News

Film tells the story of Jewish painter Charlotte Salomon.

French animator and director Bibo Bergeron (Shark Tale, A Monster In Paris) and his producer Julia Rosenberg are at Jerusalem Film Festival this week to check out the city’s budding animation scene and discuss potential partnerships, as the pair gear up for their ambitious feature animation project about German-Jewish painter Charlotte Salomon.

Bergeron is also taking part in Jerusalem Film Festival’s animation development event The Hop, Skip & A Jump II today (July 19), where he will deliver a masterclass.

The pair’s $10m production Charlotte, which has been supported in development by Telefilm Canada, is a Canada-France-Belgium co-production between Rosenberg’s January Films, Jérôme Doppfer of Balthazar Productions, Eric Goossens and Anton Roebben of A Monster In Paris production company Walking the Dog, and My Life Of A Zucchini outfit Blue Spirit Animation.

The screenplay has been written by Erik Rutherford and Miriam Toews. François Moret is the...

Bibo Bergeron will direct the animated feature and will join producer Julia Rosenberg at the Mifa market at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival to scout for co-production partners.

Production will begin in April 2017 on Charlotte, which charts the life of German-Jewish wartime artist Charlotte Salomon, a painter who came of age during the rise of Nazism.

Rosenberg of January Films will produce, while Miriam Toews and Erik Rutherford are collaborating on the screenplay.

The Euros 10m project is being configured as an official co-production between Canada and a number of animation studios.

Telefilm Canada will finance development and the...

Shaun The Sheep director Darren Walsh will helm the feature.

Kaleidoscope Film Distribution (Kfd) is handling world sales on animated feature Danny Diamondback, which Aardman Animation alumni Darren Walsh (Shaun The Sheep TV series) will direct the story of a young rattlesnake with a musical talent in his tail.

The film is based on the children’s novella of the same name, first published by Harper Collins and written by illustrator and production designer Barry Jackson (How The Grinch Stole Christmas).

Jackson has written the script and will be heading up production design on the project.

Siege Train Studios’ Curtis Augspurger (Valiant), Matthew Hampton and Cora Palfrey will produce the film alongside Jackson. Bibo Bergeron (Shark Tale) will serve as executive producer.

Shout! Factory secures North American rights to CG-animated feature.

Shout! Factory and EuropaCorp have entered into an exclusive picture deal to distribute Jack and the Cuckoo-Clock Heart (Jack et la Mécanique du Coeur) in both the Us and Canada.

Directed by Mathias Malzieu and Stéphane Berla, the CG-animated family adventure is produced by Virginie Besson-Silla and EuropaCorp.

Shout! has secured all distribution rights to the film, including theatrical and digital distribution, home entertainment and broadcast for cross-platform releases. The company plans a strategic rollout in select theaters, video-on-demand, electronic-sell-through, TV and in all packaged media in 2014.

In a joint statement, Shout! Factory’s founders Richard Foos, Bob Emmer and Garson Foos said: “We enjoyed tremendous success with Bibo Bergeron’s A Monster in Paris from EuropaCorp, and this new opportunity continues to build on our prowess in distributing premiere animation and family friendly content in the entertainment marketplace.”

Adapted by Mathias Malzieu from his own bestselling novel, Jack...

Chicago – Just as there are tiers of animation in the United States, there are varying degrees of quality in our imported product as well. In the States, we know not everything can be Pixar. I suppose the French equivalent is not everything can be “The Illusionist” or “Triplets of Belleville”. And so we shouldn’t approach the recently imported 3D family film, “A Monster in Paris” with that standard of movie magic. The script for this fantasy is a bit thin and the visuals can be disappointing but it has a pleasant spirit, bouncy energy, and air of romance that allow it to work well for a rental. And it’s not weighed down with the gross-out jokes and pop culture references that often sink Hollywood 3D animated productions.

Rating: 3.5/5.0

“A Monster in Paris” has echoes of “Phantom of the Opera” for the younger romantic in your house. Writer/director...

It can be easy to forget sometimes that there are animated films that don't come from Pixar and Disney or Dreamworks considering how they tend to dominate American theaters and leave little room for foreign competition. However, every now and then a little gem from the likes of Hayao Miyazaki or some other even smaller studio makes it into the fray, and it's important to take note of them. Back in 2011, French Director and writer Bibo Bergeron created a fun little animated adventure called A Monster in Paris that had some creative visuals with a resemblance to a slightly stockier, more angular Dreamworks film but above all it had a fantastic musical number by Vanessa Paradis and Mathieu Chedid (aka -M-). The musical number is the primary reason anyone should seek the film out, as the creativity of the story and the comedy don't hold up to scrutiny nearly as well.

There are tons of awesome, foreign animated films out there, and the newest film to add to that list is “A Monster in Paris,” a new 3D-animated adventure that’s now on 3D Blu-ray Combo Pack and DVD. The French film, directed by Bibo Bergeron and starring singer Vanessa Paradis, is a unique and heartwarming tale about finding friendship in people (or monsters) you’d least expect. Below, we’ve got tons of stuff for you to check out. First of all, there’s a cool slideshow of the film’s Parisian tour. We’ve also got some clips from the film and the film’s trailer. As you watch the trailer, I think you’ll find the [ Read More ]

The post A Monster In Paris Now On DVD And 3D Blu-ray Combo Pack appeared first on Shockya.com.

“A Monster in Paris” is a critically acclaimed French animated movie directed by animation veteran Eric Bibo Bergeron (who directed “Road to El Dorado” and “A Shark’s Tale” and worked on countless others). It’s French so it’s no surprise that Luc Besson produced the film, as he has a thing for getting not just his own work out in the world, but other French filmmakers’ works as well. Taking place in 1910s Paris, the city has been flooded by the Seine River. The Eiffel tower is ankle deep in water and there are more boats in some parts of the city than there are cars. Raoul is childhood friends with Emile, a quiet film lover who works at a local cinema and longs to gain the confidence to speak to his crush Maud. Raoul on the other hand is all confidence and charm, even if it’s a bit misguided.

Blu-ray & DVD Release Date: April 16, 2013

Price: DVD $14.97, Blu-ray 3D Combo $24.97

Studio: Shout! Factory

The French animated movie A Monster in Paris offers a new twist on the classic tale of Beauty and the Beast.

Rated PG, the foreign romance film tells the story of Franc, a monster created from a reaction between a flea and a crazy scientist’s mystery potion. Despite his strange looks, Franc is a soft-centered soul with a talent for music who becomes the talk of the town with the help of enchanting nightclub singer Lucille. But Franc also attracts the attention of Paris’ egotistical police commissioner, who’s hell bent on securing a big prize to help his battle to become mayor.

