Category: International & World

Categories
Business Culture Entertainment News International & World Lifestyle

Magnolia Pictures buys naval thriller ‘Arctic Convoy,’ set for 2024 release date

Magnolia Pictures has acquired U.S. rights to “Arctic Convoy,” a Norwegian naval thriller that is set in the middle of World War II.

 

The film is from the producers of “The Wave” trilogy, so it’s a homecoming of sorts given that Magnolia released all three installments of that series.

 

“Arctic Convoy” is directed by Henrik M. Dahlsbakken and written by Christian Sibenherz, Harald Rosenløw Eeg and Lars Gudmestad. Magnolia is planning a 2024 release for the picture.

 

The film unfolds in 1942, as the leader of a convoy carrying vital military supplies to a Norwegian outpost decides to proceed through treacherous, enemy-infested waters despite the recall of their military escort. Fighting for their lives against German air and naval forces, the 35 civilian merchant ships brave brutal Arctic seas to bring much-needed support to soldiers on the front lines.

 

The film is produced by Martin Sundland, Catrin Gundersen and Thea Benedikte Karlsen for FanteFilm. The deal was negotiated by Magnolia co-CEO Dori Begley and SVP of Acquisitions John Von Thaden. TrustNordisk’ Managing Director Susan Wendt represented the filmmakers in the discussions with the indie label.

 

Magnolia’s recent releases include Sundance documentary “Invisible Beauty,” a look at fashion pioneer Bethann Hardison; “Joan Baez: I Am a Noise,” a documentary about the folk singer and activist; and “Kokomo City,” D. Smith’s Sundance award-winning documentary about Black trans sex workers. Other films released during Magnolia’s 20-year history include the Oscar-nominated documentary “Collective,” back-to-back Cannes Palme d’Or winners and Oscar nominees “Shoplifters” and “The Square” and the Oscar-nominated “RBG,” a look at the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

 

 

— Variety (EXCLUSIVE) 

Categories
Business Culture Entertainment News International & World Lifestyle Travel & Leisure

The Piyush Mishra Project Ballimaaraan to tour USA with Para Share Entertainments

ATLANTA — (BUSINESS WIRE) — #Bollywood–Start of 2024 is going to be nothing short of an adventure as The Piyush Mishra Project – Ballimaaraan, a live concert is all set to tour the United States for the very first time via Para Share Entertainments (PSE).

 

PSE is delighted to work with Tamboo and Trinity to make this project see its success in the United States. This band’s popularity among youth stems from its seamless fusion of retro and contemporary music, creating a rebellious vibe with free-flowing Hindi lyrics that evoke engaging conversations. Book tickets here.

 

For an ever growing Indian American diaspora who represent one of the largest (5 million+) immigrant groups in the US, PSE shows make a positive impact. Second generation desis and students of Indian origin make the current audience diverse as it gets. The Piyush Mishra Project – Ballimaaraan has had a busy 2023 in India. With 10 shows across several cities, the concerts are scheduled to be held at state of art performing art centers and are designed to give the audience a memorable experience.

 

The US tour 2024

Houston, Washington DC, Detroit, Chicago, Atlanta, Seattle, Bay Area (San Jose), Dallas, Connecticut, New York / New Jersey

 

About PSE

Para Share Entertainments (PSE) is a digitally-powered US-based startup that produces LIVE shows around the world. Headquartered in Atlanta, GA, PSE is a market leader with a growing audience.

 

Until now, PSE has catered to 250,000+ patrons in the last 5 years. They aspire to impact 1 billion people in the next 3 years. PSE aims to uplift global mental health amidst chaos and uncertain times.

 

Founded in 2017 by Harshad Parashare, PSE has produced 300+ in-person shows. PSE carefully curates creative and engaging experiences for our audiences without compromising on their quality. The team at PSE is now gearing up for an action-packed 2024. PSE wants to engage with the community and expand its horizons to redefine entertainment by breaking paradigms. Their vision is to revolutionize the way live events are organized without hampering the quality of the experience. With 100% success rate when it comes to working with United States Citizenship & Immigration Services, PSE collaborates with partners and artists from all parts of the world.

