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After capturing Bollywood and becoming a household name in India, the former Australian 'Who Dares Wins' star Tania Zaetta has managed to land herself a new role as the official face of the fourth-largest island in the world, Madagascar. Madagascar's Minister for Tourism and Culture Roger Mahozoasy, at a press conference announcing the deal, said that the country was overjoyed that the star had agreed to officially represent them. "We've all grown up watching Who Dares Wins on this side of the world and it's our pleasure to have her agree to this role," the Daily Telegraph quoted him, as saying. The actress, who starred in the Indian blockbusters 'Saalam Namaste' opposite Arshad Warsi, and also appeared in 'Bunty and Babli', said that she had been forced to cut short her holiday on the island as she had to return to India earlier than expected. "The only disappointing part is that my holiday at home has been cut short by a couple of we...

The biggest movie story of 2005 -- at times it seemed like it was the ONLY movie story of 2005 -- was the Great Box Office Slump. Nearly every Monday from January through December, there was an avalanche of gloom-and-doom reports about yet another disappointing weekend at the box office. Things sounded so dire, I half-expected to read that all the major studios and the independents were shutting down, and everybody in the business was going to have to find another line of work. Sean Penn would become a social studies teacher. Jamie Foxx could get a gig playing piano in a Chicago jazz club. Angelina Jolie would become the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. (Or does she already have that job?) Years from now, we'd be telling the grandkids that Hollywood stopped making movies altogether because of the Great Box Office Slump of 2005. ("And that's why there was never another 'Deuce Bigalow' after 'European Gigolo,' little Timmy.") Only one problem: the ...

Paramount film studios, part of Viacom, has purchased DreamWorks, makers of "Shrek" and "Madagascar" for 1.6 billion dollars in cash, the company said. DreamWorks SKG, which created successful computer animated features such as "Shrek," was also sought after by NBC Universal, a unit of General Electric. "In nine months we were never able to get an agreement GE," said David Geffen, one of the founders of DreamWorks, during a telephone conference call. The final deal gives Paramount access to 59 films in DreamWorks' library, including "Gladiator," "American Beauty," "War of the Worlds," "Saving Private Ryan," and "Catch Me if You Can." Paramount plans to sell off the catalogue, according to the company, for somewhere between 850 million dollars and one billion dollars, said Brad Grey, without revealing the names of possible buyers. DreamWorks Animation receives 75 million dollars to pay off debt...

HOLLYWOOD - Blockbuster Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit leads the nominations at the 2006 Annie Awards, picking up 15 nods, including Best Feature. The latest tale about inventor Wallace and his intellectually-superior dog Gromit will fight Chicken Little, Corpse Bride, Howl's Moving Castle and Madagascar for the coveted Best Animated Feature gong at the International Animated Film Society's Feb. 4 ceremony. Wallace & Gromit is also up in directing, writing, storyboarding, effects, music and character design categories, while the movie's voiceovers Helena Bonham Carter, Ralph Fiennes, Peter Sallis and Nicholas Smith are all up for voice acting awards. Article Copyright World Entertainment News Network All Rights Reserved. By WENN

The International Animated Film Society recently announced the nominees for its awards, known as Annies, and Wallace and Gromit cleaned the hell up. Among Wallace & Gromit in The Curse of the Were-Rabbit's 15 nominations are one for best animated feature, another for best directing, and four nods in the best vocal work categories. Battling the man and his dog for the best picture award are Tim Burton's Corpse Bride, Madagascar, Chicken Little, and Hayao Miyazaki's Howl's Moving Castle. Dreamworks was the big overall winner, since it distributed both Wallace & Gromit and Madagascar, which came away with nine nominations of its own (odd, since no one seemed to like it much). Winners will be announced in February. Posted Dec 6, 2005, 10:50 AM ET by Martha Fischer Filed under: Awards, Dreamworks, Animation, Newsstand

The claymation buddy film Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit scored a leading 15 nominations for the 33rd annual Annie Awards. Other contenders for best animated feature include Chicken Little,Corpse Bride,Howl's Moving Castle and Madagascar, which earned nine nominations overall. Presented by the International Animated Film Society, the awards recognize the year's best in animation from film, television, commercials and short subjects. Nominees were announced Monday. Wallace & Gromit garnered nominations for directing, writing, storyboarding, effects, music, character design and best animated feature. The film dominated the voice acting category, with its four lead actors — Helena Bonham Carter, Ralph Fiennes, Peter Sallis and Nicholas Smith — all earning nods. Competing for the top honor in the animated television category are AVATAR: The Last Airbender,Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends,My Life As A Teenage Robot,Star Wars: Close Wars II and The Batm...

