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In much the same manner that the film captured the hearts of movie-goers, "Slumdog Millionaire" captured the hearts and votes of the Academy garnering 8 Oscars in total, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Cinematography and Best Adapted Screenplay.

Accepting the Oscar® in the category Best motion picture of the year for "Slumdog Millionaire" (Fox Searchlight), A Celador Films Production, is Christian Colson, Producer during the 81st Annual Academy Awards® live on the ABC Television broadcast from the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, CA Sunday, February 22, 2009.

"Together, we've been on an extraordinary, an extraordinary journey. When we started out, we had no stars, we had no power or muscle. We didn't have enough money, really, to do what we wanted to do.

But what we had was a script that inspired mad love in everyone who read it. We had a genius for a director. We had a cast and a crew who were unwavering in their commitment and whose talents are up on the screen for all of you to see."

Today is the biggest day in Jamal Malik's life.

A penniless, eighteen year-old orphan from the slums of Mumbai, he's one question away from winning a staggering 20 million rupees on India's "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?"

But when the show breaks for the night, suddenly, he is arrested on suspicion of cheating.

After all, how could an uneducated street kid possibly know so much? Determined to get to the bottom of Jamal's story, the jaded Police Inspector spends the night probing Jamal's incredible past, from his riveting tales of the slums where he and his brother Salim survived by their wits to his hair-raising encounters with local gangs to his heartbreak over Latika, the unforgettable girl he loved and lost.

 

Slumdog Millionaire (10 Oscar Nominations)

Each chapter of Jamal's increasingly layered story reveals where he learned the answers to the show's seemingly impossible quizzes. But one question remains a mystery: what is this young man with no apparent desire for riches really doing on the game show?

When the new day dawns and Jamal returns to answer the final question, the Inspector and sixty million viewers are about to find out…

The result is the sweeping, stylish, intoxicatingly human experience of SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE, the new film from acclaimed director Danny Boyle (TRAINSPOTTING, SHALLOW GRAVE, MILLIONS, 28 DAYS LATER, SUNSHINE). Part exhilarating love story, part eye-catching journey into the underbelly of the so-called "maximum city" of Mumbai, part stirring tale of an Everyman's triumph against a harsh, cynical world, SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE is a visceral, action-packed Dickensian epic for the 21st Century. At the heart of its exuberant storytelling lies the intriguing question of how anyone comes to know the things they know about life and love.

The global adventure of making SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE began with an unpublished manuscript from an obscure Indian writer: the debut novel of diplomat Vikas Swarup, Q and A, which traced the circuitous story of a young slum-dweller charged with foul play after winning a massive fortune on the nation's most popular TV quiz show. The story's mix-mastering of high comedy with deep poignancy, and its journey through a modern India teeming with equal parts human strife and human wonder, attracted the attention of executive producer Tessa Ross, the head of film and drama at Channel 4. Seeing in the story an emotional power and distinctive cinematic potential, Ross in turn showed the manuscript to screenwriter Simon Beaufoy, best known for his Oscar® nominated original screenplay for the runaway comic hit THE FULL MONTY, which featured the equally unlikely scenario of six unemployed steelworkers forming an all-male strip act.

Beaufoy was soon completely drawn in – first, by this new and different take on the classic rag-to-riches (or is it rags-to-rajah) fairytale, where our hero overcomes enormous obstacles to reach an uplifting conclusion; and second, to the extraordinary backdrop against which the story is set. He was especially excited because he believed that the story would reveal to Western cinemagoers a compelling side of India few have seen before, one of the heaving populous, massively diverse mega-cities growing throughout the world. "The book reveals Mumbai as a city in fast-forward," he says. "It's like a Dickensian London brought into the 21st century. It's rapidly developing. The poor are poorer than ever before. The rich are richer than ever before. And there's this mass of people in the middle, trying to force their way up. It's a fantastic setting for a fairy tale."

The challenge for Beaufoy was to retain the kaleidoscopic soul of the novel, but at the same time, translate its yearning, comical, romantic characters and disparate events into a tightly woven screenplay structure full of dynamic tension and creative interplay.

"The biggest problem in converting the book to a screenplay was that it was effectively a series of stories, twelve short stories," Beaufoy explains, "some of which weren't even linked in any way. It had no over-arching narrative. Some of the stories were almost discreet little tales that had no reference to the main characters at all."

So Beaufoy meticulously picked his way through the novel's many narratives and forged a through-line that would take the audience from beginning to end via Jamal's tale-spinning at the behest of the Police Inspector. "My job was to find the overall narrative, to trace a storyline that went all the way through Jamal's life, while still being able to jump back to the story of the police interrogation and the finale of ‘Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?' It was quite a challenge."

