Reservoir Docs Boards Mark Cousins Doc ‘A Sudden Glimpse to Deeper Things,’ Featuring Tilda Swinton (EXCLUSIVE)

K.J. Yossman Raw TV, the production company behind “The Tinder Swindler,” have set a new true crime documentary with Amazon Prime Video about the 1978 murders of Chris Farmer and Peta Frampton. Titled “Dead in the Water,” it follows the story of Farmer and Frampton, a young British couple who went missing in 1978 after going backpacking in Central America.

EXCLUSIVE: Boutique distributor Juno Films has picked up North American and UK rights to This World is Not My Own, a documentary portrait of the folk artist Nellie Mae Rowe from filmmakers Petter Ringbom and Marquise Stillwell, which premiered earlier this year at SXSW. The award-winner will be released in theaters in the summer of 2024.

Tilda Swinton has many talents, including performing, producing, collaborating, writing, and dressing up, not to mention expressing herself beautifully on screen and in her choice of language. It’s the second time that I’ve interviewed the performance artist at the Marrakech International Film Festival, and I love how she talks.

Tilda Swinton famously cut her acting teeth on the experimental films of late director Derek Jarman such as Caravaggio and The Garden as well as life-long friend Joanna Hogg’s debut short Caprice and Sally Potter’s Orlando.

Jessica Chastain and Tilda Swinton provided the ultimate study in contrast while attending the second day of the 2023 Marrakech International Film Festival on Saturday (November 25) in Marrakech, Morocco.

Leo Barraclough International Features Editor French-based sales agency Lightdox has acquired the international rights to feature documentary “The Mechanics of Things” by Italian director Alessandra Celesia, ahead of its international premiere Saturday at the Torino Film Festival. The film had its world premiere at Les Etats généraux du Film Documentaire in Lussas this August. The exclusive trailer is shown below.

Addie Morfoot Contributor The 1997 race for the Heisman Trophy will be explored in an installment of the 14th season of ESPN’s “30 for 30” series.” Titled “The Great Heisman Race of 1997,” the ESPN Films docu will debut on Dec. 9 on ESPN immediately following the broadcast of the Heisman Trophy Ceremony, which will air on the network. The doc will focus on the race between Peyton Manning and Charles Woodson.

Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent Oscar winner Jeremy Irons has joined the cast of Palme d’Or-winning director Bille August‘s prestige limited series “The Count of Monte Cristo,” which also stars Sam Claflin. A sprawling adaptation of Alexandre Dumas’ classic novel, the English-language series is produced by Mediawan’s banner Palomar, the leading Italian company behind “Inspector Montalbano” and “The Name of the Rose,” in collaboration with another Mediawan label, France’s DEMD Productions.

Rebecca Rubin Film and Media Reporter “A Disturbance in the Force,” a comical behind-the-scenes documentary about the ill-fated 1978 “Star Wars Holiday Special,” will arrive from a galaxy far, far away in December. After its premiere at this year’s SXSW Film Festival, “A Disturbance in the Force” will be released on digital and Blu-Ray on Dec. 5.

Leo Barraclough International Features Editor Beta Cinema has sold the North American rights for “Adios Buenos Aires” to Outsider Pictures, which plans to release the charming comedy drama in spring 2024 throughout the U.S. and Canada.

Naman Ramachandran Mira Nair has boarded Indian filmmaker Sarvnik Kaur’s Sundance-winning documentary “Against the Tide” as an executive producer. The film follows Mumbai-based fishermen Rakesh and Ganesh who are inheritors of the great Koli fishing knowledge system — a way to harvest the sea by following the moon and the tides. Rakesh has kept faith in the traditional fishing methods while Ganesh has strayed away from them, embracing technology.

Leo Barraclough International Features Editor Toronto-based sales agent Syndicado Film Sales has acquired international rights to Zara Zerny’s feature debut “Echo of You” ahead of its world premiere at Amsterdam’s doc festival IDFA. Through candid, revealing interviews, “Echo of You” presents a group of Danish men and women, all aged 80 plus. With poignant openness and honesty, they share their thoughts on their life partnerships; lost loves who, one way or another, are no longer with them.

Owen Gleiberman Chief Film Critic Rockism, in case you don’t know the term, is the school of thought that holds the noisy “purity” of rock ‘n’ roll to be morally and aesthetically superior to the “corruption” of pop. There are numerous iconic examples of rockism.

Annika Pham Danish IDFA winner Phie Ambo (“Family”) will be attending Amsterdam’s major doc showcase for the 8th time with “Fire, Water, Earth, Air,” bowing at the Forum Pitch alongside 20 other projects. Ahead of their industry pitch Nov.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are ready for the next chapter!

Zack Sharf Digital News Director The marketing for Disney and 20th Studios’ “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” got off to a strong start with 75 million views in 24 hours across platforms such as YouTube, Facebook, X/Twitter and more, Variety has learned. Social engagement for the trailer came in with 72,000 mentions in 24 hours, boosted by 11,000 TikTok comments and a top 10 trend on X.

The BFI today announced the winners of its second annual Filmmaker Awards, hosted in partnership with French fashion house Chanel.

Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark is in hot water amid some pretty sketchy cheating rumors!! The latest royal gossip on the street is that the heir to the Danish throne has been unfaithful to his wife, Crown Princess Mary, with whom he shares three kids — and it all stems from an artsy weekend away!

Nick Vivarelli International Correspondent “Casino Royale” Bond villain Mads Mikkelsen and Moroccan actor-director Faouzi Bensaïdi will be celebrated with career achievement awards at the upcoming 20th Marrakech International Film Festival that will run Nov. 24- Dec.

The Marrakech International Film Festival has unveiled the 10 cinema figures who will participate in its In Conversation With program at its 20th edition running from November 24 to December 2.