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Toronto – Kazakhstani director Akan Satayev has signed on to direct the $5 million theatrical feature Hacker, which will be executive produced by Brillstein Entertainment Partners. Satayev, who directed the Kazakhstan best foreign language film entries Strayed and Myn Bala, will lens the Canadian indie drama based on real events about a young immigrant who gets involved with a cyber criminal organization called DarkWeb. Photos: Toronto 2013: The Films Hacker is produced by Sanzhar Sultanov's indie production shingle Know Rules Media, which is backed by Canadian venture capitalist Loudon Owen. Financing for the project will come from Timur Meirambekov, Zhanbolat Serikov and

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Stars: Assylkhan Tolepov, Aliya Telebarisova, Kuralay Anarbekova, Ayan Utepbergenov | Written by Muhammad Mamyrbekov, Javik Sizdikov, Timur Zhaksylykov | Directed by Akan Satayev

It’s a story we can all relate to: boy sees entire tribe slaughtered by enemy warriors, goes into hiding with survivors and becomes the greatest freedom fighter his country’s ever seen. Oh, and he also meets a girl, though that’s not terribly important.

Warriors of the Steppe: Myn Bala is the story of the oppression of the native Kazakhstani people by the Dzungars (a Mongol tribe descended from Genghis Khan) in the early 18th century and how a young boy grew into a powerful yet compassionate leader. It’s an aspect of world history that I knew almost nothing about before so there’s a vague history lesson among all the arrow-slinging and speech-giving but I suspect that pinpoint accuracy was left by the wayside in...

108 Media was launched early this year by COO Nathaniel Warsh and CEO Ahbi Rastoghi, the former Managing Director of Cinesavvy, a Canadian film finance and sales company where he exec produced Golden Globe nominated Frankie & Alice starring Academy Award winner Halle Berry and , established2012. They set up 108 Media as a unique, vertically integrated and diversified next-generation media company with activities including worldwide sales, distribution, and ownership of films, television, and digital content. The company seeks underappreciated, overlooked gems across a wide range of genres, with and without North American rights attached.

In December 2011, 108 began acquiring more than 10 pictures, some for North American Distribution, some for international sales representation and some for both.

In August 2012 the company announced a partnership with Mark Urman's Paladin for North American distribution to be led by My Brother the Devil. The new venture kicks off with an initial slate of five titles that 108 Media has acquired over the past several months. The films will be released starting late this year and will extend through the first quarter of 2013.

Of the deal Urman says, "I am thrilled to be working with 108 Media on the distribution of these impressive and varied films, and am even more excited about the projects we will be able to pursue together.” Rastogi comments, "We always had Mark in mind as the ideal partner to do the films justice and help us plant a flag in the U.S. His reputation, contacts, and talents are second to none and, with several fine films in hand, we can hit the ground running as a full-service distributor."

Exemplifying the sort of project 108 Media and Paladin plan to release-- quality based, distinctive films with festival pedigree and critical cachet-- is Sally El Hosaini's My Brother the Devil, which has garnered awards and acclaim at Sundance, Berlin, Frameline, and Outfest. Developed at multiple Sundance Institute labs, the film stars James Floyd as a young Londoner from a traditional Egyptian family who tries to break free from the violent street gang he belongs to, only to discover that his teenage brother is attracted to the very life he is trying to escape. The film is slated for a March 2013 release.

Also on the slate are two provocative documentaries that premiered at this year’s Slamdance Film Festival: Alexandra Berger’s Danland, a candid look at the personal life of amateur pornographer Dan Leal; and Todd Kellstein’s Buffalo Girls, a searing exposé of the world of child boxing in Thailand. Representing international cinema is Myn Bala: Warriors of the Steppe, Akan Satayev’s sweeping historical epic, a box-office smash in its native Kazakhstan and the country’s frontrunner to be this year’s official foreign language Oscar entry. Equally successful in its homeland is the animated feature Leafie, by Seong-yun Oh, the acclaimed, award-winning hit from Korea. Leafie will be dubbed into English for its North American release.

