News

John Trafford-Owen, former executive at Studiocanal and Paramount Pictures, has joinedZygi Kamasa’s True Brit Entertainment as head of theatrical sales.

Trafford-Owen was previously head of theatrical distribution at Studiocanal UK as well as sales director for the UK and Ireland at Paramount Pictures International and United International Pictures UK. More recently, Trafford-Owen has worked withGower Street Analytics, Anton Capital,RealD, Dolby Cinema and IMAX.

True Brit has also hired Kate Willoughby as its senior marketing manager and Rob Barnes as head of home entertainment.

Willoughby began her career at Momentum Pictures and went on to work with distributors including Universal Pictures,...

Screen celebrated the launch of the UK & Ireland Stars of Tomorrow 2024 with a party at the Mondrian hotel, in Shoreditch, London on Thursday, July 4.

Most of the 2024 Stars were in attendance, including Richard Gadd, Alison Oliver, Jay Lycurgo, Tosin Cole, Jess Kohl, Spike Fearn, Mica Ricketts and Jess Bray.

Further industry guests included producers Andrea Cornwell, Sarah Brocklehurst. Tolu Stedford and Alex Boden, as well as Searchlight’s Kate Gardiner, Screen Scotland’s Isabel Davis, Film4’s David Kimbangi, True Brit’s Nick Manzi, Hanway Films’ Nicole Mackey, Protagonist Pictures’ Mounia Wissinger, Anton’s Karina Gechtman, Film Constellation’s Chloe Tai,...

The film is inspired by Dwayne Fields, the first Black Briton to trek over 400 nautical miles to the North Pole.

UK filmmaker and broadcaster Reggie Yates is to write and direct biopic Poles Apart for Golden Gate Studios and Chrome Productions.

The film is inspired by the true story of Dwayne Fields who became the first Black Briton to trek over 400 nautical miles to the North Pole. Fields went on to co-found a charity that takes disadvantaged young people on life-changing expeditions.

Poles Apart is produced by Golden Gate Studios’ Nick Manzi and former Sony executive Luke Scrase, as well...

Evidence the sector is well-positioned to thrive in a post-pandemic, SVoD-driven market.

Producers dependent on UK independent distributors to finance their work and get it into cinemas have had a particularly anxious year. The pandemic has acclimatised audiences to watching films at home rather than in a cinema, and there have been major changes at some of the companies renowned for their commitment to the local film sector.

Zygi Kamasa has left Lionsgate UK, the company he co-founded as Redbus in 1997. Under Kamasa, Lionsgate UK was a staunch supporter of UK film, backing titles such as Bend It Like Beckham,...

Venice Critics’ Week Names New Head

Venice Film Festival independent sidebar Critics’ Week has hired Beatrice Fiorentino as its new General Delegate, replacing Giona A. Nazzaro who left earlier this year to take the reins at Locarno. Fiorentino is a journalist, critic and teacher who has been a member of the Critics’ Week selection committee since 2016. “I proudly and with great enthusiasm take on this challenge, aware of the responsibility that was trusted on me. Together with the selection committee and the new programming team we will work in continuity with the path of those who preceded us. We don’t have to create anything new. We will keep our gaze well focused on the present and the future of cinema,” she said.

Nick Manzi Among Lionsgate UK Departures

Nick Manzi, head of productions and acquisitions at Lionsgate UK, is set to leave the company, we can confirm. As we revealed earlier this month,...

His departure follows the exits of Zygi Kamasa and Nicola Pearcey.

Nick Manzi, the highly-respected head of productions and acquisitions at Lionsgate UK, is set to leave the company.

Lionsgate declined to comment but sources have confirmed Manzi’s departure is imminent. His exit will follow that of former Lionsgate Europe CEO Zygi Kamasa, who joined UK outfit Marv Films as group CEO earlier this year. It was also recently confirmed Nicola Pearcey will be stepping down as president of Lionsgate UK and Europe by the end of the year.

Further redundancies are understood to be taking place in the company’s London office.

Hello International Insider friends, and happy Friday. In the week in which Netflix said its coronavirus boom could be over, here are the seven things you need to know about the global film and TV business. If you want to subscribe to get this alert in a timely fashion, sign up here.

1. Scoop: Sky Steps Up Restarts

Sky soars again: After we brought you news last week of War Of The Worlds becoming the UK’s first pandemic-era TV drama series shoot, industry chatter around restarts is intensifying. Sky is among those leading the charge, with August being a key month in its planning. Dramas Britannia and Temple (pictured), and comedies Breeders and Code 404 are all set to begin shooting again, while the likes of A Discovery Of Witches will follow soon after. Here’s the full story.

A gamechanger? Sky was one of the UK broadcasters that fed...

Exclusive: In a multi-million dollar deal, Lionsgate UK has boarded Guy Ritchie’s untitled Jason Statham action-thriller which was launched by Miramax and CAA Media Finance at the American Film Market.

The project, which re-teams Ritchie and Statham for the first time since Lock, Stock And Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch, was one of the hot properties at the Afm. As we revealed, MGM stumped up for domestic and select international rights, and a bunch of major territories are in final negotiations.

