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 May 20, 2008 CANNES '08 BIZ DAILY | Spike Lee's "Miracle," Young Europeans, Cyrte Buy, Fortissimo and John Woo, and More
Continuing coverage of the Marche du Film in Cannes, indieWIRE reports on the latest deals and news from the Croisette. Tuesday saw Spike Lee discussing his latest film, "Miracle at St. Anna," Zentropa announcing their "Young Europeans" project, Holland's Cyrte and their new worldwide label, Fortissmo's plans for a new John Woo film, and more. [ read more in Biz ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under Cannes, Companies, Lead Story ] May 19, 2008 iW BOT | Miramax's Norwegian Drama 'Reprise' Wows NY and LA; 'Visitor' Crashes Top Ten
Box Office coverage presented by Rentrak Theatrical [ read more in Biz ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under Box Office, Lead Story ]  CANNES '08 BIZ DAILY | Europe Day, Another Pick-Up For IFC, Optimum Takes "Whiteout," Celluloid Options "UBIK," The Hungarian Pavilion, and More
Continuing coverage of the Marche du Film in Cannes, indieWIRE reports on the latest deals and news from the Croisette. Monday afternoon saw the 6th Europe Day program take place, IFC acquired the North American rights to "The Chaser," Optimum Releasing announced plans to release "Whiteout," Celluloid Dreams options the right to Phillip K. Dick's "UBIK," Lightning Media acquires the rights to Amy Redford's "Guitar," a look at the Hungarian Pavilion, and more. [ read more in Biz ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under Cannes, Companies, Lead Story ] May 18, 2008 CANNES '08 BIZ DAILY | Weinstein Takes "The Alchemist," Reliance Gives Funding To Hollywood, MGM Discusses New Plans, the Korean Pavilion, and More
Continuing coverage of the Marche du Film in Cannes, indieWIRE reports on the latest deals and news from the Croisette. The Weinstein Company buys the rights to best-selling book "The Alchemist," Reliance announced plans to fund Hollywood production companies, IFC Films takes "L'Aventure," MGM heads discuss the company's future at the American Pavilion, a look at the Korean Pavillion, and more. [ read more in Biz ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under Cannes, Companies, Lead Story ] May 17, 2008 CANNES '08 BIZ DAILY | IFC Takes Two More, WMA Launches $100M Fund, Celluloid Gets Animated & Scandinavian, Seville Evolves, Unifrance's Pavilion, and More
IFC continued to be among of the busiest dealmakers in Cannes, announcing today deals for both Olivier Assayas' "Summer Hours" and Anna Melikyan's "Mermaid." William Morris joined with Screen Capital International to unveil Incentive Filmed Entertainment, LLC (Incentive), a new production and financing vehicle for films under $15 million, while Celluloid Dreams announced deals for four new prokjcts, two of them animated and two from Scandinavian directors. Also, a closer look at the evolving Canadian-based Seville Pictures and , indieWIRE takes a look at the Unifrance Pavillion as biz coverage in Cannes continues. [ read more in Biz ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under Cannes, Companies, Lead Story ] May 16, 2008 CANNES '08 BIZ DAILY | Reliance Talks Big Numbers, Weinsteins Acquire "Lake" & Make Asian TV Deal, GreeneStreet Takes "Long Time," The Argentine Pavilion, and More
Continuing coverage of the Marche du Film in Cannes, indieWIRE reports on the latest deals and news from the Croisette. India-based media company Reliance Big Entertainment commits to a $1 billion slate, the Weinsteins acquired "Eden Lake," and inked a pan-Asian deal with TV network STAR, Greenstreet nabs the international rights to "Long Time Gone," Flip Video puts on a shorts competition at Cannes, the Argentina Pavilion celebrates a full slate at the Festival, and more. [ read more in Biz ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under Cannes, Companies, Lead Story ] May 15, 2008 CANNES '08 BIZ DAILY | Update: Hyde Park Million Dollar Asian Fund; Celluloid Follows "Prophet," MTV Wants Their Elephant Eye, Canadians All Business, and More
Continuing coverage of the Marche du Film in Cannes, indieWIRE reports on the latest deals and news from the Croisette. Hyde Park hypes a multi-million dollar fund for Singapore productions, MTV acquires "Planet B-Boy from Elephant Eye, Celluloid Dreams begins pre-sales of Jacques Audiard's latest, Jada Pinkett- Smith brings her directorial debut to Cannes, Origin Pictures will launch in June, a look at the Canadian pavillion, and more. [ read more in Biz ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under Cannes, Companies, Lead Story ] May 14, 2008 CANNES '08 BIZ DAILY | IFC Takes Two, Salt Launches, Fortissimo Busy, Delpy Pre-Sales, Ukranian Pavilion, and More