The three-phase campaign's objective was to create hype and excitement around, and interest in, Air Madagascar in conjunction with the cinema release of the animated film Madagascar. The first phase involved a "crate display" in cinema foyers. These crates, just like the ones in which the film's characters are shipped to Madagascar, each accommodated one of the film's characters and served as a base for promoters handing out information flyers about the airline. The second phase involved the placing of airplane headrests on the headrests of the cinema seats. Moviegoers entering cinemas to watch the film were greeted by branded headrests, just as if they were boarding a plane to Madagascar. The final phase of the campaign involved handing out informational brochures and flyers to Madagascar audiences on completion of the show, and informing patrons of the competition being run in conjunction with the campaign. In addition to the attention attracted by the competiti...

Most of the Oscar races are so wide open right now that speculating about them would be pointless. But one category has grabbed my interest, because academy rules have made this competition as fierce as Thunderdome. Only in this case, the chant would be "Ten films enter, three films leave." Last week the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced 10 films were eligible for the animated feature Oscar. When the category was created in 2001, the academy stipulated that only three films could be nominated if fewer than 16 are eligible. I have seen six movies on the list and consider five of them worthy of a nomination. The one I consider unworthy, "Madagascar," almost certainly will be one of the nominees. In alphabetical order, here are the eligible films: "Chicken Little," "Gulliver's Travel," "Hoodwinked," "Howl's Moving Castle," "Madagascar," "Robots," "Steamboy," "Tim Burt...

The Academy followed up its announcement regarding the Best Documentary contenders with the 10 films that will contend for the Animated Feature Oscar. There were no notable omissions, and with such a low number of eligible animated features, relative to the “live-action” variety, almost all were included. However, Valiant--about a pigeon-turned-hero during World War II--is a surprising inclusion since it was widely panned by critics and largely ignored by audiences. The same goes for Steamboy, about a boy inventor in 1860s Britain, which hardly got any play in the U.S. There seem to be a few frontrunners vying for the coveted top three spots in this relatively new category. Madagascar, Tim Burton's Corpse Bride and Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit all have the upper hand, but there is room for a few surprises, including Hoodwinked, which is being released Christmas weekend. Here are the contenders: Chicken Little Gulliver’s Travel Hoodwinked Howl's Moving Cas...

Fort Jesus, Mombasa Old Town, Rift Valley lakes and Mijikenda Kayas are among the sites that could be added to the World Heritage Sites map, an official has said. Dr George Abungu, who was recently elected as a member of the Unesco World Heritage Committee, said the main challenge facing heritage sites was lack of funding to develop infrastructure. And local communities were also not aware of the value of the sites and needed to be educate about them, he added. The official also said that heritage sites faced with the threat of being de-listed will be given a new lease of life. Happily, Lamu, the only cultural site in Kenya to be listed was not yet on the danger list but needed urgent attention to address the collapsing drainage system and unregulated buildings. Other Kenyan sites on the prestigious map include Mt Kenya and Sibiloi in Turkana, which were classified as natural sites. "Lamu does not have a working management plan. One of the steps we are going to take is to ensure ...

Interactive agency Naked Penguin Boy has created its third project for Dreamworks with an online promotion supporting the DVD release of the box-office hit 'Madagascar'. The agency has produced a microsite, five online games, downloads and materials for marketing departments worldwide to support the November release of the DVD. The English version of the microsite is due to launch in mid-November. This is the third marketing project that Naked Penguin Boy has completed for Dreamworks, having previously developed campaigns for 'Shrek 2' and 'Shark Tale'. Features on the microsite include mobile telephone wallpaper of the film's characters, including Alex the lion, Marty the zebra, Gloria the hippo and Melman the giraffe. Users can also download "desktop buddies" such as the psychotic Madagascar penguins, Skipper, Riko, Kowalksi and Private. Fans of the film can also get hold of screensavers and an email signature that can be downloaded for use in...

