News

Submissions Now Open for Short Film Competition

AlUla – 25 July, 2023: Film AlUla, the Royal Commission for AlUla's film agency, today launches ‘AlUla Creates' short film competition, joined by acclaimed production company Vertigo Films (Monsters, Britannia, Bronson), award-winning Saudi Filmmaker Haifaa Al Mansour (The Perfect Candidate, Wadjda) and internationally renowned director, producer and actor Katie Holmes (Rare Objects, Alone Together, Batman Begins). Vertigo Films and Film AlUla will helm the competition to support and establish three Saudi women directors in the international marketplace.

Vertigo Films has a longstanding history of discovering and supporting new talent since launching in 2002, with a number of their films and Hetv productions kick-starting the international careers of leading names, including Tom Hardy (Bronson), Gareth Edwards (Monsters), Vanessa Kirby (Kill Command), Sofia Boutella (StreetDance 2), Tom Shankland (The Children), Nicholas Winding Refn (Bronson) and Issa Lopez (Britannia).

Haifaa Al Mansour is the first female filmmaker in Saudi...

Dania Pasquini and Max Giwa will direct.

UK outfit HanWay Films will commence sales at the European Film Market on Breaking Point, a feature set in the world of breakdancing and directed by the filmmakers behind StreetDance 2 and StreetDance 3D, Dania Pasquini and Max Giwa.

HanWay will represent worldwide sales, excluding UK and Germany, where Sky has retained the rights.

It is the first of a two-parter, and follows two sisters’ rise through the ranks of the British team try-outs, for the chance to compete on the world stage at the London World Championships, and possibly beyond to the...

“Breaking Point,” a feature about breakdancing from the directors of hit film “StreetDance 3D” will get its sales launch at EFM.

Directed by Dania Pasquini and Max Giwa, who helmed both “StreetDance 3D” and “StreetDance 2,” “Breaking Point” is described as “an adrenaline fuelled, high energy deep dive into the world of breakdancing.”

HanWay Films are handling worldwide sales for the film, which goes into production in April.

“StreetDance 2” alum Niek Traa will reunite with Pasquini and Giwa for the new feature, choreographing the dance scenes. Some of the world’s top international breakdancers, including Kid Karam, Roxy and Jilou, will also appear in the film.

“StreetDance 3D” was the highest-grossing independent British film of its year.

“Breaking Point,” which will be the first in what is set to be a two-part franchise, tells the story of two breakdancing sisters who are fighting – with their competitors and each other...

Exclusive: Star Trek Beyond and The Mummy actress joins cast of upcoming thriller sold by Altitude.

Burgeoning star Sofia Boutella, who is currently filming opposite Tom Cruise in Universal’s The Mummy and will have a major role in Paramount’s upcoming Star Trek Beyond, has signed on for sci-fi thriller Gateway 6, which is currently in pre-production.

Boutella and veteran Jurgen Prochnow (The Da Vinci Code) are joining Deadpool villain Ed Skrein and Rhys Ifans (The Amazing Spider-Man) in the story of a squad of soldiers stranded on an abandoned military base in a post-apocalyptic Earth who are waiting for the relief or the enemy…whichever comes first.

The Malachi Smyth (Ghost Machine)-written project, which topped the most recent Brit List of the best unproduced screenplays, marks the feature debut of director Tanel Toom, whose short The Confession was Oscar nominated in 2011.

Altitude Film Sales is handling international sales on the film, which is due...

Monsters: Dark Continent, the sequel to Gareth Edwards' Monsters, takes a harrowing look at creature-centric combat and is now available on Blu-ray from Anchor Bay Entertainment and RADiUS TWC. We've been provided with three copies to give away.

"Ten years after the events of Monsters, the Infected Zones have now spread worldwide, and an American platoon is thrust into battle with a new breed of aliens. These soldiers embark on a life-altering mission through the dark heart of monster territory in the deserts of the Middle East. By the time they reach their goal, they will have been forced to confront their fear that the true monsters on the planet may not be alien after all."

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Prize Details: (3) Winners will receive (1) Blu-ray copy of Monsters: Dark Continent.

How to Enter: For a chance to win, email contest@dailydead.com with the subject “Monsters: Dark Continent Contest.” Be sure...

In our latest round-up, we take a look at the theatrical release details for L.A. Slasher, Anchor Bay Entertainment's Blu-ray release of Monsters: Dark Continent, and the news of Helix being cancelled by Syfy.

L.A. Slasher: Press Release -- "Los Angeles, CA (April 27, 2015) - Archstone Distribution has announced that the horror-dark comedy feature L.A. Slasher, directed by Martin Owen and produced by Jeffrey Wright and Daniel Sollinger, will receive a North American theatrical release starting June 12 in select AMC Theatres.

“We are very excited to take L.A. Slasher to the silver screen," Archstone Distribution's President & CEO Brady Bowen stated. "It is a highly entertaining film with a unique voice that we know audiences are going to love!”

L.A. Slasher Producer Daniel Sollinger remarked, “My team and I are thrilled to be working with Archstone, as they have a steady track record for bringing high quality films to audiences worldwide.

After making such a strong impression as the blade-legged assassin Gazelle in Kingsman: The Secret Service, it’s no surprise that dancer/actress Sofia Boutella is moving on to yet another highly anticipated project. According to Deadline, Boutella just scored “a lead role” in Star Trek 3. The outlet doesn’t have any details on her character, including whether she’s good or evil, but the author does reiterate that it’s a “lead role,” so she should have a significant presence in the film. Apparently Boutella also had roles in a movie called StreetDance 2 and the Monsters sequel, Monsters: Dark Continent, but I haven’t seen either and she doesn’t really have much dialogue in Kingsman, so it’s tough to assess her acting chops but if this Star Trek 3 part is a more physical one, there’s no doubt she’ll nail it. Have you see her Nike commercial?...

