Salada, Querosene set 'High Five'

BUENOS AIRES -- Mariana Secco's Montevideo-based Salado Media is teaming with Brazil's Querosene Filmes to produce Manuel Facal's feature debut, "High Five." The Uruguayan movie underscores two building trends in Latin America: producers' increasing concern to conquer local audiences and the emergence of a new generation of filmmakers who view their films as primarily entertainment, not social-issue pics. "Five" turns on a stoner who stumbles on a stash of marijuana, cocaine, LSD, ecstasy and ketamine. He assembles four friends and each takes one drug. "High Five" recounts what they remember as happening afterwards. Shooting next summer, "Five," which won Uruguay's main Fona subsidy award, is "an exercise in screwball comedy, a format usually linked to light comedies, adapted to stronger content," Facal said. Its cinematographer, Pedro Luque, and production designer, Federico Capra, both worked on Uruguayan Gustavo Hernandez's micro-budget horror hit "The Silent House," which sparked a U.S. remake and worldwide sales. Set in a Montevideo divided by class and wealth, "Five" "charts the long and confusing transition from adolescence to adulthood," said Secco, who called "Five" " 'Scott Pilgrim' meets 'Dazed and Confused,'" She added, "What's really interesting is to have a new-generation director who doesn't want to go from festival to festival but wants to make movies like the U.S. buddy comedies he grew up on." Querosene topper Joao Queiroz is in talks for theatrical distribution in Brazil. Given "Five's" 18-30 demo, Secco said the producers are exploring straight-to-TV for some territories and Internet VOD distribution. Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com

First Generation Films is 'Blessed'

MONTREAL -- Canada's First Generation Films, which produced "Amreeka" and "The Whistleblower," is planning "The Lesser Fortunate," based on Richard Van Camp's first novel.Pic follows Ray Sole, a Canuck Tlicho Indian maturing inside a small northern town, who digs rock, existence inside the North as well as the high-school "tramp."Ray is carried out by 16-year-old newcomer Joel Evans, who arises from Fort Cruz inside the Northwest Areas.The cast includes Benjamin Bratt, Kiowa Gordon, Tamara Podemski and Chloe Rose.The pic is going to be written and directed by Ukrainian Anita Doron ("The Conclusion of Silence," "Late Fragment") and produced starting with Generation's Christina Piovesan with Alex Lalonde co-creating.Entertainment You've Canadian and worldwide sales rights for the pic, which will shoot in northern Ontario. Contact the number newsroom at news@variety.com

Democrats Release 'Hollywood-Style' Ad Attacking Mitt Romney (Video)

