Browse all the sections of the 57th London Film Festival (Oct 9-20) including the galas, competition titles and individual sections.
Alphabetical list of titles by section including feature premiere status
Wp = Wp
Ep = European Premiere
IP = International Premiere
UK = UK Premiere
Gala’s
Opening Night
Captain Phillips, Paul Greengrass (Us) Ep
Closing Night
Saving Mr Banks, John Lee Hancock (Us/UK) Ep
Philomena, Stephen Frears (UK) UK12 Years A Slave, Steve Mcqueen (UK) EPGravity, Alfonso Cuaron (Us) UKInside Llewyn Davis, Ethan Coen, Joel Coen (Us) UKLabor Day, Jason Reitman (Us) EPThe Invisible Woman, Ralph Fiennes (UK), EPThe Epic Of Everest, John Noel (UK) WPBlue Is The Warmest Colour, Abdellatif Kechiche (France) UKNight Moves, Kelly Reichardt (Us) UKStranger By The Lake, Alain Guiraudie (France) UKDon Jon, Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Us) UKMystery Road, Ivan Sen (Australia) UKOnly Lovers Left Alive, Jim Jarmusch (Us) UKNebraska, Alexander Payne (Us) UKWe Are The Best!, Lukas Moodysson (Sweden) EPFoosball 3D, Juan Jose Campanella (Argentina...
Alphabetical list of titles by section including feature premiere status
Wp = Wp
Ep = European Premiere
IP = International Premiere
UK = UK Premiere
Gala’s
Opening Night
Captain Phillips, Paul Greengrass (Us) Ep
Closing Night
Saving Mr Banks, John Lee Hancock (Us/UK) Ep
Philomena, Stephen Frears (UK) UK12 Years A Slave, Steve Mcqueen (UK) EPGravity, Alfonso Cuaron (Us) UKInside Llewyn Davis, Ethan Coen, Joel Coen (Us) UKLabor Day, Jason Reitman (Us) EPThe Invisible Woman, Ralph Fiennes (UK), EPThe Epic Of Everest, John Noel (UK) WPBlue Is The Warmest Colour, Abdellatif Kechiche (France) UKNight Moves, Kelly Reichardt (Us) UKStranger By The Lake, Alain Guiraudie (France) UKDon Jon, Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Us) UKMystery Road, Ivan Sen (Australia) UKOnly Lovers Left Alive, Jim Jarmusch (Us) UKNebraska, Alexander Payne (Us) UKWe Are The Best!, Lukas Moodysson (Sweden) EPFoosball 3D, Juan Jose Campanella (Argentina...
- 9/4/2013
- ScreenDaily
The Stella Artois poured freely (because it was free) at the Contemporary Art Museum in downtown St. Louis last night. It was the closing-night party for the 21st Annual Whitaker St. Louis International Film Festival where the slate of audience-choice and juried-competition winners were announced to an attentive crowd.
Audience Choice Awards
Best Narrative Feature: .The Sapphires,. directed by Wayne Blair
Best International Narrative Feature: .Quartet,. directed by Dustin Hoffman Leon Award for Best Documentary Feature: .The Entertainers,. directed by Michael Zimmer Juried Competition Awards New Filmmakers Forum Emerging Filmmaker Award (The Bobbie) Winner ($500 cash prize): .Faith, Love and Whiskey,. directed by Kristina Nikolova Special Jury Citation: .Sun Don.t Shine,. directed by Amy Seimetz St. Louis Film Critics. Joe Pollack Awards
Best Narrative Feature: .Barbara,. directed by Christian Petzold Special Jury Citation for Acting in Narrative Feature: Rachel Mwanza, lead actress of .War Witch. Best Documentary Feature: .Uprising,...
Audience Choice Awards
Best Narrative Feature: .The Sapphires,. directed by Wayne Blair
Best International Narrative Feature: .Quartet,. directed by Dustin Hoffman Leon Award for Best Documentary Feature: .The Entertainers,. directed by Michael Zimmer Juried Competition Awards New Filmmakers Forum Emerging Filmmaker Award (The Bobbie) Winner ($500 cash prize): .Faith, Love and Whiskey,. directed by Kristina Nikolova Special Jury Citation: .Sun Don.t Shine,. directed by Amy Seimetz St. Louis Film Critics. Joe Pollack Awards
Best Narrative Feature: .Barbara,. directed by Christian Petzold Special Jury Citation for Acting in Narrative Feature: Rachel Mwanza, lead actress of .War Witch. Best Documentary Feature: .Uprising,...
- 11/19/2012
- by Tom Stockman
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Rowan Joffe's Before I Go To Sleep psychological thriller casts Mark Strong Variety reports that Joffe's adapting the screenplay based on the bestselling book written by S.J. Watson. The story tells of a woman from north London (Kidman) who wakes every morning with no recollection of anything. Her husband tells her she suffered a trauma, and she dare not leave the house. After she sneaks off to see a doctor (played by Strong), she's given a digital recorder and urged to play back her thoughts the day after, in hopes of re-integrating her mind. It works, but shockingly-enough, she realizes that the man who's sleeping next to her, isn't her husband. Ridley Scott and Liza Marshall of Scott Free are producing alongside with Mark Gill and Matthew O'Toole. Peter Heslop, Avi Lerner, Danny Dimbort, Trevor Short, Boaz Davidson and John Thompson are serving as executive producers on the film...
- 10/31/2012
- Upcoming-Movies.com
Here's the thing ... when you meet someone in your life that allows you to come out of your shell to really start living, hold on to them and never let them go. Unless of course they turn out to be a nefarious psychopath. That kind of shit never works out.
Deadline is reporting that Nu Image/Millennium has acquired Playing Dirty, a spec script written by Richard Blaney and Gregory Small. Mandalay Pictures’ Cathy Schulman and Adam Stone will produce, and they closed the deal with Millennium’s Mark Gill.
In Playing Dirty, a young law student learns to let loose and explore his adventurous side after meeting a sexy and mysterious stranger. After some exhilarating nights of debauchery, car chases and threesomes, things go awry when the student finds himself the target of her psychotic plans.
More as it comes.
Visit The Evilshop @ Amazon!
Got news? Click here to submit it!
