News

Ildikó Enyedi’s On Body and Soul/ Testről és lélekről won the Golden Bear Award for Best Picture in Competition at the Berlinale as well as the Ecumenical and Fipresci juries’ prizes for best film in the Official Competition and the Berliner Morgenpost Readers’ Award.

Director Enyedi, who lives in both Hungary and Germany, began her career as a conceptual artist and made her premiere at Cannes in 1989 with My Twentieth Century, an marvelous film which won the festival’s Camera d’Or. She has released five feature films since, including On Body and Soul.

Before announcing the winner of the golden statuette, jury president Paul Verhoeven told the audience,

The jury fell in love with this movie not only because of its superior craftsmanship, but because it reminds us of one word we use too easily: compassion.

This is gorgeously told story of love precourses Innaratu’s current hit The Shape of Water.

Showcasing the Best in Independent and World Cinema

Thursday, October 5–15, 2017Acclaimed Festival Films From Around the World And New Offerings from Bay Area Filmmakers Highlight First Slate of Films Announced at 40th Mill Valley Film Festival

The Mill Valley Film Festival (Mvff), presented by the California Film Institute, has announced the first set of films to premiere at the 40th edition of the Festival, returning to Marin County October 5–15, 2017. The Festival will present the Bay Area premiere of many acclaimed films from the 2017 Cannes Film Festival, the 2017 Sundance Film Festival and the 2017 Berlin International Film Festival.

Additionally, Mvff will launch many acclaimed Bay Area filmmakers’ latest films as part of the Festival’s effort to showcase the many established and emerging filmmakers in the Bay Area.

Early Confirmed films from the 2017 Cannes Film Festival at MVFF40:

Ruben Östlund’s Palme d’Or Winner and Swedish Oscar Submission The Square...

Exclusive: Festival winners sell to Europe, Asia, Australia and South America.

Art-house stalwart The Match Factory has secured a slew of deals on its Berlinale and Efm slate, including on the three films which won awards for the company at the festival.

Aki Kaurismäki’s The Other Side Of Hope, winner of the Silver Bear for best director, sold out in Europe during the Efm and has additionally been snapped up for Japan (Eurospace), Brazil (Imovision), Cis (Russian Report) Hong Kong (Edko), Mexico (Mantarraya) Turkey (Filmarti) and China (Time-in-Portrait).

Deals for other key markets are understood to be in the works while deals for the digitally remastered Kaurismäki Classics collection have been closed for China (Time-in-Portrait) and Hong Kong (Edko).

German comedy Bye Bye Germany, the Berlinale special title starring Moritz Bleibtreu, went to Australia/Nz (Jiff), Brazil (Mares), Bulgaria (Bulgarian Film Vision), China (Time-in-Portait), Cis (Russian Report), Greece (Feelgood), Turkey (Filmarti), Hong Kong (Edko), Hungary (Cirko...

To celebrate the upcoming release of Marvel's Monsters Unleashed #1, launch parties will be hosted at local comic stores on January 18th. Look for exclusive items at these launch parties including a Monsters Unleashed sketchpad. Also: casting details for The Humanity Bureau, details on the Stanley Wiater horror auction, the Coffin Joe trilogy is coming to DVD, a look at the short film Trouser Snake, and Head of the Family Blu-ray release details.

Monsters Unleashed Launch Party, Sketchpad, and Variant: Press Release: "New York, NY—November 30th, 2016 — Run if you can! Hide if you must! Monsters have invaded the Marvel Universe! Nothing can prepare heroes across the globe for Monsters Unleashed! But you can be prepared! To coincide with the highly anticipated release of Monsters Unleashed #1, Marvel is bringing widescreen action and epic destruction to your local comic shops with Monsters Unleashed Launch Parties. Not only is your local comic shops...

Matías Piñeiro on the set of Hermia & HelenaAfter presenting his complete retrospective at Olhar de Cinema in Brazil this past June, I spoke to the Argentine filmmaker about his new film Hermia & Helena a few days before its world premiere as part of the International Competition at the 69th Locarno Film Festival.In Hermia & Helena, Camila, a young Argentine theater director, travels to New York to work on a translation of William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night's Dream. With her boyfriend and friends back in Buenos Aires, Camila rethinks old and new relationships. Shot between the two cities, the film is divided into chapters that focus on the different lives Camila experiences, as well as the different people she encounters during her journey.Notebook: Hermia & Helena shares a similar aesthetic with your previous films. At the same time, the overall tone feels much more melancholic now. You have been living...

Venice Production Bridge will incorporate Gap Financing Market and Final Cut events.

The Venice Film Festival (Aug 31 - Sept 10) has revealed the line-ups for its 2016 market events, newly renamed the Venice Production Bridge (Sept 1 - 5).

The Production Bridge will host features, TV, web-series and Vr projects.

Venice’s two-day Gap-Financing Market event (September 2-3, 2016) will host 40 selected European and International projects looking to close their international financing.

The market’s Final Cut strand will award prizes to selected in-the-works projects from Africa and from Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine and Syria, while the inaugural Book Adaptation Rights Area will see publishers pitch books ripe for film or TV adaptation.

The European Commission organises two workshops, one on access to finance (Sept 3) and the other on the future of cinemas (Sept 4). The second event, which will be opened by European Commissioner Oettinger, will focus on how cinemas can fully reap the benefits of digital technologies.

Gap Financing...

Sure, Fergie once sang that "big girls don't cry," but even the best singers in the world find themselves overwhelmed with emotions from time to time - often quite publicly. Whether they were touched by their fans' support, remembering better times or mourning a loved one, these stars cried it out in front of a crowd. RihannaThe singer's tear ducts got to "Work" during a recent Anti tour stop in Dublin, Ireland. Rihanna stepped away from the mic overwhelmed with tears as the packed stadium sang along to her Eminem collaboration "Love the Way You Lie." After the show, Ri...

Sure, Fergie once sang that "big girls don't cry," but even the best singers in the world find themselves overwhelmed with emotions from time to time - often quite publicly. Whether they were touched by their fans' support, remembering better times or mourning a loved one, these stars cried it out in front of a crowd. RihannaThe singer's tear ducts got to "Work" during a recent Anti tour stop in Dublin, Ireland. Rihanna stepped away from the mic overwhelmed with tears as the packed stadium sang along to her Eminem collaboration "Love the Way You Lie." After the show, Ri...

Come get your Q on starting this Friday! The Ninth Annual QFest St. Louis, presented by Cinema St. Louis, runs April 24-28 at the Hi-Pointe Backlot Theatre. The St. Louis-based Lgbtq film festival, QFest will present an eclectic slate of 28 films – 13 features (seven narratives and six documentaries) and 15 short subjects. The participating filmmakers represent a wide variety of voices in contemporary queer world cinema. The mission of the film festival is to use the art of contemporary gay cinema to spotlight the lives of Lgbtq people and to celebrate queer culture.

The 2016 QFest St. Louis begins on Sunday, April 24, and runs through Thursday, April 28. Tickets are on sale now for all shows. Cost is $12 each or $10 for students and Cinema St. Louis members with valid and current IDs. All screenings will be held at the Hi-Pointe Backlot Theatre, located at 1002 Hi Pointe Place, directly behind the Hi-Pointe Theatre. Advance sales...

