News

Starz has cast Ray Panthaki in its upcoming Catherine De Medici drama series The Serpent Queen. He will act alongside Samantha Morton, who stars as the monarch.

Based on the book Catherine de Medici: Renaissance Queen of France by Leonie Frieda, the eight-episode series hails from writer and executive producer Justin Haythe (Revolutionary Road).

Considered an immigrant, common and plain, Morton’s Catherine de Medici is married into the 16th century French court as an orphaned teenager expected to bring a fortune in dowry and produce many heirs, only to discover that her husband is in love with an older woman, her dowry is unpaid and she’s unable to conceive. Yet, only with her intelligence and determination, she manages to keep her marriage alive and masters the bloodsport that is the monarchy better than anyone else, ruling France for 50 years.

Stacie Passon will direct multiple episodes, including the premiere episode.

While at #E32019 our team checked out one of the largest showcases on at the event, Bandai Namco. We not only got a chance to play the Cinelinx #BestofE3Nominee DragonBall Z: Kakarot, we also played a total of six upcoming Bandai Namco titles. With more games like Code Vein, Ni no Kuni Remastered, Rad, Blessed […]

The post We Played Every Bandai Namco Game at E3 2019! | Our Impressions appeared first on Cinelinx.

New Line Cinema’s Annabelle: Creation —the follow up to 2014’s hugely successful film Annabelle —will arrive in theatres on August 11, 2017.

WaterTower Music has released the soundtrack from the film, which you can order here.

Golden Globe and Emmy nominee Benjamin Wallfisch (upcoming It, A Cure For Wellness, Lights Out) is recognized as one of the leading film composers of his generation. His masterfully unnerving 24-track Annabelle: Creation film score offers a potent dimension of eeriness that magnifies the suspenseful discomfort when set against picture.

Read our interview with composer from March 2017 here.

“It’s always a joy to collaborate with David F. Sandberg; not only is he of course a master filmmaker, but he’s also a great musician,” says Wallfisch about the Annabelle: Creation director. “His deep understanding of what a score can bring to the table in such a finely nuanced, beautifully crafted piece of cinema as Annabelle: Creation,...

'The Butterfly Tree'..

Celebrating its tenth anniversary, the Miff Premiere Fund will present six world premieres at the 66th Melbourne International Film Festival (Miff), including Greg McLean.s survival thriller Jungle.

The festival runs August 3-20; the full program will be launched on July 11, with general public individual session tickets on sale from July 14..

The six premieres are:.

The Butterfly Tree, the feature debut of director Priscilla Cameron, is a coming-of-age tale of love and loss tinged with magical realism, starring Melissa George, Ewen Leslie, Ed Oxenbould and Sophie Lowe.

Naina Sen.s The Song Keepers chronicles the hidden musical legacy of ancient Aboriginal languages and German baroque songs that are being preserved by the Central Australian Aboriginal Women.s Choir.

Eddie Martin.s Have You Seen the Listers? is a moving personal account of the artistic and commercial rise of Australia.s most renowned street artist, which came with a deep personal cost.

In Westwind: Djalu.s Legacy, director Ben Strunin portrays Yolngu elder Djalu Gurruwiwi.s quest to pass his people.s ancient song lines and culture to the next generation — with a little help from global pop star Gotye..

Rabbit is a chilling fairytale feature debut from director Luke Shanahan in which identical twins are linked by more than just DNA, starring Alex Russell and Adelaide Clemens.

The opening night selection, Jungle stars Alex Russell and Daniel Radcliffe in a thriller based on the real-life story of adventurer Yossi Ghinsberg.

The Premiere Fund, which offers minority co-financing to new Australian narrative and documentary theatrical features that then premiere at Miff, has invested in a total of 56 projects. To celebrate the anniversary, Miff will have retro screenings of three classics:

Balibo (2009), Robert Connolly.s political thriller starring Oscar Isaac and Anthony Lapaglia. Bastardy (2008), Amiel Courtin-Wilson.s impressionistic portrait of the life of Indigenous arts personality Jack Charles.. Blessed (2009), Ana Kokkinos. drama about families, love and loss, starring Frances O'Connor, Miranda Otto, Deborra-Lee Furness, William McInnes, Sophie Lowe, Harrison Gilbertson and Reef Ireland.

