BBC News Online: Entertainment: Film

Tarantino's mother turns producer

Connie Zastoupil has entered into business with Prague Indies Productions (PIP) to produce independent films, the paper reports.

It says the opportunity arose when Ms Zastoupil arrived in Prague in the Czech Republic to visit the set of Wesley Snipes action film Blade 2.

There she entered into a chance meeting with representatives from PIP.

"I became interested in PIP because they have so many projects going on. I became more and more involved and decided to stay in Prague. I'm here specifically to do independent features," she added.

Confusion

Prague Indies Productions started as a small independent film festival in 1997. It branched out into film production after forging a link with the Sundance Institute's Central European Screenwriters Lab.

Connie Zastoupil's past is the subject of some confusion. Conflicting reports suggest that she is currently a corporate executive, others say she produces educational films.

She has been described as previously being a hospital administrator or working for a home medical organisation.

Quentin was the child of her first marriage to Tony Tarantino. She later remarried, to musician Curt Zastoupil, who became Quentin's stepfather.

Tarantino himself is reported to be hard at work on his next film, Kill Bill, with Uma Thurman tentatively attached to the title role.

His last film, Jackie Brown, was released in 1997.