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France Télévisions boss Delphine Ernotte Cunci is looking to “debunk” and tackle major societal issues such as sexual violence via the public broadcaster’s shows. Addressing Series Mania , Ernotte Cunci said she wants to be “free of constraints” in order to make meaningful programing. She used sexual violence as an example, which she said France Télévisions will spotlight with dramas, documentaries and news. “I want to debunk [major societal issues] like sexual violence and keep tackling them,” she added, citing documentaries the network made about the #MeToo scandal several years ago. Ernotte Cunci, who is also chair of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), praised TV writers for having “a sixth sense” for these topics, which helps with France Télévisions’ dramatic content. She backed TV drama to help build “a common imagination.” “Sometimes as individuals we experience emotions and we don’t know how to analyze them,” she added. “Building a common imagination … [Read more...] about France Télévisions Boss Delphine Ernotte Cunci Talks Debunking Major Societal Issues & “Building A Common Imagination” – Series Mania

France has announced a measure banning all recreational apps from the work phones of the country’s 2.5 million civil servants. The move, seemingly sparked by recent concerns over TikTok , also impacts a raft of other social media and content platforms. State broadcaster Radio France is reporting that the ban includes TikTok, Twitter , content platforms such as Netflix, messaging service WhatsApp, and game apps such as Candy Crush. Deadline has contacted France’s Civil Service Ministry for clarification on the extent of the ban. The move comes a day after TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew was grilled in a US congressional hearing, amid growing momentum for the platform to be banned in the country. France’s Ministry for Civil Service put out a press release announcing its banning measure on Friday morning. “In recent weeks, a number of our European and international partners have adopted measures restricting or banning the downloading and installation of the TikTok App by … [Read more...] about France Bans TikTok & Other ‘Recreational Apps’ Such as Netflix, Candy Crush & Twitter From State Employee Work Phones

After the launch of its first original content in 2022, Disney+ France is expanding, revealing a slate of new productions Wednesday at the Series Mania festival in Lille. The announcement was made by Pauline Dauvin, Disney’s VP Programming, Original Productions and Acquisitions. The projects include a mix of film and TV productions. The first is a new original series titled Les enfants sont roism (The Children Are Kings) , adapted from Delphine Le Vigan’s novel of the same name. The series is currently in pre-production and is expected to shoot later this year. Two original French films are also set to debut on the streamer this year. The first, Une Zone à Défendre , is billed as a “moving and intense melodrama” and stars Lyna Khoudri ( The French Dispatch ) and François Civil ( The Stronghold ). The pic is currently scheduled for a summer release. The second feature is Antigang: La Relève , an action film starring Alban Lenoir, Jean Reno and Sofia Essaïdi. … [Read more...] about Disney+ France Announces Slate Of Projects At Series Mania

More than 300 leading figures from the French film and TV world have gotten behind a petition decrying controversial pension reforms spearheaded by the government of President Emmanuel Macron . French stars Juliette Binoche , Audrey Fleurot, Camille Cottin , Swann Arlaud, Jeanne Balibar, Bérenice Béjo, Laure Calamy, Camille Cottin, Pierre Deladonchamps and Noémie Merlant; directors Michel Hazanavicius , Alice Diop , Kim Chapiron, Maimouna Doucouré, Robert Guédiguian and Alain Guiraudie, as well as producer Saïd Ben Saïd were among the signatories. “It is high time to make our voices heard, because cinema, theater, culture, even if they sometimes offer dreams and a means of escape, above all speak of our world,” read an open letter to Macron accompanying the petition. The petition was launched under the banner of the Cinema Entertainment Collective on the Liberation newspaper website on Thursday afternoon, as a national strike brought public services to a … [Read more...] about French Film & TV Stars Get Behind Petition Decrying Macron Pension Reforms; King Charles State Visit Postponed Due To Unrest

With Series Mania 2023 coming to a close, the event’s founder and general director Laurence Herszberg announced the winners of the Series Mania Festival today. ”We would first like to thank the public and the professionals who attended this edition, which brought together more than 85,000 participants for the Festival and 3,800 participants from 64 countries for the Forum. We are delighted to announce our prize list and figures that have far exceeded our expectations,” said Herszberg. With the rise of streaming across the world, Series Mania has become one of the most attractive events in the global TV calendar. It’s largely looked at as a place where writers, distributors and producers can liase with each other in a less formal setting than compared to a TV sales market. It includes not just the festival, the Forum, key conferences, keynotes, and pitching sessions. This year the festival screened 54 unreleased series, with 32 world premieres and 10 international … [Read more...] about Series Mania Festival 2023 Winners Announced

