Helmer's solid have a look at Solidarity

Andrzej Wajda's biopic 'Walesa,' in regards to the guy who introduced Belgium self-determination and aided bring lower the Ussr, is founded on it by Janusz Glowacki. Andrzej Wajda likes to quote Lech Walesa when explaining why he's developing a film about his long-term friend, who introduced Polish dockworkers in challenging the Ussr, eventually making november the Iron Curtain in 1989. "I'd rather not,Inch states Wajda, "however must."Walesa used the direction to explain his role in heading the historic Solidarity movement within the Gdansk pier. So when Wajda does indeed not need to simply accept project on, he's undertaking a amazing job of hiding his regrets.The 85-year-old director, which has made greater than 50 features, just begun shooting "Walesa," adapting material in the book by Janusz Glowacki and focusing on the initial 2 decades carrying out a rise in the civil rights movement proven to Rods as Solidarnosc.The Polish media, that's been eagerly anticipating the job for a long time, is abuzz."Transpire is always to show Polish people the truth,In . states Wajda. "Be it recognized inside the Western world, this can be a bonus. But transpire is principally here."Wajda has extended been willing to battle subjects of historic proportions that other filmmakers disassociate with. His 2009 feature, "Katyn," told the heartrending backstory for the renowned massacre of Polish heroes recently -- the mass execution in the Polish army's elite officer corps who had moved east in 1940 to participate the Soviets in eliminating the entering Nazis.The crime, hidden for several years, mentioned Wajda's own father.His new film might have some a Lech Walesa they are doing not know, and may also surprise a few who think they do know by mentioning docks demonstrator-cum-leader.The interrogations Walesa experienced while being kept in prison carrying out a riots of 1970 are merely a good example.InchYou can divide the presence of Lech Walesa into parts," Wajda states. "The foremost is because he banded within the gates in Gdansk. The second part was because he cooperated with martial law."The helmer and mentor to students within the Wajda School of filmmaking in Warsaw thinks the youthful, naive Walesa's tallying to fulfill with government physiques was important because it provided him a platform for offerring the wishes of standard Rods."The Next part was because he faced the federal government physiques inside a round table, and so they were expected to make an accommodation for the employees.InchBut, like many important figures inside the professional-democracy movement across the former East bloc, Walesa's transition to political leader was hardly smooth."The moment he increased being leader, people showed up in this area and mentioned, 'Why is he the primary someone to become leader? Maybe I will be leader. I am maybe better educated.'?"Wajda states Walesa should have be in touch with individuals standing behind him. He thinks Poles' adoration for energetic argument appeared to become an problem that jeopardized Walesa's authority.Nonetheless, Walesa shown prescient within the capacity to outmaneuver the thing that was your nearly all-effective energy in the region, the Ussr.InchYou will discover some who've talent for politics like others have talent for filmmaking," Wajda states. "They see further to the future. Walesa's talent in politics was amazing. Many people were saying what another thing ? do? Once I visited the shipyard where the discussions were happening, I approached him and mentioned, "Are you currently certain you aren't going an excessive amount of using this? Do you realize your work? Let us the Russian tanks come?"He mentioned, "There will not be any tanks." Which is strictly the way it ended. Contact the number newsroom at news@variety.com

'Mission Impossible' Wins Holiday Box Office, 'Dragon Tattoo' Disappoints

Say what you will about the guy, but it looks like nothing is "impossible" for Tom Cruise. The actor's latest entry to the "Mission" franchise the Brad Bird directed "Ghost Protocol" made the impossible happen by topping the holiday weekend box office with a healthy $46.2 million haul, bringing the film's total to $78.6 million after 11 days in theaters. Where Ethan Hunt found success, the same can't be said for rivals Lisbeth Salander or the boy reporter Tintin. "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" and "The Adventures of Tintin" opened with a less healthy $12.8 and $9.7 million respectively. In the case of "Tintin," the movie's domestic performance almost doesn't matter; the Steven Spielberg action-adventure has already scored $239.1 million at the foreign box office, a mark of the character's immense popularity overseas. Visit MTV News for more box office results. Related: » Five reasons to see "Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol" » Five reasons to see "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" » Five reasons to see "The Adventures of Tintin"

Mirror Mirror will get a brand new poster

Tarsem Singh's Snow Whitened adaptation Mirror Mirror has launched a brand new poster, and to tell the truth, it's done little to allay the fears produced by last month's screamingly camping trailer. For the reason that first teaser, it appeared as if Singh was striving squarely for that kiddie market, which cutesy brand new one-sheet appears to verify that impression.From the fairytale font towards the jaunty tagline ("come under the spell!") indicates this really is being fond of eleven-year-old women, using the poster very similar to the artwork accustomed to promote The Princess Journals.It might be an advertising and marketing strategy that will certainly seem sensible considering the presence of Snow Whitened And Also The Huntsman, which looks to become a wholly more dark affair prone to attract a mature audience.However, it does not do much to whet our appetites for Tarsem's vision, which appears to become heavy on slapstick comedy, funny faces and Bollywood dancing. We believe we all know where our money is going to be being spent...Mirror Mirror opens within the United kingdom on 16 March 2012, with Snow Whitened And Also The Huntsman coming on 1 June 2012.

