'The Artist' tops DGA Awards

"The Artist" director Michel Hazanavicius has won the Directors Guild of America feature film award. The French director topped Woody Allen for "Midnight in Paris," David Fincher for "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo," Alexander Payne for "The Descendants" and Martin Scorsese for "Hugo." "It's maybe the highest honor I could hope," Hazanavicius said in his acceptance. "I love directors, I honor directors so this is an honor for me."The black and white silent -- described by the helmer as a "love letter" to Hollywood -- is set in the days during the transition to talkies."It's strange to compare films and say which one is best but I'm very happy to get this," Hazanavicius concluded in his acceptance speech.The trophy was presented Saturday night at the Hollywood and Highland ballroom by Tom Hooper, winner of last year's DGA award for "The King's Speech." James Marsh won the documentary trophy for "Project Nim," centered on a chimpanzee's life among humans. The comedy series trophy went to Robert B. Weide for "Palestinian Chicken" episode of HBO's "Curb Your Enthusiasm." "Modern Family" had won the category for two years in a row.Patty Jenkins won the dramatic series award goes for the pilot of AMC's "The Killing."The DGA win came on the first nomination for Hazanavicius - and marks the first time that a silent film has won the DGA trophy.The winner of the DGA Award has matched the Oscar winner in all but six years since 1948, including last year, when Tom Hooper took both trophies for "The King's Speech." The last divergence came in 2002, when Rob Marshall won the DGA Award for "Chicago" and Roman Polanski received the Academy Award for "The Pianist."Amy Schatz won the DGA Award for childrens programming for "A Child's Garden of Poetry"Noam Murro won the DGA commercials award and got a big laugh with his two-word acceptance -- "Thank You"Daytime serials award went to William Ludel for "General Hospital." The reality award went to Neil P. DeGroot for "The Biggest Loser."Woody Allen was a no-show as usual but received big laughs on his videotaped speech for receiving a DGA nom -- "This is somewhere between the top, the Nobel Prize, and the bottom, the Republican primary." Contact Dave McNary at dave.mcnary@variety.com

Frst trailer arrives for Brake

A preliminary trailer remains released for claustrophobic thriller Brake, through which Stephen Dorff's secret service agent stimulates to discover themselves in a corner from the vehicle, with no method of escape together with a timer counting lower to God knows what.For your first a couple of seconds roughly, it seems as if this can most likely be an affordable knock-from Ryan Reynolds' ordeal in Hidden, but since the trailer progresses, it may be apparent that Brake will probably be taking a slightly different route than Rodrigo Cortes' clever thriller.Take a look within the trailer below... It seems as though Dorff's prison might be a modern-day when compared to a simple coffin, along with his captors posting him to numerous both mental and physical torture to have the ability to extract the information they're after.It's also worth watching a clip appears to demonstrate Dorff up adding to outdoors his vehicular prison, and then we can believe that eventually, he'll make his escape. Whether that's just a component of the terrorists' plan remains to look.Targeted by Gabe Torres, Brake will probably be released in the usa on 23 March 2012, getting a Uk release date not been confirmed. Anyone to avoid if you're claustrophobic...

Criminal Minds' Paget Brewster: Prentiss and Hotch Could have a "Nice Little Moment"

