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The 2024 BAFTA TV Awards very much celebrated the best of British TV tonight as the majority of big-name stars and more recognizable shows fell away to British shows and stars. The likes of “Succession” and “The Last of Us” went home empty-handed at the Royal Festival Hall. “Top Boy,” “The Sixth Commandment,” and “Such Brave Girls” claimed the three big prizes at the ceremony hosted by comedians Romesh Ranganathan and Rob Beckett.

“Top Boy,” Netflix’s hit show about two London drug dealers dealing with gang violence in East London, won Best Drama Series over “The Gold,” “Happy Valley,” and Emmy hopeful “Slow Horses.” Producers Charles Steel and Alasdair Flind came backstage to discuss their victory, which came for the fifth and final season of the fan favorite.

“The talent in front of the camera and behind the camera feels like a family. A lot of them started on ‘Top Boy...

David Thion, the French producer of Justine Triet’s best picture contender “Anatomy of a Fall,” is preparing a raft of projects helmed by daring female directors including Charline Bourgeois-Tacquet (“Anais in Love”) and Emily Atef (“More Than Ever”).

Speaking to Variety ahead of the Oscars, Thion said he and Marie-Ange Luciani, who also produced “Anatomy of a Fall,” have also signed Triet for her next movie, the topic of which hasn’t been decided yet.

“Justine has devoted herself fully to the awards campaign for ‘Anatomy of a Fall’ and she hasn’t had time to decide what her next film will be, but she has a few ideas,” Thion said. He added that Triet’s next film will likely be “mainly shot in French, but could have an Anglo-Saxon actress as the lead.”

Bourgeois-Tacquet, who made her feature debut with “Anais in Love,” which premiered at Cannes’ Critics Week,...

As production starts on the third and final season of ‘Top Boy’ it has been announced that Barry Keoghan (The Batman, American Animals) and Brian Gleeson have joined the cast.

Keoghan and Gleeson join regular cast Ashley Walters and Kane Robinson, Simbi Ajikawo, Jasmine Jobson, Saffron Hocking and Araloyin Oshunremi. The newest duo will take on the roles of new characters Jonny and Tadgh.

Also in news – Chris Evans in talks to join Netflix’s ‘Pain Hustlers’

Episodes 1 – 4 will be directed by Myriam Raja, who was previously part of the Top Boy S1 mentee program, with Will Stefan Smith returning to direct the final two episodes. The show is created and written by Ronan Bennett.

Top Boy is executive produced by the original creative team – Charles Steel and Alasdair Flind for Cowboy Films, Ronan Bennett for Easter Partisan and Yann Demange. Also serving as Executive Producers are a multi-faceted entertainer...

Exclusive: Barry Keoghan, who appeared as The Joker in Matt Reeves’ The Batman, and Brian Gleeson (Peaky Blinders), have joined the cast of Netflix hit Top Boy, as shooting of the immensely popular crime gang drama’s final season gets underway in London.

Although the exact nature of their roles is being kept under wraps, Keoghan and Gleeson will play new characters Jonny and Tadgh.

The highly rated Keoghan has had roles in a string of films including American Animals, The Killing of a Sacred Deer, Dunkirk and Calm with Horses. Gleeson has also appeared in Snow White and the Huntsman and Channel 4 comedy Frank of Ireland.

The pair join regular cast members Ashley Walters and Kane Robinson, Simbi Ajikawo, Jasmine Jobson, Saffron Hocking and Araloyin Oshunremi in the show, which is written by Ronan Bennett (Public Enemies) and set on a public housing estate in the East London borough of Hackney.

Film Constellation handles world sales on the Irish drama, which debuted at Toronto.

Modern Films has secured UK and Ireland rights to Irish drama Wildfire, which recently won director Cathy Brady a top award at the BFI London Film Festival (Lff).

The UK distributor plans to release the feature theatrically in spring 2021 after striking the deal with Film Constellation, which is handling worldwide sales on the film and is in discussion with buyers at the virtual AFM this week.

Wildfire received its world premiere at Toronto International Film Festival before screening at the Lff, where Brady won the £50,000 Iwc Schaffhausen...

Making its world premiere at the Toronto Intl. Film Festival, “Wildfire,” which is the big-screen debut of writer/director Cathy Brady and was co-financed by the BFI, Screen Ireland, Northern Ireland Screen, Film4, Great Point Media and the Wellcome Trust, tells a poignant and emotionally affecting small-town story of sisters who are facing some serious life obstacles, and because Brady’s uncompromising narrative, which is laced with secrets and twists, and never backs down from a challenge. Co-star Nika McGuigan passed away from cancer while the film was in the editing process, further cementing the project as a labor of love for all involved. Brady spoke with Variety about the film’s creation, what she hopes people will pull from it, and what she has coming up in the future.

How did this project get started?

This is a very personal and political film, and it very much deals with the baggage of the troubles,...

London-based production, finance and sales company Film Constellation has come on board Cathy Brady’s debut feature “Wildfire,” which world premieres in the Discovery section at next month’s Toronto Film Festival.

The film centers on sisters Lauren and Kelly, an inseparable pair brought up in a small town by the Irish border. Their lives fell apart with the mysterious death of their mother. Left to pick up the pieces, Lauren is confronted with their dark past when Kelly returns home having been missing for a year. “An intense sisterhood reignited, Kelly’s desire to unearth their history is not welcomed by all, and the town is rife with rumors and malice that threaten to overwhelm them,” according to a statement from Film Constellation.

The film’s press and industry screening at Toronto is on Sept. 14 at 11 A.M. via digital access. The festival world premiere is at 9 P.M.

Netflix has confirmed that British gang drama Top Boy is returning for a fourth series – its second on the streamer.

Ashley Walters’ Dushane, Kane Robinson’s Sully, Michael Ward’s Jamie and Little Simz’s Shelley will all return with production starting this spring.

Top Boy, which returned for its third season in September 2019, was originally commissioned by Channel 4 and launched in 2011 before Netflix took on the show for the third season.

The third season picked up as Walters’ Dushane returns from exile to his home in London to reclaim his throne in the highly lucrative drug market. He teams up with Robinson’s Sully, his spiritual brother, partner and sometime rival who is also returning to the same streets after his own form of exile – prison – comes to an end. Awaiting them both is Ward’s Jamie, the young, hungry and ruthless gang leader whose ambitions leave no place for Dushane and Sully.

Top Boy, the gritty inner city drama starring Ashley Walters and Kane Robinson, returns to Netflix, revived by Drake and reuniting the team including writer and creator Ronan Bennett, Charles Steel and Alasdair Flind and Yann Demange. The series features newcomer Micheal Ward as ‘Jamie and musical artists Simbi Ajikawo ‘Little Simz’, David Omoregie ‘Dave’. Shone Romulus returns as ‘Dris’ and Ashley Thomas returns as ‘Jermaine’. New cast members include Lisa Dwan , Jasmine Jobson, Kadeem Ramsay, Saffron Hocking , Kola Bokinni and Hope Ikpoku.

The cast and crew walked the red carpet at the Hackney Picturehouse in London this evening for the premiere of the show, which returns to our screens on Netflix on the 13th of September.

Alastair Hall and Scott Davis were on the carpet and conducted these interviews.

Synopsis:

Ashley Walters and Kane Robinson reprise their roles as ‘Dushane’ and ‘Sully’, joined by newcomer Micheal Ward as ‘Jamie...

"The olders are washed, the youngers fear nothing. And everyone wants to be a Top Boy."

