Moviegoers in China spent 17 billion yuan ($2.7 billion) on tickets last year, turning the country into the second-largest film market in the world, the state news agency Xinhua said on Wednesday.Sales rose 30 percent from 2011, it said, citing the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television (SARFT), underscoring the rapid growth that has long attracted Hollywood despite China's tight restrictions on foreign films.After years of pressure, China in 2012 agreed to increase the number of fil

LOS ANGELES (AFP) ― Steven Spielberg, Kathryn Bigelow and Ben Affleck were among the nominees Tuesday for top honors from the Directors Guild of America (DGA), seen as a key bellwether for Oscars glory.Others nominated for the DGA’s prize for directorial achievement in a feature film ― the winner of which regularly goes on to take best director Oscar ― were Tom Hooper for his musical adaptation “Les Miserables” and Taiwanese-U.S. director Ang Lee for the stunning 3-D “Life of Pi.”The DGA shortli

BEIJING (AFP) ― Hong Kong director Wong Kar Wai’s long-awaited martial arts film “The Grandmaster” was shown in public for the first time in Beijing on Sunday, after more than six years in production.The film spans several decades of Chinese history to tell the story of legendary martial artist Yip Man, who went on to train Bruce Lee, and features lengthy battles between rival kung fu masters.Wong, 54, is best known for his 2000 slow-burn drama “In the Mood for Love”.His new film, packed with Ch

BEIJING (AFP) -- Hong Kong director Wong Kar Wai's long-awaited martial arts film "The Grandmaster" was shown in public for the first time in Beijing on Sunday, after more than six years in production.The film spans several decades of Chinese history to tell the story of legendary martial artist Yip Man, who went on to train Bruce Lee, and features lengthy battles between rival kung fu masters.Wong, 54, is best known for his 2000 slow-burn drama "In the Mood for Love".His new film, packed with C

NEW YORK (AP) ― The National Society of Film Critics selected “Amour’’ as the best picture of 2012 during its annual meeting Saturday.The critics chose the star of “Amour,’’ Emmanuelle Riva, as the best actress, and Daniel Day-Lewis was chosen best actor for “Lincoln.’’The group of 60 prominent movie critics from around the country met at Lincoln Center in New York City to make its picks.Austrian director Michael Haneke won best director for “Amour.’’ The French-language movie depicts the slow d

Sergiu Nicolaescu, a prolific and popular Romanian director known for his historical epics who also served as a Senator, died Thursday. He was 82.The Elias Hospital said Nicolaescu died from heart and lung complications following surgery for digestive problems.Nicolaescu quit politics in December, having been Senator for the Social Democracy Party since 1992.Nicolaescu made some 50 movies in his lifetime, and despite his career in politics, continued to direct films such as the “Orient Express”

LOS ANGELES (AP) ― The Civil War saga “Lincoln,’’ the musical “Les Miserables’’ and the Osama bin Laden thriller “Zero Dark Thirty’’ are among the nominees announced Wednesday for the top honor from the Producers Guild of America.Other best-picture contenders are the Iran hostage-crisis thriller “Argo’’; the low-budget critical favorite “Beasts of the Southern Wild’’; the slave-turned-bounty-hunter saga “Django Unchained’’; the shipwreck story “Life of Pi’’; the first-love tale “Moonrise Kingdom

LONDON (AFP) ― The latest James Bond film “Skyfall” has become the first movie ever to take 100 million pounds at the British box office, it was announced Monday.The 23rd official Bond film surpassed the landmark, equivalent of $162 million (123 million euros), after becoming the highest grossing film ever in Britain earlier this month when it overtook the 94 million pounds generated by “Avatar.”“Skyfall” achieved the figure in just 40 days, while “Avatar” (2009) took 11 months to amass its tota

LOS ANGELES (AP) ― Growing concern that problems with the new electronic Oscar voting system could lead to record-low turnout has prompted the motion picture academy to extend the deadline for members to vote for Oscar nominations.But with next week’s highly anticipated announcements looming, the extension is only for a day, until Friday. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences said Monday any votes received after the new deadline will not be counted.“By extending the voting deadline we