Focus Features' James Schamus to Take Hamptons Film Festival Honors
Focus CEO James Schamus will feted with the Industry Toast at the 20th Hamptons International Film Festival on October 5th. In addition to heading the specialty distributor, Schamus is a screenwriter, producer and academic. Focus is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year and he previously served as co-president of indie film production company Good Machine. He received an Oscar nomination as producer for Ang Lee's Brokeback Mountain, which became Focus' highest growing film. The 20th Hamptons International Film Festival takes place October 4th - 8th on Long Island's East End.
Academy Names Jasmine Madatian as its Communications Managing Director
Madatian will serve as Managing Director, Communications, a new position created by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Madatian will report to Christina Kounelias, AMPAS' chief marketing officer. She will oversee all of the Academy’s publicity and corporate communications campaigns, including the Academy Awards as well as outreach for the organization’s year-round programming, education, preservation and other key initiatives.
Around the 'net…
Phase 4 Picks Up The Baytown Outlaws
North American rights to the Billy Bob Thornton and Eva Longoria action comedy went to Phase 4 with an eye to an early 2013 release. Directed and co-written by Barry Battles (with Griffin Hood) the story follows three ruthless Alabama brothers who find themselves on the wrong side of a group of characters who are both colorful and lethal, Deadline reports.
Rob Zombie Eyes Philadelphia Flyers in Broad Street Bullies
Zombie will write, direct and produce the project about the Philadelphia hockey team, which went on to many victories and penalty minutes in the '70s, Deadline reports.
Jesse Eisenberg Gets OK to Pursue Lawsuit Against Lionsgate
An LA judge sided with The Social Network star in a lawsuit against Lionsgate for promoting his likeness and name in Camp Hell which he only makes a short appearance. The DVD release positions him in a starring role, THR reports.
Very Early Disney Sketches Get Animated
The original sketches for one of Walt Disney's earliest characters have been animated 85 years after they were drawn. Oswald the Lucky Rabbit was created in 1927, a year before Mickey Mouse debuted, and the rabbit starred in 26 cartoons in the 1920s and 30s. Archivists have used dozens of drawings from Disney's personal sketchbook to create a new Oswald cartoon, BBC reports.