Media and entertainment powerhouse Banijay has launched joint venture Dynamic Ally Pictures in Germany, further expanding its scripted capacity in the country. The Berlin-based production company, founded and led by “Helgoland 513” executive producers Veronica Priefer and Johannes Kunkel, is dedicated to developing, packaging and distributing scripted content for the German and international market. Priefer and Kunkel
Berlin-based Rise and Shine World Sales has picked up the rights for “E.1027 – Eileen Gray and the House by the Sea,” which is vying for the top Dox:Award at Copenhagen’s CPH:DOX, one of Europe’s leading documentary festivals. Variety is debuting the trailer and poster, below. Mixing archival footage and re-created scenes, this hybrid doc
KOREAN ACTION Korean action drama “A Shop For Killers” has become the most viewed local original on Disney+ in the Asia Pacific region (Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore and Philippines) so far in 2024, the streamer has revealed. Set in contemporary Korea, the eight-part series follows college student Jeong Jian who
Shreyom Ghosh’s “The Vampire of Sheung Shui” is unique in that it is a Hong Kong-set horror-comedy with a protagonist of Indian origin. It has been selected for the 22nd Hong Kong — Asia Film Financing Forum (HAF), the project market that operates concurrently with FilMart. Written by D.F.W. Buckingham (“Finding Love in Sisters”), the film
New Drake-produced doscuseries “Magic City: An American Fantasy” debuted at SXSW Monday night to a roaring crowd packed with friends, patrons and fans of the project’s titular iconic Atlanta strip club, Magic City. After the first episode of the three-part doc, which does not yet have a distributor or platform attached, was screened, producer Cole
The Black Keys named one of their most popular albums “Brothers,” which seems on the face of it to be a positive statement of purpose and, obviously, fraternalism between the rock duo’s two members, Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney. But the question remains: what kind of brothers? Like, Oasis’ battling Gallaghers, or some gentler brand
Eric Carmen, who became an icon of power pop as the frontman of the Raspberries before achieving even bigger hits as a solo artist in the 1970s and ’80s, has died at age 74. The news came in a message from his wife, Amy Carmen, on the singer’s website. “It is with tremendous sadness that
The 55th annual NAACP Image Awards got underway on Monday with Victoria Monét and Chris Brown leading the list of early winners. The three-day virtual Image Awards show is hosted by Khloe Thomas. Night 1 featured presenters Bellah (Hulu’s “Queenie”), Da’Vinchi (Starz’s “BMF”), Danielle Jalade (Disney’s “Saturdays”), Gabrielle Nevaeh (Nickelodeon’s “That Girl Lay Lay”) and
Sting has announced his “Sting 3.0” tour dates, with plans to perform as one-third of a trio at smaller venues across North America. The Police frontman will hit the road alongside drummer Chris Maas, who previously served as tour drummer for Mumford & Sons, as well as longtime collaborator and guitarist Dominic Miller. The three
Celebrated Philippines filmmaker Lav Diaz‘s examination of the human condition continues with “Kawalan.” The work-in-progress has been selected for the 22nd Hong Kong — Asia Film Financing Forum (HAF), the project market that operates concurrently with FilMart. In the film, Tomas, the old venerable mayor of the remote town of Kawalan, learns that the invading Japanese
Taiwan-based anime distribution and licensing company Muse Communication has acquired Asian distribution rights for anime “Dan Da Dan,” it was revealed at Hong Kong rights market FilMart on Monday. Written and illustrated by Yukinobu Tatsu, Japanese manga series “Dan Da Dan” was serialized in Shueisha’s Shonen Jump+ app and website from 2021. The anime series
The 96th annual Academy Awards ceremony drew 19.5 million viewers on ABC Sunday night. Per the time zone adjusted fast national ratings, Sunday’s telecast drew 19.5 million viewers and a 3.8 rating in the adults 18-49 demographic airing from 7:00-10:29 p.m ET. By comparison, the 2023 telecast drew 18.8 million viewers and a 4.0 rating
Malachy McCourt, an Irish American author who also appeared on television as the bartender in “Ryan’s Hope,” died in Manhattan on March 11. He was 92. The New York Times received confirmation of his death from his wife, Diana McCourt. He told the newspaper last year that he dealt with a myriad of ailments, including
Oscar, BAFTA and Grammy-winning composer A.R. Rahman (“Slumdog Millionaire”) is set to release 16 new compositions with the Dubai-based Firdaus Orchestra. Firdaus Orchestra is an all-woman ensemble of 50 musicians from 23 Arab countries, mentored by the composer. It is the brainchild of Reem Al Hashimy, the U.A.E.’s minister of state for international co-operation and CEO of
Acclaimed filmmaker Hong Khaou‘s “Walled City” has been selected for the 22nd Hong Kong — Asia Film Financing Forum (HAF), the project market that operates concurrently with FilMart. Khaou’s debut, “Lilting” (2014), starring Ben Whishaw and Cheng Pei-pei, premiered in the world cinema dramatic competition at Sundance, winning best cinematography. “Monsoon” (2019), his second feature, starred
