BLACKTHORN IS NOMINATED FOR 11 GOYA AWARDS
Blackthorn competes in eleven categories including best film and best director. With 11 nominations, it is the third most nominated film after Almodovar's The Skin I Live In and No Rest for the Wicked by Enrique Urbizo.
It competes in the following categories:
Best Film - Blackthorn
Best Director - Mateo Gil
Best Original Screenplay - Miguel Barros
Best Production Supervision - Andres Santana
Best Original Score - Lucio Godoy
Best Photography - Juan Antonio Ruiz Anchia
Best Editing - David Gallart
Best Production Design - Juan Pedro de Gaspar
Best Costume - Clara Bilbao
Best Make-up - Ana Lopez-Puigcerver, Belen Lopez-Puigcerver
Best Sound - Daniel Fontrodona, Marc Orts, Fabiola Ordoyo
Our congratulations and best wishes to the filmmakers.
QUICKFIRE ACQUIRES 'BLACKTHORN'
Quickfire is proud to announce it has formalized its investment in Blackthorn.
Quickfire entered today into a sales agreement with producer Ibon Cormenzana's Arcadia Motion Pictures, and will subcontract marketing and sales functions to Marina Fuentes' Six Sales.
The film is being directed by world-renowned screenwriter Mateo Gil at the helm of his first feature length English language film.
Blackthorn imagines Butch Cassidy (Sam Shepard, the Oscar nominated actor and Pulitzer winning author) alive and well in Bolivia under the name Blackthorn, a number of years after the notorious 1908 shoot-out. His advancing years, however, make him long for a last sight of home
As he crosses the high plateau on his way home, James encounters another rider, far younger and inexperienced. A Spanish mine engineer by the name of Ernesto Apodaca (Spanish Goya nominee Eduardo Noriega), on the run after having robbed a despotic mine owner.
Remembering his own past and in need of money, Blackthorn decides to accompany the young man on his frantic flight across Bolivia. The unlikely pair become wary friends, surrounded as they are by the violence and loneliness of the Bolivian desert.
But Blackthorn is not the only one with a secret... In no man's land and hounded by violent, heavily armed gangs and ruthless law enforcement, the friends will have no choice but to reveal their true intentions and each face their own destiny.
The film marks the second collaboration between Quickfire and Six Sales. This will be Quickfire's tenth movie over two eventful years, which have seen it acquire sales rights to Oscar winner The Cove, acclaimed drama I Am Love, and the highly anticipated John Landis film Burke and Hare. Quickfire has boarded Blackthorn on the back of stunning rough footage from the exotic locations. Promo footage will be shown by Six Sales over the AFM.
QUICKFIRE ON 'RETREAT'
Quickfire Films has formalized its participation in the thriller Retreat, now in its third week of shooting, and is delighted to release the first picturefrom location.
Retreat is a tense psychological thriller about a young couple (Cillian Murphy, fresh off his Inception success and BAFTA winner Thandie Newton, memorable in W. and Crash) seeking to rekindle the flame in their relationship by retreating to a remote cottage on a small island. Things take a sharp turn when a badly injured soldier (Jamie Bell, preparing to hit the big-time as the lead in Spielberg's Tintin) appears on their doorstep with the terrifying news that an airborne fatal virus is heading their way.
Producer Gary Sinyor of Magnet Films assembled the stunning cast, and is now on location in Wales; Carl Tibbetts is at the helm making his directorial debut from the screenplay he co-wrote with Janice Hallett. DP is multi-award winning Brit Chris Seager and Executive Producer for Magnet is Sir David Frost. SC Films International is selling for Quickfire and will start marketing at the American Film Market. Sales are already off to a great start with Sony Home Entertainment on board for German and UK rights in the picture.
Filming is taking place entirely in North Wales not far from Portmerion, the folly village made famous in the Original TV series of The Prisoner.
