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When it comes to The Wog Boy, Frank Lotito has enjoyed a progression from stage to screen.

The Melbourne actor turned director went from joining Nick Giannopoulos, Vince Colosimo, and Alex Dimitriades in The Wogboys Live tour of 2015 to being behind the camera for the upcoming third instalment of the film franchise.

Slated for release early next year, Wog Boys Forever signals the return of Steve Karamitsis (Giannopoulos), who is working as a taxi driver and still single. His life takes a turn when he becomes the target of a revenge plan hatched by Brianna Beagle-Thorpe (Annabel Marshall-Roth), the Minister for Immigration, and her brother (Liam Seymour), who blame him for destroying their mother Raelene’s political career.

Vince Colosimo reprises his role as Frank Di Benedetto in the film, which is written and produced by Giannopoulos.

Lotito, who is long-time friends with Colosimo, said he was invited to work...

(L-r) Jason Lee, an unidentified extra and Frank Lotito on the set of ‘Growing Up Smith.’

Actor Robert Rabiah is frustrated with the lack of on-screen representation of Australia’s diverse communities despite some recent TV shows and movies that are more reflective of race, gender, class and colour.

That prompted Rabiah to create AussieWood, a TV comedy which follows the daily life of casting agent Steve “Aussie” Wood, a high-achieving, slightly neurotic and affable rogue who is trying to do the best he can in a pandemic-ridden world.

Rabiah pitched his idea to director/producer Frank Lotito, who wholeheartedly agreed and will helm a half-hour pilot with a top name cast.

“I wanted to challenge all that mythologising about who can carry a show or who can lead a film or who can play which role and why,” the actor whose credits include Below, Secret City, Safe Harbour and Ali’s Wedding tells If.

In director Frank Lotito's Growing Up Smith, one year is enough to provide a lifetime of memories for a little Indian boy plunked down in the midwest in 1979. The Bhatnagar family, father Bhaskar (Anjul Nigam), mother Nilani (Poorna Jagannathan from The Night Of), daughter Asha (Shoba Narayanan, and the youngest, son Smith (Roni Akurati) have immigrated to America in the late '70s to make their fortune and eventually return to India in style. However, while Bhaskar and Nilani play the roles of breadwinner and homemaker dutifully, they have no intention of leaving behind their way of life, even when the going gets tough as their children desperately try to make the best of their new surroundings. Smith, a name given to the youngest in...

[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...

"I don't want to lose my best friend..." Good Deed Entertainment has revealed a trailer for a charming coming-of-age indie comedy titled Growing Up Smith, about a 10-year-old Indian boy living in America. Newcomer Roni Akurati plays Smith Bhatnagar, a likable youngster growing up in America in the late 70s with his Indian family. He falls for the girl next door, and goes all-in chasing her every way he can. The cast includes Brighton Sharbino as his love interest, plus Jason Lee, Anjul Nigam, Hilarie Burton, Poorna Jagannathan, Shoba Narayanan and Jake Busey. This looks adorable and amusing, but doesn't seem like anything to really write home about. But I'm always up for a good coming-of-age film. Give this a shot. Here's the first official trailer (+ poster) for Frank Lotito's Growing Up Smith, direct from YouTube: When an Indian family moves to America in 1979 with the hope of living the American Dream,...

Exclusive: Good Deed Entertainment has acquired Growing Up Smith starring Alvin and the Chipmunks‘ Jason Lee. The project was directed by Frank Lotito and is the helmer’s first theatrical release. The comedy is about an Indian family in 1979 who moves to America with hopes of living the American Dream. However, their 10-year-old son, Smith, has his own dreams after he falls-head-over-heels for the girl next door and he is driven to become a "good old boy,” propelling him…...

The New York Indian Film Festival (Nyiff) announced the full lineup last night for their 16th year of celebrating independent, art house, alternate, and diaspora films from/about/connected to the Indian subcontinent (May 7 – May 14). Dedicated to bringing these films to a New York audience, the festival will feature 40 screenings (35 narrative, 5 documentary) –all seen for the first time in New York City. In addition, the festival will also feature five programs of short films.

The festival highlights various cinemas of India’s different regions. All the films are subtitled in English and some of the languages this year include Hindi, Bengali, Marathi, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, Telegu, Assamese, Haryanavi and Urdu. This year’s festival will feature a couple of sidebars –Nfdc restored first films of filmmakers and a three-generations sidebar, films of Bimal Roy, Basu Bhattacharya and Aditya Bhattacharya.

The festival’s film lineup includes 2016 National Award winners A Far Afternoon,...

Us producer Bonnie Burgess and director/producer Frank Lotito are re-casting Australian romantic drama The Olive Sisters to appeal to a younger audience.

Leslie Mann and Anthony Lapaglia were originally slated to star in the project adapted from Australian author Amanda Hampson.s 2005 novel, alongside Jacki Weaver, Melissa George, Gia Carides and Josh Lucas.

Lotito, a Us-based Aussie who made his feature directing debut on the Us comedy Good Ol. Boy, came on board after Fred Schepisi opted to step down as the director; he is still involved as an executive producer.

