One of the year’s most anticipated films will be on sale for independent buyers at the upcoming Cannes market. We can bring you news that French sales company Goodfellas has boarded Francis Ford Coppola’s Megalopolis ahead of the movie’s world premiere in Competition at the festival.
Also confirmed today is the film’s French deal with Le Pacte and the involvement of longtime Coppola collaborator Paul Rassam.
Speculation has been rife around rollout plans for the $120M self-financed epic ever since Coppola showed it for the first time to buyers at L.A.’s Universal CityWalk Imax Theater at the end of March, with the screening followed shortly after by news of its Cannes selection.
Adam Driver stars as an idealistic architect attempting to rebuild New York as an American Utopia, with the ensemble cast also featuring Nathalie Emmanuel, Aubrey Plaza, Shia Labeouf, Dustin Hoffman, Jon Voigt,...
Also confirmed today is the film’s French deal with Le Pacte and the involvement of longtime Coppola collaborator Paul Rassam.
Speculation has been rife around rollout plans for the $120M self-financed epic ever since Coppola showed it for the first time to buyers at L.A.’s Universal CityWalk Imax Theater at the end of March, with the screening followed shortly after by news of its Cannes selection.
Adam Driver stars as an idealistic architect attempting to rebuild New York as an American Utopia, with the ensemble cast also featuring Nathalie Emmanuel, Aubrey Plaza, Shia Labeouf, Dustin Hoffman, Jon Voigt,...
- 4/30/2024
- by Melanie Goodfellow and Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
Documentary filmmaking has never been a profession one enters into to get rich — though for a brief period it seemed possible.
Cable expanded documentary’s reach to wider audiences in the 1980’s and 1990’s, and films like “Fahrenheit 9/11,” “March of the Penguins,” and “An Inconvenient Truth” became legitimate box-office breakthroughs, but nonfiction features on the whole remained something of a stepchild within the larger Hollywood ecosystem until 2017, when Netflix acquired Brian Fogel’s “Icarus” for $5 million.
At the time, the deal was one of the biggest ever for a non-fiction film. And it was followed by even bigger deals: In 2019 Netflix shelled out $10 million for Rachel Lears’ “Knock Down the House.” The following year Apple TV+ and A24 partnered to buy Jesse Moss’ “Boys State” for $10 million, and in 2021 Searchlight and Hulu bought Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson’s “Summer of Soul” for $12 million.
On the surface it seemed like people,...
Cable expanded documentary’s reach to wider audiences in the 1980’s and 1990’s, and films like “Fahrenheit 9/11,” “March of the Penguins,” and “An Inconvenient Truth” became legitimate box-office breakthroughs, but nonfiction features on the whole remained something of a stepchild within the larger Hollywood ecosystem until 2017, when Netflix acquired Brian Fogel’s “Icarus” for $5 million.
At the time, the deal was one of the biggest ever for a non-fiction film. And it was followed by even bigger deals: In 2019 Netflix shelled out $10 million for Rachel Lears’ “Knock Down the House.” The following year Apple TV+ and A24 partnered to buy Jesse Moss’ “Boys State” for $10 million, and in 2021 Searchlight and Hulu bought Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson’s “Summer of Soul” for $12 million.
On the surface it seemed like people,...
- 4/6/2024
- by Addie Morfoot
- Variety Film + TV
Non-English-language movies stormed the Oscars this year, with five films taking home statuettes — the most ever in one ceremony.
Justine Triet and Arthur Harari’s Best Screenplay Academy Award for French-language courtroom drama Anatomy of a Fall followed three past non-English-language winners: Bong Joon-ho’s Parasite (2019), Pedro Almodóvar’s Talk To Her (2002) and A Man and a Woman by Claude Lelouch and Pierre Uytterhoeven (1966).
The Best Sound Academy Award for Jonathan Glazer’s German-language Holocaust drama The Zone of Interest marked a first for a non-English-language film. The pic also clinched Best International Feature Film.
Related: ‘Oppenheimer’, ‘The Zone Of Interest’ & ‘Poor Things’ Wins Cap Good Night For Brits At The Oscars
The Best Animation Oscar for The Boy and the Heron marked a second Academy Award for Japanese animation maestro Hayao Miyazaki, who took co-directing credits with Toshio Suzuki.
Miyazaki previously triumphed in the category in its second year...
Justine Triet and Arthur Harari’s Best Screenplay Academy Award for French-language courtroom drama Anatomy of a Fall followed three past non-English-language winners: Bong Joon-ho’s Parasite (2019), Pedro Almodóvar’s Talk To Her (2002) and A Man and a Woman by Claude Lelouch and Pierre Uytterhoeven (1966).
The Best Sound Academy Award for Jonathan Glazer’s German-language Holocaust drama The Zone of Interest marked a first for a non-English-language film. The pic also clinched Best International Feature Film.
Related: ‘Oppenheimer’, ‘The Zone Of Interest’ & ‘Poor Things’ Wins Cap Good Night For Brits At The Oscars
The Best Animation Oscar for The Boy and the Heron marked a second Academy Award for Japanese animation maestro Hayao Miyazaki, who took co-directing credits with Toshio Suzuki.
Miyazaki previously triumphed in the category in its second year...
- 3/11/2024
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
Vincent Maraval’s Goodfellas has seized the worldwide sales rights to Galapagos adventure doc “Lions of the Sea,” which wrapped principal photography in mid-January.
“Sea” is the latest from Italian-Ecuadorian explorer-filmmaker Luis Felipe Fernández-Salvador y Campodonico, best known by his nom de cinéma, Jamaicanoproblem, and whose film “A Son of Man” was Ecuador’s official selection for the 2019 Academy Awards.
Described by the filmmaker as “a fictional account grounded in science,” “Lions of the Sea” is set in the Galapagos Islands where a young sea lion struggles to fend for himself in the face of food scarcity and after losing his mother while fleeing from illegal fishermen. Determined, he sets out to find a new sanctuary. “I hope to call attention to the problems that beset the islands, not only from climate change but from over-fishing on the perimeters of the archipelago and other factors that have led to the...
“Sea” is the latest from Italian-Ecuadorian explorer-filmmaker Luis Felipe Fernández-Salvador y Campodonico, best known by his nom de cinéma, Jamaicanoproblem, and whose film “A Son of Man” was Ecuador’s official selection for the 2019 Academy Awards.
Described by the filmmaker as “a fictional account grounded in science,” “Lions of the Sea” is set in the Galapagos Islands where a young sea lion struggles to fend for himself in the face of food scarcity and after losing his mother while fleeing from illegal fishermen. Determined, he sets out to find a new sanctuary. “I hope to call attention to the problems that beset the islands, not only from climate change but from over-fishing on the perimeters of the archipelago and other factors that have led to the...
- 2/15/2024
- by Anna Marie de la Fuente
- Variety Film + TV
Ginger & Fed, the new international film sales arm of Federation Studios headed by former TF1 Studio boss Sabine Chemaly, will launch several high profile titles at the Unifrance Rendez-Vous, including “The Future Awaits,” Niels Tavernier’s WWII-set drama based on the true story of a Holocaust survivor. Ginger & Fed will also bow sales on “Riviera Revenge,” a heartwarming comedy starring André Dussollier (“The Crime is Mine”), Sabine Azéma (“Tanguy”) and Thierry Lhermitte (“The Dinner Game”), along with continuing deals on “Rachel’s Game,” “Survive” and “Oldies and Goodies.”
Produced by Yves Darondeau at Bonne Pioche Cinema (“March of the Penguins”), “The Future Awaits” tells the story of Tauba Birenbaum, whose testimony was collected in July 1997 to become part of Steven Spielberg’s Institute for Visual History. The film opens in July 1942, during the Vel’ d’Hiv’ Roundup of Jewish families in Paris. 13-year-old Tauba and her parents, who are Polish Jews,...
Produced by Yves Darondeau at Bonne Pioche Cinema (“March of the Penguins”), “The Future Awaits” tells the story of Tauba Birenbaum, whose testimony was collected in July 1997 to become part of Steven Spielberg’s Institute for Visual History. The film opens in July 1942, during the Vel’ d’Hiv’ Roundup of Jewish families in Paris. 13-year-old Tauba and her parents, who are Polish Jews,...
- 1/15/2024
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
Hey there, fellow nature and animal lovers! If you’re anything like me, you’re always on the lookout for those captivating documentaries that let us dive into the incredible lives of creatures big and small.
Whether you’re fascinated by the elegance of a soaring eagle, the underwater antics of dolphins, or the heartwarming stories of animal families, there’s a documentary for you.
So, grab your popcorn, get comfy, and embark on a wild ride through some of the most mind-blowing and heart-tugging documentaries that celebrate the magnificent wonders of the animal kingdom!
1. Planet Earth II (2016)
As someone who’s always been captivated by the wonders of our planet, “Planet Earth II” is an absolute must-watch.