As Jamal flashes back on all the circumstances, some harrowing, others enlivening, that brought him to this moment of dire suspense on "Who Wants To Be a Millionaire?," Beaufoy lets the screenplay jump fluidly across genres. "The fun part was that you could fire off in all different directions in this story," says Beaufoy. "There are romantic bits, comedy bits, gangster bits – and I felt I was able to explore them all and still somehow encapsulate them all in a single tone, which was lovely for me. It gives the film a more dynamic feeling because it's never stuck in just one genre."

When the screenplay was completed, it was clear that Beaufoy had met the challenge of re-shaping the novel into a rapid-fire tale of intrigue and enchantment that would inspire a director's vision. Producer Christian Colson says: "Simon has a very warm, specific voice which is particularly well suited to this material. He was the one who came up with the new title of SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE, which we all fell in love with. I guess in classical terms the script is a comedy – it's a comedy but it also has pain and pathos. It's a fairytale and like all the best fairytales, it has moments of real darkness and horror. It's a story that will make you laugh, cry and often gasp."

SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE ABOUT THE CAST

DEV PATEL (Jamal)

Dev Patel was picked from an open casting of hundreds to play the role of Anwar in the Channel 4 cult series "Skins," the second series of which has recently finished showing on Channel 4. He was then cast as the lead in SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE – his second role. He has recently finished filming a guest part in the TV drama "Mr Eleven" directed by Paul Gay. As well as acting, Dev is a black belt in Tae Kwondo and was a bronze medalist in the 2004 World Championships.

ANIL KAPOOR (Prem)

As one of the most versatile and successful actors in Hindi Films, Anil Kapoor has entertained audiences for over 25 years. His dynamism, professionalism and talent have set the benchmark for young and upcoming talent. He has acted in close to 100 Hindi movies and won innumerable awards over the years. These include four "Filmfare" Awards (Indian equivalent of the Oscars®) and the much coveted "National Award" for PUKAR. He has now forayed into producing films, Ferros Abbas Khan's GANDHI, MY FATHER, being his first internationally acclaimed production.

IRRFAN KHAN (Police Inspector)

Irrfan Khan is from Jaipur, India. He was studying for his M.A. degree when he won a fellowship at (NSD) National School of Drama in 1984. After graduating in 1987, he moved to Mumbai. Theatre and television kept him busy until Mira Nair offered him a cameo in SALAAM BOMBAY - a role that was edited out of the final cut. He continued to dabble in television, making an impact on various soaps and tele-historical series. Asif Kapadia cast him as the lead in THE WARRIOR in 2001. THE WARRIOR played across several key international film festivals and won two BAFTAs: Best British Film and Best Newcomer for Kapadia. He was most recently seen starring in Nair's screen adaptation of THE NAMESAKE.

MADHUR MITTAL (Salim)

Madhur Mittal was born in Agra, a small town in North India well known for the Taj Mahal. In 1997, Madhur won "Boogie Woogie," a popular reality-based dance show on Indian television. Shortly after, his family moved to Mumbai and Madhur forayed into acting and dancing on stage in charity shows, cultural events and film-award ceremonies. He traveled the world performing in over 950 stage shows. As a child actor, he worked in well-known Hindi films LIKE ONE TWO KA FOUR, KAHIN PYAAR NA HO JAAYE and more recently SAY SALAAM INDIA. He has also acted in several TV shows including "Shaka Laka Boom Boom," "Kasauti Zindagi Ki," "Jalwa," "Chamatkar" and "Dastak."

FREIDA PINTO (Latika)

Freida Pinto graduated from St Xavier's College in Mumbai with a BA in English in 2005 and was signed up to the Elite Model Agency in India where she was selected for numerous campaigns for brands such as De Beers, Visa, MTV, Chanel, eBay and Airtel. She has appeared on several TV shows including "Wendell Rodricks for Lakme Fashion Week 2006," "Sahara" and the History Channel. She went on to anchor "Full Circle" on Zee International Asia Pacific, successfully completing 52 episodes where she presented a unique report on Afghanistan and explored the vibrant cultures and traditions of Fiji, Malaysia and Singapore among others. Her role as Latika in SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE is her first lead role in a feature film.

SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE ABOUT THE FILMMAKERS

DANNY BOYLE (Director)

Danny Boyle's first feature, SHALLOW GRAVE, earned him the Alexander Korda Award for Outstanding British Film at the BAFTA Awards, as well as a host of other accolades including Best Director at the San Sebastian Film Festival, The Empire Award for Best Director and Best British Film and the London Critics' Circle Film Award for Best British Newcomer. Boyle's second feature, TRAINSPOTTING, is one of the highest grossing British films of all time. The critically acclaimed film won four Empire Awards including Best Director and Best Film and was nominated for a BAFTA Alexander Korda Award.

