story, THE POSSESSION is the terrifying story of how one family must unite in order to survive the wrath of an unspeakable evil.

Clyde (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) and Stephanie Brenek (Kyra Sedgwick) see little cause for alarm when their youngest daughter Em becomes oddly obsessed with an antique wooden box she purchased at a yard sale. But as Em’s behavior becomes increasingly erratic, the couple fears the presence of a malevolent force in their midst, only to discover that the box was built to contain a dibbuk, a dislocated spirit that inhabits and ultimately devours its human host.

The Possesion Dean Morgan
Image: Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Natasha Calis and Kyra Sedgwick in The Possession
Starring Jeffrey Dean Morgan (WATCHMEN) and Kyra Sedgwick (“The Closer”), THE POSSESSION is directed by Ole Bornedal (NIGHTWATCH), written by Juliet Snowden & Stiles White, and produced by horror master Sam Raimi along with Robert Tapert and J.R. Young. Lionsgate and Ghost House Pictures present.

The Establishing Shot: What is your opinion on the supernatural do you have a belief? Or is it all fantasy?
Ole Bornedal: It´s fantasy. But then again. What the hell do we know? 50 minutes with Derren Brown can always make my world turn upside down. And wouldn´t the world be a less exciting place if the world was just the world as we saw it?

We've read about a real life Dibbuk box... how much was the movie version inspired by it?
Ole Bornedal: A lot! Juliet and Styles studied the story and elaborated on it - but had it not been based on what happened to that family who were in Possession of the Box - and the event that followed - there would have been no movie.

With possession being at the centre of a fair few horror films over the years, what prompted you to go down the route of a possessed box? Was the Pandora’s box angle appealing?
Ole Bornedal: It was a Director-Craftsman-challenge. Usually I write my own stories - and I was in a process of writing this 400 page long war epic, which is gonna become a very big Danish-German project in 2013. Sam Raimi called me and gave me the challenge of doing this tale, which was a challenge - it being perhaps the strongest American genre. And a genre that suffers from very often very superficial characters that are absolutely incomprehensible to identify with as an audience.
I don’t like those movies. Trying to add a human angle to it - was the challenge.

There is a scene where Jeffrey Dean Morgan's character researches into possession online with some scary results. How much research did you do for the movie and what were some of the real life stories that shocked you or shaped the final film?
Ole Bornedal: I didn’t do any research really. Not more than an average curious guy des on the internet. The film is shaped by my own fears and my own neurotic anxiety for a certain light, a certain colour of a voice, a timing in suspense that let me and the audience know more than the victims on the screen does. Exploring the dark sides are always challenging. Trying to see what you cannot see.

How did Natasha Calis cope with the challenging role? How did you direct her?
Ole Bornedal: I more or less brought her into a sort of trance in the casting session. "Transformed" her into being Em. Once she became that character - I started interviewing her as that little girl. She fell apart in front of the camera, started crying her heart out. The difference in the Em character, from so many many other "possessed innocent little girls" in scary movies - is that she is TORMENTED by this thing inside of her. It makes her SAD. She doesn´t just run around in the movie with this demonic smile on her face, being perfectly all right with scaring the hell out of everybody. It makes everything vulnerable - and real - I guess.

What was it like working with the other cast members; Jeffrey and Kyra seem to of that league of actors that can transverse genres?
Ole Bornedal: Well, they are intelligent great actors. And if I should ever try to nail down what makes a brilliant actor it is that rare combination of being divinely PRESENT and intelligent. Apart from that - they were just as brilliant to work with as so many other great actors I have met in the past. It´s the source of filmmaking - and where I put my greatest effort. The work and the intimacy with the actors and constantly trying to avoid the clichés - find new angles and interpretations.

How much was Sam Raimi involved in the film considering his horror lineage? How much influence did he have over the project?
 Ole Bornedal: As an American producer his influence is of course BIG. It was his decision to bring me in - but after that had been settled, I was more or less left "alone" with my own creative interpretation of the story. Some of my choices challenged the other producers on the show. But Sam was always supportive whenever we had a conflict. He is a filmmaker himself. And that makes him a good producer.

Do you think audiences have had enough of low plot, large budget special effects laden movies and are seeking more in depth character driven pictures such as The Possession?
Ole Bornedal: YES. I do not understand why noise and fast editing have become the formula for so many movies?

I my world silence is much more interesting - and a film that understands its own language and its scenes - a film that have self confidence to believe in itself even when its slow, almost put to a halt - and then can accelerate again as a speeding bullet. Its music! A film is a symphony - not a music video.

Tension is really important in horror films, what techniques did you employ to create and build this throughout The Possession?
Ole Bornedal: The techniques are hopefully nothing but the way I sing.. .that’s how I sing.....that’s how I move the camera. It’s a question of choreography I guess. I don’t know where it comes from.

Your work in the past has been often centered around drama and horror. What is it about these genres that appeal to you?
Ole Bornedal: No I don’t really like horror. I was challenged by it in this case - but only because this film was an allegory about DIVORCE. About a family already have fallen apart. But it’s true I like the big drama.  In that sense I’m probably not the usual European director who likes everything to be deeply psychological and understated. Or making stories about Daily Life in the Suburbs of Coxwold.

What are your own favorite Possession movies and do you plan to return to the Horror genre soon?
Ole Bornedal: I don’t think there will be more horror movies. This was a one time challenge with the genre. I like good stories - not especially any genre as such. I saw The Shining again the other day. Kubrick is still brilliant and will always be.

You have had critical and financial successes with films that you have made in both Europe and in America. Which would be your preferred region of cinema to work in?
Ole Bornedal: US or Britain. Or where the good story is. It’s hard to make films in Denmark these days. It’s hard to find the money - and many of my films are sold for remakes in the US. And are to be made by foreign directors. I do not see myself in the future do many more Danish movies just to see them being made again. It seems to me as being an unnecessarily detour.

Any creepy tales from the set?
Ole Bornedal: Things exploded without reason. Light fixtures exploded - with no electricity connected to them - the warehouse that contained all of our props - burned down one week after wrap. No cause found for the fire. The usual crazy stuff. Would we have noticed if this had been a Love Story? Perhaps not.

Now, it being a horror movie - everybody noticed. But I don´t wanna go there. I do not need to face any other demons than the demons contained in myself. That’s where all the demons are - not OUTSIDE - but INSIDE all of us. There they lie inside a little box, waiting for us to open it. And the art of living is to try to avoid opening that Box - keep it closed - and be a nice and caring person.

The Possession is in cinemas now!

http://www.facebook.com/PossessionUK
#thepossession



The Establishing Shot: FEATURE STORIES
THE BEST RUSSIAN ROULETTE SCENES IN MOVIES
Russian roulette has been seen regularly in popular culture since first appearing in a 1950 episode of Bugs Bunny. The violent and risky game is naturally cinematic and exudes tension on the big screen. The Deer Hunter most famously used it to create one of the most iconic scenes ever put on film. As the thrilling Russian roulette focused new film '13' is released we take a look at the Deer Hunter and the other best uses of it over the years.

THE DEER HUNTER (1978)
Michael Cimino's Vietnam drama was a smash hit in the late '70s and rightly deserving of its 5 Academy Awards. The most famous part of the film is the intense Russian roulette scene which sees Robert De Niro and Christopher Walken's characters forced to play Russian roulette by the Vietcong. The superb acting and claustrophobic nature of the set gave the piece an electric edge which resonated deeply with viewers. It's an incredibly intense scene. The Deer Hunter was the film to put Russian roulette firmly in the public imagination.

Video: The Deer Hunter - Robert De Niro Christopher Walken Russian Roulette Clip



LEON (1994)
The Directors cut or 'Version International' of the now classic hitman film Leon features a tense Russian roulette piece. Various scenes that developed the relationship between Mathilda and Léon were cut from the original edit after test audiences in LA saw an early version. This particular scene shows Natalie Portman's Mathilda threatening to shoot herself play playing Russian roulette. She does this to try and persuade Jean Reno's Léon character to teach her to become a killer. It's an effective scene and once again shows the dramatic potential of this device in cinema.

Video: Leon The Professional - Deleted Mathilda Natalie Portman Russian roulette scene 


LA CONFIDENTIAL (1997)
Curtis Hanson's masterful crime thriller features a Russian roulette element as a key piece of character development. After Guy Pierce's sensible detective fails to get information out of three criminals in an interrogation, Russell Crowe's unhinged character 'Bud' White storms into the room. He proceeds to force one key suspect to play a one-sided version of Russian roulette with a loaded gun. White pulls the trigger three times before he is satisfied and the audience learn what a uncompromising and extreme character he is in the process.

Video: L.A. Confidential - Bud White Russel Crowe Interrogation scene



THE WAY OF THE GUN (2000)
 Christopher McQuarrie followed his triumph of writing The Usual Suspects with the tough as nails and underrated The Way of the Gun. The plot follows a couple of criminal drifters as they get swept into a kidnapping situation that spirals out of control. The Russian roulette scene focuses on a criminal played by talented character actor Geoffrey Lewis. The doomed mercenary decides to play Russian roulette with himself as a method of committing suicide. After a failed first attempt he is about to try again when he finally picks up his ringing phone only to tell the person at the other end he's "Not at all" busy. It's a humorous end to another tense use of Russian roulette.

The Way of the Gun - Geoffrey Lewis Abner Mercer Russian Roulette Clip

STARSKY AND HUTCH (2004)
The playful Todd Phillips version of Starsky and Hutch features an a Russian roulette element in one of the funniest parts of the film. The scene in question sees the police duo enter Chinatown looking for information on their case. During the conversation Starsky quickly offers Russian roulette as a way to get the leads he needs. "All right, you wanna play games? I got a game for you, Chau!" The idea swiftly backfires on Starsky as he fails to understand the rules of the game. This is perhaps the funniest use of Russian roulette yet seen in the movies.

The Establishing Shot: 13 TRAILER HD - DVD & BLU-RAY 8 OCTOBER 2012



13 (2012)
13 is a full-throttle new thriller focused on the fictional underground ‘sport’ of Russian roulette. Fiercely organized and ferociously secret, the game attracts depraved gamblers and desperate men. In the film we follow one naïve young player (played by Sam Riley) who mistakenly becomes a numbered participant in this deadly world of violence and chance. This is writer/director Géla Babluani’s white-knuckle American remake of his 13 Tzameti, the film that swept Europe, shocked Sundance and now translates as one of the most edge-of-your-seat thrillers of the year. The film also has an amazing cast including Jason Statham, Mickey Rourke, Ray Winstone, Sam Riley, 50 Cent and Michael Shannon.

13 Rourke Statham Riley Poster

13 is out on DVD and Blu-ray on Monday 8th October


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FILM'S MOST UNLIKELY ROMANCES
We have all seen them; the movie where the beautiful blonde falls for the overwhelmingly, plain best friend. From uncomfortable age gaps to nauseating lip locks, Hollywood has made us fall in love with, or cringe at, the unlikely on-screen romances.

If an IQ of 48 and multiple confessions of love to random office appliances in ‘Anchorman’ didn’t have you yearning for a piece of Steve Carell, then his receding hair line and geeky charm in ‘Seeking a Friend for the End of the World’ must surely do the trick. On screen, his next door neighbour charm, sparked the love interest of superstar Keira Knightley, as they share one too many lip locks, and even an uncomfortable encounter in between the sheets. Steve Carell gives hope to any middle aged, common man vying for the heart of the ultra-sexy woman sulking inside her flat next door.

Video: Delicacy Trailer


Continuing with the hilarious ogre bags the sultry vixen, Vince Vaughn and Malin Akerman kindle sparks in Couples Retreat. Awkwardly hovering above Malin at an enormous 6 foot 5 inches, every screen shot of the unlikely couple seems wildly out of proportion. Although Vince’s witty charm does compensate for his mammoth frame and apparent beer belly, it also landed him coveted spot 9 on the countdown.

You will think twice before drunkenly consuming that final Sex on the Beach after seeing the Katherine Heigl’s baby disaster in ‘Knocked Up.’ Seth Rogan’s character Ben Stone is probably high fiving his stoned buddies, as accidently getting a bombshell like Katherine Heigl pregnant is probably the biggest achievement of his lazy, party loving lifetime.

Covered in grease and wearing bite sized daisy dukes, Megan Fox radiates pure sex appeal in ‘Transformers’ as co-star Shia Labeouf falls short of even a second glance. As much as he may not enjoy it, seeing Shia away from his childish Disney star days feels a bit out of place, and then seeing him holding hands with super star Megan Fox feels like we are now in a different universe. Shia probably had to pay executive producer Steven Spielberg for the role, knowing that was his only chance to ever lock lips with someone that far out of his league.

Sparkled with scenes of bootylicious, ghetto girl Lafwanduh and thick framed, technology loving Kip, ‘Napolean Dynamite’ rewarded us by handing over one of the most unlikely and entertaining onscreen romances. After Kip notoriously has been “chatting online with babes all day,” he finally encounters Lafwanduh in a chat room where their infatuation was instant. The lesson we all learned from ‘Napolean Dynamite,’ is that you, too, can transform from the geeky, computer chat room nerd to a slick, doo-rag wearing, hip hop star and bag ‘hot babes’ like Lafwanduh.

After Leonardo Di Caprio didn’t make it out alive in ‘Titanic,’ Kate Winslet surely downgraded replacing the heart throb with overweight Jack Black in ‘The Holiday.’ After exchanging homes with Cameron Diaz’s character, and flying across the Atlantic Ocean to escape heartbreak during the holiday season, Kate surely got the short end when it came to on screen lovers. Cameron was paired with British heart throb Jude Law, while Kate was left swimming through a sea of Jack Black’s chest hair. She should really have tried to haggle with director Nancy Meyers a bit more to trade roles with Cameron, because a holiday with Jude sounds much more appetizing.

Mike Myers notoriously attracts wildly, beautiful women in the ‘Austin Powers’ series, and continues his sex streak in ‘The Love Guru’ with his latest victim Jessica Alba. Dawning traditional Indian garb, complimented with an untamed beard, long hair, and Italian chef style moustache, Mike plays a self-help guru named Pitka who dedicates his life to helping trouble couples rekindle the love. Apparently Mike’s time in the ashram paid off as he catches Jessica’s attention, even converting her from a tough, American hockey manager to a belly dancing heart throb.

There is something stomach churning, nauseating about picturing Jack Nicholson as a over-50 swinger, bedding women half his age and as beautiful as Amanda Peet, but that is exactly what happens in ‘Something’s Gotta Give.’ Even if Jack eventually falls for a more age-appropriate suitor, you wonder what the first thing that has gotta give is... his hip? Or maybe his back? Most likely his libido.

Self obsessed Zac Efron falls for pleasantly plump Nikki Blondksy in ‘Hairspray,’ but let’s hope Zac is the one falling because vise versa, Nikki is sure to crush his little frame. Zac Efron’s character Link Larkin will go down in history as one of the most notorious pretty boy, chubby chasers, as Nikki will continue to go down in history, sweets in hand.

Every now in then, an unlikely match is exactly what fate intended. Delicacy’s Audrey Tautou and Francois Damien deliver a touching and heartbreaking story of a beautiful, woman’s second chance at love. Markus (Francois Damien) captures your heart with his gap-tooth smile and gentle heart, and leaves you realizing that maybe it is the best friend, or the sweet co-worker, that just might be your perfect unlikely romance.

Delicacy Audrey Tautou
Delicacy Blu-ray
DELICACY is available on DVD and Blu-ray now, courtesy of STUDIOCANAL


BOURNE SPY TRILOGY TOPS CONSPIRACY MOVIE LIST
The Bourne Trilogy starring Matt Damon as Jason Bourne has topped a list of the Best Conspiracy Theory Movies according to new research by Universal Pictures (UK) to celebrate the release of the trilogy on Blu-ray.

As talk of Olympic genetic modification sweeps the nation, the series of films based on a mysterious CIA agent who has undergone genetic enhancement under ‘Operation Treadstone’ topped the list of conspiracy films with nearly a fifth of all votes (19.5%).  The Bourne series beat the big screen adaptation of the controversial The Da Vinci Code (2006) starring Tom Hanks, which came second with 14%.

Universal Pictures (UK) carried out the poll of over 1,000 film fans to promote The Ultimate Bourne Collection Blu-ray Box Set (The Bourne Identity, The Bourne Supremacy and The Bourne Ultimatum) which is out now, as part of the studio’s year-long celebration.  The box set offers fans the perfect chance to revisit the action packed films ahead of the release of the next instalment, The Bourne Legacy.

