From The Baltic Course:

Yesterday the U.S. film studio “Hallmark Hall of Fame”, in cooperation with the film production company Gillham Road Productions Inc. started shooting the feature film “Miss Irena’s Children” in Riga, as LETA found out from the project’s spokeswoman in Latvia, Ingrida Nagle.

Riga Old Town with its cobblestone streets and courtyards was chosen in the competition of eight cities as the most appropriate one for shooting the film about the events, which took place during World War II.

It is the first time that a U.S. film studio shoots a film in Latvia. Academy Award winner Anna Paquin will play the lead role – Irena Sendler – the young Polish woman, who rescued the lives of thousands of Jewish children during WWII.

In 2007 Irena Sendler was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. She died in May of this year, at the age of 98.

From Reuters:

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Oscar winner Anna Paquin will play a Holocaust heroine in “The Irena Sendler Story,” a Hallmark Hall of Fame presentation for CBS.

Sendler, a Polish woman credited with saving the lives of thousands of Jewish children during World War II, died in May at age 98.

The film goes into production next month in Latvia, for an April premiere. It is based on the book “Mother of the Children of the Holocaust: The Irena Sendler Story,” by Anna Mieszkowska.

Paquin co-stars on HBO’s vampire drama “True Blood,” which was recently picked up for a second season. She won an Oscar for her supporting role in “The Piano.”

From The Hollywood Reporter:

HBO is ordering a second season of new series “True Blood” after just two episodes.

The series, which follows the adventures of vampires in New Orleans, will go back into production early next year in anticipation of a new batch of episodes for the summer of 2009.

While the premiere episode of the series received a modest audience, HBO cited an “unprecedented” 24% increase in viewers for the second installment. In addition, the “Blood” premiere drew 4 million when additional runs of the that episode were tallied.

“We are absolutely thrilled that the critics and our viewers have embraced ‘True Blood,’” said Michael Lombardo, president of programming group and West Coast operations at HBO. “Alan Ball has done it again–made an addictive series that is unlike any other.”

“I am thrilled to be able to continue to work with such a talented group of writers, cast and crew to explore the characters and world created by Charlaine Harris in her novels,” said Alan Ball, executive producer of “Blood.”

From ShockTilYouDrop:

Michael Dougherty’s directorial feature debut Trick ‘r Treat is coming to Los Angeles. The horror anthology screens on Friday, October 10th at Screamfest (exact time forthcoming).

Starring Anna Paquin (now starring in True Blood), Brian Cox, Leslie Bibb, Dylan Baker, Moneca Delain and Lauren Lee Smith, Dougherty’s film focuses on the consequences that can come to those who dismiss Halloween’s archaic traditions.

Warner Bros. has held the film in distribution limbo since 2007 when it was scheduled to release the picture around Halloween. Other than a smattering of early test screenings and festival appearances, this will be the first time Trick ‘r Treat plays to a Los Angeles audience.

Dance of the Dead, Martyrs, The Burrowers, Parasomnia and Splinter are other entries in Screamfest’s 2008 schedule.

The fest runs from October 10th - 19th at Mann’s Chinese 6 Theaters.

Also, if you’re in town on October 9th at 7pm, Dougherty will be signing copies of Trick ‘r Treat: Tales of Mayhem, Mystery & Mischief at Dark Delicacies (4213 W. Burbank) in Burbank. The book, which is a playful look at the making of the film, sells for $45 and features loads of images, conceptual art and other hidden treats.

The most recent featured clip on HBO’s The Buzz includes a look at the shows currently in production for HBO. It features some footage of True Blood shooting and Alan Ball talking about the show. You can view it here.

From Bloody Disgusting:

We discovered today that Legendary Pictures held a screening last night for their film Trick ‘r Treat, which was directed by Michael Dougherty. Apparently Warner Bros. Pictures has decided NOT to release it and the horror film is now up for sale to whomever would be interested in distributing it. This does mean that there are no release plans for the film, so until we update you with a new distributor, don’t hold your breath. The film features four interwoven stories that occur on Halloween: An everyday high school principal has a secret life as a serial killer; a college virgin might have just met the one guy for her; a group of teenagers pull a mean prank; a woman who loathes the night has to contend with her holiday-obsessed husband.

This is really depressing news.

In response to a fan’s question on her message board about the time frame in which we’ll find out if True Blood is picked up or not, Charlaine Harris said “Probably within the next two weeks.”