Variety summit taps Cameron, Rothman, Pace

CameronPace Rothman James Cameron, Vince Pace and Fox Filmed Entertainment topper Tom Rothman are set as keynote speakers at the fourth annual 3D Entertainment Summit produced by Unicomm and the Bob Dowling Group in association with Variety.This year's summit, scheduled for Sept. 20-22 at the Hollywood & Highland Center in Hollywood, will focus on the international impact of 3D. It will bring together global leaders to analyze the past and future of 3D in theatrical, gaming, advertising, broadcast, home entertainment and alternative content platforms.Cameron and Pace developed the Fusion 3D system used in "Avatar" and are co-toppers of 3D tech and production venture Cameron/Pace Group. Rothman is chairman and CEO of Fox Filmed Entertainment. Michael Lewis, chairman and CEO of RealD, and Chris McGurk, chairman and CEO of Cinedigm Digital Cinema Corp., are among the other keynote speakers.The summit is being held in conjunction with the 3D Gaming, the 3D & Home User Experience Technical and the LA Mobile Entertainment summits. Contact Variety Staff at news@variety.com

Sunshine (Solnechniye Dni)

A JSC Kazakhfilm within the Title of Shaken Aimanov presentation, in colaboration with the Culture and knowledge Secretary of state for the Republic of Kazakhstan, Kadam Studio, Hubert Bals Fund, Film Festival Locarno Open Doorways Selection, Visions Sud-Est. (Worldwide sales: JSC Kazakhfilm, Almaty, Kazakhstan.) Created by Limara Zheksembaeva. Directed, compiled by Nariman Turebaev.With: Erlan Utepbergenov, Inkar Abdrash, Asel Kalieva, Dmitri Skirta, Gulzhan Kalibaeva, Yuri Radin. (Russian, Kazak dialogue)A youthful man's misfortune will get progressively worse within the ironically entitled "Sunshine,Inch Kazak author-helmer Nariman Turebaev's sometimes droll, from time to time sad but ultimately disappointing follow-as much as his debut feature, "Little Males." Reminiscent in numerous methods for Aki Kaurismaki's films, pic ultimately serves as one example of such a tough act Kaurismaki would be to follow, particularly if you are shooting on digital and lack his gifts like a storyteller and builder. Still, partially because of its European arthouse flavor, "SunshineInch must see some light at further fests. Pic's nameless protagonist (handsome but resolutely deadpan Erlan Utepbergenov) is lower to his last couple of tenges plus some change, and will also be kicked out from his crummy apartment if he does not develop the rent through the finish each week. He tries various schemes to boost gold coin (taxi driving, selling his possessions in the pub), but everything finishes disastrously. Despite its depressing trajectory, pic has wry moments of humor, and helps make the Kazakh capital look positively romantic using its melancholy bars, wide roads and thin winter light, however the script lacks sufficient dimensionality to provide the correct punch.Camera (color), Boris Troshev editor, Aizhan Bisimbinova music, Anuar Baimuratov production designer, Aleksei Filimonov. Examined at Locarno Film Festival (Cinema from the Present), August. 10, 2011.Running time: 101 MIN. Contact the range newsroom at news@variety.com

Caleb Landry Jones joins 'Byzantium'

EXCLUSIVE: Caleb Landry Jones has landed the male lead in "Byzantium" directed by Neil Jordan.The pic currently stars Saoirse Ronan and Gemma Arterton and is based on the Moira Buffini play.Story revolves around a mother and daughter who are vampires and arrive in a small British town revealing their secret to the town. Jones plays a teenager dying of leukemia which in turns forces him to struggle with his mortality, causing Saorsie Ronan's character to struggle with her own immortality.Buffini also penned the script with Elizabeth Karlsen and Stephen Woolley producing.Jones was most recently seen in Fox's "X-Men: First Class" and can be seen next in the Universal/Working Title co-production "Contraband" starring Mark Wahlberg.He is repped by Paradigm, Untitled and Bloom Hergott Diemer Rosenthal Laviolette Feldman Schenkman & Goodman. Contact Justin Kroll at justin.kroll@variety.com

Kimberly Stewart Gives Birth to Benicio del Toro's Baby

Kimberley Stewart Kimberly Stewart has given birth to a baby girl fathered by Benicio del Toro, Us Magazine reports. Although she and the 44-year-old Oscar-winning actor are not a couple, he is very supportive, his rep told the magazine. See other celebs who have had babies this year Stewart - the 31-year-old daughter of singer Rod Stewart and his ex-wife Alana Collins - announced her pregnancy in April. The baby, whose name has not yet been released, weighed in at 8 pounds, 9 ounces.