Related: 7 Documentaries That Unveil the Human Experience
The documentary series takes you on an awe-inspiring journey through various habitats, showcasing incredible animal behaviors and interactions.
The breathtaking visuals and Sir David Attenborough...
Whether you’re fascinated by the elegance of a soaring eagle, the underwater antics of dolphins, or the heartwarming stories of animal families, there’s a documentary for you.
So, grab your popcorn, get comfy, and embark on a wild ride through some of the most mind-blowing and heart-tugging documentaries that celebrate the magnificent wonders of the animal kingdom!
1. Planet Earth II (2016)
As someone who’s always been captivated by the wonders of our planet, “Planet Earth II” is an absolute must-watch.
Related: 7 Documentaries That Unveil the Human Experience
The documentary series takes you on an awe-inspiring journey through various habitats, showcasing incredible animal behaviors and interactions.
The breathtaking visuals and Sir David Attenborough...
- 12/25/2023
- by Pia Vermaak
- buddytv.com
Exclusive: Production is underway in the Galápagos Islands on Lions of the Sea, a documentary described as “an immersive journey into the compelling lives of sea lions in their unique environment.”
The film is being directed by Jamaicanoproblem, the nom de cinéma of Ecuadorian explorer and filmmaker Luis Felipe Fernández-Salvador y Campodonico. The all-star lineup of talent behind the scenes includes producer Adam Leipzig, former president of National Geographic Documentary Films, who led the acquisition of March of the Penguins – one of the most successful documentaries of all time.
L-r Guillermo Navarro, Adam Leipzig and Jamaicanoproblem
Guillermo Navarro, the Oscar-winning cinematographer of Pan’s Labyrinth, is heading a team of photographers described as “the world’s best nature and underwater documentarians.” He is also an executive producer of Lions of the Sea. Fellow Oscar winner Nicolas Becker (Sound of Metal) serves as sound designer on the project.
According to a release,...
The film is being directed by Jamaicanoproblem, the nom de cinéma of Ecuadorian explorer and filmmaker Luis Felipe Fernández-Salvador y Campodonico. The all-star lineup of talent behind the scenes includes producer Adam Leipzig, former president of National Geographic Documentary Films, who led the acquisition of March of the Penguins – one of the most successful documentaries of all time.
L-r Guillermo Navarro, Adam Leipzig and Jamaicanoproblem
Guillermo Navarro, the Oscar-winning cinematographer of Pan’s Labyrinth, is heading a team of photographers described as “the world’s best nature and underwater documentarians.” He is also an executive producer of Lions of the Sea. Fellow Oscar winner Nicolas Becker (Sound of Metal) serves as sound designer on the project.
According to a release,...
- 12/11/2023
- by Matthew Carey
- Deadline Film + TV
Nestled in the verdant Swiss Alps, on the shore of Lake Maggiore near the Italian border, Locarno is a beautiful setting for one of Europe’s preeminent summer film festivals. While most screenings take place in the sleek, modernist cinemas that are dotted around the small town, each evening also has at least one open-air projection in the central square, bolstering the impact of the festival’s more high-profile titles by presenting them amid rustic cobbles, gorgeous mountain scenery, and several centuries of history.
Holding an international showcase like this in such a breathtaking place also serves to underline some of the interesting contradictions and alternately jarring and fruitful clashes that a legacy film festival can create, which were never more apparent than at this year’s edition. Case in point, the Monday-night screening of Luc Jacquet’s Antarctica Calling, which was prefaced by a pre-screening award presentation that was interrupted by environmental activists.
Holding an international showcase like this in such a breathtaking place also serves to underline some of the interesting contradictions and alternately jarring and fruitful clashes that a legacy film festival can create, which were never more apparent than at this year’s edition. Case in point, the Monday-night screening of Luc Jacquet’s Antarctica Calling, which was prefaced by a pre-screening award presentation that was interrupted by environmental activists.
- 8/16/2023
- by David Robb
- Slant Magazine
Nearly two decades ago, “March of the Penguins” crossed a frontier hardly any nonfiction film ever does: not just the Antarctic Circle, but the even more remote $100 million mark at the global box office. A bona fide global phenomenon, Luc Jacquet’s wondrous nature doc got audiences from practically every continent to turn their attention to the South Pole and the adorable, surprisingly relatable emperor penguins its director found there.
The focus of “March” (and its 12-years-later sequel) was the 100-kilometer trek these remarkable black-and-white birds do between their mating grounds and the water. What undeniable force compels them to make that journey? In “Antarctica Calling,” it’s a different but no less irresistible urge that fascinates Jacquet: specifically, the almost-magnetic pull that draws the French filmmaker back to the South Pole time and again. He’s been coming since he was 23 years old. Now in his mid-50s,...
The focus of “March” (and its 12-years-later sequel) was the 100-kilometer trek these remarkable black-and-white birds do between their mating grounds and the water. What undeniable force compels them to make that journey? In “Antarctica Calling,” it’s a different but no less irresistible urge that fascinates Jacquet: specifically, the almost-magnetic pull that draws the French filmmaker back to the South Pole time and again. He’s been coming since he was 23 years old. Now in his mid-50s,...
- 8/9/2023
- by Peter Debruge
- Variety Film + TV
For his third edition at the helm, Locarno Film Festival artistic director Giona A. Nazzaro has assembled a wide spectrum of films that “do not resemble each other in terms of tone or form” while reflecting “the world in all its expressions and manifestations,” he tells Variety.
This boundless range is best exemplified by the fact that starkly surrealist Filipino arthouse star Lav Díaz’s latest work, “Essential Truths of the Lake,” will be vying for the fest’s Golden Leopard alongside fare that, at least on paper, appears much lighter. This includes U.S. director Bob Byington’s indie comedy “Lousy Carter” and Estonian helmer Rainer Sarnet’s “The Invisible Flight,” which Nazzaro says “mixes Kung Fu, hard rock and the Orthodox Church.”
There are also lots of titles at Locarno that can broadly be described as “political,” like Ukrainian director Maryna Vroda’s “Stepne” — which marks a rare...
This boundless range is best exemplified by the fact that starkly surrealist Filipino arthouse star Lav Díaz’s latest work, “Essential Truths of the Lake,” will be vying for the fest’s Golden Leopard alongside fare that, at least on paper, appears much lighter. This includes U.S. director Bob Byington’s indie comedy “Lousy Carter” and Estonian helmer Rainer Sarnet’s “The Invisible Flight,” which Nazzaro says “mixes Kung Fu, hard rock and the Orthodox Church.”
There are also lots of titles at Locarno that can broadly be described as “political,” like Ukrainian director Maryna Vroda’s “Stepne” — which marks a rare...
- 7/6/2023
- by Nick Vivarelli
- Variety Film + TV
Paris-based Playtime has unveiled a strong Cannes film market sales slate, which includes competition titles “About Dry Grasses” and “Homecoming.”
“About Dry Grasses” is by Turkish auteur Nuri Bilge Ceylan, who won the Palme d’Or in 2014 for “Winter Sleep.” The film follows Samet, a young art teacher, who is finishing his fourth year of compulsory service in a remote village in Anatolia. After a turn of events he can hardly make sense of, he loses his hopes of escaping the grim life he seems to be stuck in, and hopes that his encounter with fellow teacher Nuray will help him overcome his angst. Deniz Celiloğlu, Merve Dizdar and Musab Ekici are among the cast.
“Homecoming,” by French director Catherine Corsini who won the 2021 Queer Palm for “The Divide,” follows Khédidja, who minds a wealthy Parisian family’s children for a summer in Corsica. She brings along her own two...
“About Dry Grasses” is by Turkish auteur Nuri Bilge Ceylan, who won the Palme d’Or in 2014 for “Winter Sleep.” The film follows Samet, a young art teacher, who is finishing his fourth year of compulsory service in a remote village in Anatolia. After a turn of events he can hardly make sense of, he loses his hopes of escaping the grim life he seems to be stuck in, and hopes that his encounter with fellow teacher Nuray will help him overcome his angst. Deniz Celiloğlu, Merve Dizdar and Musab Ekici are among the cast.
“Homecoming,” by French director Catherine Corsini who won the 2021 Queer Palm for “The Divide,” follows Khédidja, who minds a wealthy Parisian family’s children for a summer in Corsica. She brings along her own two...
- 5/2/2023
- by Naman Ramachandran and Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
Oscar-winning French director Luc Jacquet (“March of the Penguins”) will be honored by the Locarno Film Festival with its Locarno Kids Award celebrating a film personality who has brought the magic of movies to younger audiences.
“Luc Jacquet’s gaze has followed the perspective of the plant and animal kingdoms through his many voyages to the Antarctic or into forests both remote and close to home,” the Swiss festival dedicated to indie cinema said in a statement. It pointed out that this year’s prize “goes to a filmmaker who has consistently conveyed a powerful ecological message to younger generations of cinema lovers.”