Following her breakout role in Kingsman: The Secret Service, Sofia Boutella has signed on for a lead role in Paramount's Star Trek 3. No specific details were given for her character, and Deadline reports that it's uncertain whether she will be on the good or evil side in the sequel. The news comes just a few weeks after we reported that actor Idris Elba is being sought to play the main villain.

Star Trek and Star Trek Into Darkness stars Chris Pine (Captain Kirk), Zachary Quinto (Spock), Zoe Saldana (Uhura), Simon Pegg (Scotty), Karl Urban (Bones) and Anton Yelchin (Chekov) are expected to return for Star Trek 3. No plot details have been released at this point, with Simon Pegg coming aboard to write a completely new screenplay with Doug Jung. Roberto Orci was previously set to direct from a script he co-wrote with J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay,...

The Secret Service has cast Sofia Boutella as its villain.

The actress will join Colin Firth, Taron Egerton, Michael Caine, Samuel L Jackson and Sophie Cookson in the comic book adaptation, reports Deadline.

Matthew Vaughn will direct the film based on Mark Millar and Dave Gibbons's series.

The film centres around a young man (Egerton) who is recruited into the British secret service by his spy uncle (Firth).

Lady Gaga, Adele, Taylor Swift, David Beckham and Elton John have all been rumoured for cameos in the movie.

Boutella starred in StreetDance 2 and will also appear in the upcoming Monsters: Dark Continent.

She has also been a dancer on Madonna's world tour and a runway model for Jean Paul Gaultier.

The Secret Service will open on November 14, 2014.

French-Algerian actress Sofia Boutella has signed on to play the lead female villain in The Secret Service for director Matthew Vaughn. This will be her first role in a major Hollywood production.

The story centers on a Secret Service agent (Colin Firth) who decides to mentor his young nephew (Taron Egerton) in this secretive trade. No details were given for Sofia Boutella's character, except that she will work alongside Samuel L. Jackson's primary villain. Michael Caine and Sophie Cookson are also attached to star.

Matthew Vaughn is directing from a screenplay adaptation he co-wrote with Jane Goldman, based on the comic book created by Mark Millar and Dave Gibbons. Production is currently under way in London. Sofia Boutella is expected to be on set until late January.

Sofia Boutella is best known as a model, who also danced on Madonna's world tour. Her acting credits include StreetDance 2 and Monsters: Dark Continent.

Now in production, Matthew Vaughn's adaptation of the Mark Millar comic series The Secret Service has added Sofia Boutella to the cast, Deadline reports. She joins a cast that includes Colin Firth, Taron Egerton, Michael Caine, Samuel L. Jackson and Sophie Cookson. Like his previous Millar adaptation, Kick-Ass , Matthew Vaughn has co-written the screenplay with Jane Goldman and will also direct and produce the project through his Marv Films banner. The series, illustrated by Dave Gibbons, tells the story of a British secret agent, Jake (Firth), who recruits and begins to train his rebellious nephew, Gary (Egerton). Although she's not yet a big name domestically, Boutella recently headlined France's Streetdance 2 and is set to star in the upcoming Monsters: Dark...

Leona Lewis will make her movie debut in Holiday!

The X Factor winner will arrive on the big screen in the musical from the StreetDance series filmmakers, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Annabel Scholey, Hannah Arterton, Giulio Berruti, Greg Wise and Katy Brand will also feature in director Max Giwa and Dania Pasquini's film.

Formerly titled Walking On Sunshine, the film will centre around a holiday love triangle and approaching marriage.

Les Misérables music producer and composer Anne Dudley has signed up for the project.

The soundtrack will feature 1980s hits including Human League's 'Don't You Want Me Baby', Madonna's 'Holiday', Cyndi Lauper's Girls Just Wanna Have Fun' and Wham's 'Wake Me Up Before You Go Go'.

Lewis was recently named the bestselling X Factor act in the UK.

Holiday! will shoot in the UK and Italy.

Watch the trailer for StreetDance 2 below:...

Film London announces Lilting, the latest project from Film London Microwave, will be distributed by Curzon Film World’s Artificial Eye in the UK with Protagonist Pictures to manage international sales. A striking feature debut from director Hong Khaou with an all-star cast led by Ben Whishaw (Skyfall, Cloud Atlas) and Cheng Pei Pei (Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon), Lilting explores love without a common language.

Written and directed by Khaou and produced by Dominic Buchanan, Lilting is the eighth film from the successful feature film fund Film London Microwave. Alongside Whishaw and Pei Pei, the film also stars Peter Bowles (Blow-Up, The Bank Job), Morven Christie (House of 9, The Young Victoria) and Andrew Leung (The List).

As part of Film London Microwave’s mentorship component, award-winning film-maker Michael Winterbottom acted as writer/director Khaou’s mentor, while producer Buchanan received guidance and support from his mentor Ken Marshall, the producer of London to Brighton, Filth and Song for Marion.

Curzon Film World’s Artificial Eye is known for its discerning taste in the best of European and world cinema. The label has released more winners of the Cannes Palme d'Or than any other UK distributor, with titles including The Class (2008) and The White Ribbon (2009).

Commercially-minded and creatively-spirited Protagonist Pictures is an international sales company committed to strong relationships with film-makers. Recent highlights in their catalogue include Searching for Sugar Man, Sightseers, The Imposter and Microwave’s Shifty. This year at Cannes they represent The Selfish Giant by Clio Barnard, screening in Directors’ Fortnight, and in the Critics’ Week, Paul Wright’s debut feature For Those In Peril.