Banc of America Securities Chief Financial Analyst Michael L. Savner increased earnings estimates for DreamWorks Animation SKG (nyse: DWA - news - people ) following Madagascar's better-than-expected international performance. "We continue to believe that the success of Madagascar at the international box office and the commercial success of DreamWorks Animation’s upcoming film slate will drive greater visibility in the stock going forward," said Savner. Madagascar has grossed over $315 million at the international box office. Savner doesn't expect DreamWorks' recent release, Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit, to generate much revenue in the fourth quarter, but he expects the company to sell 15.6 million units of the Madagascar home video. Savner increased his third-quarter 2005 earnings estimate for DreamWorks to 2 cents per share on revenue of $66.7 million, from a loss of 13 cents per share on revenue of $19.5 million. He maintained a “buy” rat...

Madagascar is arriving on DVD and you can expect heavy sales on this hysterical adventure of four zoo animal friends and a crew of wacked out penguins. Look for it to hit shelves this coming November 15th. Technical Features Available in both 1.85:1 Anamorphic Widescreen & Full Screen English and French in Dolby Digital 5.1 English and Spanish in Dolby Digital 2.0 English, French and Spanish subtitles Bonus Features Penguin commentary as they give you their unique take on the film Untamed games and activities (including Foosa Whack and Learn to Draw) Behind the Crates featurette Tech of Madagascar featurette Mad Mishaps featurette 'Crack the Code' game for a special prize and more To view the cover artwork click here .

Dreamworks, the movie studio headed by Steven Spielberg and other big media moguls, Television has signed cereal and snacks maker Kellogg's to create treats and goodies based on its movies. Under the agreement Kellogg's gets exclusive rights to make cereals and other tasty breakfast foods based on Dreamworks movies including Shrek 3 and Madagascar 2. Kellogg's will be responsible for promoting the foods, and therefore the movies, via in-store, TV and online ads. Kellogg's is just four years into what was supposed to be a 15-year agreement to do just this kind of thing for Disney but that deal's fate is now uncertain. Kellogg's is unlikely to create product for two movies from competing studios, after all. Sales of the Disney movie-themed snacks were moderate at best. Chris Thilk Filed under: Online, Print, Television

MAHAJANGA, Madagascar (Reuters) - Like other mediums at the annual "Fanompoana" festival in northwest Madagascar, Zo Andrianikenindraza is believed by the Sakalava tribe to be capable of hosting an ancestral spirit. Gripped by faith in the influence of the departed, he believes he has been taken over by the spirit of an ancient Malagasy monarch. "I want to speak with my people," Zo says, using words understood by villagers to be the king's. "I have come back to bless the Sakalava tribe and wish them prosperity." Taking a swig of cheap rum, he says he is not pleased with the progress the people have made since the king's reign. "It makes me sad to come back and see that my people are suffering from the lack of money and material goods," he shouts, followed by a crowd of children. "I want things to go better for them." Respect for dead ancestors and belief that they influence the living are paramount for the people of Madagascar, ...

If you choose to vanish, we're told early on in Madagascar, you probably won't be found. Nine out of ten people who disappear most likely prefer to remain lost. What happens then? The answers are not easy, but they can be surprising, as is J.T. Rogers's Madagascar. This delicate, ineffably moving play is splendidly acted by the trio of Kathryn Lee Johnston, Angie Radosh, and Bill Schwartz. It's a directorial tour de force for Ricky J. Martinez, whose fine-tuned ear for subtle mood changes and dizzying reversals of direction add up to an exhilarating theatrical triumph for this Florida premiere. In particular, Martinez's attention to gestural detail is touching and true: the stillness of a mother's hands as she contemplates the loss of her son, the wild and nervous hands of a giddy airline passenger, the caressing hands that reach out even when there is no longer anyone to caress. Frankly the Madagascar set is drab, but the words are brilliant and the characters ...

