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Studiocanal and Editions Albert René have signed an exclusive development agreement for the fifth live action movie inspired by the adventures of French comic strip hero Asterix.

The deal comes as French publishing house Éditions Albert René marks the 65th anniversary of the creation of the plucky Gaul warrior Asterix and his sidekick Obelix by René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo in 1959.

Since then, 400 million Asterix books in 130 languages and dialects have sold worldwide, with 40 albums of Asterix adventures published since 1961.

The Asterix & Obelix comic books are embedded in French culture and have inspired five live-action films to date: Claude Zidi’s Asterix & Obelix Take On Caesar (1999), Alain Chabat’s Asterix & Obelix: Mission Cleopatra (2002), Frédéric Forestier and Thomas Langmann’s Asterix At The Olympic Games (2008), Laurent Tirard’s Asterix & Obelix: God Save Britannia (2012) and Guillaume Canet’s Asterix & Obelix: The Middle Kingdom (2023).

They have had mixed fortunes...

The Cannes Film Festival officially announced the selection of Francis Ford Coppola’s Megalopolis in Competition at its press conference in Paris on Thursday, confirming Deadline’s scoop from Mike Fleming earlier this week.

Talking with journalists after the press conference, a visibly happy Frémaux expressed his content at having Megalopolis in the festival’s 77th edition.

“Francis Ford Coppola is part of the Cannes family, not only because he got two Palme d’Or, but also he was always quite close to us,” he said in a response to a question from Deadline.

Thierry Frémaux on 'Megalopolis' selection for the Cannes Film Festival: "Francis Ford Coppola is part of the Cannes family" pic.twitter.com/qOtaawHKDi

— Deadline Hollywood (@Deadline) April 11, 2024 Cannes head Thierry Frémaux talks Megalopolis selection

The Cannes delegate general said he had been gently checking in with Coppola over the past year on his progress with Megalopolis.

Exclusive: Robbie Fairchild, a Broadway lead and former New York City Ballet principal dancer, will star in the stage version of Michel Hazanavicius’ 2011 Oscar-winning movie The Artist, set in the 1920s when movies found their voice with the advent of talking pictures.

Fairchild received a Tony Award nomination for An American In Paris, another show based on a celebrated movie when it premiered on Broadway in 2015. Two years later, he helped launch that show in the West End.

In The Artist, he will play Silent Era matinee idol George Valentin, who finds his career torn away from him when the talkies arrive.

The part won French actor Jean Dujardin the Best Actor Oscar.

The Artist, co-written for the theater by Drew McOnie and playwright and screenwriter Lindsey Ferrentino, will have its world premiere at the Theatre Royal Plymouth from May 11 to May...

Exclusive: Choreographer and director Drew McOnie (Greatest Days) is developing a stage version of Michel Hazanavicius’s 2011 Oscar-winning film The Artist about a Hollywood silent screen star whose career is upended with the advent of talking pictures.

McOnie told Deadline that he is co-writing the theater adaptation with playwright and screenwriter Lindsey Ferrentino (Amy and the Orphans). He will direct and choreograph the show, something he has wanted to do since first watching the film.

A series of workshops being held in London late next January and early February will determine how the show will progress. It’s hoped that the production will be ready to open late 2023, though McOnie insisted that “we won’t get locked into a trajectory” until he and his collaborators are happy with the show’s developement.

Hazanavicius’s film was an homage, shot in black and white, to Hollywood’s first golden age. Jean Dujardin...

They were producers on Sian Heder’s Oscar best-picture winner ‘Coda’

Need to know: Co-CEOs Philippe Rousselet and Fabrice Gianfermi are currently flying high as the producers of Sian Heder’s Oscar best-picture winner Coda. They were the first European producers to achieve this feat since Thomas Langmann with The Artist in 2011. Paris-born Rousselet, who has had a foot on both sides of the Atlantic since early in his career, created the group in the early 1990s. He was joined by Gianfermi in 2000. It produces French-­language films under the banners of Vendôme Films and subsidiaries Jerico Films and Prelude,...

In today’s film news roundup, Ansel Elgort is going to high school, “Rockaway” gets a release, and “Suspiria” producer Bradley Fischer is honored.

Casting

Ansel Elgort has come aboard to star in the drama “The Great High School Imposter” for Participant Media and Condé Nast Entertainment.

The project is based on a Daniel Riley GQ Magazine article published this year about Artur Samarin, a young Ukranian man who posed as a teenager so he could be adopted by a childless couple in a small Pennsylvania town and became the top student in his high school. Saramin was five years older than he claimed. His adopted parents turned him into the authorities.

Mike Makowsky is adapting the script. Jeremy Steckler of Condé Nast Entertainment is producing. Makowsky, Elgort, and Emily Gerson Saines will be executive producers. Robert Kessel and Jonathan King are overseeing for Participant.

Elgort starred in “The Fault in Our Stars...

“Resistance” the story of the famed mime Marcel Marceau and how he learned to mime in order to survive and to save the lives of Jewish orphans in World War II France, written and to be directed by “Hands of Stone” director Jonathan Jakubowicz and produced by Claudine Jakubowicz and Carlos Garcia de Paredes, will star the curly haired and fast talking Jesse Eisenberg who played Mark Zuckerberg in the 2010 film “The Social Network”. Baptiste Marceau, the oldest son of Marcel, has been closely involved in the research for this European coproduction that CAA is packaging and representing in Cannes. Marceau the artist of silence gave his first major performance to 3,000 American troops after the liberation of Paris in August 1944.

Michael Jackson and Marcel Marceau

The producers of last year’s Norwegian hit, “The Wave”, have turned their attention to Marius Holst’s “Betrayed”, the story of the Norwegian Jews...

L’Arp expresses love for Us culture and “consternation” at Us president’s budget plan.

French cinema guild L’Arp has issued a message of solidarity with Us filmmakers and artists, condemning Us President Donald Trump’s recently revealed proposals to slash cultural spending.

“We love American culture and cinema which for us [are] our inexhaustible sources of inspiration and escape,” said the body, jointly presided over by Oscar-winning director Michel Hazanavicius (pictured) and filmmaker Julie Bertuccelli.

“We therefore wish to express our solidarity with the American filmmakers and artists who have recently mobilised against this decision.”

Under its budget proposals for the next fiscal year, the Trump administration is planning to cut some $971m previously earmarked for non-profit cultural entities, including theatres, writing programmes, orchestras, libraries and public broadcasters.

The biggest losers are expected to be the National Endowment For The Arts, the Corporation For Public Broadcasting, the Institute Of Museum And Library Services, and the National...

L’Arp statement expresses love for Us culture and consternation over Us president’s budget plan.

French cinema guild L’Arp has issued a message of solidarity with Us filmmakers and artists, condemning Us President Donald Trump’s recently revealed proposals to slash cultural spending.

“We love American culture and cinema which for us are inexhaustible sources of inspiration and escape,” said the body, jointly presided over by Oscar-winning director Michel Hazanavicius (pictured) and filmmaker Julie Bertuccelli.

“We therefore wish to express our solidarity with the American filmmakers and artists who have recently mobilised against this decision.”

Under its budget proposals for the next fiscal year, the Trump administration is planning to cut some $971m previously earmarked for non-profit cultural entities, including theatres, writing programmes, orchestras, libraries and public broadcasters.

The biggest losers are expected to be the National Endowment For The Arts, the Corporation For Public Broadcasting, the Institute Of Museum And Library Services, and the National...

Exclusive: Paris-based Upside Distribution is screening a teaser trailer at Efm.