Lilting tells the story of a Chinese mother (Pei Pei) as she grieves for her son (Leung) following his untimely death. He was her eyes and ears in the UK, their adopted country, and without him she is stranded. The only person left is his lover (Whishaw) – who she knows only as his flat mate. Together they are forced to overcome their differences and unite in sorrow whilst struggling against the absence of a shared language. An intimate and thoughtful film, Lilting addresses overcoming cultural and generational boundaries, the power of memory, and the lifelines and relationships formed in the face of grief.

Adrian Wootton, Chief Executive of Film London and the British Film Commission, said: “Lilting is a moving cinematic achievement and I am delighted that it will reach UK audiences through Curzon Film World and that Protagonist will be managing international sales. It is a testament to Microwave’s innovative approach to film-making that its projects attract high-calibre talent and prestigious commercial distributors and sales agents. The scheme’s successful track record is also a result of the Microwave team, who are integral to nurturing and guiding all our film-makers. I am proud to see another Microwave feature proving itself in the commercial marketplace and hope this is only the start of Lilting’s success.”

Louisa Dent, Managing Director of Curzon Film World said: "When we read the script, it was clear that this was something special. There is an emotional urgency that is compelling and honest. Hong is a real emerging talent and his short films marked him out. We knew that the Microwave/Film London team would be great partners on this and with a quality cast it seemed liked a perfect fit for us.”

Mike Goodridge, CEO of Protagonist Pictures said: “I had admired Hong's shorts so it was with great excitement that I watched his first feature Lilting. But Hong exceeds expectations: the film is an accomplished and mature portrait of love and loss, graced by two extraordinary lead performances. The whole Protagonist team was knocked out by it and we are confident it will be embraced by distributors around the world.”

Funded by Film London Microwave, additional finance came from production companies Stink Films and Andy Brunskill’s recently launched Sums Film and Media Ltd., supported by financier/producer Bob & Co, Lim Kay Sui and Neo Swee Lin.

Film London Microwave is a unique training-through-production scheme delivered in partnership with BBC Films and with support from Creative Skillset. Challenging London-based film-makers to shoot a feature film for up to £120,000, Film London Microwave enables talent to thrive in a limited budget with its integrated training programme which offers crucial guidance and mentoring throughout the film-making process.

The Film London Microwave team is made up of Creative Producer Mia Bays, who also acts as the Distribution/Marketing Consultant and Mike Kelly, Business and Finance Producer, alongside Film London’s Talent Development Manager Kevin Dolan and Development and Production Officer Tessa Inkelaar. Film London will soon be appointing a new Head of Talent Development and Production, who will head up the Microwave team.

Encompassing training and development from script to screen and beyond, Film London Microwave has enjoyed excellent results. Last year saw the successful UK theatrical releases of Ben Drew’s iLL Manors, released by Revolver, and Frances Lea’s Strawberry Fields, released through Soda Pictures’ New British Cinema Quarterly programme. Other films produced through the scheme include the BAFTA-nominated Shifty, award-winning horror Mum & Dad, documentary The British Guide to Showing Off, teen drama Freestyle and the yet to be release Borrowed Time which was awarded Best in Fest at the 2012 Edinburgh International Film Festival.

About Film London Microwave

Launched in 2006, Microwave is the acclaimed micro-budget feature film scheme set up by Film London with BBC Films, with support from Creative Skillset. Committed to discovering and investing in emerging London-based film-makers, Microwave backs talented teams with fresh voices and strong stories. A unique ‘apprenticeship’ scheme, it provides an intensive approach to film-making with the emphasis on original ideas, tightly focussed scripts and short production schedules. Film-makers are supported by an extensive training and mentoring programme from development, through production, all the way to the film’s release in the UK and internationally.

In pre production:

Seekers Written by Arinze Kene, directed by Nicole Volavka and produced by Rob Watson.

A thriller set in the world of London's underclass. An African single mother finds new happiness with Jean-Baptiste, a refugee from Rwanda, and their struggle to survive in the big city eases. But a chance sighting of a ghost from the past exposes long buried traumas, which puts their lives in danger and everything they have is threatened.

Completed features:

Mum & Dad (2008) Directed & written by Steven Sheil and produced by Lisa Trnovski. Released Boxing Day 2008 in the UK and Mother’s Day 2009 in North America courtesy of Revolver Entertainment

Shifty (2008) Directed & written by Eran Creevy and produced by Rory Aitken and Ben Pugh. Released on 24 April 2009 in the UK courtesy of Metrodome Distribution. Shifty received a BAFTA nomination for the Carl Foreman Award (Best Debut) in 2010 and 5 Bifa nominations in 2008

Freestyle (2009) a teen romance based around the world of freestyle basketball, directed by Kolton Lee and produced by Lincia Daniel. Released in London and key cities by Revolver in February 2010 and became the first Microwave film to receive a theatrical release in the Us through Phase 4

The British Guide to Showing Off, director Jes Benstock’s Alternative Miss World documentary produced by Dorigen Hammond. Distributed by Verve Pictures in autumn 2011

Strawberry Fields, directed by Frances Lea and produced by Liam Beatty and Lucie Wenigerova, is an intense rites of passage film bursting with energy, sex and humour set during a perfect English summer. It received its World Premiere at the 55th BFI London Film Festival and released by Soda Pictures on 6 July

iLL Manors, written and directed by Ben Drew and produced by Atif Ghani

A unique crime thriller set on the unforgiving streets of London, following six disparate lives, all struggling to survive the circles of violence that engulf them. Released by Revolver on 8 June 2012

Borrowed Time, a bittersweet comedy about growing up and rediscovering youth, written and directed by Jules Bishop and produced by Olivier Kaempfer, starring Philip Davis, Theo Barklem-Biggs and Perry Benson. The film received its world premiere at the Edinburgh International Film Festival in June 2012 and is set for release in 2013.

