Thursday, November 24, 2011

Salute to Mexican cinema

Faouzi Bensaidi's 'Death for Sale' will close the 11th annual fest.The 11th edition of the Marrakech Film Fest will highlight Mexican pics such as 'Miss Bala.'Always a colorful occasion -- blessed by winter sun and the Red City's unique blend of art deco and Moorish charms -- this year's 11th Marrakech Film Festival includes showcases of Mexican and Moroccan cinema, via a country tribute to Mexico and a record six national films in the fest line-up, including Marrakech's openers and closers.Fest VPs Noureddine Sail and Faical Laraichi are delighted by fest's growing maturity and the opportunity to highlight local talent."The vision of his majesty (King Muhammad VI) when he created the festival in 2001 was to help Moroccan cinema," says Laraichi. "It takes time to develop mentalities."This year we're seeing the results of this process. The fest offers a window on world cinema and is bulwarking the domestic film industry.""This year is the first time I've seen so many strong films from Morocco," says fest artistic director Bruno Barde. "Just as Cannes helped French cinema and Berlin helped German cinema, Marrakech has aided Moroccan cinema and is now reaping the fruits."The fest opens with Narjiss Nejjar's thwarted love story "The Rif Lover" and closes with Faouzi Bensaidi's noir heist movie "Death for Sale."There are also four Moroccan films in the fest's Coup de Coeur sidebar: Leila Kilani's "On the Edge," Hisham Lasri's "The End," Ahmed Boulane's homecoming drama "The Return of the Son" and Mohamed Nadif's emigration comedy "Andalusia, My Love!"Red carpet guests include helmers jury prexy Emir Kusturica, Jean-Jacques Annaud, Roland Joffe, Terry Gilliam, Marco Bellocchio and Roschdy Zem, plus thesps Sigourney Weaver, Jessica Chastain, Diego Luna and Maya Sansa.Many are returning to Marrakech, which highlights the seductive appeal of the fest's informal family-style network that has been nurtured since 2001 by its director, Melita Toscan du Plantier.The 15-film competitive official selection includes 11 debut features."I'm drawn towards first films because they're often more radical, demanding and rigorous," Barde says. "They tend to exude greater urgency, emotional violence, power and strength."Barde says this year's selection "reflects a world in a state of deep distress."The titles competing for Marrakech's Gold Star for best film -- the honor includes a $50,000 Moroccan TV rights deal from pubcaster SNRT -- are among others, Amir Hossein Saghafi's Iranian retribution pic "Death Is My Profession," Montxo Armendariz's child-abuse drama "Don't Be Afraid," Michale Boganim's Chernobyl disaster piece "Land of Oblivion," Mark Jackson's caregiver drama "Without," Cyril Mennegun's slice-of-life tale "Louise Wimmer," Frederikke Aspock's island melodrama "Out of Bounds" and Justin Kurzel's serial-killer pic "Snowtown."The out-of-competition section, focusing on more mainstream features by established directors, includes Annaud's oil-feud epic "Black Gold," Ami Canaan Mann's crime drama "Texas Killing Fields," Nobuhiro Yamashita's political thriller "My Back Pages" and Cristina Comencini's disturbed mother tale "When the Night."Mexico receives this year's country tribute, given the strength of its films over the past decade.Fest VP Faical Laraichi points out that Mexican culture is by no ways alien to Moroccans and says Mexican telenovelas are actually some of the most popular shows on Moroccan television.The 25-person Mexican delegation includes directors Pablo Aldrete, Alejandro Gerber Bicecci, Everardo Valerio Gout and Rigoberto Perezcano; thesps Luna and Stephanie Sigman; producer Jaime Romandia; and agent Jorge Mondragon.The Mexican tribute includes Pablo Aldrete's Western "River of Gold" in official selection, Gerardo Naranjo's explosive blockbuster "Miss Bala," Gout's loco crime epic "Days of Grace," Carlos Carrera's priest temptation pic "Crime of Father Amaro," Arturo Ripstein's lush melodrama "The Virgin of Lust" and four titles from the Three Amigos: Guillermo del Toro's "Pan's Labyrinth," Alfonso Cuaron's "Y tu mama tambien" and Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu's "Amores perros" and "Biutiful."Master classes are a regular feature at Marrakech, and always bring a high turnout of students from local film schools including those from the plush ESAV Marrakech film school founded in 2007 and godfathered by Martin Scorsese.Helmers providing master classes this year are Annaud, Joffe, Terry Gilliam, Bellocchio and Nuri Bilge Ceylan.Student filmmakers from Morocco's budding network of film schools will compete in the Cinecoles short film competition, which was launched last year and shows 10 films from six schools, with a top film cash prize of $30,000 for the production to make another short. Sigourney Weaver is jury prexy.This year's program of open-air screenings in Marrakech's distinctive Jamaa el Fna square -- in the company of fire-eaters, snake charmers and fortune tellers -- includes Zem's Moroccan 2012 Oscar entry, "Omar Killed Me," Gilliam's "Doctor Parnassus" and football bio docu "Maradona by Kusturica."Sail says within the next four to five years he would like to add a film market at Marrakech, taking advantage of Morocco's position as a unique cultural crossroads.HIGHLIGHTS The Rif LoverOpening-night film. 20-year-old girl is jailed for being a drug baron's lover.Director: Narjiss NejjarStarring: Omar Lotfi, Nadia Kounda Don't be AfraidA young woman tries to come to terms with years of abuse by her father.Director: Montxo ArmendarizStarring: Michelle Jenner, Lluis Homar, Belen Rueda River of GoldApaches, Mexican settlers and American soldiers have a showdown in 1854.Director: Pablo AldreteStarring: Stephanie Sigman, Gonzalo Lebrija SnowtownA teenage boy becomes an accomplice in a serial-killing spree in Australia.Director: Justin KurzelStarring: Lucas Pittaway, Daniel Henshall, Louise Harris WithoutA young woman becomes caretaker to an old man in a vegetative state.Director: Mark JacksonStarring: Joslyn Jensen, Ron Carrier Death for SaleClosing-night film. Three friends decide to rob a jewelry store.Director: Faouzi BensaidiStarring: Fehd Benchemsi, Fouad Labiad, Mouchcine MalziFEST TRAVELER: MARRAKECH FILM FESTIVALSalute to Mexican cinema | Freedom fuels Arab oasis | Homegrown tales power Moroccan tube | Arab Spring signals return of foreign films Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com