'38 Witnesses' to open Rotterdam

BRUSSELS -- Lucas Belvaux's crime drama "38 temoins" (38 Witnesses) will open the Rotterdam Film Festival on Jan. 25, taking its world bow in the process. Based on a novel by Didier Decoin, pic revolves around Louise (Sophie Quinton), who returns home after a business trip to discover her street was the scene of a crime. Initially there appear to be no witnesses, but over time she learns that 38 people heard or saw something that night, including her husband Pierre (Yvan Attal). Pic is the eighth feature from the Belgian helmer, who works mainly out of France. It marks his second collaboration with Attal after the kidnap drama "Rapt" in 2009. World sales are handled by Films Distribution, with Diaphana set to distribute in Gaul. Rotterdam closes on Feb. 4 with "The Hunter," a psychological drama from Australia that premiered this year at the Toronto Film Fest. It stars Willem Dafoe as a mercenary, sent by a shadowy biotech company to hunt the last Tasmanian tiger. Daniel Nettheim directs, working from a novel by "Sleeping Beauty" helmer Julia Leigh. Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com

Kim Jong Il Dead: North Korean Leader Once Kidnapped Filmmaker and Actress to dedicate yourself Him

The dying of Kim Jong Il may have real-world implications far into 2012, but -- for the time being -- you can can remember the North Korean dictator's more ka-razy character traits. Like how his ideas could control the elements. Or that point Kim kidnapped a director and the actress-wife, held them captive individually for 5 years, and lastly hired these to make North Korean films that were not just "perfunctory." Dude would be a regular Robert Evans! Kim's obituary only makes passing mention of the the kidnapping of South Korean filmmaker Shin Sang-ok and the Choi Eun-hee in 1978, but a 2003 Protector article around the bizarre incident goes far into what happened between your dear leader and Shin within the eight years prior to the filmmaker steered clear of North Korea permanently. After being kidnapped, Shin -- who was simply referred to as South Korea's response to Orson Welles due to his groundbreaking film working throughout the '60s and '70s -- attempted to flee, which arrived him imprisonment No. 6, a location where he was given grass, salt and grain for 4 years. Then, without warning eventually in 1983, Shin was launched and reunited together with his thought-to-be-dead wife in a reception, where Kim presented the happy couple together with his vision for future years of North Korean filmmaking. "The North's filmmakers are simply doing perfunctory work. They haven't any new ideas," Kim apparently told the pair. "Their works have a similar expressions, redundancies, the same kind of plots. All of our movies are full of crying and sobbing. I did not order these to portray that type of factor." Kim, who authored multiple books on film, considered themself a movie theorist. Because he authored in 'The Cinema and Directing': "The fundamental duty from the creative group would be to make revolutionary films of high ideological and artistic value, which will make a highly effective contribution to arming people fully using the Party's monolithic ideology and which imbue the entire of society using the great Juche idea." That, plus less crying and sobbing. Following his "release," Shin made seven films with Kim Jong Il -- who behaved as executive producer -- including 'Pulgasari,' a North Korean undertake 'Godzilla' the Protector once referred to like a "terrifically bad movie." After their escape towards the American embassy in Vienna throughout a visit in 1986, Kim stated that Shin and Choi were kidnapped by People in america. Shin Sang-ok died in Seoul, Columbia in April of 2006 his wife remains alive even today. Read much more about Shin's amazing story at The Protector online. [via @thehighsign] [Photo: AFP PHOTO / KCNA VIA KNS] Follow Moviefone on Twitter Like Moviefone on Facebook

CinemaCon honors Bekmambetov

CinemaCon has tapped Timur Bekmambetov as the recipient of its International Filmmaker of the Year award. Mitch Neuhauser, managing director of CinemaCon, made the announcement Friday. The kudo will be presented on April 23, the opening day of the four-day event at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. Bekmambetov is currently directing and producing the live action adaptation of Seth Grahame-Smith's "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter," slated for a June 22 release from Fox. Born in the Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic, Bekmambetov began his career as one of the directors of Bank Imperial's "World History" commercials before founding the Bazelevs Group in 1994. He made his feature film debut with "Peshavar Vals" and directed "Night Watch" and "Day Watch" before making with Hollywood directorial debut with "Wanted." Bekmambetov also is a producer on "The Darkest Hour," which will be released Dec. 25. Contact Dave McNary at dave.mcnary@variety.com

Tyldum Asks What Went Lower To Monday?