Deadline is reporting that Nu Image/Millennium has acquired Playing Dirty, a spec script written by Richard Blaney and Gregory Small. Mandalay Pictures’ Cathy Schulman and Adam Stone will produce, and they closed the deal with Millennium’s Mark Gill.
In Playing Dirty, a young law student learns to let loose and explore his adventurous side after meeting a sexy and mysterious stranger. After some exhilarating nights of debauchery, car chases and threesomes, things go awry when the student finds himself the target of her psychotic plans.
More as it comes.
Visit The Evilshop @ Amazon!
Got news? Click here to submit it!
- 5/22/2012
- by Uncle Creepy
- DreadCentral.com
Exclusive: Nu Image/Millennium has acquired Playing Dirty, a spec script written by Richard Blaney and Gregory Small. Mandalay Pictures’ Cathy Schulman and Adam Stone will produce, and they closed the deal with Millennium’s Mark Gill. Millennium and Mandalay recently collaborated on the indie hit Bernie. In Playing Dirty, a young law student learns to let loose and explore his adventurous side after meeting a sexy and mysterious stranger. After some exhilarating nights of debauchery, car chases and threesomes, things go awry when the student finds himself the target of her psychotic plans. Blaney and Small previously wrote Someone In The Dark, a teenage Body Heat which is at DreamWorks with Carlos Brooks attached to direct. Original Artists made the deal for the writers, who are also repped by 59 Management. The film will be fast-tracked by Millennium, which has several plum titles at Cannes with the Lee Daniels-directed The Paperboy premiering tomorrow,...
- 5/21/2012
- by MIKE FLEMING
- Deadline
IFC is finally releasing Canadian filmmaker Barry Avrich’s Unauthorized documentary about Harvey Weinstein on October 7th. There’d be more hoopla about it, but the pic quietly premiered in February 2011 up in Canada so Hollywood already knows what’s in it and what’s not. (Emphasis on what’s not.) IFC is releasing it exclusively on its new global web platform Sundance Now, which offers transactional streaming access to movies as part of an overall program of releasing new films directly to consumers via the Web. I suspect this is the plan to bury the pic. So what will you see for $12.99? Apparently, nothing that you or I or anyone who works in or around the biz doesn’t already know about Harv. But I imagine outsiders will be fascinated and horrified. Still, talking about Harvey is nothing compared with seeing Harvey in the flesh, so just listening to talking heads like Mark Gill,...
- 9/26/2011
- by NIKKI FINKE
- Deadline Hollywood
Exclusive: A deal is near for Millennium Entertainment to acquire U.S. distribution rights to the Los Angeles Film Festival opening-night pic Bernie. I'm told that it will be the first significant grab for former Film Department co-head Mark Gill since he took the reins of Avi Lerner's company (Update: reps for the company claim Gill was not involved, though he released Linklater's Before Sunrise while running Warner Independent, and those reps said the deal was made by Millennium Entertainment's Bill Lee and Vincent Scordino). The minimum guarantee will be around $2 million with a P&A commitment of around $1 million and the deal should be done by Monday. Inspired by a true story, the film stars Jack Black as the title character, an amiable funeral director who kills a rich widow (Shirley MacLaine) and creates a ruse that she's still alive. Matthew McConaughey also stars in a film that's directed by Richard Linklater.
- 7/15/2011
- by MIKE FLEMING
- Deadline
Richard Linklater’s dark comedy Bernie, based on the true story of the East Texas mortician Bernie Tiede, recently opened the Los Angeles Film Festival and sold today to Millennium Entertainment for over $2 million. According to Variety, Mark Gill, the new president of Millenium Films, who last worked with Linklater on Before Sunset and A Scanner Darkly while at Warner Independent, also agreed to help with the marketing of the film. Millennium certainly focused on the film’s star power with Jack Black as Bernie, a mortician from a small East Texas town whose life changes due to a terrible crime.
- 7/14/2011
- Upcoming-Movies.com
This month indieWIRE turns 15. In honor of our decade and a half in the game we've dug through our vaults to uncover some old goodies. Check back throughout this month for some old classics. Here's our 2008 first person in which Mark Gill declared provocatively "Yes, The Sky Really Is Falling." Speaking at the L.A. Film Festival's Financing Conference, the then CEO of The Film Department (and now president ...
- 7/4/2011
- Indiewire
Mark Gill has been named president of Millennium Films. The former Miramax Films and Warner Independent head will lead the L.A.-based company that plans to produce and finance five to eight "star-driven, wide-release films per year" with budgets ranging from $20 - $80 million. Full release below: Former Miramax Films and Warner Independent president Mark Gill has been named President of Millennium Films. The company plans to produce and finance ...
- 6/28/2011
- Indiewire
Millennium Films on Tuesday named Mark Gill as its new president. The announcement comes one month after long-time Millennium/Nu Image partner Danny Dimbort left to join Red Granite pictures. Joe Gatta, who had been head of Millennium, also joined Red Granite. Gill, the former president of Miramax and Warner Independent, will have broader responsibilities than Gatta had, including marketing, development, packaging and promotions. Gill recently headed The Film Department, which closed in May -- a victim of the credit crunch. Here's the company's release: Mark Gill Is Named President Of Millennium Films Los Angeles, CA -- Former Miramax...
- 6/28/2011
- by Joshua L. Weinstein
- The Wrap
The Film Department Withdraws Ipo Exclusive: I began hearing rumors from sources yesterday that The Film Department had laid off its entire staff. Today, I can confirm that it's a very sad day for that 3-year-old company that financed and produced the hit film Law-Abiding Citizen: it will close as of May 27th. Here's what happened in summary to Chairman/CEO Mark Gill and Vice Chairman/COO Neil Sacker: Though the company was profitable in 2010 and generated $90 Million in revenues in the last 18 months, The Film Department was not allowed to keep it due to lender stipulations forced upon the company during the credit crisis. So all that money went to lenders. When the company had become profitable and improved its balance sheet by more than $105 million in the last year, it sought to raise $200 million in new private equity and debt to become a U.S. film distributor...
- 5/5/2011
- by NIKKI FINKE
- Deadline Hollywood
Pretty soon you’ll not only be able to order movies off Amazon.com, but they will also be making them as well. In a official press release (via Coming Soon), Amazon has launched Amazon Studios. Their goal is to create movies from the best scripts, and Warner Bros. will have first access to those projects.
