EXCLUSIVE: Dubai-based sales agency Cercamon has acquired international rights outside of North America for Michael Felker’s Things Will Be Different.
29.04.2024 - 22:25 / metroweekly.com
Maulik Pancholy, who is gay.The Cumberland Valley School District school board voted 5 to 4 to allow the assembly at Mountain View Middle School in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, to proceed as originally scheduled.Students whose parents object to the presentation’s content will be allowed to opt out of the assembly.Pancholy, nationally known for his role as Jonathan on NBC’s hit TV show 30 Rock, is the author of two award-winning novels for young adults.The Best at It is the story of a gay Indian-American boy and his experience dealing with bullying in a small Midwestern town. Nikhil Out Loud is about a group of eighth-grade theater kids rising up against homophobia in their community.The board canceled the assembly on April 15, citing concerns about Pancholy, who describes himself as an “activist” on his website.
They said it could violate a district policy prohibiting “political” events. Others objected to Pancholy’s “lifestyle,” expressing fear that he might raise issues related to homosexuality, citing the content of his novels.
The conservative-leaning board, which represents the suburbs around Pennsylvania’s capital city, Harrisburg, received an unexpected level of blowback from the community. Parents of middle school-aged children even accused board members of discriminating against LGBTQ people.Supporters of Pancholy started a petition calling for the reinstatement of the assembly.
EXCLUSIVE: Dubai-based sales agency Cercamon has acquired international rights outside of North America for Michael Felker’s Things Will Be Different.
Nick Vivarelli International Correspondent Untamed Talent, the recently launched Arab world management and production company led by former Mister Smith Entertainment executive Antone Saliba is rebranding as 75East and bringing on board Shams Mohajerani, a former acquisitions executive at Cairo-based MAD Solutions, as its chief manager and producer. The change in name to 75East of the company, which launched last December with backing from Front Row Productions – a joint venture between leading Middle East distribution companies Front Row Filmed Entertainment and Empire Entertainment – is a geographical reference to the wider Southwest Asian and North African (SWANA) region from Morocco to Pakistan, “reflecting the company’s commitment to representing talent beyond Arabic-speaking territories,” according to a statement.
EXCLUSIVE: Jason Isbell joins actors Shameik Moore (Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, Dope) and Paris Jackson on One Spoon of Chocolate from original screenplay directed amnd written by RZA who is producing the feature with producer Paul Hall (White Men Can’t Jump and Shaft), executive producers Talani Diggs, Mitchell Divine Diggs, and Joe Genier (Bigger).
Kendrick Lamar’s diss track against Drake ‘Not Like Us’ has broken records and topped the singles charts.The two rappers have been engaged in a feud for years now, although the beef has come to a head in recent weeks – with each sharing increasingly personal diss tracks lately and other artists getting involved.Now, it seems that Lamar has taken home the victory, at least in terms of chart figures, with his diss track ‘Not Like Us’ debuting at the Number One spot on the Billboard Hot 100 in the US.The track arrived at the start of the month, as the rapper’s third Drake diss in 36 hours. It also saw him making some accusations about the Canadian rapper over his supposed preference for younger women, to the point where he calls him a “certified paedophile”.By topping the charts, ‘Not Like Us’ has become Lamar’s fourth Number One song, following on from his feature on Future and Metro Boomin’s ‘Like That’ earlier this year, ‘Humble’, which arrived in 2017 and his verse on Taylor Swift’s 2015 track ‘Bad Blood’.It has broken records too, with Brooklyn Eagle reporting that the track has become the hip-hop song that has been streamed the most times in a day on Spotify – racking up 6.8million plays.Another one of his scathing tracks against Drake, ‘Euphoria’, also went on to do well on the charts and reached the Number Three spot last week after debuting at Number 11.As highlighted by The Guardian, ‘Family Matters’ – one of Drake’s numerous responses to the feud – is placed higher up at Number Seven on the charts, marking another win for Lamar.The beef between the two came to a head last month, when Lamar contributed a verse to Future and Metro Boomin’s ‘Like That‘, and used the collab to respond to J.