A Monster in Paris was produced by Luc Besson (Lockout) and written and directed by Bibo Bergeron (Shark Tale). The movie features the voices of Catherine O’Hara (Frankenweenie), Adam Goldberg (Miss Nobody...

Genre: Comedy | Adventure

Director: Bibo Bergeron

Writers: Bibo Bergeron, Stéphane Kazandjian

MPAA Rating: PG

Run Time: 90 minutes

Synopsis:

A wacky inventor, his camera-crazy best friend and a madcap monkey make a massive mistake when let loose in a mad scientist’s laboratory. With lotions and potions spilling everywhere, the troublesome trio accidentally creates Franc, the product of a reaction between a common flea and one of the scientist’s mystery concoctions. What they fail to realize, however, is that this ‘monster’ is actually a soft-centered soul with an astounding talent for music.

With the help of an enchanting nightclub singer Lucille, Franc becomes the talk of the town, just as stories of Paris’s newest monster attract the attention of the egotistical police commissioner, hell bent on securing a big prize to help his battle to become mayor. The unwitting scientists and the singer must team up to protect Franc,...

Shout! Acquires EuropaCorp. Titles Shout! Factory has picked up U.S. rights to the EuropaCorp. films, The Extraordinary Adventures Of Adèle Blanc-Sec, directed by Luc Besson, and A Monster In Paris by Bibo Bergeron. Shout will roll the films out on a cross-platform release including home entertainment, VOD, Svod and television. The César-winning Adèle Blanc-Sec is an adaptation of the Jacques Tardi comic book series and was released in France in 2010. Louise Bourgoin and Mathieu Amalric star. Shark Tale director Bergeron’s Monster is a CG-animated adventure based on his own original story about an inventor, his best friend and a monkey who inadvertently create a monster with a talent for music. Vanessa Paradis, Sean Lennon, Adam Goldberg, Danny Huston, Bob Balaban, Catherine O’Hara and Jay Harrington form the voice cast. Scott Free London Lines Up ‘The Fishing Fleet’ Ridley Scott’s Scott Free London has acquired film rights...

Last week saw the release of 2011’s Oscar-favourite The Artist, alongside two other acclaimed indie films of the year in Martha Marcy May Marlene and Like Crazy. This week brings a different mix to the shelves, with Ralph Fiennes’ directorial debut, Coriolanus, topping the list.

Continuing on from last week, too, Play are releasing a handful of exclusive Blu-ray steelbooks of contemporary classics that will be must-buys for fans of the films and the format. If you’re not yet Blu-ray capable, now is definitely the time to update your television / player to enable the best viewing experience your home has to offer.

My personal picks of the week:

Another tie this week, with two very different films topping the list for me.

Ralph Fiennes’ Coriolanus & Michael Dowse’s Goon

Coriolanus Iframe Embed for Youtube

DVD and Blu-ray

Making his directorial debut, Ralph Fiennes brings the Shakespearean tragedy to the...

★★☆☆☆ Easily one of the strangest animations released over the last few years, French fancy A Monster in Paris (Un Monstre à Paris, 2011) returns audiences to Georges Méliès 'City of Light', realised so well last year in Martin Scorsese's Hugo (2011). Set around the same era, and with several nods to Méliès himself, Bibo Bergeron's fantasy follows the exploits of a grossly over-sized flea with ambitions of singing stardom. Très bizarre, non? Read more »...

A Monster In Paris

Stars (the voices of): Vanessa Paradis, Jay Harrington, Adam Goldberg, Bob Balaban, Matthew Géczy, Danny Huston, Sean Lennon | Written by Bibo Bergeron, Stéphane Kazandjian | Directed by Bibo Bergeron

Produced by Luc Besson’s EuropaCorp (Arthur And The Invisibles) and directed by Bibo Bergeron (Shark Tale, The Road To El Dorado), A Monster in Paris is a gorgeous-looking CG-animated take on the classic tales of Phantom of the Opera and Hunchback of Notre Dame, only with a genetically-engineered (think a quasi-Frankenstein’s monster) singing giant flea as its protagonist!

A wacky inventor, his camera-crazy best friend and a madcap monkey make a massive mistake when let loose in a mad scientist’s laboratory. With lotions and potions spilling everywhere, the troublesome trio accidentally creates Franc, the product of a reaction between a common flea and one of the scientist’s mystery concoctions. What they fail to realise,...

The 16th Annual City of Lights, City of Angels (Col•Coa) film festival will run April 16-23 in Los Angeles . Sponsored by The Franco-American Cultural Fund (Facf), the festival will present 34 features and 21 shorts, including 10 North American and U.S. Premieres, and 14 West Coast Premieres. “The historic triumph of The Artist (Isa:Wild Bunch) reflects a remarkable year for French cinema and we are glad to introduce a broad spectrum of new films to Hollywood that reveal both the quality and diversity of recent French productions,” stated François Truffart, Col•Coa Executive Director and Artistic Director.

Col•Coa will open with the North American Premiere of My Way (CloClo) (Isa:lgm), a biopic about French pop star icon Claude François, directed by Florent-Emilio Siri, co-written by Siri and Julien Rappeneau and starring Jérémie Renier. Recently released in France , My Way is already a critical and commercial success.

Several U.S. distributors will present their films at Col•Coa before their U.S. release: Cinema Guild – Step up to the Plate (Isa:Jour2Fete); The Cohen Media Group – Farewell My Queen (Isa:Elle Driver): Kino Lorber –The Well Digger’s Daughter (Isa:Pathe); Mpi Media – Americano (Isa:Bac Films); Sundance Selects – Goodbye First Love! (Isa:Films Distribution) and Polisse (Isa:Wild Bunch); Strand Releasing - 17 Girls (Isa:Films Distribution); The Weinstein Company – The Intouchables (Isa:Gaumont), A Gang Story (Isa:Gaumont) and War of the Buttons (Isa:Wild Bunch); and Screen Media for A Happy Event (Isa:Gaumont) from co-writer-director Remi Bezançon, also in competition at Col·Coa for his animated feature Zarafa (Isa:Pathe).

Closing film on Sunday, April 22nd will be a special presentation, in association with The Weinstein Company, of the already third most successful French box office success: The Intouchables (Isa:Gaumont) Starring François Cluzet and César winner for Best Actor Omar Sy, this hit comedy marks the fourth film from writer-directors Olivier Nakache and Eric Toledano presented at Col•Coa Cannes Jury Special Prize winner and 13 César-nominated drama, Polisse (Isa:Wild Bunch) co-written and directed by Maïwenn, will be presented at Col•Coa, one day after its U.S. Premiere at Tribeca. Berlin International Film Festival opening film, Farewell My Queen (Isa:Elle Driver) co-written and directed by Col·Coa 2011 Critics Award-winner Benoit Jacquot, will have a special presentation at Col·Coa before opening the San Francisco International Film Festival. Other highlights include César multi-nominated and critically acclaimed film, The Minister (Isa:Doc & Film Interntional), written and directed by Pierre Schoeller; the 3D presentation in English of A Monster in Paris (Isa:EuropaCorp), an animated feature co-written and directed by Bibo Bergeron, starring Sean Lennon and Vanessa Paradis, and produced by Luc Besson; the anticipated thriller, 38 Witnesses (Isa:Films Distrubution), written and directed by Lucas Belvaux; as well as The Art of Love (Isa:Kinology), the new comedy from writer-director Emmanuel Mouret.