The French biologist and filmmaker has made hugely popular nature documentaries such as “Penguins,” watched by more than 25 million people worldwide since its 2006 release, and “Once Upon a Forest” in 2013 and “Ice and the Sky” (2015). He also helmed a fiction feature “The Fox & the Child” (2007).
Jacquet...
“Luc Jacquet’s gaze has followed the perspective of the plant and animal kingdoms through his many voyages to the Antarctic or into forests both remote and close to home,” the Swiss festival dedicated to indie cinema said in a statement. It pointed out that this year’s prize “goes to a filmmaker who has consistently conveyed a powerful ecological message to younger generations of cinema lovers.”
The French biologist and filmmaker has made hugely popular nature documentaries such as “Penguins,” watched by more than 25 million people worldwide since its 2006 release, and “Once Upon a Forest” in 2013 and “Ice and the Sky” (2015). He also helmed a fiction feature “The Fox & the Child” (2007).
Jacquet...
- 4/18/2023
- by Nick Vivarelli
- Variety Film + TV
Luc Jacquet, the Oscar-winning French director of March of the Penguins, will be honored with the 2023 Locarno Kids Award, an honor celebrating a film personality who has brought cinema to younger audiences, giving them “a sense of discovery about the big screen.”
Jacquet will receive his award in Locarno on Aug. 7, ahead of an open-air screening of March of the Penguins on Locarno’s legendary Piazza Grande. Jacquet will also take part in a panel discussion on Aug. 8. Locarno will screen a selection of Jacquet’s other films, which include documentaries Once Upon a Forest, 2015’s Ice and the Sky and Penguins sequel Penguins 2: The Next Step (2017), as well as the 2007 feature The Fox & the Child.
“Luc Jacquet is a director who has masterfully woven together the magical charm of observation and the pure poetry of storytelling, taking our gaze to dimensions of the planet never before explored,...
Jacquet will receive his award in Locarno on Aug. 7, ahead of an open-air screening of March of the Penguins on Locarno’s legendary Piazza Grande. Jacquet will also take part in a panel discussion on Aug. 8. Locarno will screen a selection of Jacquet’s other films, which include documentaries Once Upon a Forest, 2015’s Ice and the Sky and Penguins sequel Penguins 2: The Next Step (2017), as well as the 2007 feature The Fox & the Child.
“Luc Jacquet is a director who has masterfully woven together the magical charm of observation and the pure poetry of storytelling, taking our gaze to dimensions of the planet never before explored,...
- 4/18/2023
- by Scott Roxborough
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Each year, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts And Sciences attempts to award Oscars to the “best” film or artist in each category that year, and each year it fails at least a few times.
There is always room for disagreement on what constitutes “best”: how can we possibly compare Toy Story 3, Inception and The King’s Speech? And yet voters did just that in 2010.
It is similarly impossible to nail down all the egregious choices in academy history, but here are a few of the most glaring errors, with just days to go until the 2023 ceremony. Starting with the granddaddy of them all...
How Green Was My Valley
Beat: Citizen Kane to Best Picture, Best Director and Best Cinematography in 1941
It takes a bit of searching these days to find someone who has a) seen John Ford’s Welsh melodrama How Green Was My Valley and b...
There is always room for disagreement on what constitutes “best”: how can we possibly compare Toy Story 3, Inception and The King’s Speech? And yet voters did just that in 2010.
It is similarly impossible to nail down all the egregious choices in academy history, but here are a few of the most glaring errors, with just days to go until the 2023 ceremony. Starting with the granddaddy of them all...
How Green Was My Valley
Beat: Citizen Kane to Best Picture, Best Director and Best Cinematography in 1941
It takes a bit of searching these days to find someone who has a) seen John Ford’s Welsh melodrama How Green Was My Valley and b...
- 3/9/2023
- by Helen O'Hara
- The Independent - Film
Each year, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts And Sciences attempts to award Oscars to the “best” film or artist in each category that year, and each year it fails at least a few times.
There is always room for disagreement on what constitutes “best”: how can we possibly compare Toy Story 3, Inception and The King’s Speech? And yet voters did just that in 2010.
It is similarly impossible to nail down all the egregious choices in academy history, but here are a few of the most glaring errors. Starting with the granddaddy of them all...
How Green Was My Valley
Beat: Citizen Kane to Best Picture, Best Director and Best Cinematography in 1941
It takes a bit of searching these days to find someone who has a) seen John Ford’s Welsh melodrama How Green Was My Valley and b) did not do so out of a morbid curiosity...
There is always room for disagreement on what constitutes “best”: how can we possibly compare Toy Story 3, Inception and The King’s Speech? And yet voters did just that in 2010.
It is similarly impossible to nail down all the egregious choices in academy history, but here are a few of the most glaring errors. Starting with the granddaddy of them all...
How Green Was My Valley
Beat: Citizen Kane to Best Picture, Best Director and Best Cinematography in 1941
It takes a bit of searching these days to find someone who has a) seen John Ford’s Welsh melodrama How Green Was My Valley and b) did not do so out of a morbid curiosity...
- 1/30/2023
- by Helen O'Hara
- The Independent - Film
Oscar nominations were announced Jan. 24 and in the best-picture race, voters have come up with the most wide-ranging lineup in decades, full of populist choices.
The 10 films nominated for Oscar’s top prize represent a cross-section of blockbusters, specialty films, indies and mid-range Hollywood movies. There is also a healthy mix of long-established studios, streamers and specialty companies. There’s one film not in the English language, one co-directed by an Asian American (and starring a mostly Asian American cast) and one by a woman.
The breadth of the list is a sharp contrast to most best picture slates of the past two decades.
Best picture nominations for the 95th annual Academy Awards also offer several distinctions, including two sequels nominated in one year, which is a first; and two contenders that are in the year’s worldwide top 10 at the B.O., the first time that’s happened since...
The 10 films nominated for Oscar’s top prize represent a cross-section of blockbusters, specialty films, indies and mid-range Hollywood movies. There is also a healthy mix of long-established studios, streamers and specialty companies. There’s one film not in the English language, one co-directed by an Asian American (and starring a mostly Asian American cast) and one by a woman.
The breadth of the list is a sharp contrast to most best picture slates of the past two decades.
Best picture nominations for the 95th annual Academy Awards also offer several distinctions, including two sequels nominated in one year, which is a first; and two contenders that are in the year’s worldwide top 10 at the B.O., the first time that’s happened since...
- 1/27/2023
- by Tim Gray
- Variety Film + TV
Warsaw-based New Europe Film Sales has closed a raft of deals on the animated feature film “Yuku and the Himalayan Flower,” from directors Rémi Durin and Arnaud Demuynck.
The children’s animated feature, with graphics by Paul Jadoul, tells the story of Yuku, a little mouse who lives with her family in the basement of a castle and decides to embark on a quest to find the legendary Himalayan flower.
The film, which premiered at the Annecy fest and played in the Locarno Kids strand of the Locarno Film Festival, is produced by Artémis Prods. (“Mandibules”) and co-produced by Vivement Lundi! (“Flee”), La Boîte Prods. (“March of the Penguins”), Les Films du Nord and Nadasdy Film.
Pic has sold to Germany (Eksystent Distribution), Spain and Andorra (Pack Magic), Poland (Stowarzyszenie Nowe Horyzonty), Sweden (Smorgasbord Picture House), Denmark (Angel Films) and Latvia (Riga International Film Festival distribution).
Previous territories sold include...
The children’s animated feature, with graphics by Paul Jadoul, tells the story of Yuku, a little mouse who lives with her family in the basement of a castle and decides to embark on a quest to find the legendary Himalayan flower.
The film, which premiered at the Annecy fest and played in the Locarno Kids strand of the Locarno Film Festival, is produced by Artémis Prods. (“Mandibules”) and co-produced by Vivement Lundi! (“Flee”), La Boîte Prods. (“March of the Penguins”), Les Films du Nord and Nadasdy Film.
Pic has sold to Germany (Eksystent Distribution), Spain and Andorra (Pack Magic), Poland (Stowarzyszenie Nowe Horyzonty), Sweden (Smorgasbord Picture House), Denmark (Angel Films) and Latvia (Riga International Film Festival distribution).
Previous territories sold include...
- 9/11/2022
- by Christopher Vourlias
- Variety Film + TV
“The Little Nicholas: Happy as Can Be” by Benjamin Massoubre and Amandine Fredon is having its world premiere at a Special Screening at the Cannes Film Festival on May 20.
Several years in the making, the film brings together the world-famous French schoolboy and his creators, author René Goscinny and cartoonist Jean-Jacques Sempé, as it goes back and forth between their world and his imaginary world.
