James Bond is getting a lot of play this week. After escorting Queen Elizabeth II to the Olympics' Opening Ceremony on Friday, he's back in the international trailer for Skyfall. Daniel Craig, Ralph Fiennes, Javier Bardem, Ben Whishaw, Helen McCrory and Judi Dench star in the Sam Mendes-directed spy thriller that Sony is releasing in the U.S. on November 9.
Watch the trailer on YouTube
Related: Hot Trailer: 'Cloud Atlas'
We all know filmmakers will go to great lengths to publicize their movies. So The Advocate today pointed us to this recent video of a rare on-camera appearance by Lana Wachowski, who nearly a decade ago first announced her transition from Larry Wachowski. With Lana Wachowski's brother Andy and director Tom Tykwer, the trio are unusually promoting their new collaborative movie Cloud Atlas releasing October 26th. The filmmakers describe their multi-narrative adaptation of the much-lauded novel by British author David Mitchell:
SATURDAY PM/SUNDAY AM, 3RD UPDATE: What's normally one of the best box 
But Warner Bros' and Legendary Pictures' The Dark Knight Rises remained a strong #1 and even jumped 
Related: 'Dark Knight Rises' Worldwide Total Now $374M: 25% Of Moviegoers Still Very Hesitant This Weekend
Here's the Top Ten based on weekend estimates:
1. The Dark Knight Rises (Legendary/Warner Bros) Week 2 [4,404 Runs] PG13
Friday $18.0M, Saturday $25.6M, Weekend $65.0M (-59%), Cume $290.0M
2. The Watch (Fox) NEW 3,168 Runs) R
Friday $4.5M, Saturday $4.9M, Weekend $13.3M
3. Ice Age 4 3D (Fox) Week 3 [3,869 Runs) PG
Friday $4.1M, Saturday $5.2M, Weekend $13.2M, Cume $114.8M
4. Step Up Revolution 3D (Summit/Lionsgate) NEW [2,567 Runs) PG13
Friday $5.0M, Saturday 3.9M, Weekend $11.8M
5. Ted (Universal) Week 5 [3,129 Runs) R
Friday $2.1M, Saturday $3.0M, Weekend $7.4M, Cume $193.7M
6. The Amazing Spider-Man 3D (Col/Sony) Week 4 [3,160 Run]
Friday $1.8M, Saturday $2.9M, Weekend $7.0M, Cume $242.2M
7. Brave 3D (Pixar/Disney) Week 6 [2,551 Runs] PG
Friday $1.2M, Weekend $3.7M, Cume $216.7M
8. Magic Mike (Warner Bros) Week 5 [2,075 Runs] R
Friday $800K, Weekend $2.2M, Cume $107.2M
9. Savages (Universal) Week 4 [1,414 Runs] R
Friday $480K, Weekend $1.5M, Cume $43.6M
10. Madea's Witness Protection (TPerry/Lionsgate) Week 5 [1,111 Runs] PG13
Friday $400K, Weekend $1.2M, Cume $62.6M
Related: Harkins Theatres Won't Play 'The Watch' After No Financial Agreement With Fox
Editor-in-Chief Nikki Finke - tip her here.
Related: 'Dark Knight Rises' Worldwide Total Now $374M: 25% Of Moviegoers Still Very Hesitant This Weekend
Here's the Top Ten based on Friday estimates:
1. The Dark Knight Rises (Legendary/Warner Bros) Week 2 [4,404 Runs] PG13
Friday $18.0M (-76%), Weekend $55.0M, Cume $278.0M
2. Step Up Revolution 3D (Summit/Lionsgate) NEW [2,567 Runs) PG13
Friday $5.0M, Weekend $12.0M
3. The Watch (Fox) NEW 3,168 Runs) R
Friday $4.5M, Weekend $14.0M
4. Ice Age 4 3D (Fox) Week 3 [3,869 Runs) PG
Friday $4.1M, Weekend $12.8M, Cume $114.0M
5. Ted (Universal) Week 5 [3,129 Runs) R
Friday $2.1M, Weekend $6.4M, Cume $192.5M
6. The Amazing Spider-Man 3D (Col/Sony) Week 4 [3,160 Run]
Friday $1.8M, Weekend $6.2M, Cume $241.1M
7. Brave 3D (Pixar/Disney) Week 6 [2,551 Runs] PG
Friday $1.2M, Weekend $3.7M, Cume $216.7M
8. Magic Mike (Warner Bros) Week 5 [2,075 Runs] R
Friday $800K, Weekend $2.2M, Cume $107.2M
9. Savages (Universal) Week 4 [1,414 Runs] R
Friday $480K, Weekend $1.5M, Cume $43.6M
10. Madea's Witness Protection (TPerry/Lionsgate) Week 5 [1,111 Runs] PG13
Friday $400K, Weekend $1.2M, Cume $62.6M
Related: Harkins Theatres Won't Play 'The Watch' After No Financial Agreement With Fox
Editor-in-Chief Nikki Finke - tip her here.
Here's a TV spot for the new James Bond movie Skyfall which premiered during the Opening Ceremony of the London Summer Olympics:
Danny Boyle's London Olympics Opener Scores 14-Year BBC Ratings High
NBC pathetically defended itself thusly: 'We are live streaming every sporting event, all 32 sports and all 302 medals' The opening and closing ceremonies, however, are entertainment spectacles. Our award-winning production team will present them on a medium that best demonstrates their grandeur and majesty, and at a time when friends and family are able to gather together to watch, which is in prime time.'
As if that weren't enough of an outrage, NBC also insensitively edited out the Olympics Opening Ceremonies' tribute to 7/7 London bombing victims. Britons are fuming that cut from the NBC coverage was Scottish singer Emeli Sande performance of a moving rendition of 'Abide With Me' in their memory. Instead, the Numbskull Broadcasting Company replaced it with that Viscount of Vapidity Ryan Seacrest's bland interview with already overexposed-in-the-media American swimmer Michael Phelps. (The tribute, according to British press accounts, included big screen shots of Boyle's late father, and that of London 2012 chief Lord Coe, and dancers dressed in red, representing the struggle between life and death, picked out by a spotlight in the darkness of Olympic Stadium.)
I say send Jim Bell back to The Today Show pronto and don't let him near any more of this games or the next four more Olympics through 2020. Hard to believe that Bell built his reputation at NBC as a sports producer. Then again, isn't he losing Today's long and legendary lead over his morning show rival Good Morning America after 7 years? So why make him NBC Olympics czar when he can't even attract breakfast viewers anymore?
That said, Oscar-winning British director Danny Boyle won major round-the-world kudos for a cheeky Opening Ceremonies that turned Olympic Stadium into a giant juke box. Who didn't enjoy the nonstop rock and pop homage to the birthplace of The Rolling Stones and The Beatles and everything else most cool about Britain? Naturally Paul McCartney and Mick Jagger were on hand as well as James Bond (Daniel Craig) and The Queen (for real and a stunt double too), Also Rowan Atkinson (Mr. Bean), Kenneth Branagh, David Bowie, and many others including David Beckham (a consolation prize since he didn't make the UK soccer team's cut). And let's not forget those animals: 70 sheep, 12 horses, 10 chickens, 10 ducks, 9 geese, 3 cows, 3 sheep dogs, and 2 goats. There was even a moving Muhammad Ali appearance. How Boyle kept almost everything secret is miraculous. What did you think of the show?
Related: London 2012 Olympics: Secrecy & Sheep For Danny Boyle's Opening Ceremony
Editor-in-Chief Nikki Finke - tip her here.
Related: Google Eyes Potential Strategy To Deliver Cable TV Services To Consumers
Brian Brooks is managing editor of MovieLine.
