Press Releases Archive for May, 2012

Alan Horn has been named Chairman of The Walt Disney Studios

BURBANK, Calif. – May 31, 2012 — Bob Iger, Chairman and CEO of The Walt Disney Company, announced today that Alan Horn has been named Chairman of The Walt Disney Studios effective June 11. Horn will oversee worldwide operations for The Walt Disney Studios including production, distribution and marketing for live-action and animated films from Disney,…

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THE ACADEMY SELECTS ACCLAIMED ARCHITECTS RENZO PIANO AND ZOLTAN PALI FOR MUSEUM

Beverly Hills, CA – May 30, 2012 — Award-winning architects Renzo Piano and Zoltan Pali will design the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science announced today. “Renzo’s track record of creating iconic cultural landmarks combined with Zoltan’s success in transforming historically-significant buildings is a perfect marriage for a…

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AMC DINE-IN THEATRES CONSTRUCTION BEGINS AT AMC MARINA 6

AMC Marina 6 is slated to reopen in November with six Cinema Suites auditoriums Kansas City, Mo. (May 29, 2012) – AMC Theatres® (AMC) announced today that construction on the AMC Dine-In Theatres™ experience has begun at AMC Marina 6 in Marina Del Rey, Calif. The building will be closed during renovations and is slated to reopen in November of…

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SONY PICTURES CLASSICS SETS DECEMBER 19 RELEASE FOR PALME D’OR WINNER AMOUR

NEW YORK (May 29, 2012) – Sony Pictures Classics announced today that they have set December 19 for the New York and Los Angeles release of Michael Haneke’s AMOUR.  The film was just awarded the acclaimed Palme d’Or at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival. AMOUR marks the third film between Haneke and Sony Pictures Classics. …

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FILMFUNDS CONTINUES TO EXPAND WEBSITE REACH & MISSION WITH APPOINTMENT OF NEW CEO JASON SCOGGINS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  Santa Monica, CA (May 29, 2012) – FilmFunds (www.FilmFunds.com) continues to evolve and grow by significantly increasing its content offerings as well as its staff with the announcement of well-respected entertainment/technology entrepreneur Jason Scoggins to spearhead new initiatives as CEO.  While strengthening the website’s core mission of connecting filmmakers and their projects…

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SUNDANCE SELECTS TAKES US RIGHTS TO ABBAS KIAROSTAMI’S LIKE SOMEONE IN LOVE

CANNES, FRANCE (May 27, 2012) – Sundance Selects announced today from the 2012 Cannes Film Festival that the company is acquiring all US rights to LIKE SOMEONE IN LOVE directed and written by former Palme d’Or winner Abbas Kiarostami (CERTIFIED COPY, THE TASTE OF CHERRY).  The film is an MK2 and Eurospace Production.  It stars Rin Takanashi,…

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Cannes 2012: Un Certain Regard Winners

Un Certain Regard 2012 presented 20 films directed by 26 directors hailing from 17 different countries. Four of the works were first films. Presided over by Tim ROTH (actor, director), the Jury was comprised of Leïla BEKHTI (actress), Sylvie PRAS (head of cinema – Centre Pompidou Paris, artistic director – La Rochelle Festival), Tonie MARSHALL…

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OSCILLOSCOPE GETS REAL WITH DIRECTOR MATTEO GARRONE; ACQUIRES CANNES COMPETITION ENTRY “REALITY”

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  New York, New York (May 26, 2012)— Oscilloscope Laboratories announced today that it has acquired U.S. rights to Matteo Garrone’s Cannes competition film REALITY, his first feature since 2008’s critically acclaimed and award-winning GOMORRAH. Oscilloscope will take the film to further festivals this fall with a theatrical, DVD, and digital release to…

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SUNDANCE SELECTS TAKES US RIGHTS TO KEN LOACH’S THE ANGEL’S SHARE OUT OF CANNES

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CANNES (May 24, 2012) – Sundance Selects announced today from the 2012 Cannes Film Festival that the company is acquiring all US rights to THE ANGELS’ SHARE directed by Palme d’Or winner Ken Loach (THE WIND THAT SHAKES THE BARLEY) and written by Paul Laverty. The film was produced by Rebecca O’Brien (Sixteen…