The Truman Show (1998) which starred Jim Carrey as a man who discovers his whole life has been a set-up reality TV show, was named third in the poll (9.3%) and beat director Martin Scorsese’s recent thriller Shutter Island (2010) which focused on Leonardo DiCaprio as a US marshal investigating a disappearance (6.4%).

Cult seventies film The Wicker Man (1973) starring Edward Woodward as a policeman who discovers a sinister Pagan cult on a remote Scottish island was fifth in the list with 5.5% of the votes, followed by Will Smith's Enemy Of The State (1998) the tale of a lawyer who is tracked down after unwittingly holding footage of a covered up murder of a US Congressman (4.9%).

Continuing the political tone, JFK (1991) starring Kevin Costner as an attorney with another take on the Presidential killing marched into seventh place with 4.2%, narrowly beating Julia Roberts thriller The Pelican Brief (1993), the adaptation of John Grisham's tale of a law student who correctly guesses the motives behind two murders of high profile judges (4%).

Finally, 1959 Hitchcock classic North By Northwest starring Cary Grant showed it can still cut it in the drama stakes in ninth place in the list (3.9%), and Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman pairing up in All The President's Men (1976) to report on the Watergate scandal taking the tenth spot on the list with 3.6%.

The Top Ten Conspiracy Movies are:
1. The Bourne Trilogy (2002, 2004, 2007) – 19.5%
2. The Da Vinci Code (2006) – 14%
3. The Truman Show (1998) – 9.3%
4. Shutter Island (2010) – 6.4%
5. The Wicker Man (1973) – 5.5%
6. Enemy of the State (1998) – 4.9%
7. JFK (1991) – 4.2%
8. The Pelican Brief (1993)– 4.0%
9. North by Northwest (1959) – 3.9%
10. All The President's Men (1976) – 3.6%
Others (24.7%)

Narrowly missing out on the top ten were Angels & Demons, Minority Report and L.A. Confidential.

The Ultimate Bourne Collection
The Ultimate Bourne Collection
The Bourne Ultimate Collection is on Blu-ray now



The Establishing Shot: FILM MAKING COMPETITION NEWS 

LARS VON TRIER'S CHALLENGE TO THE PEOPLE WILL PREMIERE ON OCTOBER 12, 2012
Great love stories, devastating wars, evil fathers and innocent children: Great emotions comes into play when a genius challenges the community. More than 400 people from 52 countries have submitted a total of 501 contributions of highly original and very personal material to the user-generated film project Gesamt, a work uniting people from around the globe. Gesamt has asked the questions: What is the result when people reinterpret the great and controversial art pieces of our time? Is it for everyone to make art? What is art? And do we stand out the most when we stand together?

GESAMT TRAILER: Disaster 501: What Happened to Man?

People from countries such as Colombia, Ukraine, Thailand, USA, Brazil, Uzbekistan, Japan, Germany, Denmark and Spain have all answered to the challenge set by Danish director Lars von Trier: In August 2012 he asked people from around the world to reinterpret one or several of the following six art works: James Joyce’s novel Ulysses, August Strindberg’s play The Father, Albert Speer’s monument Zeppelinfield in Nuremberg, the painting Where do we come from? Who are we? Where are we going? by the French painter Paul Gauguin, the French composer César Franck's Sonate in A major and Sammy Davis Jr’s step dance performance Choreography. The major part of the submitters taking part in the challenge comes from the US. From this part of the world 59 people have sent their contributions to Gesamt. Next comes Brazil with 50 contributions, while Denmark has a number of 24 contributions.

Participants were asked to create up to five minutes of material within one month and submit either a film, a video, stills, music or a sound piece to Gesamt. Director Jenle Hallund had the great task of going through all the material and putting it together for the final work. The result is a film installation with the title Disaster 501: What Happened to Man, which will premiere at Charlottenborg in Copenhagen, October 12., 2012.

A world of disasters
The idea behind the Gesamt project is to symbolize man as part of a community. It is the union of the people, the sense of togetherness that gives the power to create. But paradoxically the contributions coming in have told a different story: a story about loneliness and longing, says director Jenle Hallund. Her first priority has been to respect the emotions, the themes and the atmosphere of the submissions.

“I am very grateful for all the wonderful, personal and original testimonies that people have sent from around the world. It is impressing to experience how much work people have put into this”, Jenle Hallund says.

The submissions have included everything from dramatic love stories to experimental art films. But one thing stood out:

“The majority of the submissions spoke of fear, loneliness, anger, destruction and hopelessness. I was seeing and listening to people from all over the world, from different cultures and different languages and they were exploring the
declining state of our morality, the violence in the dance between the sexes and the complex father-daughter relationship. Each piece is a personal testimony of the realism of the individual's soul”, she says.

“But there is still hope”, Jenle Hallund continues. “In the midst of darkness a light persists. There is a hope for a better world and a testimony that we are not that different after all. If nothing else, the dialog from so many cultures has shown me that the human condition is the same, no matter where in the world you exist”, she says.

Gauguin the most popular
With 127 testimonies relating to Paul Gaugain’s painting, the French painter has inspired most submitters. Albert Speer’s Zeppelinfield took second place with 58 submissions inspired solely by his monument, while the least, 26 testimonials, have found their calling in Sammy Davis Jr’s performance Choreography.

The presentation of Gesamt will be as original as its creation. At Charlottenborg in Copenhagen people will have the unique experience of allowing their senses and imagination to travel to all four corners of the world in a unique setting. Disaster 501: What Happened to Man will be displayed on four screens and four audio systems in a black box theatre. Each screen, one in each corner, will be running simultaneously together therefore creating Gesamt; a cacophonous tale created by people from around the world.



The Establishing Shot: FILM FESTIVAL & CONVENTION NEWS
DOCTOR WHO’S MATT SMITH TO APPEAR AT MCM LONDON COMIC CON
To mark the launch of the DVD of Doctor Who Series 7 Part 1 on Friday 26th October Matt Smith will attend MCM’s London Comic Con. The hugely popular British actor who plays the eleventh incarnation of the Time Lord will participate in a panel discussion with the show’s Executive Producer, Caroline Skinner. For a chance to hear the inside gossip on their favourite show, fans will need to head to the event’s MCM Theatre. The panel discussion will also be freely available online so all Doctor Who fans can tune in. Matt Smith will also sign 100 copies of the new DVD. The first 100 people to purchase the new series’ DVD at the BBC Worldwide stand will receive a wristband for the signing at the venue’s Signing Hall.

Matt Smith at MCM London Comic Con
Dr Who Matt Smith at MCM London Comic Con
Starring Matt Smith, Karen Gillan and Arthur Darvill, Doctor Who Series 7 Part 1 features five big, blockbuster-movie episodes - each a brand new epic adventure showcasing new monsters and some familiar foes as you've never seen them before. This brand new DVD will see the last days of the Ponds returning for their final, rollercoaster voyage with the Doctor.  Released on DVD October 29th, this must have release features incredible monsters from Daleks to Dinosaurs and an alien with a grudge. A host of guest stars include David Bradley, Rupert Graves, Stephen Berkoff, Mike McShane, Ben Browder, Adrian Scarbourgh and Anamaria Marinca.

MCM London Comic Con
MCM London Comic Con takes place at ExCel London on 26-28 October. The three day event attracts over 60,000 visitors and plays host to major movie studios and home entertainment companies; leading videogames publishers; top comic creators and an array of special guests.

Tickets for MCM London Comic Con on 26-28 October are available at www.londonexpo.com/faq/tickets/

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DESTINATION STAR TREK LONDON - A THREE DAY OFFICIAL EVENT CELEBRATING THE STAR TREK UNIVERSE
Destination Star Trek London beams down to ExCeL from 19-21 October with mores guests, themed parties, interactive activities, professional photo shoots, autograph sessions, original sets, props and displays, memorabilia, talks and stunt displays plus more to be announced. Plus Five captains beaming down - William Shatner, Patrick Stewart, Avery Brooks, Kate Mulgrew and Scott Bakula!

So whether you have been a fan since the very first season back in 1966 or a recent convert with the 2009 movie there will be something for everyone.

Come and experience an out of this world weekend this October at ExCeL London. All guests will be signing autographs throughout the weekend and tickets will be available to purchase on the day.



MCM LONDON COMIC CON – EXCEL LONDON – 26-28 OCTOBER
What's On At October's Comic Con? MCM Expo London Comic Con returns to ExCel London on 26-28 October and we're bringing a brilliant line-up of special guests, games, sci-fi, comics, anime and cosplay content to entertain the show’s 60,000 plus visitors. Here are the first announcements for Britain’s biggest popular culture festival!

SPECIAL GUESTS
- Doctor Who's Matt Smith will be attending the Friday of the show to mark the launch of the Doctor Who Series 7: Part 1 DVD. Matt will be hosting a panel alongside Doctor Who executive produce Caroline Skinner, as well as signing copies of the new DVD.

- Jeffrey Demunn and Andrew Rothenburg, stars of hit zombie apocalypse series The Walking Dead. Jeffrey plays Dale Horvath, the moral centre of the small community of survivors, while Andrew plays taciturn mechanic Jim.

- Tony Amendola and Roger Cross from hot new Canadian sci-fi police show Continuum. Tony and Roger both play leading members of Liber8, a future terrorist group, who have escaped through time to present day Vancouver.

- Tony Amendola is also at the show for fantasy drama Once Upon At Time, alongside fellow cast member Keegan Connor Tracy. Keegan plays The Blue Fairy in the fairytale-inspired show, while Tony takes on the role of Geppetto.

- We welcome back A Town Called Eureka creator, writer and executive producer Jaime Paglia. He is joined by Colin Ferguson and Tembi Locke, who play Sheriff Jack Carter and Dr. Grace Monroe in the popular sci-fi show.

- Film, TV, anime and videogame voice actor Ali Hillis, who stars as central character Lightning in Final Fantasy XIII and its sequel Final Fantasy XIII-2.

- Videogame voice actor Courtenay Taylor, best known for playing Jack/Subject Zero in Mass Effect 2 and Ada Wong in the upcoming Resident Evil 6.

- Top voice talent Liam O'Brien, whose many roles include Jushiro Ukitake in Bleach; Gaara in Naruto; War in Darksiders and Vincent Law in Ergo Proxy.

VIDEOGAMES
- Nintendo will be giving comic con visitors the opportunity to try out their revolutionary new Wii U console ahead of its public release later this year.

- Ubisoft will be bringing the much-anticipated Assassin's Creed III: Liberation, first person shooter Far Cry 3 and Wii U survival horror game ZombiU.

- Visitors to the Capcom stand will have the chance to get hands-on with Lost Planet 3 and DmC Devil May Cry, the latest in the hit beat-em-up franchise.

- Namco Bandai will be hosting a Tekken Tag Tournament 2 contest, as well as previewing the gorgeous-looking Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch.

- Iconic games characters Agent 47 and Lara Croft both return as Square Enix shows off Hitman: Absolution and their upcoming Tomb Raider reboot.

- 2K Games will be bringing sci-fi turn-based strategy game XCOM: Enemy Unknown and acclaimed role-playing shooter sequel Borderlands 2.

- THQ will be demoing their upcoming role-playing game South Park: The Stick of Truth, written by the cartoon's creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone.

- Gamespot UK are back with their dedicated games stage; hosting panels and presentations, and giving show visitors sneak peeks at the hottest new titles.

ANIME, COMICS, COSPLAY & OTHER ATTRACTIONS
- Best-selling British sci-fi author Peter Hamilton is making a welcome comic con return to celebrate the launch of his latest novel, Great North Road.

- For the first time, comic con will play host to VidFestUK zone - a celebration of all things online video - with guests including Simon's Cat and Eddsworld.

- Our Comic Village shows off the talents of some of the UK’s top comic artists and writers, including Gary Erskine; Rufus Dayglo; Emma Vieceli; John McCrea; Al Davison; Lee Townsend and many others – for the full list of creators announced so far, see www.londonexpo.com/comicvillage

- October's show sees a revamped JapanEx area, with the addition of food stalls giving visitors a literal as well as metaphorical taste of Japanese culture.

- Letraset is hosting a Manga Alley Art Competition, giving artistically-inclined visitors of all ages the chance to win over £120 worth of Letraset products.

- London Comic Con is easily the UK’s largest cosplay event and the centrepiece of this October's show is the EuroCosplay Championship Finals, which sees contestants from more than 20 nations competing for the cosplay crown.

- The MCM Expo also boasts the Totally Cosplay zone, hosting workshops, a photography area and its own stage for panels and performances.

...AND GET THE T-SHIRT TOO!
- Genki Gear's exclusive 'Invasion of the Cute' official MCM London Comic Con T-shirt is available for pre-order until 25 October from www.genkigear.com

Tickets for MCM London Comic Con on 26-28 October are available at www.londonexpo.com/faq/tickets

You can find more about the event at www.londonexpo.com ; on Twitter at www.twitter.com/mcmexpo ; on Facebook at www.facebook.com/mcmexpo  and on YouTube at www.youtube.com/mcmexpo



The Establishing Shot: FOR YOUR DIARY
SKYFALL ROYAL WORLD PREMIERE ANNOUNCED FOR LONDON, 23RD OCTOBER 2012
Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli, producers of the latest James Bond film SKYFALL, announced today, along with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios and Sony Pictures Entertainment, that His Royal Highness Prince Charles and The Duchess of Cornwall have graciously agreed to attend the World Premiere of the twenty-third 007 adventure on Tuesday, 23rd October 2012 at The Royal Albert Hall in London.

The Establishing Shot: SKYFALL TRAILER PREVIEW 720 - 26 October 2012

At the request of His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales the premiere will benefit the charities that support former and serving members of the three intelligence agencies (the Secret Intelligence Service, the Security Service and GCHQ). His Royal Highness is Royal Patron of the Intelligence Services.

The premiere will be attended by the film’s leading actors Daniel Craig, Judi Dench, Javier Bardem, Ralph Fiennes, Naomie Harris, Bérénice Marlohe, Albert Finney and Ben Whishaw, and the director Sam Mendes.  The movie will be released in the UK and internationally from 26th October 2012 by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios and Sony Pictures Releasing.

Wilson and Broccoli commented, 'We are thrilled His Royal Highness Prince Charles and The Duchess of Cornwall have agreed to attend the World Premiere of our latest James Bond film, and are pleased this event will help raise funds to support The Prince’s chosen charities.’

Daniel Craig is back as Ian Fleming’s James Bond 007 in SKYFALL™, the 23rd adventure in the longest-running film franchise of all time.  In SKYFALL, Bond’s loyalty to M is tested as her past comes back to haunt her.  As MI6 comes under attack, 007 must track down and destroy the threat, no matter how personal the cost.  The film is from Albert R. Broccoli’s EON Productions, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios, and Sony Pictures Entertainment.  Directed by Sam Mendes.  Produced by Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli.  Written by Neal Purvis & Robert Wade and John Logan.


SIR PETER JACKSON’S “THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY” IS SELECTED FOR THE ROYAL FILM PERFORMANCE 2012
Academy Award® winner Sir Peter Jackson’s “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey”, the first of three films in his epic adaptation of the enduringly popular masterpiece, has been selected for the 65th Royal Film Performance.  The Royal UK Premiere screening event will take place on the evening of Wednesday 12th December in London, in the presence of members of the Royal Family.

The Royal Film Performance is the principal fundraising event of the Cinema and Television Benevolent Fund (CTBF), the trade charity for the UK film and television industries. The CTBF provides care and financial support to industry employees and their families who suffer from hardship due to bereavement, illness, redundancy or other misfortunes.

A production of New Line Cinema and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures (MGM), the film is being distributed in the UK by Warner Bros Pictures and will be released in 3D and 2D in selected cinemas and IMAX on December 14th, 2012.

The Establishing Shot: THE HOBBIT AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY TRAILER - 14 DECEMBER 2012

The President of the Cinema and Television Benevolent Fund, Anne Bennett, commented, “We are thrilled to be able to host the UK premiere of this highly anticipated first instalment of “The Hobbit” trilogy. We are thankful to Sir Peter Jackson and Warner Bros., New Line and MGM for providing this opportunity, and are grateful for the unswerving support the Royal Family gives to our charity and the Royal Film Performance.  The funds we raise make a huge difference to the lives of many less fortunate colleagues.”

From Academy Award® winning filmmaker Peter Jackson comes three films based on The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien. The trilogy of films are set in Middle-earth 60 years before “The Lord of the Rings,” which Jackson and his filmmaking team brought to the big screen in the blockbuster trilogy that culminated with the Oscar®-winning “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.”