Translated into more than 30 languages, the Little Nicholas short stories have been adapted to fiction but never to animation until now. For the creative team, it was essential to stay true both to Goscinny’s short stories and to Sempé’s drawings.
“The main challenge was to create the Little Nicholas’ world in animation and, at the same time, remain faithful to Sempé’s style – his drawings are very small, they’re made in ink, which gives them a sort of awkward but very lively energy,...
Several years in the making, the film brings together the world-famous French schoolboy and his creators, author René Goscinny and cartoonist Jean-Jacques Sempé, as it goes back and forth between their world and his imaginary world.
Translated into more than 30 languages, the Little Nicholas short stories have been adapted to fiction but never to animation until now. For the creative team, it was essential to stay true both to Goscinny’s short stories and to Sempé’s drawings.
“The main challenge was to create the Little Nicholas’ world in animation and, at the same time, remain faithful to Sempé’s style – his drawings are very small, they’re made in ink, which gives them a sort of awkward but very lively energy,...
- 5/19/2022
- by Lise Pedersen
- Variety Film + TV
Welcome to International Disruptors, a feature where we shine a spotlight on key executives and companies outside of the U.S. shaking up the offshore marketplace. With the 75th Cannes Film Festival less than two weeks away, we’re speaking with well-respected French sales exec Carole Baraton, co-founder of international sales and production outfit Charades. The company has four titles in selection and Baraton tells us about the company’s ambitions and why she’s looking forward to being back on the Croisette.
It’s been five years since French sales veteran Carole Baraton joined forces with former Gaumont exec Yohann Comte and former Studiocanal exec Pierre Mazars to launch Charades and in that short period of time the trio have managed to carve out a boutique sales and production label that has quickly become synonymous with quality independent fare.
The Paris-based company is a regular fixture on the international...
It’s been five years since French sales veteran Carole Baraton joined forces with former Gaumont exec Yohann Comte and former Studiocanal exec Pierre Mazars to launch Charades and in that short period of time the trio have managed to carve out a boutique sales and production label that has quickly become synonymous with quality independent fare.
The Paris-based company is a regular fixture on the international...
- 5/4/2022
- by Diana Lodderhose
- Deadline Film + TV
Each year, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts And Sciences attempts to award Oscars to the “best” film or artist in each category that year, and each year it fails at least a few times.
There is always room for disagreement on what constitutes “best”: how can we possibly compare Toy Story 3, Inception and The King’s Speech? And yet voters did just that in 2010.
It is similarly impossible to nail down all the egregious choices in academy history, but here are a few of the most glaring errors. Starting with the granddaddy of them all...
How Green Was My Valley
Beat:Citizen Kane to Best Picture, Best Director and Best Cinematography in 1941
It takes a bit of searching these days to find someone who has a) seen John Ford’s Welsh melodrama How Green Was My Valley and b) did not do so out of a morbid curiosity...
There is always room for disagreement on what constitutes “best”: how can we possibly compare Toy Story 3, Inception and The King’s Speech? And yet voters did just that in 2010.
It is similarly impossible to nail down all the egregious choices in academy history, but here are a few of the most glaring errors. Starting with the granddaddy of them all...
How Green Was My Valley
Beat:Citizen Kane to Best Picture, Best Director and Best Cinematography in 1941
It takes a bit of searching these days to find someone who has a) seen John Ford’s Welsh melodrama How Green Was My Valley and b) did not do so out of a morbid curiosity...
- 3/12/2022
- by Helen O'Hara
- The Independent - Film
Federation Entertainment has acquired a majority stake in Bonne Pioche, the French production company behind the Oscar-winning documentary “March of the Penguins.”
Active in documentaries, animation and drama, Bonne Pioche will retain full editorial freedom and will parter up with Federation on development and production, as well as back office and international sales. The company’s workforce, which includes 36 staff members, will remain in place. Federation has a 51-percent stake in Bonne Pioche.
“We look forward to bringing together the best creators to nourish our original and diversified editorial content,” said Yves Darondeau and Emmanuel Priou, the co-heads of Bonne Pioche.
“We are very excited about this new stage in the life of Bonne Pioche. What drives us is our desire to be as close as possible to the talents we support. Bonne Pioche is defined by our team on one hand and the great diversity of our productions of documentaries,...
Active in documentaries, animation and drama, Bonne Pioche will retain full editorial freedom and will parter up with Federation on development and production, as well as back office and international sales. The company’s workforce, which includes 36 staff members, will remain in place. Federation has a 51-percent stake in Bonne Pioche.
“We look forward to bringing together the best creators to nourish our original and diversified editorial content,” said Yves Darondeau and Emmanuel Priou, the co-heads of Bonne Pioche.
“We are very excited about this new stage in the life of Bonne Pioche. What drives us is our desire to be as close as possible to the talents we support. Bonne Pioche is defined by our team on one hand and the great diversity of our productions of documentaries,...
- 1/31/2022
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
If the six projects presented at a recent TV documentary pitch session held at the Unifrance Rendez-Vous in Paris share relatively few thematic or stylistic points in common, when taken as a whole, the diverse titles relay two incontrovertible truths: While advances in filmmaking technology now offer industry creatives unprecedented freedoms, when it comes to hooking the audience, nothing beats a good story well told.
Three of the six projects presented at the Rendez-Vous forum reflect the format’s growing technological trends. To offer competing visions of the future, Mad Films/Camera Subjective’s speculative science-fiction project “2080” will use CGI, motion capture and some of the digital production techniques pioneered by Disney’s “The Mandalorian,” whereas to open a window into the past, France Televisions/Program33’s historical doc “The Joan of Arc Case” will use detailed digital recreations of 15th-century France.
On a similar front, the four-episode edutainment project...
Three of the six projects presented at the Rendez-Vous forum reflect the format’s growing technological trends. To offer competing visions of the future, Mad Films/Camera Subjective’s speculative science-fiction project “2080” will use CGI, motion capture and some of the digital production techniques pioneered by Disney’s “The Mandalorian,” whereas to open a window into the past, France Televisions/Program33’s historical doc “The Joan of Arc Case” will use detailed digital recreations of 15th-century France.
On a similar front, the four-episode edutainment project...
- 1/16/2022
- by Ben Croll
- Variety Film + TV
It follows photographer and explorer Munier and writer Sylvain Tesson as they attempt to track down elusive snow leopards in the heart of the Tibetan highlands.
Modern Films has secured UK and Ireland rights to French documentary The Velvet Queen (La Panthère des Neiges), which debuted at Cannes and played in the Best of Fests section at International Documentary Film Festival (IDFA) this week.
The UK distributor plans to release the feature theatrically in early 2022.
Directed by Marie Amiguet, whose credits includeThe Valley Of The Wolves, and Vincent Munier, and produced by Paprika Films, best known for March Of The Penguins and Amazonia,...
Modern Films has secured UK and Ireland rights to French documentary The Velvet Queen (La Panthère des Neiges), which debuted at Cannes and played in the Best of Fests section at International Documentary Film Festival (IDFA) this week.
The UK distributor plans to release the feature theatrically in early 2022.
Directed by Marie Amiguet, whose credits includeThe Valley Of The Wolves, and Vincent Munier, and produced by Paprika Films, best known for March Of The Penguins and Amazonia,...
- 11/26/2021
- by Geoffrey Macnab
- ScreenDaily
Documentary features and docuseries have become some of the most popular and profitable content around — especially for streamers — but what makes a project rise above the sheer volume of nonfiction fare now flooding the marketplace? That’s the question on the minds of top doc producers, directors, dealmakers and distributors who, on the eve of the American Film Market, are all searching for the secret ingredients that will distinguish the next breakout nonfiction projects.
In the early 2000s, “March of the Penguins” and “Fahrenheit 9/11” proved that low-budget docs could approach or surpass $100 million at the box office, and pop stars like Justin Bieber, Michael Jackson and One Direction brought their audiences to movie theaters in big numbers. Then, just as doc revenue came back to Earth, streamers changed the game, paying big bucks for nonfiction content to gain subscribers. The price tags of “Billie Eilish: The World’s A Little Blurry...
In the early 2000s, “March of the Penguins” and “Fahrenheit 9/11” proved that low-budget docs could approach or surpass $100 million at the box office, and pop stars like Justin Bieber, Michael Jackson and One Direction brought their audiences to movie theaters in big numbers. Then, just as doc revenue came back to Earth, streamers changed the game, paying big bucks for nonfiction content to gain subscribers. The price tags of “Billie Eilish: The World’s A Little Blurry...
- 10/30/2021
- by Gregg Goldstein
- Variety Film + TV
Once upon a time, asking audiences to watch a documentary was like asking them to do their homework or eat their broccoli — sure, it’d be good for ’em, but they probably wouldn’t have a ton of fun doing it.