Contacts

Harshad Parashare

Founder, CEO

harshad@parashare.com
470 253 4822

Shilpa Mehta

Product Manager, Partnerships & Associations

shilpa@parashare.com

Categories
Art & Life Culture International & World Lifestyle Perspectives Programs & Events

Lupita Nyong’o named Berlin Film Festival jury president

Lupita Nyong’o, the Oscar-winning Kenyan-Mexican actor and filmmaker, will preside over the international jury of the upcoming Berlin Film Festival.

 

She will be the second consecutive female jury president at the Berlinale, following fellow actor Kristen Stewart.

 

“Lupita Nyong’o embodies what we like in cinema: versatility in embracing different projects, addressing different audiences, and consistency to one idea that is quite recognisable in her characters, as diverse as they may look,” said Berlinale directors Mariëtte Rissenbeek and Carlo Chatrian.

 

Lupita Nyong’o, who broke through in “12 Years a Slave,” said she was “deeply honored to serve as the President of the International Jury of the Berlin International Film Festival.”

 

“I look forward to celebrating and recognising the outstanding work of filmmakers from around the world,” Nyong’o continued.

 

On top of winning a best supporting Oscar for her performance in “12 Years a Slave,” she has received the Screen Actors Guild Award, the Critics’ Choice Award, the Independent Spirit Award and the NAACP Image Award. She went on to garner further acclaim with her role as the warrior Nakia in “Black Panther” and its sequel “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.” Her other credits include “Us,” “Little Monsters,” “Queen of Katwe,” “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” and “The 355.” Her upcoming projects include the horror franchise spin-off series “A Quiet Place: Day One.”

 

Nyong’o is also involved behind the camera. She recently executive produced the Sudanese film “Goodbye Julia,” directed by Mohamed Kordofani. The movie was selected by the Sudanese National Committee operating in exile to compete in the international feature film race at the Oscars.

 

An outspoken activist, Nyong’o is currently preparing a podcast focussing on non-fictional storytelling from the African diaspora. One of her projects is a series based on Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s “Americanah.” Nyong is also an author, having penned the New York Times bestselling children’s book “Sulwe” in 2020.

 

This 74th Berlin Film Festival will mark the last under the current leadership. Both Rissenbeek and Chatrian will step down after this edition as their respective mandate ends. The festival’s future director will be announced tomorrow during a press conference in Berlin.

 

 

— Variety

Categories
Business Culture Entertainment News International & World Lifestyle Perks

‘Inside The Yellow Cocoon Shell’ wins Asian Feature Film Competition at SGIFF

Pham Thien An’s “Inside The Yellow Cocoon Shell,” which previously won the Golden Camera at Cannes, has won the Asian Feature Film Competition at the 34th Singapore International Film Festival.

 

Yoon Eun-Kyung won best director for “The Tenants,” which also won the FIPRESCI award. “Dreaming & Dying,” by Singaporean director Nelson Yeo earned a special mention. Yu Yi-Hsun won best screenplay for “A Journey in Spring” and the film also won best performance for Yang Kuei-Mei.

 

The Audience Choice Award went to “Goodbye Julia” by Mohamed Kordofani.

 

In the Southeast Asian Short Film Competition, the best Southeast Asian short film was awarded to “The River That Never Ends” by J.T. Trinidad, which also scored a special mention for actor Emerald Romero. “I Look Into the Mirror and Repeat to Myself” by Giselle Lin won best Singapore short film. Best director went to Sam Manacsa for “Cross My Heart and Hope to Die” and best performance went to Fredy Sreudeman Wowor from “Other Tomorrows Never Known.” Lin Htet Aung won best screenplay for “Once Upon a Time There Was a Mom.”

 

At the Southeast Asian Film Lab, “Terbakar” by Shelby Kho was recognized as the most promising project. “Making a Sea” by Lin Htet Aung won the fellowship prize. Special mentions were given to Caloy Limjap Soliongco for “Day Tripper” and Seth Cheong for “Blue Buildings.”

