Nature And Summer Time

Open Road Films and Unclaimed Freight Productions’ Randall Miller and Jody Savin are partnering to bring Gregg Allman biopic My Cross To Bear to U.S. theaters. Miller and Savin penned the screenplay based on the New York Times bestselling autobiography of the iconic blues singer. Miller will direct. Open Road will handle U.S. distribution. The story will focus on Allman’s early struggles through the formation of The Allman Brothers Band and the group’s ultimate explosion on the music scene. Savin and Miller are working closely with Allman and his manager, Michael Lehman, both of whom will serve as Executive Producers. The film is expected to include original Allman Brothers tracks as well as re-recorded performances by the actor/musicians. Production is scheduled to begin late summer 2013 in Georgia. Casting is under way. The deal was negotiated on behalf of Open Road Films by Ortenberg and Ben Cotner, SVP of Acquisitions. Ben Weiss of Paradigm negotiated on behalf of the filmmakers. Miller and Savin recently produced CBGB about the famous New York City rock ‘n’ roll club. CBGB is being repped in Cannes by The Exchange and several large foreign deals are under way.

The historic French jewelry house Van Cleef & Arpels is revealing some of its unique techniques in jewelry and watchmaking this summer, from July 17 to 31, in a series of hands-on courses at the Tokyo Station Hotel in Japan. Launched last year in Paris, the L’Écoleprogram was such a big success that the company decided to bring its jewelers, gemologists, and timepiece historians to transport the experience to Japan. The experts will work with just 12 students per class to inform them on gemstones, artisan ...