June 6, 2013

World War Z - World Premiere

Photo: A view of atmosphere inside the theater during the Paris premiere of”World War Z” at Cinema UGC Normandie on June 3, 2013 in Paris, France. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images For Paramount. © 2013 Getty Images).

Photo: A view of the film poster displayed next to the entrance to the Lido cabaret during the Paris premiere of “World War Z” at Cinema UGC Normandie on June 3, 2013 in Paris, France. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images For Paramount. © 2013 Getty Images).

Photo: Angelina Jolie (R) and Brad Pitt (rear R) meet with fans as they sign autograph upon their arrival for the Paris premiere of “World War Z” at Cinema UGC Normandie on June 3, 2013 in Paris, France. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images For Paramount. © 2013 Getty Images).

Photo: Actors Angelina Jolie (L) and Brad Pitt attend the World Premiere of ‘World War Z’ at The Empire Cinema Leicester Square on June 2, 2013 in London, England. (Photo © 2013 Dave M. Benett/WireImage for Paramount).

Photo: Actress Angelina Jolie attends the World Premiere of ‘World War Z’ at The Empire Cinema Leicester Square on June 2, 2013 in London, England. (Photo © 2013 Dave M. Benett/WireImage for Paramount).

Photo: Matt Bellamy of Muse performs at the ‘World War Z’ World Premiere at Horse Guards Parade on June 2, 2013 in London, England. (Photo by Jo Hale/Getty Images for Paramount Pictures International. © 2013 Getty Images).

Photo: Dutch film producer, director and actor Ludi Boeken attends the World Premiere of ‘World War Z’ at The Empire Cinema on June 2, 2013 in London, England. (Photo by Stuart C. Wilson/Getty Images for Paramount Pictures International. © 2013 Getty Images).

Photo: A general view of the crowd during the Muse performance at the ‘World War Z’ World Premiere at Horse Guards Parade on June 2, 2013 in London, England. (Photo by Lucian Capellaro/Getty Images for Paramount Pictures International. © 2013 Getty Images).

|GlobalGiants.Com|

Posted by Editors at 11:46 AM

June 2, 2013

The Sound of Change Live Concert in London

Photo: Danielle Haim performs on stage at the “Chime For Change: The Sound Of Change Live” Concert at Twickenham Stadium on June 1, 2013 in London, England. Chime For Change is a global campaign for girls’ and women’s empowerment founded by Gucci with a founding committee comprised of Gucci Creative Director Frida Giannini, Salma Hayek Pinault and Beyonce Knowles-Carter. (Photo by Ian Gavan/Getty Images for Gucci. © 2013 Getty Images.)

Photo: (L-R) Actors Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan speak on stage at the “Chime For Change: The Sound Of Change Live” Concert at Twickenham Stadium on June 1, 2013 in London, England. Chime For Change is a global campaign for girls’ and women’s empowerment founded by Gucci with a founding committee comprised of Gucci Creative Director Frida Giannini, Salma Hayek Pinault and Beyonce Knowles-Carter. (Photo by Ian Gavan/Getty Images for Gucci. © 2013 Getty Images.)

Photo: Singer Timbaland performs on stage at the “Chime For Change: The Sound Of Change Live” Concert at Twickenham Stadium on June 1, 2013 in London, England. Chime For Change is a global campaign for girls’ and women’s empowerment founded by Gucci with a founding committee comprised of Gucci Creative Director Frida Giannini, Salma Hayek Pinault and Beyonce Knowles-Carter. (Photo by Ian Gavan/Getty Images for Gucci. © 2013 Getty Images.)

Photo: Members of the crowd pose at the “Chime For Change: The Sound Of Change Live” Concert at Twickenham Stadium on June 1, 2013 in London, England. Chime For Change is a global campaign for girls’ and women’s empowerment founded by Gucci with a founding committee comprised of Gucci Creative Director Frida Giannini, Salma Hayek Pinault and Beyonce Knowles-Carter. (Photo by Ian Gavan/Getty Images for Gucci. © 2013 Getty Images.)

• CHIME FOR CHANGE, founded by Gucci, is a new global campaign to raise funds and awareness for girls’ and women’s empowerment. It serves to convene, unite and strengthen voices speaking out for girls and women around the world. Founded in Florence, Italy, in 1921, Gucci is one of the world’s leading luxury fashion brands.

|GlobalGiants.Com|

Posted by Editors at 1:00 PM

June 1, 2013

World Conference of Sports Ministers (MINEPS V) Concludes in Berlin

Photos from the Conference (MINEPS V). All photos Copyright © Federal Ministry of the Interior, Germany/Peter Himsel.

Photo: MINEPS V Welcome Evening: Hans-Peter Friedrich, Federal Minister of the Interior, Germany, by the screening of the film “Gold”. Next to Pila Alvarez Laso (UNESCO Assistant Director-General) on the left, and Kirsten Bruhn (athlete and actress of the film “Gold”) on the right. Copyright © Federal Ministry of the Interior, Germany/Peter Himsel.

• The fifth UNESCO World Sport Ministers Conference (MINEPS V) was held in Berlin from 28 to 30 May 2013. It was organized by the German Federal Ministry of the Interior in cooperation with UNESCO and with the help of the International Council of Sport Science and Physical Education.

The conference focused on the fight against match-fixing, corruption and doping in order to maintain the integrity of sport. The agenda also included the topic of participation in and through sport. A third focus was on promoting investment in sport and physical education programs and discussing standards for large-scale sporting events.

The conference adopted an extensive list of recommendations to curb corruption in sport, share the socio-economic benefits of sport more equitably and ensure access to sport for all.

|GlobalGiants.Com|

Posted by Editors at 9:22 AM

May 16, 2013

Cannes Film Festival 2013 Kicks Off

Photo: Model Cara Delevingne attends Electrolux at Opening Night of The 66th Annual Cannes Film Festival at the Theatre Lumiere on May 15, 2013 in Cannes, France. (Photo by Ian Gavan/WireImage for Electrolux. © 2013 WireImage.)

Photo: Actor Leonardo DiCaprio attends Electrolux at Opening Night of The 66th Annual Cannes Film Festival at the Theatre Lumiere on May 15, 2013 in Cannes, France. (Photo by Ian Gavan/WireImage for Electrolux. © 2013 WireImage.)

Photo: Model Cindy Crawford attends Electrolux at Opening Night of The 66th Annual Cannes Film Festival at the Theatre Lumiere on May 15, 2013 in Cannes, France. (Photo by Ian Gavan/WireImage for Electrolux. © 2013 WireImage.)

Photo: Sonam Kapoor attends Electrolux at Opening Night of The 66th Annual Cannes Film Festival at the Theatre Lumiere on May 15, 2013 in Cannes, France. (Photo by Ian Gavan/WireImage for Electrolux. © 2013 WireImage.)

Photo: Zhang Ziyi attends Electrolux at Opening Night of The 66th Annual Cannes Film Festival at the Theatre Lumiere on May 15, 2013 in Cannes, France. (Photo by Ian Gavan/WireImage for Electrolux. © 2013 WireImage.)

Photo: Georgia May Jagger attends Electrolux at Opening Night of The 66th Annual Cannes Film Festival at the Theatre Lumiere on May 15, 2013 in Cannes, France. (Photo by Ian Gavan/WireImage for Electrolux. © 2013 WireImage.)

Photo: Fan Bingbing attends Electrolux at Opening Night of The 66th Annual Cannes Film Festival at the Theatre Lumiere on May 15, 2013 in Cannes, France. (Photo by Ian Gavan/WireImage for Electrolux. © 2013 WireImage.)

