Movie City Indie Archive for January, 2009
[PR] AMC repeats their Oscar-stravaganza
Five Oscar nominees in one solitary Saturday, all for $30, neck massages not included: “Kansas City, Mo. (Jan. 30, 2009) – AMC Entertainment Inc. (AMC), one of the world’s largest and most innovative theatrical exhibition companies, is proud to offer guests the rare opportunity to experience all five motion pictures nominated by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for “Best Picture,” on one special day. On Saturday, Feb. 21, the AMC Best Picture ShowcaseSM will take place at approximately 97 AMC theatres in 42 North American markets. Guests can purchase an exclusive AMC Best Picture Showcase All-Day Pass for only $30…. Moviegoers will have the chance to see all five Oscar®-nominated “Best Picture” films and will also receive a large popcorn with unlimited refills for the entire day. This offer is valued at more than $50 and marks the third year of this exclusive event. The Oscar® “Best Picture” nominees, “Milk,” “The Reader,” “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” “Slumdog Millionaire” and “Frost/Nixon,” will play in one dedicated auditorium back-to-back throughout the day. Upon arrival to the theatre, guests will receive a souvenir lanyard, which will feature artwork from the five nominated films and give guests the freedom to come and go throughout the event as they please.
The Slumdog statements
FILMMAKERS STATEMENT: From the moment that we hired them and long before the press became interested in this story, we have paid painstaking and considered attention to how Azhar and Rubina’s involvement in the film could be of lasting benefit to them over and above the payment they received for their work. The children had never attended school, and in consultation with their parents we agreed that this would be our priority. Since June 2008 and at our expense, both kids have been attending school and they are flourishing under the tutelage of their dedicated and committed teachers. Financial resources have been made available for their education until they are 18. We were delighted to see them progressing well when we visited their school and met with their teachers last week. In addition to their educational requirements, a fund is in place to meet their basic living costs, health care and any other emergencies. Furthermore, as an incentive for them to continue to attend school a substantial lump sum will be released to each child when they complete their studies. Taking into account all of the children’s circumstances we believe that this is the right course of action. Since putting in place these arrangements more than 12 months ago we have never sought to publicize them, and we are doing so now only in response to the questions raised recently in the press. We trust that the matter can now be put to bed, and we would request that the media respect the children’s privacy at this formative time in their lives. —Danny Boyle and Christian Colson
DISTRIBUTOR STATEMENT: The welfare of Azhar and Rubina has always been a top priority for everyone involved with Slumdog Millionaire. A plan has been in place for over 12 months to ensure that their experience working on Slumdog Millionaire would be of long term benefit. For 30 days work, the children were paid three times the average local annual adult salary. Last year after completing filming, they were enrolled in school for the first time and a fund was established for their future welfare, which they will receive if they are still in school when they turn 18. Due to the exposure and potential jeopardy created by the unwarranted press attention, we are looking into additional measures to protect Azhar and Rubina and their families. We are extremely proud of this film, and proud of the way our child actors have been treated. —Fox Searchlight Pictures, Fox Star Studios, Pathe International
Glowing cities under a nighttime sky
Awwwwww. Via Kottke.
Lovely video for Lykke Li's "Tonight"
Directed by Christian Haag, filmed in Stockholm.
Greek pol calls for eBooks for every student
Via John Aravosis: “George Papandreou, the opposition leader in Greece, addressing the Greek parliament about eBooks… [I]n Greece, the government pays for 99% of students’ books. Papandreou argues, why not give the kids every book in existence for a hundred bucks (or $360 in the case of the Kindle).”
Pants off men: an uber-cartoon
Ihre Welt ist nicht ganz davon geträumt, in Deutsch?
A casual way with racially-charged terms at Sharon Waxman's new site
A quick glance at the front page of Sharon Waxman’s new online venture, The Wrap, with a claimed $500,000 in VC to burn through, offered at least one insight: two examples of a headline writer’s casual way with racially-charged verbiage (among ways to cut costs, a sparing use of apostrophes also seems in store).
Capturing Obama's stealth visit to Sundance
A film by Jesse Epstein and Natalie Difford.