Gravel Road Distribution Group has acquired world sales rights with producer Rani Sitaram to “Greytown Girl,” a romantic drama set in Apartheid-era South Africa from Oscar-nominated director Darrell Roodt (“Yesterday”). The film tells the true story of a small-town South African girl, Meena, who was born with physical limitations and abandoned as a baby. Through
Two-time Academy Award-nominated producer Alexander Rodnyansky (“Leviathan,” “Loveless”) is developing a new series that charts the rise of Vladimir Putin in what the producer describes as “the actual, horrifying story of how the man who changed the world got the power to do so.” Produced by Rodnyansky’s L.A.-based production shingle AR Content, “All the Kremlin’s
Alain Berliner, who directed the BAFTA-nominated and Golden Globe-winning “Ma vie en rose,” is in pre-production on feature documentary “Bardot,” about French actor, singer and animal rights activist Brigitte Bardot. Bardot is giving the project her full support, and will narrate the film herself. “Bardot” is produced by Julien Loeffler, James Kermack and James Barton-Steel
“Alcarràs,” from Catalonia’s Carla Simón, won Berlin’s top Golden Bear in February. “One Year, One Night,” from Catalan Isaki Lacuesta, also played in main competition. This May “Pacifiction,” from Albert Serra, another Catalan, has scored a competition berth at Cannes. Thanks to these three titles, Catalonia has more directors this year in the key section
Film financier Amcomri Entertainment and Ireland’s Studio Atlantic have struck a multi-picture production deal. The pact comes ahead of the release of Studio Atlantic’s latest production, “The Gates,” a Victorian period horror starring John Rhys Davies, Richard Brake, Elena Delia and Michael Yare, which is currently being sold in Cannes by Amcomri Entertainment’s sales arm
Brazil’s economic powerhouse, São Paulo is emerging as a key film-TV player in Brazil’s post-pandemic mix. In one move, São Paulo State and City authorities are teaming to power up a new cash rebate for shoots, international and national, to more than four times the endowment of its first edition in 2021. Launched last July
Odin’s Eye Entertainment has boarded “In Vitro,” an elevated sci-fi thriller starring Ashley Zukerman (“Succession” ) and Talia Zucker (“Lake Mungo”). Pic is co-directed by Tom McKeith and Will Howarth, whose debut feature, “Beast,” was nominated for best first feature at the Toronto Film Festival in 2015. Odin’s Eye will introduce the new film to
One of the hottest European projects on sale at Cannes, “The Pot Au Feu,” Tran Anh Hung’s period romance starring Juliette Binoche and Benoit Magimel has already been nabbed by major international distributors. Gaumont is handling sales on the movie. The movie, which is currently shooting in a French castle, is set in the world
Buenos Aires-based FilmSharks has snapped up worldwide sales rights to Jaime Chavarri’s upcoming comedy, “La Manzana de Oro” (“The Golden Apple”). In a separate deal, Spanish pubcaster RTVE has clinched free TV rights. Produced by Mario Real and Enrique González Khun at the fledgling La Pirueta Films and described as “Dead Poets Society” meets “Four
British-French film company Alief has closed North America and French-speaking territories on “Cop Secret,” effectively now selling the Icelandic buddy cop spoof to over half the world’s major markets. In North America, “Cop Secret” has scored a platform release with Epic Pictures. Extralucid Films has acquired France, Monaco, Luxembourg and French-speaking Belgium and Switzerland. The
Screen Media has acquired North American rights to “Code Name Banshee,” an upcoming action-thriller with Antonio Banderas and Jamie King. The film will receive a day-and-date theatrical and on-demand release in July. Directed by Jon Keeyes and written by Matthew Rogers, the duo behind “The Survivalist,” the film follows Caleb (Banderas), a former government assassin
“Lost And Found” has closed first sales to Italy (Eagle Pictures), France (KMBO) and Taiwan (Creative Century Entertainment) on thriller “Lost and Found,” starring Álvaro Morte, “Money Heist’s” Professor, and directed by “The Head” helmer Jorge Dorado. The caliber of the distributors – Eagle Pictures is one of Italy’s most muscular mainstream buyers, for instance
(SPOILER ALERT: Do not read if you have not yet watched “The Train,” the May 17 episode of “This Is Us.”) The end is very near. During Tuesday’s penultimate episode of NBC’s “This Is Us,” the Pearson family gathered to see Rebecca (Mandy Moore) one last time on her deathbed. During the hour, as the
SPOILER ALERT: Do not read if you have not yet watched “The Train,” they May 17 episode of “This Is Us.” The focus of Tuesday’s penultimate episode of “This Is Us” was on the long-dreaded death of Mandy Moore’s Rebecca Pearson and the tearjerking bedside goodbyes from her children Kate (Chrissy Metz), Randall (Sterling K.
