News

Eva Longoria and Nicholas Galitzine (“The Idea of You”) are set to lead the voice cast of Studiocanal’s “Wings of Freedom,” a Mexico-set animated adventure film from the creators of “Ballerina” (titled “Leap!” in the U.S.).

A heartwarming action-comedy feature, “Wings of Freedom” is directed and co-written by Laurent Zeitoun, the well-established French screenwriter and producer behind some of Europe’s biggest local hits in recent history, from the Omar Sy comedy “Intouchables” to animated features “Ballerina” and “Fireheart,” both of which he directed.

“Wings of Freedom” features Longoria as Salana, a home-loving Eagle who lives in the safety of her hidden bird colony until a twist of fate propels her out of her comfort zone. Galitzine plays Lieutenant Pirro, a fearless Swift and member the Animal Air Force. Together, they must confront Eternity, a malevolent AI determined to seize control of the world.

Studiocanal, which is preparing...

Plex is gearing up for an exciting lineup of films and series in November 2024. Viewers can look forward to a variety of new additions, including Blue Ridge, But I’m A Cheerleader, Call Jane, and Empire State. Cult classics like The Grudge, Hard Candy, House of 1000 Corpses, and The Midnight Meat Train are also hitting the platform, alongside more recent hits like Wind River and Where’d You Go, Bernadette? For fans of horror, thrillers, and emotional dramas, there’s no shortage of options. However, Plex is also bidding farewell to a number of films and shows in November. Among those leaving are 24 Hours to Live, Drive Angry, The Devil’s Rejects, Snowpiercer, and USS Indianapolis: Men of Courage. If you’ve been meaning to watch these titles, now is the time to catch them before they disappear. For those looking to binge their favorites, many notable titles are still available for streaming.

The Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (known as PÖFF) has unveiled the full lineup of its flagship Official Selection, whose 18 features from 23 countries will compete for the coveted €20,000 Grand Prix.

They include 11 world premieres. The jury is helmed by acclaimed German director Christoph Hochhäusler.

Tiina Lokk, the founder and director of the festival, said “the Official Selection Competition has it all! There’s a psycho-thriller that approaches horror, a psychological family drama, and sci-fi genre is represented. The selection is broad, and so is the range of countries. We’re not trying to highlight a certain theme or a particular region, we are free in our choices,” she noted.

Emphasizing the various topics covered, Lokk cites old age, the end of life and euthanasia “perhaps due to the influence of Covid,” domestic violence and war, “not tackled in the traditional form” but rather via psychological dramas.

“Last year there were...

Bei der Verleihung des Deutschen Schauspielpreises heute Abend in Berlin gingen alle drei in den Dramakategorien vergebenen Preise an Schauspielerinnen.

In Berlin wurde heute Abend der Deutsche Schauspielpreis verliehen (Credit: Bffs)

Für die drei geschlechterübergreifend in den Dramakategorien vergebenen Preise des Deutschen Schauspielpreises waren sieben Schauspielerinnen und drei Schauspieler nominiert, ausgezeichnet wurden heute Abend in Berlin drei Schauspielerinnen.

So gingen die beiden Preise für die beste dramatische Hauptrolle an Franziska Hartmann für ihre Rolle in Christina Ebelts „Monster im Kopf“ und Johanna Gastdorf für ihre Rolle in „Eher fliegen hier UFOs“ von Gina Wenzel und Ingo Haeb. Für die beste dramatische Nebenrolle wurde Lore Stefanek für ihre Rolle in Sylke Enders‘ „Schlamassel“ ausgezeichnet.

Der Deutsche Schauspielpreis für die beste komödiantische Rolle ging an Merlin Sendmeyer für seine Rolle in der dritten Staffel der Prime-Video-Serie „Die Discounter“, für ihre Rolle in der Folge „Der Sturm op et Rodhuus“ aus der Zdf...

“Night Call,” a French thriller directed by Michiel Blanchart and set amid Black Lives Matter protests in Belgium, has been sold nearly worldwide by Gaumont which releases the film today in France.

Previously acquired by Magnet Releasing for North American distribution, “Night Call” follows a young locksmith who gets way more than he bargained for after responding to an emergency call that puts him in the crosshairs of a ruthless mob boss.

It marks the feature debut of Blanchart whose live-action short “You’re Dead Hélène” was shortlisted for the 94th Oscars and is now being adapted into an English-language feature produced by Sam Raimi and TriStar Pictures.

U.K. (Vertigo), Spain (A Contracorriente), Italy (102 Distribution), Scandinavia (Nonstop), South Korea (Mediasoft), Latin America (California Filmes), Portugal (Cinemundo), Germany, Austria, German speaking Luxembourg and Switzerland, Poland (Galapagos), India (Pictureworks) and New Caledonia (Trident Import Export).

The movie played on opening night...

Das neue Festival Seriesly Berlin eröffnet mit der Joyn-Vampir-Comedy „Der Upir“ und konzentriert sich im ersten Jahr auf sechs internationale Serien-Premieren. Darunter befindet sich die Netflix-Serie „Penelope“, die wilde südafrikanische Serie „Spinners“ und sogar Dokumentarisches.