That's the basic premise behind Netflix's new series Top Boy, which follows rival gangs fighting for control of East London streets. The series originally aired on Channel 4 in the UK from 2011 to 2013. Drake purchased the rights to the British TV drama in 2017 and serves as the series' executive producer alongside the show's original creative team: Charles Steel and Alasdair Flind for Cowboy Films, Ronan Bennett (who also wrote the series) for Easter Partisan, and Yann Demange.

The show's ten-episode revival on Netflix will pick up where the drama left off, with Dushane (Ashley Walters) returning from exile to his home in London to reclaim his throne in the highly lucrative drug market. He teams up with Sully (Kane Robinson), his "spiritual brother, partner, and sometime rival" who is also returning to the...

Ashley Walters’ Dushane and Kane Robinson’s Sully face new challengers in the new trailer for British gang drama Top Boy.

The series, which is a continuation of the Channel 4 drama that ended in 2013, will air globally on September 13.

Walters and Robinson are joined by newcomer Micheal Ward (The A List) as well as musical artists Simbi Ajikawo, David Omoregie and Shone Romulus and Ashley Thomas. New cast members also include Lisa Dwan, Jasmine Jobson, Kadeem Ramsay, Saffron Hocking, Kola Bokinni and Hope Ikpoku.

The new episodes pick up as Walters’ Dushane returns from exile to his home in London to reclaim his throne in the highly lucrative drug market. He teams up with Robinson’s Sully, his spiritual brother, partner and sometime rival who is also returning to the same streets after his own form of exile – prison – comes to an end. Awaiting them both is Ward’s Jamie,...

Netflix dropped the trailer for the long-awaited third season of “Top Boy” Tuesday, which is produced by Drake and will see Ashley Walters and Kane Robinson reprise their roles as Dushane and Sully, respectively, and joined by newcomer Micheal Ward as Jamie.

The original series aired on broadcast in the U.K. for two seasons from 2011-2013; both seasons are now globally available on Netflix. Here’s the description for the new 10-episode season of “Top Boy”:

The new episodes pick up as Dushane (Ashley Walters) returns from exile to his home in London to reclaim his throne in the highly lucrative drug market. He teams up with Sully (Kane Robinson), his spiritual brother, partner and sometime rival who is also returning to the same streets after his own form of exile – prison – comes to an end. Awaiting them both is Jamie (Micheal Ward), the young, hungry and ruthless...

Nika McGuigan (“Traders”) and Nora-Jane Noone (“The Descent”) are seen as sisters struggling to come to terms with secrets buried deep in their family’s past in the first-look image from “Wildfire.”

The film is Irish writer-director Cathy Brady’s anticipated first feature and currently in post production. Great Point Media is handling world sales and will have footage to show buyers at Cannes.

“Wildfire” tells the story of the sisters, who grew up on the fractious Irish border. When one of them, who has been missing, finally returns home, the intense bond with her sister is re-ignited. Together they unearth their mother’s past but uncovered secrets and resentments that have been buried deep threaten to overwhelm them. Filming took place in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

Tempesta Films’ Carlo Cresto-Dina (“Happy As Lazzaro “) is producing with Cowboy Films’ Charles Steel (“The Last King of Scotland”) and...

British drama “Top Boy” is returning to television, with Netflix and executive producer Drake spearheading a 10-episode revival from creator Ronan Bennett.

On Tuesday, Netflix debuted a trailer announcing the cast for the third season of the show that originally premiered in 2011 and lasted two seasons on U.K. television. Ashley Walters and Kane Robinson are reprising their roles as Dushane and Sully, and they’ll be joined by newcomer Michael Ward.

The series also features musical artists Simbi Ajikawo, David Omoregie, Shone Romulus returning as Dris and Ashley Thomas returning as Jermaine. Other new cast members include Lisa Dwan, Jasmine Jobson, Kadeem Ramsay, Saffron Hocking, Kola Bokinni and Hope Ikpoku.

Also Read: Drake Documentary Producers Accuse Umg of Trying to Suppress Film in New Lawsuit

The new episodes pick up as Dushane (Walters) returns from exile to his home in London to reclaim his throne in the highly lucrative drug market.

Drake took a moment out from performing at a London show on his Assassination Vacation tour Monday night to give fans a first look at a teaser trailer for “Top Boy,” the upcoming Netflix series he is producing.

The singer is exec-producing the show alongside business partner Adel “Future” Nur, and Maverick Carter and Jamal Henderson for SpringHill Entertainment.

The trailer shows rivals fighting for control of London streets as a voiceover intones: “The olders are washed, the youngers fear nothing. And everyone wants to be a Top Boy.”

Netflix confirmed that Simbi Ajikawo, Aka British rapper Little Simz, and David Omoregie, Aka rapper Dave, have joined the gritty crime drama, which is set in and among the high-rise blocks of East London. “Top Boy” started out on Channel 4 in the U.K., and the first two seasons are available on Netflix. The new season stars Ashley Walters and Kane Robinson,...

Ashley Walters and Kane Robinson are to reprise their roles as ‘Dushane’ and ‘Sully’ in a brand new season of ‘Top Boy’ which will air via Netflix.

The new episodes pick up as Dushane (Ashley Walters) returns from exile to his home in London to reclaim his throne in the highly lucrative drug market. He teams up with Sully (Kane Robinson), his spiritual brother, partner and sometime rival who is also returning to the same streets after his own form of exile – prison – comes to an end. Awaiting them both is Jamie (Micheal Ward), the young, hungry and ruthless gang leader whose ambitions leave no place for Dushane and Sully.

Also in news – Mark Hamill to be the voice of Chucky in ‘Child’s Play’ reboot

The original series aired in the UK before and came to an end in 2013. Both the previous seasons are now globally available on Netflix.

Ashley Walters and Kane Robinson are to reprise their roles in Netflix’s forthcoming season of British gang drama "Top Boy."

The pair, who star as Dushane and Sully respectively, are joined by newcomer Micheal Ward (The A List) as well as musical artists Simbi Ajikawo (Little Simz) and David Omoregie (Dave) and Shone Romulus and Ashley Thomas. New cast members include Lisa Dwan (Trust), Jasmine Jobson (Obey), Kadeem Ramsay (Sex Education), Saffron Hocking (London Kills), Kola Bokinni (Black Mirror) and Hope Ikpoku.

The new episodes pick up as Walters’ Dushane returns from exile to his home in London to reclaim his throne in the highly lucrative drug market. He teams up with Robinson’s Sully, his spiritual brother, partner and sometime rival who is also returning to the same streets after his own form of exile – prison – comes to an end. Awaiting them both is Ward’s Jamie, the young,...

Great Point boards sales on Ireland and Northern Ireland-set project.

Nora-Jane Noone and Nika McGuigan will lead the cast of Wildfire, the debut feature of Irish filmmaker Cathy Brady.

The project is being produced by Tempesta Films’ Carlo Cresto-Dina, Cowboy Films’ Charles Steel and Samson Films’ David Collins.

The film follows two sisters who grew up on the fractious Irish border. When one of them, who has been missing, finally returns home, the intense bond with her sister is reignited. Together they unearth their mother’s past but uncovered secrets and resentments which have been buried deep threaten to overwhelm them.

“Top Boy” started in the U.K. now it’s here. Rapper Drake is reviving the British drug-dealer drama via Netflix — and the stars are back on board. The original series aired two seasons overseas on broadcast before ending in 2013; both are now globally available on Netflix. The next chapter, consisting of 10 new episodes, will be written by show creator Ronan Bennett and executive produced by the original creative team of Bennett, Charles Steel and Yann Demange. Additionally, this new installment — which will premiere as a Netflix original series in 2019 — adds Drake, DJ Adel “Future the Prince”...

Shakespeare comedy, featuring the stars of Horrible Histories, set to be released in September.

