In his upcoming nonfiction nail-biter A Kim Jong-Il Production: The Extraordinary True Story of a Kidnapped Filmmaker, His Star Actress, and a Young Dictator's Rise to Power, author Paul Fischer recounts, as his subtitle suggests, a particularly bizarre episode of North Korean history. The book also doubles as a glimpse inside the largely secret world of North Korean film production — what the content of the country's movies typically is, who's in them, how they're made, and what Americans look like on Pyongyang screens. It's fascinating stuff, and Fischer is uniquely suited to offer his perspective on the country's response to The Interview and the maelstrom that has ensued. Apparently, the world's most oppressive dictatorship doesn't have much of a sense of humor. Would the North Korean leadership have seen a satire like The Interview as a shock? Do they have any self-awareness about what Hollywood thinks of them? The thinking...
- 12/19/2014
- by David Marchese
- Vulture
UK mentor scheme received seventeen applications for each place.
Actor-director Kenneth Branagh and writer-director Hossein Amini are among mentors for training programme Guiding Lights, run by Brighton-based cultural agency Lighthouse.
The 15 mentees include directors, writers, producers and, for the first time, exhibitors, as a result of a new partnership with Film Hub South East, part of the BFI Film Audience Network.
They will receive nine months of personal mentoring.
This year there were seventeen applications for each place on the scheme, which requires candidates to demonstrate experience in their field and their potential for the future.
The scheme began in 2006 and is sponsored by Creative Skillset and Studiocanal. Previous years’ mentors include Danny Boyle, Abi Morgan, Lone Scherfig and Julian Fellowes.
Kevin Macdonald, director of The Last King of Scotland, is taking part for the third time this year. He said: “What I really love about [Guiding Lights] is that I learn as much – maybe more – from the mentee...
Actor-director Kenneth Branagh and writer-director Hossein Amini are among mentors for training programme Guiding Lights, run by Brighton-based cultural agency Lighthouse.
The 15 mentees include directors, writers, producers and, for the first time, exhibitors, as a result of a new partnership with Film Hub South East, part of the BFI Film Audience Network.
They will receive nine months of personal mentoring.
This year there were seventeen applications for each place on the scheme, which requires candidates to demonstrate experience in their field and their potential for the future.
The scheme began in 2006 and is sponsored by Creative Skillset and Studiocanal. Previous years’ mentors include Danny Boyle, Abi Morgan, Lone Scherfig and Julian Fellowes.
Kevin Macdonald, director of The Last King of Scotland, is taking part for the third time this year. He said: “What I really love about [Guiding Lights] is that I learn as much – maybe more – from the mentee...
- 12/17/2014
- by Laurence.Bartleet@city.ac.uk (Larry Bartleet)
- ScreenDaily
Guiding Lights is run by Lighthouse and Creative Skillset and offers participants nine months of one-on-one mentor support, as well as industry training and networking events.
Digital culture agency Lighthouse and Creative Skillset have announced the 15 participants taking part in their 2014 Guiding Lights programme.
In its sixth year, Guiding Lights offers participants nine months of one-on-one mentor support from professionals in the film industry, as well as access to industry training and networking events. The candidates were selected from more than 250 applications.
“The Guiding Lights selection process is always extremely competitive, and this year was no exception,” said Lighthouse senior producer Emily Kyriakides.
“We’re really excited by the past achievements, future potential and talent within the group, and feel that they have a lot to offer each other as well. They’re a very impressive bunch, and we look forward to working with them over the coming months.”
This year, Lighthouse and Creative...
Digital culture agency Lighthouse and Creative Skillset have announced the 15 participants taking part in their 2014 Guiding Lights programme.
In its sixth year, Guiding Lights offers participants nine months of one-on-one mentor support from professionals in the film industry, as well as access to industry training and networking events. The candidates were selected from more than 250 applications.
“The Guiding Lights selection process is always extremely competitive, and this year was no exception,” said Lighthouse senior producer Emily Kyriakides.
“We’re really excited by the past achievements, future potential and talent within the group, and feel that they have a lot to offer each other as well. They’re a very impressive bunch, and we look forward to working with them over the coming months.”