Seriesly Berlin Highlights (v.l.): „Der Upir“, „Spinners“ und „Penelope“

Das neue Serienfestival Seriesly Berlin, das vom 16. bis 18. September in der Hauptstadt stattfindet, hat seine sechs internationalen Serien-Premieren bekannt gegeben, die in den Hakesche Höfe Kinos zu sehen sind. Eröffnet wird das Festival mit der deutschen Vampir-Comedy „Der Upir“ von der Streaming-Plattform Joyn mit Fahri Yardim und Rocko Schamoni in den Hauptrollen am 16. September um 19 Uhr in Anwesenheit von Cast und Crew.

Von „Der Upir“ laufen vier Folgen des achtteiligen Formats der UFA Fiction, in dem Vampir Igor (Rocko Schamoni) den Restaurantbesitzer Eddie beißt und der sich fortan im titelgebenden Pubertäts-Status befindet, wonach er entweder zum richtigen Vampir oder wieder Mensch wird.

“The Killer” has returned.

John Woo’s 1989 action movie, which helped put the filmmaker on the map as one of cinema’s most exciting orchestrators of mayhem, has been remade by Woo himself. This time around, the titular assassin is played by Nathalie Emmanuel, with the dogged cop now played by Omar Sy.

But how do you watch this new version of “The Killer?” Read on to find out!

When does “The Killer” come out?

“The Killer” premieres on Friday, August 23. With a bullet.

Is “The Killer” streaming or in theaters?

“The Killer” will play exclusively on Peacock, Universal’s direct-to-consumer streaming platform.

What is “The Killer” about?

In “The Killer” Emmanuel plays an assassin, nicknamed Zee. She works for a mysterious handler named Finn, who sends her on a mission that results in a young American lounge singer getting blinded. (The movie takes place in Paris.) Together, the two women form an unlikely duo,...

Local audiences flocked to French cinemas in June where box office rose 28.9% rise in ticket sales on June 2023, totalling 13.2 million admissions, according to the Cnc.

The ticket sales are the best for a month of June since 2013’s 13.8million admissions. They were boosted by the June 29 annual five-day Fête du Cinema exhibitors’ initiative that sees ticket prices of just €5. The first day garnered a record 1.4 million ticket sales, the best in more than 20 years for the event.

Despite a tumultuous start to the year with ticket sales falling year-on-year over the first four months of the year – down 7.5% in January,...

“Amelie” and “The Intouchables,” two of France’s all-time biggest box office hits, will be re-released by their respective studios, Ugc and Gaumont/Studiocanal, during the Olympic Games.

With three to four million Olympics fans expected to descend on Paris during the Olympics, French studios are looking to capitalize on the presence of these floods of international visitors and lure them into air-conditioned theaters.

These re-released movies will be subtitled in English which will mark a first in France, at least in recent history.

“The Intouchables,” a 2009 comedy starring Omar Sy as a street-smart caretaker working for a quadriplegic aristocrat, will be re-released by Gaumont and Studiocanal. Sy, who delivered a breakthrough performance in the movie, won a Cesar Award for best actor, becoming the first French Black actor to win such prize in the country. The actor went on to star in “Lupin,” the hit Netflix series.

Directed by Eric Toledano and Olivier Nakache,...

A decade after “La Famille Belier,” which was remade as the Oscar-winning “Coda,” another comedy featuring protagonists with disabilities, “A Little Something Extra” has stormed the French box office. It’s not only the year’s biggest hit so far, but the highest grossing French movie since before the pandemic.

Released May 1 by Pan Distribution and modestly budgeted at €6.1 million ($6.55 million), the feel-good movie (called “Un p’tit truc en plus” in French) has grossed an estimated €50.7 million ($54 million) from 7.2 million tickets sold as of June 16 — two times more than Warner Bros. tentpole “Dune 2” starring Timothee Chalamet and Zendaya.

It’s a mighty feat, considering that that unlike “La Famille Belier,” in which the deaf and speech-disabled characters are played by bankable European stars — Karin Viard and Francois Damiens — “A Little Something Extra” has an ensemble cast of young non-professionals with different types of disabilities.

The movie, produced by Pierre Forette...

Karan Johar has been teasing a sequel to the 2022 family comedy-drama Jug Jugg Jeeyo since its release, but until now, no concrete plans were in place. PeepingMoon.com can now confirm that Jug Jugg Jeeyo 2 is officially happening, though it might come with a different title and serve as more of a spiritual sequel.

Dharma Productions is expanding this beloved family entertainer into a franchise, capitalizing on the trend of successful franchise films in theaters. Director Raj Mehta has started writing the sequel with a team of writers, aiming to begin production later this year or in early 2025. The new installment will feature a fresh storyline set in a similar familial context, much like Dharma’s previous franchise films such as the Dulhania series, Student of the Year, and Dhadak, which have all followed distinct narratives in their sequels.

Jug Jugg Jeeyo originally starred Varun Dhawan, Kiara Advani, Anil Kapoor, and Neetu Kapoor,...

