California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has a chance to put his mark on state filming issues, including runaway production, by appointing a new director of the California Film Commission (CFC) now that Karen Constine has stepped down from that post. At press time, there was no exact timetable for the naming of a successor. Currently serving as CFC director on an interim basis is Jorge Jackson of the state’s Trade and Commerce Agency…. BeachHouse Films, Santa Monica, has signed director Allen Martinez, who has just wrapped his first job there: a four-spot package for H-E-B via Rives Carlberg, Houston….Tate USA, Santa Monica, has signed director Federico Brugia for exclusive U.S. spot representation. The deal also marks the start of a reciprocal partnership between Tate USA and The Family, Milan, Italy, which handles Italian directorial talent like Brugia and Luca Merli….Aussie director Ryan Renshaw has joined Rhythm+ Hues Commercials, Los Angeles, for exclusive U.S. spot representation….Director Beth Galton has joined ARF & Co., Hoboken, N.J….Paris-headquartered Thomson has entered into an agreement to acquire the video division of ParkerVision, a Jacksonville, Fla.-based publicly traded manufacturer of live TV production automation systems. Thomson intends to integrate the ParkerVision products in its Grass Valley brand business. The transaction is valued at approximately $14 million in cash and is expected to close during the first half of 2004….Mental images, the Berlin-headquartered developer of Mental Ray rendering software, and Cycore, an Uppsala, Sweden-based graphics software company, have reached an agreement whereby mental images will acquire Cult3D, Cycore’s interactive 3-D software platform for e-business, and all related 3-D technology from Cycore. The plan is to drive widespread adoption and deployment of 3-D technology for the Internet….Steven B. Cohen has been named VP of feature film services at Santa Monica-headquartered Ascent Media…. The Association of Independent Creative Editors (AICE) is mailing reels of all submissions for its AICE Awards to its roughly 650 AICE member editors this week. Editors must submit their votes for the finalists before the end of the month. A blue-ribbon panel of judges will select the winners, which will be announced at the third AICE Show, May 13 at Soldier Field in Chicago….
“Heretic” and “Maria” Set As Red Carpet Premieres At AFI Fest
The American Film Institute (AFI) has announced that Heretic, the psychological thriller starring Hugh Grant, and Maria, based on the life of opera singer Maria Callas starring Angelina Jolie, will round out the Red Carpet Premieres section at this year’s AFI Fest. The Heretic Gala Screening will take place on Thursday, October 24, and the Maria Gala Screening will be held on Saturday, October 26. The complete Red Carpet Premieres section includes the world premieres of Music By John Williams, Robert Zemeckis’ Here, Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl and Clint Eastwood’s Juror #2. All Red Carpet Premieres will take place at the historic TCL Chinese Theatre. The full lineup for AFI Fest 2024 will be unveiled on October 1.
“At the heart of AFI Fest is an unwavering dedication to celebrating the best in global cinema--together,” said Bob Gazzale, AFI president and CEO. “We look forward to uniting artists and audiences once again to be inspired by the art form in a powerful sense of community.”
Heretic follows two young missionaries (Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East) who are forced to prove their faith when they knock on the wrong door and are greeted by a diabolical Mr. Reed (portrayed by Grant), becoming ensnared in his deadly game of cat-and-mouse. The film is directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods and produced by Stacey Sher, Beck, Woods, Julia Glausi and Jeanette Volturno. The film will be released nationwide by A24 on November 8.
Directed by Pablo Larraín, Maria presents a tumultuous and beautiful depiction of one of the world’s most renowned artists and reimagines the legendary soprano in her final days in Paris, as Callas (Jolie)... Read More