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06/04/08

How Ohio Pulled it Off wins Viewers Choice Award at Akron Film Festival

03/04/08

Independent Newspaper/MercuryMedia/Picture Houses to Join Dots with Theatrical Release of Dalai Lama bio-pic 'The Unwinking Gaze'

London, UK – 3rd April 2008 – Joiningthedots.tv, the London based online documentary initiative partnered by Mercury Media and The Independent Newspaper, which launches April 15th 2008, today announced: that an agreement to show films licensed to the site in Cinema's across the UK had  been reached with Picturehouse Cinemas, the Uk's leading independent Cinema network.

The first title to be screened as part of this initiative is 'The Unwinking Gaze' from independent producers World In Vision. The film which follows the Dalai Lama over 18 months reaching out to China to resolve the issues of Tibet, opened the London International Documentary Festival on Saturday March 29th and will be screened in Picturehouses nationwide at the end of May.

MercuryMedia, MD Tim Sparke commented: 'Releasing the best films from the joiningthedots.tv stable onto the big screen was always an ambition we had hoped to realise. To have achieved this in advance of our broadband launch is a vote of confidence in the joiningthedots.tv concept. The films chosen as part of this initiative will premiere first theatrically before going into the online, TV and DVD markets'.

Picturehouses Head of Marketing Marc Allenby added: 'The power of Picturehouses theatrical marketing expertise alongside that which the Independent brings, will provide an unprecedented opportunity for talented film-makers to reach out to a whole new audience. The choice of The Unwinking Gaze as our first film in the season will set a standard we know joiningthedots.tv can replicate. We will be premiering a new title every six weeks'.

Joshua Dugdale, the Director of The Unwinking Gaze remarked: 'The issue of Tibet is of profound importance especially in the run up to the Olympics. The power of this film to change hearts, minds and ttitudes in the West and in China will be augmented by its release nationwide next month'.

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117983500.html?categoryid=1043&cs=1

http://documentaries.about.com/b/2008/04/04/docs-on-demand-at-uk-based-joiningthedotstv-debuts-april-15-2008.htm 

28/03/08

Mercury Meets Resistance in New Doc' Acquisition

London based documentary distributor MercuryMedia has added the multi-award winning film "Meeting Resistance" to its raft of new acquisitions in 2008.

Mercury will now be taking 11 new documentaries to MIPDOC and MIPTV, including the timely Dalai Lama documentary "The Unwinking Gaze," which opened the London International Documentary Festival and "Meeting Resistance," which closes LIDF.

The 85' documentary is the missing piece of the puzzle in the Iraq war. Filmmakers Steve Connors and Molly Bingham risked their lives in gaining access to the men and women fighting coalition troops in Baghdad. The result is a documentary which challenges everything we have been told about the insurgency. The interviewees, who keep their identities secret, come from all walks of life and reveal that they are fighting, not because they are Islamic fundamentalists or Ba'athists, but because they see their country as being under occupation. 

Mercury's Head of Acquisitions, Jason McGeown said: "You cannot truly put the 5 year conflict in Iraq in the correct context without hearing the testimonies of the "other side." Meeting Resistance gives voice to the unheard fighters in Iraq and exposes their true motivations. Distortions in the press and from coalition decision makers have given an impression of Iraq that does not hold up under the light of the information revealed in this important film."

For more information go to www.meetingresitance.com

27/03/08

The Unwinking Gaze Reviewed in The Guardian

http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/film/2008/03/could_this_documentary_make_a.html

27/03/08

Mr Big wins People's Choice Award at the Canadian Film Festival

17/03/08

Dalai Lama 'The Unwinking Gaze' Doc Feature Distribution Announced.

MercuryMedia today announced it would be handling world-wide TV distribution of the London International Film Festival opener, 'The Unwinking Gaze'

The 70' feature by director Joshua Dugdale, follows the Tibetan Spiritual Leader over three years at home and around the world. Exceptional access reveals the daily agonies of the Tibetan leader as he tries to strike a balance between his Buddhist vows and the real-politik needed to placate China.  The Director commented 'This is an unprecedented film observing the never-seen-before political activity of the man who may hold the key to the future of Tibet and quite possibly China. It will challenge the preconceptions of the Chinese, Tibetans and Westerners equally and I expect its impact to be significant. With the events of recent days the release of this film couldn't be more critical.'