Early docs were often weighed down by heavy topics (a lot of war content) and dry, straightforward presentations (think newsreels). Eventually, filmmakers began introducing cinematic touches and more dynamism to documentary storytelling, though progress was slow. In 1922, “Nanook of the North,” the first feature doc, incorporated staged and fictionalized elements. The Sixties brought direct cinema and cinema verité, the fly-on-the-wall style of the Maysles brothers, Robert Drew, D.A. Pennebaker, and so many others. In the Eighties and Nineties, cable expanded documentary’s reach to wider audiences, and in the early 2000s films like “Fahrenheit 9/11,” “March of the Penguins,” and “An Inconvenient Truth” became legitimate box-office breakthroughs. Still, the...
Early docs were often weighed down by heavy topics (a lot of war content) and dry, straightforward presentations (think newsreels). Eventually, filmmakers began introducing cinematic touches and more dynamism to documentary storytelling, though progress was slow. In 1922, “Nanook of the North,” the first feature doc, incorporated staged and fictionalized elements. The Sixties brought direct cinema and cinema verité, the fly-on-the-wall style of the Maysles brothers, Robert Drew, D.A. Pennebaker, and so many others. In the Eighties and Nineties, cable expanded documentary’s reach to wider audiences, and in the early 2000s films like “Fahrenheit 9/11,” “March of the Penguins,” and “An Inconvenient Truth” became legitimate box-office breakthroughs. Still, the...
- 9/2/2021
- by Addie Morfoot
- Variety Film + TV
As Italy’s film and TV industries start to bounce back from the pandemic with a verve reminiscent of the country’s postwar economic boom, the fourth edition of the Filming Italy Sardegna Festival is pulling out all the stops to support this effort.
The event is being held mostly in person July 21-25 on the emerald island that is becoming a prime destination for international shoots, such as the George Clooney-directed TV series “Catch-22,” and more recently Disney’s live-action adaptation of “The Little Mermaid.” It aims to serve as a catalyst for the local industry’s restart, while also fostering the formation of new talents and professionals. The fest will also serve as a campus of sorts for 2,000 ltalian film students.
As for well-established talents Tiziana Rocca, the former Taormina Film Festival chief who three years ago launched this international shindig combining film and TV with a...
The event is being held mostly in person July 21-25 on the emerald island that is becoming a prime destination for international shoots, such as the George Clooney-directed TV series “Catch-22,” and more recently Disney’s live-action adaptation of “The Little Mermaid.” It aims to serve as a catalyst for the local industry’s restart, while also fostering the formation of new talents and professionals. The fest will also serve as a campus of sorts for 2,000 ltalian film students.
As for well-established talents Tiziana Rocca, the former Taormina Film Festival chief who three years ago launched this international shindig combining film and TV with a...
- 7/20/2021
- by Nick Vivarelli
- Variety Film + TV
Penguins are perfect. Sardine-saturated floaties with ridiculous flappers and leather toes, the flightless birds are God’s most beautiful mistake.
That’s undoubtedly why the tuxedo bois have become a fixture of nature documentaries, starring in full-length features like March of the Penguins and Disney’s Penguins. Now Netflix’s new docuseries Penguin Town, narrated by Patton Oswalt, is betting on the unshakable fact that pop culture can never have too many penguins. Penguin Town bets correctly.
“They’re incredibly clumsy because they’ve got short little legs,” Penguin Town field producer Cayley Christos says. “They’re almost like bouncing balls. They’ll walk along in a line and several of them will make the same fall and stumble, which is hysterical to watch.”
It’s never a bad time for penguins. But after the rough year that was, now might really be the time for nature’s unwitting comedians to shine.
That’s undoubtedly why the tuxedo bois have become a fixture of nature documentaries, starring in full-length features like March of the Penguins and Disney’s Penguins. Now Netflix’s new docuseries Penguin Town, narrated by Patton Oswalt, is betting on the unshakable fact that pop culture can never have too many penguins. Penguin Town bets correctly.
“They’re incredibly clumsy because they’ve got short little legs,” Penguin Town field producer Cayley Christos says. “They’re almost like bouncing balls. They’ll walk along in a line and several of them will make the same fall and stumble, which is hysterical to watch.”
It’s never a bad time for penguins. But after the rough year that was, now might really be the time for nature’s unwitting comedians to shine.
- 6/16/2021
- by Alec Bojalad
- Den of Geek
A good story has been the hot commodity of nonfiction films in recent years – but they only give viewers the power to identify with their subjects rather than understand them
“Main character. Three acts. Heroic journey. Climax. Resolution. Nothing else seems to suffice in today’s documentary marketplace. A good story reigns supreme,” writes the Toronto-based film-maker Brett Story in an essay for World Records Journal about “story” as documentary’s hottest commodity. She’s not wrong: looking back at the highest grossing nonfiction films of the last 15 years or so – films such as March of the Penguins, Amy, Won’t You Be My Neighbour?, Three Identical Strangers and Free Solo – they all adopt flashily “cinematic” structures. Whether they’re character studies or social issue films, each follows a familiar arc with three distinct components: setup, confrontation and denouement. It’s telling that the Netflix-produced My Octopus Teacher, which...
“Main character. Three acts. Heroic journey. Climax. Resolution. Nothing else seems to suffice in today’s documentary marketplace. A good story reigns supreme,” writes the Toronto-based film-maker Brett Story in an essay for World Records Journal about “story” as documentary’s hottest commodity. She’s not wrong: looking back at the highest grossing nonfiction films of the last 15 years or so – films such as March of the Penguins, Amy, Won’t You Be My Neighbour?, Three Identical Strangers and Free Solo – they all adopt flashily “cinematic” structures. Whether they’re character studies or social issue films, each follows a familiar arc with three distinct components: setup, confrontation and denouement. It’s telling that the Netflix-produced My Octopus Teacher, which...
- 6/7/2021
- by Simran Hans
- The Guardian - Film News
Penguins are arguably the kings of the nature documentary. Monkeys may have a shot at the title, and sharks have a whole week to themselves, but penguins and their little waddling bodies have been a source of fascination — especially in megahits like 2005’s March of the Penguins. Now with Netflix’s latest docuseries, Penguin Town, a gang […]
The post ‘Penguin Town’ Trailer: Patton Oswalt Narrates the Exploits of South Africa’s Adorable Penguins appeared first on /Film.
The post ‘Penguin Town’ Trailer: Patton Oswalt Narrates the Exploits of South Africa’s Adorable Penguins appeared first on /Film.
- 5/24/2021
- by Hoai-Tran Bui
- Slash Film
My Octopus Teacher wrapped its tentacles around the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature, corralling a win for Netflix in that category for the second year in a row and third time in the last four years.
It also brought a rare victory to an African film of any kind—producer and subject Craig Foster is South African, as is one of the two directors, Pippa Ehrlich; fellow director James Reed is British.
“We want to thank Netflix for enabling us to share our story with the world and then our incredible Octopus team, whose arms stretched across the planet, from South Africa to Amsterdam, to the U.K., to the U.S.,” Ehrlich said as she accepted the award.
The film tells the story of Foster, a filmmaker and naturalist, and the cephalopod he befriended while diving off the coast of South Africa on a daily basis for a year.
It also brought a rare victory to an African film of any kind—producer and subject Craig Foster is South African, as is one of the two directors, Pippa Ehrlich; fellow director James Reed is British.
“We want to thank Netflix for enabling us to share our story with the world and then our incredible Octopus team, whose arms stretched across the planet, from South Africa to Amsterdam, to the U.K., to the U.S.,” Ehrlich said as she accepted the award.
The film tells the story of Foster, a filmmaker and naturalist, and the cephalopod he befriended while diving off the coast of South Africa on a daily basis for a year.
- 4/26/2021
- by Matthew Carey
- Deadline Film + TV
Participant’s Laura Kim has been promoted to executive vice president of marketing.
The seven-year-veteran of the company had previously served as a senior vice president in film marketing. She will continue to report to the company’s worldwide marketing president Christina Kounelias.
“Laura has become a good friend and trusted colleague for the past five years that we have worked closely together. Her vast knowledge and deep expertise in independent, specialty and international films is second-to-none, contributing greatly to the success of our films,” said Kounelias. “Her strategic thinking, great devotion to mentorship and genuine passion for impact and the issues match Participant’s core values, and on behalf of everyone at the company, we are thrilled to recognize her numerous contributions with this promotion.”
In her new role, Kim assumes expanded duties in independent and international film and series projects at the studio, founded with a mission to...
The seven-year-veteran of the company had previously served as a senior vice president in film marketing. She will continue to report to the company’s worldwide marketing president Christina Kounelias.
“Laura has become a good friend and trusted colleague for the past five years that we have worked closely together. Her vast knowledge and deep expertise in independent, specialty and international films is second-to-none, contributing greatly to the success of our films,” said Kounelias. “Her strategic thinking, great devotion to mentorship and genuine passion for impact and the issues match Participant’s core values, and on behalf of everyone at the company, we are thrilled to recognize her numerous contributions with this promotion.”
