TV, Film & Media Industry International News Roundup, Friday 10 January 2025

Turkish stars, Thai Oscar milestone, Brad Pitt’s F1 film, Jude Law’s Henry VIII, Liberty Media CEO, Emma Thompson’s new role, Sanrio series, Jambika launch, Nordic cinema, Rotterdam premiere.

Today’s Highlights:

• Turkish Stars Discuss Global Projects - Can Yaman, Meryem Uzerli, Bariş Baktaş, and Yağmur Yüksel highlight their new series ("El Turco," "Ru," "Vendetta"), emphasising Turkey’s rise as the third-largest TV exporter.

• Thailand’s Oscar Milestone - Pat Boonnitipat's How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies becomes Thailand's first Oscar-shortlisted film for Best International Feature Film.

• Brad Pitt's Formula 1 Movie Completes Filming - The Joseph Kosinski-directed F1 wraps its Abu Dhabi shoot and is set for a global release in June, starring Brad Pitt and Damson Idris.

• Jude Law’s Henry VIII Transformation in Firebrand - Jude Law immerses in his role as Henry VIII, employing unconventional methods like custom scents to embody the English monarch authentically.

• Derek Chang Becomes Liberty Media CEO - Derek Chang is set to succeed Greg Maffei as CEO of Liberty Media, effective February 2025, bringing investment expertise to the role.

• Emma Thompson Joins Hear Me Roar - Emma Thompson, Anna Friel, and Christopher Eccleston star in Hear Me Roar, centred on Elizabeth Bellinger’s landmark legal fight for LGBTQIA+ marriage rights.

• Netflix’s Stop-Motion Series Celebrates Sanrio Icons - My Melody & Kuromi, a handcrafted stop-motion series, debuts in July on Netflix, marking Sanrio’s character anniversaries.

• Jambika Docs Launches Boutique Sales Agency - The new Barcelona-based agency debuts with three features, including Her Name is Nanny Nellie, exploring Aboriginal identity reclamation in Australia.

• Rakuten TV’s Nordic Cinema Channel Launch - Rakuten TV introduces Nordic Films, showcasing Scandinavian cinema in the region with films featuring stars like Mads Mikkelsen.

• Sandro Aguilar's First Person Plural Ready for Rotterdam - Sandro Aguilar's First Person Plural premieres at IFFR’s Tiger Competition, exploring themes of hallucination and melancholia.

Plus: Insights, Executive Moves, Festivals & Markets, In Development, Deals & Jobs with Google, Pluto, ITV, Paramount, Crunchyroll, BBC & Viaplay.

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INSIGHTS

Turkish Stars Can Yaman, Meryem Uzerli, Bariş Baktaş, and Yağmur Yüksel Discuss Latest Global Projects

Turkish actors Can Yaman (El Turco), Meryem Uzerli (Ru), Bariş Baktaş, and Yağmur Yüksel (Vendetta) share insights into their new series and acting processes as Turkish dramas continue to captivate global audiences. Turkey, the world’s third-largest TV exporter, has seen rising demand for its crime, period, and romantic stories, with El Turco, Ru, and Vendetta poised to extend this success. Read More

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Thailand’s How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies Scores Oscar Shortlist Spot

Directed and co-written by Pat Boonnitipat, How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies follows teenage slacker M (Putthipong “Billkin” Assaratanakul) as he devises a plan to care for his terminally ill grandmother (Usha Seamkhum) to secure her inheritance. The hit Thai film grossed $73.8M globally and marks Thailand’s first-ever entry to reach the Oscar shortlist for Best International Feature Film. Read More

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Brad Pitt’s Formula 1 Movie Wraps Abu Dhabi Shoot

Brad Pitt's F1, directed by Joseph Kosinski and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, recently completed filming at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on the Yas Marina Circuit. Starring Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem, and Tobias Menzies, the movie follows ex-Formula 1 driver Sonny Hayes (Pitt) mentoring rookie Joshua Pearce (Idris). Distributed by Warner Bros., F1 hits theatres globally on June 25 and in North America on June 27. Read More

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First Look: 'Love Letters' Starring Ella Rumpf and Monia Chokri

Pulsar Content has unveiled a first-look image of 'Love Letters,' the debut feature from director Alice Douard. The film explores modern motherhood, set in 2014 Paris following the legalization of same-sex marriage. It stars Ella Rumpf, Monia Chokri, and Noémie Lvovsky. 'Love Letters' is currently in post-production, with sales initiated at the Rendez-Vous with French Cinema in Paris. Read More

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Jude Law on Transforming Into Henry VIII for Firebrand

Jude Law fully embodied Henry VIII for Firebrand, adopting physical traits like cheek plumpers for the king's facial structure and using a custom-made scent replicating the foul odour of the monarch's leg ulcers to reflect his deteriorating health. Eschewing prosthetics, Law focused on natural methods to enhance realism, immersing himself in the role to capture the complexities of the infamous English ruler. Read More

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Planetwalker Chronicles the Silent Journey of Environmental Activist John Francis

The Oscar-shortlisted documentary Planetwalker captures the extraordinary story of John Francis, who renounced motorised vehicles after a 1972 San Francisco oil spill and maintained a vow of silence from 1973. Through animation and interviews, the film retraces Francis’s 17-year trek across the U.S., promoting environmental awareness and peace. Directed by Nadia and Dominic Gill, the film highlights how silence reshaped Francis’s identity and dismantled racial stereotypes. Read More

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Pamela Anderson on tackling 'The Last Showgirl'; John Magaro delves into the process of 'September 5'

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