Mercury's MD Tim Sparke commented. The timing of this is film couldn't be more prescient. I urge broadcasters and theatrical distributors to review this exceptional film. Everyone at Mercury is proud to be involved in communicating its important message around the world.

For more information go to: www.theunwinkinggaze.com 

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117982750.html?categoryid=2526&cs=1 

http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/joshua-dugdale-if-we-cant-put-pressure-on-china-now-when-will-we-796501.html

11/03/08

Mercury Picks up "Big" Canadian Doc

Independent distributor, MercuryMedia, has picked up the rights for Canadian documentary Mr Big.

"Mr.Big" is the name of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police' undercover sting operation to elicit confessions by posing as serious criminals. It is considered entrapment in many other countries, but the Canadian court system allows confessions made to cops posing as gangsters to be admitted as evidence. Director, Tiffany Burns, has a personal connection to the documentary: her brother is one of many Canadians targeted by a "Mr.Big" operation. While she was researching his case, Tiffany realized Sebastian Burns and his friend Atif Rafay were not the first people who have falsely confessed to murder.

Described by, actor, Gabriel Byrne as:  "Moving,  important and deserving of a wide audience," Mr Big is an absorbing story of entrapment and governmental deceit. 

Mercury's Head of Sales, Patricia Hickey said: "Mr Big is a perfect addition to our catalogue. It is brave, challenging and questions the very nature of justice in Canada."

For more information go to www.mrbigthemovie.com

28/02/08

Mercury Scores History Acquisitions from IDFA

IDFA 2007, has proved to be a valuable source of programming for independent documentary distributor, MercuryMedia, following the acquisition of two more films.

Having already acquired "Zero: an Investigation into 9/11" from Italian producers, Telemaco and "How Ohio Pulled it off" by Ohio Filmmakers LLC, Mercury have added "The Scottish Key: An Investigation into the Origins of Freemasonry" and "Stasi: East Germany's Secret Police" to its slate of films.

"The Scottish Key," by Belgian filmmakers, Simongo! Productions, is a high value documentary charting the history of the mysterious society of freemasonry. Francois de Smet, the director, has managed to gain a level of unparalleled access to the world's oldest lodges and their documentation to reveal the true story of the formation of the masonic brotherhood.

"Stasi" is the story of East Germany's sinister secret police organisation, who's goal was the "total surveillance" of its citizens. Made by German production company, Film Europa, the documentary reveals a truly frightening society, where family members informed on each other and speaking out against the party could be punished by indefinite imprisonment or death.

"The quality of programming at IDFA this year was very good," said Mercury's Head of Acquisitions, Jason McGeown. "The films we have acquired all have extremely high production values and fulfill the prerequisite for us, which is great storytelling."

12/02/08

Mercury Acquires Rights for Zero: An Investigation into 9/11

Mercury Media today announced that they have acquired all world-wide distribution rights (ex Middle East, Belgium and Italy) for the HD-cam feature documentary 'Zero: An Investigation Into 9/11' from Italian production company Telemaco.

The film, dubbed 'The Sensation At The Rome Film Festival' has been re-edited with an English voice-over for Berlin 2008 where it will be screened as part of the market place offerings. In addition the European Parliament will screen the film on February 26th.

Zero is the first million+ Euro investigation into 9/11 and features interviews with Nobel prize winner Dario Fo, Gore Vidal, Moni Avadia and Giulietto Chiesa MEP, who is also a member of the Security and Defence Commission of the European Parliament.

The film is directed by, Franco Farcassi and Francesco Trento. Trento commented…..'This film was funded through direct contributions from the public. I believe what we have achieved justifies the many thousands of individual contributions we have received. I am very proud to have created a film which will initiate a reasoned debate into this, the most monstrous terrorist attack in history'.

Commenting for Mercury, Tim Sparke MD said: 'Zero is arguably the most important film made this year. It proves conclusively that the official story of 9/11 is false and that whatever happened on that fateful day must be re-examined by an independent authority. It is our hope that the European Parliament will take up this challenge'.

He added: 'We are confident that Zero will be screened world-wide theatrically, it is a beautifully crafted film, of incredible significance. We urge buyers to come to the Berlin Screening on 13th February at Parliament to see why we make these claims'.

Mercury have already secured its first sale of the film to Al Jazeera International.

