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The BFI today announced that it will hand out $16m (£14m) of National Lottery ‘good cause’ funding over three years to enhance film education for 5-18 year-olds across the UK. The cash award will be given to two UK-wide partners to deliver three targeted initiatives: BFI National Lottery Teaching with Film, BFI National Lottery Young Creatives, and BFI National Lottery Careers and Progression. Into Film, receiving $15m (£12.4m) over three years will work across all three programs, and National Saturday Club will receive $1.8 (£1.5m) for the same period to collaborate with Into Film to deliver Young Creatives. The BFI has said the $6m (£5m) award for Teaching with Film will result in a change of strategic focus for Into Film, the film education charity, seeing it prioritize introducing film education as a learning tool to be utilized across the entire school curriculum. Meanwhile, the $7m (£6m) Careers and Progression program will aim to provide and bolster the access … [Read more...] about BFI Sets $16m Cash Award To Fund New UK-Wide Film Education Strategy

EXCLUSIVE : Arthouse streamer and distributor Mubi has traditionally been shy about revealing performance numbers for its movies, but today we can reveal that BAFTA and Oscar hopeful Aftersun has become the company’s most streamed release globally. We’re told the Paul Mescal -starrer has now far surpassed Mubi’s previous best-performers including Portrait Of A Lady On Fire , The Worst Person In The World , Drive My Car , Decision To Leave , Shiva Baby and Titane , some of which were released during the pandemic, a boom time for streamer engagement. The film started streaming in the UK, Ireland, Italy, Latin America and a handful of other markets on January 6, 2023, and has also become the top-viewed film all time in these individual territories. It will join the platform in Germany, Austria and Spain in March, and later in France. Writer-director Charlotte Wells’ acclaimed debut has also blazed a trail for Mubi at the theatrical box office, becoming … [Read more...] about ‘Aftersun’ Becomes Mubi’s Most Streamed Movie Ever & Crosses Box Office Milestones

EXCLUSIVE: Kelly Hu ( BMF , The Orville) has joined the cast of the CBS series East New York in a recurring role. She will make her debut in episode 112 titled “Up in Smoke,” airing February 19. She will play Allison Cha, a tenacious and straightforward political policy advisor brought into shadow Suarez (Jimmy Smits) to understand the day-to-day duties of the NYPD. From William Finkelstein and Mike Flynn, East New York follows Regina Haywood (Amanda Warren), the newly promoted deputy inspector of East New York, an impoverished, working-class neighborhood at the eastern edge of Brooklyn. She leads a diverse group of officers and detectives, some of whom are reluctant to deploy her creative methods of serving and protecting during the midst of social upheaval and the early seeds of gentrification. The series also stars Jimmy Smits, Elizabeth Rodriguez, Ruben Santiago-Hudson, Richard Kind, Olivia Luccardi, and Lavel Schley. William Finkelstein, Mike … [Read more...] about ‘East New York’ Adds Kelly Hu In Recurring Role

Sam Smith and his boyfriend, Brandon Flynn , were burning up the UK this weekend in more ways than one ... but it was mostly by (tongue in) mouth. Sam and Brandon were spotted out in London Saturday night with Sam's sister, Lily , taggin' along. As any couple would, the 2 lovers stopped for a peck in the street. Kidding ... it was more like a full-blown movie make-out sesh, actually. Awww, young love! At some point, Brandon was seen with a lit cigarette in hand -- as was Lily. Can't blame 'em -- something this hot is often followed up by some tobacco and nicotine ... even though smoking is awful. One thing's for sure -- these two aren't shy about showing affection in public ... as seen here , here and here . … [Read more...] about Sam Smith Goes in for Heavy Make Out with Boyfriend Brandon Flynn in London

Ron Jeremy 's in the clear for a sexual assault case in Washington State ... TMZ has learned. A rep with the Tacoma City Attorney's Office tells TMZ ... Ron won't face any criminal charges after a woman accused him of sexual assault in September 2017. The rep wouldn't tell us why they chose not to file charges. The woman -- who worked as a "rock girl" promoting a local radio station -- claimed the porn legend grabbed her ass and sucked on her nipples after she agreed to let him sign her breast. She also claimed he tapped her vagina over her underwear ... this according to a police report obtained by TMZ. Cops interviewed several witnesses and reviewed surveillance videos before kicking the case to the city attorney's office. But it turned down the case, so case closed. … [Read more...] about Ron Jeremy Off the Hook in Sexual Assault Case

