Film extravaganza rolls up red carpet for move to June

THE Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF) will be staged in June next year in a dramatic break from the traditional August arts showcase. Organisers say the move away from a crowded month of festivals in Edinburgh will give the film gala room to grow and fit better in the international cinema festival calendar.

The new date from 18 to 29 June next year will see Edinburgh falling just after Cannes and well before the London Film Festival in September.

But it could also redefine it as a festival for discovering new films and directors, instead of trying to rival the red carpets and glitz of London.

The EIFF was founded in post-war Britain soon after the Edinburgh International Festival, to promote film as an art form. It has struggled to keep its profile high against the ever-growing Fringe and the Edinburgh International Book Festival, as well as new international film rivals.

"Edinburgh festivals are not just for August," said chairman John McCormick. "All the evidence pointed to a move to June being in the best interests of the festival."

Staff cited calls from sponsors and film distributors who wanted more media coverage for films they brought to the festival, rather than the publicity being eclipsed by the other August events. The sheer pressure on hotel rooms and venues was also cited as a problem for some of the 1,200 film industry figures who come to the city.

The debate over the film festival's dates has run for 20 years. The final decision, backed by the new director Hannah McGill, followed a consultation exercise that made the case for the EIFF being "the only show in town".

Fellow festival organisers lent their support to the move yesterday, as did the Scottish Executive, City of Edinburgh Council and the EIFF's patron, Sir Sean Connery.

"Changing the dates will create space for a modern, forward-thinking event that offers higher status and an individual identity to film culture," Sir Sean said.

But there were dissenting voices. The film writer and festival director, Richard Mowe, said removing the EIFF from the "cultural hotbed" of August would impact on all the festivals and was a move imposed by "bureaucrats and strategists".

"The atmosphere and allure of Edinburgh in June does not have the same appeal and the EIFF becomes just another festival on the international circuit," he said.

Others voiced concerns over whether the festival could stand on its own feet without the pull of all the festivals to bring audiences, big films and celebrities. The director Brian de Palma, for example, went to the opera as well when he visited last year.

There was also speculation about whether the Edinburgh International Television Festival, founded in 1976, could follow the film festival's lead.

Traditionally, Edinburgh has brought films at Cannes, but the closer timing means more films could come from the earlier Berlin and Sundance festivals.

Variety magazine's film critic, Leslie Felperin, said: "It's an interesting move. The festival has both benefited and suffered from being part of the larger festival.

I will be interested to see if Hannah manages to secure things from Cannes. One of the big attractions of Edinburgh is coming to see the big names in Cannes and it might make it very tight for their timings."

Ms McGill said: "June will give us the breathing space to expand and create our own distinctive identity. It is a chance to relaunch, re-articulate our mission as a festival of discussion and discovery." The festival was not "abandoning" August and would keep collaborating with other festivals.

The Edinburgh International Festival managing director, Joanna Baker, said: "It's a very brave decision, a very bold decision, absolutely in the interest of the festivals." There were already talks between the two festivals about films with live music, she said.

Former director of the film festival, Jim Hickey, said the change would settle the "pulling and pushing" over whether Edinburgh was a "red carpet" festival.

"It's trying to do what Edinburgh does best, which is make discoveries, be the maverick festival. It's going to reduce the red carpet glamour."

Source : http://living.scotsman.com/film.cfm?id=1241352007

National Film Awards announced

NEW DELHI: After being delayed by nearly a year because of court cases, the National Film Awards for 2005 were announced on Tuesday. Budhadeb Dasgupta’s Bengali film ‘Kaalpurush’ has been adjudged the Best Feature Film and will get the Swarna Kamal. And, in the non-feature film category, the top award has gone to ‘Riding Solo to the Top of The World’ by Gaurav A. Jani.

The Hindi film ‘Parineeta’ has walked away with the Indira Gandhi Award for the Best First Film of a Director. Again a Swarna Kamal recipient, both its producer Vidhu Vinod Chopra and director Pradeep Sarkar will get Rs. 25,000 each.

Best Popular Film

The Aamir Khan-starrer ‘Rang De Basanti’ has been declared the Best Popular Film providing Wholesome Entertainment and will get a Swarna Kamal. The Best Actor award has gone to Amitabh Bachchan for the Hindi film ‘Black’ and the Best Actress award to Sarika for her role in the English film ‘Parzania.’ Its director, Rahul Dholakia, also got the Best Direction Award.

‘Rang De Basanti’ figures among the awards more than once: The Best Audiography award went to Nakul Kamte, Best Editing award to P. S. Bharathi and Best Male Playback Singer to Naresh Iyer.

The Nargis Dutt Award for Best Feature Film on National Integration has gone to the Malayalam film ‘Daivanamathil’, the award for Best Film on Family Welfare to ‘Thavamai Thavamiranthe’ in Tamil, and the Best Film on Other Social Issues to the Hindi venture ‘Iqbal’. Nasseeruddin Shah has bagged the Best Supporting Actor award for his role in ‘Iqbal.’