Competition titles include Nicolas Windng Refn’s The Neon Demon [pictured], Jeff Nichols’ Loving and Xavier Dolan It’s Only The End Of The World.

The Cannes Film Festival unveiled the Official Selection for its 69th edition today at a packed press conference in Paris.

European heavyweights Pedro Almodovar, the Dardenne brothers and Ken Loach are among 20 filmmakers set to compete for the Palme d’Or.

There were few surprises in Competition – aside from the inclusion of Maren Ade’s Toni Erdmann, the first German film in Competition since Wim Wenders’s Palermo Shooting in 2008 – and the news that this year’s Palme d’Or winner will be the closing film.

The more exploratory Un Certain Regard section, however, welcomed a number of newcomers including Romanian director Bogdan Mirica’s Dogs, Us filmmaker Michael O’Shea’s The Transfiguration, and Personal Affairs (Omor Shakhsiya) by Maha Haj, a Palestinian citizen of Israel.

Cannes Film Festival general...

It’s almost time to get your Q on, St. Louis!! The Ninth Annual QFest St. Louis, presented byCinema St. Louis, runs April 24-28th at The Hi-Pointe Backlot (1002 Hi Pointe Place)

The St. Louis-based Lgbtq film festival, QFest will present an eclectic slate of films from filmmakers that represent a wide variety of voices in contemporary queer world cinema. The mission of the film festival is to use the art of contemporary gay cinema to illustrate the diversity of the Lgbtq community and to explore the complexities of living an alternative lifestyle.

All screenings at the Hi-Pointe Backlot, 1002 Hi Pointe Place, St. Louis, Mo 63117. Individual tickets are $12 for general admission, $10 for students and Cinema St. Louis members with valid and current photo IDs.

Advance tickets may be purchased at the Hi-Pointe Backlot box office or website. For more info, visit the Cinema St. Louis site Here

http://www.cinemastlouis.

Every sport’s game needs a great soundtrack to please the ears while the TV screen takes care of your eyes, and FIFA 16‘s no different.

Today, EA’s Worldwide Executive of Music and Marketing, Steve Schnur, has revealed the complete soundtrack for the game that’ll you be playing along to. A wide range of musical genres are included, as Schnur is keen to emphasize:

FIFA has traditionally been gaming’s foremost international showcase for new artists of every genre and with FIFA 16, we’ve once again created a soundtrack that will enable millions of fans worldwide to discover new music they might have never heard otherwise.

Artists like Kygo and Aurora from Norway, X-Wife from Portugal, Bomba Estereo from Colombia, The Very Best from Malawi and the UK, Baiana System from Brazil and Raury from America do more than just enhance a great game. FIFA 16 represents globalized music as its very best.

Elie Wajeman’s The Anarchists, starring Palme d’Or winner Adele Exarchopoulos and Cesar winner Tahar Rahim, to open Critics’ Week

Scroll down for full list

Cannes Critics’ Week, devoted to first and second features, has unveiled the line-up for its 54th edition (May 14-22).

In total, 1,750 shorts and 1,000 features were submitted for consideration.

Artistic director Charles Tesson said this year’s poster - showing actress Lou de Laâge, seemingly embracing the air on a beach - captured the spirit of the parallel section.

“On the poster the actress Lou de Laâge embraces the open horizon in front of her,” he said. “This wonderful energy and amazing life force it carries embody the desire leading us to discover the new breath of fresh air in cinema worldwide.”

The section will open with French Elie Wajeman’s second film The Anarchists (Les Anarchistes) set in Paris in 1899, starring the reportedly sizzling on-screen couple of Tahar Rahim and Adèle Exarchopoulos...

Russia will present a total of six pictures at the 5th Beijing International Film Festival, to be held April 16th–23rd. Sergey Mokritsky’s "The Battle For Sevastopol" and Ramil Salakhutdinov’s "White, White Night" are included in the main competition while Andrey Konchalovsky’s "The Postman’s White Nights," Alexander Mitta’s "Chagall – Malevich" and Mikhail Kosyrev-Nesterov’s "Journey to the Mother" will be screened in the festival’s sidebar. Roman Prygunov’s "Downshifter" has been selected for the Gala Premiere section.

Among the Beijing festival jury members is Fedor Bondarchuk, the prominent Russian filmmaker, actor, producer, and Chairman of the Lenfilm studio Board of Directors. Roskino provides Public Relations support for the heavy Russian presence at the 5th International Festival in Beijing.

Katya Mtsitouridze, Roskino CEO: “From this year on, the Beijing Festival will be curated by Marco Mueller, previously at the helm of the Venice Festival. It is his ardent love of Russian culture that we have to credit for launching international careers of such stellar young filmmakers as Ivan Vyrypaev, Kirill Serebrennikov, Alexey German Jr., and Alexey Fedorchenko. Venice has also honored many a luminary from Russia, ranging from Nikita Mikhalkov to Alexey Balabanov. Alexander Sokurov’s Faust even took the Golden Lion in 2011. This tradition lives on as we can see already, in Marco Mueller’s first year, six Russian movies at Beijing. The governments of our countries are currently collaborating to expand the Russian quotas in Chinese theatres, and Roskino’s first business trip to Beijing, with any luck, should be the next step in this direction. Over the last couple of years, China has made tremendous progress undermining, by its rapid growth, the Hollywood monopoly in the film industry. There is still plenty of room for improvement for us.”

Alyona Shumakova, member of the Selection Committee, Beijing International Film Festival: “We were faced with the tall order of presenting Russian film as a vital artistic force which reflects, at the same time, a dramatically changed reality. It is also worth bearing in mind that the huge audience of these films will consist mostly of regular moviegoers, besides the usual festival crowd of film buffs. We are, mind you, dealing with a country that knows very little about Russian cinema and has yet to develop a concrete image of it. I believe that our picks, with their magnificent visuals and emotional intensity, more than rise to the challenge and accurately reflect the new world we live in.”

At the 2014 Cannes Iff, "The Battle for Sevastopol" was first pitched to industry professionals and international press at the Russian Pavilion opening ceremony. A Russian–Ukrainian co-production, this period drama tells the story of Lyudmila Pavlichenko, a legendary WWII sniper. The wide release in Russia is scheduled for April 2nd, to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Liberation. The protagonist is played by the masterful thespian Yulia Peresild.

Sergei Mokritsky, director: “As I was making a movie about the most lethal female sniper of WWII, I didn’t even dare dream of an international premiere in Beijing. It is an honor as well as a huge responsibility. Overall, China is the closest in spirit, and yet most mysterious country for me as it is for every Russian. I’m really looking forward to the Chinese reception of my movie, because what I aspired to with it was a blend of Soviet war-film mythology, modern cinematic language, and typically Slavic zest for life.”

Ramil Salakhutdinov’s "White, White Night" tells the story of a young man who suddenly goes missing when he travels to Saint Petersburg for a concert. Sent over from Moscow, the private eye hired to locate him meets a lot of people during investigation, and gradually immerses himself in the bleak present-day atmosphere of the city he once lived in. Against his better judgment, the sleuth takes the guy under his wing, which ultimately validates him and boosts his own sense of self-worth. The movie first played in competition at the 2014 edition of Kinotavr.

