Diversity Showbiz and Celebrity Breaking News

Pat Saperstein Deputy Editor The Easterseals Disability Film Challenge awarded prizes in several categories at a Thursday event on the Sony Pictures Studios lot in Culver City. The Disability Film Challenge is celebrating 11 years of advocating for diversity, equity and inclusion in the entertainment industry.

Nick Vivarelli International Correspondent The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences on Friday launched a global outreach campaign called Academy100 intended to expand its scope and connection with a worldwide base. Academy President Janet Yang and CEO Bill Kramer launched the Academy100 initiative, that entails a $500 million fundraising drive, at a Rome event hosted by the Eternal City’s storied Cinecittà Studios. The fundraising drive has already raised $100 million from partners inlcuding Rolex, which has long supported the Academy.

Naman Ramachandran After the well-received “Joyland” in 2022 and “In Flames” last year, Pakistan is debuting a central hub at the Cannes Film Festival this year. The Pakistan Crescent Collective, set up by Modoxy Media, will represent the country’s official presence at the festival, with a mission to “discover and nurture the next generation of talent, preserve film, andpromote Pakistani and diaspora films globally, thereby advancing Pakistan’s visual culture.” The collective consists of a global team of film industry professionals based in London, Karachi, New York and Los Angeles.

Former WME Independent agent Nelson Mok is launching a new investment and sales company named Mokster Films, which will focus on projects from Southeast Asia, Hong Kong and Taiwan.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Tarsem Singh’s tale of forbidden romance “Dear Jassi” has been set as the opening title of the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles. The event, which runs June 27-30, will showcase seven feature films, a new industry section and a female-centric collection of South Asian short films.

Naman Ramachandran The 50-strong cohort for the fourth iteration of the TV Collective’s groundbreaking Breakthrough Leaders program has been unveiled. The initiative is in partnership with Fremantle, BBC Studios, Amazon, SKY, and ITV Studios. The program has identified and will empower 50 exceptional individuals from Black, Asian and global majority (a collective term for people of Indigenous, African, Asian, Latin American descent, who constitute some 85% of the global population) backgrounds who are poised to become the future leaders of the U.K.

EXCLUSIVE: Last month, Michael Sheen appearance on new BBC interview series The Assembly popped on social media, and now Australia‘s biggest and brightest names will get the chance of a similar experience.

As Gov. Phil Murphy continues his push to woo film and television production to New Jersey, the state economic development authority today approved a partnership with a $1+ billion studio complex including 22 sound stages set to rise in the Bergen Point neighborhood of Bayonne, New Jersey at the site of a former Texaco oil refinery.

A flight has been diverted to Manchester Airport due to a 'medical emergency' - more than 3,000 miles from its destination. Condor flight CFG2016 left Frankfurt, in Germany, at 11.45am and was due to land at John F. Kennedy airport in New York later today (May 8).

K.J. Yossman Israel’s leading documentary co-production market CoPro is set to return next month for its 26th edition in a hybrid format amidst the ongoing war in the region.

Human remains have been found in the search for missing pensioner Hazel Nairn.

Lexi Carson NewFilmmakers Los Angeles has released the nominees and jury for its 12th annual awards that recognize the top rising talent in independent film across the globe. This year’s awards will honor 130 nominees over 16 categories.

Jazz Tangcay Artisans Editor Global talent, entertainment, sports and advisory company UTA has signed composer Laura Karpman for representation in all areas. The signing comes on the heels of her Oscar-nominated score for best picture nominee “American Fiction.” In a statement, Karpman who has won five Emmys said, “While I’m at my core a musician and composer, there are so many things that spark me creatively.

Todd Spangler NY Digital Editor Tubi will give up-and-coming creatives a streaming platform — and funding — for their passion projects, with an assist from Issa Rae. The Fox Corp.-owned free, ad-supported streamer launched Stubios, which it calls “a fan-fueled studio” for aspiring filmmakers and their fans.

Naman Ramachandran Documentary short “Alt Shift Life,” by Oscar nominee Laura Checkoway (“Edith+Eddie”) will premiere during the Tribeca Film Festival in June. The film examines the impact of AI on the modern job market and rather than evoking fear as some portrayals of AI do, it provides a perspective of hope for individuals navigating the competitive landscape. To illustrate this the film uses the prism of ServiceNow’s RiseUp program that empowers diverse talents to secure career opportunities.

Marta Balaga The Fantastic Pavilion returns to Cannes for its second edition, revealing seven Gala Screenings. This year’s selection features “Do Not Enter” by Hugo Cardozo, “Aire, Just Breathe” directed by Leticia Tonos, Doug Rao’s “Dirty Boy,” Can Evrenol’s “Sayara,” “Mourir or Not Mourir” by Anaïs Cave and Thomas Combret, Andreas Marschall’s “Black.White.Red.” and “Vadakkan” by Sajeed A.