Paget Brewster, Criminal Minds Paget Brewster was already bracing for your fan reaction."There's a pleasant little moment between Prentiss and Hotch inside the episode," she notifies TVGuide.com of Criminal Minds' 150th installment airing Wednesday. "I realize the fans who wish Hotch and Prentiss together will probably go nuts! They're totally gonna lose it. I am in a position to already picture it. People would like them so far for reasons uknown but this could just furthermore.InchExamine out photos from Criminal MindsUnfortunately for Hotch (Thomas Gibson) and Prentiss (Brewster) 'shippers, a romance isn't likely - for the moment no less than, particularly together with his budding relationship with Jesse (Bellamy Youthful) - but that doesn't increase the risk for duo's moment any decreased. Really, it's a major level in Prentiss' existence as she finally processes coming back within the "dead" after Hotch and Qq (A.J. Prepare) photoshopped her dying to evade her IRA enemy Ian Doyle (Timothy V. Murphy) last season. "When she returned this year, she got back to working, and Reid (Matthew Gray Gubler) and Morgan (Shemar Moore) were angry about being lied to [about her dying], to make sure that will be a concern on her behalf,In . Brewster states. "She's not had time to really address Doyle stabbing her and being 'dead.'" To date. When Hotch receives her final report from her mandated counselor, who removed Prentiss, they are fully aware not wake up. "He sees the incongruencies and is dependant on them. He's like, 'You're not dealing it, but sooner or later you'll, so let me know.AInch Tomorrow comes when the BAU heads to Houston to pursue "The Piano Guy," a rapist who's attacking his previous sufferers. Among people sufferers, Regina Lampert (Dina Meyer), tries to turn the tables on him. "She eventually eventually ends up safeguarding herself to Prentiss and Prentiss is type of faced with [Regina saying], 'Oh, you've been attacked?'" Brewster states. "Plus it evolves from the stranger. In my opinion that's type of how things work. You find that when you're upset about something otherwise you separate with someone, you continue it inside and someone you don't know states, 'Hey, are you currently presently OK?' and you also completely lose it? You are trying to stay on the surface of it also it hidden. This is actually the dynamic here. Then Prentiss discloses to Hotch that she's not OK. This can be a large deal on her behalf. It did profoundly affect her and he or she was trying not to deal with it." Watch clips from Criminal MindsHow Hotch might help Prentiss be ready for her trauma - lest we forget, he was attacked with the Reaper inside the Season 4 finale - may have out for your relaxation of the year. But it'll be strictly on professional and innocent levels. And Brewster hopes it remains by doing this. "In my opinion [the show] would jump the shark [once they met up]," she states. "Inside the real existence, that you have 24 several hours daily rather than 44 minutes to see an account, In my opinion people in the office connect. Thomas which i joke relating to this constantly, however when you have to capture serial killings, when are you currently presently making out? And the way is always that appropriate? ... In my opinion the authors and producers as well as the stars are very alert to the particular Behavior Analysis Unit that individuals wouldn't wish to be false on their behalf. I like people hooking up up in, like, a hospital drama, however it doesn't really work with a dark tone. I really deeply love the little moments we have though that you see most of us hooking up or doing something aside from work and acquire a consider our life-style.InchPrentiss' moment with Hotch, clearly, wouldn't be possible otherwise for your Doyle arc, which was only concocted after CBS demoted Brewster before Season 6. The network also let Prepare go, but rehired both full-time with this particular year. Brewster asked for the authors to kill her off then, they did but amended last-minute.Criminal Minds: Top 8 Prentiss moments"My last scene where I used to be in Paris will be a surprise in my opinion. They were like, 'We might want you to definitely certainly return.' I mentioned, 'All right, I'll shoot it, but I'm not showing my face.' I felt like if you'd like me in the show, kill me, however when you will need a high high cliff-hanger, OK, I'll do that. I shot an plane pilot also it didn't go, plus they mentioned, 'You're back!' I'd another year in my contract which i didn't find out about, therefore i required to return! I mentioned, 'Hey, I kinda want an apology and possibly a rise.An Advantage these were enjoy, 'No, we'll sue you!'" Brewster states getting fun. "The whole factor was, sadly, chaos. It absolutely was dumb. They thought they'd spend less by getting rid of us ... and ultimately got us back. However loved the Doyle plot. Timothy Murphy is actually a great actor and therefore enjoyable. The authors reached behave different, which i acquired to behave different."Though her contract determined her return, Brewster wants making it apparent that she's very happy to return along with her work group of history six years, and she's forever grateful for the fans who petitioned on her behalf and Cook's rehirings. "It was not like they cut my arm off making me return," she states. "I buy to go to work each day with people I love. That crew is actually funny. It's a classic household there, that's bad and the good. Sometimes you have to f---ing kill them! In an ideal way. As well as the best factor was the fans approaching in my opinion whole time. That was the most effective.InchTogether together with her contract up this year, would she consider coming back for Season 8? "Whether or not this computes, yeah," Brewster states. "I like everyone here which is just nice to experience a job. Really the only reason we have [season finale] high high cliff-wardrobe wardrobe hangers is because of our contracts, so possibly [Prentiss are available in risk this year. I merely kind of have to wait and discover. They formerly fired me once!"Besides, if she doesn't return, "the Hotch and Prentiss dream would die - I am unable to allow that happen again!"Criminal Minds airs Wednesdays at 9/8c on CBS.