Weaver is still attached and will be joined by Rachael Taylor, Megan Gale and Lotito. Other key roles still to be filled include the lead, Adrienne Bennett, a successful businesswoman whose life unravels when her business fails. She.s forced to move from her New York apartment to a small rural community in Australia, where she inherited a...

Exclusive: Heading into Cannes the Los Angeles-based sales agent has acquired international sales right to the retro family comedy from Brittany House Pictures and Emedia Films.

Frank Lotito directed from a screenplay by Anjul Nigam, Paul Quinn and Gregory Scott Houghton.

Jason Lee, Anjul Nigam, Brighton Sharbino and Hilarie Burton star in Good Ol’ Boy, about an Indian family that moves to the Us in the hope of living the American Dream. Nigam and Lotito produce with Steve Straka.

Premiere Entertainment Group CEO Elias Axume brokered the deal with Marc Bortz of Preferred Content.

Axume also negotiated sales rights to the thriller Relentless by director Lance Tracy. Lauren Shaw plays a woman chasing traffickers across Central America after they steal her daughter. David Castro also stars and Jon Hollis, Tracy and Anton Nadler are the producers...

Us-based Australian director Frank Lotito will direct The Olive Sisters, a romantic drama adapted from Australian author Amanda Hampson.s 2005 novel, which will star Leslie Mann and Anthony Lapaglia. Lotito takes over from Fred Schepisi, who is still attached to the project as an executive producer. A former stand-up comic, Lotito made his feature directing debut on Good Ol. Boy, a Us comedy which will have its world premiere later this month at the Seattle International Film Festival. Based on a true story, set in 1979 and scripted by Anjul Nigam, Paul Quinn and Gregory Scott Houghton,. Good Ol. Boy centres on a family from India that moves to the Us with hopes of living the American Dream.

While their 10-year-old son Smith falls head-over-heels for the girl next door, his desire to become a .good old boy. propels him further away from his family.s ideals. The cast includes Jason Lee...

Organisers at the Seattle International Film Festival (Siff) announced the complete line-up of 450 films from 92 countries on Wednesday. The festival runs from May 14-June 7.

The Overnight starring Jason Schwartzman will close the event and as previously announced Spy (pictured) with Melissa McCartney will kick off proceedings. Kevin Bacon will receive career achievement in acting award.

“This year’s festival is bigger and more international than ever, with a record 92 countries represented,” said Siff artistic director Carl Spence. “Adding to our diverse international line-up is our new programme, Culinary Cinema, which features 11 fantastic new films.

“And I’m particularly excited to welcome Kevin Bacon as this year’s Tribute Guest – Siff will now be only one-degree of separation away!”

Galas and premieres include Max Landis’ directorial debut Me Him Her, Chris Evans in Before We Go, Jesse Eisenberg and Jason Segal in the Centerpiece Gala End Of The Tour . Inside Out, Mr. Holmes and [link...

Title: James Cameron’s Deepsea Challenge Director: John Bruno, Ray Quint, Andrew Wight Starring: James Cameron, Frank Lotito, Lachlan Woods, Paul Henri. ‘Deepsea Challenge 3D’ attests how human will is the key to discovery. Pushing ourselves beyond the boundaries that surround us, with cognition and sensibility, can lead to outstanding results. The expedition to make the first solo voyage to the deepest part of the ocean, is an inspiring metaphor on the fulfillment of lifelong dreams. ‘Deepsea Challenge 3D’ blends Cameron’s passions for filmmaking, science, technology and diving, along with his ability to wear multiple hats, such as executive producer, expedition leader, submersible co-designer and pilot. In fact this could also [ Read More ]

The post James Cameron’s Deepsea Challenge Movie Review appeared first on Shockya.com.

Before fans get to explore Pandora again in director James Cameron's Avatar sequels, the filmmaker is taking moviegoers to the deepest point of the Pacific Ocean in the first trailer for James Cameron's DeepSea Challenge 3D. The heralded director and longtime underwater explorer joins forces with National Geographic and Rolex on a journey to the Mariana Trench's lowest point in a historic dive, which is captured with his innovative 3D cameras. Take a look at the first footage from this upcoming documentary, which will debut in theaters nationwide August 8.

A joint scientific project by Cameron, the National Geographic Society and Rolex to conduct deep-ocean research and exploration to expand our knowledge and understanding of these largely unknown parts of the planet.

Cameron's historic DeepSea Challenge expedition will be the first extensive scientific exploration by a manned vehicle to the Mariana Trench's lowest point, the Challenger Deep. Cameron plans...

Australian director Richard Gray has secured an impressive cast for upcoming Us feature The Lookalike. Justin Long, John Corbett, Luis Guzman, Jerry O'Connell, Gina Gershon, and Gillian Jacobs have all signed onto the project, which commences principle photography on November 28. To be filmed in New Orleans, Louisiana, and Paradise Island, Bahamas, The Lookalike is an indie thriller said to be in the same vein of True Romance and Get Shorty. Gray.s previous credits include Summer Coda, starring Rachael Taylor and Academy Award nominee Jacki Weaver, and Mine Games, which has just completed the festival circuit.

