way to sell TV shows to smaller [Italian] TV stations.” From his office on the 14th floor of the new MGM building in the Century City part of Los Angeles, Marenzi went on to explain his strategy: The studio will start offering 15 MGM TV movies a year –– some of which are “backdoor pilots,” or MoWs that have the potential to become TV series –– and five theatrical films from UA (of which Tom Cruise is a co-president), in addition to four more titles from independent producers. This is in addition to the titles that are currently available — new episodes of Stargate for the Sci-Fi channel (and for the international market) as well as a library of over 4,000 Hollywood classics. Ninemuse’s PBS TV Debut When Montreal, Quebec-based singer-songwriter Chantal Chamandy took the stage at the foot of the Sphinx in Cairo on September 7, she became one of only a handful of artists who have been granted permission by the Egyptian government to use the site for a live performance. Chamandy, who was born in Egypt but moved to Canada as a young child, “wanted to go somewhere to capture her roots.” Her performance included members of Cirque du Soleil, the Cairo Opera House Ballet Company, the Cairo Symphony Orchestra, as well as OC T O B E R 2 0 0 7 (Continued from Page 6) her own band. The taped performance has been made into a TV special, and an upcoming DVD release, both directed by French director Gérard Pullicino, who has produced and directed shows for Celine Dion (to whom Chamandy is often compared), Madonna and Joe Cocker. The performance, titled Chantal Chamandy, Beladi, A Night at the Pyramids has been distributed to all stations within the U.S.’s Public Broadcasting System (PBS), and will begin airing in March 2008. The Montreal-based Ninemuse Entertainment — Chamandy’s label — will talk international sales at MIPCOM, where some five company executives will hold court under the Horizon Québec umbrella and attempt to license TV and DVD rights to international broadcasters. Chamandy explained that while “music will always be [in Ninemuse’s] background,” the company –– up to now only a record label –– is leveraging the Chamandy special to branch out into all forms of entertainment. Turkey Film Fest Goes Eurasian Awho’s who of the globe’s most promising film talent will be on hand to celebrate the silver screen at the 44th annual Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival, which will take place October 19-28, 2007. The event, jointly organized by the Foundation of Culture and Arts in Antalya (Antalya Kültür Sanat Vakfı, AKSAV) and the Foundation of Turkish Cinema and Audiovisual Culture (Türkiye Sinema ve Audiovisuel Kültür Vakfı, TÜRSAK), will also host the third edition of the International Eurasia Film Festival — which started out as the international section of Antalya but has fast become a major attraction for filmmakers from all over the world. Considered the Golden Orange Film Fest’s “international gateway to the world,” the Eurasia event will open with Ang Lee’s Lust, Caution, the latest film from the Oscar-winning director. Prizes will be awarded by a jury of film critics from European and Asian countries. A new feature of this year’s Eurasia festival will be a special jury prize from the Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema (NETPAC). This year, Antalya has created the Script Development Fund, a new resource with the goal of encouraging Turkish co-production initiatives. TURSAK (the festival’s organizing committee) asked that co-producers (at least one of whom must be of Turkish origin) send in applications as well as screenplay treatments to the TURSAK Foundation in order to be considered. The top five projects will be chosen by an electoral body from the Antalya Festival, Chantal Chamandy discussed plans with director Gérard Pullicino
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTI4OTA5