Friday, November 18, 2011

'Arrested Development' to return on Netflix

'Arrested Development'Netflix is certification new cases of the tv series "Arrested Development" from last century Fox Television and Imagine Television. The perimeters struck a deal while using streaming service that will launch new cases of the Emmy-winning comedy noisy . 2013, the studio confirmed. The options of "Development" returning in TV and film forms was elevated lately when the show's creator, Mitch Hurwitz, introduced inside an appearance within the NYer Festival he was set on returning the series' original stars, including Jason Bateman and may Arnett, for the next go-round. "Arrested" stood a considerably acclaimed work on Fox from 2003-2006, nevertheless the network canceled the series given its ratings were always modest at best. All of the series regulars have expressed fascination with returning and so are expected back, though no deals are actually done. How that will work will probably be interesting given many of them are maintaing busy careers. "Arrested" player Arnett is presently round the NBC series "Up With The Evening" and also the other alum, Portia p Rossi, is installed on a greater-profile project in rise in the Peacock. Where this leaves the recommended "Arrested" feature film isn't apparent. While one source familiar with the project mentioned it's presently in development at Fox Searchlight, another source within the studio declined it absolutely was a dynamic project. Hurwitz's vision in the film wound up being to schedule it following a series go to have the ability to drive curiosity about this area office, but at least it seems the film and TV aren't installed on each other. Hurwitz was executive producer of "Arrested" with Imagine principals Ron Howard and John Grazer. The creating pair launched a disagreement: "Obtaining a challenge from cancellation rarely happens, however, 'Arrested' always involved as unconventional simply because they get, so that it seems totally appropriate this demonstrate that broke the mold is smashing it to pieces once again.Inch That Netflix has emerged the champion from the investing in an offer war that apparently incorporated pay-TV player Showtime will probably be seen as real coup for your service, which already gave Hollywood notice in March it's in the initial programming business in the large way if the bought a 22-episode adaptation in the BBC drama "House of Cards" set to premiere next season. Experts thought "Cards," that will include Kevin Spacey installed on star and David Fincher to executive produce, cost Netflix $100 million to obtain the rights from Media Rights Capital. Financial the "Arrested" deal aren't known but sometimes be substantial due to the standard of talent involved. While Netflix's market capital was sent spinning in recent several days after ill-advised options regarding its prices, the requirement of original programming may be the greater as content companies have held the street at giving the service Tv shows that are in-season. Since Netflix started certification original series, the service remains seen as potential deliverer for ill-fated productions which get shuttered inside the objections from the recognition they canrrrt sustain them. But saving a reveal that accompany a built-in audience--although one they canrrrt survive on tv--may well be a safer strategy than creating a new property from whole cloth. The hedge on "Cards" is always that its narrative is becoming an assessment run inside the U.K. though different talent on sides from you. Ted Sarandos, chief content officer at Netflix mentioned in the deal, "'Arrested Development is probably the finest American comedies in TV background its return through Netflix is a perfect illustration of how we'll work carefully with art galleries and systems to provide clients with entertainment they love,'" mentioned Ted Sarandos, Netflix Chief Content Officer. The return of "Development" is a stunner trained with is rare the series returns carrying out a protracted absence, though 20th and Fox have observed precedent here: Animated series "Family Guy" was canceled in 2001 only to be elevated three years later following a series exercised well on DVD too as with distribution. Contact Andrew Wallenstein at andrew.wallenstein@variety.com

