Mike Newell to direct The Seven Fires of Mademoiselle

Screenwriter Randi Mayem Singer has been signed to adapt Esther Vilar's novel "The Seven Fires of Mademoiselle" for Britain's Pathe Pictures. Mike Newell is attached to direct the film.

The novel, written in a magical realism style, takes place in Kennedy-era Washington, D.C., and follows the daughter of an Argentine diplomat who falls in love with a firefighter and sets fires around town to capture his attention and heart.  "The story is a little bit off reality, in a very quirky way," Singer told the Media Wednesday.

Singer's credits include TV series "Hudson Street," which she also executive produced, and "Mrs. Doubtfire."

Neil Labute To Write And Direct Vapor

Neil LaBute, the filmmaker behind such movies as "Nurse Betty" and "Your Friends and Neighbors," will write and direct "Vapor," a love story based on the novel by Amanda Filipacchi. The project is expected to start shooting in New York this fall, after LaBute completes the screen version of his play "The Shape of Things." "Vapor" is intended as a vehicle for "Betty" star Renee Zellweger, though no deal is set.

Filipacchi's contemporary Pygmalion-style story is about an artist who makes clouds in buildings and a wannabe actress whom he trains to become successful.

Renaissance Films and Catch 23 Entertainment will equally co-finance the development of the picture, and Catch 23 has the option to co-finance the project with Renaissance.

Salma Hayek Creates Her Own Role

Mexican actress Salma Hayek says she didn't want to wait for the movie industry to create more roles for Latin women, so created one herself in the film "In the Time of the Butterflies."

 "I feel that movies, like in real life, have men as protagonists. Only rarely do they make stories about women, and only a few of them are Latin American," Hayek said at a news conference before the Dominican premiere of the film she produced and stars in.

The movie, based on the book by Julia Alvarez, tells the three stories of the Mirabal sisters, who were murdered on a remote mountain road by secret police in 1960.

Hayek, who arrived Monday for the third Santo Domingo International Film Festival, said her job as the film's producer was a "nightmare" but "somebody has to do it."

"I'm not going to sit down and wait and see when there is a project for Latinos," she said. "If we had more women writers and producers, everything would be different. ... I feel good about getting myself into this mess."

Hayek was also set to visit the Mirabal sisters' museum Wednesday in their hometown in Salcedo, 100 miles northwest of the capital.

Benji Is Barking His Way Back To The Big Screen

More than 25 years after his debut, Benji is barking his way back to the big screen. Myriad Pictures has signed a deal with producer Lou Pitt and director Joe Camp to finance and produce another installment of the Benji franchise, titled "Benji Returns: The Promise of Christmas."

The project marks the fourth feature film from the Benji series, following 1974's "Benji," 1977's "For the Love of Benji" and 1987's "Benji the Hunted." Camp, who wrote and directed the previous films, will again tackle scripting and helming duties for "Promise of Christmas," which is scheduled to start production in April on location in Canada.

The freshly cast canine that will play Benji in the film dropped by the American Film Market on Wednesday, courtesy of a limousine, in coordination with the announcement of the project. Camp and staffers from his Mulberry Square Prods. cast the dog following a nationwide search, which ended on the backstreets of Pass Christian, Miss.

"Promise of Christmas" is described as a Dickensian drama in which Benji challenges a misguided dogcatcher while struggling to provide Christmas for a pair of poverty-stricken children.

A Lou Pitt/Mulberry Square production, "Promise of Christmas" will be produced by Pitt and Camp with executive producers and Myriad co-presidents Kirk D'Amico and Philip Von Alvensleben along with Myriad president of production Lucas Foster.

Myriad is also in discussions with Camp to acquire the video and television rights to the entire Benji library.

Coincidence" with Billy Bob Thornton For Artisan

Artisan Pictures has optioned author David Ambrose's novel "Coincidence" with Billy Bob Thornton attached to star and Scott Steindorff producing through his Stone Village Prods.

The project, described as a psychological thriller, is about an author who, while researching the phenomenon of coincidence, experiences a series of coincidences in his life that lead to dramatic and potentially fatal results. This includes the discovery of an identical twin brother he never knew he had who happens to be a crook on the run and wants kill the author and assume his identity.

