Alessandro Michele to Succeed Pierpaolo Piccioli as Valentino Creative Director

Joe Otterson TV Reporter “The Rookie” has been renewed for Season 7 at ABC, Variety has learned. Season 6 of the cop drama kicked off on Feb. 20, pushed from its usual fall start date by the strikes that shut down much of Hollywood in 2023.

Annika Pham New York-based director/producer Katy Scoggin has worked with high-profile U.S. documentary filmmaker/journalist Laura Poitras on two shorts and three features, notably as co-producer and DP on Poitras’ Oscar-winner “Citizenfour” and Cannes Directors’ Fortnight’s “Risk.” Poitras now serves as executive producer on Scoggin’s feature debut “Flood,” one of six creative documentaries to be pitched as works in progress April 16, at the Visions du Réel festival in Nyon, Switzerland. “Flood” centers on Scoggin’s journey to repair her relationship with her former missionary father, with whom she has become estranged.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief “Stormy,” a documentary about former porn star Stormy Daniels, has been picked up by Blue Ant Studios for international distribution. The launch was announced on Monday, the same day that former U.S. president Donald Trump begins a criminal trial in New York for allegedly covering up hush money payments to Daniels. “Stormy,” offered as two one-hour episodes or a two-hour feature, is produced by Emmy-nominated producers Erin Lee Carr (“I Love You,” “Now Die: The Commonwealth v.

Stormy Daniels Doc Finds Global Distribution

Former Venice Film Festival head Marco Müller has been named Artistic Director of Italy’s Taormina Film Fest. 

Nick Vivarelli International Correspondent Marco Mueller has been appointed artistic director of Italy’s Taormina Film Festival, which will have a top notch selection committee comprising British film curator and former London fest chief Sandra Hebron and former Cannes Directors’ Fortnight boss Edouard Waintrop. As anticipated by Variety, Mueller, who over the past decades has headed both the Venice and Rome fests — among several other events — is taking the reins of the storied Sicilian event that has had its ups and downs over the years. Held since the mid-1950s in the Sicilian resort known to U.S.

Matt Donnelly Senior Film Writer Heatseeking filmmaker Olmo Schnabel has signed for representation with WME, and with Black Bear for management. Schnabel’s breakout directorial effort “Pet Shop Days” played both the Venice International Film Festival and SXSW this cycle, scoring distribution from Utopia for a 2024 theatrical release. Starring Darío Yazbek Bernal, Willem Dafoe and Peter Sarsgaard, the film tells of a drug lord scion on the run from his powerful family.

Ellise Shafer Joaquin Phoenix, Elliott Gould, Chloe Fineman and more than 150 other Jewish creatives have signed an open letter in support of Jonathan Glazer’s Oscars speech. The list of 151 signees obtained by Variety also includes Phoenix’s sister Rain, three-time Oscar nominee Debra Winger, “May December” director Todd Haynes, “Sorry to Bother You” helmer Boots Riley, acclaimed filmmaker Joel Coen, “Room” director Lenny Abrahamson, “Arrested Development” star David Cross, documentarian Amy Berg, “Barbie” actor Hari Nef, legendary playwright Tom Stoppard, former Focus Pictures CEO James Schamus, comedian Kate Berlant, “You Hurt My Feelings” director Nicole Holofcener, “Secrets & Lies” auteur Mike Leigh, “Passages” filmmaker Ira Sachs, “Gossip Girl” actor and writer Tavi Gevinson, “The Princess Bride” actor Wallace Shawn, “Bottoms” director Emma Seligman, “Mistress America” star Lola Kirke, “Zola” helmer Janicza Bravo, “Broad City” stars Ilana Glazer and Abbi Jacobson and IndieWire film critic David Ehrlich.

Nick Vivarelli International Correspondent Samar Akrouk has been appointed managing director of Saudi production powerhouse MBC Studios, replacing U.S. producer Christina Wayne, who recently quietly exited the top post at the production arm of top Middle East broadcaster MBC Group. Akrouk, who has been with MBC for almost 30 years, is currently the group’s director of production.

Naman Ramachandran One of the highlights at India’s Cinevesture International Film Festival and market was a frank, philosophical on-stage chat between veteran filmmaker Shekhar Kapur and his singer-songwriter-composer daughter Kaveri. Shekhar Kapur is known for his eclectic oeuvre that spans Indian films “Masoom” and “Mr. India,” hard-hitting biopic “Bandit Queen,” the Oscar-winning “Elizabeth,” starring Cate Blanchett, “The Four Feathers,” starring Heath Ledger, and recent romcom “What’s Love Got to Do with It?” When asked to reveal something unknown about himself, Shekhar Kapur spoke about his hidden fears, saying that people who think he is cool don’t “see the panic in my head every morning.” “Fear drives me.

Naman Ramachandran Popular Bollywood actor Boman Irani is making his directorial debut with “The Mehta Boys.” Irani starred in 2002 Locarno title “Let’s Talk” and shot to Bollywood fame with his roles in “Munna Bhai M.B.B.S.” (2003) and “Main Hoon Na” (2004). He also had significant roles in “Khosla Ka Ghosla” and “Don” (both 2006) and “3 Idiots” (2009). Irani has more than 100 acting credits with his most recent film release “Dunki” being one of the top 10 Indian hits of 2023.

Busan Hires Deputy Director

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief The Busan International Film Festival has postponed the appointment of a permanent festival director. A new leader may be appointed after this year’s edition in October.Pak Dosin, a former senior programmer, has been appointed as co-deputy director in a dual-leadership structure, alongside co-deputy director Kang Seung-ah. That means that this year’s festival will be held under the leadership of chairperson Park Kwang-su, the recently appointed ACFM director Ellen Y.

What’s the biggest documentary festival in the world? The International Documentary Festival Amsterdam. For now.

Naman Ramachandran Artistic director Hussain Currimbhoy and several programmers have stepped down ahead of this year’s edition of Hot Docs, North America’s largest documentary festival. Festival director Heather Haynes will now lead the programming department. A statement from the Toronto-based event said: “Hot Docs has announced that Hussain Currimbhoy stepped down from his role as Artistic Director on March 20th due to personal reasons.

UPDATED, 3:55 p.m.: Without acknowledging them by name, a spokesperson for leading documentary festival Hot Docs has confirmed the departure of “some members of the programming team,” as well as recently appointed Artistic Director Hussain Currimbhoy.

, as in the semiconnected and ballet, red shoes symbolize seduction, vanity, and ambition. On Dakota Johnson, however, they're just cute!Stepping out in Rome, added a bright pop of color to one of her typically subdued outfits by wearing patent leather red flats. The Madame Web star had on black pants and a houndstooth plaid coat with tinted sunglasses, and opted for a simple black bucket bag.Her walking companion was none other than Alessandro Michele, former creative director for Gucci.

Dakota Johnson is enjoying a day out with a longtime friend.

Intishal Al-Timimi, the long-time director of Egypt’s El Gouna Film Festival, is stepping down from the role he has held since the event’s launch in 2017 in the Red Sea resort town of El Gouna.

EXCLUSIVE: The first days of spring are seeing labor peace bloom in Hollywood.