The world premere of Irish director Ross Killeen’s Don’t Forget To Remember scooped the audience award as the 22nd Dublin International Film Festival (Diff) drew to a close on Saturday (March 2).
The Irish documentary is a collaboration with artist Asbestos, and explores the lived experience of Alzheimer’s, and the fragility and fortitude of memory.
Scroll down for the full list of Diff winners
“Although it’s a very personal film, Don’t Forget To Remember holds universal themes of love and loss, but most importantly, it’s about how we remember and shows how fragile those memories can be,...
The Irish documentary is a collaboration with artist Asbestos, and explores the lived experience of Alzheimer’s, and the fragility and fortitude of memory.
Scroll down for the full list of Diff winners
“Although it’s a very personal film, Don’t Forget To Remember holds universal themes of love and loss, but most importantly, it’s about how we remember and shows how fragile those memories can be,...
- 3/4/2024
- ScreenDaily
The Sue Bruce-Smith scholarship was announced at the Nfts’ 50th anniversary fundraising gala.
Film4 and the National Film and Television School (Nfts) are launching the Sue Bruce-Smith scholarship in honour of the late Film4 deputy director, an influential figure in the UK’s independent film scene who died in May 2020.
Established with an initial £50,000 donation from Film4, the Sue Bruce-Smith Scholarship was announced at the Nfts’ 50th anniversary fundraising gala on September 7 in London. It will commemorate Bruce-Smith’s achievements and pioneering contribution to the UK film industry.
The scholarship is earmarked for emerging producers and will enable prospective students...
Film4 and the National Film and Television School (Nfts) are launching the Sue Bruce-Smith scholarship in honour of the late Film4 deputy director, an influential figure in the UK’s independent film scene who died in May 2020.
Established with an initial £50,000 donation from Film4, the Sue Bruce-Smith Scholarship was announced at the Nfts’ 50th anniversary fundraising gala on September 7 in London. It will commemorate Bruce-Smith’s achievements and pioneering contribution to the UK film industry.
The scholarship is earmarked for emerging producers and will enable prospective students...
- 9/7/2021
- by Melissa Kasule
- ScreenDaily
The Producers Guild of America Awards awarded Chloé Zhao’s “Nomadland” with their top prize, one of the key indicators for the Academy Awards, particularly the best picture category. Edging out its closest competitors including Emerald Fennell’s “Promising Young Woman,” Lee Isaac Chung’s “Minari” and Aaron Sorkin’s “The Trial of the Chicago 7,” this might just end any questions about whether or not the moving drama is running away with the Oscars’ big prize.
All the acceptance speeches were pre-recorded with “Nomadland” giving a more produced, glitzier presentation than what we’ve seen at other award shows.
It should be noted that last year’s “1917” from Sam Mendes lost the Oscar after wins from PGA and DGA to “Parasite,” which only had the coveted SAG cast ensemble prize under its belt. Coincidentally, “Nomadland” is not nominated at SAG in their top category, leaving an opening for...
All the acceptance speeches were pre-recorded with “Nomadland” giving a more produced, glitzier presentation than what we’ve seen at other award shows.
It should be noted that last year’s “1917” from Sam Mendes lost the Oscar after wins from PGA and DGA to “Parasite,” which only had the coveted SAG cast ensemble prize under its belt. Coincidentally, “Nomadland” is not nominated at SAG in their top category, leaving an opening for...
- 3/25/2021
- by Clayton Davis and Ellise Shafer
- Variety Film + TV
Film4 exec described new post as Sue Bruce Smith’s “legacy”.
The UK’s Film4 has appointed Universal Pictures executive Stefanie Fahrion to its newly-created post of head of distribution and sales.
Fahrion will take up the role later this month, joining from London-based Universal Pictures Content Group (Upcg) where she is currently director, acquisitions and production.
Her new remit includes overseeing sales and distribution strategy on all Film4 productions, covering studio and streamer partnerships and independently- financed sales agent titles.
Fahrion will assess projects prior to greenlight; will lead on appointing sales agents and devising festival strategy; then will...
The UK’s Film4 has appointed Universal Pictures executive Stefanie Fahrion to its newly-created post of head of distribution and sales.
Fahrion will take up the role later this month, joining from London-based Universal Pictures Content Group (Upcg) where she is currently director, acquisitions and production.
Her new remit includes overseeing sales and distribution strategy on all Film4 productions, covering studio and streamer partnerships and independently- financed sales agent titles.
Fahrion will assess projects prior to greenlight; will lead on appointing sales agents and devising festival strategy; then will...
- 3/8/2021
- by Ben Dalton
- ScreenDaily
My friend and colleague Sue Bruce-Smith, who has died of cancer aged 62, was deputy director of Film4 for more than 20 years and a much loved stalwart of the British independent film industry.
Her expertise lay in financing and distribution strategies, but quietly and modestly she helped shape every aspect of the films she worked on. Steve McQueen, Andrea Arnold, Jon Glazer and Yorgos Lanthimos – Sue was pivotal in ushering their work through to audience and acclaim. She was central to the success of Mrs Brown, Slumdog Millionaire, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, Room, The Last King of Scotland, This is England, You Were Never Really Here, Amy, and, most recently, the Oscar-winner The Favourite.
Her expertise lay in financing and distribution strategies, but quietly and modestly she helped shape every aspect of the films she worked on. Steve McQueen, Andrea Arnold, Jon Glazer and Yorgos Lanthimos – Sue was pivotal in ushering their work through to audience and acclaim. She was central to the success of Mrs Brown, Slumdog Millionaire, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, Room, The Last King of Scotland, This is England, You Were Never Really Here, Amy, and, most recently, the Oscar-winner The Favourite.
- 6/14/2020
- by Rose Garnett
- The Guardian - Film News
“Sue was the kind of person who makes a difference to your life.”
After Sue Bruce-Smith, Film4’s deputy director, died on May 2 at the age of 62, Screen contacted some of her many former colleagues, collaborators and friends to remember Sue.
In addition to her two stints at Film4, Bruce-Smith had also previously worked at Palace Pictures, the BFI, BBC Worldwide and Little Bird.
Feel free to add your tribute in the comments section below the article.
Clio Barnard (director) and Tracy O’Riordan (producer)
We first had the pleasure of working with Sue on The Selfish Giant and she immediately...
After Sue Bruce-Smith, Film4’s deputy director, died on May 2 at the age of 62, Screen contacted some of her many former colleagues, collaborators and friends to remember Sue.
In addition to her two stints at Film4, Bruce-Smith had also previously worked at Palace Pictures, the BFI, BBC Worldwide and Little Bird.
Feel free to add your tribute in the comments section below the article.
Clio Barnard (director) and Tracy O’Riordan (producer)
We first had the pleasure of working with Sue on The Selfish Giant and she immediately...
- 5/4/2020
- by 1100142¦Wendy Mitchell¦0¦
- ScreenDaily
Sue Bruce-Smith, Film4’s Deputy Director and a much-loved figure in the UK biz, has died at the age of 62 following a battle with cancer.
She was diagnosed two years ago and had been receiving treatment at home in Dublin with the support of her family – she passed away on Saturday morning.
More from DeadlineFilm4, BBC, BFI & Pact Back UK Producers Survey That Reveals Stark Challenges Of Indie Biz'Under The Skin': A24 & Silver Reel In Bidding War For TV Rights To Jonathan Glazer's Cult Sci-Fi FilmFilm4 Boards Cornish Horror 'Enys Men', From Director Of Hit UK Indie Pic 'Bait'
Bruce-Smith started her career in 1985 at UK distributor and producer Palace Pictures, a key incubator for the local industry, working on titles including Absolute Beginners, The Company Of Wolves and Scandal. In 1989 she moved to the BFI where she stayed for four years before joining BBC Films.
She was diagnosed two years ago and had been receiving treatment at home in Dublin with the support of her family – she passed away on Saturday morning.
More from DeadlineFilm4, BBC, BFI & Pact Back UK Producers Survey That Reveals Stark Challenges Of Indie Biz'Under The Skin': A24 & Silver Reel In Bidding War For TV Rights To Jonathan Glazer's Cult Sci-Fi FilmFilm4 Boards Cornish Horror 'Enys Men', From Director Of Hit UK Indie Pic 'Bait'
Bruce-Smith started her career in 1985 at UK distributor and producer Palace Pictures, a key incubator for the local industry, working on titles including Absolute Beginners, The Company Of Wolves and Scandal. In 1989 she moved to the BFI where she stayed for four years before joining BBC Films.