Ramil Salakhutdinov, director: “I strove to understand––to feel––what it’s like to live in our trying times, in an era of profound change.”

Alexey German Jr., creative director: “It’s a huge victory for Ramil. He’s a wonderful filmmaker, a magnificent actor, and an artist of incredibly fine sensibilities. His recognition by the Biff proves yet again that Salakhutdinov’s work is appreciated internationally.”

Andrey Konchalovskiy's "The Postman’s White Nights" will play in the festival’s sidebar.

In 2014, the film was awarded Silver Lion for Best Director at the Venice Film Festival. It recounts the life of a real man, village postman Alexey Tryapitsyn, who resides in the Arkhangelsk region and portrays himself on screen. Though a work of fiction rather than a documentary, the film has only one professional actress in its cast.

Mikhail Kosyrev-Nesterov’s drama "Journey to the Mother" is also playing in the festival’s parallel section. It is the story of a Russian guy who goes to France to see his mother, and meets his sister for the first time. The film’s leading actress is Adele Exarchopoulos, the star of Palme d’Or-winning "Blue Is the Warmest Color" and co-recipient of the Cannes festival’s highest honor.

Aleksandr Mitta’s "Chagall – Malevich" will play in the Special Screenings section. Set during Marc Chagall’s “Vitebsk period,” the story of an all-consuming love between the great artist and his wife Bella plays out against the backdrop of a historic duel he fought with Kazimir Malevich, his genius contemporary and fierce opponent.

Roman Prygunov’s "Downshifter" is set to bow internationally in the Gala Premiere section of the festival.

A sequel to the highest grossing Russian movie of 2012, "Downshifter" continues with the adventures of Max Andreev, a senior executive forced by the vicissitudes of his life to wipe the slate clean. The star of the production is Danila Kozlovsky, one of the most acclaimed actors of his generation. Made for $4M, the movie recouped its budget over the first weekend in theaters. Fedor Bondarchuk, who produced the box-office smash, currently predicts a final take north of $9M.

Russian filmmaker and producer Fedor Bondarchuk, whose historical drama "Stalingrad" was a runaway success in China in 2013, has been appointed a jury member for the 5 Beijing International Festival. He will share his duty with such directors as Ki-duk Kim (South Korea) and Fernando Meirelles (Brazil); screenwriter Robert Mark Kamen (USA); producer and director Peter Chan (Thailand); and Chinese actress, star of "Cloud Atlas," Zhou Xun. French director and producer Luc Besson, whose output in both capacities has long transcended the confines of local fame, will serve as President of the Jury. The festival program comprises 930 films from 90 countries. The festival’s top prize Tiantan is awarded in ten categories, including Best Film, Best Director, Best Actress, and Best Actor.

Fedor Bondarchuk, producer, filmmaker: “ I’m honored and humbled to be invited to serve as a jury member for the Beijing Iff. The strategic partnership between Russia and China is now reinforced not only in politics and economy but also in the cultural sphere, of which film is an integral part. Stalingrad’s impressive Chinese grosses show enormous demand for Russian filmmaking.”

Marco Mueller, Chief Adviser for the Beijing Iff: “Ever since Stalingrad dominated the Chinese box office in 2013 (it was the highest-grossing foreign film of the year, apart from the American “commercial heavy artillery”), the interest in Russian film has reached a new level in the country. I think that from this year on, our festival’s appreciation of Russian film will also move to the next level. This year our program boasts an amazing selection, and Fedor Bondarchuk has every chance to achieve cult status in China––he is, after all, already on the jury! I would also like to note that our cooperation with China is off to a highly professional start as the Russian presence at the festival is supported by the government-owned Roskino. It is this level of commitment that allows us to make serious plans for the future.”...

Proust’s little “bande de filles” was nothing like this. Nor is Ousmane Sembene’s classic film “Black Girl” like this, except for the silence displayed by the protagonists of the two films as they deal with life’s offerings. Nor does this have the depth of “La Vie d’Adele, Chapitre 1” although it ends in a way that invites the viewer to want to see what the next chapter offers.

What I saw was the story of a poor black girl in one of the banlieus (the ‘hood) of Paris trying to find a way out of her dead end life. But I never saw the working her mind or the depth of her character. I saw she had an intuition about life, was fearless, kind, and determined. Does intelligence count? We must wait for the next chapter to find out how she succeeds if she indeed does. I don’t know if the director has the answer to this. And I wonder if the way out is through a person or through her own innate resources which I never did see. And this is where I take exception to the film. She failed school, never seemed to care, played American (??) football but seemed to have no attachment to the game or the players

Who is the director-writer Céline Sciamma? She’s a very talented white girl who went to La Femis, the French film school some regard as elitist. Her previous two films, deal with female sexual ambiguity (“Tomboy”, “Water Lilies”) and are very authentic, moving and valuable films worth watching more than once.

When I see films like “Sister” by Ursula Meier, or even “ Two Days, One Night” by the Dardenne Brothers whom I love, even while I enjoy the films – as I did this one (except for certain moments when I wanted to laugh, e.g., when she wears the blond wig and red dress to deliver drugs at a white party) -- I am aware that I am watching depictions of working class people in dramas directed by bourgeois filmmakers. And when I hear the vulgar loud-mouth dishing of girl-gangs I am not fooled into thinking it is clever repartee when I know it is foul and crude. And today, with the issues of immigrants and second and third generations of non-integrated minorities, this is a sensitive area. Having seen the “nouvelle vibe” films of Rachid Djajdani whose film “Hold Back” won the Fipresci Prize in Directors Fortnight in 2012 or “Brooklyn” by Pascal Tessaud, I am even more sensitized to authenticity.

I don’t think this shows the French black reality in the suburbs. It looks more like a white view of the U.S. urban black ‘hood. When I grew up blacks barely existed in our thoughts or imagination. I was white and Jewish living in a non-Jewish, white (bigoted) working class neighborhood. There I absorbed the prevailing view of the Mexicans who lived on the other side of the tracks. They were all considered “pachucos”. And I longed to join the girl gangs who had fights like the little bande de filles in this movie; they carried switch blade knives, razors in their big hair and pulled the earrings out of the pierced ears. The two fights in this movie were just like I imagined the fights and were like those male-imagined “catfights” in the Aip prison movies or of the bar-girls in western movies of that era. Something in this movie has the same scent of inauthenticity. I realize I am projecting my own girlhood longing to join the bande de filles onto Céline, and perhaps it’s pure projection, but it feels as if she is attracted to them for reasons other than storytelling. The story is ok but the telling is faulty.

That said, I am very glad Strand is releasing “Girlhood”, and I hope it creates some Wom, just as I hoped “Dear White People” would. It did well, grossing more than $4 million. I hope this film does as well, though being French, the most I can hope is that it reaches the $1 million box office level. When I saw “Dear White People” last year in Sundance, I kept quiet because my thought was, that if that is what black students at the universities are preoccupied with today, then I pity the future of America. And I did not believe for a minute that such overriding preoccupations were real. However, it did quite well and I hope this one does too, although I believe that I am watching stereoptypes. What are these people’s serious thoughts; where are their depths of feelings?