This year, Lighthouse and Creative...
- 7/2/2014
- ScreenDaily
Film producers given the chance to discover 11 new literary works that could make good movies.
The Berlin International Film Festival (Feb 6-16) has revealed the 11 titles that will be presented to film producers at its Books at Berlinale event on Feb 11.
The selected novels, chosen from 120 books from more than 25 countries, will be presented and pitched at the Berlinale Co-Production Market - part of the European Film Market (Efm).
At the preceeding networking event, invited producers will have an opportunity to meet with right-holders – international publishers and literary agents – and to make and cultivate contacts in the book world or perhaps even to option film rights directly.
Festival director Dieter Kosslick said: “In the past years, ‘Books at Berlinale’ has established itself worldwide as the first market for literary material at an international ‘A’ film festival.
“We would now like to expand the idea of a network between books and film further, and open the...
The Berlin International Film Festival (Feb 6-16) has revealed the 11 titles that will be presented to film producers at its Books at Berlinale event on Feb 11.
The selected novels, chosen from 120 books from more than 25 countries, will be presented and pitched at the Berlinale Co-Production Market - part of the European Film Market (Efm).
At the preceeding networking event, invited producers will have an opportunity to meet with right-holders – international publishers and literary agents – and to make and cultivate contacts in the book world or perhaps even to option film rights directly.
Festival director Dieter Kosslick said: “In the past years, ‘Books at Berlinale’ has established itself worldwide as the first market for literary material at an international ‘A’ film festival.
“We would now like to expand the idea of a network between books and film further, and open the...
- 1/21/2014
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
Unlike 2009, there were no punches thrown between critics, at least that we know of, though it didn't make it any less strange a year for film writers. While there was no assault, that didn't rule out blackmail - as when FirstShowing.net's Alex Billington was accused by rival movie website writers of threatening to ruin Universal's secret screening of "Scott Pilgrim Vs. the World" at Comic-Con by revealing the time and location in advance - or the far more serious allegations of sexual abuse against IESB.net founder Robert Sanchez, who fled the country only to turn up at the first press screening of "Tron: Legacy" in November.
In substantially better developments, "At the Movies" sadly came to an end with Michael Phillips and A.O. Scott at the helm, but will be born anew under original co-host Roger Ebert's watchful eye with Associated Press critic Christy Lemire in one...
In substantially better developments, "At the Movies" sadly came to an end with Michael Phillips and A.O. Scott at the helm, but will be born anew under original co-host Roger Ebert's watchful eye with Associated Press critic Christy Lemire in one...
- 12/31/2010
- by Stephen Saito
- ifc.com
It was bad enough for film criticism when we were dealing with scandals involving fake movie reviewers. Now real "critics" are doing great damage to the integrity of the field, particularly the online segment, as plagiarizing has become an increasing offense among writers. While it's not the same as completely fabricating articles (it may be considered worse), the issue is ripe for a remake of the 2003 film...
Shattered Glass
Of course, the title makes less sense if not about a person named Glass, but remakes can go with title changes. Perhaps Shattered Fischer? Shattered Rotella? These both refer to two individuals who've been dragged through the mud on blogs, Twitter and The Vancouver Sun recently. Paul Fischer, who apparently retired from journalism today in response to the scandal, was found to be lifting plot synopses for his reviews directly from press notes and film festival guides (he's also legendary for his dumb quotes,...
Shattered Glass
Of course, the title makes less sense if not about a person named Glass, but remakes can go with title changes. Perhaps Shattered Fischer? Shattered Rotella? These both refer to two individuals who've been dragged through the mud on blogs, Twitter and The Vancouver Sun recently. Paul Fischer, who apparently retired from journalism today in response to the scandal, was found to be lifting plot synopses for his reviews directly from press notes and film festival guides (he's also legendary for his dumb quotes,...