Quickfire mentions how its decision to invest came after an assured and persuasive early pitch by director Carl Tibbetts coupled with Gary Sinyor's infectious enthusiasm and remarkable skill in assembling a world-renowned cast. We're delighted to now have ten films under our belts after two years of trading, and after a difficult year for production in 2009.
SC Films' Simon Crowe says: 'I was attracted to the project by the script. It is a great read, a really tense thriller in the hands of three very charismatic, quality actors.'
Gary Sinyor adds: 'The script was always really strong and that together with the cast brought in the finance. Now that we are well into the shoot it's clear that Carl has brought a strong visual flair to the movie and is getting powerful performances from all the stars.'
QUICKFIRE JOINS BURKE & HARE
Quickfire Films has boarded the Ealing Studios black romantic comedy Burke & Hare, a return to the genre for John Landis (An American Werewolf in London, Blues Brothers, Michael Jackson's Thriller, Three Amigos!) who has gathered a star cast with Simon Pegg (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, Star Trek, Spaced), Andy Serkis (Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll, Lord of the Rings, King Kong), Isla Fisher (Wedding Crashers, Confessions of a Shopaholic) and Tom Wilkinson (Duplicity, Michael Clayton, The Full Monty) top lining. The film completed principal photography on Friday the 19th of March.
The film is loosely based on the infamous Edinburgh West Port murders, with Pegg and Serkis taking on the role of two hapless entrepreneurs who discover a lucrative trade in fresh human bodies sold to the medical establishment. Burke & Hare is a Fragile Film produced by Barnaby Thompson (known for Dorian Gray, Easy Virtue and the St Trinian's series of movies).
Production funding comes from Entertainment Film Distributors, Ealing Studios, Prescience Media and the Aegis Film Fund. Ealing Studios International will be selling and Entertainment Film Distributors will be the film's UK distributor. Quickfire films, James Atherton's London based company has been providing international sales advances to films for almost two years now, and has contributed to movies such as Glorious 39 by Stephen Poliakoff, critically acclaimed I Am Love by Luca Guadagnino, Oscar winner The Cove, Hunter Prey, a sci-fi project by genre whiz Sandy Collora and Italian thriller La Prima Linea.
THE COVE WINS BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE ACADEMY AWARD
Culminating a remarkable run of festival victories and nominations, Louie Psihoyos and Fisher Stevens collected the Oscar on the night of the 7th of March. Fisher Stevens led the speech, thanking Jim Clarke, Paule DuPre' Pesman, Ric O'Barry - former Flipper trainer and the films' main focus -, and director Louie Psihoyos.
You can see the acceptance speech over at http://oscar.go.com/nominations/nominees/the-cove/3211 .
QUICKFIRE SIGNS THE RUNWAY, A HEARTBEAT AWAY
Quickfire is delighted to announce it has signed onto two more remarkable features. Looking for some levity after the majestic, erotically charged I Am Love, and the tense, issue-driven Oscar nominee The Cove, we've signed Irish comedy The Runway. Initial footage for the picture is very promising indeed (charming and funny, this looks like it'll be a great family movie that's character driven, for once). We've also signed Australian musical comedy A Heartbeat Away by legendary theatre director Gale Edwards, starring Isabel Lucas (who by coincidence also features in The Cove) and Sebastian Gregory.
THE COVE SURPRISE ADDITION TO TOKYO FILM FEST
The Tokyo International Film Festival (TIFF) has unveiled the line-up for this year's edition (Oct 17-25), including the last-minute addition of controversial documentary The Cove, which chronicles the annual dolphin hunt in the Japanese town of Taiji.
TIFF also announced that it will open with the world premiere of Jacques Perrins' documentary Oceans and close with Pixar's Up.
The 15-film competition section includes five world premieres: Jinsei Tsuji's Acacia (Japan), Li Fangfang's Heaven Eternal, Earth Everlasting (China), Huo Jianqi's Snowfall In Taipei (Taiwan), Raymond Red's Manila Skies (Philippines) and Juan Carlos Valdivia's Southern District (Bolivia).
