‘Chernobyl’ Producer Sister Options ‘The Split’ Writer Abi Morgan’s ‘This is Not a Pity Memoir’ – Global Bulletin

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau ChiefThe Asian Cinema Fund, a bursary scheme for film and documentary projects operated alongside the Busan International Film Festival, has announced six Korean recipients and seven hailing from elsewhere in Asia. The fund was put on hiatus during the two years of COVID, which also reduced the festival in size and turned the Asian Contents & Film Market into a virtual event. Three winners – “In the Land of Brothers,” by Raha Amirfazali, “Life I Stole,” by Putri Purnama Sugua and “Smart City,” by Rohin Raveendran – each receive KRW10 million ($7,50) for script development and are invited to participate in the ACFM’s Asian Project Market.

Naman Ramachandran U.K. broadcaster Channel 4 is teaming with TV talent company Gritty Talent to help independent production companies build more diverse senior teams. The move in the wake of the broadcaster’s new commissioning guidelines published in June, which require all the indies it works with to have ethnically diverse as well as disabled off screen talent on production teams, with the new framework coming into play Aug.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau ChiefNew president of the Philippines Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Tuesday swore in a swath of new officials at government agencies. Among them, veteran actor Tirso Cruz III, was appointed as chair and chief executive of the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP). He replaces Liza Dino Seguerra who has held the post for the past four years.

Naman Ramachandran U.K.-based distributor DCD Rights has acquired Grammy-nominated feature documentary “Music, Money, Madness… Jimi Hendrix Live In Maui.” The 90-minute documentary chronicles guitar legend Jimi Hendrix’s visit to Maui in July 1970 and details how he became ensnared in “Rainbow Bridge,” an ill-fated independent film produced by his manager, Michael Jeffery.Jeffery secured a $300,000 advance against the promise of a soundtrack album by Hendrix — the first time a movie was funded solely by an album. Jeffery hired Chuck Wein, a former associate of Andy Warhol, to direct.

Naman Ramachandran The world Premiere of local filmmaker Tearepa Kahi’s action-drama “Muru” will open the Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin chapters of the New Zealand International Film Festival, while American filmmaker Sara Dosa’s Sundance-winning documentary “Fire of Love” will open all the other festival locations, which include Gore, Hamilton, Hawke’s Bay, Masterton, Matakana, Nelson, New Plymouth, Palmerston North, Tauranga and Timaru. Ruben Östlund’s Palme d’Or-winning “Triangle of Sadness” will close the festival in all centers.Other Cannes titles joining the lineup include Charlotte Wells’ “Aftersun,” David Cronenberg’s “Crimes of the Future,” Queer Palm winner “Joyland,” from Saim Sadiq and “Sick of Myself,” by Kristoffer Borgli. Award winners from this year’s Berlin International Film Festival include Golden Bear winner “Alcarràs,” by Carla Simón and Natalia López Gallardo’s Silver Bear jury winning “Robe of Gems.” Other local films include Fergus Grady and Noel Smyth’s “Gloriavale,” Tom Levesque’s “Shut Eye” and New Zealand-U.S.

Naman Ramachandran The BBC is marking the 30 anniversary of its Ukrainian-speaking service as the Russian invasion of the country continues. On June 1, 1992, the BBC started short- and medium-wave radio broadcasts for then newly independent Ukraine. Today, BBC News Ukraine operates via website bbc.ua, its YouTube channel, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Telegram, TikTok and Viber.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau ChiefCJ ENM Hong Kong has secured the first and exclusive Pay TV, pay-per-view, video-on-demand and over-the-top (OTT) rights in key Southeast Asia markets to a slate of current and upcoming South Korean films. These are to play on the tvN Movies channel in Southeast Asia.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau ChiefWarner Bros. Discovery has partnered with energy company Shell for an adrenaline-filled show, “Dare to Ride,” that has begun airing on Discovery in Southeast Asia and India. “Dare to Ride” showcases some of Asia’s most accomplished riders as they attempt to conquer the region’s most iconic routes with just their bikes, their wits, and their technical knowhow.

Zack Sharf Woody Allen made a rare live appearance for an interview with Alec Baldwin on Instagram Live that was hosted on the latter’s social media page. Baldwin’s profile has 2.4 million followers. Allen directed Baldwin in “Alice” (1990), “To Rome With Love” (2012) and  “Blue Jasmine” (2013).