- 2/5/2010
- by Christopher Campbell
- Cinematical
For any news outlet, the only fear experienced by every editor beyond libel is plagiarism. Even the best news outlets -- whether they be broadcast, print or online -- have been a victim of such content theft one time or another, and now two popular movie sites are licking their wounds from the latest scandal. Paul Fischer, who seemed to find something positive in even the worst of films, is no longer writing for Dark Horizons and Moviehole after an investigation by Chris Parry of the Vancouver Sun revealed that Fischer may have borrowed heavily from film festival guides to use in his reviews. "We've seen some people ... take the press notes and just print them as part of their work," said Brooks Addicott, associate director of media relations at the Sundance Institute. That group, which ...
- 2/5/2010
- GeekNation.com
Film critic Paul Fischer, a regular contributor to " target="_blank">Dark Horizons and Moviehole, has been caught lifting material for his reviews from the Sundance Film Festival directly from the festival guide book, by Chris Parry at the Vancouver Sun: [A]fter Fischer published a series of reviews from the Sundance Film Festival, indie filmmakers began grumbling about being slammed with negative reviews by a writer using large portions of material that was yanked right out of the festival guide book. In his review of the film Animal Kingdom, Fischer wrote on Dark Horizons, "When tensions between the family and the police reach a bloody peak, Josh finds himself at the center of a cold-blooded revenge plot that turns the family upside down." That sounds suspiciously alike the Sundance film guide blurb on the film, provided by the filmmakers: "When tensions between the family and the police reach a bloody peak,...
- 2/4/2010
- by MaryAnn Johanson
- www.flickfilosopher.com
While our Sundance home page is the place for all our coverage from Park City, here is a brief rundown of what's been going on during the last 24 hours, including Matt Singer's interview with "The Freebie" writer/director Katie Aselton and co-star Dax Shepard and reviews of the Chace Crawford drama "Twelve," the Banksy doc "Exit Through the Gift Shop," Philip Seymour Hoffman's directorial debut "Jack Goes Boating" and the 3D Aussie doc "Cane Toads 2: The Conquest."
Some were puzzled when Sundance accepted "Batman and Robin" director Joel Schumacher's latest film "Twelve." James Rocchi writes that the concern was justified. Here's an excerpt from his review, which can be found in full here:
Directed by Joel Schumacher ("Batman and Robin," "The Lost Boys"), "Twelve" is unquestionably the funniest film at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival; if only it had been made with that intention. "Twelve"'s ham-handed ineptitude...
Some were puzzled when Sundance accepted "Batman and Robin" director Joel Schumacher's latest film "Twelve." James Rocchi writes that the concern was justified. Here's an excerpt from his review, which can be found in full here:
Directed by Joel Schumacher ("Batman and Robin," "The Lost Boys"), "Twelve" is unquestionably the funniest film at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival; if only it had been made with that intention. "Twelve"'s ham-handed ineptitude...
- 1/28/2010
- by Stephen Saito
- ifc.com
Cane Toads: The Conquest Paul Fischer on genre site Dark Horizons praises the film, “Not only is Lewis’ film consistently fascinating and full of a very dry, parochial Australian humour, but technically his film is a dazzling achievement, in some ways more so than “Avatar” since Lewis uses the 3D technology in very subtle but quite brilliant ways to enhance his narrative. Make no mistake about it, “Cane Toads: The Conquest” …...
- 1/27/2010
- Indiewire
While our Sundance home page is the place for all our coverage from Park City, here is a brief rundown of what's been going on during the last 24 hours, including the IFC News podcast with Alison Willmore and Matt Singer weighing the positives and negatives of this year's festival including the much-hyped screening of the Banksy doc "Exit Through the Gift Shop," "Restrepo" and "Hesher," plus a new photo gallery for the Ben Affleck-Tommy Lee Jones drama "The Company Men" and reviews of "The Runaways" and "Smash His Camera."
"The Runaways" wasn't music to Sam Adams' ears. Here's an excerpt from his review, which can be found in full here:
Coming-of-age movies are Sundance's stock in trade, but few announce themselves as boldly, and broadly, as "The Runaways," whose first shot is a splotch of menstrual blood hitting the pavement. Said splotch emanates from Cherie Currie (Dakota Fanning...
