True Colours Takes Sales on Mario Martone’s Cannes Competition Entry ‘Nostalgia,’ Unveils First Look Image (EXCLUSIVE)

Nick Vivarelli International CorrespondentDisney, Amazon, Netflix and Showtime all have TV series of different types either recently shot or set to shoot in Sicily.As one of its first Italian originals, Disney+ has commissioned a still-untitled TV series about Sicily’s Florio family, who, during the 19th century, built an economic empire on the island and became known as the merchant princes of Europe.Casting is now underway for this high-end period epic, to be directed by Italy’s Paolo Genovese (“Perfect Strangers”) and produced by Rome-based Lotus Prods., a unit of Leone Film Group. The Sicilian skein, which is expected to start shooting in July, is based on local bestseller “The Lions of Sicily,” by Stefania Auci, that has been translated in several languages.

Eurovision paid tribute to the influence of Italo-disco music during last night’s first semi-final (May 10) – you can watch the colourful medley below.This year’s Eurovision Song Contest is taking place at the PalaOlimpico in Turin, Italy following the country’s victory in last year’s competition, which saw Måneskin take the top prize.Last night’s semi-final, which saw the Ukrainian act and competition favourites Kalush Orchestra progress through to Saturday’s Grand Final (May 14), featured an interval performance titled the Dance of Beauty.“The Dance of Beauty will see the Pala Olimpico transformed into a giant disco, to celebrate a sound that the Italians have had great success and influence with outside their own borders – dance music!” a statement released by Eurovision prior to the performance promised.The thumping and colourful hit-packed performance, which you can watch above, featured the likes of Benny Benassi, the Italian producer Dardust and the Sheffield band Sophie and the Giants.You can see the setlist for The Dance of Beauty, which included tracks by the likes of Giorgio Moroder, Robert Miles and Eiffel 65, below.‘Horizon In Your Eyes’ – Dardust‘Chase’ – Giorgio Moroder‘Tenebre’ – Goblin‘Children’ – Robert Miles‘L’Amour Toujours’ – Gigi D’Agostino‘Blue (Da Ba Dee)’ – Eiffel 65‘Satisfaction’ – Benny Benassi‘Golden Nights’ – Dardust, Benny Benassi and Sophie and the Giants Speaking to NME earlier this month, Ukrainian entrants Kalush Orchestra discussed their Eurovision song ‘Stefania’ and what it means to be representing their country during a time of war.Frontman Oleh Psiuk explained how participation in this year’s Eurovision was a “huge responsibility” given the ongoing war with Russia, saying: “To

Celebrity chef Mario Batali's accuser testified Monday in the sexual misconduct trial. The trial began in Boston on Monday after Batali waived his right to a jury trial. A judge will decide the chef's fate at the conclusion of the trial.

Christopher Vourlias London-based documentary specialist Dogwoof has closed a host of sales for Daniel Roher’s “Navalny” and Jono McLeod’s “My Old School,” both of which premiered at Sundance and are screening this week at the Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival.Roher’s riveting documentary thriller (pictured above) won the Festival Favorite Award and the U.S. Documentary Audience Award at Sundance.

Naman Ramachandran London-based sales agent MetFilm Sales has boarded feature documentary “Exposing Muybridge,” featuring Gary Oldman, about revolutionary photographer Eadweard Muybridge.Muybridge (1830–1904) was an English photographer known for his groundbreaking work in photographic studies of motion who played a seminal role in motion picture history. His images of running horses transformed the camera into a machine of unmatched powers of perception and persuasion, and set the course for the birth of cinema.

Italian director Luca Guadagnino (“Suspiria“) is a very busy fella with his cannibal film “Bones & All” on the horizon and a new tennis drama, “Challengers” in the works. The filmmaker has many irons in the fire, but it looks like one of them won’t be moving on into the production phase.

Cannes has announced its jury for the 75th annual festival next month, naming French actor Vincent Lindon as president of this year’s competition jury that will hand out the Palme D’Or, as well as naming stars Rebecca Hall and Noomi Rapace to the jury. Of the eight members on this year’s Cannes main competition jury, Lindon, Hall and Rapace will also be joined by “A Hero” director Asghar Farhadi, “Midnight Special” director Jeff Nichols, Indian actress Deepika Padukone, Italian actress and director Jasmine Trinca, “Les Miserables” actor and director Ladj Ly and “The Worst Person in the World” director Joachim Trier.

Roman Polanski is in production on new movie The Palace in Switzerland.

VENICE, Italy -- Simone Leigh’s sculptures are making a monumental impression at the Venice Biennale contemporary art exhibition.The first Black woman to headline the U.S. Pavilion at the international show, the American sculptor installed a monumental 24-foot sculpture outside the Palladian-style brick building, which she topped with a thatched raffia roof on wooden columns.Leigh also sets the tone for the main Biennale exhibition.

Disney+ Italy’s ‘The Good Mothers’ Sets Cast

John Hopewell Chief International Correspondent“Bosé,” the highly anticipated Paramount Plus Original, has wrapped production. The announcement comes as Paramount Plus has also confirmed the remainder of the internationally recognised cast of the six-part series, a biopic of Spanish singer-songwriter Miguel Bosé.Two behind-the-scenes images, shared in exclusivity with Variety, also hint at the production ambitions of the series, one of the biggest Spanish-language series to date at Paramount Plus, which turns on one of the most resonant figures in recent times in Spain.