Borrowing a page from the movie marketers' playbook, the Democratic National Committee on Monday released a 30-second TV spot-a "trailer-style" video titled "Mitt v. Mitt"-that blasts the Republicans' presidential frontrunner Mitt Romney for being a politician who is "willing to say anything."our editor recommendsBox Office Politics: The Movies and Stars Dems vs. GOPers Love (and Love to Hate)President Obama Holds Secret Meet-and-Greet With Hollywood Execs and Influencers (Exclusive)Obama Addresses Hollywood: Reelection Won't Be as Sexy as His First Campaign PHOTOS: Box Office Politics: The Movies and Stars Dems vs. GOPers Love (and Love to Hate) According to the DNC, the TV ad is, in fact, a trailer for a longer video treatment available on the committee's new website, MittvMitt.com, which highlights the former Massachusetts governor's current contradiction of his former positions on a range of issues involving the economy, immigration, a woman's right to choose and workers' rights,. (The longer "treatment" includes sound bites from Jay Leno, Conan O'Brien and Ronald Reagan.) PHOTOS: 10 Hollywood Players That Will Make a Difference in the 2012 Elections The anti-Romney videos underscore two important things about the Obama campaign: It clearly views the former Massachusetts governor as the president's chief foe, and the campaign is unafraid to use Hollywood-style promotional tactics (along with entertainment industry money) to fight him. The video seems likely to get an additional bounce from its timing, since much of the mainstream news media's current coverage of Romney is focusing on how he's attacking his surging rival Newt Gingrich for taking a position on undocumented immigrants that the former Massachusetts governor once advocated himself. VIDEO: Mitt Romney's 2007 'Meet the Press' Appearance Provides Fodder for Newt Gingrich Campaign The "trailer"-whose script was released by the DNC-begins with the sort of voice over familiar to theater goers: VO: From the creator of "I'm running for office for Pete's sake" CHYRON: From the creator of "I'm running for office for Pete's sake" CHYRON: Lawn work at Romney's home still done by illegal immigrants, Boston Globe, 12/04/07 VO: ...comes the story of two men trapped in one body. VO: Mitt versus Mitt EXCLUSIVE STORY: Mitt Romney Is First GOP Presidential Hopeful to Book Hollywood Fundraiser CHYRON: Mitt vs. Mitt MITT ROMNEY: I will preserve and protect a woman's right to choose. CHYRON: Pro-choice, MittvMitt.com ROMNEY: The right next step... is to see Roe Vs. Wade overturned. CHYRON: Anti-choice, MittvMitt.com VO: Two Mitts willing to say anything. CHYRON: MittvMitt.com, Willing to say anything ROMNEY: We put together an exchange, and the President's copying that idea. I'm glad to hear that. CHYRON: Pro-health reform, MittvMitt.com VIDEO: Hollywood-Funded Super PAC Blasts Mitt Romney in Internet Attack Ad ROMNEY: Obamacare is bad news. CHYRON: Anti-health reform, MittvMitt.com VO: See it all at MittvMitt.com CHYRON: See it all at MittvMitt.com [DNC Disclaimer] STORY: GOP Flameout to Six-Figure TV Star: Analysts Weigh in on Who'll Make It The ad currently is running in Albuquerque, NM; Raleigh-Durham, NC; Columbus, OH;Pittsburgh, PA; Washington, DC; and, Milwaukee, WI on a mix of broadcast and cable. The strategy at work, according to the DNC, is that "Democrats don't need any dirty tricks to prove Mitt Romney has no core convictions and no new ideas for creating jobs. We need only to let him speak for himself." The trailer style has a proven record of drawing crowds into theaters. Now the Democrats are hoping they can use it attract voters to their polling places. Watch below: PHOTO GALLERY: View Gallery 10 Hollywood Players That Will Make a Difference in the 2012 Elections Related Topics Politics Mitt Romney

'One Existence to reside,A 'All My Children' Won't Move Online

Prospect Park's ambitious intend to move ABC daytime soaps One Existence to reside and all sorts of The Kids in the small screen to the pc screen continues to be stopped indefinitely.our editor recommendsFour More 'One Existence to Live' Stars Looking for Online Production'One Existence to Live' Cast, Mind Author Ink Deals to become listed on Online ProductionProspect Park Announces Deal for 'One Existence to Live' Air to ContinueSusan Lucci Responds to 'All My Children' Delay'All My Children' Starting Online in The month of january The move had proven difficult as Prospect Park and also the various guilds connected with shifting the series towards the Web struggle arrive at terms. PHOTOS: 'All The Kids': Famous Alums of ABC's Daytime Drama "After five several weeks of discussions with assorted guilds, 100s of presentations to potential financial and technology partners, along with a hope that people could pioneer a brand new network for future years, it's with great disappointment that people are suspending our aspirations to bring back One Existence to reside and all sorts of The Kids via online distribution," stated Prospect Park's Wealthy Frank and Shaun Kwatinez inside a joint statement released Wednesday. "It's now becoming obvious that mounting issues make our capability to meet our due dates to obtain OLTL around the air inside a reasonable period of time following its The month of january 13, 2012 ABC finale impossible," the statement continues. PHOTOS: Daytime Emmy Honours Red-colored Carpet Arrivals Frank and Kwatinez reported the present economic landscape as the second reason their efforts using the guilds demonstrated not successful. "In the end simplified in on the financial infrastructure, the contractual demands from the guilds, which regulate our industry, combined using the program's natural economic challenges ultimately brought for this ultimate decision,Inch they stated. "Ultimately, the restrictions from the current marketplace, such as the evolution and impact of recent media on our industry simply demonstrated too great a match for our passion." Frank and Kwatinez remain positive the discussion will stay ongoing with creating original online content. "Hopefully our work is not lost, which we in some way produced a dialogue and movement around the feasibility of first run, network quality content online," they stated. Both WGA and AFTRA released claims indicating their disappointment the endeavor wouldn't be continuing to move forward. "I was disappointed to understand that Prospect Park's financing fell through," the WGA stated. "Just before the finish of a week ago, i was near to a good deal for that authors." Added AFTRA, the union that signifies the stars for soaps: "Despite initial progress within our discussions with Prospect Park toward solving a reasonable agreement to pay for the entertainers showing up on these programs, i was perplexed and disappointed that within the last month Prospect Park hasn't taken care of immediately our repeated queries to resume individuals discussions. We currently conclude in the press reviews that Prospect Park faced other challenges unrelated to the discussions, which avoided continuation of individuals discussions." Reviews appeared at the begining of November that My Children's proceed to the net could be stopped which efforts could be allocated to One Existence to reside rather. That motivated My Children veteran Susan Lucci to deal with speculation that they was one of the leading causes for that delay. "There's been miscommunications consequently of claims within the press that i'm a primary reason that The Kids isn't continuing to move forward. This is just false and never the situation," authored Lucci, who had been the only real regular to stay around the cleaning soap for that whole of their 41-year run, a couple of days later. The only real cast people signed onto the internet continuation of The Kids are Cameron Mathison (Ryan) and Lindsay Hartley (Cara). Prospect Park, headed by Frank and Kwatinez, introduced in September it would launch My Children around the Online Network, a brand new web-based platform which will include original programming, in The month of january 2012 with One Existence to reside to follow along with. In This summer, Prospect Park designed a certification cope with ABC that will continue production around the lengthy-running soaps after both series came to the conclusion their operates on broadcast television for the net. ABC formally canceled the the 2 soaps in April, starting food and lifestyle series The Chew and also the approaching The Revolution. This news adopted a string of daytime cancellations at other systems recently, including CBS' lengthy-running The Guiding Light, Because the World Turns and NBC's Passions. My Children broadcast its final episode on Sept. 23. One Existence to reside will broadcast its series finale in Jan. 13, 2012. Related Subjects ABC My Children One Existence to reside