Ford, Wesley join Prescreen board

Prescreen, a startup movie marketing and distribution platform, has tapped IM Global topper Stuart Ford and Blockbuster exec Tim Wesley as members of its newly formed board of advisors. Ford founded IM Global in April 2007, originally in partnership with Internationalmedia AG, and three years later sold a majority stake in the company to Reliance Entertainment. Wesley co-founded Milestone Entertainment and has worked at Paramount, Sony, Maverick Films, Ripe Digital Entertainment Inc. and Neustar Media. Prescreen also said its VOD rental showcase has been expanded to feature a total of 15 Sundance selections from previous years on its site. Prescreen says its the only website which includes all the available trailers for this year's festival selections. Partners for the Prescreen Sundance Festival include Kino Lorber; Monterey Media; Strand Releasing; First Run Features; Indie Blitz and Film Movement. Contact Dave McNary at dave.mcnary@variety.com

Summit, Lionsgate to work through foreign

The way the Summit-Lionsgate merger plays out overseas is going to be interesting both when it comes to its foreign sales operation and Summit's existing output deals across a raft of areas. Because it stands, sources indicate that Summit's and Lionsgate's sales procedures continues out of the box for that relaxation of 2012, with both procedures (Summit's headed by David Garrett and Lionsgate's by Helen Lee Kim) confirming to Patrick Wachsberger. As Summit's entire operation grown from worldwide sales, dealmakers appear keen for that sales arm to remain intact underneath the eye of the Summit professional. For output deals, Summit includes a raft of contracts placed in nations including Blighty (eOne), The country (Aurum), Australia (Hopscotch/eOne), Russia (Central Partnership) and Germany (Tele Munchen). Additionally, Summit funnels its very own productions in South America through IDC Films, a partnership with NuVision founder-director Pedro Rodriguez. Associates demonstrate that, at the moment, these existing deals is going to be satisfied before the finish of 2012 a minimum of. How existing contracts will pan out next remains to appear. EOne and eOne/Hopscotch both restored output deals this past year for 3 years while exclusive six-year results with Central Partnership and Tele Munchen along with a three-year output with Aurum were inked pre-AFM in November. While these deals could be seen as attractive assets to Lionsgate, Summit's greatest cash cow worldwide has unquestionably been the "Twilight" franchise, along with other Summit product generally carrying out tepidly in the box office. In Blighty, the 4 "Twilight" payments have produced a lot more than $150 million for distrib eOne (including $16.3 million in the first installment with Contender, before eOne's acquisition) during The country the franchise has made a lot more than $95 million. Moving forward, the organization can decide to which banner to greenlight photos and whether Summit will be the most attractive option given a current an output deal. The territory which will most have the affects from the merger within the long term may be the U.K., where Lionsgate already includes a thriving distribution hub. Following the three-year contract with eOne sometimes appears through, it might be preferable for the organization to funnel production through its very own operation. Contact Diana Lodderhose at diana.lodderhose@variety.com

PM Demands More Mainstream Filmmaking

David Cameron visits 007 studioNow, we usually steer clear of politics on Empire's newsfeed. It's not because we don't care or carry opinions; more because we're planning our own Equilibrium style dictatorship and don't want to play our hand too early. David Cameron, by contrast, has made no bones about opinionating on British film industry prior to Lord Smith's review on the government's film policy.Ahead of a visit to Pinewood Studios, the prime minister praised the British film industry for its "incalculable contribution to our culture", but tempered his words by claiming that British filmmakers need to be more ambitious and "aim higher"."Our role, and that of the BFI, should be to support the sector in becoming even more dynamic and entrepreneurial, helping UK producers to make commercially successful pictures that rival the quality and impact of the best international productions," said the man with Armageddon on his DVD shelf.Cameron continued: "Just as the British Film Commission has played a crucial role in attracting the biggest and best international studios to produce their films here, so we must incentivise UK producers to chase new markets both here and overseas."How this will translate into the BFI's distribution of lottery funds remains to be seen, but it's surely not good news for anyone hoping to make films like Tyrannosaur (£200k of lottery funding) or Hunger (£250k) in the years ahead.Cameron has forgotten that nobody could have predicted big box-office hits like The King's Speech and Slumdog Millionaire, Ken Loach told BBC Breakfast. "This is a travesty. If everybody knew what would be successful before it was made, there would be no problem," said the veteran filmmaker."What you have to do is fund a lot of different, varied projects and then some will be successful, some will be original, some will be creative, and you will get a very vibrant industry."Loach expressed a concern "that this review signally will fail to challenge" was "the ongoing monopoly of multiplexes where you get a very narrow range of films". Ken, we've got five words for you: The King's Speech 2: Speech Harder.