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Marc Malkin Senior Editor, Culture and Events Director Lukas Dhont is the new guest curator for Galerie, Indian Paintbrush’s digital film club. Dhont, whose 2022 coming-of-age film “Close” was nominated for best international feature, names 18 films that influenced him the most for Galerie members. Among the entries is the 1975 documentary “Grey Gardens.” “A teacher in film school showed us ‘Grey Gardens,’ he writes about the film, which tells the story of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis’ eccentric and reclusive aunt, Edith “Big Edie” Ewing Bouvier Beale,” and cousin Edith “Little Edie” Bouvier Beale.

Naman Ramachandran The consultation process for the upcoming Indian broadcasting bill that will regulate streaming will be “fair and independent,” the head of India‘s media regulatory body says. In September, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) invited industry stakeholders for consultation on the formulation of a national broadcasting policy. In recent days there have been concerns that some streamers would oppose the bill on the grounds that it would impose restrictions on them.

Naman Ramachandran Arlene Nelson will direct a documentary series on Indian Women’s Premier League cricket team U.P. Warriorz, it was revealed on the sidelines of the Asian TV Forum and Market (ATF). The men’s Indian Premier League (IPL) is one of the most lucrative properties in world sport.

Naman Ramachandran Creative Stew is unveiling an eclectic TV and film slate at Singapore’s Asia TV Forum and Market (ATF). Creative Stew, a decade old Malaysian content production company with operations in Singapore and India, is best known for “That Cover Girl,” the first Malaysian original series on Prime Video, which is a hit for the service.

There were SO many celebs on the red carpet at the 2023 The Fashion Awards and we have a recap of everyone who attended!

As Democrats look to regain control of the U.S. House of Representatives next year, one of the candidates that may help them do that is a gay former federal prosecutor. That candidate, 38-year-old Will Rollins, is again running against Republican incumbent Ken Calvert in California’s 41st Congressional District in Riverside County. Rollins narrowly lost to Calvert in 2022. Photo: Will Rollins for Congress

Leo Barraclough International Features Editor Indian filmmaker and TV personality Karan Johar has become the first Indian director to receive the Variety Vanguard Award, recognizing industry leaders who have significantly contributed to the global entertainment business. On Saturday, Variety’s executive editor of film and media, Tatiana Siegel, handed Johar his award at the third edition of the Red Sea Film Festival, followed by a career-spanning conversation. The director-producer-TV host came out of a seven-year directing hiatus with the highly successful “Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani.” The pause, the filmmaker says, was due to his busy schedule as head of the production company Dharma Productions and the host of “Koffee With Karan,” one of India’s longest-running and most popular talk shows.

Naman Ramachandran Sandeep Vanga Reddy’s blood-soaked Bollywood epic “Animal,” starring Ranbir Kapoor, emerged as the No. 1 film globally with $42.1 million, according to data published by ComScore. “Animal” released across 38 global territories.

A mystery pneumonia strain rampaging through China is now threatening the UK - with experts suggesting we could see another “Covid-like” pandemic.

John Bleasdale Guest Contributor Freida Pinto took a break from her jury duties at the Red Sea Film Festival to talk to Variety about her career and her hopes for the future. The Indian actor shot to world fame for her starring role in Danny Boyle’s “Slumdog Millionaire” (2008) and remains committed to the breadth of cinema. “I’ve always looked at cinema globally,” she tells Variety.

Refresh for latest…: New global entry Queen Bey’s concert movie/documentary Renaissance: A Film By Beyoncé put a ring on a $27.4M global debut this weekend. Included in that is $6.4M from 2,621 overseas cinemas.

Public Obscenities, which he also directs, may have its flaws but it is nevertheless filled with beguiling charm.Set in a modest modern-day home in India (evocatively rendered by scenic designer Peiyi Wong), the premise is certainly juicy: American-raised Choton has come to stay with his aunt and uncle while he films interviews for his American Ph.D. in gender studies.In tow is photographer Raheem, Choton’s recently-acquired boyfriend, an American who doesn’t speak the language but who is eager to show respect for the family and culture.Chowdhury enjoys gently plumbing the humor in his scenario — and even gives a few nods to Bollywood — but with an agenda that is far more searching and enduring.