Unrestricted 'District': S. Africa expands focus

'Jock from the Bushveld,' the very first in your area made three dimensional animated feature launched in Nigeria, was an unqualified hit.Mukunda Michael Dewil, center, directs Joe Mafela in 'Retribution,' which preemed in Durban.CAPE TOWN, Nigeria -- In the This summer Durban film festival, the atmosphere was upbeat one of the local filmmakers and biz gamers, who're at the time of the production boom that isn't only brought to greater-quality regional photos but has additionally attracted bigger-budget foreign shoots. As the saying goes, a rising tide lifts all motorboats, along with the success of 2009's "District 9," an growing quantity of South African projects are actually focusing on global audiences, while local film commissions are wooing increasingly more overseas shoots.Mukunda Michael Dewil's "Vehicle 19" demonstrates the drive of local filmmakers to achieve global auds. Presently in production, the actioner stars Paul Master, and was funded through the Industrial Development Corp. (IDC) and also the Dept. of Trade and Industry's (DTI) rebate. Aside from Master, the only real American involved is Peter Safran, who's co-creating through Safran Co.Sales company K5 Intl. has closed a raft of deals such as the U.K. (Optimum/StudioCanal), Germany (Kinowelt/StudioCanal), Australia (Madman) and also the Middle East (Falcon).Safran thinks the brisk presales show the film has got the possibility to travel. "It's like 'Taken,' that was occur Paris, or 'Unknown,' which happens in Germany it is a classic action movie (featuring) a stranger inside a strange land."Forefront Media's Ryan Haidarian, the first kind mind of production and development in the National Film and Video Foundation, may be the other co-producer. He sees the project as an indication of the way in which individuals are having to pay much more focus on script, mentioning that Dewil has already established an "amazing growth path" during the last 5 years, developing three projects with the NFVF. Durban festival programmer Nashen Moodley notes a rise in quality when it comes to both local along with other African films finally month's fest, by which "Skoonheid" (Beauty) was named best South African Film and Kenyan co-production "The Very First Grader" won the crowd Award. "We're seeing new filmmakers emerging plus they are making innovative films in new ways," Moodley states.Film Afrika's David Wicht concurs. "Nigeria has created about 20 local films each year going back 3 years, that has been an excellent chance for the authors and company directors to rehearse their craft," he states. "Practice makes well, less than perfect, but better."Moonlighting is just one of South Africa's bigger service companies, however it has lately moved using the market into co-creating local photos like "Skoonheid" and Dewil's "Retribution," which both had their African premieres at Durban.Moonlighting's Philip Key concurs the improvement in quality is because of the elevated quantity. "More films are now being made than in the past because of the nation's Film and Video Foundation funding and also the Dept. of Trade and Industry's rebate, in addition to cheaper, high-finish shooting solutions. Many of these films are now being designed for a part of a conventional 35mm shoot."Because of the low budgets, box office returns happen to be promising. "Jock from the Bushveld," the very first in your area made three dimensional animated feature launched in Nigeria, was probably the most viewed film in the united states at the beginning of August, grossing R2.4 million ($337,000) on opening weekend. Another local pic, "Schucks Tshabala's Survival Help guide to 2010," capped this area office this past year, grossing a lot more than $5.two million.But while South Africa's local content market is certainly growing, the backbone of the profession remains its service sector.Safran can realise why. "I've absolutely loved shooting here," he states. "You will find tremendous deck hands and also the locations are unlimited. Desert, beach, urban, jungle anything you want to shoot, it is available in Nigeria. You will find active and encouraging funds, such as the IDC, that is progressively rare worldwide. And it is a a smaller amount costly spot to shoot, however, you don't sacrifice anything for your decrease in cost," he states, observing that "Vehicle 19" could have been two times as costly to shoot within the U.S. Key keeps Nigeria is "expensive but nonetheless the very best affordability. Our productivity is extremely high, permitting shorter shooting agendas and much more value on screen.InchAll major worldwide production insurance companies and bonders are involved in Nigeria. "And also the rates entitled to the rebate, making the neighborhood bond and insurance costs unequalled," Wicht states.Recent projects to shoot in Nigeria include Toronto player "Machine Gun Preacher," with Gerard Butler Daniel Espinoza's "Safe House," an action thriller for Universal starring Ryan Reynolds and Denzel Washington Last Century Fox's "Chronicle" Working Title's "The Debtors" and DNA Films' "Dredd."Many of these shot at Cape Town Film Galleries, which opened up toward the finish of this past year to fill what Moonlighting's Genevieve Hofmeyr known as the final "missing link" in South Africa's film infrastructure -- offering soundstages and infrastructure to rival facilities within the U.K. and Canada. The Cape Film Commission's Boss, Denis Lillie, states numerous films and TV series are rumored to shoot in Nigeria prior to the finish of the season. Included in this are the following "Mission Impossible" Ridley Scott's miniseries adaptation of Kate Mosse's bestseller, "Labyrinth" Gavin Hood's "Ender's Game" and past The Uk inspired by the prosperity of the Emmy-winning "America: The Storyline people,Inch that was shot in Nigeria. Contact the range newsroom at news@variety.com