With big openings in Italy and Scandinavia, Madagascar reclaimed the international throne after a four-week absence. DreamWorks' computer-animated comedy corralled $11.6 million over the weekend, lifting its foreign haul to $291 million—compared to domestic's $192 million. Madagascar dominated Italy with $7.4 million from 294 locations, including previews. The massive debut kicked off the country's traditionally buoyant fall season and ended the traditionally slow summer season. Excluding previews the three-day weekend stood at $6.1 million, topping the first two Harry Potter movies as well as Finding Nemo by 15 percent and Shark Tale by 56 percent. The Scandinavian campaign was also impressive. In Norway, Madagascar's opening topped Finding Nemo's with $1.5 million from 113 screens. The escaped zoo animals also bested the lost fish in Denmark with $705,649 from 78 sreens. Other debuts included Finland's $305,276 from 51 screens and Sweden's $693,260 from 11...

Celebrating Black comedic prowess for the second straight year, BET will honor the outstanding success of urban comedy and the funniest performances in film, television and stand-up with the 2005 BET COMEDY AWARDS. Groundbreaking talent Martin Lawrence has been selected as the 2005 BET Comedy Icon Award recipient for his amazing body of work and contribution to the field of comedy, while outlandish comedian/actor Steve Harvey takes another turn as host of the annual laugh-fest. Themed "Oh! No They Didn't," BET will "bring the funny" back to the historic Pasadena Civic Auditorium with a live taping on September 25. The side-splitting telecast premieres on the network Tuesday, September 27, at 9 p.m. ET/PT. Dominating the 18-category list of nominees for the second year running -- which includes a brand-new category, Outstanding DVD Release -- is "The Bernie Mac Show" (FOX), followed by "My Wife and Kids" (ABC), "Girlfriends" (UPN), ...

Did you ever look at zoo animals and wonder if, despite their carefree living conditions, they really wanted to escape to the wilds? Celebrating his 10th birthday, Marty the zebra finds the daily performances at New York's Central Park Zoo tiresome and craves the excitement beyond the gates, from Manhattan to the island of Madagascar. He persuades his friends – Alex the lion, Melman the giraffe, Gloria the hippo and some crafty penguins – to get outta there with him. Their antics and escapades, depicted in the currently showing Dreamworks movie of the same name, come to life in this wacky and well-done piece of software. Although the minimum age for players is given as three, the company meant this as a sign that it has no violence. The level of English is high and would not be comprehensible to a three-year-old English speaker, certainly not to a Hebrew speaker twice his age. Yet even without understanding the dialogue, Israeli schoolkids can play the game, which begins with a lov...

A SMALL but connected community is always a good thing. The inaugural London Malay Festival might not be high on the list of summer festivals in Britain, but the one-day community-based project represents a stepping-stone for the Malay diaspora. The event set to run at the Lawrence Hall, Royal Horticultural Halls in London on Aug 27 seeks to readdress the lack of a Malay cultural presence on the international stage. “The London Malay Festival is basically a ‘regathering’ of tribes – to assemble a festival that can reflect the wide array of cultures that have a distinct Malay lineage. The Malay diaspora is wide and you cannot just think Malaysia, Indonesia or Singapore in this context. “It’s amazing to see Malay roots stretching from the Philippines and Australia’s Cocos Islands straight through Madagascar and South Africa,” said Art Fazil, the artistic director of the London Malay Festival in an interview in London earlier this month. At the London Malay Festival, the music slot is ...

I am feeding a banana to a wild cat. I know this is a bad thing to do in a national park but the damage has already been done. Each day at dusk, the cat and its companion, a brave little mouse lemur, step out of the rainforest shadows to delight a score of visitors who have spent the day traipsing along muddy paths in the elusive search for wild lemurs. Today we are doubly fortunate; a real glamourpuss puts in an appearance. The rare red-bellied lemur flings her long tail around her neck like a fur stole and poses round-eyed for our lenses, coping with the whirrs and flashes like an old pro. Bananas are accepted with dignity by hands that look almost human. Hollywood's new blockbuster animated film, Madagascar, stars a mouse lemur named Mort who punches well beyond his weight and charms his way into the hearts of a group of New York zoo animals searching for a wild life on this island 250 miles off the coast of East Africa. "He's the sweetest little thing," says Mort...