The remaining films are either international or Asian premieres. The international premieres include Wojtek Smarzowski's The Dark House (Poland), James DeMonaco's Staten Island (US), Mario Iglesias' Stories (Spain), Valerio Mieli's Ten Winters (Italy-Russia) and Jacob Tierny's The Trotsky (Canada).
Read the Screen International article
QUICKFIRE AND THE WORKS ACQUIRE 'I AM LOVE'
The film was one of the most talked about films at the Venice Film Festival where it played in the Orizzonti section.
The acquisition was made in conjunction with James Atherton's Quickfire Films; ICM's Jeff Berg is co-representing North American rights.
Carl Clifton of The Works International says “this film restores ones faith in the power of cinema and of images to tell a great story.”
Swinton, who speaks Russian-accented Italian in the lead role, is at the centre of the drama about a rich Milanese family dynasty.
Read the Screen International article
HOLLYWOOD REPORTER REVIEWS 'THE FRONT LINE'
Italian filmmakers are obsessed about the terrorist movements that flourished in their country in the 1970s and '80s, and Renato De Maria's new film "The Front Line" is part of that trend. Known in Italy as "the years of lead," this period exercises a fascination that seems irresistible to Italian intellectuals. Most of the time, however, this fascination ends by romanticizing the very figures the films set out to demonize.
In "The Front Line," however, while the group's escapades are inevitably dramatic and suspenseful -- after all, it's a feature, not a documentary -- director De Maria begins by having the real-life principal character, Sergio Segio, fully confessing his brutal crimes, and admitting that the entire movement was mistaken from the very beginning. This sets "The Front Line" apart and makes it, on those grounds alone, a very good movie. Enterprising distributors, festival programmers, and television buyers in all territories should give it a look, for it's one of the best of the lot, right up there with master Marco Bellochio's "Good Morning, Night" from 2003.
Read the Hollywood Reporter article.
QUICKFIRE AND THE WORKS BRAVE 'THE FRONT LINE'
The Works International has come on board as world sales agent on Italian thriller LA PRIMA LINEA (The Front Line). The acquisition was made in conjunction with James Atherton's Quickfire Films. La Prima Linea is the latest addition to an exciting new wave of Italian cinema that has included recent hits Gomorrah and Il Divo. The screenplay is adapted from the autobiographical novel Miccia Corta by Sergio Segio.
La Prima Linea wraps on April 10th after a nine week shoot that has taken in Venice, Milan, Turin and Rome.
Directed by Renato De Maria (Hotel Paura, Paz!), La Prima Linea stars Riccardo Scamarcio (Eleven Minutes; Eden A l'Ouest; Romanzo Criminale); Giovanna Mezzogiorno (Facing Windows; L'Ultimo Bacio; Love in the time of Cholera); and Fabrizio Rongione (Le Silence de Lorna; L'Enfant).
La Prima Linea is the true story of an outlaw who masterminded one of the most audacious prison breaks ever attempted in order to be re-united with his lover.
Set during a turbulent period in 1970s Italy, the plot centres on passionate couple Sergio and Susanna, who have been living as fugitives for several years. Pursuing an uncompromising cause as members of the notorious Prima Linea, they have become increasingly alienated from the real world. Their luck finally runs out when Susanna is captured and thrown into a Venice jail with the certainty of a very long sentence. Putting his own life on the line, Sergio embarks on a radical plan.
La Prima Linea is produced by Andrea Occhipinti (Il Divo) for Lucky Red and co-produced by the Dardenne brothers' (Le Silence du Lorna; L' Enfant; Le Fils; Rosetta) Les Films du Fleuve. The film is supported by Eurimages and received finance through Rai (free TV), Sky (Pay TV), Medusa (HV), Ministry of Culture, Wallonie, RTFB, Belgian Tax Shelter. Pre-sales have been made to Diaphana for France and Cineart for Benelux.
James Atherton of Quickfire said: 'This is quite simply the best thriller screenplay we've read in a long time. The filmmakers' pedigree is second to none. We are thrilled to have had the opportunity to deploy Quickfire's funds to such an exciting and commercial proposition.'
