FORMULA ONE SHIFTS GEARS
Fresh from a soggy Singapore Grand Prix on Sunday, TV coverage of Formula One motor racing is set to shift broadcasting partner in Asia-Pacific. Sports Business reports that pay-TV broadcaster beIN Sports is finalizing a multi-year deal beginning in 2023 reaching across most of its Asia-Pacific footprint, but excluding Australia, where Foxtel recently renewed its deal, and New Zealand. The anticipated deal would cover Brunei, Cambodia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, Timor-Leste and Singapore. The rights were previously operated by Fox Sports Asia, which Disney closed down this time last year.
GODARD MASTERCLASS
The Busan International Film Festival, which starts later this week, will hold an event to commemorate the late director Jean-Luc Godard, icon of the Nouvelle Vague and director of “numerous masterpieces for over half a century,” including “Contempt,” “Alphaville” and “Breathless.” Godard died on Sept. 13, 2022. The festival has tapped Serge Toubiana, already set as head of the jury for its New Currents Award, to give a masterclass on Monday Oct. 10, 2022. It is expected to cover Godard’s work, his influence on cinematic history, and the Nouvelle Vague movement. In addition, the festival will screen documentary “See You Friday, Robinson,” in which Godard and Iranian literary figure Ebrahim Golestan discussed film, painting and literature over the course of 29 weeks.
OUT OF COURT SETTLEMENT
Richard Liu, celebrated billionaire founder of Chinese e-commerce giant JD.com, over the weekend agreed to settle a civil lawsuit in the U.S., where a Chinese woman had alleged that he raped her in Minneapolis in 2018. Criminal charges had not been filed and Liu repeatedly denied the accusations. He resigned as CEO of JD.com earlier this year as Chinese authorities put pressure on the country’s internet companies. A joint statement issued on Saturday called the incident a “misunderstanding.”