When I grew up and met real Mexicans, I saw none of the stereotypical behavior I was told to beware of. Even when I met gang members, there was no romantic element at all, only a degradation of humanity caused by the unrelenting prejudice of society’s impersonalization.

I loved the French review of this film by Régis Dubois, who has a blog very well-respected by black community in France.

For those interested in going into such films in greater depth, see the films of Carrénard,Maldhé, Zadi,Zouhani, May,Djajdani or Tessaud. Check out what is playing at the Festival Cinébanlieue or Les Pépites du Cinéma. These show the truth about what is happening in the minds of “these people”.

Girlhood (Bande de Filles) is being sold by Films Distribution

Strand Releasing will release it in the U.S.

Other territories sold are:

Brazil--Imovision

Denmark--Reel Pictures Aps, Peripher

France-Oct 22, 2014-Pyramide Distribution

Norway--As Fidalgo Film Distribution

Slovenia--Demiurg

Sweden--Folkets Bio

U.S.--Strand Releasing

Writer/director Céline Sciamma’s look at a group of black high school students living in the tough banlieues of Paris is grounded by newcomer Karidja Touré. "Girlhood," is scheduled to open in New York on January 30, 2015 with a national roll out to follow.

Fed up with her abusive family situation, lack of school prospects and the “boys’ law” in the neighborhood, shy Marieme (Karidja Touré) starts a new life after falling in with a group of three free-spirited girls. She changes her name, her style, drops out of school and starts stealing to be accepted into the gang. When her home situation becomes unbearable, Marieme seeks solace in an older man who promises her money and protection. Realizing this sort of lifestyle will never result in the freedom and independence she truly desires, she finally decides to take matters into her own hands.

French director/writer Céline Sciamma’s debut feature, “Water Lilies”, catapulted her as one of France’s most fresh and notable women directors, garnering her a César nomination for Best First Feature as well as the prestigious Prix Louis Deluc for Best First Feature awarded by the French Film Critics. Her second film, “Tomboy”, won the Teddy Jury Award at the 2011 Berlin International Film Festival. This is Ms. Sciamma’s third feature film.

This film has great credentials, having debuted in Cannes 2014 Directors Fortnight, gone on to Toronto - Tiff 2014 Contemporary World Cinema and

Stockholm Iff 2014 - Competition (Best Film, Best Cinematography) and Sundance World Dramatic Competition 2015.

Critics loved it too.

“Celine Sciamma’s ‘Girlhood’ is one of the best coming of age movies in years.” — Eric Kohn, Indiewire...

The Expendables 3 is debuting this weekend in 40 territories including Russia, the UK, Mexico and Australia — and features a powerhouse ensemble that includes Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jason Statham, Jet Li, Harrison Ford, Mel Gibson, Wesley Snipes, Antonio Banderas, Dolph Lundgren, Kelsey Grammer and Kellan Lutz.

Together, the cast outweighs the sum of its parts, but the parts are actually quite interesting when looked at in terms of international box-office drawing power, especially in mega markets like China, Korea, Russia, Brazil, and parts of Western Europe. Below, I’ve broken out numbers for some of the individual stars across those markets with a nifty slideshow that covers their last three major titles outside the franchise in these key territories.* The first Expendables film did about $274M worldwide, with $171M from overseas. In an unusual turn of events for a sequel, the franchise’s second film saw its earnings drop in the U.

Adele, Julianne, Fonda, Zhang HuiwenSarah Gadon, The Swankster, Jess, Marion Cotillard

Eva Green, Alice Braga, The Sparking Diamond, Chiara MastroianniSophia Loren, Juli (again), Gong Li, Our Reigning "Best Actress"

Nicole's Bff, Salma, Amelie/Audrey, Amber HeardAishwaryai Rai, Blake Lively, Marion (again), Léa SeydouxChristina Hendricks, Zhang Ziyi, and Deneuve

 

 

 

 27 Dresses (2014), premiered at Cannes. This has been a co-production of The United States, China, Canada, Australia, England, India, Mexico, Brazil, and France.

Our International Sales Agent (Isa) of the Day coverage is back again for this year's Cannes Film Festival. We will feature successful, upcoming, innovative and trailblazing agents from around the world, and cover the latest trends in sales and distribution. Beyond the numbers and deals, this segment will also share inspirational and unique stories of how these individuals have evolved and paved their way in the industry, and what they envision for the new waves in global cinema.  

Udi was established in Paris ten years ago as an international film sales agency and then expanded into coproduction and domestic distribution. It only features first-rate and award winning international art house films, including Las Acacias (Caméra d'Or), Octubre (jury prize for Uncertain Regard at Cannes), and Gimme the Loot, the winner of SXSW in 2012. Udi also has a special focus on Latin American films, thanks to its head of sales and acquisitions Eric Schnedecker. He explains more about Udi and its admirable lineup:

Please share more about your background:

I've always been in entertainment. It's my passion. I worked for Arte in France, but also worked with companies in the U.S., Spain, and Italy, including Disney, Universal and the Turner network. I was mostly in acquisitions and programming.

European companies are very open to the world in general. They're very adaptable. My experience living in many countries in the east and west gives me an understanding of intercultural sensitivity. People in the industry are coming from many countries, and need someone who cares about their culture and history.

I'm based in New York, which gives Udi the advantage of being on two continents. This allows for better relationships in the U.S. For example, I'm working companies like HBO, Starz, and Netflix.

 

Please discuss some highlights from Udi's Cannes lineup:

We've always been dealing with big art house directors. We're trying to find higher profile movies with bigger directors and cast. We have a film here at this year's festival called Insecure starring Adele Exarchopoulos (Blue is the Warmest Color) and Reda Kateb, who was in Zero Dark Thirty and The Prophet. He's also in the Ryan Gosling film here at the festival - there's a lot of attention on this film, as it's part of the Acid selection.

We have another film from Kazakhstan, which is called The Owners; it's a fun story. I see it as Kaurismaki's Leningrad Cowboys. It's really a dark comedy / rock and roll film that denounces the corruption of the country. The government of Kazakhstan didn't want it to be a part of the festival because they weren't happy with this portrayal. Regardless, Cannes decided to make it an official selection. 

We have some very promising films coming for the next festivals (Venice, San Sebastian, Toronto).  There's one with Peter Mullan called Hec McAdam - it's a social drama in the Ken Loach style. There's another film called Felix and Meira. It's a French Canadian romantic film in three languages: Yiddish, French and English. It's a love story between a French Canadian and a Hasidic woman married with a daughter. This stars Hadas Yaron who won best actress for Fill the Void at the Venice Film Festival last year.

Where are your films coming from?

We really try to have great films from everywhere, including France. We've been very lucky for the last five years with Latin America (Argentina, Colombia, Mexico, Brazil, Peru), which I helped to bring to the company. Many of these films have had great success in festival competitions and sales. Las Acacias, which won the Caméra d'Or in 2011, has been a major triumph for us and has sold to more than 20 countries. Another film called Octubre from Peru won the Jury Prize for Un Certain Regard in 2010. This year in Berlin, Natural Sciences from Argentina won the Generation competition. 

 

How are sales?

Sales are doing ok. The market is very competitive and challenging. There are way too many movies on the market. We're also at a moment in the industry where distribution is switching to a new model that we kind of know, but don't know exactly what it's going to be.