"The Runaways" wasn't music to Sam Adams' ears. Here's an excerpt from his review, which can be found in full here:
Coming-of-age movies are Sundance's stock in trade, but few announce themselves as boldly, and broadly, as "The Runaways," whose first shot is a splotch of menstrual blood hitting the pavement. Said splotch emanates from Cherie Currie (Dakota Fanning...
- 1/26/2010
- by Stephen Saito
- ifc.com
While our Sundance home page is the place for all our coverage from Park City, here is a brief rundown of what's been going on during the last 24 hours, including reviews of "Catfish," "Nowhere Boy," "Please Give," and "HappyThankYouMorePlease."
Alison Willmore enjoyed the documentary that's become the talk of the festival, "Catfish," which premiered in the Spotlight section. Here's an excerpt from her (spoiler-heavy) review, which can be found in full here:
You can see why Ariel Schulman, who co-directed alongside Henry Joost (both also figure in largely on screen), started chronicling the development of his brother Nev's online friendship with Abby Pierce, an eight-year-old art prodigy living in upstate Michigan. It's adorable, it's a novelty, it's a Good Story. And you can see why Nev, a 24-year-old photographer, agrees to it. Abby reached out to him, mailing him a painting of a picture of two dancers he took for a New York paper.
Alison Willmore enjoyed the documentary that's become the talk of the festival, "Catfish," which premiered in the Spotlight section. Here's an excerpt from her (spoiler-heavy) review, which can be found in full here:
You can see why Ariel Schulman, who co-directed alongside Henry Joost (both also figure in largely on screen), started chronicling the development of his brother Nev's online friendship with Abby Pierce, an eight-year-old art prodigy living in upstate Michigan. It's adorable, it's a novelty, it's a Good Story. And you can see why Nev, a 24-year-old photographer, agrees to it. Abby reached out to him, mailing him a painting of a picture of two dancers he took for a New York paper.
- 1/23/2010
- by Stephen Saito
- ifc.com
While Mel Gibson didn't clearly explain his involvement in a fourth "Mad Max" at a recent press conference for "Edge of Darkness", he has given us a more definitive answer.
In his only online one-on-one interview for the film, Dark Horizons' Paul Fischer asked the actor straight out if he'd do a cameo or if director George Miller is begging him to do a cameo in the upcoming "Mad Max: Fury Road".
Gibson responded: "No, not at all. We’ve talked about it. We said – “Hey, how you doing.” You know, we’ve cleared it. It’s no biggie. No biggie. It’s his franchise. It’s his to do with as he wishes and I’m looking forward to seeing it. Good luck to him. I mean, I think he’s a genius. Everything he does, everything he turns his hand to, is somehow, extraordinary. So, I can't...
In his only online one-on-one interview for the film, Dark Horizons' Paul Fischer asked the actor straight out if he'd do a cameo or if director George Miller is begging him to do a cameo in the upcoming "Mad Max: Fury Road".
Gibson responded: "No, not at all. We’ve talked about it. We said – “Hey, how you doing.” You know, we’ve cleared it. It’s no biggie. No biggie. It’s his franchise. It’s his to do with as he wishes and I’m looking forward to seeing it. Good luck to him. I mean, I think he’s a genius. Everything he does, everything he turns his hand to, is somehow, extraordinary. So, I can't...
- 1/19/2010
- by Garth Franklin
- Dark Horizons
Moviegoers have two new choices this weekend - unless you are fortunate enough to have Andrea Arnold's exceptional Fish Tank opening in your area. One of them is the kid-friendly The Spy Next Door with Jackie Chan taking a cue from Vin "The Pacifier" Diesel as an action hero babysitting some children. To date the Lionsgate film hasn't found any quotes to use in the ads. And hard to imagine they will find many for a film directed by Brian "Snow Dogs" Levant. The standout choice for the weekend is the return of the Hughes Brothers to theaters. Hard to believe that Allan & Albert have been out of the game since their 2001 adaptation of Alan Moore's From Hell. Even harder to believe that The Book Of Eli is being greeted by a who's who of the unreliable.
The quotes on the ads have been getting shifted around all week.
The quotes on the ads have been getting shifted around all week.
- 1/11/2010
- by Erik Childress
- Cinematical
HDNet Movies presents a special Sneak Preview of the movie “Wonderful World“, starring Matthew Broderick Wednesday, January 6 at 8:00 p.m. Et.
