SND boards Leclercq's 'Informant'

MADRID -- After producing Jessica Biel starrer "The Tall Man," Paris-based production-distribution-sales outfit SND-M6 Group has extended its line in smart thrillers taking French theatrical and international rights to Julien Leclercq's "The Informant." Studio 37, which co-produces "The Informant" with Dimitri Rassam's Chapter 2, SND and Canada's Transfilm, will handle Gallic DVD distribution. Budgeted at 18.9 million ($24.8 million), and toplining Gilles Lellouche ("Point Blank"), Vincent Lindon ("Anything For Her") and Ricardo Scamarcio ("Romanzo Criminale"), "Informant" reps SND's weightiest new offering at next week's European Film Market. Based on Marc Fievet's autobiographical book, "Dans la peau d'un narco," "Informant" stars Lellouche as a French undercover agent who infiltrates a Gibraltar drug cartel, falling foul of its collusion with customs authorities. Leclercq broke through with last year's hijack actioner "The Assault." "Informant" is penned by Abdel Raouf Dafri, a writer on Jacques Audiard's "A Prophet" and "Mesrine," from "The Artist" producer Thomas Langmann. "We want to keep close to France's new generation of action/genre directors," said Lionel Uzan, director, acquisitions and international sales, SND-M6. SND's prime reason for boarding "Informant," however, Uzan added, was "a fascinating, unique true story told in a gripping thriller style set in an extraordinary place, Gibraltar." Led by Guillaume Canet's "Little White Lies," Lellouche top-five hits over the last decade grossed a combined $159 million in France, according to Gallic consultancy CBO Box-Office. Lellouche and Lindon give "Informant" wide audience potential, Uzan argued, while thrillers often have significant value in ancillary. "Man" market preems at the EFM. Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com

'Harry Potter' and also the Academy awards: Why The Boy Wizard Got Snubbed

Today, Harry Potter fans everywhere needed to be prepared for some pretty large disappointment. Hopes that "Deathly Hallows Part 2" might earn Academy awards glory crashed and burned today using the nominations announcement. It had not been only the fans that interceded for any large evening on Oscar evening. Warner Bros. designed a large push for award consideration using their ubiquitous "Consider" ad campaign. Many held out expect a Best Picture nomination and possibly recognition, finally, for Alan Rickman and Severus Snape. Alas, "Deathly Hallows - Part 2" didn't result in the cut, despite a comparatively lengthy listing of nine Best Picture nominees, one under the utmost. But were the honours dreams just fan delusions that got beyond control? Whenever a movie makes several billion dollars world-wide, you need to give consideration. Whenever a movie makes probably the most unanimous praise of the season from experts, you need to give consideration. Despite these two enormous factors, "Harry Potter and also the Deathly Hallows - Part 2" obtained only three nominations, all in technical groups. The snub discloses the supreme resistance from the Academy, and 2 highly superficial and trivial factors brought to Harry's disappointing morning. First, for Academy voters, the "Harry Potter" films fall under a couple of Oscar's least favorite genres: the kids film and fantasy. You will find notable exceptions for every, however. This year, "Hugo," a "children's film" gained probably the most nominations associated with a movie, but without its auteur director behind your camera, we'd have experienced a really different outcome. And despite its fantasy setting, "The The almighty from the Rings" gained Best Picture nominations for every installment, however their dark and epic tone in the get-go built them into more Oscar-friendly. Next, "Deathly Hallows - Part 2" was the eighth film inside a series and also the other half of 1 complete story. Superficial such things as amounts following a title could make the main difference and spell disappointment for probably the most qualified film. Should you remove the context and concentrate on the actual merits from the film, you'd possess a difficult time quarrelling that the movie like "Avatar," one having a comparable scale and box office haul, deserved very good that "Deathly Hallows" did not get. The Academy's oversight could have been more understandable had the nominee pool been more powerful this season. Apart from "The Tree of Existence," the 2011 Best Picture challengers from the most secure and many Oscar-friendly area of nominees in recent memory. A nomination for "Harry Potter and also the Deathly Hallows - Part 2" might have defied Academy stereotypes and shook up a race that's determined to leave many audiences snoring. Have you think "Harry Potter" deserved more Oscar attention? Tell us within the comments below as well as on Twitter!