The official press release: “Amazon.com, Inc. today launched Amazon Studios, a new online business that invites filmmakers and screenwriters around the world to submit full-length movies and scripts to make money, get discovered and get their movie made. Through the monthly and annual Amazon Studios Awards, Amazon Studios will offer a total of $2.7 million to the top submissions received by Dec. 31, 2011, and will seek to develop the top Amazon Studio projects as commercial feature films under its first-look deal with Warner Bros. Pictures.”Getting Started page.”
“Writers are invited to add scripts to Amazon Studios.
The official press release: “Amazon.com, Inc. today launched Amazon Studios, a new online business that invites filmmakers and screenwriters around the world to submit full-length movies and scripts to make money, get discovered and get their movie made. Through the monthly and annual Amazon Studios Awards, Amazon Studios will offer a total of $2.7 million to the top submissions received by Dec. 31, 2011, and will seek to develop the top Amazon Studio projects as commercial feature films under its first-look deal with Warner Bros. Pictures.”Getting Started page.”
“Writers are invited to add scripts to Amazon Studios.
- 11/19/2010
- by Matt Keith
- Killer Films
One of the largest web retailers on the planet, Amazon.com, has launched a film studio aimed at attracting aspiring filmmakers and screenwriters.
Through the aptly named Amazon Studios, Amazon is offering filmmakers and screenwriters a total of $2.7 million in compensation for the upcoming year if their projects are selected. The company has made an agreement with Warner Bros. Pictures to develop and distribute the top submissions and release them as mainstream pictures.
Amazon.com, Inc. today launched Amazon Studios, a new online business that invites filmmakers and screenwriters around the world to submit full-length movies and scripts to make money, get discovered and get their movie made. Through the monthly and annual Amazon Studios Awards, Amazon Studios will offer a total of $2.7 million to the top submissions received by Dec. 31, 2011, and will seek to develop the top Amazon Studio projects as commercial feature films under its first-look deal with Warner Bros. Pictures.
Through the aptly named Amazon Studios, Amazon is offering filmmakers and screenwriters a total of $2.7 million in compensation for the upcoming year if their projects are selected. The company has made an agreement with Warner Bros. Pictures to develop and distribute the top submissions and release them as mainstream pictures.
Amazon.com, Inc. today launched Amazon Studios, a new online business that invites filmmakers and screenwriters around the world to submit full-length movies and scripts to make money, get discovered and get their movie made. Through the monthly and annual Amazon Studios Awards, Amazon Studios will offer a total of $2.7 million to the top submissions received by Dec. 31, 2011, and will seek to develop the top Amazon Studio projects as commercial feature films under its first-look deal with Warner Bros. Pictures.
- 11/19/2010
- by Allan Ford
- Filmofilia
Here's the announcement from Mark Gill and Neil Sacker: The Film Department announced today that it is in negotiation with investors who prefer to keep the company in private hands for $200 million in equity and debt that will be used to finance the production, acquisition and U.S. release of 5-10 films per year. As a result, the company has withdrawn its registration statement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. 6 Am: SEC filings show that Mark Gill's and Neil Sacker's The Film Department has cut the price of its expected Ipo again --- this time by more than half to $6 a share. Obviously, the reason for the public offering is to raise money for this production, finance, and international sales movie indie which also wants a domestic distribution arm. But this just may not be the right time economy-wise considering even powerhouse private equity firm Kkr's recent Ipo was flat.
- 8/4/2010
- by Nikki Finke
- Deadline Hollywood
As Mark Gill and Neil Sacker's Film Department seeks new funding via an Ipo, they're announcing that they're plunking down some of their remaining cash on a new script produced by Michael De Luca, the original action-comedy True Memoirs of an International Assassin, written by Jeff Morris. Why telegraph this news? During trying times, many companies are using PR to signal to the industry that they are actively in the game. Timing is key. While he had long closed a deal, Apparition's Bob Berney waited until he was preparing to enter the Sundance buying fray before he alerted the indie film community that he had acquired all North American rights to The Square (the first feature from Australian stuntman-turned-director Nash Edgerton and actor/writer Joel Edgerton) for ...
- 2/3/2010
- Thompson on Hollywood
The Film Department has picked up Jeff Morris's Black List-nominated action-comedy spec script "True Memoirs of an International Assassin" says The Hollywood Reporter.
The story focuses on an accountant who writes a novel about the life he wishes he had, that of a fearless assassin. He sells the book, the publisher labels it a memoir, and the world comes to believe he is his alter ego.
When he goes on vacation to Belize, he finds himself coerced into killing the country's prime minister and must now become the hero he's always written about but never dreamed he'd be.
Michael De Luca, Alissa Phillips, Mark Gill and Robert Katz will produce.
The story focuses on an accountant who writes a novel about the life he wishes he had, that of a fearless assassin. He sells the book, the publisher labels it a memoir, and the world comes to believe he is his alter ego.
When he goes on vacation to Belize, he finds himself coerced into killing the country's prime minister and must now become the hero he's always written about but never dreamed he'd be.
Michael De Luca, Alissa Phillips, Mark Gill and Robert Katz will produce.
- 1/20/2010
- by Garth Franklin
- Dark Horizons
The Film Department has picked up "True Memoirs of an International Assassin," an action-comedy spec written by Jeff Morris.
Michael De Luca, Alissa Phillips, Mark Gill and Robert Katz will produce. Neil Sacker and Michael Goguen are executive producing, and Scott Nemes acts as co-producer.
"Memoirs" focuses on an accountant who writes a novel about the life he wishes he had, that of a fearless assassin. He sells the book, the publisher labels it a memoir, and the world comes to believe he is his alter ego. When he goes on vacation to Belize, he finds himself coerced into killing the country's prime minister and must now become the hero he's always written about but never dreamed he'd be.
"Memoirs" landed on Franklin Leonard's Black List in December. Morris, repped by Wme and Art/Work Entertainment, also has "Dork Recess" set up with Davis Entertainment for Fox.
Michael De Luca, Alissa Phillips, Mark Gill and Robert Katz will produce. Neil Sacker and Michael Goguen are executive producing, and Scott Nemes acts as co-producer.
