Focus Features and Working Title Films will begin production in April in the U.K. on an untitled international suspense thriller starring Eric Bana (of Focus’ Hanna) and Golden Globe Award nominee Rebecca Hall (Vicky Cristina Barcelona, The Town). The movie will be directed by John Crowley (Boy A). Focus CEO James Schamus and president Andrew Karpen, and Working Title co-chairs Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner, made the announcement today.

The original screenplay is by Steven Knight, Academy Award nominee for Dirty Pretty Things and BIFA Award nominee for Focus’ Eastern Promises.

Mr. Bevan and Mr. Fellner are producing the film with Chris Clark (The Guard). Focus will hold worldwide rights to the feature, and will commence overseas sales at the Cannes International Film Festival in May.

In the thriller, two ex-lovers, Martin (to be played by Mr. Bana) and Claudia (Ms. Hall) find their loyalties tested and their lives at risk when they are joined together on the defense team in a terrorism trial.

Mr. Schamus and Mr. Karpen said, “Working Title and John Crowley have not only crafted a nail-biting thriller, but an emotional rollercoaster as well – one that speaks to the heart of the human condition in our time.”

Mr. Bevan and Mr. Fellner said, “We’re excited to be collaborating with John, Steven Knight, and these two terrific actors, and we look forward to the movie entertaining audiences and also getting them talking.”

Working Title Films, co-chaired by Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner since 1992, is one of the world’s leading film production companies. Founded in 1983, Working Title has made nearly 100 films that have grossed over $5 billion worldwide. Its films have won 6 Academy Awards, 26 BAFTA Awards, and prestigious prizes at the Cannes and Berlin International Film Festivals. The current release slate includes Tomas Alfredson’s thriller Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, nominated for 3 Academy Awards including Best Actor (Gary Oldman) and 11 BAFTA Awards including Best Film and Best Actor; Baltasar Kormákur’s Contraband, starring Mark Wahlberg and Kate Beckinsale, which recently posted the company’s all-time biggest domestic box office opening weekend; Ken Kwapis’ Big Miracle, starring Drew Barrymore and John Krasinski; and Joe Wright’s epic love story Anna Karenina, starring Keira Knightley, Aaron Johnson, and Jude Law.

In addition to Anna Karenina, and Tinker, Tailor, Solider, Spy, current and upcoming Focus releases include writer/director Dee Rees’ contemporary drama Pariah, nominated for 2 Spirit Awards; Being Flynn, written and directed by Paul Weitz and starring two-time Academy Award winner Robert De Niro and Paul Dano; Moonrise Kingdom, the new feature from Wes Anderson, starring Bruce Willis, Edward Norton, Bill Murray, Frances McDormand, Tilda Swinton, and Jason Schwartzman; Lorene Scafaria’s Seeking a Friend for the End of the World, starring Steve Carell and Keira Knightley; Sam Fell and Chris Butler’s ParaNorman, the new 3D stop-motion comedy thriller from animation company LAIKA; Jamie Travis’ contemporary comedy For a Good Time, Call…, starring Ari Graynor and Lauren Anne Miller; and the historical tale Hyde Park on Hudson, directed by Roger Michell and starring Academy Award nominees Bill Murray and Laura Linney.

Comment And Interact »

comment 

TINKER, TAILOR, SOLDIER, SPY Best Actor Academy Award Nominee Gary Oldman Receiving 6-Film Retrospective in San Francisco;

KQED Sponsoring Free Screenings Including THE CONTENDER, BRAM STOKER’S DRACULA, JFK, PRICK UP YOUR EARS, SID AND NANCY.

Celebrating the iconic characterizations of one of the foremost actors of his generation, San Francisco’s KQED-FM (www.kqed.org), at 88.5-FM, is hosting a free retrospective of Gary Oldman’s movies. Mr. Oldman last week earned his first-ever Academy Award nomination for Best Actor, and is also currently a BAFTA Award nominee, for Focus Features’ Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, in which he portrays tenacious spy George Smiley. Mr. Oldman recently won the San Francisco Critics Circle’s award for Best Actor for his performance; the Circle also voted its Best Adapted Screenplay award to the film’s screenwriters Bridget O’Connor & Peter Straughan, who have also just been Academy Award-nominated.

All screenings, being held on 3 nights from February 6th through 8th, will take place at Landmark’s Bridge Theatre (www.landmarktheatres.com), located at 3010 Geary Boulevard. Tickets are free, and will be available only via RSVP through OldmanRSVP@gmail.com. To RSVP, send an e-mail to the latter address and make sure to include full name; the name of the film(s) to see; and the number of people attending in total.