Meanwhile www.miff.com.au will feature a new dedicated Premiere Fund page outlining all 56 investments along with a link to a new iTunes page where many of those films can be purchased..

Among the notable milestones over the 10 years:

Nearly 32 per cent of the fund.s films had female directors (versus Screen Australia-reported industry average of 16 per cent). Nearly 59 per cent had female producers (versus industry average of 32 per cent). 41 per cent included youth themes.. 27 per cent had elements portraying Culturally & Linguistically Diverse Communities (CALDs), with 5 per cent having Cald creative principals (director and/or producer(s). 16 per cent included Indigenous themes and/or characters (including Bran Nue Dae), and nearly 7 per cent had Indigenous creative principals. 13 per cent included Lgbti characters and/or issues, with 18 per cent involving Lgbti creative principals. Some 50% of Premiere Fund movies were helmed by first-time directors.

Miff Premiere Fund executive producer Mark Woods said, .The talent we have been able to support has been incredible — 19 per cent of Premiere Fund films are directed by alumni of Miff emerging director workshop Accelerator Lab and 48 per cent advanced their funding at Miff.s film financing event 37ºSouth Market — so we really do feel like we come on a long journey with these projects..

Helen Morse and Robert Taylor will join Reef Ireland and Kerry Fox in Downriver, an Australian mystery drama that aims to court controversy.

The feature debut of writer-director Grant Scicluna, the film is due to start shooting in Victoria on November 5.

Ireland (Puberty Blues, Wentworth, Blessed) will play James, a teenager who is sent to prison for drowning a little boy when he was a child, although the body was never found.

In an attempt to uncover the truth, he takes dangerous risks to find redemption and return the missing body to the grieving mother.

Fox plays his mother. Taylor, who stars in Us TV.s Longmire, is cast as her new boyfriend who is unaware she has a son. Morse is a reclusive dog lover who holds the key to the mystery.

It.s a rare screen role for Morse, who has worked almost exclusively on the stage since...

The creative team behind Red Dog is reuniting for Blue Dog, an origin story which will serve as a stand-alone film and form part of the franchise that will continue with Yellow Dog.

The canine caper was one of two features, TV drama Glitch and nine multi-platform projects that secured the final round of funding from Screen Australia in the current financial year.

The other film is Downriver, a mystery inspired by real events that will mark the feature directing debut of writer- director Grant Scicluna.

Screen Australia is investing more than $4.5 million in these 12 projects, triggering production worth more than $25 million. CEO Graeme Mason noted the value of Australian stories was reaffirmed at Cannes with Australian film sales to international territories more than doubling the volume of sales made there last year.

Nelson Woss, producer of the Dog franchise, has formed Good Dog Enterprises, a distribution company that will...

"Have you been messing about with that box?" Time for another haunted house horror lined-up for the early 2014 theatrical season. IFC Films has debuted a trailer for Haunt, not to be confused with Vincenzo Natali's Haunter, totally different film. Haunt is an indie horror thriller starring Harrison Gilbertson ("Conspiracy 365", Blessed, Virginia) and Liana Liberato (Stuck in Love) as attractive teens discovering haunted house love for the first time. Oscar nominated actress Jacki Weaver (of Animal Kingdom, Silver Linings Playbook, Stoker) plays a weird old lady. This looks like perfectly suspenseful, if you're into ghosts. Here's the first teaser trailer for Mac Carter's Haunt, originally from Yahoo: An introverted teen sparks with his new neighbor, and together the couple begins to explore the haunted house that is family has unknowingly just purchased. Described by Yahoo: "Liana Liberato plays Samantha, who prompts her new love interest Evan (Harrison Gilbertson...

It.s all happening for Sophie Lowe. After scoring the lead role in the American ABC network series Once Upon a Time in Wonderland, the English-born, Aussie actress is set to star in Us-set road movie What Lola Wants.

Sophie plays the title character who runs away from home and fakes her disappearance as a kidnapping. In a desert diner she meets a guy played by Beau Knapp (Super 8) and they head for Mobile, Alabama, pursued by sinister forces. Her parents offer a reward of $1 million for her safe return.

Written and directed by Aussie Rupert Glasson, who.s based in Los Angeles, the film starts shooting in La and the city.s outskirts on June 27. The cast includes Robert Taylor, who stars in the Us TV crime series Longmire, and Dale Dickey.

Glasson is producing the film with Ayisha Davies of Ultrafilms, with whom he collaborated on his first film,...