Photo: Actress Isla Fisher attends Electrolux at Opening Night of The 66th Annual Cannes Film Festival at the Theatre Lumiere on May 15, 2013 in Cannes, France. (Photo by Ian Gavan/WireImage for Electrolux. © 2013 WireImage.)

Photo: Steven Spielberg and actress Nicole Kidman attend Electrolux at Opening Night of The 66th Annual Cannes Film Festival at the Theatre Lumiere on May 15, 2013 in Cannes, France. (Photo by Ian Gavan/WireImage for Electrolux. © 2013 WireImage.)

Photo: Sonam Kapoor attends “Jeune & Jolie” Premiere during the 66th Annual Cannes Film Festival at Grand Theatre Lumiere on May 16, 2013 in Cannes, France. (Photo by Dominique Charriau/WireImage for Electrolux. © 2013 WireImage.)

Photo: Vidya Balan attends the “Inside Llewyn Davis” Premiere during the 66th Annual Cannes Film Festival at Grand Theatre Lumiere on May 19, 2013 in Cannes, France. (Photo by Ian Gavan/WireImage for Electrolux. © 2013 WireImage.)

Photo: Aishwarya Rai attends the “Inside Llewyn Davis” Premiere during the 66th Annual Cannes Film Festival at Grand Theatre Lumiere on May 19, 2013 in Cannes, France. (Photo by Ian Gavan/WireImage for Electrolux. © 2013 WireImage.)

Photo: Jury President and Director Steven Speilberg attends the “Inside Llewyn Davis” Premiere during the 66th Annual Cannes Film Festival at Grand Theatre Lumiere on May 19, 2013 in Cannes, France. (Photo by Ian Gavan/WireImage for Electrolux. © 2013 WireImage.)

Photo: Model Alessandra Ambrosio attends the ‘De Grisogono’ Party during The 66th Annual Cannes Film Festival at Hotel Du Cap Eden Roc on May 21, 2013 in Antibes, France. (Photo © Samir Hussein/French Select via Getty Images).

Photo: Cannes Film Festival May 22. Anais Monory wearing Montblanc Princess Grace de Monaco red gold and diamonds bracelet. Photo © OLIVIER BORDE.

Photo: Cannes Film Festival May 22. Beatrice Rosen wearing Montblanc earrings in red gold with diamonds. Photo © OLIVIER BORDE.

Photo: (L-R) Producers Neal Dodson, Anna Gerb, Mary Cameron Goodyear, director J. C. Chandor, Sibylle Szaggars, Chairman of the Cannes Film Festival Gilles Jacob, Robert Redford and Cannes Film Festival artistic director Thierry Fremaux attend the “All Is Lost” Premiere during the 66th Annual Cannes Film Festival at Grand Theatre Lumiere on May 22, 2013 in Cannes, France. (Photo by Ian Gavan/WireImage for Electrolux. © 2013 WireImage.)

Photo: Puja Gupta attends the “All Is Lost” Premiere during the 66th Annual Cannes Film Festival at Grand Theatre Lumiere on May 22, 2013 in Cannes, France. (Photo by Ian Gavan/WireImage for Electrolux. © 2013 WireImage.)

Photo: Ameesha Patel attends the “All Is Lost” Premiere during the 66th Annual Cannes Film Festival at Grand Theatre Lumiere on May 22, 2013 in Cannes, France. (Photo by Ian Gavan/WireImage for Electrolux. © 2013 WireImage.)

Photo: Barbara Palvin attends the “All Is Lost” Premiere during the 66th Annual Cannes Film Festival at Grand Theatre Lumiere on May 22, 2013 in Cannes, France. (Photo by Ian Gavan/WireImage for Electrolux. © 2013 WireImage.)

Photo: Araya A. Hargate attends the “All Is Lost” Premiere during the 66th Annual Cannes Film Festival at Grand Theatre Lumiere on May 22, 2013 in Cannes, France. (Photo by Ian Gavan/WireImage for Electrolux. © 2013 WireImage.)

Photo: Ana Girardot attends “The Immigrant” Premiere during the 66th Annual Cannes Film Festival at Grand Theatre Lumiere on May 24, 2013 in Cannes, France. (Photo by Ian Gavan/WireImage for Electrolux. © 2013 WireImage.)

Photo: Olivia Palermo attends “The Immigrant” Premiere during the 66th Annual Cannes Film Festival at Grand Theatre Lumiere on May 24, 2013 in Cannes, France. (Photo by Ian Gavan/WireImage for Electrolux. © 2013 WireImage.)

Photo: French humorist and actor Tomer Sisley at the 66th Annual Cannes Film Festival 2013. Photo © OLIVIER BORDE.

The 66th annual Cannes Film Festival is currently taking place in Cannes, France, from 15 to 26 May 2013.

The festival opened with The Great Gatsby directed by Baz Luhrmann and will close with Zulu, directed by Jerome Salle.

THE COMPETITION JURY 2013

• Steven SPIELBERG, President - Director, Producer, Writer / United States
• Vidya BALAN Actress / India
• Naomi KAWASE Director / Japan
• Nicole KIDMAN Actress, Producer / Australia
• Lynne RAMSAY Writer, Director, Producer / United Kingdom
• Daniel AUTEUIL Actor, Director / France
• Ang LEE Director, Producer, Writer / Taïwan
• Cristian MUNGIU Writer, Director, Producer / Romania
• Christoph WALTZ Actor / Austria

THE CINEFONDATION AND SHORT FILM JURY 2013

• Jane CAMPION, President - Film director/New Zealand
• Maji-da ABDI Actress, director, producer/Ethiopia
• Nicoletta BRASCHI Actress, producer/Italy
• Nandita DAS Actress, director/India
• Semih KAPLANOGLU Director, writer, producer/Turkey

|GlobalGiants.Com|

Posted by Editors at 2:54 PM

May 2, 2013

International Jazz Day 2013: Artists From Across The Globe Grace The Stage In Istanbul, Turkey

Photo: A concert on the theme, “Jazz: A Language for Peace”, featuring the Brubeck Institute Jazz Quintet, was held at UN Headquarters in connection with the International Jazz Day (30 April). Shown here: A stack of program notes for the performance. United Nations, New York. UN Photo/Rick Bajornas.

Photo: Jazz Appreciation Forever Stamp Honors America’s Gift to Music. Photo Credit: U.S. Postal Service.

• In an unprecedented series of events worldwide, UNESCO and the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz joined together to celebrate jazz as a universal language of freedom on April 30th. With events taking place in 196 countries, International Jazz Day 2013 culminated in an evening concert at Istanbul’s Hagia Irene that was viewed live by millions around the world. Dating back to the 4th century, the Hagia Irene, located in the outer courtyard of the Topkapi Palace - a UNESCO World Heritage Site - is regarded as an international treasure for music lovers because of its brilliant atmosphere and enchanting acoustics.

Those who participated in the Istanbul event included pianists Herbie Hancock, John Beasley (Musical Director), George Duke, Robert Glasper, Ramsey Lewis, Keiko Matsui and Eddie Palmieri; vocalists Ruben Blades, Al Jarreau, Milton Nascimento, Dianne Reeves, Esperanza Spalding (who also played bass) and Joss Stone; trumpeters Terence Blanchard, Hugh Masekela and Imer Demirer; bassists James Genus, Marcus Miller and Ben Williams; drummers Terri Lyne Carrington and Vinnie Colaiuta; guitarists Bilal Karaman, John McLaughlin, Lee Ritenour and Joe Louis Walker; saxophonists Dale Barlow, Igor Butman , Branford Marsalis, Wayne Shorter and Liu Yuan; clarinetists Anat Cohen and Husnu Senlendirici; violinist Jean-Luc Ponty; Pedrito Martinez on percussion; tabla master Zakir Hussain; trombonist Alevtina Polyakova; and special guest Martin Luther King III.