 

This year, the Tan Ean Kiam Foundation–SGIFF Southeast Asian Documentary grant extends its support to three production projects, each recipient receiving S$30,000 ($22,350) in cash, alongside one post-production project receiving S$20,000 ($14,900). The SGIFF Southeast Asian Short Film grant backs three shorts. Each recipient is awarded S$5,000 ($3,725) in cash by Winn Slavin and receives additional post-production support valued at S$5,000 from White Light Post.

 

The festival concluded its 11-day run with the highest ticket sales, more than 12,500, since 2014, with an increase of 64% from 2022.

 

 

 

— Variety

Categories
Art & Life Culture Digital - AI & Apps International & World Lifestyle Perspectives Regulations & Security

Denzel Washington to cast as ancient Gen. Hannibal in Antoine Fuqua Netflix film, sparks controversy in Tunisia

Denzel Washington being cast in Antoine Fuqua’s upcoming Netflix movie as ancient Carthaginian General Hannibal, is sparking some controversy in Tunisia, the home country of the great military commander.

 

According to French newspaper Courrier International, there are complaints about depicting the Carthaginian general as a Black African being made in the media and the Tunisian parliament.

 

Member of Parliament Yassine Mami has pointed out that Hannibal, who was born in 247 BC in Carthage – now known as Tunis, the Tunisian capital – was of West Asian Semitic origin.

 

“There is a risk of falsifying history: We need to take position on this subject,” the Tunisian politician reportedly stated.

 

Concurrently, French-language Tunisian newspaper La Presse has published an editorial in which it similarly objects that depicting Hannibal as a Black African is “according to Tunisians and many observers, a historical error.”

 

However, Tunisian culture Minister Hayet Ketat-Guermazi had a different, more pragmatic take on the matter.

 

“It’s fiction. It is their [Netflix‘s] right to do what they want,” she responded, according to French newspaper Le Monde. “Hannibal is a historical figure and we are all proud that he was Tunisian. But what can we do?”

 

She went on to note that she is trying to negotiate with Netflix to shoot at least a portion of the film in Tunisia.

 

“I hope they decide to shoot at least a sequence of the film here and that that this is publicized. We want Tunisia to go back to being a location where foreign films are shot,” Ketat-Guermazi said, as reported by Le Monde.

 

Representatives for Netflix, Washington and Fuqua did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

 

The controversy in Tunisia over Washington playing Hannibal is reminiscent of the uproar sparked in Egypt in April over Britain’s Adele James, who is of mixed heritage, playing Cleopatra in Netflix’s docudrama “Queen Cleopatra.” The first-century Egyptian queen was born in the Egyptian city of Alexandria in 69 BC and belonged to a Greek-speaking dynasty. Egyptian academics went on a rampage over the fact that Cleopatra was of European descent and not Black.

 

The still-untitled film about the Carthaginian general will be written by John Logan, the three-time Academy Award winner who scribed Martin Scorsese’s “The Aviator” and Ridley Scott’s “Gladiator.”

 

According to the official logline, the movie is “based on real-life warrior Hannibal, who is widely regarded as one of the greatest military commanders in history. The film covers the pivotal battles he led against the Roman Republic during the Second Punic War.”

 

Hannibal invaded Italy while riding a Northern African war elephant. Under his lead, the Carthaginians won key victories against the Romans, allowing Hannibal to occupy the majority of southern Italy for 15 years. Eventually, Hannibal was defeated by the Romans at the Battle of Zama after they counter-invaded North Africa.

 

Fuqua most recently directed Washington in the action-thriller “The Equalizer 3,” in which Washington reprised his role as ex-Marine Robert McCall.

 

Washington is currently involved in another war epic, the upcoming sequel to Ridley Scott’s “Gladiator,” which has resumed shooting in Malta after production was halted due to the SAG-AFTRA strike.

 

 

— Variety

Categories
Business Culture Economics Healthcare International & World Lifestyle News Now! Science

Merck Animal Health receives positive CVMP opinion for an injectable formulation of BRAVECTO® (Fluralaner) for use in dogs

RAHWAY, N.J. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — Merck Animal Health, known as MSD Animal Health outside of the United States and Canada, a division of Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, N.J., USA (NYSE:MRK), today announced that the European Medicines Agency’s Committee for Veterinary Medicinal Products (CVMP) issued a positive opinion for BRAVECTO® (fluralaner) 150 mg/ml powder and solvent for suspension for injection for dogs.