Writer-director: Alison Klayman
Subjects: Ai Weiwei, Danqing Chen, Ying Gao
Distributor: Sundance Selects
An American freelance journalist who lived in China from 2006 to 2010, Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry director Alison Klayman first met the famed Chinese artist Ai Weiwei through her roommate who asked her to put together a short video for an art show of Ai's New York photographs while in Beijing. She quickly realized there was more to tell. 'I just felt like to do a character portrait of him would really not only be entertaining but also it would illuminate something about a side of contemporary China that I felt like I was just encountering for the first time through him,' said Klayman. 'So I was definitely feeling that at least I needed to follow up with this guy and he liked the video that I did for the exhibition. So that was also a good way to keep moving forward.'
The film screened in competition at Sundance as well as the Berlinale. Sundance Selects picked up the film soon afterward. 'We've been working with Susan Norget and Fredell Pogodin on publicity [and] 360 Communications on grassroots with a focus on art world and technology as well as Julie Huang on Chinese-American outreach,' IFC Films/Sundance Selects exec Ryan Werner told Deadline. Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry will open in New York this weekend at Lincoln Plaza and IFC Center as well as the Kabuki and Embarcadero in San Francisco and in Washington, D.C. at the E Street. 'We have speakers at every theater this weekend,' noted Werner. The film will open in Los Angeles the following week.
Director Fredrik Gertten
Subjects: Fredrik Gertten, Alex Rivera, Alfonso Allende
Distributor: (Self-distributed)
Big Boys Gone Bananas!* is a movie the filmmaker never quite planned to make. In 2009, Swedish director Fredrik Gertten took his documentary Bananas!* to the Los Angeles Film Festival. The result was a litigious onslaught by U.S. giant Dole foods to keep it from being seen. The film details the legal odyssey of 12 Nicaraguan banana workers who sued the company for using a banned pesticide. 'It was made for only $50K and when we released the trailer, we got a cease and desist order,' Gertten said. 'They sent the order to LAFF organizers and their sponsors including the Los Angeles Times and American Airlines.' But undeterred, he showed up to screen the film and 'all hell broke loose.' said Gretten. For the follow-up, Gertten and his team started documenting their journey from being taken to court by Dole (iby the same firm that represented Chevron in its fight against filmmaker Joe Berlinger for his doc Crude) and their campaign to undermine him. 'This film [delves] into the PR industry and their tactics to ridicule me such as buying my name on Google so they can discredit me,' said Gretten. 'They spent a lot of money to block my film, but we won and they had to pay our $200K lawyer fees. It was a very scary and long process. This film was not meant to be, but it told its own story.'
'This story is less about fruit and more about media and what a big corporation can do,' Gertten says. 'It's also like a thriller in many ways, but with a happy ending.' The film will play Michael Moore's Traverse City Film Festival later this month. Theatrical release 'as an Oscar-qualifying run,' per Gertten, is set for Friday in New York at the Quad Theatre, followed by L.A. at Laemmle cinemas in Pasadena and Santa Monica the weekend of August 3rd. The filmmakers plan to announce a distributor during the Toronto International Film Festival, according to Gertten, with more dates to follow.
Director: William Friedkin
Writers: Tracy Letts (screenplay and play)
Cast: Matthew McConaughey, Emile Hirsch, Juno Temple, Thomas Haden Church, Gina Gershon
Distributor: LD Entertainment
Killer Joe will be heading out into the world with an NC-17, star-appeal, a story packed with violence and its share of critical acclaim so far. 'We thought the performances were incredible,' LD Entertainment president David Dinerstein said. 'A [prominent] filmmaker in Cannes told me in Cannes that it's the 'most provocative thing' he's seen this year. With The Exorcist, French Connection and others, Friedkin is always raising the bar.' Raising the bar does not always make for an easy release and the film's NC-17 raises red flags just like any other film branded with the unpopular rating. Still, the film has had a good run at festivals, selling out screenings at SXSW and Seattle, where Friedkin received a lifetime achievement award. The director was also guest director at the Los Angeles Film Festival. 'It's exciting because the tickets to these events went really fast,' said Dinerstein. Plus the cast 'allows for some traditional reach-out like talk shows.' McConaughey appeared on the Daily Show and Late Night With Jimmy Fallon in support of the film, with Gershon also doing Fallon. The film also scored a sizable feature in the New York Times. 'Friedkin is also very active on Twitter,' said Dinerstein. 'Unlike other artists and entertainers, he's actually doing the Twitter himself, it's not a publicist. Everyone's embracing doing things differently. So we'll see how we stand with the NC-17, but to date it hasn't been a real hurdle.'
Still, there has been some pushback in terms of where the company can advertise, though the film is opening in New York this weekend at venues Lincoln Square, the AMC Empire and the Sunshine Theatre. 'These are some of the best screens in Manhattan,' noted Dinerstein. 'There's nothing wrong with saying this is a film for adult audiences and we hope to grow it. It's going to make them laugh and make them hold onto their seats. It's a crazy but entertaining film.' It expands next weekend to LA, Austin, Dallas, Chicago, San Francisco, and Washington DC.
Director: Mikkel Nørgaard
Writers: Casper Christensen (screenplay, story), Frank Hvam (screenplay, story), Mikkel Nørgaard (story)
Cast: Frank Hvam, Casper Christensen, Marcuz Jezz Petersen, Mia Lyhne
Distributor: Drafthouse Films
The folks at Drafthouse Films (the distribution label under started under Austin-based exhibitor Alamo Drafthouse) first saw the Danish comedy Klown at the Fantasia Film Festival and later screened it in Austin at Fantastic Fest. The film is the culmination of a popular Danish television show of the same title that ran for six years 'We link it to The Hangover, it has some of the same outrageous behavior,' Drafthouse Films exec James Shapiro said. 'There's a lot of humor that breaks social taboos, but has a lot of heart to it.' Shapiro said it's not necessary to have seen the show that spawned the film to understand it and the humor should be accessible to Americans. 'The filmmakers themselves had a lot of American influence growing up and that formed the [basis] for Klowns,' he said. 'So we think it has some breakout potential because it's one of the funniest of the year.'
Drafthouse Films will open Klown in New York, Austin and Los Angeles (at The Cinefamily) with expansions planned for San Francisco, Portland, OR and Seattle. 'It's our first release with a VOD strategy, which will make the film available on demand Friday,' added Shapiro. Drafthouse Films is going for the mainstream, but will focus on crowds that are at the core of Fantastic Fest and their regulars at the Alamo Drafthouse. 'We also think it can cross over and we have our fingers crossed for that. We think it's really one of the funniest things you'll see this year.'
Directors: Jonathan Dayton, Valerie Faris
Writer: Zoe Kazan (screenplay)
Cast: Paul Dano, Zoe Kazan, Annette Bening, Antonio Banderas, Elliott Gould
Distributor: Fox Searchlight
Ruby Sparks producers Albert Berger and Ron Yerxa noted that one of the most unusual aspects to creating the feature on the logistical side was that it happened rather seamlessly. They first spoke with Zoe Kazan and Paul Dano in L.A. and then everything proceeded from there. 'This is an amazing film because things went so smoothly from the get-go,' Yerxa said. 'We met with Zoe and Paul at Rose Cafe in Venice and we met with directors and Jonathan and Valerie read script several times and they worked with Zoe. We were only the producers.' Initially, they weren't sure how to finance the film (more typical) but then Fox Searchlight stepped up (more atypical) and we made it all in L.A., which is everyone's hometown.'
