Author: Sara Embrey

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Now Playing on Cruiselines & Airlines Throughout the World: THE NIGHTINGALE

 

The Nightingale, China’s selection for 2014 Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film. Inspired by The Butterfly, Philippe Muyl creates another heartwarming story about the connection between a spoiled granddaughter and her traditional grandfather as they travel through China to fulfil a promise.

As you embark on your journey, accompany Zhu Zhi Gen (played by Li Baotian) on his trek to Yangshuo from Beijing. After living in Beijing for twenty lonesome years, Zhu Zhi Gen has decided to fulfill his late wife’s promise, to let their beloved nightingale take flight one last time. Dragged onto this adventure along with him is his granddaughter, Ren Xing (played by Xin Yi Yang), who’d rather be spending time with her iPad than enjoying the world around her. Her parents, Ren Quan Ying (played by Li Xiaoran) and Zhu Chong Yi (played by Qin Hao) are off on their business trips, Ren Xing has no other choice but to go with her grandfather. Watch as generations grow closer together as the duo travel back in time to rediscover their roots and unplug themselves to enjoy the simple things in life.

Just in time for your holiday cruises with your family, The Nightingale will be playing on these cruise lines for the holidays:

  • Crystal Cruises
  • Norwegian
  • Oceania
  • Princess
  • Regent Sever Seas
  • Royal Caribbean
  • Star Cruises

And if you're flying instead of steaming these airlines are presenting The Nightingale on their flights around the globe starting in January 2016.

  • Delta
  • Avianca
  • Aer Lingus
  • Cathay Pacific

The Nightingale features an impressive cast. It includes Li Xiaoran of Ripples of Desire (2012), An End to Killing (2012), The Chinese Botanist’s Daughter (2006); rising star Qin Hao, best known for Spring Fever (2009), as well as Red Amnesia (2014), and Shanghai Dreams (2005); Li Baotian, recipient of one Flying Apsaras Award, six China Golden Eagle Awards, and two Hundred Flowers Awards for starring in films such as Keep Cool (1997), Shanghai Triad (1995), and The Spring Festival (1991),and the young Xin Yi Yang in her debut film role.

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The Nightingale coming soon to iTunes, DVDs, and more!

 

China’s selection for last year’s Academy Awards for best foreign language film, The Nightingale, is a heartwarming story set in China that follows a semi-estranged grandfather and spoiled granddaughter on a rough journey to the grandfather’s native village. Captivating cinematography by Sun Ming, showcases the beautiful landscapes within hidden villages in the unfamiliar rural parts of China. The Nightingale will soon be available on various platforms including DVD, VOD, Netflix, cruise lines, airlines, CD soundtrack, and more.

Directed by Philippe Muyl, and starring A-list actors Xiaoran Li and Han Qin, The Nightingale was inspired by Muyl’s highly successful French feature, The Butterfly, a visually translucent award-winning film about the heartwarming friendship between a wizened old man and an eight-year-old girl. In The Nightingale , protagonist Zhu Zhi Gen has made a promise to his late wife. To fulfill that promise, he’s preparing to return with her pet caged bird (the companion of her final years) to her native village and set it free. He’d planned to make the trip alone, but his granddaughter, Ren Xing, a little girl from Beijing, is forced to go with him when her parents’ marriage is in turmoil. During this journey to the outer reaches of traditional China and through magnificent Guang Xi landscapes, the duo that seemingly has nothing in common opens up to each other, sharing memories and adventures.

The New York Times stated that the film, “reminds us of what we are missing,” and the San Francisco Chronicle said, “Everything is top notch…[Baotian] Li’s quiet strength as the grandfather grounds the film in a gentle, simple and appealing way.”

Showcased at more than 30 film festivals around the world, The Nightingale has garnered awards from the River Run International Film Festival (USA) – Winner: Best French Film; the Zlin Film Festival (Czech Republic) – Winner: Best Film for Children; the Buster Film Festival (Denmark) – Winner: Best Feature; the Wine Country Film Festival (USA) – Winner: Best International Film; and the Minsk International Film Festival (Belarus) – Winner: Best Adult Performance in a Children’s Movie for [Lead Actor] Li Bao Tan.

The film will be available for purchase on iTunes starting February 26 and available for streaming on Netflix and presale will be on February 2nd. DVD purchase will start on April 6. Several of these platforms will include special features such as behind-the-scenes and making-of clips.

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Happy Holidays

 

The holiday season is upon us, and finding something for the children and extended relatives to do, while cooking leftovers, can be difficult. Fans of World Wide Motion Pictures may think that we have little in the way of holiday feature films, but a number of other titles in the library are worth checking out. Red Roses, and Petrol and Ways to Live Forever are very entertaining films with holiday themes like love, family, and food. Also, a number of our favorite actors and actresses are in classic holiday films, including Paul Campbell, Dean Stockwell from Rusty Steel, Natalia Tena from Ways to Live Forever, and many more.