In her new role, Kim assumes expanded duties in independent and international film and series projects at the studio, founded with a mission to...
- 4/7/2021
- by Matt Donnelly
- Variety Film + TV
Participant has promoted veteran executive Laura Kim to executive vice president of marketing, the company announced on Tuesday.
Kim, who first joined Participant in 2014, will focus on independent and international films and series, reporting to Christina Kounelias, Participant’s president of worldwide marketing.
“Laura has become a good friend and trusted colleague for the past five years that we have worked closely together,” Kounelias said in a statement. “Her vast knowledge and deep expertise in independent, specialty and international films is second-to-none, contributing greatly to the success of our films. Her strategic thinking, great devotion to mentorship and genuine passion for impact and the issues match Participant’s core values, and on behalf of everyone at the company, we are thrilled to recognize her numerous contributions with this promotion.”
“I am excited to be working on films and series that move me and that challenge us to try harder and do better,...
Kim, who first joined Participant in 2014, will focus on independent and international films and series, reporting to Christina Kounelias, Participant’s president of worldwide marketing.
“Laura has become a good friend and trusted colleague for the past five years that we have worked closely together,” Kounelias said in a statement. “Her vast knowledge and deep expertise in independent, specialty and international films is second-to-none, contributing greatly to the success of our films. Her strategic thinking, great devotion to mentorship and genuine passion for impact and the issues match Participant’s core values, and on behalf of everyone at the company, we are thrilled to recognize her numerous contributions with this promotion.”
“I am excited to be working on films and series that move me and that challenge us to try harder and do better,...
- 4/6/2021
- by Umberto Gonzalez
- The Wrap
Marketing and publicity veteran Laura Kim has been elevated to EVP of Marketing at Participant.
In her new position, Kim will assume broadened executive responsibilities, with a focus on independent and foreign films and series.
Kim first joined Participant as SVP of Film Marketing in 2014. During her tenure, she’s been key in working on the company’s specialty features, including such Oscar-winning films as American Factory, A Fantastic Woman, Spotlight, and Citizenfour, as well as Monos, Human Flow, and the Oscar-nominated films The Look of Silence and Rbg, the latter of which went on to become a documentary box office hit in 2018 with over $14M. Recent marketing efforts include two-time Oscar-nominated Collective, and the upcoming Final Account and My Name Is Pauli Murray, which had its world premiere this year at the Sundance Film Festival.
Prior to joining Participant, Kim was principal and founder of Inside Job, a motion picture marketing,...
In her new position, Kim will assume broadened executive responsibilities, with a focus on independent and foreign films and series.
Kim first joined Participant as SVP of Film Marketing in 2014. During her tenure, she’s been key in working on the company’s specialty features, including such Oscar-winning films as American Factory, A Fantastic Woman, Spotlight, and Citizenfour, as well as Monos, Human Flow, and the Oscar-nominated films The Look of Silence and Rbg, the latter of which went on to become a documentary box office hit in 2018 with over $14M. Recent marketing efforts include two-time Oscar-nominated Collective, and the upcoming Final Account and My Name Is Pauli Murray, which had its world premiere this year at the Sundance Film Festival.
Prior to joining Participant, Kim was principal and founder of Inside Job, a motion picture marketing,...
- 4/6/2021
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
When “My Octopus Teacher” won the Producers Guild Award for Best Documentary on March 24, I started to wonder if that clears the path to it winning the Oscar. It’s an emotional, heartwarming film about nature, and feel-good movies sometimes have an advantage over investigative docs and grittier subjects.
First, it must be acknowledged that the PGA Award often veers wildly from the Oscars. In fact, the last three PGA winners weren’t even nominated by the motion picture academy: “Jane” (2017), “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?” (2018) and “Apollo 11” (2019). But when an Oscar nominee does win PGA, it tends to win the Oscar too, like “Searching for Sugar Man” (2012), “Amy” (2015) and “O.J.: Made in America” (2016) in the last decade. The last time the PGA winner had an Oscar nomination but lost it was Michael Moore‘s “Sicko” (2007), and that was 13 years ago.
SEE4 documentary filmmakers for ‘Crip Camp,’ ‘The Dissident,...
First, it must be acknowledged that the PGA Award often veers wildly from the Oscars. In fact, the last three PGA winners weren’t even nominated by the motion picture academy: “Jane” (2017), “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?” (2018) and “Apollo 11” (2019). But when an Oscar nominee does win PGA, it tends to win the Oscar too, like “Searching for Sugar Man” (2012), “Amy” (2015) and “O.J.: Made in America” (2016) in the last decade. The last time the PGA winner had an Oscar nomination but lost it was Michael Moore‘s “Sicko” (2007), and that was 13 years ago.
SEE4 documentary filmmakers for ‘Crip Camp,’ ‘The Dissident,...
- 3/26/2021
- by Daniel Montgomery
- Gold Derby
Adrian Politowski’s Align, the L.A. based production and finance company, has come on board to co-finance “Little Nicholas,” a hand-drawn animated feature directed by Amandine Fredon and Benjamin Massoubre.
The feature is being produced by Aton Soumache at On Kids & Family (“The Little Prince”), a Mediawan Group company, and Lilian Eche and Christel Henon at Bidibul Productions. Charades, the banner behind the Oscar-nominated “Mirai,” is handling international and domestic sales.
Fredon and Massoubre previously worked on “Ariol” and “I Lost My Body,” respectively. Created by the author Rene Goscinny and the New Yorker illustrator Jean-Jacques Sempe, “Le Petit Nicolas” follows the adventures of a mischievous boy and his schoolmates, teacher and parents in Paris in the 1960s.
The feature, written by Michel Fessler (“March of the Penguins”) and Anne Goscinny, the daughter of Rene and a critically acclaimed author herself, will have two narrative threads. One will follow Nicholas and his surroundings,...
The feature is being produced by Aton Soumache at On Kids & Family (“The Little Prince”), a Mediawan Group company, and Lilian Eche and Christel Henon at Bidibul Productions. Charades, the banner behind the Oscar-nominated “Mirai,” is handling international and domestic sales.
Fredon and Massoubre previously worked on “Ariol” and “I Lost My Body,” respectively. Created by the author Rene Goscinny and the New Yorker illustrator Jean-Jacques Sempe, “Le Petit Nicolas” follows the adventures of a mischievous boy and his schoolmates, teacher and parents in Paris in the 1960s.
The feature, written by Michel Fessler (“March of the Penguins”) and Anne Goscinny, the daughter of Rene and a critically acclaimed author herself, will have two narrative threads. One will follow Nicholas and his surroundings,...
- 3/3/2021
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
Ambitious production is based celebration on work by late UK poet Heathcote Williams.
Wild Bunch International (Wbi) has boarded sales on Jean-Albert Lievre’s upcoming documentary Whale Nation, exploring the barely known world of whales.
The project takes inspiration from UK poet and dramatist Heathcote Williams’s 1988 prose work, celebrating the society of whales, with their remarkable abilities of communication and rich and complex social lives.
“The filmmaker has used the text as the basis for a timely film about life in all its diversity, man’s place on the planet and the vital need for cooperation between the species that share our planet,...
Wild Bunch International (Wbi) has boarded sales on Jean-Albert Lievre’s upcoming documentary Whale Nation, exploring the barely known world of whales.
The project takes inspiration from UK poet and dramatist Heathcote Williams’s 1988 prose work, celebrating the society of whales, with their remarkable abilities of communication and rich and complex social lives.
“The filmmaker has used the text as the basis for a timely film about life in all its diversity, man’s place on the planet and the vital need for cooperation between the species that share our planet,...
- 1/15/2021
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- ScreenDaily
It’s a new year and everyone wants to put the vile cesspool that was 2020 behind them. Thankfully, HBO Max is coming out swinging to make the transition out of the hellyear even easier. HBO Max’s list of new releases for January 2021 is positively packed with notable film releases and even a fun HBO Max Original or two.
For starters, Search Party season 4 will arrive to HBO Max on Jan. 14. This season of the show with a now-surprising lifespan finds Dory Sief in the thrall of a deranged stalker…right after getting off on murder charges. These Brooklynites lead such fascinating lives! The other major original or note is the HBO documentary Tiger, that premieres on Jan. 10 and will delve into the complicated history of golfing legend Tiger Woods.
The real story this month, however, are the movies. Perhaps emboldened by its success with Wonder Woman 1984, HBO Max is...
For starters, Search Party season 4 will arrive to HBO Max on Jan. 14. This season of the show with a now-surprising lifespan finds Dory Sief in the thrall of a deranged stalker…right after getting off on murder charges. These Brooklynites lead such fascinating lives! The other major original or note is the HBO documentary Tiger, that premieres on Jan. 10 and will delve into the complicated history of golfing legend Tiger Woods.