With its partnership with Paladin in place, 108 Media is in a position to guarantee North American distribution to its international sales clients and is also able to pre-buy domestic rights on a selective basis going forward. Current world sales titles include the aforementioned Myn Bala as well as Zack Bernbaum’s contemporary comic fable, And Now a Word From Our Sponsor, starring Bruce Greenwood and Parker Posey.

108 Media’s ancillary arrangements include a combination of direct deals with certain platforms as well as select partnerships with established companies. Announcements on these deals will be made shortly. “Thanks to Paladin and our new ancillary partners,” says Rastogi, “we are now in a unique position to offer a full spectrum of services and a customized release strategy, both domestically and internationally, to a broad range of films and filmmakers worldwide.”...

For the first time in Academy Award history, 71 countries are vying for the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film. The submissions for 2012 include director Michael Haneke’s Amour, which won the Palme d’Or at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival; France’s global box office sensation The Intouchables; and Nairobi Half Life, the first film ever submitted by Kenya. Check out the full list below:

Afghanistan: The Patience Stone, Atiq Rahimi, director

Albania: Pharmakon, Joni Shanaj, director

Algeria: Zabana!, Said Ould Khelifa, director

Argentina: Clandestine Childhood, Benjamín Ávila, director

Armenia: If Only Everyone, Natalia Belyauskene, director

Australia: Lore, Cate Shortland, director

Austria: Amour,...

The Oscar season is almost upon us, and the submissions list is in for the Best Foreign Language Film category, featuring a record 71 entries, including the first submission from Kenya.

Last year, Iran’s Asghar Farhadi came away with the top prize for his acclaimed film, A Separation, and the year before, it was Denmark’s Susanne Bier with her In a Better World.

This year, there are already a handful of strong contenders amongst the pack, most notably Michael Haneke’s Amour, for Austria, which won the Palme d’Or at Cannes; Olivier Nakache’s and Éric Toledano’s The Intouchables, for France, which has been breaking records at the global box office; Pablo Larráin’s No, for Chile, which also came away from Cannes with an award in hand; Kim Ki-duk’s Pieta, for South Korea, which took four awards at Venice, including (controversially) the Golden Lion; and...

The Intouchables

A record 71 countries, including first-time entrant Kenya, have submitted films for consideration in the Foreign Language Film category for the 85th Academy Awards®. In May, Michael Haneke.s Amour (Love) won the Palme d.Or at the 65th Cannes Film Festival and was shown this past weekend at the 50th New York Film Festival. However the film I was happiest to see make the list below is from France – The Intouchables from directors Olivier Nakache and Eric Toledano. Check out our review Here.

In the Academy’s rules, only one picture will be accepted from each country. Plus the Academy Statuette (Oscar) will be awarded to the motion picture and accepted by the director on behalf of the picture.s creative talents. Ultimately five foreign language motion pictures are nominated for this award.

Director/writer Asghar Farhadi’s A Separation from Iran won the Oscar for the Best...

Update: The official list has been revealed and the total is a record 71 movies. I have updated the list directly below or you can check it out here. The original article follows. I have been tracking the Oscar Foreign Language submissions again this year, as I have for the past several years, and it looks like we finally have a full field as I expect we will be seeing an official press release from the Academy some time this week. This year we have five more submissions already over last year as the total has now reached 68 submissions compared to last year's 63. This, despite, Iran boycotting the Oscars this year due to the anti-Islam film Innocence of Muslims, which has sparked so much controversy as of late. To reach the total of 68 films I have just finished adding 16 more titles to the list from the following countries: Afghanistan, Algeria, Argentina,...

I have been tracking the Oscar Foreign Language submissions again this year, as I have for the past several years, and it looks like we finally have a full field as I expect we will be seeing an official press release from the Academy some time this week. This year we have five more submissions already over last year as the total has now reached 68 submissions compared to last year's 63. This, despite, Iran boycotting the Oscars this year due to the anti-Islam film Innocence of Muslims, which has sparked so much controversy as of late. To reach the total of 68 films I have just finished adding 16 more titles to the list from the following countries: Afghanistan, Algeria, Argentina, Armenia, China, Georgia, Greenland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Peru, South Africa, Spain, Taiwan, Turkey and Uruguay. To siphon out front-runners is never easy in this category, though there are a few that stick out immediately.