French action director Olivier Megaton is hitting the European Film Market (Efm) this weekend with a teaser screening of his upcoming documentary Roc, The World’s Greatest Con Artist, about infamous French con artist Christophe Rocancourt, which is currently in post-production.

The Taken 2 and Taken 3 and Transporter 3 director reveals that between big budget action pictures he likes to make documentaries.

“I started out as a painter, not a director. Documentary helps me return to something more human and artisanal that I had when I was painting,” says Megaton.

“As time goes by the films I make are more and more heavy, complicated and pressured. When I am not making films, I need to do something different as I am addicted to work and find it impossible to stop. Documentary is something perfect for me. There’s not so much pressure and I love...

Exclusive: Paris-based Upside Distribution is screening a teaser trailer at Efm.

French action director Olivier Megaton is hitting the European Film Market (Efm) this weekend with a teaser screening of his upcoming documentary Roc, The World’s Greatest Con Artist, about infamous French con artist Christophe Rocancourt, which is currently in post-production.

The Taken 2 and Taken 3 and Transporter 3 director reveals that between big budget action pictures he likes to make documentaries.

“I’m started out as a painter, not a director. Documentary helps me return to something more human and artisanal that I had when I was painting,” says Megaton.

“As time goes by the films I make are more and more heavy, complicated and pressured. When I am not making films, I need to do something different as I am addicted to work and find it impossible to stop. Documentary is something perfect for me. There’s not so much pressure and I love...

First time France submits film by non-French national since 1977.

Dutch filmmaker Paul Verhoeven’s revenge thriller Elle will represent France as the country’s submission to the Best Foreign Language Film category at the 89th Academy Awards next year.

France’s National Cinema Centre (Cnc), which oversees the selection process, made the announcement on Monday (Sept 26).

Verhoeven’s French-language debut stars Isabelle Huppert as a video game company boss who seeks revenge on a brutal rapist.

The film generated considerable buzz at Cannes, where it world premiered in Competition, for its subject matter and Huppert’s strong performance.

Read: Paul Verhoeven talks returning to Cannes with ‘Elle’

It is the first time France has submitted a film by a non-French national since Israeli director Moshé Mizrahi’s Madame Rosa, starring Simone Signoret as a retired prostitute, in 1977. It went on to win the Foreign Language category.

Verhoeven’s films have been submitted for the Foreign Language category...

Paris-based sales company takes on provocative film.

Paris-based Other Angle Pictures has taken on international sales of Yvan Attal’s provocative tragicomic portmanteau film #TheJews exploring antisemitism and the clichés surrounding the Jewish race.

The film – produced by Oscar-winning producer Thomas Langmann (The Artist) - was born out of Israeli-French actor and director Attal’s personal sense of persecution and a growing antisemitism amid reactions from his friends and family that he was over-reacting.

“Yvan tackles several clichés surrounding the Jews from ‘They’re everywhere’, to ‘They killed Jesus Christ’ in a series of sketches – each of them tragi-comic in tone,” explains Other Angle chief Olivier Albou.

Attal has pulled together an ensemble cast including wife Charlotte Gainsbourg as well as Dany Boon, Benoit Poelvoorde, François Damiens, Gilles Lelouche, Gregory Gadebois, Denys Podalydes and Valerie Bonneton.

“Obviously, it’s controversial topic but it’s also a timely one,” said Albou of the film which is due to...

Exclusive: Deal signed following French premiere at Deauville.

Other Angle has acquired world rights to Zoe Cassavetes’ second feature Day Out of Days, following a 40-something, former movie star whose acting career has hit the buffers.

The Paris-based sales company signed the film following its French premiere at the Deauville American Film Festival last week.

French actress Alexia Landeau, who appeared alongside Julie Delpy in 2 Days In Paris and its sequel 2 Days In New York, stars with support from Eddie Izzard, Melanie Griffith and Alessandro Nivola.

Day Out of Days premiered at the Los Angeles Film Festival in June.

“It’s got a great little cast,” said Other Angle co-chief Olivier Albou who will commence sales on the film in Toronto this week.

Full Speed

Another key addition to the Other Angle slate is Full Speed (A Fond), the latest film from Nicolas Benamou, director of the hit French found-footage comedy Babysitting, which drew more...

One Wild Moment

Director: Jean-Francois Richet // Writers: Lisa Azuelos, Claude Berri (original film), Jean-Francois Richet

Jean-Francois Richet won a Cesar for his 1996 debut, Inner City, but snagged international attention for his Us remake of John Carpenter’s Assault on Precinct 13 back in 2005 before directing his more notable exploration of the French gangster Jacques Mesrine, which starred Vincent Cassel in a pair of 2008 titles. This coming year will see Richet unveiling a Mel Gibson headlined film, Blood Father, but we’re more interested in his remake of Claude Berri’s 1977 film here known as One Wild Moment, starring Cassel and Francois Cluzet as friends that take their teenage daughters on vacation, though one of them has an indiscreet liaison with the other’s kid. Sounds fantastically uncomfortable.

Cast: Vincent Cassel, Francois Cluzet

Producer: La Petite Reine’s Thomas Langmann (The Search)

U.S. Distributor: Rights Available.

Release Date: We’re...

Not even close to over the hill! Salma Hayek proved that age is just a number on Friday, Dec. 26, when she was spotted vacationing on a luxury yacht in St. Barths.  Slipping off her black lace cover-up, the 48-year-old Oscar nominee flashed her hourglass figure and flat tummy in a sexy black bikini. She wore her hair up in a messy bun, and appeared to be virtually makeup-free. Along with her husband, French billionaire Francois-Henri Pinault, their daughter Valentina, 7, and French producer pal Thomas Langmann, Hayek [...]...

Cannes – Oscar winner Michel Hazanavicius on Wednesday‎ discussed his Cannes festival competition entry The Search, how political the film about the Chechnya conflict is and working with Annette Bening on his follow-up to The Artist. He was joined by wife Berenice Bejo, who stars in the film, producer Thomas Langmann and some of the other actors. The Search debuts in Cannes on Wednesday and has been eagerly awaited given its cast and director. A press screening in the morning drew some boos though. Bejo won the best actress award in Cannes last year for The Past. Photos:

read more...

Welcome back to Cannes Check, In Contention's annual preview of the films in Competition at next month's Cannes Film Festival, which kicks off on May 14. Taking on different selections every day, we'll be examining what they're about, who's involved and what their chances are of snagging an award from Jane Campion's jury. Next up, from the most recent Oscar winner in the lineup: Michael Hazanavicius' "The Search." The director: Michel Hazanavicius (French, 47 years old). Three years ago, Hazanavicius was a somewhat unlikely Competition entrant: regarded as a lightweight commercial comedy director, his film was initially placed in a non-competitive slot, and only upgraded when another planned inclusion didn't pan out. That film, of course, was "The Artist." Now, Hazanavicius returns to the festival with an Oscar to his name, while he and his wife -- last year's Best Actress winner Bérénice Bejo -- are one of French cinema's premier power couples.

Exclusive: Wild Bunch to launch new films from Verhoeven, Noé, Kechiche as well as Spring Breakers 2, Maniac Cop remake and market premiere Welcome to New York.

Paris-based sales and production powerhouse Wild Bunch has unveiled a packed Cannes slate, featuring future films from Paul Verhoeven, Gaspar Noé and Abdellatif Kechiche as well as Spring Breakers 2 and the remake of Maniac Cop.

The untitled Paul Verhoeven project is an adaptation of French writer Philippe Djian’s 2012 novel Oh!, revolving around a psychological game of cat-and-mouse between a businesswoman and a stalker who raped her, a crime for which she is seeking revenge.

