‘Musk vs Bezos’ Sells Across Europe as Java Films Attends Unifrance Rendez-Vous

Ed Meza @edmezavar “Becoming an Astronaut,” an ambitious documentary that will focus on four new astronauts who will be announced by the European Space Agency (ESA) this November, has won the Focal Audience & Market Strategies pitching event at the Zurich Film Festival. Organized by Focal, the Lausanne-based foundation for film and audiovisual media training, Audience & Market Strategies is a three-part training program that helps producers promote their projects at an early stage. This year’s event showcased eight Swiss projects in various states of development. The program culminated with the pitching event, in which the producers presented their projects to sales company representatives, industry experts and an international jury comprising Stephen Kelliher of Bankside Films, Netflix’s Lars Wiebe, Olivier Tournaud of Cinephil, Sven Wälti, head of film at Swiss pubcaster SRG SSR, and Deadline’s Diana Lodderhose.

New Mexico agreed to provide funds, allowing the possibility of prosecutions involving the on-set shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins by Alec Baldwin while filming "Rust," as reported by the Santa Fe Mexican on Thursday. The state Board of Finance granted around $317,000, which would go toward the cost of investigating the fatal shooting in New Mexico that occurred in October 2021.

Billboard Latin America Music Awards are next week on September 29th. What is sure to be an epic night of music has to have amazing hosts, and this year Jaime Camil and Kate del Castillo will share the stage to lead the night full of celebration.

Clayton Davis Variety Awards Circuit section is the home for all awards news and related content throughout the year, featuring the following: the official predictions for the upcoming Oscars, Emmys, Grammys and Tony awards ceremonies, curated by Variety senior awards editor Clayton Davis. The prediction pages are Davis’ assessment of the current standings of the race and do not reflect personal preferences for any film or performance. Like any organization or body that votes, each individual category is fluid and subject to change. Predictions are updated every Thursday. LAST UPDATED: Sept. 20, 2022 CATEGORY COMMENTARY: A large wave of official submissions have been announced with some expected and a few surprising choices. Some early favorites are already out of the running after not being chosen by their respective countries. Pan Nalin’s “Last Film Show” will represent India instead of the global box office smash “RRR” from S.S. Rajamouli, while Monica Stan and George Chiper’s “Immaculate” will define Romania in the race instead of Cristian Mungiu’s “R.M.N.” The Telluride and TIFF hit “Godland” from Hlynur Pálmason was also passed over for “Beautiful Beings” from Guðmundur Arnar Guðmundsson

Ed Meza @edmezavar The 18th Zurich Film Festival kicks off Sept. 22 with a muscular lineup that includes some of the year’s most anticipated international pics while also putting the spotlight on Swiss and German-language cinema. In addition to a strong selection of U.S. films, including Oscar-winning writer-director Florian Zeller’s “The Son” and Neil Jordan’s “Marlowe,” Zurich is also honoring Sony Pictures Classics’ Michael Barker and Tom Bernard for their contribution to cinema. “We are very proud that this year about one-fourth of our program are world or European premieres, which – especially when it comes to American films – are quite hard to get because there’s a lot of competition,” says ZFF artistic director Christian Jungen.

Andrea Meza rose to prominence after being crowned Miss Universe 2020, becoming the third Mexican woman to be crowned Miss Universe. Although the beauty pageant titleholder holds the record of the shortest completed reign in Miss Universe history to date, it doesn’t mean it was the end of a successful career in the entertainment and fashion industry.After passing down the crown, Meza began her journey as a tv host in the Spanish-language tv show “En Casa con Telemundo,” and after her ongoing work, Meza was able to debut at the New York Fashion Week and model for the legendary brand and fashion designer, Custo Barcelona.During an interview with HOLA! USA, Meza spoke about her magical experience returning to the runway, what’s next in her career and if she would ever become a fashion designer like many other celebrities. Find below everything she shared.It was a lovely experience.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter Jeanine Mason has joined the cast of “Upload” Season 3 at Amazon, Variety has learned exclusively. Season 2 of “Upload” debuted on Amazon back in March, with the show earning a Season 3 pick up in May. The series takes place in a world where people can “upload” themselves into a digital afterlife. Mason joins a cast that includes Robbie Amell, Andy Allo, Kevin Bigley, Allegra Edwards, Zainab Johnson, Owen Daniels, Josh Banday, and Andrea Rosen. The official Season 2 synopsis says, “Nathan (Amell) is at a crossroads in his (after) life… his ex-girlfriend Ingrid (Edwards) has unexpectedly arrived to Lakeview hoping to strengthen their relationship, but his heart still secretly yearns for his customer service angel Nora (Allo). Meanwhile Nora is off the grid and involved with the anti-tech rebel group ‘The Ludds.'”

