The Little Hitmakers

In an industry dominated by giant Hollywood studios and behemoth budgets, Miramax Films has succeeded against all odds. With only 40 employees, it has found a niche marketing shrewdly chosen, low-budget "art house" films, most of which have been rejected by the big studios as noncommercial. Miramax Co- Chairmen Harvey Weinstein, 37, and his brother Bob, 35, have proved them wrong. Three of the ten films they released last year -- My Left Foot, Cinema Paradiso and sex, lies, and videotape -- are up for a total of seven Academy Awards this month. The Weinsteins have also earned something rare among...