The real story this month, however, are the movies. Perhaps emboldened by its success with Wonder Woman 1984, HBO Max is...
- 1/4/2021
- by Alec Bojalad
- Den of Geek
So long, 2020, 2021 is here! Now that we’ve entered the New Year, the various major streaming services are starting January with a bang as they all have hefty hauls arriving this weekend. The first day of the month always sees a load of newly licensed titles go up across the platforms and that’s especially the case in January, as Netflix, Disney Plus, HBO Max, Hulu and Prime Video have tons of great new movies and TV shows debuting this weekend.
For starters, there’s something for all tastes becoming available on Netflix on January 1st. We’ve got Steven Spielberg’s Catch Me If You Can, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, animated comedy Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, both Sex in the City movies, Superbad, Bruce Lee classic Enter the Dragon, horror flick Gothika and not one but two films directed by Martin Scorsese, Goodfellas and The Departed, featuring DiCaprio again.
For starters, there’s something for all tastes becoming available on Netflix on January 1st. We’ve got Steven Spielberg’s Catch Me If You Can, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, animated comedy Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, both Sex in the City movies, Superbad, Bruce Lee classic Enter the Dragon, horror flick Gothika and not one but two films directed by Martin Scorsese, Goodfellas and The Departed, featuring DiCaprio again.
- 1/1/2021
- by Christian Bone
- We Got This Covered
Ring in the new year with a heap of new titles on HBO Max.
While production on “Euphoria” remains halted amid the Covid-19 pandemic, fans who have been clamoring for Season 2 can rest easy with the second of HBO’s two special episodes, the first of which released on Dec. 6. The second, titled “Fuck Anyone Who’s Not a Sea Blob,” will focus on Jules (Hunter Schafer) and premiere Jan. 24.
The fourth season of acclaimed HBO Max original dark comedy “Search Party” will debut Jan. 14. The series follows four self-absorbed post-grads who become entangled in a mystery when a former college acquaintance disappears. Season 4 picks up as Dory (Alia Shawkat) is held prisoner by her stalker Chip (Cole Escola), awaiting her friends Portia (Meredith Hagner), Elliott (John Early) and Drew (John Reynolds) to connect the dots and save her.
And if you’re looking to revisit your childhood, HBO Max...
While production on “Euphoria” remains halted amid the Covid-19 pandemic, fans who have been clamoring for Season 2 can rest easy with the second of HBO’s two special episodes, the first of which released on Dec. 6. The second, titled “Fuck Anyone Who’s Not a Sea Blob,” will focus on Jules (Hunter Schafer) and premiere Jan. 24.
The fourth season of acclaimed HBO Max original dark comedy “Search Party” will debut Jan. 14. The series follows four self-absorbed post-grads who become entangled in a mystery when a former college acquaintance disappears. Season 4 picks up as Dory (Alia Shawkat) is held prisoner by her stalker Chip (Cole Escola), awaiting her friends Portia (Meredith Hagner), Elliott (John Early) and Drew (John Reynolds) to connect the dots and save her.
And if you’re looking to revisit your childhood, HBO Max...
- 12/30/2020
- by Natalie Oganesyan
- Variety Film + TV
A new year is just around the corner and as folks start getting ready to say goodbye to the nightmare that was 2020, it’s time to look ahead at all the great movies and TV shows coming down the pipeline to keep us entertained over the next 12 months.
Hopes are high that things will begin to return to normal again and productions will be able to run smoother, meaning less delays and setbacks. And with 2021 absolutely packed with new releases right now, there’s more than enough to get excited about no matter where your interests lie.
But aside from just what’s coming to theaters and airing on television, we’ve also got all the streaming services still offering up a bevy of fresh content every month and January is no different. Indeed, the first few weeks of the new year will see Netflix, Disney Plus, HBO Max, Hulu...
Hopes are high that things will begin to return to normal again and productions will be able to run smoother, meaning less delays and setbacks. And with 2021 absolutely packed with new releases right now, there’s more than enough to get excited about no matter where your interests lie.
But aside from just what’s coming to theaters and airing on television, we’ve also got all the streaming services still offering up a bevy of fresh content every month and January is no different. Indeed, the first few weeks of the new year will see Netflix, Disney Plus, HBO Max, Hulu...
- 12/24/2020
- by Matt Joseph
- We Got This Covered
The first of the month is typically when the variety of streaming services on offer bolster their respective libraries with a mixture of original and pre-existing content, freshening things up for subscribers in the process. January 1st also happens to be the first day of 2021, though, so people might be expecting a little more than just a handful of new additions, and HBO Max are stepping up to the plate in a big way.
Of course, Wonder Woman 1984 is set to entice millions to sign up for Warner Bros.’ platform, especially when the entire slate of theatrical releases are also heading to the streaming site on the same day that they hit the big screen. And keen to capitalize on the inevitable influx of new customers, HBO Max is adding a massive amount of film and television titles on January 1st, with the onslaught set to continue over the next 30 days.
Of course, Wonder Woman 1984 is set to entice millions to sign up for Warner Bros.’ platform, especially when the entire slate of theatrical releases are also heading to the streaming site on the same day that they hit the big screen. And keen to capitalize on the inevitable influx of new customers, HBO Max is adding a massive amount of film and television titles on January 1st, with the onslaught set to continue over the next 30 days.
- 12/23/2020
- by Scott Campbell
- We Got This Covered
One of the most devastating things to witness is the disappearance of a parent due to dementia or Alzheimer’s. The change generally begins slowly with confusion and forgetfulness. They may lose their way driving home from the store. They stop reading and may even become obsessed with a person or a TV series. And then their personality begins to change; they are quick to anger and cry in frustration. Soon, they can’t operate the phone or even know how to tell time. They have hallucinations and forget to eat. They just fade away.
See‘Athlete A’ could be the next sports scandal documentary to vault into Oscar contention
Thanks to his daughter, documentarian Kristen Johnson (“Cameraperson”), Dick Johnson will never disappear. “Dick Johnson is Dead,” her love letter to her octogenarian widowed dad is a wildly imaginative, funny, poignant and haunting look at her coping with her father...
See‘Athlete A’ could be the next sports scandal documentary to vault into Oscar contention
Thanks to his daughter, documentarian Kristen Johnson (“Cameraperson”), Dick Johnson will never disappear. “Dick Johnson is Dead,” her love letter to her octogenarian widowed dad is a wildly imaginative, funny, poignant and haunting look at her coping with her father...
- 11/5/2020
- by Susan King
- Gold Derby
What better way to kick off a new month than a look at the many movies coming to Hulu? Ok, if you don’t have a Hulu subscription you might need an alternative. Maybe this list will convince you to take one out, though (not that I’m there salesperson). But enough patter, let’s crack on with it.
Here’s every new film that arrived on July 1st:
12 and Holding (2006)
2001 Maniacs (2005)
52 Pick-Up (1986)
A Bridge Too Far (1977)
A Complete History of My Sexual Failures (2009)
A Kid Like Jake (2018)
A Mighty Wind (2003)
A Storks Journey (2017)
An Eye for a Eye (1966)
The Axe Murders of Villisca (2017)
The Bellboy (1960)
Beloved (2012)
Best In Show (2000)
Between Us (2017)
Beyond the Valley of the Dolls (1970)
Birdwatchers (2010)
Boogie Woogie (2010)
The Bounty (1984)
Brokedown Palace (1998)
Buffy, the Vampire Slayer (1992)
Bug (1975)
Buried (2010)
Cadaver (2009)
California Dreamin’ (2009)
Captain Kronos: Vampire Hunter (1974)
Catcher Was A Spy (2018)
The Catechism Cataclysm (2011)
Change of Plans (2010)
Cheech & Chong...
Here’s every new film that arrived on July 1st:
12 and Holding (2006)
2001 Maniacs (2005)
52 Pick-Up (1986)
A Bridge Too Far (1977)
A Complete History of My Sexual Failures (2009)
A Kid Like Jake (2018)
A Mighty Wind (2003)
A Storks Journey (2017)
An Eye for a Eye (1966)
The Axe Murders of Villisca (2017)
The Bellboy (1960)
Beloved (2012)
Best In Show (2000)
Between Us (2017)
Beyond the Valley of the Dolls (1970)
Birdwatchers (2010)
Boogie Woogie (2010)
The Bounty (1984)
Brokedown Palace (1998)
Buffy, the Vampire Slayer (1992)
Bug (1975)
Buried (2010)
Cadaver (2009)
California Dreamin’ (2009)
Captain Kronos: Vampire Hunter (1974)
Catcher Was A Spy (2018)
The Catechism Cataclysm (2011)
Change of Plans (2010)
Cheech & Chong...