Several French high-profile titles will also be introduced in the U.S, such as Early One Morning, (Isa:Les Films Du Losange) written and directed by Jean-Marc Moutout; Cesar winner for Best Documentary Leadersheep (Isa:MK2 S.A.) by writer-director Christian Rouaud Silence of Joan, from writer-director Philippe Ramos; as well as the North American Premiere of Another Woman’s Life (Isa:Kinology), co-written and directed by Sylvie Testud and starring Juliette Binoche.

The program will feature several directorial debut films, including the North American Premieres of Love Lasts Three Years (Isa:Eurocorp), co-written and directed by novelist Frédéric Beigbeder; The Adopted (Isa:Studio Canal), co-written and directed by actress and freshman filmmaker Mélanie Laurent; Freeway (Isa:Sesame), co-written and directed by Christopher Sahr; the West Coast Premiere of Louise Wimmer (Isa:Films Distribution), written and directed by Cyril Mennegun; and Americano (Isa:Bac Films), starring Salma Hayek and co-starring writer-director Mathieu Demy, the son of Agnes Varda and Jacques Demy.

Five popular series will return in 2012, Col•Coa docs will include Michel Petrucciani (Isa:Wild Bunch) written and directed by Michael Radford. After 10 will highlight Best Adaptation César winner Guilty (Isa:Films Distribution), co-written and directed by Vincent Garenq. Col•Coa Classics will pay tribute to actor Yves Montand with a rare presentation of the restored Call me Savage from co-writer-director Jean-Paul Rappeneau. For this year’s Carte Blanche program, writer-director Alexander Payne selected Hotel du Nord directed by Marcel Carné, screenplay by Jean Aurenche and Henri Jeanson. The Film Noir series will include the West Coast Premiere of Paris by Night (Isa:TF1), co-written and directed by Philippe Lefebvre. The Focus on a Filmmaker, this year honoring actress writer-director Julie Delpy, will take place on Thursday, April 19th and will include her new film, Le SkyLab (Isa:Films Distribution).

Col•Coa Educational Program will offer four High School Screenings, one student screening and one Master Class in association with Elma (European Languages and Movies in America). The program will host 3,500 students from over 70 high schools, colleges and universities in California .

To celebrate the announcement and recipients of the 2012 Col•Coa Awards, the festival will close on Monday, April 23rd with the screening of two winning features and two winning shorts.

City of Lights, City of Angels is funded by the Facf, a unique partnership of the Directors Guild of America, the Motion Picture Association, France’s Society of Authors, Composers and Publishers of Music and the Writers Guild of America, West with the vital support of L’Arp (France’s Association of Authors, Directors and Producers), the Los Angeles Film and TV Office of the French Embassy, and Unifrance.

All screenings are in French with English subtitles or, in the case of the family-oriented animated films, dubbed in English. Tickets are available for advance purchase online at www.colcoa.org (cash or checks only). Please visit www.colcoa.org for box office hours. Ticket prices are $10 for adults; $7 tickets for seniors (62+), disabled, and members of American Cinematheque, Asc, Icg, Film Independent, Lacma, SAG or Women in Film; $3 for students and under 21. Tickets are complimentary for DGA and Wgaw guild members. The Happy Hour Talks are free on a first come, first served basis.

For film and press information, including hi-res photos, log onto www.colcoa.org. For public information, call (310) 289-5346.

City of Lights, City of Angels (Col•Coa) was created in 1996 by The Franco-American Cultural Fund, a unique collaborative effort of the Directors Guild of America, the Motion Picture Association, the Writers Guild of America West, and France’s Society of Authors, Composers and Publishers of Music (Sacem). Col•Coa is also supported by l’Association des Auteurs-réalisateurs-Producteurs (Arp), the Film and TV Office of the French Embassy in Los Angeles and Unifrance.

Col•Coa is committed to promoting new French films in the U.S. and to showcasing the vitality and the diversity of French cinema in Hollywood: comedies and dramas, box office hits in France and specialty films, first features and films from established writer-directors, art house movies as well as mainstream films.

In 15 years, 231 new feature films and 140 new shorts have been selected. Col•Coa has constantly developed to become a showcase of at least 50 films, with a capacity of 20,000 in 2011 and an occupancy rate of 88%.

Its exclusive program has made of Col•Coa an anticipated date in the industry calendar and one of the largest French film festivals in the world. Scheduled a few weeks after the Academy Awards® and one month before the Cannes Film Festival, Col•Coa has become a prestigious event in Los Angeles.

Since 2004, the selection is exclusively composed of premieres. Several high-profile features are presented at Col•Coa for the first time in North America or in the U.S. Col•Coa is also known for presenting successful films a year before their commercial release in the U.S., raising the event’s profile among U.S. distributors who now use the event as a platform to launch and promote their film in Hollywood.

Col•Coa has substantial representation by leading industry professionals, including distributors, exhibitors, directors, writers, producers, Academy members, agents, press members or public filmgoers, as part and parcel to the festival is the cultural exchange involved, as well as the introduction of films that may not have been available to the industry. Col•Coa has developed partnerships with organizations like Ifta, The Cannes Film Market, Film Independent, Women in Film, The American Cinematheque, SAG, and since 2008, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association and the Los Angeles Film Critics Association. Col•Coa “A Week Of French Film Premieres In Hollywood”

Col•Coa is more than a film industry event. Many screenings are reserved early due to the festival’s reputation and increased visibility.In 2008, an educational program was also launched to promote foreign films among young American audiences in association with E.L.M.A (European Languages & Movies in America). Close to 7,500 high school students and 70 high schools in Los Angeles County have participated in the program since 2008. In 2010, a master class was introduced for colleges, film schools and universities.

More than 100 French writers, directors and producers have presented their film(s) at Col•Coa. Among them are Costa-Gavras, Alain Corneau, Claire Denis, Michel Hazanavicius, Claude Lelouch, Claude Miller, Bertrand Tavernier, Olivier Assayas, Laurent Cantet, Arnaud Desplechin, Anne Fontaine, Bertrand Blier and Mathieu Kassovitz.

