Hong Kong, November 2006 -- Movielearn Hong Kong Ltd., distributor of the groundbreaking ESL edutainment software called Movielearn that teaches English through movies on the computer, announces its participation in the 27th American Film Market (AFM) held last November 1 to 8 in Santa Monica, California to explore opportunities for future product content development.
The AFM, dubbed as the premiere global marketplace and home of independents, is a pivotal destination for independent filmmakers and business people from all over the world. Each year, more than 8,000 industry professionals converge in Santa Monica for eight days of deal-making, screenings, seminars, red carpet premieres, networking and parties.
“As Movielearn presents a new fun and dynamic method of learning everyday conversational English using the most common and widely available medium – TV hits or the movies, we welcome the exciting opportunity presented by this industry event to see a plethora of great independent films we could possibly use for product content,” says Susan Macdonald, Movielearn’s Licensing and Business Development Head. “Movielearn is always open to possibilities and to exploring potential material that’s useful and attractive to our movie-loving consumers seeking innovative ways to improve their English skills.”
This year, the weeklong annual AFM opened with a record 589 films, including 384 market premieres. Showcased among which are independent film productions by Movielearn’s affiliate, Bigfoot Entertainment, such as Irreversi, East Broadway, Shanghai Kiss, and Curiosity of Chance. These movies are targeted for release with Movielearn in 2007.
Directed by Michael Gleissner, Irreversi is a psychological thriller filmed in two languages (English and Mandarin). It tells the story of a man, Adam, who makes it big by cashing in on an important technology patent that turns him into an overnight millionaire and marrying the girl of his dreams, Lynda. But what if life is not as perfect as it seems? “Be careful what you wish for” is the movie’s premise and audiences will soon find out why.
East Broadway is a simple cross-cultural film with a universal theme of "wanting to belong". In the movie, Grace Tang, an Ivy League educated investment banker from Chinatown falls in love with blue-blooded New York scion, Andrew Barrington, Jr. Through their relationship, she rediscovers her own identity and realizes what really matters in life. A Fay Ann Lee film, the movie is in her words a “homage to the classic American romantic comedy.”
Shanghai Kiss is a story of a 28-year-old aspiring Asian-American actor who rediscovers his family home in Shanghai, China, where he also finds the woman whom he believes is his soul mate. Finding himself at a crossroad, he attempts to answer: does he choose the new exotic world full of wonders or does he go back to America and make an honest attempt to put his life in order?
Starred by Tad Hilgenbrinck and Brett Chukerman, Curiosity of Chance is about an already 'out' and eccentric teenager in the '80s who recruits a bizarre circle of friends - made up of two oddball outcasts, a straight jock he's crushing on and a drag queen - to help him bring down the homophobic bully threatening his would-be peaceful, high-school existence. Written and directed by Russell P. Marleau, with executive producers Kacy Andrews and Michael Gleissner, Curiosity of Chance is a comic picture of one man’s journey to self-discovery.
With the worldwide release of these four interesting Bigfoot Entertainment movies, Movielearn, in particular, is looking at more available content for its product to benefit the English learning market around the world.
Currently, Movielearn is distributing The Apprentice, its first DVD release to hit the bookstore shelves. In addition to The Apprentice, Movielearn has also inked a licensing agreement with FremantleMedia Ltd. for the award-winning show Baywatch Season 5.
Following the release of these titles, Movielearn also plans to deal more major studios content of full-feature blockbuster films and family movies.
Movielearn is an application that provides user-friendly English learning tools for watching DVD movies on the computer. A hybrid of education and entertainment, Movielearn combines exciting and popular content from major TV and movie production studios with PC interactivity, thus infusing entertainment with a personalized learning experience. As Hollywood movies are a source of conversational or colloquial English, Movielearn exposes learners to English not normally taught in textbooks or other traditional educational materials.
The Movielearn DVD package is currently distributed online and in around 2,000 stores in Hong Kong. To view the list of outlets or to purchase online, just go to www.movielearn.com.
ABOUT AFM
The business of independent motion picture production and distribution reaches its peak every year at the American Film Market (AFM). Founded in 1981, the American Film Market (AFM) has grown steadily to become the premiere global marketplace where Hollywood’s decision-makers and trendsetters all gather under one roof.
The AFM offers more than 900 screenings of approximately 590 films - 31 new films every two hours - the majority of them world or U.S. premieres. Titles range from big budget blockbusters that will be released by the major studios in the U.S., to lower budget genre films and art films recognized at international film festivals, all destined for theaters and television around the world.
The AFM is produced by the Independent Film & Television Alliance (IFTA), the trade association representing the world’s producers and distributors of independent motion pictures and television programs. For more information, visit www.americanfilmmarket.com
ABOUT BIGFOOT ENTERTAINMENT
Bigfoot Entertainment is the parent company of Bigfoot Productions, Bigfoot Production Services, the International Academy of Film and Television (IAFT) and Bigfoot Partners. Through all of its divisions, Bigfoot Entertainment recognizes a global competitive organization that provides critically acclaimed and viable content as well as providing training, facilities and services to international filmmakers.
Based in Asia, Bigfoot Productions produces engaging independent feature films, television programs, as well as other educational and corporate content. It assembles teams of not only award-winning producers, directors and writers from Hollywood and other film capitals around the world, but also gives a chance to the first-time rising producers, directors, and writers. The Bigfoot Productions leaves lasting footprints in at the world of entertainment.
For more information, visit www.bigfootentertainment.com
ABOUT MOVIELEARN
Movielearn Hong Kong Ltd is the Hong Kong-based company of Movielearn Systems Pte Ltd in Singapore that produces the groundbreaking ESL edutainment technology, Movielearn. A hybrid product of education and entertainment, Movielearn teaches everyday spoken English with movies on the computer in a fun and interactive manner.
The Movielearn application allows learners to improve their English skills by giving them hours of exposure to conversational spoken English as used in the movies. The product’s features aid in enhancing the learners’ vocabulary, knowledge of idioms, slang and correct word usage, and sharpening comprehension, listening and speaking skills.
For more information about Movielearn, visit www.movielearn.com
Press Contact:
Susan Macdonald
Licensing and Business Development Head
Movielearn HKG Ltd
Room 15, Unit 518
Level 5, Core F
Cyberport 3
100 Cyberport Road
Hong Kong
E-Mail: press@movielearn.com
Tel: +852 2545-7006
Fax: +852 3010 3771
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