Ruby Sparks shot last year over 30 days and Berger, who also produced Little Miss Sunshine, said the budget came in around the same as that film (about $8 million) and the production sported much of the same crew. Kazan and Dano were pre-destined to star in the project, and Searchlight stepped away when the production added the rest of the cast. 'They had a point-of-view, but it was good as you can get with a studio,' added Berger. 'We had the freedom you have with an indie film and but with their support.'
'Obviously with Little Miss Sunshine we had Sundance with a launching point but we don't have that with this,' added Yerxa. 'But Jonathan and Valerie are traveling around to do word-of-mouth screenings, so it will be interesting to see how this type of [marketing] will go against the grain. We get a sense that this is working.' Berger and Yerxa said the 18 to 35 or 40 audience is its 'core' due to its 'smart examination of relationships.' Ruby Sparks opens in five markets in 13 theaters Friday and will begin expanding in about 10 days. Noted Berger: 'With the Olympics and Batman as competition, there will be some big guerrillas to weave between, under and around, but we think it will stand out in its counter-programming sense and we think we have a good shot.'
Ross previously wrote Turistas, the thriller directed by John Stockwell. He also recently did a rewrite on Robin Hood 2058 and scripted I Owe You, an original screenplay for Media Rights Capital, which Jacob Estes is attached to direct. Russell Hollander is executive producer. Grant and Ross are repped by CAA, Ross also by Management 360.
The Ruben Fleischer-directed Gangster Squad is an L.A. Confidential-style period mob tale that stars Ryan Gosling, Sean Penn, Josh Brolin and Emma Stone, and it takes place in the 1940s and '50s during the crime reign of Mickey Cohen. The six months of breathing room should help bring the focus back to the storyline, and not a murder spree that has no other correlation to the film.
Toronto ' Piers Handling, CEO and Director of TIFF, and Cameron Bailey, Artistic Director of the Toronto International Film Festival, made the first announcement of films to premiere at the 37th Toronto International Film Festival. Films announced include titles in the Galas and Special Presentations programmes. The announced films include 17 Galas and 45 Special Presentations, including 38 world premieres.
Toronto audiences will be the first to see the world premieres of films from directors Andrew Adamson, Ben Affleck, David Ayer, Maiken Baird, Noah Baumbach, J.A. Bayona, Stuart Blumberg, Josh Boone, Laurent Cantet, Sergio Castellitto, Stephen Chbosky, Lu Chuan, Derek Cianfrance, Nenad Cicin-Sain, Costa-Gavras, Ziad Doueiri, Liz Garbus, Dustin Hoffman, Rian Johnson, Neil Jordan, Baltasar Kormákur, Shola Lynch, Deepa Mehta, Roger Michell, Nishikawa Miwa, Ruba Nadda, Mike Newell, François Ozon, Sally Potter, Robert Pulcini & Shari Springer Berman, Eran Riklis, David O. Russell, Gauri Shinde, Ben Timlett & Bill Jones & Jeff Simpson, Tom Tykwer & Andy Wachowski & Lana Wachowski, Margarethe von Trotta, Joss Whedon and Yaron Zilberman.
'We are thrilled to announce so many exciting and prestigious films today, with many more to follow,' said Handling. 'This year's Festival is looking particularly strong with bold, adventuresome work coming from established and emerging filmmakers.'
'This year we present our most diverse Gala programme to date with films from Japan, China, India, the United Kingdom, Denmark, Italy, USA and Canada,' said Bailey. 'Toronto's red carpet is a global one and we're excited to welcome some of the world's best filmmakers and greatest stars to Canada.'
The Toronto International Film Festival runs from September 6 to 16, 2012.
GALAS
A Royal Affair ' Nikolai Arcel, Denmark/Sweden/Czech Republic/Germany North American Premiere
A Royal Affair is a gripping tale of brave idealists who risk everything in their pursuit of freedom for the people. Above all, it is the story of a passionate and forbidden romance that changed an entire nation. Starring Mads Mikkelsen and Alicia Vikander.Argo ' Ben Affleck, USA World Premiere
When militants storm the U.S. embassy in 1979 Tehran, six Americans manage to slip away. Knowing it's only a matter of time before they are found, a CIA 'exfiltration' specialist comes up with a plan to get them out of the country: a plan so incredible, it could only happen in the movies. Starring Ben Affleck, Bryan Cranston, John Goodman and Kyle Chandler.The Company You Keep ' Robert Redford, USA North American Premiere
Jim Grant (Robert Redford), a civil rights lawyer and single father, must go on the run when a brash young reporter (Shia LaBeouf) exposes his true identity as a former 1970s radical fugitive wanted for murder. Sparking a nationwide manhunt, Grant sets off on a cross-country journey to clear his name. Also starring Susan Sarandon, Terrence Howard, Anna Kendrick, Stanley Tucci, Chris Cooper and Nick Nolte.Dangerous Liaisons ' Hur Jin-ho, China North American Premiere
As war looms in Shanghai, glamorous libertine Mo Jietu (Cecilia Cheung) runs into playboy Xie Yifan (Dong-gun Jang), an ex-boyfriend who's never stopped loving her. She persuades him to play a treacherous game: Xie must seduce the innocent and naïve Du Fenyu (Zhang Ziyi) and then dump her. But the game becomes increasingly dangerous as Xie falls in love with Du, leading them all to tragic and shocking consequences.English Vinglish ' Gauri Shinde, India World Premiere
Money, fame and a knowledge of English. In India, these 3 factors play a huge role in how society judges an individual. English Vinglish is the story of Shashi, a woman who does not know English and in turn is made to feel insecure by her family and society at large. The film is the lighthearted yet touching and transformational journey of Shashi. Circumstances make her determined to overcome this insecurity, master the language, teach the world a lesson on the way to becoming a self assured and confident woman. This film marks the comeback of India's biggest female star, Sridevi.Free Angela & All Political Prisoners ' Shola Lynch, USA/France World Premiere
Legendary radical activist Angela Davis' words and actions made her a revolutionary icon in the 1960s. The documentary Free Angela & All Political Prisoners tells the dramatic story of how a young philosophy professor's social justice activism implicates her in the botched kidnapping attempt of a judge that ends in bloody shootout. Newsweek asks: what would prompt Angela Davis, 'the daughter of the black bourgeoisie, to take a desperate turn to terrorism?'Great Expectations ' Mike Newell, United Kingdom World Premiere
Based on the Charles Dickens classic. Orphan Pip rises from humble beginnings thanks to a mysterious benefactor. Moving through London's class-ridden world as a gentleman, Pip uses his new status to pursue Estella, a beautiful, heartless heiress he's always loved. The shocking truth behind his fortune will have devastating consequences for everything he holds dear. Starring Holliday Grainger, Ralph Fiennes, Helena Bonham Carter and Jeremy Irvine.Hyde Park on Hudson ' Roger Michell, United Kingdom World Premiere
In June 1939, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt (Academy Award® nominee Bill Murray) and his wife Eleanor (Olivia Williams) host the King and Queen of England (Samuel West and Olivia Colman) for a weekend at the Roosevelt home at Hyde Park on Hudson in upstate New York. With Britain facing imminent war with Germany, the Royals are desperately looking to FDR for support. But international affairs must be juggled with the complexities of FDR's domestic establishment. Seen through the eyes of Daisy (Academy Award nominee Laura Linney), Franklin's neighbour and intimate, the weekend will produce not only a special relationship between two great nations, but also a deeper understanding of the mysteries of love and friendship.Inescapable Ruba Nadda - Canada World Premiere