Steindorff acquired the rights from Ambrose a week ago before setting it up at Artisan, where he is producing the project with Michael Birnbaum. No screenwriter is attached to adapt yet. Bruce Heller will likely executive produce the project.

Thornton is repped by CAA and Industry Entertainment. He will next star in the indie features "The Badge" and "Levity" as well as Miramax Films' "Walking Up in Reno" and "Daddy and Them," the latter of which he also directed from his script.

Ambrose was repped in the deal by Artists Management Group/Renaissance's Joel Gotler and Irv Schwartz. "Coincidence," published in the United Kingdom last year from Simon & Schuster, came out last month in the United States through Warner Books.

The author's upcoming 2003 novel, "The Discrete Charm of Charlie Monk," is in development at Artists Production Group as a feature film. AMG/Renaissance will auction the publishing rights to Ambrose's forthcoming manuscript, "Memories of Demons."

Innovative Artists' Graham Kaye and attorney Linda Lichter repped Steindorff in the deal. Steindorff is prepping Miramax Films/Lakeshore Entertainment's "The Human Stain," starring Anthony Hopkins and Nicole Kidman.

Artisan Pictures, headed by CEO Bob Cooper, most recently acquired John Herzfeld's script "Jealousy," which he will direct and produce (HR 1/16 ). The company also is developing "The Garbo Deception," which Bill Wheeler is writing (HR 12/19).

Artisan Pictures senior vp business affairs Erin Austin brokered the deal on behalf of the company. hed to adapt yet. Bruce Heller will likely executive produce the project.

Harmony Gold Acquires Suspense‑Thriller "Lana's Rain"

Continuing its efforts to expand its theatrical programming library, Harmony Gold has acquired Lana's Rain, the 107‑minute debut suspense‑thriller from Reigning Pictures, it was announced today by Melissa Wohl, Vice President, Sales and Acquisitions for Harmony Gold. The deal was negotiated by Wohl and by David Sikich of Iltis Sikich Associates of Chicago, Illinois. Harmony Gold will hold international distribution rights to Lana's Rain.

"We are pleased to have acquired a film of the caliber of Lana's Rain," commented Wohl. "It's portrayal of people trying to make a better life for themselves is one that transcends all borders and we are extremely pleased to be offering this title at this year's AFM."

I'm thrilled that Harmony Gold will be handling the international sales on Lana"s Rain, said Michael S. Ojeda, the Chicago based director of the film. Their enthusiasm for the film is very exciting and my partners and I are looking forward to a great relationship with them."

Lana's Rain stars Julia Orlenko, Nickolai Stoilov ("Sabrina the Teenage Witch", "VIP"), Luoyong Wang (The Life of Bruce Lee), Stephanie Childers, David Darlow ("The Fugitive", "Kung Fu: The Next Generation"), Stacey Slowik and Ron Dean ("The Fugitive", "Eye for an Eye"). Written, directed, and edited by Michael S. Ojeda, it is produced by Joel Goodman, executive produced by Jeffery Dillard and co‑produced by Misty Tosh and Max Kuhar. The director of photography is Gennadi Balitski, casting director is Richard Shavzin, and associate producer is Carlton Brown. Lana's Rain was filmed on location in Illinois, Indiana and Croatia.

War. Horrific atrocities. Lava (Julia Orlenko) is a lonely 19‑year old Bosnian woman who longs for a family and dreams of a better life in America. She finds hope when her long lost brother Darko (Nikolai Stoilov), a ruthless gangster who is running from the law, re­enters her life. Using Darko's underworld connections, the brother and sister flee to America where they end up residing in a transient hotel in Chicago. To Lava's dismay, America, the "land of opportunity," does not open her arms to the uninvited strangers. In a country where knowing the language and having legal status is everything, Lava's fierce struggle to survive sends her spiraling out of control. While Darko sees his sister as his only way to make money, it is pure survival that drives Lana to do whatever is necessary, and through it all, the young woman clings to the notion that somehow, life will get better.

About Harmony Gold ‑ www.harmonygold.com  Formed in 1983, Harmony Gold is a leading production, acquisition and distribution company of quality international television and theatrical programming. Harmony Gold is a division of The Harmony Gold Companies, which maintains interests in theatre management, real estate and motion picture finance.