Whereas Col•Coa is not a celebrity-driven event, many artists attend as it is a showcase for their work, a chance to mingle with other artists in a professional, yet relaxed and cordial environment, the true basis of cultural exchange. Among past Col•Coa guests are actors and actresses Rosanna Arquette, Nathalie Baye, Bérénice Bejo, Marion Cotillard, Julie Delpy, Jimmy Jean Louis, Helen Mirren, Gena Rowlands, Sharon Stone, Charlize Theron and Lambert Wilson, as well as prominent American writers and directors: Wes Craven, Taylor Hackford, John Landis, Michael Mann and Alexander Payne.

The 16th Annual City of Lights, City of Angels (Col•Coa) film festival will run April 16-23 in Los Angeles . Sponsored by The Franco-American Cultural Fund (Facf), the festival will present 34 features and 21 shorts, including 10 North American and U.S. Premieres, and 14 West Coast Premieres. “The historic triumph of The Artist (Isa:Wild Bunch) reflects a remarkable year for French cinema and we are glad to introduce a broad spectrum of new films to Hollywood that reveal both the quality and diversity of recent French productions,” stated François Truffart, Col•Coa Executive Director and Artistic Director.

Col•Coa will open with the North American Premiere of My Way (CloClo) (Isa:lgm), a biopic about French pop star icon Claude François, directed by Florent-Emilio Siri, co-written by Siri and Julien Rappeneau and starring Jérémie Renier. Recently released in France , My Way is already a critical and commercial success.

Several U.S. distributors will present their films at Col•Coa before their U.S. release: Cinema Guild – Step up to the Plate (Isa:Jour2Fete); The Cohen Media Group – Farewell My Queen (Isa:Elle Driver): Kino Lorber –The Well Digger’s Daughter (Isa:Pathe); Mpi Media – Americano (Isa:Bac Films); Sundance Selects – Goodbye First Love! (Isa:Films Distribution) and Polisse (Isa:Wild Bunch); Strand Releasing - 17 Girls (Isa:Films Distribution); The Weinstein Company – The Intouchables (Isa:Gaumont), A Gang Story (Isa:Gaumont) and War of the Buttons (Isa:Wild Bunch); and Screen Media for A Happy Event (Isa:Gaumont) from co-writer-director Remi Bezançon, also in competition at Col·Coa for his animated feature Zarafa (Isa:Pathe).

Closing film on Sunday, April 22nd will be a special presentation, in association with The Weinstein Company, of the already third most successful French box office success: The Intouchables (Isa:Gaumont) Starring François Cluzet and César winner for Best Actor Omar Sy, this hit comedy marks the fourth film from writer-directors Olivier Nakache and Eric Toledano presented at Col•Coa Cannes Jury Special Prize winner and 13 César-nominated drama, Polisse (Isa:Wild Bunch) co-written and directed by Maïwenn, will be presented at Col•Coa, one day after its U.S. Premiere at Tribeca. Berlin International Film Festival opening film, Farewell My Queen (Isa:Elle Driver) co-written and directed by Col·Coa 2011 Critics Award-winner Benoit Jacquot, will have a special presentation at Col·Coa before opening the San Francisco International Film Festival. Other highlights include César multi-nominated and critically acclaimed film, The Minister (Isa:Doc & Film Interntional), written and directed by Pierre Schoeller; the 3D presentation in English of A Monster in Paris (Isa:EuropaCorp), an animated feature co-written and directed by Bibo Bergeron, starring Sean Lennon and Vanessa Paradis, and produced by Luc Besson; the anticipated thriller, 38 Witnesses (Isa:Films Distrubution), written and directed by Lucas Belvaux; as well as The Art of Love (Isa:Kinology), the new comedy from writer-director Emmanuel Mouret.

Several French high-profile titles will also be introduced in the U.S, such as Early One Morning, (Isa:Les Films Du Losange) written and directed by Jean-Marc Moutout; Cesar winner for Best Documentary Leadersheep (Isa:MK2 S.A.) by writer-director Christian Rouaud Silence of Joan, from writer-director Philippe Ramos; as well as the North American Premiere of Another Woman’s Life (Isa:Kinology), co-written and directed by Sylvie Testud and starring Juliette Binoche.

The program will feature several directorial debut films, including the North American Premieres of Love Lasts Three Years (Isa:Eurocorp), co-written and directed by novelist Frédéric Beigbeder; The Adopted (Isa:Studio Canal), co-written and directed by actress and freshman filmmaker Mélanie Laurent; Freeway (Isa:Sesame), co-written and directed by Christopher Sahr; the West Coast Premiere of Louise Wimmer (Isa:Films Distribution), written and directed by Cyril Mennegun; and Americano (Isa:Bac Films), starring Salma Hayek and co-starring writer-director Mathieu Demy, the son of Agnes Varda and Jacques Demy.

Five popular series will return in 2012, Col•Coa docs will include Michel Petrucciani (Isa:Wild Bunch) written and directed by Michael Radford. After 10 will highlight Best Adaptation César winner Guilty (Isa:Films Distribution), co-written and directed by Vincent Garenq. Col•Coa Classics will pay tribute to actor Yves Montand with a rare presentation of the restored Call me Savage from co-writer-director Jean-Paul Rappeneau. For this year’s Carte Blanche program, writer-director Alexander Payne selected Hotel du Nord directed by Marcel Carné, screenplay by Jean Aurenche and Henri Jeanson. The Film Noir series will include the West Coast Premiere of Paris by Night (Isa:TF1), co-written and directed by Philippe Lefebvre. The Focus on a Filmmaker, this year honoring actress writer-director Julie Delpy, will take place on Thursday, April 19th and will include her new film, Le SkyLab (Isa:Films Distribution).

Col•Coa Educational Program will offer four High School Screenings, one student screening and one Master Class in association with Elma (European Languages and Movies in America). The program will host 3,500 students from over 70 high schools, colleges and universities in California .

To celebrate the announcement and recipients of the 2012 Col•Coa Awards, the festival will close on Monday, April 23rd with the screening of two winning features and two winning shorts.

City of Lights, City of Angels is funded by the Facf, a unique partnership of the Directors Guild of America, the Motion Picture Association, France’s Society of Authors, Composers and Publishers of Music and the Writers Guild of America, West with the vital support of L’Arp (France’s Association of Authors, Directors and Producers), the Los Angeles Film and TV Office of the French Embassy, and Unifrance.

All screenings are in French with English subtitles or, in the case of the family-oriented animated films, dubbed in English. Tickets are available for advance purchase online at www.colcoa.org (cash or checks only). Please visit www.colcoa.org for box office hours. Ticket prices are $10 for adults; $7 tickets for seniors (62+), disabled, and members of American Cinematheque, Asc, Icg, Film Independent, Lacma, SAG or Women in Film; $3 for students and under 21. Tickets are complimentary for DGA and Wgaw guild members. The Happy Hour Talks are free on a first come, first served basis.