- 5/3/2020
- by Tom Grater
- Deadline Film + TV
Film4 deputy director and industry titan Sue Bruce-Smith has died following a battle with cancer. She was 62.
Bruce-Smith had been receiving treatment for cancer at home in Dublin, Ireland, with the support of her family. She died Saturday morning, Film4 confirmed to Variety.
Bruce-Smith, a well-respected figure in the British film industry, spent 20 years of her career at Film4, having first joined the organization in 1997 following stints at the BFI, where she was head of international sales, and BBC Worldwide, where she served as marketing and distribution manager. She began her career at Palace Pictures in 1985 as print and marketing manager.
In 2001, Bruce-Smith relocated with her family to Dublin, and joined independent producer Little Bird. She returned to Film4 in 2004. Most recently, in 2017, Bruce-Smith was appointed deputy director of Film4 by director Daniel Battsek.
Her recent credits as deputy director have included “The Favourite” and “The Little Stranger.” Previously, as...
Bruce-Smith had been receiving treatment for cancer at home in Dublin, Ireland, with the support of her family. She died Saturday morning, Film4 confirmed to Variety.
Bruce-Smith, a well-respected figure in the British film industry, spent 20 years of her career at Film4, having first joined the organization in 1997 following stints at the BFI, where she was head of international sales, and BBC Worldwide, where she served as marketing and distribution manager. She began her career at Palace Pictures in 1985 as print and marketing manager.
In 2001, Bruce-Smith relocated with her family to Dublin, and joined independent producer Little Bird. She returned to Film4 in 2004. Most recently, in 2017, Bruce-Smith was appointed deputy director of Film4 by director Daniel Battsek.
Her recent credits as deputy director have included “The Favourite” and “The Little Stranger.” Previously, as...
- 5/3/2020
- by Manori Ravindran
- Variety Film + TV
Sue Bruce-Smith, Film4's deputy director and a much-loved, hugely respected figure in the British film industry, has died. She was 62.
Bruce-Smith, who had been diagnosed with cancer in 2018, died on May 2 in Dublin, where she had been receiving treatment supported by her family.
In a tribute, Film4 director Daniel Battsek said that his colleague – whose list of credits spans some of the best British independent cinema over the past 20 years, and most recently included The Favourite and Widows – was "quite simply the best ally to have in your corner, personally and professionally."...
Bruce-Smith, who had been diagnosed with cancer in 2018, died on May 2 in Dublin, where she had been receiving treatment supported by her family.
In a tribute, Film4 director Daniel Battsek said that his colleague – whose list of credits spans some of the best British independent cinema over the past 20 years, and most recently included The Favourite and Widows – was "quite simply the best ally to have in your corner, personally and professionally."...
The week-long residency will include hands-on directing experience at the Skye Space Studio.
Mentors including director Kevin Macdonald, producer Andrew Macdonald, and The Inbetweeners actor Joe Thomas will take part in The Young Films Foundation’s first Skye residency programme (May 19-25).
Other experts coming to Skye include producers Robyn Slovo, Margaret Matheson, David Moore and Georgina Lowe, director Vítor Gonçalves; writers Olivia Hetreed and Charlie Martin, and producer and drama commissioner John Yorke.
The week-long residency programme will include workshops, masterclasses, one-on-one mentoring sessions and hands-on directing experience at the Skye Space Studio. The participants will also pitch their project ideas to Yorke,...
Mentors including director Kevin Macdonald, producer Andrew Macdonald, and The Inbetweeners actor Joe Thomas will take part in The Young Films Foundation’s first Skye residency programme (May 19-25).
Other experts coming to Skye include producers Robyn Slovo, Margaret Matheson, David Moore and Georgina Lowe, director Vítor Gonçalves; writers Olivia Hetreed and Charlie Martin, and producer and drama commissioner John Yorke.
The week-long residency programme will include workshops, masterclasses, one-on-one mentoring sessions and hands-on directing experience at the Skye Space Studio. The participants will also pitch their project ideas to Yorke,...
- 5/16/2018
- by Wendy Mitchell
- ScreenDaily
Film4 has made a series of key changes to its team including the promotion of veteran Sue Bruce-Smith to Deputy Director, and the addition of Lauren Dark as a Commissioning Executive. Bruce-Smith joined Film4 13 years ago as Commercial and Distribution Manager, before moving into her current role as Head of Commercial and Brand Strategy. Her new position will involve increased commercial, strategic and management responsibilities and bring her more fully across the…...
- 11/28/2017
- Deadline
The female-focused initiative is run by Birds Eye View Film and backed by Creative Skillset and the Fda.
The 2017 participants of Birds Eye View Film’s Future Leaders in Distribution scheme have been unveiled.
The course supports female distribution executives with seven-plus years’ of experience, offering mentoring from leading industry figures. Creative Skillset provide funds and the course is endorsed by the Film Distributors’ Association.
Mentors on the initiative include Robert Walak of Focus Features International and Sue Bruce Smith of Film4.
They are joined by: Kezia Williams of eOne, Nicola Pearcy of Lionsgate, Trish Long of Disney, Eve Gabereau of Soda, Jill Tandy of Inside Pictures, Alison Thompson of Cornerstone Films and Anna Godas of Dogwoof.
Future Leaders In Distribution 2017 participants:
Cathy Anderson, Head of Publicity, Twentieth Century Fox UKAna Santos, Freelance Acquisitions Business & Legal Affairs ConsultantSally Hodgson, Producer of Marketing & Distribution, Pipoca in NottinghamVicky Hine, Senior Marketing Manager, Theatrical, eOneTiina...
The 2017 participants of Birds Eye View Film’s Future Leaders in Distribution scheme have been unveiled.
The course supports female distribution executives with seven-plus years’ of experience, offering mentoring from leading industry figures. Creative Skillset provide funds and the course is endorsed by the Film Distributors’ Association.
Mentors on the initiative include Robert Walak of Focus Features International and Sue Bruce Smith of Film4.
They are joined by: Kezia Williams of eOne, Nicola Pearcy of Lionsgate, Trish Long of Disney, Eve Gabereau of Soda, Jill Tandy of Inside Pictures, Alison Thompson of Cornerstone Films and Anna Godas of Dogwoof.
Future Leaders In Distribution 2017 participants:
Cathy Anderson, Head of Publicity, Twentieth Century Fox UKAna Santos, Freelance Acquisitions Business & Legal Affairs ConsultantSally Hodgson, Producer of Marketing & Distribution, Pipoca in NottinghamVicky Hine, Senior Marketing Manager, Theatrical, eOneTiina...
- 11/25/2016
- by tom.grater@screendaily.com (Tom Grater)
- ScreenDaily
Disney wins Distributor Of The Year; Fox and Picturehouse each take home four awards.Scroll down for full list of winners
Disney, Fox and Picturehouse were the big winners at the Screen Awards 2016, recognising excellence in UK marketing, distribution and exhibition.
The awards were handed out at a glamorous ceremony at The Brewery in London tonight (October 20). Broadcaster Edith Bowman hosted the event for the fifth year.
Disney Studios took home the hotly contested distributor of the year award, having delivered the biggest film of all time at the UK box office, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, which also scooped theatrical campaign of the year (100 sites and over).
Twentieth Century Fox were triumphant in four categories, winning 3D campaign of the year for The Martian, premiere of the year (100 sites or above) for Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie, marketing team of the year and PR team of the year (in-house). Deadpool was also highly commended in theatrical campaign...
Disney, Fox and Picturehouse were the big winners at the Screen Awards 2016, recognising excellence in UK marketing, distribution and exhibition.
The awards were handed out at a glamorous ceremony at The Brewery in London tonight (October 20). Broadcaster Edith Bowman hosted the event for the fifth year.
Disney Studios took home the hotly contested distributor of the year award, having delivered the biggest film of all time at the UK box office, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, which also scooped theatrical campaign of the year (100 sites and over).
