BBC America Sets June Premiere Date for Cabrera’s “The Musketeers”

It’ll be “all for one and one for all” in the U.S. for Santiago Cabrera this summer…

BBC America has set a June 22 premiere date for The Musketeers, which stars the 35-year-old Venezuelan-born Chilean actor and former Heroes star.

The Musketeers

The Musketeers, a BBC Drama production for BBC One, has also received a second-season pick up from the network.

It was renewed by the flagship BBC network last month.

The series – a contemporary take on the classic Alexandre Dumas characters, The Musketeers – was created by Adrian Hodges (My Week With Marilyn). It’s set on the streets of 17th century Paris, where law and order is an idea more than a reality.

In addition to being King Louis XIII’s personal bodyguards, Athos, Aramis and Porthos stand resolutely for social justice, honor, valor, love — and for the thrill of it.

Cabrera portrays Aramis in the series alongside Luke Pasqualino (The Borgias) stars as D’Artagnan, Tom Burke (Great Expectations) as Athos and Howard Charles (Royal Shakespeare Company) as Porthos.

In the United Kingdom, the 10-episode The Musketeers got off to a strong start with the premiere drawing 9.3 million viewers to become BBC’s biggest new drama launch in two years. Ratings subsequently dipped, with the finale this past Sunday averaging 3.9 million viewers.

Cuarón to Receive Visual Effects Society’s Visionary Award

There’s no denying Alfonso Cuarón is a visionary filmmaker… But now he’ll have an award to prove it.

The Visual Effects Society (VES), the industry’s professional honorary society, has named the 52-year-old Mexican filmmaker as the recipient of its Visionary Award in recognition of his extraordinary career, most recently including his landmark achievement on this year’s critically acclaimed 3D sci-fil film Gravity.

Alfonso Cuarón

The VES Visionary Award recognizes an individual who has uniquely and consistently employed the art and science of visual effects to foster imagination and ignite future discoveries by way of artistry, invention and groundbreaking work. VES will honor Cuarón for his consummate artistry, expansive storytelling and profound ability to use and pioneer technology and visual effects to bring his unique visions to life.

A three-time Oscar nominee and one of Entertainment Weekly’s Entertainers of the Year, Cuarón directed, co-wrote, produced and edited Gravity, which is one of the most acclaimed films of this or any year. The accolades that Cuarón and the film have received to date include: Best Director and Best Picture awards from the Los Angeles Film Critics Association; four Golden Globe nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actress (Sandra Bullock); and ten Broadcast Film Critics Association nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress, Best Visual Effects, Best Cinematography, Best Editing and Best Art Direction.

Cuarón made his feature film directorial debut in 1992 with Sólo Con Tu Pareja, the biggest box office hit in Mexico that year, which brought him an Ariel Award as the film’s co-writer. Cuarón made his American feature film debut in 1995 with the widely acclaimed A Little Princess, followed in 1998 by Great Expectations. He then wrote and directed Y tu mamá también, for which he received his first Oscar nomination, for Best Original Screenplay, as well as BAFTA Award nominations for Best Foreign Film and Best Original Screenplay. He went on to helm Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, the third film in the most successful motion picture franchise of all time. Cuarόn’s 2006 hit, Children of Men, was celebrated by critics and film fans for its groundbreaking techniques. The film brought two Oscar nominations to Cuarón, for Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Editing.

“Alfonso pushes the known boundaries of filmmaking,” said Jeffrey A. Okun, VES Board Chair. “He has been at the forefront in using visual effects to tell remarkable, highly nuanced stories that change the way we think about what is possible to achieve. Throughout his career, Alfonso has shown a rare talent for using cutting-edge technology to engage us in his deeply visceral storytelling and create unforgettable cinematic experiences.”

The award will be presented at the 12th Annual VES Awards on February 12, 2014 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.

Previous winners of the VES Visionary Award have been Christopher Nolan and Ang Lee.

Cuarón Sci-Fi Film “Gravity” Headed to the Zurich International Film Festival

Alfonso Cuarón is bringing a little gravity to Switzerland…

The 51-year-old Mexican filmmaker’s highly anticipated new film Gravity will be screened at this year’s Zurich International Film Festival.

Gravity

Cuarón’s new sci-fi film, which was written by him and his son Jonás Cuarón, will get a gala premiere at the festival.

The film centers on Dr. Stone (Sandra Bullock), a brilliant medical engineer on her first shuttle mission with veteran astronaut Matt Kowalsky (George Clooney). But on a seemingly routine spacewalk, disaster strikes. The shuttle is destroyed, leaving Stone and Kowalsky completely alone—tethered to nothing but each other and spiraling out into the blackness. The deafening silence tells them they’ve lost any link to Earth… and any chance for rescue.

The full Zurich Festival line-up will be announced by September 12. The 9th Zurich International Film Festival runs from September 26- October 6.

Gravity is scheduled to hit theaters in IMAX and 3D on October 4th.

 Cuarón’s previous credits include Great Expectations, Y tu mamá también, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban and Children of Men.

Bonham Carter’s “Great Expectations” to be Released in the US in October

Helena Bonham Carter will have some great expectations for American audiences this October…

The 46-year-old part-Spanish actress’ latest film, Mike Newell’s Great Expectations, will be released by Main Street Films in the United States on October 11, 2013.

Helena Bonham Carter in Great Expectations

Great Expectations, based on the Charles Dickens novel, premiered at the Toronto Film Festival last year and was released in the United Kingdom in November.

Along with Bonham Carter, the film stars Ralph Fiennes, Robbie Coltrane, Jeremy Irvine and Holliday Grainger.

“Every independent film that is made represents a small miracle, and at MSF we want to honor the achievement of the filmmakers in not only getting their film made but my ensuring that it is seen by everyone it was made for,” said, Main Street Films chairman Craig Chang in announcing the dates.