Daily Variety articles from February 2011

Daily Variety archives from February 2011

The regal has landed: 'Speech' rules night with four top prizes.(THE 83rd ACADEMY AWARDS)(Movie review)
February 28, 2011... The king has spoken. The Weinstein Co.'s "The King's Speech" dethroned the competition at the 83rd annual Academy Awards on Sunday night, winning four Oscars: for best picture, director for Tom Hooper, actor for Colin Firth and original...

Review.(83rd annual Academy Awards )(Television program review)
February 28, 2011... The youth movement in this year's choice of Oscar hosts didn't alter the show's dynamics, from the opening insert-actors-in-montage sequence (hello, Billy Crystal) to the stiff, awkward banter between James Franco and Anne Hathaway throughout....

The regal has landed: second reign for 'King's'?(THE 83rd ACADEMY AWARDS)(Video recording review)
February 28, 2011... Even after 14 weeks of sterling theatrical play, the Weinstein Co.'s "The King's Speech" should continue to sell plenty of tickets thanks to a boffo Oscars night and revised PG-13 rating, while Fox Searchlight's "Black Swan" will keep twirling...

'Swan' flies high at gusty spirits: freewheeling show keeps indie cred.(Spirit Awards)
February 28, 2011... "Black Swan" showed plenty of heat at a chilly Spirit Awards, dominating Saturday's freewheeling ceremonies by winning best picture, actress for Natalie Portman and director for Darren Aronofsky. Fox Searchlight's dark ballet thriller topped...

It's praisers' time to shine.
February 28, 2011... The publicity teams behind Sony's "The Social Network" and WarnerBros. Television and CBS' "The Big Bang Theory" took the top film and TV honors at the 48th Publicists Awards Luncheon. John Lasseter, chief creative officer of Disney and Pixar...

'Gods' Rules at the Cesars
February 28, 2011... Xavier Beauvois' "Of Gods and Men" and Roman Polanski's "The Ghost Writer" topped kudos Friday night at Gaul's 36th Cesar Awards ceremony, hosted by Jodie Foster as honorary president. David Fincher's "The Social Network" took the...

PG-13 for modified 'Speech'.
February 28, 2011... The Weinstein Co. took on the MPAA ratings board last week, earning a PG-13 rating for an edited version of "The King's Speech," while "Miral" filmmakers said they would appeal that film's R rating. TWC plans a March 25 release of Julian...

FX adds to drama pilots.
February 28, 2011... Just a week after it ordered the Ryan Murphy-Brad Falchuk pilot "American Horror Story," FX is ramping up with "Powers." Drama, based on the graphic novel by Brian Michael Bendis and Michael Avon Oeming, centers on a pair of detectives who...

Thesp to help hunt vampires.(Jimmi Simpson role in the television program Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter)(Brief article)
February 28, 2011... Jimmi Simpson will co-star with Ben Walker in Fox's "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter." [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Cast also includes Dominic Cooper, Anthony Mackie and Mary Elizabeth Winstead. Timur Bekmatebov will direct from Seth...

WB set for Sheen shenanigans.
February 28, 2011... Warner Bros.' security force is girding for possible theatrics outside the studiotoday if Charlie Sheen makes good on his vow to show up for work on the shuttered "Two and Half Men." [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Warner Bros. would not comment,...

No date in sight for scribe talks.(bargaining talk between the Alliance of Motion Picture & Television Producers, and the Writers Guild of America )
February 28, 2011... Three years after the writers strike shook Hollywoodto its core, neither side's anxious to get back to bargaining. The congloms, repped through the Alliance of Motion Picture & Television Producers, and the Writers Guild of America have...

'Half' wit's snit: Sheen's latest likely ends 'Men' gig.
February 28, 2011... If "Two and a Half Men" is on the CBS schedule come fall, it likely won't be with Charlie Sheen. That was the consensus of a handful of television pros when asked whether TV's most-watched sitcom could return intact for the 2011-12 season...

Deadline's all wet after Oscar leaks.(Deadline Hollywood )(The Blogdogger)
February 28, 2011... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] There was plenty of emotion and suspense at Sunday's Oscars, but there was a whole other level of drama behind the scenes. Of course there was, that's the Hollywood way! The Academy of Motion Picture Arts &...