On this occasion, noted pianist Herbie Hancock remarked, “Using jazz as a tool, I have faith that the music - either through playing an instrument, learning about its rich cultural history, or listening to the millions of recordings made over the past century - will demonstrate that barriers can be broken, unity can be achieved, new forms of expression can be created, and a dialogue between cultures can begin. From my decades long career as a jazz musician, I know first hand that inventive ideas can achieve the impossible, transform humanity, and make productive changes at the grass roots level.”

International Jazz Day was adopted by UNESCO Member States on the initiative of UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador Herbie Hancock in order to encourage and highlight jazz’s unique power for advancing intercultural dialogue and understanding across the world.

International Jazz Day brings together communities, schools and groups from across the globe to celebrate jazz, learn about its roots and highlight its important role as a form of communication that transcends differences.

|GlobalGiants.Com|

Posted by Editors at 4:26 AM

April 29, 2013

DOCUMENTA MADRID: MAY 5 - May 12, 2013

Photos: WINTER NOMADS. Director: Manuel von Sturler. 90 Minutes / 2012 / Switzerland.

Winter Nomads is an adventure film, a contemporary road movie. Pascal and Carole are shepherds. In the month of November 2010, they embark on their long winter transhumance: four months during which they will have to cover 600 km in the Swiss-French region, accompanied by three donkeys, four dogs and eight hundred sheep. An exceptional adventure is about to begin: they brave the cold and the bad weather day in day out, with a canvas cover and animal skins as their only shelter at night. This saga reveals a tough and exacting profession requiring constant improvisation and unflinching attention to nature, the animals and the cosmos.

Photo: Irish Folk Furniture. Director: Tony Donoghue. 8 Minutes / 2012 / Ireland.

This is an animated documentary film about repair and recycling. In rural Ireland old hand-painted furniture is often associated with hard times. Because of this association much of the country’s furniture heritage lies rotting in barns and sheds. In the making of this film 16 pieces of abandoned folk furniture were restored and returned back into daily use. This film was shot in a green and environmentally-friendly way using local craftspeople, local narrators, and inexpensive equipment. Only natural light was used to shoot this film.

Photos: Kyrkogardso. Director: Joakim Chardonnens. 23 Minutes / 2012 / Switzerland.

Kyrkogardso is a small island in the middle of the Baltic Sea. It is an Island of 8 habitants and has been owned by the Nordberg Family for 16 generations. Every morning, Ida Nordberg, 5 years old, crosses an icy sea to go to school. Kyrkogardso is a movie which questions the relation of a child with the immensity and the power of the Landscape.

Photo: Flo. Director: Riley Hooper. 10 Minutes / 2012 / United States of America.

With gritty style and a witty sense of humor, New York photographer Flo Fox has been documenting the streets of New York City since the 1970s. Now, not being fit, and no longer able to even hold a camera, she instructs her attendants to take photos for her and continues to pursue photography and maintain her adventurous, feisty spirit.

Photo: Dime quien era Sanchicorrota. Director: Jorge Tur Molto. 63 Minutes / 2012 / Spain.

The story revolves around exploration of the legend of Sanchicorrota, a 15th century outlaw, who, just like Robin Hood, became known for “robbing from the rich and giving to the poor”. But the search only reveals some interesting things about shepherds, sheep, hunters, and film settings.

• The 10th Edition of the International Documentary Cinema Festival of Madrid, DOCUMENTA MADRID, is taking place from 5th to 12th of May, 2013.

DOCUMENTA MADRID will open a wide window enabling the Madrid audience to see the world around them. They would enjoy 75 chosen films selected from more than 1,100 applications from 84 different countries from all continents.

Two different International Juries, composed of professionals with a long career in the documentary cinema field, will decide the Awards for the three best films in each category.

|GlobalGiants.Com|

Posted by Editors at 5:57 AM

April 21, 2013

Regatta: America’s Cup World Series 2013 Races begin in Naples, Italy

Photos: America’s Cup World Series Regatta 2013, Naples, Italy. April 18, 2013. © Gilles Martin Raget for America’s Cup.

• The best sailors in the world have come to Naples, Italy, for the first America’s Cup World Series event of 2013 (April 16-21).

Oracle Team USA, the home team in the United States, charged with defending the America’s Cup in 2013, is currently leading the 2012-13 series.

America’s Cup World Series Naples Championship Standings
(Provisional, after 4 of 7 scheduled races)

1. Oracle Team USA (Golden Gate Yacht Club, San Francisco, USA)
2. Energy Team (Yacht Club de France, Paris, France)
3. Emirates Team New Zealand (Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, Auckland, New Zealand)
4. J.P. Morgan BAR (Royal Cornwall Yacht Club, Falmouth, England)
5. Luna Rossa Piranha (Circolo della Vela Sicilia, Palermo, Italy)
6. Luna Rossa Swordfish Circolo della Vela Sicilia, Palermo, Italy)
7. Artemis Racing White (Royal Swedish Yacht Club, Stockholm, Sweden)
8. HS Racing (Golden Gate Yacht Club, San Francisco, USA)
9. China Team (Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, Mei Fan Yacht Club, China)

• The America’s Cup World Series features up to 11 of the top sailing teams in the world. The America’s Cup World Series has been staged in America and Europe since 2011. High-tech catamarans with wingsails, which demand every ounce of energy from their crews, face off at dazzling speeds down narrow courses in regattas staged right off the coast, creating a breathtaking experience for fans.

The America’s Cup is a trophy awarded to the winner of the America’s Cup match races between two sailing yachts. One yacht, known as the defender, represents the yacht club that currently holds the America’s Cup and the second yacht, known as the challenger, represents the yacht club that is challenging for the cup. The America’s Cup is the oldest active trophy in international sport.

One of the most fiercely competitive and sought after trophies in all of sport, the America’s Cup was first raced in 1851, 45 years before the modern Olympics. The U.S. yacht America won, giving the international sailing competition its name. It consists of 3 different stages — the America’s Cup World Series, the Louis Vuitton Cup (used as the selection series to determine who will race the Defender), and the America’s Cup Finals.

|GlobalGiants.Com|

Posted by Editors at 12:06 AM

February 25, 2013

Oscar 2013 Winners Announced

Photo: Daniel Day-Lewis, Oscar winner for performance by an actor in a leading role for his role in “Lincoln”; Jennifer Lawrence, Oscar winner for performance by an actress in a leading role for her role in “Silver Linings Playbook”; Anne Hathaway, Oscar winner for performance by an actress in a supporting role for her role in “Les Misérables”; and Christoph Waltz, Oscar winner for performance by an actor in a supporting role for his role in “Django Unchained” pose backstage with their Oscars during the live telecast on the ABC Television network from the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, CA, Sunday, February 24, 2013. Credit: Matt Petit. © Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Photo: After winning the category of achievement in production design for work done on “Lincoln”, Rick Carter poses backstage in the press room during the live ABC telecast of The Oscars from the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, CA, Sunday, February 24, 2013. Credit: Heather Ikei. © Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Photo: Winning the category best documentary short subject for “Inocente”, documentarians Andrea Nix Fine and Sean Fine pose backstage for the press with the Oscar during the live ABC Telecast of The Oscars from the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, CA, Sunday, February 24, 2013. Credit: Todd Wawrychuk. © Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Photo: Oscar nominees (from left to right): Jennifer Lawrence and Hugh Jackman at the Oscar Nominees Luncheon in Beverly Hills Monday, February 4, 2013. The 85th Academy Awards were presented on Sunday, February 24, 2013 at the Dolby Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center, and televised live by the ABC Television Network. Credit: Todd Wawrychuk. © Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Photo: Oscar nominees Jessica Chastain and Steven Spielberg at the Oscar Nominees Luncheon in Beverly Hills Monday, February 4, 2013. The 85th Academy Awards were presented on Sunday, February 24, 2013 at the Dolby Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center, and televised live by the ABC Television Network. Credit: Michael Yada. © Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Here is the list of the 85th annual Academy Award winners announced in Hollywood, CA, Sunday, February 24, 2013:

