Screening Gotham: NYU Film Empire Reaches Asia

Some of today's movie news of note from around New York:

--New York University's Tisch School of the Arts announced it will expand its MFA film program to its first foreign franchise in fall 2007 -- in Singapore. “In Singapore, as in New York, we expect our students will come from many cultures with varied sensibilities,” said graduate film boss John Tintori, declining to address whether the seminar "Editing For Prohibitive Government Censors" will be a one- or two-semester prerequisite to graduation.

--New York's male dog population goes hormonally atwitter as a newly clean Natasha Lyonne leaves court a free woman.

--John Sayles update: On a new blog over at Emerging Pictures, partner Maggie Renzi confirms Honeydripper is ready for cutting and, with any luck, reinvention of the distribution wheel. (Via Anne Thompson)

--I know you had your heart set on seeing Billy Ray Cyrus and daughter Miley discuss the phenomenon of Hannah Montana at The Times's upcoming Arts & Leisure Weekend, but in the place of that sold out event, can organizers interest you in, say, an interview with Oscar lock Forest Whitaker? Or perhaps a chat with filmmakers Valerie Faris, Jonathan Dayton, Neil Burger and Catherine Hardwicke? Far less compelling company, granted, but it's the best they can do. (The Times is offering a slate of free screenings as well.)

--The Carpetbagger has the story from this weekend's private Rocky Balboa screening in New York, where Sylvester Stallone ... whatever. It's not important. I would refer you, however, to this nice burst of corrosive holiday season cynicism from the former head of marketing at UA: "We came up with a tremendous publicity campaign ... (A) deal was made and Stallone could star in this film which he wrote. And he got all of $18,000. Now is this true? It was horsesh*t! But it worked." Yeah, thanks for nothing, prick. (Via Defamer)

Posted at December 18, 2006 9:30 AM