Bosnian Roma family plays itself in stark film

BERLIN (Reuters) – When Bosnian director Danis Tanovic learned about a Roma family refused emergency medical care because they could not pay for it, he not only decided to turn their story into a film but managed to convince the couple to play themselves.The result is “An Episode in the Life of an Iron Picker”, a simple, powerful tale of one man’s struggle to provide for his partner and two daughters...

Read More..

Bolshoi ballet chief heads to Germany after attack

MOSCOW (AP) — The artistic director of the Bolshoi ballet said he knows who ordered an acid attack that left him with severe burns to his eyes and face but won’t say, voicing hope that investigators will soon name the perpetrator.Sergei Filin checked out of a Moscow hospital Monday and headed to Germany for further rehabilitation.Filin, 42, wore shades and a bandage on his head, and skin on his face...

Read More..

NBC News President Capus to leave network

(Reuters) – NBC News President Steve Capus will be leaving the network in the coming weeks after struggles at the unit, including lower ratings for its flagship morning TV show, “Today.”No replacement has been named for Capus, president of NBC News since 2005, according to a company memo obtained by Reuters. In a statement, Capus said it was “now time to head in a new direction.”Three sources close...

Read More..

Filmmaker cries censorship as Italy political documentary blocked

ROME (Reuters) – A British filmmaker said on Friday he was a victim of censorship after a leading museum cancelled the Italian premiere of the documentary “Girlfriend in a Coma”, which is highly critical of Italy‘s political and economic situation.The museum where the film was to have been shown on February 13 cancelled the showing and said it could not be held until after the country’s elections...

Read More..

Roseanne Barr to Star in, Produce New Series for NBC

NEW YORK (TheWrap.com) – NBC is betting on the up-again-down-again Roseanne Barr, signing the television icon to an overall deal that calls for her to develop a show she will star in and produce for the network. She will executive produce the series with Steven Greener, with whom she collaborated on “Roseanne’s Nuts” for Lifetime.As part of the deal, Barr also will guest star in a three-episode arc...

Read More..

ABC orders pilots for “Big Thunder” drama, Gothic soap opera

LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) – ABC has ordered pilots for the dramas “Big Thunder” and “Gothica,” the network said Tuesday.“Big Thunder,” which is written by “Ice Age” writer Jason Fuchs (pictured) and executive produced by Chris Morgan (“Wanted,” “The Troop”) follows a brilliant doctor in late 19th century New York whose family is given a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to relocate to a frontier mining...

Read More..

Spielberg seen winning director Oscar for “Lincoln”

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – American filmmaker Steven Spielberg is clear favorite among the public to win the best director award for his film about President Abraham Lincoln at the Academy Awards this year, a Reuters poll showed on Wednesday.While the race to win best film at the February 24 ceremony was shaken up by “Argo” stealing the thunder of “Lincoln” at two award ceremonies last weekend, the best...

Read More..

Philadelphia opera co.: New name, new vision

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The Opera Company of Philadelphia is getting a name change that officials say is in better harmony with its move toward more innovative programming and greater diversity in its repertoire.The company said Tuesday it will now be known simply as Opera Philadelphia. The new name and logo will appear on all of its brochures and ads.The announcement was made in conjunction with the...

Read More..

“Zero Dark Thirty” hits the U.K.: did critics zero in on torture scenes?

LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) – “Zero Dark Thirty” landed this week in the United Kingdom, where the Kathryn Bigelow drama continued to stir debate over its depiction of the use of torture in the CIA’s decade-long hunt for Osama bin Laden.As they have in the U.S., some critics accused the filmmakers of implying that enhanced interrogation techniques could be a useful form of intelligence gathering, while...

Read More..

‘Argo’ wins Producers Guild Awards

LOS ANGELES (AP) — “Argo” continues to shake up the Oscar race by taking the top honor at the Producers Guild Awards on Saturday.Ben Affleck, coming off winning Golden Globe Awards for best motion picture drama and director for the real-life drama, received the award handed out at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.“I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that I’m still working as an actor,” he said in his acceptance...

Read More..