Magnet Releasing, the genre arm of Magnolia Pictures, has acquired North American rights to Night Call, a French thriller marking the feature directorial debut of Michiel Blanchart, whose live-action short You’re Dead Hélène was shortlisted for the 94th Oscars.

Slated for release later this year, the film follows a young locksmith who gets way more than he bargained for after responding to an emergency call that puts him in the crosshairs of a ruthless mob boss.

One evening, Mady (Jonathan Feltre) – a student by day, locksmith by night– receives an emergency call from Claire to open a lock. But the door the young woman wants to open isn’t hers, and the bag of cash she runs away with isn’t hers either. It belongs to Yannick (Romain Duris), a sinister crime boss who blames Mady and will stop at nothing to retrieve his stolen goods. In a city shaken by protests,...

Exclusive: Last month, Michael Sheen’s appearance on new BBC interview series The Assembly popped on social media, and now Australia’s biggest and brightest names will get the chance of a similar experience.

We can reveal public broadcaster the ABC has ordered an Australian version of The Assembly (aka The A Talks), with Mark Fennessy’s Helium Pictures attached to produce a six-part series. The production was announced at the ABC’s upfront today in Sydney.

The Assembly is being adapted from French hit Les Rencontres du Papotin, which launched two years ago on France 2. Helium began production yesterday, and will continue for six weeks with a potential network premiere date in Q3.

The Australian show will follow a group of autistic student journalists, as they prepare to interview six of the nation’s biggest names, including Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. The other stars are under wraps, but...

Jerome Levy’s Vuelta Group, a private-equity-backed European studio, has acquired German production and licensing giant Telepool from Westbrook, the U.S. outfit controlled Will and Jada Pinkett-Smith.

Vuelta will merge Telepool with Munich-based SquareOne, the German producer/distributor it acquired last year. SquareOne CEO Al Munteanu, head of Vuelta Group Germany, will take over the running of the merged company, with Michael Heyd serving as CFO/COO.

Telepool has one of the largest rights libraries in Europe, with German-language rights to more than 1,200 titles, including such features as The Imitation Game, Drive, Olympus Has Fallen, Lone Survivor and French hit Intouchables, as well as Westbrook-produced features like Oscar-winner King Richard. Upcoming features include the Hellboy reboot The Crooked Man and Andrew Niccol’s Lord of War sequel, Lords of War, starring Nicolas Cage and Bill Skarsgård.

Yoko Higuchi-Zitzmann, who took over as CEO at Telepool two years ago, will leave the company.

European production and sales studio Vuelta Group has bought German producer Telepool from Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith’s Westbrook.

The deal, struck through Vuelta subsidiary SquareOne, will see a combined business operating under the SquareOne banner. SquareOne and Vuelta Group Germany CEO Al Munteanu will lead the banner, with Michael Heyd serving as CFO and COO.

Financial terms of the deal weren’t disclosed, but the combined group will boast a library of over 1,200 titles such as Drive, Intouchables, Olympus Has Fallen, Transporter 3 and the recently released One Life. It will form part of the growing Vuelta Group, which in July last year we revealed had formed through the acquisitions of SquareOne, Paris-based international sales firm Playtime Group and Nordic distributor-producer Scanbox.

Vuelta Group Chairman Jeromt Levy, who launched the group with $50M backing from an unnamed U.S. private equity firm, announced the news today along with Munteanu.

German distributor-producer SquareOne Entertainment, part of rising European film studio Vuelta Group, has acquired German film and TV production, distribution and licensing company Telepool, which was owned by Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith’s Westbrook.

The news was announced Wednesday by Vuelta Group chairman Jerome Levy and CEO of SquareOne and Vuelta Group Germany Al Munteanu.

Munteanu will spearhead the newly combined entity under the SquareOne banner with Michael Heyd serving as CFO/COO.

The newly combined SquareOne entity will boast a library consisting of over 1,200 titles such as “Drive,” “Intouchables,” “The Olympus Has Fallen,” “The Hitman’s Bodyguard,” “Imitation Game,” “Lone Survivor,” “Book Club,” “Transporter 3,” “King Richard,” “Maurice the Tomcat” and the recently released “One Life” among others.

“For over 60 years, Telepool has been one of the leading global content houses and we are proud of the work we did with the company,” said Westbrook CEO Kosaku Yada.

Admissions to French cinemas plummeted by 35.5% in April 2024 compared to the same month the year before, according to figures from the Cnc. Ticket sales year on year from January through April were down 17% compared to the same period in 2023.

Universal’s Kung Fu Panda 4 was the top film of the month, followed by Warner Bros’ Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, Ugc Distribution’s local family franchise film Ducobu Passe au Vert!, Sony’s Ghostbusters: The Frozen Empire, and French comedy drama Meet the Leroys, released by Apollo Films.

The dip is not unexpected, owing to a lack of...

We’re just two weeks away from the 77th Cannes Film Festival, and this morning the august French institution revealed who will determine the winners of this year’s awards. A cross-section of international talent will join “Barbie” and “Lady Bird” director Greta Gerwig, who will lead the panel, in an effort to undoubtedly compare apples to oranges and try to make sense of a diverse slate of films from directors like David Cronenberg, Francis Ford Coppola, Sean Baker, Ali Abbasi, and many others.