Don Groves is a Deadline contributor based in Sydney. The Sapphires nabbed five Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Awards in craft categories presented Monday in Sydney local time. The drama, which TWC opens March 22 in the U.S., was prized for cinematography, editing, production design, costume design and sound. The major awards will be handed out Wednesday night, hosted by Russell Crowe. Iron Sky took the visual effects award, Storm Surfers 3D was named best feature documentary and Then The Wind Changed, which chronicled a community’s struggle to rebuild following the 2009 Victorian bushfires, was best docu under one hour. In TV, tabloid newspaper satire Lowdown – Season 2 was declared best comedy series, Agony Aunts picked up the light entertainment series gong and The Adventures of Figaro Pho, all from the ABC, won the children’s series award. Multicultural broadcaster Sbs’s Go Back To Where You Came From was judged best documentary series.

French actress Emmanuelle Béart has been added to the cast of Australian film My Mistress alongside Harrison Gilbertson and Rachael Blake ahead of shooting later this month on the Gold Coast.

The film received Screen Australia funding in November. It’s directed by Stephen Lance and written by Top of the Lake’s Gerard Lee with production by Bran Nue Dae’s Robyn Kershaw and distributed by Transmission Films.

The announcement:

Internationally acclaimed French actress Emmanuelle Béart (A Heart in Winter, Nathalie, Manon of the Spring, Mission: Impossible) will join one of Australia’s rising international stars, AFI Award‐winning Harrison Gilbertson (U.S. independent film Haunt – in the title role opposite Jacki Weaver, Accidents Happen, Blessed, Beneath Hill 60, Conspiracy 365) and AFI Award‐winning actress Rachael Blake (Sleeping Beauty, Lantana, Hawke) in the seductive and touching new film My Mistress.

What starts as a beautiful and strangely innocent...

In select theatres and on VOD right now is the sci-fi horror flick Crawlspace from producer Greg McLean (Wolf Creek) and director Justin Dix. Check out an exclusive clip from the film and decide if you wanna pony up for the whole enchilada.

The sci-fi action thriller features an ensemble cast of actors led by Ditch Davey ("Blessed") and Amber Clayton ("Three Rivers"). It marks the directorial debut of FX wizard Justin Dix (Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones).

Synopsis

Deep in the heart of the unforgiving Australian desert lies Pine Gap, a top-secret government facility operated by the United States military. When the base comes under attack from unknown forces, an elite team is sent in to extract the military scientists. They encounter a beautiful young woman with no memory of how she came to be in the base, and find it overrun by disturbed patients from the base’s medical sector.

Getting set to make its U.S. debut on VOD January 4th is the sci-fi horror Crawlspace from producer Greg McLean (Wolf Creek) and director Justin Dix. Check out all the goodies right here, right now.

The sci-fi action thriller features an ensemble cast of actors led by Ditch Davey ("Blessed") and Amber Clayton ("Three Rivers"). It marks the directorial debut of FX wizard Justin Dix (Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones).

More as it comes.

Synopsis

Deep in the heart of the unforgiving Australian desert lies Pine Gap, a top-secret government facility operated by the United States military. When the base comes under attack from unknown forces, an elite team is sent in to extract the military scientists. They encounter a beautiful young woman with no memory of how she came to be in the base, and find it overrun by disturbed patients from the base’s medical sector.

Veteran Australian producer Al Clark will receive the Aacta Raymond Longford Award in recognition of his three-decade career which has included iconic films such as Chopper and The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert.

Clark, who emigrated from the UK in the 1980s after representing music acts such as the Sex Pistols and Phil Collins, has produced or executive produced 19 feature films. He has also served on the board of the Australian Film Commission (1989-1992) and participated in official juries of several international film festivals, including the San Sebastian and Valladolid Film Festivals.

..With a love of films that always transcends the frustrations of getting them made, I.ve tried to choose distinctive projects, to navigate them soundly, to find gifted people to work with, and to bring out the best in their considerable talents," Clark said after being told of the award. "I.m grateful to Aacta for...

Just in time for its premiere at this year's Screamfest L.A., news has come that IFC Films has acquired North American rights to the sci-fi horror Crawlspace from producer Greg McLean (Wolf Creek) and director Justin Dix.