Comic book artist Lee Moder , who co-created the Courtney Whitmore version of Stargirl with Geoff Johns in 1999, has passed away, according to ComicBook.com and statements from his peers. The web site cited a family friend, who indicated that Moder died quietly at home sometime on or before January 15th. No cause of his death was given. Moder was 53. A TV series based on the Stargirl character ran for three seasons on the CW, ending last December. DC ’s Stargirl followed Courtney and her stepfather Pat Dugan (Luke Wilson) as she leads an unlikely group of young heroes to take on the legacy of DC’s very first superhero team, the Justice Society of America. Johns served as showrunner, and executive produced the series with Greg Berlanti and Sarah Schechter. Moder worked in the comics industry for nearly three decades. In that time he drew titles like Legion of Super-Heroes and Wonder Woman at DC. He also provided art for issues of Highlander and Red Sonja … [Read more...] about Lee Moder Dies: Comic Book Artist And Stargirl Co-Creator Was 53

EXCLUSIVE : Steve Coogan is set to star in The Penguin Lessons , with The Full Monty ’s Peter Cattaneo to direct the Jeff Pope -scripted adaptation of the Tom Michell nonfiction bestseller. The management/production company 42 partners Rory Aitken and Ben Pugh will produce alongside Robert Walak. Rocket Science is handling international sales and will introduce the film at the European Film Market , with CAA Media Finance repping U.S. distribution rights. The Penguin Lessons is the true story of a disillusioned Englishman who went to work in a school in Argentina in 1976. Expecting an easy ride, he discovered instead a complicated and divided nation – and a class of practically unteachable young boys. When he finds a small penguin washed up on an oil-slicked beach, his life is turned upside down – and the penguin becomes not only a valued friend, but also a teacher of life’s most important lessons, for Tom, the boys and many others. “We were captivated by … [Read more...] about EFM Hot Package: Steve Coogan Stars In Peter Cattaneo-Helmed ‘The Penguin Lessons’

EXCLUSIVE : Renowned documentarian Lisa Cortés has entered into a first-look development agreement with the Museum of the City of New York , the goal being to hone documentary IP based on the museum’s exhibitions. News of the deal — initiated by producer Jon Sechrist — follows the Sundance world premiere of Cortés’ latest critically acclaimed feature doc, Little Richard: I Am Everything , which was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize in U.S. Documentary Competition and sold to Magnolia Pictures. Cortés will now look to build a creative pipeline from MCNY’s 100 years of exhibitions to the screen, with plans for projects on food, social justice, music, and more. The first being made under the deal is a docuseries based on Gingerbread NYC: The Great Borough Bake-Off , an exhibition inviting bakers from every borough to design New York City-inspired gingerbread creations. Cortés will develop and produce all projects through her New York-based production company Cortés … [Read more...] about ‘Little Richard: I Am Everything’s Lisa Cortés Strikes First-Look Development Deal With Museum Of The City Of New York

EXCLUSIVE : Avantika ( Senior Year ), Christopher Briney ( The Summer I Turned Pretty ) and Bebe Wood ( Love, Victor ) have landed major roles in Paramount Pictures’ film adaptation of the Tony-nominated Broadway hit, Mean Girls , which is itself based on the classic Paramount comedy of the same name. The actors join an ensemble for the Paramount+-bound feature that also includes Angourie Rice, Reneé Rapp, Auli’i Cravalho and Jaquel Spivey, as previously announced. The original film adapted by Tina Fey from the Rosalind Wiseman book Queen Bees and Wannabes follows high school new girl Cady Heron (Lindsay Lohan) in her attempt to fit in with A-list girl clique, The Plastics. The effort is sabotaged when she makes the mistake of falling for Aaron, the ex-boyfriend of alpha Plastic Regina George. Premiering on stage at Washington, D.C.’s National Theatre in 2017 and jumping to Broadway the following year, the Mean Girls musical was also written by Fey, with … [Read more...] about ‘Mean Girls’: Avantika, Christopher Briney & Bebe Wood Board Paramount Film Based On Tony-Nominated Musical Adaptation

EXCLUSIVE : Disney is moving full speed ahead with a re-imagining of Splash , the 1984 sleeper hit film that launched the stars of Tom Hanks and Daryl Hannah, along with Imagine partners Ron Howard and Brian Grazer , the latter of whom hatched the idea for the fish wish-fulfillment story that Howard directed. They’ve got an intriguing take: It’s being developed for Channing Tatum to take role that Hannah played, with Jillian Bell in the role that Hanks played. I’m told the pitch was hatched by Bell, who worked with Tatum in 22 Jump Street, most recently wrapped Office Christmas Party and next stars in Rock That Body . They’ve hired Marja-Lewis Ryan to write the script. She most recently wrapped the Timur Bekmambetov-produced Liked , which she wrote and directed. The scribe also is writing for HBO and Tatum’s Free Association the college-set Unsupervised , which just hired a writers room and is looking good to go to a pilot. She also adapted the Sheryl … [Read more...] about ‘Splash’ Remake Hooks Disney; Channing Tatum, Jillian Bell Star; Grazer & Howard, Free Association Producing