Archives for December 2015

STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS POWERS UP 2ND BEST OPENING IN FRANCE

Star Wars: The Force Awakens powered up the biggest non -holiday opening ever in France, and the country’s 2nd best opening of all times behind Spectre. Sources are reporting that Star Wars: The Force Awakens has sold just under 500,000 admissions according to provisional figures for an estimated 3.5 million Euros ($3.8 million). Final 1st day figure, $5.2 million, is the biggest of any territory opening on Wed. Rentrak, one of the main sources of intel for box office reports, held off the release of official figures this morning — some exhibitors have not yet reported their theaters’ admissions. Spectre, the opening day champion in France, had scored 850,297 admissions on its 1st day, 11th Nov, 2015, which is a national holiday in Gaul. In dollar terms, however, Star Wars: The Force Awakens looks like a winner, out passing average ticket returns in France, since the movie is showing mostly in 3D and some cinemas in France have boosted advance ticket prices way above the regular average of 7.5 Euros for 3D pics.

FATIMA BAGS LOUIS DELLU PRIZE FOR BEST FRENCH FILM

Philippe Faucon’s Fatima, a tender portrait of a devoted Moroccan single mother living in France, won the Louis Delluc Prize for “Best French film”. The film, which world premiered at Cannes’ Directors Fortnight, raises contemporary issues, such as the economic & social situation of immigrants living in France through the tale of a middle – age woman (Soria Zeroual) working as a maid, struggling to make ends meet while raising her 2 teenage daughters the best she can. Faucon is a critically acclaimed French auteur who often addresses current sociological issues through intimate stories as he previously did with La desintegration, one of the 1st and only movies dealing with the indoctrination & radicalization of French youths from underprivileged backgrounds who drift into terrorism. Fatima, which is repped by Pyramide, won over Arnaud Desplechin’s My Golden Years, Stephane Brize’s The Measure Of A Man, Xavier Giannoli’s Marguerite, Bruno Podalydes’s The Sweet Escape, Antoine Barraud’s Portrait Of An Artist & Rithy Panh’s Missing Picture.

SPARROWS & BANG GANG BAGS BIG PRIZE AT LES ARCS

Runar Runarsson’s Icelandic coming – of – age drama Sparrows has won the Crystal Arrow & 2 more awards at the 7th edition of Les Arcs European film festival. Sold by Versatile Sparrows, which world premiered at San Sebastian and won the Golden Seashell, nabbed 3 kudos at Les Arcs: The Crystal Arrow for “Best Film” as well as the nods for “Best Actor” (Atli Óskar Fjalarsson) & “Best Cinematography”
(Sophia Olsson). The movie marks Runarsson’s 2nd feature after Volcano, which bowed at Cannes Directors’ Fortnight in 2011. Lushly filmed in summertime Iceland, Sparrows follows a 16 year old who has been living in Reykjavik with his mother and is sent back to live with his estranged father in an Icelandic fishing village. Eva Husson’s steamy Bang Gang (A Modern Love Story) which premiered at Toronto’s new Platform selection, won the Grand Jury prize and the music nod for the pic’s song, “White Sea”. Husson, who has been compared to Sofia Coppola and was recently signed by UTA, wrote & directed Bang Gang, which turns on privileged suburban teens who engage in a group game to push the limits of their sexuality.

EURIMAGES BOWS FEMALE DIRECTOR PRIZE

Eurimages, the council of Europe co – production fund, is all set to launch a “Best Female Director” prize at an upcoming film festival. The 30,000 Euros cash prize marks Eurimages’ latest initiative to promote gender equality. The Strasbourg based org has previously passed a raft of measures to promote more balanced representation of women & men within the European film industry, both on & off screen. “Eurimages wishes to build on the experience gained by its study group over two and a half years on gender equality. For me, one of the landmark moments was the Board of Management’s adoption of a gender equality strategy and action plan at our Oct, 2015 meeting,” said Isabel Castro, deputy director of Eurimages. “This ensures that we will lead the way in ringing the changes regarding gender equality in the European film industry.”