One afternoon, on a typical day at work, Adib is confronted with devastating news: His eldest daughter, Muna, has gone missing in Damascus. Now Adib, who has not been back in over 30 years, must return to Syria and deal with his secret past in order to find her. Inescapable is a thriller about a father's desperate search for his daughter and the chaos of the Middle East he left behind. Starring Alexander Siddig, Marisa Tomei and Joshua Jackson.Jayne Mansfield's Car - Billy Bob Thornton, USA/Russia North American Premiere
Jayne Mansfield's Car is a funny, poignant and searching look at three generations of fathers and sons in the South during the tumultuous '60s. It follows the family's heartfelt ' and sometimes hilarious ' struggles with long-held resentments, secrets, the memories of war, and how life, death and loss shaped them all. Starring Robert Duvall, Kevin Bacon, Billy Bob Thornton and John Hurt.Opening night film
Looper ' Rian Johnson, USA World Premiere
In the futuristic action thriller Looper, time travel will be invented ' but it will be illegal and only available on the black market. When the mob wants to get rid of someone, they will send their target 30 years into the past, where a 'looper' ' a hired gun, like Joe (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) ' is waiting to mop up. Joe is getting rich and life is good' until the day the mob decides to 'close the loop,' sending back Joe's future self (Bruce Willis) for assassination. Also starring Emily Blunt, Paul Dano and Jeff Daniels.Love, Marilyn ' Liz Garbus, USA World Premiere
Nearly 50 years after her death, two boxes of Marilyn Monroe's private writings and musings were discovered in the home of her acting coach. These papers, brought to life in this innovative documentary film by some of our contemporary icons and stars, give us a new understanding of Monroe ' revealing her carefully guarded inner life. Featuring Elizabeth Banks, Lindsay Lohan, Evan Rachel Wood, Ben Foster, Uma Thurman, Paul Giamatti, Viola Davis, Jeremy Piven, Ellen Burstyn, Adrien Brody, Marisa Tomei and Glenn Close.Midnight's Children Deepa Mehta, Canada/ United Kingdom World Premiere
'Born in the hour of India's freedom. Handcuffed to history.' Midnight's Children is an epic film from Academy Award-nominated director Deepa Mehta, based on the Booker Prize-winning novel by Salman Rushdie. At the stroke of midnight on August 15, 1947, as India proclaims independence from Great Britain, two newborn babies are switched by a nurse in a Bombay hospital. Saleem Sinai, the illegitimate son of a poor Hindu woman, and Shiva, the offspring of wealthy Muslims, are fated to live the destiny meant for each other. Their lives become mysteriously intertwined and are inextricably linked to India's whirlwind journey of triumphs and disasters. Starring Satya Bhabha, Shahana Goswami, Rajat Kapoor, Seema Biswas, Shriya Saran, Siddharth, Ronit Roy, Rahul Bose, Kulbushan Kharbanda, Soha Ali Khan, Anita Majumdar, Zaib Shaikh and Darsheel Safary.The Reluctant Fundamentalist ' Mira Nair, USA North American Premiere
Based on the best-selling novel of the same title, that was translated into 25 languages, The Reluctant Fundamentalist is a riveting international political thriller that follows the story of a young Pakistani man chasing corporate success on Wall Street, who ultimately finds himself embroiled in a conflict between his American dream, a hostage crisis and the enduring call of his family's homeland. Starring Riz Ahmed, Kate Hudson, Kiefer Sutherland and Liev Schreiber.Silver Linings Playbook ' David O. Russell, USA World Premiere
An intense, loving, emotional and funny family story from The Fighter director, David O. Russell. Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence find themselves partners in a secret arrangement to rebuild their broken lives. Robert De Niro yearns to get closer to his son (Cooper), as he tries to keep the family afloat with his compulsive bookmaking. Jacki Weaver and Chris Tucker co-star.Thermae Romae ' Hideki Takeuchi, Japan North American Premiere
Ancient Roman architect Lucius (Hiroshi Abe) is too serious. His inability to keep up with the fast-moving times costs him his job. When a friend takes the dejected Lucius to the public bathhouse to cheer him up, Lucius accidentally slips through time and resurfaces in a modern-day public bath in Japan. There, he meets aspiring young manga artist Mami (Aya Ueto), along with others of the 'flat-faced clan.' Shocked by the many inventive aspects of Japan's bathing culture, Lucius returns to ancient Rome and garners tremendous attention when he implements these novel ideas back in Rome. As he time-slips back and forth between ancient Rome and modern-day Japan, Lucius' reputation as the ingenious, new bath architect begins to grow.Twice Born ' Sergio Castellitto, Italy/Spain/Croatia World Premiere
Gemma visits Sarajevo with her son, Pietro. Sixteen years ago they escaped the war-torn city while the boy's father remained behind and later died. As she tries to repair her relationship with Pietro, a revelation forces Gemma to face loss, the cost of war and the redemptive power of love. Starring Penelope Cruz and Emile Hirsch.SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS
A Few Hours of Spring ' Stéphane Brizé, France North American Premiere
Forty-eight-year-old Alain Evrard is obliged to return home to live with his mother. This situation causes all the violence of their past relationship to rise to the surface. Alain then discovers that his mother has a fatal illness. In the last months of her life, will they finally be capable of taking a step toward each other?Anna Karenina ' Joe Wright, United Kingdom International Premiere
The third collaboration of Academy Award nominee Keira Knightley with acclaimed director Joe Wright, following the award-winning box office successes Pride & Prejudice and Atonement, is a bold, theatrical new vision of the epic love story, adapted from Leo Tolstoy's timeless novel by Academy Award winner Tom Stoppard (Shakespeare in Love). The story powerfully explores the capacity for love that surges through the human heart. As Anna (Knightley) questions her happiness and marriage, change comes to surround her. Also starring Jude Law and Aaron Taylor-Johnson.At Any Price ' Ramin Bahrani, United Kingdom/USA North American Premiere
Set in the competitive world of modern agriculture, ambitious Henry Whipple (Dennis Quaid) wants his rebellious son Dean (Zac Efron) to help expand his family's farming empire. However, Dean has his sights set on becoming a professional race car driver. When a high-stakes investigation into their business is exposed, father and son are pushed into an unexpected situation that threatens the family's entire livelihood.The Attack ' Ziad Doueiri, France World Premiere
In the aftermath of a suicide bombing, an Arab surgeon living in Tel Aviv discovers a dark secret about his wife.Byzantium ' Neil Jordan, United Kingdom World Premiere
Two mysterious women seek refuge in a run-down coastal resort. Clara meets lonely Noel, who provides shelter in his deserted guesthouse, Byzantium. Schoolgirl Eleanor befriends Frank and tells him their lethal secret. They were born 200 years ago and survive on human blood. As knowledge of their secret spreads, their past catches up on them with deathly consequence. Starring Gemma Arterton, Sam Riley and Saoirse Ronan.Capital ' Costa-Gavras, France World Premiere
We are slaves to the Capital. We tremble when it trembles. We celebrate when it grows and triumphs. Who will set us free? Should we liberate ourselves? We should at the very least know those who serve it and how. This is the story of the unstoppable ascent of Marc Tourneuil, an expendable servant of the Capital who became its undisputed master. Starring Gad Elmaleh and Gabriel Byrne.Caught in the Web ' Chen Kaige, Japan/China International Premiere
The story of three women whose worlds collide, Caught in the Web is a social commentary about the 'sound bite' society we are becoming, where perception becomes reality and judgments based on limited facts quickly spread, without regard for the truth or the damage they could cause. Starring Mark Chao, Chen Hong and Gao Yuanyuan.Cloud Atlas ' Tom Tykwer, Andy Wachowski, Lana Wachowski, USA World Premiere
