METRODOME DISTRIBUTION ACQUIRES SUMMER IN FEBRUARY

AIM-listed independent distributor METRODOME have picked up all UK & EIRE rights for SUMMER IN FEBRUARY

Based on Jonathan Smith’s 1995 novel, SUMMER IN FEBRUARY stars Dan Stevens, Dominic Cooper, Emily Browning and recent Evening Standard Theatre Awards Best Actress; Hattie Morahan. The film is the intimate true story of young, vibrant souls navigating their way through love, passion and friendship in the picturesque landscape of early twentieth century England.

When Florence (Emily Browning) a virtuous, somewhat guarded young woman of natural beauty, comes to town to study art, she meets AJ Munnnings (Dominic Cooper) a youthful, wildly talented artist, who commands attention with his intoxicating charm and boundless energy. While captivated by AJ’s majestic prowess with a paintbrush and his volatile disposition, Florence simultaneously finds herself drawn to the stability and balance of the gentlemanly Gilbert (Dan Stevens) – who happens to be one of AJ’s closest friends, setting up a fascinating yet dangerous love triangle.

SUMMER IN FEBRUARY is directed by Christopher Menaul (Feast of July & Prime Suspect) and written by Jonathan Smith. Produced by Pippa Cross and Janette Day for Crossday Productions, with Jeremy Cowdrey for Apart Films and Dan Stevens for Marwood Pictures. The film was exec produced by Bruno Wu and Stephen Henderson.

The deal was negotiated by Speranza 13 Media’s Camela Galano and Metrodome's Head of Acquisitions Joel Kennedy. Metrodome will release in 2013.

Metrodome Distribution’s theatrical slate for 2013 includes; MANIAC starring Elijah Wood, EVERYBODY HAS A PLAN with Viggo Mortensen, Baltasar Kormákur’s THE DEEP, acclaimed documentary THE GATEKEEPERS & Stuart Murdoch’s GOD HELP THE GIRL.

The Dark Knight Rises DVD and Blu-Ray Release Review

The Dark Knight Rises is a brilliant film, totally worthy of 5 stars. This is the 3rd and final instalment in the Dark Knight series, starring Christian Bale (Batman Begins, The Dark Knight). I would definitely suggest that you watch the first two films before you see this one, to make sure you get the full effect.

In this final film, we see Bruce Wayne begin in a city which no longer needs him, and tracks his struggle to come to terms with his new situation.

As ever, the story is well thought out and well written, and the script allows the many stars in this film to really get their teeth into the roles.

There are lots of big names in The Dark Knight Rises, Gary Oldman (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Leon), Tom Hardy (Inception, Layer Cake), Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Looper, Inception), Marion Cotillard, Anne Hathaway, Morgan Freeman and Michael Caine, among others.

The Dark Knight Trilogy has been directed by Christopher Nolan (Inception) and included on the disc is a short feature by him ; The Journey of Bruce Wayne.

This is one to watch, I would recommend it to everybody. What more can I say? Go out and buy it!

The Dark Knight Rises is released on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital Download from 3rd December

Look inside Gansters

We've just been sent over some new items for Gangster Squad. A sneak peek featurette and a ton of new character posters for you to admire.

Los Angeles, 1949. Ruthless, Brooklyn-born mob king Mickey Cohen (Sean Penn) runs the show in this town, reaping the ill-gotten gains from the drugs, the guns, the prostitutes and—if he has his way—every wire bet placed west of Chicago. And he does it all with the protection of not only his own paid goons, but also the police and the politicians who are under his control. It’s enough to intimidate even the bravest, street-hardened cop…except, perhaps, for the small, secret crew of LAPD outsiders led by Sgt. John O’Mara (Josh Brolin) and Jerry Wooters (Ryan Gosling), who come together to try to tear Cohen’s world apart.

In Cinemas from January 11, 2013

Hitchcock

HITCHCOCK is a love story about one of the most influential filmmakers of the last century, Alfred Hitchcock, and his wife and partner Alma Reville. The film takes place during the making of Hitchcock's seminal movie PSYCHO.