China’s unprecedented economic and social transformation in the latter part of the 20th century has been picked over in dozens of movies by filmmakers ranging from Jia Zhangke to Wang Xiaoshuai. But with more than one billion people affected by China’s transformation, there is no shortage of personal stories and no end of ways to
All Ryan Gosling needed was a 40-piece orchestra, 62 dancing Kens, over 24 gigantic Barbie heads, four “cameo Kens” and a Guns N’Roses surprise to turn his highly anticipated performance of “Barbie” track “I’m Just Ken” into one of the most unbelievable moments in award show history. After all the protracted speculation about whether Gosling
Peter Chan Ho-sun has assembled a starry cast headed by Zhang Ziyi and box office sensation Lei Jiayin for his new feature film “She Has No Name.” The film, which recently completed principal photography, probes the progress of women’s rights in China. “One woman’s suffering gives rise to the revolution of women’s social rights in
India’s B62 Studios has an early 2024 hit with February release “Article 370,” and also has an ambitious slate lined up with plans for expanding into eastern Asia. B62 was launched by the brothers Dhar — Lokesh and Aditya — and is named after their address in Delhi’s Lajpat Nagar neighborhood, where they grew up
“Escaping Man,” a Chinese drama feature about a man dragged into a kidnap plot, heads the FilMart slate of Hong Kong-based sales agency Autumn Sun Company. The protagonist is a man who spent 20 years in jail after being falsely accused of rape. After his release, he intends to confront the woman, but instead falls
Thailand is poised to get serious about its commitment to the film industry, and plans to launch a major new body, the Thailand Creative Culture Agency, with a budget of THB7 billion ($200 million). Long a destination for Hollywood, China and India productions, and currently playing host to the lensing of Season 3 of “The
Michael Keaton has some great news for “Beetlejuice” fans. During a recent interview on SiriusXM’s “The Jess Cagle Show,” the actor said he has watched a first cut of Tim Burton’s upcoming sequel, officially titled “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” and he has nothing but raves for it. “I’ve seen it now. I’m going to see it again
Belfast hip-hop trio Kneecap has canceled several shows they were due to perform at the SXSW festival to support their wild comedy biopic “Kneecap” in “in solidarity with the people of Gaza.” In a statement posted on its social media channels, the group — who go by the stage names of Mo Chara, Móglaí Bap and
Play video content WFAN Tiki Barber is furious with Saquon Barkley for leaving the New York Giants in favor of the rival Philadelphia Eagles … saying straight up Monday, “You’re dead to me!!” The NYG legend unleashed the harsh words on WFAN’s “Evan and Tiki” just minutes after it was reported that Barkley will ink
East Village Radio, the influential streetfront online radio station that broadcast from 2003-2016 and Mark Ronson hosted an influential show for several years, has announced it is planning to relaunch next month. The station, formerly located in a tiny studio behind a glass window at the front of a restaurant on First Avenue in New
Sir Elton John retired from touring last July, but the legendary singer got back behind the piano in front of a star-studded audience at his annual Academy Awards viewing party, benefitting the Elton John AIDS Foundation. The crowd, which included Patricia Arquette, Donatella Versace, Sharon Stone, Zooey Deschanel, Brandi Carlile, Danny DeVito, Rhea Pearlman, Tim Allen,
The Oscars ceremoniously wrapped a season dominated by blockbuster achievements, celebrating the extraordinary talents behind this year’s cinematic wonders. Despite the spotlight on artistic excellence, the awards season wasn’t without its missteps and controversies, notably influenced by voter apathy in the aftermath of prolonged industry strikes. This disengagement, particularly among American voters, may have bolstered
Gary Lennon has entered into an overall deal with Starz. Lennon is currently the showrunner on the network’s hit spinoff series “Power Book IV: Force,” which was renewed for a third season back in December. Under his deal, he will work with Lionsgate Television and Starz to develop expansions of the “Power” franchise. “Gary has
Just minutes before the Oscars were set to begin, the show’s producers realized they had a problem: Some of the year’s key A-listers and nominees weren’t inside the Dolby Theatre just yet. The perfect storm of traffic delays, protests, the first day of daylight saving time and an earlier start time had contributed to the
After 13 years, Kanye West, also known as Ye, returns to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 with his and his “Vultures” collaborator’s “Carnival.” The song’s entrance to No. 1 comes weeks after its debut on the all-genre-inclusive chart in late February, where it came in at No. 3 behind Beyoncé’s “Texas Hold ‘Em”