Vertigo Releasing has taken over the release of BBC Films comedy Bill following Koch Media’s decision to withdraw from theatrical in the UK.

Vertigo said it would release Bill, centred around the ‘lost years’ of William Shakespeare, across the UK on September 18.

Speaking to ScreenDaily, Vertigo Releasing co-owner Rupert Preston said: “We began speaking to Koch about Bill at Cannes [in May] and the deal has evolved over the last couple of months.

“The deal was finalised in the last week and we have settled on a release date that everyone is happy with.

“The film is really good fun and plays well with both adults and kids. It’s clever, bright and great British entertainment.”

Koch boarded the comedy before shooting began in February 2014, and announced a release date of February 20, 2015.

But its release was pushed back and Koch announced in June that...

Black Sea is a gripping adventure that takes audiences to the depths of human greed in a suspenseful underwater search for sunken treasure that becomes a fight for survival. Directed by Academy Award winner Kevin Macdonald (One Day in September, The Last King of Scotland) and starring two-time Academy Award nominee Jude Law (The Talented Mr. Ripley, Cold Mountain), the suspenseful Focus Features thriller debuts on Digital HD on April 21, 2015 and on Blu-ray Combo Pack and DVD as well as On Demand May 5, 2015 from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment.

Black Sea centers on a rogue submarine captain (Jude Law) who, after being laid off from a salvage company, pulls together a misfit crew to go after a sunken treasure rumored to be lost in the depths of the Black Sea. As the captain and his crew embark on their expedition, greed and desperation take control on board their claustrophobic vessel...

Black Sea director Kevin Macdonald with Jude Law: "He really entered into that character." Photo: Anne-Katrin Titze

At the premiere in New York of Kevin Macdonald's action-packed marine thriller Black Sea, starring an intrepid Jude Law with Scoot McNairy and Ben Mendelsohn, I asked Law about his relationship to the ocean and talked with producer Charles Steel about the horror of shackled skeletons. Screenwriter Dennis Kelly gives the world an ultimatum and I found out from the director that for him grapefruit rituals differ from continent to continent.

Law's face in Black Sea, looking a bit more roughed up and disillusioned than we are used to, commands the story of survival and greed. Wolfgang Petersen's Das Boot meets Bong Joon-ho's Snowpiercer, meets Andrew Dominik's Killing Them Softly. The latter because of the team of McNairy [as Daniels] and Mendelsohn [as Fraser]. The two actors form again a wildly entertaining duo of unsavoury immoral characters.

Go behind the scenes of Focus Features’ upcoming submarine thriller Black Sea starring Jude Law, Scoot McNairy, Ben Mendelsohn, and David Threlfall.

A suspenseful adventure thriller directed by Academy Award winner Kevin Macdonald, centering on a rogue submarine captain (two-time Academy Award nominee Jude Law) who pulls together a misfit crew to go after a sunken treasure rumored to be lost in the depths of the Black Sea. As greed and desperation take control onboard their claustrophobic vessel, the increasing uncertainty of the mission causes the men to turn on each other to fight for their own survival. (Trailer)

Macdonald explains, “Black Sea is an old-fashioned adventure story, populated by a great set of characters. Now, as with any movie taking place on a submarine, we knew there were certain elements we needed to have: an explosion where the sub almost goes down, and a mutiny, for example.

“The setting...

Exclusive: Homeland star revealed as guest star in Independent comedy.

After a feat of casting subterfuge of which his Homeland character would be proud, ScreenDaily can reveal that Damian Lewis is to guest star in upcoming Shakespeare comedy Bill.

Independent is shopping the comedy, which tells the story of what happened during Shakespeare’s ‘Lost Years’; how the hopeless lute player Bill Shakespeare left his family and home to follow his dream.

The film, currently in post-production, stars the BAFTA-winning lead cast of BBC TV’s Horrible Histories and Sky One’s Yonderland: Mathew Baynton, Simon Farnaby, Martha Howe-Douglas, Jim Howick, Laurence Rickard and Ben Willbond who each play multiple roles in the film.

The Cowboy Films/Punk Cinema production, produced by Charles Steel, Alasdair Flind and Tony Bracewell, is backed by BBC Films, the BFI Film Fund, Screen Yorkshire through its Yorkshire Content Fund and and LipSync.

Koch Media has distribution rights for the UK...

First image released from the period comedy, featuring the stars of Horrible Histories.

Koch Media is to release period comedy Bill in cinemas across the UK on Feb 20, 2015.

Directed by Richard Bracewell (The Gigolos), the film the story of what really happened during Shakespeare’s ‘Lost Years’ and how “hopeless lute player Bill Shakespeare leaves his family and home to follow his dream”.

Announcing the release, Koch described the feature as “a tale of murderous kings, spies, lost loves, and a plot to blow up Queen Elizabeth.”

Bill stars the BAFTA award-winning cast of BBC TV’s Horrible Histories and Sky One’s Yonderland - Mathew Baynton, Simon Farnaby, Martha Howe-Douglas, Jim Howick, Laurence Rickard and Ben Willbond – who together play 40 roles in the film.

The script is written by Laurence Rickard and Ben Willbond, and developed through BBC Films and Punk Cinema. The film is produced by Charles Steel, Alasdair Flind and [link...

Black Sea

Director: Kevin Macdonald

Writer: Dennis Kelly

Producers: Macdonald and Charles Steel

U.S. Distributor: Focus Features

Cast: Jude Law, Jodie Whittaker, Scoot McNairy, Ben Mendelsohn, Karl Davies, and Daniel Ryan

Kevin Macdonald’s been busy. Alternating between feature films and documentaries (he had one of each in 2013), he’s back with an action thriller in 2014. While a preliminary plot synopsis doesn’t quite spark the imagination, Macdonald’s got a knack for off the cuff momentum, even in material that’s sometimes a bit tepid (2009′s State of Play, for instance). An unassuming cast adds to intrigue.

Gist: Jude Law plays a modern-day submarine captain who is laid off by the salvage company he works for. Desperate to get even with his former employers and to prove himself, he is approached by a shadowy backer. Handed command of a submarine that is barely seaworthy, he is to rally...

Exclusive: February shoot for comedy which Koch will distribute in multiple European markets.

Partners are gathering around Shakespeare comedy Bill ahead of the film’s start of shoot on Feb 10 on location in Yorkshire and London.

Independent has boarded international sales ahead of the Efm while Koch Media, which has been aboard for some time, has committed to distribution in UK, Germany and Scandinavia.

The Cowboy Films/Punk Cinema production will tell the story of “what really happened” during Shakespeare’s ‘lost years’ - how the hopeless lute player Bill Shakespeare left his family and home to follow his dream. Along the way he encounters murderous kings, spies, lost loves, and a plot to blow up Queen Elizabeth.

The film will star the BAFTA-winning lead cast of BBC TV’s Horrible Histories and Sky One’s Yonderland - Mathew Baynton, Simon Farnaby, Martha Howe-Douglas, Jim Howick, Laurence Rickard and Ben Willbond – who together will play 40 roles in the...

Family film from exec producer Ridley Scott and a feature from the team behind Horrible Histories both set to shoot early 2014.

Scott Free production Get Santa and Cowboy Films’ Bill have each secured £1m in production support from the BFI Film Fund this month.

Writer-director Chris Smith’s Get Santa, produced by Liza Marshall for Scott Free London, also received £35,000 in development backing earlier this month.

Jim Broadbent and Rafe Spall will star in the story of a father and son, who must team-up to save Christmas after they discover Santa Claus sleeping in their garage after crashing his sleigh and finding himself on the run from the police.