Lilting Written and directed by Hong Khaou and produced by Dominic Buchanan

Starring Ben Whishaw and Cheng Pei Pei, Lilting is an intimate and thoughtful film about communication, falling in love and forming relationships without a common language. A mother’s attempt at understanding who her son is after his untimely death, her emotions are stirred up by presence of his partner.

The Film London Microwave team includes Kevin Dolan, Talent Development Manager, Tessa Inkelaar, Development and Production Officer, Creative Producer Mia Bays, who also acts as the Distribution/Marketing Consultant, and Mike Kelly, Business and Finance Producer.

About Film London

Film London, as the capital’s film and media agency, aims to ensure London has a thriving film sector that enriches the city’s businesses and its people. The agency works with all the screen industries to sustain, promote and develop London as a major international production and film cultural capital, and it supports the development of the city’s new and emerging film-making talent. Film London is funded by the Mayor of London, the National Lottery through the BFI, and receives significant support from Arts Council England and Creative Skillset.

About BBC Films

BBC Films is the feature filmmaking arm of the BBC. It aims to make strong British films with range and ambition, bringing the best of British talent to audiences. BBC Films is firmly established at the forefront of British independent filmmaking and co-produces around eight films a year, working in partnership with major international and UK distributors. Christine Langan is the Head of BBC Films, responsible for the development and production slate, strategy and business operations.

Recent releases include Sally Potter’s reflection on troubled friendship Ginger and Rosa currently in cinemas, Ol Parker’s teen romance Now is Good, Fernando Meirelles’ stylish and contemporary drama 360, James Marsh’s heart-wrenching thriller Shadow Dancer, Julien Temple’s documentary feature London – The Modern Babylon, Lasse Hallström’s romantic comedy Salmon Fishing in the Yemen, Max and Dania’s kinetic 3D film StreetDance 2, Ralph Fiennes’ contemporary Shakespeare adaptation Coriolanus, Simon Curtis’ comedy drama My Week with Marilyn, Nick Murphy’s supernatural mystery The Awakening, Lynne Ramsay’s adaptation of the Winner for the Orange Prize for Fiction We Need to Talk About Kevin, David Mackenzie’s romantic thriller Perfect Sense, Cary Fukunaga’s modern retelling of Jane Eyre, and James Marsh’s moving documentary Project Nim.

Forthcoming films include Mike Newell’s sumptuous Dickens classic Great Expectations in cinemas 30 November and Dustin Hoffman’s directorial debut, the wickedly comic Quartet, which will be in cinemas 4 January 2013, and in March Terri Hooley biopic Good Vibrations from directors Lisa Barros D’Sa and Glenn Leyburn will feature in cinemas. Also set for a Spring release is Nick Murphy’s gripping thriller Blood.

BBC Films has an impressive back catalogue, which includes titles such as Nigel Cole’s Made in Dagenham, Lone Scherfig’s Academy Award® nominated and BAFTA award-winning An Education; Armando Iannucci’s Academy Award® and BAFTA award-nominated In the Loop; Jane Campion’s Academy Award®nominated Bright Star; and Andrea Arnold’s BAFTA award-winning Fish Tank.

Twitter @BBCFilms...

After a triumphal 2011, British-made films fell back to Earth last year with a reduction in box office share and fewer films made

British-made films accounted for a smaller share of the UK's box office last year than in 2011. The figure fell from 36% to 32%, but this number is flattered by the success of Skyfall, an American studio production. Skyfall accounted for around 10% of the UK's record £1.1bn box office in 2012, but qualifies as British only because of non-financial factors.

The figure for independently made British films fell by a third, from 13.5% (the highest ever recorded) to 9%. Last year's best-performing independently funded UK film, The Woman in Black, was only the 16th most successful film of the year in Britain and Ireland. It took £21m. Next came The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (£20m), followed by The Iron Lady (£9m) and Nativity 2: Danger in the Manger! (also £9m). In 2011, The King's Speech...

Ginger & Rosa, which charts the friendship of two teenage girls in postwar London, draws on the film-maker's own memories of the Cuban missile crisis

You would never call Sally Potter a ginge. Not just because you wouldn't dare. Or because it would be like squirting ketchup over a slice of Poilane, or programming a double bill of The Tango Lesson and StreetDance 2 3D. You wouldn't even risk "strawberry blonde". The famed Potter mane is a big mingle of lemon and silver and cinnamon, which shimmers, Titian-ish.

Yet there is little doubt that she is, in some sense, Ginger, the carrot-topped hero of her new film. Ginger & Rosa is about baby-boomer best buddies, born on the same day, whose friendship in postwar London comes under strain when Rosa (Alice Englert) starts shagging Ginger's glamorous academic dad (Alessandro Nivola), freshly separated from her housewife mum (Christina Hendricks, doing downtrodden). The plot might not be autobiography,...

The most fiercely competitive season on the cinematic calendar is now over. Here are the films that triumphed – and those that tanked

The arrival in cinemas today of the period drama Anna Karenina marks the end of the summer blockbuster season – that annual orgy of expensive, CGI-heavy motion pictures. The Hollywood studios long ago started preparing their basket of treats for next summer, but that won't stop them trying to make sense of what just happened: what worked, what didn't, and what lessons can be learned.

Winner: Superheroes

Audience affection for comic-book crime fighters is nothing new, but the genre's dominance in summer 2012 reached new heights, providing three of the top-five UK box-office hits. That's a big step up from summer 2011, when X-Men: First Class, Captain America: The First Avenger and Thor all failed to crack the summer top 10. Warner Bros will be pleased that, in the UK at least,...