Twentieth Century Fox were triumphant in four categories, winning 3D campaign of the year for The Martian, premiere of the year (100 sites or above) for Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie, marketing team of the year and PR team of the year (in-house). Deadpool was also highly commended in theatrical campaign...
- 10/20/2016
- by ian.sandwell@screendaily.com (Ian Sandwell)
- ScreenDaily
The Birds Eye View Film female-focused initiative is backed by Creative Skillset and the Fda.
Birds Eye View Film has revealed the mentors who will take part in the second edition of industry initiative Future Leaders in Film Distribution.
Supporting female distribution executives will seven-plus years’ experience, the programme selects up to 10 participants to take part in coaching, mentoring and shadowing sessions.
The mentors are:
Alison Thompson (Cornerstone Films)Jill TandyEve Gabereau (Soda)Anna Godas (Dogwoof)Robert Walak (Focus Feature International)Trish Long (Disney)Sue Bruce Smith (Film4)Kezia Williams (eOne)Nicola Pearcy (Lionsgate)Luke Vetere (Fox)
Applications are now open (closing Sept 14) for the initiative, which will run October 2016 to June 2017.
The programme is run by BAFTA-nominated producer Mia Bays with marketing and distribution exec Julia Short.
They commented on the programme’s second outing: “When we started in distribution in the 1990s, there was a woman running a studio, and three of...
Birds Eye View Film has revealed the mentors who will take part in the second edition of industry initiative Future Leaders in Film Distribution.
Supporting female distribution executives will seven-plus years’ experience, the programme selects up to 10 participants to take part in coaching, mentoring and shadowing sessions.
The mentors are:
Alison Thompson (Cornerstone Films)Jill TandyEve Gabereau (Soda)Anna Godas (Dogwoof)Robert Walak (Focus Feature International)Trish Long (Disney)Sue Bruce Smith (Film4)Kezia Williams (eOne)Nicola Pearcy (Lionsgate)Luke Vetere (Fox)
Applications are now open (closing Sept 14) for the initiative, which will run October 2016 to June 2017.
The programme is run by BAFTA-nominated producer Mia Bays with marketing and distribution exec Julia Short.
They commented on the programme’s second outing: “When we started in distribution in the 1990s, there was a woman running a studio, and three of...
- 9/2/2016
- by tom.grater@screendaily.com (Tom Grater)
- ScreenDaily
Arriving from Premier, Cairns will oversee the company’s communications strategy.
Film4 has appointed Phil Cairns as press and publicity manager. Cairns will take up the newly created post on February 29, the day after the Oscars.
Cairns, who arrives at the company from his position as senior account director (film) at Premier, will oversee Film4’s communications strategy, working closely with distributors, producers and other key partners.
He will jointly report to Film4 head of distribution and brand strategy Sue Bruce-Smith and Channel 4 deputy head of press and publicity Sarah Booth.
Prior to Premier, where he worked for eight years, Cairns held publicity positions at Buena Vista UK, Tartan Films, Electric Pictures and the London Film Festival.
In his 20-year career, he has worked on a multitude of UK release campaigns, including recently The Big Short for Paramount and Brooklyn for Lionsgate UK, and handled festival launches at Berlin, Cannes, Venice...
Film4 has appointed Phil Cairns as press and publicity manager. Cairns will take up the newly created post on February 29, the day after the Oscars.
Cairns, who arrives at the company from his position as senior account director (film) at Premier, will oversee Film4’s communications strategy, working closely with distributors, producers and other key partners.
He will jointly report to Film4 head of distribution and brand strategy Sue Bruce-Smith and Channel 4 deputy head of press and publicity Sarah Booth.
Prior to Premier, where he worked for eight years, Cairns held publicity positions at Buena Vista UK, Tartan Films, Electric Pictures and the London Film Festival.
In his 20-year career, he has worked on a multitude of UK release campaigns, including recently The Big Short for Paramount and Brooklyn for Lionsgate UK, and handled festival launches at Berlin, Cannes, Venice...
- 2/22/2016
- by matt.mueller@screendaily.com (Matt Mueller)
- ScreenDaily
Titles backed by Film4 this year have a total of 15 Oscar nominations including a Best Picture and Best Director nomination and three of the five Oscar Best Actress Nominees: Cate Blanchett, Brie Larson, Charlotte Rampling. The total tally of Film4’s awards nominations and wins across the Academy, BAFTA, critics groups, guilds, etc. in 2015 to date is: 181 wins out of a total 581 nominations (95% of which were in the U.S.) across 11 films - “Room”, “Carol”, “Suffragette”, “Youth”, “The Lobster", "Ex Machina", "45 Years”, “Amy”, “Macbeth”, “Slow West”, and “Dark Horse”.
Film4 has already had two Academy Best Picture wins in recent years with "Slumdog Millionaire" and "12 Years A Slave" amid other Academy Award nominations, so we can declare they are a force to be reckoned with.
This year again they have more nominations than most Hollywood Studios! The New York based Distribution and Production Company A24 has seven nominations, and people are talking about them as serious players in the Oscar race, so let’s talk about Film4.
Film4 is known for working with the most distinctive and innovative, both new and established, talent. It develops and co-finances films and is well known for its involvement with “The Last King of Scotland” (2006), “Slumdog Millionaire” (2008), “This is England” (2006), “Seven Psychopaths” (2012), “12 Years a Slave” (2013) as well as its most recent crop of successes in the current awards season which has also already garnered a record number of BAFTA nominations this year - 22 in all.
Sue Bruce Smith is the head of distribution and brand strategy at Channel 4’s feature film division, Film4. She supports the building and financing of projects from the U.K. broadcaster. She works in some capacity across most of the Film4 slate but has been particularly associated with films like “Room”, “The Lobster”, “Slumdog Millionaire”, “The Last King of Scotland”, “Tyrannosaur”, “The Imposter” and “Le Weekend”,
Sue has been at Film4 over 12 years. Prior to this she has worked variously in U.K. distribution, broadcaster investment in film, international sales and independent production at Palace Pictures, BBC Films, Littlebird and Film4.
Sl: Can you define what exactly you do at Film4?
Sue Bruce Smith: What I do varies quite a bit from film to film. Some of the seasoned producers are more adept at finding partners and don’t need much in the way of help putting their finance together. However, we also work with emerging producers and directors who require more guidance so I am on hand to help them access the right co-production or distribution partners to ensure the film is built in the best possible way. Once the film is completed, I again get involved in the strategy for the launch of the film and I oversee the distribution activity. Protecting and maximizing the strength of our Film4 brand is a key consideration in everything I do. We are also the only free-to-air channel dedicated to film in the U.K. so this really helps define our strong brand.
Sl: How are productions greenlit at Film4?
Sue Bruce Smith:The creative and commercial team within Film4 will guide a project through development to final greenlight. David Kosse, Director of Film4 is a key part of the whole progression of the film and his final decision, based very much on the soundings he gets from his senior team, also obviously draws heavily on his valuable experience and understanding of film investment and the international marketplace. The Film4 team is a very inclusive team of about 23 people working across development, production, finance and distribution. it is also able to draw upon additional resources within the Channel4, most specifically in marketing and press.
Sl: Do you do co-productions?
Sue Bruce Smith: If you mean financial co-productions, yes lots. These tend to be U.S. set financial co-productions or they might come out of Europe. But official co-productions are relatively rare as it is more difficult and takes longer to set up. “Room”, however, was an official co-production with Telefilm Canada and “The Lobster” was the result of a wonderful collaboration of over five different European co-producers.
Sl: What sort of budget parameters do you work with?
Sue Bruce Smith: We span from the very low to sometimes quite high. We try not to limit ourselves and allow the project to find its optimum level. When we developed “Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk” with Ink Factory, in the course of looking for partners we found a fan in Tom Rothman who at that time was in the process of rebuilding production at TriStar and we have ended up, as a result, being involved in an Ang Lee film! However these are the exceptions and the range is usually between Us $3m to Us$15m.
Going forward, we are keen to be bolder in how Film4 invests especially when we feel a film is a potential break out. We operate a cross subsidy model where the bigger, more commercial investments allow us to generate revenue that then supports the new emerging talent. It is worth noting that absolutely everything we earn from our films goes straight back into more development and film investment.
Sl: Do you have special “strands” for particular types of films?