2012 Sundance Film Festival Opens With 4 Films

First Published: January 19, 2012 4:37 PM EST Credit: Getty Images PARK CITY, Utah -- Caption Joel Edgerton arrives at the premiere of Legend of The Guardians: The Owls of GaHoole at the Chinese Theater in Los Angeles on September 19, 2010 A fresh dusting of snow over Park City heralded the opening of the Sundance Film Festival on Thursday. For 11 days every January, Sundance becomes the focal point of the independent film world as established directors and stars mix with up-and-coming talent, while theatrical distributors prowl the festival looking for the next indie hit and film lovers have a good time being the first audiences to see new movies. You cant make a film with a festival in mind, and its not something I would have expected or taken for granted. But its always kind of the dream in the back of your mind, said Lauren Greenfield, who premiered her debut documentary Thin at Sundance in 2006 and returns this time with one of the opening-night films, The Queen of Versailles. It chronicles the housing-bust story of a couple that tried to build a palatial mansion. I think its this really magical environment, a place thats such a nurturing, supportive influence for independent films. Even when youre out there making your film, I think that you think about Sundance, and it just kind of gives you motivation. Also opening Thursday is Hello I Must Be Going, actor-turned-director Todd Louisos U.S. dramatic entry, which centers on a love story between a 19-year-old man and a 35-year-old divorcee that stars Melanie Lynskey.; the world-cinema drama Wish You Were Here, a dark story of a vacation gone wrong from Australian filmmaker Kieran Darcy-Smith that stars Joel Edgerton and Teresa Palmer;and Swedish director Malik Bendjellouls world-cinema documentary Searching for Sugar Man, a portrait of promising 1970s singer-songwriter Rodriguez and his fade into obscurity. Sundance also is a launch place for films that already have distributors, who show off their films hoping to build buzz among audiences and the legions of cinema journalists and bloggers who attend the festival. All the film press in North America is at Sundance to discover films, said Michael Barker, co-president of Sony Pictures Classics, which is showing director Nadine Labakis Lebanese drama Where Do We Go Now? and Gareth Huw Evans Indonesian action tale The Raid at the festival. Among the more established filmmakers showcasing their work at the festival are Spike Lee with his urban drama Red Hook Summer, in which he reprises the character he played in Do the Right Thing; Stephen Frears with his sports-wagering caper Lay the Favorite, starring Bruce Willis, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Rebecca Hall; documentary veteran Joe Berlinger with his Paul Simon portrait Under African Skies; and Julie Delpy with her relationship comedy 2 Days in NY, in which she stars with Chris Rock. The Sundance Film Festival continues through Jan. 29. Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Adele's '21' tops chart again

Adele's "21" ongoing its record-setting pace now, since the album toted up a 16th nonconsecutive week at No. 1 round the U.S. album chart, matching a sturdiness mark set with the "Titanic" soundtrack in 1998. British singer's Columbia set accomplished the job within the 47th chart week getting a 104,000-unit stanza (lower 16%), according to Nielsen SoundScan figures for your week ended Jan. 15. Collection has moved 6.05 million models in your area so far. Only three other albums have drenched more hours within the peak since SoundScan began monitoring album sales in 1991: the Whitney Houston soundtrack for "The Bodyguard" (20 days, 1992), Garth Brooks' "Ropin' the Wind" (18 days, 1991) and Billy Ray Cyrus' "Some Gave All" (17 days, 1992). More sales marks may yet fall. While "21" is enjoying useful advantages of the tame The month of the month of january release schedule, it could sustain strong sales through February, since Adele might be the marquee nominee for your Grammy Honours, which air Feb. 12 and typically pump sales. Two top-10 debuts brighten otherwise tepid sales. The David Crowder Band's "Give To Us Relaxation" (Six Step) became a member of at No. 2 getting a 51,000-unit debut week. It's the Christian band's valedictory release: The crowd carried out introduced it absolutely was disbanding a year ago and carried out its final show in Atlanta early this month. Snow Patrol's "Fallen Empires" (Island) turned up at No. 5 getting a 31,000-unit frame. The U.K. quintet's first release since 2008's "100 Million Suns" reps the group's finest chart notch ever. Hanging on inside the 5 best with reduced sales were the Black Keys' "El Camino" (No. 3, 36,000 offered, off 13%) and Drake's "Be MindfulInch (No. 4, 32,000, lower 25%). Rounding out a slouching top were Youthful Jeezy's "TM 103: Hustlerz Ambition" (No. 6, 24,000, lower 33%), Rihanna's "Talk That Talk" (No. 7, 22,000, lower 20%), Coldplay's "Mylo Xyloto" (No. 8, 20,000, lower 30%), Nickelback's "PresentInch (No. 9, 19,000, off 17%) as well as the "Now 40" compilation (No. 10, 17,000, lower 28%). The 21st installment in the ever-potent "Kidz Bop Kidz" tyke-music franchise medicine top chart qualifier inside a couple of days. Contact the number newsroom at news@variety.com