The Malagasy tourism industry is patiently awaiting an expected boom in visitors to the Indian Ocean island nation driven by the animated box-office hit Madagascar, officials said on Wednesday. Though tourist arrivals have yet to register any significant jump from the film that was released in May, they said medium- and long-term prospects are bright and noted the island's hospitality industry cannot cope with an immediate surge anyway. "It will be two years before we feel the effects of the movie," said Clement Ravalisaona, president of Madagascar's Professional Tour Operators' Association (TOP), opining that United States and European tourists whom the film might influence plan holidays well in advance. "Americans and Europeans prepare two years ahead of their vacations," he said, adding that bookings for the island's 9 300 hotel rooms are now beginning to climb for the period ending next October. "We are already having difficulty in hotel res...

The two-week deal will run across ATM:ad’s network of cashpoints in Asda stores throughout the UK until shortly after the film hits the movie screens on 15 July. The campaign will feature activity on receipts issued by the machine and through the on-screen transactions. Planning and buying for the campaign was carried out by ZenithOptimedia and Meridian Outdoor. Alastair Patrick, outdoor planner at Meridian Outdoor, said: “Madagascar is a fun, family oriented movie which will appeal to parents and kids of all ages. “We have used ATM:ad at Asda before very successfully so we knew that it would be the right medium for our target market. “We had no hesitation in making this campaign an integral part of UIP’s overall promotional plan for the launch of the film.” By Kevin May ATM:ad has been selected by United International Pictures to help promote the forthcoming release of Madagascar, the new animated adventure from DreamWorks.

The 29 June edition of IPC teen title Mizz will carry the Madagascar-themed clinger – a plastic sheet that sticks to any surface using static instead of adhesive – in a deal brokered by the publishing house’s Innovator division and Zed Media, on behalf on United International Pictures. The clinger features all the characters from the Madagascar movie and measures 8.4 inches by 5.8 inches. Susan Nuttall, IPC Innovator’s creative co-ordinator, who negotiated the deal with Tom Jackson from Zed Medial, said: “The Madagascar clinger is a prime example of the standout that can be achieved when creativity and technology are combined. “This is the first time that a clinger has been used in UK media and we were really keen to get it out there.” Jackson, a senior planner-buyer with Zed, added: “We wanted to do something that was both interactive and retainable to the readers of Mizz as well as raising their awareness of the upcoming UIP release. “The static clingers were just the ticket for this...

Mystery and secrets are revealed in this dramatic new play which comes to ATF as a finalist for the prestigious National Theater Critic's Award for Best New Play of 2004. MADAGASCAR tells the story of a mysterious disappearance that changes three lives and a family, all of them brought together in a hotel room on Rome's Spanish Steps. An intricate, suspenseful puzzle of a play where time, place, and truth follow their own dangerous revelatory rules with humor and honesty. Mary Beth Peil (ATF's WIT in 2000, Broadway's NINE in 2003) is planning to return to ATF as part of this play's exciting cast. a play by J.T. Rogers directed by Gus Reyes July 20-30, 2005 This summer, ATF will also stage J.T. Rogers' new play Madagascar, the solo show High Dive and a work-in-progress, Lost, by Melissa James Gibson. "This season really represents so much of what ATF is all about," ATF artistic director Martha Banta said in a statement. "The Girl in the Frame is...

LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc. (NYSE: LF - News), a leading developer of innovative, technology-based education products, today announced the debut of the interactive Madagascar book for its award-winning LeapPad® learning system. Based on DreamWorks' Animation's newly released Madagascar movie, the LeapPad book features the voice of comedic actor Ben Stiller as Alex the Lion from the movie. "The LeapPad learning system is already in 16 million homes worldwide, so there are many new homes and excited children eagerly awaiting the Madagascar characters to visit them," said Sharon Delman, LeapFrog vice president of marketing. "The undeniable popularity of these new characters will be enjoyed this summer and beyond as they help teach children valuable skills for Kindergarten and first grade." The LeapPad Madagascar book follows the story of four civilized Central Park Zoo animals that have spent their entire lives in blissful captivity who eventually find themselve...