SPOILER ALERT: Do not read if you have not yet watched “New Moon,” the May 17 episode of “The Resident.” Not only did the Fox medical drama “The Resident” get renewed for a sixth season this week, a face from the past returned for emotional new scenes in on Tuesday’s season finale. Nicolette “Nic” Nevin
The TV upfronts are usually a dog-and-pony show where networks unveil their new content slates. At YouTube’s Brandcast presentation for brands and agencies, held for the first time during upfronts week, the focus was on the gigantic video platform’s popular creators, its scale across internet TVs — and a new solution for marketers to set
IFC Films has acquired U.S. distribution rights from HanWay Films on Rebecca Lenkiewicz’s “Hot Milk,” starring Academy Award nominee Jessie Buckley, Fiona Shaw and Vicky Krieps. Streaming service MUBI has also agreed a multi-territory deal for the film in the U.K., Ireland, Italy, Latin America and Turkey. Meanwhile, HanWay has also sold the pic into
Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer has demanded that Fox News “cease all dissemination of false white nationalist, far-right conspiracy theories” in a letter sent to the network’s leaders and owner Rupert Murdoch. In the document, published by The New York Times on Tuesday, Schumer cites an alarming statistic measured by AP, indicating that “nearly one
Diddy is all about “love” these days … maybe a little too much, because 2 women in his life are going at each other now after both were in Las Vegas where he hosted the Billboard Music Awards. In one corner, City Girls rapper Yung Miami, and in the other Diddy’s muse, model Gina Huynh
Marvel Studios chief Kevin Feige came out to excite the crowd at Disney’s Tuesday upfront presentation to advertisers in New York City. Among the MCU treats Feige brought were the trailer and premiere date for Tatiana Maslany’s “She-Hulk: Attorney at Law” and revealing that “Loki” Season 2 will be going into production in the coming
Jimmy Kimmel had zingers aplenty for companies across the TV spectrum at Disney’s upfront presentation on Tuesday, even though a positive COVID test kept the late-night host from appearing in person. As always, Kimmel didn’t hold back at his bosses in his 10-minute standup bit that was beamed in live to the event held in
In “Vendetta,” a former U.S. Marine strikes back at the thugs who murdered his daughter, inciting a routine cycle of violence with occasional flashes of wit that feel like they were spliced in from a different, better movie. Most of those moments have little to do with the main narrative, which follows William Duncan (Clive
Jack Harlow‘s rummaging through some old playlists to jab back at Brandy in their growing, but playful, beef over Jack being clueless about the singer’s family tree. ICYMI … Jack was chopping it up with his OG’s at Hot 97 when it hilariously came out that he didn’t realize Ray J and Brandy were actual
Attendees at the Disney upfront could have played a drinking game by taking a sip everytime someone referred to the company as “unrivaled.” The message to advertisers: You’ve heard from other congloms this week, but no company offers such a wide range of storytelling options than the Walt Disney Co.’s suite of offerings. Quipped late
Disney is throwing a pass at spring football. The entertainment giant formed an alliance with the XFL, tte start-up football league led by actor Dwayne Johnson. The pact will put XFL games on ESPN, FX and ABC and gives Disney more football to offer fans across the calendar just as rivals Fox and NBC play
The “She-Hulk” series at Disney+ is officially set to premiere in August. The 10-episode show, which is now officially titled ““She-Hulk: Attorney at Law,” will bow on the streamer on Aug. 17. Marvel boss Kevin Feige confirmed the news at the Disney upfront presentation in New York on Tuesday alongside series star Tatiana Maslany. They
Director Robert Connolly and star Eric Bana are reuniting for a detective film based on the novel “Force of Nature,” set in the Australian wilderness. Connolly and Bana were previously teamed on Australian smash hit movie “The Dry,” which like “Force of Nature” was adapted from a novel by Jane Harper. They also worked together
MK2 Films, the company behind six films playing at Cannes including Leonor Serraille’s competition title “Mother and Son,” has acquired French and international rights on the Raoul Peck catalogue from Velvet Film. MK2 Films will start selling the library of films during the Cannes Film Festival. The Raoul Peck collection comprises documentary and fiction, including
A visit from the dead? How chic. The Cannes Film Festival sprung back into action on Tuesday night, as this year’s opening night movie, “Final Cut (Coupez!)” received a 5-minute standing ovation. The gory zombie line, which straddled a tone somewhere between “The Blair Witch Project” and “Call My Agent,” kicked off a festival where
Harry Styles joined Zane Lowe on Apple Music 1 ahead of the release of his highly-anticipated third studio album “Harry’s House” out this Friday (May 20). In a wide-ranging conversation conducted in the California desert, Styles detailed the “intimately made” project that he calls his “favorite album at the moment” and discusses getting to a