CARACOL TV LAUNCHES MEGA -PRODUCTION THE WHITE SLAVE AT NATPE

Colombia’s Caracol TV is launching its latest mega -production The White Slave at NATPE, in keeping with its mandate to produce 1 to 2 large scale telenovelas a year. Featuring up to 11 exotic locations in Colombia, authenticated period costumes and up to 400 extras in battle & village scenes, The White Slave took 7 months to shoot after 5 months of development & pre -production. It turns on a marchioness from Spain who people think has returned to marry a rich merchant but is in fact scheming to help free the slaves who raised her when her parents were killed. Spanish Goya winning thespian Nerea Camacho plays the marchioness and leads Caracol’s most international cast to date, including Spain’s Miguel De Miguel, Venezuelan actor Luciano D’Alessandro, Cuba’s Dorian Suarez, Panamanian Miroslava Del Carmen & Puerto Rican Modesto Lacen, amongst others.

GREECE LOGS STRONG BOX OFFICE RETURNS

As a turbulent year winds down in a country wracked by political & economic uncertainty, Greek bizzers have some reason for holiday cheer after a strong year at the box office. With local helmer Christoforos Papakaliatis’ Worlds Apart opening this week, and Star Wars: The Force Awakens slated for a Christmas Eve release, exhibitors are expecting to see roughly a 9% increase in ticket sales from 2014, with total sales approaching 10 million for the 1st time since 2012. Ziotas Dionisis, of Village Roadshow Greece, which is distributing Worlds Apart, says it’s a heartening sign in light of the ongoing troubles afflicting this Mediterranean nation. “In such situations, to present something like a 9% (increase), it’s great,” he says. Echoing the sentiment of other distribs, Dionisis partly credits the boost to a strong slate of American studio releases, with Spectre, Minions & Inside Out leading the pack.

HEIDI PUNCHES BULLISH BOX OFFICE SALES

Heidi, Studiocanal’s 1st flagship family production in Germany, punched through a 1st 6 day 215,000 tix sales (€1.75 million: $1.9 million) with previews, as the European film – TV group readies release on its 1st full – production slate in Germany, Europe’s 3rd biggest movie market. 275,000 sales with Austria & German speaking Switzerland, 1st frame take puts Heidi, co – starring Bruno Ganz, on track to hit 3 territory 2 million admissions, €15 million ($16.5 million) or above in Box Office, said Rodolphe Buet, Studiocanal president, international distribution / marketing, plus chairman, Germany. Movie is luring family entertainment audiences & adult demos, as well. “We have to wait for Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ impact over the weekend but I don’t think the 2 films are competing for audiences. We believe Heidi will lead the German family film box office through till the end of the year,” Buet added.

BABELSBERG INVESTS $13.2 MILLION IN BACKLOT SET

Berlin production facility Studio Babelsberg, which is the home of the most recent season of Homeland and the next instalment in the Bourne franchise, is to invest Euros 12 million ($13.2 million) in an extensive new backlot set, with construction due to start soon. The 1st production to use the new set in May, 2016 will be Tom Tykwer’s TV series Babylon Berlin, which will be Germany’s biggest – budget TV production ever. The modular set, which will have the name Neue Berliner Strasse, will contain 4 streets in different architectural styles, and will be complete in spring. The set will be able to double for streets in New York, London, Berlin & Paris, according to Michael Duewel, managing director of the art department at Babelsberg.

STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS SCORES $2 MILLION ON OPENING DAY

Star Wars: The Force Awakens opened in line with expectations in Italy, pulling Euros 1.81 million ($1.97 million) on Wed from more than 780 screens & 219,000 admissions, according to national box office compiler Cinetel. The numbers are good but not stellar, considering that the opening day record -breaker in Italy is the Euros 3.18 milion scored by Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows – Part 2. Disney was expected to release its own, slightly higher, figures, since Cinetel does not monitor the entirety of the country screens, but they have not done so yet. Total day one take, including screens not monitored by Cinetel, is estimated around $2 million. The Italo opening is on par with Fifty Shades Of Grey, which also pulled Euros 1.81 million according to Cinetel on opening day earlier this year in Feb and went on to a strong Euros 8.6 million ($9.3 million) 1st frame.