The production, on course for an early 2014 shoot, recently carried out an open casting call for the son role. Additional casting is due to be announced imminently.

Altitude handles sales. Ridley Scott is executive producer.

Family comedy Bill is a Cowboy Films / Punk Cinema production for BBC Films, which...

Production has officially started on Kevin MacDonald’s next film Black Sea, details of which can be found below:

Two-time Academy Award nominee Jude Law captains the cast of Black Sea, the suspenseful adventure thriller being directed by Academy Award winner Kevin Macdonald (One Day in September) and produced by Charles Steel for Cowboy Films. Black Sea, which will be released in 2014, is co-produced and co-financed by Focus and Film4. Focus CEO James Schamus and Focus co-ceo Andrew Karpen made the announcement today…. Black Sea centers on a rogue submarine captain (Mr. Law) who, after being laid off from a salvage company, pulls together a misfit crew to go after a sunken treasure rumored to be lost in the depths of the Black Sea. As greed and desperation take control onboard their claustrophobic vessel, the increasing uncertainty of the mission causes the men to turn on each other to fight for their own survival.

Michael Smiley, David Threlfall, Ben Mendelsohn and Jodie Whittaker join Jude Law on submarine thriller, which has begun production in the UK.

Kevin Macdonald’s Black Sea, starring Jude Law as a salvage submarine captain that goes rogue, has begun shooting in the UK and new cast members have been revealed.

Boarding the project are Bifa winner Michael Smiley, star of Kill List, and David Threlfall, best known for his long-running role in UK drama Shameless. Also joining are Ben Mendelsohn, recently seen opposite Ryan Gosling in The Place Beyond the Pines, and Jodie Whittaker, star of Attack the Block, Venus and Good Vibrations.

They join a cast that already includes Scoot McNairy (Argo), Grigoriy Dobrygin, Konstantin Khabenskiy, Sergey Kolesnikov and Sergey Puskepalis.

The film centres on a rogue submarine captain who - after being laid off from a salvage company - pulls together a misfit crew to go after a sunken treasure rumored to be lost...

Two-time Academy Award nominee Jude Law captains the cast of Black Sea, the suspenseful adventure thriller being directed by Academy Award winner Kevin Macdonald (One Day in September) and produced by Charles Steel for Cowboy Films. Black Sea, which will be released in 2014, is co-produced and co-financed by Focus and Film4. Focus CEO James Schamus and Focus co-ceo Andrew Karpen made the announcement today.

Focus holds worldwide rights – excluding U.K. free-tv rights, which are held by Film4 – to the movie. Focus executive vice president, international production Teresa Moneo is supervising Black Sea for president of production Jeb Brody. Filming has commenced in the U.K.

Black Sea is being produced by Mr. Macdonald alongside Mr. Steel, who reteam following Mr. Macdonald’s latest film as director, How I Live Now, starring Saoirse Ronan and George MacKay, which will be released this fall. Cowboy Films also produced Mr. Macdonald’s The Last King of Scotland,...

Jude Law is leading the cast of the suspense adventure thriller ‘Black Sea,’ as the film begins production in the UK. The movie, which is being helmed by Academy Award-winning Scottish director Kevin Macdonald, is being produced by Charles Steel for Cowboy Films. Focus Features CEO James Schamus and co-ceo Andrew Karpen today made the announcement of the start of ‘Black Sea’s production. The film is set to be released next year. Focus holds the worldwide rights to the film, except for the UK free-tv rights, which are held by Film4. Focus Features has released the following synopsis for ‘Black Sea,’ which was written by Dennis Kelly: ‘Black Sea’ centers [ Read More ]

The post Jude Law Leads Cast as Black Sea Begins Production in the UK appeared first on Shockya.com.

Focus Features announced today that director Kevin Macdonald's Black Sea , starring Jude Law, has started filming in the UK. Here's the press release: Two-time Academy Award nominee Jude Law captains the cast of Black Sea, the suspenseful adventure thriller being directed by Academy Award winner Kevin Macdonald (One Day in September) and produced by Charles Steel for Cowboy Films. Black Sea, which will be released in 2014, is co-produced and co-financed by Focus and Film4. Focus CEO James Schamus and Focus co-ceo Andrew Karpen made the announcement today. Focus holds worldwide rights . excluding U.K. free-tv rights, which are held by Film4 . to the movie. Focus executive vice president, international production Teresa Moneo is supervising Black Sea for president of production...

Magnolia Pictures has picked up Kevin Macdonald's How I Live Now, the new film starring Saoirse Ronan, based on Meg Rosoff's award winning novel. Charles Steel, Alasdair Flind, Andrew Ruhemann and John Battsek produced the film which is set in the near-future UK. Ronan plays Daisy, an American teenager sent to stay with relatives in the English countryside. Initially withdrawn and alienated, she begins to warm up to her charming surroundings, and strikes up a romance with the handsome Edmund (George MacKay). But on the fringes of their idyllic summer days are tense news reports of an escalating conflict in Europe. As the UK falls into a violent, chaotic military state, Daisy finds herself hiding and fighting to survive.

Magnolia Pictures has acquired U.S. rights to Kevin Macdonald's doomsday thriller "How I Live Now," which stars Saoirse Ronan, the company announced on Thursday. Magnolia is eyeing a fall theatrical release through its Magnet label. Produced by Charles Steel, Alasdair Flind, Andrew Ruhemann and John Battsek, the film is based on the award-winning novel by Meg Rosoff. Set in the near-future UK, Ronan plays Daisy, an American teenager sent to stay with relatives in the English countryside. As she warms up to her surroundings and and strikes up a romance with the handsome Edmund...

This week's News Bits, where we collect some of the smaller movie news posts from around the web, is filled with posters, a couple trailers, release announcements, and one massive Wolverine themed infographic. Come inside to check it all out!

If you've got a story or news scoop you think we should feature on News Bits, drop us a line at jordan@cinelinx.com and we'll be sure to get to it.

Header Photo: Some ridiculously awesome Bumblebee cosplay found at this year's Sdcc.

* Warner Bros. released two new trailers for Gravity yesterday, and have come out with a third one today. Again, it feels more like a clip, but who cares?

* Need more X-Men in your life? How about the first pair of official posters from X-Men: Days of Future Past featuring the young and old crossing over.

* Speaking of posters, Warner Bros. has released this latest one for Prisoners.

Kevin Macdonald’s apocalyptic thriller stars Saoirse Ronan. Genre arm Magnet has earmarked an autumn theatrical release in the Us.

How I Live Now is based on Meg Rosoff’s novel and takes place in the near future in the UK on the brink of war and martial law. George MacKay also stars.

Charles Steel, Alasdair Flind, Andrew Ruhemann and John Battsek produced.

“Grandly scaled, beautifully crafted, with a terrific performance from the always great Saoirse Ronan, How I Live Now is equally successful as a tense apocalyptic thriller and a great teenage romance,” said Eamonn Bowles, president of Magnet parent Magnolia Pictures.

“We’re very happy to once again be working with Kevin Macdonald, one of the rare filmmaker who excels at both documentary and narrative features.”

Magnolia/Magnet svp of acquisitions Dori Begley and director of acquisitions Peter Van Steemburg brokered the deal with CAA.

Protagonist Pictures handles international sales on the Film4 and BFI...

The Wagner/Cuban Company.s Magnolia Pictures announced today that they have acquired Us rights to How I Live Now , the new film from Academy Award winning director Kevin Macdonald ( The Last King of Scotland , Marley ) starring Saoirse Ronan ( Hanna , Atonement ), based on the award winning novel by Meg Rosoff. The film was produced by Charles Steel, Alasdair Flind, Andrew Ruhemann and John Battsek. Set in the near-future UK, Ronan plays Daisy, an American teenager sent to stay with relatives in the English countryside. Initially withdrawn and alienated, she begins to warm up to her charming surroundings, and strikes up a romance with the handsome Edmund (George MacKay). But on the fringes of their idyllic summer days are tense news reports of an escalating conflict in Europe....