"Memoirs" focuses on an accountant who writes a novel about the life he wishes he had, that of a fearless assassin. He sells the book, the publisher labels it a memoir, and the world comes to believe he is his alter ego. When he goes on vacation to Belize, he finds himself coerced into killing the country's prime minister and must now become the hero he's always written about but never dreamed he'd be.
"Memoirs" landed on Franklin Leonard's Black List in December. Morris, repped by Wme and Art/Work Entertainment, also has "Dork Recess" set up with Davis Entertainment for Fox.
- 1/19/2010
- by By Borys Kit
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
By Sharon Waxman
Consolidation is the name of the game everywhere in the movie business these days.
Mark Gill's independent film company, The Film Department, has decided to hand international sales duties to The Weinstein Company after Steve Bickel, who was president of international, exited the company this week, the company confirmed.
The relationships between the parties are old and storied.
Gill, of course, spent eight years of his career with the Weinstein brothers running marketing and eventually its West Coast branch, although it was a tortured relationship that ended abruptly ...
Consolidation is the name of the game everywhere in the movie business these days.
Mark Gill's independent film company, The Film Department, has decided to hand international sales duties to The Weinstein Company after Steve Bickel, who was president of international, exited the company this week, the company confirmed.
The relationships between the parties are old and storied.
Gill, of course, spent eight years of his career with the Weinstein brothers running marketing and eventually its West Coast branch, although it was a tortured relationship that ended abruptly ...
- 10/30/2009
- by Sharon Waxman
- The Wrap
London -- A beer swilling wannabe veterinary surgeon from Brittany in France seems an unlikely candidate to provide the keynote address at the fourth Production Finance Market here.
But then that person happens to be Pierre-Ange Le Pogam -- co-founder of French powerhouse Europe Corp. with filmmaker Luc Besson -- one of France's most successful creative producers.
The producer's personable and wryly humorous account of achieving success in the world of independent film financing and distribution kick-started this year's PFM, which runs over two days.
After describing his early life as a dirt-poor cinephile who spent a year in Paris relying on the kindness of others having had his ambitions to be a stage actor crushed, the one-time movie theater programmer told the audience that it was his love of movies and the creatives behind them and a lot of luck that informed his creation of Europa Corp.
The Frenchman...
But then that person happens to be Pierre-Ange Le Pogam -- co-founder of French powerhouse Europe Corp. with filmmaker Luc Besson -- one of France's most successful creative producers.
The producer's personable and wryly humorous account of achieving success in the world of independent film financing and distribution kick-started this year's PFM, which runs over two days.
After describing his early life as a dirt-poor cinephile who spent a year in Paris relying on the kindness of others having had his ambitions to be a stage actor crushed, the one-time movie theater programmer told the audience that it was his love of movies and the creatives behind them and a lot of luck that informed his creation of Europa Corp.
The Frenchman...
- 10/21/2009
- by By Stuart Kemp
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Despite a credit crunch that has wealthy investors hiding cash under their mattresses rather than risking it on films and Wall Street retreating from financing studio slates, Hollywood isn't running out of money.
Witness James Janowitz of Pryor Cashman. The attorney is buttoning up a $250 million structured finance arrangement -- including money from hedge funds -- that will help pay for the production of a dozen films.
"The market isn't as strong as it once was, but there is activity, and the structures make sense as long as they don't unduly favor the studio or producer," Janowitz says.
In short, a film-finance bubble that pumped billions into Hollywood during the first few years of the new millennium has popped, but the show is going on with new -- and a few old -- players.
Foreign investors and government entities, including U.S. states and foreign territories offering incentives, have taken up some of the slack.
Witness James Janowitz of Pryor Cashman. The attorney is buttoning up a $250 million structured finance arrangement -- including money from hedge funds -- that will help pay for the production of a dozen films.
"The market isn't as strong as it once was, but there is activity, and the structures make sense as long as they don't unduly favor the studio or producer," Janowitz says.
In short, a film-finance bubble that pumped billions into Hollywood during the first few years of the new millennium has popped, but the show is going on with new -- and a few old -- players.
Foreign investors and government entities, including U.S. states and foreign territories offering incentives, have taken up some of the slack.
- 8/27/2009
- by By Georg Szalai and Paul Bond
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
- Though they're still in the infancy stages, and many need tweaking, podcasts of the film kind help break away from mundane days of endless writing. Below are my favorite podcasts and *video podcast time wasters that are worth checking out. #1. The /Filmcast (Link)Frequency: Weekly (Every Monday 9 Est. Live) Format: Group discussion with David Chen at master control. Comments: Film geeks David Chen, Devindra Hardawar and Adam Quigley discuss what they've been watching, they talk current news, discuss current releases with shows lasting generally over the 90 minute mark. The huge fanbase can be seen responding in real time to their discussion, and it helps when they bring along special guests – at least one guest blogger per episode and in some special invites such as Brick's Rian Johnson. I wish site owner Peter Sciretta would make more than once in a blue moon appearance but that doesn't deter from
- 7/15/2009
- IONCINEMA.com
At last year’s Find Film Financing Conference in Los Angeles, Mark Gill told us the sky is falling. This year’s keynote speaker, Endgame Entertainment CEO James H. Stern, had a more optimistic message. Referencing Malcolm Gladwell’s book Outliers, Stern reminded the crowd, “We are lucky enough to be at the right place at the right time for great opportunities.” Stern encouraged the crowd of filmmakers to not just make better movies, but smarter ones that keep a film’s audience — and how to reach it — in mind well before the cameras roll, not just after the film is complete. He cited distribution execs Bob Berney and Ira Deutchman as conceptual thinkers on the cutting edge of the new independent film business, and took lessons from football...
- 6/22/2009
- by Scott Macaulay
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
Producer Jim Stern issued a warning call to the indie business Saturday, saying that if it wanted to endure, it needed to stop working at cross purposes with itself and its financiers.
Speaking in the high-profile slot at the Los Angeles Film Festival where Mark Gill last year gave his now-famous 'The Sky is Falling' speech, Stern told the audience that the indie world needed to more deeply consider marketing and financing.
"It's been hip to disrespect the money," he said. And "most businesses have a complete plan from the start of a project, which includes the whole chain, from manufacturing through distribution. Ours typically does not."