MOROCCO APPROVES 20% CASH REBATE FOR FOREIGN SHOOTS

Less than a week after the 15th Marrakech Film Festival, Morocco’s parliament has approved a new 2016 Finance Law that includes a new 20% cash rebate scheme for foreign shoots. The final text will enter into force on 31st Mar, 2015. The new Moroccan cash back mechanism offers a 20% cash rebate on all eligible spend in Morocco, provided that there is at least 10 million Moroccan dirham ($1 million) of eligible expenditure in Morocco and at least 18 days work – including set -building and / or the shoot. Given this, a production with only a 6 day shoot but which also involves 12 days of set building can still qualify. General pre -production activity, such as location scouting, does not count for qualification. Sarim Fassi Fihri, the president of the Moroccan Cinema Center (CCM) who has lobbied for this new scheme since taking office in late 2014, told Variety he was “delighted” by the parliament’s decision to adopt his proposal.

H0LLYWOOD STUDIOS READY TO BATTLE FOR 2016 CHINESE FILM SLOTS

Star Wars: The Force Awakens will be the 1st Hollywood film to play in China in 2016, with a 9th Jan, 2016 release date. Unusually, it is expected to get an uninterrupted 3 week run. But now that the annual CineAsia convention has ended in Hong Kong, executives from each Hollywood studio will begin campaigning to see which other films will be the winners of the quota sweepstakes. It’s a lucrative contest: China’s theatrical box office was worth $6.3 billion in the 1st 48 weeks of the year, a figure that makes 2014’s $4.9 billion look puny, and yet will almost certainly be dwarfed in 2017. Decisions on which Hollywood films will get berths are made after the studios have each held private screenings for the Film Bureau & state owned distributor China Film Group, and lobbied for the titles they most want to get in to the Middle Kingdom.

ARGENTINA’S TELEFE INTERNATIONAL LAUNCHES LIONESS

Argentine broadcaster Telefe has teamed with Pablo Echarri’s Buenos Aires based TV outfit El Arbol to produce telenovela La Leona (Lioness), which launches at the upcoming Natpe edition, handled by Telefe’s distribution arm, Telefe International. A 120 one hour seg TV production, Lioness will premiere Jan, 2016 in Argentina in a Telefe primetime slot. Actress Nancy Duplaa & actor – producer Pablo Echarri, a couple in real life, star in the new telenovela, a passionate conflictive love story set in a textile factory under threat of closure. Duplaa plays Maria Leone, a humble textile worker who defends the rights of her factor co – workers & neighbors. Maria will meet Franco Uribe (Pablo Echarri), who leads the consulting firm the factory owner has hired for the factory’s liquidation. But Franco has his own agenda, with the goal of wrestling control of the factory, his by birthright.

HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS & SKY FOCUS ON ANT – TRUST FIGHT

6 Hollywood studios & European pay TV operator Sky are preparing to fight a European Commission allegation that they have acted in an anti -competitive way. The studios — Disney, NBCUniversal, Paramount, Sony, Fox, Warner Bros & Sky will attend a closed – door hearing on 18th Jan, 2016 & 19th Jan to address the charge. The meeting is likely to be attended by senior EC officials, anti -trust regulators & rival companies. In Jul, 2015 the EC, which is the executive branch of European Union, claimed that the studios & Sky were anti – competitive because movies & TV shows licensed to Sky were not available to Sky subscribers when they were outside UK. “European consumers want to watch the pay TV channels of their choice regardless of where they live or travel in the European Union. Our EU antitrust investigation shows that they cannot do this today. “We believe that this may be in breach of EU competition rules.” Margrethe Vestager, the EU commissioner in charge of competition, said at the time.

COMCAST DENIES MERGER REPORT

A Comcast spokesman has formally denied the report of ITV Group being in merger discussions with Comcast’s NBCUniversal. “We don’t comment on M & A rumors but the speculation on ITV is just completely inaccurate,” spokesman John Demming told. London — ITV’s share price rose 4% recently following a report in the Mail that claimed Comcast is reais readying a bid for UK based broadcasting & production group. ITV shares rose to 274.23p ($408), which values the group at just over £11 billion ($16.4 billion). It seems that Comcast disputed the report, but Comcast & ITV officially had no comment. ITV has repeatedly been the focus of takeover rumors in the past year. Previously, the most likely bidder was thought to be John Malone’s Liberty Global, which owns a 9.9% stake in the company. Liberty Global also controls UK cable operator Virgin Media. In his 5 years in charge, ITV chief executive Adam Crozier has transformed the company. When he joined, its focus was chiefly on free – to – air broadcasting, operating in 1 market namely UK. It is now increasingly centered on program – making for the international market & distribution, and is also involved in the pay TV business. Almost half its revenue comes from outside UK. ITV has invested heavily in production companies, many of which have been in US.