Ian McKellen returns as Gandalf the Grey, the character he played in “The Lord of the Rings” Trilogy, with Martin Freeman in the central role of Bilbo Baggins, and Richard Armitage as Thorin Oakenshield.  Also reprising their roles from “The Lord of the Rings” in “The Hobbit” Trilogy are: Cate Blanchett as Galadriel; Ian Holm as the elder Bilbo; Christopher Lee as Saruman; Hugo Weaving as Elrond; Elijah Wood as Frodo; and Andy Serkis as Gollum.  The international ensemble cast of the trilogy also includes (in alphabetical order) Manu Bennett, Jed Brophy, Adam Brown, John Callen, Mark Hadlow, Peter Hambleton, Barry Humphries, Stephen Hunter, William Kircher, Sylvester McCoy, Bret McKenzie, Graham McTavish, James Nesbitt, Dean O’Gorman, Conan Stevens, Ken Stott and Aidan Turner.
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The screenplay for “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” is by Fran Walsh & Philippa Boyens & Peter Jackson & Guillermo del Toro. Jackson is also producing the film, together with Carolynne Cunningham, Zane Weiner and Fran Walsh. The executive producers are Alan Horn, Toby Emmerich, Ken Kamins and Carolyn Blackwood, with Boyens and Eileen Moran serving as co-producers.

Under Jackson’s direction, “The Hobbit” Trilogy has been shot in 3D 48 frames-per-second and will be released in High Frame Rate (HFR) 3D, other 3D formats, IMAX and 2D.  Under Jackson’s direction, “The Hobbit” Trilogy has been shot consecutively in digital 3D using the latest camera and stereo technology.  Production has taken place at Jackson's own facilities in Miramar, Wellington, and on location around New Zealand.

“The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” and two remaining films in the trilogy are productions of New Line Cinema and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures, with New Line managing production.  Warner Bros. Pictures is handling worldwide theatrical distribution, with select international territories as well as all international television distribution being handled by MGM.

“The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” will be released beginning December 14, 2012, with the second film, “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug,” releasing beginning December 13, 2013, and the third film, “The Hobbit: There and Back Again” slated for July 18, 2014.

Join the adventure at facebook.com/TheHobbitUK and twitter.com/HobbitMoviesUK


PREMIERE OF THE NEWLY RESTORED HITCHCOCK SILENT CLASSIC, CHAMPAGNE, BY TO BE STREAMED EXCLUSIVELY ON THE SPACE THIS THURSDAY
For the first time ever, Alfred Hitchcock’s newly restored silent comedy classic, Champagne, will be streamed live and exclusively on The Space www.thespace.org this Thursday 27th September from 7:30pm (GMT).

More details below, imagery attached. A clip from the restored film is available on request. Please let me know if you can run this. Thanks.

Champagne (1928) is Alfred Hitchcock’s eighth film as director and is an uncharacteristically comic parable of a spoilt rich girl Betty (Betty Balfour) who leads a life of luxury on the profits from her father's champagne business. Suspecting that his playgirl daughter's fiancé is a gold-digger he tells Betty that the family fortune has been wiped out in the stock market. The boyfriend leaves after hearing the news of their fortune and the father sees this as proof that the boyfriend is only after money.

The restoration premiere of Champagne will only be available to watch during the live stream on Thursday 27th September from 7:30pm (GMT) and will not be available to watch on-demand after the event.

The premiere will be accompanied by a specially commissioned new score performed live by award-winning composer, producer and performer Mira Calix.

Alfred Hitchcock firmly believed silent pictures were the purest form of cinema and during the 1920s when silent cinema was at its creative peak, the young Hitchcock established himself as an innovative and ambitious filmmaker.

In the lead up to the live stream of Champagne, Hitchcock fans around the world can enjoy four documentaries on The Space about the director and his approach to making silent film.

Both Hitchcock at the Picture Palace and Hitchcock’s Pleasure Garden (about his directorial debut) explore the genesis of a young Hitchcock’s unique style of visual storytelling. Scoring The Pleasure Garden takes a look at devoted Hitchcock fan Daniel Patrick Cohen’s work in creating a new score for the BFI’s world premiere of the recent restoration of The Pleasure Garden (1925). And Restoring The Pleasure Garden looks at the restoration process with the team from the BFI National Archive and tells the unique story of how Hitchcock’s first film has been restored to its former glory, almost 90 years after it was made.

Since The Space launched its digital arts service in May it has become the online destination for film fans everywhere offering free unmissable live events, rare archive material and interactive collections, with new material added every week.

Available via the internet, smartphones, tablets and connected TV, on Freeview and Freeview HD, The Space is currently showcasing a selection of first or early films by major British directors, from the BFI National Archive, including Ridley Scott, Ken Russell and Shane Meadows. The BFI collection also celebrates Britain’s emerging filmmakers with a selection of shorts, from quirky animations, shocking comedies and thrilling genre movies to thought-provoking dramas and moving documentaries.

In September The Space will feature the Circus Postcards film series showcasing 15 shorts on all aspects of modern circus, and Arts Council England’s Film Archive classic documentary films from the BFI celebrating Pre-Raphaelite movement and Twentieth Century Masters including Francis Bacon, Magritte, and Bridget Riley.  Also available to watch is New Music 20x12 – a 2012 new music initiative featuring 5 films on a wide range of musical styles from a huge range of composers and artists and Tipping Point which comprises videos of musicians playing live covers of bands who appeared on Old Grey Whistle Test.

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CIGARETTE BURNS CINEMA PRESENTS: PSYCHO VS PSYCHO!
On October 25th, 2012, Cigarette Burns Cinema hosts a unique screening that no cineaste should miss – PSYCHO VS PSYCHO.

Hitchcock vs Van Sant.
Anthony Perkins vs Vince Vaughn.
Janet Leigh vs Anne Heche.
Five screens, two films, one Motel.

Director Gus Van Sant was met with howls of derision upon the release of 1998’s PSYCHO, his shot-for-shot remake of Alfred Hitchcock’s legendary 1960 thriller PSYCHO. With only a couple of minor changes to the original, to make some scenes more explicit and to bring some of the topical references up-to-date, many critics were left asking – why?

Cigarette Burns Cinema presents: PSYCHO VS PSYCHO - 25th October

Roger Ebert dismissed Van Sant’s film as “an attempt to re-create remembered passion…it demonstrates that a shot-by-shot remake is pointless; genius apparently resides between or beneath the shots, or in chemistry that cannot be timed or counted”. However, other critics argued that the film’s basics were so strong that the remake remains a powerful work in and of itself, with the New York Times claiming the 1998 film “remains the most structurally elegant and sneakily playful of thrillers…at least some things never change”.

Taking advantage of the unique screening arrangements of the Leicester Square Theatre, for the first time ever Alfred Hitchcock’s 1960 classic PSYCHO will be shown simultaneously with Van Sant’s 1998 remake. This fascinating experiment provides a unique insight into the nature of directorial technique and the role of actors’ interpretation, while asking the question: can a story be told exactly the same way twice? Find out with us in October, while watching one of the best thrillers ever made on the big screen!

The evening will be introduced by Anton Bitel, a freelance film critic and occasional Classicist. He writes regularly for Sight & Sound, Little White Lies, movieScope, Film4 and EyeforFilm, and specialises in horror and Asian cinema. Bitel is a member of the Online Film Critics Society and the London Film Critics' Circle.

The Establishing Shot: LONDON FILM FESTIVAL NEWS
TIM BURTON’S FRANKENWEENIE EUROPEAN PREMIERE OPENS THE 56TH BFI LONDON FILM FESTIVAL
The 56th BFI London Film Festival in partnership with American Express is delighted to announce that this year’s Festival will open on Wednesday 10 October with the European Premiere of Disney’s FRANKENWEENIE, directed by acclaimed filmmaker Tim Burton.

Video: Tim Burton's Frankenweenie Trailer 2


In partnership with American Express and Disney, and in a first for the Festival, the Opening Night screening and red carpet will go live from Odeon Leicester Square to BFI Imax and 30 screens across the UK.  The Festival will also host The Art of Frankenweenie Exhibition from October 17-21.

FRANKENWEENIE is a heartwarming tale about a boy and his dog. After unexpectedly losing his beloved dog Sparky, young Victor harnesses the power of science to bring his best friend back to life—with just a few minor adjustments. He tries to hide his home-sewn creation, but when Sparky gets out, Victor’s fellow students, teachers and the entire town all learn that getting a new “leash on life” can be monstrous.

A visually stunning black and white, stop-motion animated film in 3D, FRANKENWEENIE’s voice cast includes Catherine O’Hara, Martin Short, Martin Landau, Charlie Tahan, Atticus Shaffer, Robert Capron, Conchata Ferrell and Winona Ryder. Disney will release the film in the UK on October 17.

Tim Burton, Winona Ryder, Martin Short, Catherine O’Hara, Martin Landau, Producer Allison Abbate and Executive Producer Don Hahn are expected to attend the Festival.

In a first for the BFI London Film Festival Opening Night, FRANKENWEENIE will receive a simultaneous premiere in 30 cinemas nationwide, with audiences across the UK able to enjoy footage from the Leicester Square red carpet prior to the screenings.  This event is part of the Festival’s drive to reach a diverse UK audience and put the public at the heart of the festival-going experience.

FRANKENWEENIE is the first animated film that Tim Burton has directed for Disney. Burton also produced along with Allison Abbate, with Don Hahn serving as executive producer. The screenplay is by John August, based on an original idea by Tim Burton.

Clare Stewart, BFI Head of Exhibition comments on her first Opening Night choice as Festival Director: “Funny, dark and whimsical, this gloriously crafted stop-motion 3D animation from Tim Burton – the reigning prince of outsiders – playfully turns the Frankenstein story on its bolted-on head. FRANKENWEENIE is a perfect choice of opener – it’s a film that revels in the magic of movies from one of cinema’s great visionaries. Tim Burton has chosen London as his home city and hundreds of talented British craftspeople have contributed to this production. To host the European Premiere, to present The Art of Frankenweenie Exhibition and to take our Opening Night out to 30 screens means we are making the Festival even more accessible for film fans across the UK.”

Producer Allison Abbate adds: “I am delighted that FRANKENWEENIE, which was produced here in London at 3 Mills Studios, will be opening the 56th BFI London Film Festival. Living and working in the UK, I've been able to collaborate with some of the most talented artists in the industry including the puppet designers and fabricators from Manchester-based Mackinnon & Saunders. In the last nine years, I’ve attended the Festival as both a filmmaker and guest, and I know how passionate and enthusiastic the audiences are, so I am thrilled to share the film’s European Premiere with them.”

Colin Walsh, Managing Director, American Express UK adds: “We’re thrilled to be further strengthening our partnership with the BFI and the Festival through our support for this year’s Opening Night Gala.  In addition to FRANKENWEENIE being a much anticipated film, what makes this year’s Opening Night so special is the opportunity for audiences across the country to experience the excitement of a West End premiere. That, coupled with the interactive exhibition giving people an insight behind the scenes of the film, is sure to make this a fantastic start to this year’s Festival.“

The Art of Frankenweenie Exhibition is generously supported by American Express. The exhibition runs from 17-21 October (with a preview for American Express Cardmembers on 16 October) and will be free to the public. For information on tickets see bfi.org.uk/lff from 5 September.

Hours of meticulous work have gone into the making of FRANKENWEENIE, perfecting the figures and characters that bring this amazing story to life. BFI London Film Festival is presenting the exhibition in association with Disney and Principal Partner American Express.

The Art of Frankenweenie Exhibition captures the magic of the filmmaking process and gives audiences an exclusive glimpse into the stop-motion animation process brought to life by visionary filmmaker Tim Burton.  From original sketches drawn by Burton, to extensive props, sets and puppets, the exhibition showcases the artistic detail and vision that has gone into bringing this heartwarming tale to the big screen in 2012’s most highly anticipated animated movie. The Art of Frankenweenie Exhibition delves into the world of a boy who, inspired by science and the love of his dog, brings his beloved pet back from the dead.

There will be exciting workshop opportunities for education audiences to explore the production of FRANKENWEENIE via guided tours of the Exhibit, meeting some of the talented people who made the film and trying their hand at the skills required for animation and set design.

The Art of Frankenweenie Exhibition will take place next door to the BFI Southbank at Southbank Centre’s Festival Village.

The 56th BFI London Film Festival in partnership with American Express runs from Wednesday 10 October-Sunday 21 October. The full programme for the Festival will be announced at the press launch on Wednesday 5 September.


INTANDEM FILMS PRESENTGRASSROOTS A FILM BY STEPHEN GYLLENHAAL RELEASED IN CINEMAS NOVEMBER 9TH 2012 AFTER RECEIVING EUROPEAN PREMIERE AT THE 56TH BFI LONDON FILM FESTIVAL
INTANDEM FILMS is proud to announce the UK release of GRASSROOTS, the first film from its newly formed UK distribution arm. Stephen Gyllenhaal’s GRASSROOTS is the heart warming and inspiring story of a political underdog and will be released in cinemas across the UK on 9th November 2012, having premiered at the 56th BFI London Film Festival.

Based on the true story of the 2001 Seattle City Council election, Phil Campbell, played by Jason Biggs (American Pie), is an out of work journalist persuaded into managing the political campaign of his oddball friend, Grant Cogswell, played by Joel David Moore (Savages, Avatar).  A disillusioned, somewhat loose cannon and political unknown with no experience, Grant attempts to take on the long term incumbent for a seat on the Seattle City Council.

Cogswell is many things except the ideal candidate for the job.  He’s a loud mouth activist, just smart enough, just arrogant enough, just idealistic enough — and just unemployed enough — to think he can change the world!  With his infectious enthusiasm and a clear vision: to inspire Seattle’s downtrodden activists, idealists and hipsters to stand up for what they believe in, to take back their city government, to build a beautiful monorail that would carry them into the future, being part of something bigger than themselves.

Through Campbell’s help, Cogswell starts to begin achieving the unthinkable; rallying an unlikely posse of misfits, students, and square pegs to his once seemingly hopeless David-and-Goliath battle against a firmly entrenched incumbent, to the very brink of victory.  Can they manage to achieve the impossible against all odds?

Directed by Stephen Gyllenhaal (Homegrown, Girl Fight) GRASSROOTS also stars Lauren Ambrose (Six Feet Under), Cobie Smulders (Marvel’s Avengers Assemble) and Cedric the Entertainer (Madagascar, Intolerable Cruelty) as Robert McIver, the veteran politico, long standing councillor and rival to Cogswell’s campaign. The film is an adaption of Phil Campbell’s memoir “Zioncheck for President.”


PARK CIRCUS AT THE BFI LONDON FILM FESTIVAL
Leading international classic and repertory film distributor Park Circus is pleased to announce a stellar line-up of restorations and newly discovered classics as part of the 2012 BFI London Film Festival Treasures from the Archive strand.

Otto Preminger’s BONJOUR TRISTESSE, starring David Niven and Deborah Kerr, receives its UK premiere in a sparkling new digital restoration courtesy of Sony Pictures Releasing. The film will screen on the 12th and 13th October.

Following a world premiere at Cannes, Sony Pictures’ restoration of David Lean’s LAWRENCE OF ARABIA will be screened in a stunning 4K digital presentation on 20th October. This will be the first time the 4K version of the film screens in the UK. Released in 1962, the film celebrates its 50th anniversary this year with a return to cinemas worldwide. LAWRENCE OF ARABIA, which Park Circus is rolling out internationally, will receive a UK theatrical release from 16th November 2012.

Sony Pictures’ restoration of Sergio Solima’s THE BIG GUNDOWN will receive its international premiere in a new 4K restoration featuring the original Italian soundtrack. The screening will take place on 20th October.

An archival 35mm print of Jack Garfein’s SOMETHING WILD will receive rare screenings on the 18th and 20th October.

Robert Aldrich’s 1962 WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO BABY JANE?, starring screen legends Bette Davis and Joan Crawford, will be presented in a brand new restoration by Warner Bros. to honour the film’s 50th anniversary. Screening on the 18th and 20th October. The LFF screenings mark the start of Park Circus’ international plans for the film, including a UK release from December 14th 2012.

Originally released in 1955, London will host the world premiere of the Film Foundation’s restoration of RICHARD III, directed and starring Sir Laurence Olivier, on 14th October.

The London Film Festival marks a very active season for Park Circus Films with a number of additional titles being released into the cinema market place worldwide including a US re-release of David Lean’s BRIEF ENCOUNTER and, internationally, a special Christmas re-release of GREMLINS.