HITCHCOCK will open in the UK and Ireland on February 8, 2013

Jameson Empire Awards 2013 - Voting Opens

Film fans across the globe have the opportunity to make their voices heard as open voting commences for the Jameson Empire Awards 2013 on Thursday November 29. The awards ceremony takes place on Sunday March 24 in London and is expected to attract a host of star names from the film industry.

The Jameson Empire Awards are not voted for by the film industry or critics — they are one of the biggest awards ceremonies to offer film fans the opportunity to have their voices heard. Hot on the heels of the Oscars and BAFTAs, the Awards allow film fans and casual cinemagoers alike to vote for their favourite films and performances of the past year. Voters can choose from films released in the period January 27, 2012 – January 25, 2013 in a variety of categories including: Best Male and Female Newcomer, Best Sci-Fi/Fantasy, The Art Of 3D (presented by RealD), Best Comedy (presented by Magic 105.4), Best British Film, Best Actress and the Jameson Best Actor.

Empire is now the biggest movie brand in the world, with Empire magazine outselling all other movie magazines internationally by an average of 2 to 1. Coupled with its bespoke editions in the US, Australia, Russia, Portugal and Italy, as well as Empire Online’s global readership of 2.8 million, the brand’s reach extends to over 5 million movie fans across the planet, making Empire the go-to brand for film fans and filmmakers across the world.

Even with the nation's eyes turned to Her Majesty's diamond jubilee and the Olympics, 2012 set its own record breaking year at the UK box (with Bond's return in Skyfall alone making an unprecedented £100m, Avengers Assemble becoming the third biggest movie of all time and The Dark Knight Rises helping to drive over one billion people into the cinema), maintaining cinema-going as the nation's leading and most passionate pastime. Never has film had such an influence on people's hearts and minds, and Empire stands tall as the most influential movie brand both in the UK and around the world, launching in America, and breaking the world exclusives on each of these major movies, as well as becoming the global home of Hobbit coverage across the planet. Film is, simply, tearing up the rule book of entertainment dominating the zeitgeist more than ever in its entire history, and Empire is there every step of the way, in its own way thrilling readers with editorial innovation across all platforms: print, digital, events, and podcasts.

Each year, the Jameson Empire Awards attract some of the biggest names in Hollywood, with last year’s guests including: Gary Oldman, Danny DeVito, Bérénice Marlohe, James McAvoy, Tom Hiddleston and Michael Fassbender. Previous years’ guests have included: Tim Burton, Russell Crowe, Daniel Radcliffe, Keira Knightley, Christian Bale, Matt Damon, Sigourney Weaver, Emma Watson, Tony Curtis, Quentin Tarantino, Kate Winslet and Dustin Hoffman. Because the Awards are voted for by the public they honour an eclectic mix of films, from big-budget blockbusters to independent cinema. Previous winners have included: Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows — Part 2, Thor, Kill List, The Inbetweeners Movie, Avatar, Inception, Four Lions and In The Loop.

To see the full list of categories and cast your vote, visit: www.empireonline.com/awards2013. Open voting continues throughout the ‘awards season’ until Wednesday February 27. The shortlist will be announced on Friday March 1, with the final nominees shortlist open to a second round of public voting.

Romley Davies goes Organic

Wednesday 28th November 2012; Publicity and Marketing outfit ORGANIC today announced the acquisition of leading film and entertainment publicity specialist Romley Davies. Nick Leese, Managing Director ORGANIC made the announcement.

Effective 1st January 2013, Romley Davies founder Vanessa Davies will join forces with ORGANIC and work with Deputy Managing Director, Emma McCorkell in the development of a new UK and International film production publicity arm as Executive Director Film Production.

McCorkell said: “I am thrilled to be welcoming the team at Romley Davies to the fold. ORGANIC has enjoyed an incredible couple of years culminating recently with the honour of winning ‘Publicity Team of the Year’ at this year’s Screen Marketing & Distribution Awards. We have been keen for some time to increase our production publicity offering so are confident that our success will only continue with the addition of Vanessa and her team”.