“Casting is being finalised. It’s a very intelligent script but it’s also pure Verhoeven, extremely erotic and perverted, so the actress has to be prepared to take that on,” said Wild Bunch co-chief Vincent Maraval.

Wild Bunch will also launch Spring Breakers: The Second Coming, in which the Spring Breakers do battle with an...

Colt 45

Director: Fabrice Du Welz

Writer: Fathi Beddiar

Producers: Julien Arnoux, Sébastien Delloye, Thomas Langmann, Emmanuel Montamat

U.S. Distributor: Rights Avilable

Cast: Gerard Lanvin, Joey Starr, Alice Taglioni, Philippe Nahon

The very busy Belgian director Fabrice Du Welz makes our 2014 list twice (see the number 20 position), and this second entry feels like more of departure for the director. An cop thriller from a first time screenwriter, we’re curious to see Welz’s union with Joey Starr, along with uniting once more with the generally terrifying Philippe Nahon.

Gist: Weapon supervisor and shooting instructor for National Police, Vincent Milès is an expert in combat shooting. He’s only 25 and the elites from all around the globe are courting him. Against all odds, he refuses to join the prestigious field squads. His life takes a crucial turn when he meets Milo Cardena, a mysterious field agent, who drags him...

The Search

Director: Michel Hazanavicius

Writer: Michel Hazanvicius

Producers: Thomas Langmann

U.S. Distributor: Rights Available

Cast: Berenice Bejo, Annette Bening

Michel Hazanavicius’ follow-up feature to his Oscar winning 2011 film The Artist (he also directed a segment in the 2012 omnibus film, The Players), will undoubtedly be one of the most anticipated films of the year. Once again, he’s cast wife Berenice Bejo in a plum role in this remake of a 1948 Fred Zinnemann film starring Montgomery Clift. A modernized political climate and switch in gender dynamics should make this an interesting rehash. And of course, Annette Bening is always a notable presence.

Gist: A woman who works for a non-governmental organization (Ngo) forms a special relationship with a young boy in war-torn Chechnya.

Release Date: If it’s ready in time, we’ll assume Cannes, but if not, this will certainly be a fall fest premiere.

More Top 200 Most...

Worldview Entertainment has closed a deal for the North American distribution rights for Academy Award winner Michel Hazanavicius’s drama, The Search, starring Academy Award nominees Bérénice Bejo and Annette Bening.

Hazanavicius wrote the screenplay and is reuniting with Academy Award winning producer Thomas Langmann, and his award winning production team from The Artist.

The Search is the story of an Ngo worker who forms a special relationship with a young boy in warn-torn Chechnya and is based on Academy Award winner Fred Zinnemann’s Oscar-winning 1948 film, with the same title, which is set in post-World War II Berlin.

The production is currently filming in the country of Georgia before moving to France.

Worldview’s Christopher Woodrow, Molly Conners, Maria Cestone and Sarah E. Johnson will executive produce. The Search is the second acquisition for Worldview this year following the pre-Cannes pick-up of the competition title, “Jimmy P.,” starring Academy Award winner Benicio Del Toro,...

Worldview Entertainment has acquired North American rights to Michel Hazanavicius’s drama The Search starring Bérénice Bejo and Annette Bening. Wild Bunch handles international sales at the Afm.

Hazanavicius wrote the screenplay and reunites with his producer on The Artist, Thomas Langmann.

Worldview’s Christopher Woodrow, Molly Conners, Maria Cestone and Sarah E Johnson will serve as executive producers on the story of an Ngo worker who forms a special relationship with a young boy in warn-torn Chechnya.

CAA represented Worldview on the acquisition.

[Press Release] November 6, 2013 (Los Angeles, CA) -- Worldview Entertainment has closed a deal for the North American distribution rights for Academy Award winner Michel Hazanavicius’s drama, “The Search,” starring Academy Award nominees Bérénice Bejo and Annette Bening. Hazanavicius wrote the screenplay and is reuniting with Academy Award winning producer Thomas Langmann, and his award winning production team from “The Artist.” Worldview’s Christopher Woodrow, Molly Conners, Maria Cestone and Sarah E. Johnson will executive produce. “The Search” is the second acquisition for Worldview this year following the pre-Cannes pick-up of the competition title, “Jimmy P.,” starring Academy Award winner Benicio Del Toro, which was later sold to IFC Films. “The Search” is the story of an Ngo...

Exclusive: Annette Bening and The Artist‘s Bérénice Bejo have signed on to star in Oscar winner Michel Hazanavicius‘ drama The Search. Hazanavicius also penned the screenplay. Pic will reunite Hazanavicius with producer Thomas Langmann and his award-winning production team from The Artist. Worldview Entertainment’s Christopher Woodrow, Molly Conners, Maria Cestone and Sarah E. Johnson will executive produce. The Search is the story of an Ngo worker who forms a special relationship with a young boy in war-torn Chechnya. It’s based on Fred Zinnemann’s Oscar-winning 1948 film, which is set in post-World War II Berlin. Shooting is underway in the country of Georgia, then will move on to France. Bening and Bejo are repped by CAA.

Winning a Best Director Oscar would seem to catapult a talented filmmaker to instant new heights and get them quick access to some of the hottest scripts and developing projects. Studios used Kathryn Bigelow (2009′s winner) and Tom Hooper’s (2010′s winner) credentials to their favour when Zero Dark Thirty and Les Misérables were released in late 2012, and those much anticipated films became big winter hits. But 2011′s winner, director Michel Hazanavicius, has been very, well, silent since his victory for The Artist.

Well, it turns out that Hazanavicius has been filming a new drama in relative secrecy since August, according to Cineuropa. An untitled and loose remake of Fred Zinnemann’s 1948 post-war drama The Search, his film stars Bérénice Bejo as an Ngo employee working in Chechnya helping to unite a lost boy with his family.

The original film was one of the first major American productions to tackle...

Michel Hazanavicius reassembles Oscar-winning team including Bérénice Bejo to shoot The Search in Georgia

• The Artist wins big at the 2012 Oscars

• Peter Bradshaw's five star review of The Artist

The Oscar-winning director of The Artist, Michel Hazanavicius, has been shooting his long-awaited follow-up for five weeks in secret.

The Search is a remake of the Fred Zinnemann 1948 postwar drama about a mother and son looking for each other in a Nazi concentration camp. Hazanavicius has transferred the story to present day Chechnya, casting The Artist's Bérénice Bejo (his wife) in the lead. She will play an Ngo official on assignment in the wartorn Russian province.

The Search began shooting in August in Georgia, with production due to move to Paris in the near future. There are few details, but it is understood Hazanavicius is shooting in secret to avoid the publicity glare likely to be afforded to the new film.

DVD Release Date: Sept. 17, 2013

Price: DVD $24.98

Studio: Anchor Bay/The Weinstein Company

A battle royale is brewing in War of the Buttons.

Based on Louis Pergaud’s best-selling 1912 novel, La Guerre des boutons, the French family adventure film War of the Buttons stars actor/filmmaker Guillaume Canet (Love Me If You Dare), Laetitia Casta (Gainsbourg: A Heroic Life), Kad Merad (Welcome to the Sticks) and newcomers Jean Texler and Ilona Bachelier.

Set in France during World War II, War of the Buttons tells the tale of two rival groups of kids from neighboring villages. Pre-teen rebel Lebrac (Texier) leads a spirited group of kids in a pint-sized “war” where the victory comes from capturing the enemies’ buttons, belts, and laces – forcing them to return home ragged to face their mothers’ reprimand. When Violette (Bachelier), a young Jewish girl, comes to town to hide from the Nazis, Lebrac befriends her and...

