County Person Showbiz Latest News and Updates

EXCLUSIVE: MUBI has acquired David Cronenberg’s Crimes of the Future for Latin America, Turkey, India and Malaysia.

Manori Ravindran International EditorIn a chic Islington restaurant, Dolly Alderton asks me where I met my partner. While most people will politely smile and half-listen to the answer, Alderton — who eats love stories for breakfast — virtually squeals at the meet-cute I serve up, which I had a hunch she of all people would appreciate.The London-born Alderton is one of the most recognizable columnists in the U.K., and has built a career as a journalist and author on, well, love.

After 25 years, Toronto International Film Festival Senior Programmer Steve Gravestock has decided to retire at the end of 2022.

William Earl Variety’s “Actors on Actors” returns with some of the biggest names of the 2022 TV Emmys race for Season 16, with a lineup that includes Zendaya, Andrew Garfield, Jeremy Strong, Jennifer Aniston, Viola Davis, Anne Hathaway, Sebastian Stan and Sandra Oh.The 13 one-on-one conversations will begin airing June 7 on Variety.com and our social media channels, with the official “Actors on Actors” magazine hitting newsstands on June 8. This is the first time in more than two years that “Actors on Actors” has been conducted in person, with previous seasons going virtual due to COVID-19.

Jurors in the Johnny Depp vs Amber Heard libel trial have shared a verdict after just 13 hours of deliberation. The jury announced they had ruled in favour of Johnny Depp as they read out the verdict in the courthouse in Fairfax County, Virginia on Wednesday 1 June. Actor Johnny was awarded $15million in damages – $10m (£8m) in compensatory damages and $5m in punitive damages.

Her Majesty the Queen is celebrating 70 years on the throne this week and Brits up and down the country will be hosting barbecues, garden parties and street parties. If you're looking to take the Jubilee bash to the next level with some new garden furniture, then you've come to the right place as Argos is running a sale.

Leo Barraclough International Features EditorBerlin-based sales outfit M-Appeal has closed further deals for Jan Gassmann’s “99 Moons” in Italy (Teodora Film), France (La Vingt-Cinquième Heure) and Japan (AT Entertainment), following the film’s world premiere in the Cannes’ ACID sidebar.“99 Moons” follows the passionate and turbulent relationship of Bigna and Frank, two people from different worlds who become entwined in an erotic love story. With raw and intimate cinematography (Yunus Roy Imer, “Systemcrasher”), the film takes an unflinching look at the magnetism and power games of sexual attraction.

YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki and Microsoft chief Satya Nadella were skedded to join 2,500 politicians, business and nonprofit leaders at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland this week as the annual gathering kneecapped by Covid is back in person. It reconvenes, a bit subdued, at a critical moment with the world staggering under food scarcity, raging fuel prices and war.

Timing can be cruel. Norwegian director Kristoffer Borgli’s second feature, Sick Of Myself, has the misfortune to arrive in the Cannes Film Festival’s Un Certain Regard section in the slipstream of Ruben Östlund’s divisive but funny competition title Triangle of Sadness; the latter being a broader, sillier but much more brutal dissection of class and culture. Sick Of Myself also has to compete with the unexpected longevity of fellow countryman Joachim Trier’s hit The Worst Person In The World, which last year went from the Cannes competition all the way to the Oscars.

Leo Barraclough International Features EditorShout! Studios has acquired North American distribution rights to family film “Three Wishes for Cinderella,” starring Norwegian pop singer Astrid Smeplass, in a deal with Sola Media.The retelling of the classic tale was a big hit in Norway, only outperformed by “No Time to Die” in last year’s box office. It is directed by Cecilie A.

The Innocents, set in a semi-deserted, nondescript high-rise apartment, follows four lonely kids who find each other as well as mind-bending powers one summer, to lethal effect. The horror pic launched at Cannes last year and arrived Stateside last weekend via IFC Midnight in a limited theatrical plus digital release after playing New Directors/New Films. It’s the latest from Norway’s Eskil Vogt, who until recently was shepherding The Worst Person In The World, which he co-wrote with director Joachim Trier, on its stellar run including Oscar nominations for best original screenplay and best international feature.

Tom Quinn’s Neon has upped Jeff Deutchman to from president of acquisitions and production.

Rebecca Rubin Film and Media ReporterNeon has promoted Jeff Deutchman to president of acquisitions and production.Deutchman previously served as Neon’s executive VP of acquisitions and production. Under his leadership, the studio has grown its recent production slate with director Tilman Singer’s “Cuckoo,” starring Hunter Schafer; Joshua Oppenheimer’s “The End,” a golden-age musical with Tilda Swinton; Brandon Cronenberg’s “Infinity Pool” featuring Alexander Skarsgård.