Lily Gladstone, who won several Best Actress awards last year (but not the Oscar!) for her revolutionary turn in “Killers of the Flower Moon,” is the other American joining Gerwig. The actress, currently seen on FX/Hulu’s “Under the Bridge,” is returning to Cannes one year after Martin Scorsese and Apple Original Films brought “Flower Moon” to the French Riviera festival for its out-of-competition debut.

The Cannes Film Festival has unveiled the eight jurors who will be joining jury president Greta Gerwig for the event’s 2024 edition (May 14-25).

They are American actress Lily Gladstone, French actress Eva Green, French actor and producer Omar Sy, Lebanese director and screenwriter Nadine Labaki, Spanish director and screenwriter Juan Antonio Bayona, Japanese director Hirokazu Kore-eda, Turkish screenwriter and photographer Ebru Ceylan, and Italian actor Pierfrancisco Favino.

The jury will award the Palme d’Or to one of the 22 films in competition at the closing ceremony on May 25. Anatomy Of A Fall picked up the top prize last year.

Carrousel Studios, the newly launched production company of “Lupin” star Omar Sy, “Fast X” director Louis Leterrier and “Gangs of London” producer Thomas Benski, has appointed Cécile Gaget as CEO.

A seasoned executive, the Paris-based Gaget previously worked at Wild Bunch as head of film, and also worked at Anton Capital and Gaumont where she spearheaded international sales and co-productions. While at Gaumont, she worked on many box office hits, notably “Intouchables” which traveled around the world and saw Sy delivering a breakthrough performance.

Carrousel is a European independent production company with offices in Paris, London, Los Angeles and Senegal. The banner will finance and produce film and TV projects, with an emphasis on elevated action, thrillers, sci-fi, fantasy and comedy. CAA Media Finance architected the financing for the venture.

In her new role, which will effective May 1, Gaget will utilize her sales and film finance expertise to ramp up...

French film executive Cécile Gaget is stepping down as CEO of Wild Bunch and joining Carrousel Studios, the new European production group launched last month by Lupin star Omar Sy, Fast X director Louis Leterrier and producer Thomas Benski. Gaget was appointed CEO of Carrousel and will take up the job on May 1.

Carrousel, launched with backing from CAA Media Finance, is being billed as an “artists first” European studio that will focus on elevated genre fare for film and TV, aiming to leverage European tax and production incentives, as well as tap into the continent’s deep well of talent, to produce content for the European and global market.

With Gaget, the company has scored one of Europe’s top film execs with a deep knowledge of both the financial and practical on-the-ground business of independent production and distribution. She’s held positions at several of the continent’s top studios and mini-majors,...

French film industry veteran Cécile Gaget has been named CEO of Carrousel Studios, the joint venture production company launched in March by Lupin star Omar Sy, Fast X filmmaker Louis Letterier and Pulse Films CEO Thomas Benksi.

Gaget will be based in Paris and will officially take on her new role on May 1 “to create and produce high end and bold content for a global audience,” she said in a statement. Her duties include helping to bolster the company’s local and global production slate, foster partnerships and oversee development, production, financing and distribution strategies.

Carrousel Studios aims to be...

Newly-launched Carrousel Studios has appointed French film industry veteran Cécile Gaget as its CEO, with effect from May 1.

Billed as an artists-first European independent studio and media company, Carrousel Studios was launched in March by actor-producer Omar Sy, producer-director Louis Leterrier and entrepreneur/producer Thomas Benski.

Their aim is to develop and produce multi-generational, high quality and high-concept entertainment for the global audience.

In her new role, Gaget will utilize her sales and film finance expertise to help expand and grow upon the Carrousel’s founders’ capabilities.

Based out of Paris, her mission will be to ramp up a local and global production slate, forge strategic partnerships and more specifically oversee development, production, financing and distribution strategies.

“I am very grateful to Omar, Louis, and Thomas for their trust in my abilities to help build and lead this studio to its fullest potential. I’m thrilled to embark on this journey with Carrousel Studios,...

Actor Omar Sy has teamed with Lupin and Fast X director Louis Leterrier and former Pulse Films CEO Thomas Benski to launch Carrousel Studios.

Carrousel Studios is billed as an artists-first European independent studio and media company with a focus on producing commercial films and high-end TV series for global audiences. Carrousel will lean into genres such as elevated action, thrillers, sci-fi, fantasy and comedy.

A statement announcing the launch of Carrousel said the founding trio “plan to modernise the process of developing, financing and producing films and series, and take advantage of myriad tax credits, subsidies, cost of production,...

“Lupin” star Omar Sy, “Fast X” director Louis Leterrier and “Gangs of London” producer Thomas Benski have launched Carrousel Studios, a European independent production company with offices in Paris, London, Los Angeles and Senegal.

The banner will finance and produce film and TV projects, with an emphasis on elevated action, thrillers, sci-fi, fantasy and comedy. The company will look to tap into tax credits, European incentives and brands to finance content. CAA Media Finance architected the financing for the venture.

