It’s Official: Lionsgate purchasing Summit Entertainment

Posted on Jan 13, 2012 by Amy with 8 Comments.

Lions Gate Entertainment Corp., the producers behind “The Hunger Games” film, announced this afternoon that it has completed a transaction to acquire “Twilight Saga” producers Summit Entertainment for a combination of cash and stock valued at $412.5 million.

“We are uniting two powerful entertainment brands, bringing together two world-class feature film franchises to establish a commanding position in the young adult market, strengthening our global distribution infrastructure and creating a scalable platform that will result in significant and accretive financial benefits to Lionsgate shareholders,” said Lionsgate Co-Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Jon Feltheimer and Vice Chairman Michael Burns. ”Rob Friedman and Patrick Wachsberger have built a remarkable organization, and we’re pleased to welcome Summit’s talented team to the Lionsgate family.”

In addition to “The Hunger Games,” Lionsgate is also the studio behind “Abduction,” “Monster’s Ball,” the “Saw” franchise, “Kick Ass,” “The Expendables” and the upcoming “The Expendables 2″ and  ”What to Expect When You’re Expecting.” On the television side Lionsgate produces “Mad Men,” “Weeds” and “Nurse Jackie.”  With this deal Lionsgate gains the lucrative “Twilight” franchise as well as adding Summit’s Oscar-winning war drama “The Hurt Locker” to its library of 13,000 films and TV shows.



“Behind the Scenes: The Real Story of the Quileute Wolves” exhibit opens at the Smithsonian today

Posted on Jan 13, 2012 by Amy with 2 Comments.

An early 20th century Quileute Nuu-chah-nulth Wolf Headdress on display at the Smithsonian's Quileute exhibition.

“Behind the Scenes: The Real Story of the Quileute Wolves” opens today at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C. and will be on display through May 9, in the museum’s second-level Sealaska Gallery.  The exhibition brings together rare works of Quileute art as a counterpoint to the supernatural storyline depicted in the “Twilight” novels and movies.

While it seems that the intent of the exhibit is to explain the true history of the Quileute tribe, they do take “The Twilight Saga’s” impact on their culture into account.  Among the 23 objects showcased in the exhibit are replicas of items used in the ”Twilight” films include a paddle necklace worn by Tinsel Korey as Emily, a traditional Quileute hand drum that hangs in Emily’s house, a shell necklace of Olivella shells that was on the wall of her house and the dream catcher that Jacob gives to Bella as a gift.  In addition, tribal members and teens describe in interview the impact of “Twilight” during a 12-minute video in which the history and oral cultural traditions are discussed.

There’s a lot more to see in the exhibit including elaborate wolf headdresses, rattles, baskets, a whale-bone dance club, and a timeline of Quileute history. Historic drawings created by Quileute teens who attended the Quileute Day School at Mora, near La Push, Wash., from 1905 through 1908, depict activities, including wolf ritual dances and shamanistic performances, house posts that were part of the Potlatch Hall and a whaling scene that shows a crew of eight men coming alongside a whale in their cedar canoe.  Also included is a map of Quileute language place names of the modern villages and the vast aboriginal territories stretching from the ocean to the Olympic Mountains.

Visitors will be able to learn more about Quileute ritual life and the five secret societies that maintained balance between the human and spirit realms, including the Wolf society for warriors, the Fisherman’s society for fisherman and sealers, the Hunter’s or Elk society for land-animal hunters, the Whale Hunters and the Weatherman’s Society, who predicted the weather. Whaling was an important but dangerous endeavor as the giant sea mammals where hunted on the open ocean from 35-foot dugout canoes.

To celebrate the exhibition’s opening weekend, Quileute tribal member and one of only two fluent speakers left in the tribe, Chris Morganroth III, will tell traditional stories for kids and families in the museum’s imagiNATIONS Activity Center at 1:30 p.m. as well as presenting Quileute culture and stories in the Rasmuson Theater at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. during the Native Storytelling Festival, Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 14 and 15.

This exhibition was organized by the Quileute Nation and the Seattle Art Museum, where it was on view August 2010 through August 2011.



Kristen Stewart Signed As New Face of Balenciaga Fragrance

Posted on Jan 13, 2012 by Kimmy with No Comments.

Balenciaga will soon have its own place in the Twilight. The brand has signed actress Kristen Stewart as the face of the newest Balenciaga fragrance for women.

Stewart, best known for her role as Bella Swan in the blockbuster movie saga, will represent a to-be-announced scent which is expected to be launched this fall.

“Balenciaga has always stood out to me,” Stewart told WWD on Thursday. “Even when I first began to consider fashion and admittedly rarely knew the brand I was wearing, I always recognized and loved Balenciaga. It feels full circle to be involved with something that spoke to me then and of course continues to excite me now. The brand is just cool. That’s the way it is. I feel drawn to it. It provokes on a number of levels. It isn’t afraid or contrived. It hits a very cool balance, always. Always pretty undeniable.”

Awesome! I can’t wait to see the promotional materials for the fragrance.



Video: Peter Facinelli’s commentates on the “Loosies” trailer

Posted on Jan 12, 2012 by Amy with No Comments.

Peter Facinelli participated in IFC’s Call-in Commentary series where filmmakers provide narration to their film trailers.



Photos: Robert Pattinson and Ashley Greene at the People’s Choice Awards

Posted on Jan 12, 2012 by Amy with 4 Comments.

Robert Pattinson accepts the Favorite Drama Movie award for "Water for Elephants" from Ashley Greene.

Robert Pattinson, with a new hairdo, accepting the award for "Water for Elephants."

Ashley Greene on the red carpet at the People's Choice Awards.

Robert Pattinson and Ashley Greene backstage.