While we’re still waiting on Us release details, Maniac opens in the UK next month and a new poster has just been released. Starring Elijah Wood, Maniac is a remake of the 1980 William Lustig cult classic of the same name. The movie was acquired for North American distribution by IFC and should be released later this year:

“[IFC Midnight announced] that the company is acquiring all North American rights to director Franck Khalfoun’s thriller Maniac. Alexandre Aja and Gregory Levasseur wrote the screenplay for the film, which stars Elijah Wood, is a remake of William Lustig’s 1980 film of the same title. Thomas Langmann, Aja, Levasseur, and Lustig produced the project with Antoine de Cazotte, Daniel Delume, Andrew W. Garroni, Pavlina Hatoupis, and Alix Taylor executive producing. Maniac premiered in the Official Selection of the 2012 Cannes Film Festival out of competition.

Frank is the withdrawn owner of a mannequin store, but...

Check out poster 2 for Maniac starring Elijah Wood and Nora Arnezeder. This is the U.K. quad for the Franck Khalfoun crime horror / thriller scripted by Joe Spinell, Alexandre Aja, Grégory Levasseur and C.A. Rosenberg. IFC Midnight distributes the film which also has Liane Balaban, Dan Hunter, Joshua De La Garza, America Olivo, Ron Reznik, Genevieve Alexandra, Megan Duffy and Steffinnie Phrommany in the cast. The story follows an owner of a mannequin shop who develops a dangerous obsession with a young artist. Aja, Thomas Langmann, Levasseur and William Lustig produce.

Check out poster 2 for Maniac starring Elijah Wood and Nora Arnezeder. This is the U.K. quad for the Franck Khalfoun crime horror / thriller scripted by Joe Spinell, Alexandre Aja, Grégory Levasseur and C.A. Rosenberg. IFC Midnight distributes the film which also has Liane Balaban, Dan Hunter, Joshua De La Garza, America Olivo, Ron Reznik, Genevieve Alexandra, Megan Duffy and Steffinnie Phrommany in the cast. The story follows an owner of a mannequin shop who develops a dangerous obsession with a young artist. Aja, Thomas Langmann, Levasseur and William Lustig produce.

Sadly, we still have to wait for Maniac to be released in the Us. However, it has already been playing internationally and we have a new clip for you to watch. IFC acquired North American distribution rights for Maniac and we’ll hopefully see it released early this year. The movie is a remake of the 1980 William Lustig film and stars Elijah Wood as a serial killer:

“[IFC Midnight announced] that the company is acquiring all North American rights to director Franck Khalfoun’s thriller Maniac. Alexandre Aja and Gregory Levasseur wrote the screenplay for the film, which stars Elijah Wood, is a remake of William Lustig’s 1980 film of the same title. Thomas Langmann, Aja, Levasseur, and Lustig produced the project with Antoine de Cazotte, Daniel Delume, Andrew W. Garroni, Pavlina Hatoupis, and Alix Taylor executive producing. Maniac premiered in the Official Selection of the 2012 Cannes Film Festival out of competition.

Frank...

We still have a bit of a wait before Maniac is released in the Us, but the movie is now playing internationally and we have the first six minutes of the movie for you to watch.IFC acquired North American distribution rights for Maniac and we’ll hopefully see it released early in 2013. The movie is a remake of the 1980 William Lustig film, and stars Elijah Wood as a serial killer:

“[IFC Midnight announced] that the company is acquiring all North American rights to director Franck Khalfoun’s thriller Maniac. Alexandre Aja and Gregory Levasseur wrote the screenplay for the film, which stars Elijah Wood, is a remake of William Lustig’s 1980 film of the same title. Thomas Langmann, Aja, Levasseur, and Lustig produced the project with Antoine de Cazotte, Daniel Delume, Andrew W. Garroni, Pavlina Hatoupis, and Alix Taylor executive producing. Maniac premiered in the Official Selection of the 2012 Cannes Film Festival out of competition.

We won’t be seeing much of the Maniac remake in the Us until next year, but we have a new video for the movie that features behind-the-scenes footage and new clips. IFC acquired North American distribution rights for Maniac and we’ll hopefully see it released early in 2013. The movie is a remake of the 1980 William Lustig film, and stars Elijah Wood as a serial killer:

“[IFC Midnight announced] that the company is acquiring all North American rights to director Franck Khalfoun’s thriller Maniac. Alexandre Aja and Gregory Levasseur wrote the screenplay for the film, which stars Elijah Wood, is a remake of William Lustig’s 1980 film of the same title. Thomas Langmann, Aja, Levasseur, and Lustig produced the project with Antoine de Cazotte, Daniel Delume, Andrew W. Garroni, Pavlina Hatoupis, and Alix Taylor executive producing. Maniac premiered in the Official Selection of the 2012 Cannes Film Festival out of competition.

Frank...

IFC acquired North American distribution rights for Maniac and we’ll hopefully see it released early next year. Maniac is a remake of the 1980 William Lustig film, starring Elijah Wood as a serial killer, and we have a new set of photos for you to check out.

“[IFC Midnight announced] that the company is acquiring all North American rights to director Franck Khalfoun’s thriller Maniac. Alexandre Aja and Gregory Levasseur wrote the screenplay for the film, which stars Elijah Wood, is a remake of William Lustig’s 1980 film of the same title. Thomas Langmann, Aja, Levasseur, and Lustig produced the project with Antoine de Cazotte, Daniel Delume, Andrew W. Garroni, Pavlina Hatoupis, and Alix Taylor executive producing. Maniac premiered in the Official Selection of the 2012 Cannes Film Festival out of competition.

Frank is the withdrawn owner of a mannequin store, but his life changes when young artist Anna appears asking for his help with her new exhibition.

Maniac is a remake of the 1980 William Lustig cult classic of the same name and features Elijah Wood as a serial killer. The film was directed by Franck Khalfoun (P2) and was recently picked up for Us distribution by IFC. A release date has not yet been set, but if you’re looking to see more of the movie, check out the Nsfw international trailer that was recently released:

[IFC Midnight announced]…that the company is acquiring all North American rights to director Franck Khalfoun’s thriller Maniac. Alexandre Aja and Gregory Levasseur wrote the screenplay for the film, which stars Elijah Wood, is a remake of William Lustig’s 1980 film of the same title. Thomas Langmann, Aja, Levasseur, and Lustig produced the project with Antoine de Cazotte, Daniel Delume, Andrew W. Garroni, Pavlina Hatoupis, and Alix Taylor executive producing. Maniac premiered in the Official Selection of the 2012 Cannes Film Festival out of competition.

I participated in a Dreamago panel moderated by WGA-West VP and USC film writing prof and an artistic director at the Sundance Institute Wrting Labs, Howard Rodman.

Other panelists included Vince Fischer who, having been educated and working in Paris, Montreal, New York in business and advertising, event production, and creating the endorsement agency GlamCom which initiates deals between celebrities and products, such as he did with George Clooney and Nespresso, has gone on to create Artistic Alliance Eci which represents screenwriters, directors and actors with offices in Beijing, L.a. and Paris, to match people and projects abroad. Daniel Hsia, the writer/ director of Shanghai Calling, (Isa: Aldamisa) a U.S. - China co-production distributed in China by China Film Group and in So. Korea by Sookie and due to be released in Norht America in 2013 works with Janet Yang and is eager to do more co-productions in China though he admits to difficulties with censors, etc. You can see the trailer of Shanghai Calling here.