1. Best Picture: “Argo.”

2. Actor: Daniel Day-Lewis, “Lincoln.”

3. Actress: Jennifer Lawrence, “Silver Linings Playbook.”

4. Supporting Actor: Christoph Waltz, “Django Unchained.”

5. Supporting Actress: Anne Hathaway, “Les Miserables.”

6. Directing: Ang Lee, “Life of Pi.”

7. Foreign Language Film: “Amour.”

8. Adapted Screenplay: Chris Terrio, “Argo.”

9. Original Screenplay: Quentin Tarantino, “Django Unchained.”

10. Animated Feature Film: “Brave.”

11. Production Design: “Lincoln.”

12. Cinematography: “Life of Pi.”

13. Sound Mixing: “Les Miserables.”

14. Sound Editing (tie): “Skyfall,” ”Zero Dark Thirty.”

15. Original Score: “Life of Pi,” Mychael Danna.

16. Original Song: “Skyfall” from “Skyfall,” Adele Adkins and Paul Epworth.

17. Costume: “Anna Karenina.”

18. Documentary Feature: “Searching for Sugar Man.”

19. Documentary (short subject): “Inocente.”

20. Film Editing: “Argo.”

21. Makeup and Hairstyling: “Les Miserables.”

22. Animated Short Film: “Paperman.”

23. Live Action Short Film: “Curfew.”

24. Visual Effects: “Life of Pi.”

Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2012 were presented on Sunday, February 24, 2013, at the Dolby Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center, and televised live on the ABC Television Network. The Oscar presentation was also televised live in more than 225 countries worldwide.

|GlobalGiants.Com|

Posted by Editors at 11:10 AM

January 10, 2013

OSCAR NOMINATIONS ANNOUNCED

Photo: Nomination — Performance by an actor in a leading role, Daniel Day-Lewis in “Lincoln” (Walt Disney/20th Century Fox). Photo © Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Photo: Nomination — Best motion picture of the year, “Django Unchained” (The Weinstein Company). A Weinstein Company and Columbia Pictures Production. Stacey Sher, Reginald Hudlin and Pilar Savone, Producers. Photo © Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Photo: Nomination — Performance by an actress in a supporting role, Anne Hathaway in “Les Misérables” (Universal). Photo © Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Nominations for the 85th Academy Awards were announced today.

• Following are the Nominations for the 85th Academy Awards:

Performance by an actor in a leading role

• Bradley Cooper in “Silver Linings Playbook”
• Daniel Day-Lewis in “Lincoln”
• Hugh Jackman in “Les Misérables”
• Joaquin Phoenix in “The Master”
• Denzel Washington in “Flight”

Performance by an actor in a supporting role

• Alan Arkin in “Argo”
• Robert De Niro in “Silver Linings Playbook”
• Philip Seymour Hoffman in “The Master”
• Tommy Lee Jones in “Lincoln”
• Christoph Waltz in “Django Unchained”

Performance by an actress in a leading role

• Jessica Chastain in “Zero Dark Thirty”
• Jennifer Lawrence in “Silver Linings Playbook”
• Emmanuelle Riva in “Amour”
• Quvenzhané Wallis in “Beasts of the Southern Wild”
• Naomi Watts in “The Impossible”

Performance by an actress in a supporting role

• Amy Adams in “The Master”
• Sally Field in “Lincoln”
• Anne Hathaway in “Les Misérables”
• Helen Hunt in “The Sessions”
• Jacki Weaver in “Silver Linings Playbook”

Best animated feature film of the year

• “Brave” Mark Andrews and Brenda Chapman
• “Frankenweenie” Tim Burton
• “ParaNorman” Sam Fell and Chris Butler
• “The Pirates! Band of Misfits” Peter Lord
• “Wreck-It Ralph” Rich Moore

Achievement in cinematography

• “Anna Karenina” Seamus McGarvey
• “Django Unchained” Robert Richardson
• “Life of Pi” Claudio Miranda
• “Lincoln” Janusz Kaminski
• “Skyfall” Roger Deakins

Achievement in costume design

• “Anna Karenina” Jacqueline Durran
• “Les Misérables” Paco Delgado
• “Lincoln” Joanna Johnston
• “Mirror Mirror” Eiko Ishioka
• “Snow White and the Huntsman” Colleen Atwood

Achievement in directing

• “Amour” Michael Haneke
• “Beasts of the Southern Wild” Benh Zeitlin
• “Life of Pi” Ang Lee
• “Lincoln” Steven Spielberg
• “Silver Linings Playbook” David O. Russell

Best documentary feature

• “5 Broken Cameras”
• “The Gatekeepers”
• “How to Survive a Plague”
• “The Invisible War”
• “Searching for Sugar Man”

Best documentary short subject

• “Inocente” Sean Fine and Andrea Nix Fine
• “Kings Point” Sari Gilman and Jedd Wider
• “Mondays at Racine” Cynthia Wade and Robin Honan
• “Open Heart” Kief Davidson and Cori Shepherd Stern
• “Redemption” Jon Alpert and Matthew O’Neill

Achievement in film editing

• “Argo” William Goldenberg
• “Life of Pi” Tim Squyres
• “Lincoln” Michael Kahn
• “Silver Linings Playbook” Jay Cassidy and Crispin Struthers
• “Zero Dark Thirty” Dylan Tichenor and William Goldenberg

Best foreign language film of the year

• “Amour” Austria
• “Kon-Tiki” Norway
• “No” Chile
• “A Royal Affair” Denmark
• “War Witch” Canada

Achievement in makeup and hairstyling

• “Hitchcock” Howard Berger, Peter Montagna and Martin Samuel
• “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” Peter Swords King, Rick Findlater and Tami Lane
• “Les Misérables” Lisa Westcott and Julie Dartnell

Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original score)

• “Anna Karenina” Dario Marianelli
• “Argo” Alexandre Desplat
• “Life of Pi” Mychael Danna
• “Lincoln” John Williams
• “Skyfall” Thomas Newman

Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original song)

• “Before My Time” from “Chasing Ice” Music and Lyric by J. Ralph
• “Everybody Needs A Best Friend” from “Ted” Music by Walter Murphy; Lyric by Seth MacFarlane
• “Pi’s Lullaby” from “Life of Pi” Music by Mychael Danna; Lyric by Bombay Jayashri
• “Skyfall” from “Skyfall” Music and Lyric by Adele Adkins and Paul Epworth
• “Suddenly” from “Les Misérables” Music by Claude-Michel Schönberg; Lyric by Herbert Kretzmer and Alain Boublil

Best motion picture of the year

• “Amour” Nominees to be determined
• “Argo” Grant Heslov, Ben Affleck and George Clooney, Producers
• “Beasts of the Southern Wild” Dan Janvey, Josh Penn and Michael Gottwald, Producers
• “Django Unchained” Stacey Sher, Reginald Hudlin and Pilar Savone, Producers
• “Les Misérables” Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Debra Hayward and Cameron Mackintosh, Producers
• “Life of Pi” Gil Netter, Ang Lee and David Womark, Producers
• “Lincoln” Steven Spielberg and Kathleen Kennedy, Producers
• “Silver Linings Playbook” Donna Gigliotti, Bruce Cohen and Jonathan Gordon, Producers
• “Zero Dark Thirty” Mark Boal, Kathryn Bigelow and Megan Ellison, Producers

