Daily Variety articles from March 2012, page 5

Daily Variety archives from March 2012

Zombie zing pumps AMC.
March 20, 2012... AMC's "The Walking Dead" continues to shatter ratings records. Sunday night's season-two finale drew 9 million viewers, including 6 million in the 18-49 demo, according to Nielsen. Both are all-time bests for any series on the cabler, with...

Netflix originals vision catches biz's eve.(REMODELING)
March 20, 2012... Nothing receives a warmer welcome in Hollywood than a new buyer with deep pockets. At the moment, the creative community is swooning over Netflix and its growing ambition to field original series. Netflix execs have been deliberately cautious...

ABC Family targets all ages.
March 20, 2012... ABC Family is playing to a multigenerational aud with its dramedy "Bunheads," exec produced by "Gilmore Girls" creator Amy Sherman-Palladino. "Bunheads" was one of three new series touted by the cabler at its upfront luncheon Monday at...

Variety builds int'l ties with BRIC.(Six degrees of Variety: OUR EVENTS AND CONNECTIONS)
March 20, 2012... Variety and the Assn. of Film Commissioners Intl. will present the BRIC Summit: The Inside Track to Grow the Entertainment Industry on June 15. The daylong confab will be co-located with the AFCI Locations Show at the Los Angeles Convention...

Par picks police pitch: Rothman to write, produce comedy.
March 20, 2012... Paramount has won a bidding war for an original pitch from Rodney Rothman that has Seth Rogen and Kevin Hart attached to star as partnered police officers. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Rothman will write and produce the untitled comedy via his...

'Minds' guy crosses to Euro 'Lines'.(Ed Bernero's new project 'Crossing Lines')(Brief article)
March 20, 2012... Former "Criminal Minds" showrunner Ed Bernero is teaming up with Munich-based Tandem Communications on a one-hour action crime series set in Europe. "Crossing Lines" follows a broken-down New York detective who finds unlikely redemption when...

Fox to close 'House' May 21.(Brief article)
March 20, 2012... Fox has cemented May 22-23 for the two-night season finish of "American Idol" and set the series finale of long-running drama "House" for May 21. The 9 p.m. wrap of "House" will follow a one-hour retrospective episode airing at 8 p.m. ...

Allen redubs latest effort with 'Love'.
March 20, 2012... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] After toying with "Bop Decameron" and "Nero Fiddled," writer-director Woody Allen has finally settled on a title for his next movie, as Sony Pictures Classics has set a June 22 release date for "To Rome With Love." ...

Lin, Stars align for Storm.
March 20, 2012... Bruno Wu's Seven Stars Film Studios and director Justin Lin have entered into a joint venture, Perfect Storm Entertainment, to create a slate of films. Wu is chairman of Seven Stars Global Entertainment, the parent company of Seven Stars Film...

'Enemy' is in sights.(Denis Villeneuve to direct the film adaptation of 'An Enemy')(Brief article)
March 20, 2012... Before directing Hugh Jackman in "Prisoners," Denis Villeneuve will helm the indie "An Enemy" with Jake Gyllenhaal in negotiations to star. Javier Gullon is penning the adaptation based on the novel "The Double" by Jose Saramago. ...

'Lavender' sets stage for Brit tour.(LEGIT)
March 20, 2012... Two screen-to-stage adaptations--including a stage version of "Ladies in Lavender" starring Hayley Mills--and a little-known Noel Coward play have been added to this year's U.K. road slate. The stage preem of 2004 Brit bigscreen hit "Ladies...

'Newsies' extends to August.(LEGIT)(Brief article)
March 20, 2012... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Stage musical "Newsies" has extended its limited-engagement run on Broadway. Initially set to play a 12-week run that would have ended June 9, it will now extend through Aug. 19. Execs at Disney Theatrical Prods....

B'way spring fling: 'Phantom' surges as tourists pour in.(LEGIT)
March 20, 2012... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] New productions led the way for a spike in Broadway box office last week, with the first frame of Ricky Martin-toplined "Evita" logging more than $1.1 million despite two canceled previews. The final number for...

Broadway top 10: March 12-18, 2012.(LEGIT)
March 20, 2012... Broadway Top 10: March 12-18, 2012 Week's Prev. Show gross receipts week's (Theater)(Prod. category) Potential Gross (Seats) ...