In 2002 Boyle made the smash hit horror film 28 DAYS LATER, which earned more than $80 million worldwide. The film earned Boyle a Saturn Award for Best Horror Film from the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films.

Boyle's other feature films include MILLIONS starring James Nesbit, Alex Etel and Lewis McGibbon, THE BEACH, starring Leonardo Di Caprio, A LIFE LESS ORDINARY, starring Ewan McGregor and Cameron Diaz, ALIEN LOVE TRIANGLE and SUNSHINE starring Cillian Murphy. SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE is his eighth international theatrically released film and recently won the People's Choice Award at the 2008 Toronto International Film Festival. His work in television includes producing Alan Clark's controversial Elephant, and directing Strumpet, Vacuuming Completely Nude in Paradise and the series Mr. Wroe's Virgins for which he received a BAFTA nomination. Boyle's career started in the theatre with Howard Barker's Victory, Howard Brenton's The Genius and Edward Bond's Saved, which won the Time Out Award. Boyle has also directed five productions for the Royal Shakespeare Company.

LOVELEEN TANDAN (Co-Director (India)/Casting Director)

Loveleen Tandan began working as a casting director with the internationally acclaimed feature Mira Nair's MONSOON WEDDING, which won the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival in 2001. Since then, she has cast several international films including Mira Nair's VANITY FAIR, Sarah Gavron's BRICK LANE, Nair's short film MIGRATION for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and Oliver Paulus's soon to be released TANDOORI LOVE. She has also been the Indian Casting Consultant on Steven Spielberg's TERMINAL, Terrence Malick's THE NEW WORLD and Mira Nair's THE NAMESAKE. Aside from films, Loveleen has also written, directed and produced documentaries and radio features. Credits include "War of Thirst," "Mechanics of Change" and "Nani Zindabad!" She is based in New Delhi.

SIMON BEAUFOY (Writer)

Simon Beaufoy trained at Bournemouth College of Art and Design as a documentary director then took to writing. His screenwriting credits include THE FULL MONTY, AMONG GIANTS, THE DARKEST LIGHT, YASMIN and THIS IS NOT A LOVE SONG. Filming has just finished on his latest script, two-part thriller, BURN UP, which is based around the politics of oil depletion and climate change. It premiered on BBC2 in June 2008, and starred Neve Campbell, Rupert Penry-Jones and Bradley Whitford. After adapting Q & A into SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE Simon is now adapting the novel, The Raw Shark Texts, for Film4.

CHRISTIAN COLSON (Producer)

After graduating with a first class degree in English from Wadham College, Oxford Christian Colson joined the talent agency London Management in 1994 where he represented writers working in the television, theatre and film industries. In 1998 he became a Development 16

Executive at UK start-up HAL Films, becoming Head of Development a year later. Following the demise of HAL in 2000, he was appointed Head of Development UK for Harvey Weinstein's Miramax Films.

Christian joined Celador Films in 2002 where, as Managing Director he oversees all of the company's operations. While at Celador, Christian has produced Julian Fellowes' SEPARATE LIES, Neil Marshall's worldwide horror hit THE DESCENT and James Watkins' forthcoming thriller EDEN LAKE .

VIKAS SWARUP (Novel)

Vikas Swarup is an Indian diplomat who has served in the United States, Great Britain, Ethiopia, and Turkey. His debut novel, Q & A , has become an international bestseller and is being translated into 34 languages. Swarup's second novel, Six Suspects was released last July.

He has participated in the Oxford Literary Festival, the Turin International Book Fair, the Auckland Writers' Conference, the Sydney Writers' Festival and the "Words on Water" Literary Festival at the University of the Witwatersgrand in Johannesburg. Swarup is currently posted in Pretoria as India's Deputy High Commisioner to South Africa.

PAUL SMITH (Executive Producer)

Paul Smith is Chairman of Complete Communications, which includes Celador Films and Celador Radio Broadcasting. Educated at The Royal Belfast Academical Institution, he left Belfast in February 1966 to join BBC Television in London as a trainee projectionist. After seven years he left BBC to pursue a freelance career.

In 1981 Paul established Complete Comunications, which rapidly became the UK's leading television commercial facilities company, creating new standards in post-production. Shortly after Complete Video, Celador Productions was formed and is home to hits such as The Detectives and Who Wants to Be A Millionaire.