Achievement in production design

• “Anna Karenina” Production Design: Sarah Greenwood; Set Decoration: Katie Spencer
• “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” Production Design: Dan Hennah; Set Decoration: Ra Vincent and Simon Bright
• “Les Misérables” Production Design: Eve Stewart; Set Decoration: Anna Lynch-Robinson
• “Life of Pi” Production Design: David Gropman; Set Decoration: Anna Pinnock
• “Lincoln” Production Design: Rick Carter; Set Decoration: Jim Erickson

Best animated short film

• “Adam and Dog” Minkyu Lee
• “Fresh Guacamole” PES
• “Head over Heels” Timothy Reckart and Fodhla Cronin O’Reilly
• “Maggie Simpson in “The Longest Daycare”” David Silverman
• “Paperman” John Kahrs

Best live action short film

• “Asad” Bryan Buckley and Mino Jarjoura
• “Buzkashi Boys” Sam French and Ariel Nasr
• “Curfew” Shawn Christensen
• “Death of a Shadow (Dood van een Schaduw)” Tom Van Avermaet and Ellen De Waele
• “Henry” Yan England

Achievement in sound editing

• “Argo” Erik Aadahl and Ethan Van der Ryn
• “Django Unchained” Wylie Stateman
• “Life of Pi” Eugene Gearty and Philip Stockton
• “Skyfall” Per Hallberg and Karen Baker Landers
• “Zero Dark Thirty” Paul N.J. Ottosson

Achievement in sound mixing

• “Argo” John Reitz, Gregg Rudloff and Jose Antonio Garcia
• “Les Misérables” Andy Nelson, Mark Paterson and Simon Hayes
• “Life of Pi” Ron Bartlett, D.M. Hemphill and Drew Kunin
• “Lincoln” Andy Nelson, Gary Rydstrom and Ronald Judkins
• “Skyfall” Scott Millan, Greg P. Russell and Stuart Wilson

Achievement in visual effects

• “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” Joe Letteri, Eric Saindon, David Clayton and R. Christopher White
• “Life of Pi” Bill Westenhofer, Guillaume Rocheron, Erik-Jan De Boer and Donald R. Elliott
• “Marvel’s The Avengers” Janek Sirrs, Jeff White, Guy Williams and Dan Sudick
• “Prometheus” Richard Stammers, Trevor Wood, Charley Henley and Martin Hill
• “Snow White and the Huntsman” Cedric Nicolas-Troyan, Philip Brennan, Neil Corbould and Michael Dawson

Adapted screenplay

• “Argo” Screenplay by Chris Terrio
• “Beasts of the Southern Wild” Screenplay by Lucy Alibar & Benh Zeitlin
• “Life of Pi” Screenplay by David Magee
• “Lincoln” Screenplay by Tony Kushner
• “Silver Linings Playbook” Screenplay by David O. Russell

Original screenplay

• “Amour” Written by Michael Haneke
• “Django Unchained” Written by Quentin Tarantino
• “Flight” Written by John Gatins
• “Moonrise Kingdom” Written by Wes Anderson & Roman Coppola
• “Zero Dark Thirty” Written by Mark Boal

• The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is the world’s preeminent movie-related organization.

• Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2012 will be presented on Sunday, February 24, 2013, at the Dolby Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center, and televised live on the ABC Television Network. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries worldwide.

|GlobalGiants.Com|

Posted by Editors at 12:10 PM

January 1, 2013

Times Square, New York — 2013 New Year Countdown

Photo: A view of atmosphere during New Year’s Eve 2013 in Times Square, New York City, on December 31, 2012. (Photo © Mike Coppola/Getty Images).

Photo: New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg attends Times Square on December 31, 2012 in New York City. (Photo © Eugene Gologursky/Getty Images).

Photo: Carly Rae Jepsen performs at Times Square on December 31, 2012 in New York City. (Photo © Eugene Gologursky/Getty Images).

Toshiba was the exclusive sponsor for the Official Countdown of the Times Square 2013 New Year’s Eve Celebration.

Every year this global event sees over 1 million visitors pack the streets and more than 1 billion viewers worldwide. All eyes were on the giant TOSHIBA VISION LED screen atop One Times Square providing the countdown for the whole world.

|GlobalGiants.Com|

Wake! For the Sun, who scatter’d into flight
The Stars before him from the Field of Night
Drives Night along with them from Heav’n, and strikes
The Sultan’s Turret with a Shaft of Light.

— Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, Edward FitzGerald’s Translation.

Posted by Editors at 9:29 AM

November 27, 2012

ASIA PACIFIC SCREEN AWARDS 2012

Photo: Writer/Director/Producer Emin Alper accepts the award for Best Feature Film, Beyond the Hill, at the the sixth annual Asia Pacific Screen Awards on November 23, 2012 in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo © Chris Hyde/2012 Asia Pacific Screen Awards).

Photo: Nadine Chandrawinata, former Miss Universe Indonesia, and producer of the Best Children’s Feature Film, The Mirror Never Lies, at the Asia Pacific Screen Awards on November 23, 2012 in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo © Chris Hyde/2012 Asia Pacific Screen Awards).

Tepenin Ardi (Beyond the Hill, Turkey, Greece) has taken out the Best Feature Film award at the sixth Asia Pacific Screen Awards announced on Friday night at a glittering ceremony at the Queensland Performing Arts Centre in Brisbane, Australia.

Awards and High Commendations went to films from a further ten countries and areas of Asia Pacific including India, Indonesia, Iraqi-Kurdistan, Israel, Japan, People’s Republic of China, Philippines, Republic of Korea and Taiwan, and for the first time, Iraq.

An unprecedented total of 264 films were entered in this year’s competition. Asia Pacific countries and areas represented by the nominated films were Australia, Hong Kong (PRC), India, Indonesia, Iraq, Iraqi-Kurdistan, Islamic Republic of Iran, Israel, Japan, Malaysia, Pakistan, Palestine, People’s Republic of China, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Russian Federation, Taiwan and Turkey.

WINNERS

• Best Feature Film: Tepenin Ardi (Beyond the Hill), Turkey, Greece

• Best Children’s Film: Laut Bercermin (The Mirror Never Lies), Indonesia

• Best Documentary Feature Film: In My Mother’s Arms, Iraq, UK, Netherlands

• Best Animated Feature Film: Momo e no tegami (A Letter to Momo), Japan

• Achievement in Directing: Anurag Kashyap for Gangs of Wasseypur, India

• Best Screenplay: Reis Celik for Lal gece (Night of Silence), Turkey

• Achievement in Cinematography: Touraj Aslani for Fasle Kargadan (Rhino Season), Iraqi-Kurdistan,Turkey

• Best Performance by an Actor: Choi Min-sik for Bumchoiwaui Junjaeng (Nameless Gangster: Rules of the Time), Republic of Korea

• Best Performance by an Actress: Nora Aunor for Sinapupunan (Thy Womb). Philippines

• The UNESCO Award for outstanding contribution to the promotion and preservation of cultural diversity through film went to director Wei Te-sheng and producers John Woo, Terence Chang and Jimmy Huang for their Taiwanese film — Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq Bale.