Pic follows ‘H’, a “cold and mysterious” character working at a cash truck company responsible for moving hundreds of millions of dollars around Los Angeles each week. The film shifts across timelines and between various character’s perspectives. Also starring are Scott Eastwood, Josh Hartnett and Holt McCallany.

The movie, currently in early production, was known as Cash Truck during the Afm but it doesn’t have an official title yet.

Lionsgate U.K. has boarded “My Design Life,” Salon Pictures feature doc about Frank Stephenson, the influential car designer. Kew Media Group has taken international rights to the project, which is currently in production in Malaga, Spain.

Stephenson’s iconic car designs range from supercars including the McLaren P1 (pictured) to contemporary versions of design classics such as the Mini. The film will delve into the creative process and imagination of the designer who has helped reshape the car industry.

Helena Coan directs and Salon’s Nick Taussig and Paul Van Carter produce. The deal with Lionsgate extends the relationship between Salon and the U.K. arm of the independent studio after they worked together on “Fred,” “Churchill,” and “My Name is Lenny.”

“It’s a real pleasure to be working with Nick and Paul at Salon again on a film about one of the great designers of his generation,...

A documentary about Frank Stephenson, the car designer behind the $1.1M McLaren P1 and Maserati MC12, is coming to the big screen after Salon Pictures partnered with Lionsgate UK and Kew Media Group.

Lionsgate has taken the UK rights to My Design Life, while Kew Media Group has boarded for international distribution. The film, which is directed by up and coming director Helena Coan and produced by Salon’s Nick Taussig and Paul Van Carter, tells the story of Stephenson’s designs from his seminal work at McLaren through to designing the new Mini and Fiat 500. It will also look at his work designing the new London black cab.

My Design Life is fully financed by Head Gear Films, with Phil Hunt serving as Executive Producer and Tom Harberd as Associate Producer.

It is Salon’s latest deal with Lionsgate, which is releasing British gangster doc Fred in the second quarter of the year.

Oscar Wilde drama gets European premiere in Berlin on Saturday.

Sony Pictures Classics (Spc) has acquired all North American and Latin American rights to Rupert Everett’s The Happy Prince ahead of Saturday’s European premiere in Berlin as a Special Gala.

Everett’s feature directorial debut premiered in Sundance last month and the multi-hyphenate garnered strong reviews for his portrayal of the 19th century Irish poet and playwright Oscar Wilde.

The Happy Prince focuses on the literary giant’s final three years from 1897-1900.

Sequestered to a French seaside resort with the company of two loyal friends played by Edwin Thomas and Colin Firth, a restless Wilde travels across Europe under assumed names, unsure whether to reunite with his wife (Emily Watson), or his former lover Lord Alfred “Bosie” Douglas (Colin Morgan).

“I am absolutely thrilled, particularly because Michael [Barker] and Tom [Bernard] distributed my first film Another Country,” Everett said.

Sébastien Delloye, Philipp Kreuzer and [link...

Exclusive: Lionsgate nabs UK rights to Saul Dibb feature.

Lionsgate UK has picked up rights to Sam Claflin war drama Journey’s End from Metro International.

The Hunger Games and Me Before You star Claflin plays the lead role in the adaptation of R.C. Sherriff’s 1928 classic stage play about trench warfare.

Co-starring are Paul Bettany (A Beautiful Mind), Stephen Graham (Boardwalk Empire) Asa Butterfield (Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children), Toby Jones (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy) and Tom Sturridge (Far From the Madding Crowd). Saul Dibb (The Duchess) directs.

Natalie Brenner, Metro International head of sales, negotiated the deal with Nick Manzi, head of production and acquisitions, Lionsgate UK.

The film, currently in post-production, is adapted for the screen by Simon Reade (Private Peaceful).

In Journey’s End, 18-year-old new recruit Lieutenant Raleigh (Butterfield) has pulled strings to join his childhood friend and hero Captain Stanhope (Claflin) on the front line. However, Stanhope...

Toronto crime drama will screen to potential buyers at Afm following £3.7m UK run.

UK outfit Independent Film Sales has boarded Noel Clarke’s UK box office success Brotherhood for international sales

The Toronto title will screen to buyers during the American Film Market.

Brotherhood is the third film in multi-hyphenate Clarke’s urban crime series which began with 2006 title Kidulthood.

The movie, about a former gang member struggling to adapt to a new way of life, has grossed £3.7m in the UK following its late August release.

Clarke, the most prolific black actor in UK film, wrote, stars in and directed the movie. Under his Unstoppable Entertainment banner he produced the feature alongside Jason Maza and Gina Powell. Also producing were Maggie Monteith’s Dignity Films Finance.

Executive producers are Damian Jones, Zygi Kamasa, Nick Manzi, Nicola Pearcey, Chris Reed and Josephine Rose.

Independent represent North American rights jointly with Noel Clarke’s agency Apa.[p...

The distributor has acquired North American and Scandinavian rights to Alan Rickman’s recent Toronto International Film Festival closing night selection.

Lionsgate UK and BBC Films financed A Little Chaos, which stars Kate Winslet, Matthias Schoenaerts, Rickman, Stanley Tucci and Danny Webb.