STRAND RELEASING ACQURIES CHEVALIAR

LA based distributor Strand Releasing has acquired all US rights to Greek up & comer Athina Rachel Tsangari’s critically-acclaimed Chevalier, a satirical comedy which world premiered at Locarno & played at Toronto & New York film festivals. Sold by The Match Factory, Chevalier turns on 6 men who get stuck on a luxury yacht in the Aegean sea because of mechanical problem and start challenging each other to determine who is “the Best in General.” Strand Releasing, which previously released Tsangari’s Attenberg and her short Capsule, will release Chevalier in Spring. A leading light of new Greek cinema, Tsangari was recently honored as the New York film festival’s 2015 Artist in Residence and had previous films for a special evening at Lincoln Center. “Tsangari is an absolute delight to collaborate with and we know ‘Chevalier’ will be met with both critical & commercial interest,” said Hu.

AMANDA INKS DEAL WITH ZHANG

The British Academy of Film & Television Arts and leading Chinese film school Beijing Film Academy have signed a memorandum of understanding confirming their intention to work together to “support greater collaboration between British & Chinese film & television students, and industry professionals.” Amanda Berry & chief executive of BAFTA, Zhang Huijun, president of & Beijing Film Academy, signed an MOU at a meeting at BAFTA’s headquarters in London on recently. The newly formalized relationship is part of BAFTA’s ongoing program of activity that aims to encourage creative & cultural exchange between UK & China, bringing together individuals from the film, television & games industries to share their skills & expertise. Areas of cooperation between BAFTA & Beijing Film Academy are likely to include student scholarships, research & learning events, such as masterclasses. The agreement comes as BAFTA prepares to expand its scholarship program, which began in Hong Kong, into mainland China, enabling Chinese & British citizens in financial need to study as an international students in UK or China respectively. Potential applicants can register here to be informed when applications open in early 2016.

UK PAYS OFF 2.24 BILLION IN TAX RELIEF IN 9 YEARS

UK Government has paid out almost £1.5 billion ($2.24 billion) in film tax relief since the current rebate model was introduced in Jan, 2007, its statistics unit has reported. Some £1 billion ($1.49 billion) of this was paid to big – budget films, and £450 million ($671 million) to lower – budget films. There have been 2,615 claims since the rebate started. In 2014 – 2015, there were 485 claims and more than £250 million ($373 million) paid out. In comparison, in 2007 – 2008 there were 115 claims and £104 million ($155 million) paid out. The films that have qualified for the rebate in 2015 have included Mr Holmes, Suffragette, Avengers: The Age of Ultron & Genius, which world premieres in Feb, 2016 at the Berlin Film Festival. The high – end television tax relief, which has been available since Apr, 2013 to TV productions budgeted at £1 million ($1.49 million) or more an hour, resulted in Government pay – outs totaling £92 million ($137 million). In 2013 – 2014, £52 million ($77.5 million) was claimed and £51 million ($76 million) paid out. Animation tax relief has produced £10 million ($14.9 million) in pay – outs since it bowed in Apr, 2013. In 2013 – 2014, almost £4 million ($5.96 million) was claimed and £3 million ($4.47 million) paid out.

KENNETH TO ACT AS PATRON FOR SHAKESPEARE PROJECT

Kenneth Branagh is all set to act as the patron of Shakespeare on Screen, a year – long program that marks 400 years since William Shakespeare’s death. The program, which is being spearheaded by regional movie agency Film London, includes a series of productions celebrating Shakespeare’s life, legacy & global appeal. Branagh said: “Storytellers at every stage of their careers continue to draw from the playwright’s work, so it is fitting that this project,through an ambitious series of brand new commissions, showcases emerging & established talents alike.” The projects include UK – India co -production The Hungry, which is produced through Film London’s Microwave initiative. It is written & directed by Bornila Chatterjee, and co – written & produced by Tanaji Dasgupta & Kurban Kassam. The film, which is a contemporary retelling of Shakespearian tragedy namely Titus Andronicus, is set in the surroundings of an Indian wedding while exploring the role of the patriarch, and corruption in Indian politics & business.

STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS BREAKS BOX OFFICE RECORDS GALORE

Star Wars: The Force Awakens has scored the biggest 4 day opening weekend of all time in UK & Ireland. The film previously broke the record for the biggest opening day in the territory recently. J. J. Abrams’ movie took £25.3 million ($37.7 million) in 3 days in UK & Ireland box office projecting £7.5 million ($11.2 million) bringing the film’s cumulative weekend projection to £32.8 million ($48.9 million), including previews. This breaks the record set by Jurassic World for the highest grossing 4 day opening weekend. The film has taken $238 million in US & $279 million internationally bringing the weekend global box – office takings to $517 million worldwide. Opening at midnight on Wed, the film took £9.6 million ($14.3 million) on its opening day, setting a new UK & Ireland record. Midnight screenings alone accounted for £2.4 million ($3.58) of the day’s box office, smashing all previous records. Tickets for the highly anticipated film went on sale in Oct, 2015 and sold more than 200,000 tickets in 24 hours. A total of 2 million tickets were booked ahead of the film’s release.

OSCARS SHORTLISTS PROMPT DISTRIBUTION MOVES IN ARAB WORLD

The 2016 Oscars shortlists is having an innovative impact on film distribution in Arab world, prompting the theatrical re – release in the region of Jordanian director Naji Abu Nowar’s desert adventure pic Theeb, and also of pluriprized short Ave Maria, by Palestinian director Basil Khalil. Desert set Theeb, which is Jordan’s Foreign Language Oscar candidate, is about a Bedouin boy who outwits potential enemies during a danger fraught mission at the height of World War I. Following its Jordanian premiere in Mar, 2015 pic went on to an outstanding box office run in 11 Arab countries. After being shortlisted in the Foreign Language Oscar category last week, it will now be getting a subsequent limited of pan – Arab’s 2nd outing early next year via Cairo based distribbery Mad Solutions, which claims this re – release of an Arab arthouse movie is a 1st of its kind.

DOHA FILM INSTITUTE TO FINANCE NEW ANIMATION PROJECT

Haifaa Al Mansour, considered the 1st female director to come from cloistered Saudi Arabia and known for groundbreaking female empowerment pic Wadjda, is developing animation feature Miss Camel, with financing from the Doha Film Insitute. Miss Camel turns on “a teenage Saudi camel who challenges the deep – rooted restrictions of her culture by travelling across the kingdom to compete in the Miss Camel beauty pageant in Doha,” according to DFI. Al Mansour, who in 2013 made waves with Wadjda, about a 10 year old Saudi girl who wants to ride a bicycle even though it is forbidden for her in her country, is currently reportedly in pre – prod on ambitious English language Mary Shelley drama A Storm In Our Stars, with Douglas Booth & Elle Fanning, produced by HanWay Films.

ABU DHABI PLANS TO USE STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS SETS

Abu Dhabi is making the most of its hosting a portion of the shoot of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, with plans to use some remains of the sets as a tourist attraction going forward. Media & Entertainment hub twofour54 is creating a giant Star Wars themed installation featuring the Starkiller Base from the latest installment, while props & set pieces used in UAE desert were unveiled to wow the invitees at the pic’s Middle East red carpet premiere held at Abu Dhabi’s sumptuous Emirates Palace hotel. Twofour54 CEO Noura Al Kaabi has confirmed to that some of the “Star Wars” sets in two Liwa desert locations which doubled as Jakku, the frontier desert planet in a remote section of the Outer Rim Territories, will become a tourist attraction, though further details are being kept under wraps.