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Will Mad Males Fast-Toward 2011 within the Series Finale?

Jon Hamm Since debuting in 2007, Mad Males has single-handedly made the '60s awesome again, nevertheless the show may skip ahead to the present day for Don Draper's final curtain call. "I understand how the entire show finishes," series creator Matthew Weiner told Grantland. "It found me in the heart of last season. It's my job to felt like it may be the help of human existence. And human existence features a destination. It doesn't mean Don's gonna die. Things I am trying to find, and the way I am hoping to complete the show, is similar to ... It's 2011. Don Draper might be 84 at this time around. If only to depart the show in the place where you own an idea of exactly what it meant and the way it's connected along with you.Inch Mad Males deal is carried out: Matthew Weiner aboard for just two more seasons The fifth season of Mad Males will premiere this spring following a lengthy hiatus, and both AMC and Weiner have agreed that it's going to conclude red-colored carpet seasons. "All If only to complete is not placed on the welcome," he mentioned. "Am I Going To know everything that's gonna happen? No, I don't. But The most effective to ensure that it's entertaining which i would like people to consider it fondly and not think it brought to some fart." How will you want Mad Males to complete? Do you want to see an 84-year-old Don Draper?

Monday, November 14, 2011

Amazing Race's Laurence and Zac: The U-Turn and Getting Lost "Pushed Us Over the Edge"