Nancy Meyers is still searching for a new home for her film after parting ways with Netflix over budget concerns. But in the meantime, the director of rom-com classics like 2006’s The Holiday and Something’s Gotta Give has dropped some hints on Instagram, revealing details about her movie, confirming the title, and sharing its origin. Deadline reported that Scarlett Johansson, Owen Wilson, Penelope Cruz and Michael Fassbender were in talks to star, but that the proposed Netflix budget — which sources say was coming in around $130 million — was causing issues. Sources say that while the studio was fine with $130 million, Meyers was fighting for $150 million, with $80 million of that going to above-the-line costs. The film is titled Paris Paramount , which we were first to tell you about in April 2022. It tells the story of an above-the-line filmmaking duo who reunite (begrudgingly) on set after falling in and out of love with each other. Meyers confirmed the … [Read more...] about Director Nancy Meyers Channels Ernst Lubitsch, Confirms Origin Of ‘Paris Paramount’ Film Title

Roman Polanski will not be able to attend the Zurich Film Festival -- which was set to honor him with a lifetime achievement award -- because he got arrested for that whole statutory rape thing he's been fleeing from for the past 30 years. The famed director was taken into custody by Swiss authorities trying to enter Switzerland yesterday. Polanski pled guilty in 1977 to having unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor (she was 13) but then fled the United States before he could be sentenced. Polanski has lived in France ever since to avoid being arrested. There has been no timeline set as to when or if he will be extradited back to the U.S. UPDATE -- According to Sandi Gibbons, spokeswoman for the Los Angeles County district attorney's office, the U.S. Justice Department worked in conjunction with Swiss authorities in securing the arrest. According to the LA Times , they had come close to arresting Polanski several times over the past decade. More Today in … [Read more...] about Roman Polanski Arrested — Finally

EXCLUSIVE: Oppenheimer, A Quiet Place Part II and Peaky Blinders star Cillian Murphy is embarking on his next project with the feature adaptation of Claire Keegan’s acclaimed novel Small Things Like These . Murphy will star in and produce the film that’s been greenlighted by Ben Affleck and Matt Damon ’s Artists Equity , which will finance the project. Principal photography is underway in Ireland. Ciarán Hinds and Emily Watson are also starring in the drama whose source material has been likened to a Dickens tale. The story takes place over Christmas in 1985, when devoted father Bill Furlong (Murphy) discovers the startling secrets being kept by the convent in his town, and some shocking truths about his own life as well. The project reunites director Tim Mielants and Murphy, who previously worked together on the BAFTA-winning Peaky Blinders . Enda Walsh, a longtime collaborator of Murphy’s, wrote the script. Murphy and producer Alan Moloney … [Read more...] about Cillian Murphy To Star In & Produce ‘Small Things Like These’ Backed By Ben Affleck & Matt Damon’s Artists Equity

Getty SoFi Stadium might be coming up empty in its bid to host the World Cup finale in 2026 ... and it's all 'cause its field could be deemed too narrow for FIFA's liking. Seriously. According to a report from The Times , the pitch at SoFi in Los Angeles is not currently wide enough for FIFA. In fact, the outlet reports, the building would have to increase its field by up to 63 feet to meet the soccer org.'s requirement. The stadium would have to take out some of its seats in order to make that happen -- but FIFA reportedly would have an issue with that too ... because SoFi, which seats 70,240, is already struggling to meet the 80K World Cup final minimum. MetLife Stadium in New Jersey and AT&T Stadium in Dallas are now considered the front-runners for the tourney's championship if SoFi can't figure out a way to resolve the issues. Getty The 2022 World Cup Final between Argentina and France was played at Lusail Stadium in … [Read more...] about SoFi Stadium In Jeopardy Of Losing 2026 FIFA World Cup Final Over Narrow Field

Lille’s Series Mania Forum is kicking off today with a packed schedule of talks, screenings and competitions. Fighting it out in International Competition are the likes of Prime Video’s Toni Collette starrer The Power , Haven of Grace from Magnetic Beats director Vincent Maël Cardona, and Quoc Dang Tran’s Apple TV+ series Drops of God . They compete against Greek series Milky Way , which opened the festival, Viaplay’s futuristic Russell Tovey drama The Fortress , Red Skies from Israel, The Actor from Iran and Fleeting Lies from Spain. Each will have its world premiere at the event. The Power is a fantasy series set in a world where the physical balance of power between men and women switches when electric arcs emerge from the fingers of teenage girls all around the world. Debuting later this month, it comes from Sister, the UK producer behind Chernobyl and is based on Naomi Alderman’s sci-fi novel. Drops of God is the latest series from Call … [Read more...] about Series Mania Kicks Off With ‘The Power’, ‘Drops Of God’ & ‘Haven Of Grace’ In Competition