The French started it. Once they came up with their 'auteur' theory, directors seized power in the film industry. But now a new book says it's time to recognise that writers are the true authors of movies. The legendary movie mogul Irving G Thalberg put it most succinctly. "The writer is the most important person in Hollywood," he once said. "But we must never tell the sons of bitches."

 

Activity over the Indo-British film co-production treaty is building steadily towards signing of the final agreement that will put the treaty into full effect and it looks as though India's film minister is to be invited to London for the official signing.

Culture Minister Tessa Jowell says the treaty will be of benefit to the film industries of both countries. For example a treaty will mean Indian producers shooting in Britain will be able to claim tax relief on the UK portion of their film budget, effectively reducing production cost.

 

It is a little-known story until now, but though James Bond triumphed over all kinds of would-be assassins, but according to some newly released documents, it was a bunch of accountants who almost killed him off.

 

Paramount Pictures has unveiled a new division  - Paramount Vantage -  releasing low-budget films with broad appeal to capture indie film audiences. Studio chairman Brad Gray is reshaping Paramount and the new unit is a first move for John Lesher, who recently took the reins at Paramount's specialty film unit, Paramount Classics.

 

 

Initialize Films, in association with BBC Film Network, BritShorts and The Hospital, has announced the UK's first industry standard training programme for women who want to produce short films.

 

Delegates from 37 African countries have been meeting in Johannesburg on the factors holding back African cinema. This was the third Africa Film Summit, organised by the Federation of Pan African Film Makers (FEPACI) and hosted by the African Union. The conference acknowledged that whilst Africa has provided the location and manpower for world-class movies like Oscar-winning Out Of Africa, Nowhere in Africa, and The Constant Gardener, not enough Africans make movies telling their own stories.

 

Among the nation's top ten shockers are scenes of torture and necrophilia and a film accused of blasphemy, that featured a very naughty boy rather than a messiah. The films all feature in Time Out's film guide 1,000 Films That Changed Your Life, due to be published this week.

 

Titanic director James Cameron, has issued a warning that Hollywood is "in a fight for survival." He wants the movie industry to offer films in digital 3-D to counteract declining sales and rampant piracy.