Three very different movies, original, with arthouse cred and in theaters for weeks, are drawing audiences showing welcome depth and breadth in the specialty market as awards season kicks off. Nicolas Cage’s nerdy character sees his life collapse when he randomly starts appearing in people’s dreamsas Dream Scenario has a solid expansion, Saltburn is attracting young crowds on the coasts, The Holdovers drawing elusive older demos to theaters.

Naman Ramachandran India is on the verge of producing a global breakthrough streaming hit, leading industry players said over the past week across two panel discussions. The mood in the country has been celebratory, even self-congratulatory, albeit with some justification, after the Oscar wins for S.S.

“The work that exhibitors have done in this market is nothing short of exceptional,” Luke Vetere, Managing Director of Majid Al Futtaim Distribution, one of the largest theatrical distributors in the MENA region, told a crowd of industry figures this morning at Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Film Festival. 

Dennis Harvey Film Critic A movie directed by the berserk “Muppet Show” character known as Animal couldn’t be any more unruly than Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s new film of that title. This sporadically fun but exhausting hot mess provides 202 minutes of hyperventilating overkill for star Ranbir Kapoor as a tycoon’s favorite son whose anger-management (as well as daddy) issues are off the charts.

Rafa Sales Ross Guest Contributor The intensity of the screams rumbling within the imposing Red Sea Mall could mean only one thing: there is a Bollywood star in Jeddah. The star in question is Ranveer Singh, one of the honorees at this year’s Red Sea Film Festival.

Animal, with Thursday previews of just over $1.25 million, looks set for the biggest North American Bollywood opening day since Brahmastra Part 1: Shiva last year. Both star Ranbir Kapoor.

It's December, which means the festive season is officially upon us. If you're on the hunt for some new Christmas films to watch, then Netflix has you sorted.

Tubi Hires Endeavor Exec For International Expansion

Naman Ramachandran Indian actor R. Madhavan is soaking up the accolades for “The Railway Men,” the first production from YRF Entertainment, the streaming production arm of India’s Yash Raj Films. The four-part series deals with the 1984 Bhopal gas tragedy and marks the first in a creative partnership between Netflix and Yash Raj.

Naman Ramachandran High powered global experts will feature at the inaugural edition of AniMela, India’s first-ever international festival for animation, VFX, XR, gaming and comics (AVGC-XR). The four-day event is by India’s Aniverse and Visual Arts Foundation (AVAF), which has partnered with the government of India’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and France’s Annecy International Animation Festival. As revealed by Variety, the festival will take place Jan.

Justice is swift, but truth takes time. In the heart of London, an anonymous call draws two detectives into a fight to correct an old miscarriage of justice.

Nick Vivarelli International Correspondent Though the Red Sea Film Festival will feature a slew of films from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region – including 11 feature films from Saudi Arabia – there is a rich roster of international fare set to launch locally from Jeddah. Kaleem Aftab, the festival’s director of international programming, says they received lots more submissions for this year’s third edition.

Naman Ramachandran Hollywood veteran Michael Douglas was in an expansive mood while delivering a masterclass at the recently concluded International Film Festival of India (IFFI), Goa, where he also accepted a lifetime achievement award. Douglas was in conversation with producer Shailendra Singh, with whom he explored a sequel to “Romancing the Stone” called “Chasing the Monsoon” 17 years ago. The pair are now looking at another film.

Naman Ramachandran Shah Rukh Khan‘s “Jawan” and “Pathaan,” Rajinikanth‘s “Jailer” and Sunny Deol‘s “Gadar 2” are among the most popular Indian theatrical releases of the year on Amazon’s online entertainment database IMDb. The IMDb year-end rankings mirror the films’ box office performance as the charting films are the biggest Indian hits of the year. Netflix occupies the top two spots in IMDb’s 10 most popular streaming films of the year with “Lust Stories 2” and “Jaane Jaan.” Hitmaking duo Krishna D.K.

Chris Hemsworth and his brothers know how to have a good time. Following a trip to Abu Dhabi, Chris took to social media to share some of the highlights of his stay, including plenty of good times alongside his brothers Luke and Liam, and their parents Craig and Leonie.

Netflix viewers 'cant' get over' the platform's latest mini-drama which tells the harrowing story of the world's worst industrial disaster. Fans have the four-parter 'eye opening' and 'gut wrenching'.

Naman Ramachandran A galaxy of 42 emerging creative talents from across the U.S., U.K. and India have been unveiled as the 2023 BAFTA Breakthrough cohort.