Neil Landau who wrote Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead, the 3D animated feature Tad: The Lost Explores from Paramount which is the highest grossing animated film in Spain's history and the #1 Spanish box ofice movie of the year, is now working on its sequel and another animated feature by the same director. His latest screenplay is being produced by Cary Brokaw for Avenue Pictures (The Player, Closer, Angels in America). He is curretnly developing an original miniseries for HBO for the Russian Market and a crime drama for Sreda in Moscow.

Paula Manzanedo-Schmitt is VP of Film Finances Inc. the world leader in completion guarantees. She has been involved in more than 1,000 films and TV programs internationally and in U.S. She spoke of the various cross-cultural requisites in film production abroad.

The discussion centered around whether filmmakers could make a film without the notorioius interference of studios (they should all be so lucky as to have this problem). In other words, the panelists discussed their experiences making films with Russians and Chinese. All agreed that working abroad, and especially with international sales agents who also produce allows for greater freedom of vision (although in China the reward is writng so that China censorship does not interfere because one has written to their specifications). All agreed also that there is a certain cross-cultural divide one must discover in order to work effectively.

My suggestions for finding a way to create without corporate interferences are listed below:

** Coproduce with Canada who has the most coproduction treaties in the world, or go directly to producers or sales agents who do not rely on treaties.

** Work with international sales agents who produce international coproductions which include U.S., or with the producers of those films who now have established track records.

Take a look at Level K, Tine Klint's relatively new Danish company which is preselling films from U.K., Canada and Australia:

Not Another Happy Ending by Brit John McKay 33 Liberty Lane by Canadian Peter Hewitt The Turning by Australian Cate Blanchett and Robert Connelly starring Emily Watson The Last Ocean by New Zealander Peter Young

French sales agent Films Distribution is selling

Marina Zenovich's doc Roman Polanski: Odd Man Out which Showtime acquired for U.S. TV. Citadel from Ireland has sold to Cinedigm/ New Video for U.S. and Mongrel for Canada. 30 Beats from the U.S. sold to Roadside Attractions for U.S. and Codex Media And Advertising Corporation for Turkey.

Other French companies are doing likewise.

Studio Canal is selling

Liz Garbus' Love, Marilyn - though this was picked up complete at Tiff 12. Don Mazer's I Give It A Year from the U.K. and produced by Tim Bevan. It began presales in Cannes.

Celluloid Dreams is selling

Greetings From Tim Buckley--U.S.-Tiff 12 Special Presentations World Premiere - Director: Daniel Algrant The Comedian a U.K. comedy by Tom Shkolnik Francis Ha - U.S. - Tiff 12. by Noah Baumbach Satellite Boy - Australia The Conspiracy - U.K.

Snd is preselling The Love Punch an English language French comedy

Wild Bunch is selling

Blood Ties written by James Gray, directed by Guillaume Canet, Cast : Billy Crudup, Clive Owen, Marion Cottillard, Mila Kunis, Zoe Saldana, Producers: Alain Attal (Les Productions du Tresor), Hugo Selignac, John Lesher.

This very American sotry takes place in New York, 1974. Chris Pierzynski has just been released after years in prison for his part in a gangland murder. Waiting reluctantly outside the prison gates is his younger brother, Frank, a cop with a bright future. Chris and Frank have always been different, and their father, who raised them alone, has always favored Chris - despite all his troubles. Frank has known this since they were kids, and it eats at him like nothing else.

It has presold to Belgium-Lumière, Scandinvia -Scanbox Entertainment, Netherlands-Lumiere, Romania-Independenta Film, Switzerland-Frenetic Films, Turkey-Codex Media, Ukraine Top Film Distribution

Maniac by Franck Khalfoun U.S. English Horror, Writers : Alexandre Aja, Gregory Levasseur, Cast : Elijah Wood, Nora Arnezeder, America Olivo, Producers : Thomas Langmann (La Petite Reine), Alexandre Aja. It has presold to Germany -Ascot Elite, Japan - Comstock Only God Forbids by Nicolas Winding Refn from Denmark, in English has been selliing since Berlin 2012 and has sold to Bulgaria-A Plus Films Ltd., Germany-Tiberius Film Gmbh & Co. Kg, Hungary-Budapest Film (Distributor), Hungary-Mtva, Italy-Italian International Film, Korea (South)-Daisy & Cinergy Entertainment, Poland-Gutek Film Ltd, Romania-Independenta Film, Turkey-Calinos Films

Global Screen (Germany) has many English language films, some originating from U.S. and English speaking countries and others from non-English speaking countries.

• No Place on Earth (The Cave) by Emmy Award winning director Janet Tobias a U.S., U.K., German co-production. the doc tells the longest recorded underground survival story in human history, when 5 Jewish families descended into a pitch black cave to escape the Nazis for 511 days.

Hungaricom Ltd (Hungary) has the English language animated comedy feature The Secret of Moonacre and Immigrants - L.A. Dolce Vita both produced by Arlene Klasky, Gabor Csupo, and Gabor Kalomista, a Los Angeles based company with Hungarian born principals. The synopsis of Immigrants is worth repeating: More people immigrate to America than to all other countries in the whole world combined. Why? Is it because they love hot dogs and hamburgers? Or because they want to meet Snoop Dogg or have a close encounter with Pamela Anderson? Maybe. But the real reason is – immigrants go to the U.S. to chase the American dream. Immigrants is the story of Vladislav (a Russian), and Joska (a Hungarian). Both are immigrants and best friends, living and chasing the American dream together. Vlad has a daughter, Ana, who’s adapting to life in America at the speed of light, while her dad is in complete culture shock. They stay at the Vista del Mar, an apartment complex run by an old failed actress, Greta Knight, who is always after Vlad for sexual favors. The building is home to immigrants from all over the world: Flaco, a friend from Mexico; Mr. Chea, who runs a Chinese family restaurant; Nazim, a former Pakistani nuclear scientist who drives a tour bus; and Mr. Splits, an old black pimp. We follow Vlad and Joska in their adventures… through their encounter with the American capitalist company Glut-co, through their attempt to open a Russian/Hungarian restaurant, and as their friendship is put in jeopardy when they hit the L.A. night scene. All the while Vlad is looking for a way to make a life for himself and his daughter; and Joska… well, Joska is mainly looking for women.

If Niel Landau's adventures in Russia appeal to you, but you don't have the connections there, visit Rosskino and the L.A. based Eleonora Granata Russian Film Commissioner or produce in Russia through international sales agents which were founded by Russian-Americans who know both cultures such as Aldamisa (where longtime Disney acquisitons VP Jere Hausfater is now looking for projects), 108 Media who has Myn Bala the Kazahkistan submission for Best Foreign Language Academy Award nomination is Canadian owned, or Red Sea, all of whom are Russian – American and/ or Canadian owned.

Singapore is looking for Looking for copros and Icon has stepped up to the plate with James Wan Presents House of Horrors, an English language U.S. horror film now in pre-productions. In the aftermath of a horrific massacre, lead Detective, Mark Lewis, and the police department’s psychologist, Dr. Elizabeth Klein, question a suspect for the brutal murder of five college students. This has been preselling at Cannes 2012 (Line up), Afm 2011, Cannes 2011 and Berlin Efm 2012. Directed by Javier Guttierrez, written by James Wan and Max La Bella it will be distributed in Singapore by Cathay.