The sci-fi action thriller features an ensemble cast of actors led by Ditch Davey ("Blessed") and Amber Clayton ("Three Rivers"). It marks the directorial debut of FX wizard Justin Dix (Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones) and tells the tale of "a squad of elite soldiers sent to infiltrate and extract the lead science team from Pine Gap, Australia’s top secret underground military compound, after it comes under attack from unknown forces. The mission is compromised when they encounter a young woman with no memory of who she is or how she came to be there. As they try to escape, the group quickly discovers all is not as...

The premiere of producers Greg McLean (Wolf Creek) and Craig McMahon (Red Hill) new flick Crawlspace looming for Screamfest L.A. we've gotten our hands on the festival trailer and artwork. Dig it!

The sci-fi action thriller features an ensemble cast of actors led by Ditch Davey ("Blessed") and Amber Clayton ("Three Rivers"). It marks the directorial debut of FX wizard Justin Dix (Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones) and tells the tale of "a squad of elite soldiers sent to infiltrate and extract the lead science team from Pine Gap, Australia’s top secret underground military compound, after it comes under attack from unknown forces. The mission is compromised when they encounter a young woman with no memory of who she is or how she came to be there. As they try to escape, the group quickly discovers all is not as it seems and the facility...

The Hive Lab has announced its film-makers to collaborate with artists, theatre actors, choreographers, animators and writers over 11-14 October. The list of film-makers include Sophie Raymond, co-director of Mrs Carey’s Concert and Natasha Pincus, director of music video Somebody That I Used to Know by Gotye with artists such as Eddie Perfect and Bill Henson.The announcement:

A roll call of some of Australia’s most extraordinary artists, filmmakers, theatre practitioners, choreographers, animators and writers have signed up for the Hive Lab, taking place during the Melbourne Festival from 11-14 October. The four-day Hive Lab brings seventeen filmmakers and artists together in a creative clash of cultures, nurturing new ideas that cut across artistic boundaries.

The second Hive Lab was originally conceived by Adelaide Film Festival and is co-presented with Australia Council, ABC TV, Screen Australia and the South Australian Film Corporation.

The 2012 Hive Lab participants are arts and performance practitioners Bill Henson,...

On tap for you cats right now are five new bits of eye candy from Crawlspace, the new flick from producers Greg McLean (Wolf Creek) and Craig McMahon (Red Hill). Check 'em out!

The sci-fi action thriller features an ensemble cast of actors led by Ditch Davey ("Blessed") and Amber Clayton ("Three Rivers"). It marks the directorial debut of FX wizard Justin Dix (Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones) and tells the tale of "a squad of elite soldiers sent to infiltrate and extract the lead science team from Pine Gap, Australia’s top secret underground military compound, after it comes under attack from unknown forces. The mission is compromised when they encounter a young woman with no memory of who she is or how she came to be there. As they try to escape, the group quickly discovers all is not as it seems and the facility...

The very first still from Crawlspace, the new flick from producers Greg McLean (Wolf Creek) and Craig McMahon (Red Hill), has been uncovered and stuck up online for you horror hounds to consume. Dig it!

The sci-fi action thriller features an ensemble cast of actors led by Ditch Davey ("Blessed") and Amber Clayton ("Three Rivers"). It marks the directorial debut of FX wizard Justin Dix (Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones) and tells the tale of "a squad of elite soldiers sent to infiltrate and extract the lead science team from Pine Gap, Australia’s top secret underground military compound after it comes under attack from unknown forces. The mission is compromised when they encounter a young woman with no memory of who she is or how she came to be there. As they try to escape, the group quickly discovers all is not as it seems and...

The film adaptation of Chinese author Qiu Xiaolong’s successful Inspector Chen novel series (not to be confused with the Detective Inspector Chen series by Liz Williams) will see Chief Inspector Chen come to life across seven films.

Producers Wieland Schulz-Keil (Neofilm, Berlin), Cordula Paetzel (Schmidt & Paetzel Fernsehfilme, Berlin) and Marian Macgowan (Macgowan Films, Sydney) acquired the rights to all seven novels, written in English and set in Shanghai, and are in negotiations with Chinese distribution, a production house and with international sales agents.

Wieland Schulz-Keil was producer on Children of the Silk Road (2008) and executive producer on The Cat’s Meow (2001). Marian Macgowan produced South Solitary (2010), Blessed (2009) and Two Hands (1999).