About Reigning Pictures - Reigning Pictures is the Chicago and Los Angeles based production company founded in1996 by partners Michael S. Ojeda, Joel Goodman and Jeffery Dillard. "Lava's Rain" is the first feature length motion picture produced by the company.

Action Comedy "Dirt" Sweeps Up Rave Reviews

Action Comedy Sweeps Up Rave Reviews on Independent Film Circuit as Writer/Director/Actor Michael Covert, Director/Actor Trace Fraim and Actor Patrick Warburton Keep the Dust from Settling

"We are excited to be offering Dirt at AFM," said Wohl. "Harmony Gold has a reputation for finding and delivering a well‑honed, offbeat property that plays well in virtually any broadcast outlet to any audience. We are confident that the buyers at the market will see Dirt as a valuable title to add to their 'must have' list."

Michael Covert ("American Strays"), who wrote Dirt as a valentine to his late mom, shared the directing duties with Trace Fraim ("Fear," "The Crossing Guard"). As a production team, they were recently acclaimed as the most unique voices in the American independent cinema movement today. In Dirt, they ply their talents even further, by stepping out in front of the camera to play lead characters junior and Scooter. Dirt also stars Patrick Warburton who recently shared credits with Tim Allen in the feature film "Joe Somebody." Warburton, currently starring in the Fox series "The Tick," is well remembered as the recurring lovable character "Puddy" in the highly successful "Seinfeld" series. Now, as a lead in Dirt, Warburton stretches his talents even further by portraying the proverbial bad guy with wit and humor.

Recognized as one of the highlights of the Los Angeles Independent Film Festival, Dirt is an action comedy about Junior (Michael Covert) and Scooter (Trace Fraim), two brothers, who when abandoned by the death of their mother, find themselves ill prepared for life on their own. To ease their suffering, the two search the West Texas desert dregs for a woman to take mom's place. Lacking social skills to say the least, they resort to kidnapping a woman from the local supermarket. They quickly discover that DeDe (Tara Chocol) the "victim," is the maltreated wife of Vincent (Patrick Warburton) an abusive Texas Ranger. Turning her misfortune into theirs, she convinces the dim‑witted duo to kidnap her baby from the ne'er‑do‑well dad. Now life, without mother, will simply never be the same for two simple­minded but big‑hearted souls.

Crystal Sky game to play $60 mil 'Tekken' feature

Following the global success of "Lara Croft: Tomb Raider," Crystal Sky has nabbed the rights to make a $60 million film version of "Tekken," one of the most successful video game franchises in the world, in association with Japan's Gaga Communications and the game's maker, Namco.

The rights were acquired from Namco after a fierce bidding war, according to Crystal Sky president and CEO Steven Paul at the American Film Market.

"Tetsu Fujimura, CEO of Gaga, and I have wanted to make a big commercial movie together for a long time," Paul said. "I have had a long and wonderful relationship with (him) and Masaya Nakamura, chairman of Namco, for over 12 years now. The time was right, and 'Tekken' was the perfect game to pursue our dreams together."

"Tekken" is a hugely popular fighting-style game played on arcade machines, platforms and PCs. To date, it has sold more than 18 million units worldwide.

"The game has fun characters and is a wonderful story," Paul said. "(Unlike some other games), this has a whole style of its own and is a really fun piece that is very commercial."

Under the deal, Crystal Sky will co-develop and co-finance the film with Gaga, which also gets Japanese distribution rights. Much of the CGI effects needed for the feature will be done by Creative Visual Effects, which Paul also owns.

Casting and a director are being considered, Paul said, adding that he's keen to get the film into production as soon as possible. Presales, however, are not being sought until later this year.

Said Gaga chief operating officer Kaz Tadashiki: "We are engaged in a film production business that focuses on developing films based upon video games and Japanese animation which can appeal to audiences all over the world. We are excited to develop this thrilling live-action movie with our new partners."

Added Nakamura, "I recognize that 'Tekken' is a first step to co-production with a foreign partner, and I expect to develop (other) titles based upon our valuable assets with Gaga and Crystal Sky."

In addition to producing its own slate, Crystal Sky has a 12-picture co-financing deal with Paramount and an association with Dimension Films. It's in postproduction on the CGI effects-laden comedy "Unleashed" as well as "Superbabies: Baby Geniuses II."