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SUNDANCE INSTITUTE ELECTS THREE NEW TRUSTEES

For Immediate Release May 24, 2012 Sean Bailey | Anand Mahindra | Jacki Zehner Los Angeles, CA — Sundance Institute today announced three new members of the Institute’s Board of Trustees: Sean Bailey, Anand Mahindra and Jacki Zehner. Under the guidance of President & Founder Robert Redford and in close collaboration with Executive Director Keri…

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KINO LORBER ACQUIRES ALL US RIGHTS TO HONG SANG-SOO’S NEW FILM IN ANOTHER COUNTRY (2012), STARRING THE GREAT ISABELLE HUPPERT

FILM CURRENTLY IN COMPETITION AT CANNES FILM FESTIVAL  New York, NY – May 23, 2012 – Kino Lorber is proud to announce the acquisition of all US rights to IN ANOTHER COUNTRY (2012), the latest film by South Korean master Hong Sang-soo (Night and Day, Woman is the Future of Man). Starring two-time, Best Actress…

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TIFF CELEBRATES DAVID CRONENBERG WITH NEW EXHIBITION

TIFF’s first ever major original touring exhibition launches in Fall 2013 Toronto — Days away from the hotly anticipated world premiere of David Cronenberg’s Cosmopolis at the 65th Cannes Film Festival, Piers Handling, Director and CEO, TIFF and Noah Cowan, Artistic Director, TIFF Bell Lightbox, announced today that TIFF will mount a major exhibition related…

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IFC FILMS TAKES NORTH AMERICAN RIGHTS TO BEN WHEATLEY’S SIGHTSEERS

CANNES (May 23, 2012) – IFC Films announced today from the 2012 Cannes Film Festival that the company is acquiring all North American rights to acclaimed director Ben Wheatley’s (DOWN TERRACE, KILL LIST) dark comedy SIGHTSEERS, a StudioCanal, Film4 and BFI Presentation of a Big Talk Pictures production in association with Rook Films.  The film…

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SONY PICTURES CLASSICS SAYS YES TO PABLO LARRAĺN’S CANNES FAVORITE NO FROM PARTICIPANT MEDIA

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                           Gael García Bernal Starrer Premiered to a Standing Ovation in Directors’ Fortnight Selection CANNES (May 22, 2012) – Sony Pictures Classics has acquired all North American rights to Pablo Larraín’s Cannes…

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EXCLUSIVE MEDIA TO FINANCE AND PRODUCE ‘STILL OF NIGHT’ STARRING MICHELLE MONAGHAN

SUSAN SARANDON IN FINAL NEGOTIATIONS JONATHAN MOSTOW TO DIRECT Cannes, France (May 18, 2012) – Exclusive Media will finance and produce the new thriller STILL OF NIGHT, written and to be directed by Jonathan Mostow (TERMINATOR 3, U-571, BREAKDOWN) and starring Michelle Monaghan (SOURCE CODE) with Academy Award winner Susan Sarandon (DEAD MAN WALKING) in…

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World Premiere of Disney•Pixar’s “Brave” Heads to Hollywood for Grand Opening of the Dolby Theatre

Epic Action Adventure Joins 2012 Los Angeles Film Festival Lineup BURBANK, Calif. and SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (May 18, 2012) –Disney•Pixar’s “Brave,” a groundbreaking adventure full of humor, heart and breathtaking action, extends its pioneering spirit to its world premiere on June 18, 2012, marking the Grand Opening of Hollywood’s Dolby Theatre. The red-carpet event is a special…

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“UNTITLED PICKFORD FILM” Has Found Their Pickford: Lily Rabe

For Immediate Release Producers Julie Pacino, Jennifer DeLia, and Said Zahraoui at Cannes to take meetings about additional casting Cannes, May 17, 2012 – Poverty Row Entertainment, a production company headed by Julie Pacino and Jennifer DeLia, along with producer Said Zahraoui, has announced that actress Lily Rabe (“All Good Things,” TV’s “American Horror Story,” Broadway’s…

