Venezuela has the largest proven oil reserves in the world. It was once so rich that Concorde used to fly from Caracas to Paris. But in the last three years its economy has collapsed. Hunger has gripped the nation for years. Now, it’s killing people and animals that are dying of starvation. The Venezuelan government knows, but won’t admit it!!! Four in five Venezuelans live in poverty. People queue for hours to buy food. Much of the time they go without. People are also dying from a lack of medicines. Inflation is at 82,766% and there are warnings it could exceed one million per cent by the end of this year. Venezuelans are trying to get out. The UN says 2.3 million people have fled the country - 7% of the population.

Monday, December 19, 2011

Critics not-so-silent acclaim for 'The Artist'

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Posted: Mon., Dec. 19, 2011, 4:35pm PTThough acclaim and kudos rarely align, this year's more black and whiteBy CHRISTY GROSZCrix stick with 'The Artist.'Critical acclaim has never been the most reliable bellwether for Oscar glory, but the flurry of end-of-year choices by critics groups offers some insight into the films that have awards momentum.With nearly 20 groups having already announced -- and at least a dozen left to come -- one thing has become abundantly...
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Apple prepping movie cloud service...

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Apple Inc. is preparing to put movies in the cloud, entering a market in which it may be both competitor and ally to a similar offering backed by most Hollywood studios. Representatives of the iPhone and iPad maker have been meeting with studios to finalize deals that would allow consumers to buy movies through iTunes and access them on any Apple device, according to knowledgeable people who requested anonymity because the discussions are private. The service is expected...
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Sunday, December 11, 2011

Can Netflix Sell U.S. Users on Foreign Shows?

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The online video giant returns from MIPCOM with a slate of foreign series, including Norwegian gangster drama 'Lilyhammer' starring Steve Van Zandt and 'Borgia' from Tom Fontana. To all Netflix users: get ready for Norwegian gangsters, British vampires and Roman degenerates. MIPCOM 2011: Steve Van Zandt Talks 'Lilyhammer,' Netflix Deal and the Television Revolution (Q&A) 'Arrested Development' Bidding War Breaks Out Between Hulu, Netflix (Report) Deauville 2011:...
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Saturday, October 29, 2011

The Painful Death of Hollywood's Producers: No First Class, No Calls Back...

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Even high-flying big names are being treated badly as studio economics mean cutbacks; says one producer, "I feel like Willy Loman." This article originally appeared in the Oct. 4 issue of The Hollywood Reporter. You aren't going to get me to talk about how awful the studios are!" says one veteran producer before launching into a tirade on the subject. "The studios just don't respect what producers do. They'd rather not have them around. … Studios have way too many...
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VFX vet will discuss the impact of globalization and technology on the busines

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VFX vet will discuss the impact of globalization and technology on the business, 2D-to-3D conversion and the role of technical standards. Visual effects veteran Scott Ross will deliver the keynote address at the Society of Motion Picture & Television Engineers' Technical Conference & Exposition, Oct. 24-28 in Hollywood. MPAA's Chris Dodd to Address Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers Conference He will discuss the current state of 2D-to-3D conversion,...
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Wednesday, October 26, 2011

On Location: Overall L.A. film activity dropped 15% last week...

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It was a tepid week for on-location filming. Production days for film, TV and commercial shoots declined 15% compared with the same period last year, according to the latest permit figures from FilmL.A. Inc. The decrease was driven by feature films, which generated only 81 production days, a 44 % drop over the same period a year earlier. Commercials saw an 11 % decline in production activity, while television production fell 7%. The permit data tracks filming on streets...
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TIFFCOM Market Opens at Tokyo Fest With Record Exhibitors...

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The UniJapan Entertainment Forum got into full swing Monday as the focus at the Tokyo International Film Festival shifted to business. TOKYO -- The TIFFCOM market opened its high-rise doors Monday, as the UniJapan Entertainment Forum got into full swing and the focus at the Tokyo International Film Festival shifted to business. With tourism way down post-Fukushima, and some entertainment artists still avoiding Japanese tours, many market participants expressed pleasant...
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$1.2 Billion Anti-Piracy Suit Filed in Russia...

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Hollywood majors and local players hope it could create an important precedent in fighting online piracy. MOSCOW– The highest profile criminal case for copyright infringement is launched in Russia, which Hollywood majors and local players hope could create an important precedent in fighting online piracy. 'Hurt Locker' producer files massive antipiracy lawsuit Online piracy in India a global problem German Internet Pirate Gets One-Year Suspended Sentence British Telecom...
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Monday, October 24, 2011

Vancouver is losing ground to Toronto and Montreal in attracting Hollywood film and TV shoots.

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Eastwards shift of major studio production in Canada continues as the westernmost province fails to keep pace with Ontario and Quebec on tax credit savings. TORONTO – Vancouver is losing ground to Toronto and Montreal in attracting Hollywood film and TV shoots. Tax Change Threatens Hollywood Production in British Columbia The latest activity report from British Columbia Film + Media indicates foreign, mostly Hollywood producers spent $778 million locally in the westernmost...
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Netflix Stock Tanks; U.S. Subscriber Base Loses 800,000

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UPDATED: The company's third-quarter results are the first look at its financial situation since a series of controversial moves sent its shares reeling. Netflix lost 800,000 U.S. subscribers in the third quarter, about 210,000 more than the company had projected, and the stock was off $32 in after-hours trading as a result. Netflix's Reed Hastings Hasn't Considered Stepping Down, 'Not for A Second' The company's subscriber metrics were released Monday along with...
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CNC : l'amendement qui effraie le cinéma français

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 | 22.10.11 | 13h18   •  Mis à jour le 24.10.11 | 10h28 par Alain Beuve-Méry Stupeur et consternation ont saisi, vendredi 21 octobre, les 600 invités des 21esRencontres cinématographiques de l'ARP, la société civile des Auteurs, réalisateurs et producteurs, qui se tenaient à Dijon, en Côte-d'Or. Toute la famille du cinéma français, voire européen, réunie pour deux jours, ne s'attendait pas à pareil coup. Les membres des institutions...
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Saturday, October 22, 2011

Sony Looks to Move PlayStation Titles to Tablets, Mobile Devices...

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The company wants to expand its portable gaming presence, thus far limited to two tablets and a mobile phone. Sony Corp. is in talks with various manufacturers of mobile phones and tablet computers in an effort to bring video game titles from its PlayStation over to more portable devises. The Wall Street Journal reports Sony revealed ambitions for widening its video game market during All Things Digital's Asia D conference in Hong Kong Friday. This would involve the...
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Mumbai Film Mart Offers Learning Lessons...

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Organized under the aegis of the Mumbai Film Festival, the Mumbai Film Mart is evolving into a much needed B2B platform for the industry. George Harrison: Living in the Material World: Telluride Film Review MUMBAI - The ongoing week-long Mumbai Film Festival (which concludes Thursday) has been attracting its fair share of cineastes given the festival's top notch programming which includes the buzzworthy Martin Scorsese documentary George Harrison: Living In The Material...
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