Oliver The Great Might Well Be The Winning

In what might well be the winning blow in the battle to mount an epic feature film about Alexander the Great, Oliver Stone is set to direct Heath Ledger as the Macedonian conqueror in "Alexander," an independently financed project set to begin filming Oct. 16 in India.

If Stone holds to that timeline, it will likely put him in production before either of two other biopics in the works -- and reach theaters by Christmas 2003 before HBO bows its 10-part, $120 million "Alexander the Great" in 2004. That project is being prepared for the pay cable network by Mel Gibson's Icon Prods.

The chief rivals on Alexander the Great features are Initial Entertainment Group, which came aboard last fall to buy Peter Buchman and Christopher McQuarrie's script, also called "Alexander," for Martin Scorsese to direct with Leonardo DiCaprio starring; and producer Dino De Laurentiis, who is mounting a project based on novels by Italian historian Valerio Manfredi and being adapted by Oscar-winning "Silence of the Lambs" screenwriter Ted Tally.

De Laurentiis had hoped to enlist his "Hannibal" helmer Ridley Scott, but the director is considering several grand-scale films and hasn't committed to any of them.

Stone, who last directed "Any Given Sunday" in 1999, has been working since the mid-1990s on an Alexander biopic that once seemed likely to star Tom Cruise. Instead, he found his Alexander in Ledger, who has grown to stardom in period pieces like "The Patriot" and "A Knight's Tale." He's the perfect age to play Alexander, who became king of Macedonia at age 20 and conquered most of the civilized world before dying at age 33 in 356 B.C.

It is easy to see why so many filmmakers have wanted to bring Alexander's story to the big screen, because his battlefield exploits and behind-the-scenes politics are the stuff of Oscar-winning films like "Braveheart" and "Gladiator."

Stone, currently in Cuba shooting a documentary about Fidel Castro is working with scribe Christopher Kyle ("K-19: The Widowmaker") on a rewrite of Kyle's script,

"We've developed this script quietly over the last year and are the only ones with a strong script, director and star in place," said Moritz Borman, who will serve as an executive producer.

"We intend to release the film Christmas 2003. We have no American distributor and don't need one right now. But word is beginning to circulate and I've got three studio heads on my phone sheet, so we'll be listening to offers."

Borman serves as chairman of Pacifica Film Development and co-chairman of Intermedia Films, which is also financing "Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines."

He wouldn't say how much the picture will cost, but offered that it will not approach the $155 million-$170 million budget of the third "Terminator" film.

"Heath doesn't get near the money we're paying Arnold Schwarzenegger," said Borman, who is reportedly paying the latter $30 million. "This is a major event, huge-canvas picture on a topic other studios have played with for 10 years."

Roman Polanski To Appear in Wajda Film

Roman Polanski says he couldn't miss the chance to appear in a new film by Andrzej Wajda, who directed Polanski 47 years ago.

 "It's a great role and a great pleasure to meet Andrzej on the film set after all those years," Polanski told a news conference Wednesday during a break in filming for "The Vengeance" at Ogrodzieniec castle, about 125 miles south of Warsaw.

"Working on the other side of the camera from Andrzej was something I couldn't miss," said Polanski, 68, director of "Rosemary's Baby" and "Chinatown." Polanski had a role in Wajda's 1955 movie, "A Generation," and later studied film directing.

"I like both things and I feel comfortable on both sides of the camera," Polanski said, adding that he has no plans at present to direct a new movie.

"The Vengeance" is a tale of family conflicts based on a play by 19th-century playwright Aleksander Fredro. Polanski plays the cowardly Papkin, one of the classic characters of Polish theater.

Wajda, 75, received an honorary Oscar in 2000 in recognition for his career maneuvering between a repressive communist government and an audience yearning for freedom. His new $2.5 million film is scheduled to open this fall.

Splendid Pictures, Without Apparent Motive

"Without Apparent Motive" with director Bille August (Smillas Sense of Snow, The House of Spirits). Production will start this Spring - in collaboration with the co-producers YSA Productions and Jazz Pictures - in Los Angeles.

Without Apparent Motive is a modern thriller. Detective Jimmy Carp is engaged to find the murderer of three very important business executives from Los Angeles. Carp's unusual ability to get inside the mindset of serial killers leads him to a list of suspects from the city's political and social elite.

