Month: April 2021

London-based film sales and financing house Embankment Films has closed a major international deal for “Joyride,” starring Olivia Colman, who is Oscar nominated for Florian Zeller’s “The Father,” another of Embankment’s titles. Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions has bought “Joyride” for the world, excluding North America and U.K. The deal comes as Embankment – led by
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Italian author Antonio Dikele Distefano, who grew up in the northern Italian city of Ravenna, is the originator of new Netflix Original series “Zero,” which marks the first series centered around the present-day lives of Black Italian youth. The groundbreaking skein centers on a shy Black kid named Zero who can become invisible, and uses
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NENT Group, the Nordic region’s leading streaming company, has ordered an English-language original biopic series about Börje Salming, one of Sweden’s biggest ice hockey stars. The series is created and directed by Amir Chamdin, whose latest show, “Partisan,” won the top prize at Canneseries in 2020. Valter Skarsgård (“Arn”) stars in the biopic as Salming.
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Henry Lloyd-Hughes and Thalissa Teixeira will star alongside Lucy Hale in the AMC–Alibi series “Ragdoll,” Variety has learned. The six-episode show, which was ordered to series back in February, is set to begin production on April 19 in London. The series is based on the novel of the same name by Daniel Cole. Variety exclusively reported Hale’s
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“The Cry” producer Synchronicity Films has optioned the rights to Graeme Armstrong’s acclaimed debut novel “The Young Team,” with BAFTA-winning “The Last Czars” helmer Adrian McDowall on board to direct. Emerging British writer Ben Tagoe (“In The Long Run,” “Stan Lee’s Lucky Man”) is on board as screenwriter, while Armstrong — whose own personal experiences
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It’s fitting that “Cher & the Loneliest Elephant” opens and closes with the titular pop star’s dance anthem “Song for the Lonely,” as this uplifting Earth Day documentary stands as a cinematic love song dedicated to despondent animal co-star Kaavan, a 36-year-old elephant who inspired a global animal rights movement. Director Jonathan Finnigan’s polished package
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The 74th edition of the Cannes Film Festival is set to open with Leos Carax’s anticipated romantic musical film “Annette” with Adam Driver and Marion Cotillard on July 7. The movie will be released simultaneously in theaters in France. “Annette” marks Carax’s English-language debut. It features original songs by the Sparks, the art-rock band founded
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The hit BBC drama “The Replacement” is set for a Finnish adaptation produced by Helsinki-filmi (“Tove”) for local streamer Elisa Viihde. The Elisa Viihde original series has started filming in the metropolitan area of Helsinki under the helm of filmmaker Jyri Kähönen (“Sorjonen,” “Trackers”). It will launch on Elisa Viihde Viaplay streaming service in 2022,
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Hotly-anticipated thriller “Seobok” opened on top of the box office in South Korea over the weekend, despite also premiering on streaming video. It was comfortably ahead of second-placed film, another new release, “Detective Conan: The Scarlett Bullet.” Together the top two films managed to return overall theatrical revenues back to the depressed range that they
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Variety owner P-MRC has made a significant investment in South by Southwest, the parent company of the annual SXSW festival. The deal brings top entertainment news brands together with an expansive digital and in-person platform for festivals, conferences, markets other live events. The partnership calls for the existing South by Southwest management team to continue
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“Furiosa,” the Anya Taylor-Joy-starring prequel to “Mad Max: Fury Road” is to receive financial incentives from federal and state governments, ensuring that production will take place in Australia. The George Miller-directed picture will shoot from June. “The support of the Federal and New South Wales Governments were pivotal. They made it possible for the film
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Chloé Zhao’s Oscar frontrunner “Nomadland” won best film and “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” was named best LGBTQ Film at the Dorian Awards (GALECA: The Society Of LGBTQ Entertainment) during a virtual ceremony. “Nomadland” was also named most visually striking film, and Zhao took home the award for best director. The three-hour Dorians Film Toast was
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The outrage surrounding producer Scott Rudin intensified over the weekend, with Broadway star Sutton Foster speaking out while the twin brother of a late former Rudin assistant posted an emotional video message alleging that his brother was traumatized by his experience with the producer. Both statements follow Rudin’s announcement on Saturday that he is “stepping
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