Product Placement Banned in Poland
The Polish government has introduced new regulations for advertising and product placement in the public media. The new public media bill was created in order for Poland to meet the…
FESTIVALS: Cyprus Announces International Festival Competition
The Cyprus Ministry of Education and Culture announced that the 9th Cyprus Film Days - International Film Festival 2011, co-organised with the Rialto Theatre, has been upgraded to an international…
Bulgaria Downsizes Day of National Cinema
Bulgaria's Day of National Cinema, held on 13 January 2011, was a quieter event due to the funding difficulties the film industry faced over the past year. Taking place in…
FNE DocBloc: 15 Young By Young
Produced by Dzintars Dreibergs, Ilona Bicevska (Estonia, Latvia)Twenty years ago, the Soviet Union collapsed - the largest country in the world, the symbol of Communism. Fifteen republics that were part…
Bulgarian DTT Tender Under Fire
Bulgaria's contested tender for DTT (Digital Terrestrial Television) multiplexes could be declared void by the European Commission. The Austrian Broadcasting Services, Oesterreichischer Rundfunksender (www.ors.at) , the original frontrunner, eventually withdrew…
Malta Considers Stricter Film Permit Conditions
Following damage to an environmentally sensitive zone during a film production shoot, Malta is considering stricter conditions for filming permits based upon the historical and ecological nature of the sites…
Malta Plans Audiovisual Training Initiative
The Malta Film Commission and the government's Cultural and Audiovisual Unit are offering a training initiative for the audiovisual sector in early 2011.
TEO LT Announces $125 Million Investment
Lithuanian telecom company TEO LT has announced plans to invest over LTL 325 million ($125 million) in next-generation services in Lithuania in 2011. TEO LT (www.teo.lt) is the country's largest…
PRODUCTION: Seven Acts of Mercy Shooting in Italy
Seven Acts of Mercy/Sette opere di misericordia, an Italian/Romanian co-production between Alessandro Borrelli of La Sarraz Pictures (www.lasarraz.com) and Dan Burlac of Elefant Film, began shooting in Torino on 19…
Slovak Public TV and Radio Merged
The Slovak government merged public broadcasters Slovak TV (www.stv.sk) and Slovak Radio as of 1 January 2011 in an effort to control financial difficulties at Slovak TV.
MediaPro Signs WB Distribution Agreement
BUCHAREST: MediaPro Distribution (www.mediaprodistribution.com), the distribution company of MediaPro Entertainment (www.mediaproentertainment.com) will exclusively distribute Warner Bros. Pictures (www.warnerbros.com) productions in classic, digital and 3D format in the Romanian cinemas starting…
Kino Polska Builds on 2010 Success
WARSAW: Following its most successful year, Polish channel Kino Polska plans to launch Kino Polska International in the next year. Kino Polska (www.kinopolska.pl) was launched in 2003 as part of…
Georgian NFC Funds Two Films
TBLISI: The Georgian National Film Center (www.gnfc.ge) has awarded two films in its first 2011 grants session. A Fold in My Blanket received 210,000 euros, and Children's Gunshot received 106,000…
Executive Director of Bulgaria's National Film Centre Resigns
SOFIA: The Executive Director of Bulgaria's National Film Centre (www.nfc.bg) Alexander Donev resigned on 23 December 2010. Donev was elected to the position in May 2009. It was the second…
Nicky’s Family Sets Prague Premiere
PRAGUE: Nicky's Family, the sequel to director Matěj Mináč's 2002 International Emmy award-winning film Nicholas Winton - The Power of Good, will have its world premiere on 20 January 2011…
Romania Concludes Second Grant Session
BUCHAREST: The National Centre for Cinema (www.cncinema.abt.ro) announced the second 2010 grant session on 21 December 2010, with a 31 January deadline. The rushed session was due to the approval…
PRODUCTION: Little Gypsy Witch in Production
ZAGREB: Tomislav Žaja's feature film for children and adults Little Gypsy Witch (Duh babe Ilonke, screenplay by Irena Krčelić) began shooting on 28 December 2010.
PRODUCTION: 4 Blows in Development
BUCHAREST: Writer/director Peter Kerek is developing his first feature film, 4 Blows/Patru lovituri, a fictional self-portrait told through four life-changing events in one man's life.
PRODUCTION: Scapegoat goes into Postproduction
ISTANBUL: Scapegoat, a slapstick comedy expected to rival the success of the 2009 Turkish box office hit Recep Ivedik (4.5 million admissions), is completing postproduction. A $1 million production by…
New Distributor Enters the Polish Market
Spectator, a new company connected to the European Cinema Group of Distributors, will enter the Polish market in March 2011.