The Danish director Bille August directed Pelle the Conqueror, which earned the Cannes Film Festival's Palme D'Or and the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film. He directed films such as The House of Spirits (Meryl Streep, Glenn Close, Jeremy Irons) and Smilla's Sense of Snow. The cast for Without Apparent Motive is not definite yet.

Bear Force to Splendid Pictures

Maverick Films and Morton/Hymes Films have sold Scott Donnelly and Joe Douglass' pitch "Bear Force" to Splendid Pictures in a deal potentially worth mid-six figures. The story concerns a young boy who fights the bogeyman and other evil denizens of the night with an elite force of teddy bears. Donnelly and Douglas will pen the script.

Donnelly and Douglass are perhaps best known for their unproduced spec "Cows," a comedy in which the downtrodden bovine of the world band together to fight against the injustices that the world has imposed upon them.

Cartoon Network & Digital Bridges Announce Mobile Games

3GSM World Congress -- Cartoon Network and Digital Bridges Ltd. the pioneer of mobile entertainment services, today announced an agreement to launch a number of mobile games, based on Cartoon Network characters, throughout North America and Europe.

Three games will be based on the classic 'Scooby-Doo' cartoon series and another will feature a variety of Cartoon Network's internationally famous cartoon characters.

The titles will encompass the entire range of current mobile gaming technologies available today including SMS, WAP, Java and BREW, allowing the vast majority of mobile handset owners the chance to enjoy the games.

Two of the Scooby-Doo games will make use of the Short Message System (SMS), which is one of the most popular mobile services in the world today, with billions of messages being sent globally each and every month. The Cartoon Network World game will make use of the WAP service, which allows mobile devices to connect to the mobile Internet, providing a much richer interactive graphical environment for gaming. Another Scooby-Doo title will be created for the new generation of Java-enabled phones, allowing users to download, store and play games similar to old-school arcade classics.

``Gaming is perhaps the single most important product line with the greatest potential to generate significant data revenue for the wireless industry,'' said Mitch Lazar, Vice President of Wireless & Emerging Technologies for AOL and Turner Broadcasting System International, Inc. ``With world-renowned brands like Scooby Doo, Digital Bridges will help enrich the mobile gaming experience and popularise mobile data services. This valuable alliance is an essential step in continuing to extend Cartoon Network products and services to multiple platforms, while building significant new revenue streams for our company.''

Brian Greasley, the CEO of Digital Bridges, said, ``We are delighted to be working with a company of Turner's reputation, on titles with such high global recognition. Digital Bridges' ability to support multiple handsets, technologies and languages will ensure the games reach the widest possible audience across Europe and North America.''

Motorola Funds Finnish Wireless Game Distributor

Mobile telephone maker Motorola Inc. on Tuesday said it had taken an undisclosed stake in a Finnish mobile entertainment company to promote wireless games, including a version of the once red-hot television gameshow "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?"

The funding in Codeonline Oy was provided by Motorola Ventures, which made roughly $50 million in investments last year and has stakes in two other wireless gaming technology start-ups, one of which is developing systems for transmitting streaming-video over handheld devices, the Ventures fund said.

Codeonline's game licenses and its distribution in 20 countries were key selling points for Motorola's venture capital arm, said Jim O'Connor, Motorola's managing director-Midwest.

The investment in Codeonline will allow Motorola, the No. 2 maker of mobile phones, to expand wireless applications in Europe, where interest in wireless-delivered content is booming, O'Connor said.

U.S. television audience interest in "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?" has waned. The gameshow propelled ABC to the No. 1 position in TV ratings overnight when it appeared in mid-1999 -- but as an interactive, wireless-enabled quiz game it has a future, O'Connor said.

Motorola also has big hopes for Codeonline's license for a wireless version of trivia boardgame "Trivial Pursuit."

Each game is intended to attract consumers to Motorola products, which face stiff competition in a technology race to add more features to handheld devices.

The Schaumburg, Illinois manufacturer of cellular telephones and developer of embedded electronics technology said its investment in Codeonline would help the Finnish company speed development of more entertainment products for new Motorola mobile networks and handsets currently in development and scheduled to go into service later this year and in early 2003.