FRANCE’S THREE STRIKES LAW MAY STRIKE OUT

France is likely to scrap its three-strikes anti-piracy law following a conclusion by a nine-member panel that the system has had little if any effect in increasing legitimate sales, while costing tens of millions of euros to implement. The so-called Hadopi law, enacted in 2009, was supposed to provide a “graduated response” to online piracy […]

TINTIN DEBUTS WITH $55.8 MILLION OVERSEAS

Overseas, Steven Spielberg’s The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn had a solid debut in 19 countries, where it collected $55.8 million. Some 38 percent of that amount came from France, where the film opened with $21.5 million, the second biggest opening in that country this year after the final Harry Potter installment. […]

ADMISSIONS DOWN IN U.S., UP ALMOST EVERYWHERE ELSE

While the number of movie tickets sold domestically tumbled 7 percent in 2010, they smashed records in other countries, published reports indicated on Wednesday. In France admissions totaled 206.5 million, the highest since 1967. Total box office receipts came to $1.7 billion. China’s State Administration of Radio, Film and Television reported that the nation’s theaters […]

ACADEMY INDICATES GODARD HAS CHANGED HIS MIND

Legendary French director Jean-Luc Godard may come to Hollywood to accept his honorary Oscar after all. Although The Australian newspaper on Tuesday published an interview with his companion and producing partner Anne-Marie Mieville saying that, given his age (79), Godard would not be willing to appear at the November Governors Awards since it was not […]