Colleagues including Elizabeth Karlsen, Adrian Wootton, Hugo Heppell and Amma Asante pay tribute to the late BFI Film Fund executive
I first met Chris at the Dinard FIlm Festival. I’d just watched Sarah Gavron’s beautiful rendition of Brick Lane, which Chris had produced. After the screening he, Sarah and I sat at small table outdoors in the brilliant sunshine talking about films, the pressures of being an independent producer, our daughters and how much I loved Brick Lane. I hope he knew that I was speaking from the heart. I was struck then by his quiet intelligence, his gracious and kind nature and his absolute devotion to and passion for independent film making. I could see that Sarah had enjoyed tremendous commitment from him as a producer on her first film. I was lucky enough, with my partner Stephen Woolley, to work with him consistently over the next eight years. He was unfailingly...
I first met Chris at the Dinard FIlm Festival. I’d just watched Sarah Gavron’s beautiful rendition of Brick Lane, which Chris had produced. After the screening he, Sarah and I sat at small table outdoors in the brilliant sunshine talking about films, the pressures of being an independent producer, our daughters and how much I loved Brick Lane. I hope he knew that I was speaking from the heart. I was struck then by his quiet intelligence, his gracious and kind nature and his absolute devotion to and passion for independent film making. I could see that Sarah had enjoyed tremendous commitment from him as a producer on her first film. I was lucky enough, with my partner Stephen Woolley, to work with him consistently over the next eight years. He was unfailingly...
- 11/11/2014
- ScreenDaily
BFI colleagues have paid tribute to Chris Collins, the BFI Film Fund Senior Development and Production Executive who lost his battle to cancer on Saturday, Nov 1.
In a letter to industry colleagues today, BFI Film Fund head Ben Roberts wrote: “We are all going to miss his loyalty, honesty and integrity, his warm dry wit, and his complete devotion to independent film and the film industry he loved.
“He was a champion for new filmmakers and a brilliant creative mind. I think we will all feel his loss quite profoundly.
“All our hearts and thoughts are with Chris’s wife Emma, his daughters Matilda and Jessie, and all his family.”
At the BFI Film Fund Collins had strategic responsibility for shorts and low budget film, taking a leading role in the creation of the BFI Net.Work, as well as projects which pushed the envelope of traditional filmmaking, including Amma Asante’s Belle and Jonathan Glazer’s [link...
In a letter to industry colleagues today, BFI Film Fund head Ben Roberts wrote: “We are all going to miss his loyalty, honesty and integrity, his warm dry wit, and his complete devotion to independent film and the film industry he loved.
“He was a champion for new filmmakers and a brilliant creative mind. I think we will all feel his loss quite profoundly.
“All our hearts and thoughts are with Chris’s wife Emma, his daughters Matilda and Jessie, and all his family.”
At the BFI Film Fund Collins had strategic responsibility for shorts and low budget film, taking a leading role in the creation of the BFI Net.Work, as well as projects which pushed the envelope of traditional filmmaking, including Amma Asante’s Belle and Jonathan Glazer’s [link...
- 11/3/2014
- by wendy.mitchell@screendaily.com (Wendy Mitchell)
- ScreenDaily
There’s a great short starring Martin Freeman making the rounds this week, and I recommend watching that two-year-old film, titled The Girl is Mime, when you get the chance. But there’s another short led by the actor that I’d like to showcase this weekend in anticipation of The Hobbit. Way back in 1998, before Freeman was in Sherlock or The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy or Love Actually or even his breakthrough, the original UK version of The Office, he had two small yet notable gigs. One was appearing alongside Doctor Who‘s Shaun Dingwall in Vito Rocco’s music video for Faith No More’s cover of “I Started a Joke.” The other was starring in the 11-minute black and white film I Just Want to Kiss You. Written and directed by Jamie Thraves, best known for music videos he’s helmed for Blur, Radiohead and Coldplay, this...
- 12/9/2012
- by Christopher Campbell
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
Chicago – The third week of the 13th Annual EU Film Festival at the Siskel Film Center has arrived, and we’re back to give you an idea of what to expect in the second half of arguably the best fest in the Windy City. We profile several of this week’s hottest tickets, including an anticipated screening hosted by Chicago’s own Jonathan Rosenbaum.
The first half of EU 2010 (which you can read about here and here) produced some memorable films including Sweden’s taut thriller “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo,” Italy’s sumptuous romance “I Am Love,” and France’s exhilaratingly off-kilter re-telling of “Bluebeard.” As good as all of those films were, the festival has generally been offering stronger programming each week, and this is the best one yet. Out of the next four highlights, there are at least two that absolutely should not be missed.
It...