The Kannada film ‘Thutturi’ has got the award for Best Film on Environment Conservation/Preservation, and ‘Blue Umbrella’ in Hindi has been adjudged the Best Children’s Film. While Sai Kumar has been declared Best Child Artist for his role in ‘Bommalata – A Bellyful of Dreams’, the Best Supporting Actress award has gone to Urvashi for the Malayalam film ‘Achhuvinte Amma’. The Best Female Playback Singer award has gone to Shreya Ghoshal for a song in the film ‘Paheli.’

The Best Cinematography Award has been bagged by Madhu Ambat for the Tamil film ‘Sringaram’, the Best Screenplay award by Prakash Jha, Shridhar Raghavan and Manoj Tyagi for the Hindi film ‘Apaharan,’ and the Best Art Direction award by C. B. More for ‘Taj Mahal – An Eternal Love Story’. The Best Costume Designer award will be shared by Anna Singh for ‘Taj Mahal — An Eternal Love Story’ and Sabyachi Mukherjee for ‘Black.’

While Anupam Kher has got a Special Jury Award for ‘Maine Gandhi Ko Nahin Mara,’ the Best Music Direction award has gone to Lalgudi Jayaraman for ‘Sringaram’ and the Best Lyrics award to Barguru Ramachandrappa for a song in the Kannada film ‘Thaayi’. The Special Effects Award has gone to Tata Elexi for the Tamil film ‘Anniyan.’ And choreographer Saroj Khan has got the Best Choreography award for the film ‘Sringaram.’

Source : http://www.hindu.com/2007/08/08/stories/2007080855821500.htm

New rules seek to limit mailings by film studios seeking Oscar nominations

LOS ANGELES: The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences wants film studios to cut the flood of mail they send to Academy members to promote their movies during the annual marketing push that leads up to the Oscars.

"We're asking the companies to use e-mail as much as possible," said Ric Robertson, the Academy's executive administrator. "Part of it is being conservation-minded, and part of it is a reaction to our members who complain about the deluge of mail they receive every day."

Under new rules first disclosed Monday, the Academy will no longer permit movie studios to mail sound recordings, music videos or sheet music of film scores or soundtracks to Oscar voters.

The Academy is also asking film studios to give members the opportunity to opt out from receiving mailings.

Robertson said Academy members can see all the eligible movies and perform their voting duties without relying on the materials the studios send out every fall and winter before the Oscars.

In general, the new rules limit studios to sending Academy members copies of films for home viewing, screenplays and information on public screenings.

Source : http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/08/07/arts/NA-A-E-MOV-US-Oscars-Marketing.php

Hollywood producers Bob, Harvey Weinstein launch US$285 million Asian film fund

HONG KONG: Hollywood producers Bob and Harvey Weinstein said Wednesday they have launched a US$285 million (€207 million) movie fund that will invest in Asian-themed projects.

One of the projects will be an action film about the Chinese folk heroine Hua Mulan, and another a remake of the 1954 Akira Kurosawa classic "The Seven Samurai," New York-based The Weinstein Co. said in a statement.

Chinese media reported earlier that "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" star Zhang Ziyi has signed on for the two projects.

The movie company founded by the Weinstein brothers also said it has invested in "The Forbidden Kingdom," the first movie featuring both Jackie Chan and Jet Li, which is currently filming in China.

The Weinstein Co. said it hopes to take advantage of lower costs by shooting in Asia while adding a "Western sensibility" to produce movies that appeal to both Asian and Western markets.

It said the Asian film fund aims to either produce or buy the rights to 21 movie productions and 10 straight-to-video productions that will be released through its Dragon Dynasty label, which director Quentin Tarantino will help manage. Tarantino is known for his interest in Hong Kong films.

Other Asian projects include an untitled movie starring Thai action star Tony Jaa; "Shanghai," an action movie about an American who investigates his friend's death in World War II-era Japanese-occupied Shanghai; and three other action films made by "24" producer Tony Krantz and Hong Kong director Andrew Lau.

Lau directed "Infernal Affairs," which Martin Scorsese remade as the Oscar-winning movie "The Departed."

The Weinstein Co. did not announce casting choices for its planned projects, but Chinese news Web site Sina.com reported earlier that Zhang has signed on for "Mulan" and the remake of "The Seven Samurai."

In "Mulan" — about a well-known Chinese folk heroine who became the subject of Disney's animation of the same name — Zhang will play a young girl who goes to battle in place of her ailing father. In "The Seven Samurai," she will play a village girl who dresses as a man to protect herself from bandits, according to Sina.com.

The Weinstein Co. said it will co-release "The Forbidden Kingdom" with Lionsgate in the U.S., Britain, Spain, France and Latin America.

The Weinstein Co., which has also set up a similar Latin American film fund, didn't say if the US$285 million (€207 million) has been completely raised.

The Weinstein brothers founded Miramax, which became part of the independent film movement in the 1990s and produced several high-grossing movies including "Chicago."

The Walt Disney Co. bought Miramax in the early 1990s, but the Weinstein brothers continued to run the studio until 2005, when they left to form The Weinstein Co.

Source : http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/08/08/arts/AS-A-E-MOV-Weinstein-Bros-Asian-Film-Fund.php