Propaganda pics prized in China

BEIJING -- China's two biggest propaganda movies of recent years were among the big winners at the the state-sponsored Huabiao Awards on Sunday in Beijing. Propaganda epic "Beginning of the Great Revival" and its more successful companion pic about the 1949 revolution that brought the Communists to power, "The Founding of a Republic" received the Outstanding Film kudo along with Feng Xiaogang's "Aftershock," "The Piano in a Factory," "Ocean Heaven" and six other pics at the 14th Huabiao Film Awards, the highest government honors for the movie industry in China. The biennial Huabiao Awards have something for nearly everyone and many awards are shared, reflecting the interests of the Communist government. The awards are sponsored by the industry regulator, SARFT (State Administration of Broadcast, Film and Television) and began life as the Ministry of Culture's Excellent Film Awards in 1957. They take their name from the decorative columns outside the Forbidden City in the heart of Beijing. Other awards went to: DIRECTOR Han Sanping and Huang Jianxin "The Founding of a Republic"/ Wang Jia and Shen Dongping "Shenzhou 11" ACTOR Li Xuejian "Yang Shanzhou"/ Ge You "Sacrifice" ACTRESS Na Renhua "Mother"/ Xu Fan "Aftershock" COLLABORATIVE FILM "Dark October"/" Confucius"/"The Message"/"Ocean Heaven" ROOKIE ACTOR Wen Zhang "Ocean Heaven" ROOKIE ACTRESS Zhou Dongyu "Under the Hawthorn Tree" ETHNIC CHINESE ACTOR FROM OUTSIDE MAINLAND CHINA Chow Yun-fat "Confucius" ETHNIC CHINESE ACTRESS FROM OUTSIDE MAINLAND CHINA Sandra Ng "Echoes of the Rainbow" Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com

MTV VMAs: Pregnant Beyonce Hits Stage, Rubs Belly (Video)

An expectant Beyonce required happens at Sunday's Video Music Honours.our editor recommendsMTV Video Music Honours 2011: The NomineesMTV Video Music Honours: Tyler the Creator Disses Bruno Mars: Twitter Responds MTV VMAs: Lady Gaga's Performance: Twitter ReactionsRelated Subjects•MTV Video Music Honours The singer, who revealed Sunday evening that they's expecting her first child with husband, Jay-Z, made an appearance onstage inside a tuxedo having a crimson sequined jacket and black pants to do "Love on the top." PHOTOS: VMAs Red-colored Carpet Fashion Following the song was over, Beyonce unbuttoned her jacket and applied her belly, having a huge grin on her behalf face. The cameras then cut to Jay-Z, who had been clearly elated within the move because he was getting cheered on by his Watch the Throne collaborator Kanye. PHOTOS: MTV VMAs Finest Feuds Beyonce made the announcement about being pregnant about the red-colored carpet earlier at night. "OMG Beyonce just designed a huge announcement about the #vma carpet! #baby!!!!!," MTV tweeted Sunday evening, having a photo from the singer-actress together with her on the job her stomach. PHOTOS: VMAs Most Crazy Red-colored Carpet Fashion Beyonce's repetition confirmed this news to simply Jared that they could be expecting her first child with husband, Jay-Z. She and Jay-Z were married in 2008 after dating for six years. Jay-Z and West also carried out their single "Otis" in the VMAs. 2011 VMA - Music - Beyoncé Related Subjects Beyonce Jay-Z Kanye Video Music Honours VMAs 2011

Midnight Warning

A sister & brother check into a posh hotel. Shortly thereafter, the brother is missing, & despite the sister's inquiries, no one admits to ever having seen the man. Meanwhile, a sniper shoots bullets through the window of the room that the brother & sister stayed in. Is there any connection between these events? That's the mystery.

Djimon Hounsou Joins Bradley Cooper in Paradise Lost

Sure, we’ve already gotten a sneak peak of what Bradley Cooper could look like as the devil in Paradise Lost, but that doesn’t mean Legendary Pictures is done casting their adaptation of the John Milton novel. Just today, Oscar-nominated actor Djimon Hounsou joined the Alex Proyas-directed production as Abdiel, the angel of death. If Paradise Lost still needs an archangel of divine street fights, may we suggest Ryan Gosling? [Variety]