Sue Bruce Smith: We don’t really distinguish films in strands we just work across many levels and genres. First time filmmakers tend to have smaller budgets - around Us$3m and they are built in a slightly different way. For our larger projects I’d say our sweet spot is $10 – 15 million.
Sl: How do you find projects?
Sue Bruce Smith:: We are constantly scouting for interesting new talent, watching shorts like “Robots of Brixton” where we found Kibwe Tavares, culling talent from our TV arm (like Yann Demange who worked with us on the TV series “Top Boy” before making “'71”) from theater (Lucy Kirkwood who we are making a short film with and developing a feature), the arts (which is where Steve McQueen originated and is still very active) and writing (Alex Garland who adapted “Never Let Me Go” for us and went on to make his striking debut “Ex Machina”)
Sl: I notice you don’t do international sales like you used to in the 80s.
Sue Bruce Smith: Yes we shed the international sales division and the U.K. Distribution arm back in 2002 and brought the focus back to our core development and co-financing activities. We currently work with a wide range of sales agents like Protagonist, Hanway, Cornerstone, FilmNation, Westend, Pathe, Studio Canal, Independent and others.
Sl: In the early days in the 1980s operations were different.
Sue Bruce Smith: David Rose, in 1982, was the real visionary behind Film4. He decided Channel4 would be different from all other TV channels. Channel4 was the first U.K. broadcaster, through its film arm, Film on Four, to develop and co-finance films and, crucially, to allow these films to play in cinemas before their television transmission on Channel4. Our theatrical model became Film on Four and HBO, Sbs and Arte followed this lead. “Walter” by Stephen Frears followed this route in 1982. Frear's next film “My Beautiful Laundrette” followed shortly after in 1985
(An aside here by Sydney Levine):
If my readers will indulge me for a little history lesson in how films change with technological change, I want to point out that in the early days of home video, in 1985, Sue and I (a couple of the pioneer women in the modern business) shared in the good fortune resulting from the shift in the movie and TV business.
Working for the biggest TV production house in U.S. in the days of “Dallas”, I came to Lorimar to buy for home video, the fastest growing new technological distribution tool yet. We put up $175,000 advance to acquire home video rights to the Film4 feature “My Beautiful Laundrette” for U.S. $75,000 of that was to be used as P&A by theatrical distributor Orion Pictures Classics’ platform theatrical release – to platform first in N.Y. and L.A for critical reviews, and then, if profitable, to expand across the nation. It was the first British film to come to U.S. in many a year (except of course for the James Bond franchise). Orion Classics was headed by Michael Barker, Tom Bernard and Donna Gigliotti who paid no advance but used the P&A allotment wisely and well. It was a happy association that we shared a couple of more times before they moved on to form Sony Pictures Classics and I moved on to Republic Pictures, reconstructed by Cnb’s Russell Goldsmith, former CEO of Lorimar. This Film4 picture, “My Beautiful Laundrette” was by complete unknowns in the U.S. and was a first for us all. We did not know it would go on to gross $7 million at the box office (a huge amount at that time for an independent film) and would sell 75,000 video units (at $50 wholesale a piece = $3,750,000). We at Lorimar made a $1 million profit and overages of $1 million went to Channel 4 and $1 million went to Working Title. I got a $100 bonus, and we were all delighted. My association with Film4 was followed by many loyal and loving years and reunions, but that is another lesson.
To quote Adam P. Davies, the writer of the U.K. Film Finance Handbook 2005/6: How to Fund Your Film:
Stephen Frears’s 1985 “My Beautiful Laundrette” signalled a change in direction for the industry in that TV backed film investment started to feed local productions. The Channel4 film encouraged the broadcasters to increase investment in filmmaking over the late 80s and also launched Working Title, initially run by Tim Bevan and Sarah Radcliffe (who left in 1992 to run her own company) and later Eric Fellner, with whom Bevan runs the company today [in a longstanding deal with Universal-Focus]. Video distributor and producer Palace Pictures, run by Nik Powell and Stephen Woolley, followed the success in 1985 of Neil Jordan’s “Company of Wolves” with “Mona Lisa” in 1986. The British Film Commission launched in 1992 [when “The Crying Game” had its world success].
Sue was at Palace Productions when I was at Lorimar and Republic and our paths crossed many times and so I was quite eager to share the latest good fortune of the 2016 Academy Awards at a time when the Academy is being besieged by negative publicity. At that time, back in ’85, I suggested to Michael and Tom that they put up Daniel Day Lewis for Best Actor Nomination and as I recall, they told me British films or British actors in British films were not acceptable to the Academy, and so neither he nor the film was put up for nomination.
“My Beautiful Laundrette” obviously had Asian actors; it was about a gay skinhead and a Pakistani. Diversity was at its core, but it did not get past the British line of demarcation the Academy had drawn in ’85. Its ethnic boundaries might have existed if anyone had tried to test them but that was not even an issue in 1985. “Diversity” in those days did not exist as a word one used and the very idea of diversity was even more limited than today.
Film4 has had a key role in proactively promoting different voices and stories since the 1980s. And today diversity is a crucial consideration in the decisions Film4 makes about its developments and productions with the aim of increasing diversity across all areas of the business. They have several films currently in development with Bame writers and directors and are successfully working with many female directors such as Andrea Arnold, Debbie Tucker Green, Susanna White, Clio Bernard, Sarah Gavron and Lynne Ramsay.
In January last year parent company Channel4 launched the 360 Degree Diversity Charter which is all about a commitment to implementing diversity on and off screen and to measuring its progress. It is tied to Project Diamond, an industry-wide diversity monitoring system. Its results will be published in the next few months.
Film4 has developed and co-financed many of the most successful U.K. films of recent years, Academy Award-winners such as Steve McQueen’s "12 Years a Slave", Danny Boyle’s "Slumdog Millionaire", Phyllida Lloyd’s "The Iron Lady” and Martin McDonagh’s "In Bruges" in addition to critically-acclaimed award-winners such as Mike Leigh’s "Mr. Turner", Chris Morris’ "Four Lions", Shane Meadows’ "This is England", Ben Wheatley’s “Sightseers", Clio Barnard’s "The Selfish Giant" Jonathan Glazer’s "Under the Skin" and David Mackenzie’s "Starred Up".
Film4’s recent releases include; Lenny Abrahamson’s “Room", Todd Haynes’ “Carol", Sarah Gavron’s “Suffragette", Justin Kurzel’s “Macbeth", Yorgos Lanthimos’ "The Lobster", Asif Kapadia’s box office record breaking documentary “Amy", Andrew Haigh’s "45 Years", Alex Garland’s "Ex Machina", Paolo Sorrentino’s “Youth", Peter Strickland’s "The Duke of Burgundy", Daniel Wolfe’s "Catch Me Daddy" and John Maclean’s "Slow West".
Forthcoming releases include; Ben Wheatley’s "High-Rise" and "Free Fire", Ang Lee’s "Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk", Benedict Andrews’ “Una" and Andrea Arnold’s "American Honey".
For further information visit www.film4.com/productions, but for now, here is the Cheat Sheet on Film4’s 2016 Total Oscar Nominations numbering 15. It will be at my side as I watch the Awards on February. Parenthetically, I am also looking forward to watching the fashions before the show, and inside the show, to catching that one loose cannon who will deliver the only inspirational speech in a rather inspirationless, basically boring, but still worthy traditional show.
3 of 5 Oscar Best Actress Nominees – Cate Blanchett, Brie Larson, Charlotte Rampling
Nomination tally by film:
“Room” – 4 - Picture, Actress, Director, Best Adapted Screenplay
“Carol” – 6 –Actress, Supporting Actress, Adapted Screenplay, Cinematography, Costume Design, Original Score
“Ex Machina” – 2 –Original screenplay, Visual Effects
“Amy” – 1 – Documentary Feature
“45 Years” – 1 – Actress
“Youth” – 1 – Original Song
Film4-backed films Oscar® nominations in full:
“Carol”
Actress in a Leading Role: Cate Blanchett
Actress in a Supporting Role: Rooney Mara
Adapted Screenplay: Phyllis Nagy
Achievement in Cinematography: Ed Lachman
Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures (Original score): Carter Burwell
Achievement in Costume Design: Sandy Powell
“Room”
Best Motion Picture of the Year: Ed Guiney
Achievement in Directing: Lenny Abrahamson
Actress in a Leading Role: Brie Larson
Adapted Screenplay: Emma Donoghue
“Ex Machina”
Original Screenplay: Alex Garland
Achievement in Visual Effects: Andrew Whitehurst, Paul Norris, Mark Ardington and Sara Bennett
“45 Years”:
Actress in a Leading Role: Charlotte Rampling
“Youth”
Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures (Original song): Simple Song # 3, music and lyrics by David Lang
“Amy”
Best Documentary Feature: Asif Kapadia, James Gay-Rees...