EXCLUSIVE: London-based sales outfit Rapt Films International has acquired worldwide sales rights to Benjamin Howard’s debut US film Riley and will launch sales at the upcoming Cannes Market.
Juliette Lewis has boarded Alex Prager’s alternative reality debut feature DreamQuil alongside the previously announced Elizabeth Banks and John C Reilly. Also confirmed as joining the project are Kathryn Newton and Sofia Boutella. The futuristic psychological thriller commenced principal photography in Los Angeles this week.
Sean Viator, a dancer and choreographer who performed on TV shows American Idol and Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga on Netflix, died May 3 at 31, his family announced, No cause was given.
The golf stars against Rory McIlroy's return to the PGA board have reportedly been revealed.
Brent Lang Executive Editor Steven Quale, best known for his work on “Into the Storm” and “Final Destination 5,” has been tapped to direct Capstone Studios and Hammerstone Studios’ “Black Box (Flight 298).” The upcoming supernatural thrilleris based on an original screenplay from Stephen Susco, a horror writer whose many genre credits include “The Grudge,” “The Grudge 2,” “Texas Chainsaw 3D” and “Hell Fest.” According to the logline, the film follows the supernatural events surrounding Vero Airlines Flight 298 from New Orleans to Seattle. Hammerstone Studios’ Alex Lebovici (“Barbarian”) and Jon Oakes (“The Guilty”) will produce alongside Capstone’s Christian Mercuri and David Haring (“Bill & Ted Face the Music”), Warren Zide (“The Final Destination” and Susco.
Leo Barraclough International Features Editor London- and Paris-based production, finance and sales outfit Film Constellation has boarded international sales on Titus Kaphar’s drama “Exhibiting Forgiveness.” The film received strong reviews after its January premiere at Sundance in the U.S. Dramatic Competition section, and was picked up for North American distribution by Roadside Attractions, with plans for a wide theatrical release in the fall and awards campaign.
A Boogie Wit da Hoodie has announced that he will perform at the AO Arena on Saturday night (May 4) following the last-minute cancellation of his original gig at Co-op Live.
EXCLUSIVE: Goodfellas has boarded upcoming war crime drama Occupation from Ukrainian writer-director Myroslav Slaboshpytskyi (The Tribe). The project, which will be produced by Loveless and Leviathan producer Alexander Rodnyansky alongside Nick Shumaker for Anonymous Content, is being launched to buyers in Cannes this month with Goodfellas repping international sales rights and Anonymous Content and CAA Media Finance co-repping North American rights.
Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent Memento International has boarded “Gazer,” the debut feature of American filmmaker Ryan J. Sloan which will world premiere at Cannes Directors’ Fortnight.
Co-op Live's first full show was cancelled minutes before it was due to start after part of an air conditioning unit fell from the gantry inside the venue prior to the start of the gig.
Thousands of A Boogie Wit da Hoodie and Olivia Rodrigo fans have been left disappointed after both gigs were rescheduledtonight.
“It may sound like an exaggeration, but it’s not, today’s legal ruling is a great day for America because it instills in us the faith that there is a justice system,” proclaimed Harvey Weinstein’s lawyer Arthur Aidala today after New York’s Appeals Court threw out his client’s 2020 conviction and ordered a new trial.
A Scots school was placed on lockdown following a police chase this afternoon.
Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent French sales powerhouse Charades has boarded Constance Tsang’s migrant drama “Blue Sun Palace” which is set to world premiere at Cannes’ Critics’ Week. WME Independent is representing domestic rights for the movie in North America.
A hero teacher reportedly disarmed a teenager after three people were stabbed at a school in a horror attack.
Detectives are continuing to quiz a teenage girl on suspicion of attempted murder after two teachers and a pupil were stabbed at a school in Wales.