Acclaimed Australian film producer Jan Chapman headed the six-member International Jury. Ms. Chapman follows previous International Jury Presidents Nansun Shi (2011, Hong Kong, PRC), Lord David Puttnam (2010, UK), Huang Jianxin (2009, People’s Republic of China), Bruce Beresford (2008, Australia) and Shabana Azmi (2007, India).

|GlobalGiants.Com|

Posted by Editors at 9:06 AM

November 22, 2012

Motorsports: Formula One returns to the USA

Photos: Formula One - United States GP, Austin, Texas. November 16-18, 2012 (Credit: Red Bull and Daimler AG).

Formula One returned to the United States of America with the penultimate round of the 2012 Formula One World Championship held at the purpose-built Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, on Sunday, November 18, 2012.

Austin is the 10th venue for a F1 race in the USA (after Dallas, Detroit, Indianapolis, Las Vegas, Long Beach, Phoenix, Riverside, Sebring and Watkins Glen).

2012 FORMULA 1 UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX RESULTS

Position — Driver — Country — Team

1. Lewis Hamilton — Great Britain — McLaren-Mercedes
2. Sebastian Vettel — Germany — Red Bull Racing-Renault
3. Fernando Alonso — Spain — Ferrari
4. Felipe Massa — Brazil — Ferrari
5. Jenson Button — Great Britain — McLaren-Mercedes
6. Kimi Raikkonen — Finland — Lotus-Renault
7. Romain Grosjean — France — Lotus-Renault
8. Nico Hulkenberg — Germany — Force India-Mercedes
9. Pastor Maldonado — Venezuela — Williams-Renault
10. Bruno Senna — Brazil — Williams-Renault
11. Sergio Perez — Mexico — Sauber-Ferrari
12. Daniel Ricciardo — Australia — STR-Ferrari
13. Nico Rosberg — Germany — Mercedes
14. Kamui Kobayashi — Japan — Sauber-Ferrari
15. Paul di Resta — Great Britain — Force India-Mercedes
16. Michael Schumacher — Germany — Mercedes
17. Vitaly Petrov — Russia — Caterham-Renault
18. Heikki Kovalainen — Finland — Caterham-Renault
19. Timo Glock — Germany — Marussia-Cosworth
20. Charles Pic — France — Marussia-Cosworth
21. Pedro de la Rosa — Spain — HRT-Cosworth
22. Narain Karthikeyan — India — HRT-Cosworth

|GlobalGiants.Com|

Posted by Editors at 12:19 PM

November 1, 2012

New “Bond” girl wearing Carrera y Carrera’s Tiger ring

Photo: Actress Berenice Marlohe at the Skyfall film press conference in Berlin. Berenice Marlohe is wearing Carrera y Carrera Tiger ring in a white gold, diamonds and a smoky quartz. Berenice Marlohe is a French actress. Marlohe played Bond girl “Severine” in the twenty-third James Bond film, Skyfall.

Carrera y Carrera is a Spanish jewelry firm. Present in over 40 countries, the company has subsidiaries in the United States, Japan, and Russia, and boutiques in Madrid, Barcelona, Tokyo, Moscow, Dubai, and Kuala Lumpur, among others.

|GlobalGiants.Com|

Posted by Editors at 3:36 AM

October 30, 2012

Formula One World Championship 2012 - India Grand Prix

Photos: FIA Formula One World Championship 2012 - India. From above: Mark Webber in Action, 26 Oct 2012, Delhi; Sebastian Vettel in Action, 28 Oct 2012, Delhi; Sebastian Vettel in Action, 28 Oct 2012, Delhi; Mark Webber in Action, 27 Oct 2012, Delhi; Sebastian Vettel declared Winner, 28 Oct 2012, Delhi (Photos © Red Bull).

Indian GP Top 5 (Position - Driver - Country - Team)

1. Sebastian Vettel - Germany - Red Bull Racing-Renault
2. Fernando Alonso - Spain - Ferrari
3. Mark Webber - Australia - Red Bull Racing-Renault
4. Lewis Hamilton - Britain - McLaren-Mercedes
5. Jenson Button - Britain - McLaren-Mercedes

Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 or Grand Prix is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA). The F1 season consists of a series of races, held on purpose-built circuits and occasionally on street circuits. The result of each race is combined to determine two annual FIA Formula One World Championships.

Formula One cars are considered to be the fastest circuit-racing cars in the world. Formula One cars race at speeds of up to 318 km/h (192 mph).

|GlobalGiants.Com|

Posted by Editors at 8:59 AM

October 28, 2012

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion’s Week to take place at Las Vegas

Photo: Dale Earnhardt Jr., driver of the #88 Diet Mountain Dew Chevrolet, races Kyle Busch, driver of the #18 M&M’s Toyota, and Jamie McMurray, driver of the #1 Bass Pro Shops/Allstate Chevrolet, during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Good Sam Roadside Assistance 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on October 7, 2012 in Talladega, Alabama. Credit: Todd Warshaw/Getty Images for NASCAR.

Photo: Kyle Busch, driver of the #18 M&M’s Halloween Toyota, practices for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Tums Fast Relief 500 at Martinsville Speedway on October 26, 2012 in Ridgeway, Virginia. Credit: Rainier Ehrhardt/Getty Images for NASCAR.

Photo: Denny Hamlin, driver of the #51 Toyota Toyota, passes Matt Crafton, driver of the #88 Zecol/Menards Toyota, for the leads during the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Kroger 200 at Martinsville Speedway on October 27, 2012 in Ridgeway, Virginia. Credit: John Harrelson/Getty Images for NASCAR.

Photo: Tissot brand ambassador Danica Patrick poses with the No. 7 Tissot Chevrolet after unveiling the new Tissot lobby clocks at Madison Square Garden. Credit: Tissot.

Photo: Darrell Wallace Jr., driver of the #20 Freightliner Trucks Toyota, and Justin Allgaier, driver of the #31 Brandt Chevrolet, lead the field to the start/finish line to start the NASCAR Nationwide Series OneMain Financial 200 at Dover International Speedway on September 29, 2012 in Dover, Delaware. Credit: Tom Pennington/Getty Images.

NASCAR will return to Las Vegas for the postseason NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion’s Week — a star-studded, entertainment-filled celebration for the series champion and NASCAR fans, culminating with the highly anticipated NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Awards.

This year’s annual awards will take place Nov. 30, returning to Wynn Las Vegas with SPEED, Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio providing live coverage. As in past years, fans can expect an exciting interactive week of activities that celebrate the 2012 season and also build excitement for the 2013 season ahead.

The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, Inc. (NASCAR) is the sanctioning body for one of North America’s premier sports. NASCAR races are broadcast in more than 150 countries and in 20 languages. NASCAR fans are among the most brand-loyal in all of sports, and as a result more Fortune 500 companies participate in NASCAR than any other sport. NASCAR consists of three national series (the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, NASCAR Nationwide Series, and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series), four regional series, and one local grassroots series, as well as three international series.

|GlobalGiants.Com|

Posted by Editors at 12:00 PM

October 15, 2012

America’s Cup World Series San Francisco Championship

Photo: Oracle Team USA, San Francisco. Photo © Guilain GRENIER.

Photo: San Francisco (USA, CA), 34th America’s Cup, America’s Cup World Series San Francisco 2012 October - Final Race Day. Photo © Gilles Martin-Raget.

Photo: San Francisco (USA, CA), 34th America’s Cup, America’s Cup World Series San Francisco 2012 October - Final Race Day. Photo © Gilles Martin-Raget.

Photo: San Francisco (USA, CA), 34th America’s Cup, America’s Cup World Series San Francisco 2012 October - Race Day 2. Photo © Gilles Martin-Raget.

Photo: San Francisco (USA, CA), 34th America’s Cup, America’s Cup World Series San Francisco 2012 August, Race Day 2. Photo © Gilles Martin-Raget.