Jude Law has signed on for the lead role in "The Last King of Scotland" and "Touching the Void" director Kevin Macdonald's new feature "Black Sea" at Focus Features and Film 4.

Dennis Kelly penned the story in which Law plays a submarine captain who gets laid off by a salvage company.

Looking for money and payback, he accepts a gig from a shadowy backer to hunt for a stolen and sunken submarine at the bottom of the Black Sea said to be loaded with gold.

Assembling a crew of Russian and English sailors to help him, the captain begins to realise how dangerous a situation he has put himself in.

The project is Macdonald's next feature, while he and Charles Steel are producing.

Source: Deadline...

On Sunday the Ee British Academy Film Awards were held at London’s Royal Opera House and hosted by the always delightful Stephen Fry. The show was televised here in the States on BBC America. In a continuation of what Awards watchers have witnessed over the past weeks, Argo was named Best Film, Ben Affleck won the Director BAFTA and the film also took the Editing award.

Les Misérables did win four BAFTAs for Production Design, Sound, Make Up & Hair and Supporting Actress for Anne Hathaway.

Amour won the award for Film Not in the English Language and Emmanuelle Riva won Leading Actress. Leading Actor was awarded to Daniel Day-Lewis for Lincoln. Christoph Waltz won Supporting Actor for his performance in Django Unchained and the film’s writer/director Quentin Tarantino won the Original Screenplay BAFTA.

Outstanding British Film and Original Music were awarded to Skyfall. Life of Pi won...

Honoring the best in the biz, the 2013 Orange British Academy Film Awards (BAFTA) took place in London, England earlier this evening (February 10).

During the event held inside the historic Royal Opera House, many stars walked home with big trophies including the cast and producers of "Argo" who took home the award for Best Film.

Meanwhile, Emmanuelle Riva was names Best Actress for her role in "Amour", while Daniel Dawy-Lewis took home Best Actor for his work in "Lincoln."

Other winners included "Skyfall" taking home Best British Film and Anne Hathaway taking home the award for Best Supporting Actress, while Juno Temple took home the Rising Star Award and Ben Affleck took home the prize for Best Director.

See below for the complete list of 2013 BAFTA winners:

Best Film

Winner Argo Grant Heslov, Ben Affleck, George Clooney

Les MISÉRABLES Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Debra Hayward, Cameron Mackintosh

Life Of Pi Gil Netter,...

The ceremony is over here in London, bringing together some of the finest and most talented people in the film industry under the same roof for one night. The BAFTAs are this country’s highest honour in film, and they have handed out their awards for the 66th time to those whom they deem the most deserving in the past year in film.

And since Ben Affleck is one of my favourite filmmakers of all time, I have been in a brilliant mood tonight, because he’s won (and very much earned) Best Director for Argo, and taken home the Best Film prize alongside his co-producers George Clooney and Grant Heslov. If you haven’t yet seen Argo, I can’t recommend enough how much you should see it as soon as possible.

If you were following Jon’s liveblog, or if you watched the BBC’s almost-live coverage of tonight’s proceedings,...

Argo was named Best Film at tonight’s Ee British Academy Film Awards hosted by Stephen Fry, held at London’s Royal Opera House. And the British Academy of Film and Television Arts award winners are… Best Film Winner – Argo Grant Heslov, Ben Affleck, George Clooney Les MISÉRABLES Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Debra Hayward, Cameron Mackintosh Life Of Pi Gil Netter, Ang Lee, David Womark Lincoln Steven Spielberg, Kathleen Kennedy Zero Dark Thirty Mark Boal, Kathryn Bigelow, Megan Ellison Outstanding British Film Anna Karenina Joe Wright, Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Paul Webster, Tom Stoppard The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel John Madden, Graham Broadbent, Pete Czernin, Ol Parker Les MISÉRABLES Tom Hooper, Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Debra Hayward, Cameron Mackintosh, William Nicholson, Alain Boublil, Claude-Michel Schönberg, Herbert Kretzmer Seven Psychopaths Martin McDonagh, Graham Broadbent, Pete Czernin Winner – Skyfall Sam Mendes, Michael G. Wilson, Barbara Broccoli, Neal Purvis, Robert Wade, John Logan...

'Skyfall' has taken the first Award of the evening at the 2013 Baftas, currently taking place at London's Royal Opera House.

This caps a thrilling year for the James Bond franchise, celebrating its 50th year, with a record-breaking box office taking for 'Skyfall', which has become the most successful British film ever.

All The Winners Below... As Soon As They're Announced!

But the evening's big winner remains very much undecided, with awards being shared out between 'Argo', 'Life of Pi' and 'Les Miserables' - and nothing yet for the nominations leader 'Lincoln'.

Pictures just in from the press room at the Royal Opera House, where the winners go straight after collecting their gongs..

Sam Mendes' 007 film beat Tom Hooper's 'Les Miserables' to take the first gong of the night. And 'Skyfall' has just taken another award, for Best Original Music.

But...

The Guardian film team predict who will win what at this year's ceremony

On Friday Xan Brooks assessed the field of this year's Bafta contenders and found it "a hazy huddle of frontrunners, all seemingly bobbing back and forth in front of the finish line".

Lincoln is first among equals with 10 nominations. Les Misérables, Life of Pi, Skyfall and Argo all crowd in behind.

The awards momentum has swung from Life of Pi to Lincoln to Argo over the past few weeks. In a competition this close there could be upsets. There should be tears. There must be winners.

So here's what we think will take home scary award masks this year. We've listed all the nominees. Our predicted winners are in bold.

Best picture

Argo

Les Misérables

Life of Pi

Lincoln

Zero Dark Thirty

Best British film

Anna Karenina

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

Les Misérables

Seven Psychopaths

Skyfall

Best director

Ben Affleck,...

The 66th annual British Academy Film Awards are here! And there was much rejoicing.

We’re here at the Royal Opera House in London to bring you all the up to the minute news on who won, who looked really annoyed when they lost, and who knows what else will be in store for us tonight?

Lord Stephen of Fry is leading proceedings once again and I’ll be updating you fine people with the winners as they are announced.

The full list of awards and nominees can be found here, and as the awards are announced I’ll update the liveblog below with the nominees and the winners.

The ceremony is due to start at around 7pm and if you’re hungry for all the red carpeting then head over here to see the arrivals from around 5pm.

Updates will be added at the top…But not anymore as we’ve finished.

Vol. I Issue 6

Send us links to your sizzle reels and film sites.

Note: See Issues 1, 2, 3, and 4 for reviews and clips of the Academy documentary films and short films. Additional reviews of the documentary features follow in this issue.

