Press Releases Archive for June, 2013

The Academy Invites 276 New Members

he Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is extending invitations to join the organization to 276 artists and executives who have distinguished themselves by their contributions to theatrical motion pictures.

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12 YEARS A SLAVE moves To October 18, 2013

This film will be a limited platform release.

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BUMBLE WARD AND TRACY BECHTOLD LAUNCH NEW COMMUNICATION FIRM, HIVE COLLECTIVE

Digital-oriented firm will focus on entertainment and philanthropy   LOS ANGELES, June 27, 2013 — A fresh approach to communication comes in the form of Hive Collective, a new company launched by entertainment industry veteran Bumble Ward in partnership with philanthropy professional Tracy Bechtold.  Sitting at the intersection of entertainment and philanthropy in Los Angeles, the firm will offer…

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FOCUS FEATURES SETS RELEASE DATE FOR FIFTY SHADES OF GREY AS AUGUST 1, 2014

Focus Features will market and distribute the first film in partnership with Universal.

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IFC FILMS TAKES US RIGHTS TO MICHAEL WINTERBOTTOM’S THE TRIP TO ITALY

Follow Up To 2010 Comedy Hit The Trip Also Will Star Coogan and Brydon  New York, NY (June 24, 2013) – IFC Films announced today that the company is acquiring US rights to Michael Winterbottom’s THE TRIP TO ITALY.  The film is a follow up to the 2010 road trip comedy The Trip, which was…

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THE ACADEMY ANNOUNCES SUBMISSION DATES FOR 2013 OSCARS

June 24, 2013 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEBEVERLY HILLS, CA – The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences today announced category submission deadlines for 86th Academy Awards® consideration. Scientific and Technical Awards Friday, July 12 Documentary Short Subject Tuesday, September 3 Documentary Feature Monday, September 23 Live Action Short Film Tuesday, October 1 Animated Short Film…

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Sundance Institute Selects 22 Fellows for 2013 Documentary Edit and Story Labs

For Immediate Release Los Angeles, CA, June 19, 2013 — Sundance Institute today announced the selection of 22 Fellows representing nine documentary film projects to participate in the 2013 Documentary Edit and Story Labs, June 21-29 and July 5-13 at Sundance Resort in Sundance, Utah. Built upon the immersive Lab model launched in 1981 by…

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FOCUS FEATURES’ AFRICA FIRST PROGRAM BEGINS SIXTH YEAR, ACCEPTING ENTRIES

$10,000 IN FINANCING APIECE EARMARKED FOR NEW FILMMAKERS FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE NEW YORK, June 11, 2013 – To commence its sixth year, Focus Features’ Africa First Program will accept entries continuing through Monday, August 19, with applications needing to be received by Thursday, August 29. Focus CEO James Schamus made the announcement today. The uniquely conceived…

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Sundance Selects Wraps Polanski’s VENUS IN FUR

SUNDANCE SELECTS ACQUIRES U.S. RIGHTS TO ROMAN POLANSKI’S VENUS IN FUR Film Made Its World Premiere In Competition at 2013 Cannes Film Festival New York, NY (June 5, 2013) – Sundance Selects announced today that the company is acquiring U.S. rights to Academy Award-winning filmmaker Roman Polanski’s VENUS IN FUR. With a screenplay by Polanski…

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SONY PICTURES ENTERTAINMENT OPTIONS ENGLISH-LANGUAGE RIGHTS TO “A PROPHET”

To be produced by Neal H. Moritz and Toby Jaffe through the Original Film banner.

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FOCUS FEATURES INTERNATIONAL LOCKS MULTI-TERRITORY SALES FOR AMY WINEHOUSE DOCUMENTARY AND MIKE LEIGH’S J.M.W. TURNER PIC

Company also closes Italy for Jude Law Starrer Black Sea, Germany for Mike Flanagan’s Oculus London (June 3, 2013) – Alison Thompson, co-president of Focus Features International (FFI), announced multi-territory sales on director Asif Kapadia’s (Senna, The Warrior) untitled documentary on five-time Grammy award-winning singer/songwriter Amy Winehouse.  FFI also saw strong sales on seven-time Academy Award-nominated writer/director…

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FOX SEARCHLIGHT PICTURES ACQUIRES RICHARD SHEPARD’S “DOM HEMINGWAY”

“You only want the best for your baby. I’m over the moon and under the influence.”

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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