American Idol's Ace Youthful and Diana DeGarmo Happen To Be Privately Dating For 2 Years

Ace Youthful and Diana DeGarmo The American Idol Show alums Ace Youthful (Season 5) and Diana DeGarmo (Season 3 runner-up) are opening regarding their relationship - after keeping under it systems almost 2 yrs.InchWe grew to become close friends through Hair, ironically not through Idol," DeGarmo informs People. The pair met around the group of the Broadway show early in the year 2010, but separated ways following the musical closed that June.Take a look at all The American Idol Show newsYoung, 31, came back to La, while DeGarmo, 24, continued tour using the musical job. "If you value somebody, whenever they are not around, it sucks," states Youthful.Soon after her tour ended, DeGarmo headed to L.A. and it has lived with Youthful since. They have a created a band together, known as All Access.The American Idol Show photo gallery"She's my closest friend," he states. "To have the ability to join in with Diana and help create tunes that [tell] her story is amazing."

Shatner hits Broadway

William Shatner beams down to Broadway this spring, bowing a solo show called "Shatner's World: We Just Live In It." Show sneaks in for a quick, 19-perf stint at the Music Box Theater during the gap between "Private Lives," which shuttered Dec. 31, and incoming tenant "One Man, Two Guvnors," the London transfer that kicks off a run in April. Shatner hasn't appeared on Broadway since starring in the 1961 play "A Shot in the Dark" alongside Walter Mathau and Julie Harris. For his new, two-hour solo outing, Shatner will chronicle his life and a career that's moved from classical stage work to "Star Trek" to current forays into music, including last year's album of heavy metal covers, "Seeking Major Tom." "Shatner's World" runs Feb. 14-March 4, with a press opening set for Feb. 16. Contact Gordon Cox at gordon.cox@variety.com