The co-production comes on the back of last year’s Australia China Screen Alliance, aimed to facilitate co-productions between the two countries. Other recent Australian-Chinese co-productions include 33 Postcards starring Guy Pearce and directed by Pauline Chan and The Dragon Pearl...

Hopscotch Films have just announced that Deborah Mailman and Jessica Mauboy will be joined by newcomers Shari Sebbens and Miranda Tapsell as the stars of the new Australian film The Sapphires, set to begin shooting next month in Sydney, and then Vietnam.   A successful stage musical, The Sapphires was adapted by Keith Thompson (Clubland) and playwright Tony Briggs, and is set to be directed by Wayne Blair, an actor himself (with roles on the stage, including Phillip Seymour Hoffman's play True West and Steven Soderbergh's production The Mystery Project, as well as a number of Aussie films including 2009's Blessed and Jon Hewitt's upcoming X) and director (mostly known for his acclaimed theatre work but who also helmed the recent children's television series Lockie Leonard, plus a number of short films).

Actor /director Wayne Blair was awarded the $10,000 Bob Maza Fellowship, last night at the opening of the Message Sticks Indigenous Film Festival in Sydney.

“Screen Australia pays tribute to Bob Maza’s passion and commitment to the film and entertainment industry. Wayne is an exceptional talent in the local industry and we wish him the best of luck in using the opportunity this fellowship offers to further his international career,” said the head of Screen Australia’s Indigenous Department, Erica Glynn.

The Bob Maza Fellowship was established to allow an Indigenous actor or filmmaker expand his/her career opportunities and professional development.

Blair, a Butjala man from Queensland, made his acting debut in 200′s Mullet. He’s starred in films such as Blessed, as well as plays with the major state theatre companies in the country. He’s also made the short films Jubulj and The Djarn Djarns (Crystal Bear...

Greg McLean is the guy who brought us the cool ass aussie horror film Wolf Creek a few years ago and I'm a proud owner of that movie! It's freaking awesome peeps so check it out! today we have some news that McLean's next project will be Crawlspace, a sci-fi action thriller featuring an ensemble cast of local actors including Ditch Davey (Blessed) and Amber Clayton (Three Rivers) and is currently being shot in Melbourne, Australia.

McLean will be executive producing this film with Justin Dix directing. This will be Dix's directing debut but his credits include Star Wars Episode II : Attack of the Clones and is considered an FX guru. We'll have more on this cool sounding sci-fi project as it develops.

McLean added this;

Crawlspace is a very exciting and ambitious project that I am thrilled to be involved in. Justin Dix is a promising new filmmaker,...

Science can be a wonderful thing that through the years has blessed us with many a wondrous thing. Hell, I still don't even understand how the Kinect works! Still, it's not always good. Nuclear weapons. Man-made viruses. Creatures who live in underground lairs waiting for hapless humans to wander in to become lunch.

According to our friends over at Moviehole (link below), Greg McLean (director, pictured right;Wolf Creek, Rogue, and the upcoming 6 Miranda Drive) will be helping to fend off monsters in the role of executive producer on a new flick called Crawlspace which is filming now in Melbourne.

The sci-fi action thriller features an ensemble cast of local actors led by Ditch Davey ("Blessed") and Amber Clayton ("Three Rivers"). The flick marks the directorial debut of FX wizard Justin Dix (Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones) and tells the tale of "a squad of elite soldiers...

David Stratton and Margaret Pomeranz discuss why Australian audiences are hesitant to see confronting Australian films.

“I think people want to go [to the cinema] and be taken away from their lives; they don’t want their lives confronting them on screen,” said Pomeranz.

“But surely there’s room in our cinemas for films like these,” argued Stratton.

“Absolutely. I’m not against people making them, but I’m talking about why people hesitate to go to them,” explained Pomeranz.

Stratton and Pomeranz presented the At the Movies Goes Silver session at the Adelaide Film Festival last week. They each presented three films they love but feel have been neglected and forgotten over the years; Stratton’s third selection was Ana Kokkinos’ 2009 film Blessed, which started the discussion about the general neglect of Australian films.

Screen Nsw has announced the 2011 participants for the script development workshop Aurora: Dust, Dog Eat Dog, On the Jellicoe Road, Falls Creek and One Hundred and Fifteen.