 

The CVMP recommends the product for approval for the treatment and persistent killing of fleas (Ctenocephalides felis and Ctenocephalides canis) and ticks (Rhipicephalus sanguineus, Ixodes ricinus, Ixodes hexagonus, and Dermacentor reticulatus) for 12 months. If the European Commission (EC) adopts the recommendation, this injectable formulation of BRAVECTO can be used by or under the supervision of a veterinarian and for administration to dogs and puppies six months of age and older.

 

“Since our initial launch of BRAVECTO nearly a decade ago, Merck Animal Health has been committed to bringing innovations to our customers that protect pets longer from flea and tick infestations and the associated health risks,” said Rick DeLuca, executive vice president and president, Merck Animal Health. “With today’s positive opinion of this injectable formulation of BRAVECTO, the first and only once-yearly injectable flea and tick medication, pet owners are one step closer to a new, convenient option to help ensure year-round comprehensive protection from fleas and ticks without the need for administering multiple doses of medication.”

 

Certain ticks can transmit serious infections in dogs. Many ticks can live in both warm and cold temperatures and are known to feed on dogs,1 making continuous year-round protection of utmost importance for pets and people.

 

“Though people often think of flea and tick season during the summer months, studies have shown that while fleas and ticks are most active from early spring through the fall, they can be a threat year-round,” said Holger Lehmann, vice president, Pharmaceutical Research & Development, Merck Animal Health. “If approved, a once-yearly dosing of BRAVECTO injectable can provide a long duration of protection, simplifying care for both pet owners and veterinarians. This promotes compliance and helps ensure continuous protection.”

 

Based on the CVMP’s recommendation, the EC is expected to issue a decision for marketing authorization in the European Union (EU) during the first quarter of 2024.

 

About BRAVECTO® (fluralaner)

Since its introduction in 2014, BRAVECTO has provided longer-lasting flea and tick protection, with more than 300 million doses distributed in more than 100 countries. BRAVECTO is available in a variety of formulations, including products for both dogs and cats.

 

The flea and tick life cycles can also last for months and missed doses of monthly treatments may leave gaps in protection.

 

Providing pets with continuous flea and tick protection is essential – whether the pet goes outside or not. Contrary to popular belief among pet parents, fleas and ticks are not only active in the spring and summer months, but they are a year-round risk.

 

Fleas and ticks can easily infest dogs and cats. They also can bite and pose health risks to human family members whether at home or outdoors. Ticks can spread serious diseases including rickettsiosis, anaplasmosis and borreliosis (Lyme disease), while fleas are the most common external parasite found on pets and can transmit bartonellosis (Cat Scratch disease) and tapeworms.

 

About Merck Animal Health

At Merck, known as MSD outside of the United States and Canada, we are unified around our purpose: We use the power of leading-edge science to save and improve lives around the world. For more than a century, we’ve been at the forefront of research, bringing forward medicines, vaccines and innovative health solutions for the world’s most challenging diseases. Merck Animal Health, a division of Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, N.J., USA, is the global animal health business of Merck. Through its commitment to The Science of Healthier Animals®, Merck Animal Health offers veterinarians, farmers, producers, pet owners and governments one of the widest ranges of veterinary pharmaceuticals, vaccines and health management solutions and services as well as an extensive suite of connected technology that includes identification, traceability and monitoring products. Merck Animal Health is dedicated to preserving and improving the health, well-being and performance of animals and the people who care for them. It invests extensively in dynamic and comprehensive R&D resources and a modern, global supply chain. Merck Animal Health is present in more than 50 countries, while its products are available in some 150 markets. For more information, visit www.merck-animal-health.com and connect with us on LinkedIn, Facebook, X (Formerly Twitter) and Instagram.

 

Forward-Looking Statement of Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, N.J., USA

This news release of Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, N.J., USA (the “company”) includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of the company’s management and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. There can be no guarantees with respect to pipeline candidates that the candidates will receive the necessary regulatory approvals or that they will prove to be commercially successful. If underlying assumptions prove inaccurate or risks or uncertainties materialize, actual results may differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements.