It's a new beginning and a big opportunity for the art house world, even though people haven't completely figured out how to monetize it. It's just like when TV first came and there weren't many TVs. These transitions are always critical time where people are either complaining or enjoying new ways to be.

With the rise of the Internet, many people were predicting the fall of television, and that's not the case. It's been a very creative and adventurous time for TV, more so than film. 

These days, you see television is bringing a lot of financing to the movie industry.

More about Udi:

See Lineup for Cannes Film Festival here.

Udi international arthouse films by promising young filmmakers and renowned directors whose films distinguish themselves through innovation and originality. Since its creation in 2004 by Frédéric Corvez, Udi has always been driven by the same goal: bring quality cinema to the largest audience possible on every continent.

A Wolf At The Door, licensed internationally by Mundial, has taken the Knight Grand Jury Prize at the 31st Miami International Film Festival (16).

In the documentary competition there was a tie for the Knight Grand Jury Prize between Finding Vivian Maier and The Overnighters.

Fading Gigolo and The Mountain prevailed in the Lexus Audience Awards for feature narrative and dovumentary.

“We are humbled by the community’s overwhelming response to this year’s film festival,” said Mdc president Dr Eduardo J. Padrón. “It serves to strengthen the college’s commitment to providing quality cultural arts programming for all to enjoy.”

“We hoped that this year’s Festival would provide memories to treasure and it has absolutely delivered,” said Miff executive director Jaie Laplante. “From the magic of Hollywood glamor on opening night to the many superb films and engaging filmmakers that we enjoyed in the nine days that followed, Miff 2014 has inspired and enraptured.”

The festival...

Efm: Brisk business for Beta Cinema; Pandastorm buys five.

Beta Cinema’s two Competition titles – Dietrich Brüggemann’s Stations Of The Cross and Edward Berger’s Jack – were the Munich-based sales company’s top-selling titles at this year’s European Film Market (Efm).

Stations Of The Cross has been sold to France (Memento), Italy (Satine Film), Spain (Caramel), Poland (Aurora), Benelux (Wild Bunch), Portugal (Vendetta Films), Greece (7 Films), Scandinavia and the Baltic States (Nonstop), Ex-Yugoslavia (Discovery) and Hungary (Circo).

As reported by ScreenDaily yesterday, the UK (Arrow) has also taken the drama, which had been the top-rated film of the Screen jury before Richard Linklater’s Boyhood was screened.

Further interest has been shown from the Us and Australia for the Ufa Fiction production, which received the Silver Bear for Best Script and the Ecumenical Jury’s prize for the best film in the Competition..

Jack has been acquired for France (Diaphana), Japan (Showgate), Norway (Europa...

Want to do beach yoga like Gisele Bündchen? Or eat like Gwyneth Paltrow? Celebrities are stuffing their lifestyles down our throats

It's nothing new for a celebrity to advertise a new product on telly, put their name to a range of cooking pans, or launch a perfume that reminds them of love, beauty and existential freedom – or of the incredible profit margins to be made on a small jar of scent. Indeed, there was even a 19th-century Pope, Leo Xiii, who put his face and name in newspapers to advertise a tonic wine called Vin Mariani (a drink he found particularly delicious and which it now transpires was laced with cocaine.) Ah, the celebrity hustle has always been with us.

Yet in 2014 the famouses will be taking this product endorsement one step further – they will be selling themselves as lifestyle gurus. In fact, it has already begun, with Gwyneth Paltrow...

After a week of stars, filmmakers, and worldwide media coverage on the Croisette, the 2013 Cannes Film Festival came to an end today. The Palme d’Or went to Blue Is The Warmest Color from director Abdellatif Kechiche, best director award went to Amat Escalante for Heli, while the Jury Grand Prix went to the Coen Bros. for Inside Llewyn Davis.

The Closing Ceremony of the 66th Festival de Cannes took place at the Grand Théâtre Lumière where the Jury, presided over by Steven Spielberg, revealed the award winners.

Audrey Tautou hosted Uma Thurman on the stage to award the Palme d’or to the best film among the 20 in Competition. Taking place May 15 – 26, director Baz Luhrmann’s The Great Gatsby kicked off the 66th Festival in the Grand Théâtre Lumière of the Palais des Festivals, out of Competition in the Official Selection.

With films such as Inside Llewyn Davis scheduled...

Proud parents Megan and Brian showed off their new baby boy Feb. 10 at the Carnival parades in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Megan gave birth to the couple’s first child Noah Shannon Green on Sept. 7, but this is the first time we’ve seen his face!

Brian Austin Green, 39, sat with his wife Megan Fox, 26, and baby Noah, 5 months, at the Sambadrome on Feb. 10 to watch the Carnival parades in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The new family sat in the VIP box sponsored by South American beer manufacturer Brahma, a brand for which Megan is a spokeswoman.

Baby Green certainly picked up his parents’ good looks! In a precious picture, Beverly Hills 90210 alum Brian cradles Noah in his arm as the two look off their hotel balcony at the Carnival festivities, RadarOnline.com is reporting. Even though Megan welcomed Noah in September, this is the first time we have been...

Mark Wahlberg and Ted: Oscar 2013 presenters Oscar 2013 will be a family affair. Ted‘s teddy bear Ted and Mark Wahlberg will be presenters at the Oscar 2013 ceremony, Oscarcast producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron announced earlier today. (Photo: Mark Wahlberg, Ted in Seth MacFarlane’s Ted.) "We are happy to make it possible for Mark and Ted to make their debut appearance on the Oscar stage," Zadan and Meron are quoted as saying in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ press release. "And we won’t deny that Ted used his pull with our host to get himself the booking." Oscar 2013 ceremony host Seth MacFarlane directed and co-wrote Ted. MacFarlane, himself an Oscar nominee for the Ted tune "Everybody Needs a Best Friend," also provided the voice for the teddy bear. Apart from Will Smith / Tommy Lee Jones’ special-effects-laden Men in Black 3, Ted was the highest-grossing...

The wait is nearly over. This weekend, starting Thursday at Midnight (technically Friday at 12:01 am), the long-awaited fantasy adventure The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey will open across the globe. IMAX has released their full theater listings for this Peter Jackson directed prequel, which recounts Bilbo Baggins adventure with a band of dwarves out to save their homeland from a deadly dragon. Read on to find out where you can see this magical movie experience in glorious IMAX and in 3D!

United States

Alabama

Hoover - Rave Patton Creek 15 + IMAX

Huntsville - Rave Valley Bend 18 + IMAX

Tuscaloosa - Cobb Hollywood 16 Cinemas + IMAX

Alaska

Anchorage - Regal Tikahtnu Stadium 16 + IMAX

Fairbanks - Regal Goldstream Stadium 16 + IMAX

Arizona

Glendale - AMC Westgate 20 with IMAX

Mesa - Dickinson Gateway 12 IMAX Theatre

Phoenix - AMC Deer Valley 30 with IMAX

Phoenix - AMC Desert Ridge 18 with IMAX

Tempe - Harkins Arizona Mills 25 with IMAX

Tucson...

Another week, another dose of celebrity news!