The selected filmmakers include a new project from Melena Marchetta (writer, Looking for Alibrandi), Michael Robertson (producer, Black Water/Road Train/The Reef) and the debut of editor Veronika Jenet as a producer.

The 2011 edition of Aurora includes a project from South Australia. The advisors will be Us producer Anne Carey (The American, Towelhead and The Savages); writer Andrew Bovell ( Lantana, Blessed, Head On and Edge of Darkness; producer/director/writer Jocelyn Moorhouse (How to Make an American Quilt, Peter Pan, A Thousand Acres, Proof and Muriel’s Wedding); and British producer Olivia Stewart (Brassed Off and Velvet Goldmine).

Former Aurora projects include Animal Kingdom, Somersault, Little Fish, Black Balloon, Prime Mover and Accidents Happen, and the upcoming Burning Man and Say Nothing.

Legendary producer Al Clark has joined the panel of next Tuesday’s Encore Question Time in Sydney.

The Red Hill producer will replace director Patrick Hughes, who had to jet off to Los Angeles to shoot a commercial.

Clark began his career as a writer for Time Out magazine in London, before joining Virgin, where he founded and edited The Film Yearbook and served as head of production for the film division – with credits including Nineteen Eighty-Four, Aria, Gothic and Absolute Beginners.

He then moved to Sydney, where he has produced the iconic The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, as well as Heaven’s Burning, Siam Sunset, The Hard Word, The Book of Revelation, Blessed and Red Hill – Patrick Hughes’ modern western which opens today.

Clark has also been executive producer of films such as Chopper, Thunderstruck and Razzle Dazzle, and was a member of the board of the Australian Film Commission.

For months, speculation has been running rampant about which big-name female movie star would land the highly coveted role of Lisbeth Salander, the brilliant, bisexual, misanthropic hacker at the dark heart of author Stieg Larsson’s best-selling Millenium Trilogy. Well, it seems we finally have our answer: none of them!

EW has confirmed that David Fincher, who is directing the Hollywood adaptation of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, has narrowed the field down to four finalists, and none of the stars whose names had been bandied about — Kristen Stewart, Carey Mulligan, Natalie Portman, Scarlett Johansson — made the list. In fact,...

Our sources confirm The Daily Beast’s report that director David Fincher has narrowed casting choices for the highly coveted role of Lisbeth Salander in the Hollywood adaptation of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo down to four relatively unknown leading ladies. None of the big-name candidates, such as Carey Mulligan or Ellen Page, have moved forward either by their own choice or Fincher’s. (One source tells EW that Fincher offered the meaty part opposite Daniel Craig to Natalie Portman but she turned it down. Calls to Portman’s reps were not returned.)

The four actresses left in the running are Rooney Mara,...

Three Australians, one New Yorker and one French woman have seemingly emerged as the rumoured final candidates to play Lisbeth Salander in David Fincher's upcoming Hollywood adaptation of the bestselling "The Girl with Dragon Tattoo" reports IndieWire and Showbiz 411.

The quintet have beaten out more familiar names like Natalie Portman, Scarlett Johansson, Ellen Page, Mia Wasikowska, Keira Knightleyand Anne Hathaway who are apparently no longer in the running. Over the weekend Portman admitted no-one had been in contact with her about the project at all in fact. Here's a look at the list of candidates:

1. Rooney Mara

The 25-year-old New Yorker has several TV guest spots along with some gay-themed indie dramas like "Dream Boy" and "Dare" to her resume.

After appearing in small roles in "Youth in Revolt" and "The Winning Season" last year, Mara has broken out this year with the lead heroinne role in the "A Nightmare on Elm Street...

With a release date of Dec. 21, 2011 now looming for Sony Pictures’ Hollywood version of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, it’s no wonder the studio, and director David Fincher, are ramping up their casting process. It seems Daniel Craig is still in talks to star as Mikael Blomkvist, but no deal has yet been struck, and it’s unclear whether scheduling hurdles with Cowboys & Aliens and another Bond feature are holding up the deal.

As for the role of Lisbeth Salander — the part Sony chairman Amy Pascal calls “the role every actress in the world wants” — Deadline Hollywood reports...

Director Ana Kokkinos will be busy this month, honoured as an “emerging master” in Seattle and offering a two-day directing masterclass at Aftrs Victoria.

Kokkinos has been selected by the Seattle Film Festival as a director ‘destined to leave an impressive mark on cinema’; her films Head On and Blessed will be screened at the event.