Hard for cinema to compete with Mo Farah and Tom Daley on a sunny Saturday, and Step Up 4: Miami Heat came a cropper

The winner #1: Olympics

The Olympics closing ceremony may have surpassed the more creatively adventurous opening in the UK TV ratings, at least going by viewer averages (23.2m v 23.0m) rather than peak viewers, but it doesn't seem to have impacted the box office more than the event has in general. Sunday takings for top film Ted were only marginally behind Friday, and were ahead on Sunday in the case of runnerup title The Dark Knight Rises. For family films such as Brave, Ice Age 4: Continental Drift and Dr Seuss' The Lorax, which are not reliant on late-evening showtimes, Sunday offered the best of the three days' takings. Overall, the Olympics almost certainly negatively impacted all films in the market, with Saturday evening offering the...

Last week saw the release of Mark Wahlberg-starrer Contraband to our shelves, and this week brings with it a rather different line-up, with the lovely Marilyn Monroe getting the HD treatment, alongside Robert Pattinson amongst highly impressive company in Bel Ami, and the anticipated Shanghai, with John Cusack leading a fantastic cast.

With that in mind,

My picks of the week:

Mikael Håfström’s Shanghai.

And the Blu-ray release of Marilyn Monroe’s Forever Marilyn.

Shanghai Iframe Embed for Youtube

DVD and Blu-ray

Mikael Håfström’s Shanghai was released back in the summer of 2010 across parts of Asia, and has had various releases across the world since then, but the two markets it hasn’t yet been released in are the UK and the Us.

John Cusack, Gong Li, Chow Yun-Fat, Ken Watanabe, David Morse, Franka Potente, and Jeffrey Dean Morgan star in one of the most promising casts of recent years,...

It’s Monday, so we all know what that means! Yes, it’s time for another rundown of DVDs and Blu-ray’s hitting stores online and offline this week. It’s another packed week, with plenty of movies waiting to take you money, so let us breakdown the new releases and highlight what you should – and shouldn’t – be buying from today, July 23rd 2012.

Pick Of The Week

Star Trek: The Next Generation – Season One (Blu-ray)

Star Trek: The Next Generation – The First Season has been retransferred from original film elements to produce stunning high-definition images, including amazing visual effects that have been painstakingly recreated from the source material, creating before/after results that fans will love. The six-disc Blu-ray set also features a wealth of exclusive bonus material, such as archival footage, a gag reel, and an inside look at taking The Next Generation to the next level of high-definition.

Wild Bill; The Kid With a Bike; Act of Valour; StreetDance 2; Bel Ami

News that the actor Dexter Fletcher was to make his directorial debut with a London-bound tale of old lags out on parole led some to speculate that the film would owe a debt to Guy Ritchie's geezery oeuvre. Yet a more accurate touchstone for the surprisingly tender Wild Bill (2011, Universal, 15) would be the films of Shane Meadows, with which this shares both a tough edge and a soft heart. Charlie Creed-Miles stars as the eponymous ex-con whose release from prison is met with dismay by his son, Dean (Will Poulter), who has been acting in loco parentis to younger brother Jimmy (Sammy Williams) for years. Initially, Bill doesn't want anything to do with his children, preferring to head north in search of pastures new. But when social services threaten to put the kids into care,...

Ben Roberts’ U.K Sales house Protagonist Pictures might only have one pic playing on the Croisette – but it’s the highly touted Special screening of Ben Wheatley’s Sightseers which should give the Directors’ Fortnight its most buzz-worthy title. In pre-production, we’ve got John Michael Mcdonagh’s Calvary and Kevin MacDonald’s How I Live Now giving them a strong presence in 2013. Not too shabby.

Calvary by John Michael McDonagh

How I Live Now by Kevin MacDonald

The Sweeney by Nick Love

Searching For Sugar Man by Malik Bendjelloul

Sightseers by Ben Wheatley

Streetdance 2 by Max And Dania

The Double by Richard Ayoade

The Imposter by Bart Layton

Your Sister’S Sister by Lynn Shelton...

14 year old Horrid Henry star Theo Stevenson (represented by Independent Talent) and 12 year old Akai Osei-Mansfield, winner of Got to Dance 2010, will head the cast in Vertigo Film's third Streetdance movie, Streetdance Juniors.

Akai had a cameo role in Streetdance 3D and returned as Junior in Streetdance 2. He also featured in the film Horrid Henry: The Movie in which Theo played the title role.

Streetdance Juniors promises to be a fast and funny story about dance, love and finding strength through friendship.

Fast-talking streetwise Ethan teams up with Jaden, a shy nerd who secretly loves to dance, to save their beloved youth club from closure. Along the way they put on a phenomenal talent show and streetdance their way to victory as Ethan wins a girl's heart and Jaden achieves his dreams...

Streetdance Juniors is set to start shooting next month.

Dance and music movies are on a roll with the huge successes of High School Musical, the Footloose remake and of course "Glee."

And before a fourth Step Up comes to theatres this summer, they very same franchise that launched Channing Tatum's career, the U.K. hit Streetdance is back in town with more inspired choreography and it's street dance meets Latin this time around. Ash (Falk Hentshel) and his team desperately need the help and the skills of sexy Eva (Sofia Boutella) to win a rematch against Invincible, a talented crew that left his team humiliated. Gathering the best dancers from around the world, Ash is determined to win and who knows, maybe even allow his heart to dance a little too.

Cineplex spoke with Boutella, a gorgeous Algerian dancer and actress who previously danced with Madonna and appeared in Nike adverts, about her sweet moves in Streetdance 2.

Another new addition to the team here at Blogomatic3000. We’d like to give a warm welcome to Leah, aka Bright Eyes Long Lashes, who will be providing her thoughts on the latest film releases. Leah is a fantastic video reviewer who calls YouTube her home, but we thought she was too good to be hidden behind the new changes over there and so offered her a spot here on the new-look B3K!