The films being screened in the series are Sid and Nancy (1986), which starred Mr. Oldman as punk-rock legend Sid Vicious, on Monday, February 6th at 6:30 PM; JFK (1991), in which Mr. Oldman played the infamous Lee Harvey Oswald, on Monday, February 6th at 9:00 PM; The Contender (2000), with Mr. Oldman as U.S. Congressman Shelly Runyon, on Tuesday, February 7th at 6:00 PM; Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992), starring Mr. Oldman as the title character, on Tuesday, February 7th at 9:00 PM; Prick Up Your Ears (1987), with Mr. Oldman as celebrated playwright Joe Orton, on Wednesday, February 8th at 6:30 PM; and Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, on Wednesday, February 8th at 9:00 PM.

Comment And Interact »

comment 

TINKER, TAILOR, SOLDIER, SPY Best Actor Academy Award Nominee Gary Oldman Receiving 6-Film Retrospective in New York City;

WNYC Sponsoring Free Screenings Including THE CONTENDER, BRAM STOKER’S DRACULA, JFK, PRICK UP YOUR EARS, SID AND NANCY;

Gary Oldman to Participate in Live Q&A on February 8th.

Gary Oldman, who last week earned his first-ever Academy Award nomination for Best Actor, will visit Manhattan for a Q&A session immediately following a screening of Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy. He is also currently a BAFTA Award nominee for the Focus Features movie in which he portrays the tenacious spy George Smiley. Celebrating the iconic characterizations of one of the foremost actors of his generation, WNYC Radio (www.wnyc.org) of New York City is hosting a free retrospective of Mr. Oldman’s movies.

All screenings, being held on 3 nights from February 6th through 8th, will take place at Landmark Theatres’ Sunshine Cinema (www.landmarktheatres.com), located at 143 East Houston Street, between 1st and 2nd Avenues. Tickets are free, and will be available only via RSVP through www.OldmanRSVP.com. The Q&A with Mr. Oldman will take place on the final night of the retrospective, following the 7:30 PM screening on Wednesday, February 8th of Focus’ Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, which is nominated for 3 Academy Awards: Best Actor, Best Adapted Screenplay (Bridget O’Connor & Peter Straughan), and Best Original Score (Alberto Iglesias).

The other films being screened in the series are Sid and Nancy (1986), which starred Mr. Oldman as punk-rock legend Sid Vicious, on Monday, February 6th at 6:30 PM; JFK (1991), in which Mr. Oldman played the infamous Lee Harvey Oswald, on Monday, February 6th at 9:00 PM; The Contender (2000), with Mr. Oldman as U.S. Congressman Shelly Runyon, on Tuesday, February 7th at 6:00 PM; Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992), starring Mr. Oldman as the title character, on Tuesday, February 7th at 9:00 PM; and Prick Up Your Ears (1987), with Mr. Oldman as celebrated playwright Joe Orton, on Wednesday, February 8th at 5:00 PM.

Comment And Interact »

comment 

Directed by Jamie Travis and Starring Ari Graynor and Lauren Anne Miller;

Comedy World-Premiered at this Year’S Sundance Film Festival.

Focus Features has acquired worldwide rights to AdScott Pictures’ contemporary comedy For a Good Time, Call…, the debut feature from director Jamie Travis. For a Good Time, Call…, written by Lauren Anne Miller & Katie Anne Naylon, world-premiered this week at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival. Focus CEO James Schamus and president Andrew Karpen made the announcement today.

Two young women, short on the funds needed to live in New York City, agree to room together. But they’re an at-odds couple; Lauren (played by Ms. Miller) is reserved, while Katie (Ari Graynor of The Sitter) is irrepressible. These roommates have nothing in common – until Lauren discovers that Katie is working as a phone-sex operator, and recognizes a good business opportunity. As the money begins to roll in, the two realize the value of not just their booming partnership but their growing friendship.

Ms. Miller and Ms. Naylon produced the movie with Josh Kesselman, Jenny Hinkey, and Jennifer Weinbaum. Ms. Graynor is also an executive producer of the movie along with Daniel M. Miller, who financed the film through his AdScott Pictures. The filmmakers were represented in the transaction by Cinetic Media and Sloss Eckhouse LawCo.