'Officer' tuner sets Sydney world preem

Richard Gere starred in the 1982 pic "An Officer and a Gentleman." SYDNEY -- Big-budget tuner "An Officer and a Gentleman -- The Musical," an Aussie-U.S. co-production based on the Richard Gere-starrer, will world preem in Sydney in May.Tuner was announced on Monday at a presser on board the HMAS Sydney, moored at the city's Garden Island naval base.The world preem will take place at the Lyric Theater on May 24, produced by Australia's Gordon Frost Organization and Sharleen Cooper Cohen, co-producer and co-writer of the show.Musical will be helmed by Simon Phillips, outgoing topper of the Melbourne Theater Company, and helmer of "Priscilla: Queen of the Desert -- The Musical" now on the London stage.Douglas Day Stewart, who wrote the movie script, will co-script the tuner with Cooper Cohen.Auditions were held in Sydney last week with casting now 80% completed. Tuner will also feature the key tune "Up Where We Belong" by Joe Cocker and Jennifer Warnes that won an Oscar and Grammy upon release; a new score and songs will be provided by Ken Hirsch and Robin Lerner."All of the classic, beloved musicals in history have had source material and I went down the list of famous love stories and I thought that 'An Officer and a Gentleman' would sing to the world," Cooper-Cohen said at the launch. "It had every element of all the classic iconic musicals and it was based on brilliant source material. It's a movie that people see again and again, written by Douglas Day Stewart who told part of the story of his own life in it, so for me it was the perfect vehicle for a musical."Day Stewart said: "As an artist my greatest thrill was seeing how auds around the world would embrace this Cinderella tale. Today, with the help of this amazing team of Australian and American artists, we are about to bring this wonderful story of love and hope to the musical stage where we are confident it will inspire challenge and uplift many generations to come."Producer John Frost said the world preem further cemented Down Under's reputation as a pre-Gotham proving ground for tuners after it bowed "Doctor Zhivago," also produced by Frost, in February."It's bringing Americans and Australians together to do commercial new works," said Frost who aims to get a third new tuner up after "Officer."Oz is a cheaper option for tuner tryouts but Cooper-Cohen praised the talent pool and government support, while acknowledging that economics was a strong factor in her choice of preeming in Sydney."Frankly because it's a commercial run, the investors will make back their money and turn a profit hopefully," she said. Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com

Sony TV, Caracol partner

Sony Pictures TV exec Donna Cunningham and Caracol president Carlos Alejandro Perez-Davila announce the co-production deal. Sony Pictures TV exec Donna Cunningham and Caracol president Carlos Alejandro Perez-Davila announce the co-production deal. Sony Pictures Television and Colombia's Caracol Television have inked a three-year pact to co-produce at least two primetime skeins a year for Caracol. The commercial broadcaster will also produce local versions of shows from SPT's scripted format catalog. Accord builds on a long-running relationship between the two. Last year, SPT co-produced its first telenovela with Caracol, "Amar y temer" (To Love and to Fear), centered on a romance between a 1950s feminist leader and a boxer during a time of political upheaval in Colombia. It is currently No. 2 in its timeslot. In 2009, Caracol and Sony Entertainment Television, Sony's pan-regional channel, co-produced skein "Los caballeros las prefieren brutas" (Gentlemen Prefer Them Dumb), based on the novel by Isabella Santo Domingo. Caracol remade SPT sitcom "Who's the Boss" in 2006 and "Married With Children" the previous year, with the latter becoming the first U.S. sitcom localized for Colombia. Announcement was made by Caracol TV prexy Carlos Alejandro Perez-Davila and Donna Cunningham, SPT's managing director and exec VP of Latin America and U.S. Hispanic production. Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com

Henry Cavill talks British actors storming Hollywood

Total Film has spoken exclusively to man of the moment, Henry Cavill about why British actors suddenly seem to be taking over Hollywood.The Man of Steel star says that it's just down to a mix of good timing and the sheer quality of our home-grown talent."I think maybe it's an experience thing", says Cavill."I've done quite a few jobs over an 11-year career and maybe it just so happens that all the Brits are hitting their peak at the same time. No matter what age we are, we just seem to be coming into our stride."Maybe there are lots of people out there who haven't been seen yet. So we'll have to wait and see!"It's great to have as many great actors out there as possible because it doesn't have to limited to just a few good actors. The more good actors the better. We can bloody well work together and make great movies together."When we asked him what's next on the cards after Man Of Steel, Cavill says he's ruling nothing out. "I want to do everything! Maybe a fantasy type thing or some historical fiction. Maybe a sci-fi..."Man Of Steel is set to open in cinemas Summer 2013.

Nanoyou

Introducing the strange " new world " of Nanoscience, read by Stephen Fry. Where and what's nano? The way it shape our future? Nanoscience is study regarding phenomena and manipulation of materials in the nanoscale, where qualities differ considerably from individuals in a bigger scale. The strange realm of nanoscience - it will take you into atoms and beyond stars.

IMDb - Pitch

Long time friends and aspiring Toronto-based filmmakers, Kenny Hotz and Spencer Rice (who Kenny calls Spenny), have written a movie, a transgender mob comedy called "The Dawn", the script which they are trying to sell to get produced. They envision the movie to be a big budget Hollywood production with an all-star cast, rather than a low budget flick. Through cold calling, they quickly learn that they will need one piece of the movie in place - whether it be financing, or a major star or director signed on - before anyone else will really listen to them. More importantly, they need a reputable agent to do the leg work for them. They take the opportunity of the 1996 Toronto International Film Festival - a festival where many of the Hollywood elite attend - to pitch the movie to whomever will listen. Some people do give them advice, as well as advice concerning the making of this documentary, however they garner no solid leads. Thus, they move to the ultimate step in trying to get their movie made: go to Hollywood and knock on doors.