PECCADILLO PICTURES AT THE 56 th BFI LONDON FILM FESTIVAL 10-21st OCTOBER 2012
After the success of last year’s LFF, with the UK premieres of British breakout success WEEKEND, Tribeca winner SHE MONKEYS and Cannes Queer Palme winner, BEAUTY,  Peccadillo Pictures are proud to announce that we have two films officially selected for this year’s BFI London Film Festival, which takes place from the 10th – 21st October.

These include the stunning KEEP THE LIGHTS ON from acclaimed director Ira Sachs (Forty Shades of Blue) and this year’s official Cannes Un Certain Regard entry, OUR CHILDREN starring A PROPHET’s Tahar Rahim, Niels Arestrup, with a blistering performance from Emilie Dequenne (Rosetta), who took home the Un Certain Regard Best Actress prize at this year’s Cannes Film Festival.

KEEP THE LIGHTS ON
KEEP THE LIGHTS ON chronicles an emotional and sexually charged journey between two men in New York City through love, friendship, and addiction. Documentary filmmaker Erik (acclaimed Danish actor Thure Lindhardt in his first leading role in a U.S. film) and closeted lawyer Paul (Zachary Booth, Damages) meet through a casual encounter, but soon find a deeper connection and become a couple. Individually and together, they are risk takers, compulsive, and fuelled by drugs and sex. In an almost decade-long relationship defined by highs, lows, and dysfunctional patterns, Erik struggles to negotiate his own boundaries and dignity while being true to himself. KEEP THE LIGHTS ON is shot with a grainy beauty that resonates with the texture of New York City, accentuated by disco beats and a mournful cello, both from musician Arthur Russell’s eclectic catalogue. Harrowing and romantic, visceral and layered, KEEP THE LIGHTS ON is a film that looks at love and all of its manifestations, taking it to dark depths and bringing it back to a place of grace.

Winner of The Grand Jury Dramatic Prize at this year’s Outfest Film Festival and officially selected for Sundance and Berlin, KEEP THE LIGHTS ON comes to the UK on the back of international critical acclaim.

Dir. Ira Sachs / USA / 98 mins
Tues 16, 20:45 – VUE 7                  
 Wed 17, 21.00 - SCREEN ON THE GREEN
UK CINEMA RELEASE: 2nd November 2012

OUR CHILDREN
Young, effervescent and full of life, Murielle (Emilie Dequenne, Rosetta) has a promising future ahead of her when she meets and falls head over heels for the handsome Mounir (Tahar Rahim, A Prophet).

A wedding soon follows, and the happy couple quickly set about preparing to make a family. However, with family comes ties, and none come so tight as that between Mounir and the mysterious Doctor Pinget (Niels Arestrup, A Prophet, Sarah's Key), his adoptive father. As Murielle continues to bring new life into the family, in the form of four beautiful young girls, frictions between Mounir and Doctor Pinget reach boiling point. Helpless to extract her husband and children from the wealthy nest that Doctor Pinget has provided for them, Murielle is drawn deeper into an unhealthy three-way relationship.

With Doctor Pinget acting as Murielle's personal pharmacy, and Mounir taking extended trips abroad to Morocco, Murielle becomes increasingly alone and unstable. There is only one way out of this  nightmare, and for Murielle, all sense of reasoning must be abandoned.
Celebrated director Joachim Lafosse's intense, multli-layered dissection of an unorthodox family unit  created an unprecedented buzz at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival, and won Emilie Dequenne the prestigious Un Certain Regard Best Actress Award.

Dir. Joachim Lafosse / Belgium / 110 mins
Fri 19 | 18.00 | VUE5               Sun 21 | 13.30 | RICH MIX
UK CINEMA RELEASE: MARCH 2013


MY BROTHER THE DEVIL PICKS UP 3 AWARD NOMINATIONS AT THE BFI LONDON FILM FESTIVAL.
* FIRST FEATURE COMPETITION - THE SUTHERLAND AWARD
* BEST BRITISH NEWCOMER - Sally El Hosaini
* BEST BRITISH NEWCOMER - Fady Elsayed

Verve Pictures are pleased to announce that Sally El Hosaini's critically acclaimed prize winner, My Brother The Devil, will open in cinemas nationwide in November.

A masterful debut from one of the UK's boldest and brightest new talents, My Brother The Devil won rave reviews at the Sundance Festivals, where El Hosaini was awarded the Worldview Impact and
World Cinematography Awards, and at Berlin, where the film picked up the prize for Best European Film from the Europa Cinemas Label network.

Written and directed by Sally El Hosaini, My Brother The Devil stars newcomer Fady Elsayed and rising star James Floyd alongside Said Tagmaoui (La Haine), and is a visually poetic coming-of-age story about two young British Egyptian brothers growing up on the streets of London.

Mo is a young boy growing up in a traditional Egyptian household, but beyond the front door of the family's modest London flat is a completely different world - the streets of Hackney. The impressionable Mo idolizes his handsome and charismatic older brother Rashid and wants to follow in his footsteps. However, Rashid wants a different life for his little brother and will do what ever it takes to put him through college. Aching to be seen as a tough guy himself, Mo takes a job that unlocks a fateful turn of events and forces the brothers to confront their inner demons.

Bold and uncompromising, My Brother The Devil has an elegance and a poetry that sets it apart, and firmly establishes El Hosaini as a distinct and visionary voice in British cinema.

My Brother The Devil is a WILD HORSES FILM COMPANY and ROOKS NEST ENTERTAINMENT production, produced by Gayle Griffiths, Julia Godzinskaya, Michael Sackler and executive produced by El Hosaini and Mohamed Hefzy.

My Brother The Devil, will open in cinemas nationwide in November.



The Establishing Shot: FOR FILM NEWS
THE WORLD’S END, THIRD COMEDY TEAMING DIRECTOR EDGAR WRIGHT WITH STARS SIMON PEGG AND NICK FROST, COMMENCES PRODUCTION
Working Title Films and Big Talk Productions have commenced filming on The World’s End, the third instalment of Edgar Wright’s trilogy of comedies, following the successes Shaun of the Dead (2004) and Hot Fuzz (2007).  The new movie is filming in the U.K. As with the first two movies in the trilogy, Universal Pictures International (UPI)will distribute The World’s End internationally and Focus Features will distribute it in North America.

As with the two earlier pictures, Mr. Wright co-wrote the script with Simon Pegg, who will once again star alongside Nick Frost. Joining the team are actors Martin Freeman (Shaun of the Dead, The Hobbit), Paddy Considine (Hot Fuzz, The Bourne Ultimatum), Eddie Marsan (Sherlock Holmes), and Rosamund Pike (Jack Reacher).

The World’s End also marks Mr. Wright’s third movie with Working Title and Big Talk, following Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz; The World’s End is produced by Nira Park of Big Talk and Working Title’s Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner. The film will be executive-produced by James Biddle, Mr. Wright, Mr. Pegg, Mr. Frost, and Liza Chasin.

Mr. Wright is also reteaming with such creative collaborators as director of photography Bill Pope, production designer Marcus Rowland, hair and make-up designer Jane Walker, editor Paul Machliss, stunt coordinator Bradley Allen, and VFX Double Negative. Guy Speranza is the film’s costume designer.
In The World’s End, 20 years after attempting an epic pub crawl, five childhood friends reunite when one of them becomes hellbent on trying the drinking marathon again. They are convinced to stage an encore by mate Gary King (Simon Pegg), a 40-year-old man trapped at the cigarette end of his teens, who drags his reluctant pals to their hometown and once again attempts to reach the fabled pub – The World’s End.  As they attempt to reconcile the past and present, they realise the real struggle is for the future, not just theirs but humankind’s. Reaching The World’s End is the least of their worries.

Working Title Films, co-chaired by Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner since 1992, is one of the world’s leading film production companies. Founded in 1983, Working Title has made nearly 100 films that have grossed over $5 billion worldwide. Its films have won six Academy Awards, 30 BAFTA Awards, and prizes at the Cannes and Berlin International Film Festivals. Working Title’s 2012/2013 slate also includes Les Misérables, directed by Tom Hooper and starring Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, and Anne Hathaway; John Crowley’s Closed Circuit, starring Eric Bana and Rebecca Hall; Hossein Amini’s The Two Faces of January, starring Viggo Mortensen, Kirsten Dunst, and Oscar Isaac; Dan Mazer’s I Give It a Year, starring Rose Byrne and Rafe Spall; the telefilm Mary and Martha, directed by Phillip Noyce and written by Richard Curtis, starring Hilary Swank and Brenda Blethyn; Ron Howard’s Rush, starring Chris Hemsworth and Daniel Brühl; and Joe Wright’s epic love story Anna Karenina, starring Keira Knightley, Jude Law, and Aaron Taylor-Johnson.
Big Talk’s credits include all of Edgar Wright’s films to date: Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, and Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, and Greg Mottola’s Paul, written by and starring Simon Pegg and Nick Frost with Kristen Wiig. Most recently Big Talk developed and produced Joe Cornish’s debut feature Attack the Block, which was released to critical acclaim in 2011, winning all four Audience Awards at Sitges, SXSW, the LAFF, and Fantasia International Film Festival. Next up for Big Talk is theblack comedy Sightseers, directed by Kill List’s Ben Wheatley. The film had its world premiere at Cannes with a Special Screening in the Directors’ Fortnight section. It will have a Gala Screening at the London Film Festival, and will be released in the U.K. in November. Big Talk is currently in production on Cuban Fury, a dance comedy starring Nick Frost, Chris O’Dowd, and Rashida Jones, directed by James Griffiths; and Jeremy Lovering’s psychological thriller In Fear.

Universal Pictures International and Focus Features are part of NBCUniversal, one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news, and information to a global audience. NBCUniversal owns and operates a valuable portfolio of news and entertainment television networks, a premier motion picture company, significant television production operations, a leading television stations group, and world-renowned theme parks. Comcast Corporation owns a controlling 51% interest in NBCUniversal,with GE holding a 49% stake.


PRINCIPAL PHOTOGRAPHY BEGINS ON A LONG WAY DOWN
Sam Neill and Rosamund Pike join cast of Nick Hornby adaptation starring Pierce Brosnan, Toni Collette, Aaron Paul and Imogen Poots

Nick Hornby’s (‘About A Boy’, ‘High Fidelity’) irreverent hit novel has been adapted for the screen by Jack Thorne (How I Live Now, The Scouting Book for Boys) and is directed by Pascal Chaumeil (Heartbreaker, Fly Me to the Moon).

A LONG WAY DOWN features two-time Golden Globe nominee Pierce Brosnan (Mamma Mia, The Ghost); Academy Award nomineeToni Collette (The Sixth Sense, Little Miss Sunshine); Emmy Award winner Aaron Paul (Breaking Bad) and Imogen Poots (28 Weeks Later, Jane Eyre).  Three-time Golden-Globe nominee Sam Neill (The Piano, Jurassic Park) and Rosamund Pike (Pride and Prejudice, An Education) have also joined the cast.

Ben Davis (Kick Ass, Best Exotic Marigold Hotel) is director of photography on the film, with Barney Pilling (Quartet, An Education) as editor. Production designer is Chris Oddy (Under the Skin) and Odile Dicks-Mireaux (BAFTA-nominated for An Education, Dirty Pretty Things) is costume designer. Nina Gold (Prometheus, The King’s Speech) is casting director.

New Year's Eve on the top of a London skyscraper. MARTIN (Brosnan) is literally on the edge. A once-beloved TV personality, he's now desperate to jump. But he's not alone. Single mother MAUREEN, (Collette), sassy teen JESS (Poots), and failed musician turned pizza-delivery boy JJ (Paul), have all turned up on the same roof with the same plan.

Instead of jumping, these four strangers make a pact to stay alive and stay together until Valentine's Day at least.  Both funny and poignant, A LONG WAY DOWN follows this group of unlikely friends as they try to pull back from the brink.

WELCOME TO THE PUNCH LINED UP FOR 15 MARCH 2013 RELEASE - MARK STRONG AND JAMES McAVOY GO HEAD TO HEAD IN LONDON THRILLER
Eran Creevy’s Welcome To The Punch, starring James McAvoy, Mark Strong, Andrea Riseborough, Peter Mullan, David Morrissey, Johnny Harris and Daniel Mays will be released in cinemas across the UK and Ireland on 15 March by Momentum Pictures, an Alliance Films company.

Welcome To The Punch finds ex-criminal Jacob Sternwood (Strong) forced to return to London when his son is involved in a heist gone wrong.  This gives his nemesis, detective Max Lewinsky (McAvoy), one last chance to catch the man he’s always been after. As the two enemies hurtle towards an unavoidable face off, they start to uncover a deeper conspiracy they both need to solve in order to survive.

Written and directed by London born film maker, Eran Creevy, Welcome to the Punch was filmed across the capital and was given unprecedented access to Canary Wharf.

The film was produced by Rory Aitken, Ben Pugh and Brian Kavanaugh-Jones, President of Automatik with Ridley Scott and Liza Marshall as executive producers for Scott Free London. Momentum Pictures’ Xavier Marchand, IM Global CEO Stuart Ford, Christopher Woodrow and Molly Conners at Worldview Entertainment also executive produced. Worldview Entertainment, Quickfire Films, the BFI’s Film Fund and Automatik have co-financed.

www.Facebook.com/MomentumPicturesUK
Twitter @Welcome2Punch


INTANDEM FILMS COOK UP A LITTLE BIT OF MAGIC WITH JADOO
Intandem secures worldwide sales and UK distribution rights for British comedy Jadoo from the producer of Shooting Fish and Waking Ned Devine.

Intandem Films, the London and Los Angeles based international film group, is pleased to announce that it has been appointed as worldwide sales company and UK distribution company for a highly original food comedy entitled Jadoo, which is currently in post production.

Jadoo, which means ‘Magic’ in Hindi, is a British-made film set in Leicester. It is the story of two brothers, Raja and Jagi, both wonderful chefs, who fall out so catastrophically, they tear the fabled family recipe book in half – one brother gets the starters and the other gets the main courses. Setting up rival restaurants on opposite sides of the road, they spend the next twenty years trying to outdo each other.  Unfortunately both brothers can now only cook half of the perfect Indian meal – a fact that drives them both mad.

A delicious foody-comedy, Jadoo’s secret ingredient is a delightful romantic twist, for it takes the wedding plans of Raja’s daughter – a successful London lawyer, Shalini, – to try and get the brothers talking again as she is determined that together they will cook her a perfect Indian wedding banquet. Can the men bury the hatchet without killing each other?

The film stars Amara Karan (The Darjeeling Limited, St. Trinian’s), Tom Mison (Salmon Fishing In the Yemen, One Day, Parades End), Harish Patel (Run Fatboy Run, Keith Lemon: The Film, Coronation Street), Kulvinder Ghir (Bend it Like Beckham, Van Wilder 2: The Rise of Taj, Goodness Gracious Me) and celebrity Indian chef and actress Madhur Jaffrey.  Written and directed by Amit Gupta (Resistance), Jadoo was inspired by his experience of growing up in a restaurant in Leicester. It is produced by Richard Holmes (Shooting Fish, Waking Ned Devine, Eden Lake, Resistance), Amanda Faber (Resistance), Isabelle Georgeaux and Nikki Parrott.

The Intandem team has an outstanding track record as an international sales agent for other commercially successful comedies including: Shooting Fish, Heartbreakers and How to Lose Friends and Alienate People. It is currently setting up 10 Things I Hate About Life from the producer and director of the highly successful comedy, 10 Things I Hate About You.

In addition to selling the film internationally to major distributors, Intandem will also release the film in the UK through the newly created Intandem Film Distributors (IFD). Robert Mitchell, who is the CEO of IFD also set up one of the most successful film distributors in the UK, Buena Vista UK (part of Walt Disney) and is responsible for some of the highest box office successes ever in the UK including comedies such as When Harry Met Sally and Calendar Girls.

Richard Holmes, Producer of Jadoo explains: "The Jadoo team is delighted to be working with Intandem once again.  From the moment they saw what we were cooking up, they have campaigned relentlessly and with passion to sell and distribute it.  In Gary, Billy, Andrew and Robert there's a delicious smorgasbord of talent, imagination and energy.  Amit Gupta's second film in 24 months is in the best possible hands and we're all rolling up our sleeves to bring his wonderful tale of food-and-family to its customers."

Andrew Brown, Director of Intandem Pictures Ltd says: ““We are delighted to be working with Richard Holmes once again, especially following on from the creative and financial success of Shooting Fish, which grossed over £4m at the UK box office and was the first feature film to repay its grant from the National Lottery. Jadoo is a wonderful, heartfelt and original British comedy for a mass market audience who, we are certain, will be as delighted by its culinary delights as they are by its heart-warming story of family ties and true love!”