Film4 has already had two Academy Best Picture wins in recent years with "Slumdog Millionaire" and "12 Years A Slave" amid other Academy Award nominations, so we can declare they are a force to be reckoned with.
This year again they have more nominations than most Hollywood Studios! The New York based Distribution and Production Company A24 has seven nominations, and people are talking about them as serious players in the Oscar race, so let’s talk about Film4.
Film4 is known for working with the most distinctive and innovative, both new and established, talent. It develops and co-finances films and is well known for its involvement with “The Last King of Scotland” (2006), “Slumdog Millionaire” (2008), “This is England” (2006), “Seven Psychopaths” (2012), “12 Years a Slave” (2013) as well as its most recent crop of successes in the current awards season which has also already garnered a record number of BAFTA nominations this year - 22 in all.
Sue Bruce Smith is the head of distribution and brand strategy at Channel 4’s feature film division, Film4. She supports the building and financing of projects from the U.K. broadcaster. She works in some capacity across most of the Film4 slate but has been particularly associated with films like “Room”, “The Lobster”, “Slumdog Millionaire”, “The Last King of Scotland”, “Tyrannosaur”, “The Imposter” and “Le Weekend”,
Sue has been at Film4 over 12 years. Prior to this she has worked variously in U.K. distribution, broadcaster investment in film, international sales and independent production at Palace Pictures, BBC Films, Littlebird and Film4.
Sl: Can you define what exactly you do at Film4?
Sue Bruce Smith: What I do varies quite a bit from film to film. Some of the seasoned producers are more adept at finding partners and don’t need much in the way of help putting their finance together. However, we also work with emerging producers and directors who require more guidance so I am on hand to help them access the right co-production or distribution partners to ensure the film is built in the best possible way. Once the film is completed, I again get involved in the strategy for the launch of the film and I oversee the distribution activity. Protecting and maximizing the strength of our Film4 brand is a key consideration in everything I do. We are also the only free-to-air channel dedicated to film in the U.K. so this really helps define our strong brand.
Sl: How are productions greenlit at Film4?
Sue Bruce Smith:The creative and commercial team within Film4 will guide a project through development to final greenlight. David Kosse, Director of Film4 is a key part of the whole progression of the film and his final decision, based very much on the soundings he gets from his senior team, also obviously draws heavily on his valuable experience and understanding of film investment and the international marketplace. The Film4 team is a very inclusive team of about 23 people working across development, production, finance and distribution. it is also able to draw upon additional resources within the Channel4, most specifically in marketing and press.
Sl: Do you do co-productions?
Sue Bruce Smith: If you mean financial co-productions, yes lots. These tend to be U.S. set financial co-productions or they might come out of Europe. But official co-productions are relatively rare as it is more difficult and takes longer to set up. “Room”, however, was an official co-production with Telefilm Canada and “The Lobster” was the result of a wonderful collaboration of over five different European co-producers.
Sl: What sort of budget parameters do you work with?
Sue Bruce Smith: We span from the very low to sometimes quite high. We try not to limit ourselves and allow the project to find its optimum level. When we developed “Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk” with Ink Factory, in the course of looking for partners we found a fan in Tom Rothman who at that time was in the process of rebuilding production at TriStar and we have ended up, as a result, being involved in an Ang Lee film! However these are the exceptions and the range is usually between Us $3m to Us$15m.
Going forward, we are keen to be bolder in how Film4 invests especially when we feel a film is a potential break out. We operate a cross subsidy model where the bigger, more commercial investments allow us to generate revenue that then supports the new emerging talent. It is worth noting that absolutely everything we earn from our films goes straight back into more development and film investment.
Sl: Do you have special “strands” for particular types of films?
Sue Bruce Smith: We don’t really distinguish films in strands we just work across many levels and genres. First time filmmakers tend to have smaller budgets - around Us$3m and they are built in a slightly different way. For our larger projects I’d say our sweet spot is $10 – 15 million.
Sl: How do you find projects?
Sue Bruce Smith:: We are constantly scouting for interesting new talent, watching shorts like “Robots of Brixton” where we found Kibwe Tavares, culling talent from our TV arm (like Yann Demange who worked with us on the TV series “Top Boy” before making “'71”) from theater (Lucy Kirkwood who we are making a short film with and developing a feature), the arts (which is where Steve McQueen originated and is still very active) and writing (Alex Garland who adapted “Never Let Me Go” for us and went on to make his striking debut “Ex Machina”)
Sl: I notice you don’t do international sales like you used to in the 80s.
Sue Bruce Smith: Yes we shed the international sales division and the U.K. Distribution arm back in 2002 and brought the focus back to our core development and co-financing activities. We currently work with a wide range of sales agents like Protagonist, Hanway, Cornerstone, FilmNation, Westend, Pathe, Studio Canal, Independent and others.
Sl: In the early days in the 1980s operations were different.
Sue Bruce Smith: David Rose, in 1982, was the real visionary behind Film4. He decided Channel4 would be different from all other TV channels. Channel4 was the first U.K. broadcaster, through its film arm, Film on Four, to develop and co-finance films and, crucially, to allow these films to play in cinemas before their television transmission on Channel4. Our theatrical model became Film on Four and HBO, Sbs and Arte followed this lead. “Walter” by Stephen Frears followed this route in 1982. Frear's next film “My Beautiful Laundrette” followed shortly after in 1985
(An aside here by Sydney Levine):
If my readers will indulge me for a little history lesson in how films change with technological change, I want to point out that in the early days of home video, in 1985, Sue and I (a couple of the pioneer women in the modern business) shared in the good fortune resulting from the shift in the movie and TV business.
Working for the biggest TV production house in U.S. in the days of “Dallas”, I came to Lorimar to buy for home video, the fastest growing new technological distribution tool yet. We put up $175,000 advance to acquire home video rights to the Film4 feature “My Beautiful Laundrette” for U.S. $75,000 of that was to be used as P&A by theatrical distributor Orion Pictures Classics’ platform theatrical release – to platform first in N.Y. and L.A for critical reviews, and then, if profitable, to expand across the nation. It was the first British film to come to U.S. in many a year (except of course for the James Bond franchise). Orion Classics was headed by Michael Barker, Tom Bernard and Donna Gigliotti who paid no advance but used the P&A allotment wisely and well. It was a happy association that we shared a couple of more times before they moved on to form Sony Pictures Classics and I moved on to Republic Pictures, reconstructed by Cnb’s Russell Goldsmith, former CEO of Lorimar. This Film4 picture, “My Beautiful Laundrette” was by complete unknowns in the U.S. and was a first for us all. We did not know it would go on to gross $7 million at the box office (a huge amount at that time for an independent film) and would sell 75,000 video units (at $50 wholesale a piece = $3,750,000). We at Lorimar made a $1 million profit and overages of $1 million went to Channel 4 and $1 million went to Working Title. I got a $100 bonus, and we were all delighted. My association with Film4 was followed by many loyal and loving years and reunions, but that is another lesson.
To quote Adam P. Davies, the writer of the U.K. Film Finance Handbook 2005/6: How to Fund Your Film:
Stephen Frears’s 1985 “My Beautiful Laundrette” signalled a change in direction for the industry in that TV backed film investment started to feed local productions. The Channel4 film encouraged the broadcasters to increase investment in filmmaking over the late 80s and also launched Working Title, initially run by Tim Bevan and Sarah Radcliffe (who left in 1992 to run her own company) and later Eric Fellner, with whom Bevan runs the company today [in a longstanding deal with Universal-Focus]. Video distributor and producer Palace Pictures, run by Nik Powell and Stephen Woolley, followed the success in 1985 of Neil Jordan’s “Company of Wolves” with “Mona Lisa” in 1986. The British Film Commission launched in 1992 [when “The Crying Game” had its world success].
