AGENDA
Carlyle and Cousins plot ‘way’ ahead
Actor Robert Carlyle, director Antonia Bird and Mark Cousins, creator of BBCZ's Scene By Scene series and former director of the Edinburgh International Film Festival, last week launched a new production company at the Cannes Film Festival. Working out of Edinburgh, Glasgow and London - where the company has secured a ’first look’ deal with BBC Films - 4Way Pictures will produce both commercial and experimental films as well as quality television drama.
Cousins outlined the 4Way ethic: ‘We want to make old-style Hollywood films with the energy of contemporary filmmaking. One thing that is important to us is that half of our projects are Scottish based, so there’s a definite Scottish flavour.’
4Way has ten films in development, some of which will be written by Cousins, star Carlyle and directed by Bird. First up are Scottish Western, which will star Carlyle and does what the title suggests, transplanting the American film genre to Scotland, and Rebekka, an experimental feature to be produced by Cousins and directed by Bird.
Carlyle took time out from filming The World Is Not Enough, the new James Bond film in which he plays 007’s nemeses, to fly into Cannes to join his new partners. ‘I've always wanted creative freedom and the space to do honest work,’ he commented. 'I think the way 4Way Pictures is being based at the BBC means that Antonia, Mark and I will have that freedom.’
'4Way isn’t just about us three,’ added Bird, who directed Carlyle in Face and the forthcoming Ravenous and whose career was championed by Cousins at the EIFF where her earlier films, Safe and Priest, won awards. '4Way is also about finding new filmmaking talent.’
Other Scots were also in evidence at Cannes. Director Lynne Ramsey's first feature, Ratcatcher, was screened in official selection in Cannes. Although the Glasgow- set film failed to pick up the Camera d'Or award,
Mogul in the making: Robert Carlyle
Ramsey - whose short films Small Deaths and Gasman previously won prizes at Cannes — was roundly praised by the international press as a powerful new talent.
Edinburgh-born, Queen Margaret College-educated, Leith-living actor Stuart Sinclair Blyth made his film debut in Hold Back The Night, which was shot in the Highlands and played in the Critics' Week section of the festival.
Finally, Sean Connery was in Cannes post-election to promote his new film, Entrapment. The ageing hero provided the requisite glamour at the film festival, which was otherwise lacking in star power by its own high standards. (Miles Fielder)
Edinburgh Millennium countdown begins 5
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00 Heaven: Edinburgh catches Millennial fever
’This is going to be the biggest and best New Year’s celebration that the world has ever seen,’ claims a confident Peter lrvrne of Unique Events, the company responsible for the Herculean task of organising the Millennial shindig for Edinburgh's Hogmanay
20 THE LIST 27 l.1ay— 10 run 1.999
Some 60 different events wrll take place over a seven day period, extended from last year’s four, to allow more peOple access to celebrations around the City. Aside from the central showpiece — the Virgin and McEwans Street Party — other highiights include the Bank of Scotland Torchlight ProceSSron. This Will wind its way thrOugh the Old Town on Monday 27 December, acting as the official opening to the celebrations Over the next two days the GUI will host a Street Theatre Spectacular invoIVing over 300 performers 'Beating the Retreat from the 20th Century,’ see an estimated 1000 pipers, fiddlers and dancers wend their merry way down the Royal Mile.
The cost of the celebrations to the CounCil have effectively dOubIed this year to {2.8 million, however it is antiCipated that most of this Will be covered thfough sponsorship and the £250,000 grant allocated by the
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Millennium CommiSSion It is estimated that £13 million in revcmue will be brought into the capital throughout the week lone. bas‘r‘.
AlthOugh the tijtrntdc‘iwn has now officially begun, many events Will remain unconfirmed t.nt:l Noverrtber of this year No wort: yet, to" exainpie, on exactly what wall be ()(CLJY'FIHQ in the giant arena it: be constructed alongside the Street Party Even its locatron is still to be finaiiseo
The Street Party itself wrl again be limited to 180,000 t'tkets, although riemano 's -;erta;r‘ to be tar 'treater First refusal ':;:‘ ticketed events viill go to riiembers of the First Foot Club, so i: you want to be guaranteed access to the happening of your choice, (all 013‘. 473 2056 Further It1lt)!‘.’T1ii°thl1 can be obtained by calling 09069 150150, but be warned, it costs £1 per minute, so talk fast See The list for more details as the hysteria mounts. rSriirone Band)
The Scottish Inquisition
Questions you don’t expect. This issue: Michael Dale, Director, Glasgow West End Festival. Broadsheet or tabloid?
Broadsheet for show, tabloid for coupons
First arts/media/music related job? Shaftesbury Theatre, London as an usher. 1 saw Hair eight times a week in 1972.
What is your career highlight?
I started Fringe Sunday in Holyrood Park in 1983.
The award for a lifetime contribution to Scottish culture goes to?
Pat Lally for taking it seriously.
Name a work of art that you cannot live without . ..
'Late In The Evening' by Paul Simon.
. . . and a law that you are proud to have broken?
My soliCitor says that havrng Hush Puppies is no longer a crime.
You're about to be exiled — where and how would you spend your last night?
! would hire the City Chambers tGIasgov/s Greatest Building) for champagne for everyone I know then we would go into George Square to hear La Bottine Souriante and BB. King and I would take my wrfe and kids to Rogano's before late-night cabaret with Ry Cooder.
Glasgow: City of Architecture & Design. But which Scottish building would you like destroyed?
Glasgow is a stone built city that can look fabulous, so anything made of concrete would not be missed.
What motion would you make as an MSP?
That Glasgow and Edinburgh be forced to work together,
Top Scot of the new Millennium? Alex Ferguson to pip Davrd Mach What should be in the Millennium Dome?
Paying c‘ustoiners'
How do you see Scotland's future? Through rose-tinted Raybans Compiled by Rob Fraser: :0" coverage next
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