Continuing coverage of the Marche du Film in Cannes, indieWIRE reports on the latest deals and news from the Croisette. IFC has acquired a pair of Cannes festival entries, Arnaud Desplechin's "A Christmas Tale" and Josh Safdie's "The Pleasure of Being Robbed." Meanwhile, Fortissimo has had a busy round of sales leading up to the festival, while Salt launches for its first market after being re-branded. Finally, Julie Delpy inks pre-sales for her passion project, a look at the Ukranian pavillion, and more. [ read more in Biz ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under Cannes, Companies, Lead Story ] May 13, 2008 CANNES '08 BIZ DAILY | Cannes Market Kickoff, Fortissimo Gets Killer Film, AmPav Turns 20, and More
In the first of a series of daily dispatches focusing on the business side of the 2008 Cannes Film Festival: indieWIRE talks to Marche du Film director Jerome Paillard; Fortissimo acquires the rights to "Gigantic;" TFI is set to show some of Spike Lee's "Miracle at St. Anna," Arthouse Films acquires "Louise Bourgeois, Echo Bridge debuts a new slate, and the American Pavilion celebrates twenty years. [ read more in Biz ] [ 1 comments ] [ filed under Cannes, Companies, Lead Story ] May 12, 2008 iW BOT | Finger Licking Good Debut puts 'Poultrygeist' Atop Indie Charts
Box Office coverage presented by Rentrak Theatrical [ read more in Biz ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under Box Office ] May 8, 2008 Sign of the Times? Insiders React To Picturehouse, Warner Indie Closures
The tragedy was in plain sight, but nobody thought it would hit this hard. As word spread today that Warner Bros. planned to close its specialty divisions Picturehouse and Warner Independent Pictures, shifting all projects currently in development to the larger studio and its recently absorbed subdivision New Line, a mournful tone took hold of the independent film industry. "It is a sad day when any film company, large or small, bites the dust," said President of THINKfilm Mark Urman. "One had heard and one had even considered that this was a possible scenario. It's still surprising when you see it in print." [ read more in Biz ] [ 2 comments ] [ filed under Companies, Indiewood, Lead Story ] May 7, 2008 BIZ | Cablevision Stretches its Rainbow to Sundance Channel
Rainbow Media announced today a plan to purchase the Sundance Channel for $496 million. Confirming reports that the network was seeking a buyer and Rainbow Media was the lead contender, the deal finds Rainbow Media Holdings, LLC, a programming subsidiary of Cablevision Systems Corporation, buying the channel from its current owners NBC Universal, CBS, Showtime Networks and Robert Redford. The Sundance founder, meanwhile, will continue his role as the network's creative director, in addition to recieving just under $50 million from the deal, with the rest of the money divided up between the other owners. [ read more in Biz ] [ 2 comments ] [ filed under Companies, Lead Story ] May 5, 2008 iW BOT | Chart-Topping 'Mister Lonely' Makes Harmony Korine the Comeback Kid
Box Office coverage presented by Rentrak Theatrical [ read more in Biz ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under Box Office, Lead Story ] May 2, 2008 DOC COLUMN | Arts Engine Celebrates 10 Years
Ten years can either be a blip or an eternity depending on your perspective. The year 1997 saw President Bill Clinton inaugurated for his second term, James Cameron's "Titantic" was the top movie and a book about a young wizard named Harry Potter first hit shelves. It was before the Internet stock bust and "information superhighway" was still a promise. The world of documentary in the U.S. was one of foundation funding, public television broadcast and educational distribution with precious few docs breaking into any kind of commercial success. It was in that entrenched world that then-new filmmakers Katy Chevigny and Julia Pimsleur felt like they had little opportunity. [ read more in Biz ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under Documentary, Lead Story, Trends ] April 28, 2008 iW BOT | Chinese Dam documentary "Up the Yangtze" Floods NY; Abu Ghraib film "Standard Operating Procedure" Fails to Catch Fire
Box Office coverage presented by Rentrak Theatrical [ read more in Biz ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under Box Office, Lead Story ] April 27, 2008 Nonfiction Campaign: Can Errol Morris's "Standard Operating Procedure" Break the Political Doc Deadlock?