It's three-sy peasy: 'Gnomeo' tops B.O. in its third week.
February 28, 2011... With box office down more than 20% in the first two months of the year, a 3D toon in its third week of play topped the weekend's domestic B.O. ahead of two wide openers. Disney's "Gnomeo and Juliet" made a surprising resurgence, claiming the...

Par for Parent's course.(resignation of executive Mary Parent from MGM to sign with Paramount)(Brief article)
February 28, 2011... Mary Parent, former film topper at MGM, has finally settled on her next gig, signing an overall deal with Paramount. Details were still coming together after the move was announced Friday. Several studios had been vying for the veteran exec...

WB thriller in 'Sight'.
February 28, 2011... Warner Bros. has zeroed in on "Line of Sight," buying F. Scott Frazier's thriller spec preemptively and setting it up with Silver Pictures. Plot details are under wraps, but the project's described as a high-concept thriller with gritty,...

News Corp. near deal on BSkyB.(World News)
February 28, 2011... Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. is reportedly close to securing a deal with U.K. regulators for its bid to acquire the 61% of paybox BSkyB, currently valued at $13.2 billion, that it doesn't already own. An agreement with the Office of Fair...

Majors lose piracy appeal.(World News)
February 28, 2011... The U.S. majors, in partnership with the Australian Federation Against Copyright Theft, have lost their appeal in a case in which Internet service provider iiNet was found not legally responsible for its members' online piracy. The studios...

'You' goes to much of Europe.(World News)
February 28, 2011... David Mackenzie's romantic comedy "You Instead," which will have its U.S. premiere at SXSW on March 12, has made a raft of sales. Wild Bunch picked up rights for France, Germany, Spain and the Benelux while Icon Film Distribution has nabbed...

New China watchdog: Cai to top national regulator SARFT.(appointment of Cai Fuchao as head of China's State Administration of Radio, Film and Television)(World News)(Brief article)
February 28, 2011... China has named Cai Fuchao, deputy mayor and propaganda czar of Beijing, as head of the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television, the powerful media watchdog. Cai, 60, replaces Wang Taihua, who has overseen rapid growth in the...

Kiwi quake hits Canterbury TV.(NEW ZEALAND)
February 28, 2011... Aftershocks are still rocking Christchurch days after the fatal 6.3 magnitude earthquake levelled the town center, killing more than 100 people with hundreds more still missing. Fifteen Canterbury Television staffers, including managing...

Zio secures coin.(funds secured by Latin American animation and gaming company ZIO Studios)(COLOMBIA)(Brief article)
February 28, 2011... Latin American animation and gaming company ZIO Studios is beefing up its operations after securing $1.3 million from Colombian venture capital fund Promotora. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Bogota-based ZIO develops games, mobile applications and...

Patten likely at BBC.(Chris Patten )(UNITED KINGDOM)(Brief article)
February 28, 2011... Prime Minister David Cameron is backing Oxford U. chancellor Chris Patten to be the new head of the BBC Trust. Patten, the last governor of Hong Kong when it was under Brit rule, is "the preferred candidate" for the job, which involves...

Pair to top distrib.(appointments of Zsuzsanna Jung and Orsolya Surguta as executives of Budapest Film)(HUNGARY)(Brief article)
February 28, 2011... Zsuzsanna Jung and Orsolya Surguta are taking the reins at Hungarian indie distrib Budapest Film. They succeed Lorand Poich, who will be programming director at Hungary's MTVA media fund. Jung was g.m. at MGM Hungary and head of content...

In Mother Words.(Theater review)
February 28, 2011... (Geffen Playhouse, Los Angeles; 135 seats; $75 top) A Geffen Playhouse presentation of a play in one act conceived by Susan Rose and Joan Stein, written by Leslie Ayvazian, David Cale, Jessica Goldberg, Beth Henley, Lameece Issaq, Claire...

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.(Theater review)
February 28, 2011... (Donmar Warehouse, London," 250 seats," 32.50 [pounds sterling] ($52.28) top) A Donmar Warehouse presentation of a musical in one act with music and lyrics by William Finn, book by Rachel Sheinkin, conceived by Rebecca Feldman, with...