Critics are raving about “Wonderful World”. The Hollywood Reporter says,
“Matthew Broderick delivers his best screen role in quite a while.”
And, Paul Fischer of Dark Horizons says that,
“Wonderful World is one of the most beautiful movie surprises of the season. A masterful, deeply human and emotive work featuring a stunning performance by Mathew Broderick.”
A bittersweet comedy about families, friends and a frivolous fight against corporate institutions, Matthew Broderick (Finding Amanda, The Producers) plays Ben Singer, a failed children’s folk singer, a newly unemployed proofreader and an every-other-weekend dad to his young daughter (Jodelle Ferland), who prefers pretty much anything to listening to her dad’s pessimistic ramblings.
Matthew Broderick, Wonderful World
Struggling in all aspects of his life, Ben’s only comforts come from...
Critics are raving about “Wonderful World”. The Hollywood Reporter says,
“Matthew Broderick delivers his best screen role in quite a while.”
And, Paul Fischer of Dark Horizons says that,
“Wonderful World is one of the most beautiful movie surprises of the season. A masterful, deeply human and emotive work featuring a stunning performance by Mathew Broderick.”
A bittersweet comedy about families, friends and a frivolous fight against corporate institutions, Matthew Broderick (Finding Amanda, The Producers) plays Ben Singer, a failed children’s folk singer, a newly unemployed proofreader and an every-other-weekend dad to his young daughter (Jodelle Ferland), who prefers pretty much anything to listening to her dad’s pessimistic ramblings.
Matthew Broderick, Wonderful World
Struggling in all aspects of his life, Ben’s only comforts come from...
- 12/29/2009
- by Allan Ford
- Filmofilia
Even in Francois Ozon's disappointing first English language film Angel, I'm still enraptured by the magnificence of Romola Garai. If ever there is an actress who can do no wrong, even if the movie is an utter failure, Garai would be that actress. In Steven Poliakoff's Glorious 39, Garai continues to shine.
- - -
- - -
Funded by BBC Films, the UK Film Council, Screen East and Quickfire Films, 1939 is set in the Norfolk countryside on the eve of the war and in modern-day London. The story centres on Anne Keyes, the daughter of a traditional English family, played by Atonement star Garai. Poliakoff said he was excited to be making a film about "the extraordinary machinations that went on in British society on the eve of war".
"It is truly thrilling to be making it with such a tremendous cast which combines some of the most exciting...
- - -
- - -
Funded by BBC Films, the UK Film Council, Screen East and Quickfire Films, 1939 is set in the Norfolk countryside on the eve of the war and in modern-day London. The story centres on Anne Keyes, the daughter of a traditional English family, played by Atonement star Garai. Poliakoff said he was excited to be making a film about "the extraordinary machinations that went on in British society on the eve of war".
"It is truly thrilling to be making it with such a tremendous cast which combines some of the most exciting...
- 9/22/2009
- by modelwatcher@gmail.com (Jed Medina)
- The Movie Fanatic
Even in Francois Ozon's disappointing first English language film Angel, I'm still enraptured by the magnificence of Romola Garai. If ever there is an actress who can do no wrong, even if the movie is an utter failure, Garai would be that actress. In Steven Poliakoff's Glorious 39, Garai continues to shine.
- - -
- - -
Funded by BBC Films, the UK Film Council, Screen East and Quickfire Films, 1939 is set in the Norfolk countryside on the eve of the war and in modern-day London. The story centres on Anne Keyes, the daughter of a traditional English family, played by Atonement star Garai. Poliakoff said he was excited to be making a film about "the extraordinary machinations that went on in British society on the eve of war".
"It is truly thrilling to be making it with such a tremendous cast which combines some of the most exciting...
- - -
- - -
Funded by BBC Films, the UK Film Council, Screen East and Quickfire Films, 1939 is set in the Norfolk countryside on the eve of the war and in modern-day London. The story centres on Anne Keyes, the daughter of a traditional English family, played by Atonement star Garai. Poliakoff said he was excited to be making a film about "the extraordinary machinations that went on in British society on the eve of war".