Oracle Team USA Spithill (Jimmy Spithill) rebounded from last place at the first turning mark of the “Super Sunday” fleet race finale to win the America’s Cup World Series San Francisco Championship.

Spithill and crew were “dead last” off the start line, but fought their way back through the fleet. They rounded the last windward gate first and held on for a 17-second win over teammates Oracle Team USA Coutts (Russell Coutts).

“The difference is the four guys on the front of the boat,” said Spithill, referencing his crew. “We were dead last off the start line but it didn’t faze these guys. We have a real team of fighters here. We’re really, really happy.”

“We’ve always said we need to be able to come from behind and overcome adversity,” said Spithill, who skippered the team to victory in the 2010 America’s Cup.

The Teams:

• Oracle Team USA Spithill, Golden Gate Yacht Club, San Francisco, USA.
• Luna Rossa - Piranha, Circolo della Vela Sicilia, Palermo, Italy.
• Team Korea, Sail Korea Yacht Club, Gyeonggi, Korea.
• Energy Team, Yacht Club de France, Paris, France.
• Luna Rossa - Swordfish, Circolo della Vela Sicilia, Palermo, Italy.
• Artemis Racing - White, Royal Swedish Yacht Club, Stockholm, Sweden.
• Emirates Team New Zealand, Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, Auckland, New Zealand.
• Oracle Team USA Coutts, Golden Gate Yacht Club, San Francisco, USA.
• Artemis Racing - Red, Royal Swedish Yacht Club, Stockholm, Sweden.
• J.P. Morgan BAR, Royal Cornwall Yacht Club, Falmouth, England.
• China Team, Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, Mei Fan Yacht Club, China.

America’s Cup World Series San Francisco Match Racing Championship Results:

1. Oracle Team USA Spithill
   
2. Emirates Team New Zealand
   
3. Artemis Racing - White
   
4. Artemis Racing - Red
   
5. Oracle Team USA Coutts
   
6. Energy Team
   
7. J.P. Morgan BAR
   
8. Team Korea
   
9. China Team
   
10. Luna Rossa Piranha
    
11. Luna Rossa Swordfish

The America’s Cup is a trophy awarded to the winner of the America’s Cup match races between two sailing yachts. One yacht, known as the defender, represents the yacht club that currently holds the America’s Cup and the second yacht, known as the challenger, represents the yacht club that is challenging for the cup. The America’s Cup is the oldest active trophy in international sport.

One of the most fiercely competitive and sought after trophies in all of sport, the America’s Cup was first raced in 1851, 45 years before the modern Olympics. The U.S. yacht America won, giving the international sailing competition its name. It consists of 3 different stages — the America’s Cup World Series, the Louis Vuitton Cup (used as the selection series to determine who will race the Defender), and the America’s Cup Finals.

|GlobalGiants.Com|

Posted by Editors at 6:44 AM

October 9, 2012

71 Countries Vie for 2012 Foreign Language Film Oscar

Photo: The Academy Presents a 50th Anniversary Screening of “Lawrence of Arabia”. Chris Cookson, President of Sony Pictures Technologies, prior to a 50th anniversary screening of the U.S. premiere of a new digital restoration of Columbia Pictures’ 1962 Best Picture winner “Lawrence of Arabia” presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. © Greg Harbaugh/A.M.P.A.S.

Photo: Actress Kym Karath prior to a screening of a new print of the 1965 musical classic “The Sound of Music” presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences as part of its series “The Last 70mm Film Festival” at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills. © Matt Petit/A.M.P.A.S.

• A record 71 countries, including first-time entrant Kenya, have submitted films for consideration in the Foreign Language Film category for the 85th Academy Awards.

The 2012 submissions are:

• Afghanistan, “The Patience Stone,” Atiq Rahimi, director;
• Albania, “Pharmakon,” Joni Shanaj, director;
• Algeria, “Zabana!” Said Ould Khelifa, director;
• Argentina, “Clandestine Childhood,” Benjamín Ávila, director;
• Armenia, “If Only Everyone,” Natalia Belyauskene, director;
• Australia, “Lore,” Cate Shortland, director;
• Austria, “Amour,” Michael Haneke, director;
• Azerbaijan, “Buta,” Ilgar Najaf, director;
• Bangladesh, “Pleasure Boy Komola,” Humayun Ahmed, director;
• Belgium, “Our Children,” Joachim Lafosse, director;
• Bosnia and Herzegovina, “Children of Sarajevo,” Aida Begic, director;
• Brazil, “The Clown,” Selton Mello, director;
• Bulgaria, “Sneakers,” Valeri Yordanov and Ivan Vladimirov, directors;
• Cambodia, “Lost Loves,” Chhay Bora, director;
• Canada, “War Witch,” Kim Nguyen, director;
• Chile, “No,” Pablo Larraín, director;
• China, “Caught in the Web,” Chen Kaige, director;
• Colombia, “The Snitch Cartel,” Carlos Moreno, director;
• Croatia, “Vegetarian Cannibal,” Branko Schmidt, director;
• Czech Republic, “In the Shadow,” David Ondrícek, director;
• Denmark, “A Royal Affair,” Nikolaj Arcel, director;
• Dominican Republic, “Jaque Mate,” José María Cabral, director;
• Estonia, “Mushrooming,” Toomas Hussar, director;
• Finland, “Purge,” Antti J. Jokinen, director;
• France, “The Intouchables,” Olivier Nakache and Eric Toledano, directors;
• Georgia, “Keep Smiling,” Rusudan Chkonia, director;
• Germany, “Barbara,” Christian Petzold, director;
• Greece, “Unfair World,” Filippos Tsitos, director;
• Greenland, “Inuk,” Mike Magidson, director;
• Hong Kong, “Life without Principle,” Johnnie To, director;
• Hungary, “Just the Wind,” Bence Fliegauf, director;
• Iceland, “The Deep,” Baltasar Kormákur, director;
• India, “Barfi!” Anurag Basu, director;
• Indonesia, “The Dancer,” Ifa Isfansyah, director;
• Israel, “Fill the Void,” Rama Burshtein, director;
• Italy, “Caesar Must Die,” Paolo Taviani and Vittorio Taviani, directors;
• Japan, “Our Homeland,” Yang Yonghi, director;
• Kazakhstan, “Myn Bala: Warriors of the Steppe,” Akan Satayev, director;
• Kenya, “Nairobi Half Life,” David ‘Tosh’ Gitonga, director;
• Kyrgyzstan, “The Empty Home,” Nurbek Egen, director;
• Latvia, “Gulf Stream under the Iceberg,” Yevgeny Pashkevich, director;
• Lithuania, “Ramin,” Audrius Stonys, director;
• Macedonia, “The Third Half,” Darko Mitrevski, director;
• Malaysia, “Bunohan,” Dain Iskandar Said, director;
• Mexico, “After Lucia,” Michel Franco, director;
• Morocco, “Death for Sale,” Faouzi Bensaïdi, director;
• Netherlands, “Kauwboy,” Boudewijn Koole, director;
• Norway, “Kon-Tiki,” Joachim Rønning and Espen Sandberg, directors;
• Palestine, “When I Saw You,” Annemarie Jacir, director;
• Peru, “The Bad Intentions,” Rosario García-Montero, director;
• Philippines, “Bwakaw,” Jun Robles Lana, director;
• Poland, “80 Million,” Waldemar Krzystek, director;
• Portugal, “Blood of My Blood,” João Canijo, director;
• Romania, “Beyond the Hills,” Cristian Mungiu, director;
• Russia, “White Tiger,” Karen Shakhnazarov, director;
• Serbia, “When Day Breaks,” Goran Paskaljevic, director;
• Singapore, “Already Famous,” Michelle Chong, director;
• Slovak Republic, “Made in Ash,” Iveta Grófová, director;
• Slovenia, “A Trip,” Nejc Gazvoda, director;
• South Africa, “Little One,” Darrell James Roodt, director;
• South Korea, “Pieta,” Kim Ki-duk, director;
• Spain, “Blancanieves,” Pablo Berger, director;
• Sweden, “The Hypnotist,” Lasse Hallström, director;
• Switzerland, “Sister,” Ursula Meier, director;
• Taiwan, “Touch of the Light,” Chang Jung-Chi, director;
• Thailand, “Headshot,” Pen-ek Ratanaruang, director;
• Turkey, “Where the Fire Burns,” Ismail Gunes, director;
• Ukraine, “The Firecrosser,” Mykhailo Illienko, director;
• Uruguay, “The Delay,” Rodrigo Plá, director;
• Venezuela, “Rock, Paper, Scissors,” Hernán Jabes, director;
• Vietnam, “The Scent of Burning Grass,” Nguyen Huu Muoi, director.