Doctor Zhivago.(Theater review)
February 28, 2011... (Lyric Theater, Sydney; 2,000 seats; $130.90) An Anita Waxman, Tom Dokton, ChunSoo Shin, Latitude Link, Corcoran Prods., Power Arts, Pelican Group and John Frost presentation of a musical in two acts with book by Michael Weller, lyrics by...

Drive Angry.(Movie review)
February 28, 2011... A Summit Entertainment release presented in association with Millennium Films of a Nu Image, Michael De Luca production, in association with Saturn Films. Produced by De Luca, Rene Besson, Adam Fields. Executive producers, Avi Lerner, Danny...

Gold is or eat, but megabucks are better.(THE BACKLOT)
February 28, 2011... Awards season is over, the party circuit has shut down and, over at the majors, everyone is staring at the bottom line once again. In today's corporate Hollywood, kudos are still coveted, but the real accolades (and bonuses) are triggered by...

Toast.(Video recording review)
February 28, 2011... (U.K.) A BBC Films, Screen WM presentation in association with Lip Sync Prods., K5 Intl., of a Ruby Film & Television production in association with This-and-That. (International sales: K5 Intl., Munich.) Produced by Faye Ward. Executive...

Haila Stoddard.(Obituaries)(Obituary)
February 28, 2011... Haila Stoddard, a star on New York stages for three decades and who first produced works by James Thurber and Harold Pinter on Broadway, died Feb. 21 in Weston, Conn., of cardiopulmonary arrest. She was 97. Stoddard's first producing effort...

Max Wilk.(Obituaries)(Obituary)
February 28, 2011... Author, playwright and film and TV writer Max Wilk, who penned mostly comedy, died Feb. 19 in Westport, Conn. He was 90. Wilk studied drama at Yale, graduating in 1941. During WWII, he served in the Army Air Force Motion Picture Unit, whose...

Vanja Aljinovic.(Obituaries)(Obituary)
February 28, 2011... Vanja Aljinovic, a first assistant director who worked on Danis Tanovic's 2002 Oscar foreign-language film winner "No Man's Land," died Feb. 15, in Santa Fe, N.M., after a car accident on the campus of Sante Fe Community College, where Aljinovic...

Michael Langham.(Obituaries)(Obituary)
February 28, 2011... Tony-nominated classical theater director Michael Langham, the former artistic topper of the Guthrie in Minneapolis, died Jan. 15 in Kent, England, from pneumonia. He was 91. Langham was credited with reviving the Guthrie, which had been...

'Tilda' not right show for cabler.
February 28, 2011... "Tilda" won't be HBO's next comedy series. In a two-sentence statement the pay cabler said: "HBO has decided not to move forward with 'Tilda.' Despite everyone's best efforts, ultimately this was not the right show for us at this time." The...

Jaeger on the line: thesp to star in laffer 'Miss Dial'.
February 28, 2011... Sam Jaeger ("Parenthood") has joined indie comedy "Miss Dial," the feature directorial debut of screenwriter David H. Steinberg ("Puss in Boots"). [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Steinberg is directing from his own script. The film stars Robinne...

Spitzer sails sans Parker.
February 28, 2011... Kathleen Parker has ankled CNN's ratings-challenged "Parker Spitzer," which is being retooled for a Monday relaunch without her. CNN topper Ken Jautz announced that the program will be retitled "In the Arena" and will feature a round table of...

BBC shows make PBS splash.
February 28, 2011... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] BBC Worldwide Americas has finalized sales on more than 200 hours of programming to PBS stations nationwide through its BBC Showcase Syndication event. Sales were intitated at the third annual confab in October in...

Summer sun for 'Better Life'.
February 28, 2011... Summit will release Chris Weitz' father-son drama "A Better Life," starring Damian Bachir and Jose Julian, on June 24 with a limited opening. "Life" centers on the problems faced by a hard-working illegal immigrant in Los Angeles when his...

New DDM arm streamlines services.(Digital Development Management)(Brief article)
February 28, 2011... Videogame tenpercentary Digital Development Management has launched a production services group to help game creators and publishers streamline the process of getting titles produced and released. Babel Media co-founder Ben Wibberely has been...

'Nightline' producer to head 'GMA'.
February 28, 2011... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] In his first major decision as head of the news division, ABC's Ben Sherwood has moved "Nightline" exec producer James Goldston to "Good Morning America" following the departure of predecessor Jim Murphy to Anderson...

