Opening letter greetings

The American Film Market will be moving to a new home for this year’s edition, setting up shop at Santa Monica’s Le Méridien Delfina Hotel on Pico Blvd. The shift slightly to the south east comes as the Loews Hotel, where the AFM has been staged for 30 years, closed for lengthy renovations earlier this month. The AFM runs from October 31-November 5. Organizers said the move to the Méridien “will provide a new look for the AFM and a dynamic and innovative backdrop for you and your company to unite with the global film industry, showcase and discover the latest projects and offerings, connect with partners and engage in conversations about marketplace insights and trends.” Although the new venue is not beachfront, it does offer views of the Pacific, but it will mean more time required to get to lunch at The Ivy or grab a steak at Chez Jay. AFM organizers are “delighted that our new location means you will be returning to the same sunny beachside city for AFM 2023, to … [Read more...] about AFM Moving HQ To Santa Monica’s Le Meridien Delfina

BAFTA has pulled the curtain back on its Television Awards nominations, and This Is Going To Hurt and The Responder are leading the chase for a famous bronze mask. The BBC dramas each have six nominations across the BAFTA Television Awards and BAFTA Television Craft Awards, including Leading Actor for Ben Whishaw and Martin Freeman. Whishaw plays junior doctor Adam Kay in This Is Going To Hurt , which was co-produced by AMC. Freeman features as an urgent response police officer in The Responder . This Is Going To Hurt is nominated for Mini Series, while The Responder will compete in the Drama Series race. Adam Kay and Tony Schumacher will both do battle in the Writer: Drama category at the BAFTA Television Craft Awards. The BBC has a total of 81 nominations, putting it comfortably ahead of its nearest rival Channel 4, which has 33 nominations. Netflix scooped 24 nominations, while Apple TV+ was behind with 15. Bad Sisters and Slow Horses both … [Read more...] about BAFTA TV Awards Nominations: ‘This Is Going To Hurt’ & ‘The Responder’ Lead Chase For Prizes

Lamia Chraibi is one of Morocco’s best-known indie film producers whose credits include Mica , about a boy from the slums who is discovered to have a talent for tennis, and Sitges prize-winning horror Achoura as well as co-producing 2016 Cannes Critics’ Week winner Las Mimosas . The Franco-Moroccan producer, who works under the banner of La Prod in Casablanca and Moons a Deal in Paris, is now attempting to break into drama series. It is a transition that has been tried and tested by indie film producers in Europe and North America but is less common in the Middle East and North Africa . Chraibi is giving it a shot in the belief that North African drama could eventually enjoy the same popularity as the non-English language shows out of Scandinavia, Turkey or South Korea. “I’m convinced that they could seduce audiences in the same way,” she says. “Language and origin of a series is no longer an issue, if anything, there’s an appetite to see stories set in … [Read more...] about Doha Film Institute Pioneers Series Lab As MENA Indie Film Producers Push Into Drama In Untapped Region

Gallery Launch Gallery Alex Vega Vladimir Guerrero Jr. will be cruising into the MLB season in some serious style this year ... TMZ Sports has learned the Blue Jays superstar just got his Mercedes-Benz tricked out!!! The Toronto first baseman took his GLE63 -- an expensive ride that he copped about a year ago -- to Alex Vega at The Auto Firm in South Florida to get the work done ... and it came out awesome. Vega blacked out the vehicle -- wrapping it, before darkening its chrome emblems. He also upgraded its wheels too ... throwing on a set of Avorza Forged Wheels. In total, we're told the work Vladdy got typically runs around $50K!! Instagram / @theautofirm Of course, these were not the first improvements Guerrero Jr. has made on the whip -- about six months ago, Vega also threw in some Blue Jays-colored interior in it as well. If you're wondering, while he's still just 24 years old, Vladdy can definitely afford the upgrades … [Read more...] about Blue Jays Star Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Tricks Out Mercedes For MLB Season