The first half of EU 2010 (which you can read about here and here) produced some memorable films including Sweden’s taut thriller “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo,” Italy’s sumptuous romance “I Am Love,” and France’s exhilaratingly off-kilter re-telling of “Bluebeard.” As good as all of those films were, the festival has generally been offering stronger programming each week, and this is the best one yet. Out of the next four highlights, there are at least two that absolutely should not be missed.
It...
- 3/18/2010
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
More Sundance coverage
Expanding its VOD offerings, IFC Films is partnering with the South by Southwest Film Conference and Festival to present five movies on IFC Festival Direct simultaneous with their appearance at the March film festival.
Joe Swanberg's "Alexander the Last," which is having its world premiere at SXSW, will be the first film to have a fest premiere the same time it becomes available on-demand.
In addition to "Alexander," produced by Swanberg, Noah Baumbach and Anish Savjani, the other SXSW titles bound for Festival Direct are Javor Gardev's "Zift" and Matthew Newton's "Three Blind Mice" as well as two films that played SXSW last year and are set for encore screenings this year: Barry Jenkins' "Medicine for Melancholy" and Joe Maggio's "Paper Covers Rock."
IFC Entertainment president Jonathan Sehring unveiled several other initiatives Monday at the Sundance Film Festival.
They included several new...
Expanding its VOD offerings, IFC Films is partnering with the South by Southwest Film Conference and Festival to present five movies on IFC Festival Direct simultaneous with their appearance at the March film festival.
Joe Swanberg's "Alexander the Last," which is having its world premiere at SXSW, will be the first film to have a fest premiere the same time it becomes available on-demand.
In addition to "Alexander," produced by Swanberg, Noah Baumbach and Anish Savjani, the other SXSW titles bound for Festival Direct are Javor Gardev's "Zift" and Matthew Newton's "Three Blind Mice" as well as two films that played SXSW last year and are set for encore screenings this year: Barry Jenkins' "Medicine for Melancholy" and Joe Maggio's "Paper Covers Rock."
IFC Entertainment president Jonathan Sehring unveiled several other initiatives Monday at the Sundance Film Festival.
They included several new...
- 1/19/2009
- by By Gregg Kilday
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
London -- MySpace, Vertigo Films, the U.K. Film Council and Film4 have teamed up for a newfangled dual Web-theatrical showing of "Faintheart," a romantic comedy about people who re-enact Viking battles.
On Jan. 27, the Vito Rocco-directed film will be released simultaneously free of charge for one day in cinemas and online. It will be available for sale on DVD on Feb. 2.
At the core of the plan, MySpace, together with developer Third Eye Labs, has created the U.K.'s first theatrical Web screening, which will allow MySpace fans to decide in which towns the film is shown.
"Faintheart" followers will be able to enter their postcode at MySpace.com/faintheartthemovie and vote to select the locations in the U.K. that would screen the film Jan. 27. On the same day, "Faintheart" also will stream for free on the MySpace page.
"In 'Faintheart' we have created...
On Jan. 27, the Vito Rocco-directed film will be released simultaneously free of charge for one day in cinemas and online. It will be available for sale on DVD on Feb. 2.
At the core of the plan, MySpace, together with developer Third Eye Labs, has created the U.K.'s first theatrical Web screening, which will allow MySpace fans to decide in which towns the film is shown.
"Faintheart" followers will be able to enter their postcode at MySpace.com/faintheartthemovie and vote to select the locations in the U.K. that would screen the film Jan. 27. On the same day, "Faintheart" also will stream for free on the MySpace page.
"In 'Faintheart' we have created...
- 11/19/2008
- by By Ralf Ludemann
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
LONDON -- There will be a strong U.S. presence at this year's Edinburgh International Film Festival lineup, with 30 titles from across the pond due to unspool during the event.
Highlights from the U.S. traveling to the Scottish capital include the animation "Wall-E" from Pixar and Disney, which will have a gala screening.
There also are several U.S.-birthed documentaries to look forward to, including Margaret Brown's "The Order of Myths", Steven Sebring's "Patti Smith: Dream of Life" and "Standard Operating Procedure" from Errol Morris.
This year's festival opens with the world premiere of John Maybury's "The Edge of Love" and will close with another world first, Vito Rocco's "Faintheart".
Rocco's movie stars Eddie Marsan, Jessica Hynes and Ewan Bremner and is billed as a comedic romp revolving around battle re-enactment hobbyists.
Artistic director Hannah McGill said this year's festival, which runs June 18-29, will host 15 world bows and plans to showcase 142 features from 29 countries.
Other gala screenings include the world bow for Mark Doherty's "A Film With Me In It", while Duane Hopkins' "Better Things", Brad Anderson's "Transsiberian" and Isabel Coixet's "Elegy" will receive the gala treatment.
