News

Jamie Ford’s best-selling debut novel Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet is being developed into a film. Producer Diane Quon announced today that she has acquired the film rights with Joseph Craig of StemEnt as producer and actor/author/activist George Takei as executive producer. "The book tells an intimate love story that is, at once, poignant and sweeping with historic magnitude told against the backdrop of the internment of Japanese Americans during WWII," said…...

Exclusive: Pascal Borno’s company has reported a strong response from buyers in Toronto to the film starring Ashley Judd, Whoopi Goldberg and Patrick Wilson.

Adriana Trigiani makes her feature directorial debut based on her novel of the same name about a single woman in a small town whose quiet life is turned upside-down when she discovers a deep family secret.

Picturehouse will distribute Big Stone Gap in the Us on October 9.

Joseph Craig, Donna Gigliotti and James Spies produce and Los Angeles-based Altar Identity Studios is the financier.

Lano Williams of Karol Williams brokered the deal for Conquistador with Wme Global and Sally James of Stroock, Stroock and Lavan for the producers.

“Big Stone Gap represents another high quality film within our line-up,” said Borno. “The great acting and wonderful storytelling made a must have for us.”...

Nielsen National Research Group, a division of Nielsen Entertainment, announced Monday the launch of Nielsen NRGi, a new division set up to provide the independent film market with Nielsen's research services. The company will open a New York office to support the group. NRGi will customize NRG's data collection and analysis for the indie community, including providing such new methodologies as weekly art house tracking, expanding into online tests of commercials and trailers, East Coast-based screenings and custom location-based testing. Joseph Craig, senior vp and general manager, will lead NRGi. "Currently a void exists in the independent film arena when it comes to research, and we see many reasons to fill it," Craig said. "Namely, our desire to extend the best of our existing methodologies to a new landscape, but with real understanding and sensitivity to the differences."...

It's been generating some advance buzz because of an extended battle with the ratings board concerning its purportedly steamy content, but truth be told, the MPAA was actually doing "Bliss" a big favor with its original NC-17 decision.

A sullen portrait of a noble husband who strikes an unorthodox deal with his frigid wife's sexual surrogate in an attempt to save their marriage (!), "Bliss" is a load of pretentiousness that's mired in a sea of preposterous dialogue and painfully purposeful performances.

While the hype might arouse some nominal curiosity, the picture will likely find little boxoffice bliss. Its best shot will be on video, when those seeking titillation will be able to turn down the volume and take in all the artful coupling unhampered by any annoying dialogue.

Just your average boy-meets-girl, boy-loses-girl, boy-gets-girl-back-through-ancient-Tantric-sexual-healing story, the film wastes little time in establishing that the marriage of newlyweds Joseph Craig Sheffer) and Maria (Sheryl Lee) is in trouble. The early writing's on the wall when Joseph confides to a buddy that Maria has had a couple of suicidal episodes and sleeps with a fly swatter, but their fate is sealed when she admits to their therapist, Alfred (Spalding Gray), that she fakes her orgasms.

But that's not all. Poor Joseph also discovers that she's been paying regular visits to one Baltazar (Terence Stamp), a self-styled sex surrogate with a long list of clients. Determined to take matters into his own hands, so to speak, Joseph strikes a deal with Baltazar. He's willing to become his pupil and learn all the ancient secrets of really reaching out and touching someone, and in return, Baltazar will no longer personally treat Maria. In essence, Joseph acts as the sex surrogate for the sex surrogate.

The modestly budgeted picture marks the feature debut of writer-director Lance Young, a former Warner Bros. executive. This stuff obviously comes from a very personal place, but that doesn't necessarily stand to follow that paying audiences will want to go there. As presented, "Bliss" is a leaden, joyless affair. Even the promise of steam goes undelivered with the kind of fancily lit, self-consciously choreographed and edited poses that give sex a bad name.

Those poor actors, meanwhile, convinced they are doing something daring and meaningful, try hard to make every on-screen minute count. Sheffer, as the hubby who's willing to sacrifice all for love, impressively maintains the same dour conviction throughout; while Stamp, no stranger to taking controversial roles, deftly delivers the kind of ridiculous, jaw-dropping dialogue that would have sent lesser artists into convulsions. At least Lee, as the disturbed Maria, manages to change expressions once in a while.

The production values for this shot-in-Vancouver enterprise are similarly limited, for the most part alternating between tranquil, sun-drenched interiors and moody, rainy exteriors. Jan A.P. Kaczmarek's neo-classical score attempts (unsuccessfully) to give the production the illusion of something greater.

BLISS

Sony Pictures

Triumph Films presents

a Stewart Pictures production

A Lance Young film

Director-screenwriter Lance Young

Producer Allyn Stewart

Executive producer Matthew O'Connor

Director of photography Mike Molloy

Production designers John Willett,

David Lloyd Fischer

Editor Allan Lee

Costume designer Jori Woodman

Music Jan A.P. Kaczmarek

Color/stereo

Cast:

Joseph Craig Sheffer

Maria Sheryl Lee

Baltazar Terence Stamp

Tanner Casey Siemaszko

Alfred Spalding Gray

Redhead Leigh Taylor

Young Eva Lois Chiles

Nick Blu Mankuma

Running time -- 92 minutes

MPAA rating: R...