Mr. Schamus said, “The For a Good Time… team have crafted that rarest of combinations – a wildly funny comedy that’s also a genuine and heartfelt celebration of friendship and love. We’re so proud to join them in bringing to the world a film that not only lifted its cheering audiences at Sundance to their feet, but lifted our spirits, too.”

Comment And Interact »

comment 

THE CONTENDER, DRACULA, JFK, PRICK UP YOUR EARS, SID AND NANCY also screen in free 3-night series co-hosted by KCRW.

Gary Oldman to participate in live Q&A on January 11th.

Celebrating 25 years of one actor’s unforgettable screen performances, the ArcLight Hollywood will host a 6-film retrospective of movies starring Gary Oldman. Regarded as one of the foremost actors of his generation, Mr. Oldman will be at the ArcLight in person on Wednesday, January 11th following a showing of Focus Features’ critically applauded Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, in which he stars as tenacious spy George Smiley – the latest in a career full of iconic characterizations.

Focus is co-hosting the free-admission 3-night series with radio station KCRW, 89.9-FM in Los Angeles. Matt Holzman, host of KCRW's Matt's Movies screening series, will conduct the live Q&A with Mr. Oldman on the final night of the retrospective, following the 8:00 PM Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy screening on the 11th. The free tickets will be available only via RSVP through www.OldmanRSVP.com. KCRW will also be offering its listeners a limited number of giveaway tickets to the screenings.

The other films being screened in the series are Sid and Nancy (1986), which starred Mr. Oldman as punk-rock legend Sid Vicious, on Monday, January 9th at 6:30 PM; JFK (1991), in which Mr. Oldman played the infamous Lee Harvey Oswald, on Monday, January 9th at 9:00 PM; The Contender (2000), with Mr. Oldman as U.S. Congressman Shelly Runyon, on Tuesday, January 10th at 6:00 PM; Dracula (1992), starring Mr. Oldman as the title character, on Tuesday, January 10th at 9:00 PM; and Prick Up Your Ears (1987), with Mr. Oldman as celebrated playwright Joe Orton, on Wednesday, January 11th at 5:30 PM.

Comment And Interact »

comment 

James Franco’s THE BROKEN TOWER, Gaukur Úlfarsson’s GNARR,Linda Cardellini, Michael Shannon in Liza Johnson’s RETURN;

Focus World, the unique digital distribution initiative owned and operated by Focus Features, has closed deals on its slate for the first quarter of 2012. The announcement was made today by Focus President Andrew Karpen. The deals were closed by Avy Eschenasy, Executive Vice President, Strategic Planning, Business Affairs and Acquisitions, with Manager, Digital Content Kent Sanderson.

The new Focus World selections include The Broken Tower, directed by Academy Award-nominated actor James Franco, which will be released digitally on January 10th; Gaukur Úlfarsson’s documentary feature Gnarr, which will be released February 7th; and Liza Johnson’s Return, which will be released February 28th.

Launched earlier this year, Focus World identifies and curates the most exciting voices in international and independent cinema. Part of Focus Features’ multi-platform strategy, Focus World presents titles of genuine vision and originality as premiere releases on EST, iVOD, and VOD, along with DVD and other formats.

The Broken Tower was adapted and directed by James Franco. Using a style as daring as its subject, the film chronicles the life of “Lost Generation” poet Hart Crane (portrayed by Mr. Franco). Shot in vivid black-and-white, the film premiered earlier this year at the Los Angeles Film Festival. Gnarr, which premiered at this year’s Tribeca Film Festival, documents comedian Jón Gnarr’s wildly unpredictable campaign for mayor of Reykjavik. The campaign originated as a joke but became a political statement – and achieved an unexpected momentum that swept Mr. Gnarr into office. Gnarr is being released digitally during the height of 2012’s U.S. presidential primary season.
Writer/director Liza Johnson’s Return, which premiered as part of the Directors’ Fortnight at the 2011 Cannes International Film Festival, is a drama about a female U.S. Army reservist who comes home after a tour of duty and has trouble readjusting to small-town life. The movie stars Linda Cardellini (ER), Academy Award nominee Michael Shannon, and John Slattery (Mad Men).
Additionally, Focus World and Entertainment One will release several titles – all already available digitally – on DVD throughout the first quarter of 2012: Alma Har’el’s Bombay Beach, on January 17th, Jon Foy’s Resurrect Dead, on January 31st, and Toniko Melo’s VIPs, on February 14th.

Comment And Interact »

comment 

Pariah Eligible For WGA Consideration As Best Original Screenplay.