Patti Murin: A Back Stage Exclusive

"I loved this role!" Patti Murin squeals with delight. "I understood that everybody want the show like I loved the show... it's snappy, it's witty, it's current, I am talking about it is good.Inch The show she's raving about (and nearly everyone else is simply too!) is Broadway's latest hit, Douglas Carter Beane's "Lysistrata Johnson" and she or he happily plays the title character.A graduate from the Syracuse College theater program, Patti's musical debut was playing Tina a button in her own sixth grade manufacture of "Cinderella." Although, she is much more familiar to fans on her role in a different one of Beane's musicals, "Xanadu."If not carrying out Patti is definitely up for any little fantasy football or gossiping about greatOrpoor reality TV. A Woman after my very own heart! She lately reached live among her dreams singing the nation's Anthem in a NY Titans game.Selected because this week's Actor2Watch, Patti is going to be featured inside a number of articles, fun details and social networking tweets through this week for customers of Girl2Watch.com.A2W: What have you love concerning the Syracuse Theater Program? PM: I believe probably the most gifted people emerge from Syracuse, and I am not only stating that because I visited. They train you actually how you can act and not simply 'this is when you act while you need to do the song', they train you the way to do something legitimate, how you can listen and trouble your scene, particularly in musicals. I believe that's vital. Lots of occasions you do not buy some performances where you are like, they are just pretending to become somebody.A2W: Once you graduated from Syracuse you gone to live in New You are able to. PM: I moved here immediately and that i really did non-Equity Theater for around 2 yrs. I did not get my equity card for 2 many type of purposely. I did not would like to get it without understanding that I'd utilize it again. A2W: When have you get the equity card? PM: My second cousin works best for Shirley Grant Management, so when I graduated he sent me on some auditions. He'd send me for random stuff and among the auditions was for any reading through for any show known as "Princesses." It had been in the fifth Avenue Theater and that i made it happen to have an on vacation tryout also it never went. After which I acquired a show about twelve 16 year olds and that i did another reading through from it and we visited the great Speed and that is where I received my equity card, at the Norma Terrace. A2W: How can you stay in carrying out shape? PM: Considerable time is spent resting. I have type of sworn off my social existence for the following couple of several weeks, Sometimes by helping cover their my buddies for a while. It is a really challenging show vocally and physically and I have transported shows before and I have experienced leading shows before however for two several weeks at any given time not for the whole span. So I am truly being best to myself and merely type of let myself relax. A2W: Would you be worried about your voice? PM: I do not be worried about it because I didn't have issues with it, however i certainly take proper care of myself you realize. I recieve lots of sleep, I attempt to access least 8 hrs a evening, I attempt for 9 basically can that involves being really strict with myself. It's 10pm it's the perfect time to consider my contacts out in order to be laying in mattress by 10:30pm and that i could be sleeping by 11pm. A2W: You have to be exhausted. PM: Yeah, it's like this good type of exhaustion. I am talking about at this time it's. It's so good type of exhaustion, I'm doing something. That's the one thing I really like relating to this show. I personally don't like a fitness center, I truly hate a fitness center. I am in some way fortunate with a few type of metabolic process that I do not need to bother about exercising an excessive amount of, however i also don't feel awesome when I am not active. A2W: But dancing all day long is a superb workout. PM: Also it seamless comfort, despite per week of rehearsals I had been like 'oh, you will find my abs again, great.' For somebody who hates to visit a fitness center I do not must see a fitness center now. I'm able to work my butt off for just two hrs and fifteen minutes every evening sometimes two times each day and become okay. A2W: How can you get ready for an audition? PM: I attempt to commit to memory whenever possible. Sometimes you need to become familiar with a lot, however i attempt to learn whenever possible. I'll use my recorder on my cell phone, and I'll feel the scene but I'll say another person's line by leaving space personally. My hubby and I'll be like 'can you test me on wrinkles?A I love to look in the breakdown and become like this is exactly what they stated they need, you know, basically don't immediately seem like I am really suitable for something, then I'll kind of be okay, well I am going to get this done the way I would like, even when it is going against something they say within the breakdown. This is exactly what I am likely to provide it and do, rather than simply attempt to squeeze into a box. Especially because I actually do a lot new items that it certainly is by what you are likely to provide it anyway, like what you are.A2W: What's your who audition philosophy? PM: I have finally become to the stage where I am comfortable going into auditions. I like it, specifically for TV and film, because each time I use I am learning something since it is so much more recent in my experience than musicals are, and I have also reached the point where I understand things i prosper, I understand my talents. Within the last 3 years I have learned a lot. I additionally believe that there's certainly this type of factor as over planning. After I get into an audition and also the girl alongside me knows what she is going to do when she gets into, this is the fun part for me personally, it's like testing myself and being open. Patti Murin: A Back Stage