Sy, Leterrier and Benski, who have worked together on several series and films, said the name of the company, Carrousel, reflects its inclusive DNA. “A carrousel’s sole purpose is to entertain, no matter where the riders come from, no matter their age or background,” explained the trio in a joint statement. “Additionally, the word carrousel is understood around the globe and associated with magical moments. Our Carrousel will have that same feel,...

French star Omar Sy (Lupin, The Intouchables) is joining forces with Fast X and Transporter director Louis Leterrier and producer Thomas Benski (American Honey, Gangs of London) to launch Carrousel Studios, a new European independent studio.

Billed as an “artists-first” studio, Carrousel aims to focus on elevated genre, in the film and TV, to “lean into elevated action, thrillers, sci-fi, fantasy and comedy projects,” according to a statement, by taking advantage of “myriad tax credits, subsidies, cost of production, incredible talent (in front and behind the camera) as well as other European incentives.”

All three men are represented by CAA and CAA Media Finance set up the financing for the venture. Carrousel Studios will have offices in Paris, London, Los Angeles and Senegal.

The company name is meant to evoke a spirit of entertainment. “By definition, a carrousel’s sole purpose is to entertain, no matter where the riders come from,...

Actor and producer Omar Sy (Lupin), director-producer Louis Leterrier (Fast X) and producer and Pulse Films founder Thomas Benski (American Honey) are launching Carrousel Studios with bases in Paris, London, LA and Senegal.

The film and TV company will develop and produce projects for the global market and look to work closely with emerging and established talent. While not exclusive to the genres, the firm plans to lean into elevated action, thrillers, sci-fi, fantasy and comedy projects. It will also incorporate in-house marketing and communications for its projects. CAA Media Finance architected the financing for the venture.

“By definition, a carrousel’s sole purpose is to entertain, no matter where the riders come from, no matter their age or background,” explained Sy, Leterrier and Benski in a joint statement. “Additionally, the word carrousel is understood around the globe and associated with magical moments. Our Carrousel will have that same feel,...

Actor Omar Sy has teamed with Lupin and Fast X director Louis Leterrier and former Pulse Films CEO Thomas Benski to launch Carousel Studios.

Carousel Studios is billed as an artists-first European independent studio and media company with a focus on producing commercial films and high-end TV series for global audiences. Carousel will lean into genres such as elevated action, thrillers, sci-fi, fantasy and comedy.

A statement announcing the launch of Carousel said the founding trio “plan to modernise the process of developing, financing and producing films and series, and take advantage of myriad tax credits, subsidies, cost of production,...

“Chime,” a mid-length movie by leading Japanese director Kurosawa Kiyoshi, is among three late additions to the Berlin Film Festival’s Berlinale Special section.

The two others are “August My Heaven,” another mid-length picture form Japan, directed by Kudo Riho, and “The Strangers’ Case,” a full-length feature directed by Brandt Andersen which will play as a Berlinale Special Gala presentation.

In “Chime” Tashiro, a student at a culinary school, hears voices in his head. His teacher, Matsuoka, remains unconcerned. But then Tashiro claims that half of his brain has been replaced by a machine.

In “August My Heaven,” Joe earns a living as a professional stand-in actor for hire to play a relative, lover or friend for her clients and attend ceremonies. After an encounter at a funeral, her professional and private live begin to merge.

Tragedy strikes a Syrian family in Aleppo in “The Strangers’ Case.” This triggers a...

Filming is set to begin in spring 2024.

Dubai-based Front Row Productions has boarded Zaid Abu Hamdan’s Boomah, an upcoming Arab crime thriller starring Jordanian actress Rakeen Saad.

Front Row has joined forces with burgeoning Jordanian outfit Bounce Productions to make the feature, which is described as a “raw and unfiltered crime-thriller set in one of Jordan’s roughest cities”. The film is scheduled to start shooting in spring 2024 with a release to follow by early 2025.

Saad, who stars in Netflix hit AlRawabi School For Girls and Mbc Shahid’s The Giza Killer, will play the lead role of Boomah.

Dubai-based Front Row Productions has come on board Jordanian director and producer Zaid Abu Hamdan’s second feature Boomah about a female street thug.

The company, a joint venture between Mena distributors Front Row Filmed Entertainment and Empire Entertainment, is joining forces with Bounce Productions, the film and TV company created by producer Ahmad Abu Koush in 2022.

Boomah will be Abu Hamdan’s second feature after award-winning 2021 drama Daughters of Abdul-Rahman, which world premiered at the Cairo Film Festival, where it won the Audience Award, and then played multiple festivals including the Red Sea Film Festival.

The production has also announced that Jordanian actress Rakeen Saad, who starred in Netflix show AlRawabi School for Girls and Mbc Shahid’s The Giza Killer, will play the lead role of Boomah.

Originally announced under the title The Zarqa Girl at the project stage, the production is a described as crime thriller set...

‘Hajjan’ director Abu Bakr Shawky and ‘Theeb’ producer’ Bassel Ghandour on initial clint roster.

