1 Dino De Laurentiis Presents Production Notes ... - Twcpublicity.com

Having learned from such prestigious teachers the basics of film making, he went on to
produce or co-produce between 1980 and 1990 over 50 pictures, ranging from
commercial French comedies (TAIS-TOI QUAND TU PARLES, DEUX HEURES
MOINS LE QUART AVANT JÉSUS CHRIST, etc…) to prestigious pictures such as
Zefirelli’s LA TRAVIATA and Roman Polanski’s PIRATES.
After this first part of his career as a film producer, Tarak Ben Ammar decided to devote
more time as an investor and a strategic adviser to major media players.
In 1990, he formed with Mr Silvio Berlusconi, whom he met in 1983, a company called
Quinta Communications. Quinta Communications has been used as a vehicle for a
number of investments and as a production and distribution company.
Quinta co-produced with Lux Vide such TV series as JESUS OF NAZARETH and THE
BIBLE. It also produced in 2002 FEMME FATALE, directed by Brian de Palma. The
company also engaged in trading of audiovisual rights, acquired from US producers and
sold to European Broadcasters.
In 1996 and 1997, Quinta managed and produced Michael Jackson’s international
‘History’ concert tour and his multi-platinum album ‘Blood on the Dance Floor’.
More recently, Quinta and Ben Ammar had enormous success as the distributor of Mel
Gibson’s THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST in fifteen major worldwide territories.
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Quinta Group continues to produce large budget projects such as THE LAST LEGION,
VIRGIN TERRITORY and HANNIBAL RISING, all in association with the De
Laurentiis company
Mr Ben Ammar was awarded the “Legion d’Honneur” in 1984 by President François
Mitterand for his cultural contributions. He has four children and resides in Paris.
CHRIS CURLING – Co-Producer
Chris Curling is a prominent and respected independent producer based in London with
excellent connections in every sector of the business, both in the UK and the rest of
Europe.
In 1990 he founded his own company, Zephyr Films, which specialises in international
co-productions of British qualifying films. Over the last three years he has produced more
than ten films.
Chris’ first film of the year will be PENELOPE, to be directed by Mark Palansky. A coproduction
with Scott Steindorff’s Stone Village Pictures and Reese Witherspoon’s Type
A Films, the film will star Christina Ricci and Reese Witherspoon.
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