The past seven days have brought a lot of joy for some stars and a lot of pain for others.

As we all know by now, Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel tied the knot in Italy on Oct. 19, and the couple finally shared photos from their nuptials on the cover of People magazine's new issue. Biel wore a custom pink gown, while Timberlake stunned in a Tom Ford tux.

Speaking of happy news, British singer Adele gave birth to her first child with Simon Konecki this week. The "Rolling in the Deep" singer had a baby boy, whose name has yet to be released.

In "Twilight" news, Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner all promoted the final installment of their franchise, "Breaking Dawn - Part 2," in different locations this week -- KStew was in Japan, RPatz wowed the crowd in Australia and Lautner looked good in Brazil.

AFI Fest 2012 presented by Audi, a program of the American Film Institute, today announced the remaining sections and films that will screen in the festival.s World Cinema, Breakthrough, Midnight and Shorts programs. AFI Fest, which annually presents the best of world cinema in the movie capital of the world, will take place November 1 through 8 at the historic Grauman.s Chinese Theatre, the Chinese 6 Theatres, the Egyptian Theatre and the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel.

World Cinema showcases the most anticipated and prize-winning international films of the year, Breakthrough highlights work discovered only through the submission process and Midnight.s selections are always haunting. Both World Cinema and Breakthrough feature a number of films making their North American or U.S. Premieres, including The Angels. Share, Greatest Hits, Laurence Anyways, Nairobi Half Life, Pieta, White Elephant and Zaytoun.

Two of the shorts in competition are from AFI Conservatory.s recent class of...

Today, AFI 2012 announced its complete lineup, after previously debuting its New Auteurs, Young Americans, Galas and Special Screenings we finally get a look at the Midnight, Breakthrough, Shorts, and deliriously good World Cinema Selections.

The Shorts section, with almost too many to count, features new work from Nacho Vigalando, Nicolas Provost, and even Shia Labeouf (Cannes selected), among many others. The four Midnight titles all played in Tiff 2012’s Midnight Madness selection, and here we see John Dies at the End making a stop here after originally premiering at Sundance. They’ve nabbed three North American premieres in their Breakthrough section, including Kid from Fien Troch, Nairobi Half Life from David Tosh Gitonga, and Oh Boy from Jan Ole Gerster. But AFI has managed to really impress with it’s World Cinema selections. Just as they nabbed Cannes premiere Holy Motors for their Special Screenings, they’ve nabbed several high...

As I mentioned in the preface to the first part of my Wavelengths preview (the one focusing on the short films), there are significant changes afoot in 2012. Until last year, the festival had a section known as Visions, which was the primary home for formally challenging cinema that nevertheless conformed to the basic tenets of arthouse and/or “festival” cinema (actors, scripting, 70+minute running time, and, once upon a time, 35mm presentation). This year, Wavelengths is both its former self, and it also contains the sort of work that Visions most likely would have housed. While in some respects this can seem to result in a kind of split personality for the section, it also means that Wavelengths, which has often been described as a sort of “festival within the festival,” has moved front and center. Films that would’ve occupied single slots in the older avant-Wavelengths model, like the...

The 2012 London Olympics Closing Ceremony was stunning and worth the wait. From the Spice Girls to One Direction, all of the performers were fantastic, probably leaving Brazil a little nervous about their turn four years from now. Seriously, start the planning yesterday. But as many Twitter folk know, a huge British star was left out from the lineup: Adele. Yep, the one mistake Sunday night was not having the singer come out. Because after all, she and her piano alone could have satisfied viewers just as much.

|Related: 25 Things Adele's Been Doing Since Getting Pregnant |

|Related: Robert Pattinson Explains Drunken Argument With Adele! |

Here's what some people had to say on Twitter:

"Imagine if Adele just turned up to the closing ceremony...out of the blue...uninvited." - @Caspar_Lee

"Looking back at yesterday's ceremony, Adele should of performed." - @GauravHmusic

"So Russell Brand gets to perform but Coldplay,...

There are thousands of film festivals all over the world. Some are prestigious and well known--taking place in large cities across Europe and the U.S.--others in out-of-the-way towns that no one has ever heard of. These festivals show all kinds of films--from a range countries, on various topics and of many genres.

Often the films tend to be heavy on stories from the U.S.and Europe--focusing on the developed world and centering on mainstream populations. Generally speaking, they showcase films directed by men and about people who are White, straight, and well-off. As a result there are countless specialty festivals--Latino, Asian, African, and others--whose objective is to feature the talents of marginalized filmmakers. But even at a niche festival there are groups which continue to be underrepresented. At a Latino film festival it’s not always easy to find films that are Jewish, gay, indigenous, Afro-Latino or about Latin American immigrants from unexpected countries like Japan or Germany. Granted there aren’t as many movies made about these populations but--on the bright side--this year has proven to be a bountiful one for Latino Lgbt films. They have played renowned mainstream festivals like Sundance and Berlin and are making the rounds at gay festivals. It’s about time.

Mosquita y Mari (Isa: The Film Collaborative)

Aurora Guerrero

USA, 2011, 85 min

“This Sundance favorite is a sweet and genuine film about two Chicana high schoolers, Yolanda, a shy, straight-a student, and Mari, her “bad girl” classmate. Yolanda offers to tutor the feisty and hot troublemaker. As she and Mari study and share their intimate thoughts in an abandoned auto body shop, their feelings inevitably get deeper, furtive glances grow longer, and Yolanda starts to come into her own. Aurora Guerrero’s debut feature takes a tender look at what it’s like to discover yourself and fall in love for the first time.”

Olhe Pra Mim de Novo (LookatMeAgain) (Isa:FiGa Films)

Kiko Goifman, Claudia Priscilla

Brazil, 2011, 72 min

trailer: http://www.moma.org/explore/multimedia/videos/221/1116

“Syllvio Luccio, born a girl, grew to identify as a lesbian then finally a man, embarks on a road trip through Northeastern Brazil, a region characterized by rigid ideas rooted in evangelical religion and machismo. Syllvio engages with outsiders of different backgrounds on the road, including Lgbt youth, a man whose paternity is questioned by his family and a group of adults afflicted with a genetic disease. Directors Kiko Goifman and Claudia Priscilla draw candid testimony from their subjects to construct a moving portrait of an individual and exploration of outsider culture.”

Elliot Loves (Isa: Tla Releasing)

Terracino

USA, 2011, 92 min

trailer: http://vimeo.com/38051803

“Finding love in the big city is never easy. But it’s always entertaining in this bouncy romantic comedy from first time feature director Terracino. Elliot is an earnest twenty-one year-old Dominican American looking for love in all the wrong places. The juxtaposition of Elliot’s past and present paints a sweet, complex character study of a young gay man trying to find love and meaning in the big city. Wild visual nuances, surprising fantasy interludes and a non-traditional approach to just about every aspect of filmmaking make this a must see for connoisseurs of brave new cinema.”