Sue was at Palace Productions when I was at Lorimar and Republic and our paths crossed many times and so I was quite eager to share the latest good fortune of the 2016 Academy Awards at a time when the Academy is being besieged by negative publicity. At that time, back in ’85, I suggested to Michael and Tom that they put up Daniel Day Lewis for Best Actor Nomination and as I recall, they told me British films or British actors in British films were not acceptable to the Academy, and so neither he nor the film was put up for nomination.
“My Beautiful Laundrette” obviously had Asian actors; it was about a gay skinhead and a Pakistani. Diversity was at its core, but it did not get past the British line of demarcation the Academy had drawn in ’85. Its ethnic boundaries might have existed if anyone had tried to test them but that was not even an issue in 1985. “Diversity” in those days did not exist as a word one used and the very idea of diversity was even more limited than today.
Film4 has had a key role in proactively promoting different voices and stories since the 1980s. And today diversity is a crucial consideration in the decisions Film4 makes about its developments and productions with the aim of increasing diversity across all areas of the business. They have several films currently in development with Bame writers and directors and are successfully working with many female directors such as Andrea Arnold, Debbie Tucker Green, Susanna White, Clio Bernard, Sarah Gavron and Lynne Ramsay.
In January last year parent company Channel4 launched the 360 Degree Diversity Charter which is all about a commitment to implementing diversity on and off screen and to measuring its progress. It is tied to Project Diamond, an industry-wide diversity monitoring system. Its results will be published in the next few months.
Film4 has developed and co-financed many of the most successful U.K. films of recent years, Academy Award-winners such as Steve McQueen’s "12 Years a Slave", Danny Boyle’s "Slumdog Millionaire", Phyllida Lloyd’s "The Iron Lady” and Martin McDonagh’s "In Bruges" in addition to critically-acclaimed award-winners such as Mike Leigh’s "Mr. Turner", Chris Morris’ "Four Lions", Shane Meadows’ "This is England", Ben Wheatley’s “Sightseers", Clio Barnard’s "The Selfish Giant" Jonathan Glazer’s "Under the Skin" and David Mackenzie’s "Starred Up".
Film4’s recent releases include; Lenny Abrahamson’s “Room", Todd Haynes’ “Carol", Sarah Gavron’s “Suffragette", Justin Kurzel’s “Macbeth", Yorgos Lanthimos’ "The Lobster", Asif Kapadia’s box office record breaking documentary “Amy", Andrew Haigh’s "45 Years", Alex Garland’s "Ex Machina", Paolo Sorrentino’s “Youth", Peter Strickland’s "The Duke of Burgundy", Daniel Wolfe’s "Catch Me Daddy" and John Maclean’s "Slow West".
Forthcoming releases include; Ben Wheatley’s "High-Rise" and "Free Fire", Ang Lee’s "Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk", Benedict Andrews’ “Una" and Andrea Arnold’s "American Honey".
For further information visit www.film4.com/productions, but for now, here is the Cheat Sheet on Film4’s 2016 Total Oscar Nominations numbering 15. It will be at my side as I watch the Awards on February. Parenthetically, I am also looking forward to watching the fashions before the show, and inside the show, to catching that one loose cannon who will deliver the only inspirational speech in a rather inspirationless, basically boring, but still worthy traditional show.
3 of 5 Oscar Best Actress Nominees – Cate Blanchett, Brie Larson, Charlotte Rampling
Nomination tally by film:
“Room” – 4 - Picture, Actress, Director, Best Adapted Screenplay
“Carol” – 6 –Actress, Supporting Actress, Adapted Screenplay, Cinematography, Costume Design, Original Score
“Ex Machina” – 2 –Original screenplay, Visual Effects
“Amy” – 1 – Documentary Feature
“45 Years” – 1 – Actress
“Youth” – 1 – Original Song
Film4-backed films Oscar® nominations in full:
“Carol”
Actress in a Leading Role: Cate Blanchett
Actress in a Supporting Role: Rooney Mara
Adapted Screenplay: Phyllis Nagy
Achievement in Cinematography: Ed Lachman
Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures (Original score): Carter Burwell
Achievement in Costume Design: Sandy Powell
“Room”
Best Motion Picture of the Year: Ed Guiney
Achievement in Directing: Lenny Abrahamson
Actress in a Leading Role: Brie Larson
Adapted Screenplay: Emma Donoghue
“Ex Machina”
Original Screenplay: Alex Garland
Achievement in Visual Effects: Andrew Whitehurst, Paul Norris, Mark Ardington and Sara Bennett
“45 Years”:
Actress in a Leading Role: Charlotte Rampling
“Youth”
Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures (Original song): Simple Song # 3, music and lyrics by David Lang
“Amy”
Best Documentary Feature: Asif Kapadia, James Gay-Rees...
- 2/10/2016
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
eOne Films UK managing director to speak at Screen Film Summit next week.
Speaking in advance of his appearance at next week’s Screen Film Summit (Dec 10), in which he will take part in the Question Time panel addressing big challenges facing the industry and what can be done to tackle them in the next five years, eOne Films UK managing director Alex Hamilton discussed key issues facing his company in the current distribution landscape.
Click here to Book Now
“The bullseye seems to be getting smaller for the underdog that breaks out,” Hamilton told Screen.
“Even if you have a five-star, critically acclaimed film, the market can be capricious. Sometimes we have films that are good but the reviews aren’t effusive. That can be a challenge.”
“The gap between the big wide-release model and the specialised-release model is a large one,” he added. “It’s a dangerous place to be but also tends to be where...
Speaking in advance of his appearance at next week’s Screen Film Summit (Dec 10), in which he will take part in the Question Time panel addressing big challenges facing the industry and what can be done to tackle them in the next five years, eOne Films UK managing director Alex Hamilton discussed key issues facing his company in the current distribution landscape.
Click here to Book Now
“The bullseye seems to be getting smaller for the underdog that breaks out,” Hamilton told Screen.
“Even if you have a five-star, critically acclaimed film, the market can be capricious. Sometimes we have films that are good but the reviews aren’t effusive. That can be a challenge.”
“The gap between the big wide-release model and the specialised-release model is a large one,” he added. “It’s a dangerous place to be but also tends to be where...
- 11/30/2015
- by matt.mueller@screendaily.com (Matt Mueller)
- ScreenDaily
Channel 4, Film4, Picturehouse and Mubi are among the latest big names to join the line-up of this year’s Screen Film Summit, which will be held at London’s Picturehouse Central on Dec 10.
Channel 4 head of drama Piers Wenger will join Oscar-winning producer Iain Canning, This Is England producer Mark Herbert and film financier Nik Bower on a panel to discuss the current creative and financial trends, challenges and opportunities in the UK production sector, including the growing crossover between film and TV.
The session will also include an exclusive preview of Pact-commissioned research into opportunities for UK producers presented by Olsberg Spi.
Film4 head of distribution and brand strategy Sue Bruce Smith is the latest funder to join BBC Films, BFI and Northern Ireland Screen on a panel which will survey the public money currently available to independent filmmakers and the challenges facing the UK’s main funding bodies.
Picturehouse Cinemas...
Channel 4 head of drama Piers Wenger will join Oscar-winning producer Iain Canning, This Is England producer Mark Herbert and film financier Nik Bower on a panel to discuss the current creative and financial trends, challenges and opportunities in the UK production sector, including the growing crossover between film and TV.
The session will also include an exclusive preview of Pact-commissioned research into opportunities for UK producers presented by Olsberg Spi.
Film4 head of distribution and brand strategy Sue Bruce Smith is the latest funder to join BBC Films, BFI and Northern Ireland Screen on a panel which will survey the public money currently available to independent filmmakers and the challenges facing the UK’s main funding bodies.
Picturehouse Cinemas...
- 11/27/2015
- ScreenDaily
Channel 4, Film4, Picturehouse and Mubi are among the latest big names to join the line-up of this year’s Screen Film Summit, which will be held at London’s Picturehouse Central on Dec 10.
Channel 4 head of drama Piers Wenger will join Oscar-winning producer Iain Canning, This Is England producer Mark Herbert and film financier Nik Bower on a panel to discuss the current creative and financial trends, challenges and opportunities in the UK production sector, including the growing crossover between film and TV.