First up from Leah are her reviews of Tarsem Singh’s Mirror Mirror and the UK dance flick Streetdance 2…

Check Out Bright Eyes Long Lashes On Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/BrightEyesLongLashes...

James Cameron re-release emerges top at the UK box office ahead of The Hunger Games, Mirror Mirror and The Pirates!

The winner

A combination of wet weather and the Easter holiday created a box-office bonanza for UK cinemas at the weekend, with the 3D re-release of Titanic emerging top of a highly competitive heap. With an impressive Friday-Sunday total of £2.86m including £97,000 in previews, the James Cameron epic went on to pull in a further £1.03m on bank holiday Monday, yielding a holiday weekend haul of £3.88m. This compares with a debut weekend of £4.81m for Titanic back in January 1998, and an opening weekend of £1.53m (including £228,000 in previews) for recent 3D re-release, Star Wars: Episode I. The Lion King 3D kicked off its run with £2.75m last October, on its way to a gross so far of £12.37m.

The runners-up

Three movies fought for bragging rights on the runner-up spot.

There was quite a broad range of movies out last week with Aardman’s The Pirates: In an Adventure With Scientists arguably the biggest hitter of the lot. Into the Abyss and The Island President were two wildcard documentary options and Streetdance 2 was the obvious choice for anyone who likes dancing, streetdancing to be precise.

By all accounts Wrath of the Titans was as expected, marginally better than Clash of the Titans but still nothing to write home about, while Breaking Wind was every bit as awful as you might expect.

This time out there’s a family fairy story , a couple of gung-ho action thrillers and a timely release of a legendary anti-war film. Oh, and a little film some of you may remember about a leaky boat and a doomed romance is back in cinemas, this time in 3D.

If you want to check to see if...

The Hunger Games has devoured competition from the Clash Of The Titans sequel to retain the top spot at the U.K. box office.

The futuristic thriller, based on Suzanne Collins' best-selling book, took in $4.8 million (£2.98 million) in its second week, while fantasy blockbuster Wrath of the Titans debuted second in the rundown with $3.5 million (£2.19 million).

Animated movie The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists was third with earnings of $3.5 million (£2.17 million), Jonah Hill's cop comedy 21 Jump Street slipped two spots to fourth place, and new release Streetdance 2 rounded out the top five.

The Hunger Games, starring Jennifer Lawrence as a competitor in a televised battle to the death, is making its mark across the world - it's also the top title in the U.S. and Canada.

The Hunger Games has held off competition from Wrath of the Titans to top the UK box office for the second consecutive week. Jennifer Lawrence's action movie pulls in £2.9 million to edge past Sam Worthington's fantasy sequel and secure the number one spot. The race for second place was hotly contested, with Wrath taking in £2.19 million against the £2.17 haul for Aardman's latest animation The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists. 21 Jump Street falls two places to number four, while StreetDance 2 is at five. The dance movie's £608,024 haul falls short of its predecessor's impressive £2,493,948 opening in 2010, which outpaced summer blockbuster Prince of Persia. Elsewhere, Werner Herzog's film about death row inmate Michael (more)...

The Hunger Games holds on at the UK box office as schools break up, but will Mirror Mirror take the holiday prize?

The Easter battle

With schools breaking up for the Easter holiday last Friday, box office was always going to be a prize worth fighting for, and several major films entered a market already dominated by The Hunger Games. The Suzanne Collins adaptation experienced a relatively modest 33% drop from the previous weekend, holding on to the top spot with a solid £2.99m. In the Us, the drop was a steeper 62%, albeit falling from a towering $153m opening that was always going to see a large decline. With £9.85m so far, The Hunger Games is well positioned to build a solid total over the holiday period.

Top new entrant is Wrath of the Titans, but with box-office less than half the debut achieved by predecessor Clash of the Titans two Easters ago.

Rating: 2 out of 5 stars

In case it wasn’t blandly ineffective enough the first time round, the inexplicable British hit Streetdance 3D now has a three-dimensional follow-up, one which layers on the very sexiest Salsa dancing, but still struggles with insufferably bad acting and a thin, shopworn script.

After American streetdancer Ash (Falk Hentschel) loses an important dance-off for his team against rival crew Invincible, he finds himself globe-trotting in order to build a team that can beat them at an upcoming dance competition. When Ash chances upon stunning Salsa dancer Eva (Sofia Boutella), he may have his answer, if he can find a way to successfully meld the streetdance style with Eva’s contrasting one.

While few people are going to expect robust narrative craft from a 3D dance film, there’s such a stupefying lack of effort put into the characters and the story here that it makes...

The Pirates! In An Adventure With Scientists (U)

(Peter Lord, Jeff Newitt, 2012, UK/Us) Hugh Grant, Martin Freeman, David Tennant, Imelda Staunton. 88 mins

Aardman sets sail on seas of clay, in what feels more like an animated Blackadder than Pirates Of The Caribbean. Grant's inept rogue is good company, falling foul (or rather fowl) of Queen Victoria and Charles Darwin in a nonsensical, if inconsequential, romp that's lifted, as usual, by Aardman's eccentric details and fine craftsmanship.

Into The Abyss (12A)

(Werner Herzog, 2011, Us/UK/Ger) 107 mins

Herzog studies a Texas homicide from all angles, building less a polemic against the death penalty than a humane survey of death and loss.

This Is Not A Film (U)

(Mojtaba Mirtahmasb, Jafar Panahi, 2010, Ira) 75 mins

Panahi boldly defies his own house arrest by "not making" a film within his apartment, the confinement provoking a profound questioning of cinema itself.

Wrath Of The Titans (12A)

(Jonathan Liebesman,...

