'Gomorra'- Italian entry for Foreign Language Oscar wins top prizes at the 2008 European Film Awards
COLOGNE, Germany- The Italian crime mosaic Gomorra (Gomorrah) was the big winner at the 2008 European Film Awards (EFAs). Debuted in Cannes, where it won the Grand Prix, 'Gomorro' is Italy's nominee for the 2009 foreign-language film Oscar, competing against India's 'Taare Zamin Par' and many others. Read more »
New Germany and France film fund of $376,000 from 2009
Germany and France are considered to be the best friends in the EU community. Now they are going to launch a $376,000 (Euros 300,000) co-development fund from 2009. The news was announced at this year's Franco-German Film Rendez-Vous in Hamburg. 300 German and French producers, distributors and film funders attended the three-day annual event which alternates between France and Germany Read more »
'Shoot On Sights' hits UK screens
'Shoot On Sight' - much talked about film inspired by the July 7, 2005 underground bombings in London- has been released in 100 cinemas of the UK, Friday, August 22, 2008. Huge posters of the controversial thriller, directed by Jagmohan Mundhra, can be seen on London's red buses and phone booths. Producer Aron Govil has said that a portion of the profits from his 'Shoot On Sight' will be donated to the London bombings memorial planned for Hyde Park. Read more »
Bollywood Unplugged on Fox Business TV with India EU Film Initiative
With 1000 films and about 4 billion cinema tickets per year, Indian film industry is attracting world's attention for another reason; it's phenomenal growth, about 17 per cent, during the last two years. On Tuesday, August 12, 2008, India EU Film Initiative's Editor, Pervaiz Alam, was interviewed on Rupert Murdoch's Fox Business Network by Ashley Webster in London to explain how Spielberg and Hollywood could benefit by aligning themselves with Bollywood. Watch Pervaiz Alam's Interview. Read more »
50 cinema halls in UK get public money for renovation
London. More than 50 independent cinemas across the UK have benefited from a £475,000 injection of Lottery cash from the UK Film Council to help upgrade facilities and enhance the cinema-going experience for audiences, according to a press release issued July 30, 2008. Read more »
Sir Ben Kingsley and Danny Boyle pay tribute to Mumbai as ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ wins top British award
London-"It's a city with a big heart that's been wounded this week, but it will recover," said Danny Boyle, ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ director, referring to the terrorists attacks that killed about 200 people in Mumbai last week. "It is weird to win this at the end of what's been a terrible week," added Boyle as his film, set in Mumbai, won Best Film prize at the British Independent Film Awards, Sunday, November 30, 2008.The film is tipped to win 'Best Movie' Oscar at the forthcoming Academy Awards. Read more »
UK Minister and top Bollywood stars celebrate historic agreement
An era of closer collaboration between Indian and UK film-makers began as Britain's film Minister Barbara Follett launched a historic film co-production on the set of major Bollywood movie London Dreams, Wednesday, October 22, 2008. Now, any Indian filmmaker who wants to collaborate with a British producer under the treaty will have access to a range of benefits including tax breaks, sources of funding and practical support. Read more »
Abhishek Bachchan leads the Indian Film season 2008 on Channel 4
Britain's Channel 4 is the only mainstream television channel in the UK that has been screening Indian film seasons for now almost two decades. And the person behind the whole show has always been Nasreen Munni Kabir who used to produce Britain's only regular programme of Indian cinema- Movie Mahal, again, on Channel 4 in the 1980s. This year's season, starting from September 7, Sunday and Thursday nights, will celebrate the works of Abhishek Bachchan, Sharmila Tagore, Goutam Ghose and Anupam Kher. All films will be preceded by a 5 minute introduction with the Star/Director featuring in season. Read more »
61st Locarno Film Festival 6-16 August
61st Locarno International Film Festival (6- 16 August, 2008) is expected to attract about 200,000 people in the beautiful Swiss-Italian town of Locarno. Patriotic Indians must not read the following information as Locarno has proved to be another disaster for the Indian cinema. About 180 feature films from all over the world will be screened but India does not feature in any of the major categories.The festival, founded in 1946, has a special focus on cinema from emerging countries and Latin America. Read more »
Is the British film industry in crisis?
The number of international co-productions being shot in Britain has plummeted, claims a report-The big exodus: Is the British film industry in crisis?- published in the British daily 'The Independent' Thursday, June 5. This report assumes importance as the details of newly signed Co production Treaty between India and the UK emerge. It's summer time and one can see Bollywood film units have started arriving in London. But only Bollywood would not be able to revive the sagging morale of the British film industry. Read more »