BRAZIL ON TRACK FOR BEST BOX OFFICE YEAR IN HISTORY

Powered by Hollywood juggernauts and a hiking cinema theater screen count, Brazil is on track to punch 170 million admissions & RS$2.2 billion ($700 million) in total 2015 box office, the biggest total annual Box Office trawl in history, per Paulo Sergio Almeida, director of Filme B. 2015 will cap 11 years of continuous Brazilian Box Office growth, he said. In the short term, however, that could be as good as it gets. 2016 will see total box office dip, as Brazil’s post commodities super cycle recession – GDP fell a 3rd quarter 4.5%, and political turmoil impact consumer spending, and Hollywood’s lineup doesn’t pack so much of a punch, Almeida added. But US blockbuster made 2015’s running in Brazil. Disney’s The Avengers: Age of Ultron topped box office charts through late Nov, 2015, per Filme B, hitting 10.1 million tix sales, though Star Wars: The Force Awakens has just punched the biggest Dec, 2015 opening ever in Brazil.

STAR Wars: THE FORCE AWAKENS CHALLENGED FOR 3RD BEST 1ST WEEKEND

Punching €8.4 million ($9.1 million) by mid – morning Mon in Spain, with some smaller Spanish cinema theaters still to report, Star Wars – The Force Awakens looked on track to deliver the 3rd – to – 5th biggest opening weekend of all time in Spain. Spain’s best ever 1st weekend record was set at €9.2 million ($10.0 million), notched up by The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2. Juan Antonio Bayona’s The Impossible had notched up €8.97 million ($9.7 million, at current exchange rates), Pirates Of The Caribbean: At World’s End €8.9 million ($9.7 million) & The Da Vinci Code (€8.78 million: $9.5 million). Whole still excellent, Star Wars: The Force Awakens 1st weekend result, including Thurs’ midnight screenings, is below some exhibitors’ estimations on Sat morning after a vibrant 1st day Fri figures.

SONY STRIKES GOLD ACQUIRING US – LATIN AMERICA – SPAIN

Sony Pictures has struck Gold in Spain, closing distribution rights for the movie to US, Latin America & Spain on Oro (Gold), an upcoming conquistador epic, which Sony Pictures Spain will co – produce, joining Spain’s Atresmedia Cine & Apache Films. Spain’s Agustin Diaz Yanes is attached to direct, adapting a short story by Arturo Perez Reverte, Spain’s bestselling historical novelist, on what weighs in as one of the Spanish speaking world’s most ambitious & biggest of upcoming movies. The Diaz Yanes helmed Alatriste,”l based on Reverte novels and starring Viggo Mortensen, kick – started the spate of Spanish blockbusters that has fired up Spanish movies’ home market box office to record modern heights. Alatriste turned on Spain’s loss of empire, period adventure “Oro” (Gold), giving it larger immediate Latin America / US relevance, its conquest.

STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS BREAKS ALL – TIME RECORD IN PARIS

Star Wars: The Force Awakens has broken all – time record in Paris and its suburbs, where it sold 605 502 admissions (approximately $4.8 million) through Sun, beating by an inch Dany Boon’s homegrown comedy Welcome To The Cht’is.
Star Wars: The Force Awakens punched one of the highest grossing weekends of all times in France, an outstanding performance since it didn’t benefit from previews like local blockbusters. Pic sold estimated 2.7 million tickets (approximately $22 – $23 million) over its 1st 5 days in theaters, according to CBO Box Office. Star Wars: The Force Awakens is now expected to bank on the holidays & school break, which kicked off on Fri evening in Gaul. Local box office analysts have pointed out the movie had legs since the word – of – mouth has been particularly upbeat in France.

MIPTV LAUNCHES MIPDRAMA SHOWCASES 6 SHOWRUNNERS

MIPTV is launching MIPDrama, a showcase of 12 new drama series which will be selected by a jury made up of 6 high – profile international showrunners. The upcoming MIPTV edition, is all set to take place from 4th Apr, 2016 to 7th Apr, 2016, will host the 1st MIPDrama with a jury made up of Spain’s Teresa Fernández – Valdés & Ramón Campos, the showrunners for such hits as The Refugees, Velvet & Gran Hotel, Chris Long, director & executive producer of The Americans & The Mentalist, Sarah Phelps, writer & executive producer for And Then There Were None, Denmark’s Søren Sveistrup, creator & writer of The Killing & Germany’s Anna Winger, scribe & co – creator of Deutschland 83. A 1 day event, MIPDrama will host invitation – only world premieres for each series and will culminate with the MIPDrama Screenings Buyers’ Choice Award 2016 which will be presented by the jury.