For film and press information, including hi-res photos, log onto www.colcoa.org. For public information, call (310) 289-5346.

City of Lights, City of Angels (Col•Coa) was created in 1996 by The Franco-American Cultural Fund, a unique collaborative effort of the Directors Guild of America, the Motion Picture Association, the Writers Guild of America West, and France’s Society of Authors, Composers and Publishers of Music (Sacem). Col•Coa is also supported by l’Association des Auteurs-réalisateurs-Producteurs (Arp), the Film and TV Office of the French Embassy in Los Angeles and Unifrance.

Col•Coa is committed to promoting new French films in the U.S. and to showcasing the vitality and the diversity of French cinema in Hollywood: comedies and dramas, box office hits in France and specialty films, first features and films from established writer-directors, art house movies as well as mainstream films.

In 15 years, 231 new feature films and 140 new shorts have been selected. Col•Coa has constantly developed to become a showcase of at least 50 films, with a capacity of 20,000 in 2011 and an occupancy rate of 88%.

Its exclusive program has made of Col•Coa an anticipated date in the industry calendar and one of the largest French film festivals in the world. Scheduled a few weeks after the Academy Awards® and one month before the Cannes Film Festival, Col•Coa has become a prestigious event in Los Angeles.

Since 2004, the selection is exclusively composed of premieres. Several high-profile features are presented at Col•Coa for the first time in North America or in the U.S. Col•Coa is also known for presenting successful films a year before their commercial release in the U.S., raising the event’s profile among U.S. distributors who now use the event as a platform to launch and promote their film in Hollywood.

Col•Coa has substantial representation by leading industry professionals, including distributors, exhibitors, directors, writers, producers, Academy members, agents, press members or public filmgoers, as part and parcel to the festival is the cultural exchange involved, as well as the introduction of films that may not have been available to the industry. Col•Coa has developed partnerships with organizations like Ifta, The Cannes Film Market, Film Independent, Women in Film, The American Cinematheque, SAG, and since 2008, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association and the Los Angeles Film Critics Association. Col•Coa “A Week Of French Film Premieres In Hollywood”

Col•Coa is more than a film industry event. Many screenings are reserved early due to the festival’s reputation and increased visibility.In 2008, an educational program was also launched to promote foreign films among young American audiences in association with E.L.M.A (European Languages & Movies in America). Close to 7,500 high school students and 70 high schools in Los Angeles County have participated in the program since 2008. In 2010, a master class was introduced for colleges, film schools and universities.

More than 100 French writers, directors and producers have presented their film(s) at Col•Coa. Among them are Costa-Gavras, Alain Corneau, Claire Denis, Michel Hazanavicius, Claude Lelouch, Claude Miller, Bertrand Tavernier, Olivier Assayas, Laurent Cantet, Arnaud Desplechin, Anne Fontaine, Bertrand Blier and Mathieu Kassovitz.

Whereas Col•Coa is not a celebrity-driven event, many artists attend as it is a showcase for their work, a chance to mingle with other artists in a professional, yet relaxed and cordial environment, the true basis of cultural exchange. Among past Col•Coa guests are actors and actresses Rosanna Arquette, Nathalie Baye, Bérénice Bejo, Marion Cotillard, Julie Delpy, Jimmy Jean Louis, Helen Mirren, Gena Rowlands, Sharon Stone, Charlize Theron and Lambert Wilson, as well as prominent American writers and directors: Wes Craven, Taylor Hackford, John Landis, Michael Mann and Alexander Payne.

Bérénice Bejo as Peppy Miller in Michel Hazanavicius' The Artist The Artist, Michel Hazanavicius, A Separation: César Winners Pt.1 Best Actor Sami Bouajila, Omar m'a tuer / Omar Killed Me François Cluzet, Intouchables / Untouchable Jean Dujardin, The Artist Olivier Gourmet, L'exercice de l'État / The Minister Denis Podalydes, La conquête / The Conquest * Omar Sy, Intouchables / Untouchable Philippe Torreton, Présumé coupable / Guilty Best Actress Ariane Asquaride, Les neiges du Kilimanjaro / The Snows of Kilimanjaro * Bérénice Bejo, The Artist Leila Bekhti, La Source des femmes / The Source Valérie Donzelli, La guerre est déclarée / Declaration of War Marina Foïs, Polisse Marie Gilain, Toutes nos envies / All Our Desires Karin Viard, Polisse Best Supporting Actor * Michel Blanc, L'exercice de l'État / The Minister Nicolas Duvauchelle, Polisse Joey Starr, Polisse Bernard Lecoq, La conquête / The Conquest Frédéric Pierrot, Polisse Best Supporting Actress Zabou Breitman, L'exercice de l'État / The Minister Anne Le Ny, Intouchables / Untouchable Noémie Lvovsky, L'Apollonide,...

Un Monstre à Paris (English title: A Monster in Paris)

Directed by Bibo Bergeron

Screenplay by Bibo Bergeron and Stéphane Kazandjian

France, 2011

*Sound on Sight attended a press screening for the 3D version of the film under review.

The animated film market must be a very difficult one to navigate through for filmmakers. Animation, by its very nature, provides creative minds with a near limitless canvas to exhaust their ideas, but not everything will hit home with audiences. The latter group can be a fickle bunch, and anything that diverts from what is widely recognized and beloved risks being snubbed, never truly finding a decent viewership. This explains in part why some studios, rather than utilizing animation to expand the limits of visual storytelling, so often to ‘play it safe’, for lack of a better term. Such a strategy is logical to help ensure box office success, but creativity may suffer as result.

Bérénice Bejo, Malcolm McDowell, The Artist The Artist, Polisse, Intouchables: César Nominations Pt.1 Best Actor Sami Bouajila, Omar m'a tuer / Omar Killed Me François Cluzet, Intouchables / Untouchable Jean Dujardin, The Artist Olivier Gourmet, L'exercice de l'État / The Minister Denis Podalydes, La conquête / The Conquest Omar Sy, Intouchables / Untouchable Philippe Torreton, Présumé coupable / Guilty Best Actress Ariane Asquaride, Les neiges du Kilimanjaro / The Snows of Kilimanjaro Bérénice Bejo, The Artist Leila Bekhti, La Source des femmes / The Source Valérie Donzelli, La guerre est déclarée / Declaration of War Marina Foïs, Polisse Marie Gilain, Toutes nos envies / All Our Desires Karin Viard, Polisse Best Supporting Actor Michel Blanc, L'exercice de l'État / The Minister Nicolas Duvauchelle, Polisse Joey Starr, Polisse Bernard Lecoq, La conquête / The Conquest Frédéric Pierrot, Polisse Best Supporting Actress Zabou Breitman, L'exercice de l'État / The Minister Anne Le Ny, Intouchables / Untouchable Noémie Lvovsky, L'Apollonide, souvenirs de la maison close / House of Tolerance Carmen Maura,...