Election years are typically strong for political documentaries. Capitalizing on citizens' hunger for issues that the mainstream media is either ignoring or mishandling, audiences flock to theaters to get a deeper sense of what's going on in the world. At least that was the thinking in 2004, with the blockbuster sales of "Fahrenheit 9/11" and also given the multi-million-dollar grosses of "The Fog of War," "Control Room," "Super Size Me," and "The Corporation." Even "Going Upriver: The Long War of John Kerry" wasn't swift-boated in theaters, earning more than $614,000. [ read more in Biz ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under Documentary, Lead Story, Trends ] April 21, 2008 iW BOT | "Visitor" Stays Atop Specialty Chart; Weinstein Loses with "Osama"
Box Office coverage presented by Rentrak Theatrical [ read more in Biz ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under Box Office, Lead Story ] April 14, 2008 Changing Industry: As Dentler Moves to Cinetic's New Rights Management Division, A Pierson Steps in to Lead SXSW
Rising expectations for the future of film distribution paved the way for a pair of important industry moves within the independent movie industry today. Word that SXSW Film Festival head Matt Dentler would leave the increasingly important South by Southwest festival to join a new arm of Cinetic Media aimed at repping digital rights came alongside the announcement that Janet Pierson is replacing him in Austin. Dentler will serve as head of marketing and programming operations within the new Cinetic Rights Management (CRM) unit, while fellow board member at the local Austin Film Society, Pierson has been named the new producer of the fest and conference that runs alongside the popular annual SXSW Music event. [ read more in Biz ] [ 1 comments ] [ filed under Lead Story, Moves & Hires, SXSW ]  iW BOT | "Visitor" is Big Man on Specialty Chart; Crowds Cheer "Young@Heart's" Rock and Roll Seniors
Box Office coverage presented by Rentrak Theatrical [ read more in Biz ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under Box Office, Lead Story ] April 7, 2008 iW BOT | "Red Balloon" Soars in New York Debut; "Blueberry Nights," "Jellyfish" Dazzle Audiences
Box Office coverage presented by Rentrak Theatrical [ read more in Biz ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under Box Office, Lead Story ] March 31, 2008 iW BOT | John Lennon Drama "Chapter 27" Tops Specialty Chart; "My Brother," "Alexandra" Debut Strong
Box Office coverage presented by Rentrak Theatrical [ read more in Biz ] [ 1 comments ] [ filed under Box Office ] March 30, 2008 Webolution or Wild Unknown: Digital Rights in Indiewood 3.0
Is online distribution the future for indie releases? Probably, but for now, don't bet your budget on it. This year, at festivals from Sundance to Berlin to SXSW, industry professionals and filmmakers have been debating the state of feature streaming and online delivery at cocktail parties and on official panels with names like "Webolution!" and "Filmmakers on Demand." [ read more in Biz ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under Lead Story, Trends ] March 24, 2008 iW BOT | "Planet B-Boy" Spins Atop Specialty Chart; "Same Moon" Shatters Record for Spanish-Language Debuts
Box Office coverage presented by Rentrak Theatrical [ read more in Biz ] [ 1 comments ] [ filed under Box Office, Lead Story ] March 18, 2008 "Manda Bala" Wins Big at First Cinema Eye Awards
