Directors Guild Approves Tentative New Commercial Contract

Donald Trump was accused of applying quid pro quo during his time at the White House, and Home Alone: Lost in New York director is now confirming that’s the way the twice-impeached president got himself a cameo in the holiday film classic.

Some 30 film organizations, festivals and professionals as well as freedom of speech NGOs have signed an open letter calling on Iranian authorities to immediately drop all charges against directors Maryam Moghadam and Behtash Sanaeeha as well as lift a travel ban.

Todd Spangler NY Digital Editor The New York Times Co. inked a deal with Apple to add The Athletic‘s full sports coverage to the Apple News+ subscription bundle. In addition, the Times’ Wirecutter product reviews will be available for free to all Apple News users beginning early next year.

Nick Vivarelli International Correspondent Discovery-owned Eurosport has acquired streaming rights in 54 countries to Olympic refugee documentary “We Dare to Dream” by Waad Al-Kateab, the Oscar-nominated Syrian director of “For Sama.” “We Dare to Dream” is the story of the refugee Olympic team that competed at the 2020 games in Tokyo, which featured stateless athletes from Iran, Syria, South Sudan and Cameroon who swim, run and fight their way to safety in host nations across the world. It’s told through the personal prism of Al-Kateab while she is coming to terms with the reality that she can never return to Aleppo, where she shot “For Sama.” The doc premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in June and had an Oscar-qualifying theatrical run at New York City’s IFC Center in October.

Dennis Ruh, whose departure as head of the Berlinale‘s European Film Market after the 2024 edition was announced today, has expressed surprise that his contract has not been renewed and also questioned the festival’s new hiring protocols.

EXCLUSIVE: An exposé about institutionalized corruption in the Hare Krishna movement is being adapted into a feature doc by Sphere Media.

Communications firm The Lippin Group has created a new management structure and elevated three company veterans to the position of managing director.

Naman Ramachandran A documentary on revered filmmaker James Ivory is part of an eclectic slate from Min(d) Studio, New York, it was revealed on the sidelines of Singapore’s Asia TV Forum and Market. The boutique studio, the brainchild of Dev Benegal (New York City), Maya Patel (London and Hong Kong), Neeraj Jain (Los Angeles), came together during the pandemic with a shared vision to tell stories about people and cultures that are often unheard and unseen.

The Pogues, covered ‘Fairytale of New York’ at Shane MacGowan’s funeral yesterday (December 8). Watch the video below.The Pogues frontman passed away “peacefully” on November 30, having died from pneumonia aged 65.

Anna Tingley If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Variety may receive an affiliate commission. Martha Stewart is bringing her business savvy to MasterClass. The iconic businesswoman and television personality, behind dozens of ultra-successful and long-running eponymous brands, will launch a course on the e-learning platform on Dec.

Staffers of The Washington Post picketed in front of the media outlet’s K Street headquarters on Thursday, staging a 24-hour walkout to protest the lack of a new agreement with the newsroom union and the terms of a buyout offer.

Adam B. Vary Senior Entertainment Writer Jennifer Lopez is attached to star in a feature adaptation of the 1993 Broadway musical “Kiss of the Spider Woman,” written and directed by “Dreamgirls” filmmaker Bill Condon, Variety has confirmed with a source close to the production. The music is by legends John Kander and Fred Ebb, based on the novel by Manuel Puig and the book of the musical by Terrence McNally.

New York is looking to help film and TV get back up and running after the strikes.

EXCLUSIVE: Indian filmmaker Nikhil Nagesh Bhat has signed with WME.

BLACKPINK is sticking with YG Entertainment!

EXCLUSIVE: Al Pacino, Diego Boneta, Xolo Maridueña, KiKi Layne, Alexander Ludwig, Ron Livingston, Kendrick Sampson, Nicole Beharie, Logan Marshall Green and Titus Welliver will star in Killing Castro. Eif Rivera will direct from a script by Leon Hendrix, Thomas DeGrezia, and Colin Bateman. This will be Rivera’s first feature film.

John Lennon have been revealed by the concierge working at the front desk of the building where the Beatles guitarist was shot at.The new Apple TV+ documentary series, John Lennon: Murder Without a Trial – which investigates Lennon’s shooting by an obsessed fan named Mark David Chapman on December 8 1980 – shared the moment in which the ‘Beautiful Boy’ singer was shot and what he said shortly after.Jay Hastings was working as a concierge on the front desk at the Dakota building on the Upper West Side in Manhattan, New York, where Lennon and his family lived and where he was shot outside of. He recalled in the documentary: “He runs past me.

Rebecca Rubin Film and Media Reporter “Exmas” filmmaker Jonah Feingold is directing a new romantic comedy, “31 Candles.” The independent film will feature the ensemble cast of Jackie Sandler, Dale Moss of “The Bachelorette” fame, comedian Jared Freid, Catherine Cohen (“The Twist…? She’s Gorgeous”), “Abbot Elementary” actor Larry Owens and newcomer Sarah Coffey. The call sheet also includes Caroline Aaron (“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”), Djouliet Amara (“The Big Door Prize” on Apple TV+), Seth Barrish (“Billion”) and Lori Tan Chinn (“Awkwafina Is Nora from Queens”).

The New York Jets are making big bucks!

Timothée Chalamet didn’t realise at the time, but his high school singing performances ended up forming his audition for the lead role of Wonka.