It’s Friday, so you know what that means – lots more films released in cinemas across the country! Yes, after last weeks box-office behemoth that was The Hunger Games this week seems positively chock-full of movies to suit every taste – from animation to fantasy, dance flicks to documentaries, there literally is something for everyone in the latest cinema releases. Here’s the highlights:

Nationwide Releases: The Pirates! In an Adventure With Scientists

Hugh Grant, starring in his first animated role, is the luxuriantly bearded Pirate Captain – a boundlessly enthusiastic, if somewhat less-than-successful, terror of the High Seas. With a rag-tag crew at his side (Martin Freeman, Brendan Gleeson, Russell Tovey, and Ashley Jensen), and seemingly blind to the impossible odds stacked against him, the Captain has one dream: to beat his bitter rivals Black Bellamy (Jeremy Piven) and Cutlass Liz (Salma Hayek) to the much coveted Pirate Of The Year Award.

On this evidence the streetdance movie genre is not exactly maturing, but there's a bucketful of brash energy here

One day the streetdance movie genre will evolve and mature to the extent that every single film does not need to climax in a competition. That day has not yet dawned, but Streetdance 2 has brash energy; it does not neglect to do what it says on the tin and the lack of realism is no problem. Falk Hentschel is Ash, a guy with something to prove, having embarrassed himself in a confrontation with a streetdance crew hubristically named Invincible. So he assembles a super-cool crew of his own from all over Europe to take them on again, and incidentally falls for Eva (Sofia Boutella), his most luscious signing. And after some ups and downs … well, there are no great surprises, although they need some new choreographical ideas for those various...

The veteran Scottish actor has always been a smoothie, and now he's showing off his moves in Streetdance 2. He talks to us about salsa, stardom – and being the oldest person on set

In the middle of Streetdance 2, a breakdance crew storms a Parisian bar to show off their moves. They flex and writhe as the music thumps. On the edge of the circle, away from the sweat and the fury, Tom Conti leads a partner through a gentle spot of salsa.

"It really wasn't about dancing," says the 71-year-old of his awkward turn on the boards. "It was about the connection between man and woman. The streetdancers don't connect with each other, they just do phenomenal acrobatics. There's no sex, really."

Conti doesn't like to dance. He has trouble with the tango, spurns the quickstep. He turned down Strictly Come Dancing ("I'd make a total arse of myself"), but he likes music,...

Catch up with the last seven days in the world of film

The big story

A sailor went to sea sea sea, to see what he could see see see, but all that he could see see see ...

... was James Cameron becoming the first person to travel to the ocean's deepest point solo. The Avatar director sank to a new low on Monday, when he hit the bottom of the western pacific's Mariana trench. Cameron, who made the descent over five hours in a 12-tonne lime green submarine called the Deepsea Challenger, used 3D cameras to film his journey and plans to release a documentary film about the experience later this year.

"He's down there on behalf of everybody else on this planet," said expedition doctor Joe MacInnis during Cameron's dip in the deep blue. "There are seven billion people who can't go, and he can. And he's aware of...

★★★☆☆ Generally speaking, dancing's depiction in films and the media has tended to be aimed towards the older generation. Then shows like Strictly Come Dancing and Britain's Got Talent came along and suddenly it was hip, no matter what your age, to strut your stuff. It's the audiences of those shows that StreetDance 2 (2012), starring Falk Hentschel, Tom Conti and George Sampson and directed by Max Giwa and Dania Pasquini, is clearly hoping to attract - an aim it should have no problem in accomplishing.

Read more »...

George Sampson has revealed that he had to be rushed to A&E after a dance move went wrong. The actor was filming a stunt for the upcoming StreetDance 2 when he accidentally hit the floor and cut his chin. "I did a flip, I was supposed to do a full spin, but I landed on my face and cut my chin," he told BBC Breakfast. "I had to go to A&E and have stitches." Sampson returns as Eddie in the movie sequel, in which he teams up with street dancer Ash (Falk Hentschel) to start up a new crew. He added of his character: "He's grown up a bit, in the first movie he was someone who wanted to be in charge, in this this one (more)...

The ventriloquist on her life with dummies and the film that pays tribute to her mentor and former lover, the late Ken Campbell

So you're eating oatmeal in Austin, Texas, the morning after the premiere of your first film, Her Master's Voice, at South by Southwest. You look happy. Are you?

Well, I had six heart attacks before it started. With every new trailer I was like: that's not my film! But they seemed to like it. For the Q&A I brought along Monkey (1), so I just went into standup gig mode. Then afterwards I thought: that was my opportunity to be a serious director. For a long time I thought I could edit the whole thing myself. I went on a course for frontline journalists that taught you how to send back video from a war zone. I was the only ventriloquist.

Why do dummies get such bad press at the cinema?...

Today we have for you a new trailer, a large number of posters and photos from StreetDance 2, the sequel to the 2010 movie Streetdance 3D. The sequel sees the return of favourite characters from the first film, including George Sampson, who won over audiences with his portrayal of Eddie, and dance troupe Flawless reprise [...]

Continue reading Streetdance 2 Trailer, Posters and Photos on FilmoFilia.

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Why put up one poster when you can put up 11 right?! Vertigo Films have sent us a brand new quad poster and 10 other character posters for their new movie, Street Dance 2. The first movie turned out to be one of the most successful independent British movies of all time bringing in £6.6m at the UK Box office. This new offering brings more awesome dance moves but time will tell if the sequel can be as successful as it’s predecessor. Streetdance 3D was released at the height of all things dance as Britain’s Got Talent was sweeping the nation with new and exciting moves and the likes of Flawless and eventual winners of that season being Susan Boyle in the process, Diversity. That was a fair while ago now and I’m, not sure the movies ill have the longevity that it’s makers hope it does but I...

StreetDance 2 has released a new trailer, showing Britain's Got Talent star George Sampson teaming up with Falk Hentschel to assemble a dance crew.

