The Asia Pacific Screen Awards (APSA) and FIAPF-International Federation of Film Producers Associations announced today that Chinese film producer and director Zhang Yimou will be the 2011 recipient of the FIAPF Award for Outstanding Achievement in Film in the Asia-Pacific region.

The honour will be awarded at the fifth annual Asia Pacific Screen Awards ceremony on Australia’s Gold Coast on November 24.

One of the world’s most acclaimed filmmakers, Zhang Yimou’s films have opened the eyes of the world to the wonders of Chinese cinema. As a young man, he donated blood for months to buy his first camera. His brilliant photography won him entry to the Beijing Film Academy where he graduated in 1982, alongside directors Chen Kaige and Tian Zhuangzhuang.

Zhang began work as a cinematographer shooting Chen Kaige’s landmark film, Yellow Earth, which was widely seen as the start of a new era in Chinese filmmaking. Zhang Yimou is a leading member of the renowned Fifth Generation of Chinese filmmakers, which brought increased popularity of Chinese cinema abroad.

As the recipient of the FIAPF Award, Zhang Yimou will be inducted into the Asia Pacific Screen Academy, joining fellow Fifth Generation filmmakers Tian Zhuangzhuang and Chen Kaige.

Zhang Yimou’s many international film festival awards include the Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival, Silver and Golden Lions at Venice and Berlin’s Silver and Golden Bear.

He was the creative genius behind the spectacular opening and closing ceremonies of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games and coordinated the celebrations for China’s 60th anniversary in 2009.  Film Producer and Director Steven Spielberg has said Zhang Yimou had “obtained a stature shared by very few peers”.

Zhang Yimou’s brilliance was first revealed to the world in his 1987 directorial debut Red Sorghum, starring legendary Chinese actress Gong Li in her first leading role. Red Sorghum achieved international acclaim and box office success.  It won a Golden Bear for Best Picture at the 38th Berlin International Film Festival in 1988 and moved Zhang Yimou to the forefront of the world’s cinema directors.

In 1990, Zhang’s film Ju Dou became China’s first Academy Awards nomination in the Best Foreign Film category. His next film, Raise the Red Lantern, was nominated the year after. Its outstanding use of colour captivated audiences and critics around the world. Such rich use of colour has become Zhang Yimou’s hallmark across films including To Live, Hero and The House of Flying Daggers.

His films are also famed for their portrayal of the Chinese people’s resilience in the face of adversity and hardship. The Story of Qiu Ju won the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival and To Live won the Jury’s Grand Prix at the Cannes film Festival. Zhang Yimou’s many films since include Shanghai Triad, The Curse of the Golden Flower, Keep Cool, Not One Less, The Road Home and Under the Hawthorn Tree.

Zhang Yimou headed the jury at Venice International Film Festival in 2007 and served as jury member at the 1993 Berlin International Film Festival.  Yale University awarded him an honorary Doctorate in Fine Arts in 2010, describing him as “a genius with camera and choreography”.  He also received the Special Grand Prix of the Americas for his exceptional contribution to cinema at Montreal’s World Film Festival in 1995.

His current project, The Flowers of War, set for a December release in China is considered one of the most ambitious films ever made in China and stars Christian Bale and Shigeo Kobayashi.

Zhang Yimou is the fifth person to be honoured by FIAPF through their partnership with the Asia Pacific Screen Awards. Previous recipients are George Miller (2007), Yash Chopra (2008), Isao Matsuoka (2009) and Christine Hakim (2010).

FIAPF President, Mr Luis Alberto Scalella, said: “The FIAPF Award aims to celebrate iconic professional and artistic careers in film production in the Asia-Pacific region. In addition to his amazing creative contribution to the world of cinematography and film directing, FIAPF wishes to place emphasis on Zhang Yimou’s outstanding role for increasing circulation and awareness of Chinese film production outside its national borders. I thank the Chinese Film Producers Association and its leaders for their strong support in accompanying FIAPF’s will to celebrate the dynamism of Chinese film through the granting of the 2011 FIAPF Award to Zhang Yimou at the coming Asia Pacific Screen Awards.”

The International Federation of Film Producers Associations is the only organisation of film and television producers with a global reach. FIAPF’s mandate is to represent the common economic, legal and regulatory interests of film and audiovisual producers.

FIAPF members cover 26 producer organisations from 23 countries and five continents.

FIAPF is also the regulator of international film festivals, overseeing conventions between festivals and the film industry that build trust, cooperation, economic benefit and prestige.

A total of 37 films from 19 countries and areas across Asia-Pacific have been nominated in the 2011 Asia Pacific Screen Awards. The International Jury, headed by Hong Kong’s Nansun Shi, will assemble on Australia’s Gold Coast in mid November ahead of the APSA Ceremony on November 24.

The Asia Pacific Screen Awards is an international cultural initiative of the Queensland Government through Events Queensland, in collaboration with UNESCO and FIAPF-International Federation of Film Producers Associations.

The 2011 Asia Pacific Screen Awards Ceremony will be webcast live through: http://www.asiapacificscreenacademy.com

To view the list of 2011 nominees, click here.

Press Release: K5 International Picks up “Elvis & Nixon” Rights

K5 International Picks Up Benaroya Pictures’ “Elvis & Nixon”

Los Angeles, CA (November 8, 2011) – K5 International, a division of K5 Media Group has picked up international rights to Benaroya Pictures’ ELVIS & NIXON. The comedy will mark Cary Elwes’ directorial debut and stars Eric Bana as Elvis Presley and Danny Huston as Richard Nixon. ELVIS & NIXON is produced by Michael Benaroya of Benaroya Pictures and Holly Wiersma. Bana’s Pick Up Truck Productions is executive producing, marking the company’s first U.S. production.