Highlights from the U.S. traveling to the Scottish capital include the animation "Wall-E" from Pixar and Disney, which will have a gala screening.
There also are several U.S.-birthed documentaries to look forward to, including Margaret Brown's "The Order of Myths", Steven Sebring's "Patti Smith: Dream of Life" and "Standard Operating Procedure" from Errol Morris.
This year's festival opens with the world premiere of John Maybury's "The Edge of Love" and will close with another world first, Vito Rocco's "Faintheart".
Rocco's movie stars Eddie Marsan, Jessica Hynes and Ewan Bremner and is billed as a comedic romp revolving around battle re-enactment hobbyists.
Artistic director Hannah McGill said this year's festival, which runs June 18-29, will host 15 world bows and plans to showcase 142 features from 29 countries.
Other gala screenings include the world bow for Mark Doherty's "A Film With Me In It", while Duane Hopkins' "Better Things", Brad Anderson's "Transsiberian" and Isabel Coixet's "Elegy" will receive the gala treatment.
LONDON -- What is billed as the world's first user-generated movie -- launched by MySpace, Vertigo Films and Film4 and backed by the U.K. Film Council and Screen WM -- will begin shooting this week, backers said Tuesday.
The backers for the project, titled Faintheart, launched an Internet-wide search for a director and wannabe movie stars from among the great unwashed to star alongside a British who's who of indie talent including Eddie Marsan (Miami Vice), Ewan Bremner (Hallam Foe) and Jessica Hynes (Shaun of the Dead).
Vito Rocco, who won MySpace's £1 million ($2 million) directing competition -- voted on by the MySpace community -- is behind the camera for the shoot. More than 500,000 voters selected Rocco's winning short film, Goodbye Cruel World, in the race for the canvas seat.
Faintheart is billed as a romantic comedy about people who re-enact Viking battles as a hobby.
It centers on a "weekend warrior" who goes on an epic quest to win back his wife after she leaves him, branding him childish and irresponsible.
The backers for the project, titled Faintheart, launched an Internet-wide search for a director and wannabe movie stars from among the great unwashed to star alongside a British who's who of indie talent including Eddie Marsan (Miami Vice), Ewan Bremner (Hallam Foe) and Jessica Hynes (Shaun of the Dead).
Vito Rocco, who won MySpace's £1 million ($2 million) directing competition -- voted on by the MySpace community -- is behind the camera for the shoot. More than 500,000 voters selected Rocco's winning short film, Goodbye Cruel World, in the race for the canvas seat.
Faintheart is billed as a romantic comedy about people who re-enact Viking battles as a hobby.
It centers on a "weekend warrior" who goes on an epic quest to win back his wife after she leaves him, branding him childish and irresponsible.
- 10/24/2007
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Dror Shual's Sweet Mud and Sean Ellis' Cashback tied for the Mary-Jean Mitchell Green Award for best narrative feature at the 10th annual Bermuda International Film Festival, which concluded Saturday.
Jury member Carrie Fisher called Mud, the story of how a child copes with a mentally ill mother, "a very sad but hopeful film. It is a dark film with a light at the end of the tunnel." Jury member Richard Dreyfuss said of Cashback that "the film had a perfect whimsy that didn't try to become something that it was not."
Linda Hattendorf's The Cats of Mirikitani was named best documentary. Special mentions went to the films Living With Lew and Beyond the Call.
The short film jury, made up of actor Ben Newmark, director Vito Rocco and producer Tamara Tarasova, chose I Want to be a Pilot by Diego Quemada-Diez as the winner of the M3 Wireless Bermuda Shorts Award. Special mentions were given to My Backyard by Choy Aming and T.O.M. by Tom Brown and Daniel Gray.
BIFF audiences voted Robert Favreau's A Sunday in Kigali the Bacardi Limited Audience Choice Award winner.
Jury member Carrie Fisher called Mud, the story of how a child copes with a mentally ill mother, "a very sad but hopeful film. It is a dark film with a light at the end of the tunnel." Jury member Richard Dreyfuss said of Cashback that "the film had a perfect whimsy that didn't try to become something that it was not."
Linda Hattendorf's The Cats of Mirikitani was named best documentary. Special mentions went to the films Living With Lew and Beyond the Call.
The short film jury, made up of actor Ben Newmark, director Vito Rocco and producer Tamara Tarasova, chose I Want to be a Pilot by Diego Quemada-Diez as the winner of the M3 Wireless Bermuda Shorts Award. Special mentions were given to My Backyard by Choy Aming and T.O.M. by Tom Brown and Daniel Gray.
BIFF audiences voted Robert Favreau's A Sunday in Kigali the Bacardi Limited Audience Choice Award winner.
- 3/26/2007
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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