The 85th Academy Awards nominations will be announced live on Thursday, January 10, 2013, in the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater.

Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2012 will be presented on Sunday, February 24, 2013, at The Dolby Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center, and televised live on the ABC Television Network. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries worldwide.

|GlobalGiants.Com|

Posted by Editors at 4:08 AM

October 6, 2012

Freestyle Motocross: Levi Sherwood of New Zealand wins the Red Bull X-Fighters World Tour in Sydney — The best FMX Athletes in the World bring an Explosion of Tricks like Never Seen Before

Photo: Red Bull X-Fighters World Tour 2012 Sydney. Dany Torres (Spain) in Action. 05.Oct 2012. Sydney, Australia. (© Red Bull).

Photo: Red Bull X-Fighters World Tour 2012 Sydney. Levi Sherwood (NZL) in Action. 06.Oct 2012. Sydney, Australia. (© Red Bull).

Photo: Red Bull X-Fighters World Tour 2012 Sydney. Thomas Pages (FRANCE) in Action. 06.Oct 2012. Sydney, Australia. (© Red Bull).

Levi Sherwood of New Zealand won the Red Bull X-Fighters World Tour on Saturday with a thrilling victory in the final round of the 2012 season in Australia over his hard-charging rival Thomas Pages of France.

Sherwood was the dominant force during the entire seven-month 2012 season with three wins, getting clear victories in the season opener in Dubai and then in the mid-summer classic in Madrid. But he was beaten decisively in Glen Helen, California by American Todd Potter, who held the championship lead through the middle of the season. Sherwood then opened a big lead after his win in Madrid but was beaten in Munich by red-hot Pages.

Sherwood was finally able to shake off his pesky French rival Pages, getting the clutch triumph he needed in the dramatic showdown battle to win the closest finish in the 12-year history of Red Bull X-Fighters. Pages dazzled the crowd in Sydney with breathtaking moves such as the flair or the volt. The flair is a mind-boggling 540-degree mid-air turn, the volt leaves him spinning in mid-air above his bike.

The best FMX Athletes in the world brought an explosion of tricks like never seen before in a Freestyle-Motocross-Event.

Results Sydney 2012:

1. Levi Sherwood (NZL)
2. Thomas Pages (FRA)
3. Josh Sheehan (AUS)
4. Jackson Strong (AUS)
5. Eigo Sato (JPN)
6. Taka Higashino (JPN)
7. Dany Torres (ESP)
8. Cameron Sinclair (AUS)
9. Blake Williams (AUS)
10. Javier Villegas (CHL)
11. Todd Potter (USA)

Results World Tour 2012:

1. Levi Sherwood (NEW ZEALAND): 335 points
2. Thomas Pages (FRANCE): 315 points
3. Dany Torres (SPAIN): 215 points
4. Javier Villegas (CHILE): 190 points
5. Eigo Sato (JAPAN): 190 points
6. Todd Potter (USA): 155 points

|GlobalGiants.Com|

Posted by Editors at 9:35 AM

September 22, 2012

ACADEMY TO CELEBRATE THE MUSIC OF JAMES BOND

Photo: Record album cover, THUNDERBALL, 1965. Courtesy: Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Photo: Record album cover, MOONRAKER, 1979. Courtesy: Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Photo: Record album cover, GOLDFINGER, 1964. Courtesy: Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

As part of the global 50th anniversary celebration of James Bond, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will present “The Music of Bond: The First 50 Years,” at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills, California, USA. Held 50 years to the day after the U.K. opening of the first Bond film, “Dr. No,” the evening pays homage to the memorable title songs that have become as celebrated as the films themselves.

According to the Academy announcement, “Hosted by music historian and writer Jon Burlingame, the program will feature many of the people who made the music, including composer Bill Conti (“For Your Eyes Only”), songwriter Carole Bayer Sager (“Nobody Does It Better” from “The Spy Who Loved Me”), lyricist Don Black (title songs for “Thunderball,” “Diamonds Are Forever,” “The Man with the Golden Gun” and “The World Is Not Enough”) and guitarist Vic Flick, who laid down the famous guitar lick for the “James Bond Theme.” There also will be a special video message from actor Roger Moore [best known for his role as British secret agent James Bond in the official film series between 1973 and 1985].”

“Over the 22 films released to date as part of the official James Bond series, there have been several constants: suave but deadly leading men, gorgeous Bond girls, over-the-top villains and incredible music,” the academy reminded. “Those notable elements combined with the remarkable scores by composers including Conti, John Barry, Marvin Hamlisch and David Arnold has resulted in a body of work that continues to play a major role in popular film culture.”

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is the world’s preeminent movie-related organization. The Academy is known around the world for its annual Academy Awards, informally known as the “Oscars”.

|GlobalGiants.Com|

Posted by Editors at 9:27 AM

September 3, 2012

Made in Italy: Lancia is main sponsor of the 69th Venice International Film Festival

Photo: Actor Luca Argentero and Actress Myriam Catania attend the Lancia Cafe during the 69th Venice Film Festival on August 31, 2012 in Venice, Italy. (Photo © Vittorio Zunino Celotto/Getty Images for Lancia).

Photo: Actress Barbora Bobulova shows her award during the ‘Premio Kineo’ Ceremony during the 69th Venice International Film Festival at Lancia Cafe on August 30, 2012 in Venice, Italy. (Photo © Vittorio Zunino Celotto/Getty Images for Lancia).

For the seventh consecutive year, the Italian automobile manufacturer Lancia (a part of the Fiat Group) is the main sponsor of the Venice International Film Festival, scheduled from August 29 to 8 September 2012.

The new Lancia Flavia ia being used to provide an exclusive courtesy car service. The glamorous convertible embraces the stylistic features of the Lancia brand. Equipped with 175 HP 2.4 litre petrol engine and a 6-speed automatic transmission, the new Lancia Flavia boasts generous external dimensions. It can accommodate up to four adults.

During the Venice Film Festival, Lancia will present a special edition of the new Flavia created in collaboration with Italian furniture maker Poltrona Frau. This special edition car is distinguished by its seats and armrests completely covered in red Pelle Frau Pieno Fiore leather.

“The new Flavia is the perfect expression of the Italian way of life and the beauty of Italian lifestyle based on taste, imagination, style and refinement,” the company said. “The front wheel drive Lancia Flavia guarantees a refined driving experience unparalleled by any other in its segment, whether tackling the daily trip in town to go to the office or when travelling those spectacular panoramic roads out of town on weekends.”

|GlobalGiants.Com|

Posted by Editors at 12:51 AM