"It is truly thrilling to be making it with such a tremendous cast which combines some of the most exciting...
- 9/22/2009
- by modelwatcher@gmail.com (Jed Medina)
- The Movie Fanatic
Even in Francois Ozon's disappointing first English language film Angel, I'm still enraptured by the magnificence of Romola Garai. If ever there is an actress who can do no wrong, even if the movie is an utter failure, Garai would be that actress. In Steven Poliakoff's Glorious 39, Garai continues to shine.
- - -
- - -
Funded by BBC Films, the UK Film Council, Screen East and Quickfire Films, 1939 is set in the Norfolk countryside on the eve of the war and in modern-day London. The story centres on Anne Keyes, the daughter of a traditional English family, played by Atonement star Garai. Poliakoff said he was excited to be making a film about "the extraordinary machinations that went on in British society on the eve of war".
"It is truly thrilling to be making it with such a tremendous cast which combines some of the most exciting...
- - -
- - -
Funded by BBC Films, the UK Film Council, Screen East and Quickfire Films, 1939 is set in the Norfolk countryside on the eve of the war and in modern-day London. The story centres on Anne Keyes, the daughter of a traditional English family, played by Atonement star Garai. Poliakoff said he was excited to be making a film about "the extraordinary machinations that went on in British society on the eve of war".
"It is truly thrilling to be making it with such a tremendous cast which combines some of the most exciting...
- 9/22/2009
- by modelwatcher@gmail.com (Jed Medina)
- The Movie Fanatic
Even in Francois Ozon's disappointing first English language film Angel, I'm still enraptured by the magnificence of Romola Garai. If ever there is an actress who can do no wrong, even if the movie is an utter failure, Garai would be that actress. In Steven Poliakoff's Glorious 39, Garai continues to shine.
- - -
- - -
Funded by BBC Films, the UK Film Council, Screen East and Quickfire Films, 1939 is set in the Norfolk countryside on the eve of the war and in modern-day London. The story centres on Anne Keyes, the daughter of a traditional English family, played by Atonement star Garai. Poliakoff said he was excited to be making a film about "the extraordinary machinations that went on in British society on the eve of war".
"It is truly thrilling to be making it with such a tremendous cast which combines some of the most exciting...
- - -
- - -
Funded by BBC Films, the UK Film Council, Screen East and Quickfire Films, 1939 is set in the Norfolk countryside on the eve of the war and in modern-day London. The story centres on Anne Keyes, the daughter of a traditional English family, played by Atonement star Garai. Poliakoff said he was excited to be making a film about "the extraordinary machinations that went on in British society on the eve of war".
"It is truly thrilling to be making it with such a tremendous cast which combines some of the most exciting...
- 9/22/2009
- by modelwatcher@gmail.com (Jed Medina)
- The Movie Fanatic
Even in Francois Ozon's disappointing first English language film Angel, I'm still enraptured by the magnificence of Romola Garai. If ever there is an actress who can do no wrong, even if the movie is an utter failure, Garai would be that actress. In Steven Poliakoff's Glorious 39, Garai continues to shine.
- - -
- - -
Funded by BBC Films, the UK Film Council, Screen East and Quickfire Films, 1939 is set in the Norfolk countryside on the eve of the war and in modern-day London. The story centres on Anne Keyes, the daughter of a traditional English family, played by Atonement star Garai. Poliakoff said he was excited to be making a film about "the extraordinary machinations that went on in British society on the eve of war".
"It is truly thrilling to be making it with such a tremendous cast which combines some of the most exciting...
- - -
- - -
Funded by BBC Films, the UK Film Council, Screen East and Quickfire Films, 1939 is set in the Norfolk countryside on the eve of the war and in modern-day London. The story centres on Anne Keyes, the daughter of a traditional English family, played by Atonement star Garai. Poliakoff said he was excited to be making a film about "the extraordinary machinations that went on in British society on the eve of war".
"It is truly thrilling to be making it with such a tremendous cast which combines some of the most exciting...
- 9/22/2009
- by modelwatcher@gmail.com (Jed Medina)
- The Movie Fanatic
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