Laurence and Zac Sunderland The Amazing Race's Laurence and Zac Sunderland survived Zac's two left feet at the Roadblock and a U-Turn, and were seemingly on their way to the Pit Stop when they got hopelessly lost for two hours. "They had some weird signs in Copenhagen and we ended up getting lost," Zac, who at 17 was the youngest person to sail solo around the world in 2009, tells TVGuide.com. "We took some wrong turns, got some bad advice and it kind of did us in in the end." Find out why traffic was so bad, why they had no luck with the locals and the scoop on Laurence's old rock band.Amazing Race's Justin and Jennifer: It was a "huge mistake" not biking backWhen did you notice you were going the wrong way?Zac: Like two or three times. It was just very hard to turn around.Laurence: Almost a day before we arrived in Denmark, they had a deluge of rain and some of the freeways were closed. It made it very difficult traffic-wise, aside from getting lost.Zac: Yeah, one of the main freeways we were on was actually shut down, like a six-lane road just completely shut down and grinded to a halt from flooding. A bunch of places downtown were still bailing out the water.How long did it take for you to get on the right track?Zac: We were always making progress toward the general area of Copenhagen we were supposed to be going to. It was a pretty unknown area. We probably asked like 40 people and each time we got a different answer. It took us a lot longer than normal.Laurence: What I thought was also interesting in Copenhagen was that not a lot of people were willing to help when you asked. Some of them walked the other way or rolled up the window of their car. It was just interesting that in other countries that we had been to, people were just all too willing to help, but in Copenhagen, it was the opposite. Not just our team, but I think other teams experienced difficulties working with the locals too, like [Marcus and Amani]. I think they were camera-shy or something.Do you know how far behind Jeremy and Sandy you were?Zac: We don't really know. Well, when we actually left [the Detour], I think they were right behind us. Somewhere along on the road they overtook us while we got lost.When you got lost, what was your mindset? Did you think you were last or did you think other teams may be in the same predicament?Laurence: We had a good idea we were last or second to last, but we didn't know until we parked out car and counted the cars that were there. Then it was like, "Oh, OK. We're the last car here." [Laughs] There's a lot of luck involved in this. We gave it our best shot.Amazing Race's Liz and Marie: Our cabbie ripped us offYou started the leg off so well, getting the earlier flight. You got to the castle first and then dancing slowed you down. Zac: Yeah, dancing took me way too long. That was not one of my prouder moments! But it was cool to go in the old castle. It took us a while to find that too, but we were one of the first teams to find it. It was an obscure clue. It wasn't painted with yellow and red like the clues were in the previous seasons. You had to do a lot of digging yourself and we found a guy to show us where the castle was, but we lost a couple places there.Could you tell from the initial clue that the Roadblock involved dancing?Zac: We literally drove our rental car into the main square of the castle. I'm not sure if we were supposed to do that. But we picked up the clue and I forget what it actually said, but it said something about medieval merriment, and you only have a few minutes to decide, so I took it because my dad had done the last two Roadblocks and I wanted to get in there and do one. And it turned out to be dancing! It took awhile, but we still weren't in last place when we left.How surprised were you that Bill and Cathi U-Turned you?Laurence: I still have a dartboard in my room with their picture on it! [Laughs] I'm kidding!Strategically for the whole race, for them and Ernie and Cindy, the snowboarders would've been the better target since they've won so many legs, but do you understand why they picked you?Zac: We thought about that a little while after we were eliminated. "Oh, they should've done this. They should've done that." But in the heat of the moment, you're going to do what you think is right. They were probably shocked they were U-Turned and then you have a few seconds with that board to figure out what teams are right behind you. I don't think they thought we were going to be completely kicked off, just that we'll be bumped back a little bit. But the U-Turn combined with getting lost pushed us over the edge.Amazing Race's Kaylani and Lisa: We're shocked Marcus forgot the answerYou wasted your U-Turn last leg on Marcus and Amani. What happened there?Zac: We weren't actually sure they had found the U-Turn yet. We thought they and Jeremy and Sandy were both behind us, but it turned out it was Jeremy and Sandy, and Justin and Jennifer.You've made a lot of little mistakes each leg. Do you think they all added up in the end?Zac: Yeah, a couple things didn't come together. But I think everyone makes mistakes. Everything is so in the moment that you have to go with it 100 percent and see where it takes you. You can't waste too much time making sure everything's perfect. It's a race and you have to keep going.I love that you were eliminated next to a ship. Zac: Yeah! [Laughs] I didn't know what the place was, but it was cool to see it was a ship. We didn't get to on it, but I heard the other teams had some fun there.Laurence, what's this about you being in a rock band back in the day?Laurence: How did you hear that? [Laughs] Yeah, before I came to America, I was the frontman of a rock 'n' roll band called Xyphoid. I enjoyed it immensely. I still play a little bit for my kids. I don't need my ego fed as much in this day and age! We had a lot of fun. ... It was an Australian band, and right when Irving Azoff and all the big guys in Hollywood were calling us, our visas were running out and I met this beautiful, wonderful lady who is now my wife and the mother of all my children. I ended up going back to England and coming out here and becoming a citizen of the country.What are you up to now?Zac: I'm out in Long Beach right now, getting some stuff together for another adventure, got some new management on board [for] another sailing adventure.Laurence: I started a company called WorldWind Productions and we produced a documentary called Wild Eyes: The Abby Sunderland Story and Intrepid: The Zac Sunderland Story. I also run the Sunderland Yacht Management and Shipwright Co. and I'm chasing the six kids who are still at home. We're keeping pretty busy here!