Naman Ramachandran Sky original drama series “The Lovers,” starring Johnny Flynn (“Beast”) and Roisin Gallagher (“The Fall”) has commenced production. The six-part series, written by playwright David Ireland (“Cyprus Avenue”) and directed by Justin Martin (“Together”), follows Janet (Gallagher), a foul-mouthed, disaffected Belfast supermarket worker and Seamus (Flynn) a self-centred, political broadcaster with what looks to be a perfect London life and a celebrity girlfriend.

On the day season three of Abi Morgan’s drama series The Split launches in the U.S. on BBC America, producer Sister has snapped up rights to the screenwriter’s autobiographical book This is Not a Pity Memoir.

K.J. Yossman COMMISSIONFormer “The Great British Bake-Off” host Mel Giedroyc is set to present a raunchy new show for Channel 4 featuring celebrities and puppets. In each 30-minute episode of “The Really Really Rude Puppet Show,” Giedroyc will invite a different celebrity to read some erotic fan fiction written by viewers in which the celebrity is the protagonist – Giedroyc and her guest will then act out and voice the entire story with puppets.“This is going to be a celebration of erotic fan fiction.

Naman Ramachandran The Berlin International Film Festival has called for the acquittal of Zimbabwean author and filmmaker Tsitsi Dangarembga (“I Want a Wedding Dress”) who served on the international jury of the festival earlier this year. Dangarembga was arrested in July 2020 at a protest in Harare along with journalist Julie Barnes, where both were calling for the release of journalists and for institutional reforms.They are being charged with inciting public violence, disturbing the peace and bigotry, and with violations of COVID regulations. The women have since been released on bail, but they have also been subpoenaed 26 times.

Naman Ramachandran Apple TV+ and Disney+ were the major gainers in the U.K. subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) market, a survey from BARB, the country’s television audience measurement currency, has found.

Naman Ramachandran Tom Felton, who played Draco Malfoy in the Harry Potter film franchise, faced a shrieking Mandrake plant as he unveiled Professor Sprout’s Greenhouse, a fan-favorite set from the films, where students were taught their Herbology lessons with Professor Pomona Sprout. Built by the original Harry Potter filmmakers, the greenhouse is home to many exotic and magical plants. The new expansion opens at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter on July 1, and is part of a new feature titled “Mandrakes and Magical Creatures,” which will run through Sept.

Naman Ramachandran Wildlife and nature programmer Love Nature has greenlit five-part natural history series “Evolution Earth” in co-production with PBS and Arte. The series, produced by Passion Planet and shot in extreme locations around the world, is an examination of adaptation stories that illustrate the rapid pace of change happening across Earth, while providing a look at nature’s ability to thrive.The series includes five films, each showcasing a different extreme landscape including Earth, Islands, Ice, Heat and Grasslands. It will debut across Love Nature’s branded linear and streaming platforms around the world, PBS in the U.S., Arte in France and Germany and on Sky Nature in the U.K.

Naman Ramachandran Streamer Paramount+ is set to make a splash at its U.K. launch in London on June 20, with a galaxy of stars from its original shows set to feature at the hot ticket event. Graham Norton (Paramount+’s “Queen of the Universe”) will host the event which will feature stars from Paramount’s series and films including Gillian Anderson, Viola Davis and Michelle Pfeiffer (“The First Lady”); Jessica Chastain and Michael Shannon (“George & Tammy”); Miranda Cosgrove (“iCarly”); Kevin Costner and Kelly Reilly (“Yellowstone”); Tawny Cypress and Melanie Lynskey (“Yellowjackets”); Chiwetel Ejiofor, Naomie Harris and Bill Nighy (“The Man Who Fell To Earth”); Joey Essex, Chloe Ferry, Bethan Kershaw and James Tindale (“All Star Shore”); Matthew Goode and Juno Temple (“The Offer”); Shelley Hennig, Tyler Hoechlin, Tyler Posey, Crystal Reed and Holland Roden (“Teen Wolf”); Faith Hill and Tim McGraw (“1883”); Sonequa Martin-Green (“Star Trek Discovery”); Natascha McElhone and Pablo Schreiber (“Halo”); Kate Mulgrew (“Star Trek Prodigy); David Oyelowo (“Bass Reeves”); and Sylvester Stallone (“Tulsa King”).