Cinemark To Sell Theaters In Mexico
Texas-based Cinemark Holdings will sell its Mexico theaters to Grupo Cinemex and Cadena Mexicana de Exhibicion, the company announced. The Mexico circuit encompasses 290 screens in 31 theaters. Cinemark CEO Tim Warner said the sale would allow Cinemark to concentrate on its remaining Latin American theaters in Central and South America. Cinemark said its Mexico operation’s unaudited revenues for the 12 months ending September 30, 2012 were $73.7 million from 12.9 million admissions with a net income of $7.9 million. Sale of the Mexico theaters is subject to closing conditions and regulatory approval.
Ireland Reauthorizes Film & TV Incentive With 4% Increase
Ireland’s film and TV tax incentive has been signed into law and extended through to 2020. Value of the incentive commonly known as Section 481 will increase to 32% of qualifying expenditures from 28% from 2015. Minister for Arts Heritage and the Gaeltacht Jimmy Deenihan acknolwedged the new law during a visit to the set of Frank, which he described “an example of the excellent work the Irish film industry is producing." Michael Fassbinder stars in Frank with Domhnall Gleeson and Maggie Gyllenhaal. The project centers on a band fronted by an eccentric leader Frank, played by Fassbender. Currently shooting in Dublin and Wicklow, it’s directed by Lenny Abrahamson and co-produced by Ireland's Element Pictures and the UK's Runaway Fridge Productions. Other big-budget projects to benefit from the incentive include The History Channel’s Vikings and BBC’s Ripper Street.
Palace Picks Up Berlin Winner ‘Child’s Pose’ & 2 Others
Palace Films closed a deal Saturday night Australia local time for Child's Pose, the Golden Bear winner at the Berlin Film Festival. “It’s absolutely terrific – an extraordinary, gripping portrait of corruption, power and twisted motherhood," said Palace Films GM Nicolas Whatson, who made the deal with Thorsten Ritter of Beta Film. Palace also nabbed two other Berlin titles, Belgian director Marion Hänsel's Tenderness and Spanish helmer Cesc Gay's Spaghetti Western A Gun In Each Hand.
- Don Groves
HitFix's Ryan McGee recaps the February 16th episode of 'Saturday Night Live', featuring host Christoph Waltz and musical guests Alabama Shakes.