Friday Box Office: Breaking Dawn Bursts to $72 Million Opening Day

What to say? The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1 soared to the staggering Friday predicted by pretty much everyone: $72 million, to be precise, setting Bill Condon’s first installment of the franchise swan song on a pace for a $140 million-plus weekend. The competition didn’t stand a chance, with Happy Feet Two choking on Twilight’s dust way back around the $6 million mark. Your Friday Box Office is here. 1. THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN PART 1: $72,000,000 (new) 2. HAPPY FEET TWO: $5,900,000 (new) 3. IMMORTALS: $3,820,000 ($44,548,000) 4. JACK AND JILL: $3,500,000 ($32,528,000) 5. PUSS IN BOOTS: $3,415,000 ($115,003,000) [Figures via Box Office Mojo]

Natalie Portman to Assume Shirley MacLaine's Apartment Role In Post-Baby Comeback

Nearly five months after giving birth to her first child, Natalie Portman returns to Hollywood tomorrow night to take part in Jason Reitman’s live reading of The Apartment at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. The Oscar winner will play Fran Kubelik, “the fetching elevator operator” that Shirley MacLaine played (and earned an Academy Award nomination for) in the 1960 Billy Wilder film. J.K. Simmons, Ken Jeong, Nick Kroll, Mindy Kaling and Jake Johnson will round out tomorrow night’s cast. [@JasonReitman, Vulture]

Felicity Jones, Warren Beatty to Fall in Love in Untitled Howard Hughes Film

Forget May-December romances; this one is more like February-December. Deadline reports Warren Beatty has chosen 2011 It-Girl Felicity Jones as the female lead for his untitled Howard Hughes biopic, which is still searching for financing. Jones, who broke out in the Sundance sensation 'Like Crazy,' would play a young woman in a relationship with Hughes's driver, who eventually falls for the eccentric billionaire (Beatty). No word yet on who will play Hughes's driver, but Justin Timberlake and Alden Ehrenreich are among the young stars up for the role. Also being discussed for the film: Jack Nicholson, Alec Baldwin, Owen Wilson and Beatty's wife, Annette Bening. Beatty was last seen onscreen in the 2001 disaster 'Town & Country.' Since 1990, he's only appeared in five films. Jones can be seen now in 'Like Crazy.' [via Deadline] [Photo: Getty] Follow Moviefone on Twitter Like Moviefone on Facebook