Robert Mitchell, CEO of Intandem Film Distribution, adds: “Intandem is delighted to have secured the rights to distribute Jadoo in the UK. We expect the theatrical release to follow the success of other heartwarming comedies in the UK such as Billy Elliot, East is East and Bend It Like Beckham, which were all critically acclaimed as well as being hugely successful at the box office, each of them generating in excess of £5million.”


HOLLYWOOD FILM AWARDS TO HONOR DREAMWORKS ANIMATION'S "RISE OF THE GUARDIANS" WITH THE 2012 "HOLLYWOOD ANIMATION AWARD"
The 16th Annual Hollywood Film Festival and Hollywood Film Awards, presented by The Los Angeles Times, have announced that DreamWorks Animation's "Rise of the Guardians" will receive this year's "Hollywood Animation Award" at the festival's gala ceremony on October 22, 2012, at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.

Directed by Peter Ramsey and written by Pulitzer Prize winner David Lindsay-Abaire ("Rabbit Hole"), "Rise of the Guardians" is based on the highly acclaimed series of children's books by William Joyce. Joyce, who won an Oscar® last year for his animated short "The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore," was named by Newsweek as "one of the top 100 people to watch in the new millennium. "Rise of the Guardians" stars the voice talents of Chris Pine, Alec Baldwin, Hugh Jackman, Isla Fisher and Jude Law. Produced by Christina Steinberg and Nancy Bernstein and executive produced by Guillermo del Toro, Michael Siegel, and William Joyce, the DreamWorks Animation feature film will be released by Paramount Pictures on November 21st.

The announcement was made today by Carlos de Abreu, Founder and Executive Director of the Hollywood Film Awards. "It is a great pleasure to recognize "Rise of the Guardians" as the recipient of our animation award. This piece of Avant-garde animation style surely will be another classic for generations to come."

Said Bill Damaschke, Chief Creative Officer at DreamWorks Animation, "This award is a testament to the vision and dedication of our director Peter Ramsey and our producers Christina Steinberg and Nancy Bernstein, who saw in William Joyce's beautifully written books a truly magical world that he was able to bring to life with the help of David Lindsay-Abaire's wonderful screenplay and, of course, the outstanding work by his entire filmmaking team. We could not be more proud of the movie, or this recognition, and we thank Carlos and the Hollywood Film Awards for this great honor."

Past recipients of the Hollywood Animation Award include "Cars," "Rango," "Ratatouille," "Toy Story 3," "UP," and "Wall-E."

ABOUT "RISE OF THE GUARDIANS"
"Rise of the Guardians" is an epic and magical adventure that tells the story of Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy, the Sandman, and Jack Frost's legendary characters with previously unknown extraordinary abilities. When an evil spirit known as Pitch lays down the gauntlet to take over the world, the immortal Guardians must join forces to protect the hopes, beliefs, and imagination of children everywhere.


ENTERTAINMENT ONE INKS MULTIYEAR OUTPUT DEAL WITH DREAMWORKS STUDIOS
Entertainment One ("eOne") (LSE: ETO) is pleased to announce that it has entered a four-year output agreement with DreamWorks Studios ("DreamWorks") to distribute the company's films in all media across the UK and Benelux.
"We're delighted to collaborate with Steven Spielberg, Stacey Snider, Jeff Small and the innovative DreamWorks team in two of eOne's core territories. It's a momentous opportunity to be alongside such esteemed partners and broaden our international slate with top-quality commercial films for years to come. This significant deal aligns so very well with eOne's distribution infrastructure around the globe. We're thrilled that our multi-territory strategy continues to attract the best in the business," said Patrice Theroux, eOne's President, Filmed Entertainment.

The first film under the agreement with eOne will be the remake of Starbuck, starring Vince Vaughn, which begins principal photography in October 2012 for release in 2013. Jeff Small, DreamWorks' President and COO, and eOne's Patrice Theroux brokered the deal via David Garrett's international licensing and distribution company Mister Smith Entertainment, who handle DreamWorks' films in Europe, Africa and The Middle East. DreamWorks' domestic distributor, The Walt Disney Company, will continue to handle North America, Latin America, Asia, Russia and Australia. Reliance continues to finance production of DreamWorks' films and hold distribution rights in India.

"On behalf of Steven and Stacey, we are so excited to be in business with the amazing team at eOne. They are an industry leader in the UK and Benelux and we know our films will be handled with the utmost skill and creativity by the eOne marketing and distribution teams," said Jeff Small, DreamWorks' President and COO.

DreamWorks Studios was formed in 2009 and is a partnership between industry-toppers Steven Spielberg, Stacey Snider and The Reliance ADA Group. Academy Award(R) winning Spielberg is among the industry's most influential filmmakers, helming such blockbusters as Jaws, E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial, the Indiana Jones franchise and the upcoming Lincoln. Prior to joining DreamWorks, Snider served as Chairman of Universal Pictures, where she oversaw all domestic and international business units of Universal Pictures, Focus Features and Universal Home Video. During Snider's tenure at Universal, she was responsible for the origination of successful franchises such as The Bourne series, The Mummy series and The Fast and the Furious series. The Reliance ADA Group is one of India's largest conglomerates and in the past several years has entered the filmed entertainment space both as a production studio and as a strategic investor in companies such as IM Global and Lava Bear Films, with which eOne also has partnerships.

DreamWorks Studios can be found on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/DreamWorksStudios and on Twitter at http://twitter.com/dw_studios.


BRANAGH SHOOTING JACK RYAN IN LONDON (VIA  FILM LONDON - )
Jack Ryan, starring Chris Pine (Star Trek), Keira Knightley (Anna Karenina)and Kevin Costner (JFK)and directed by Kenneth Branagh (Thor), has started shooting in London.

Based on the Jack Ryan character created by bestselling author Tom Clancy, Pine takes on the role of Ryan, a young covert CIA analyst.

A contemporary action thriller about a financial terrorist plot, Branagh will also act in the film, playing Russian oligarch Viktor Cherevin.

In August, Film London announced Jack Ryan would be shooting in the capital this year, alongside other high profile movies such as Fast and Furious 6 and Kick-Ass 2.

In addition to London, the film will also shoot in New York and Moscow.

Jack Ryan will be distributed by Paramount Pictures and is due for release next year.


LIONSGATE PRESENTS THE BRITISH, ALL-STAR ADAPTATION OF THE DICKENS’ CLASSIC GREAT EXPECTATIONS IN CINEMAS NOVEMBER 30TH 2012
Directed by Mike Newell, Adapted for the screen by David Nicholls
Starring: Helena Bonham Carter, Ralph Fiennes, Jeremy Irvine, Holliday Grainger, Robbie Coltrane, Ewen Bremner, Jason Flemyng, Sally Hawkins, David Walliams, Tamzin Outhwaite, Olly Alexander and Jessie Cave

Young orphan Pip is given a chance to rise from his humble beginnings thanks to a mysterious benefactor. Moving through London’s class ridden world as a gentleman, Pip uses his new found position to pursue the beautiful Estella; a spoilt heiress he’s loved since childhood. Yet the shocking truth behind his great fortune will have devastating consequences for everything he holds dear.

Starring an award-winning cast, this British tour de force is directed by the BAFTA winning director of Four Weddings and A Funeral and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Mike Newell, and has been written for the big screen by David Nicholls, the acclaimed writer of the global best seller One Day.  This adaptation of Dickens’ finest novel is produced by award winning partners at Number 9 Films, Elizabeth Karlsen and Stephen Woolley (Made in Dagenham, How to Lose Friends and Alienate People, The Crying Game).  The film has been financed by BBC Films, the BFI Film Fund, Lipsync Productions, Unison Films and Hart/ Lunsford Pictures.


BAZ LUHRMANN’S 3D ADAPTATION GETS SOUGHT AFTER SUMMER RELEASE DATE
Warner Bros. Pictures and Village Roadshow Pictures have moved the release date of “The Great Gatsby” to Summer 2013.  The announcement was made today by Dan Fellman, President of Domestic Distribution, and Veronika Kwan Vandenberg, President of International Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures.

 In making the announcement, Fellman stated, “Based on what we’ve seen, Baz Luhrmann’s incredible work is all we anticipated and so much more.  It truly brings Fitzgerald’s American classic to life in a completely immersive, visually stunning and exciting way. We think moviegoers of all ages are going to embrace it, and it makes sense to ensure this unique film reaches the largest audience possible.”
Kwan Vandenberg confirmed, “Baz is known for being innovative, but with this film he has done something completely unexpected—making it in 3D—while capturing the emotion, the intimacy, the power and the spectacle of the time.  The responses we’ve had to some of the early sneak peeks have been phenomenal, and we think ‘The Great Gatsby’ will be the perfect summer movie around the world.”

From the uniquely imaginative mind of writer/producer/director Baz Luhrmann comes the new big screen adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel The Great Gatsby.  The filmmaker has created his own distinctive visual interpretation of the classic story, bringing the period to life in a way that has never been seen before, in a film starring Leonardo DiCaprio in the title role.

“The Great Gatsby” follows Fitzgerald-like, would-be writer Nick Carraway as he leaves the Midwest and comes to New York City in the spring of 1922, an era of loosening morals, glittering jazz, bootleg kings, and sky-rocketing stocks.  Chasing his own American Dream, Nick lands next door to a mysterious, party-giving millionaire, Jay Gatsby, and across the bay from his cousin, Daisy, and her philandering, blue-blooded husband, Tom Buchanan.  It is thus that Nick is drawn into the captivating world of the super rich, their illusions, loves and deceits.  As Nick bears witness, within and without of the world he inhabits, he pens a tale of impossible love, incorruptible dreams and high-octane tragedy, and holds a mirror to our own modern times and struggles.

Academy Award® nominee DiCaprio (“J. Edgar,” “Aviator”) plays Jay Gatsby, with Tobey Maguire starring as Nick Carraway; Oscar® nominee Carey Mulligan (“An Education”) and Joel Edgerton as Daisy and Tom Buchanan; Isla Fisher and Jason Clarke as Myrtle and George Wilson; and newcomer Elizabeth Debicki as Jordan Baker.  Indian film legend Amitabh Bachchan will play the role of Meyer Wolfsheim.
Oscar® nominee Luhrmann (“Moulin Rouge!”) directs the film in 3D from a screenplay co-written with frequent collaborator Craig Pearce, based on Fitzgerald’s book.  Luhrmann produces, along with Catherine Martin, Academy Award® winner Douglas Wick (“Gladiator”), Lucy Fisher and Catherine Knapman.  The executive producers are Academy Award® winner Barrie M. Osborne (“Lord of the Rings – Return of the King”) and Bruce Berman.

Two-time Academy Award®-winning production and costume designer Catherine Martin (“Moulin Rouge!”) designs as well as produces.  The editors are Matt Villa, Jason Ballantine and Jonathan Redmond, and the director of photography is Simon Duggan.  The music is by Craig Armstrong.
Warner Bros. Pictures presents, in association with Village Roadshow Pictures, in association with A&E Television, a Bazmark/Red Wagon Entertainment Production, a Film by Baz Luhrmann, “The Great Gatsby.”  Opening Summer 2013, the film will be distributed in IMAX® 3D, 3D and 2D by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company, and in select territories by Village Roadshow Pictures.


FORTISSIMO FILMS AQUIRES TERENCE DAVIES’ ‘SUNSET SONG’ PETER MULLAN & AGYNESS DEYN TO STAR  
Fortissimo Films announced today that it has acquired the international rights to SUNSET SONG, from celebrated British filmmaker Terence Davies. Both Peter Mullan (TRAINSPOTTING, WAR HORSE) and rising film and stage actress, Agyness Deyn have signed on to star in this highly anticipated production based on the 1932 classic novel of the same name by Lewis Grassic Gibbon. The film represents Fortissimo’s return to British films.

Davies recently enjoyed critical and commercial success with THE DEEP BLUE SEA. Prior to that he had directed his homage to Liverpool, OF TIME IN THE CITY, and THE HOUSE OF MIRTH. Deyn, earlier this year received acclaim for her West End performance in THE LEISURE SOCIETY and Peter Mullan was most recently seen in Steven Spielberg’s box office hit WAR HORSE.

Bob Last's Holdings Ecosse Ltd, developed the project together with Davies. SUNSET SONG is set to go into production towards the end of the year and will be produced by Sol Papadopoulos & Roy Boulter of Hurricane Films with Bob Last executive producing.

Set in the early 20th century, against the backdrop of the poverty of North-East Scotland, and the looming war, Chris Guthrie (Agyness Deyn), the eldest daughter of poor farmers barely making it, struggles for love amid hardship and family misfortune. After her mother, broken by a life of poverty and repeated child-birth poisons herself and her new baby twins, the ever resilient young Chris must manage the farm. Subsequently she is forced to deal with father who has a stroke yet is eager to have an incestuous relationship with his daughter, compelling her to use all her wits to hold the family together and not lose the farm. Finally she finds love, only soon to see her new husband depart for the Great War. While all this goes on, she remains wedded to the farm, connected to a land about to be changed forever by the onset of technology and war.

Actress Agyness Deyn said, “When I read the script I fell completely in love with the character and the story, I'm so honoured and excited to be working with Terence, he's such an incredible director. I can't wait to get started and just hope that I can do Chris Guthrie justice!”

The deal for the film was negotiated between the Producers and Fortissimo Films’ London based VP of Acquisitions Courtney Noble who said: “Terence Davies is a true visionary and Fortissimo has admired and wanted to work with him for almost twenty years. We are delighted and honoured to be involved with him and his production partners on SUNSET SONG.”

Executive producer Bob Last said, “After THE HOUSE OF MIRTH, I was determined to make another film with Terence. He is such a cinematic master, with a vision that is at one and the same time richly beautiful and austere. Lewis Grassic Gibbon's intimate epic seemed perfectly suited; a powerful story of love and loss set against the onset of modernisation, a theme that continues to resonate in today's rapidly changing world. The opportunity to bring Peter Mullan and Agyness Deyn together with Terence and to work with the team that produced his OF TIME AND THE CITY could not be missed."

Sol Papadopoulos & Roy Boulter of Hurricane Films said “We feel Fortissimo are the perfect fit for this project and we look forward to working with their incredible team to bring Terence Davies' vision to screens around the world.”


CATE BLANCHETT AND MIA WASIKOWSKA CONFIRMED FOR JOHN CROWLEY’S CAROL
Stephen Woolley and Elizabeth Karlsen at Number 9 Films were  delighted to confirm that Cate Blanchett and Mia Wasikowska will star in the new adaptation of Patricia Highsmith’s novel ‘Carol’ (aka ‘The Price of Salt’).

Directed by BAFTA winning John Crowley (Intermission, ‘Boy A’), the acclaimed Phyllis Nagy (Mrs Harris) has written the adaptation based on renowned suspense author Patricia Highsmith’s novella (‘Strangers on a Train’, ‘The Talented Mr Ripley’). The film will be produced by Elizabeth Karlsen and Stephen Woolley from Number 9 Films, and co-developed and co-financed by Film4. Filming starts February 2013 in London and New York.

Carol is a love story about pursuit, betrayal and passion that follows the burgeoning relationship between two very different women in 1950s New York. One, a girl in her twenties working in a department store who dreams of a more fulfilling life, and the other, a wife trapped in a loveless, moneyed marriage desperate to break free but fearful of losing her daughter in the process.
HanWay will be handling international sales on the film at this year’s Cannes Film Festival.
Elizabeth Karlsen and Stephen Woolley at Number 9 Films commented: "We are thrilled to be working with Cate Blanchett and Mia Wasikowska, two of the most talented actors working today, in this striking adaptation of one of the twentieth century's most iconic writers, Patricia Highsmith. To be re-united with highly talented individuals, director John Crowley and writer Phylis Nagy is a testament to the quality of the project. We are delighted to have such a gifted team on board."

Tessa Ross at Film4 commented: "Carol is a beautiful and heart-breaking story and it's a testament to the talents of Phyllis and John that we've attracted actresses of Cate and Mia's calibre to star at the heart of it. We are delighted to be working with Liz and Stephen at Number 9 to help put together what promises to be a truly wonderful film."



CUBAN FURY FINAL PRODUCTION BLOG UPDATE
Studiocanal and Big Talk Pictures announce 22nd march 2013 release for ‘Cuban Fury’
Nick Frost stars in James Griffiths’ hot stepping comedy

STUDIOCANAL and Big Talk Pictures today announced that CUBAN FURY will be released on 22nd March 2013 in cinemas across the UK & Ireland.  Principal photography on the film will begin on 24th June 2012, shooting for 9 weeks around London.