The powerful, inspiring epic Cloud Atlas explores how the actions and consequences of individual lives impact one another throughout the past, the present and the future, as one soul is shaped from a killer into a hero, and a single act of kindness ripples across centuries to inspire a revolution. Starring Tom Hanks, Hugo Weaving, Halle Berry, Susan Sarandon, Jim Broadbent and Hugh Grant.The Deep (Djúpið) ' Baltasar Kormákur, Iceland/Norway World Premiere
On a cold night a few miles off the coast of Iceland in March 1984, a fishing boat sank with all of its men. Miraculously surviving after five hours in the ocean, the exhausted young hulk washes ashore ' only to find himself on a deadly lava field. Starring Ólafur Darri Ólafsson.Dormant Beauty ' Marco Bellocchio, Italy/France International Premiere
Italy is cleaved by Eluana Englaro's drama, who will die after 17 years spent in a vegetative state. This national tragedy will touch and transform various characters, each of them with their own ideology and beliefs. A senator is struggling with his vote on a law he profoundly disagrees with, torn between his conscience and his loyalty towards the leaders of his party. His daughter Maria, a pro-life activist, is protesting in front of the clinic where Eluana is hospitalized. Roberto and his brother are there in opposition, demonstrating for stronger secular values ' yet it is with Roberto, the 'enemy' that Maria falls in love. These and other converging stories are connected by a unique emotional thread: a reflection on the meaning of life. Starring Isabelle Huppert, Toni Servillo, Alba Rohrwacher, Michele Riondino, Maya Sansa, Pier Giorgio Bellocchio, Brenno Placido, Fabrizio Falco, Gian Marco Tognazzi, Roberto Herlitzka.Dreams for Sale ' Nishikawa Miwa, Japan World Premiere
After losing their restaurant in a fire, a husband and wife come up with a strange plan to rebuild their shattered finances: marrying the husband off to a series of lonely women and defrauding them. Starring Matsu Takako, Abe Sadavo and Tanaka Lena.End Of Watch ' David Ayer, USA World Premiere
Academy Award nominee Jake Gyllenhaal and Michael Peña star as young Los Angeles police officers Taylor and Zavala as they patrol south central's meanest streets, creating a riveting portrait of the city's most dangerous corners and the cops who risk their lives there every day.Everybody Has A Plan ' Ana Piterbarg, Argentina International Premiere
Tells the story of Agustín (Viggo Mortensen), a man desperate to abandon what he has gradually come to feel is an unfulfilling existence after years of living in Buenos Aires. Following the death of his identical twin brother Pedro, Agustín sets out to begin his life anew by assuming Pedro's identity and returning to the mysterious Tigre Delta region where the brothers had spent their childhood. Soon after his homecoming, however, Agustín finds himself unwittingly embroiled in the deadly criminal underworld that his brother had been part of.Foxfire ' Laurent Cantet, France/Canada World Premiere
The latest film from Palme d'Or winner Laurent Cantet (Entre les murs) is a vivid adaptation of the celebrated Joyce Carol Oates novel about a small-town girl gang in the 1950s. Starring Ali Liebert and Tamara Hope.Frances Ha ' Noah Baumbach, USA World Premiere
An aspiring dancer (co-writer Greta Gerwig) moves to New York City and becomes caught up in a whirlwind of flighty fair-weather friends, diminishing fortunes and career setbacks, in the new film from director Noah Baumbach (Margot at the Wedding, Greenberg).Ginger and Rosa ' Sally Potter, United Kingdom World Premiere
London, 1962: Two teenage girls, Ginger and Rosa, are inseparable. They play truant together, discuss religion, politics and hairstyles, and dream of lives bigger than their mothers' frustrated domesticity. But as the Cold War meets the sexual revolution, the lifelong friendship of the two girls is threatened. Starring Elle Fanning, Alice Englert, Christina Hendricks, Annette Bening and Alessandro Nivola.Hannah Arendt ' Margarethe von Trotta, Germany World Premiere
Hannah Arendt is a portrait of the genius that shook the world with her discovery of 'the banality of evil.' After she attends the Nazi Adolf Eichmann's trial in Jerusalem, Arendt dares to write about the Holocaust in terms no one has ever heard before. Her work instantly provokes a furious scandal, and Arendt stands strong as she is attacked by friends and foes alike. But as the German-Jewish émigré also struggles to suppress her own painful associations with the past, the film exposes her beguiling blend of arrogance and vulnerability ' revealing a soul defined and derailed by exile. Starring Janet McTeer and Barbara Sukowa.The Hunt ' Thomas Vinterberg, Denmark North American Premiere
A disturbing depiction of how a lie becomes the truth when gossip, doubt and malice are allowed to flourish and ignite a witch-hunt that soon threatens to destroy an innocent man's life. Following a tough divorce, 40-year-old Lucas has a new girlfriend, a new job and is in the process of re-establishing his relationship with his teenage son, Marcus' but things go awry with just a story ' a random lie. And as the snow falls and the Christmas lights are lit, the lie spreads like a virus. The shock and mistrust get out of hand, and the small community suddenly finds itself in a collective state of hysteria, while Lucas fights a lonely fight for his life and dignity. Starring Mads Mikkelsen, Thomas Bo Larsen and Annika Wedderkopp.The Iceman ' Ariel Vromen, USA North American Premiere
The true story of Richard Kuklinski: loving husband, devoted father, ruthless killer. He is believed to have killed more than 250 people between 1954 and 1985. Starring Winona Ryder, Chris Evans, David Schwimmer, Michael Shannon and Ray Liotta.Imogene ' Robert Pulcini, Shari Springer Berman, USA World Premiere
The story of a moderately successful New York playwright who stages a fake suicide attempt in order to win back her ex-boyfriend ' only to end up being forced into the custody of her gambling-addicted mother. Starring Annette Bening, Matt Dillon, Darren Criss and Kristen Wiig.The Impossible ' J.A. Bayona, Spain/USA World Premiere
Based on a true story, The Impossible is the unforgettable account of a family caught in the mayhem of one of the worst natural catastrophes of our time. True-life terror is tempered by the unexpected displays of compassion and simple kindness this family encounters during the darkest hours of their lives. Starring Naomi Watts, Tom Holland, Samuel Joslin, Oaklee Pendergast and Ewan McGregor.In the House ' François Ozon, France World Premiere
A sixteen-year-old boy insinuates himself into the house of a fellow student from his literature class and writes about it in essays for his French teacher. Faced with this gifted and unusual pupil, the teacher rediscovers his enthusiasm for his work, but the boy's intrusion will unleash a series of uncontrollable events. Starring Kristin Scott Thomas.Kon-Tiki ' Joachim Roenning and Espen Sandberg, United Kingdom/Norway/Denmark International Premiere
Thor Heyerdahl is a restless spirit. His radical idea kick-starts an impossible mission. Along with five loyal crew, Thor follows an ancient path 4,300 miles across the Pacific on the fragile Kon-Tiki raft. Attacked by tidal waves, sharks and every danger the Ocean can muster, it's six men battling nature as Kon-Tiki strives to reach land. Having sacrificed everything, even his marriage, Thor must succeed. A true story.The Last Supper ' Lu Chuan, China World Premiere
From internationally acclaimed director Lu Chuan, The Last Supper tells an epic story of war, of ruthless ambition, of mighty dreams fulfilled' and of betrayals ' betrayals of friendship, betrayals of noble ideals, betrayals of oneself.A Late Quartet ' Yaron Zilberman, USA World Premiere
When the beloved cellist of a world-renowned string quartet is diagnosed with a life threatening illness, the group's future suddenly hangs in the balance as suppressed emotions, competing egos and uncontrollable passions threaten to derail years of friendship and collaboration. As they are about to play their 25th anniversary concert ' quite possibly their last ' only their intimate bond and the power of music can preserve their legacy. Starring Philip Seymour Hoffman, Mark Ivanir, Imogen Poots, Christopher Walken and Catherine Keener.