Best documentary feature

5 Broken Cameras Emad Burnat and Guy Davidi

The Gatekeepers Nominees to be determined *See note below

How to Survive a Plague Nominees to be determined

The Invisible War Nominees to be determined

Searching for Sugar Man Nominees to be determined

Best documentary short subject

Inocente Sean Fine and Andrea Nix Fine

Kings Point Sari Gilman and Jedd Wider

Mondays at Racine Cynthia Wade and Robin Honan

Open Heart Kief Davidson and Cori Shepherd Stern

Redemption Jon Alpert and Matthew O'Neill

Best animated short film

Adam and Dog Minkyu Lee

Fresh Guacamole Pes

Head over Heels Timothy Reckart and Fodhla Cronin O'Reilly

Maggie Simpson in The Longest Daycare David Silverman

Paperman John Kahrs

Best live action short film

Asad Bryan Buckley and Mino Jarjoura

Buzkashi Boys Sam French and Ariel Nasr

Curfew Shawn Christensen

Death of a Shadow (Dood van een Schaduw) Tom Van Avermaet and Ellen De Waele

Henry Yan England

Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original song) from a documentary

Before My Time from The documentary feature Chasing Ice Music and Lyric by J. Ralph

Note: *Nominees to be determined* The Documentary Brand gives the nomination to the individual(s) most involved in the key creative aspects of the filmmaking process. A maximum of two persons may be designated as nominees, one of whom must be the credited director who exercised directorial control, and the other of whom must have a producer or director credit. If a producer is named, that individual must have performed a major portion of the producing functions, in accordance with Academy producer criteria. No more than two statuettes will normally be given in the Documentary Feature category. All individuals with a “Producer” or “Produced by” credit on films that reach the semifinal round will automatically be vetted.

The Documentary Branch Executive Committee will determine which producers, if any, are eligible to receive an Oscar. In the unlikely event of a dispute, filmmakers may appeal the committee’s decision. In extremely rare circumstances, a third statuette may be awarded.

Production companies or persons with the screen credit of executive producer, co-producer or any credit other than director or producer shall not be eligible as nominees for the motion picture.

DGA Documentary Award Nominations

Kirby Dick The Invisible War

This is Mr. Dick’s first DGA Award nomination.

Malik Bendjelloul Searching For Sugar Man

This is Mr. Bendjelloul’s first DGA Award nomination.

Lauren Greenfield The Queen of Versailles

This is Ms. Greenfield’s first DGA Award nomination.

David France How To Survive A Plague

This is Mr. France’s first DGA Award nomination.

Alison Klayman Ai WeiWei: Never Sorry

This is Ms. Klayman’s first DGA Award nomination.

Two Academy Nominated Documentary Features

& One Academy Short Listed Documentary Reviewed

The Gatekeepers, directed by Dror Moreh

Documentary Feature Nominee

Six former heads of Israel’s domestic secret service agency, the Shin Bet, share their insights and reflect publicly on their actions and decisions in The Gatekeepers, a film by Dror Moreh. These six heads of the Shin Bet stood at the center of Israel's decision-making process in all matters pertaining to security. They worked closely with every Israeli prime minister, and their assessments and insights had—and continue to have—a profound impact on Israeli policy. The Gatekeepers is an exclusive account of their successes and failures.

I find The Gatekeepers remarkable. Not for its craft but for its concept and vision. Imagine

J Edger Hoover talking about his tenure at the FBI, his successes and his failures, his interactions with the Presidents and members of Congress, and his critical self-evaluation of his mission and how his agency’s work affected our nation. Imagine. Dror Moreh accomplished this feat when he convinced these six surviving members of the Shin Bet, to speak on camera.

The film provides a historical perspective of Israel that is both candid and critical of the successive governments in this rare Middle Eastern democracy. The Shin Bet was created in 1949 by David Ben-Gurion’s government to focus on the internal affairs of Israel and evolved into dealing with counterterrorism and intelligence gathering in the West Bank and Gaza.

These intelligence heads, like ours, report to the President/Prime Minister. They are not part of the military complex. It is this context that gives this work its power. We hear the story of Israel’s struggle to protect itself from both its internal and external enemies; the bombers, terrorists, agents and others who worked to destroy this small country. These men are not glamorous or like the fictional heads of the spy agencies we have seen in James Bond and Bourne films. They are bald or balding grandfather-types. Articulate, highly educated, calm and yet we know that they protected Israel from its enemies even if they had them killed.

This is one of the strongest of the nominated docs. It raises significant issues of personal responsibilities. Despite the lack of oversight we don’t feel that this is an organization gone amuck like the Catholic Church not protecting children or the Us Military not protecting its members from sexual harassment. We see these articulate men as guardians and protectors of their nation steadfastly doing their duty within the confines of their moral beliefs. What is scary about The Gatekeepers is that clearly there could have been abuses and wrongs done by the Shin Bet if these six had less character or their mission was redefined by the government without regard to moral or ethical standards. The film on reflection is troubling for regardless of how the spectator might feel about Israel it forces us to look at this conflict through the lenses of these six guardians and we can only wonder what they don’t tell us about what they did in the name of their country.

Credits:

Director: Dror Moreh

Camera: Avner Shahaf

Producers: Dror Moreh, Estelle Fialon, Philippa Kowarsky

Co Producer: Anna Van Der Wee

Sound: Amos Zipori

Sound Design: Aex Claude

Music: Ab Ovo, Jérôme Chassagnard, Régis Baillet

Editor: Oron Adar

Production Companies: Dror Moreh Productions, Les Films du Poisson, Cinephil

In Co-Production with: Mac Guff, Wild Heart Productions, Arte France, Iba, Ndr, Rtbf

With the support of: Cnc, Media, Région Ile-de-France, Procirep, Angoa, The Rabinovich Foundation for the Arts – Cinema Project

Distribution: Sony Classics

Trailer: http://www.sonyclassics.com/thegatekeepers/

The House I Live In, directed by Eugene Jarecki

Short Listed Documentary Feature for Academy Award nomination

The House I Live In looks at how America has waged war on some of its poorest citizens, costing countless lives, destroying families, and inflicting untold damage on future generations of Americans. It posits that over the last forty years, the War on Drugs has accounted for more than 45 million arrests and shows how America became the world’s largest jailer, damaging poor communities at home and abroad. Yet today drugs are cheaper, purer and more available than ever before. It shows that drug abuse is a public health issue. Despite this, it is treated by our society as a criminal matter and a vast machine has been created that feeds on the men and women who are incarcerated. Because of this, the prisoners are not offered help or a cure for their underlying problems, so they return to prison in a never ending cycle.

Eugene Jarecki, whose previous films looked at the military industrial complex (Why We Fight and The Trials of Henry Kissinger), won the Grand Jury Prize for Documentary at Sundance in both 2005 and 2010. The film tackles difficult material. Material that has been in scores of documentaries and television shows over the years. Yet Jarecki, using his personal experience, a wealth of interviews and strong case studies, builds a compelling case for changing the sentencing guidelines for crack (and cocaine) and for dealing with both addiction and the underlying causes of addiction. Jarecki is a skillful filmmaker who has picked a vast and complex subject and has created a work that while rich in content moves along at a good pace although it might have been stronger if it had tried to do less. The film editor Paul Frost and the composer Robert Miller do an excellent job building strong sequences with evocative music. It was nicely shot by Sam Cullman and Derek Hallquist. Richard Abramowitz’s Abramorama handled the distribution and was successful getting the work out which is never easy for such an issue oriented film.

Credits:

Director, Producer, Screenwriter: Eugene Jarecki

Producers: Melinda Shopsin, Sam Cullman, Christopher St. John

Executive Producers: Eugene Jarecki, Nick Fraser, Joslyn Barnes, Danny Glover, Russell Simmons, Roy Ackerman, John Legend, Sally Jo Feifer, Nick Fraser

Camera: Sam Cullman, Derek Hallquist

Sound: Matthew Freed, Art Jaso

Music: Robert Milller

Editor: Paul Frost

Production Companies: Charlotte Street Films, Zdf Enterprises, Independent Television Services, BBC, Aljazeera Documentary Channel, Vpro, Special Broadcasting Service Corporation, Louverture Films, Nhk

Distribution (Us): Abramorama Entertainment, Snag Films

How to Survive a Plague, directed by David France

Documentary Feature Nominee

How to Survive a Plague by writer and filmmaker David France tells the story of how two coalitions came together to lobby for effective treatments and funding for treatments of AIDS in the late 1980s when it was evident that the Us government and its health and other agencies were not being very effective dealing with the AIDS epidemic. The coalitions, Act Up and Tag (Treatment Action Group) helped to make AIDS more treatable. While there is still no cure for AIDS and thousands of people globally still die from the virus, it is now possible to prolong life with treatments that have been developed.