Joven y Alocada (Young& Wild) (Isa: Elle Driver)

Marialy Rivas

Chile, 2012, 96 min

“Seventeen-year-old Daniela is obsessed with sex. But her self-proclaimed “pussy in flames” is in direct conflict with her well-to-do, strict evangelical family in Santiago, Chile. She finds an outlet by detailing her naughty ruminations and exploits on her blog Young & Wild to her eager online followers. Marialy Rivas masterfully directs her first feature, which premiered at this year’s Sundance Film Festival and picked up the World Cinema Screenwriting Award. Rooted in a fearless and unforgettable performance by Alicia Rodríguez, Young & Wild is a stunning, energetic look at family and youth culture in contemporary Chile.”

Four

Joshua Sanchez

USA, 2012, 75 min

“An adaptation of Pulitzer prize finalist Christopher Shinn's first play of the same name, Four is both an emotional and urgent glimpse into the lives of four troubled and fascinating individuals. As the world around them celebrates the 4th of July with fireworks and festivity, a closeted married man, his young daughter, a gay teen, and a minor drug dealer haltingly negotiate one-night affairs. Filmmaker, author and artist Joshua Sanchez opens typical expectations of race and gender, reading Shinn’s drama with an intensity, candor, and carnality.”

Film Synopses taken from Frameline: The San Francisco International Lgbt Festival and OutFest: The Los Angeles Gay & Lesbian Film Festival.

Written by Juan Caceres and Vanessa Erazo, LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature on SydneysBuzzthat highlights emerging and established Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow @LatinoBuzzon twitter.

IMAX Corporation and Columbia Pictures today announced that the highly anticipated 3D action-adventure, The Amazing Spider-Man, will be released in the immersive IMAX 3D format in 447 IMAX theatres worldwide. Domestically, the film will launch in IMAX on Tuesday, July 3 - simultaneous with the film's North American wide release - in 307 theatres. The film began its rollout to a total of 140 IMAX theatres internationally on June 27. Additional playdates will be added as pending bookings are confirmed. To date, the Spider-Man motion pictures have generated more than $2.5 billion in worldwide box office receipts. Spider-Man 2 and Spider-Man 3 were also released in IMAX.

The film will benefit from an IMAX exclusive one week early release in the 20 IMAX theatres currently open in Russia beginning Friday, June 29.

Director Marc Webb and the filmmakers have crafted the climactic finale of The Amazing Spider-Man to feature a larger aspect ratio of 1.9:1 versus the traditional...

IMAX Corporation and Twentieth Century Fox today announced that Prometheus, director Ridley Scott's original mythology that tips its hat to elements of the original Alien, will release in the immersive IMAX 3D format in 421 IMAX theatres worldwide. Domestically, the film will be released in 298 theaters beginning Friday, June 8, simultaneous with the film's North American release. Internationally, the film debuted in select territories last week and will be expanding to additional theatres through the coming weeks for a total of 123 theatres confirmed to date. Additional playdates will be added as pending bookings are confirmed.

Exclusively in IMAX, Prometheus will feature a larger aspect ratio of 2.0:1 versus the traditional 2.39:1 ratio. This aspect ratio, which is optimized to take advantage of the IMAX screen, will allow audiences to see more of the image and result in a full panorama of the action - further immersing audiences into the vast scale and scope of the film.

Plus, Blake Shelton tries to repeat his season one strategy by adding two unique female vocalists.

By John Mitchell

Jonathas performs on 'The Voice'

Photo: NBC

"The Voice" judges Christina Aguilera, Blake Shelton, Adam Levine and Cee Lo Green proved as picky and discerning as ever on Monday night's fourth round of blind auditions. Several strong performers were turned away as the judges continued to carefully select the contestants they hope will go all the way to the finals — and in turn, win bragging rights for the last judge standing. And Cee Lo continued to inexplicably stroke a white cat during his to-the-camera interviews. "The Voice" is so weird and wonderful ... now, on to the show.

Team Christina

Aguilera got off to a strong start, scoring the night's first two contestants (well, the first two who got picked at all, that is). First up was Jonathas, a 23-year-old...

Comes a Bright Day

"With another twelve world premieres and three international premieres, Generation’s feature-length film program is now complete," the Berlinale's announced today. "A total of 58 short and full-length films from 32 countries have been selected for the Generation Kplus and Generation 14plus competitions." Straight from the release, then, with descriptions from the festival:

Generation 14plus

Comes a Bright Day (Great Britain, by Simon Aboud) – Against the backdrop of an armed robbery at a London jewellers, much more is at stake than money. Where diamonds are involved, love is not far. Cast: Craig Roberts, Imogen Poots, Kevin McKidd, Timothy Spall and others. World Premiere. Site.

Lal Gece (Night of Silence, Turkey, by Reis Çelik) – When the groom lifts the bride’s veil, he is looking into the face of a 14-year-old girl. As tradition has it, a night in the bridal chamber seals the marriage. Cast: Ilyas Salman, Dilan Aksüt and others.

Prince Phillip has been released from the hospital after undergoing a balloon procedure to remove a heart blockage. I do understand his wife is the queen, but watching from afar, it seemed so strange when he went to the hospital alone, then the Queen visited him. I'm sure it would be the same with any head-of-state, but from a human level, it seemed odd.

I really had no idea where the concept of "proof" for alcohol came from. I certainly never understood that it involved gunpowder.

I'm going to agree with Queerty: Tla Video trying to sell gay videos by wondering "What Would Jerry Sandusky Watch?" is completely reprehensible. Children were allegedly raped, and they want to sell DVDs about incest, or gay films with "boy" in the title?

Newt Gingrich has published a plan to establish a presidential commission if elected to oppose any attempt to enforce the separation of church and state.

Olly Murs and The Wanted were among the winners at this year's Radio 1 Teen Awards. The annual ceremony, which awards entertainment stars as well as everyday teen heroes, took place in front of thousands of 14 to 17-year-olds at Wembley Arena yesterday afternoon (October 9). Murs won 'Best British Album' for his self-titled debut at the show, beating off competition from Adele's 21, Jessie J's Who You Are and Tinie Tempah's Disc-Overy. The Wanted won 'Best Music Act' over stars including Coldplay, Example and Adele. The band were unable to collect the prize in person, but were streamed live into the arena via Skype from Brazil where they are currently on tour with Justin Bieber. 'Best Single' went to Ed Sheeran's 'The A Team', while 'Best TV Show' was won by The (more)...

More and more ‘Breaking Dawn’ pics keep trickling out and it has us so excited! Don’t Rob and Kristen look so in love in this new shot?

Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart‘s new Breaking Dawn pic is similar to other stills we’ve recently. Like when they did the Entertainment Weekly cover to publicize the film which premieres on Nov. 18. But this time it got us thinking, what have these two got on under that deep murky water — perhaps nothing?!

We kid, although they definitely look a bit naked if you ask us. And in other shots, we’ve seen her bikini. But we can definitely feel the love between these lovebirds. Do you think their real-life romance spills onto the silver screen while shooting? It must! Whether they’re jetting off on a speedboat in Brazil, playing chess, or making love for the first time, these pics have us overflowing with Twi-excitement!

President Obama paid his respects - and offered a shoulder to cry on - at Dover Air Force Base Tuesday as he consoled families of the 30 U.S. troops whose remains were brought home from Afghanistan. "I told him, I want you to give me my grandson back. I want him alive," Madeline Bernice Strange tells People. Her grandson, Navy Seal Michael Strange, 25, was among the servicemen killed Aug. 6 when their Chinook helicopter was shot down in eastern Afghanistan - the single deadliest loss in the decade-long war there. "I told the President we never should've been there" in Afghanistan,...