A Liar's Autobiography ' The Untrue Story of Monty Python's Graham Chapman
Ben Timlett, Bill Jones, Jeff Simpson, United Kingdom World Premiere
Graham Chapman, probably best remembered as 'the dead one from Monty Python,' writes and stars in the animated movie of his own life story, A Liar's Autobiography. He was born, he went to Cambridge and met John Cleese, he smoked a pipe, he became a doctor, he became a Python, he decided he was gay (well, 70/30, according to a survey he did on himself), he got drunk a lot, he stopped being drunk, he made some films, he had some sex (actually, a lot), and moved to Los Angeles. Finally, he was whisked up into space by aliens (although that might have been in a film). Starring Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Jones, Michael Palin, Terry Gilliam, Carol Cleveland and Philip Bulcock.
Lore Cate Shortland, Australia/United Kingdom/Germany North American Premiere
After her Nazi parents are imprisoned, Lore leads her younger siblings across a war-torn Germany in 1945. Amidst the chaos, she encounters mysterious Jewish refugee Thomas, who shatters her fragile reality with hatred and desire. To live, she must trust someone she was taught to hate and face the darkness within herself. Starring Saskia Rosendahl and Kai Malina.
Mr. Pip Andrew Adamson, New Zealand World Premiere
In 1991, a war over a copper mine in the South Pacific tore the island of Bougainville apart. The reclusive 'Popeye' (Hugh Laurie) offers the children in fourteen-year-old Matilda's tiny village an escape with Charles Dickens' Great Expectations. But on an island at war, fiction can have dangerous consequences. Also starring Xzannjah Matsi, Healesville Joel, Eka Darville and Kerry Fox.
Much Ado About Nothing Joss Whedon, USA World Premiere
Shakespeare's classic comedy is given a contemporary spin in Joss Whedon's film Much Ado About Nothing. Shot in just 12 days (and using the original text), the story of sparring lovers Beatrice (Amy Acker) and Benedick (Alexis Denisof) offers a dark, sexy and occasionally absurd view of the intricate game that is love. Also starring Clark Gregg, Jillian Morgese, Nathan Fillion, Spencer Treat Clark and Riki Lindhome.
No Pablo Larraín, Chile/USA North American Premiere
In 1988, Chilean military dictator Augusto Pinochet, due to international pressure, is forced to call a plebiscite on his presidency. The country will vote 'Yes' or 'No' to Pinochet extending his rule for another eight years. Opposition leaders for the NO persuade a brash, young advertising executive, Rene Saavedra (Gael García Bernal), to spearhead their campaign. Against all odds, with scant resources and under the scrutiny of the despot's minions, Saavedra and his team devise an audacious plan to win the election and set Chile free.
Outrage Beyond Takeshi Kitano, Japan North American Premiere
As the police launch a full-scale crackdown on organized crime, it ignites a national yakuza struggle between the Sanno of the East and Hanabishi of the West. What started as an internal strife in Outrage has now become a nationwide war in Outrage Beyond.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower Stephen Chbosky, USA World Premiere
Based on the best-selling novel by Stephen Chbosky, The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a modern classic that captures the dizzying highs and crushing lows of growing up. The film is a moving tale of love, loss, fear, hope and the unforgettable friends who help us through life. Starring Logan Lerman, Emma Watson, Ezra Miller, Nina Dobrev, Melanie Lynskey, Paul Rudd and Dylan McDermott.
The Place Beyond the Pines Derek Cianfrance, USA World Premiere
Luke (Ryan Gosling) is a professional motorcycle rider who turns to bank robberies to support his newborn son. But when he crosses paths with a rookie police officer (Bradley Cooper), their violent confrontation spirals into a tense generational feud. The Place Beyond the Pines is a rich dramatic thriller, tracing the intersecting lives of fathers and sons, cops and robbers, heroes and villains. Also starring Rose Byrne, Ray Liotta and Eva Mendes.
Quartet Dustin Hoffman, United Kingdom World Premiere
The directorial debut of Dustin Hoffman, Quartet is a high-drama comedy about temperamental divas and old grudges, passion and pride, romance and Rigoletto, starring Maggie Smith, Tom Courtenay, Billy Connolly and Pauline Collins as four retired opera singers.
Reality Matteo Garrone, Italy/France North American Premiere
Luciano is a Neapolitan fishmonger who supplements his modest income by pulling off little scams with his wife Maria. A likeable, entertaining guy, Luciano never misses an opportunity to perform for his customers and countless relatives. One day, his family urges him to try out for the television show Big Brother. As he chases this dream, his perception of reality begins to change. Starring Aniello Arena, Loredana Simioli, Nando Paone, Nello Iorio and Nunzia Schiano.
Rust and Bone Jacques Audiard, France/Belgium North American Premiere
It all begins in the North of France. Ali suddenly finds himself with a five-year-old child on his hands. Sam is his son, but he hardly knows him. Homeless, penniless and friendless, Ali takes refuge with his sister in Antibes where things improve immediately. She puts them up in her garage and takes the child under her wing. Ali first runs into Stephanie during a night club brawl. He is poor, she is beautiful and self-assured. She trains killer whales at Marineland. When a performance ends in tragedy, a call in the night again brings them together. Starring Marion Cotillard and Matthias Schoenaerts.
The Sapphires Wayne Blair, Australia North American Premiere
They're sexy, black, young, talented, and have never set foot outside of Australia. Until, in the chaos of 1968, they're plucked from the obscurity of a remote Aboriginal mission, branded as the answer to The Supremes ' grasping the chance of a life time ' and shipped off to Vietnam to entertain the troops. Starring Chris O'Dowd, Deborah Mailman, Jessica Mauboy, Shari Sebbens and Miranda Tapsell.
The Sessions Ben Lewin, USA International Premiere
Based on the poignantly optimistic autobiographical writings of California-based journalist and poet Mark O'Brien, The Sessions tells the story of a man confined to an iron lung, who at age 38 is determined to lose his virginity. With the help of his therapists and the guidance of his priest, he sets out to make his dream a reality. Starring John Hawkes, Helen Hunt and William H. Macy.
Tai Chi 0 Stephen Fung, China North American Premiere
Young genius Yang Luchan travels to Chen Village to learn the forbidden secrets of martial arts, but quickly learns that the village is menaced by a formidable battalion of Steampunk soldiers. The villagers realize that in order to save their home, they must trust this strange outsider with their knowledge of Tai Chi.
Thanks for Sharing Stuart Blumberg, USA World Premiere
Thanks for Sharing is a dramatic comedy starring Mark Ruffalo, Tim Robbins, Gwyneth Paltrow, Josh Gad and Joely Richardson. A group of unlikely friends are brought together through shared determination to recover from sex addictions, in order to forge meaningful relationships for the first time in their lives.
The Time Being Nenad Cicin-Sain, USA World Premiere
The Time Being deals with the mysteries discovered in the search for artistic and personal integrity. When Daniel (Wes Bentley) encounters an eccentric would-be benefactor (Academy Award-nominee Frank Langella), Daniel is forced to wrestle with the balance between personal responsibility and his ambitions as an artist.
To The Wonder Terrence Malick, USA North American Premiere
After visiting Mont Saint-Michel ' once known in France as the Wonder ' at the height of their love, Marina (Olga Kurylenko) and Neil (Ben Affleck) come to Oklahoma, where problems soon arise. Marina makes the acquaintance of a priest and fellow exile (Javier Bardem), who is struggling with his vocation, while Neil renews his ties with a childhood friend, Jane (Rachel McAdams). An exploration of love in its many forms.