Anna Marie de la Fuente Seattle-based MindRiot Entertainment is teaming up with Panama’s Hypatia Films, an associate producer of Claire Denis’ Cannes Grand Prix winner “Stars at Noon,” on the groundbreaking documentary, “In Search of Atlantis,” based on the findings of Seattle native Dr. Jason Rubin who has used deductive reasoning, the writings of philosopher Plato and the most advanced satellite sonar imagery to pinpoint the location of the fabled lost island of Atlantis.  According to MindRiot co-founder and chief creative officer Jonathan Keasey, Dr. Rubin passed on other Hollywood suitors as he liked MindRiot’s approach to the content and the fact that it had marshalled the support of multiple universities, including deep sea explorer Don Walsh, the honorary president of the Explorers Club, and even European authorities, given the maritime jurisdiction of Rubin’s site in the Atlantic Ocean.

Ed Meza @edmezavar Mediatoon Distribution has seen a slew of sales for a number of new and upcoming animated series, including a new adaptation of a beloved property. The company unveiled three new titles at the Unifrance Rendez-Vous TV market in Biarritz this week, two of which have already found early buyers. “Nicholas’ Fantastic Summer” follows the mischievous adventures of a boy and his friends as they get the most out of their summer beach holiday. Switzerland’s RTS, MTVA in Hungary and Poland’s TV Puls have already acquired the show, an adaptation of the bestselling books by late writer René Goscinny and cartoonist Jean-Jacques Sempé (who died Aug. 11). It was produced by Media Valley (“Zoom the White Dolphin”) for M6/Gulli, Warner Bros. Discovery’s Boing; and Belgian broadcasters RTBF and VRT.

Ed Meza @edmezavar The natural world, wildlife, the legacy of war and the beauty of culture has proven to be in big demand for Paris-based documentary distributor Terranoa. Attending this year’s Unifrance Rendez-Vous in Biarritz, the company presented a diverse lineup that ranged from history and ancient civilizations to science, wildlife, arts, culture and current affairs. Among its popular new titles is “Top of the Rocks,” produced by Haut et Court Doc with Franco-German pubcaster Arte and French channel Ushuaïa. The ambitious 4K, five-part series takes viewers around the world to examine how stones – specifically granite, limestone, sandstone, basalt and clay – have not only shaped the planet but also inspired human civilizations.

Ed Meza @edmezavar Hard-hitting documentaries centering on some of the world’s most critical geopolitical flashpoints have proved hot sellers for Java Films. The Paris and London-based distributor closed a number of deals this week at the Unifrance Rendez-Vous TV market in Biarritz for provocative works that examine life in the Israeli-occupied Palestinian city of Gaza, the causes of the Ukraine war, and rising tensions between the U.S. and China over the vital supply of semiconductors. Chiara Avesani and Matteo Delbò’s “Erasmus in Gaza” follows Riccardo, an Italian final-year medical student who wants to be a trauma surgeon and travels to war-torn Gaza on an Erasmus exchange program in order to receive battlefield training and write his thesis on explosive bullet wounds. The young medic is not prepared for the brutality of war, however.

Knowing her worth. Davina Potratz believes she hasn’t been given her due as a cast member on Selling Sunset.

Ed Meza @edmezavar French animation group Xilam continues to book sales of hit toon series while enticing buyers with new offshoots of flagship properties. Xilam’s most popular shows remain “Oggy and the Cockroaches,” about a lazy cat who is constantly pestered by three roaches, and “Zig & Sharko,” which follow the adversarial relationship between a ravenous brown hyena and a good-natured great white shark. The company’s highlights at the Unifrance Rendez-Vous TV market in Biarritz include two new “Oggy” shows. “’Oggy’ has been on the market for almost 25 years,” explains Morgann Favennec, Xilam’s executive vice president of distribution. “It’s been broadcast everywhere. It’s still huge in India, for instance, which is why we will be launching a new Oggy called ‘Oggy and the Cockroaches: Next Generation,’ introducing a new character, which is an Indian elephant.”