Film box office wrap: for the weekend of March 16-18.
March 20, 2012... Weekend at the B.O. $111.1 million March 16-18, 2012 -3.4% -18.7% vs. last year vs. last weekend Screen scene The weekend's top 10 engagements: Theater, city (circuit) Gross 1 21 Jump...

Highlights.(TV Summit)
March 20, 2012... 8-9 a.m. Registration 9-9:15 a.m. Opening remarks. Jerry Perry, chairman, ATAS Foundation; Bruce Rosenblum, chairman-CEO, ATAS 9:45-10:15 a.m. Keynote conversation. Dana Walden and Gary Newman, chairmen, Twentieth Century Fox...

TV talk carries day.(TV Summit)
March 20, 2012... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The television world sits at one of its most intriguing crossroads. The quality of shows has never been better, and the quantity of programming options across the dial, and Internet, has never been higher. Everyone,...

Chrysalis.(Movie review)
March 20, 2012... Chrysalis (De tu ventana a la mia) (Spain) [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] An Alta Films release of a Zentropa International Spain, Amapola Films, Oria Films production in association with Aragon TV, TVE. (International sales: TrustNordisk,...

Brooklyn Castle.(Book review)
March 20, 2012... Brooklyn Castle (Docu) [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] A Rescued Media production. Produced by Katie Dellamaggiore, Nelson Dellamaggiore, Brian Schulz. Executive producers, Robert McLellan, Geoff Gibson. Co-executive producers, Neal Flaherty, Le...

Bent.
March 20, 2012... Bent (Series; NBC, Wed. March 21, 9 p.m.) Filmed in Los Angeles by Quill Entertainment in association with Universal Television. Executive producer, Tad Quill; co-executive producer, DJ Nash; producer, Michael Pendell; director, Craig...

Nightfall.(Movie review)
March 20, 2012... Nightfall (Dai jui bo) (Hong Kong) An Irresistible Films, Edko Films, SilMetropole Organization, Film Development Fund of Hong Kong presentation. (International sales: Edko Fihns, Hong Kong.) Produced by Bill Kong, Ivy Ho. Executive...

Just Pretended to Hear.(Movie review)
March 20, 2012... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Just Pretended to Hear (Kikoeteru, furl o shita dake) (Japan) A 7th Cineastes Organization Osaka Exhibition presentation of an Uplink production in association with CO2. (International sales: Gold View Co.,...

Small Apartments.(Movie review)
March 20, 2012... Small Apartments A Morocco Junction Pictures, Deep Sky production in association with 1812 Prods. and Amuse Entertainment. (International sales: Silver Nitrate, Studio City, Calif.) Produced by Ash R. Shah, Timothy Wayne Peternel, David...

BFI'S main Protag: Roberts to bring to gether all sides.(World News)(British Film Institute's new director Ben Roberts)
March 20, 2012... Protagonist Pictures CEO Ben Roberts, who has been tapped as director of the British Film Institute Film Fund, has an enormous job on his hands when he takes up the reins. The appointment, announced by the BFI on Monday, sees Roberts take...

Mediaset challenges DTT freeze.(World News)
March 20, 2012... Italian commercial broadcaster Mediaset has taken legal action to revoke a government freeze on assigning DTT licenses, just ahead of the release of its fourth-quarter results, expected to show a sharp operating profit drop. Mediaset,...

All3 tunes in Best of Brit TV VOD app.(World News)
March 20, 2012... U.K. super indic All3Media is to bow a video-on-demand service featuring such shows as "Skins" and "Shameless" in the U.S. and the U.K., with the likelihood that other countries will follow. Shingle claims it is the first U.K. indie to offer...

Topper confirms beeb exit plan.(World News)(British Broadcasting Corp.'s Mark Thompson is retiring this fall)(Brief article)
March 20, 2012... Mark Thompson, the BBC's director-general for the past eight years, will quit this fall. His announcement follows January's revelation that BBC Trust chairman Chris Patten had hired head-hunters to draw up a list of potential successors for...

Red Arrow shoots for Endor.(World News)
March 20, 2012... ProSiebenSat.1 continues to flex its muscle in international scripted production with the acquisition of Hilary Bevan Jones' U.K. TV and film shingle Endor. The deal is the highest profile yet for Red Arrow Entertainment Group,...