Indian Oscar entry Anurag Basu’s “Barfi” will have to compete with 64 films from around the world. Barfi’s chance will be sealed on January 24th 2013 when the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will announce the five nominees.

The deadline for submission of entries for the foreign language category got over yesterday on October 1st.

63 countries had sent their entries for the category last year.

Iran, the winner of last year (A separation) decided not to send an entry this year in protest of a youtube film that ridiculed the prophet.

The final list of submissions is yet to be announced by the academy.

Also Read: Who Selected “Barfi” for Oscars? and Where does “Barfi” stand in the Oscar race?

Here is the complete list of announced submissions:-

Afghanistan – The Patience Stone, directed by Atiq Rahimi (Persian) Albania – Pharmakon, directed by Joni Shanaj (Albania) Algeria – Zabana!, directed by Saïd Ould Khelifa (Arabic,...

You think it’s too early for this? Trust me, it’s not and that’s exactly why we’re here today to start our little chat about the official foreign language submissions for Oscar.

Nothing to be surprised about, after all – these titles are already familiar to you, mostly because of their success in some Film Festivals. Check out the rest of this report to see the list of announced submissions.

As you’re about to see, quite interesting list of movies from all over the world. Unfortunately we don’t have trailers and official synopsis part for every single film, but I’m sure we’ll soon have more material to share with you.

In the mean time, we will inform you that Kim Ki-duk‘s movie, Pieta, which won Golden Lion statue for best movie at the Venice Film Festival this year, has been submitted by South...

Anurag Basu’s Barfi to compete with Michael Haneke’s “Amour” and Kim Ki-duk’s “Pieta”

Anurag Basu’s “Barfi” might have lured the selectors at home but it’s unlikely to have an easy ride ahead. Basu will have to compete against the veterans like Michael Haneke who took home a second Palme d’Or at Cannes this year for his “Amour” (Official Austrian Entry). Closer home in Asia, Korean Master Kim Ki-duk will also pose an equal threat to the Ranbir Kapoor-Priyanka Chopra starrer Barfi. Kim Ki-duk’s “Pieta” clinched the Golden Lion at Venice this year.

“Barfi” was declared official Oscar entry from India on Saturday night by the Film Federation of India. Other Indian films which were in race included Milan Luthria’s The Dirty Picture, Tigmanshu Dhulia’s Paan Singh Tomar, Sujoy Ghosh’s Kahaani, Anurag Kashyap’s Gangs Of Wasseypur Parts I and II,...

Kazakhstan has very quietly become a significant film producing nation over the past several years, with production numbers continually edging upwards and the budgets rising to match. Very few Kazakh films tend to travel outside local borders but there are signs that may change soon as well and Akan Satayev's ten million dollar historical epic Myn Bala looks likely to lead the way.Kazakhstan, 1729: The Dzungars, a ferocious Mongol tribe, has swept across the steppes. Kazakh sultans have left their people to fend for themselves. Driven by revenge and his love for Zere, young Sartai assembles a detachment of teenage Kazakh warriors called 'myn bala', 'a thousand boys' in Kazakh.  Even as he fights the emotional turmoil experienced by every teenager in the world,...

Kazakhstan has very quietly become a significant film producing nation over the past several years, with production numbers continually edging upwards and the budgets rising to match. Very few Kazakh films tend to travel outside local borders but there are signs that may change soon as well and Akan Satayev's fifteen million dollar historical epic Myn Bala looks likely to lead the way.Kazakhstan, 1729: The Dzungars, a ferocious Mongol tribe, has swept across the steppes. Kazakh sultans have left their people to fend for themselves. Driven by revenge and his love for Zere, young Sartai assembles a detachment of teenage Kazakh warriors called 'myn bala', 'a thousand boys' in Kazakh.  Even as he fights the emotional turmoil experienced by every teenager in the world,...