His latest film, Blinder, gets wide theatrical release in Australia on February 21, 2013. The Lookalike was written by Gray.s wife Michele Gray, who is also producing. Producing alongside the pair are Justin Long, Richard Gray, Mike Gillespie, Frank Lotito, Virginia Kay, and Kaine Harling. .

Despite largely negative reviews, new Australian rom-com Big Mamma.s Boy has posted a decent opening.weekend. The Melbourne comedy, which opened on 33 metro screens, grossed $106,597, giving it an impressive.screen average of $3230. The film will open in regional areas in the next few weeks, producer Matteo Bruno confirmed to If last Friday. Directed by Franco Di Chiera, the feel-good.film . which received the producer offset tax break and Screen Australia completion funds . touts itself as a comedy about life, love and lasagna. It follows the story of 35-year-old Rocco (Frank Lotito) and his decision to move out of home in order to impress lady-love Katie (former Neighbours star and sometimes-singer Holly Valance). Penned by Lotito (who also...

Big Mamma’s Boy’s Matteo Bruno and Franco Di Chiera had the challenge of marketing a rom-com set in Melbourne’s Italian community two ways, to the cultural minority and the mass majority. Colin Delaney reports.

“For me it’s a romantic comedy and that’s it,” says Franco Di Chiera, director of Big Mamma’s Boy about an Italian-Australian career man by day, jazz singer by night who falls for a non-Italian girl, while still living with his mother.

Yet, despite the fact the film is a rom-com at heart, Di Chiera, producer Matteo Bruno and lead actor/writer Frank Lotito are well aware Big Mamma’s Boy could easily be passed off as another Australian ‘wog story’.

And what would be wrong with that? Comedies about the ‘wog’, be them Italian, Greek or any other wonderful ethnicity slapped with that all-encompassing title have been widely successful across...

Big Mama's Boy follows the story of Rocco (Frank Lotito) as he struggles to choose between the love of his life, Katie (Holly Valance) and his doting, over-protective Italian mother (Carmelina Di Guglielmo). Madman will release the movie on July 28. . You need Adobe Flash plugin version 9.0.115 or higher to view the videos on this site Get it here, it will only take a minute (1 Mb) . function SMGAddEvent(obj,evType,fn){if(obj.addEventListener){obj.addEventListener(evType,fn,false);return true;}else if(obj.attachEvent){var r=obj.attachEvent("on"+evType,fn);return r;}else{return false;}} SMGAddEvent(window, 'load', function (){ var smgPlayer = new SMGPlayer(150,0); smgPlayer.SetWmode("window"); smgPlayer.Embed(1476...

Screen Australia has invested $9 in 15 projects, including a film adaptation of the TV comedy hit Kath and Kim, entitled The Kath and Kim Filum – produced by Rick McKenna, Jane Turner and Gina Riley, and directed by Ted Emery.

In the film, Kath and Kim will head overseas “on a whirlwind tour of love, lust and revolution”.

The investment round supports a production slate worth almost $29m. It also includes the feature The Last Great Apes, The 20-Something Survival Guide, and a theatrical doco for IMAX, as well as 10 documentaries.

The projects are:

Features

The 20-something Survival Guide

Eddie Wong Films Pty Ltd

Producer Jodi Matterson

Executive Producers Bruna Papandrea, Simon Bosanquet, Mark Huffam

Writer Michael Lucas

Director Peter Templeman

International Sales Marble Hill/Sc Films International

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Synopsis A freewheeling 20-something guy learns he will be infertile in a month, so he has to find someone to conceive...

Us actor Willem Dafoe, currently shooting The Hunter in Tasmania, will be one of the presenters at the Samsung Mobile AFI Awards this Saturday in Melbourne.

Other presenters include Catherine McClements, Sigrid Thornton, Asher Keddie, Vince Colosimo, Nick Giannopoulous, Stephen Curry, Julia Zemiro, Josh Lawson, Joel Edgerton, Alan Jones, Caitlin Stasey, Yvonne Strahovski, Alex Dimitriades, Fred Schepisi, Shaun Micallef, Adam Zwar, Poppy Lee Friary, Claudia Karvan, Lincoln Lewis and Nash Edgerton.

Both the Industry Awards (Dec 10) and the Awards Ceremony (Dec 11) will be hosted by Shane Jacobson. The broadcast on the Nine Network will include coverage of the red carpet arrivals, hosted by Giaan Rooney.

Celebrity guests include Ben Mendelsohn, Justine Clarke, Sacha Horler, Aaron Pederson, Deborah Mailman, Aden Young, Clayton Jacobson, The Hon. Simon Crean, Giaan Rooney, Damien Walshe-Howling, James Frecheville, Harrison Gilbertson, Morgana Davies, Laura Wheelwright, Cheree Cassidy, Ashleigh Cummings, Deniz Akdeniz, Phoebe Tonkin, Chris Pang, Nathan Phillips,...