In 1999, Smith added to Complete Communications by creating Celador Films. Its first production, DIRTY PRETTY THINGS, starring Audrey Tautou and directed by Stephen Frears, went on to receive nine industry awards and was nominated for an Oscar at the 76th Annual Academy Awards. Celador Film's second release, THE DESCENT, was released in the UK to outstanding reviews. Their third film, SEPARETE LIES, written and directed by Oscar winner Julian Fellowes garnered strong reviews. Smith recently expanded the Celador Group to include Celador Radio Broadcasting, a new division bidding for new UK radio licences.

TESSA ROSS (Executive Producer)

Tessa Ross was appointed Head of FilmFour in December 2002. In November 2004, her role was expanded to include that of Channel 4's Head of Drama. Since taking charge of FilmFour, Tessa has concentrated on rebuilding the department's development and production slate. FilmFour has received critical acclaim and commercial success for releases including: Walter Salles' THE MOTORCYCLE DIARIES, Roger Michell's ENDURING LOVE which garnered nine BAFTA nominations, two BAFTA awards and two Oscars among them, and multiple award winner THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND.

Ross came to Channel 4 from the BBC's Independent Commissioning Group where she was Head of Drama, a position she took up in October 1993, building up an entirely new department with an annual output of 120 hours of film and television drama.

Next up for Ross is the eagerly anticipate HOW TO LOSE FRIENDS AND ALIENATE PEOPLE starring Megan Fox, GENOVA directed by BAFTA Award Winner Michael Winterbottom and THE LOVELY BONES based on the bestselling book and directed by Academy Award® winner Peter Jackson.

ANTHONY DOD MANTLE BSC DFF (Director of Photography)

Anthony Dod Mantle has worked all over the world on numerous critically acclaimed films, including THE CELEBRATION, JULIEN DONKEY BOY, DOGVILLE, MANDERLAY, BROTHERS OF THE HEAD and THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND, the latter garnered 34 awards internationally, including a BIFA for Best Technical Achievement for its cinematography. Before SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE, Anthony and Danny Boyle had previously worked together on 28 DAYS LATER, which earned Anthony the European Cinematographer Award and also on MILLIONS. Born in the United Kingdom, Anthony now lives in Copenhagen, Denmark with his wife and family.

 

 

"Slumdog Millionaire"

Celador Films Production (Fox Searchlight)

10 Academy Award Nominations:

 

2009 Best Picture Oscar Nominations
81st Academy Awards 2009 Best Motion Picture of the Year Oscar Nominations

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Adapted from the 1920s story by F. Scott Fitzgerald, "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" is about a man born in his eighties and ages backwards.

From New Orleans at the end of World War I in 1918, into the 21st century, on a journey as unusual as any man's life can be, the film tells the grand tale of a not so ordinary man and the people and places he discovers along the way, the loves he finds and loses, the joys of life and the sadness of death, and what lasts beyond time.

Frost / Nixon

For three years after being forced from office, Richard Nixon remained silent. But, in 1977, the steely, cunning former commander in chief agreed to sit for one all-inclusive interview to confront the unanswered questions of his time in office and of the Watergate scandal that ended his presidency. Nixon surprised everyone by selecting Frost as his televised confessor, intending to easily outfox the breezy British showman and reclaim his status as a supreme statesman in the hearts and minds of Americans.

Re-creating not only the on-air interviews that captivated the nation, but weeks of around-the-world, behind-the-scenes maneuvering and negotiations between the men and their opposing camps, Frost / Nixon explores the long-untold story that led to the ultimate face-off in the court of public opinion.

Milk

Milk is a true-story tragedy about Harvey Milk the martyred San Francisco city supervisor, America's first widely acknowledged openly gay elected official. After moving to San Francisco, New Yorker Harvey Milk became a Gay Rights activist and city politician. On his third attempt, he was elected to San Francisco's Board of Supervisors in 1977, making him the first openly gay man to be elected to public office in the USA.

In 1978, both Milk and San Francisco's mayor, George Moscone, were shot to death by former city supervisor, Dan White, who blamed his former colleagues for denying White's attempt to rescind his resignation from the board.

The Reader

The film version of Bernhard Schlink's 1995 novel "The Reader," opens in post-WWII Germany when teenager Michael Berg becomes ill and is helped home by Hanna Schmitz, a stranger twice his age. Michael recovers from scarlet fever and seeks out Hanna to thank her.

The tale of a 15-year-old West German boy who, in 1958, embarks on an affair with a 36-year-old trolley conductor with more on her mind, and in her past, than she admits.

Years later Michael is a Heidelberg law student. One day at a war-crimes trial of female Auschwitz guards, he hears the name of his former lover cited along with several other women. She stands before him, a shell of a woman, still laden with secrets. He cannot believe it. His predatory dream woman was a Nazi.

 

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