Neon has promoted Jeff Deutchman to be its new president of acquisitions and production, Tom Quinn’s arthouse distributor announced Tuesday. Deutchman has been with Neon since its founding five years ago, and in that time he has been instrumental in landing some of the distributors biggest acquisitions, including last year negotiating deals for “The Worst Person in the World,” “Flee,” “Spencer,” “Pig,” “Memoria” and “Petite Maman.” Deutchman also helped to grow Neon’s production slate, launching projects such as Tilman Singer’s “Cuckoo” starring Hunter Schafer, Joshua Oppenheimer’s musical “The End” with Tilda Swinton, Brandon Cronenberg’s “Infinity Pool” starring Alexander Skarsgård and Ben Wheatley’s horror film “In the Earth,” which was one of the first fully completed productions of the pandemic.“Jeff has been here from the beginning and is a big part of Neon’s success; his taste and his instincts are simply impeccable.

Welcome to International Disruptors, a feature where we shine a spotlight on key executives and companies outside of the U.S. shaking up the offshore marketplace. This week, as the 75th edition of the Cannes Film Festival has just kicked off, we’re talking to Enrique Costa and María Zamora, co-founders of Spanish distribution and production banner Elastica Films. At just a year old, the company is already making waves in the independent sector. They tell us about the company’s first year, their love of cinema and how they build films that connect with audiences. 

Final Cut,” directed by Michel Hazanavicius on opening night. This year’s Cannes is also the biggest film event to be hosted since the start of the pandemic, bringing together the festival and market crowds.

Marta Balaga Norwegian filmmaker Kristoffer Borgli, based in Los Angeles, brings dark humor – and body horror – to Cannes’ Un Certain Regard with “Sick of Myself.” The film was acquired by Memento International.Signe and Thomas (“Ninjababy” breakout Kristine Kujath Thorp and Eirik Sæther) are an attractive young couple in Oslo. They also happen to bring out the worst in each other. When his career starts to take off, Signe tries to get some attention as well – by making herself sick.“I definitely recognize the pettiness, the competitiveness, all of these things.

Fans are losing it over the return of Shrek.

EXCLUSIVE: After two Emmy award seasons without in-person events due to the pandemic, it is beginning to seem like old times, and that includes the return of ambitious exhibitions and events  presented by various studios, streamers, and networks. Among them, and among the most impressive in terms of scope is the return of Netflix’s FYSEE space, last seen in 2019,  which will showcase their various contenders, Q&As, musical performances, and more. Regarding the latter a sure-to-be highlight  will be none other Sting on behalf of the animated series, Arcane.

Elsa Keslassy International CorrespondentThe Cannes Film Festival has added two more films to the Official Selection of the 75th edition, which will kick off on May 17. Rodrigo Sorogoyen’s “As Bestas,” a French-Spanish movie, has been added to Cannes Première, the new section dedicated to world premieres for movies that are slightly more mainstream, similarly to the out-of-competition strand.

Dwayne Johnson initially faked out the room here at Caesars Palace, thinking he had pre-taped his CinemaCon appearance.

A year after starring in the Cannes Film Festival Palme d'Or winner “Titane,” the French actor Vincent Lindon will preside over the jury deciding the top prize at this year's festival.The Cannes Film Festival announced Tuesday that Lindon will be jury president at next month's festival in the south of France.

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.

Elsa Keslassy International CorrespondentFollowing a tortuous journey and dozens of crazy rumors, the Cannes Film Festival has landed Vincent Lindon, the French actor of last year’s Palme d’Or winning “Titan,” as jury president of its 75th edition.Lindon, who won best actor in 2015 for his role in Stephane Brizé’s movie “The Measure of a Man,” will be the first French star to be jury president since Isabelle Huppert in 2009. The festival said “French celebrities have often held this role in an anniversary year, such as Yves Montand in 1987 for the 40th Festival, Gérard Depardieu in 1993 for the 45th Festival, and Isabelle Adjani in 1997 for the 50th.”The jury will comprise two-time Oscar-winning filmmaker Asghar Farhadi (“A Hero”), as well as U.S.

Robert Strauss Audiences and exhibitors may have been cheering the Spider-Man movie for months, but 2022’s most emotional theatrical experience so far is watching Greg Laemmle struggle with the fate of his family’s eponymous arthouse business in the documentary “Only in Theaters.”Premiered at the Santa Barbara Intl. Film Festival in March, “Only” inevitably focuses on the 84-year-old Southern California theater chain’s struggle to survive — first during the 2019 downturn in specialty film attendance and then through a yearlong, COVID pandemic shutdown.

Elsa Keslassy International CorrespondentMemento International has acquired “Sick of Myself,” a movie by L.A.-based Norwegian filmmaker Kristoffer Borgli which will world premiere at Cannes in Un Certain Regard. Borgli previously directed the short films including “Former Cult Member Hears Music For The First Time” and “Eer” which played at Sundance.

The Interactive Advertising Bureau has released the full schedule for next month’s NewFronts as the showcases return to in-person mode for the first time since 2019.