Lady In The Water

On the last date of August, 2005, Night M. Shyamalan started producing his next film that will be released in summer of 2006 -- July 21st to be specific.

The name of the film is 'Lady in the Water' based on a bed-time story that Shyamalan wrote for his children. The story centers on a apartment building superintendent (played by Paul Giamatti -- the rising star of 'Sideways' and 'Cinderella Man'; Paul is a Oscar nominee this year) who saves what he thinks is an ordinary woman from the building's pool. He soon discovers that this "woman" is a character from a children's book, and he begins working with the building's residents to help her return to her world by fighting off those intent on keeping her out of the storybook. Bryce Dallas Howard, the beautiful daughter of celebrated Director Ron Howard is starring as the 'woman', the central character of the story.

Some of this film was shot in Levittown, Pennsylvania at a Jacobson logistics warehouse site. (Shamalan has committed to using films sites in PA. Pittsburgh is the place where he grew up).

This movie was originally set up at Disney, but Shyamalan departed from the studio over "creative differences", and brought it to Warner Brothers (read our past posting). Disney has produced Shyamalan's previous four films, and the studio's subsidiary Miramax Films also produced 'Wide Awake' (1998) which Shyamalan wrote and directed.

Strathairn's New Film

David Strathairn, who is nominated for an Oscar for his performance as Edward R. Murrow in George Clooney’s 'Good Night and Good Luck', has joined Matthew McConaughey and Matthew Fox in the currently untitled football-based drama for Warner Bros. Pictures.

The film will focus on the aftermath of a plane crash that killed members of the Marshall University football team and much of its coaching staff, commentators and fans. Strathairn will play University president Dedmon, who is deeply affected by the loss of the team.

Filming is scheduled to begin next month in West Virginia. The film is yet to be officially named.

Grbavica

Jasmila Zbanic's "Grbavica" won the top prize, the Golden Bear, at the 2006 Berlinale, awarded tonight at the festival's closing ceremony in Germany's capital city. The film is from Austria and Bosnia & Herzegovina. Zbanic described it as a "small film from a small country with a small budget" that tells the story of the fraught relationship between an assaulted woman and the rebellious daughter she raises alone in Sarajevo without knowing which of her rapists was the father.

Here are the winners of the main prizes awarded Saturday at the 56th Berlin Film Festival.

• Golden Bear for best film: "Grbavica" by Jasmila Zbanic (Bosnia-Herzogovina):
• Jury Grand Prix Silver Bear: "A Soap" by Pernille Fischer Christensen (Denmark) and "Offside" by Jafar Panahi (Iran)
• Silver Bear for best actress: Sandra Hueller in "Requiem" (Germany)
• Silver Bear for best actor: Moritz Bleibtreu in "The Elementary Particles" (Germany)
• Silver Bear for best director: Michael Winterbottom and Mat Whitecross for "The Road to Guantanamo" (Britain)
• Silver Bear for outstanding artistic contribution: Juergen Vogel for "The Free Will" (Germany)
• Silver Bear for best film music: Peter Kam for "Isabella" (China)
• Alfred Bauer Prize for work of particular innovation: "The Minder" by Rodrigo Moreno (Argentina)
• Best first feature film: "A Soap" by Pernille Fischer Christensen (Denmark)
• Teddy for best film with gay or lesbian context: "The Blossoming of Maximo Oliveros" by Auraeus Solito (Philippines)

Kidman's New Movie

Baz Luhrmann is to begin shooting his new period romance starring Nicole Kidman and Russell Crowe in July or August. The project is rumored to be shaping up as 'an epic' and it has been already compared to 'Gone With the Wind'.

The film takes place around the time of World War II. It will be shot in the Kimberley region of Western Australia on sets created by Luhrmann.

In related news, a boxset containing Luhrmann's 'Red Curtain Trilogy' was released yesterday, and it is indeed a collectible item featuring 'Strictly Ballroom', 'William Shakepseare's Romeo & Juliet' and 'Moulin Rouge' -- all Baz together.

Tarantino's New Film

'Grind' is the name of the new movie from Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez. The production is set to begin in the coming weeks. 'Grind' is two 60-minute horror films, with Tarantino directing one and Rodriguez behind the lens for the other.

Tarantino's film, 'Death Proof', is a slasher movie, while Rodriguez's film, 'Planet Terror', is a zombie movie. The structure of 'Grind' pays homage to the double bills of low budget action and horror movies which were shown in 'Grindhouse' cinemas in the US in the 1970s.

The two directors plan to put fake trailers and ads between their two films as an intermission. There is no information at present on casting for 'Grind'. The studio is targeting a September 22 release for Grind.