 

Risks and uncertainties include but are not limited to, general industry conditions and competition; general economic factors, including interest rate and currency exchange rate fluctuations; the impact of the global outbreak of novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19); the impact of pharmaceutical industry regulation and health care legislation in the United States and internationally; global trends toward health care cost containment; technological advances, new products and patents attained by competitors; challenges inherent in new product development, including obtaining regulatory approval; the company’s ability to accurately predict future market conditions; manufacturing difficulties or delays; financial instability of international economies and sovereign risk; dependence on the effectiveness of the company’s patents and other protections for innovative products; and the exposure to litigation, including patent litigation, and/or regulatory actions.

 

The company undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Additional factors that could cause results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements can be found in the company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022 and the company’s other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) available at the SEC’s Internet site (www.sec.gov).

 

References

[1] Probst J, Springer A, Topp AK, Bröker M, Williams H, Dautel H, Kahl O, Strube C. Winter activity of questing ticks (Ixodes ricinus and Dermacentor reticulatus) in Germany− Evidence from quasi-natural tick plots, field studies and a tick submission study. Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases. 2023 Nov 1;14(6):102225.

Contacts

Media:

Kim Gorode

(973) 255-8904

Kim.Gorode@merck.com

Investor:

Peter Dannenbaum

(732) 594-1579

Categories
Art & Life Business Culture International & World Lifestyle

German film industry anxiously awaits new director for Berlinale, as rumors swirl

The German film industry is eagerly awaiting the appointment of the Berlin Film Festival’s new director, expected to be announced Tuesday.

 

So, as the guessing game surrounding the choice shifts into high gear, one thing looks increasingly clear: The new head will face considerable financial and political challenges at the Berlinale.

 

Speculation in the local industry has been rife with likely candidates to succeed Carlo Chatrian and Mariëtte Rissenbeek, who have co-led the Berlinale as artistic and executive directors since 2020 and will step down after this year’s edition when their respective mandates end.

 

A number of potential contenders have now quashed those rumors, among them Matthijs Wouter Knol, CEO and director of the European Film Academy, who made it clear to Variety that he was not in the running and was very content in his current post; Kirsten Niehuus, head of funding org Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg, who said she was not a candidate; and Unifrance chief Daniela Elstner, who denied the speculation as false.

 

Also seen as a possible pick was Munich Film Festival director Christoph Gröner, who likewise appears happy to remain where he is.

 

“We are of course flattered by this appraisal, but I am at the helm of the Munich Film Festival along with [artistic co-director] Julia Weigl,” Gröner told Variety. “In view of the recent developments at the Berlinale, with a reduction in sections for German programming, we define ourselves as No. 1 for German filmmaking — and therefore also want to increasingly appeal to the international industry in the middle of summer. We can only wish the Berlinale all the best.”

 

While a completely unexpected selection is certainly possible, other names regularly discussed by industry insiders include Christoph Terhechte, artistic director of the International Leipzig Festival for Documentary and Animated Film (who declined to comment on the rumors); Christian Jungen, artistic director of the Zurich Film Festival; Berlinale programmer Paz Lázaro; and Maria Köpf, who recently stepped down as co-managing director of the German Film Academy. The latter three could not be reached for comment.

 

The Berlinale has been talented at keeping cards close to its chest. Rissenbeek wasn’t actually a candidate when she was appointed to co-helm the festival. She had actually been tapped by the then culture commissioner to find candidates for the post and walked out with the job.

 

Claudia Roth, Germany’s federal government commissioner for culture and media, triggered a furious international backlash in September with her decision to forego the festival’s dual-leadership structure and instead return to a single director to manage both the artistic and administrative aspects of the event – a move that made it impossible for Chatrian to continue in his role after Rissenbeek decided to step down following the 2024 edition. More than 400 filmmakers and talents, among them Martin Scorsese, Paul Schrader, Béla Tarr, Olivier Assayas, Kirsten Stewart and Margarethe von Trotta, signed a letter condemning the culture commissioner for the move.