Despite having no scientific training, these self-made activists infiltrated the pharmaceutical industry and helped identify promising new drugs, moving them from experimental trials to patients in record time. With access to never-before-seen archival footage from the 1980s and '90s, filmmaker David France puts the viewer smack in the middle of the controversial actions, the heated meetings, the heartbreaking failures, and the exultant breakthroughs. Faced with their own mortality an improbable group of young men and women, many of them HIV-positive took on Washington and the medical establishment.

While there have been a handful of outstanding films dealing with the AIDS epidemic including Common Threads: Stories from the Quilt, The Broadcast Tapes of Dr. Peter and Silverlake Life, to name a few, How to Survive a Plague picks up on the story begun in the landmark Common Threads and updates the struggle, looking at the quest to find a treatment and possibly a cure for this vicious disease. The film weaves together stories of activism and shows how a small determined group can effect change not just nationally but globally. While the film is not as well made as Common Threads or Dr. Peter, it’s powerful. The archival footage manages to capture some of the key figures of Act Up and Tag showing actions as they take place. Instead of relying on talking heads to tell this amazing story, it is presented with footage shot as the story unfolded. This footage and its solid editing distinguishes this film from so many of the works that have tried to tell this story.

Few documentaries have such powerful antagonists, the government, incompetence, a lack of urgency on the part of the medical community and fear. Throw in homophobia and it is evident that the dramatic actions of these heroes saved hundreds of thousands of possible victims from this mostly sexually spread plague.

My only serious criticism of this documentary is its failure to be clearer that the plague continues, that there is no cure for HIV/AIDS and that the community continues to give a false sense of hope. Currently the Cdc states:

” ..estimates that 1,148,200 persons aged 13 years and older are living with HIV infection, including 207,600 (18.1%) who are unaware of their infection1. Over the past decade, the number of people living with HIV has increased, while the annual number of new HIV infections has remained relatively stable. Still, the pace of new infections continues at far too high a level—particularly among certain groups.

HIV Incidence(new infections): The estimated incidence of HIV has remained stable overall in recent years, at about 50,000 new HIV infections per year.2 Within the overall estimates, however, some groups are affected more than others. Msm (men who have sex with men) continue to bear the greatest burden of HIV infection, and among races/ethnicities, African Americans continue to be disproportionately affected.”

This information could have been contained in the last few minutes of this powerful work, to inspire and warn the audience that testing is critical and that safe sex is still the only way to contain AIDS.

The Filmmaker

David France, Director, Producer

David France is an award-winning journalist and New York Times best-selling author who has been writing about AIDS since 1982 and today is one of the best-known chroniclers of the epidemic. His work has appeared in the New York Times, Newsweek, GQ, and New York magazine, where he is a contributing editor, and has received the National Headliner Award and the GLAAD Media Award, among others. Several films have been inspired by his work, most recently the Emmy-nominated Showtime film Our Fathers, for which he received a WGA nomination. He is at work on a major history of AIDS, due from Alfred A. Knopf in 2013. Based on decades of reporting, How to Survive a Plague is his directorial debut.

Credits

Director: David France

Writers: David France, Todd Woody Richman, Tyler H. Walk

Producers: David France, Howard Gertler

Executive Producers: Dan Cogan, Joy A. Tomchin

Co-Producer: Todd Woody Richman

Camera: Derek Wieshahn

Sound: Stuart Deutsch, Topher Reifeiss

Original Music: Stuart Bogie

Editor: Todd Woody Richman, Tyler H. Walk

Production Companies: Public Square Films, Ninety Thousand Words

Distribution (Us): Sundance Selects

Short Notes and Update:

The International Documentary Association in Los Angeles presents Doc U: The Doc Reporter

Navigating the Intersection of Documentary and Journalism

Moderated by: Karin Skellwagen (The Brooks Institute)

With Panelists:

Sarah Burns (The Central Park Five)

Michael Donaldson (Partner, Donaldson & Callif)

David France (How To Survive A Plague)

For information: http://doc-u-jan-2013-la.eventbrite.com/

Sundance Announces 2013 International Documentary Competition:

Fallen City/ China (Director: Qi Zhao) — Fallen City spans four years to reveal how three families who survived the 2008 Sichuan earthquake to embark on a journey searching for hope, purpose, identity, and to rebuild their lives in a new China torn between tradition and modernity. North American Premiere

Fire in the Blood/ India (Director: Dylan Mohan Gray) — In the late 1990s and early 2000s, Western governments and pharmaceutical companies blocked low-cost antiretroviral drugs from reaching AIDS-stricken Africa, causing 10 million or more unnecessary deaths. An improbable group of people decided to fight back. North American Premiere

Google and the World Brain/ Spain, United Kingdom (Director: Ben Lewis) — In the most ambitious Internet project ever conceived, Google is working to scan every book in the world. Google says it is building a library for mankind. But some are trying to stop it, claiming that Google may have other intentions. World Premiere

The Machine Which Makes Everything Disappear/ Georgia, Germany (Director: Tinatin Gurchiani) — A film director casting a 15-23-year-old protagonist visits villages and cities to meet people who answer her call. She follows those who prove to be interesting enough through various dramatic and funny situations. North American Premiere

The Moo Man/ United Kingdom (Directors: Andy Heathcote, Heike Bachelier) — A year in the life of heroic farmer Steve, scene stealing Ida (queen of the herd), and a supporting cast of 55 cows. When Ida falls ill, Steve’s optimism is challenged and their whole way of life is at stake. World Premiere

Pussy Riot – A Punk Prayer/ Russian Federation, United Kingdom (Directors: Mike Lerner, Maxim Pozdorovkin) — Three young women face seven years in a Russian prison for a satirical performance in a Moscow cathedral. But who is really on trial: the three young artists or the society they live in? World Premiere

A River Changes Course/ Cambodia, U.S.A. (Director: Kalyanee Mam) — Three young Cambodians struggle to overcome the crushing effects of deforestation, overfishing, and overwhelming debt in this devastatingly beautiful story of a country reeling from the tragedies of war and rushing to keep pace with a rapidly expanding world. World Premiere

Salma/ United Kingdom, India (Director: Kim Longinotto) — When Salma, a young girl in South India, reached puberty, her parents locked her away. Millions of girls all over the world share the same fate. Twenty-five years later, Salma has fought her way back to the outside world. World Premiere

The Square (Al Midan)/ Egypt, U.S.A. (Director: Jehane Noujaim) — What does it mean to risk your life for your ideals? How far will five revolutionaries go in defending their beliefs in the fight for their nation? World Premiere

The Stuart Hall Project/ United Kingdom (Director: John Akomfrah) — Antinuclear campaigner, New Left activist and founding father of Cultural Studies, this documentary interweaves 70 years of Stuart Hall’s film, radio and television appearances, and material from his private archive to document a memorable life and construct a portrait of Britain’s foremost radical intellectual. World Premiere

The Summit/ Ireland, United Kingdom (Director: Nick Ryan) — Twenty-four climbers converged at the last stop before summiting the most dangerous mountain on Earth. Forty-eight hours later, 11 had been killed or simply vanished. Had one, Ger McDonnell, stuck to the climbers' code, he might still be alive. International Premiere