Venus & Serena Maiken Baird, USA World Premiere
Venus & Serena takes an honest and unfiltered look into the remarkable lives of sisters and tennis legends Serena and Venus Williams. Through the prism of one year in their lives, the film tells the untold story of how these two great stars came to be and how they struggle to stay on top.
Writers Josh Boone, USA World Premiere
An acclaimed writer, his ex-wife and their teenaged children come to terms with the complexities of love in all its forms over the course of one tumultuous year in Writers, the clever, funny, and touching tale of a fractured family trying to rediscover one another. Starring Liana Liberato, Jennifer Connelly, Greg Kinnear, Lily Collins and Kristen Bell.
Zaytoun Eran Riklis, United Kingdom/Israel World Premiere
Zaytoun is the story of the unlikely alliance between a twelve-year-old Palestinian refugee and an Israeli fighter pilot shot down over Beirut in 1982. Their initial distrust develops into friendship as they make their way across war-torn Lebanon on a journey to a place they both call home. Starring Stephen Dorff.
Dear Exhibition Colleagues,
The tragic events that occurred in Aurora, Colorado have been devastating to the victims, their familiesand loved ones, the community, the state and the nation.
As we watch the aftermath unfold and try to make sense of this terrible crime, you should be encouraged by the leadership and dedication of the community of Aurora as they comfort and assist their families and neighbors. The courage of the victims, their families and loved ones, the theater employees involved, the first responders and hospital staff members has steeled the resolve of the community and its leaders to recover from this tragedy and to emerge even stronger than before.
Our industry, as it has countless times before, stands ready to help those in need. Many of you have expressed your concern and asked our guidance on how best to respond to help the victims and their families. We have been working within the industry and with the community leaders in order to give you some direction.
As it has in the past, the generosity and compassion of our industry must focus on the most direct and efficient way of rendering that aid. Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper, and Aurora Mayor Steve Hogan have directed us to The Aurora Victim Relief Fund, which has been established in partnership with Governor Hickenlooper through Community First Foundation. Community First Foundation is a longstanding, trusted community foundation that will direct your gifts to the nonprofit organizations serving those affected. This fund will only be used to meet the immediate and long-term needs of victims, their families and the broad needs of those affected in the community.
Community First Foundation, www.communityfirstfoundation.org, is a 501(c)(3) public charity with a history of effectively and efficiently targeting resources in Colorado to help people in need during times of crisis.
How To Make a Donation
If you would like to generously donate, please write a check to: Community First Foundation
*Dedicate your contribution to assist the victims in Aurora:
Mail to:
Community First Foundation,
6870 W 52nd Avenue, Suite 103
Arvada, CO 80002
If you would like to make an online donation, please go to:
www.GivingFirst.org.You can donate with all major credit cards (Visa, MasterCard, Discover or American Express) or information from a bank account (personal checking).
If the amount you wish to give is $100,000 or more and you would like to do a wire transfer,
You can contact Community First Foundation at 720-898-5900.
On behalf of the entire industry, I appreciate your support.
John Fithian
President & CEO
NATO
Glendale, CA ' July 23, 2012 ' DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc. (Nasdaq: DWA) today announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire Classic Media, owner of one of the most extensive portfolios featuring many of the best-known and most-enduring franchises in all of family entertainment, for $155 million in cash from Boomerang Media Holdings I LLC, a portfolio company of Chicago-based private equity firm GTCR.
Classic Media's library of intellectual property, which is focused on family characters and brands, features a vast collection of filmed entertainment with over 450 titles and more than 6,100 episodes of animated and live-action programming. Classic Media owns one of the world's largest comic book archives and media rights to the titles in the Golden Books library, which have sold over two billion copies worldwide. Their properties have been distributed in over 170 territories around the globe.
With well-established titles such as Casper the Friendly Ghost, Where's Waldo?, Lassie, The Lone Ranger, George of the Jungle and Rocky & Bullwinkle, Classic Media's properties have been a fixture in mainstream entertainment for decades. The Christmas Classics ' Frosty the Snowman, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and Santa Claus is Comin' to Town ' are the longest-running, highest-rated holiday specials in television history. Classic Media counts among its holdings contemporary bestsellers such as VeggieTales and the beloved Olivia property, as well as hits Postman Pat and Noddy in international markets.
'Classic Media brings a large and diverse collection of characters and branded assets that is extremely complementary to DreamWorks Animation's franchise business, and we plan to leverage it across our motion picture, television, home entertainment, consumer products, digital, theme park and live entertainment channels,' said Jeffrey Katzenberg, Chief Executive Officer of DreamWorks Animation. 'Founders and co-CEOs Eric Ellenbogen and John Engelman ' seasoned executives with over 20 years of industry experience and a proven track record of success in managing high-quality content ' have built an amazing team at Classic Media and are a welcome addition to the DreamWorks Animation family.'
Classic Media has approximately 80 employees and is headquartered in New York City, with offices in the UK and a division, Big Idea Entertainment, in Nashville, TN.
'No company knows the family entertainment business better than DreamWorks Animation and we are excited to join their family in a natural extension of our long-standing relationship that began years ago on Mr. Peabody & Sherman,' said Eric Ellenbogen, co-CEO of Classic Media. 'Classic Media brings to the table extensive rights to some of the most beloved family entertainment brands in the world. Our combination with DreamWorks Animation will expand the opportunities for us and for our content and distribution partners around the globe.'
Classic Media's joint venture with Jay Ward Productions, a legend in animation, manages the rights to the entire Jay Ward animated catalog, which includes Rocky & Bullwinkle and Mr. Peabody & Sherman. DreamWorks Animation's 3D feature film Mr. Peabody & Sherman is scheduled for release on December 25, 2013.
'For over 75 years, Classic Media's iconic properties have entertained kids and families around the world with a unique, cross-generational appeal that is also a defining characteristic of DreamWorks Animation's films,' added Bill Damaschke, Chief Creative Officer at DreamWorks Animation. 'We believe their characters and brands will continue to serve as a creative magnet for the industry's top directors, producers and artists.'
For the 12 months ended February 29, 2012, Classic Media earned net revenue of $82.2 million and operating profit of $19.2 million.The acquisition of Classic Media will be financed through a combination of cash and borrowings under DreamWorks Animation's revolving credit facility. The purchase price of $155 million includes amounts required to retire indebtedness.
'As part of DreamWorks Animation's ongoing diversification strategy, this acquisition combines our hit-driven business with Classic Media's extensive and sustainable library revenue stream,' added Lew Coleman, DreamWorks Animation's President and Chief Financial Officer. 'We expect the transaction to be accretive to our earnings in the first full year following the completion of the acquisition.'
The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, including the expiration or termination of the required waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976. DreamWorks Animation expects that the transaction will be completed during the quarter ended September 30, 2012.
J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. acted as financial advisor and Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP and O'Melveny & Myers LLP served as legal advisors to DreamWorks Animation in connection with the transaction. Jefferies & Company, Inc. acted as financial advisor and Kirkland & Ellis LLP served as legal advisor to Classic Media in connection with the transaction.
NEW YORK, July 23, 2012 ' Today, News Corporation unveiled the brand and business of its Education Division. Amplify is dedicated to reimagining K-12 education by creating digital products and services that empower students, teachers and parents in new ways. Amplify will enhance the potential of students with new curricular experiences, support teachers with new instructional tools and engage parents through extended learning opportunities. Amplify will introduce these unique and pioneering offerings in collaboration with AT&T.
'It is our aim to amplify the power of digital innovation to transform teaching and learning and to help schools deliver fundamentally better experiences and results,' said Joel Klein, CEO of Amplify. 'Amplify will introduce new products in a thoughtful way, so that technology can finally live up to its promise to advance learning and augment teaching for students, teachers and parents everywhere. A prosperous economy and an equitable society require that all young people have the chance to succeed and excel, and we're excited about the potential of our products to help achieve that goal.'