 

Roth then set up a six-member committee tasked with the responsibility of finding a sole director to succeed Chatrian and Rissenbeek that included Oscar-winning director Edward Berger “(All Quiet on the Western Front);” producer Roman Paul “(Paradise Now);” Anne Leppin, the German Film Academy’s now sole managing director; actress and producer Sara Fazilat; State Secretary Florian Graf, head of the Berlin Senate Chancellery; and Roth herself.

 

Local observers also took Roth to task for not including people with more film festival expertise in her search committee.

 

Writing in Berlin daily Tagesspiegel, Andreas Busche expressed concern that there was “not a single person on the search committee” with a minimum of experience in international festival operations or at least curatorial expertise.

 

The Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung’s Andreas Kilb likewise addressed the difficulties of finding an ideal new director: “Those multi-talents who combine aesthetic flair with an instinct for film politics, stage presence with skill in dealing with sponsors and who also have a sense of finance are as rare as winning the lottery.”

 

Whoever takes the reins, the new leadership will have to deal with a precarious financial situation that could be exacerbated by the government’s current budget crisis. A ruling by Germany’s constitutional court last month blocked Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s government from tapping €60 billion ($64.4 billion) in unused pandemic emergency funds for ambitious climate protection measures and other expenditures, blowing a major hole in the federal budget.

 

The festival already drastically reduced its lineup earlier this year due to rising costs. Its budget last year amounted to some €32.3 million — that included €12.9 million in institutional funding from the federal government, which is expected to reduce that figure to €10.7 million next year. As a result, the state of Berlin has agreed to increase its contribution to the Berlinale from €20,000 to €2 million a year, local newspaper BZ reported. Financing for the Berlinale has been traditionally split three ways between federal funds, ticket sales and sponsorship, which has also reportedly seen significant cuts.

 

Media watchers like Busche have warned against growing political encroachment over the festival resulting from its funding needs following comments made by Christian Goiny, a representative of Berlin’s conservative CDU ruling party, who said increased financial support should be “accompanied conceptually and in terms of content.”

 

While the Berlinale has long been seen as a very political festival, there is concern that its artistic integrity could be further compromised if government overseers push for only the right kind of politics and further constrain the new director.

 

Pointing to Roth’s statement earlier this year that the Berlinale needed a good structure in order to “live up to its claim of being the largest public festival and a political film festival,” Busche stressed that the latter could “not be achieved by decree” but rather by its programming.

 

 

 

— Variety

Categories
Art & Life Business Culture Economics International & World Lifestyle News Now!

Mono Next in Thailand inks deal with Studio Genie of Korea: ATF

Thailand’s broadcast and streaming group Mono Next and Korea’s Studio Genie have struck a deal to collaborate on content creation and distribution.

 

Production of a Thai remake of a Korean series is on the cards, but has not been finalized. The memorandum was announced on stage at the Asia Television Forum in Singapore on Wednesday, with streaming unit Mono Streaming signing on behalf of the Thai group.

 

The on-stage announcement said that a Korean-to-Thai production is a likely product of the deal, but Mono subsequently told Variety that the show has not been identified and that plans are at an early stage.

 

Mono Next includes: free-TV channel Mono 29: Monomax ,an SVOD video streaming platform; and a partnership with 3BB, a Thai broadband provider.

 

In partnership with 3BB, a leading IPTV player, Mono Streaming Company Limited expands across IPTV, free-to-air, and cable channels, emphasizing dedication to diverse content accessibility.

 

“The collaboration between Mono Streaming and KT Studio Genie holds immense potential for creating groundbreaking content that transcends borders,” said Patompong Sirachairat, CEO at Mono Next. “We look forward to exploring new horizons in the entertainment industry together.”

 

“This memorandum of understanding signifies the beginning of a promising partnership between KT Studio Genie and Mono Streaming,” said Kim, Chul Yeon, at KT Studio Genie.

 

Studio Genie is part of the KT Group, formerly known as Korea Telecom, and is an assembly of KT’s media and content businesses. These include StoryWiz (planning, producing and distributing content including webtoons and web novels); Milly’s library (an online reading platform); and music streamer Genie Music. Some 18 months ago, CJ ENM announced that it was buying a stake in the business.