‘Dallas’ returns with J.R. Ewing’s final schemes

NEW YORK (AP) — J.R. Ewing wouldn’t hesitate to cheat his fellow man. He also famously cheated death.In the second-season finale of “Dallas” back in 1980, he was shot by an unknown assailant in his office and left for dead. But he recovered nicely, and the cliffhanger question that gripped the nation (Who shot J.R.?) was answered that November in an episode seen by 80 million viewers.This time, J.R....

Read More..

Charlie Brown voice actor pleads not guilty to threats, stalking

SAN DIEGO (Reuters) – The former child actor who was the voice of Charlie Brown in the 1960s “Peanuts” animated television specials pleaded not guilty on Wednesday to charges he threatened his girlfriend and a surgeon who carried out her breast enhancement surgery.Peter Robbins, 56, from Oceanside, California, pleaded not guilty in San Diego Superior Court to two counts of stalking and 10 counts of...

Read More..

Actress Lake Bell finds her directorial voice “In A World”

PARK CITY, Utah (Reuters) – In a world where men rule the voice-over industry, actress Lake Bell brings a tale of women versus men and old versus new in her directorial debut comedy.“In A World,” which premiered at the Sundance Film festival this week, follows voice-over artist Carol (Bell) attempting to follow in the daunting footsteps of her father (Fred Melamed), a famous and respected voice who...

Read More..

Sundance 2013: Relativity Acquires Joseph Gordon-Levitt-Directed ‘Don Jon’s Addiction’

LOS ANGELES/NEW YORK (TheWrap.com) – Relativity Media has acquired Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s directorial debut “Don Jon’s Addiction” for $ 4 million, an individual with knowledge of the deal told TheWrap.The film premiered at Sundance on Friday to great fanfare, and several distributors have been bidding for it.Relativity won out with a substantial financial commitment and plans for a wide theatrical...

Read More..

Berlusconi sex trial verdict due after February vote

MILAN (Reuters) – Former Italian premier Silvio Berlusconi will not face a verdict in a trial where he is charged with paying for sex with a juvenile prostitute until after elections next month, according to a decision by judges that could help his political comeback.A new timetable of hearings set by Milan judges on Monday shows the last session in the trial will be held on March 11, well after the...

Read More..

Dan Lin, Roy Lee Counter Sue Legendary over ‘Godzilla’

LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) – Producers Dan Lin, Roy Lee and Doug Davison have hit back at Legendary Pictures over “Godzilla,” filing a cross complaint Thursday in L.A. Superior Court seeking millions in damages and credit for their contributions to the upcoming movie.Lin, Lee and Davison allege breach of contract and mistreatment, rehashing the history of how they came to work with Legendary. They...

Read More..

Peter Chernin wants to build the Marvel of India

NEW YORK (TheWrap.com) – Peter Chernin wants to the build the Marvel Comics of India. CA Media, the Asian investment arm of his Chernin Group, has acquired a large minority stake in Graphic India, an Indian comic book and animation company.Graphic India, launched in 2012 as a subsidiary of Liquid Comics, is a prominent American comic book company founded by Richard Branson and Deepak Chopra, among...

Read More..

In online baby shower, Shakira seeks mosquito nets, vaccines for the poor

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Singer Shakira and Spanish footballer Gerard Piqué are asking fans to donate gifts like mosquito nets and vaccines for the world’s poorest children in an online baby shower to mark the couple’s first child.The 35-year-old Colombian pop star, who is a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, and the FC Barcelona center back said on Wednesday they had launched a “virtual living room” for purchase...

Read More..

Shane Carruth self-distributing “Upstream Color” to theaters in April

LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) – Director Shane Carruth has decided to take charge on the distribution of his second film, “Upstream Color,” which will open in New York at the IFC Center on April 5th.His company, erbp, will follow theatrical distribution in 20 markets including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Boston, Dallas, and Chicago with digital distribution through Cable VOD, iTunes, Amazon,...

Read More..

HMV’s future seen as handful of stores and website

LONDON (Reuters) – HMV, the 92-year-old British music retailer seeking protection from creditors, is unlikely to have much of a future beyond a rump of stores and the internet, if other recent retail failures are any guide.After years of struggling as its core business of selling CDs and DVDs was hammered by competition from supermarkets like Tesco, online retailers like Amazon and download sites...

Read More..