SBS has announced the appointment of Madman Entertainment to manage marketing, sales and distribution for its re-launched SBS Video business.

SBS Director of Commercial Affairs, Richard Finlayson, said Madman was a great fit with SBS and would play the key role in launching SBS Video to become one of the country?s leading home entertainment brands.

?There is surging demand for SBS programs on DVD and together with Madman we will fund the release of well over one hundred titles to the market during the next three years,? said Finlayson.

SBS Commercial Affairs has introduced a content fund of up to $1,000,000 over three years. The fund targets primarily Australian productions, providing local film makers with the opportunity to increase distribution of their product through commercial release on DVD.

?The relationship with Madman means SBS Video is now a compelling offer for producers and program providers.?

Madman CEO, Paul Wiegard, said his company saw significant commercial and cultural synergies with SBS.

?Like Madman, SBS has a reputation for eclectic and innovative programming that attracts a wide audience ? an audience which is also willing to pay premium prices to own that content on DVD."

?SBS is a national brand that is yet to realize its enormous potential in the home entertainment market and Madman is well placed to ensure future success.?

Titles planned for release in 2006/2007 span the SBS range of comedy and entertainment, landmark documentaries, sport and lifestyle programs.

Variety has reported that Hayao Miyazaki started production on a new animated feature, scheduled for release in mid 2008. The new film is currently untitled.

Miyazaki's 2004 release, Howl's Moving Castle, grossed $170 million in Japan, and his 2001 release, Spirited Away, has earned a Japanese record-breaking $258 million.

Both of these classic films received a limited theatrical release locally and are available now on DVD from Madman.

The nominations are in for the 2006 Lexus IF awards and the 2006 Film Critics Circle of Australia awards.

Madman Cinema and Madman Films releases are in the running for award nominations in the following categories:

--The 2006 Lexus IF Awards--

Best Feature Film
- Kenny
- Ten Canoes

Best Director
- Clayton Jacobson, Kenny
- Rolf de Heer and Peter Djigirr, Ten Canoes

Best Actress
- Abbie Cornish, Candy

Best Actor
- Heath Ledger, Candy
- Crusoe Kurddal, Ten Canoes

Best Cinematography
- Ian Jones, Ten Canoes

Best Script
- Kenny, Clayton Jacobson and Shane Jacobson
- Ten Canoes, Rolf de Heer

Best Editing
- Kenny, Clayton Jacobson and Sean Lander

Best Sound
- Kenny
- Ten Canoes


--The 2006 FCCA Awards--

- Candy:
Best Film
Director
Adapted Screenplay
Music Score
Actress (Abbie Cornish)
Actor (Heath Ledger)
Actress - Supporting Role (Noni Hazlehurst)
Actor - Supporting Role (Geoffrey Rush)

- Ten Canoes:
Best Film
Director
Original Screenplay
Cinematography
Editing

- Kenny:
Best Film
Director
Actor (Shane Jacobson)
Original Screenplay

- Sophie Scholl - The Last Days:
Best Foreign Langauage Film

- Tsotsi
Best Foreign Language Film

Madman Entertainment wishes to advise that the following Manga titles are being moved from September 6th to an October 11th release window. They will have a slightly later release due to a shipping delay from the supplier.

FRUITS BASKET (MANGA) VOL 20 HA51020
SLAM DUNK (MANGA) VOL 27 IT33327
SLAM DUNK (MANGA) VOL 28 IT33328

We thank customers for their patience, while we look forward to a bumper month of Manga in October!

The 2006 MIFF audience poll for most popular films have been announced:

Madman titles THE HOST and OFFSIDE came in at 2nd and 3rd respectively, making them the most popular foreign-language films in the festival! Both films are being released through Madman Cinema (OFFSIDE - Sept 28; THE HOST in 2007), and will then be on DVD.

The TOP 10 FEATURE films were:

1. Thank You For Smoking (Dir Jason Reitman, USA)

2. The Host (Dir Bong Joon-ho, Sth Korea)

3. Offside (Dir Jafar Panahi, Iran)

4. The Wind That Shakes the Barley (Dir Ken Loach, UK/Ireland)

5. A Prairie Home Companion (Dir Robert Altman, USA)

6. A Scanner Darkly (Dir Richard Linklater, USA)

7. Grbavica (Dir Jasmila Zbanic, Bosnia-Herzegovina/Austria)

8. C.R.A.Z.Y (Dir Jean-Marc Valée, Canada)
>released by Madman on DVD (Rialto in cinemas)

9. Last Train To Freo (Dir Jeremy Sims, Australia)

10. Quinceanera (Dirs Richard Glatzer, Wash Westmoreland, USA)


The TOP 10 DOCOS were:

1. An Inconvenient Truth (Dir Davis Guggenheim, USA)

2. Sketches Of Frank Gehry (Dir Sydney Pollack, USA)

3. Rock The Bells (Dirs Denis Henry Hennelly, Casey Suchan, USA)

4. A Weekend In The Country: A History Of The Meredith Music Festival (Dir Robert McCafferty, Australia)
>Madman will be releasing this on DVD