 

 

— Variety

Categories
Business Culture Digital - AI & Apps International & World News Now! Programs & Events Technology

Second edition of Emerge development program gets Singapore, Taiwan backing

The Singapore Film Commission and the Taiwan Creative Content Agency (TAICCA) have agreed to back training and development program, Emerge, which supports writers, directors and producers to develop Chinese-language original films.

 

The announcement was unveiled on Friday within the context of the Asia Television Forum (ATF) in Singapore. Signatories included the executive chair of SFC, Justin Ang and chairperson of TAICCA, Homme Tsai.

 

The 12-week programme will combine hybrid and virtual sessions held in both Singapore and Taiwan from March to May 2024. In-person classes are scheduled to take place in Singapore in March, hybrid workshops and consultations online and in Taiwan, culminating in a final pitch day and award ceremony, planned at the Marche du Film Market in Cannes, May.

 

The session will include experienced global film producers, directors and executives including Ron Howard, Sukee Chew (“Sugar23”), Trey Callaway (“9-1-1 Lonestar”), Derek Tsang (“Better Days”) and Jojo Hui (“The Warlords”) as guest lecturers.

 

This is the second edition of Emerge, after a previous round backed by TAICCA, Ron Howard and Brian Grazer’s Imagine Entertainment and Cora Yim’s Sixty Percent Productions.

 

“With the increasing demand for Asian storytelling all over the world, this collaboration provides a truly international platform for Singapore filmmakers to take their skills to the next level,” said Ang.

 

“Leveraging the resources of Hollywood and leading multinational film and television companies in Asia, the collaboration seeks to craft content that resonates on a global scale,” said TAICCA chair Homme Tsai.

 

“We had a successful inaugural Emerge with TAICCA and Sixty Percent Productions, which allowed us to work with talented storytellers that yielded results,” said Imagine executive chairmen Grazer and Howard, in a joint statement.

 

“Emerge has been fruitful since its launch last September, with five Taiwanese TV projects incubated and a TV series [Chang Kaichih and Chen Fang Chi’s “Gunshot”] greenlit by Public Television Service in Taiwan for further development. We are delighted to extend our program to developing films with filmmakers from Singapore,” said Yim.

 

 

— Variety

Categories
Business Culture Economics Entertainment News International & World Lifestyle News Now! Perspectives Regulations & Security

Scandal-hit Japanese talent agency Johnny and Associates renamed as Starto Entertainment

Johnny & Associates, the Japanese talent agency that has been embroiled in a huge sexual abuse scandal, is rebranding itself as Starto Entertainment.

 

The name is derived from the words ‘star’ and ‘to’ implying “to head toward the future,” the group said on Friday.

 

“It is an expression of our commitment to all our artists current and yet to come, with whom we inaugurate a new era in accordance with their individual talents and personal goals,” the group explained.

 

Johnny & Associates was for many years the most powerful talent shop in Japan, creating idol groups such as Snow Man, and leveraging its male performers into film and TV roles.

 

It was brought low by a scandal relating to its founder Johnny Kitagawa who abused young male performers over a period of decades before his death in 2019. While this seems to have been known, but widely ignored by many in the industry, the scale of depravity and cover-up blew up earlier this year following a BBC documentary.

 

Two subsequent third-party investigations revealed details. And Johnny’s current management was forced to admit the events were factual. It also said that it would set up a compensation fund and investigate claims.

 

Corporate partners and sponsors, however, fled from the scandal. Some ended their use of Johnny’s talent in commercials. Others, such as state broadcaster NHK, chose not to book Johnny’s talent on its shows.

 

With a new name, Johnny’s appears to be trying again to put recent events behind it and to be looking forward again.

 

“Starto is, without any doubt, an entertainment team that represents the pride of Japan. Be it song, dance, or stagecraft, the first-class contents and national treasures of Japan have left an indelible mark around the world and mandate continued effort to meet the appropriately high expectations of their passionate fans,” it said.

 

Additionally, it set out three addition undertakings: greater digitization, including the establishment of a proprietary music streaming platform; increased global openness and overseas outreach; and “metaverse market entry”: extending artists’ talents with state-of-the-art technology.

 

“We will fervently apply ourselves toward a just, upright, bright, and international future for a new entertainment landscape,” it added.

 

 

— Variety