CAA settles scribe suit.
March 20, 2012... CAA and reps of aging scribes have settled of a class-action case alleging age discrimination in the representation of TV writers. CAA had been the lone holdout in 23 separate class actions that were filed a decade ago by the writers against...

Bandier stays atop Sony/ATV.
March 20, 2012... Martin Bandier has signed a long-term contract extension to remain chainnan-CEO of Sony/ ATV Music Publishing, Sony Corp. of America announced Monday. Bandier has served as topper of Sony/ATV--a joint venture of Sony and the Estate of Michael...

Sarasota sets slate.(Sarasota Film Festival)(Brief article)
March 20, 2012... The Sarasota Film Festival has set its final slate of some 230 shorts and features, including 14 pics that are world or U.S. preems. Among features, the world preeros are clustered in the Independent Visions competish with a nine-film lineup...

Director's charm.(V)
March 20, 2012... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] At the Roosevelt Hotel afterparty Saturday for Relativity Media's premiere of "Mirror Mirror," producers Bernie Goldmann and Kevin Misher said Tarsem Singh Dhandwar was an unlikely candidate to direct a light family...

'Touch' reaches out.(V)
March 20, 2012... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Fox skein "Touch" tapped into its theme of global interconnectedness Sunday night at the global premiere of the show at New York's American Museum of Natural History: The screening was followed by a Q&A with people...

'Once' upon an afterparty.(V)(Brief article)
March 20, 2012... Hyperbole is expected on opening night, but "Once" star Steve Kazee took it to the skies on Sunday night in Gotham. Speaking for the cast, he compared choreographer Steyen Hoggett to an astrophysicist for his ability to "create something out...

Shalom from fest.(V)
March 20, 2012... Hebrew was the favorite language Thursday night as Israeli expats and Holy Land film buffs took their seats in the Paramount Theater for the opening night gala at the Israel Film Festival in Los Angeles while "Hava Nagila" played over the PA. ...

Miramax: the Lang goodbye.
March 19, 2012... Mike Lang's abrupt and unexpected departure as CEO of Miramax on Friday could signal that the company will not move into production or acquisition anytime soon, though the former News Corp. exec leaves the company on solid footing in terms of...

On easy 'Street': laffer cops $35 mil as B.O. streak ends.
March 19, 2012... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Sony-MGM's "21 Jump Street" scored a winning $35 million debut. But a lack of wide openers kept domestic box office down approximately 7% from the comparable 2011 frame, marking 2012's first year-to-year dip. While...

A 'Jump' on No. 2.
March 19, 2012... Sony Pictures is gunning for another "21 Jump Street," closing a deal with Jonah Hill and Michael Bacall to develop a treatment for a sequel that Bacall has signed on to write. While negotiations have not yet begun, Hill and co-star Channing...

WonderCon fans flames.
March 19, 2012... The strongest summer-movie buzz coming out of WonderCon centered on Fox's "Prometheus" as the studios rewed up fanboy interest in tentpoles that are opening too early for a presence at July's Comic-Con. Aside from Fox, Universal, Sony and...

'Ripper' ripe for Beeb spin.
March 19, 2012... BBC America will revisit London in the era of Jack the Ripper in a new drama series from Tiger Aspect Prods. and Lookout Point. BBC America has boarded "Ripper Street" as a co-producer, and BBC Worldwide will handle international...

Can 'Mad Men' sustain its retro cool?(THE BACKLOT)(Column)
March 19, 2012... "Mad Men" has been the focal point of so many articles, and so much gossip, that its season-five premiere screening at the Cinerama Dome last week seemed almost anticlimactic. Over four seasons, "Mad Men's" zealous followers have been caught...

The Hunger Games.(Movie review)
March 19, 2012... The Hunger Games A Lionsgate release and presentation of a Color Force/Lionsgate production. Produced by Nina Jacobson, Jon Kilik. Executive producers, Robin Bissell, Suzanne Collins, Louise Rosner-Meyer. Co-producers, Aldric La'auli Porter,...

OWN drops show with not-so-rosy ratings.(OWN: The Oprah Winfrey Network L.L.C. to cancel 'The Rosie Show')(Brief article)
March 19, 2012... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] OWN has canceled "The Rosie Show." The cabler had brought Rosie O'Donnell onboard last year to host a daily talkshow from Chicago, but the series never connected with viewers. The final episode will tape Tuesday and...