Said Vanessa Davies: “I am incredibly proud of Romley Davies and all we have achieved, and it seemed like a natural next step to team up with a like-minded group of people in order to continue to grow not just in the UK but in Europe and internationally. ORGANIC is a fantastic company and truly inspirational and I cannot imagine joining forces with anyone else. I look forward with great excitement to all we can achieve together”.

ORGANIC has also recently appointed Kirsty Langsdale as Head of International Publicity.

Langsdale joins the team from DDA where she worked for 7 years in the International Publicity division. Her film credits include The Hunger Games, One Day, Shutter Island and most recently Cloud Atlas. Kirsty will work with and report to International Publicity Director, Bethan Dixon who joined the company in September last year.

Romley Davies was founded in 2008 by Vanessa Davies and the company soon became a major force in the industry with film production credits including Alfonso Cuaron’s Gravity starring George Clooney and Sandra Bullock, David Hare’s Page Eight (and broadcast campaign) starring Rachel Weisz, Michael Gambon, Ralph Fiennes and Bill Nighy, Mariah Mundi and the Midas Box starring Aneurin Barnard, Michael Sheen, Lena Headey and Sam Neill, Ruairi Robinson’s Last Days on Mars starring Liev Schreiber, Romola Garai and Olivia Williams and A Fantastic Fear of Everything starring Simon Pegg. The company also recently handled the production and broadcast campaign for Kindle Entertainment’s modern day adaptation of Charles Dicken’s classic Nick Nickleby. Davies is perhaps best known as Head of Film Production Publicity on the Harry Potter film series, a role she proudly held for over ten years spanning all eight films.

The company has also managed the campaigns on a wide range of theatrical and DVD releases including this year’s box office smash The Woman in Black, Harry Potter, The King’s Speech, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and Downton Abbey.

Organic Marketing was founded in 2006 by Nick Leese as part of the Target Media & Communications Group. It was established to provide the entertainment sector with marketing services including online and offline publicity, marketing, event management and promotions, offering a flexible resource for distributors, producers, film festivals and sales agents.

In January 2011 Emma McCorkell joined ORGANIC and holds the position of Deputy Managing Director. Over the last two years the company has grown rapidly and the client list now includes major studios and independents, industry events and festivals; Anchor Bay, Arrow Films, Artificial Eye, Disney, The Edinburgh International Film Festival, Entertainment Film Distributors, Entertainment One, Entertainment One Home Entertainment, Exclusive Media, G2 Pictures, Icon Film Distribution, Kaleidoscope, Lionsgate UK, Metrodome, The Moët British Independent Film Awards, Momentum Pictures, Studio Canal, The Weinstein Company, The Works, Universal Pictures and Universal Home Entertainment.

Company credits across all divisions including Offline Publicity, Online Publicity, International Publicity and Home Entertainment Publicity include Snow White and the Huntsman, I Don’t Know How She Does It, The Rum Diary, Polisse, Red Dog, Everything Must Go, Super, The Five Year Engagement, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, The Killing II, Cars 2, We Need To Talk About Kevin, Carnage, Senna, Battleship, American Pie: Reunion, Academy Award Campaigns for titles including The Artist, Iron Lady, My Week With Marilyn and representation of Edinburgh International Film Festival and The Moët British Independent Film Awards.

Talking about the con

With Gambit in UK cinemas, we have been sent over a great featurette that combines some great interviews with the case as well as some great behind the scenes footage of the film.

Private art curator Harry Deane (Firth) devises a finely-crafted scheme to con England's richest man and avid art collector, Lionel Shabandar, (Rickman) into purchasing a fake Monet painting. In order to bait his buyer, he recruits a Texas rodeo queen (Diaz) to cross the pond and pose as a woman whose grandfather liberated the painting at the end of WWII.

BAFTA award winner Sir Tom Courtenay, Golden Globe winner Stanley Tucci and Academy Award© winner and veteran comedinne Cloris Leachman round out the cast.

In UK cinemas now

© 2012 Momentum Pictures, UK