Nick Frost gives us one final trip around the dance floor of the Cuban Fury production. Take a peek at the the stars, the team and the magical effect of salsa for one last furious time.

Video: Cuban Fury / Video Blog #7

Video Credits - Video blog directed by Phil Stoole and edited by Paul Trewartha.

Cuban Fury stars Nick Frost, Rashida Jones, Chris O'Dowd, Olivia Colman & Ian McShane.
Cuban Fury is a Big Talk Pictures production. It is co-financed by Studiocanal, Film4 and the BFI Film Fund. International sales will be handled by Studiocanal.

CUBAN FURY will be released 22 March 2013


PRINCIPAL PHOTOGRAPHY ON KEVIN MACDONALD’S TO BEGIN ON HOW I LIVE NOW HAS BEGUN
Principal photography for Kevin Macdonald’s big screen adaptation of Meg Rosoff’s multi award winning novel How I Live Now was shot for 8 weeks in England and Wales.

Starring Academy Award nominee Saoirse Ronan (Atonement, The Lovely Bones, Hanna), the youngest ever BAFTA award-winner Harley Bird (‘Peppa Pig’) and British Independent Film Award nominee George MacKay (The Boys Are Back, Hunky Dory), How I Live Now is the latest film from Academy Award winning director Kevin Macdonald (One Day In September, Marley, The Last King of Scotland).  The screenplay is written by Jeremy Brock (The Eagle, The Last King of Scotland) Tony Grisoni (Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, ‘Red Riding Trilogy’), and Penelope Skinner (“The Village Bike” at the Royal Court, ‘Fresh Meat’).

Daisy (Ronan), a teenager from New York, is sent to the English countryside for the summer to stay with cousins.  She soon immerses herself in a dreamy pastoral idyll as she falls madly in love with Eddie (MacKay), until their perfect summer is blown apart by the sudden outbreak of a 21st century world war.  Along with Eddie’s younger siblings, Isaac (Tom Holland) and Piper (Bird), they are left in isolation and forced to fend for themselves.  When they are violently separated Daisy must embark on a terrifying journey in order to be reunited with the boy she loves.  Eddie is never far from Daisy’s mind but as her journey to find him becomes more desperate, the idea of what she may or may not find consumes her consciousness and haunts her soul.

Kevin Macdonald said “How I live Now is a book that captivated me as soon as I read it 5 or 6 years ago, with its combination of humour, teen romance and dystopia. I think that with the tremendous young cast we have managed to assemble - centred around the brilliant Saoirse Ronan - we can do the book justice - and more.  I can't wait to start shooting!”

Produced by Charles Steel and Alasdair Flind of Cowboy Films and Andrew Ruhemann and John Battsek of Passion Pictures, the film is co-developed by Film4 and the UK Film Council and co-financed by Film4 and BFI Film Fund.  Momentum Pictures, an Alliance Films Company, will distribute in the UK, with Protagonist Pictures selling internationally.  Deals are already in place with Alliance Films for Canada, TF1 for France, Madman for Australia/New Zealand, Impuls in Switzerland, Lusomundo in Portugal, Front Row for the Middle East, Carmen for CIS and Ablo for Eastern Europe.


CEE LO GREEN JOINS THE CAST OF EXCLUSIVE MEDIA’S “CAN A SONG SAVE YOUR LIFE?”
Guy East and Nigel Sinclair, Co-Chairmen of Exclusive Media, have announced that Grammy Award Winning singer-songwriter Cee Lo Green has joined the cast of  “Can A Song Save Your Life?”.  Green joins previously announced cast members Academy Award Nominees Keira Knightley (SEEKING A FRIEND AT THE END OF THE WORLD, PRIDE & PREJUDICE), Mark Ruffalo (THE AVENGERS, THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT), Hailee Steinfeld (upcoming ROMEO AND JULIET, TRUE GRIT), Grammy Award Winner Adam Levine, lead singer of Maroon 5, and Academy Award Nominee Catherine Keener (BEING JOHN MALKOVICH, CAPOTE) in writer /director John Carney’s (ONCE) new film, which will start production on July 2nd in New York City.  Green portrays “Troublegum” a very successful hip hop star.

Likely Story's Anthony Bregman (ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND, OUR IDIOT BROTHER, THE ORANGES) will produce the film with Judd Apatow (BRIDESMAIDS, KNOCKED UP, SUPERBAD) attached as Executive Producer of the Exclusive Media production.

The film’s creative team includes award winning cinematographer Yaron Orbach (FUN SIZE, THANKS FOR SHARING, OUR IDIOT BROTHER, PLEASE GIVE) and production designer Chad Keith (AT ANY PRICE, TAKE SHELTER, ON THE ICE, MARTHA MARCY MAY MARLENE and GOODBYE SOLO). Writer/director John Carney is working with Grammy-award winning songwriter, Gregg Alexander (New Radicals), on the music for the film.

Exclusive Media’s Head of Production, Tobin Armbrust, will oversee production on the film. Sales are being handled by Alex Walton, Exclusive Media’s President of International Sales and Distribution.

A world renowned singer-songwriter, rapper, record producer and actor, Cee Lo Green originally came to prominence as a member of the critically acclaimed Southern hip hop group Goodie Mob and later formed the hugely popular Gnarls Barkley as well as established a very successful solo career. Recently, Green wrapped the second season of the popular television series “The Voice.” Green is represented by Larry Mestel at Primary Wave Talent Management who negotiated the deal on his behalf.

Seduced by dreams of making it in the big city, Gretta (Knightley) and her long-time boyfriend (Levine) move to New York to pursue their passion for music. She’s heartbroken when he dumps her for the fame and fortune of a big solo contract, leaving her all on her own. Left to sleep on the couch of an old friend, Gretta reluctantly agrees to play an open mic night before departing the city for home.  Her world takes a turn for the better when a down-on-his-luck record producer (Ruffalo) stumbles upon her singing and is immediately captivated by her raw talent and inspiring authenticity - they may be each other’s last chance to turn their lives around.

Recruiting street musicians, amateurs, and professionals borrowed from the posse of Troublegum (Green), a hip-hop artist he discovered years ago, Dan throws himself into producing for Gretta.  Fueled by his enthusiasm, Gretta begins to develop confidence as a performer and songwriter.  Dan hopes that his new direction will repair his marriage with his estranged wife Miriam (Keener) and reclaim the respect of his daughter Violet (Steinfeld).  Somewhere between friendship and their love of music, the two strangers strike a chord that captures the hearts of everyone around them, proving that every great story has its own soundtrack.

John Carney wrote and directed the award-winning music film, ONCE, which won an Academy Award for Best Original Song as well as an Independent Spirit Award for Best Foreign Film. The stage adaptation of the film recently won the Tony Award for Best Musical. Carney recently wrote/directed the Irish film, THE RAFTERS and is attached to direct the drama DOGS OF BABEL starring Steve Carell.

Anthony Bregman is a BAFTA and Golden Globe nominated producer with an enviable list of acclaimed film credits including ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND, Indie Spirit winner SYNECDOCHE NEW YORK, FRIENDS WITH MONEY, OUR IDIOT BROTHER, LAY THE FAVORITE and DARLING COMPANION.  He is the founder of the bi-coastal production company Likely Story.

Exclusive Media is a major force in the production and international distribution arena. Currently in production on THE QUIET ONES, directed by John Pogue, starring Jared Harris and Sam Claflin and shooting in Oxfordshire. Its production slate include: the recently announced Cameron Diaz and Benicio Del Toro action comedy AGENT: CENTURY 21 to be directed by Adam Hashemi and the thriller STILL OF NIGHT to be directed by Jonathan Mostow and starring Michelle Monaghan and Susan Sarandon; Ron Howard’s epic RUSH starring Chris Hemsworth and Daniel Brühl and produced with production partners Cross Creek Pictures, Imagine Entertainment, Working Title, Brian Grazer, and Revolution Films to be released in the US through Universal; END OF WATCH starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Michael Peña, Anna Kendrick and America Ferrera set for release through Open Road Films on September 28; SO UNDERCOVER starring Miley Cyrus; and SNITCH starring Dwayne Johnson and Susan Sarandon in post-production and to be released in the US through Summit Entertainment.

Likely Story is a bi-coastal production company founded by Anthony Bregman in October 2006.  The company recently premiered Stephen Frears’ LAY THE FAVORITE at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival, to be released later this year by The Weinstein Company.  Upcoming and recent theatrical releases include Julian Farino’s THE ORANGES and Lawrence Kasdan’s DARLING COMPANION.  Additional Likely Story productions include Jesse Peretz’ OUR IDIOT BROTHER (The Weinstein Company), Nicole Holofcener’s PLEASE GIVE (Sony Pictures Classics), Robert Pulcini and Shari Springer Berman’s THE EXTRA MAN (Magnolia Pictures), Charlie Kaufman’s directorial debut SYNECDOCHE, NEW YORK (Sony Pictures Classics), Alex Rivera’s SLEEP DEALER (Maya Releasing), and David and Alex Pastor's CARRIERS (Paramount Vantage).  The company also has a first look deal with graphic novel and comic book publisher Top Shelf Productions.

Starring Keira Knightley, Mark Ruffalo, Hailee Steinfeld,
Adam Levine, and Catherine Keener
Writer / Director John Carney’s New Film


THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE BEGINS PRODUCTION
Lionsgate UK is proud to share that principal photography started yesterday on the highly anticipated sequel to the worldwide blockbuster film THE HUNGER GAMES. THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE will shoot primarily in existing locations in and near Atlanta, Georgia.  The film will subsequently be shot on location in the beaches and jungles of Hawaii before wrapping in late December, 2012.

THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE will be released worldwide on November 22, 2013, and stars  Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Lenny Kravitz, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Jeffrey Wright, with Stanley Tucci and Donald Sutherland.

Said Lionsgate’s President of Production Eric Feig, who is overseeing the production on behalf of the studio, “We are so excited to be embarking on this adventure with Francis Lawrence, who has already exhibited immense creative vision and resourcefulness in casting the film and planning its look and feel.  The stakes are raised in every way in this second story, and we are thrilled to get the production underway in these perfect locations, with our excellent returning cast and some world class actors in new roles.”

“Lionsgate has been a longtime partner of Georgia’s entertainment industry being the first production company to take advantage of our film tax incentives in 2005. The fact that they are continuing to bring productions including this high profile franchise to Georgia reaffirms their commitment to our talented crew, diverse locations and accessibility,” said Georgia Department of Economic Development Commissioner Chris Cummiskey.

Lionsgate also announces a global set visit sweepstakes.  “THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE- Win a Trip to Set” will run September 10th through October 12th 2012, offering twelve lucky fans a chance to visit the set of the film and interact the with cast and crew.  To enter, fans based in the participating territories (the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, Germany, France, Scandinavia, Russia, Israel, and  Japan) will upload a :30 second video of  their top question for the film’s cast. Additionally, "virtual" citizens of Panem will be able to enter by playing The Hunger Games Adventures - one of the top adventure games on Facebook and coming soon to iPad.  Full rules and regulations are posted on the contest Facebook tab, and at www.catchingfiresweeps.com.

Following the release of THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE on November 22, 2013, the final installments, THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY PART I, and THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY PART II are scheduled for respective November 21, 2014 and November 20, 2015 releases.

THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE begins as Katniss Everdeen has returned home safe after winning the 74th Annual Hunger Games along with fellow tribute Peeta Mellark.   Winning means that they must turn around and leave their family and close friends, embarking on a "Victor's Tour" of the districts.  Along the way Katniss senses that a rebellion is simmering, but the Capitol is still very much in control as President Snow prepares the 75th Annual Hunger Games (The Quarter Quell) - a competition that could change Panem forever.

THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE will be directed by Francis Lawrence, and produced by Nina Jacobson’s Color Force in tandem with producer Jon Kilik. The novel on which the film is based is the second in a trilogy that has over 50 million copies in print in the U.S. alone.

Full information about the film’s cast is available at www.catchingfirecasting.com

Lionsgate will release THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE on November 22, 2013.


EXCLUSIVE PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 4 CLIP AVAILABLE FOR FANS ON NEW ONE-SHEET ARTWORK
In a UK film industry first Paramount Pictures UK is rolling out a NFC enabled poster for the forthcoming theatrical release of ‘Paranormal Activity 4’.

The one-sheet, which will be distributed widely across the country, allows users to view an exclusive clip only available via the poster. Users can view the clip using NFC technology, and as Kamil Yadallee Head of Emerging Platforms from MEC explains it is a very exciting technology:

“Near Field Communication (or NFC) is a versatile one touch technology which promotes consumer convenience across a number of functions; payments, delivering content, or machine to machine communication.  Key benefits include intuitive ‘touch’ call to action, ease of embedding NFC hotspots into many media touch points and leveraging the growing number of NFC enabled handsets in the UK.  Also, as there are not many NFC campaigns in the UK to date – advertisers using now can gain learning’s and a competitive edge before the medium becomes mainstream”

The poster can be seen now across the country. Paranormal Activity 4 will be released on the 17th of October 2012.

Vote for your city to see it first here: https://apps.facebook.com/284071205034485/?fb_source=search&ref=ts


CLOUD ATLAS - TORONTO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL WORLD PREMIERE
Cloud Atlas receives its World Premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on 8th September 2012 and will be released in cinemas across the UK on 22nd February 2013

Based on the celebrated best-selling novel by David Mitchell and directed by acclaimed filmmakers Lana Wachowski, Tom Tykwer, and Andy Wachowski, the powerful and inspiring epic drama “Cloud Atlas” explores how the actions and consequences of individual lives impact one another throughout the past, the present and the future. Action, mystery and romance weave dramatically through the story as one soul is shaped from a killer into a hero, and a single act of kindness ripples across centuries to inspire a revolution in the distant future.
Academy Award® winners Tom Hanks (“Philadelphia,” “Forrest Gump”) and Halle Berry (“Monster’s Ball”) lead a stellar international cast that includes Oscar® winner Jim Broadbent (“Iris”), Hugo Weaving, Jim Sturgess, Doona Bae, Ben Whishaw, James D’Arcy, Zhou Xun, Keith David and David Gyasi, with Oscar® winner Susan Sarandon (“Dead Man Walking”) and Hugh Grant.  Each member of the ensemble appears in multiple roles as the story moves through time.
The film is written for the screen and directed by Lana Wachowski & Tom Tykwer & Andy Wachowski.  The Wachowskis previously teamed as writers/directors of the groundbreaking “Matrix” trilogy, which earned more than $1.6 billion, combined, at the worldwide box office.  Tom Tykwer won an Independent Spirit Award and earned a BAFTA Award nomination as the director/writer of “Run Lola Run,” and more recently directed the award-winning thriller “Perfume: The Story of a Murderer.”

“Cloud Atlas” is produced by two-time Oscar® nominee Grant Hill (“The Thin Red Line,” “The Tree of Life”), three-time BAFTA Award nominee Stefan Arndt (“The White Ribbon,” “Goodbye Lenin!,” “Run Lola Run”), Lana Wachowski, Tom Tykwer, and Andy Wachowski.  Philip Lee, Uwe Schott and Wilson Qiu serve as executive producers, with co-producers Peter Lam, Tony Teo and Alexander van Dülmen, and Gigi Oeri as associate producer.  The music is composed by Tom Tykwer, Johnny Klimek and Reinhold Heil.

The creative filmmaking team includes directors of photography John Toll and Frank Griebe; production designers Uli Hanisch and Hugh Bateup; editor Alexander Berner; and costume designers Kym Barrett and Pierre-Yves Gayraud.  Visual effects are by Dan Glass. Warner Bros. Pictures presents a Cloud Atlas Production/X-Filme Creative Pool and Anarchos Production, in association with A Company and ARD Degeto.

“Cloud Atlas” is the internationally bestselling third novel from David Mitchell.  Originally published by Sceptre in 2004 to unanimous acclaim, the book went on to win the Richard & Judy Best Read of the Year and the Best Literary Fiction category in the British Book Awards, as well as being shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize that same year. Described in The Times as ‘an elegiac, radiant festival of prescience, meditation and entertainment’, it also won the South Bank Show Literature Prize and the Geoffrey Faber Memorial Award, was shortlisted for the Commonwealth Writers' Prize, James Tait Black Memorial Prize and the Arthur C Clarke Award, and in 2011 was named one of Richard & Judy’s 100 Books of the Decade. “Cloud Atlas” has sold nearly three quarters of a million copies in its British editions to date. It has also been published in the United States and Canada (by Random House) and in translation in 25 countries.