The session will also include an exclusive preview of Pact-commissioned research into opportunities for UK producers presented by Olsberg Spi.
Film4 head of distribution and brand strategy Sue Bruce Smith is the latest funder to join BBC Films, BFI and Northern Ireland Screen on a panel which will survey the public money currently available to independent filmmakers and the challenges facing the UK’s main funding bodies.
Picturehouse Cinemas...
Channel 4 head of drama Piers Wenger will join Oscar-winning producer Iain Canning, This Is England producer Mark Herbert and film financier Nik Bower on a panel to discuss the current creative and financial trends, challenges and opportunities in the UK production sector, including the growing crossover between film and TV.
The session will also include an exclusive preview of Pact-commissioned research into opportunities for UK producers presented by Olsberg Spi.
Film4 head of distribution and brand strategy Sue Bruce Smith is the latest funder to join BBC Films, BFI and Northern Ireland Screen on a panel which will survey the public money currently available to independent filmmakers and the challenges facing the UK’s main funding bodies.
Picturehouse Cinemas...
- 11/27/2015
- ScreenDaily
Exclusive: Film4 has revealed plans for a refugee drama from acclaimed writer Zadie Smith to be made by Ex Machina producer DNA Films.
Described as “half-adaptation, half original story”, the film has been written by husband and wife writer duo Smith and Nick Laird and is inspired by Smith’s 2013 novella The Embassy Of Cambodia, charting a Gambian woman’s boat journey to the UK via Libya and Italy.
Film4 is keen to move the project into production soon so it could vault the long-gestating adaptation of Smith’s novel On Beauty.
The untitled project is one of a series of upcoming titles from Film4, the movie division of UK broadcaster Channel 4, which has six features at the Toronto International Film Festival (Sept 10-20) including the world premiere of Ben Wheatley’s Jg Ballard adaptation, High-Rise.
In an exclusive interview with Screen, Film4 director David Kosse, head of commercial and brand strategy Sue Bruce-Smith and head...
Described as “half-adaptation, half original story”, the film has been written by husband and wife writer duo Smith and Nick Laird and is inspired by Smith’s 2013 novella The Embassy Of Cambodia, charting a Gambian woman’s boat journey to the UK via Libya and Italy.
Film4 is keen to move the project into production soon so it could vault the long-gestating adaptation of Smith’s novel On Beauty.
The untitled project is one of a series of upcoming titles from Film4, the movie division of UK broadcaster Channel 4, which has six features at the Toronto International Film Festival (Sept 10-20) including the world premiere of Ben Wheatley’s Jg Ballard adaptation, High-Rise.
In an exclusive interview with Screen, Film4 director David Kosse, head of commercial and brand strategy Sue Bruce-Smith and head...
- 9/14/2015
- by andreas.wiseman@screendaily.com (Andreas Wiseman)
- ScreenDaily
Broadcaster expected to decide on new Film4 head in July, Screen looks at some likely candidates.
Film4 is getting closer to appointing its new boss, with a second round of interviews understood to be underway now.
Speculation is rife within the UK industry as to potential suitors for the job, which is widely regarded as one of the most coveted in the business — in the UK and abroad.
While former Focus Features CEO James Schamus was tipped by many as a front-runner for the job a few weeks ago, the executive is now understood to be unlikely to take on the role, preferring to concentrate on his own slate (he is Ang Lee’s long-time producer) and remain in the Us.
But Film4 is still understood to be considering an international hire with a leading candidate known to be London-based David Kosse, president of international for Universal, who chose not to move to La when Universal recently...
Film4 is getting closer to appointing its new boss, with a second round of interviews understood to be underway now.
Speculation is rife within the UK industry as to potential suitors for the job, which is widely regarded as one of the most coveted in the business — in the UK and abroad.
While former Focus Features CEO James Schamus was tipped by many as a front-runner for the job a few weeks ago, the executive is now understood to be unlikely to take on the role, preferring to concentrate on his own slate (he is Ang Lee’s long-time producer) and remain in the Us.
But Film4 is still understood to be considering an international hire with a leading candidate known to be London-based David Kosse, president of international for Universal, who chose not to move to La when Universal recently...
- 6/23/2014
- by andreas.wiseman@screendaily.com (Andreas Wiseman)
- ScreenDaily
A24 has ancquired Us rights from UTA Independent Film Group to Room, the drama that will star Brie Larson and shoots this autumn.
Lenny Abrahamson will direct the Emma Donoghue adaptation about a young boy raised in a shed who learns on his fifth birthday that he and his mother are captives.
Filmnation represents international rights to the project.
Ed Guiney produces and Andrew Lowe is the executive producer for Ireland’s Element Pictures with Tessa Ross, Sue Bruce Smith, and Rose Garnett for Film4.
The Irish Film Board is developing Room with Film4. UTA Independent Film Group is arranging financing with Element.
Lenny Abrahamson will direct the Emma Donoghue adaptation about a young boy raised in a shed who learns on his fifth birthday that he and his mother are captives.
Filmnation represents international rights to the project.
Ed Guiney produces and Andrew Lowe is the executive producer for Ireland’s Element Pictures with Tessa Ross, Sue Bruce Smith, and Rose Garnett for Film4.
The Irish Film Board is developing Room with Film4. UTA Independent Film Group is arranging financing with Element.
- 5/18/2014
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
A24 bought U.S. rights to Room, an adaptation of the Emma Donoghue novel that has Brie Larson set to star and Lenny Abrahamson directing with production to begin this fall. People have been buzzing about this one. It revolves around the love between a mother and her 5-year-old child, who live together in a single room. Over the course of his fifth birthday, it becomes apparent they are not in that room by choice; she has been imprisoned there, and they plot their escape. Ed Guiney will produce and Andrew Love is exec producing for Element Pictures and Tessa Ross, Sue Bruce Smith and Rose Garnett are exec producing for Film4, which developed it with the Irish Film Board. UTA repped by the film and FilmNation is selling international rights. Related: Cannes 2014: A Look At Hot Titles...
- 5/18/2014
- by MIKE FLEMING JR
- Deadline
Busy FilmNation has boosted its Cannes slate with a pair of films starring Brie Larson, riding high on a Gotham Award win for her lead role in Short Term 12.
CEO Glen Basner will introduce buyers on the Croisette to captivity tale Room, while separately ScreenDaily has learned Basner will represent select territories on Paramount crime thriller The Gambler, in which Larson stars opposite Mark Wahlberg.
Lenny Abrahamson will direct Emma Donoghue adaptation Room, the story of a young mother who shelters her five-year-old son from the truth that the tiny shed they inhabit is in fact the site of their incarceration after she was kidnapped years ago as a teenager.
Donoghue adapted the screenplay from her 2010 bestseller of the same name. Ed Guiney will produce and Andrew Lowe is executive producer for Irish production company Element Pictures alongside Tessa Ross, Sue Bruce Smith and Rose Garnett for Film4.
The Irish Film Board is developing the project...
CEO Glen Basner will introduce buyers on the Croisette to captivity tale Room, while separately ScreenDaily has learned Basner will represent select territories on Paramount crime thriller The Gambler, in which Larson stars opposite Mark Wahlberg.
Lenny Abrahamson will direct Emma Donoghue adaptation Room, the story of a young mother who shelters her five-year-old son from the truth that the tiny shed they inhabit is in fact the site of their incarceration after she was kidnapped years ago as a teenager.
Donoghue adapted the screenplay from her 2010 bestseller of the same name. Ed Guiney will produce and Andrew Lowe is executive producer for Irish production company Element Pictures alongside Tessa Ross, Sue Bruce Smith and Rose Garnett for Film4.
The Irish Film Board is developing the project...
- 5/9/2014
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Hannah Saunders [pictured] and Harry Dixon are promoted to new posts at Film4.
Hannah Saunders has been promoted at Film4 to Marketing and Brand Executive; she was Commercial Development and Commissioning Assistant. She is responsible for co-ordinating on UK releases, international festivals and corporate brand management. She continues to report to Sue Bruce-Smith, Head of Commercial and Brand Strategy.
Also, Harry Dixon has been appointed Head of Film Finance, from his previous title of head of legal and business affairs. He is now responsible for tracking revenues and for financial projections and modelling, in addition to his current legal and business affairs responsibilities. He continues to report into Geraldine Atlee, Head of Legal & Business Affairs for Film4 and Channel 4 (scripted content). ...