Theron splits with manager.(Charlize Theron parts ways with manager J.J. Harris)(Brief article)
March 19, 2012... "Young Adult" star Charlize Theron has parted ways with her longtime manager J.J. Harris of One Talent Management. Sources close to the situation told Variety that there was no acrimony; the working relationship had simply run its course. ...

The flavors of SXSW: Austin fest has own sense of taste.(commentary)
March 19, 2012... A film fest wrapped in an interactive fest wrapped in a music fest, SXSW is like the hearty three-meat Turducken of the festival world. Biting into it, you'd be impressed if SXSW could do any one of those things well, but the nice surprise is...

Lindelof locked in for tech summit.(Six degrees of Variety: OUR EVENTS AND CONNECTIONS)(Damon Lindelof at the Entertainment and Technology Summit)(Conference news)(Brief article)
March 19, 2012... Writer-producer Damon Lindelof will keynote Variety's Entertainment and Technology Summit, taking place April 30 at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Marina Del Rey. The Summit, co-located with Digital Hollywood, aims to identify opportunities for...

Second City takes rights.(Second City Comedy Marketing Group Inc. has bougth the rights to 'Sketch It Out')(Brief article)
March 19, 2012... Comedy troupe Second City has acquired North American rights to the Brazilian series "Sketch It Out" and has plans to bring it Stateside. Originally produced by Globo TV, half-hour has been a hit on local Brazilian television for eight years....

MTV story to screen: Ratner seeks to channel pic.
March 19, 2012... "Tower Heist" helmer Brett Ratner and Sony are nearing a deal to bring a feature chronicling the rise of MTV to the bigscreen. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Ratner's Rat Entertainment is in talks with the studio to adapt "I Want My MTV: The...

Helmer eyes WB's 'Imitation'.
March 19, 2012... J. Blakeson is in negotiations to direct Warner Bros.' WWII code-breaking pic "The Imitation Game." The project was considered one of the hottest spec scripts in town when WB acquired it last fall. Graham Moore penned the work based on the...

Shingles buy up 'Bond'.(Wild Fiesta Prods. and Gran Via Prods. have bought the rights to the film adaptation of 'Bond Girl')(Brief article)
March 19, 2012... Mark Johnson's Gran Via Prods. and Wild Fiesta Prods. are taking a stroll on Wall Street, picking up feature rights to Erin Duffy's recently published novel "Bond Girl." Johnson, Gran Via exec Tom Williams and Wild Fiesta's Ben Horton are...

'Ends' purchase Automatik.(Automatik Entertainment has acquired the rights to 'Ends of the Earth')(Brief article)
March 19, 2012... Brian Kavanaugh-Jones' Automatik Entertainment has acquired worldwide rights to "Ends of the Earth," a found-footage action thriller that will be co-directed by first-time feature helmers Derek Lee and Clif Prowse. Plot details are being kept...

Once.(Theater review)(Brief article)
March 19, 2012... Once (Bernard B. Jacobs Theater; 1,058 seats; $131.50 top) [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] A Barbara Broccoli, John N. Hart Jr., Patrick Milling Smith, Frederick Zollo, Brian Carmody, Michael G. Wilson, Ofin Wolf, and the Shubert Organization...

Oliviers will toast Rice.(Tim Rice to receive honor at the 36th Olivier Awards)(Brief article)
March 19, 2012... Lyricist Tim Rice ("The Lion King," "Evita") will receive the honorary Special Award at this year's Olivier kudofest. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Brit lyricist is currently riding high in Blighty and on Broadway. "The Lion King," which...

Pearl to preem McNally play.(Pearl Theater Company to perform Terrence McNally's new play 'And Away We Go')(Brief article)
March 19, 2012... The world premiere of a new play by Terrence McNally is among the shows on tap for the 2012-13 season at Off Broadway's Pearl Theater Company. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The 29th season of the classics-centric Pearl will be the first in the...

Fallback has 'Scare' in its plans.(Fallback Plan Productions' 'Scare Dares')(Brief article)
March 19, 2012... At a time when studios are jockeying for a piece of the low-budget horror segment, Fallback Plan Productions is ramping up the indie "Scare Dares," a sub-$1 million indie chiller with an inventive mobile app tie-in that aims to start shooting...

'Relationship' finds a friend.
March 19, 2012... Millennium Nu Image has purchased romantic comedy spec "Lauren Pemberton Is No Longer in a Relationship." Robert Cort produces. Script by Isaac Aptaker and Elizabeth Berger focuses on a guy who reconnects with his high school crush through...

