Robert Rodriguez forms indie company

Robert Rodriguez is forming Quick Draw Prods., a new venture that will develop, produce and fully finance indie films in partnership with Gigi Pritzker's OddLot Entertainment and Michel Litvak's Bold Films.

Multi-picture deal calls for action-oriented, commercial fare. Affinity Intl. will handle foreign sales.

"This new venture allows us to develop, greenlight and produce films from the idea stage through delivery," Rodriquez said. "I look forward to developing and producing films under the banner as well as working with filmmakers that I am inspired by."

Rodriquez will direct some of the pics, and produce others.

Quick Draw will be based in Austin, TX, and will formally launch at the American Film Market, which gets underway this week in Santa Monica.

View the original article here

The Weinstein Co.: Drills down on market

The Weinsteins have mounted yet another comeback. Maybe they lost their bid to buy back the Miramax label, but TWC has come out of its debt-restructuring with the vengeance of a Quentin Tarantino heroine. At the Toronto Intl. Film Festival, they beat out several rivals to acquire three coveted films, "Dirty Girl," "Submarine," and "Sarah's Key," not to mention buzz pic "The King's Speech."

At AFM, the company will be focusing on international sales of "Scream 4," the Sarah Jessica Parker vehicle "I Don't Know How She Does It" and "Spy Kids 3-D." Of the latter, TWC COO David Glasser says, "It's an incredible opportunity for the independent (buyers), because this is a bigger studio-level picture."

The company will also be unveiling titles on its 2012 slate, including adaptations of prestige properties "Osage County," based on the play, and "The Alchemist," from the bestselling novel.

AFM will also provide TWC a platform to shake off its critics and reassert itself as a viable company with long-term goals.

"One of the things that we're trying to promote right now is to give a consistent picture of here are the next 24 months," notes Glasser. "Harvey and Bob are best when they're focused, and we're absolutely headed in that direction."

View the original article here

'Soul Surfer' is first FilmDistrict pickup

Peter Schlessel and Bob Berney's newly formed FilmDistrict is teaming with TriStar Pictures on "Soul Surfer," based on the real-life story of surfer Bethany Hamilton, who lost her arm during a shark attack.

FilmDistrict will market the film, which TriStar opens in theaters nationwide on April 15, 2011. Dennis Quaid, Helen Hunt, AnnaSophia Robb and Carrie Underwood topline.

Sean McNamara directs from a script he wrote with Michael Berk, Douglas Schwartz and Deborah Schwartz. Film is based on Bethany Hamilton's memoir "Soul Surfer: A True Story of Faith, Family and Fighting to Get Back on the Board."

It's the first film to go out via FilmDistrict's deal with Sony Pictures.

Pic also stars Lorraine Nicholson, Kevin Sorbo and Jeremy Sumpter.

Enticing Entertainment and Island Film Group financed the film, which was produced by Mandalay Vision, Brookwell McNamara Entertainment and Life's A Beach Entertainment.

Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions picked up North American and substantial international rights before the film went into production.

View the original article here

Santa Barbara Film Fest honors Annette Bening

The Santa Barbara Film Festival will fete Annette Bening with the American Riviera Award.

The American Riviera Award was created to honor actors with strong influence on American cinema.

Past recipients include Sandra Bullock, Mickey Rourke, Tommy Lee Jones, Forrest Whitaker, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Kevin Bacon and Diane Lane.

Bening, who has been Oscar nommed three times, also received the first Montecito Award from the fest in 2005 for her career achievements. She starred in "Mother and Child" and "The Kids Are All Right" this year.

The Santa Barbara Film Fest will recognize Bening on Jan. 28 at Santa Barbara's Arlington Theater. The 26th annual fest runs Jan. 27 to Feb. 6.

View the original article here

Reliance Big Entertainment, BBC pact on pic trio

BBC Earth, the natural history brand of BBC Worldwide, and India's Reliance Big Entertainment have entered a co-production and distribution deal for three pics, starting with the $65 million "Walking With Dinosaurs 3D."

All three will be distributed via Reliance's international film sales and financing arm IM Global.
Deal was negotiated over several months by Marcus Arthur, BBC Worldwide's managing director of global brands, BBC Earth director Amanda Hill, IM Global topper Stuart Ford and Reliance's Deepak Nayar.
"Walking With Dinosaurs 3D," inspired by the BBC series, will be co-directed by Pierre De Lespinois of U.S.-based Evergreen Films and BBC Earth's Neil Nightingale.
Second co-production will be the $25 million documentary "Africa 3D," which will be filmed alongside "Africa," the BBC's upcoming TV series. Pic is also made in partnership with Evergreen Films.
Third pic is "Life," currently in post-production and slated for a 2011 release. Pic follows the cycle of animal life to the birth of the next generation and is co-directed by Mike Gunton and Martha Holmes. It is produced by Magic Light Pictures' Martin Pope and Michael Rose.
IM Global will begin international sales on "Walking With Dinosaurs 3D" and "Life" at the American Film Market, which begins on Wednesday.
View the original article here

What Oksana and Mel Are Really Fighting Over

10/31/2010 1:00 AM PDT by TMZ Staff   The real fight between Oksana Grigorieva and Mel Gibson may not be about child custody at all ... we've learned the various lawyers who have been repping Oksana have been focused on a legal document created long before Lucia was born.

TMZ was first to report the problem with the Icon Trust -- created by Mel and Robyn to provide for their seven children. The trust defines "issue" (aka children) as kids born from Mel or Robyn. When it was drafted, no one thought Mel or Robyn would have a child outside the marriage. Enter Oksana.
Sources connected with Mel and Robyn say no one in their family wants to screw Lucia out of her inheritance, but if she becomes a beneficiary in Mel's trust it would create some complicated tax issues.
So when Oksana and Mel broke up and struck a settlement deal during the mediation in May, the very first term reads, "Oksana consents to amendment of Icon Trust to exclude Lucia."
In return for excluding Lucia, Mel agreed to provide a financial package for the baby worth more than $8 million.
Sounds like a sweet deal. So why did Oksana disavow the mediation she signed? We're told the lawyers Oksana hooked up with after the mediation believed Lucia got royally screwed by giving up an interest in the trust. They told Oksana that Lucia would stand to get around $50 million under the trust agreement ... which they believe represents 1/8 the value of a $400,000,000 trust.
Sources connected with Gibson tell us the money in the trust is not even in the universe of $400,000,000 ... not remotely close.
But here's the deal. If Oksana's lawyers persist and Mel settles out of court, the attorney would get a percentage of the settlement. So they've convinced Oksana there's something in it for her ... and there's something in it for them.
  Tags: Mel Gibson, Robyn Gibson, Oksana Grigorieva, Celebrity Justice
View the original article here

Oksana Grigorieva -- Flowers for Lucia

10/31/2010 9:50 AM PDT by TMZ Staff   Oksana Grigorieva stopped at a local grocery store Saturday morning to pick up some flowers for her baby Lucia's first birthday party.

As we first reported, papa Mel Gibson tried to arrange to see Lucia for her birthday, but was shot down by a judge.
Flowers are nice too.
Tags: Oksana Grigorieva, Mel Gibson, Paparazzi Photo
View the original article here