“This is a wonderful honour [...] It’s a terrific opportunity to engage with audiences and share the work. It is also a tribute to my many collaborators over the years; my producers, writers, cast and crew, funding bodies and distributors. Together, we’ve made films that are innovative, distinctive and have a unique perspective on who we are, while touching on universal themes and connecting with audiences around the world,” said Kokkinos, who is currently in the north western Us state.

Kokkinos will be back for a directing masterclass on June 26 and 27, at the...

Australian actress Monica Maughan has died.

The star passed away in Melbourne, Australia on Friday. The cause of death was not known as WENN went to press.

Maughan was believed to have been 71 at the time of her death, but previously admitted lying about her age.

She began her career in theatre in the 1950s, famously starring alongside Geoffrey Rush in a 1980s production of The Importance Of Being Earnest.

Maughan went on to win a series of high profile TV roles in shows including Prisoner, and her film credits include turns in Strange Bedfellows with Paul Hogan, Crackerjack, and most recently in 2009's Blessed. She won a clutch of prestigious awards throughout her longrunning career including two AFI prizes, a Logie Award and a Critics' Choice Award .

She is survived by her second husband, solicitor Rowland Ball.

The Palm Springs International Film Festival has introduced a new program highlighting Australian cinema.

Organized in partnership with G'Day USA, the Australian Consulate General in Los Angeles and Tourism Australia, the program will feature Robert Connolly's "The Balibo Conspiracy," Rachel Ward's "Beautiful Kate," Ana Kokkinos' "Blessed," Tom Murray's "In My Father's Country," Glendyn Ivin's "Last Ride," Kriv Stender's "Lucky Country," Sarah Watt's "My Year Without Sex," Warwick Thornton's "Samson & Delilah" and Ted Kotcheff's "Wake in Fright."

"The Australian production boom was brought on by tax incentives, but it is the new talent behind the work that will sustain it," fest director Darryl Macdonald said.

Also, as part of its Awards Buzz program, the Jan. 7-18 fest will screen 41 of the 65 films that have been submitted to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for best foreign language film consideration.

Out of...

It was only five years ago when the Australian Film Institute Awards reached their most sad and pathetic moment. 2005, the year that will live in infamy for followers of Australian film, produced only one (One!) film that the AFI felt worthy enough to award. Cate Shortland's Somersault was nominated for and won every.single.category. The really sad thing is that it probably deserved to win them all, which says more about the slate of Aussie films that year than anything else.

Sidebar: Two of Somersault's wins were for Abbie Cornish and Sam Worthington's performances. The former is on the cusp of Oscar and the latter on the cusp of global fame and worship. You could do worse than seeing where these two learnt the ropes.

This year's AFI awards, however, are a much different story. 2009 has been a stellar year for Australian cinema - perhaps the...

Director Ana Kokkinos and actor Miranda Otto, who's appeared onscreen in blockbusters like “War of the Worlds” and the "Lord of the Rings” trilogy, sat down with MakingOf to discuss their film “Blessed.” The story revolves around seven lost youths who wander the Melbroune streets while their mothers await their return.

Kokkinos shares her abiity to get actors out of their heads in order to embody their characters completely. She also opens up about the design of the film, her approach to filming this ensemble piece and how she and Otto worked together to ensure they hit the right tone with their takes.

Click here to view the full interview.

It's the penultimate day here at the London Film Festival, and after a packed day that included the Coens Brothers' latest (not written up here, but let's just say I was... disappointed), Dave came back to the internet to discover than Anjelica Huston and her starry little jury had been busy giving out prizes. Gladly the new top prize for Best Film (or 'Star of London') went to one of my personal favourites from the fest, the stunning A Prophet. The Road, which left me a bit cold despite the technical prowess and solid performances, was their "special mention". (In Contention has the full awards round-up.)

But enough about awards. I'll have my own set of prizes to dish out tomorrow, when I finish off my coverage with a review of the closing night gala film Nowhere Boy, but for today, three more capsules for you from across the globe.