Characters from the movie "Madagascar" swim into toyland with the introduction of Wild Planet Toys' "Madagascar" Aquapets. The line -- based on characters from the DreamWorks summer movie that overtook "Star Wars: Episode III" atop the box-office charts last weekend -- is the first issue of U.S.-licensed Aquapets. "We are really excited about this product," said Kim Bratcher, spokeswoman for Wild Planet toys. Aquapets are interactive pets housed in a water chamber that respond to their owner's voice or act on their own when the control buttons are used. Aquapets perform songs, dance and play games. The actions of the aquatic toys are controlled by two buttons, one to wake up the character, the other to initiate activity. The quirky bunch of characters possess their own personalities and exhibit various moods. "Aquapets are magical. They allow kids to bring their imagination to play," said Bratcher. Aquapets are equipped with a m...

This morning, b EQUAL is again putting the 'family' back in family game night with the release of its latest title, the MADAGASCAR ANIMAL TRIVIA DVD GAME , featuring themes and starring characters from the upcoming DreamWorks Animation release Madagascar. The MADAGASCAR ANIMAL TRIVIA DVD GAME is designed to get your family back into the game by combining exciting and compelling video content with over 1,600 ever-changing questions to offer a refreshing alternative to engage young children and their parents alike. The game is in stores now. "We are extremely excited to introduce our newest title, the MADAGASCAR ANIMAL TRIVIA DVD GAME. Parents are always on the lookout for new ways to reconnect and spend quality time with their kids," said Ken Fong, vice president of Marketing for b EQUAL. "We believe the b EQUAL games provide a great choice for parents searching for gaming options with cool, kid-friendly content, easy-to-use technology while, at the same t...

SINGAPORE : DreamWorks animated feature Madagascar tops Singapore box office for second week running, earning close to three times the box office takings of number 2 movie, George Lucas's Star Wars: Episode III. Opening at number one on June 27, Madagascar features the voices of Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, David Schwimmer and Jada Pinkett Smith, four New York Central Park zoo animals who found themselves marooned on the island of Madagascar. Madagascar outperformed Star Wars: Episode III and earned more than S$1 million over the opening weekend. Ten days after opening, Madagascar has already raked in S$2.3 million. - CNA Time is GMT + 8 hours Posted: 07 June 2005 0936 hrs By Hafizah Osman, Channelnewsasia.com

AMD (NYSE: AMD) announced today that the AMD Opteron(TM) processor played a significant role in the digital magic behind DreamWorks Animation SKG's recent movie, "Madagascar." "Madagascar" is the tale of four Central Park Zoo animals who, after spending their lives in blissful captivity, are unexpectedly shipped back to Africa and shipwrecked on the wild and exotic island of Madagascar. The movie, which premiered in the U.S. last week as part of the second largest Memorial Day box-office opening weekend ever, has piqued film-critics' interest with its stylized cartoon characters and lush environments. The AMD Opteron processor significantly improved rendering times for "Madagascar" and enabled digital artists to create never-before-seen images. "AMD64-based workstations and servers give our artists ever-increasing levels of performance. AMD's leading-edge processor technology enables our creative talent to continue to push the limits of t...

Jun 3 - 5 weekend 1 Madagascar Dreamworks SKG $28.700.000 cumulative: $100.968.000 2 The Longest Yard Paramount Pictures $26.100.000 cumulative: $95.804.000 3 Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith Twentieth Century Fox $26.000.000 cumulative: $308.805.000

Access Integrated Technologies, Inc. ("AccessIT") (Amex: AIX) today announced its Access Digital Media subsidiary has delivered and projected DreamWorks SKG Studios' newest major release, "Madagascar," to 11 digitally equipped theaters around the country. The animated film, featuring the vocal talents of an all-star cast including Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, David Schwimmer, and Jada Pinkett Smith, opened nationally on Friday, May 27th in both digital and analog formats. In agreement with DreamWorks, AccessIT provided, under commercial terms, digital content management and secure delivery of the film, via satellite, to 11 AccessIT digitally equipped theaters in the U.S. A total of 12 screens are booked to show the film through this agreement. "Madagascar's" release is a milestone for AccessIT. For the first time, a major film is being shown on three 2K digitally-equipped screens in a single theatre, the company's owned and operated, sta...