Maya takes int'l rights to 'Mosquita y Mari'

'Mosquita y Mari'Maya Intl., the sales and distribution arm of L.A.-based indie Maya Entertainment founded by executive co-chair Moctesuma Esparza, reaches Sundance handling worldwide rights to Next Film selection "Mosquita y Mari," Aurora Guerrero's helming debut. The arrival-of-age tale is about two 15-year-old Latinas going to grips while using sexual undercurrent inside their friendship. Pic can be a co-production between Chad Burris' Indion Entertainment and Maya Intl., which will manage foreign sales. The Film Collaborative handles domestic sales in the pic at Sundance. Pic has furthermore been recognized for your Sundance Selects selection at Berlin's European Film Market, which Maya Intl. prexy Elias Axume will attend."Mosquita y Mari" was recently granted the 2011 SFFS/KRF Filmmaking Grant plus an LG Cinema 3d Fellowship. Guerrero can be a former Sundance Institute/Ford Foundation Film Fellow and was recently named a period of time Warner Fellow. Maya Intl. is selling rights to photos including Indion Entertainment's "Ass Backwards," starring Alicia Silverstone "It's a Disaster," toplined by Julia Stiles and America Ferrara "Cafe," starring Jennifer Love Hewitt and Jamie Kennedy and "Without Males," introduced by Avoi Longoria Parker, Christian Slater and Oscar Nunez. Axume can also be searching to obtain worldwide rights to new game game titles at Sundance. Parent company Maya Entertainment Group, Corporation. can be a multi-platform content and distribution company that has built a library more than 100 game game titles specific at American Latino additionally to global auds. Introduced by Esparza, whose credits include "Selena" and HBO's "Walkout," and prexy Rob Valdez (founding father of SiTV, now nuvoTV), Maya remains growing its achieve via altering distribution technologies. Contact the number newsroom at news@variety.com

Lovefilm woos Disney U.K.

By DIANA LODDERHOSE LONDON -- European online film and tv subscription service Lovefilm has became a member of with Disney U.K. to supply people utilization of U.S. Tv shows including "Desperate Regular folks,Inch "Lost" and "Brothers and sisters and Brothers and sisters." The very best quality VOD service, named ABC TV On-Demand, will give you ABC Studios' library of network and cable series launched as full seasons after their first work on U.K. pay and/reely TV. Previous seasons of some series might even be around to Lovefilm people just before the following season airs on U.K. TV. People will have a way to gain access to content via Internet-connected items including PC, The brand new the new sony Ps 3, Xbox 360 360 360, iPads and web-enabled Televisions and Blu-ray players. The data deal is an additional proceed the chessboard for Amazon . com . com-possessed Lovefilm, that's ramping up biz on its home turf spurred by U.S. rival Netflix, which bowed inside the U.K. on Jan. 9 getting a streaming-only package inside a cut rate of 5.99 ($9.25) together with a 1-month trial offer. Lovefilm responded getting an expense cut, offering unlimited streaming for $7.71 monthly. Since Netflix introduced it may be operating in Europe, both services are actually competing very for content. Up to now, Netflix has deals include Miramax, BBC, ITV, Funnel 4, Disney, Lionsgate U.K. and Momentum Pictures while Lovefilm, which has 2 million clients, has handles The brand new the new sony Pictures, Warner Bros., BBC Worldwide, ITV, eOne and Studiocanal. Contact the number newsroom at news@variety.com

Nick Cannon Launched from Hospital

Nick Cannon and Mariah Carey Nick Cannon continues to be launched in the hospital after having suffered "mild kidney failure" a week ago, People reviews."Nick Cannon was launched over the past weekend to get along with his family. He's resting and recuperating both at home and want to thank everybody that has expressed concern, well wishes and hopes," his repetition stated inside a statement.Nick Cannon put in the hospital with kidney problemThe 31-year-old America's Got Talent host is anticipated revisit his morning radio show, Rollin' With Nick Cannon, on Tuesday, Jan. 17.Cannon was put in the hospital a week ago throughout his and wife Mariah Carey's annual holiday visit to Aspen, Colo. He was moved Friday to La, where he went through surgery."Recuperating ... going to be more powerful than ever before!Inch he tweeted Saturday.