Instead, he said filmmakers needed to develop marketing plans and work more closely with financiers. "We need to cut costs, mitigate risks, target our audience," he said.
The Endgame Entertainment principal, the producer behind such pics as "A Chorus Line" documentary "Every Little Step...
Speaking in the high-profile slot at the Los Angeles Film Festival where Mark Gill last year gave his now-famous 'The Sky is Falling' speech, Stern told the audience that the indie world needed to more deeply consider marketing and financing.
"It's been hip to disrespect the money," he said. And "most businesses have a complete plan from the start of a project, which includes the whole chain, from manufacturing through distribution. Ours typically does not."
Instead, he said filmmakers needed to develop marketing plans and work more closely with financiers. "We need to cut costs, mitigate risks, target our audience," he said.
The Endgame Entertainment principal, the producer behind such pics as "A Chorus Line" documentary "Every Little Step...
- 6/20/2009
- by By Steven Zeitchik
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The Film Department and Anonymous Content are developing Murder, Inc. , signing Ericson Core ( Invincible ) to direct the crime thriller, reports Variety . The Film Department is financing, with Steve Golin, Mark Gill and Robert Katz as producers. Neil Sacker, Michael Goguen and Matt DeRoss will executive produce, with Alix Madigan co-producing. The script, formerly titled "American Way," was written by Brian Kistler as his first out of AFI Film School. The story centers on two estranged brothers whose parents were brutally murdered when they were young. One becomes an FBI agent who decides to get his long-lost brother out of jail to take out the man who killed their parents.
- 4/2/2009
- Comingsoon.net
Spider-Man is interested in good people, you know, the ones worth saving from certain death. But Tobey Maguire is interested in Good People, a novel by Marcus Sakey about a couple that steals money from the apartment belonging to a dead tenant. Maguire will produce the film through his Maguire Entertainment, according to Variety, and may take the lead male role for himself as well. Kelly Masterson, the screenwriter who broke out big time with Before the Devil Knows You're Dead, will pen this one, while Mark Gill and Robert Katz will produce alongside Maguire.
- 1/22/2009
- cinemablend.com
The American Film Market unveiled a series of seminars and conferences set for Nov. 7-11 in Santa Monica.
Highlights include "Current Trends in Film Financing," featuring The Film Dept's Mark Gill, Screen Capital International's David Molner and the Weinstein Co.'s Lee Solomon. Another hot topic panel will be "The Indie Glut: Distribution at the Crossroads," with Lionsgate's Jason Constantine, Roadside Attractions' Howard Cohen, Landmark's Ted Mundorff, CAA's Dan Steinman and "Bottle Shock" helmer Randall Miller.
Other events at the Le Merigot and Fairmont Miramar hotels include "Pitch Me!," "Web Entrepreneurs: Imagination Meets Commerce," "Through Rose (and Aqua) Colored Glasses: The Future of 3D" and "Getting Your Film Seen."...
Highlights include "Current Trends in Film Financing," featuring The Film Dept's Mark Gill, Screen Capital International's David Molner and the Weinstein Co.'s Lee Solomon. Another hot topic panel will be "The Indie Glut: Distribution at the Crossroads," with Lionsgate's Jason Constantine, Roadside Attractions' Howard Cohen, Landmark's Ted Mundorff, CAA's Dan Steinman and "Bottle Shock" helmer Randall Miller.
Other events at the Le Merigot and Fairmont Miramar hotels include "Pitch Me!," "Web Entrepreneurs: Imagination Meets Commerce," "Through Rose (and Aqua) Colored Glasses: The Future of 3D" and "Getting Your Film Seen."...
- 10/21/2008
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The Film Department has appointed former James Mangold collaborator Scott Nemes as vp of production and development, reporting to president of production Robert Katz.
Nemes most recently served as head of the film division at production banner Adelstein Prods., where he exec produced the Dimension holiday-horror title "Black Christmas," among other projects.
Nemes, a former child actor, previously worked with Mangold to develop biopic "Walk the Line" and also worked on the development of films such as Universal's "Cinderella Man."
The Film Department is ramping up under Mark Gill and Neil Sacker, most recently signing on F. Gary Gray to helm the Jamie Foxx crime drama "Law-Abiding Citizen."...
Nemes most recently served as head of the film division at production banner Adelstein Prods., where he exec produced the Dimension holiday-horror title "Black Christmas," among other projects.
Nemes, a former child actor, previously worked with Mangold to develop biopic "Walk the Line" and also worked on the development of films such as Universal's "Cinderella Man."
The Film Department is ramping up under Mark Gill and Neil Sacker, most recently signing on F. Gary Gray to helm the Jamie Foxx crime drama "Law-Abiding Citizen."...
- 10/21/2008
- by By Steven Zeitchik
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
London -- The global financial crisis and shifting distribution windows were among the topics on tap Monday as Miramax president Daniel Battsek opened this year's Production Finance Market.
Battsek described himself to the audience of filmmakers, producers and financiers as "more of a dinosaur than a guru" when it came to the topic of how VOD might change window release patterns.
"There will come a time when windows will shift in terms of how the movies are made available to people," Battsek said. "For companies like ourselves, it is still very risky to be looking at simply shifting money from one window to another to support a release."
The British executive, who was hired to help establish Disney's overseas releasing arm more than a decade ago before joining Miramax as president after Harvey and Bob Weinstein's exit, opened the second Pfm, hosted and run by Film London with the...
Battsek described himself to the audience of filmmakers, producers and financiers as "more of a dinosaur than a guru" when it came to the topic of how VOD might change window release patterns.
"There will come a time when windows will shift in terms of how the movies are made available to people," Battsek said. "For companies like ourselves, it is still very risky to be looking at simply shifting money from one window to another to support a release."
The British executive, who was hired to help establish Disney's overseas releasing arm more than a decade ago before joining Miramax as president after Harvey and Bob Weinstein's exit, opened the second Pfm, hosted and run by Film London with the...
- 10/20/2008
- by By Stuart Kemp
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Director F. Gary Gray is the winner in the sweepstakes to replace Frank Darabont on the legal thriller "Law-Abiding Citizen."
Darabont recently fell off the film, setting off a scurrying among agents and directors to sign on to "Citizen," which will star Jamie Foxx and Gerard Butler and is a priority for startup shingle the Film Department. John Singleton was interested, but Gray landed the gig.