British companies are also packaging and preselling U.S. films:

Content is selling American indies 96 Minutes, Hick, Mea Maxima Culpa: Silence In The House Of God by Alex Gibney

Stealth Indie (Michael Cowan) is selling two U.S. indies, Crave and The Giant Mechanical Man

Bankside has a deal with New York based Killer Films for Innocence, now in post. This thriller is a modern-gothic vampire story where a recently bereaved teenage girl finds herself the focus of everyone’s attention at her elitist private school where life is steeped in tradition and ceremony.It has been preselling this at Afm 2011 and 2012, Toronto and Cannes 2011 and it has presold to Le Pacte for France, Videovision for So. Africa, Umut Sanat Filmcilik for Turkey, Shooting Stars for UAE.

Ealing Metro is preselling

Nina directed and written by Cynthia Mort, a U.S. production, a biopic about Nina Simone, a tormented genius who eventually finds love and peace. Produced by Barnaby Thompson, Stuart Parr, Mark Burton and Ben Latham Jones, it has presold since Toronto 2011 to Orlando for Israel, Entertainment One for Benelux, Cinesky has U.S. Better Living Through Chemistry directed and written by David Posamentier, a U.S. comedy now in post-production.A straight-laced pharmacist's uneventful life spirals out of control when he starts an affair with a dangerously seductive customer who takes him on a joyride with explosive consequenses involving sex, drugs and possibly murder. Starring Sam Rockwell, Olivia Wilde, Michelle Monaghan and Ray Liotta, produced by Felipe Marino, Joe Neurater and Keith Calder, it has presold to Metro Pictures of India. Bailout is being presold. One morning Matt Prior wakes up to find himself jobless, crippled with debt, convinced his wife is having an affair and six days away from losing his home. Bailout is a hysterical, heartfelt tale of how we can reach the edge of ruin and begin to make our way back.

Salt is preselling Welcome to the Jungle, a U.S. comedy directed by Rob Meltzer, written by Jeff Kauffman, produced by Justin Kanew and Luillo Ruiz and starring Adam Brody, Dennis Haysbert, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Kristen Schaal, Megan Boone and Rob Huebel. A group of co-workers including Chris (Adam Brody) get stranded on a desert island when their nutty teambuilding coach (Jean Claude Van Damme) is mauled by a wild cougar. in the spirit of "lost in the wilderness" comedies such as Tropic Thunder and workplace comedies like The Office, Welcome to the Jungle is a rare beast in today's market: a comedy that delivers on the laughs - both the high and the lowbrow. It has already presold to Front Row for the Middle East.

Westend is preselling Joe which will start shooting this month be delivered in 2013. It is to be directed by David Gordon Green, produced by lisa Muskat and stars Nicholas Cage. Joe is the story of a man who becomes the unlikeliest of role models to 15-year-old Gary Jones, the oldest child of a family ruled by a worthless father. Together they try to find a path to redemption and the hope for a better life in the rugged, dirty world of a small Southern town. Joe is the story of the last hold-out of the cowboy age, when it was okay to shoot up a bar room or tell a lady what to do.

Chicago – World War II, also known as “The Good War,” had more than its share of darkness and sorrow. As the conflict winds down for a French town in the new film “War of the Buttons,” young love and rival town kid gangs create metaphors for the context of the war in its time and place.

Rating: 3.5/5.0

This is a sweet movie, more than a bit twee, but containing a sentiment that is life affirming, even up to its “The Sound of Music” type ending. The child and teen actors actually carry the film, which is the third remake of the novel “La Guerre des boutons” by anti-war French writer Louis Pergaud. This also contains metaphors for war and its futilities, as exemplified by the rival kid gangs in the French townships. It also throws in a youthful romance, between a tough kid leader and a Anne Frank-like Jewish girl hiding in the town.

Title: War Of The Buttons (La nouvelle guerre des boutons) The Weinstein Company Director: Christophe Barratier Screenwriter: Christophe Barratier, Stephane Keller, Thomas Langmann, Philippe Lopes Curval, from Louis Pergaud’s novel Cast: Guillaume Canet, Laetitia Casta, Jean Texier, Ilona Bachelier Screened at: Dolby24, NYC, 10/8/12 Opens: October 12, 2012 When I was a kid during World War II we used to play a game called “Gestapo.” The complex rules were as follows: one six-year-old would take the title role while another of the same age would be his prisoner. The Gestapo would say, “Where were you when police headquarters got bombed?” The prisoner retorted: “I was at home listening to the [ Read More ]

The post War of the Buttons Movie Review appeared first on Shockya.com.

A while ago we were talking to you about the remake of the cult film Maniac starring Elijah Woods. Now it’s confirmed that Maniac has been picked up for distribution by IFC Midnight Films. That’s good news as it will now show up on on-demand with a limited theatrical run and most likely hit Redbox and DVD shelves soon after. The film premiered earlier this year at the Cannes Film Festival.

Maniac is directed by P2 director Franck Khalfoun and is produced by and written by Alexandre Aja amongst others. No news yet on any release dates but here is the official press release from IFC:

IFC Midnight announced today that the company is acquiring all North American rights to director Franck Khalfoun’s thriller Maniac. Alexandre Aja and Gregory Levasseur wrote the screenplay for the film, which stars Elijah Wood, is a remake of William Lustig...

Maniac is a remake of the 1980 William Lustig cult classic and features Elijah Wood as a serial killer. The film was directed by Franck Khalfoun (P2) and has just been picked up for distribution by IFC Midnight:

IFC Midnight announced today that the company is acquiring all North American rights to director Franck Khalfoun’s thriller Maniac. Alexandre Aja and Gregory Levasseur wrote the screenplay for the film, which stars Elijah Wood, is a remake of William Lustig’s 1980 film of the same title. Thomas Langmann, Aja, Levasseur, and Lustig produced the project with Antoine de Cazotte, Daniel Delume, Andrew W. Garroni, Pavlina Hatoupis, and Alix Taylor executive producing. Maniac premiered in the Official Selection of the 2012 Cannes Film Festival out of competition.

Frank is the withdrawn owner of a mannequin store, but his life changes when young artist Anna appears asking for his help with her new exhibition. As...

IFC Midnight has acquired North American rights to director Franck Khalfoun’s thriller Maniac, starring Elijah Wood. In the remake of William Lustig’s 1980 movie of the same name about a serial killer, Wood will play the withdrawn owner of a mannequin store who becomes obsessed with a young artist, played by Nora Arnezeder. The entire movie is told from the killer’s point of view. Film Review: Maniac Thomas Langmann, Alexandre Aja, Gregory Levasseur and Lustig produced the project with Antoine de Cazotte, Daniel Delume, Andrew W. Garroni, Pavlina Hatoupis and Alix Taylor executive producing. The film premiered out of competition

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IFC Midnight has acquired all North American rights to director Franck Khalfoun’s remake of the 1980 chiller “Maniac,” starring Elijah Wood. Wood takes on the role of Frank, a withdrawn mannequin-store owner whose obsession with a young female artist unleashes long-buried murderous tendencies. “High Tension” screenwriters Alexandre Aja and Gregory Levasseur wrote the screenplay for the film, which first screened out of competition at Cannes. Read More: IFC Midnight Sinks Its Teeth Into 'The Jeffrey Dahmer Files' Thomas Langmann, Aja, Levasseur, and William Lustig produced the project; Antoine de Cazotte, Daniel Delume, Andrew W. Garroni, Pavlina Hatoupis and Alix Taylor are executive producers. "Franck Khalfoun and Alexandre Aja have reteamed and are joined by Elijah Wood for a deeply disturbing remake of William Lustig's classic that will delight genre fans,” said Sundance Selects/IFC Films president Jonathan...

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences brings you the Oscars (yep, that's why they're called Academy Awards), and on Friday, the organization announced that it was prepared to invite 176 new folks to its fold.

