15/12/2003 - The two directors have signed an agreement with Harvey Weinstein’s major, to fund future projects for their company, Mirage Enterprises, which has just launched Cold Mountain

The deal includes all Minghella and Pollack’s current and upcoming production activities, but both directors/producers and Miramax had already established a strong relationship since Minghella directed The Oscar wining film The English Patient for the US mini-major in 1997. Other Mirage Productions backed by Miramax include The Talented Mr Ripley, Iris and The Quiet American.

Cold Mountain [+see also:
trailer
film profile] starring Nicole Kidman, Jude Law, Renee Zellweger and Ray Winstone had its world premiere in Hollywood on December 7th and its UK premiere last night (Dec 14th) in London. Based on a book by Charles Frazier, the ambitious film was shot during 10 months in remote regions of Romania. The film that will be one of the strongest contenders for the Oscars this year has already had excellent reviews in the international press, and will open in the US on Christmas day.

“Cold Mountain was one of the best experiences I’ve had making a movie”, said Miramax co-chairman Harvey Weinstein in a statement. “Having collaborated on Anthony’s last three films and having released five films that Sydney produced, it is certainly time for us to partner. They have great taste in material and clearly attract the best talent in the business”.
Among Mirage’s upcoming productions are Working Girl scriptwriter Kevin Wade’ screen adaptation of Allison Pearson’s comic best seller I Don’t Know How She Does It, the family drama The Marrying Game based on a novel by Kate Saunders and Hossein Amini (Wings Of The Dove)’s screen adaptation of the first part of Jonathan Stroud’s MBrtimaeus Trilogy fantasy The Amulet of Samarkand.