North korea condemns israel

The closure of Israeli public broadcaster Kan by Benjamin Netanyahu ’s new government has been delayed indefinitely, according to a spokesman for the Communications Minister. The Israeli TV community will be breathing a cautious sigh of relief, for now, after the representative for Shlomo Karhi told local press that the plan has been delayed “until further notice” in order for the government to focus on passing legal reform. A public broadcasting blueprint was initially set to be delivered by Karhi next week. He had sparked outrage when he told the country’s non-public-service Channel 12 TV station “there is no place for public broadcasting in Israel ” last month, while arguing that the TV market should be opened up fully to competition. Lobbying has been taking place behind the scenes since from local TV unions and producer groups. Deadline understands organizations being lobbied to oppose the closure included the U.S. Democratic Party. Israel has three public … [Read more...] about Israeli Public Broadcaster Closure Postponed “Until Further Notice,” Says Benjamin Netanyahu Government

EXCLUSIVE : Ahead of the EFM , Blue Finch Films has boarded international sales, excluding North America, on horror The Outwaters . The film follows four friends who set out to make a music video whilst camping in the sun-drenched Mojave desert. Their trip starts off like any other, but the group soon realizes something is not right. Mysterious sounds haunt them, and when a menacing force descends, their horrifying journey begins. North American rights have been acquired by Cinedigm who plan to release The Outwaters in theaters on February 9 followed by a launch on its horror streaming service Screambox, which is powered by studio Bloody Disgusting. Written and directed by Robbie Banfitch, The Outwaters has screened at Chattanooga and Panic Fest, and also took home the Jury Prize for Best Feature at Unnamed Footage Festival and Dead of Night Film Festival. Cast includes Angela Basolis, Michelle May, Scott Schamell and Banfitch and features original music by Salem … [Read more...] about Blue Finch Boards Mojave Desert Horror ‘The Outwaters’ Ahead Of U.S. Release — EFM

Bleecker Street has picked up North American rights to Laurel Parmet ’s feature directorial debut The Starling Girl following its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival, slating it for release in theaters later this year. Financials weren’t disclosed. The film written and directed by Parmet follows 17-year-old Jem Starling (Eliza Scanlen), who struggles to define her place within her fundamentalist Christian community in rural Kentucky. Even her greatest joy — the church dance group — is tempered by worry that her love of dance is actually sinful, and she’s caught between a burgeoning awareness of her own sexuality and an instinctive resistance to her mom’s urging that the time has come to begin courting. She finds respite from her confusion in the encouragement of her youth pastor Owen (Lewis Pullman), who is likewise drawn to the blossoming Jem’s attention. Jimmi Simpson ( Westworld ), Wrenn Schmidt ( For All Mankind ) and Austin Abrams ( Paper Towns … [Read more...] about ‘The Starling Girl’: Bleecker Street Acquires Laurel Parmet’s Feature Directorial Debut – Sundance

UPDATED with content spend stats from annual report: Giant Amazon said its total expenses for video and music came to $16.6 billion last year, up from $13 billion in 2021. Video and music expense includes licensing and production costs associated with content offered within Amazon Prime memberships, and costs associated with digital subscriptions and sold or rented content, according to the company’s latest annual report that followed fourth quarter financials yesterday. On an earnings call Thursday, CFO Brian Olsavsky noted that Amazon spent $7 billion on originals, live sports and licensed content in 2022, up from $5 billion the year before. It’s unclear if those figures include all worldwide video content, which is increasingly central to Amazon’s strategy in driving membership for Prime, the biggest loyalty program in the world and the beating heart of the company. Amazon (which acquired MGM last year for $8.5 billion in cash) carefully evaluates its return on … [Read more...] about Amazon Praises Video As Key Driver Of Prime; 2022 Content Spend, Including Music, Hit $16.6 Billion

Sony Pictures Classics has taken North American on Maryam Keshavarz’s The Persian Version which won the Audience Award (U.S. Dramatic Competition) and The Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award (U.S. Dramatic Competition) at this year’s Sundance. Keshavarz is the first filmmaker to have two films win the Sundance Audience Award in the Dramatic Competition category. This is the second title that SPC has snapped out of Sundance, Deadline first telling you about their acquisition of A Little Prayer, which they took global rights on. Logline: Coming from two countries at odds with each other, Iranian-American Leila (Layla Mohammadi) strives to find balance and embrace her opposing cultures, while boldly challenging the labels society is so quick to project upon her. When her family reunites in New York City for her father’s heart transplant, Leila navigates her relationships from arm’s length in an effort to keep her “real” life separate from her family life. However, when her secret … [Read more...] about Sony Pictures Classics Picks Up Sundance Winner ‘The Persian Version’

Belgian directors Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne , Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, French filmmaker Alice Diop and Romanian director Cristian Mungiu have demanded that Iran ’s Fajr International Film Festival remove their films from the line-up of its current edition, running from February 1 to 11. The filmmakers said in separate statements that they discovered by chance that their respective films Tori And Lokita , Saint Omer , Rebel and R.M.N. had been included in Fajr’s selection without their personal permission. The issue only came to light as the festival kicked off because it had kept its line-up under wraps in a bid to head off boycotts by directors and producers, due to the brutal crackdown of ongoing protests related to the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in police custody in September. Paris-based sales agent Wild Bunch International which handles the titles said their inclusion in the Fajr line-up was also a surprise to them. Two other … [Read more...] about Dardennes, Alice Diop, Cristian Mungiu, Adil El Arbi & Bilall Fallah Demand Iran’s Fajr Film Fest Remove Titles From Line-Up

Mafia Mamma and Knives Ou t star Toni Collette and Odessa Young ( The Staircase, Mothering Sunday, Shirley ) have signed to co-star in writer and director Nathan Silver’s twisted revenge thriller The Prima Donna . Collette and Young previously worked together on HBO’s award-winning series The Staircase . The drama revolves around dysfunctional family dynamics, the dangers of ambition, and the lengths we will go to make our mark on the world. Set in contemporary Rome, Collette will play a legendary opera diva who is about to step into the role of a lifetime just as her estranged daughter (Young) shows up at her doorstep, right out of rehab. An aspiring opera singer herself, the daughter summons up the courage to ask to be her mother’s understudy.  When her mother callously dismisses the suggestion, she snaps and starts mulling the ultimate revenge, igniting a cut-throat battle of wills. Silver, whose previous credits include Thirst Street, Uncertain … [Read more...] about Toni Collette & Odessa Young Reunite On Nathan Silver’s Revenge Thriller ‘The Prima Donna’; Cornerstone Launching At The EFM

EXCLUSIVE: Euphoria ‘s Angus Cloud has signed with UTA . The talent agency will help create new opportunities across film, television, branding and endorsements, and more for Cloud, who plays Fezco on the HBO hit series. The Sam Levinson drama that stars Zendaya has been renewed for a third season. In film, Cloud recently wrapped a supporting role in the Ryan Fleck and Anna Boden feature film Freaky Tales opposite Ben Mendelsohn, Pedro Pascal and Jay Ellis, from Entertainment One and MACRO. Up next, Cloud can be seen in The Line opposite Alex Wolff, Austin Abrams, John Malkovich and Scott McNairy, which was written and directed by Ethan Berger. He’s also set to appear as a lead in the independent flick Your Lucky Day and in North Hollywood opposite Miranda Cosgrove, Nico Haraga, and Vince Vaughn. Cloud has longstanding partnerships with Ralph Lauren, Puma and Rockstar. … [Read more...] about ‘Euphoria’ Star Angus Cloud Signs With UTA