Hollywood debut for Headhunters directorThe first day's the functional week looks set to think about something from the kicking inside the cinema from the long term. We learned not in the past that producer Daniel Grodnik was vulnerable to an undesirable Monday, now here comes Whatever Happened To Monday?, the British-language debut of Norwegian director Morten Tyldum.Tyldum broke box office records within the homeland this year, along with his adaptation in the Jo Nesbo crime thriller Headhunters. It's Norway's best film ever - ever even carried out worldwide - it is therefore not surprising that Hollywood should have acquired the phone.No matter what Happened To Monday? can be a high-concept dystopian yarn about septuplet brothers and sisters on the go and looking to stay below the radar, inside an overpopulated society where getting multiple children is illegal. You'd think there might be some type of legal clause which might make exception for functions of character like multiple conceptions in a single pregnancy, but we're taking a chance the us government in mind likes to strictly enforce its draconian laws and regulations and rules. Zero tolerance! No excuses!We're also prone to infer the brothers and sisters are named after the time of the week. Hence, something bad occurs Monday, beginning the plot engine. In line with the Mother Goose rhyme, it will likely be Wednesday that's most upset relevant for this.The script, considered hot enough to produce the Black List, is actually Max Botkin, who formerly written the Pauly Shoreline vehicle Opposite Day, as well as the RoboSapien movie that's presently in publish-production. Raffaella P Laurentiis is creating, through her Raffaella Productions.Headhunters will receive a Uk release next April.

THR's 2011 Women in Entertainment Power 100

"E! is a guilty pleasure ... and not necessarily one people like to admit they watch."our editor recommendsTHR's Women in Entertainment 2011: Power 100How USA Co-Presidents Will Move Beyond the 'Blue Skies' Programming (Q&A)USA Co-Presidents Reveal Push Into Reality Programming (Exclusive)E! Network to Undergo 'Brand Audit' Under NBCU's Bonnie Hammer (Exclusive)Jane Fonda Opens Up About Her Father, Her Return to Acting and the Lesson She Learned From Warren Beatty That was the hard-to-hear feedback newly appointed NBCUniversal cable entertainment chairman Bonnie Hammer received this summer when she commissioned a brand study among consumers on the latest addition to her portfolio, the E! network. What will come next is a brand makeover, which will see the E! logo as well as the programming tone and philosophy change to reflect what Hammer hopes will be a smarter and more aspirational destination. To hear her tell it, the network best known for Kardashian fare and Ryan Seacrest's staggering paycheck has the potential to be as popular and profitable as USA became under her watch. (E! currently garners 22 cents per subscriber a month, compared to USA's 60 cents, according to SNL Kagan.) PHOTOS: 2011 Women in Entertainment Power 100 "E! needs to be and really wants to be the pulse of popular culture," the trim and immaculately dressed Hammer says of a network she claims has grown too Hollywood-centric to be relevant to a broader audience. The next several months with her recently reconfigured team, including a new hire to move the network into scripted programming, will redefine what the network stands for. "We'll eventually get rid of the more Playboy trashy element, and elevate E! to a fun, exciting and aspirational network," she explains with her hallmark intensity, noting that a recent promo for Kourtney & Kim Take NY, which features the stars in a helicopter and black-tie attire, is evidence -- albeit just a slice -- of the coming class. Of course, changing the perception of E! in an era when the Kardashians' reality genre is often considered the scourge of society (by critics mostly, mind you) sounds like an impossible mission. But Hammer is cable TV's miracle worker, an executive who transformed once-dowdy USA and too-narrow Syfy into top5 cable networks and presided over the prized possessions Comcast coveted in its $13.8 billion deal for NBCUniversal. These days, USA, which is coming off the most watched quarter in cable history, even out-rates broadcast sibling NBC on occasion. It's no wonder she earned a top position in the post-merger reorganization and a coveted spot at No. 2 on this magazine's list (tied with Sony's Amy Pascal). Hammer's portfolio, which includes G4, Chiller, Sleuth, Universal HD and Universal Cable Productions, is poised to deliver an estimated $2 billion in profit this year, and remains the biggest contributor to NBCUniversal's bottom line. COMPLETE LIST: 2011 Women in Entertainment Power 100 "She's one hell of a businesswoman. She has built the most powerful cable operation in the history of television. It's not by accident," says Law & Order creator Dick Wolf, whose Criminal Intent spinoff aired on USA. Known as a skilled -- but never sleazy -- corporate player, the well-liked Hammer can be both a detail-oriented manager (she'll still weigh in on color choices on USA ads) and a big-picture thinker. USA co-president Chris McCumber marvels at the collaborative work environment she's able to foster. "She has the best gut in the business," he says of a woman he considers both boss and mentor. Says NBCUniversal CEO Steve Burke, "It's rare to find an executive who has both strong leadership and creative talents, but that is exactly what you get with Bonnie. She has built a terrific team and the success of her portfolio speaks for itself." ♦♦♦♦♦ The fallout from Kim Kardashian's 72-day marriage to NBA player Kris Humphries is still the dominating theme at the newsstand and on the web when Hammer sits down to lunch at Rockefeller Center's The Sea Grill on a crisp Manhattan day in late November. In recent weeks, reporters from The NY Times to People magazine have questioned the validity of the union, which commenced with a multi-million-dollar wedding showcased in a two-hour special on E! in October. But if Hammer, 61, fears her network's most valuable franchise is in danger of unraveling, she isn't letting on. "This was not a stunt. In no way did people believe that this was going to happen," she says definitively, before adding: "I think true Kardashian fans know that a bigger than life mistake can be made easily in their world. Everything they do is bigger than life ... it's just part of their DNA." (The latest season opener of Kourtney & Kim Take NY, featuring a then-married Kardashian and Humphries drew the franchise's largest premiere viewership to date.) Still, Hammer is adamant that going forward the network not be as dependent on the Kardashians as it has been. Despite being a "beautiful" and "interesting" family, she believes the current strategy of living with only one or two franchises is "too fragile," and has ambitions of adding several more over the next couple of years. Not that Hammer is interested in abandoning the kash kow family just yet. "I think it will have its own life expectancy," she says of the lucrative brand that the family has built on and off screen, "and we'll just go along with it and help hone what's right for E! and what's not right for E! as we develop a whole other world." Falling among the former are mom Kris Jenner's two youngest daughters -- technically Jenners -- and what Hammer says she hopes are "two, three, even four new Kardashian [spinoffs]." Suzanne Kolb, promoted to E! entertainment president in July, continues to be struck by how clear and focused Hammer is on what she believes can happen and her willingness to let the team make sure it does. "She's a great mix of inspiration and empowerment for those who work for her," Kolb says of her new boss, with whom she communicates daily. "She's a master at directing people and redirecting people. She's really good at saying, 'a little to the left,' and navigating a very large ship." In addition to the entry of scripted programming -- which Hammer seems confident will help elevate the brand -- she has plans to reevaluate the network's daily news program and grow its stable of hosting talent. At September's Emmy Awards, Hammer opted to monitor the red carpet coverage operation from an E! News van rather than walk the carpet in a gown herself. "The most important thing for E! to move forward is credibility, with immediacy being a close second," she adds, acknowledging the significance of being able to delve into smart news stories as well as to break news, something the current celebrity-themed news hour rarely does. Also of appeal is broadening the network's purview so that it isn't so narrowly focused on Hollywood. It will still be about celebrity, but as Hammer sees it, her viewers will be drawn to people who have done extraordinary things, whether in Atlanta, Nashville or Paris, and her plan is to bring E!'s cameras to them. "One of the first things we'll do," she says, "is to expand beyond the confines of how Hollywood defines celebrity, trends and aspiration." For the rest of the story, go to the next page. PHOTO GALLERY: View Gallery THR's 2011 Women in Entertainment Power 100 Related Topics NBCUniversal Women in Entertainment NBCUniversal Cable Women in Entertainment 2011 1 2 next last