- 7/1/2020
- by Alex Crisp
- We Got This Covered
Echo Studio, the Paris-based international production firm dedicated to creating content with social impact, has set three new projects that are aimed to inspire change and action. The company, chaired by former Disney France chief Jean-François Camilleri, will co-produce the next feature film from Pascal Plisson, Once Upon A Time In Africa, and Anissa Bonnefont’s documentary Une Vie Volée (A Stolen Life), as well as develop three-part miniseries #Ourgirls about the 2014 kidnapping of the Chibok 276 schoolgirls in Nigeria.
Founded by Yves Darondeau and Emmanuel Priou, Serge Hayat and Camilleri, Echo Studio looks to raise global awareness of the century’s major issues via impactful films, series, TV movies, documentaries and dramas. Its first feature, Demain Est A Nous, directed by Gilles de Maistre and produced by Mai Juin Productions, was released in France in September 2019. Camilleri joined as Chairman one year ago in a re-team with Darandeau and Priou...
Founded by Yves Darondeau and Emmanuel Priou, Serge Hayat and Camilleri, Echo Studio looks to raise global awareness of the century’s major issues via impactful films, series, TV movies, documentaries and dramas. Its first feature, Demain Est A Nous, directed by Gilles de Maistre and produced by Mai Juin Productions, was released in France in September 2019. Camilleri joined as Chairman one year ago in a re-team with Darandeau and Priou...
- 7/1/2020
- by Nancy Tartaglione
- Deadline Film + TV
From indie classics like Do the Right Thing to blockbuster mega hits such as Infinity War, Samuel L. Jackson has cemented himself as one of the most recognizable actors of modern American cinema. But for every great movie he’s been in, he’s also played a part in some truly atrocious, yet nonetheless entertaining titles. And so on that note, here are his best and worst films, according to IMDb’s rating system.
Let’s start with the worst and work our way to the top from there. First up we got a movie called Def by Temptation. Released in 1990 and directed by a guy named James Bond III, it stars Jackson alongside Kadeem Hardison and Bill Nunn, both of whom have since become household names in their own right. The story of an “evil succubus” preying on young black men in New York, it’s a hodgepodge of...
Let’s start with the worst and work our way to the top from there. First up we got a movie called Def by Temptation. Released in 1990 and directed by a guy named James Bond III, it stars Jackson alongside Kadeem Hardison and Bill Nunn, both of whom have since become household names in their own right. The story of an “evil succubus” preying on young black men in New York, it’s a hodgepodge of...
- 6/21/2020
- by Tim Brinkhof
- We Got This Covered
Chinese video streaming platform Bilibili and European specialty broadcaster Arte are co-producing documentary feature “The Deep Med.” The underwater film is produced by French company Lgb and underwater photographer Laurent Ballesta.
The film involved 28 days of filming at depth and documents one of Arte’s regular scientific expeditions.
“Revealing vast unexplored ocean territories, luxurious gardens and the finest tropical coral reefs, The Deep Med takes viewers to the depths of the Mediterranean Sea. (The) group challenged themselves to yet a new world record: spend 28 days at a depth of 120 meters, pushing the limits of the human body to reveal the luxuriant and unknown depths of the Mediterranean Sea,” the companies said.
The agreement was unveiled at Sunny Side of the Doc, a French industry event and documentary marketplace. The completed film will be ready to air later this summer, with Bilibili handling exclusive rights in mainland China.
“Bilibili viewers were...
The film involved 28 days of filming at depth and documents one of Arte’s regular scientific expeditions.
“Revealing vast unexplored ocean territories, luxurious gardens and the finest tropical coral reefs, The Deep Med takes viewers to the depths of the Mediterranean Sea. (The) group challenged themselves to yet a new world record: spend 28 days at a depth of 120 meters, pushing the limits of the human body to reveal the luxuriant and unknown depths of the Mediterranean Sea,” the companies said.
The agreement was unveiled at Sunny Side of the Doc, a French industry event and documentary marketplace. The completed film will be ready to air later this summer, with Bilibili handling exclusive rights in mainland China.
“Bilibili viewers were...
- 6/19/2020
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Hulu is out with its list of everything new coming to the streaming service in July.
Highlights include season three of “90 Day Fiance: Before the 90 Days” and season one of “90 Day Fiance: The Other Way: Complete Season 1,” as well as some classic movies like “The Color Purple” and “Best in Show,” all coming July 1.
A new Hulu original movie “Palm Springs” drops on July 10, and a new episode of “Into the Dark” called “The Current Occupant” premieres July 17.
Movies leaving Hulu on July 31 include “Batman Begins” and “The Dark Knight,” “Thelma & Louise” and “Wayne’s World.”
See the full list of everything new and leaving the streamer below.
Also Read: ABC Already Changes Fall TV Schedule, Moves 'Black-ish' Up From Midseason
July 1
1000-lb Sisters: Complete Season 1 (TLC)
90 Day Fiance: Before the 90 Days: Complete Season 3 (TLC)
90 Day Fiance: The Other Way: Complete Season 1 (TLC)
BBQ Rig Race: Complete Season...
Highlights include season three of “90 Day Fiance: Before the 90 Days” and season one of “90 Day Fiance: The Other Way: Complete Season 1,” as well as some classic movies like “The Color Purple” and “Best in Show,” all coming July 1.
A new Hulu original movie “Palm Springs” drops on July 10, and a new episode of “Into the Dark” called “The Current Occupant” premieres July 17.
Movies leaving Hulu on July 31 include “Batman Begins” and “The Dark Knight,” “Thelma & Louise” and “Wayne’s World.”
See the full list of everything new and leaving the streamer below.
Also Read: ABC Already Changes Fall TV Schedule, Moves 'Black-ish' Up From Midseason
July 1
1000-lb Sisters: Complete Season 1 (TLC)
90 Day Fiance: Before the 90 Days: Complete Season 3 (TLC)
90 Day Fiance: The Other Way: Complete Season 1 (TLC)
BBQ Rig Race: Complete Season...
- 6/18/2020
- by Margeaux Sippell
- The Wrap
Wild Bunch, one of Europe's leading indie production and distribution companies, has secured a much-needed line of credit that should help the company's efforts to restructure its debt.
On Wednesday, Wild Bunch unveiled a loan financing agreement with Germany's Commerzbank for up to €35 million ($39.8 million). The line of credit is due in October 2022. Wild Bunch, famed as the purveyor of such award-winning international titles as Blue Is the Warmest Color, March of the Penguins, Spirited Away and The Artist, plans to use the cash to refinance an existing bank loan, with the rest serving to boost ...
On Wednesday, Wild Bunch unveiled a loan financing agreement with Germany's Commerzbank for up to €35 million ($39.8 million). The line of credit is due in October 2022. Wild Bunch, famed as the purveyor of such award-winning international titles as Blue Is the Warmest Color, March of the Penguins, Spirited Away and The Artist, plans to use the cash to refinance an existing bank loan, with the rest serving to boost ...
- 6/10/2020
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
Wild Bunch, one of Europe's leading indie production and distribution companies, has secured a much-needed line of credit that should help the company's efforts to restructure its debt.
On Wednesday, Wild Bunch unveiled a loan financing agreement with Germany's Commerzbank for up to €35 million ($39.8 million). The line of credit is due in October 2022. Wild Bunch, famed as the purveyor of such award-winning international titles as Blue Is the Warmest Color, March of the Penguins, Spirited Away and The Artist, plans to use the cash to refinance an existing bank loan, with the rest serving to boost ...
On Wednesday, Wild Bunch unveiled a loan financing agreement with Germany's Commerzbank for up to €35 million ($39.8 million). The line of credit is due in October 2022. Wild Bunch, famed as the purveyor of such award-winning international titles as Blue Is the Warmest Color, March of the Penguins, Spirited Away and The Artist, plans to use the cash to refinance an existing bank loan, with the rest serving to boost ...
- 6/10/2020
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
We are used to “Saturday Night Live” alum Tina Fey being a funny lady, whether she is scathingly mocking Sarah Palin or is inhabiting her insecure alter-ego TV writer Liz Lemon on “30 Rock.” But as part of Amazon’s anthology series, “Modern Love,” based on a weekly column that runs in The New York Times that spotlights true-life stories from the heart, the actress shows a more exposed side to her personality where humor doesn’t act as a shield. While she gets a few zingers, enough for her supporting role to qualify as comedic, she invests in expressing an uneasiness and insecurity in her character’s lifestyle.
In the fourth episode of the series, “Rallying to Keep the Game Alive,” her Manhattanite Sarah could have stepped out of a Woody Allen film. We witness the stay-at-home mom of a tween daughter and son in high school attending couples...
In the fourth episode of the series, “Rallying to Keep the Game Alive,” her Manhattanite Sarah could have stepped out of a Woody Allen film. We witness the stay-at-home mom of a tween daughter and son in high school attending couples...
- 3/19/2020
- by Susan Wloszczyna
- Gold Derby
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