The Descendants (15)

(Alexander Payne, 2011, Us) George Clooney, Shailene Woodley, Amara Miller, Nick Krause, Robert Forster. 115 mins

A sideways move from Sideways takes Payne on another tour of masculine crises, though this has mellowed and matured for longer. Family issues jolt Clooney out of his Hawaiian comfort zone. His wife's sudden coma puts him in charge of their two daughters, and brings their marriage into perspective, while his control of the ancestral estate adds to the burden. It's a well-rooted drama of great performances and big themes (and probably big awards).

Like Crazy (12A)

(Drake Doremus, 2011, Us) Anton Yelchin, Felicity Jones, Jennifer Lawrence. 90 mins

Young love sees no colour, but it must abide by visa regulations in this cross-Atlantic romantic saga, which tests a couple's endurance in an offbeat, indie style.

The Grey (15)

(Joe Carnahan, 2012, Us) Liam Neeson, Dermot Mulroney, Frank Grillo. 117 mins

Liam Neeson v wolves – seems like a good match.

Vanessa Paradis flips to English to voice the lead in this redubbed version of an eccentric French animation

The huge success of Martin Scorsese's Hugo in the Oscar nomination list augurs pretty well for this amiable family animation in 3D from French director Bibo Bergeron, which has some similar themes and settings. Originally entitled Un Monstre à Paris, it has now been redubbed by English-speaking performers including Bob Balaban, Danny Huston and Sean Lennon. Vanessa Paradis plays the lead, bilingually, in the French and English versions. In Paris, during the great flood of 1910, a movie-mad cinema projectionist and his wisecracking buddy find themselves mixed up in an adventure involving a monster at large in the city, which, kitted out in a hat and quasi-zoot-suit, turns out to be a gifted guitarist and nightclub musician, providing backing for singer Lucille (Paradis). A wickedly cynical mayor, keen to offer the Parisian...

From the director of Shark Tale comes A Monster in Paris, which splutters with creative spark but offers only sporadic charm

Homesickness was partly what inspired French director Bibo Bergeron to make animated fin-de-siècle fantasy A Monster in Paris, and it shows. The film vibrates with a warm, nostalgic affection for the capital city which is easily shared by the audience. Its characters and story, however, are less easy to love.

Set against the backdrop of the 1910 Parisian floods, A Monster in Paris boasts a number of charms, though none so consistently as to make it a truly satisfying or exciting feature.

Somewhat ironically for a film which opens in a projectionist’s booth, a lack of focus is partly to blame. A Monster in Paris opens on a love story between mild-mannered cinema projectionist Émile (and part-time leprechaun by the looks of his character design) and ticket booth attendant,...

Written and directed by Bibo Bergeron, A Monster in Paris is a brand new CG-animated family movie set in Paris in the year 1910 and centered on a monster (a giant flea) who lives in a garden and his love for a beautiful, young singer. Paris. The film is set for a UK release on January 27th 2012, courtesy of eOne Entertainment – who have just sent us this UK quad poster for the film:

Paris, 1910. Emile, a shy movie projectionist, and Raoul, a colorful inventor, find themselves embarked on the hunt for a monster terrorizing citizens. They join forces with Lucille, the big-hearted star of the Bird of Paradise cabaret, an eccentric scientist and his irascible monkey to save the monster, who turns out to be an oversized but harmless flea, from the city’s ruthlessly ambitious police chief.

Written and directed by Bibo Bergeron, A Monster in Paris is a brand new CG-animated family movie set in Paris in the year 1910 and centered on a monster (a giant flea) who lives in a garden and his love for a beautiful, young singer. Paris. The film is set for a UK release on January 20th 2012, courtesy of eOne Entertainment

Paris, 1910. Emile, a shy movie projectionist, and Raoul, a colorful inventor, find themselves embarked on the hunt for a monster terrorizing citizens. They join forces with Lucille, the big-hearted star of the Bird of Paradise cabaret, an eccentric scientist and his irascible monkey to save the monster, who turns out to be an oversized but harmless flea, from the city’s ruthlessly ambitious police chief.

After a decade in the Hollywood system directing the likes of The Road to El Dorado and Shark Tale, Bibo Bergeron decided to return home to his native France and embark on a passion project. Titled A Monster in Paris and seeing its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, this children’s tale has more in common with a Sylvain Chomet than his Dreamworks past. Not as stylized as The Triplets of Belleville, Bergeron still infuses a flavor all his own with a beautifully rendered 3D Parisian background to set the stage. Possessing the usual children’s fare handicaps of hidden love, best friends, and magical mishap, the film is able to excel beyond the status quo to delight more than any other animated work I’ve seen so far this year.

Taking place in 1910 with the Eiffel Tower drowning in the Seine’s overflow from the Great Flood,...

Trailers are an under-appreciated art form insofar that many times they’re seen as vehicles for showing footage, explaining films away, or showing their hand about what moviegoers can expect. Foreign, domestic, independent, big budget: I celebrate all levels of trailers and hopefully this column will satisfactorily give you a baseline of what beta wave I’m operating on, because what better way to hone your skills as a thoughtful moviegoer than by deconstructing these little pieces of advertising? Some of the best authors will tell you that writing a short story is a lot harder than writing a long one, that you have to weigh every sentence. What better medium to see how this theory plays itself out beyond that than with movie trailers? Where Soldiers Come From Trailer Documentary filmmaker Heather Courtney looks to have made a movie that keeps the embers of war stoked in our collective consciousness.

Our road to Tiff has been a long frustrating and complicated journey. Three years now we’ve gone without press accreditation which confused the fuck out of many people especially myself, given we receive press badges for every other major film festival in the world. So this year I’ve decided that come rain or shine, money or not, I’d find a way to get my crew over to the festival fully prepared to deliver the best coverage possible in hopes that this will be the last year we are rejected. Toronto correspondents Dave Robson and Michael Waldman will be attending various features and focussing heavily on the Midnight Madness and documentary programs, while Justine and I will head out for a few days to report on some of the bigger releases. But that isn’t all folks. Greg Ashman from the CriticalMassCast will be flying in from Vancouver to help us along,...

Luc Besson has only done some official work in the realm of animation — his trilogy of Arthur movies immediately springs to mind — but it’s beside the point when almost everything he’s involved with feels like a cartoon. Not that I’m condemning what he does, since I actually enjoy some of his writing/directing/producing work; it’s just that they often feel ridiculous. But that argument may not matter with A Monster in Paris, a new producing project for him that is in fact a CG cartoon. The trailer for it has shown up on the Tiff YouTube page, as it will premiere at the festival.