BRITISH FILM DREDD IS BOX OFFICE NUMBER 1
 Dredd 3D is the UK’s Box Office number 1 having taken over a million pounds on its opening weekend beating the competition including Anna Karenina, Lawless and Total Recall.  It is the first 18 certificate film to be number 1 since 2010.

Created from the iconic British comic strip, this British film has been brought to life by Alex Garland (28 Days Later) and produced by DNA’s Allon Reich and Andrew Macdonald (28 Weeks Later, Never Let Me Go). Shot in 3D with stunning slow motion photography, the film stars Karl Urban (Star Trek, The Lord of the Rings) as the legendary Judge Dredd and is joined by Olivia Thirlby (Juno), Lena Headey (300, ‘Game of Thrones’), Domhnall Gleeson (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows) and Wood Harris (‘The Wire’).

In Dredd 3D, the future America is an irradiated waste land. On its East Coast, running from Boston to Washington DC, lies Mega City One- a vast, violent metropolis where criminals rule the chaotic streets.  The only force of order lies with the urban cops called “Judges” who possess the combined powers of judge, jury and instant executioner.  Known and feared throughout the city, Dredd (Karl Urban) is the ultimate Judge, challenged with ridding the city of its latest scourge – a dangerous drug epidemic that has users of “Slo-Mo” experiencing reality at a fraction of its normal speed.

During a routine day on the job, Dredd is assigned to train and evaluate Cassandra Anderson (Olivia Thirlby), a rookie with powerful psychic abilities thanks to a genetic mutation.  A heinous crime calls them to a neighbourhood where fellow Judges rarely dare to venture- a 200 story vertical slum controlled by prostitute turned drug lord Ma-Ma (Lena Headey) and her ruthless clan.  When they capture one of the clan’s inner circle, Ma-Ma overtakes the compound’s control center and wages a dirty, vicious war against the Judges that proves she will stop at nothing to protect her empire.  With the body count climbing and no way out, Dredd and Anderson must confront the odds and engage in the relentless battle for their surviva.


BLACK POWER SALUTE APOLOGY
Australian sprinter PETER NORMAN, blacklisted for supporting the Black Power protesters at the 1968 Mexico Olympic Games, after 44 years may finally receive an apology from the Australian Parliament.

Norman, who still holds the Australian record, ran second in the men's 200m final winning the silver medal. On the podium, he wore an Olympic Project for Human Rights badge to support African-American athletes Tommie Smith (gold) and John Carlos (bronze), who gave the black power salute. Norman was punished for his involvement and blacklisted from the 1972 Munich Games, despite qualifying for the 100m and 200m events in world-beating times. He quit athletics in protest.

Extract from the proposed apology:
“….Apologises to Peter Norman for the wrong done by Australia in failing to send him to the 1972 Munich Olympics, despite repeatedly qualifying; and belatedly recognises the powerful role that Peter Norman played in furthering racial equality.”

Smith and Carlos, each suspended from the US track and field team, have never received a similar apology.

Norman, who passed away in 2006 at the age of 64, is the subject of the award winning documentary ‘SALUTE’ which documents the complete story of the 1968 black power salute. SALUTE was recently released in cinemas in the UK and is available now on DVD and On Demand.



The Establishing Shot: ON OUR RADAR
STATUS QUO WILL REUNITE AFTER 25 YEARS TO CELEBRATE THE RELEASE OF HELLO QUO - THE DEFINITIVE DOCUMENTARY ON THE ROCK BAND
The original band members of legendary British band STATUS QUO will reunite after 25 years to celebrate the new cinema release of definitive fly on the wall documentary HELLO QUO on Monday 22nd October 2012. Directed by Emmy Award nominee Alan G. Parker (Monty Python: Almost the Truth, Who Killed Nancy), HELLO QUO tells the candid story of Status Quo’s 50 years as a touring and recording rock band, fully supported by the band and featuring input from a host of the biggest names in rock – including: Brian May of Queen, Thin Lizzy, Buzzcocks, Slade, Paul Weller, Sir Cliff Richard and Midge Ure.

STATUS QUO has sold 128 million worldwide albums, has 22 Top 10 hits and has spent 415 weeks in the UK singles chart and has had more chart hits than any other rock group. Their last album Quid Pro Quo was a top 10 hit and their 29th studio album. HELLO QUO collects hours of previously unseen footage and classic live material with full exclusive access to all band members.

On Monday 22nd October the original band members will reunite for a special one night only screening of HELLO QUO in cinemas across the UK and a simultaneous UK Film Premiere in London’s Leicester Square with an exclusive Q&A with the band. The DVD, Blu-ray and Collectors Edition DVD of HELLO QUO will go on sale 29th October.

Director Alan G. Parker said: “I’m the last director in the world to look like I was right for this project but then the same could be said of Monty Python and I love what we’ve done. I believe we’ve made a film that’s as good as the group.”

The Establishing Shot: EXCLUSIVE! CLIP FROM THE DEFINITIVE STATUS QUO DOCUMENTARY - HELLO QUO

Rod Smith, Acquisitions Director at Anchor Bay Entertainment said: “Anchor Bay are excited to be working with such iconic and much loved British rock legends as Status Quo. We are proud to be associated with the band during such an exciting time in their long and successful history. This remarkable film is destined to be a smash success and a perfect Christmas gift for all lovers of great music.”

Alan G Parker started out his career in the music industry at the age of 20, following a few years as a band manager/promoter in a remote part of Lancashire! He moved to London in 1985 where over a period of almost 20 years he was, at one time or another, a press officer, a writer (18 books published to date) and the project co-ordinator in back catalogue at EMI Records, working with artists like; Stiff Little Fingers, Buzzcocks, The Stranglers, Sex Pistols, Slade, The Ramones, Blondie, Big Country, The Alarm, The Who, Whitesnake, UFO, The Mighty Wah!, Spear of Destiny/Theatre of Hate, Terrorvision, The Almighty, Monty Python, The Carry On Team, UFO, Saxon, Whitesnake & The Jam.

During his later years at the label Parker also became a staff member at ICE magazine with his own column ‘The Gimmick’ while also contributing to other ‘lads’ magazines.
In 2001 he travelled to New York with Director Don Letts and Producer Martin Baker (son of actor Stanley), while on US soil they witnessed 9/11 first hand, made a documentary about the NYC underground scene and Parker made some big career choices. Upon returning to London he left EMI behind and joined forces with both Letts and Baker as a researcher the three of them completed two more full length documentary movies including the critically acclaimed ‘All Mod Cons: The Jam’ (Universal Music) via a company they jointly owned named Diamond Films Ltd.

Parker directed his first feature length documentary ‘Never Mind the Sex Pistols’ for 2 Entertain/BBC 3 in 2005. Since then his critically acclaimed and hugely successful ‘Who Killed Nancy’ (Soda Pictures) saw him carry off the BBC Radio 6 best new Director of 2009. ‘Rebel Truce: The Story of The Clash’ (Eagle Entertainment) was named best documentary of 2007 by Time Out magazine. While his next cinema release ‘Monty Python: Almost the Truth’ (Eagle Rock Entertainment/IFC) saw him nominated Stateside for an Emmy. ‘Hello Quo: The Official Status Quo Story’ (K5/M500/Duroc Media/AG & AB Productions) will be his third film for the big screen and opens in the UK in October 2012. He is one half of the company A Geezer & A Blonde Productions London Ltd, along with Producer Alexa Morris. They both live in the Maida Vale area of London.


OSCAR-NOMINATED MARGIN CALL ON DVD AND BLU-RAY 12th NOVEMBER
Paramount Home Entertainment UK & Ireland today announces its plans to release MARGIN CALL, the OSCAR-nominated Wall Street thriller on DVD and Blu-ray on 12th November with exclusive extras.

In January 2012 MARGIN CALL was Oscar-nominated for ‘Best Original Screenplay’ at The 83rd Annual Academy Awards® (OSCARs) and was released in the UK and Ireland to instant critical acclaim. Reviewed by The New York Times’ A.O.Scott as “an extraordinary feat in filmmaking” and written and directed by first time feature director J.C.Chandor, MARGIN CALL was described by Mark Kermode as “genuinely gripping” and The Observer’s Philip French as “a first-rate thriller.”

Video: Margin Call Trailer

Boasting a phenomenal all-star cast and stand out performances from Kevin Spacey, Jeremy Irons, Paul Bettany, Stanley Tucci, Demi Moore, Penn Badgley, Simon Baker and Zachary Quinto, MARGIN CALL is set in the high-stakes world of the financial industry and an edge-of-your-seat thriller entangling the key players at an investment firm during one perilous 24-hour period in the early stages of the 2008 financial crisis. When entry-level analyst Peter Sullivan (Zachary Quinto) unlocks information that could prove to be the downfall of the firm, a roller-coaster ride ensues as decisions both financial and moral catapult the lives of all involved to the brink of disaster.

MARGIN CALL has also won a host of industry awards, including: New York Film Critics Award for ‘Best First Feature Film’, ‘Best Original Screenplay’ at the San Francisco Film Critics Circle Awards, the prestigious Robert Altman Award at this year’s Independent Spirit Awards 2011 and ‘Best Debut Director’ at the National Board of Review, USA.

Margin Call Poster Blu-ray
Margin Call Poster Blu-ray & DVD
Paramount Home Media’s Senior Brand Manager Luisa Cotrozzi said “We are delighted to announce Paramount’s release of Margin Call on DVD and Blu-ray on 12th November.  This Oscar-nominated film features an outstanding cast and earned strong critical acclaim – reviewed as being “the best Wall Street film yet”.  Our DVD and Blu-ray release includes in-depth features which look behind-the-scenes and shed light on how first-time Director JC Chandor drew on his personal experiences to write Hollywood’s best financial thriller which documents Wall Street’s melt-down.“

EXTRAS:
•         Revolving Door: Making Margin Call
•         Deleted Scenes
•         Deleted Scenes with Commentary
•         Missed Calls; Moments with Cast & Crew
•         From the Deck: Photo Gallery

For more information on MARGIN CALL please visit:
http://www.paramount.com/dvd
http://www.facebook.com/ParamountPicturesUK
Margin Call UK Twitter: @MarginCallUK

Margin Call on DVD and Blu-ray on 12th November


WHERE THE TRAIL ENDS 
Where The Trail Ends’ is the culmination of three years of travel to the farthest reaches of the globe, including the Andean foothills of Salta, Argentina, China’s challenging Gobi Desert, Nepal’s near-secret Mustang region, the unexplored shorelines of British Columbia’s Fraser River and Virgin, Utah — big mountain freeriding’s birthplace, and punishing proving grounds.

WHERE THE TRAIL ENDS
WHERE THE TRAIL ENDS
Where The Trail Ends’ storyline follows professional mountain bikers Darren Berrecloth, Cameron Zink, Kurt Sorge, James Doerfling, Andreu Lacondeguy and another half dozen of the world’s top freeriders in an extraordinary chronicle of exploration, chaos and culture, set amongst some of the globe’s most harrowing and remote natural landscapes.

The Establishing Shot: RED BULL WHERE THE TRAIL ENDS - DARREN BERRECLOTH 360 SPIN NO HOSPITALS CLIP

Freeride Entertainment’s crews created the project’s remarkably compelling tone, footage and narrative using the most advanced filmmaking and sound equipment ever used in the outdoor adventure sport genre. An array of transportation tools including jet boats, helicopters, fixed wing aircraft, as well as the riders themselves, helped provide a variety of unique perspectives for the audience. Partnerships with Contour (www.contour.com), hands-free HD video cameras, and Specialized Bikes were vital to the project’s success.

Where The Trail Ends will be available on DVD, Blu-ray™ and iTunes beginning September 21st. The Blu-ray™ version is mastered in 7.1 surround sound using Dolby TrueHD providing fans the most compelling viewing experience possible. To order exclusive Where The Trail Ends apparel by Troy Lee Design

For more information:
www.wherethetrailends.com
Tag us on Twitter and Instagram: #WTTE


JUST BURIED
When Oliver (Jay Baruchel) returns to his small-town home to attend his estranged father’s funeral, his uneventful life suddenly takes a turn. He has just inherited the family business – a funeral home on the verge of bankruptcy.

Just Buried Trailer

JUST BURIED - Trailer from Showbox Media Group Ltd on Vimeo.

Aided and abetted by the bewitching embalmer Roberta (Rose Byrne), Oliver accidentally, and then not-so-accidentally, provides himself with paying customers. Together they begin to knock off townsfolk in an effort to keep the funeral home in business. As they scramble to stay out of jail, the body count rises and their victims expire in increasingly bizarre and brutal “accidents”.

Starring:
Rose Byrne (Bridesmaids, Insidious, 28 Weeks Later, X Men: First Class
Jay Baruchel (She’s Out of My League, Tropic Thunder, Million Dollar Baby)
Graham Greene (The Green Mile, Die Hard: With a Vengeance)

Just Buried arrives on DVD & Video On Demand on 1st October 2012


SONOS STUDIO PREMIERES THE DOCUMENTARY "ALEKESAM"
Sal Masekela is often recognized for his influential presence in sports and lifestyle circles. Talented and engaging, Sal has made his mark as a sports commentator for ESPN and the Winter X games, host of E! New’s The Daily Ten and his philanthropic endeavours with the non-profit sports organization, Stoked Mentoring.

Today, Sal is gaining recognition for his family lineage and musical gifts through a brand new endeavour - the documentary Alekesam. The Sonos Studio recently premiered the film with a live performance from Sal's band, Alekesam, on the heels of their recently released debut album “The Sound of Alekesam”.

Video: Screening of Documentary "Alekesam"

The documentary explores Selema "Sal" Masakela's return to his musical roots through a reconnection with his father, legendary South African jazz musician and activist, Hugh Masekela. Through this journey, Sal discovers what role music plays in his personal life and defines how it affects us today. A thoughtful and interesting piece, Alekesam hones in on the real reason we love and listen to music; the emotions in stirs up in us and how it colors our daily life.


ENTERTAINMENT FILM DISTRIBUTORS IS PLEASED TO PRESENT THE INTERNATIONAL BOX-OFFICE RECORD BREAKER UNTOUCHABLE
Following on from their hugely successful release of The Artist, Entertainment Film Distributors are proud to announce the sensational box office phenomenon UNTOUCHABLE, which hits screens in the Capital on the 21 September and nationwide on 28 September.

The Intouchables Official Trailer

Based on a true story, UNTOUCHABLE has already broken records worldwide, so far out grossing blockbusters such as Harry Potter, Titanic, Marvel’s The Avengers and Avatar in certain territories.  It is topping charts all over the globe and to date has made a staggering $356 million.

Starring François Cluzet, Omar Sy Written And Directed By Eric Toledano And Olivier Nakache Executive Producers Bob Weinstein and Harvey Weinstein

The film tells the story of an unlikely friendship between a disabled millionaire (François Cluzet) and his street smart ex-con caretaker (Omar Sy). The pair who, on the surface, seem to have nothing in common find a camaraderie rooted in honesty and humour in one of the must-see films of 2012.

Directed by Eric Toledano and Olivier Nakache and also starring Audrey Fleurot (‘Spiral’), the film was nominated for a total of nine 2012 César Awards, France’s equivalent to the Oscars, including Best Picture, and won Best Actor for breakout star Omar Sy.   The film also won the Grand Prix award at the 2011 Tokyo International Film Festival.  UNTOUCHABLE has received Audience Awards from U.S film festivals including San Francisco Film Festival, COL COA and the Nashville Film Festival.

UNTOUCHABLE will be released by Entertainment Film Distributors in cinemas in London on 21 September followed by a nationwide release on 28 September 2012.


TO ROME WITH LOVE 
TO ROME WITH LOVE is a kaleidoscopic comedy movie set in one of the world’s most enchanting cities. The film brings us into contact with a well-known American architect reliving his youth; an average middle-class Roman who suddenly finds himself Rome’s biggest celebrity; a young provincial couple drawn into separate romantic encounters; and an American opera director endeavoring to put a singing mortician on stage.

TO ROME WITH LOVE - Trailer - in cinemas September 14


Well-known architect John (Alec Baldwin) is vacationing in Rome, where he once lived in his youth. Walking in his former neighbourhood he encounters Jack (Jesse Eisenberg), a young man not unlike himself. As he watches Jack fall head-over-heels for Monica (Ellen Page), his girlfriend Sally’s (Greta Gerwig) dazzling and flirtatious friend, John relives one of the most romantically painful episodes of his own life.