Ad campaign to enhance anti-piracy bill

Hollywood galleries, systems, and guilds and unions, along with other content designers are flowing money right into a broadcast and cable ad campaign, wishing to drum up support for any major bit of anti-piracy legislation, and also to counter intense opposition from online firms and public interest groups. Creative America, a business lately created to arrange industry and grassroots support for that Safeguard IP Act within the Senate and also the Stop Online Piracy Act in the home, stated the advertisements are scheduled to air on broadcast and national cable tv channels, as well as come in print form an internet-based. The campaign is going to be probably the most significant media efforts by Hollywood to create its situation for additional stringent rules in Congress to curb copyright violation on the web. With edgy music as well as an picture of hands typing on the keyboard inside a dim room, the narrator states, "They are stealing American jobs. Internet crooks, using illegal foreign websites." B>a href="http://vimeo.com/33248176" target="_new">The ad/a>/b> requires audiences to make contact with Congress to urge support for that bills. Creative America was created by galleries and unions simply to create anti-piracy issues to position-and-file people of the profession, in addition to everyone. However the effort continues to be overshadowed in recent days as Internet firms like Google, Facebook and Yahoo got a complete page advertisements within the NY Occasions opposing the legislation, and groups like MoveOn and DemandProgress mount viral efforts to urge congress to election from the bills. The advertisements were created by Armour Griffin Media, including creative director Mark Armour and political consultant Chad Griffin. The org also revealed a documentary short, "Content Thievery: The Large Picture," which explores the field of "stolen films and tv on the web.Inch Contact Ted Manley at ted.manley@variety.com