Baby, the rain did fall.(QVC'S Red Carpet Style Party)(V)(Brief article)
February 28, 2011... QVC'S Red Carpet Style Party took place under a giant tent erected over the garden at the Four Seasons Hotel, where Oscar nominees past and present vied with supermodels looking for a dry spot as the rain poured Friday night. A wild-haired...

Wilde about him anyway.(Oscar Wilde)(V)(Brief article)
February 28, 2011... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The U.S.-Irish Alliance has gotten very, very inclusive. Six years ago, when the group kicked off the Oscar Wilde: Honoring the Irish in Film kudos, they actually recognized Irish and Irish-American moviemakers. Cut...

'Beastly' good.(movie premiere)(V)(Brief article)
February 28, 2011... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The notion of beauty was very much front and center at CBS Films' "Beastly" premiere Thursday night at the Grove. "I had to really focus on what it means to be ugly in today's world," said...

In good voice.(Randy Newman at Academy Awards)(V)(Brief article)
February 28, 2011... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Most of the music Oscar nominees showed up at the Society of Composers & Lyricists annual reception, held Saturday afternoon at composer John Cacavas' house in Beverly Hills. A notable exception was Randy Newman,...

Oscar? Who needs Oscar?(Quentin Tarantino's honorary Cesar award)(V)(Brief article)
February 28, 2011... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] While Hollywood remained consumed with the Oscars, Quentin Tarantino received an honorary Cesar award--and much more--at the French film awards, which took place Friday in Paris. Emcee Antoine de Caunes was ecstatic...

Halle Berry and Women in Film's Cathy Schulman share a laugh Friday.(V)
February 28, 2011... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Halle Berry and Women in Film's Cathy Schulman share a laugh Friday at WIF Party at Soho House.

Hailee Steinfeld meets Harrison Ford at ICM party Friday for agency's Oscar nominees.(V)
February 28, 2011... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Hailee Steinfeld meets Harrison Ford at ICM party Friday for agency's Oscar nominees at agent Carol Bodie's house in BevHills.

The night before happily ever after.(Motion Picture and TV Fund)
February 28, 2011... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The traditional double celebration at the Night Before added two more layers at Saturday's BevHills Hotel event. As in past years, the ninth Night celebrated the year's Oscar contenders as it raised millions for the...

And the Oscar goes to ...(THE 83rd ACADEMY AWARDS)
February 28, 2011... PICTURE "THE KING'S SPEECH" Iain Canning, Emile Sherman and Gareth Unwin, producers; a See-Saw Films and Bedlam production (The Weinstein Co.) Even after all the other accolades "The King's Speech" collected earlier this year, pie's...

Red carpet brings out regalia, reflection.(THE 83rd ACADEMY AWARDS)
February 28, 2011... Oscar's red carpet is literally the last mile of an arduous trek that seems to get a little longer every year. But who's complaining? Not Armie Hammer, one of the social butterflies of "The Social Network," who has enthusiastically appeared...

Some nominees have all the luck.(THE 83rd ACADEMY AWARDS)(Brief article)
February 28, 2011... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Oscar luck runs in hot streaks for some, in dribbles for others--and not at all for Roger Deakins. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Makeup artist Rick Baker continued his Oscar dominance Sunday night with a seventh Academy...

It's a bleeping first: censors nix 'fighter' thesp's verbal slip.(THE 83rd ACADEMY AWARDS)
February 28, 2011... Melissa Leo's acceptance speech F-bomb was the first ever at the Oscars, cementing her place in telecast history while fulfilling her run as the presumed favorite in the supporting actress category. Leo had already raised eyebrows in the...

Academy broadens online app-eal.(THE 83rd ACADEMY AWARDS)
February 28, 2011... The attempt to attract a younger audience to this year's Oscar telecast went beyond the hiring of James Franco and Anne Hathaway as hosts. It could also be clearly felt online. This year wasn't the first that Oscar went interactive, but it...

A win-win situation for 'Speech' sibs.(The King's Speech)(Brief article)
February 28, 2011... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Aside from its big wins Sunday night, "The King's Speech" offers a couple of footnotes to Oscar history: Colin Firth enters the record books as starring in three best-pic winners, while Guy Pearce has appeared in...