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PAUL SCHRADER PENS BIOPIC OF NOTORIOUS RUSSIAN BALLERINA

For Immediate Release Acclaimed screenwriter-director will write the story of Kschessinska, legendary prima ballerina and mistress to the last Russian Tsar, for film financed by Kremlin-backed Culture & Arts Fund May 17, 2012, Los Angeles — Paul Schrader has signed on today to write the story of the ultimate femme fatale, “prima ballerina assoluta” Mathilde…

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FILMNATION ENTERTAINMENT TO INTRODUCE PAUL GREENGRASS’ BARÇA

FC Barcelona Documentary will be Shopped to International Buyers at Cannes Cannes (France) – May 17, 2012 – FilmNation Entertainment will handle international sales on the documentary BARÇA from director Paul Greengrass (Bourne Ultimatum, Bourne Supremacy, United 93). Richard Brown will produce for Anonymous Content and world renowned sport and political writer John Carlin will executive produce. Chris…

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RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT BRINGS THE COUNTRY’S BEST NEW FILMS AND ESTABLISHED FILM TALENT TO THE 65th CANNES FILM FESTIVAL TO DEBATE AND INSPIRE

Cannes, 17 May 2012: It was announced today by the Russian Film Pavilion’s partners – the Russian Federations’ Ministry of Culture and Ministry of Foreign Affairs, ROSKINO and “Planeta Inform”Communication Group – that they will present 10 new Russian films to distributors at this year’s Cannes Film Festival on Friday 18 May at 2.30pm. This year Russia is represented at two…

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Press Releases

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It shows how out of it I was in trying to be in it, acknowledging that I was out of it to myself, and then thinking, “Okay, how do I stop being out of it? Well, I get some legitimate illogical narrative ideas” — some novel, you know?

So I decided on three writers that I might be able to option their material and get some producer, or myself as producer, and then get some writer to do a screenplay on it, and maybe make a movie.

And so the three projects were “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep,” “Naked Lunch” and a collection of Bukowski. Which, in 1975, forget it — I mean, that was nuts. Hollywood would not touch any of that, but I was looking for something commercial, and I thought that all of these things were coming.

There would be no Blade Runner if there was no Ray Bradbury. I couldn’t find Philip K. Dick. His agent didn’t even know where he was. And so I gave up.

I was walking down the street and I ran into Bradbury — he directed a play that I was going to do as an actor, so we know each other, but he yelled “hi” — and I’d forgot who he was.

So at my girlfriend Barbara Hershey’s urging — I was with her at that moment — she said, “Talk to him! That guy really wants to talk to you,” and I said “No, fuck him,” and keep walking.

But then I did, and then I realized who it was, and I thought, “Wait, he’s in that realm, maybe he knows Philip K. Dick.” I said, “You know a guy named—” “Yeah, sure — you want his phone number?”

My friend paid my rent for a year while I wrote, because it turned out we couldn’t get a writer. My friends kept on me about, well, if you can’t get a writer, then you write.”
~ Hampton Fancher

“That was the most disappointing thing to me in how this thing was played. Is that I’m on the phone with you now, after all that’s been said, and the fundamental distinction between what James is dealing with in these other cases is not actually brought to the fore. The fundamental difference is that James Franco didn’t seek to use his position to have sex with anyone. There’s not a case of that. He wasn’t using his position or status to try to solicit a sexual favor from anyone. If he had — if that were what the accusation involved — the show would not have gone on. We would have folded up shop and we would have not completed the show. Because then it would have been the same as Harvey Weinstein, or Les Moonves, or any of these cases that are fundamental to this new paradigm. Did you not notice that? Why did you not notice that? Is that not something notable to say, journalistically? Because nobody could find the voice to say it. I’m not just being rhetorical. Why is it that you and the other critics, none of you could find the voice to say, “You know, it’s not this, it’s that”? Because — let me go on and speak further to this. If you go back to the L.A. Times piece, that’s what it lacked. That’s what they were not able to deliver. The one example in the five that involved an issue of a sexual act was between James and a woman he was dating, who he was not working with. There was no professional dynamic in any capacity.

~ David Simon