Darabont co-wrote the script, but creative differences with producers led to a parting of the ways.
"Citizen" centers on a man who is enraged by a plea bargain to set his family's killers free and in a fit of vigilante justice pursues the district attorney who made the deal. Butler, Alan Siegel, Lucas Foster and Mark Gill are producing, with Neil Sacker and Robert Katz executive producing.
The Wma-repped Gray is best known for helming "The Italian Job," which earned nearly $170 million worldwide for...
Darabont recently fell off the film, setting off a scurrying among agents and directors to sign on to "Citizen," which will star Jamie Foxx and Gerard Butler and is a priority for startup shingle the Film Department. John Singleton was interested, but Gray landed the gig.
Darabont co-wrote the script, but creative differences with producers led to a parting of the ways.
"Citizen" centers on a man who is enraged by a plea bargain to set his family's killers free and in a fit of vigilante justice pursues the district attorney who made the deal. Butler, Alan Siegel, Lucas Foster and Mark Gill are producing, with Neil Sacker and Robert Katz executive producing.
The Wma-repped Gray is best known for helming "The Italian Job," which earned nearly $170 million worldwide for...
- 10/17/2008
- by By Steven Zeitchik and Borys Kit
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Jamie Foxx is in final talks to star opposite Gerard Butler in Frank Darabont's psychological thriller "Law Abiding Citizen." Kurt Wimmer ("Equilibrium") writes alongside Darabont. The story follows Butler as a successful assistant District Attorney who ends up in the middle of a vigilante scheme planned by a man whose wife and daughter are murdered and the killer is set free due to a plea bargain. The vigilante hatches a plan to enact his revenge on both the killers and those who schemed up the deal. Butler and partner Alan Siegel will produce via Evil Twin along with Warp Films' Lucas Foster and Film Department's Mark Gill.
- 10/9/2008
- Upcoming-Movies.com
Jamie Foxx is in final talks to star opposite Gerard Butler in Frank Darabont's psychological thriller "Law Abiding Citizen." Kurt Wimmer ("Equilibrium") writes alongside Darabont. The story follows Butler as a successful assistant District Attorney who ends up in the middle of a vigilante scheme planned by a man whose wife and daughter are murdered and the killer is set free due to a plea bargain. The vigilante hatches a plan to enact his revenge on both the killers and those who schemed up the deal. Butler and partner Alan Siegel will produce via Evil Twin along with Warp Films' Lucas Foster and Film Department's Mark Gill.
- 10/9/2008
- Upcoming-Movies.com
Jamie Foxx is in final talks to star opposite Gerard Butler in Frank Darabont's psychological thriller "Law Abiding Citizen." Kurt Wimmer ("Equilibrium") writes alongside Darabont. The story follows Butler as a successful assistant District Attorney who ends up in the middle of a vigilante scheme planned by a man whose wife and daughter are murdered and the killer is set free due to a plea bargain. The vigilante hatches a plan to enact his revenge on both the killers and those who schemed up the deal. Butler and partner Alan Siegel will produce via Evil Twin along with Warp Films' Lucas Foster and Film Department's Mark Gill. Butler was recently in Guy Ritchie's "RocknRolla" which had showed at this year's Toronto International Film Festival. (Read the interview with Gerard Butler, Guy Ritchie and Thandie Newton for "RocknRolla"). Foxx can be seen next with Robert Downey Jr. and Catherine Keener...
- 10/9/2008
- Upcoming-Movies.com
Jamie Foxx is in final talks to star opposite Gerard Butler in Frank Darabont's psychological thriller "Law Abiding Citizen." Kurt Wimmer ("Equilibrium") writes alongside Darabont. The story follows Butler as a successful assistant District Attorney who ends up in the middle of a vigilante scheme planned by a man whose wife and daughter are murdered and the killer is set free due to a plea bargain. The vigilante hatches a plan to enact his revenge on both the killers and those who schemed up the deal. Butler and partner Alan Siegel will produce via Evil Twin along with Warp Films' Lucas Foster and Film Department's Mark Gill.
- 10/9/2008
- Upcoming-Movies.com
My name is Ryan Bilsborrow-Koo and this is my guest post for the just-concluded Independent Film Week here in New York. Along with Zachary Lieberman (co-creator of The West Side), I spoke on Monday’s panel “Your Film Online,” and I wanted to expand here on some thoughts I shared during that panel — mostly in response to the prevailing wisdom that “the sky is falling” on independent film. (This is also cross-posted on my own blog, No Film School). I’m a New Face of independent film, not an Industry Veteran, so maybe it’s naiveté that leads me to have a very different outlook on distribution than The Film Department CEO Mark Gill, whose comments in June were still on everyone’s lips at Ifw. After proclaiming, “As it relates to independent...
- 9/24/2008
- by Jason Guerrasio
- Filmmaker Magazine_Web Exclusives
The defining moment of the Los Angeles Film Festival (June 19-29), presented by Film Independent, didn’t occur at a gala screening or a high-profile filmmaker panel, but transpired instead at the fest’s annual Finance Conference as Mark Gill, former president of Miramax and currently CEO of The Film Department, delivered the keynote address. As widely reported in the entertainment press, Gill’s speech presented a comprehensive overview of the state of independent film, detailing his premise that “Yes, the Sky Really Is Falling.” He cited a variety of reasons for the poor performance of indie releases this year, including the surfeit of films available for sale and competing against one another for screen space, the flight of capital...
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- 9/15/2008
- by Jason Guerrasio
- Filmmaker Magazine_Festival Coverage
The defining moment of the Los Angeles Film Festival (June 19-29), presented by Film Independent, didn’t occur at a gala screening or a high-profile filmmaker panel, but transpired instead at the fest’s annual Finance Conference as Mark Gill, former president of Miramax and currently CEO of The Film Department, delivered the keynote address. As widely reported in the entertainment press, Gill’s speech presented a comprehensive overview of the state of independent film, detailing his premise that “Yes, the Sky Really Is Falling.” He cited a variety of reasons for the poor performance of indie releases this year, including the surfeit of films available for sale and competing against one another for screen space, the flight of capital...