Hentschel plays Ash, a street dancer who is embarrassed by the Invincible troupe and sets out to get even in a rematch. Sampson reprises his role as Eddie, taking on an expanded part from the 2010 predecessor. The globe-trotting drama takes place in London, Rome, Ibiza, Berlin, Amsterdam and Paris. > George Sampson, Flawless in StreetDance 2 (more)...

Check out the poster and new photo from the upcoming British dance film Streetdance 2, starring Falk Hentschel, Sofia Boutella, Tom Conti, Stephanie Nguyen and George Sampson. Here’s the official synopsis When top street dancer Ash (Falk Hentschel) is humiliated and laughed off stage by American crew Invincible, he sets off to gather the best dancers from [...]

Continue reading New Streetdance 2 Poster and Photo on FilmoFilia.

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Sneak Peek the new poster and trailer supporting the Brit feature "Streetdance 2" 3D, directed by Max Giwa and Dania Pasquini, starring Falk Hentschel as 'Ash', whose crew is defeated at a 'dance battle' against the Us crew 'Invincible'.

'Street dance', aka 'vernacular dance' is an umbrella term used to describe dance styles that evolved outside of dance studios in any available open space such as streets, dance parties, block parties, parks, school yards, raves and nightclubs.They are often improvisational and social in nature encouraging interaction and contact with spectators and the other dancers.

"Streetdance 2" also stars Sofia Boutella, George Sampson and Tom Conti, opening March 2012.

Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "Streetdance 2"...

If Footloose this weekend left you gagging for more dancing, you're in luck. Blighty's own Streetdance 2 is on its way, offering yet more in the way of gyrating, getting down and general rug-cutting. And here we can present to you the teaser quad from the film, just to prove that it really will feature gorgeous people dancing, apparently in front of giant number twos (steady).The film stars Falk Hentschel as Ash, whose crew (that's his chums who dance with him, grandad) is soundly beaten in a "dance battle" with the aptly-named Us crew Invincible. Ash vows to do better next time, and recruits an international team to help him. Hence, we're guessing, the trailer's shots from Paris and Rome.Streetdance 2 is due out in March 2012, and also stars Sofia Boutella, George Sampson and Tom Conti. Like its perhaps-surprisingly successful predecessor, it's directed by Max Giwa and Dania Pasquini.

Check out the official Teaser Trailer for StreetDance 2, which will be in cinemas in March 2012.

StreetDance 2 sees the return of a few favourites from the first film, including George Sampson, who won over audiences with his portrayal of cheeky chappie Eddie, and dance troupe Flawless reprise their role as dance crew The Surge. Falk Hentschel and Sofia Boutella star in the lead roles of Ash and Eva.

When top street dancer Ash (Hentschel) is humiliated and laughed off stage by American crew Invincible, he sets off to gather the best dancers from around the world to take them on – with a dance style they weren’t expecting. With landmark locations, a spectacular fusion of dance styles and an unparalleled vibrancy, the sequel to StreetDance sees our hero fall in love with a beautiful salsa dancer as he discovers the magic, power and passion of dancing for the ultimate global dance off.

The first trailer for StreetDance 2 has been released. Britain's Got Talent stars George Sampson and Flawless feature in the 60-second video, which teases the sequel to 2010's "international phenomenon" dance movie. StreetDance 2 sees performer Ash (Falk Hentschel) assembling the best dancers from around the world to take on the Invincible crew. Watch the StreetDance 2 teaser trailer below: Max Giwa (more)...

The original Streetdance movie was a surprise UK box office hit so, of course, a sequel was swiftly ordered. Directed by Max Giwa and Dania Pasquini, Streetdance 2 3D sees a lot of the cast of the original movie returning for the sequel including the girls favourite George Sampson, and the folks at Heat got the scoop on the first trailer for the film, which looks a lot like a UK version of Step Up 3D…

When top street dancer Ash (Hentschel) is humiliated and laughed off stage by American crew Invincible, he sets off to gather the best dancers from around the world to take them on – with a dance style they weren’t expecting. With landmark locations, a spectacular fusion of dance styles and an unparalleled vibrancy, the sequel to StreetDance sees our hero fall in love with a beautiful salsa dancer as he discovers the magic, power...

The first StreetDance 3D movie surprised pretty much everyone when it shot to the top of the UK box office. The first movie was timed perfectly to coincide with hype that was Britain’s Got Talent giving winning acts like George Sampson and Diversity and runners up like Flawless to showcase some of their amazing dance moves. Vertigo Films obviously loving the success that the first brought, have now got a second movie out with the catch title StreetDance 2 3D which is scheduled for release March 2012.

StreetDance 2 3D is directed by Max Giwa & Dania Pasquini and features many of the acts that you got to see wow you in the first movie.

When top street dancer Ash (Hentschel) is humiliated and laughed off stage by American crew Invincible, he sets off to gather the best dancers from around the world to take them on – with a dance style they weren’t expecting.

With rehearsals now complete, filming is set to start on June 6th 2011 on Streetdance 2 3D, the highly anticipated follow-up to Streetdance 3D.

The film will shoot on location throughout Europe, including London, Paris, Rome and Berlin over the next 3 months.

Streetdance 2 sees the return of favourites from the first film, including George Sampson, who won over audiences with his portrayal of cheeky chappie Eddie, and dance troupe Flawless reprise their role as dance crew The Surge.

George comments “I’m very excited about working on StreetDance 2 3D, the film is going to be totally amazing. I’m looking forward to playing Eddie again especially as I have more of a central role – I’ll be showcasing some spectacular moves. I also can’t wait to be filming all over Europe in some incredible locations.”

The filmmakers have also announced the casting of Falk Hentschel and Sofia Boutella...