MTV Movie Brawl: 'Dark Knight Rises' Vs. 'Avengers'

The MTV Movie Brawl 2012 is officially on! After the initial play-in and wild card rounds, 16 films have been selected to compete in a series of head-to-head single elimination matches in our March Madness-style bracket. In the end, only one of these flicks can be crowned the can't-miss movie of the year, and the choice is entirely up to YOU. Which movie will win the brawl for it all? Vote at MTV Movies Blog and make your choice known! Two of the most important comic book movies of 2012 heck, of all time are about to enter the arena in a head-to-head match-up that many would agree is a long time coming. In one corner, the hero that Gotham needs. In the other, Earth's Mightiest Heroes. How can one superpower-less crime-fighter defeat a veritable army of superheroes? Well you do know he's Batman, right? (3) "The Dark Knight Rises" vs. (6) "Marvel's The Avengers" Christopher Nolan's conclusion to his Batman trilogy, "The Dark Knight Rises," is easily one of the most anticipated movies of the year. But the exact same could be said for "The Avengers," Marvel's answer to DC's biggest effort of 2012. Two rival universes are about to collide as the Caped Crusader charges headfirst at Iron Man, Thor, Cap and their allies in this first round battle. Both movies performed well beneath our expectations in round one, so our guess is as good as yours. We do know this, though: whoever wins, it's going to be one hell of an epic fight. Watch our MTV Movie Brawl 2012 analysis!

Elton John To Write Book About The AIDS Crisis

First Published: January 9, 2012 9:15 AM EST Credit: Getty Images LONDON, U.K. -- Caption Elton John arrives to attend the Royal Wedding of Prince William to Catherine Middleton at Westminster Abbey in London on April 29, 2011Elton John is writing his first book, a personal account of the AIDS crisis. The musician says Love is the Cure: Ending the Global Aids Epidemic will include memories of friends who died of AIDS-related illnesses, including Queen frontman Freddie Mercury. British publisher Hodder&Stoughton says the book will be published in July along with an audio book read by the British pop star. The U.S. publisher is Little, Brown. Proceeds will go to the Elton Johns AIDS Foundation. John said Monday the book would ask why more is not being done to cure the disease. He said AIDS is a disease that must be cured not by a miraculous vaccine, but by changing hearts and minds, and through a collective effort to break down social barriers. Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Revision3 signs Philip DeFranco

Among YouTube's first homegrown talents takes his act to Revision3. Philip DeFranco, most widely known online as PhillyD, has signed using the San Franciso-based digital network, that will provide ad-sales and production support. Since rising to fame online in 2006 together with his irreverent monologues, DeFranco has accumulated two million customers for his video funnel. "He's among the men who produced this medium and remains a genuine thought leader within the space," stated Ryan Vance, Vice president of programming at Revision3. Landing DeFranco is really a coup for Revision3, among an increasing number of firms getting involved in a never-ending land grab to find the best YouTube attraction that may boost audience for his or her particular systems. DeFranco was among the first newcomers in a rival company, Maker Galleries, but he left that outfit 2 yrs ago. Revision3 continues to be on the signing spree in the last year, tempting popular YouTube sensations including Epic A treat and TechnoBuffalo. Its audience of 23 million customers has introduced in top entrepreneurs including Ford, The new sony and Netflix. DeFranco is searching toward exploring additional possibilities at Revision3 for brand new channels or shows. "I'm able to make use of the help so far as growing outdoors of my show and taking advantage of their great salesforce,Inch he stated. "Revision3 was the logical choice." "The Philip DeFranco Show" can make its debut on Revision3 in the approaching Electronic Devices Show. Contact Andrew Wallenstein at andrew.wallenstein@variety.com

Figure Skater Johnny Weir Marries

Johnny Weir and Viktor Voronov Figure skating champion Johnny Weir and boyfriend Victor Vornov married on New Year's Eve.Weir needed to Twitter to announce what is the news. "I'm married!" he tweeted. "Ignore livin' in sin!"Photo gallery: Winter TV previewFor people concerned about passing on the wedding - there wasn't one. Weir tweeted: "Wedding in summer season! But all the official stuff is carried out now!"Weir offered just like a judge on ABC's Skating While using Stars, where he increased being well-known for feuding with participants Bethenny Frankel and fellow figure skater Evan Lysacek.