Author: SD

Harris Dickinson’s Urchin, Laura Carreira’s On Falling and Harry Lighton’s Pillion are among the films longlisted in the new talent categories for the 2025 British Independent Film Awards. The new talent categories are the Douglas Hickox award for best debut director; the breakthrough producer award; the debut screenwriter award; and the best debut director – feature documentary award. Scroll down for the full lists Urchin is listed in best debut director for Dickinson, and breakthrough producer for Archie Pearch, who produced the film with Scott O’Donnell. Dickinson’s story of a young addict on the streets of London debuted in Un…

Universal is releasing the two biggest new titles this weekend as both Gabby’s Dollhouse: The Movie and Black Phone 2 launch into UK and Ireland cinemas. Gabby’s Dollhouse leads the way in 605 locations. The family-friendly feature is based on the animated Netflix series about a young girl and her feline friends. The live-action film counts Gloria Estefan and Kristen Wiig among the cast. Universal is also opening horror sequel Black Phone 2 in 560 cinemas. Ethan Hawke returns as the masked killer who begins stalking the sister of a previous victim. The original opened in the summer of 2022…

The 10th edition of Rome’s MIA film and TV market unfolded last week against the backdrop of the 17th-century Barberini Palace in the heart of the Italian capital. A co-production and sales market as well as a conference programme and content showcase, MIA attracted 2,800 executives from 64 countries for this year’s edition (October 6-10). Screen captures the key talking points among delegates and panelists, including the threats and opportunities presented by YouTube, the outlook for genre films, the challenges of the film sales market, and the rising popularity of international films. Festival reality check The inherent challenge of financing independent films –…

Paramount Pictures has appointed Josh Goldstine as president, global marketing and distribution, effective immediately. Goldstine will oversee Paramount’s worldwide marketing and distribution operations, reporting to Paramount Pictures co-chairs Dana Goldberg and Josh Greenstein. Goldstine previously worked at Warner Bros, where he was president of worldwide marketing until the start of this year. At Warner Bros he helped build the campaign for Barbie, which grossed over $1.4bn worldwide in 2023, as well as working on campaigns for tentpoles including Dune, The Batman, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice and Wonka. Prior to Warner Bros, Goldstine was head of marketing at Universal Pictures, working on franchises including…

Veteran producer Erik Feig will lead Arena SNK Studios, a new production company chaired by Saudi businessman Majid Al-Ibrahim of the broadcaster MBC Group. The new venture will champion worldwide fans and adapt intellectual property from video games, anime, and fandom communities. It is also backed by the Japanese video game company SNK, which was recently acquired by MiSK Group, the foundation established by Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman. The “significantly financed” Arena SNK Studios – some reports have cited an initial $1bn commitment from investors – arrives with a board that includes former Disney film head Sean Bailey, Andreessen…

Apple Original Films has scheduled a December 12 global streaming date for F1: The Movie after the film’s record-breaking box office run. Joseph Kosinski’s action drama starring Brad Pitt will debut on Apple TV, which has tweaked its name and removed the “+” symbol. The feature has been available for digital ownership on the platform and others for some weeks. F1 has earned more than $629m in worldwide ticket sales since opening over the summer. It ranks as Apple’s biggest theatrical hit, the highest-grossing original Hollywood feature of the year-to-date, and Pitt’s biggest global box office hit in a lead role.…

  Diane Keaton, the quirky and stylish Oscar-winning star of Annie Hall and the Godfather trilogy who worked with Hollywood talents like Warren Beatty and Jack Nicholson, has died. She was 79. The news was unexpected. Keaton was not known to have been ill and no cause of death was announced at time of writing. Her friend and First Wives Club co-star Bette Midler said on Instagram: “The brilliant, beautiful, extraordinary Diane Keaton has died. I cannot tell you how unbearably sad this makes me. She was hilarious, a complete original, and completely without guile, or any of the competitiveness one…

Roadside Attractions has picked up North American rights to H Is For Hawk ahead of its BFI London Film Festival slot on Sunday (October 12) and plans a December awards-qualifying run for Claire Foy.  Philippa Lowthorpe directed the film produced by Plan B, which premiered in Telluride and centres on a grieving woman who turns to falconry to navigate her way through the loss of her father. The cast includes Brendan Gleeson, Denise Gough, Lindsay Duncan, and Sam Spruell. Lowthorpe co-wrote the screenplay with Room author and screenwriter Emma Donoghue, based on Helen Macdonald’s memoir of the same name. Foy’s…

Studiocanal’s Scottish drama I Swear and Disney’s AI action Tron: Area will battle it out as the new releases in UK and Ireland cinemas this weekend. Kirk Jones’s I Swear opens in 653 locations. The film tells the true story of John Davidson who was diagnosed with Tourette’s syndrome in the 80s when the condition was not well known. It had its world premiere at Toronto in the Centrepiece programme. Peter Mullan, Maxine Peake, Shirley Henderson and Robert Aramayo lead the cast. As a director, Jones’s previous films include My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 (2016 – £983,534 opening); What To Expect…

House Productions’ Tessa Ross voiced her support for calls from UK independent producers for the UK government to cashflow the Independent Film Tax Credit (IFTC) during a wide-ranging conversation at the BFI London Film Festival today (October 9).  Conclave producer Ross, who was taking part in an on-stage discussion with BFI CEO Ben Roberts, said of her wishlist of interventions to help UK independent producers: “I have a sort of dream, it’s a mad dream, but yes, I would love it if you would cashflow the tax credit. It would be amazing…that pressure is taken away.” The subject was a hot…