Untamed Talent, a new management and production company led by former Mister Smith Entertainment executive Antone Saliba, has launched with the backing of Dubai-based Front Row Productions and unveiled its first roster of clients.

The firm will represent filmmakers from the established Middle East industry hubs of Egypt and Saudi as well as promoting talent from more underrepresented countries in South West Asia and North Africa such as Jordan, Morocco, Syria, Afghanistan, Turkey, and Iran.

Front Row Productions, a joint venture of leading Middle East distribution...

Former Mister Smith sales executive Antone Saliba has launched management and production company Untamed Talent, with the backing of Dubai-based Front Row Productions.

The latter company, which is a joint venture of leading Middle East distribution companies Front Row Filmed Entertainment and Empire Entertainment, will provide capital and strategic value for the new banner.

Saliba, who was a sales and acquisitions executive under David Garrett at Mister Smith, wants to create new content business models for the fast-growing entertainment sectors of the Swana region, covering Southwest Asia and North Africa.

As well as representing filmmakers from the established Mena industry hubs of Egypt and Saudi, the new company will also identify, develop, and promote talent from traditionally underrepresented countries within the region such as Jordan, Morocco, Syria, Afghanistan, Turkey and Iran.

The company will work on a non-exclusive basis with production and distribution parties in the region, as well as U.

Exclusive: On the eve of AFM, Lionsgate has picked up North American and UK rights to Indian action movie Kill for theatrical release in 2024.

The rare deal marks one of the first times an Indian production has partnered with a Hollywood studio on a theatrical release in North America and the UK for a mainstream Hindi-language film.

WME Independent, which is handling global sales, brokered the deal on behalf of the filmmakers alongside Christopher Davis and Kaycee Holcomb for Lionsgate.

Kill is directed by Nikhil Nagesh Bhat and produced by Karan Johar and Apoorva Mehta for Dharma Productions and Guneet Monga Kapoor and Achin Jain for Sikhya Entertainment.

Starring newcomer Lakshya alongside Raghav Juyal and Tanya Maniktala, the likely R-rated action movie made its world premiere at this year’s Toronto Film Festival as a Midnight Madness selection.

In the film, star-crossed lovers Tulika (Maniktala) and Amrit (Lakshya) find their...

AFM slate also includes a blend of local drama, comedy and thriller titles.

Orange Studio will kick off sales at AFM for Like A Prince, the debut feature from actor Ali Marhyar about a star boxer attempting a career comeback in a French chateau after a bar fight gone wrong.

Like A Prince stars Ahmed Sylla as the titular athlete who is sentenced to community service at the prestigious Château de Chambord following a bar fight that injures him and threatens his career. There, amidst horses, strange bosses and knight-inspired stunts, he meets a foster child with a knack for...

“No Me Sigas,” the directorial debut of “Anything’s Possible” writer Ximena García Lecuona, and “Malamuerte,” from Caye Casas, a rising star of pitch black Spanish comedy, both feature in a rich and far-ranging 2023 Blood Window Lab, the project platform of Ventana Sur’s genre forum, which unspools Nov. 27-Dec. 1.

The projects are joined by other buzz titles such as “Into the Spiral,” from Facundo Escudero Salinas, whose thriller, “Broken,” ranks as one of the top 10 most watched Argentine films of 2023.

Also anticipated is “Planet, billed as “a vast depiction of unprecedented worldwide alien contact, exploring different cultures and societal classes through their experiences with the phenomenon,” and directed by Fredrik S. Hana, a 2022 Meliès d’Or Award for “From.Beyond.”

The projects form part of 22 titles as submissions are up 20% this year on last, notes Javier Fernández, head of the Blood Window Program.

That rise comes as little surprise. As big...

Exclusive: Indian powerhouse producers Guneet Monga Kapoor and Karan Johar, who have previously collaborated on movies including lauded drama The Lunchbox and TIFF 2023 title Kill, are moving ahead with their Hindi-language adaptation of French smash Intouchables, by hiring director Collin D’Cunha.

The Indian filmmakers first acquired the remake rights from Gaumont almost a decade ago. The original box office sensation, starring Omar Sy and François Cluzet, saw an aristocrat hire a young man from the projects to be his caregiver after he becomes a quadriplegic from a paragliding accident. The movie spawned a string of remakes, including a Telugu and Tamil version, and a U.S. version starring Kevin Hart.

According to the producers, the Hindi adaptation “aims to recreate the magic of the original while adding a unique touch that resonates with Indian audiences”.

The film is part of a larger creative synergy that was announced in May 2023 between...

European powerhouse Studiocanal, part of Vivendi’s Canal+ Group, has rolled out robust sales on Xavier Dolan’s Sundance-selected psychological thriller “The Night Logan Woke Up,” Spanish period drama “The Vow” and a bevy of first documentaries.

The deals underscore the continuing upside for Studiocanal of illustrious cinema talent exploring premium TV direction, as well as the company’s beneficial diversification into documentary sales and daily series.