Carl Clifton of The Works International commented: 'La Prima Linea is a truly extraordinary thriller. It packs an incredible punch and is smart, provocative and thoughtful all at the same time. It feels especially relevant today. We are delighted to have this opportunity to work with a creative team of the pedigree of Andrea, Renato and everyone involved in the film.'
Andrea Occhipinti of Lucky Red remarked, 'I think this is going to be one of the most exciting and controversial films to come out of Italy this year. Renato and myself have succeeded in bringing on board exceptional talents such as the screenwriter of The Best of Youth and Romanzo Criminale; the editor of Gomorrah; the composer of Waltz with Bashir; the DOP of all Ferzan Ozpetek's films; and the Dardenne brothers' cameraman.
We are very proud that this film will be handled internationally by The Works, a company that has brought to the market many great films that we have shared as distributors.'
QUICKFIRE SIGNS ON TO 'THE COVE'
U.K.-based the Works Intl., in conjunction with James Atherton's Quickfire Films Fund, has acquired all other territories. In addition, Participant Media has signed on to perform outreach for "The Cove," working with nonprofits and community groups.
"The Cove" follows Richard O'Barry -- trainer of the dolphins used in "Flipper" -- and Ocean Preservation Society co-founder Louie Psihoyos in their efforts to expose and end the dolphin slaughter in the village of Taiji, Japan, where fishermen use sonar to lure the marine mammals into a cove. The producing team used hidden microphones and cameras in fake rocks to obtain footage. Continue the article here: http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118000895.html?categoryid=13&cs=1&query=the+cove
FILMING ON STEPHEN POLIAKOFF'S FEATURE FILM '1939' IS COMPLETE.
Filming is complete on BAFTA-winning Stephen Poliakoff's (Capturing Mary, Joe's Palace, Gideon's Daughter, The Lost Prince) Second World War thriller 1939. The film will be released next year in time for the 70th anniversary of the Second World War.
The feature film was shot on location in Norfolk and London for seven weeks and is a talkbackTHAMES production in association with Magic Light Pictures, funded by BBC Films, The UK Film Council's Premiere Fund and Screen East Content Investment Fund. 1939 also marks the first film to receive financing from Quickfire Films, in collaboration with The Works Media Group. The Works International has come on board to handle worldwide sales. The UK's Momentum Pictures has acquired Theatrical and Home Entertainment rights.
Award-winning British actress Romola Garai (Atonement) takes the lead as Anne, alongside BAFTA-winning actor Bill Nighy (Notes on a Scandal, Love Actually), who plays her father Alexander. They are joined by Oscar-winning actress Julie Christie (Away From Her, Finding Neverland) who plays the formidable Aunt Elizabeth, Eddie Redmayne (The Other Boleyn Girl) as Anne's brother Ralph and Juno Temple (Wild Child) as their younger sister Celia. David Tennant (Dr Who) plays family friend Hector, Charlie Cox (Stardust) stars as Anne's lover Lawrence, Jeremy Northam (Gosford Park) as government operative Balcombe and the legendary Christopher Lee (Lord of The Rings, Golden Compass) as Walter.
1939 is set between present day London and the idyllic Norfolk countryside in the lead up to the Second World War. At a time of uncertainty and high tension, the story is centred around the formidable Keyes family, who are keen to uphold and preserve their very traditional, English way of life.
The eldest sibling Anne (Romola Garai) is a budding young actress who is head-over-heels in love with Foreign Office official Lawrence (Charlie Cox). Anne's seemingly perfect life begins to dramatically unravel when she stumbles across secret recordings hidden by outside forces in the out-buildings of the family home. Whilst trying to uncover the origin of these recordings, a tangled web of dark secrets begins to unfurl, along with a growing sense of menace and betrayal.
As war breaks out Anne escapes to London to try to confirm her suspicions. Only then does she begin to discover the true extent to which she has been betrayed.
