This Just In: DVD Release

Zoo (2005), Japan
Five different directors adapt the works of Japanese author Otsuichi in this collection of unconventional live-action and animated shorts. A woman is murdered under odd circumstances in the title film, "Zoo"; twin sisters are treated differently in "Kazari and Yoko"; two siblings find themselves trapped in "Seven Rooms"; a survivor learns about life and death in "When the Sun Shines"; and parents lose the ability to see each other in "So Far."

Italy's Silver Ribbons

Nominations are out for Italy’s , awarded by the national film journalists union SNGCI. The Silver Ribbons are the country’s oldest film award.
Directors recognized, include:
Marco Bellochio, Il Regista di Matrimoni
Saverio Costanzo, In Memoria di Me (In Memory of Me)
Emanuele Crialese, Nuovomondo
Nanni Moretti, Il Caimano
Giuseppe Tornatore, La Sconosciuta.
Il Caimano (The Cayman) and La Sconosciuta (The Unknown) both received nine nominations.
Thirty-nine films received nominations and awards will be presented in June.

Indonesian marketability

Kamal and Sugiono

An Asian film group has set out to create films that appeal to multiple countries in the Asian market.
Tipu Kanan ... Tipu Kiri, the second film fitting this formula, stars Indonesian actors Christian Sugiono, Titi Kamal, Catherine Wilson and Irene Kleefstra.
The film is targeting Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Brunei and India for release this June.
Here’s a synopsis from New Straits Times online: "This latest effort is a musical/romantic comedy about a married Indonesian pop star, Wulan, who accepts a recording contract in Kuala Lumpur with a “no marriage” clause.
"The problem is, she is already married to dashing Rudy (Sugiono). To hide their married status, Rudy hires Sara (Natasha Hudson) to pose as his girlfriend. Lies beget more lies until all of them, especially Wulan and Rudy, get into a fine mess."

Texas Film Taxes

The Texas House has tentatively approved a bill authorizing tax incentives for film and TV producers if they shoot in Texas.
The bill, authored by Rep. Dawna Dukes, D-Austin, would provide $20 million to the Texas Film Commission over the next couple years to attract productions to the Lone Star State.
According to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, my hometown paper, “To qualify for a grant, a film or TV show would have to generate at least $10 million in in-state spending. A commercial or video game would have to generate at least $500,000. In addition, at least 70 percent of the production crew, actors and extras must be Texas residents. A video game is not eligible if it is considered excessively violent or sexually explicit. Adult films are also not eligible.”
Twenty-six states have tax incentive programs, with Louisiana and New Mexico boasting the most aggressive programs.
The whole push for incentives came about when producers of Dallas the movie, decided not to film in North Texas. Sad to think John Travolta (J.R.) and Jennifer Lopez (Sue Ellen) will have to go elsewhere to film Dallas.
Currently TV shows Friday Night Lights and Prison Break shoot some scenes in Texas. Walker Texas Ranger was the last show to regularly film in Fort Worth.
According to the ST, Texas gained about $200 million in revenue from film and TV productions in 2006.. That could rise to $500 million if the incentives bill becomes law.

Werewolf of Germany

A fun and kitchy part Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez’s Grindhouse double feature are the fake trailers for fictional movies.
Sandwiched between Tarantino’s Death Proof and Rodriguez’s Planet Terror is a fake trailer for Werewolf Women of the S.S. featuring German actor Udo Kier, directed by Rob Zombie.

Kier is a prolific actor and has eight films in production or waiting for distribution. American audience know him from Blade, Johnny Mnemonic, Barb Wire, Ace Ventura: Pet Detective.

Silky Smooth

Nakatani in a scene from Memories of Matsuko.

Recent film season award success has lead to additional films for Japanese actress Miki Nakatani.
Nakatani who won the best actress trophy at the recent Asian Film Awards in Hong Kong for Memories of Matsuko has finished filming Silk.
Silk is the film adaptation of Italian author Alessandro Baricco's novel of the same name, according to the folks at Wikipedia. Nakatani will play Madame Blanche in the film, which will be released in 2007 through New Line Cinema, and is directed by the Red Violin director, Francois Girard.
The American actor Michael Pitt will star in the lead role of the French silkworm smuggler Hervé Joncour and the British actress Keira Knightley will appear as the Hélène, wife of Hervé. Japanese actor Koji Yakusho has also been cast. Exterior Japanese scenes were filmed in the city of Sakata. Knightley's scenes were filmed in Sermoneta, Italy, a small medieval village near Latina.

Hayek forms film partnership

Mexican actress and producer Salma Hayek has formed a film production company with Metro Goldwyn Mayer called Ventanazul.
The company will be housed at MGM studios in Hollywood and will produce or acquire independent films with Latino themes or feature Latino artists. The films will be marketed to Latino and non Latino audiences.

Hayek will serve as president and chief executive officer. Her producing partner, Jose Tamez, will be president of production.

Hayek already has a good record as a producer with the wildly successful Ugly Betty TV show.

Hayek's next film Lonely Hearts hits theaters April 13. The film also stars John Travolta, James Gandolfini, Jared Leto and Laura Dern.

According to Samuel Goldwyn Films, "A dark and exciting film noir based on the true story of lovers Martha Beck and Raymond Fernandez, two serial killers that seduce lonely, vulnerable women, milk them of their money, and kill them in cold blood. Lonely Hearts stars Salma Hayek and Jared Leto as the two lovers, and John Travolta and James Gandolfini as the detectives hunting them down. The film is directed by Todd Robinson, whose grandfather was the police who is the basis for John Travolta’s character.