A Sundance world premiere and Canal+ original based on Michel Marc Bouchard’s play “La Nuit où Laurier Gaudreault s’est réveille,” “The Night Logan Woke Up” has sold to Netflix for the U.S., Star Channel Japan, Sbs Australia, Filmin for Spain and Portugal and Wdr Germany, among major territories.

Among a slew of deals, “Logan,” which marks the first TV series from Cannes Jury Prize-winning Quebecois actor-director Dolan, has also been licensed by Studiocanal to BeTV Belgium, Lumiere Benelux, Ltv Latvia,...

The world’s most famous gentleman thief is back in Paris and is now France’s most-wanted man. Part 3 of “Lupin” bowed a week ago and took the top spot on the streamer’s Global Top 10.

“Lupin,” which garnered 11.6 million views globally within its first week, stars Omar Sy as Assane Diop, a character inspired by Arsène Lupin, a stylish thief and master of disguise portrayed in Maurice Leblanc’s original 1907 novel.

The escapist Paris-set heist comedy show has been hugely popular since it debuted in January 2021, turning Sy into a global star and bolstering sales of Leblanc’s novel nearly 100 years after the original book was published. Following the premiere of “Lupin,” as many as 140,000 copies of the book sold in France and French-speaking countries and also picked up steam in Italy, Spain, the U.S., the U.K. and Korea. Produced by Gaumont in France, “Lupin” ranks as...

There’s a lot to watch on Prime Video in October and, as you may have guessed, there’s spooky stuff galore in amongst Prime’s usual rotation of extensive library content.

In the movie Totally Killer, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina star Kiernan Shipka travels back in time to the 1980s to stop a serial killer. Then there’s Make Me Scream, a Halloween special that challenges celebrities to “a gruesome game of terror.” Renfield will also be streaming on the service for anyone who’s been dying (muahahaha!) to catch the Nic Cage Dracula film.

Outside of Prime Video’s more creepy fare, Shazam! Fury Of The Gods will debut, Upload will be back for a third season, and new film Awareness should scratch your sci-fi itch. Meanwhile, for Frasier heads – those who consider themselves utterly Frasier-pilled – all eleven seasons of the Cheers spinoff show will be streaming at the touch of a button.

If you’re looking for a complete list of every new movie and TV show coming to Amazon Prime Video in October, you’ve come to the right place. This month kicks off with a slew of great library additions, from James Bond films to relatively new releases (“Shazam! Fury of the Gods” and the Nicolas Cage Dracula movie “Renfield”) and beyond.

There are also some high-profile originals landing in October. The third season of the sci-fi comedy series “Upload” arrives on Oct. 20, while Oct. 6 marks the release of the Prime Video original film “Totally Killer,” a fun slasher set in the 1980s that stars Kiernan Shipka.

Check out the full list of what’s new on Amazon Prime Video in October 2023 below, followed by a complete list of new arrivals for Freevee in October as well.

Arriving October 1

Frasier, Seasons 1-11 (1994)

Hit, Season 3 (2020)

A Fish Called Wanda (1988)

A Guy Thing...

Prime Video and Gaumont (“Intouchables”) are teaming up on an uplifting mother-son drama tackling disability, directed by Ken Scott (“Starbuck”), and starring French actors Leïla Bekhti (“All Your Faces”) and Jonathan Cohen (“Sentinelle”). Scott penned and will be directing the film which is titled “Ma mère, Dieu et Sylvie Vartan” and is based on Roland Perez’s novel by the same name.

The project is the first theatrical film that Amazon Prime Video is co-financing as part of the French decree that kicked off in July 2021 and stems from the implementation of the European Commission’s legislation called Audiovisual Media Services Directive (Avms). As such, Gaumont will release the film theatrically in France and holds all distribution rights in France and internationally (outside of Canada). “Ma mère, Dieu et Sylvie Vartan” will roll out on Prime Video 17 months after its theatrical release under France’s windowing rules.

The poignant movie...

Cannes may get all the attention, but France’s summer film festivals are essential launchpads for local features ready to hit the international market. Here are the ones to look out for.

In August of 2011, a little French film about the bond between a wealthy quadriplegic and his fun-loving caretaker premiered at a festival in a small Southwestern town in France.

Now in its 16th edition, The Angouleme Francophone Film Festival was the first stop for global sensation The Intouchables, which went on to gross more than $445m at the box office worldwide and even get its own US remake...

Latin American companies have descended on the 60th LA Screenings, mindful of the ever-shifting panorama in content distribution and production.

The ongoing writers’ strike is viewed by some as a boon for international content. Take what Netflix co-ceo Ted Sarandos said at the company’s first quarter financials report presentation when the writers’ strike was looming: “If there’s a strike — and we want to work really hard to make sure we can find a fair and equitable deal so we can avoid one — but if there is one, we have a large base of upcoming shows and films from around the world.”

“The global market is finally realizing that Latin America, with almost 700 million inhabitants that speak the same language, is a territory that has a huge penetration in terms of Ott and – still – pay tv subscribers,” says Mexico City-based Manuel Marti, Fremantle’s head of scripted development, Latin America.

Lucas Bernard’s romantic comedy ’In The Sub For Love’ is another new acquisition for French studio.