Edge in music rights.
March 19, 2012... Cutting Edge Group, which has pioneered investing in the music fights to films including "The King's Speech," has come up with a new wrinkle--offering those rights to indie producers looking to assemble music for their films. The London-based...

USC honors De Laurentiis.(the Universitiy of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts to honor Dino De Laurentiis)(Brief article)
March 19, 2012... The USC School of Cinematic Arts will honor Dino De Laurentiis with a three-day tribute March 30-April 1, culminating in the dedication of the Dino and Martha De Laurentiis Endowed Professorship. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Events will include...

U pair has skin in 5K run/walk.(Sun Screen)
March 19, 2012... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] After fighting her own battle with melanoma, Hillary Fogelson now hopes to help others fight the disease by hosting Miles for Melanoma Run/Walk through her Pale Girl Speaks Foundation along with the Melanoma Research...

Pound the pavement.(Insiders)(CCH Pounder, who lives in West Adams in Los Angeles, California)(Brief article)
March 19, 2012... Los Angeles' historic West Adams district is known for its bohemian vibe and distinctive collection of beautiful homes that range from Craftsman and Arts and Crafts style abodes to Beaux Arts and Queen Anne mansions. Thesp CCH Pounder is one...

New innings.(Insiders)(Bruce Nash's new book 'The Baseball Hall of Shame')(Brief article)
March 19, 2012... Just in time for the start of baseball season, producer Bruce Nash has returned to his roots to field a new volume of "The Baseball Hall of Shame." Before Nash became a prolific producer of unscripted TV skeins, he and co-author Allan Zullo...

Upcoming events.(Insiders)(Brief article)(Calendar)
March 19, 2012... TODAY: Academy Film Scholar Peter Decherney presents highlights of his upcoming book "Hollywood's Copyright Wars: From Edison to the Internet." AMPAS' Linwood Dunn Theater. Oscars.org TUESDAY: New Filmmakers Los Angeles hosts a screening of...

Birth.(Insiders)
March 19, 2012... Jayne Polousky and Scott Sherr, a boy and a girl; Jacob Ian Sherr and Avery Katherine Sherr, March 5, Los Angeles. Mother's manager of integrated marketing and synergy at Buena Vista Motion Pictures Group; father's exec veep of marketing and...

Starz Entertainment.(Exec Shuffle)
March 19, 2012... Ed Huguez has been upped to prexy of affiliate distribution for Starz Entertainment. He joined the pay cabler in 2004 and was most recently exec veep. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

NBCUniversal.(Exec Shuffle)
March 19, 2012... NBCUniversal has promoted a trio of sales execs. Jim Hoffmano who's been with the Peacock since 1989, is exec veep of sales and marketing for NBC Entertainment, John Kelly, who joined NBC Cable in 2000, is exec veep of NBC News and Information...

CNN.(Exec Shuffle)
March 19, 2012... Vinnie Malhotra has joined CNN as senior veep of development and acquisitions, based in Los Angeles. He comes to the cabler after stints with ESPN and ABC News.

Morris Yorn Barnes Levine Krintzman Rubenstein and Kohner.(Exec Shuffle)
March 19, 2012... Jennifer Massey has been upped to partner Morris Yorn Barnes Levine Krintzman Rubenstein and Kohner. She joined the entertainment law firm as an associate in 2005.

Univision.(Exec Shuffle)
March 19, 2012... Univision has promoted Jeff Browning as senior veep of network sales: He came to Univision's KMEX-TV Los Angeles in 2008 after working for CBS TV Stations and Spike TV.

Left/Right.(Exec Shuffle)(Nina Diaz, Angie Day and Anneka Jones)(Brief article)
March 19, 2012... Gotham-based production company Left/ Right (VH1 's "Mob Wives") has added three exec posts. "Mob Wives" exec producer Nina Diaz adds the title of senior veep of current production. Anneka Jones has been upped to senior veepof development and...

Roman thumbs-up for ex-Venice a.d.(World News)(Marco Mueller is the newly appointed artistic director of the Rome Film Festival)
March 19, 2012... Marco Mueller has been appointed artistic director of the Rome Film Festival with a mandate to boost the budding Eternal City fest, ending protracted political wrangling over the former Venice topper's post-Lido move. Mueller, ousted from...