In a unique awards campaign initiative, Focus Features is inviting Writers Guild of America members to view its 2011 release Pariah, written and directed by Dee Rees, through an exclusive screener site operated by fulfillment house Deluxe Media Management, a subsidiary of Deluxe Entertainment Services Group Inc.

The digital screener was made available at the site https://considerpariah.com to WGA Members on December 7th, and will remain so until January 6th, 2012. The free rental is for a 48-hour period, which allows WGA members to watch the 86-minute feature film straight through, or to pause their viewing and then return to it within the allotted time period. By way of the screener site, Pariah is viewable through PCs, Macs, and iPads. Deluxe, the fulfillment house that the WGA uses for its mailings, generated with the WGA’s permission usernames and passwords, which were then e-mailed directly to WGA Members. No one can stream the screener unless they are a credentialed user to the site with their assigned username and password.

Earlier this fall, the WGA accepted Pariah as eligible for Writers Guild of America Award consideration. Focus subsequently submitted it into the Best Original Screenplay category. Focus has also made the ongoing Pariah awards screenings schedule available at the site, since WGA members are invited to attend those screenings, as well as a download of Ms. Rees’ screenplay itself. As of December 13th, 20,000 hits for Deluxe’s Pariah site have been recorded.

A rousing success at the 2011 Sundance and Toronto film festivals, Pariah, produced by Nekisa Cooper, is nominated for 2 Spirit Awards including Best Female Lead (Adepero Oduye). The film’s other honors include Excellence in Cinematography (Bradford Young) at Sundance; the Best Breakout Performance (Ms. Oduye) and Best Independent Film awards from the African-American Film Critics Association; and the Gotham Independent Film Award for Breakthrough Director, which Ms. Rees won last month. The movie opens theatrically in New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco on Wednesday, December 28th; and in additional cities in January.

Comment And Interact »

comment 

BEING FLYNN, SEEKING A FRIEND FOR THE END OF THE WORLD, MOONRISE KINGDOM openings set.

Three previously announced Focus Features movies for 2012 release have been assigned confirmed domestic opening dates for the first half of the year. The company made the announcement today.

Being Flynn is the new dramatic feature from Academy Award-nominated writer/director Paul Weitz (About a Boy). Adapted from Nick Flynn’s 2004 memoir Another Bulls—t Night in Suck City, the movie explores bonds both unbreakable and fragile between parent and child. Paul Dano (Little Miss Sunshine and There Will Be Blood) portrays Nick Flynn, a young writer seeking to define himself. He misses his late mother, Jody (four-time Academy Award nominee Julianne Moore), and her loving nature. But his father, Jonathan, is not even a memory, as Nick has not seen the man in 18 years. Jonathan Flynn (two-time Academy Award winner Robert De Niro) has long defined himself as a great writer, “a master storyteller.” Suddenly facing eviction from his apartment, Jonathan impulsively reaches out to Nick and the two come face-to-face. Being Flynn will open in select cities on Friday, March 2nd.

Golden Globe Award winner Steve Carell and Academy Award nominee Keira Knightley star in the comedy Seeking a Friend for the End of the World, which marks the feature directorial debut of screenwriter Lorene Scafaria (Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist). Set in a too-near future, the movie explores what people will do when humanity’s last days are at hand. As the respective journeys of Dodge (Mr. Carell) and Penny (Ms. Knightley) converge, the two spark to each other and their outlooks – if not the world’s – brighten. Seeking a Friend for the End of the World will open in theaters nationally on Friday, April 20th.

Moonrise Kingdom is the new feature from two-time Academy Award nominee Wes Anderson (The Royal Tenenbaums, Rushmore). Set on an island off the coast of New England in the 1960s, the film follows a young boy and girl (newcomers Jared Gilman and Kara Hayward) falling in love. When they are moved to run away together, various factions of the town mobilize to search for them and the town is turned upside down – which might not be such a bad thing. Bruce Willis plays the town sheriff; two-time Academy Award nominee Edward Norton is cast as a camp leader; and Academy Award nominee Bill Murray and Academy Award winner Frances McDormand portray the young girl’s parents. Also in the cast are Academy Award winner Tilda Swinton and Jason Schwartzman. The original screenplay is by Wes Anderson and Roman Coppola (The Darjeeling Limited). Moonrise Kingdom will open in select cities on Friday, May 25th.