5. Loudquietloud: A Film About The Pixies (Dirs Steven Cantor, Matthew Galkin, USA)
>Madman will be releasing this on DVD too

6. Jonestown: The Life And Death Of Peoples Temple (Dir Stanley Nelson, USA)

7. Global Haywire (Dir Bruce Petty, Australia)

8. Women Of The Sun - 25 Years Later (Dir Bob Weis, Australia)

9. A Crude Awakening - The OilCrash (Dirs Basil Gelpke, Ray McCormack, Switzerland)

10. Workingman's Death (Dir Michael Glawogger, Austria/Germany)

Kenny, porta-loo guru and all round great bloke, has been touring Australia and appearing secretly at special screenings of the film he stars in, "KENNY".
Kenny has been winning audiences over everywhere he goes - from young to old, guys and girls - with the humour and pride he radiates in his trade and life.
And now we all get to see the film that has everybody talking!
KENNY will preview in cinemas everywhere this weekend.
Check newspapers for session times this weekend and see KENNY first!
Opens nationally through Madman Cinema on August 17.

Hail Illapazzo!! The complete (im)perfect collection of Excel Saga is now available for a new low price in a sweet, shelf friendly pack.

Thanks to the wonders of modern packaging technology, Madman is reducing the price of the 6-disc Excel Saga Collection from $99.95 to $79.95!

Not only that, the new multidisk pack, or fatpack, is actually no thicker than two normal DVDs side by side. What a relief for those with DVDs stacked to the rafters - it's a space saver and makes discs much easier to handle.

They look good, feel good, and even though its much smaller than the regular Collection box, each disc retains all the special features! Fatpack = thin price, and a handy package for collectors.


Excel Saga Imperfect Collection, only $79.95, is available now.

"TSOTSI" FAULTY PRODUCT REPLACEMENT

URGENT PRODUCT NOTICE

TSOTSI- MMA2385
Release Date - 02 August 2006

We regret to announce that due to circumstances beyond our control, copies of the film 'TSOTSI' released Aug 2 have a replication fault - with product freezing at 32 minutes.

The AV Channel are taking immediate steps to redress this regrettable situation and advise the following:

ALL STOCK of TSOTSI will be automatically replaced

All replacement stock will be delivered to stores freight free

Please destroy and discard all copies of Tsotsi that are currently in store. No stock is to be returned.
Replacment stock will commence shipping Aug 9

The AV Channel wish to reassure all customers of our commitment to high quality control standards - we are taking immediate steps to address the source of this issue.

Kind Regards

THE AV Channel Team
Phone: +61 3 9419 5444
Fax: +61 3 8415 1955
Mobile: 0418 302 979
The AV Channel Sales Hotline: 03 9415 8900

TSOTSI" FAULTY PRODUCT REPLACEMENT ADVISEMENT

URGENT PRODUCT NOTICE

TSOTSI- MMA2385
Release Date - 02 August 2006

We regret to announce that due to circumstances beyond our control, copies of the film 'TSOTSI' released Aug 2 have a replication fault ? with product freezing at 32 minutes.

The AV Channel are taking immediate steps to redress this regrettable situation and advise the following:

ALL STOCK of ?TSOTSI will be automatically replaced

All replacement stock will be delivered to stores freight free

Please destroy and discard all copies of Tsotsi that are currently in store. No Stock is to be returned.

We will begin shipping the replacement stock Wednesday August 9

The AV Channel wish to reassure all customers of our commitment to high quality control standards ? we are taking immediate steps to address the source of this issue.




Kind Regards

THE AV Channel Team
Phone: +61 3 9419 5444
Fax: +61 3 8415 1955
Mobile: 0418 302 979
The AV Channel Sales Hotline: 03 9415 8900

The Big Blind - What happens when Mother Nature sticks it to you? Hit the road first...panic later...and "The Big Blind" is born. Join Whiteout Films, its epic staff of pencil pushers, cinematographers and superior roster of pro snowboard talent on an epic adventure through the "snow friendly" regions of the planet. Watch as they embark on the maddest hunt for winter white and new terrain ever documented. "The Big Blind" 2005
Screening at Glo Cinema, Falls Creek on the 22nd of August. 7:30pm.

Run to the Hills - Madman Sports Promotional Party @ Swindlers; Mt Hotham. Sat 26th August. Come check out Endorphin and collect some great Madman Prizes.

Don?t forget to:
Go to www.madmansports.com.au for your chance to WIN an Aussie SKI Trip for 2 and a truck load of Madman Gear. Valued at $2000.

And?.Keep track of other great snow events by checking out Triple J-sponsored Back to the Top www.backtothetop.com With Otaku Wear promos and Madman Sports giveaways at every event!