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117980814.html?categoryid=13&cs=1&query=mercury

http://www.c21media.net/resources/detail.asp?area=100&article=39991

http://www.screendaily.com/ScreenDailyArticle.aspx?intStoryID=36620&strSearch=mercury&strCallingPage=ScreenDailySearchSite.aspx

04/02/08

Mercury Takes on Election Fraud Film

MercuryMedia continued its acquisition drive today with the addition of "How Ohio Pulled it Off" to its catalogue.

The 57 minute documentary, produced by Ohio Filmmakers LLC, reveals high levels of election fraud and voter engineering in Ohio during the 2004 US presidential elections. Like Florida in 2000, Ohio swung the election in favour of George W. Bush.

The film exposes the disenfranchisement of black voters by the state election board and serious inconsistencies in the electronic voting system employed by the state.

"How Ohio Pulled it Off" casts a dark shadow over the 2008 election and the legitimacy of democracy in the USA as a whole.

Mercury's Head of Acquisitions, Jason McGeown said: "The relevancy of this film cannot be underestimated. It looks like the Bush administration manufactured not one result, but two. As the film states, this can and probably will happen again."

http://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/international/usa/news/2008/02/mercury_media_picks_up_us_doc.html

http://www.c21media.net/resources/detail.asp?area=100&article=39846

http://www.screendaily.com/SceenDailyArticle.aspx?intStoryID=36953&strSearch=mercury&strCallingPage=ScreenDailySearchSite.aspx

22/01/08

Global Credit Crunch Helps Sales of In Debt We Trust

In the wake of the recent global credit crunch, sales of Danny Schechter's latest film, "In Debt We Trust: America Before the Bubble Bursts," have soared.

Over the last 6 weeks, independent distributor, Mercury Media, have secured sales of the Globalvision documentary to YLE, Finland, RAI Italy, Media Link Middle East, EBS Korea, LIC Beijing, Business Channel UK and Classroom Video UK. This follows on from sales to TV2 Norway, Viasat, Al Jazeera, Noga Communications, Press TV and Free Speech TV.

"It is no surprise that "In Debt We Trust" is doing so well," said Patricia Hickey, Head of Sales at Mercury, "there is no more relevant topic at the moment, the markets are falling and we could all be heading for recession. The documentary explains why the global markets are in crisis and it is typical of Danny to be ahead of the game in predicting this mess."

21/01/08

Mercury and Saltire Seal Relationaship

Indie distributor MercuryMedia has cemented its relationship with Scottish production outfit Saltire Film and TV with the acquisition of its two newest titles.

Mercury, who already represent Saltire's historical biographies, The Three Lives of William Wallace and Robert Bruce: King of Scots, have added, St Andrews: Behind the Greens and the two part series, The Boys of Ballikinrain to its slate of documentaries.

Behind the Greens is an affectionate portrait of the Old Course at St Andrews told through the eyes of the sometimes eccentric and always dedicated team of caddies, greenkeepers and club officials who keep the age old traditions of the club alive. The Boys of Ballikinrain is a touching two part series, filmed over one year, chronicling the lives of five boys living in residential care in the baronial castle of Ballikinrain.

Both films, produced for BBC Scotland, "will make valuable additions to our ever growing catalogue" said Jason McGeown, Mercury's Head of Acquisitions. "Saltire produce high-quality documentaries with an emphasis on high production values and storytelling and we are delighted to be working on their two newest titles," he added.

"Over the last 12 months Mercury have proved that they can find international audiences for our documentaries, which is why we had no hesitation in working with them again." Said Aileen Kane, Head of Production, at Saltire.

http://www.c21media.net/resources/detail.asp?area=100&article=39577

18/01/08

'DDA PR hired by MercuryMedia to promote 911 investigative documentaries to international film community'

Following the success of hit 9/11 film Loose Change Final Cut theatrically in the UK through distributor MercuryMedia, and the acquisition of the Rome Film Festival phenomenon 'Zero-An Investigation into 9/11, MercuryMedia has hired leading film PR company DDA PR to handle the promotion of both films at the upcoming Berlin International Film Festival in February.

The two films are to be screened to international buyers at this important film industry event.

Tim Sparke, MD of MercuryMedia commented 'DDA is arguably the most established film marketing company worldwide, their client list reads like a who's who of Hollywood. To have a company of this stature, helping to promote the two most important 9/11 documentaries represents an important step forward both for Mercury and for the 9/11 movement'.