Born out of anger, to use the words of filmmaker Jason Kohn, the inaugural Cinema Eye Honors for documentary films awarded three prizes to "Manda Bala (Send A Bullet)" on Tuesday night in New York City. Kohn's doc, nominated in six of the nine Cinema Eye categories, was honored as best picture and also received awards for cinematography and editing. [ read more in Biz ] [ 7 comments ] [ filed under Awards Season, Awards Watch, Documentary, Lead Story ] March 17, 2008 iW BOT | "Snow Angels" Leaps Atop Specialty Pack; "Sputnik Mania" Hits NY
Box Office coverage presented by Rentrak Theatrical [ read more in Biz ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under Box Office ]  Beyond The Art House: True Indies Find Real Theatrical Alternatives Outside Commercial Venues
Commercial urban art houses are often so filled up with studio specialty division releases that truly independent films have a tough time getting in. But a vibrant and varied alternative scene is growing to get these endangered small movies seen - and maybe even to make a little money. It involves cinematheques, non-profit film centers with niche-oriented programming, film clubs, museums, microcinemas and cafes, universities, and more. Despite the growth of online platforms and on-demand sources for home viewing, these outlets are committed to providing communal moviegoing experiences, often with an educational component. And traditional distributors are working with them, even while continuing to try for extended engagements in the commercial theaters. [ read more in Biz ] [ 1 comments ] [ filed under Lead Story, Trends ] March 10, 2008 iW BOT | Stoked: IFC's "Paranoid Park" Leads Pack of Specialty Debuts; "Counterfeiters" Remains Top Oscar Winner
Box Office coverage presented by Rentrak Theatrical [ read more in Biz ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under Box Office ] March 9, 2008 SXSW '08 DISPATCH | As "Nights and Weekends" Debuts, Swanberg & Gerwig Sign Worldwide Deal with IFC
The SXSW Film Festival, annual meeting place for that infamous interconnected movement of new American filmmakers known as Mumblecore, has yielded a deal for the new film from prolific DIY director Joe Swanberg. In a pact brokered in recent days, IFC Entertainment quickly acquired worldwide rights to Swanberg and Greta Gerwig's "Nights and Weekends," announcing the deal as the film had its world premiere tonight (Sunday) here in Austin, TX. and less than a year after distributing Swanberg's "Hannah Takes The Stairs," which debuted here last March. [ read more in Biz ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under Acquistions, Lead Story, SXSW ] March 3, 2008 iW BOT | King of Queens: Koch Lorber's "Chop Shop" Top Debut; "Counterfeiters" Leads Oscar Winners
Box Office coverage presented by Rentrak Theatrical [ read more in Biz ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under Box Office, Lead Story ]  Docs Across America: Can Michael Moore Save the Theatrical Nonfiction Market?
After a dismal year for the theatrical nonfiction business, when aside from Michael Moore's "Sicko," only two documentaries - "No End in Sight" and "In the Shadow of the Moon" - made just over a million dollars, the iconoclastic documentary filmmaker wants to change all that. Last month, at the International Documentary Association's annual Oscar documentary celebration, Moore called for "Doc Night in America" (see related indieWIRE article), a plan which would see major theater chains dedicating one screen, one night a week, to non fiction film. While the proposal remains in its nascent stages, it has already spurred talk, both positive and negative, within the documentary community and the industry, at large. Will Moore's plan take off? And if it does, is it a good or bad thing for documentary releasing? [ read more in Biz ] [ 3 comments ] [ filed under Documentary, Lead Story, Trends ] 
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