Archive for the ‘News’ Category

That is what Kay Shackleton in a recent article for Examiner.com reckons.

Does this mean that it could be a contender for the 2012 Academy Awards (Oscars)? Despite Anchor Bay delivering a relatively limited release, a lot of people seem to think so.  Ropes Of Silicon have it listed as one of their contenders, along with Midnight In Paris.

Midnight In Paris has recently become the highest grossing Woody Allen film to date, much to the delight of distributors Sony Pictures Classic.

For many, this film is seen as a return to form for the veteran director.

The 84th Academy Awards ceremony is still a long way off, due to take place on Sunday, February 26th 2012. At the moment, the Academy are still receiving nominations with the final list is due to be released Tuesday, January 24, 2012 so add this date to your diary.

Michael Sheen, along with Wales Online, recently launched a campaign to get a star on the Hollywood walk of fame for fellow Port Talbot boy, Richard Burton.

The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce accepted his nomination following the A Star for Burton appeal launch.Now almost £20,000 needs to be raised before his star can be installed on the world-famous Californian boulevard.

After hearing the news, Michael Sheen, who officially launched the A Star For Burton campaign in March and is now based in LA, said: “I am absolutely delighted this has happened. No star is more thoroughly deserved and it will be good to have another Port Talbot boy to go and talk to just up the road.”

(source)

You may remember that a few weeks ago, I published an article in the Rumour Mill about how Hollywood has Michael Sheen as one of the people hotly tipped to play Richard Burton in a possible Scorcese directed drama of Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor.

Martin Scorsese is in talks over the film with Paramount Pictures, who have bought the film rights to ‘Furious Love’ a biography of the couples tempestuous marriage by Nancy Schoenberger. The author has her own ideas on who she would like to play the part of Burton in a screen version.

“At the top of our list has always been Russell Crowe to play Richard Burton. He has that wounded intensity, that smouldering charisma that Burton possessed.

“As for Elizabeth, it’s much more difficult to cast that famous face, certainly Catherine Zeta-Jones, for her passionate nature as well as her beauty.

In a recent WalesOnline article, it appears that the brother of Burton, Graham Jenkins said:

“I don’t really want to see Russell Crowe playing Richard. If anyone can do it, it is Michael Sheen. He’s a Port Talbot boy and will have no trouble with the accent.”

Asian film festival, ScreenSingapore, are hosting the international premiere of Dennis Lee’s Jesus Henry Christ.

ScreenSingapore is held in Singapore between 5 – 12 June 2011. Jesus Henry Christ will form part of the Red Carpet Gala Premiere on Friday 10th June

Article from ThisIsSouthWales 1/6/2011

Mr Sheers, who moved to the Sandfields area of the town for two months during the staging of the production, said the three-day modern retelling of the Easter story would first reach our TV screens on Sunday.

He added the spectacular event was still being talked about in London — two months on.

Speaking at the Hay Festival, Mr Sheers said: “We are looking to have a premiere on a massive screen outdoors in Port Talbot next Easter — that’s the aspiration.”

He added: “The Passion is a great example of a multimedia production.

“I was fantastically proud to be Welsh in those three days — the town has to be credited. Michael (Sheen) was a massive draw.”

The production initially started with the dramatic scene of the Hollywood actor being baptised at dawn in the seas off Aberavon Beach on Good Friday in his role as the Christ-like teacher. After carrying a cross through the streets, thousands watched as Michael returned to the area for his crucifixion on Easter Sunday.

Mr Sheers, who was at the Powys literary festival to promote a film of his novel Resistance, said it only took him three weeks to produce the script for The Passion.

He said: “It was the hardest thing I have ever done.”

But he added: “What it (The Passion) has done for me is offer a fantastic introduction into the world of theatre. I am very keen to work with the National Theatre Wales again.”

Following the Hay Festival and until autumn the author will be working on his next novel and poetry.

Passion In Port Talbot — The Town Tells Its Story is being shown on BBC1 Wales on Sunday at 10.25pm.

Owen Sheers will be discussing ‘Resistance’ and showing clips from the film at the Hay Festival, with Francine Stock at 7pm on Sunday May 29, and with Peter Florence at 9am on Monday May 30.

In a recent article in the Telegraph, Sheers talks a little about his experience of making the film based on his novel. Resistance, the story of the Auxiliary Units is experienced through the character of George Bowen, a young man played by Iwan Rheon. George is recruited as a spy, by a mysterious intelligence officer called “Tommy Atkins”, played by Michael Sheen.

Given this narrative, Michael dropped into filming in a particularly suitable way, arriving for an intense two days of shooting with Iwan before, just as his character does in the film, leaving and abandoning the young man to the consequences of his duty. A further energy was added to these scenes by the fact that Iwan had long admired Michael as an actor and relished the opportunity of acting opposite his theatrical hero.

For details and tickets, visit the Hay Festival site HERE.

You can read the full article in the Telegraph HERE.