At the same moment, retired opera director Jerry (Woody Allen) flies to Rome with his wife Phyllis (Judy Davis), to meet their daughter Hayley’s (Alison Pill) Italian fiancée, Michelangelo (Flavio Parenti). Jerry is amazed to hear Michelangelo’s undertaker father, Giancarlo (renowned tenor Fabio Armiliato) singing arias worthy of La Scala while lathering up in the shower. Convinced that talent that prodigious cannot be kept hidden, Jerry clutches at the opportunity to promote Giancarlo and rejuvenate his own career.

Leopoldo Pisanello (Roberto Benigni) on the other hand is an exceptionally boring guy, who wakes up one morning and finds himself one of the most famous men in Italy with many unanswered questions. Soon the paparazzi trail his every move and question his every motivation. As Leopoldo grows accustomed to the varied seductions of the limelight, he gradually realizes the cost of fame.

Meanwhile, Antonio (Alessandro Tiberi) has arrived from the provinces in Rome hoping to impress his straight-laced relatives with his lovely new wife Milly (Alessandra Mastronardi) so that he can get an upscale big city job. Through comic misunderstanding and chance, the couple is separated for the day. Antonio ends up passing off a stranger (Penélope Cruz) as his wife, while Milly is romanced by legendary movie star Luca Salta (Antonio Albanese).

While Rome is a city abundant with romance and comedy, Woody Allen’s TO ROME WITH LOVE is about people having adventures that will change their lives forever.

 TO ROME WITH LOVE in cinemas September 14


BIG BOYS GONE BANANAS!*
In a true story of dirty tricks, lawsuits, bullying corporations and media manipulation, Fredrik Gertten’s enthralling and fascinating documentary Big Boys Gone Bananas!* is every bit a corporate thriller as any Hollywood fiction film. Out in UK cinemas 21 September 2012 and making its UK premiere at the Sheffield Documentary Film Festival, this is an extraordinary David and Goliath story of multi-national, corporate media manipulation.

Big Boys Gone Bananas Trailer


Big Boys Gone Bananas!* is not exactly a sequel but a companion piece to Gertten’s previous film Bananas!*, the story of 12 Nicaraguan banana plantation workers  who sued Dole Foods over their use of potentially harmful chemicals. Selected to screen at the Los Angeles Film Festival, Gertten receives a message that the film has been pulled by the organisers from competition. Next is a damning article in the Los Angeles Business Journal and then a letter from Dole’s lawyers threatening legal action. What follows is not a courtroom drama, but a deft examination of Dole’s explicit tactics and also their subversive media schemes not only to have the film banned but to blacken the reputation of everyone involved in the film.

Gertten meticulously captures the whole process – from Dole’s attack on the producers, to the media-manipulation and PR campaign – with interviews and footage.  But most of all this is a film about Fredrik Gertten and how precarious his life as a documentary filmmaker became at the hands of a large corporation; how his professional reputation and the status of his company came under international scrutiny.

Official Selection – Sundance Film Festival
Official Selection – IDFA Film Festival

Big Boys Gone Bananas in cinemas 21 September 2012


RAY HARRYHAUSEN: SPECIAL EFFECTS TITAN OPEN IN CINEMAS FROM 9 NOVEMBER
Featuring Ray Harryhausen, James Cameron, Terry Gilliam, John Landis, Nick Park, Steven Spielberg, Peter Jackson, Tim Burton,Joe Dante, Guillermo Del Toro. Aside from interviews with the great man himself, shot over ten years, there are also interviews and tributes from Vanessa Harryhausen, Randy Cook, Peter Jackson, Nick Park, Phil Tippet, Terry Gilliam, Dennis Muren, John Landis, Ken Ralston, Joe Dante, John Lassiter, Guillermo Del Toro, James Cameron and many more.

For the first time Ray and the Foundation have provided unprecedented access to all aspects of the collection including models, artwork and miniatures, as well as Ray's private study and workshop, where he designed and built most of his famous creations.  In addition the documentary will use unseen footage of tests, experiments and dailies found in London and during the clearance of his old LA garage.  Never before has so much visual material been used in any previous documentary about Ray.

The 92-minute production will not only illustrate the influence that Ray's work has had on film makers during the past sixty or so years but will also disclose secrets which Ray has been reluctant until now, to reveal.

Video: Ray Harryhausen Special Effects Titan (teaser HD)

The remarkable career of the movie industry’s most admired and influential special-effects auteur, the legendary Ray Harryhausen, is the subject of Gilles Penso’s definitive documentary Ray Harryhausen: Special Effects Titan.

Ray, the Foundation and Frenetic Arts are very grateful to the copyright holders, namely Aardman Animations, AMPAS, The British Academy of Film & Television Arts, the British Film Institute, Walt Disney Studios, Gaumont, Jerry Bruckheimer Prod's, Lucasfilm, New Horizon Pictures, Pixar, Sony Pictures, Studio Canal, Twentieth Century Fox, Universal Pictures, Walsh Bros and Copperheart Ent.  All of these companies have kindly allowed us to use their footage and images without charging us a license fee for use in this film.

We are also extremely grateful to all those individuals who have given their services to the production without charge and who have helped us to bring this film to fruition namely: Colin Arthur, Rick Baker, Martine Beswick, Phil Boot, Ray Bradbury, Greg Broadmore, Sam Buckland, Tim Burton, John Cairney,  James Cameron, Randall W. Cook, Joe Dante, Guillermo del Toro, Matt Dravitzki, Sacha Feiner, Terry Gilliam, Vanessa Harryhausen, Jean-Pierre Jeunet, Andy Johnson, Steve Johnson, Andrew Jones, John Landis, John Lasseter, Mark Mawston, Caroline Munro, Dennis Muren, Vincenzo Natali, Nick Park,Ken Ralston, Henry Selick, Rel Pinto, Steven Spielberg, Phil Tippett, Robert Townson, John Walsh,  Christopher Young and Tim Nicholson who has spent nearly seven months securing clearances and approvals.

All the proceeds, after production costs, will go to the Foundation to help with preservation and restoration of the more vulnerable items in the collection, so allowing us to exhibit these unique objects into the foreseeable future.

http://www.rayharryhausen.com
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Ray-Harryhausen-Special-Effects-Titan/188939301144760

Ray Harryhausen: Special Effects Titan (Arrow Films). opens in cinemas from 9 November 2012


THE ARENA HOTEL PRESENTS PREVIOUSLY UNSEEN BEATLES ARCHIVE  EXCLUSIVELY ON THE SPACE
The Arena Hotel is a ground-breaking online project for The Space, the new digital arts service developed by the Arts Council in partnership with the BBC. For the first time, Arena, the multi-award winning BBC television arts series, is opening up its unique archive in an innovative and entertaining new format to offer audiences the chance to watch exclusive material.

The Beatles perform 'I Am The Walrus' for the film Magical Mystery Tour.  West Malling Air Station, Kent, England. 20th September 1967
The Beatles perform 'I Am The Walrus' for the film Magical Mystery Tour.  West Malling Air Station, Kent, England. 20th September 1967 - © Apple Films Ltd
In association with Apple Films, Arena has been granted unique access to some very special unseen footage of the Beatles during the making of a documentary about their 1967 film Magical Mystery Tour and is showing it exclusively at The Arena Hotel at thespace.org

Arena has cut this unseen footage to make a new short in which the Beatles take you on a magical coach trip from the Hotel to a classic British fish and chip shop. Shot en route to Newquay, the final destination of the Magical Mystery Tour, the film is available to view exclusively on The Space.

The film shows the Beatles relaxed and sharing fish and chips with their fellow passengers from the Magical Mystery Tour coach in a chippy in Taunton.

Magical Mystery Tour was first broadcast as the centrepiece of the BBC’s Boxing Day schedule in 1967. It confused and alienated audiences, was savaged by the critics and, aside from a muted appearance on BBC Two in 1979, has not been shown since.

From today, Tuesday 2 October, audiences can visit The Arena Hotel on The Space (www.thespace.org) to get their first glimpse of this never before seen footage from the cutting room floor of the Magical Mystery Tour.

And this Saturday 6 October at 21.45 on BBC Two, Arena: The Beatles’ Magical Mystery Tour Revisited presents a new documentary which reassesses the artistic merit and cultural significance of the film before treating viewers to the digitally remastered full length Magical Mystery Tour – for the first time in 33 years.

Arena Editor, Anthony Wall says, “Few people have seen Magical Mystery Tour in its entirety and the material in the chip shop has never been shown anywhere. It captures perfectly the fabulous world of The Beatles at this time. They’re happily sharing a simple meal with the other passengers on the coach as the astonished residents of Taunton gather outside and at the same time creating an extraordinarily avant garde film, which of course would soon be broadcast by the BBC to a dumbstruck nation.”

In a project exclusively for The Space, Arena is opening up its unique film archive to the public, and making it available through The Arena Hotel. Guests can browse clips from the programme’s archive of 600 films, presented in the fully immersive environment of a virtual hotel.

The Beatles look out of the Magical Mystery Tour coach skylight.  On location in the West Country, England.  September 1967
The Beatles look out of the Magical Mystery Tour coach skylight.  On location in the West Country, England.  September 1967 - © Apple Films Ltd
Anthony Wall continues, “The Arena Hotel is the perfect place to enjoy clips like this – it’s a philosophically different way of presenting and experiencing archive. We’re trying to offer a kind of matrix of material from which guests spin their own narratives. In this case they are free to make all sorts of unprescribed connections between the Beatles film and other weird and wonderful characters and phenomena that you can experience in the hotel.”

Watch the exclusive Beatles footage here: http://thespace.org/items/a0000gmj

Arena: The Beatles’ Magical Mystery Tour is on BBC Two, Saturday 6th October, 21.45 GMT


ROOM 237 
Rodney Ascher’s Room 237 might be the best film I’ve seen at Sundance this year... The film expresses, better than any movie I can think of right now, the feeling of being lost inside the world of a film, and by extension being lost inside the world of film." -  Bilge Ebiri, NEW YORK MAGAZINE


Room 237 Poster
Room 237 Poster
Many cult movies have their own radical interpretations but none as rich and far-ranging as Stanley Kubrick’s THE SHINING.

In ROOM 237, we hear from people who believed they have decoded the far-reaching theories, hidden symbols and messages buried in the late director's film. Carefully examining THE SHINING forwards and backwards, ROOM 237 is equal parts captivating, provocative and pure pleasure.  A must see for movie buffs of all ages. Directed by Rodney Ascher.

Room 237 - Bande Annonce

ROOM 237 had its worldwide premiere at the Sundance Film Festival and played in Directors Fortnight the Cannes Film Festival.

Release Date October 26th 2012
Certificate 15 / 102 Minutes

Until next time - Interact with The Establishing Shot on Twitter here  @TheEstShot or Facebook Comments and thoughts always welcome below.

The Establishing Shot: FILM NEWS - SEPTEMBER - ALL THE FILM NEWS WORTH READING -  THIS TIME ON THE ESTABLISHING SHOT IN ALL THE FILM NEWS WORTH READING ABOUT - DREDD PRODUCER & WRITER ALEX GARLAND TALKS DREDD, TITUS WELLIVER TALKS MARVEL'S ITEM 47 AND COMICS,INDEPENDENT SPOTLIGHT – MOTHER’S MILK , LAUREN LAVERNE INTERVIEWS DAVID WALLIAMS AT BFI SCREEN EPIPHANY – THE SPY WHO LOVED ME, DIRECTOR OLE BORNEDAL TALKS ABOUT THE POSSESSION, THE BEST RUSSIAN ROULETTE SCENES IN MOVIES, FILM'S MOST UNLIKELY ROMANCES, BOURNE SPY TRILOGY TOPS CONSPIRACY MOVIE LIST, LARS VON TRIER'S CHALLENGE TO THE PEOPLE WILL PREMIERE ON OCTOBER 12, 2012, DOCTOR WHO’S MATT SMITH TO APPEAR AT MCM LONDON COMIC CON, DESTINATION STAR TREK LONDON - A THREE DAY OFFICIAL EVENT CELEBRATING THE STAR TREK UNIVERSE, MCM LONDON COMIC CON – EXCEL LONDON – 26-28 OCTOBER, SKYFALL ROYAL WORLD PREMIERE ANNOUNCED FOR LONDON, 23RD OCTOBER 2012, SIR PETER JACKSON’S “THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY” IS SELECTED FOR THE ROYAL FILM PERFORMANCE 2012, PREMIERE OF THE NEWLY RESTORED HITCHCOCK SILENT CLASSIC, CHAMPAGNE, BY TO BE STREAMED EXCLUSIVELY ON THE SPACE THIS THURSDAY, CIGARETTE BURNS CINEMA PRESENTS: PSYCHO VS PSYCHO!, TIM BURTON’S FRANKENWEENIE EUROPEAN PREMIERE OPENS THE 56TH BFI LONDON FILM FESTIVAL, INTANDEM FILMS PRESENTGRASSROOTS A FILM BY STEPHEN GYLLENHAAL RELEASED IN CINEMAS NOVEMBER 9TH 2012 AFTER RECEIVING EUROPEAN PREMIERE AT THE 56TH BFI LONDON FILM FESTIVAL, PARK CIRCUS AT THE BFI LONDON FILM FESTIVAL, PECCADILLO PICTURES AT THE 56 th BFI LONDON FILM FESTIVAL 10-21st OCTOBER 2012, MY BROTHER THE DEVIL PICKS UP 3 AWARD NOMINATIONS AT THE BFI LONDON FILM FESTIVAL, THE WORLD’S END, THIRD COMEDY TEAMING DIRECTOR EDGAR WRIGHT WITH STARS SIMON PEGG AND NICK FROST, COMMENCES PRODUCTION, PRINCIPAL PHOTOGRAPHY BEGINS ON A LONG WAY DOWN, INTANDEM FILMS COOK UP A LITTLE BIT OF MAGIC WITH JADOO, HOLLYWOOD FILM AWARDS TO HONOR DREAMWORKS ANIMATION'S "RISE OF THE GUARDIANS" WITH THE 2012 "HOLLYWOOD ANIMATION AWARD", ENTERTAINMENT ONE INKS MULTIYEAR OUTPUT DEAL WITH DREAMWORKS STUDIOS, BRANAGH SHOOTING JACK RYAN IN LONDON, LIONSGATE PRESENTS THE BRITISH, ALL-STAR ADAPTATION OF THE DICKENS’ CLASSIC GREAT EXPECTATIONS IN CINEMAS NOVEMBER 30TH 2012, BAZ LUHRMANN’S 3D ADAPTATION GETS SOUGHT AFTER SUMMER RELEASE DATE,  FORTISSIMO FILMS AQUIRES TERENCE DAVIES’ ‘SUNSET SONG’ PETER MULLAN & AGYNESS DEYN TO STAR, CATE BLANCHETT AND MIA WASIKOWSKA CONFIRMED FOR JOHN CROWLEY’S CAROL, CUBAN FURY FINAL PRODUCTION BLOG UPDATE, PRINCIPAL PHOTOGRAPHY ON KEVIN MACDONALD’S TO BEGIN ON HOW I LIVE NOW HAS BEGUN, CEE LO GREEN JOINS THE CAST OF EXCLUSIVE MEDIA’S “CAN A SONG SAVE YOUR LIFE?”, THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE BEGINS PRODUCTION, EXCLUSIVE PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 4 CLIP AVAILABLE FOR FANS ON NEW ONE-SHEET ARTWORK, CLOUD ATLAS - TORONTO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL WORLD PREMIERE, BRITISH FILM DREDD IS BOX OFFICE NUMBER 1, BLACK POWER SALUTE APOLOGY, STATUS QUO WILL REUNITE AFTER 25 YEARS TO CELEBRATE THE RELEASE OF HELLO QUO - THE DEFINITIVE DOCUMENTARY ON THE ROCK BAND, OSCAR-NOMINATED MARGIN CALL ON DVD AND BLU-RAY 12th NOVEMBER, WHERE THE TRAIL ENDS, JUST BURIED, ENTERTAINMENT FILM DISTRIBUTORS IS PLEASED TO PRESENT THE INTERNATIONAL BOX-OFFICE RECORD BREAKER UNTOUCHABLE, TO ROME WITH LOVE, BIG BOYS GONE BANANAS!*, RAY HARRYHAUSEN: SPECIAL EFFECTS TITAN OPEN IN CINEMAS FROM 9 NOVEMBER, THE ARENA HOTEL PRESENTS PREVIOUSLY UNSEEN BEATLES ARCHIVE  EXCLUSIVELY ON THE SPACE, ROOM 237 

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