Who is Dayani Cristal?/ United Kingdom (Director: Marc Silver) — An anonymous body in the Arizona desert sparks the beginning of a real-life human drama. The search for its identity leads us across a continent to seek out the people left behind and the meaning of a mysterious tattoo. World Premiere. Day One Film

Producer’s Guild Announces Nominations for the Award for Outstanding Producer of Documentary Theatrical Motion Pictures and Non-Fiction Television:

A People Uncounted(Urbinder Films)

Producers: Marc Swenker, Aaron Yeger

The Gatekeepers(Sony Pictures Classics)

Producers: Estelle Fialon, Philippa Kowarsky, Dror Moreh

The Island President(Samuel Goldwyn Films)

Producers: Richard Berge, Bonni Cohen

The Other Dream Team(The Film Arcade)

Producers: Marius Markevicius, Jon Weinbach

Searching For Sugar Man(Sony Pictures Classics)

Producers: Malik Bendjelloul, Simon Chinn

Nominations for the Award for Outstanding Producer of

Non-Fiction Television:

American Masters(PBS)

Producers: Prudence Glass, Susan Lacy, Julie Sacks

Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations(Travel Channel)

Producers: Anthony Bourdain, Christopher Collins, Lydia Tenaglia, Sandy Zweig

Deadliest Catch(Discovery Channel)

Producers: Thom Beers, Jeff Conroy, Sean Dash, John Gray, Sheila McCormack, Bill Pruitt, Decker Watson

Inside the Actors Studio(Bravo)

Producers: James Lipton, Shawn Tesser, Jeff Wurtz

Shark Tank(ABC)

Producers: Rhett Bachner, Becky Blitz, Mark Burnett, Bill Gaudsmith, Yun Lingner, Brien Meagher, Clay Newbill, Jim Roush, Laura Skowlund, Paul Sutera, Patrick Wood

BAFTA Short and Documentary Feature Nominations (British Academy of Film and Television Arts, London)

Documentary Feature

The ImposterBart Layton, Dimitri Doganis

Marley Kevin Macdonald, Steve Bing, Charles Steel

McCullin David Morris, Jacqui Morris

Searching for Sugar Man Malik Bendjelloul, Simon Chinn

West of Memphis Amy Berg

Short Animation

Here to Fall Kris Kelly, Evelyn McGrath

I’m Fine Thanks Eamonn O'Neill

The Making of Longbird Will Anderson, Ainslie Henderson

Short Film

The Curse Fyzal Boulifa, Gavin Humphries

Good Night Muriel d'Ansembourg, Eva Sigurdardottir

Swimmer Lynne Ramsay, Peter Carlton, Diarmid Scrimshaw

Tumult Johnny Barrington, Rhianna Andrews

The Voorman Problem Mark Gill, Baldwin Li

The Broadcast Film Critics Association (Bfca)

Documentary Feature Nominations

Bully

The Imposter

Queen of Versailles

Searching for Sugar Man (Winner)

The Central Park Five

West of Memphis

________________________________________________________________________

Credits: Editing by Jessica Just for SydneysBuzz

________________________________________________________________________

Block Doc Workshops in Los Angeles February 2013 Ida Doc U

The International Documentary Association will be hosting Documentary Funding and Documentary Tune-Up Workshops with Block on February 9/10. http://www.documentary.org/news/february-documentary-producing-workshops-mitchell-block

Mitchell Block specializes in conceiving, producing, marketing & distributing independent features & consulting. He is an expert in placing both completed works into distribution & working with producers to make projects fundable. He conducts regular workshops in film producing in Los Angeles and most recently in Maine, Russia and in Myanmar (Burma).

Poster Girl, produced by Block was nominated for a Documentary Academy Award and selected by the Ida as the Best Doc Short 2011. It was also nominated for two Emmy Awards and aired on HBO. He is an executive producer of the Emmy Award-winning PBS series Carrier, a 10-hour series that he conceived & co-created. Block is a graduate of Tisch School and Columbia University’s Graduate School of Business. He is a member of Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences, the Television Academy, a founding member of BAFTA-la and has been teaching at USC School of Cinematic Arts since 1979. Currently Block teaches a required class in the USC Peter Stark Producing Program.

______________________________________________________________________

©2013Mwb All Rights Reserved All Rights Reserved. All information and designs on the Sites are copyrighted material owned by Block. Reproduction, dissemination, or transmission of any part of the material here without the express written consent of the owner is strictly prohibited.All other product names and marks on Block Direct, whether trademarks, service marks, or other type, and whether registered or unregistered, is the property of Block.

A full list of nominations for this year's Baftas, which saw Lincoln lead the pack with ten

Best picture

Argo

Les Miserables

Life of Pi

Lincoln

Zero Dark Thirty

Best British film

Anna Karenina

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

Les Miserables

Seven Psychopaths

Skyfall

Best director

Ben Affleck, Argo

Kathryn Bigelow, Zero Dark Thirty

Michael Haneke, Amour

Ang Lee, Life of Pi

Quentin Tarantino, Django Unchained

Best actor

Ben Affleck, Argo

Bradley Cooper, Silver Linings Playbook

Daniel Day-Lewis, Lincoln

Hugh Jackman, Les Miserables

Joaquin Phoenix, The Master

Best actress

Jessica Chastain, Zero Dark Thirty

Marion Cotillard, Rust and Bone

Jennifer Lawrence, Silver Linings Playbook

Helen Mirren, Hitchcock

Emmanuelle Riva, Amour

Best supporting actor

Alan Arkin, Argo

Javier Bardem, Skyfall

Philip Seymour Hoffman, The Master

Tommy Lee Jones, Lincoln

Christoph Waltz, Django Unchained

Best supporting actress

Amy Adams, The Master

Judi Dench, Skyfall

Sally Field, Lincoln

Anne Hathaway, Les Miserables

Helen Hunt,...

Australian effects house Fuel VFX has added a British Academy Film Awards nomination for its work on Ridley Scott.s Prometheus following its recent nod from the Visual Effects Society.

Fuel co-founder Paul Butterworth was nominated alongside non-Fuel nominees Richard Stammers, Charley Henley, and Trevor Wood. Fuel, one of the three lead visual effects vendors on the latest installment in the Aliens franchise, delivered more than 200 visual effects shots. The company, which is now part of Animal Logic after facing a near-catastrophic cash-crunch last year, created the .Orrery. (an interactive 3-dimensional map of the known universe), the holographic 'Engineer' characters, and the 'Holotable' on the Prometheus' bridge.

Its work also received two nominations in the peer-reviewed Visual Effects Society Awards. Fuel.s BAFTA and Ves nominations mean it is likely to also receive an Academy Award nomination, which will be announced January 10 (Us time). The Oscar shortlist for visual effects includes: The Amazing Spider-Man,...

The 2013 British Academy Film Award announced this morning its nominations which were dominated by acclaimed U.S. movies.

BAFTA honors historical biopic Lincoln with 10 nominations, though Steven Spielberg wasn’t nominated for best director.

Boy-meets-tiger saga Life of Pi and epic musical Les Misérables received nine nominations each, while James Bond adventure Skyfall had eight nods and Iran hostage thriller Argo seven. Tom Hooper also was dismissed on the direction front.

Other mulitple nominations include a period film based on the famous Tolstoy novel, Anna Karenina with six and the riveting, powerhouse thriller Zero Dark Thirty and western directed by Quentin Tarantino, Django Unchained have 5 nominations each.

The British awards have helped underdog films including Slumdog Millionaire, The King’s Speech and The Artist gain momentum for Oscars gold, so many Brits hoping to see nods for Skyfall.

The winners of the 2013 Bafta film awards will be announced at...