'Together, we plan to bring to market a 4G mobile tablet-based experience that we believe will significantly enhance teaching and learning for grades K-12,' said Ralph de la Vega, President and CEO, AT&T Mobility. 'We share Amplify's commitment to education because we believe it is one of the most important things we can do for our company, our communities and our country.'
Bringing Next Generation Analytics, Curriculum and Distribution To Schools
Amplify is organized around three key areas of business that will lift student achievement and teacher fulfillment through 21st century products and services:
' Amplify Insight. Amplify focuses on educational analytics and formative assessment through Wireless Generation, an Amplify company that makes mobile, digital assessment and instructional intervention tools for teachers in order to support K-12 classroom learning. For more than a decade, Wireless Generation has put these innovative technologies in the hands of educators. Today, it serves over 200,000 teachers and over three million students, in all 50 states. Its products and services help teachers and administrators assess learning progress throughout the year, differentiate instruction and adapt curricula to meet individual students' needs.
' Amplify Learning. Amplify is creating new digital curricula that reinvent teaching and learning, beginning with English Language Arts, Science and Math. These classroom-based products combine interactive, rich experiences with rigorous analytics that align to the Common Core State Standards, all driven by adaptive technologies that respond to individual students' needs as they evolve. These new learning experiences are being developed by a team at Wireless Generation, together with some leading partners such as the Lawrence Hall of Science at UC Berkeley and Lapham's Quarterly.
' Amplify Access. Amplify is developing new distribution and delivery mechanisms that bring digital learning experiences into the classroom and extend them beyond the school day ' giving teachers, students and parents a new level of access to educational resources. In collaboration with AT&T, we will offer a tablet-based platform, which bundles curricular and extracurricular content with sophisticated analytic capabilities and 4G connectivity to facilitate personalized instruction and enable anywhere, anytime learning.
Amplify and AT&T will begin to introduce these new curriculum and platform products through pilots in U.S. schools across the country over the course of the 2012-2013 school year. During this pilot phase, AT&T will provide 4G tablets, device management and technical services, and connectivity over the AT&T Wi-Fi network and AT&T 4G network, which is the nation's largest.* The story of Amplify's mission can be found here, and early glimpses of Amplify's products can be seen here.
Creating Meaningful Conversation and Commentary in Digital Education
In addition, Amplify announced the launch of www.amplify.com, a unique new digital forum dedicated to meaningful conversations about teaching and learning. Amplify.com spotlights innovative people and ideas, hosts discussions on the latest topics in education and technology, and aggregates outstanding content on critical issues in education from across the Web.
'I'm proud of the work we've done over the past 18 months to make today's launch possible,' said Klein. 'Now I look forward to our next phase ' to introducing our game-changing products and ushering in a new age of teaching and learning in K-12 education. I hope you'll stay tuned to www.amplify.com as we reveal more details about our products, pilots and partners over the next several months.'
LOS ANGELES, CA (July 23, 2012) ' The Producers Guild of America (PGA) announced today that legendary filmmakers Bob and Harvey Weinstein, co-founders and Co-Chairmen of The Weinstein Company, will be honored with the 2013 Milestone Award. The award will be presented to the Weinsteins at the 24th Annual Producers Guild Awards ceremony on Saturday, January 26, 2013 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.
The Milestone Award is the Guild's highest honor recognizing an individual or team who has made historic contributions to the entertainment industry. In the past, the Producers Guild has paid tribute to such industry leaders as Clint Eastwood, Jeffrey Katzenberg, Steven Spielberg, Walt Disney, James Cameron, Ron Meyer and last year's 2012 recipient Leslie Moonves, among others.
'Beginning in the late 1970s with Miramax Films and continuing through today with The Weinstein Company, Bob and Harvey consistently seek out, nurture and help bring audiences the stories that others are often afraid to tell,' said Producers Guild National Board member and Awards Chair Michael De Luca (MONEYBALL, THE SOCIAL NETWORK). 'Their passionate regard for the spectacular diversity and resolve of the human spirit has brought us such iconic and award-winning films as THE CRYING GAME, SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE, PULP FICTION, THE ENGLISH PATIENT, GOOD WILL HUNTING, THE KING'S SPEECH and most recently, THE ARTIST and the courageous documentary, BULLY. Bob and Harvey's brave dedication to emerging producers and other storytellers has virtually redefined the term 'independent film,' making it possible for some of our culture's most vital stories to break out from the shadows of smaller arthouse theaters into the bright light of large multiplexes around the globe. We salute them for their contributions to our industry, and we are so proud to recognize them with the Guild's highest honor.'
'We couldn't be more thankful to our fellow producers and the many predecessors who've inspired us and guided the independent film world to its present state,' said Bob and Harvey Weinstein. 'It is easy to be dedicated to something you love. Without our peers who've joined us in taking chances on the first time director or the unknown talent, and without the curious audiences who take chances on the movie with subtitles or better yet, no sound or color, we wouldn't be where we are today. We're deeply honored and humbled for this recognition from the Producers Guild of America for our life's work.'
Bob Weinstein, Co-Chairman, The Weinstein Company & Dimension Films
On October 1st, 2005, Bob and Harvey Weinstein officially launched their new multi-media company, The Weinstein Company. Dimension Films, the genre label founded by Bob in 1993 while at Miramax Films, is included under The Weinstein Company banner.
Dimension Films is committed to producing science fiction, thriller, action, family and horror films. Dimension releases include Wes Craven's SCREAM franchise, the hilarious SCARY MOVIE franchise, Golden Globe nominated BAD SANTA, Robert Rodriguez's successful SPY KIDS series, THE OTHERS, for which Dimension received its first ever Oscar nomination, Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino's FROM DUSK TILL DAWN and such genre hits as PIRANHA 3D, THE ROAD, GRINDHOUSE, HALLOWEEN, 1408 and SIN CITY.
Harvey Weinstein, Co-Chairman, The Weinstein Company
Harvey Weinstein launched The Weinstein Company, a multi-media company, with his brother Bob on October 1st, 2005.
Since its launch, TWC and Dimension Films have also released such films as: GRINDHOUSE, 1408, I'M NOT THERE, THE MIST, THE GREAT DEBATERS, VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA, THE READER, THE ROAD, CLERKS II, FACTORY GIRL, HALLOWEEN, A SINGLE MAN, THE TILLMAN STORY, PIRANHA 3D, INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS, BLUE VALENTINE, last year's Academy Award ® winner for Best Picture, THE KING'S SPEECH, and this year's Academy Award ® winner for Best Picture, THE ARTIST.
Harvey Weinstein founded Miramax Films in 1979 with his brother Bob, naming the company after their parents, Miriam and Max. Under Harvey and Bob's leadership, Miramax Films released some of the most critically acclaimed and commercially successful independent feature films, including sixteen Best Picture nominations over a span of sixteen years: THE AVIATOR, FINDING NEVERLAND, CHICAGO, GANGS OF NEW YORK, IN THE BEDROOM, CHOCOLAT, THE CIDER HOUSE RULES, SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE, LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL (LA VITA É BELLA), GOOD WILL HUNTING, THE ENGLISH PATIENT, IL POSTINO (THE POSTMAN), PULP FICTION, THE PIANO, THE CRYING GAME, and MY LEFT FOOT, as well as a Best Picture nomination for THE HOURS, which was a co-production. The outstanding quality of Miramax's films under the Weinsteins' leadership was represented in the company's success in the annual Academy Awards race.
During Harvey and Bob's tenure at Miramax and The Weinstein Company, they have received 303 Oscar nominations and won 75 Academy Awards.