Fortissimo signs distribs.(World News)
March 19, 2012... On the eve of this year's Hong Kong Filmart, which kicks off-today and runs through March 22, Michael Werner's Hong Kong and Amsterdam-based Fortissimo Films announced it had concluded deals with new distribs in Korea and India. In Korea,...

Irish auld lang syne? Ardmore faces closure after loss of series.(World News)
March 19, 2012... Ireland's historic Ardmore Studios is facing the threat of closure after losing out on the $40 million History Channel series "The Vikings" to new rival Ashford Studios. "The Vikings," which starts pre-production in April, will be the first...

Russia holds TV protesters.(World News)
March 19, 2012... Boris Nemtsov, a former deputy prime minister turned opposition activist, and Sergei Udaltsov, leader of the Left Front and a key figure in recent anti-Putin protests, were among 94 Russian opposition activists arrested Sunday at a protest...

U.K. mulls TV incentive.(World News)(United Kingdom)(Brief article)
March 19, 2012... Blighty's television sector could soon reap the benefits of a tax break similar to the one the U.K. film biz already enjoys in an effort to prevent productions from lensing in overseas territories. George Osborne, the U.K. chancellor, is...

American Idiot.(Theater review)
March 19, 2012... American Idiot (Ahmanson Theater, Los Angeles; 1,614 seats; $120 top) [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] A Center Theater Group presentation of a Tom Hulce & Ira Pittelman, Work Light Prods., Vivek J. Tiwary. Latitude Link, Scott M. Delman, Allan...

Daylight Savings.(Movie review)
March 19, 2012... Daylight Savings A Tiger Industry Films and Brainwave Films production. Produced by Duane Andersen, Michael Lerman. Executive producers, Gary Chou, Brian Kabashikawa. Coproducer, Kurt Kurasaki. Directed by Dave Boyle. Screenplay, Boyle,...

The Taiwan Oyster.(Movie review)
March 19, 2012... The Taiwan Oyster [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] A Spoonbill Pictures production in association with Filmscience and Citizen Tofu. (International sales: Greenberg Traurig, Austin, Texas.) Produced by Mark Jarrett, Mitchell Jarrett, Paul Knaus,...

Citadel.(Movie review)
March 19, 2012... Citadel (Ireland-U.K.) A Blinder Films production in association with Sigma Films, the Irish Film Board and Creative Scotland. Produced by Katie Holly, Brian Coffey. Executive producers, Gillian Berrie, David Mackenzie, Kieron J. Walsh. ...

Beauty Is Embarrassing.(Movie review)
March 19, 2012... Beauty Is Embarrassing (Docu) A Future You Pictures presentation. Produced by Neil Berkeley, Chris Bradley, Morgan Neville, Milan Erceg. Executive producers, Aimee Bothwell, Bart McDonough, Eddie Schmidt. Directed by Neil Berkeley. Written...

A Secret World.(Movie review)
March 19, 2012... A Secret World (Un mundo secreto) (Mexico) A Sobreviviente Films/Vision Sud Est presentation in association with SDC/Bambu Audiovisual/Agencia SHA/Transistor Films/ Cooperativa Un Mnndo. (International sales: Shoreline Entertainment, Los...

Distribs pair for 'Present'.
March 19, 2012... Submarine Entertainment has partnered with Music Box Films for domestic distribution of Matthew Aker's documentary "Marina Abramovic: The Artist Is Present." Music Box Films plans a June theatrical release and Oscar-qualifying run with a DVD,...

'Month' set for June bow.(6 Month Rule)(Brief article)
March 19, 2012... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Distribution plans for Blayne Weaver's indie romantic dramedy "6 Month Rule" have been set, starting with a June 1 theatrical launch in New York and Los Angeles on June 8 through Abramorama. "Rule" will be released...

Bell buys Astral.
March 19, 2012... MONTREAL -- Bell Canada, the country's leading telco and broadcaster, has made a major incursion into the French-language TV landscape in Canada, inking a deal to take over Montreal-based broadcaster Astral Media for $3.4 billion. With the...

Lionsgate lights up Kohan deal.
March 16, 2012... "Weeds" creator Jenji Kohan is charging into the original series business with Netflix under the new overall deal she's inked with Lionsgate TV. Kohan is co-creator, with Liz Friedman, and exec producer of "Orange Is the New Black," an...