In a list posted on its website, the Academy deemed Matthew McConaughey, Jean Dujardin, Terrence Malick, Jonah Hill, Berenice Bejo, Jessica Chastain, Octavia Spencer and a host of other film luminaries worthy of inclusion in its nearly 6,000-member army.

The Academy has drawn the ire of critics who bemoan its overwhelmingly male, white population. A Los Angeles Times investigation found that of all Academy members, 94 percent are Caucasian and 77 percent are male. A mere 2 percent are black, with Latinos constituting an even smaller portion. Only 14 percent of members are under the age of 50.

Full members of the Academy select and vote on Oscars nominees. The organization was started in 1927 and is now governed by a 43-person board.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is extending invitations to join the organization to 176 artists and executives who have distinguished themselves by their contributions to theatrical motion pictures. Those who accept the invitation will be the only additions in 2012 to the Academy.s roster of members.

.These film professionals represent some of the most talented, most passionate contributors to our industry,. said Academy President Tom Sherak. .I.m glad to recognize that by calling each of them a fellow Academy member..

Voting membership in the organization has now held steady at just under 6,000 members since 2003.

The 2012 invitees are:

Actors

Simon Baker . .Margin Call,. .L.A. Confidential.

Sean Bean . .Flightplan,. .The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.

Bérénice Bejo . .The Artist,. .Oss 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies.

Tom Berenger . .Inception,. .Platoon.

Demián Bichir . .A Better Life,. .Che.

Jessica Chastain . .The Help,. .The Tree of Life.

Clifton Collins,...

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences extended their 2012 membership invitations today to 176 lucky actors, directors, cinematographers, and other members of the filmmaking industry.

Terrence Malick, who somehow wasn’t already a member, received an invitation, as did fellow directors Rodrigo Garcia and Asghar Farhadi.

For actors, Melissa McCarthy’s invitation continues her incredible post-Bridesmaids rise. In addition, actors Jonah Hill, Matthew McConaughey, Andy Serkis, Jessica Chastain, and Octavia Spencer were all invited to be members, among others.

Voting membership in the organization has now held steady at just under 6,000 members since 2003, according to the Academy’s website.

HollywoodNews.com: The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is extending invitations to join the organization to 176 artists and executives who have distinguished themselves by their contributions to theatrical motion pictures. Those who accept the invitation will be the only additions in 2012 to the Academy’s roster of members.

“These film professionals represent some of the most talented, most passionate contributors to our industry,” said Academy President Tom Sherak. “I’m glad to recognize that by calling each of them a fellow Academy member.”

Voting membership in the organization has now held steady at just under 6,000 members since 2003.

The 2012 invitees are:

Actors

Simon Baker – “Margin Call,” “L.A. Confidential”

Sean Bean – “Flightplan,” “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring”

Bérénice Bejo – “The Artist,” “Oss 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies”

Tom Berenger – “Inception,” “Platoon”

Demián Bichir – “A Better Life,” “Che”

Jessica Chastain – “The Help,” “The Tree of Life”

Clifton Collins,...

So begins my interview with Sophie Dulac, President of the Champs Élysées Film Festival, film distributor, exhibitor and producer. The first edition of the Festival, co-presided by actors Lambert Wilson and Michael Madsen reached an audience of 15,000 people in Paris, June 6 – 12, 2012.

"And I work with another real blond and her name is Isabelle” [Svanda, General Manager], she adds.

Champs Elysees Film Festival

We are sitting in the outdoor restaurant of Fouquet’s Barriere Hotel, Paris. Also with us are Astrid de Beauregard who has handled all the 50 industry-ites converging on the festival to view four well curated U.S. indie films for the second edition of U.S. in Progress. Maxine Leonard, the festival's publicist and Matthew Akers, the director and cinematographer of Marina Abramovic: The Artist Is Present are also present. Little did I know he was going to win the Audience Prize for a feature length film from the U.S.

The Festival ended for me with current French resident, with white hair and beard, Donald Sutherland presenting Klute by Alan J. Pakula and starring Jane Fonda, and then giving a A Hollywood Conversation in his American accented but fluent French in a good humored atmosphere. I could write an entire blog on what that film and all that he and Jane meant to me at the very beginning of my career in the film business, but I won’t do that here. He was subsequently post-film appointed Commandeur des Arts & Lettres by Frédéric Mitterrand.

My interview with Sophie is the summit of my experience so far as a "blogger". After all I am not a journalist, nor do I pal around with the glitterati or the “elite” folks in the film business. I knew I was entering a rare atmosphere strolling everyday along the Rue de Montaigne to the Champs Elysees. And now, I was going to talk to the granddaughter of one of France's most illustrious citizens. (and no slouch herself! What a truly lovely, amazing woman!!)

U.S. in Progress

The night before, we, the jury of 9, presented the winners of the 2nd edition of U.S. in Progress with their prizes of post production services. First Prize went to a film worthy of a Cannes slot in Un Certain Regard or Fortnight or Critics Week, A Teacher by Hannah Fidell ♀, whose about-to-turn-thirty protagonist is forced to acknowledge her sin of having an affair with a student. The film's affect upon us women was overwhelmingly cathartic. Receiving an Honorable Mention, I Am I, a Sundance-worthy film, well executed very interesting story, well acted by the extremely professional first-time director Joceyln Towne ♀ with additional casting by Ronnie Yeskel ♀, one of the top indie film casting agents. Julie Bergeron, one of the nine-member jury loved Desert Cathedral, a man's quest for peace after an increasing estrangement from his life. She liked its combination of documentary depiction of the desert and the fictional story about a contemporary and universal dilemma faced by too many people today. I want to see more of the three actors, Lee Tergesen is a young and handsome William Macy type and Chaske Spencer, a charismatic First Nation descendant of Lakota (Sioux) Nation, and Petra Wright. The fourth film Michael Bartlett's House Of Last Things is Bonnie Darko meets Twin Peaks, a paean to the Maestro, David Lynch. More than 50 distributors and sales agent watched these films with us.

As part of the selection, the winner of U.S. in Progress from the 1st edition in Wroclaw, Poland last November, Not Waving But Drowning directed by Devyn Waitt and produced by Nicole Emanuele was also showing and Nicole was accompanied by the star, her boyfriend Steven Farneth from Cinetic, the godmother of the movie and other "family" members. Nicole is now working with Google and YouTube in Content Partnerships, Film/ TV while contemplating her next moves in the business.

Created by Sophie Dulac, the Festival programmed some 50 films enabling Parisian audiences to discover the variety of productions available from France and the United States, in the 5 cinema theaters of the Champs Elysees, the most beautiful avenue in the world: the normally rival cinemas Le Balzac and Le Lincoln, the rivals Gaumont Champs-Elysées and Ugc George V, and the Publicis Cinéma.

This success was thanks to an inquiring public which appreciated the simplicity of organization, the fact that projections started on time, and also the quality of programming, with a special heartfelt interest for the 10 independent films from the U.S. in the official selection.

What Makes Sophie Run?