Exclusive Actor2Watch presented by Girl2Watch.com By Alison Goodman The month of january 5, 2012 "I loved this role!" Patti Murin squeals with delight. "I understood that everybody want the show like I loved the show... it's snappy, it's witty, it's current, I am talking about it is good.Inch The show she's raving about (and nearly everyone else is simply too!) is Broadway's latest hit, Douglas Carter Beane's "Lysistrata Johnson" and she or he happily plays the title character.A graduate from the Syracuse College theater program, Patti's musical debut was playing Tina a button in her own sixth grade manufacture of "Cinderella." Although, she is much more familiar to fans on her role in a different one of Beane's musicals, "Xanadu."If not carrying out Patti is definitely up for any little fantasy football or gossiping about greatOrpoor reality TV. A Woman after my very own heart! She lately reached live among her dreams singing the nation's Anthem in a NY Titans game.Selected because this week's Actor2Watch, Patti is going to be featured in a number of articles, fun details and social networking tweets through now for customers of Girl2Watch.com.A2W: What have you love concerning the Syracuse Theater Program? PM: I believe probably the most gifted people emerge from Syracuse, and I am not only stating that because I visited. They train you actually how you can act and not simply 'this is when you act when you perform the song', they train you the way to do something legitimate, how you can listen and trouble your scene, particularly in musicals. I believe that's vital. Lots of occasions you do not buy some performances where you are like, they are just pretending to become somebody.A2W: Once you graduated from Syracuse you gone to live in NY. PM: I moved here immediately and that i really did non-Equity Theater for around 2 yrs. I did not get my equity card for 2 many type of purposely. I did not would like to get it not understanding which i would utilize it again. A2W: When have you get the equity card? PM: My second cousin works best for Shirley Grant Management, so when I graduated he sent me on some auditions. He'd send me for random stuff and among the auditions was for any reading through for any show known as "Princesses." It had been in the fifth Avenue Theater and that i made it happen to have an on vacation tryout also it never went. After which I acquired a show about twelve 16 year olds and that i did another reading through from it and that we visited the great Speed and that is where I received my equity card, in the Norma Terrace. A2W: How can you stay in carrying out shape? PM: Considerable time is spent resting. I have type of sworn off my social existence for the following couple of several weeks, Sometimes by helping cover their my buddies for a while. It is a really challenging show vocally and physically and I have transported shows before and I have experienced leading shows before however for two several weeks at any given time not for the whole span. So I am truly being best to myself and merely type of let myself relax. A2W: Would you be worried about your voice? PM: I do not be worried about it because I didn't have issues with it, however i certainly take proper care of myself you realize. I recieve lots of sleep, I attempt to access least 8 hrs a evening, I attempt for 9 basically can that involves being really strict with myself. It's 10pm you're ready to take my contacts out in order to be laying in mattress by 10:30pm and that i could be sleeping by 11pm. A2W: You have to be exhausted. PM: Yeah, it's like this good type of exhaustion. I am talking about right it is now. It's so good type of exhaustion, I'm doing something. That's the one thing I really like relating to this show. I personally don't like a fitness center, I truly hate a fitness center. I am in some way fortunate with a few type of metabolic process which i don't need to bother about exercising an excessive amount of, however i also don't feel awesome when I am not active. A2W: But dancing all day long is a superb workout. PM: Also it seamless comfort, despite per week of rehearsals I had been like 'oh, you will find my abs again, great.' For somebody who hates to visit a fitness center I do not must see a fitness center now. I'm able to work my butt off for just two hrs and fifteen minutes every evening sometimes two times each day and become okay. A2W: How can you get ready for an audition? PM: I attempt to commit to memory whenever possible. Sometimes you need to become familiar with a lot, however i attempt to learn whenever possible. I'll use my recorder on my cell phone, and I'll feel the scene but I'll the other person's line by leaving space personally. We is going to be like 'can you test me on wrinkles?A I love to consider the breakdown and become like this is exactly what they stated they need, you realize, basically don't immediately seem like I am really suitable for something, then I'll kind of be okay, well I am going to get this done the way in which I would like, even when it is going against something they say within the breakdown. This is exactly what I am likely to provide it and do, as opposed to just attempt to squeeze into a box. Especially because I actually do a lot new items that it certainly is by what you are likely to provide it anyway, like what you are.A2W: What's your who audition philosophy? PM: I have finally become to the stage where I am comfortable starting auditions. I like it, specifically for TV and film, because each time I use I am learning something since it is a lot more recent in my experience than musicals are, and I have also become to the stage where I understand things i prosper, I understand my talents. Within the last 3 years I have learned a lot. I additionally believe that there's certainly this type of factor as over planning. After I get into an audition and also the girl alongside me knows what she is going to do when she gets into, this is the fun part for me personally, it's like testing myself and being open.