The Independent Film & Television Alliance (IFTA®) praised the U.S.-Chinese Film Agreement concluded today, which will offer unprecedented opportunities for the U.S. Independent film industry in China. ”For Independents, this agreement is momentous,” said IFTA President-CEO Jean Prewitt. “Our sector has been unable to benefit fully from the existing revenue-sharing importation quotas and has had limited avenues through which to distribute.  For the first time, through th...

    One of the most significant Asian "New Wave" film directors, Hong Kong filmaker, Ann HUI,  is present this year, at Udine Far East Festival to talk about her beginnings in the cinema industry of that country.  Commissioned by the national broadcaster and ICAC, the anti-corruption entity to create a series of shows on various aspects crime prevalent in the 1970's such as bribery of government officials, kickbacks, corruption  of innocents and minors e...

Significant Hong Kong Director, Ann HUI, on hand at Fareast Udine to present anti-corruption 70s TV Serial and new film One of the most significant Asian "New Wave" film directors, Hong Kong filmaker, Ann HUI, is present this year, at Udine Far East Festival to talk about her beginnings in the cinema industry of that country. Commissioned by the national broadcaster and ICAC, the anti-corruption entity to create a series of shows on various aspects crime prevalent in the 1970's such as briber...

The Global Film Initiative, a non-traditional film distributor specializing in independent films from the developing world, today announced the membership of its Film Board, internationally-recognized filmmakers, producers and visionaries who support the mission of The Initiative. The sixteen charter members of the Film Board span four continents, and share a passion for independent film from the developing world. Through these industry leaders, The Global Film Initiative reaches out to communi...

The Italian journalists so far think that George Clooney's Good Night and Good Luck is the best film in the international competition but the journalists don’t select the awards. Still, often what film critics think turns out to be right. Add to the list Fernando Meirelles' The Constant Gardener , screened today at the fest, another strong contender for the Lion. The Venezia 62 international jury is composed of the Chinese scriptwriter and author Acheng, French filmmaker Claire Denis, Israeli ...

San Diego Asian Film Festival Rides The Wave of Success In 5th YearSan Diego Asian Film Festival now in it’s 5th year will commence this October 21st, 2004, opening with the independent feature film from Hawaii, THE RIDE. The Festival runs form October 21st to October 24th, with most films screening at the Mann Hazard Center 7 Theaters in Mission Valley. THE RIDE was a hit at the Hawaii International Film Festival were an estimated 15,000 festival attendee’s watch outdoors at Waikiki Beach...

The international juries of the 61st Venice Film Festival Venezia 61. - Venezia Orizzonti - Venezia Cinema Digitale Venezia 61 - Golden Lion John Boorman (UK, President). Director. He began his career as a documentary filmmaker in 1955 at the BBC. He won the Best Director Award at Cannes in 1998 for The General (the story of an Irish criminal) and in 1970 for Leo the Last (with Marcello Mastroianni). What stands out in his work is his great iconographic and narrative talent. Since his first Ame...

Legendary first version of Cassavetes' SHADOWS screened in RotterdamThe legendary 'lost' first version of John Cassavetes' ground-breaking first feature SHADOWS (1959) will receive its first screening in over forty five years (presented by its finder Professor Ray Carney) as part of the International Film Festival Rotterdam 2004's 'Cinema Regained' programme. In 1960, Jonas Mekas described this first version of SHADOWS as 'the most frontier-breaking American feature film in at least a decade.' (...

IFFR 2004 will screen the world premiere of famous French director Catherine Breillat's ANATOMY OF HELL (ANATOMIE DE L'ENFER) just prior to its release in France. This film is one of the highlights in a series of premieres of the upcoming Rotterdam edition. IFFR also announces the first seven titles selected for the 2004 VPRO Tiger Awards Competition. Two more filmmakers are honoured with a 'Filmmaker in Focus' programme: Ken Jacobs (USA) and Tunde Kelani (Nigeria).The following seven titles are...

On Saturday the 29th the competition arena of Nantes’ 3 Continents was haunted by the cinematic ghosts of Tsai Ming-liang’s Goodbye Dragon Inn (Bu San) and by the torturing spectres of a dramatic political past in Pakistani Sabiha Sumar’s Silent Waters (Kamosh Pani). Tsai’s sixth feature, winner of the Fipresci award in Venice, pays homage to cinema and to the magic experience of viewing films in movie theatres. Taking an old theatre bound to permanently shut its doors as his actual prot...