The 83rd annual Academy Awards: (Special; ABC, Sun. Feb. 27, 8:30p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. PT).
February 28, 2011... Broadcast live from the Kodak Theater. Producers, Bruce Cohen, Don Mischer; supervising producer, Michael B. Seligman; director, Mischer; writers, Jon Macks, Jordan Rubin, Bruce Vilanch, David Wild; coordinating producer, Danette Herman;...

Future in franchises.
February 25, 2011... DreamWorks Animation is coming off its biggest year ever at the box office after releasing three films in 2010. But the toon studio isn't rushing to get more films out in theaters as it looks to launch more franchises. "No movie before its...

Pic piracy: True Grift: kudos increase illegal activity.
February 25, 2011... Oscar nominees typically enjoy a box office bounce. But Hollywood increasingly has to reckon with another award-season ritual, one that could best be described as the piracy plunder. The attention that an Oscar nomination for best picture...

Oscar's gains & pains.
February 25, 2011... Howard Hawks said a good movie consists of three good scenes and no annoying ones. Applying that yardstick to awards season, this year has offered three good changes. And while no annoyances were introduced, a few questions remain unresolved....

Looking to be re-bourne.(The Bourne Legacy search for a new lead)(Inside Moves)
February 25, 2011... The hunt for the new face of Universal's Bourne franchise is heating up. Writer-director Tony Gilroy has been in town this week meeting with several actors to play the new lead character in "The Bourne Legacy," which is not Jason Bourne but a...

Infidelity, action drive B.O.
February 25, 2011... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Farrelly brothers' latest laffer "Hall Pass" will battle Nicolas Cage 3D action vehicle "Drive Angry" at the weekend's box office while Oscar nominees look to scoop some last-minute interest. Both New Line's...

2010 was the year of life with father.(REEL LIFE)
February 25, 2011... Among the producers' innovations for Sunday's Oscarcast is "mominees," in which contenders' mothers will be interviewed and tweet their reactions. So, in the interests of equal time, let's give dad a little attention. It's appropriate...

TV Acad will merge mini, made-for races.(Primetime Emmy Awards)
February 25, 2011... The Primetime Emmy Awards are merging the miniseries and movie categories into one beginning with this year's kudocast. Move by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences is based on a long standing rule stating that any category lacking...

Variety builds foundation.(Six degrees of Variety: OUR EVENTS AND CONNECTIONS)
February 25, 2011... Variety has established the Variety Foundation to further its philanthropic endeavors and encourage charitable giving throughout the entertainment industry. The foundation will expand on Variety's existing initiatives to raise money and...

'Gainsbourg' heads to U.S.(Brief article)
February 25, 2011... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Chicago-based distrib Music Box Films has snapped up North American rights to comicbook artist Joann Sfar's feature debut "Gainsbourg." A fantasy-filled biopic, "Gainsbourg" marks Universal Pictures Intl.'s first...

Indies' global clout: non-studio pics build B.O. traction.
February 25, 2011... Pics financed and sold outside the studio system such as "Twilight Saga: Eclipse" and "The Expendables" are potent drivers of the global box office, as detailed by the Independent Film & Television Alliance's list of the top 50 independent...

Thrones tomes selling big.(Brief article)
February 25, 2011... HBO's upcoming "Game of Thrones" skein has boosted sales of the fantasy book series it is based on, even though the show doesn't premiere until April 17. The lengthy tomes by George R. R. Martin are approaching triple-digit growth in...

Rising Univision has eye on No. 1.(Brief article)
February 25, 2011... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Univision will become America's No. 1 broadcast network in five years, the CEO of the Spanish-language media giant boldly predicted Thursday. In reporting earnings, Joe Uva boasted that during the quarter ending Dec....

Subs ditch Dish.
February 25, 2011... A carriage fight with Fox claimed another victim Thursday: Satcaster Dish Network said it lost 156,000 subscribers in the fourth quarter, in large part because customers dropped the service following the blackout of Fox Sports cablers and other...

BBC eyes U.S. towns for 'Women'.(Brief article)
February 25, 2011... BBC Worldwide Prods. has quietly begun casting in the U.S. for an adaptation of format "The Week the Women Went," an unscripted docu series in which the entire female population of a town vanishes. "Women" has a cast-contingent greenlight to...