Katy Perry is sorry for having to postpone two of her California Dream shows, one in Chicago and the other in St. Paul, this week. The "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F)" singer was forced to cancel her concerts in the two cities due to "an attack of food poisoning leading to severe dehydration."

She stated on her official website, "I apologize to my fans in Chicago and the Twin Cities for not being able to perform this weekend, but I am going to return in a few weeks to give them the very best show ever!" Sharing the same sentiment to her Twitter followers, she wrote, "Chicago and St. Paul - I'm so sorry to have to postpone today and tomorrow's shows."

She was supposed to perform at Chicago's Allstate Center on July 8, and at St. Paul's Xcel Energy Center the next day, but has now moved the...

Ogilvy Ecd Ramos says, let's put the B in Bric.

Brazilian creative Anselmo Ramos left his homeland to work in Europe and the U.S. for 12 years. When he returned four years ago, he says, it was to a different country. “My parents had always said to me, one day Brazil will be one of the world’s top countries, and it always seemed so unlikely. Now it’s true.”

Ramos, an executive creative director at Ogilvy Brazil in Sao Paulo, didn’t let the shock interfere with his work. Last year, he and the agency won 10 Cannes Lions and he’s already got five this year. Ramos had a hand in the popular Burger King Whopper Face campaign, which took "Have it Your Way" to a new place, putting customers’ faces on the wrappers of their sandwich minutes after they had ordered. This year, the agency has won and...

As we all know, there are more than films being shown at film festivals. There are also project pick ups, reviews, and of course announcements. While in Cannes, veteran producer Ed Pressman has announced that he has signed a deal with Philip Noyce and Robert Mark Kamen to script a reboot of the iconic Jean Claude Van Damme action film Bloodsport.

Alberto Lensi will also be producing alongside pressman. The story has been modified to make it contemporary and will follow an American who goes to Brazil to recover from the violence he has experienced in Afghanistan who gets involved in a martial arts contest. Mark Disalles is executive producing.

Of course a reboot gets a modification of some kind, it would certainly speak to today’s audience. Hoepfully There will blood in this pic. It sort of defeats the purpose to title it Blodosport if it didn’t. But...

"You're going to do what?!!!"Another movie, another remake.  This time, its latest victim is the 1980's action classic, Bloodsport.  Considered to be one of the best films by Jean-Claude Van Damme, Bloodsport was one of many martial arts films that featured "tournament fighting".  You know what the rule is these days for studio execs, if there are fans that still exist from the film, you must remake it.  Not only did they decide to greenlight this project, it will be helmed by Philip Noyce who also directed Salt.  Robert Mark Kamen will be writing the script.

The story features a Afghanistan war veteran who goes to Brazil to recover from mental trauma he's experienced in the war but enrolls in a martial arts contest instead.

Ed Pressman will produce a remake of Jean Claude Van Damme's action classic Bloodsport. While in Cannes, he closed a deal to have Salt director Philip Noyce helm this intended franchise reboot.

The original classic starred Jean Claude Van Damme as Frank Dux, a man who has trained his whole life to fight in the Kumite, an ultimate martial arts tournament. In this new reworked story, an American heads to Brazil to recover from the violence he experienced in Afghanistan. He soon finds himself involved in a martial arts contest. Robert Mark Kamen is penning the screenplay.

There is no set start date at this time, and a replacement for Jean Claude Van Damme has yet to be announced. It is not known if the action icon will make an appearance in the film.

Bloodsport is in development . The film is directed by Phillip Noyce.

There's pretty much no limit to the 80s movies that Hollywood is willing to remake, but still, I don't think anyone ever expected Bloodsport to be on deck. The 1988 action film starred Jean Claude Van Damme as an American soldier trained in martial arts who travels to Hong Kong for an elite, "no holds barred" tournament against the direct orders of his superiors; it's hard to imagine what modern actor can possibly fill Jcvd's ass-kicking shoes, and yet Screen Daily reports that Salt director Philip Noyce has been set to handle the remake, with Robert Mark Kamen writing the script. Unsurprisingly, the story's details will be updated-- the main character this time is an Afghanistan war veteran, and he goes to Brazil "to recover from the violence he has experienced," only to find himself in, yes, a martial arts contest. I'm not entirely certain why they've transplanted the action...

Screen Daily is reporting that the director of Salt, Phillip Noyce, will helm a remake of the 1988 martial arts classic, Bloodsport. Robert Mark Kamen will pen the script, which will “follow an American who goes to Brazil to recover from the violence he has experienced in Afghanistan who gets involved in a martial arts contest.”

The ’88 Van Damme film, which made the then unknown a huge star, focused on the real events of martial artist Frank Dux. No word on if this remake will. The 1988 film did spawn a few unrelated sequels. Thoughts?...

ScreenDaily reports that Phillip Noyce ( Salt ) will direct a remake of the 1988 Jean-Claude Van Damme-starrer Bloodsport , to be written by Robert Mark Kamen. The site says "the story will follow an American who goes to Brazil to recover from the violence he has experienced in Afghanistan who gets involved in a martial arts contest." Ed Pressman and Alberto Lensi will produce, while Mark Disalles will executive produce.

For Vodafone, the partnership is likely to offer more than just a corporate social responsibility boost--untapped communities also represent potential new customers.

The Vodafone Foundation and the United Nations are working together again on a mobile initiative for social good--this time in Brazil and with an eye on mobile technology for public health.

Announced at this week's Mobile World Congress, the new initiative will assess potential ways of connecting indigenous communities in remote areas of Brazil with health information, such as vaccination scheduling and maternal health guidelines. The effort is a public-private partnership between the U.N., Vodafone, the Pan-American Health Organization (Paho), the Brazilian ggovernment, and the mHealth Alliance.

“In many of the world’s most remote regions, mobile networks are now connecting communities to information and services at an unprecedented level, providing opportunities to deliver health benefits to traditionally underserved populations,” said Kathy Calvin, CEO of the Un Foundation.

At this point I am pretty much sure everyone out there in movie fan land is exhausted from Top 10 lists and reflections on the year of film 2010; not the best year for new film, but hardly the worst - boiling it down to 10 choices proved difficult enough, and as you will see below, I cheat and bring it up to a dozen, why should be be constrained by the conventions of a round number?  Personally, I spent more time (and money) on the festival circuit the past year than any other in over a decade (more than six years at Twitch - where does the time go?) of doing this in Toronto and beyond, and I imagine my list below is a reflection of that. By my count only 4 films below have seen any sort of significant release in North America, but hey, I hope that this list will serve...

Tonight in Nashville, Kevin Costner will host the inaugural Cmt Artists of the Year concert celebrating Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood, Jason Aldean, Lady Antebellum, and Zac Brown Band — some of whom have chosen to perform their own songs, some of whom will leave that up to the likes of Adele and Maroon 5. (The 90-minute special airs Dec. 3 at 8 p.m. Et.) Chatting with EW earlier this month, Costner admitted he turned down the gig a couple of times. “I didn’t feel like this was the natural place for me to be, but they disagreed,” he said. Costner and his band,...