Barry Otto will return to the big screen in the new Australian feature film South Solitary, which has him co-starring with his internationally successful daughter Miranda Otto, after previously working together on 1998's Dead Letter Office.   While Miranda has done the country proud dabbling in big budget features such as Lord Of The Rings and War Of The Worlds and Us TV shows such as The Starter Wife and Cashmere Mafia, in between local features such as the recent Blessed, Barry has delighted Australian audiences with his dedication to quality local theatre and cinema, with memorable turns in films such as Ray Lawrence's Bliss and Baz Luhrmann's Strictly Ballroom and Australia, a brief turn in Matthew Newton's Three Blind Mice (alongside his younger daughter Gracie, who was going out with Newton at the time), and most recently lending his voice to $9.

London -- Ana Kokkinos' "Blessed" is one of the latest additions to this year's Times BFI London Film Festival, organizers said Monday.

Kokkinos' movie won the best screenplay prize at the San Sebastian Film Festival in Spain, which wrapped last month. The movie stars Frances O'Connor, Miranda Otto, Deborra-Lee Furness and Victoria Haralabidou and takes place over the course of two days in Melbourne, Australia.

Organizers hinted that the addition would be the last to the London event, which runs through Oct. 29. London Film Festival programmer Michael Hayden said: "We are delighted to be able to complete our program for the Times BFI 53rd London Film Festival with this strikingly inventive film."...

Australian director Ana Kokkinos (Head On, The Book of Revelation) returns this week with a new drama that follows several groups of children and their mothers on a long, grueling night in Melbourne. Entitled Blessed, it's split into two halves -- the first focused on the children and the second returning to the situations from the perspective of their mothers. Frances O'Connor, Miranda Otto and beautiful Kate's Sophie Lowe feature in a heavy hitting drama that builds toward a hopeful catharsis. Rt caught up with Kokkinos ahead of the film's release this week.

Looking better and better, we're getting to the more esoteric and arthouse film here including one we covered a long time ago called Slovenka or in English, Slovenian Girl (trailer here).

You can check out the full list after the break.

Contemporary World Cinema

Beyond the Circle Golam Rabbany Biplob, Bangladesh

World Premiere

In this political fable from Bangladesh's leading filmmaker, a simple village musician gets swept up in the market economy of big city Dhaka.

Blessed Ana Kokkinos, Australia

International Premiere

During the course of one day and night, seven children wander the streets in an urban odyssey. Blessed is a film about mothers and children, about love and beauty, about being lost and finding your way home.

Down for Life Alan Jacobs, USA

World Premiere

Based on a New York Times article, this film depicts a single, fateful day in the life of a 15-year-old Latina gang leader.

Toronto -- Alan Jacobs' gang drama "Down for Life" is up for a world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, one of 11 titles added Thursday to its Contemporary World Cinema sidebar.

The U.S. indie, based on a New York Times article, portrays a day in the life of a 15-year-old Latina gang leader and stars Danny Glover and local youths in South Central Los Angeles, where it was shot on location.

Also booked for the Toronto sidebar for world bows are Golam Rabbany Biplob's "Beyond the Circle," a political fable from Bangladesh; Iranian director Shalizeh Arefpour's "Heiran"; and "Sawasdee Bangkok," an ensemble of four Bangkok-themed films by local Thai directors Wisit Sasanatieng, Aditya Assarat, Kongdej Jaturanrasmee and Pen-ek Ratanaruang.

There's also international premieres for Australian director Ana Kokkinos' "Blessed," Giuseppe Piccioni's "Giulia Doesn't Date at Night," from Italy, and Finnish director Mika Kaurismaki's "The House of Branching Love,...

• Just when you think its safe to start considering making a short list, Tiff announce another eleven titles to the mix including: Pablo Stoll's first solo effort in Hiroshima (see pic) since the suicide of co-filmmaker friend Juan Pablo Rebella (together the pair gave us Whisky and 25 Watts), Harmony Korine returns to eating spaghetti in the tub with Trash Humpers, we get a Thailand filmmaker collective in Wisit Sasanatieng, Aditya Assarat, Kongdej Jaturanrasmee and Pen-ek Ratanaruang in Sawasdee Bangkok and favorite Czeck contemo filmmaker Jan Hrebejk explores sex and marriage with Eastern bloc humor in Shameless. Probably the last batch of titles to be added to the Contemporary World Cinema and Visions sections, here are the smorgasbord of mostly world premiere offerings from all four corners. Contemporary World CinemaBeyond the Circle Golam Rabbany Biplob, Bangladesh World Premiere In this political fable from Bangladesh’s leading filmmaker, a simple

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