In addition to the three newly dated films, current and upcoming Focus Features releases include writer/director Dee Rees’ contemporary drama Pariah, which world-premiered at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival; Sam Fell and Chris Butler’s ParaNorman, the new 3D stop-motion comedy thriller from animation company LAIKA, which was previously announced for a 2012 nationwide domestic release on August 17th; the historical tale Hyde Park on Hudson, directed by Roger Michell and starring Academy Award nominees Bill Murray and Laura Linney; Joe Wright’s epic romance Anna Karenina, adapted from Leo Tolstoy’s classic novel by Academy Award winner Tom Stoppard and starring Keira Knightley, Jude Law, and Aaron Johnson; and Tomas Alfredson’s thriller Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, starring Gary Oldman, Colin Firth, and Tom Hardy.

Comment And Interact »

comment 

Qwerty Films’ Michael Kuhn and Andrea Cornwell producing The Last Days on Mars; Focus Features International to commence sales at AFM.

Academy Award nominated Ruairi Robinson (Fifty Percent Grey, Blinky) is set to direct his first feature film, the highly anticipated thriller The Last Days On Mars based on a script by acclaimed screenwriter Clive Dawson, with design talents including the extraordinary team at WETA (District 9, X-Men First Class and Avatar) behind the special effects. Qwerty Films’Michael Kuhn (The Duchess, Being John Malkovich) and Andrea Cornwell (The Scouting Book for Boys) will produce the film, with Focus Features International handling international sales and distribution. FFI will commence sales at the American Film Market in November.

The Last Days On Mars is currently in pre-production and is expected to start shooting early 2012 on location in Jordan and at Shepperton Studios in the UK.

As their last day on Mars draws to a close, the astronaut crew is on the verge of a major breakthrough - collected rock specimens reveal microscopic evidence of life.  Meanwhile, communication is underway with AURORA, the approaching spacecraft that will relieve the crew of their operations. In their last hours on the planet, two astronauts go back to SITE 9, a cavernous valley on the surface of Mars, to collect further evidence of their discovery. But a routine excavation turns deadly when one of them falls to his death and his body taken host and re-animated by the very life form they sought to discover.

Michael Kuhn said, “I have loved making sci-fi films since I made Pitch Black and for The Last Days On Mars we have assembled a great team to do justice to a wonderful and commercial script”.

Focus Features International Co-President Alison Thompson commented, “We are looking forward to working with exciting new filmmaker Ruairi Robinson who has already showcased his talent with a number of short films, and we are also thrilled to be involved in a project together with renowned producer Michael Kuhn who will help guide Ruairi’s vision for the film”.

Comment And Interact »

comment 

Entertainment One U.S. announces agreement with Focus Features to release Focus World titles on DVD in the U.S.

The first two titles to be released under this agreement are Thomas Vinterberg’s Submarino and Alma Har’el’s Bombay Beach.

Entertainment One (eOne) has entered into a U.S. agreement with Focus Features to release select titles on DVD from their recently launched digital premiere label Focus World.  The first title under the agreement is the award-winning film Submarino from Thomas Vinterberg. Bombay Beach, which won the documentary prize at this year’s Tribeca Film Festival, will debut digitally November 1st, and roll out on DVD in January. Launched earlier this year as a Focus Features digital distribution initiative, Focus World identifies and curates the most exciting voices in international and independent cinema. Part of Focus Features’ multi-platform strategy, Focus World presents titles of genuine vision and originality as premiere releases on EST, iVOD, and VOD, along with DVD and other formats. “We are thrilled to be working with Focus Features and to align our company with an innovative brand like Focus World, which is striving to present quality, daring and bold filmmaking to consumers,” commented Michael E. Rosenberg, President Film & Distribution, Entertainment One U.S. Set in modern-day Copenhagen, Submarino, Focus World’s premiere DVD release through Entertainment One, tells the unforgettable story of two brothers, long estranged and haunted by a dark secret buried in their past.  The winner of Scandinavia’s top film award, Submarino is directed by Thomas Vinterberg, whose earlier film The Celebration is also part of the Focus Features library and is now available on various platforms, including iTunes, for the first time ever.
Bombay Beach, the award-winning documentary from director Alma Har’el and producer Boaz Yakin, paints a vivid, stylistic portrait of a forgotten California town and its unique inhabitants, beautifully realized and set to the music of Beirut and Bob Dylan. It has played at festivals throughout the world, including Berlin and Tribeca, where it received the documentary prize.

Comment And Interact »

comment