One night at an extraordinary dinner at the Renault Restaurant on the Champs Elysees, where we sat with Julie Bergeron (of Cannes Marche prominence), Pascal Diot (former Paris based sales agent and now organizer in chief of both Venice and Dubai Ff’s Markets), Adeline Monzier (founder of U.S. in Progress and Europa Distribution), and Producer Christophe Bruncher (whose latest film, If We All Lived Together stars Jane Fonda), I learned about Sophie’s grandfather, Marcel Bleustein-Blanchet,who founded Publicis in 1926 and in effect, invented modern advertising in much the same way that Lucien Barriere invented the resort and the casino. Today Publicis is a French multinational advertising and communications company, headquartered in Paris, France and one of the world's three largest advertising holding companies holding among others, Saatchi & Saatchi and Leo Burnett Worldwide. The company conducts its operations in over 200 cities in 104 countries and has a strategic alliance with Dentsu, Inc. He began it as a young man and the Nazis confiscated it as Jewish property. He fled and fought with The Free French...and worked in the Resistance under the name of Blanchet. When he returned to France, he got back his advertising agency and continued doing the sort of pioneering work he loved the best. He also added Blanchet onto his surname. Publicis' current president is Maurice Lévy who was just in the news for having called for higher taxes on the wealthy and now objecting to France’s new President's pledging that he would tax the rich 75% of their income. Read more about the company here.

One more boast about this family: One of Bleustein-Blanchet’s daughters was a legislator and is responsible for abolishing capital punishment in France.

Aside from being totally impressed by all I was hearing, I was beginning to see what informed the personality of the festival and of Sophie herself who was there and everywhere, meeting and mixing with us all. As Maxine said, in effect, Sophie is a mensch. She is the real thing, feet planted firmly on the ground and real. And yet she seems so idealistic in the choices she makes. To this remark of mine, she responded, that in fact, she is very pragmatic, but one must take pleasure in life.

Her grandfather and grandmother raised her and her brother and half brother after their 27 year old mother died in an automobile accident. Sophie was eight years old at the time.

Her grandfather told her that when he began Publicis as a teenager, he never thought about the money he might make. He did it for pleasure. He thought of how best to do what he loved to do the most. For her too, life is about innovation and being happy. She hopes that in ten years the festival and her film business will continue to inspire and motivate her.

Sophie has three children and she tells them to do whatever they want as she would advise everyone: Do what is inside of you, even if it is not what you end up doing. It will make you a better person. Her first son, whom she had when she was 17 and who is now 24, lived one year in Australia and another year in Canada. He is now working with her at the festival. Her 22 year old daughter whom she had when she was 19, lives in London, and the 19 year old, following in his brother’s footsteps, is spending a year in Australia, alone and exploring on his own.

If she succeeds in the movie business, it is because she was not born into films. She has been in the business of Arthouse film production, distribution and exhibition for ten years. Before that she was a practicing psycho graphologist, counseling people from 16 to 60 years old, male and female. You can know a person totally through the handwriting she says. She also did a stint in PR which she hated, before going into film. Her father was a writer and told her to read and so she can talk of many things, not only of business. At the end of the day, she closes her door and business does not exist (unless of course there is a problem at one of her theaters which she does drop in on on Sundays when she is not expected.) She has no scripts at home and does not watch movies for work at home. She has a well rounded education and is proud not to be 100% business.

Today she is also a sort of guardian of Israeli films in France as well. She even wears a small gold Jewish star.

Film Career

She began her film career in 2003 producing a documentary DÉCryptage which examined the French media coverage of the Arab–Israeli conflictand concludes that the media's presentation of the Arab–Israeli conflict in France is consistently skewed against Israel and may be responsible for exacerbating anti-semitism. That documentary was very successful in France, drawing some 300,000 viewers and it caught the attention of Israeli filmmakers.

Famed Israeli actress Ronit Elkabetz, ♀a friend of hers, suggested she help her produce a film she wrote and wanted to direct and she agreed to make Rendre Femme (aka To Take A Wife ♀ produced by Marek Rozenbaum. When Ronit asked her to produce The Band’S Visit, she did not know what to make of the script. But when she saw the footage, she recognized its great potential and stepped in as producer. Unfortunately it could not qualify for the Academy Award Nomination for Best Foreign Language Film because it was filmed in Hebrew, Egyptian and English. She went on to produce My Father My Lord an implicit critique of ultra-Orthodox dogma by a filmmaker who grew up in a Hasidic community but abandoned it when he was 25 to study film.

Sophie produces other world films, including her second American film Benny And The Kids (Go Get Some Rosemary), Argentina’s Little Sky and The Camera Obscura both by Maria Victoria Menis ♀ and others including French films like the upcoming film by Jacques Douvenne.

In Cannes this year, she acquired Room 514 (Isa: Docs & Film) de Sharon Bar-Ziv ♀ which played in l'Acid in Cannes and Les Voisins De Dieu (God’S Neighbors) (Isa: Rezo) de Meni Yaesh which played in La Semaine de la Critique in Cannes as well as Directors’ Fortnight entry Le Repenti and Bence Fliegauf’s Berlin competition entry Just The Wind.

She sees festivals as a place where people can discover new films. Theaters need new ideas, directors, and distributors can take risks only if they own theaters. The triangle of festivals, distributors and exhibitors are complimentary and she finds that having all three allows her to keep selected films longer in theaters or allows for changing theaters (she owns 5 theaters including the famous St. Germain arthouse Harlequin). She recognizes that France has so many subsidies for production and distribution – 12 to 15 new films are released every week – and that gives her films more of a chance to succeed as well.

France also has, after 3 years of discussion, finally, in one year made all its theaters digital. The cost to convert is 1 million Euros. 30% of that is paid by Cnc, the government fund made up of a percentage of box office receipts. The digital norm is 2K and the Vpf (Virtual Print Fee is 5,000 Euros. All distributors must pay this first the first time showing for 4 weeks and then, there are not more VPFs.

When she asks Americans for DCPs, she is surprised to learn that they don’t have them. Even Harvey Weinstein who had a retrospective at the Festival did not have digital prints and he said that to use Blu-Ray or HD was all right with him.

Why Harvey?

Everyone loves a good Harvey story. We had heard that he did not want to travel and I was curious how she had such good luck to get him to Paris. Apparently he flew in, appeared, and flew out again.

“The opening night, with the tribute paid to American producer Harvey Weinstein who accepted, with modesty and as a film enthusiast, a trophy was presented by Sophie Dulac, in the presence of VIP guests: Virginie Ledoyen, Deborah François, Audrey Dana, Thomas Langmann, Olivier Nackache and Eric Toledan.”

What he said at this opening event was that Sophie’s brother is the godfather of his son. And when the Godfather makes a request, he cannot refuse to honor it.

So ended my interview with Sophie. As we all struck out to continue the day, Matthew Akers of Marina Abramovic said, “See you in Sarajevo”. And Sophie responded, “How chic!”...

Paris -- The lights went down on Paris’ most famous avenue on Tuesday night as the Champs-Elysées Film Festival closed after a successful first run. Matthew Akers’ documentary Marina Abramovic: The Artist is Present won the Audience Prize for a feature film at the closing ceremonies held at Publicis Cinema on Tuesday night. The event attracted more than 15,000 people during its week-long run that kicked off last week with an homage to Harvey Weinstein and A-list guests including The Artist producer Thomas Langmann, The Intouchables directing duo Olivier Nakache and Eric Toledano, Virginie Ledoyen, Audrey Dana

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Some stories manage to live on to be told again another day, even if they live somewhat on the fringes. War of the Buttons is the fourth film based on the novel by Louis Pergaud, and this time we add some interesting pedigree, and 100% more Nazis over the last time we took a trip with the warring youths.

Directed by Christophe Barratier (of the brilliant Les Chorus), and starring Laetitia Casta and Guillaume Canet, the story that surrounds the “war” among children, and their penchant for trophy acquisition, has a much more serious focus if the trailer can be believed.

The film hits select theaters on July 18th, and this looks to be one that you want to try and catch if it makes its way to you.

Set in occupied WWII France, War of the Buttons tells the tale of pre-teen rebel Lebrac (newcomer Jean Texier) and the “war...