The romance will open in North America on March 27, 2015. Universal will distribute in Scandinavia, Lionsgate UK will distribute in the first quarter of 2015 and Lionsgate International handles sales outside North America.

A Little Chaos centres on a strong-willed landscape designer who challenges barriers when she is chosen by Louis Xiv to build a garden at Versailles and in the process falls for a renowned landscape architect.

Gail Egan and Andrea Calderwood produced through their Potboiler Productions with Bertrand Faivre of The Bureau. Lionsgate UK CEO Zygi Kamasa served as executive producer alongside Guy Avshalom, Nick Manzi, Christine Langan, Ray Cooper, Norman Merry, and Richard Wolfe.

Focus brokered the deal with CAA for Lionsgate UK and...

Focus Features has taken North American rights to Tiff closing night romantic drama A Little Chaos, starring Kate Winslet and Matthias Schoenaerts. Alan Rickman directed the story of a strong-willed landscape designer chosen to build one of the main gardens at King Louis Xiv’s palace at Versailles. Rickman also co-wrote the Lionsgate UK and BBC Films production with Alison Deegan and Jeremy Brock and stars along with Stanley Tucci and Danny Webb. Focus has set a March 27, 2015 stateside release while Lionsgate UK handles its UK debut early next year. Rickman’s first film as director since 1997’s The Winter Guest is produced by Gail Egan and Andrea Calderwood for Potboiler Productions and Bertrand Faivre for The Bureau. Zygi Kamasa, Guy Avshalom, Nick Manzi, Christine Langan, Ray Cooper, Norman Merry, and Richard Wolfe are executive producers. Focus also took Scandinavian rights as the deals closed during Tiff. Focus Features’ Lia Buman,...

Exclusive: Lionsgate has picked up UK rights to Terry Jones’ comedy Absolutely Anything from Gfm Films.

Simon Pegg and Kate Beckinsale lead cast in Monty Python star Jones’ first film (as director) in 18 years, which got underway in the UK on Monday (24).

The deal was struck between Michael Ryan for Gfm Films, producer Ben Timlett and Zygi Kamasa and Nick Manzi for Lionsgate.

Lionsgate will release the film in the UK between April and July 2015.

Interview: Terry Jones

Absolutely Anything follows a disillusioned school teacher (Pegg) who suddenly finds he has the ability to do anything he wants, a challenge bestowed upon him by a group of power-crazed aliens watching him from space.

The Aliens will be voiced by Jones himself alongside Monty Python collaborators John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Michael Palin and Eric Idle.

The film’s supporting cast includes Sanjeev Bhaskar, Meera Syal, Eddie Izzard, Joanna Lumley, Rob Riggle and Robin Williams, who voices...

Following yesterday's debut of the film's trailer, The Weinstein Company has announced that it has acquired Us rights to Jonathan Teplitzky.s The Railway Man , starring Academy Award-winner Colin Firth, Academy Award-winner Nicole Kidman, Jeremy Irvine, Stellan Skarsgard, Sam Reid, Tanroh Ishida and Hiroyuki Sanada. Featuring a screenplay by Frank Cottrell Boyce and Andy Paterson, The Railway Man was produced by Paterson, Chris Brown and Bill Curbishley, and executive produced by Silver Reel.s Claudia Bluemhuber and Ian Hutchinson, Lionsgate UK.s Zygi Kamasa and Nick Manzi, Daria Jovicic and Anand Tucker. Based on a remarkable autobiography, The Railway Man tells the extraordinary and epic true story of Eric Lomax, a British Army officer who is tormented as a prisoner of...

British TV character Keith Lemon is coming to the big screen. Variety reports that Lionsgate U.K. is producing it's first feature comedy, Keith Lemon: The Film. Character creator Leigh Francis and Paul Angunawela co-wrote the script. Angunawela is helming the movie where "Keith follows his dream of becoming a successful entrepreneur, like his hero Richard Branson."

Verne Troyer is set to star alongside Francis, with filming slated to begin on November 17 in Belfast. The film is being produced by Generator Entertainment's Mark Huffam (Game of Thrones), Simon Bosanquet (Whole Lotta Sole) and Aidan Elliott. The pic was developed by Nick Manzi and Emma Berkofsky and will also serve exec producers for Lionsgate U.K.

I am not familiar with the show, so I can't say if I willlike it or not. What are your thoughts?...

Writer-director Julie Taymor is in Cannes promoting her film take on Shakespeare's The Tempest, which Icon International is selling in the market. "Isn't it Disney?" I asked Lionsgate UK's Nick Manzi. He responded: "Yes, but not all over the world." The $20-million indie-funded Miramax pick-up, long in the works, is finally coming out in December via Disney's Touchstone label, which is fine with Taymor. She says the film wasn't ready for Cannes (it is screening in the market, though not for press) and will likely play the fall fest circuit en route to a December award-season opening. However mainstream or commercial the movie turns out to be, with Helen Mirren as Prospera, Ben Whishaw as Ariel and Djiman Hounsou as Caliban, costumes (Oscar-winner Sandy Powell), cinematography ...