Forex renews trio of shows

Feeling confident about its burgeoning comedy slate, Forex has given season renewal to "Louie," "Wilfred" and "It Certainly Is Sunny in Philadelphia." Announcement is made Saturday in the cabler's Television Experts Assn. panel by network topper John Landgraf, whose deal in the internet was extended for 3 years. Landgraf made comedy important about last year, and also the network presently has five laffers about the air, all carrying out relatively well. While "Louie" and "Wilfred" are becoming one-season pick-ups, "Sunny" gets a 2-season renewal. Which means the reduced-budget skein may have arrived at nine seasons, which makes it the longest-running live-action comedy in fundamental cable history. It had not been only comedies that Landgraf was offering in the sesh. Timothy Olyphant starrer "Justified" was up 14% in the second season, and you will find high expectation for that 4th season of "Sons of Anarchy," which returns Sept. 6. Overall, Forex is originating off its most-viewed year ever, up 18% within the 18-49 demo and 19% as a whole audiences. Obviously, not every recent series were success tales. Both buddy cop series "Terriers" and boxing drama "Lights Out" were drawn after one season due to low rankings. Next is "American Horror Story," from Ryan Murphy and Kaira Falchuk. Murphy is really a Forex vet, getting been the creative pressure of "Puppy nip/Tuck" -- among the cabler's signature series. Landgraf has additionally seen dailies on supernatural pilot "Forces" and Southern crime saga "Outlaw Country" and it is looking to make choices on whether or not to begin using them to series within the next 2 or 3 several weeks. Another change visiting Forex: The cabler is going to be the place to find nfl and college football this fall, covering Large-12, Pac-12 and Conference USA games for any 14-week package. The pigskin addition can help the internet broaden its choices, and Landgraf acknowledged by using many cablers airing sports, Forex must be for the reason that game. "You want to be among the biggest systems in the usa, and every one of (our competition) possess some sports," Landgraf stated. "ESPN can there be, out of the box USA and Turner. Fox Sports sees Forex like a sports platform." Additionally to obtaining two seasons of "Sunny," plus an selection for another, Landgraf stated Forex Prods. has joined into a contract with RCG, the development shingle of "Sunny" professional producers Take advantage of McElhenney, Charlie Day and Glenn Howerton. Internet also introduced it's pacted with Rogers Media to produce Forex Canada. Funnel will launch November. 1 like a digital service, offering FX's original series in addition to acquired movies and series. Contact Stuart Levine at stuart.levine@variety.com