Sunday, November 13, 2011

Kenneth Starr's Ex-Stripper Wife Joins 'Wall Street Wives' (Report)

Diane Passage, the estranged wife of jailed money manager Kenneth Starr, has decided to take part in the Wall Street Spouses reality show presently in development. The first kind stripper filed divorce in the federal prisoner this summer time. Starr -- to not be mistaken with former judge, Bill Clinton investigator and Baylor College judge Ken Starr -- is presently doing time for fraud and cash washing. Passage is Starr's 4th wife. She told the NY Occasions she became a member of Wall Street Spouses because "it simply appeared like fun. I'd learned about it, but I believed it was around the air already." PHOTOS: THR's Reality Host Roundtable Passage adds that they "pointed out" the show to Starr throughout among her prison visits but "he doesn't obtain a say" in whether she does the series or otherwise. Wall Street Spouses has been created by Devon Fleming. The show hasn't found a network home and Fleming continues to be rounding the cast. Fleming is, however, pleased to have arrived Passage for that project. She informs the Occasions, "She gets a lot of things. She still visits her husband in jail a great deal, and she or he could not be better." Related Subjects TV Development

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Twilight 'Breaking Dawn' Premiere: Fans Already Organizing

Maybe you have requested the die-hard status of 'Twilight' fans, this story should convince you rather quickly. In line with the Twilight Twitter page, people happen to be beginning to setup for your L.A. premiere of 'Breaking Beginning, Part I' -- four-and-a-half days before it even happens. So, if you are looking at catching a look at Christian Serratos, Rachelle Lefervre and Rachelle Lefervre, you might like to get through to the Nokia Theater in La immediately for Monday night's red-colored-colored carpet event (which, incidentally, we'll be live streaming here on Moviefone). Just just in case that's insufficient incentive, there is a huge 'Breaking Dawn' wedding cake displayed there, too. (Picture ahead.) This premiere craziness does boost the question: When will fans start organizing for next week's evening time relieve the film? Theater entrepreneurs, you are ready to get the obstacles out. [via @Twilight] [Photo: @Twilight] 'The Twilight Saga: Breaking Beginning' Comic-Disadvantage Red-colored-colored Carpet See All Moviefone Galleries » Follow Moviefone on Twitter Like Moviefone on Facebook

Friday, November 4, 2011

Jennifer Lopez To Defend Myself Against Carmen Sandiego

First Released: November 4, 2011 2:52 PM EDT Credit: Getty Images Caption Jennifer Lopez attends the main city FM Summer season Ball at Wembley Stadium on June 12, 2011 working in london, EnglandLOS ANGELES, Calif. -- Where on the planet is Jennifer Lopez? The celebrity is arranged to create and perhaps star in a giant screen live-action version from the famous gaming-switched-animated series Where on the planet Is Carmen Sandiego?, based on Deadline. If she does star within the feature, she'd take part in the title character among the mobile phone industry's finest detectives who becomes the mobile phone industry's finest crook. Its then as much as her ex-partner to discover if shes really gone bad. This wouldnt be the very first time Carmen Sandiego was acquired like a movie. In the 90's, Disney attempted to build up a version starring Sandra Bullock, however it never materialized, based on Deadline. J. Lo lately wrapped production around the film What to anticipate When You Are Expecting, co-starring Cameron Diaz. She'll resume her knowing responsibilities around the eleventh season of yankee Idol once the show returns in The month of january. The state announcement of her return was confirmed in August by FOX. Copyright 2011 by NBC Universal, Corporation. All privileges reserved. These components might not be released, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Trailer for strange French horror Livid online

Julien Maury and Alexandre Bustillo company directors of brutal slasher Inside, have revealed a French-Language trailer for his or her new film, Livid. Like a special Halloween treat we now have a clip here, waiting that you should sink your teeth directly into. Dimension Films are backing the brand new 'horror fairytale', that is looking for theatrical release the coming year. Livid is placed on Halloween evening, where three not aware youths enter a desolate house in the quest for a classic woman's treasure."During the night, they enter into the home, which discloses itself to become progressively peculiar. Their search for Mrs Jessel's treasure leads them right into a horrifying supernatural number of occasions which will change Lucy forever..."The project will even begin to see the return of Inside actress, Beatrice Dalle. Other charged cast include Jeremy Kapone, Catherine Jacob, Felix Moati and Chloe Coulloud.Livid continues to be in comparison towards the works of Dario Argento and Guillermo del Toro, which seems like quite a perfect combination to us.Watch a clip below and inform us what you believe!