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- 9/15/2008
- by Admin
- Filmmaker Magazine_Festival Coverage
The film-finance world may not feel an immediate pinch from the Chapter 11 filing by Lehman Bros. and the bailout of Merrill Lynch by Bank of America -- but longer term, there may be an ouch.
"A financial market that's in a meltdown is not good for the industry in so many ways," is how film-finance attorney John Burke put it Monday.
Admittedly, the studios and startups that have made use of funds from institutions like Merrill Lynch have locked in money and interest rates for the near-term. Summit and Marvel, both of which have credit facilities with Merrill, for example, have their rates already set.
But some companies could see their future clouded as the Merrill sale goes through.
MGM's United Artists, which has a $500 million production facility with Merrill, has only one movie on the immediate horizon -- the Tom Cruise vehicle "Valkyrie" -- and could find itself facing...
"A financial market that's in a meltdown is not good for the industry in so many ways," is how film-finance attorney John Burke put it Monday.
Admittedly, the studios and startups that have made use of funds from institutions like Merrill Lynch have locked in money and interest rates for the near-term. Summit and Marvel, both of which have credit facilities with Merrill, for example, have their rates already set.
But some companies could see their future clouded as the Merrill sale goes through.
MGM's United Artists, which has a $500 million production facility with Merrill, has only one movie on the immediate horizon -- the Tom Cruise vehicle "Valkyrie" -- and could find itself facing...
- 9/15/2008
- by By Steven Zeitchik
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Another independent film conference, another major missive diagnosing the state of the industry and the drastic need for filmmakers and distributors to shift gears in order to follow the changing needs of consumers. The above chart is attached to part one of a report at indieWIRE by distribution consultant Peter Broderick, published today to coincide wit the launch of Independent Film Week here in New York. Broderick says Mark Gill (the man responsible for associating the current trend of indie film hand-wringing with the phrase <a href="http://www ...
- 9/15/2008
- by Karina Longworth
- Spout
Javier Bardem is out of “Killing Pablo,” but writer/director Joe Carnahan has already found someone to replace him. Edgar Ramirez is in to play Colombian crime lord Pablo Escobar. Christian Bale will co-star, playing Major Steve Jacoby. Filming to begin in October. Project, based on Mark Bowden's book "Killing Pablo: The Hunt for the World's Greatest Outlaw," details the rise and fall of the ruthless narcotics trafficker. Escobar amassed a $4 billion fortune before being targeted in a massive campaign by U.S. and Colombian governments that culminated in his death in 1993. The "Pablo" project will be the first for Stratus Films, which launched last year with the goal of developing mid-budget pics and signed Mark Gill as president following his departure as Miramax Los Angeles prexy. Company is bankrolled by real estate developer Bob Yari, who is partnered with producer Mark Gordon. Ramirez previously starred in Paul Greengrass’ “The Bourne Ultimatum,...
- 8/16/2008
- by admin
By Matt Singer and Alison Willmore
A few weeks ago, former Miramax president Mark Gill gave a speech at the L.A. Film Festival's Financing Conference about the dire future of indie film ("Yes, the sky really is falling," he assured) that got everyone talking. The speech can be read online here. This week on the IFC News podcast, we discuss THINKFilm's issues, the closing of Warner Independent and Picturehouse and the other events that have lead up to this glum pronouncement, and whether things really are as bad as Mr. Gill claims.
Download now (MP3: 30:01 minutes, 27.4 Mb) Podcast feeds: [Xml] [iTunes]
[Photo: The sky, she falls -- "Chicken Little," Buena Vista Pictures, 2005]...
A few weeks ago, former Miramax president Mark Gill gave a speech at the L.A. Film Festival's Financing Conference about the dire future of indie film ("Yes, the sky really is falling," he assured) that got everyone talking. The speech can be read online here. This week on the IFC News podcast, we discuss THINKFilm's issues, the closing of Warner Independent and Picturehouse and the other events that have lead up to this glum pronouncement, and whether things really are as bad as Mr. Gill claims.
Download now (MP3: 30:01 minutes, 27.4 Mb) Podcast feeds: [Xml] [iTunes]
[Photo: The sky, she falls -- "Chicken Little," Buena Vista Pictures, 2005]...
- 7/7/2008
- by Alison Willmore
- ifc.com
By Stephen Saito
It's hard to say whether it's been the stifling heat or former Warner Independent chief Mark Gill's much-talked about "the sky really is falling" speech (published in full at indieWire here) that gave attendees of this year's Los Angeles Film Festival a sense of their own mortality. Then again, it could just be the way in which the effects of life-altering events have been examined in several of the festival's films, particularly in the narrative section.
When Gill, now heading up the indie shingle The Film Department, spoke at the adjoining film financing conference on the first Saturday of the festival, he decried the indie film marketplace as standing on the brink of oblivion, saying, "if you decide to make a movie budgeted under $10 million on your own tomorrow, you have a 99.9% chance of failure." On that basis, it's possible that "Winged Creatures," an ensemble drama...
It's hard to say whether it's been the stifling heat or former Warner Independent chief Mark Gill's much-talked about "the sky really is falling" speech (published in full at indieWire here) that gave attendees of this year's Los Angeles Film Festival a sense of their own mortality. Then again, it could just be the way in which the effects of life-altering events have been examined in several of the festival's films, particularly in the narrative section.
When Gill, now heading up the indie shingle The Film Department, spoke at the adjoining film financing conference on the first Saturday of the festival, he decried the indie film marketplace as standing on the brink of oblivion, saying, "if you decide to make a movie budgeted under $10 million on your own tomorrow, you have a 99.9% chance of failure." On that basis, it's possible that "Winged Creatures," an ensemble drama...
- 6/30/2008
- by Stephen Saito
- ifc.com
NEW YORK -- Catherine Zeta-Jones will star in Bart Freundlich's new May-December romantic comedy for Mark Gill and Neil Sacker's Film Dept. production outfit.
In the untitled feature, Zeta-Jones will play a single New York City mom who captures the eye of her new neighbor, a 25-year-old man. The project seems to mirror real life for the 38-year-old Freundlich, who's married to the 47-year-old Julianne Moore.
The film is set to shoot April 17, and casting hasn't been finalized for the male lead.
Tim Perell, Freundlich, Gill and Robert Katz are producing under the Process production banner. Sacker and Michael Goguen are the executive producers.