Travel blog by Travels of Adam (Hipster Blog) – Travels of Adam (Hipster Blog) - Travel & Lifestyle Hipster Blog Queer destinations typically refers to places known for being particularly welcoming, inclusive, and supportive of LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and other sexual orientations and gender identities) individuals. In recent years, the concept of queer destinations has emerged as a beacon of inclusivity and acceptance within the travel and tourism industry.

Todd Gilchrist editor Set in a world where every door creaks and there isn’t a single well-lit location, “Tarot” is little more than a clearinghouse of horror clichés. Co-written, directed and executive produced by Spenser Cohen and Anna Halberg (the podcast series “Classified”), the supernatural thriller repeatedly leverages the genre’s laziest mood-setting and suspense-building devices to keep its audience on the edge of their seats.

The family of a Scot who disappeared from a party boat in Prague have said they feel "helpless" and claimed there's been a lack of support from local cops as divers scour the scene.

Jazz Tangcay Artisans Editor Gold House co-founder and CEO Bing Chen has a vision “to build the Gold Bridge.” It’s a symbolic bridge that is already being constructed and heralds the next phase of the not-for-profit he launched six years ago with Jeremy Tran, who also serves as the company’s COO. The Gold Bridge marks the next phase of Gold House, which has championed and empowered Asian Pacific creatives, companies and communities through various initiatives. One of those initiatives was #GoldOpen, a means of ensuring successful opening weekends for API-led films driven by grassroots campaigns.

Selena Kuznikov The Hollywood Radio and Television Society has elected six new board members to its HRTS Foundation, the org announced Wednesday. The HRTS Foundation, first launched in 2022 (in honor of the HRTS’ 75th anniversary) is a charity that aims to foster “a more diverse, equitable and inclusive TV and entertainment industry.” Joining the board: Aimie Billon, a partners and strategy consultant in cause-related storytelling; Keely Cat-Wells, to co-founder and CEO of Making Space; Tony Jonas, the founcer of Tony Jonas Prods.; Noriko Kelley, the exec VP of programming strategy at CBS Entertainment; Dick Lippin, the chairman, chief executive and founder of The Lippin Group; and Frederic Richter, a writer, researcher and NYU SPS faculty member.

Deborah Williams, the head of the UK’s Creative Diversity Network (CDN), is stepping down after eight years.

Angelique Jackson Inevitable Foundation has announced the winners of its partnership with the Loreen Arbus Foundation to support disabled women and nonbinary writers. The recipients are Matilda Feyiṣayọ Ibini, Melanie Abrams Fierstein, Natalia Temesgen and Anne Hamilton, who will each receive an $8,000 grant as well as mentorship, coaching and professional connections.

Founded by Gordon Rigg himself, the Garden Centre began as just a greenhouse, a shed, and a small selection of garden tools. However, fuelled by his passion for gardening and a vision for growth, Gordon Rigg's Centres have flourished over the decades, expanding exponentially to become one of the largest garden centres in the North West.

Ben Croll Given the NewImages Festival’s remit to welcome diverse artistic voices into the immersive space, programing “Noire” was an obvious choice. An augmented reality adaptation of a lesser-known case from the Civil Rights era, “Noire” brought much pedigree to this year’s Paris XR showcase.

There are constantly cast shakeups happening at ABC’s General Hospital and we have the latest updates for you!

Katcy Stephan Keke Palmer and SZA are set to star in an untitled buddy comedy film for TriStar Pictures. Lawrence Lamont (“Rap Sh!t”) is set to direct with the screenplay, written by “Rap Sh!t” showrunner Syreeta Singleton. HOORAE’s Issa Rae and Sara Diya Rastogi, ColorCreative’s Deniese Davis and MACRO Film Studios’ Charles D.

@Commonswomequ in their 'Misogyny in Music' report?Penny Mordaunt's answer – yes. pic.twitter.com/fhOEHwE5su— Kevin Brennan MP (@KevinBrennanMP) April 25, 2024Published in January, the report warned that women in the music industry face “endemic” misogyny and discrimination and said “urgent action” was required to tackle the issue.The document described the industry as a “boys’ club” where sexual harassment and abuse are common, and the non-reporting of such incidents is high.

Katie Ann Lehman If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Variety may receive an affiliate commission. Golf has had quite the glow-up in the past half-decade, all in thanks to our dear friend COVID. Because let’s face it, when everything else was shut down, hitting the links was a pretty great option for getting outdoors while keeping your distance.

William Earl Variety and Sony Pictures Television will host an invite-only FYC Showcase in Los Angeles on May 7 featuring activations and three panel conversations with creatives from “Gen V,” “For All Mankind,” “Justified: City Primeval,” “Platonic,” “Twisted Metal,” “Outlander” and “The Wheel of Time.” All conversations will be moderated by a Variety editor and available on Variety.com following the event. Programming includes: Building a Television Universe A conversation between showrunners and key below-the-line talent on how to successfully build a universe in the competitive television landscape.