1939 is writer/director Stephen Poliakoff's return to the cinema after an absence of a decade since his previous feature films which included the critically acclaimed and multi-award winning Close My Eyes starring Clive Owen, Saskia Reeves and Alan Rickman. Since then Stephen has directed a plethora of BBC television dramas, most recently the BAFTA winning Capturing Mary, BAFTA nominated Joe's Palace, the EMMY award winning The Lost Prince and Gideon's Daughter which won Golden Globes for actors Bill Nighy and Emily Blunt.
Stephen Poliakoff comments: 'I'm very excited to be making this film about a period that has always fascinated me, the extraordinary machinations that went on in British society on the eve of war. It is truly thrilling to be making it with such a tremendous cast which combines some of the most exciting young talent in the country including Romola Garai, Eddie Redmayne, Juno Temple, Charlie Cox and David Tennant with such great names of the British film industry as Bill Nighy, Julie Christie, and Christopher Lee.'
The film is produced by EMMY winner Barney Reisz (Elizabeth I) and Martin Pope (Lawless Heart, The Heart of Me). The behind-the-scenes team includes BAFTA nominated Production Designer, Mark Leese (Capturing Mary, This Is England), Director of Photography, Danny Cohen (The Boat That Rocked, This Is England, Joe’s Palace), Oscar-winning Hair and Make-up designer, Jenny Shircore (Elizabeth: The Golden Age), BAFTA nominated Costume Designer, Annie Symons (Dr Zhivago) and Line Producer, Julie Clark (Whitechapel).
Barney Reisz comments: 'We've had a fantastic time shooting in Norfolk and have just completed 3 days at Ealing studios, the home of British film, as part of our London shoot. Romola is doing brilliantly as Anne, our heroine and I feel privileged to walk onto our set every day populated by the likes of Bill Nighy, Julie Christie, Jenny Agutter, Christopher Lee and Corin Redgrave as well as the cream of young British talent, including Juno Temple, Eddie Redmayne and Charlie Cox. Add in cameos from David Tennant, Jeremy Notham and Hugh Bonneville, and it feels like we have something really special. Stephen is making a sizzling British thriller with an authentic historical backdrop. His unique talent taking on the thriller genre is a hugely exciting combination.'
Jane Wright, General Manager and Executive Producer, BBC Films adds: "Stephen Poliakoff's compelling script really draws you in to the heart of the characters in this remarkable drama. After a long and fruitful history of working with Stephen on his television dramas - we are excited to be a part of bringing his unique voice and vision to the big screen."
Joy Wong, Head of the Works International adds: 'The Works International is delighted to be representing this exciting project. Stephen Poliakoff is a great storyteller and he has assembled an impressive cast for this compelling thriller.'
Sam Nichols of Momentum Pictures says: 'As a company we have a commitment to British film that taps into the rich talent base working in the UK today and this film is exemplary of that. The mixture of such a stellar cast and crew alongside Stephen Poliakoff's brilliant and unique style first attracted us to this project so we are delighted to be releasing 1939.'
Lorraine Heggessey, CEO talkbackTHAMES comments: 'We are thrilled to be producing Stephen’s return to the big screen and talkbackTHAMES' first theatrical release. We have co-produced award winning television drama with Stephen for the last ten years and it is a great honour to continue to work with one of the UK’s leading auteurs. Stephen always attracts the best of British talent, both established and up and coming, this film promises to be no exception.'
Sheryl Crown, Executive Producer at Screen East says: 'We are delighted at Screen East to welcome the talent of Stephen Poliakoff, with his extraordinary cast and thrilling script to Norfolk and feel proud to be associated with such a dynamic project in the East of England.'
Sally Caplan, Head of the UK Film Council’s Premiere Fund, says: 'This is a chilling and remarkable thriller based on fact, which although period, has great contemporary relevance. With Stephen Poliakoff directing this outstanding script and exceptional cast of new and established British talent, I am sure this will mark a triumphant return to the big screen.'