One of the main things that I pay attention to when looking at footage for an upcoming animated film is the animation itself, since the world can’t be convincingly sold unless that aspect works. Thankfully, the style here looks unique...

With the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival just around the corner, an English dubbed trailer for the Luc Besson-produced/Bibo Bergeron-directed animated feature film A Monster In Paris has been uploaded at the official Tiff Youtube channel. Even the musical scenes were vocally translated to match the original song. The international voice cast include Vanessa Paradis (Lucille), Sean Lennon (Francoeur), Adam Goldberg (Raoul), Danny Huston (Maynott), Bob Balaban (Pâté) and Catherine O'Hara (Carlotta). Paris, 1910. Panic sweeps the city. Floodwaters are rising and a monster is on the loose! Formidable Commissioner Maynott and his men hunt it down day and night. With no luck. It could be that in the limelight at The Rare Bird, a Montmartre cabaret where feisty Lucille is the star attraction, isn't...

"He's not a monster!" This isn't directed by Luc Besson, but it is produced by him. A new English-language trailer has debuted recently via Tiff's YouTube for A Monster in Paris, a 3D animated adventure about a monster who lives in a garden in Paris and his love for a beautiful, young singer. The English voice cast includes Vanessa Paradis, Catherine O'Hara, Danny Huston, Adam Goldberg and Bob Balaban. This actually looks quite fun, it reminds me of Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs in a way. I don't like re-dubbing with English actors either, but it doesn't look as bad as Arthur and the Invisibles. Check out this trailer below! Watch the official English-language trailer for Bibo Bergeron's A Monster in Paris, via YouTube: Paris, 1910: having unintentionally unleashed a monster from an eccentric scientist’s greenhouse, Emile the projectionist, Raoul the inventor and Lucille, an enchanting cabaret singer,...

By Sean O’Connell

Hollywoodnews.com: Brad Pitt, Keira Knightley, George Clooney, Carey Mulligan, Rachel Weisz, Gerard Butler and Ryan Gosling are heading to Toronto for the 36tht international film festival, which kicks off on Thursday, Sept. 8.

The fest today confirmed the hundreds of celebrities that will be attending the can’t-miss event, promoting films and making the rounds as the annual awards season starts to take shape.

Davis Guggenheim, Francis Ford Coppola, Alexander Payne, Luc Besson, Oren Moverman, Malgoska Szumowska, Bennett Miller, Sarah Polley, Jessica Yu, Michael Winterbottom and Werner Herzog are just a few of the filmmakers who have confirmed their attendance.

Celebrities making the trek include Catherine Deneuve, Charlotte Rampling, Clive Owen, Jon Hamm, Shahid Kapoor, Michael Fassbender, Michelle Yeoh, Freida Pinto, Glenn Close, Matthew Goode, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Salma Hayek, Viggo Mortensen and Woody Harrelson. Musicians U2, Pearl Jam and Neil Young also are expected to...

Toronto - The 36th Toronto International Film Festival® welcomes hundreds of guests this year. Filmmakers expected to present their world premieres in Toronto include: Davis Guggenheim, Francis Ford Coppola, Alexander Payne, Agnieszka Holland, Guy Maddin, Luc Besson, Bill Duke, Oren Moverman, Malgoska Szumowska, Bennett Miller, Darrell Roodt, Sarah Polley, Jessica Yu, Michael Winterbottom and Werner Herzog.

Actors expected to attend include Catherine Deneuve, Charlotte Rampling, George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Clive Owen, Gerard Butler, Jeon Do-Yeon, Jon Hamm, Shahid Kapoor, Michael Fassbender, Michelle Yeoh, Freida Pinto, Glenn Close, Matthew Goode, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Rachel Weisz, Ryan Gosling, Salma Hayek, Viggo Mortensen and Woody Harrelson. Musicians include: U2, Pearl Jam and Neil Young.

The Festival also welcomes thousands of producers and other industry professionals bringing films to us.

The following filmmakers are expected to attend the Toronto International Film Festival:

Adam Shaheen, Adam Wingard, Adolfo Borinaga Alix Jr., Agnieszka Holland, Akin Omotoso,...

News is rolling out of Toronto for this year's festival, with the Galas and the Special Presentations sections announced.  As always with Tiff, the sheer number of films can seem overwhelming, but with new films by David Cronenberg (A Dangerous Method, pictured above), Terence Davies (!), Francis Ford Coppola, Wang Xiaoshuai, Marjane Satrapi & Vincent Paronnaud, and William Friedkin added to big names that premiered already this year (including Almodóvar, Von Trier, Nanni Moretti, and Nicolas Winding Refn) it looks like the 2011 iteration will be as packed with must-see cinema as ever before.  We'll be updating this listing as new lineups are announced.  See Tiff's official website for details.

Galas

Albert Nobbs (Rodrigo Garcia, Ireland) Butter (Jim Field Smith, USA) A Dangerous Method (David Cronenberg, France/Ireland/UK/Germany/Canada) From the Sky Down (Davis Guggenheim, USA) A Happy Event (Rémi Bezançon, France) The Ides of March (George Clooney, USA) The Lady (Luc Besson,...

Shawn Ashmore, Ashley Bell, Shannyn Sossamon, Dominic Monaghan and Cory Hardrict in The Day

Photo: Content Media The 2011 Toronto International Film Festival announced 56 more movies added to its festival line-up this year with selections in the Vanguard, Midnight Madness, Documentaries, City to City and Tiff Kids programs. And to be honest, the line-up is filled with titles, most of which are absolutely new to me.

I have seen one of the films under the Vanguard banner, a selection of young and cutting edge features and I've heard of Joachim Trier's Oslo, August 31, Ben Wheatley's Kill List (watch the trailer to the right) was a hit at South by Southwest earlier this year and the documentary selections include familiar names such as Werner Herzog, Morgan Spurlock, Jonathan Demme, Alex Gibney and Wim Wenders, the latter of which is delivering a 3D documentary centered on the dance world of Pina Bausch and her company.

Once known almost exclusively as the prime force behind French action films it appears as though Luc Besson is moving more and more towards family entertainment. His latest production to go in that direction is the long-in-production animated feature A Monster In Paris.Directed by Bibo Bergeron with an interesting international voice cast including Adam Goldberg, Danny Huston, Sean Lennon and Vanessa Paradis, the film is approaching a French release meaning the first French trailer has arrived.Paris, 1910. Panic sweeps the city. Floodwaters are rising and a monster is on the loose! Formidable Commissioner Maynott and his men hunt it down day and night. With no luck. It could be that in the limelight at The Rare Bird, a Montmartre cabaret where feisty Lucille is...

Here we have a first look atthe film A Monster In Paris from director Bibo Bergeron (A Shark Tale, The Road To El Dorado).