French studio Gaumont has unveiled a hefty genre-hopping Cannes slate complete with all new acquisitions Gilles de Maistre’s family adventure Moon The Panda, Stéphane Brizé’s romance drama Out Of Season and Lucas Bernard’s romantic comedy In The Sub For Love in addition to a slew of market premieres and official selection festival titles.

New acquisitions

Moon The Panda is the latest film from the master of the human-animal adventure tale Gilles de Maistre following Mia And The White Lion and The Wolf And The Lion.

Experience the richness of world cinema with these classic foreign language films. From intense drama to thrilling action, each one offers an unforgettable cinematic experience that will stay with you long after watching. These iconic movies break boundaries while teaching viewers more about diverse cultures, so grab some popcorn today.

Related: 10 Best TV Movies of All Time, Ranked by Viewers

Foreign films have been inaccurately labeled as arrogant. However, these movies offer many genres, including action flicks, comedies, musicals, and thrillers. This list of best foreign movies includes those from non-English speaking countries but no silent films. This is your cinematic passport to the world’s movie scene.

10 Best Foreign Movies, Ranked on IMDb The Lives of Others (2006) – 8.4 Oldboy (2003) – 8.4 The Best of Youth (2003) – 8.5 Cinema Paradiso (1988) – 8.5 The Intouchables (2011) – 8.5 Parasite (2019) – 8.5 Harakiri (1962) – 8.6 Life Is Beautiful (1997) – 8.6 City of God (2002) – 8.6 Spirited Away (2001) – 8.6 10 The Lives of Others (2006)

IMDb: 8.4/10 396K | Popularity: 1,156 | Top 250: #58 | Metascore: 89

The Lives of Others...

U.S.-Lebanese actor Tony Shalhoub, who played the “defective detective” on “Monk,” is set to star as former auto mogul-turned-fugitive Carlos Ghosn in a high-profile TV series directed by Michael Winterbottom.

Ghosn is the French-Lebanese-Brazilian former CEO of automakers Nissan and Renault who in 2020 jumped bail and absconded to Beirut hidden in a music case on a private jet while on trial in Japan for alleged financial misconduct. Lebanon does not have an extradition treaty with Japan.

The six-part series titled “Fall of the God of Cars” is written by Winterbottom, the prolific British director of “Welcome to Sarajevo,” whose TV work comprises hit sitcom series “The Trip” and, more recently, “This is England” starring Kenneth Branagh as Boris Johnson.

The Winterbottom Ghosn show is being produced by Fremantle, Revolution Films, Passenger and Anonymous Content.

The project was originally developed by Winterbottom and Alfonso Cuaron for Anonymous Content, the...

While Andrea Riseborough’s shock Oscar nomination for the SXSW 2022 sleeper To Leslie is still being processed, it’s too early to see whether it will have any effect on anything other than awards-season process. It would be nice, however, to think that it could also make it just that little bit harder for the success of smaller, more personal movies to be measured by box office returns alone. Late Bloomers doesn’t have that film’s dramatic intensity, and is way more schematic in its plotting, but Lisa Steen’s debut feature is still an intimate, defiantly female-fronted indie, showcasing an engaging and refreshingly vanity-free performance from Karen Gillan, a talented Scottish actress whose career to date is still something of a work in progress.

Gillan plays Louise, a woman in her late 20s whose life...

Origins is a recurring series giving artists a space to break down everything that went into their latest release. Today, Delta Spirit’s Matthew Logan Vasquez digs into his new solo single, “Untouchable.”

Matthew Logan Vasquez of Delta Spirit has released his new single, “Untouchable,” ahead of his upcoming solo album, As All Get Out.

As the primary songwriter for Delta Spirit, Vasquez has spent almost two decades perfecting his jagged indie rock sound. “Untouchable,” in particular, is inspired by a true story of vehicular manslaughter taking place in Texas.

“I wrote this song for Walker Lukens [and Zac Catanzaro]’s Kutx podcast Song Confessional,” Vasquez tells Consequence. “I was given a recording of an old woman from West Texas telling a story she remembered from growing up, about a wealthy son from a wealthy family getting away with vehicular manslaughter — not so dissimilar to the Murdaugh boating accident. I decided to write...

Many titles disappear from Netflix without warning every day.

This explains why you might have noticed some films and TV shows have been removed while flicking through your watchlist.

In an attempt to avoid a surprise, here is a compilation of everything being removed in March, including several titles labelled as a Netflix Original.

The removals also includes Arrested Development, which has thrown the future availability of its final season into question. Find the full list below.

Nb: The Independent compiled this list with help from What’s on Netflix.

UK

Movies

1 March

The Associate

Balto

Barb Wire

Beethoven

Beethoven’s Big Break

The Blues Brothers

The Boy Next Door

Bridget Jones’s Baby

The Brothers Grimm

Clear and Present Danger

Confusion Na Wa

Connected

Cop Car

The Debt

Disconnect

Doomsday

Escape from Alcatraz

The Expendables

The Expendables 2

The Expendables 3

47 Ronin

Gold Statue

Halloween H20

Hell on the Border...