Ed Meza @edmezavar Paris-based documentary distributor Lucky You is finding plenty of international buyers for its wide-ranging titles that span history, travel, wildlife and science. Part of French production group Bonne Pioche, Lucky You has seen a slew of recent sales for hit titles like “Science of Emotions,” which examines the impact emotions have not only on people’s well-being but also their entire life. Commissioned by French broadcaster Planète Plus, the doc sold across Europe and North America, including to ZDF in Germany, RAI in Italy and Curiosity Stream in the U.S. Likewise commissioned by Planète Plus, “Science & Sports” looks at the science, engineering and technology that are helping athletes maximize their performance. A Bonne Pioche title co-produced with Japan’s NHK, it likewise sold throughout Europe and beyond, including sales to the BBC in the U.K., Belgium’s RTBF and Canadian channel Ici Explora in addition to deals in China, Western Asia, Switzerland, Czech Republic and Sweden.

Placebo have postponed their show in Mexico City after the “visa and logistical issues” that forced the cancellation of the band’s North American tour dates had further impact.The London-formed rock band were due to play the Palacio de los Deportes in Mexico City this Monday (September 12) but earlier announced today (September 6) that the show will now no longer go ahead.It comes days after Placebo pulled their entire North American tour, explaining that they were “devastated” to do so, referencing “issues beyond our control”.They were due to launch the tour in Canada at Vancouver’s Commodore Ballroom on Sunday (September 4) before heading to the US. Fans were only notified about that cancellation two days in advance.“We are truly very sorry to announce that, despite our best efforts to resolve ongoing logistical issues which have largely caused the postponement of our North American tour, we sadly have no choice but to also move our Mexico City show….into 2023,” part of the band’s latest statement read.pic.twitter.com/VHk6WQ9xta— PLACEBO (@PLACEBOWORLD) September 6, 2022Fans’ tickets will remain valid for a rescheduled date – also for the North American shows – or can request a refund.

Ed Meza @edmezavar Isabelle Adjani is re-teaming with “The King’s Favorite” director Josée Dayan on the six-part mystery thriller “Belphégor.” The acclaimed actress stars as the enigmatic 16th-century noblewoman and courtier Diane de Poitiers in “The King’s Favorite,” which premiered at the Unifrance Rendez-Vous on Monday. The €7.6 million ($7.5 million), four-part series, produced by Dayan’s Passion Films and sold internationally by France TV Distribution, examines de Poitiers’ complicated relationship with the young French king, Henry II (played by Hugo Becker), that lasted more than two decades. The large ensemble cast also includes Samuel Labarthe, Virginie Ledoyen and Gérard Depardieu.

Ed Meza @edmezavar Worldwide sales of French TV content set an all-time record last year despite severe challenges caused by the continued pandemic, according to the annual report on domestic programming exports by the National Center for Cinema and the Moving Image (CNC) and film and TV promotional org Unifrance. The COVID-19 crisis, the report notes, had many ramifications on international distribution of TV content that continued to be felt in 2021, including the absence and then gradual recovery of physical markets; an influx of projects in post-production; delays in the delivery of programs and difficulties in supplying new shows; and economic uncertainties among broadcasters.

Ed Meza @edmezavar France TV Distribution is ratcheting up global sales for the hit Gallic crime series “Bright Minds,” with deals ranging from Japan to the U.S., Canada and Latin America. In its third season, the show, which airs on France 2, follows a police detective who finds a brilliant partner in a young autistic woman with encyclopedic knowledge of criminal investigations who works in the police records bureau. Together, they realize their complementary skills are the key to solving cases. France TV Distribution, which is presenting its current lineup this week at the Unifrance Rendez-Vous market in Biarritz, sold the show to Japanese public broadcaster NHK, which has been airing it since July.

have a wedding,” Hollier explained. “So how can we surprise them with what that wedding would be? And the answer was, that it wasn’t even Max and Liz’s.”Indeed, Max (Nathan Parsons) and Liz (Jeanine Mason) weren’t married by the end of the night — but they were engaged. Unfortunately, Max Evans had the weight of a literal world on his shoulders and felt he had to return to Oasis to save it.

Emily Longeretta SPOILER ALERT: Do not read if you have not yet watched “How’s It Going to Be?,” the Sept. 5 series finale of “Roswell, New Mexico.” In May, The CW pulled the plug on seven shows, including “Roswell, New Mexico,” which was airing its fourth season. On Monday night, the drama aired its final episode — one that showrunner Chris Hollier and the writers planned on being the Season 4 finale, not the final episode ever. During the last episode, Max (Nathan Parsons) headed off to save the world through portal — one that would allow him to return and live happily ever after with Liz (Jeanine Mason), who he still intended to eventually marry.