The film takes place in Paris in 1910, and tells the story of a projectionist named Emile who teams up with other Parisians to protect their city from a monster. The film’s voice talent includes Catherine O’Hara, Danny Huston, Adam Goldberg, Vanessa Paradis, Bob Balaban, and Jay Harrington. Check out the full picture after the break.

Read more on First look at the new animated film A Monster In Paris…...

Motion Investment Group, the busiest Belgian tax shelter fund, has reinvented itself as uMedia, embracing distribution, visual effects and co-production. The new group has established a Belgian distribution company, which has already picked up its first dozen titles. These include controversial €20 million French film Outside the Law, which plays In Competition here a week on Friday. Mig helped finance Outside the Law through its tax shelter scheme, as it did every other title on its initial release slate. Other titles include three animated features: Europacorp’s CGI cartoon A Monster In Paris, directed by Shark Tale director Bibo Bergeron; German [...]...

Bibo Films released this very cool poster for the upcoming animated film “A Monster in Paris” (Un monstre a Paris) by director Bibo Bergeron (Shark Tale) and starring Danny Huston (Clash of the Titans, Robin Hood), Catherine O’Hara (Killers), Adam Goldberg (Zodiac, Joey), Vanessa Paradis and Jay Harrington (Desperate Housewives, Burn Notice). Synopsis: Paris,1910. Emile, a shy movie projectionist, and Raoul, a colorful inventor, find themselves embarked on the hunt for a monster terrorizing citizens. They join forces with Lucille, the big-hearted star of the Bird of Paradise cabaret, an eccentric scientist and his irascible monkey to save the monster, who turns out to be an over-sized but harmless flea, from [...]...

Haven't watched all the 2010 Oscar-nominated shorts yet? Here's your chance, thanks to Shorts International, Magnolia Pictures, and theaters in 100 different cities in the UK and North America. See both animated and live-action shorts on the big screen starting Feburary 19 in NYC at the IFC Center; check the official website for details on when they're coming to your town. Meanwhile, here's a quick rundown on what will be playing. Animated Films French Roast France / 8 Mins Director/Writer: Fabrice O. Joubert Producers: Louis Viau, Bibo Bergeron, Pascal Cheve A businessman realizes he forgot his wallet when it's time to pay the bill at a cafe, so he drinks more and more coffee until an unlikely good Samaritan comes to his aid. Granny O'Grimm's Sleeping Beauty Ireland / 6 Mins Director: Nicky Phelan Writer: Kathleen O'Rourke Producer: Darragh O'Connell Cast: Kathleen O'Rourke Granny's grim version of Sleeping Beauty is not exactly the bedtime story her granddaughter wants to hear.

Adam Goldberg and Danny Huston have joined the voice cast of the animated feature "A Monster in Paris" for EuropaCorp says The Hollywood Reporter.

Set in Belle Epoque-era Paris, the story sees a shy film projectionist (Jay Harrington), a cabaret star (French pop singer Vanessa Paradis), an inventor, an eccentric scientist and a monkey teaming up to stop a monster.

Huston will play the ruthless police chief who is the real villain of the piece. Goldberg is a aimless delivery man, Balaban a police captain, and O'Hara the cabaret club owner.

Bibo Bergeron and Stephane Kazandjian penned the script.

Adam Goldberg, Jay Harrington and Danny Huston will voice EuropaCorp's A Monster in Paris , an animated movie directed by Bibo Bergeron ( Shark Tale ). Bergeron wrote the script with Stephane Kazandjian. Bob Balaban and Catherine O'Hara are also joining the voice cast, which already includes French pop singer Vanessa Paradis. Sett in Paris in 1910, the film follows a shy movie projectionist (Harrington) and an inventor who team up with a cabaret star (Paradis), an eccentric scientist and his monkey to save the city from a monster. The real villain, however, turns out to be the ruthless police chief (Huston). Goldberg voices a delivery man without any goals in life, while Balaban acts as a police captain, and O'Hara plays the owner of the cabaret club.

Not sure what to watch? We can help with our comprehensive guide to the best films on TV this Christmas and new year

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Saturday 19 December

Yes Man (Peyton Reed, 2008)

10am, 8pm, Sky Movies Premiere

Remember Jim Carrey in Liar, Liar, where he forces himself to tell the truth for 24 hours? Well, here Jim Carrey forces himself to answer yes to any request, for a year. Which is upping the ante somewhat, but doesn't make it a better film. This is a return to the manic, gurning, not-very-funny Carrey, as if The Truman Show, Eternal Sunshine etc hadn't happened. Just say no.

The Golden Compass (Chris Weitz, 2007)

11.40am, 8pm, Sky Movies Family

What with Harry Potter, Narnia, Lemony Snicket and all,...

For the record: Shark Tale is one of the worst animated films I’ve ever seen, only made more painful by the fact that it quickly followed on the heels of Finding Nemo the way that Surf’s Up followed Happy Feet and March of the Penguins.

It was laughless and devoid of fun, and now its co-director Bibo Bergeron is getting another chance to display his questionable directorial talent — his knack for animation isn’t a question, as he’s been involved with films since Asterix.

The $42 million movie in question is A Monster in Paris, which, according to Variety, “is set at the turn of the 20th century. It follows a monster who lives in a garden and falls in love with a beautiful, young singer.” At least that sounds a little more unique than the transparent Shark Tale, but I’ve yet to be swayed to Bibo’s side.

TORONTO -- The Toronto International Film Festival said Tuesday that DreamWorks SKG's animated feature Shark Tale will receive a matinee gala North American premiere at the festival in September. Festival co-director Noah Cowan said first-ever matinee gala presentations will take place on weekend afternoons at Roy Thomson Hall to provide opportunities for families to enjoy the best of international cinema. Shark Tale, a computer-animated comedy directed by Vicky Jenson and Bibo Bergeron and featuring the voices of Will Smith, Robert De Niro and Renee Zellweger, will be one of two matinee galas in Toronto. An announcement on the other matinee will follow shortly, bringing the number of high-profile Roy Thomson galas this year from 18 to 20.

TORONTO -- The Toronto International Film Festival said Tuesday that DreamWorks SKG's animated feature Shark Tale will receive a matinee gala North American premiere at the festival in September. Festival co-director Noah Cowan said first-ever matinee gala presentations will take place on weekend afternoons at Roy Thomson Hall to provide opportunities for families to enjoy the best of international cinema. Shark Tale, a computer-animated comedy directed by Vicky Jenson and Bibo Bergeron and featuring the voices of Will Smith, Robert De Niro and Renee Zellweger, will be one of two matinee galas in Toronto. An announcement on the other matinee will follow shortly, bringing the number of high-profile Roy Thomson galas this year from 18 to 20.