ANNOUNCEMENT:
Eddie's management has asked that the screencaps and trailer be taken down until
they secure the appropriate permissions. Diva 51 is the working title and may be changed.

IT'S ALIIIIIIIVE

It seems Eddie's work-in-progress documentary that's 25 years in the making (not really, but it seems that way), is finally getting some screening time. People in line at Eddie's show at the Coronet were approached by a guy with a clipboard asking them if they wanted to go to a screening of Eddie's untitled documentary Monday at 7:30pm. Of course everybody said yes.

It's good to see this documentary making some headway!

UPDATE: According to ThinkFilm, the documentary is NOT finished and will not premiere at the Toronto Film Fest. (2005)
(thanks Carole)

Izzard Documentary on Target for September Bow
By Borys Kit

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Indie distributor ThinkFilm has acquired all North American rights to a documentary about Emmy-winning British comedian Eddie Izzard.

The untitled film, which has been in production for about three years, will combine performance footage, interviews with friends, family and fans, and extensive material documenting the life, both onstage and off, of the comedian.

Izzard is known for his one-man shows, and his 1998 performance, "Dress to Kill," which aired on HBO, earned him Emmys for both writing and performing in the comedy special category.

ThinkFilm, the company behind Oscar-nominated documentary "Born into Brothels," hopes to unveil the Izzard film in September at the Toronto International Film Festival, with Izzard doing a live performance as part of the presentation.

ThinkFilm Acquires New Eddie Izzard Doc
by Eugene Hernandez

Following the successful festival launch of its first non-fiction production "Murderball" at Sundance, and with two Oscar nominations and five Spirit Award nominations this weekend, ThinkFilm theatrical distribution chief Mark Urman has announced the acquisition of North American rights to the notable in-progress doc by comedy performer and personality Eddie Izzard. The as-yet-untitled film by and about Izzard is directed and produced by Sarah Townsend. Joni Sighvatsson ("K-19 Widowmaker") and Nick Hirschkorn ("Five Children And It") are the film's executive producers.

The project has been in production for nearly three years, since being announced at Cannes last year.

Described by the company as "the definitive portrait of this multi-faceted, multi-medium performer," the film includes, in the words of the company, "performance footage, interviews with friends, family, and fans, and extensive material documenting life, both onstage and off, of this distinctive talent." Born in Yemen and raised in Britain, Izzard is a self-described "action transvestite" who is best known for his one-man shows, including "Dress to Kill" from 1998 which was filmed for HBO. His recent shows include "Circle" and "Sexie."

"I have been a rabid Eddie Izzard fan since I first saw 'Dress To Kill', and I have been pursuing him aggressively since I first heard about this project," THINKFilm's Mark Urman said in a statement. "All of us at THINK look forward to seeing his unique comic universe brought to film, and we can't wait to share it with Eddie's legions of fans, both old and new."

Urman and Randy Manis, Think's SVP of Acquisitions and Business Affairs, negotiated the deal with Izzard and Sighvatsson. THINK said in the announcement that they hope to debut the movie this fall at the Toronto Film Festival, with Izzard performing a live show as part of the launch.

"Everyone said we should distribute through ThinkFilm," said Izzard in a statement, "And then I bumped into Mark Urman on the Croisette in Cannes, five minutes before the screening of our promo reel. He came, he saw, he did a deal. The rest is geography."

The next documentary release from ThinkFilm will be Jonathan Nossiter's look at the world of wine, "Mondovino," which debuted in competition at the Cannes Film Festival last year.

In other ThinkFilm news, the company also announced that it has launched ThinkFilm Kids, a new specialty division aimed at HomeVideo/DVD releases for the 0-9 demographic, as well as parents. Its first two projects are the series, "Brain Candy" and "My First Day."

Izzard has 'Diva' fever
Townsend pic has been lensing for 3 years
By ADAM DAWTREY

It follows Izzard through his exhaustive efforts to crack America, as both a standup and an actor, culminating in two Emmys for his standup and a Tony nom for his perf in "A Day in the Death of Joe Egg" on Broadway.

It digs into the roots of his comedy, driving ambition and transvestism, combining concert footage and candid backstage scenes with testimony by everyone from his father to Robin Williams, Tom Waits, Tim Roth and Eric Idle.

Izzard has come to Cannes to screen five minutes of footage, in a bid to line up distribution and further financing for completion of the pic. He calls the project "my 'Rattle and Hum.' "

He has bankrolled the production to date, but handed creative control over to Townsend.

"There's an element of my wild and large, rollicking ego about doing it, but I wanted her to dig deep," Izzard said.

"I can be buttoned up, and I'm always waiting for someone to stitch me up. But we're trying to unlock this way I have of qualifying everything."

Izzard said he has been "hacking (his) way up the mountain of entertainment" since he slept on the street at the Cannes Film Festival in 1980 when he was 18.

His first ambition was to be a movie actor -- he broke into Pinewood Studios as a teenager.

He has carved an acting career, with roles in "Velvet Goldmine" "Shadow of the Vampire" and "The Cat's Meow." He is voicing the magical creature in "Five Children and It" and has been cast in "Ocean's Twelve."

The doc uses archive footage from Izzard's childhood in Yemen, his student days and his street performances in 1980s London, leading up to his recent soldout stadium gigs. The style of the movie is described as "David Lynch meets the Velvet Underground."

From Ain't it Cool News:
"Eddie Izzard's DIVA 51 is ready for the spotlight, darlings! Hey folks, Harry here... If you're cool, you know of Eddie Izzard, the funny as hell British comedian/actor and all around eclectic personality that just kicks ass and makes me laugh. I've been lucky enough to see some bootlegs of some of his live-performances and my god, he rules! On film, his work in SHADOW OF THE VAMPIRE and Bogdanovich's CAT'S MEOW and VELVET GOLDMINE have been my favorites of his film work... and his Chaplin performance in CAT'S MEOW is absolutely perfect. BUT - what I'm here to talk about today is something altogether different. I got an email from Eddie asking me to check out his internet trailer for a documentary based upon him that he was taking to Cannes in order to secure distribution. Right now, I couldn't discern an actual title for the documentary, and Eddie wrote, "Diva 51 - The title we're using for the film at the moment for which I do think I'm from Area 51 but I'm not sure if I'm a Diva. "Action Transvestite 51" is more my style but a bit of a mouthful." Actually... I believe ACTION TRANSVESTITE 51 could be one of the greatest titles of all time, and feel strongly the title should immediately be changed to that, so that billboards outside theaters can proudly proclaim... ACTION TRANSVESTITE 51! That rules! I'm sure this is one doc that I hope makes its way to Austin... and perhaps the rest of the country as well! Here ya go..."