Discovery+ Goes Free On Sky; Woodcut Hires Meriel Beale; Netflix Doc Talent Fund – Global Briefs

Warner Bros. Discovery Appoints EMEA Streaming Marketing Boss

Gary Neville Takes ‘The Overlap On Tour’ For Sky Max

Berlinale Adds Disney Tribute Film, Donna Summer Docs To Line-UpThe Berlinale has added Love to Love You, Donna Summer and 100 Years of Disney Animation – A Shorts Celebration to its 73rd edition line-up running February 16-26. Both titles will screen in the Berlinale Special sidebar. Co-directed by Oscar-winning filmmaker Roger Ross Williams and Brooklyn Sudano’s the Donna Summer film tells the story of the disco star through unpublished film extracts, home video, photographs, artwork, writings, personal audio and other recording. Academy Award winner and Walt Disney Animation Studios President Clark Spencer fronts the Disney film, sharing his favorite shorts from the studios’ 100 years of filmmaking. In other news, the festival has announced it will pay tribute to French cinematographer Caroline Champetier with its Berlinale Camera 2023 award. She has chosen Anne Fontaine’s The Innocents, on which she did the cinematography, for a screening as part of Berlinale Special program.

Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine Wins First UK CommissionReese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine has won its first UK TV commission, a Channel 4 DIY series fronted by Stacey Solomon and exec produced by the Oscar-winning actress. The Candle Media-backed non-scripted outfit is producing Bricking It, in which Solomon will give viewers easy and helpful tips to makeover their homes themselves. Solomon also helms similar BBC series Sort Your Life Out and Channel 4 commissioner Clemency Green said she “has a natural talent for making a house a home.” Hello Sunshine’s UK division opened last year and is headed up by former Channel 4 commissioner Sarah Lazenby, who is EPing Bricking It with Solomon and Sara Rea. In the U.S., it has produced Prime Video’s Making the Cut and Netflix’s Get Organized.

Chief Productions Sets Kashmiri Beekeeping Doc ‘Pot of Gold’Chief Productions, the UK-based indie, today announced the production of a new documentary titled Pot of Gold in partnership with global humanitarian relief and development charity Human Appeal. The film marks the first fully foreign film to be shot in the mountainous region of Azad Kashmir in Pakistan. The film follows beekeeper Shakeel Khan who has committed his life to learn about the nature of bees and their delicate work. However, his story takes a turn following the impact of the most destructive earthquake the region has ever seen. The film is produced by Billy Offland and directed by Olivier Richomme. Colin Offland is Exec Producer, and Alan Hamilton is the writer. Colin Offland, CEO and executive producer at Chief Productions described the story as “poignant and distinctive.” He said: “It has been an eye-opening and fulfilling experience to be welcomed as the first fully foreign production team in Kashmir, and we’re grateful for the team at Human Appeal for allowing us to bring this story to the screen.”

EXCLUSIVE: Aloke Devichand, Netflix’s Head of Asian Original Documentaries who commissioned docs on Blackpink and Naomi Osaka along with an Oscar-nominated short, has exited the streamer after nearly five years.

The life and tragic unsolved death of one of Britain’s most beloved TV presenters, Jill Dando, is to be profiled in a Netflix documentary series.

Shane Allen’s Boffola Pictures Names Comedy Head

EXCLUSIVE: Some were expecting Netflix to curb their acquisitions here in Park City, but, as we told you earlier this morning, never count them out of the Sundance marketplace. Before its premiere in the midnight section tonight, the Reed Hastings-Ted Sarandos-run streamer has scooped up a majority of global rights on the Australian horror movie, Run Rabbit Run, starring 2x Emmy nominated Succession actress Sarah Snook. XYZ Films, which co-funded the film, brokered the deal with Netflix on behalf of the filmmakers. 

Prince Edward To Present New Production Guild of Great Britain Talent PrizePrince Edward, who is the royal Patron of the Production Guild of Great Britain (PGGB), will present the body’s new film and TV industry award that has been created in his name as part of its inaugural Talent Showcase, presented in association with Disney Studios Content and supported by Entertainment Partners. Four industry organizations have been shortlisted for The Earl of Wessex Award, created to recognise professionals working in the UK film and TV industry who have created “a successful way of inspiring local talent or skills, widening access or being more inclusive.”  The nominees are youth-led production company Fully Focused; media charity MAMA Youth Project; social change enablers Resource Productions and mental health and wellbeing nonprofit 6ft From the Spotlight. He will present the prize at the first PGGB Talent Showcase on January 24. The Earl of Wessex recently visited the MAMA Youth Project. He said after his visit: “Congratulations to all the organisations who have been nominated for this new Award. The finalists are shining examples of how the production industry is attracting more people from different backgrounds to pursue careers in the business.”

‘Remarkable Places To Eat’ Moves From BBC To Channel 4

‘This Is Going To Hurt’, ‘Munich – The Edge Of War’ Scribes Honored At WGGB Awards

Netflix might not be in the live sports business but the streamer is certainly planning a lot of athletic content.

Netflix co-founder Reed Hastings has given $20 million to Minerva University, a school focused on educating what it describes as “new generations of wise leaders and purpose-driven entrepreneurs” from dozens of countries.

Nowadays, it appears the world of awards shows is in flux. The Golden Globes happened this year after controversy forced them away in 2022.

The SAGs have finally found a small screen home: the annual awards fete will stream live on Netflix beginning in 2024, as part of a new, multi-year partnership. 

All3Media To Begin Shopping ‘The Kardashians: A Billion Dollar Dynasty’

Blue An, Film.UA & ZDF Team On Zelenskyy Doc ‘Citizens At War’

Prince Harry is pissing off people left and right with Spare!

42 has made a big name hire. Former Netflix and Tiger Aspect Productions exec Ben Cavey is joining as Head of Comedy and Entertainment.