Phil Quartararo, a record executive for five decades at A&M, RCA, Island, EMI, Warner Bros. and Virgin Records, died today of pancreatic cancer in Los Angeles. He was 67.
15.11.2023 - 16:53 / variety.com
Brent Lang Executive Editor John Fithian, Patrick Corcoran and Jackie Brenneman, who were top executives at the National Association of Theatre Owners, are joining forces to launch a new consulting firm for clients in the cinema space. Dubbed The Fithian Group, the trio will advise clients on strategy and communications, as well as use their connections in the exhibition industry to find investors and forge partnerships. All three executives will serve as founding partners.
In a press release announcing the new business, the partners stressed that they offer “more than 60 years combined experience in the cinema industry.” And they do have deep ties to independent theater operators, as well as the major cinema chains. Fithian spent three decades at the National Association of Theatre Owners or NATO as it’s known, as its outside counsel and then as its president and CEO. He led the lobbying group through the COVID pandemic, which shut down theaters, and he helped oversee the introduction of digital projection, a costly and complicated transition.
Fithian stepped down last spring and was replaced by Michael O’Leary. Brenneman and Corcoran exited the organization later in the year. Brenneman is the former executive VP and general counsel of NATO and then helped found the Cinema Foundation, which was supposed to supply more data to exhibitors and studios, as its president.
Corcoran was NATO’s former VP and its chief communications officer. “We have spent the last couple of decades helping to guide the cinema industry through the biggest challenges it has faced,” said Fithian. “Now, having survived those challenges, we want to help our industry clients seize opportunities and grow.
Phil Quartararo, a record executive for five decades at A&M, RCA, Island, EMI, Warner Bros. and Virgin Records, died today of pancreatic cancer in Los Angeles. He was 67.
Christopher Nolan has said that he will not be directing the next James Bond film.The Oppenheimer director has long been linked with a possible involvement in the British spy franchise, and has spoken multiple times in the past about his admiration for the films, even expressing direct interest in becoming a part of it.In a new interview with Associated Press, however, he has formally distanced himself from Bond. When asked whether that might be his next project, he said: “No, sadly no – no truth to those rumours.”In July, Nolan had said that it would be “an amazing privilege” to direct a Bond film.“The influence of those movies in my filmography is embarrassingly apparent.
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Eric Clapton‘s iconic guitars – named “The Fool” – has become one of the most expensive guitars ever at auction.On Thursday, November 16, the musician’s 1964 custom-painted psychedelic Gibson SG was sold for $1.27 million (£1.03 million) at Julien’s Auctions. The six-string instrument was sold as part of the three-day music auction event “Played, Worn and Torn: Rock N’ Roll Iconic Guitars and Memorabilia” at the Hard Rock Café in Nashville.Per Guitar World, the guitar is the same ’64 SG that Clapton played when he and his Cream bandmates were creating their second LP, ‘Disraeli Gears’.
Rafa Sales Ross Guest Contributor It took director Ariel Kuaray Ortega almost two decades to be able to tell a story he’s heard throughout his entire life: the strange tale of Canuto, a man who mysteriously transformed into a jaguar and then died a tragic death. The resulting film, “Canuto’s Transformation,” had its world premiere at the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam, where it took the award for best film in the Envision Competition and the outstanding artistic contribution award.
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It’s that time of the year when Manchester city centre transforms into a Christmas wonderland. The Christmas Markets are finally up and running, welcoming hordes of shoppers to buy food, drink and presents from the picture perfect wooden huts.
The Smile have revealed details of their brand-new album, Wall Of Eyes. The album is the second from the trio (Radiohead's Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood plus drummer Tom Skinner) and follows their 2022 debut A Light For Attracting Attention.
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Leo Barraclough International Features Editor Rise and Shine World Sales has acquired In-Soo Radstake’s “Selling a Colonial War,” which world premieres in the International Competition section of documentary festival IDFA in Amsterdam. “Selling a Colonial War” looks to encourage the Dutch government and society to accept responsibility for their actions as a colonial power in Indonesia – and especially their actions when fighting a war in Indonesia after the country declared independence in 1945. The Dutch government still refrains from using the term “war crimes” to describe their actions as this would have great impact on calls for reparation.
Matt Rife and his girlfriend Jessica Lord are now red carpet official!
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Leo Barraclough International Features Editor Deckert Distribution CEO Liselot Verbrugge is to launch a new company as the German sales agency prepares to wind down its operations in 2024, with founder Heino Deckert moving fully to production. Verbrugge is attending IDFA documentary festival this week, where the Sundance awarded film “Against the Tide,” one of the agency’s bestsellers this year, is playing in the Best of Fest section. Amsterdam-based Verbrugge joined Deckert at the start of 2019 as head of sales and acquisition, starting with the roll out of double Academy Award nominated “Honeyland.” She took over the reins of the company as CEO two years ago.
Any fan of superhero movies knows that a potential blockbuster is only as good as the villain that their favorite heroes face off against in it.
The Marvels is the 33rd movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which began in 2008 with Iron Man. Ever since then, hundreds of our favorite actors have appeared in the superhero movies and TV shows, but there are surprisingly only a handful of real-life couples that are part of the MCU.