Belgium Showbiz Latest News and Updates

The Cannes Film Festival is around the corner next month, so all the satellite sidebar festivals that orbit it are preparing their line-ups. The latest is Cannes Critic Week, organized by France’s Film Critics Union, which will run May 15-23.

Filming begins next week on a big-budget family drama, which producers hope will herald a new era in non-English language shows within the British Isles.

Carolyn Giardina Belgian cinema tech developer Barco launched its anticipated HDR By Barco theater projector at CinemaCon in Las Vegas with specially graded trailers from movies such as Parmount’s “Top Gun: Maverick,” video testimonials from “Maverick” producer Jerry Bruckheimer and director Joe Kosinski, and the launch of the projectors’ pilot program with exhibitors including AMC and Regal. Barco is set to announce on Wednesday that the new HDR laser projectors — what Barco’s Gerwin Damberg called “a premium experience that we want to bring to the mainstream” — will be installed at select AMC Theatres, B&B Theatres and Regal Cinemas in the U.S., as part of a commercial pilot program aimed at bringing its imagery to moviegoers in time for 2024 holiday season.

Cannes Critics’ Week has unveiled the jury members for its upcoming 63rd edition, who join previously announced jury president Rodrigo Sorogoyen.

Alex Ritman Rwandan actress Eliane Umuhire (“Augure by Baloji,” “My New Friends”), French producer Sylvie Pialat (“Timbuktu,” “Staying Vertical”), Belgian cinematographer Virginie Surdej (“The Blue Caftan,” “Our Mothers,” “Casablanca Beats”) and Canadian film critic, journalist and frequent Variety contributor Ben Croll have been named on the jury for the Critics’ Week section of the Cannes Film Festival. The four will now join Spanish filmmaker Rodrigo Sorogoyen, who last week was named Critics’ Week jury president, with the group set to choose the sidebar competition’s award winners, including the Grand Prize for best feature film, the French Touch Prize of the Jury, the Louis Roederer Foundation Rising Star award for best actor or actress and the Leitz Ciné Discovery Prize for best short film.

Annika Pham Copenhagen-based DR Sales has secured major sales on the Sundance Grand Jury Prize winner and Visions du Réel Grand Angle entry “A New Kind of Wilderness.” The film, directed by Silje Evensmo Jacobsen, has been acquired by ZDF and Arte for Germany and France, Cinema Delicatessen for the Netherlands, Dalton Distribution for Belgium, Against Gravity for Poland, Kino Pavasaris for the Baltics and Stardust for Japan. “From the moment ‘A New Kind of Wilderness’ was presented to us, we fell in love with the film,” said DR Sales’ Freja Johanne Nørgaard Sørensen.

Nick Vivarelli International Correspondent Qatar-based powerhouse BeIN Media Group, a co-owner of U.S. indie studio Miramax, has taken distribution rights across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region to live-action pre-school series “Saïd & Anna,” which has been nominated for this year’s Banff World Media Festival‘s Rockie Awards.

Annika Pham Norwegian broadcaster NRK has excelled in recent years at bringing bold and thought-provoking shows to the world. After their latest Canneseries winners “Power Play” (2023), “Afterglow” (2022), “Countrymen” (2021) and “State of Happiness” (2018), their latest bet “Dumbsday” (“Dummedag”) has its international premiere April 8 in the French TV festival’s main competition. It first aired on the Norwegian pubcaster Nov.

Kevin De Bruyne stepped up when Manchester City needed him to pick up three priceless points in their Treble chase.

Phil Foden has broken his silence following Manchester City's 4-2 win over Crystal Palace. The 23-year-old midfielder, who scored a hat-trick against Aston Villa on Wednesday evening, was benched this weekend with Kevin De Bruyne reintroduced to the starting lineup.

Kevin De Bruyne has made an honest admission of how injuries have impacted his and Manchester City's season.

Pep Guardiola says that Phil Foden's minutes are simply being managed amid a busy run-in, as it was announced the midfielder starts on the bench against Crystal Palace.

Adventure travel series Destination X has been officially picked up to series by NBC.

Carolyn Giardina It’s been one of Hollywood’s most sought-after invitations. For the past few years, a who’s who of directors, cinematographers, studio execs and exhibitors have been quietly ushered into an unmarked room at the famed Glen Glenn Sound facility in Los Angeles. They’ve made the trek to get a peek at new projection technology that has been in the works for years at Barco, the Belgian tech firm known for its high-end cinema exhibition systems.

Scottish boxing star Nathaniel Collins has promised "fireworks" when he goes to war in a fight for the European featherweight title next month.

He may be following in his dad's footsteps as a footballer, but Romeo Beckham teased a potential future in darts this week as he brushed up on his aim. The son of Victoria and David took to Instagram to share a snap of him playing darts, and even challenged professional player Luke Littler, who is the current PDC World Youth Champion, Bahrain Masters Champion, and the Belgian Darts Open champion, to a game.

Ellise Shafer TikTok is returning as the official entertainment partner for this year’s Eurovision Song Contest. This marks the social media platform’s third year teaming up with Eurovision, the world’s largest music event.

EXCLUSIVE: Top Belgian distribution and production company Belga Films Group is teaming up with French director Cédric Nicolas-Troyan on an English-language, live action adaptation of the iconic, European comic book The Yellow M.

Striker Kemar Roofe has sent a timely reminder to Rangers boss Philippe Clement about his previous heroics against Celtic - having been thrown a fitness challenge by the Ibrox boss.

Manchester City will remain without Ederson and Kyle Walker for Aston Villa's visit to the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday night.

EXCLUSIVE: Paris-based Superprod Group has acquired top Luxembourgish animation companies Studio 352 and Mélusine Productions in a move that consolidates its position as one of Europe’s leading animation production groups.

Ellise Shafer “The Killing” star Sofie Gråbøl will serve as the president of this year’s Canneseries competition jury, it was announced on Tuesday. The Danish actor kickstarted her career with the 1986 film “Barndommens gade” (“The Streets of My Childhood”) and is known for her TV roles including “The Killing,” “Nikolaj og Julie” and “Taxa.” Joining Gråbøl on the jury are “Madame Hollywood” director, screenwriter and producer Olivier Abbou; “Four Daughters” composer Amine Bouhafa; “City of God” actor Alice Braga; “Blancanieves” actor Macarena García; and “Samber” actor Alix Poisson.

Philippe Clement has a close eye on his Rangers stars who are prepared to go above and beyond to improve.

John Stones is a surprise inclusion in the Manchester City squad to face Arsenal, having initially been ruled out of the game by Pep Guardiola on Friday, but the Blues are without goalkeeper Ederson.

Marvin Gaye music that has never been heard before has been found in Belgium.The unreleased music has potentially lain hidden in Belgium for over 40 years, according to the BBC, alongside what is likely a highly valuable collection of stage costumes and notebooks.Gaye moved to the coastal city of Ostend in 1981 after taking the business card of a Belgian concert promoter in a nightclub while he was living in London. At the time, he was a heavy cocaine user, but his move to Belgium helped him to beat his addiction.

Manchester City host Premier League title rivals Arsenal on Sunday as they continue their charge for a historic 'double-treble'.

BBC. “It’s very clear.

Micah Richards believes that if Manchester City are defeated by Arsenal on Sunday, they could concede the Premier League title despite backing his old team to win.

Manchester City face a vital fixture at home to Arsenal on Sunday in their hopes of earning a fourth consecutive Premier League title.

Kobbie Mainoo did not train with Manchester United on Thursday as he was unwell but manager Erik ten Hag is hopeful the midfielder will travel with the squad to Brentford for their Saturday night kick-off.