RECENT PRESS
What’s playing at FilmFest Kansas City
“Ambush” (2002; Finland, 123 minutes): Inspired by a true story, this war yarn takes place in the summer of 1941 when Finnish troops — mounted on bicycles — were mobilized along Russia's border. Sort of a Scandinavian “Private Ryan.” (Screening at 3:30 p.m. Monday)...
Beyond the mainstream
A huge raft of indies & foreign imports heads our way Before the Revolution: Gael Garcia Bernal and Rodrigo de la Serna in 'The Motorcycle Diaries.' Star-driven independent films dominate the art-house lineup this season, and some of them are certain to appeal to...
Michael plans bigger film festival
SEVEN Scottish premieres - and a talk by TV film presenter Barry Norman - are among the major attractions at the second Inverness Film Festival being held at Eden Court from 11th15th November at the Eden Court Theatre and the Vue multiplex. The full programme for this...
New dark stars are born
Edinburgh is dominated by brooding, homegrown talent with an ability to turn from the comic to the violent Film festivals tend to be about directors, countries or genres, but sometimes they are also about a new star. In Cannes, it was the young Mexican actor Gael...
‘Sprung’ finds a home
NEW YORK -- Miramax has sealed a pact with Pathe Pictures Intl. to acquire distribution rights to animated feature "Sprung! The Magic Roundabout" for North and South America. In post-production and set to be completed in January, "Sprung" is based on the vintage U.K....
Actor ‘Rediscovered Glasgow’ During Filming
The leading actor in a movie which is to receive its UK premiere tonight, today described filming on location in the west coast of Scotland as “just a really good, simple experience”. Tomb Raider star Gerard Butler, who grew up in Paisley, said that shooting Dear...
Fest offers early look at upcoming dramas
The Chicago International Film Festival offers early looks at four dramas -- "The Machinist," "Dear Frankie," "P.S." and "Sideways" -- expected to open soon in local art houses. The dialogue is in English, if you're one to avoid subtitles. And if you want to take...
Scottish talent flies the flag
All this time in Edinburgh and, Ae Fond Kiss and The Purifiers aside, Empire hasn't yet been flying the flag for the Scottish films on show. There's always a danger at any film festival, of course, that special favours and lower standards exist to allow locally...
Film festival features blues, true stories
Pittsburgh native Antoine Fuqua captured "Lightning in a Bottle" -- a once-in-a-lifetime salute to the blues at Radio City Music Hall -- and the movie will be uncorked as part of the Three Rivers Film Festival. The tribute features legends such as B.B. King, Buddy Guy...
Gerry Butler’s famous, sort of; EIFF ticket prices.
Doug at the EIFF: day 10 [b]Those of you who have a penchant for Hollywood heartthrobs would have done well to get to the premiere of Dear Frankie at the Fountainbridge UGC. Scottish hunk of Tomb Raider fame, Gerry Butler, has returned to his homeland, but is here to...
The WIN Awards
Women's Image Network (WIN), levels the playing field for women each year by producing The WIN Awards which venerate films, shows, and commercials, which either feature female protagonists OR that have been directed/created by a women. On Sunday, November 7, 2004, WIN...
Miramax pushes date with ‘Frankie’
Miramax Films' slender release schedule for 2004 has gotten slimmer. "Dear Frankie," which Miramax confirmed for a fall release less than two weeks ago, is now slated for March 4. And while the Robert Redford-Jennifer Lopez starrer "An Unfinished Life" is slated for...
Dear Frankie for Free to Celebrate 10 Years of National Lottery
The National Lottery celebrates its 10th Birthday this year. Thanks to everyone who has played or supported it, over £16 billion has been raised for good causes. National Lottery money has been essential in funding many Scottish films in recent years. The first ever...
Interview with Dear Frankie Director
Shona Auerbach is an award-winning short film director whose first feature, Dear Frankie, had its UK premiere at Edinburgh. The film got a standing ovation at the Cannes Film Festival, and it won the audience award for best international feature at the LA Film...
Hollywood comes to Coventry
Warwick Arts Centre's November and December Film Season includes a weekend of incredible cinema events and special guests. On Thursday 25 November there's a special preview screening of Dear Frankie, by Warwickshire film maker, Shona Auerbach. Shona is an...
Interview – Cannes – Gerard Butler
His last two big movies have been Tomb Raider 2 and Timeline, but don’t hold that against him. Gerard Butler was the best thing in both those movies, and the tall, dark and handsome Scottish actor is on the verge of big things. Refreshingly down-to-earth, the 34...
STAR SWAPS BLOCKBUSTERS FOR LOW-BUDGET DRAMA
Tomb Raider actor Gerard Butler today talked about swapping the blockbuster Hollywood action adventure movie for a role in a low-budget drama. And the 33-year-old star said he prefered making smaller, "more intimate" films such as Natural History which he is currently...
‘Windows’ needled
SEATTLE -- The 30th annual Seattle Film Festival wrapped its 25-day run Sunday with the North American premiere of Patrice Leconte (news)'s "Intimate Strangers," followed by the event's closing gala. In a ceremony held earlier that day, at their vertiginous namesake...
Emily tips Glasgow as top UK film spot
ACTRESS Emily Mortimer is tipping Glasgow as a potential film capital of Britain. Emily, star of hits such as The 51st State, is in the city filming the family drama Natural History. It's her second film in a row here - last year she starred opposite Ewan McGregor in...
From Tomb to Time
It's been a busy year for Gerard Butler. The one-time Dracula has been chasing ancient relics with Lara Croft and jumping back to the middle ages in the upcoming Timeline, as he tells Bryan Cairns. Most actors would rather pull out their own fingernails than recall...