These talented actors transform themselves for each role, whether a vocal, mental, or physical change. You’d never know that Paul Campbell’s, whiny and mischief-prone, character in Rusty Steel would lead him to become the kind, competitive and attractive leading man in the film Window Wonderland. This light-hearted, and romantic film is about Jack, played by Paul Campbell, and Sloan, played by Chyler Leigh, where they struggle to get the same department store window designer job. To resolve the conflict, they decide to have a competition where they each of design a holiday window display and see who gets more attention from the customers. In the end, they get each other’s attention instead, and fall in love.

If you don’t have the ninety minutes to spend on watching a full film, then watch a holiday episode of your favorite TV show. Dean Stockwell makes a cameo appearance in a holiday episode called “T’was the fight before Christmas,” of the 1970’s TV series McCloud. This crime series concerned a cowboy sheriff (Dennis Weaver), who becomes a New York Police officer and excels at getting justice for criminals. In Season 7’s Christmas episode, he prevents a woman from committing suicide and saves Santa from a hostage situation at a children's hospital.

If you can believe it, Willie Nelson is also in the holiday film Angels Sing. This film focuses on Michael, played by Harry Connick Jr. from Law & Order: SVU, who has lost the joy of the holiday season. When his son faces a similar tragedy, Michael must find the courage to rekindle his lost happiness and holiday spirit. If these don’t appeal, then watch all eight Harry Potter movies and spot World Wide’s favorite character Natalia Tena, who plays Nymphadora Tonks, a witch who can change her appearance.

Have a wonderful Holiday Season and see you in the New Year!!

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Ben Mendelsohn stars in Star Citizen

 

In recent years video games have become the highest grossing entertainment industry.  In one weekend of sales, Fallout 4 generated more revenue than record breaking Hollywood blockbusters.

This financial growth has generated the interest of the media companies that control film and tv studios, to the extent that they now have their own video game divisions. It's not surprising that this has also led to contributions of known directors and actors in video games. Following his successful blockbuster, Avatar, James Cameron made a video game that takes place in that fictional world, but which expands the events in the story. Kiefer Sutherland voiced the protagonist in Hideo Kojima’s 5th installment of the Metal Gear Series. Kevin Spacey contributed his likeness, physical performance (achieved through motion capture technology), and voice to a character in an installment of the popular Call of Duty: Modern Warfare series.

Slowly but steadily famous actors are trickling into the gaming industry. Until now, there’s only been single A-list actors contributing to a game. However,  The list includes Gary Oldman, Mark Hamill, Andy Serkis, Gillian Anderson, Sophie Wu, Liam Cunningham, among others. Even Ben Mendelsohn who starred in World Wide Motion Picture Corporation’s Amy, and who has had a fantastic year in his career, has a role in “Squadron 42”, though details about his character have not yet been released.

What is known about the game is that it is a sci-fi game that revolves around the Navy and their endless battle with a space race called the Vanduul. The game play will involve control of the Navy’s ships, and within the Squadron 42 storyline there will be cut-scenes that will display the likenesses of the several actors involved in the project. The game is scheduled to be released sometime in 2016.

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San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium

 

The 2015 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium is being held December 8-12 at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center. About 7,500 researchers and medical experts from 96 countries are expected to attend.

This event is designed for researchers, physicians, health professionals, patient advocates, and others who share the mission and interest of battling and conquering breast cancer.

The Symposium gives researchers the chance to present their latest findings, work with other scientists, and collaborate ideas.

Battling with breast cancer doesn’t just involve finding a cure, but it is also important to make a positive effort and difference in the lives of people affected by breast cancer.

In the World Wide Motion Picture film, The Lovely Patient, Leonard discovers the true importance in family and the community revolving around breast cancer. He struggles to help his mother get past breast cancer and meanwhile learns it is not limited to just females.

Large reflective international studies of male breast cancer are presented at the Symposium each year and are understudied because of its rarity. However, it is a mission for researchers to inform the public of the unique characters male breast cancer patients have compared to women.

Don’t forget to check out the heartfelt film, The Lovely Patient. Even though it might make you tear up, you will surely feel the genuine love and bond Leonard creates with different cancer patients.

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Happy Thanksgiving, watch Welcome to Eden!

 

Thanksgiving is a time for food and family, but for some of us we would rather be on our digital devices. I have found a perfect way to combine films with Thanksgiving. Most films about Thanksgiving are about the family disaster that happens during the meal. These movies are funny, but you’ve seen them hundreds of  times. What you really need is a film like Welcome to Eden. It has nothing to do with Thanksgiving exactly, it’s a documentary which will make you thankful for every mouthful of food you have eaten. That extra helping mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie will even more appreciated, after watching Welcome to Eden. This documentary focuses on a local urban farm in LA that is being forced to shut down. Many activists, including Willie Nelson, Joan Baez, and Daryl Hannah, were there to lend their support.

Thanksgiving is a time for sharing what you have with those less fortunate. There are 2.6 million children who will die as a direct result of hunger. The native Americans helped the colonists survive the long winter with food. The world has enough food to feed everyone, but it's unprofitable. Try something new this year and get everyone to watch Welcome to Eden, they will be better people for the watching.