The film is one of the first for president Steve Bickel's Film Department Int'l, which will unveil its debut lineup at May's Festival de Cannes, along with the upcoming thriller Law Abiding Citizen starring Gerard Butler and other titles.
It also marks one of the first big deals for Cinetic Media's new management division headed by Bart Walker, who reps Freundlich and Perell.
In the untitled feature, Zeta-Jones will play a single New York City mom who captures the eye of her new neighbor, a 25-year-old man. The project seems to mirror real life for the 38-year-old Freundlich, who's married to the 47-year-old Julianne Moore.
The film is set to shoot April 17, and casting hasn't been finalized for the male lead.
Tim Perell, Freundlich, Gill and Robert Katz are producing under the Process production banner. Sacker and Michael Goguen are the executive producers.
The film is one of the first for president Steve Bickel's Film Department Int'l, which will unveil its debut lineup at May's Festival de Cannes, along with the upcoming thriller Law Abiding Citizen starring Gerard Butler and other titles.
It also marks one of the first big deals for Cinetic Media's new management division headed by Bart Walker, who reps Freundlich and Perell.
- 3/20/2008
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The Film Department, the indie production outfit run by Mark Gill and Neil Sacker, has won a bidding war for Galahad, a revisionist King Arthur spec from newcomer Ryan Condal.
Gill and the company's Robert Katz will produce with Energy Entertainment's Brooklyn Weaver.
Galahad retells the classic story by portraying King Arthur as an aging coward whose young, ambitious Queen Guinevere murders him, then blames the crime on Sir Galahad. Galahad must escape near-certain death, vanquish the forces of evil and return Camelot to its rightful glory.
Gill and Sacker liked that it was based on the well-known legend.
"Our business is so dependent on international sales, and something like this is known around the globe," Gill said. "It's also a phenomenally well-written script. It was a nice one to get."
The deal was in the mid-six figures. The Film Department's international division will handle foreign sales.
Sacker, Michael Goguen and Adam Marshall are executive producing. Amanda Coplan will co-produce.
Film Department launched in the summer with the plan to make from four to six movies a year.
Gill and the company's Robert Katz will produce with Energy Entertainment's Brooklyn Weaver.
Galahad retells the classic story by portraying King Arthur as an aging coward whose young, ambitious Queen Guinevere murders him, then blames the crime on Sir Galahad. Galahad must escape near-certain death, vanquish the forces of evil and return Camelot to its rightful glory.
Gill and Sacker liked that it was based on the well-known legend.
"Our business is so dependent on international sales, and something like this is known around the globe," Gill said. "It's also a phenomenally well-written script. It was a nice one to get."
The deal was in the mid-six figures. The Film Department's international division will handle foreign sales.
Sacker, Michael Goguen and Adam Marshall are executive producing. Amanda Coplan will co-produce.
Film Department launched in the summer with the plan to make from four to six movies a year.
- 3/11/2008
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Steven Bickel on Tuesday was named president of international at the Film Department.
Bickel, who starts Monday, replaces Elizabeth Kim and reports to company founders Mark Gill and Neil Sacker.
Bickel comes from Aura Entertainment, where he was president since 2001. In that role, he also served as executive producer of The Big Empty and Blind Dating and as producer of Love Comes to the Executioner.
A financing, production and international sales company, the Film Department plans to finance and produce six films per year budgeted at $10 million-$45 million.
Bickel, who starts Monday, replaces Elizabeth Kim and reports to company founders Mark Gill and Neil Sacker.
Bickel comes from Aura Entertainment, where he was president since 2001. In that role, he also served as executive producer of The Big Empty and Blind Dating and as producer of Love Comes to the Executioner.
A financing, production and international sales company, the Film Department plans to finance and produce six films per year budgeted at $10 million-$45 million.
- 2/20/2008
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
NEW YORK -- Former Warner Independent Pictures president Mark Gill and Yari Film Group COO Neil Sacker are launching the Film Department, an indie financing, production and worldwide sales outfit with $200 million in initial capital.
The pair plan to use the capital to raise the company's value to $725 million during the next five years, producing and fully financing six star-driven mainstream films annually with $10 million-$35 million budgets. Film Department also will handle sales of the films to domestic and international distributors.
In an equal partnership, Gill will serve as CEO and Sacker as president and COO as FD begins operations in the next two weeks. The duo will fill key appointments in the next few days and plan to have 38 employees at the outfit's West Hollywood headquarters.
The still-to-be-finalized slate will focus on all types of genre films, from thrillers, dramas and comedies to action and horror films. "One thing you won't see is pure art films," Gill said. "You can't have a hit anymore when a film just plays city centers." No film deals have been finalized, he said, but several are in the early planning stages.
"There's a perfect storm of favorable conditions for our new business," he added. "Strong international demand for star-driven, lower-cost, high-quality films; a decrease in North American studio in-house production combined with a substantial increase in distribution capacity; and greater star willingness than ever before to make independent films."
Gill and Sacker said that though an increase in Wall Street investments was driving the indie marketplace when the company plans were being formed a year ago, they had no idea they'd get so lucky.
The pair plan to use the capital to raise the company's value to $725 million during the next five years, producing and fully financing six star-driven mainstream films annually with $10 million-$35 million budgets. Film Department also will handle sales of the films to domestic and international distributors.
In an equal partnership, Gill will serve as CEO and Sacker as president and COO as FD begins operations in the next two weeks. The duo will fill key appointments in the next few days and plan to have 38 employees at the outfit's West Hollywood headquarters.
The still-to-be-finalized slate will focus on all types of genre films, from thrillers, dramas and comedies to action and horror films. "One thing you won't see is pure art films," Gill said. "You can't have a hit anymore when a film just plays city centers." No film deals have been finalized, he said, but several are in the early planning stages.
"There's a perfect storm of favorable conditions for our new business," he added. "Strong international demand for star-driven, lower-cost, high-quality films; a decrease in North American studio in-house production combined with a substantial increase in distribution capacity; and greater star willingness than ever before to make independent films."
Gill and Sacker said that though an increase in Wall Street investments was driving the indie marketplace when the company plans were being formed a year ago, they had no idea they'd get so lucky.
- 6/28/2007
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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