AOL media exec exits.
February 25, 2011... Just a few weeks after AOL bought the Huffington Post and put founder Arianna Huffington in charge of AOL's content, the executive in charge of AOL's media properties is on his way out, having spent less than a year in the post. David Eun,...

B'way finds its 'Best Man'.
February 25, 2011... James Earl Jones has nailed down his next Broadway gig, with the thesp set to play a fictional former president of the United States in "Gore Vidal's The Best Man." Jones currently appears on the Rialto in the revival "Driving Miss Daisy,"...

IFC asks for more 'Poor'.(The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret renewed )(Brief article)
February 25, 2011... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] IFC has decided that airing "The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret" was not a bad decision at all. The cabler has renewed the David Cross starrer for a second season of six half-hour episodes, scheduled...

Royal treatment for sky.(World News)
February 25, 2011... Sky News was again voted news channel of the year at the prestigious Royal Television Society television journalism awards. It is the seventh time the BSkyB news web has won the kudos prize. The Murdoch-controlled Sky News triumphed...

Hong Kong doubles up.(Brief article)
February 25, 2011... The 35th Hong Kong festival has decided two opening pics are better than one. This year event will feature two opening films--"Don't Go Breaking My Heart," a joint effort by Johnnie To and Wai Ka-fai, and "Quattro Hong Kong 2," a movie about...

Sony factors in 'X Factor' for India.
February 25, 2011... Popular U.K. reality format "The X Factor" will join the chorus of talent shows that air in India, telecast on Sony Entertainment Television with singer Aditya Narain as the host. Sony and license holders Fremantle Media will produce....

Thesp hunts 'Rhinos'.(Monica Bellucci)(Brief article)
February 25, 2011... Monica Bellucci is set to topline "Rhinos Season." Iranian helmer Bahman Ghobadi's followup to arthouse hit "No One Knows About Persian Cats." [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Bellucci described "Rhinos" as "a political film" spanning from before...

The Adjustment Bureau.(Movie review)
February 25, 2011... A Universal release presented with Media Rights Capital of a Gambit Pictures production in association with Electric Shepherd Prods. Produced by Michael Hackett, George Nolfi, Bill Carraro, Chris Moore. Executive producers, Isa Dick Hackett,...

7 Sins Forgiven/7 khoon maaf.(Movie review)
February 25, 2011... (India) A UTV (worldwide) release of a UTV Motion Pictures, Vishal Bhardwaj Pictures production. (International sales: UTV, Mumbai.) Produced by Ronnie Screwvala, Vishal Bhardwaj. Co-producers, Zarina Mehta, Deven Khote, Siddharth Roy Kapur,...

Area 51.
February 25, 2011... (Movie; Syfy, Sat. Feb. 26, 9p.m.) Filmed in Louisiana by After Dark Films and Signature Entertainment. Executive producers, Allan Zeman, Stephanie Caleb, Gregory M. Walker; producers, Moshe Diamant, Courtney Solomon, Yoram Barzilai;...

My Best Enemy/Mein Bester Feind.(Movie review)
February 25, 2011... (Austria-Luxembourg) A Filmladen release (in Austria) of a Aichholzer Filmproduktion production in association with Samsafilm. (International sales: Beta Cinema, Oberhaching, Germany.) Produced by Josef Aichholzer. Co-producer, Jani Thiltges....

The Oscar-nominated short films 2011: animation.(List)
February 25, 2011... A Magnolia Pictures release of a Shorts Intl. presentation. Reviewed online, Los Angeles, Feb. 4, 2011. Running time: 85 MIN. Madagascar, carnet de voyage (France) A Sacrebleu Prods. Animation production, with the support of CNC, CRRAV...

Showbiz's help hotline: for decades, org's mission has been to serve community.
February 25, 2011... Ninety years after the Motion Picture Relief Fund was founded, Hollywood has changed beyond recognition, but the mandate and mission of that org--now known as the Motion Picture & Television Fund--remains the same: to meet the health and...

More than a house: there's no people like show people, as evidenced in these nine decades of generosity.
February 25, 2011... 1920s In 1921, Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks and others create the Motion Picture Relief Fund, and the timing couldn't have been better. Before decade's end, the industry is struck by one of its most wrenching evolutions:...