Journey to Mecca trailer, images posted

We’ve posted the trailer to the upcoming Giant Screen film, Journey to Mecca: In the Footsteps of Ibn Battuta. Narrated by Ben Kingsley, the film tells the extraordinary story of one of the greatest travelers in history, Ibn Battuta, and his epic journey in 1325 to perform the Hajj.

Also up on BMZ are images from the film.

Visit the photo gallery of our Journey to Mecca film page to view the images:

BMZ Film Page >>

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Science North IMAX begins renovations

The Sudbury Star reports:

Science North’s IMAX Theatre is getting a multi-million dollar face-lift as part of renovations at Northern Ontario’s leading tourist attraction that began this week.

The science centre is closed for 12 days, from Monday through to Jan. 16 for scheduled maintenance.

The closure affects all of Science North’s attractions and facilities, including the IMAX Theatre, which opened in 1994 and has had 1.7 million visitors in that time. The IMAX Theatre will remain closed until Feb. 28 for major upgrades, including the installation of equipment required to show IMAX 3D films.

The renovation will allow Science North to continue to offer the best IMAX programming available, whether the film is in the classic IMAX or IMAX 3D format.

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IMAX Corp. sells Feinstein IMAX in Providence

The Providence Journal reports:

Imax Corp. has sold Feinstein Imax Theatre in the Providence Place mall to Quincy Amusement of Dedham, Mass. That means Rhode Island philanthropist Alan Shawn Feinstein and Imax “part company,” according to a news release from the Feinstein Foundation today about the sale.

The new management “would not continue some of the rights” that Feinstein has had in an agreement with Imax Corp. The rights he’s had were naming rights, free admission for local school children and their parents, on-screen dedication of the theater to the state’s school children “and their good deeds,” and a yearly donation to help fight hunger.

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IMAX Corp may go Bollywood

Indopia reports:

Nasdaq listed entertainment technology major, IMAX Corporation, may associate with Bollywood movies in the near future.

“We may use bollywood content to convert to our IMAX format in future once we reach a critical mass. In India, we are looking at some 9-10 theaters before we venture into Bollywood films,” IMAX Corporation VP (theater development [northern Europe, Russia and Central Asia]) John M Schreiner told PTI here.

“Globally, once the number of digital IMAX theaters increases in markets which has Bollywood lovers then it makes more economic sense,”he said on the sidelines of the inauguration of Kolkata &aposs first giant screen Aeren R IMAX theater.

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Journey to Mecca to premiere in Abu Dhabi

Journey to Mecca will hold its premiere on the grounds of the Emirates Palace Hotel in Abu Dhabi between January 7 to 9. The film will be screened in Arabic and English.

Mohamed Khalaf Al-Mazrouei, chairman of Abu Dhabi Media Company and Imagenation Abu Dhabi commented:

‘We are proud to offer everyone in Abu Dhabi the chance to witness this spectacular, inspirational film which provides a unique insight into one of history’s great journeys to Mecca. It will provide audiences locally and internationally with a powerful, larger-than-life cinematic experience that celebrates the true cultural and religious heritage of the Arab world.’

Edward Borgerding, CEO of Abu Dhabi Media Company and Imagenation Abu Dhabi, said: ‘Imagenation is delighted to host the world premiere of a film which portrays a beautiful theme with a beautiful message. Journey to Mecca has the power to educate, entertain and unite diverse audiences in an engaging and accessible way. We are proud to be part of a collaboration that brings together the world class talents of Jake Eberts, Cosmic Picture and SK Films to benefit the community here in Abu Dhabi.’

Narrated by Ben Kingsley, the film follows Ibn Battuta, one of the greatest travelers in history, who journeyed three times further than Marco Polo.

Press Release >>

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Telegraph UK asks: The 3D boom arrives — but are the films good enough?

The Telegraph takes a look at past 3D films and what’s in store for 2009:

While Woolies and others pull down their shutters for the last time and we all huddle in our coats, there’s one industry that’s entering the stratosphere at this very moment, and that’s digital 3D. Yesterday it was reported that 3D films are expected to gross over $1bn (£700m) at the box office next year, a five-fold increase on their $200m haul in 2008. Media consultants predict audiences will flock to the 15 or more major 3D releases on the forthcoming film schedule, partly because it’s a technology not yet available to the cash-strapped consumer at home.

. . .

Where 3D has yet to prove itself is in the field of full-length, live-action features, ever blurrier though the term “live action” is becoming. Beowulf was filmed from a template of actors speaking lines, with everything animated around them – but that’s cheating, or at best a halfway house. Last year’s Journey to the Center of the Earth was a brisk and underrated stab at giving us an old-fashioned matinee adventure in 3D, but the interaction between stars and, say, giant Venus fly-traps wasn’t yet smooth or convincing enough to make it truly state-of-the-art.

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IMAX to open more theaters in India

IMAX Corporation will open 5 more theaters in India by 2010, giving India a total of 9. BJP reports:

“The theatres are coming up in Gurgaon, two each in Chennai and Bangalore. For the Chennai and Bangalore theatres we have tied up with Sathyam Cinemas. The Kolkata and the Gurgaon ones are developed by Aeren-R,” John M. Schreiner, director of the Imax Corporation told reporters on the sidelines of the launching of its first screen in the city.

There are three Imax theatres operational in Hyderabad, Ahmedabad and Mumbai, with the fourth, in Kolkata, being built on an investment of Rs.180 million (Rs.18 crore).

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Dark Knight D.P. Wally Pfister talks IMAX

The Dark Knight’s Director of Photography, Wally Pfister, talks with Variety on working with IMAX cameras:

Pfister and [Director Christopher] Nolan also decided to challenge themselves in another way: They shot 36 minutes of the movie with an Imax camera. Though neither of them had any significant experience with Imax, they were interested in working with film of a much higher resolution than 35mm. Weighing in at 75 pounds and boasting a 55mm lens, the Imax camera proved to be cumbersome.

“It’s an enormous challenge,” Pfister says. “The camera is physically enormous. But the thing to regard is, it’s the highest quality image-capture system there is.”

The idea began when, after some initial Imax testing on “Batman Begins” and “The Prestige,” Nolan approached Pfister and asked him if he thought it would be possible to shoot an action sequence on Imax film. “Chris got the bug,” Pfister says.

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USA Today has first look at Transformers 2

USA Today has posted new images to the upcoming film, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.

Key sequences of the film will be shot using IMAX® cameras. The IMAX footage will be integrated with the traditional 35mm format. The film will open to IMAX and conventional theaters June 26, 2009.

Photo Gallery >>

UPDATE: ComingSoon.net has also posted Transformers 2 images originally debuted by Empire magazine. Follow the link to view the images:

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ComingSoon.net: Fox to Seek Order Delaying Watchmen Release

20th Century Fox is looking to delay the release of the upcoming film, Watchmen due to copyright infringement. ComingSoon.net reports:

U.S. District Court Judge Gary Feess last week agreed with Fox that Warner Bros. had infringed its copyright by developing and shooting the film, scheduled for release March 6.

Feess said Monday he plans to hold a trial Jan. 20 to decide remaining issues.

Fox claims it never fully relinquished story rights from its deal made in the late 1980s, and sued Warner Bros. in February. Warner Bros. contended Fox isn’t entitled to distribution.

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