Hannah Saunders has been promoted at Film4 to Marketing and Brand Executive; she was Commercial Development and Commissioning Assistant. She is responsible for co-ordinating on UK releases, international festivals and corporate brand management. She continues to report to Sue Bruce-Smith, Head of Commercial and Brand Strategy.
Also, Harry Dixon has been appointed Head of Film Finance, from his previous title of head of legal and business affairs. He is now responsible for tracking revenues and for financial projections and modelling, in addition to his current legal and business affairs responsibilities. He continues to report into Geraldine Atlee, Head of Legal & Business Affairs for Film4 and Channel 4 (scripted content). ...
- 12/4/2013
- by wendy.mitchell@screendaily.com (Wendy Mitchell)
- ScreenDaily
Pacific Northwest Pictures (Pnp) has acquired all Canadian rights to Roger Michell’s rom-com Le Week-End starring Jim Broadbent, Lindsay Duncan and Jeff Goldblum.
Hanif Kureishi wrote the screenplay to the story about a couple who return to the site of their honeymoon in Paris to recapture their youth.
Le Week-End premiered in Toronto and went on to play at San Sebastian where Broadbent won the Silver Shell Award for best actor.
Pnp will release the film theatrically in Canada day-and-date with the Us release, currently scheduled for first quarter 2014 through Music Box Films. It has grossed $2m in the UK through Curzon Film World.
Film4 and Free Range Films produced the film in association with Le Bureau. Kevin Loader served as producer with Curzon’s Louisa Dent and Philip Knatchbull and Film4’s Sue Bruce Smith serving as executive producers.
Pnp negotiated the deal with Embankment Films.
Hanif Kureishi wrote the screenplay to the story about a couple who return to the site of their honeymoon in Paris to recapture their youth.
Le Week-End premiered in Toronto and went on to play at San Sebastian where Broadbent won the Silver Shell Award for best actor.
Pnp will release the film theatrically in Canada day-and-date with the Us release, currently scheduled for first quarter 2014 through Music Box Films. It has grossed $2m in the UK through Curzon Film World.
Film4 and Free Range Films produced the film in association with Le Bureau. Kevin Loader served as producer with Curzon’s Louisa Dent and Philip Knatchbull and Film4’s Sue Bruce Smith serving as executive producers.
Pnp negotiated the deal with Embankment Films.
- 11/20/2013
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Digital opportunities and multiplatform innovation are so at the heart of Film4’s future plans that they are banishing the Film4.0 label.
The new digital arm had been set up two years ago under head Anna Higgs and has worked on projects like Ken Loach’s Spirit of ’45 and Ben Wheatley’s A Field In England.
Today at the start of Film4’s Innovation Summit at the channel’s Horseferry Road headquarters, Higgs revealed that Film4.0 had been so successful that it wasn’t going to be a silo anymore, rather it will be embedded in everything Film4 does.
“Now we need to ensure that we’re not limiting ourselves with a separation,” she said. “We are also removing that £1m budget ringfence (for Film4.0).”
Film4 will still make sure to commission two to three holistic film and digital projects per year.
Higgs noted: “There is a real desire from filmmakers to explore this space…It does take...
The new digital arm had been set up two years ago under head Anna Higgs and has worked on projects like Ken Loach’s Spirit of ’45 and Ben Wheatley’s A Field In England.
Today at the start of Film4’s Innovation Summit at the channel’s Horseferry Road headquarters, Higgs revealed that Film4.0 had been so successful that it wasn’t going to be a silo anymore, rather it will be embedded in everything Film4 does.
“Now we need to ensure that we’re not limiting ourselves with a separation,” she said. “We are also removing that £1m budget ringfence (for Film4.0).”
Film4 will still make sure to commission two to three holistic film and digital projects per year.
Higgs noted: “There is a real desire from filmmakers to explore this space…It does take...
- 11/19/2013
- by wendy.mitchell@screendaily.com (Wendy Mitchell)
- ScreenDaily
Digital opportunities and multiplatform innovation are so at the heart of Film4’s future plans that they are banishing the Film4.0 label.
The new digital arm had been set up two years ago under head Anna Higgs and has worked on projects like Ken Loach’s Spirit of ’45 and Ben Wheatley’s A Field In England.
Today at the start of Film4’s Innovation Summit at the channel’s Horseferry Road headquarters, Higgs revealed that Film4.0 had been so successful that it wasn’t going to be a silo anymore, rather it will be embedded in everything Film4 does.
“Now we need to ensure that we’re not limiting ourselves with a separation,” she said. “We are also removing that £1m budget ringfence (for Film4.0).”
Film4 will still make sure to commission two to three holistic film and digital projects per year.
Higgs noted: “There is a real desire from filmmakers to explore this space…It does take...
The new digital arm had been set up two years ago under head Anna Higgs and has worked on projects like Ken Loach’s Spirit of ’45 and Ben Wheatley’s A Field In England.
Today at the start of Film4’s Innovation Summit at the channel’s Horseferry Road headquarters, Higgs revealed that Film4.0 had been so successful that it wasn’t going to be a silo anymore, rather it will be embedded in everything Film4 does.
“Now we need to ensure that we’re not limiting ourselves with a separation,” she said. “We are also removing that £1m budget ringfence (for Film4.0).”
Film4 will still make sure to commission two to three holistic film and digital projects per year.
Higgs noted: “There is a real desire from filmmakers to explore this space…It does take...
- 11/19/2013
- by wendy.mitchell@screendaily.com (Wendy Mitchell)
- ScreenDaily
Ben Wheatley's new film is being released in all formats – cinema, DVD, VOD, even broadcast TV – on the same day. Is it a bold new model, or a reckless experiment?
• Stuart Heritage will be liveblogging the UK television premiere of A Field in England from 10.45pm tonight. Join him here from about 8.30pm GMT
While A Field in England, the new film from Ben Wheatley, is clearly set in the past, the tactics for releasing it give a glimpse into the future. The future of film distribution, that is. For the first time in the UK, a film is being released across all formats – cinema, DVD, Blu-ray, VOD and broadcast TV – on the same day (5 July). They will arrive in one burst rather than being staggered across several months in the traditional manner. (There's even a limited edition VHS release being planned, so no one feels left out of the fun.
• Stuart Heritage will be liveblogging the UK television premiere of A Field in England from 10.45pm tonight. Join him here from about 8.30pm GMT
While A Field in England, the new film from Ben Wheatley, is clearly set in the past, the tactics for releasing it give a glimpse into the future. The future of film distribution, that is. For the first time in the UK, a film is being released across all formats – cinema, DVD, Blu-ray, VOD and broadcast TV – on the same day (5 July). They will arrive in one burst rather than being staggered across several months in the traditional manner. (There's even a limited edition VHS release being planned, so no one feels left out of the fun.
- 7/5/2013
- by Phelim O'Neill
- The Guardian - Film News
Janus Metz's Armadillo Janus Metz's Armadillo Wins Best Documentary at 2010 BFI London Film Festival Broadcaster and journalist Sue Perkins hosted the awards ceremony of the 54th BFI London Film Festival awards. Guests at the 2010 London Festival awards ceremony included Danny Boyle, whose 127 Hours is the festival's closing-night gala presentation, Greg Dyke, John Hurt, Joanne Froggatt, Richard Ayoade, Craig Roberts, Joanna Hogg, Sue Perkins, Michelle Eastwood, Brian Welsh, Clio Barnard, Kim Longiontto, Janus Metz, Eduardo de la Serna, and Jb Ghuman Jr. Among the other industry guests were Tessa Ross, Sue Bruce Smith, Peter Buckingham, Tim Cagney, Lizzie Francke, Duncan Kenworthy, Clare Binns, Steve Jenkins, Mia Bays, Eddie Berg, Sandra Hebron, Amanda Nevill,Stuart Boreman, and Edward Fletcher. Below is the full list of winners at the 2010 BFI London Film Festival. Best Film: How I Ended This Summer, directed by Alexei Popogrebsky Best British Newcomer: Clio Barnard, director of The [...]...
- 10/28/2010
- by Andre Soares
- Alt Film Guide
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.