Marina Cicogna, Pioneering Producer of Oscar-Winning Film ‘Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion,’ Dies at 89

Carmel Dagan Staff Writer Marty Krofft, who with his brother Sid produced memorable kids shows “H.R. Pufnstuf” and “Land of the Lost” — as well as the 2009 feature based on the latter — has died.

The family of Emmy winning filmmaker Ross McDonnell has confirmed his death after remains were discovered on a beach in New York City.

John Hopewell Chief International Correspondent São Paulo-based activist producer Maria Farinha Films, behind Globoplay hit “Aruanas” and one of the global South’s key impact entertainment companies, has boarded Marcel Beltrán’s mystery drama “Moa,” a big double winner at Locarno’s 2022 Open Doors. Produced by Paula Gastaud at Cuba’s Mediocielo Films, “Moa” is now set up as co-production with Mediocielo Filmes, also in São Paulo, and Maria Farinha Films, and the Dominican Republic’s Stems Group.

Leo Barraclough International Features Editor Martin Moszkowicz is to step down as chairman of the executive board of Constantin Film, the producer of the “Resident Evil” franchise and one of Germany’s leading distributors, with deputy chairman Oliver Berben taking over the role. At his own request, Moszkowicz is to let his contract expire on Feb. 29, 2024, and he will then continue to work as a producer for Constantin Film from March 1, 2024.

During this year’s Star Wars Celebration, Lucasfilm finally gave some definitive news about what to expect on the big screen with the galaxy far, far away. We have a movie from Dave Filoni, which is expected to be an “Avengers”-style convergence of all the live-action TV shows.

Brendan Fraser has lined up his next role!

Following the “Star Wars: Ahsoka” series created by writer/director/producer Dave Filoni, who wrote all eight episodes himself and directed two, Lucasfilm has named the filmmaker the Chief Creative Officer at the company. “Now I’m what’s called chief creative officer of Lucasfilm,” Filoni told Vanity Fair this week, and noting the role will place him in the early development process of all “Star Wars” projects and in a much more expansive capacity than his previous advisory duties.

Rebecca Rubin Film and Media Reporter Brendan Fraser, a newly minted Academy Award winner, is set to star in the Searchlight Pictures comedic drama “Rental Family.” Japanese filmmaker Mitsuyo Miyazaki, who goes by Hikari and worked on Netflix’s “Beef,” is directing and producing the film. She’s also co-writing the script with Stephen Blahut, whom she collaborated with on the docu-drama “37 Seconds.” Principal photography will begin this spring in Japan, with release plans to be announced at a later date.

EXCLUSIVE: After taking his time in finding his next big role after winning this years best actor Oscar, Brendan Fraser looks to have zeroed in on that role as sources tell Deadline he is set to star in Searchlight’s Rental Family. Beef helmer Hikari will direct from a script she co-wrote with Stephen Blahut. Hikari has been developing the project since 2019 and will produce along with Shin Yamaguchi as well as Eddie Vaisman and Julia Lebedev of Sight Unseen Productions.

After media speculation about a dismembered body found on a beach in Queens on Friday, CNBC and other outlets, citing “police sources,” are saying the remains “may be” those of Emmy-winning Irish filmmaker Ross McDonnell, 44. Police have not yet publicly confirmed or denied those reports.

The biggest story of the 1936 summer Olympics in Berlin was Black track and field star Jesse Owens winning four gold medals and putting the lie to Adolf Hitler’s theories of race supremacy. A less-heralded U.S. gold medal triumph over host country Nazi Germany glides onto screens this Christmas with The Boys in the Boat from MGM Amazon Studios, directed by George Clooney.

Longtime lit agent and manager Shari Smiley has died. Smiley passed away Tuesday at age 53. Cause of death is not yet known.

disinformation. As a self-proclaimed proud Cree woman, the Oscar-winning singer-songwriter and social activist has spent her entire career fighting for and focused on the issues facing Indigenous peoples in the United States and Canada.But a new blockbuster investigation by the Canadian Broadcast Corporation claims that Sainte-Marie is nothing but a fake.

Canadian Broadcast Corporation feature on the singer-songwriter has led to accusations that Sainte-Marie is a “pretendian” — the term coined for people who fake having Indigenous ancestry. Sainte-Marie, 82, claimed that she was born on a Piapot Cree reservation in Canada and was adopted by white parents as part of the country’s infamous Sixties Scoop in which Indigenous children were removed from their families and adopted by white families in a government policy of forced assimilation.But the recent CBC report cites a birth certificate that states the singer was born “Beverly Jean Santamaria” in Stoneham, Massachusetts to parents of European lineage.

Guneet Monga Kapoor (“The Elephant Whisperers”) and Michelin-starred chef and filmmaker Vikas Khanna (“The Last Color”) have boarded Oscar-qualified animated short “American Sikh” as executive producers. The film tells the true story of an American-born, turban-wearing Sikh illustrator, writer, performance artist, diversity speaker and creator of Sikhtoons.com, Vishavjit Singh, who after a lifetime of facing prejudice, self-doubt and violence, finally finds acceptance in a superhero costume.

EXCLUSIVE: XYZ Films has taken global distribution rights, excluding Canada, on the eco-thriller The Well, the first narrative feature by Academy Award-nominated documentary director Hubert Davis. 

Gary Martin, a retired longtime executive at Sony Pictures who served as President of Studio Operations and Product during a 32-year stint at the studio, has died. He was 79.

upcoming film, “Classified” have sued the former child star for breach of contract.The lawsuit claims that ongoing frictions between the “Little Miss Sunshine” alum, 27, and co-star Aaron Eckhart, 55, stalled production and cost the backers $80,000. According to court docs obtained by Entertainment Tonight, the “Scream Queens” star accused the “In The Company of Men” actor of showing “aggressive, demeaning and unprofessional” behavior towards her on set.The suit was filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court on Nov.

Succession star Sarah Snook has announced a career move after starring in the hit television series. Best known for playing Siobhan "Shiv" Roy in the HBO comedy-drama series Succession, the Australian actress is now taking to the stage in the play adaption of Oscar Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray at Theatre Royal Haymarket in London.

Katniss Everdeen, it’s unlikely that she would ever appear in future films.Producer Nina Jacobson revealed that any further appearances by Lawrence, 33, is up to “Hunger Games” book series author Suzanne Collins.“If Suzanne has something to say, then she’ll write a book about it,” Jacobson, 58, told Yahoo! Entertainment recently.“Honestly, as much as I love Katniss, I think her story is complete,” she went on. “And I think that Suzanne feels that her story is complete.”Jacobson added: “But if that changes, and Suzanne has something she wants to say, and it involves Katniss, then I would be thrilled.”“But really, any chance to be back in this world, and lead with [director Francis Lawrence] and Suzanne, I would take regardless of who it was about,” she noted.Lawrence, 52, who helmed every single “HG” installment including the most recent one, echoed the producer’s sentiments, saying: “If for whatever reason she had some thematic idea that made sense to tell another Katniss story, I’d be in, and then I’m sure Jen would be in.”“But it really all comes from theme and idea, and Suzanne,” he said.Jennifer has been enthusiastic about a possible Katniss return in the past.