LJUBLJANA: Norwegian broadcast service provider Norkring (www.norkring.com) announced it is ceasing operations in Slovenia beginning in early March 2012.

BUCHAREST: The American mid-budget western-thriller The Timber produced by Patrick Newall, Scott Einbinder and Ana Media is currently in production in the Carpathian Mountains and at MediaPro Studios (www.mediaprostudios.com).

A new equity investment training course, Closing The Gap (www.closing-the-gap.net), is accepting applications for its next session.

Peter Busuttil, head of the Malta Film Commission, said that Malta is in discussions to bring Captain Phillips to Malta for location filming.

ZAGREB: Hrvoje Mabic is completing production on Sick, a 70 minute long lenght documentary following a young woman commited to a hospital by her parents to be "treated" for homosexuality, showing how preconceptions can nearly destroy a young life.

BUCHAREST: Nasul TV (www.nasul.tv), the first Romanian channel financed 20% by public shares, is set to begin broadcasting at the end of February.

BIARRITZ: The 25 edition of FIPA (23-29 January 2012 www.fipa.tm.fr) celebrated opening the doors of European television to global producers including central and Eastern European partners. 

Four animated feature films from Poland, Hungary and Estonia have been selected for the 14th edition of Cartoon Movie, the European co-production forum for feature-length animation that will take place in Lyon 7-9 March 2012

BUCHAREST: Cristi Puiu's Aurora was voted the best Romanian film in 2011, followed by Anca Damian's Crulic - The Path to Beyond/Crulic - Drumul spre dincolo and Adrian Sitaru Best Intentions/Din dragoste, cu cele mai bune intenţii.

BUCHAREST: Australian animator Elliot Cowan is preparing a feature animation based on his series of short films The Stressful Adventures of Boxhead and Roundhead produced by U.S. company Scenery Hill Entertainment and the Romania's Artis Film (www.artisfilm.ro).

BUCHAREST: Beverly Hills based sales agent House of Film (www.houseoffilm.com) has picked up Lucian Georgescu's first feature film, Phantom Father produced by Generic Audiovizual SRL (www.gav.ro).

BRATISLAVA: Nicky's Family by Slovak director Matej Minac drew 6.6 million viewers for its recent broadcast on German channel ARD, under that title Sir Nickey - Hero Against His Will.

The documentary, which has won nine awards at international film festivals, will also be broadcast on Belgium's RTBR and on 27 January 2012 on Hungary's Duna TV. It was the most watched documentary released in Czech and Slovak cinemas in 2011, with 53,000 viewers.