ELVIS & NIXON tells the story about Elvis Presley visiting President Richard M. Nixon at the White House in December of 1970. The meeting was initiated by Presley, who wrote Nixon a six-page letter requesting a visit and suggesting that he be made a ‘Federal Agent-at-Large’ in the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs. Presley brought with him family photos and a Colt 45 pistol as a personal gift to the President.

K5 co-founders Oliver Simon and Daniel Baur said “We’re thrilled to be working with Michael having known him for a while now. He has fantastic taste and a remarkable eye for talent and truly original material. “

Benaroya said “We are excited to be in business with Oliver and Daniel and look forward to working with them as we bring the film to the global marketplace.”

Carl Clifton Partner in Sales and Marketing, added “ We fell quickly and totally in love with this project. It’s distinctive, fresh and very funny. You couldn’t make it up.”

Elwes, Joey Sagal and Hanala Sagal wrote the screenplay. The production will commence principal photography in Shreveport and Los Angeles.

Benaroya Pictures’ MARGIN CALL was recently released by Roadside Attractions and opened to rave reviews and has expanded theatrically nationwide to earn impressive box-office numbers.The film stars Kevin Spacey, Paul Bettany, Jeremy Irons, Zachary Quinto, Simon Baker, Penn Badgley, Demi Moore, and Stanley Tucci. Benaroya recently completed production on THE WORDS starring Bradley Cooper, Zoe Saldana, Olivia Wilde, Jeremy Irons, and Dennis Quaid. The Weinstein Co. recently acquired Benaroya’s THE WETTEST COUNTY IN THE WORLD and is preparing for a Spring 2012 release.

About Benaroya Pictures
Benaroya Pictures is a film finance and production company that strives to create unique and compelling content of diverse styles and genres. With the ability to develop and finance feature films, Benaroya Pictures views each project as an intellectual property that can be adapted for various formats beyond the silver screen.

About K5 International
Oliver Simon and Daniel Baur founded K5 International in January 2007. Since then the company has represented films such as THE VISITOR starring Richard Jenkins, GET LOW starring Robert Duvall and Bill Murray and TOAST starring Helena Bonham Carter and Freddie Highmore.
Carl Clifton joined as new partner for sales and marketing in October 2010. In June 2009 Sascha R. Prestel partnered up with Oliver Simon and Daniel Baur in order to run the business development of the K5 Media Group. The newly configured company combines international sales expertise and an in-depth knowledge of all aspects of the business with access to the most dynamic buyers worldwide making it the perfect partner and an ideal home for producers and their projects at all stages. K5‘s focus is on commercial but distinctive English language productions with no restrictions as regards genre or budget. K5 International works closely with its producers in all aspects of the production and sales cycle — financing, production, sales and marketing, distribution and collection. Upcoming projects include Vehicle 19 starring Paul Walker, which recently completed principal photography in South Africa, and Voice from the Stone starring Maggie Gyllenhaal.

Press Release: Freestyle Digital Media Acquires “Deadheads” Rights

Freestyle Digital Media Acquires Domestic Rights for Award Winning Film DEADHEADS

Los Angeles, CA (November 7, 2011) – Freestyle Digital Media has acquired the domestic rights to DEADHEADS, Best Horror Film Winner at the Traverse City Film Festival 2011 and Outstanding Achievement in Filmmaking Winner at the Newport Beach Film Festival 2011. The film is slated for a domestic release in 1st quarter 2012.

DEADHEADS’, starring Michael McKiddy and Ross Kidder, is a return to the great comedy/adventure films of the 80′s. The story follows two zombie slackers, Mike and Brent, who find themselves surprisinglyreborn from the dead amid a disastrous zombie outbreak. After discovering an engagement ring in his coat pocket, Mike enlists his new found zombie pal, Brent, to embark on a quest in search of his lost love.

The deal was negotiated by FDM’s CEO Susan Jackson, Producer Andy Drummond and Director Brett Pierce. “Deadheads has generated great press and a huge fan base from its remarkable worldwide horror festival run and we believe the film has the makings of a cult classic in the comedy horror market.” Jackson said.

Freestyle Digital Media has launched with a full slate that includes: ‘THE NUTCRACKER IN 3D’, the $90M budget family adventure film based on the beloved Christmas story starring Elle Fanning, Nathan Lane and John Turturro (Nov. 1);‘NATIVITY!’, the critically acclaimed family Christmas film from the UK starringThe Hobbit’s Martin Freeman and Ugly Betty’s Ashley Jensen, (Nov. 1, 2012); ‘IN MY SLEEP’ (Nov. 8, 2011) a suspense thriller starring Philip Winchester of Cinemax’sStrike Back and Lacey Chabert; ‘SARAH PALIN: YOU BETCHA!’ from award-winning documentarian, Nick Broomfield, who gives us the unauthorized story behind Sarah Palin (Nov. 8th).

International is being handled by Cinema Management Group (CMG).

About Freestyle Digital Media
Freestyle Digital Media, LLC was launched in November 2011 by its CEO Susan Jackson who is Co-President and founder of top independent theatrical distributor Freestyle Releasing, LLC and North American sales company Turtles Crossing, LLC. Freestyle Digital Media supplies quality commercial film and TV content directly to all US VOD/SVOD rental DVD/Kiosks and theaters using the latest cloud-based technologies to automate digital workflow. Freestyle’s goal is to provide fresh, well-marketed product and stay on the cutting edge of the ever-compressing windows to ensure that their partners benefit from a platform that delivers an anytime-anywhere capability in the medium of their choice and a positive digital viewing experience on any device in any location. Jackson has partnered in FDM with Steve Harnsberger and Mark Borde. Harnsberger is FDM’s Executive Vice President of Business Development and Borde is the company’s EVP of Theatrical Distribution.