ZDF Studios, Castalia Communications Launching FAST Channel in Latin America

Angelique Jackson Priscilla Beaulieu was a 14-year-old Army brat when she met the world’s biggest star, Elvis Presley, sparking a love story that’s the stuff of rock ‘n’ roll legend. When “Priscilla” star Cailee Spaeny was 14, she developed a different kind of crush — a cinematic one — on Sofia Coppola. It all started when she watched “The Virgin Suicides,” Coppola’s 1999 feature directorial debut.

BBC Studios Builds Team In Western Europe

Leo Barraclough International Features Editor Picture Tree Intl. has boarded international sales for Scandinavian period drama “Stormskerry Maja,” directed by Tiina Lymi (“Happier Times, Grump,” “Sisäilmaa”), adapted from Anni Blomqvist’s series of novels. The film chronicles the saga of Maja and her family as they embark on a journey to the desolate and remote island Stormskerry.

Leo Barraclough International Features Editor A24 has forged an exclusive output deal with Happinet Phantom Studios covering the distribution in Japan of A24’s upcoming releases, including Alex Garland’s action film “Civil War,” starring Kirsten Dunst, which has a highly anticipated launch at AFM this week. Happinet and A24 have worked together on the release of a number of films in Japan, including triple Oscar winner “Moonlight,” and “Midsommar,” whose gross in the territory was the biggest outside North America.

Leo Barraclough International Features Editor Cornerstone has closed sales on multiple territories including North America and the U.K. for writer and director Daniel Kokotajlo’s “Starve Acre,” a brooding and atmospheric folk horror. “House of the Dragon’s” Matt Smith and “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” actor Morfydd Clark star in the film, which is produced by House Productions.

John Hopewell Chief International Correspondent “No Me Sigas,” the directorial debut of “Anything’s Possible” writer Ximena García Lecuona, and “Malamuerte,” from Caye Casas, a rising star of pitch black Spanish comedy, both feature in a rich and far-ranging 2023 Blood Window Lab, the project platform of Ventana Sur’s genre forum, which unspools Nov. 27-Dec. 1.

EXCLUSIVE: A pair of German production houses has teamed for animated adventure feature Tafiti — Across the Desert, which Sola Media is launching at AFM.

Anna Marie de la Fuente The infamous serial killer Jack the Ripper has been transplanted to America in ViX Original Series “El Dentista” (“The Dentist”) (working title) with Oscar-nominated Demián Bichir (“A Better Life”) in the titular role. Behind-the-scenes pics of the series, now shooting in Mexico, have been exclusively shared with Variety. Based on the novel by prominent Chilean scribe Julio Rojas, creator of podcast sensation “Caso 63” and a co-writer on Pablo Fendrik’s “El Refugio,” the period thriller series is produced by Oscar-winning brothers Pablo and Juan de Dios Larrain (“A Fantastic Woman,” “Jackie,” “Spencer”) and their powerhouse shingle, Fabula, along with the top Spanish pay TV/SVOD service Movistar Plus+, which will also handle international sales.

Beta Cinema and the UK’s Free Turn Films and Tempo Productions have officially announced Nick Hamm’s epic drama William Tell, as its under-the-radar shoot enters its final week in Italy.

John Hopewell Chief International Correspondent Chile’s “The Devil’s Vein” and “Lucila” and Mexico’s “Ch’ulel” figure among a 14-title lineup at Animation! Pitching Sessions, part of Ventana Sur, the Cannes Festival and Marché du Film’s biggest annual event organized beyond its May event on the Riviera – in this case in Buenos Aires hand in hand with Argentina’s INCAA film agency. Among bigger names, “The Devil’s Vein” is a 2D family-targeting fantasy adventure, from the director, German Acuña, and producer, Sebastián Ruz, of “Nahuel and the Magic Book,” a 2020 Annecy standout.

Thania Garcia Mexican pop singer Danna Paola and Colombian singer Sebastián Yatra, along with actresses Roselyn Sánchez and Paz Vega, will be hosting the 24th Annual Latin Grammy Awards in Spain later this November. After winning big for his 2022 LP “Dharma” at last year‘s awards, Yatra is once again up for a Latin Grammy, this time in the best pop song category for “Contigo,” featuring Pablo Alborán. Also, previously nominated for a Latin Grammy, singer, songwriter and actress Paola makes her debut as a host for the awards show this year along with previous nominee Sánchez returns for the sixth time.

Thania Garcia The 2023 Latin Grammy Awards are taking place on Nov. 16 live from Sevilla, Spain with performances from breakthrough artists Maria Becerra, Bizarrap and Feid, along with singer-songwriters Kany García, Carin León, Christian Nodal, Rauw Alejandro and Alejandro Sanz.

Anna Marie de la Fuente In a deal unveiled at Mipcom, Movistar Plus+ International, the prominent Spanish pay TV/SVOD platform’s sales division, announced at Mipcom a key sale to HBO Latin America of series “La Mesías,” hailed as the buzziest title at the San Sebastian Film Festival in September. The series is written, directed and produced by Javier Ambrossi and Javier Calvo of Suma Content, best known for their series “Veneno,” an HBO Max U.S. pickup, as well as “Paquita Salas,” sold to Netflix.

As told to Photography by Today, Glamour unveils our two global Women of the Year—America Ferrera and —who are being honored by Glamour in the US, as well as Germany, Mexico and Latin America, Spain, and the UK. The rest of our incredible class of 2023 will be announced on November 1, 2023.When I was five years old, I declared to my mother that when I grew up, I wanted to be both an actress and a human rights lawyer.

Nick Vivarelli International Correspondent Veteran media exec Christian Toksvig is launching Cocoa Media, a distribution company dedicated to placing content on Free Advertising Supported Television (FAST) platforms. Cocoa has pacted with cutting edge Turkish content aggregator Merzigo to bring Turkish dramas into the FAST sphere.

Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent Warner Bros. Discovery will be launching its streaming service Max in France, one of its top European markets, next summer, Variety has learned. The launch in France will follow a rollout in Northern and Eastern Europe, which is expected to be unveiled by Gerhard Zeiler, president of international at Warner Bros.

Channel 4 Takes Another JFK Doc

Mipcom participation is coordinated by Spanish trade institute ICEX, with the support of the Spain Audiovisual Hub of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Digital Transformation, in the framework of the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan, financed by the Next Generation Funds of the European Commission. A drill-down on the companies and some titles: “Transuniversal,” (1 x 80’ LGBTQ+ Docu) Docu delves into the arduous struggle for Trans people’s rights, fueled by new regulations, offering hope to those facing societal rejection and limited opportunities. “Tramps,” (“Zorras,” Atresmedia TV, Morena Films)A dramedy adapted from Noemí Casquet’s popular book trilogy “Zorras, Malas y Libres.” Three twenty-something women create a secret group, the Sex Friends Club, to fulfill their sexual fantasies, unintentionally launching a feminine revolution.

Clayton Davis Senior Awards Editor Mexican actor/director/writer/ producer Eugenio Derbez “can do anything.” That’s what Ben Odell, the co-founder and chief executive officer of Derbez’s production company, 3Pas, believes. “The roles he’s been offered to date are the comedy relief guy,” Odell tells Variety. “The best of Hollywood is the big spectacle movies.

Sky Studios Italia has unveiled a restructure and new leadership team on the final day of the MIA Market in Rome.