TV, Film & Media Industry International News Roundup, Wednesday 11 September 2024

France’s Oscar picks, Writers Guild Awards, UK cinema shake-up, AI in film, global deals, anime surge, long-running shows, Pathé’s global push, new CEO at Autlook, French TV festival highlights.

Today’s Highlights:

• France's Oscar Committee Appointments: Audrey Diwan, Florian Zeller, and Patrick Wachsberger will join France's committee, which selects its submission to the Oscars.

• The 77th Writers Guild Awards has been Announced. The event will take place in February 2025 and will recognise achievements in writing across media.

• Mooky Greidinger's Potential Return to UK Cinemas: The industry reacts to the former Cineworld CEO's rumoured return to the UK cinema exhibition.

• Screen Australia's AI Guidelines: New guidelines address ethical concerns regarding AI use in film production.

• Amuz and GoQuest Media Distribution Deal: The partnership expands both companies' catalogues across global territories.

• Anime Streaming Services Growth: Anime's increasing popularity in the US leads to growing investment by streaming platforms.

• Silke König on The Peppercorns: Discussing the long-lasting success of the German children's series across generations.

• Pathé's International Expansion Plans: CEO Ardavan Safaee reveals ambitions to produce more English-language films, starting with "Monte Cristo."

• Autlook Filmsales Appoints New CEO: Stephanie Fuchs takes over as CEO, focusing on international growth.

• French Fiction Festival in La Rochelle: This key event celebrates French television creativity and gathers thousands of industry professionals.

Plus: News, Insights, Festivals, Executive Moves, In Development, Deals, Renewals, Opportunities and Jobs with ITV, Paramount, Prime, Tubi, LucasFilm, Netflix & Leonine.

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• Producers: Fifth Season, Banijay, Fremantle, Endemol Shine, Gaumont, Pathé, Warner Bros Television Productions, UFA Fiction, Vivendi, Entertainment One, BBC Studios, Paramount Television International, Warner Bros Discovery, Talpa Studios, Keshet, Tiger Aspect, Wild Bunch TV, Red Planet Pictures, Go Quest Media, Eureka Productions, The Ink Factory, Nordisk Film, Reel One Entertainment, Bunya Productions, Beach House Pictures, Beyond, The Global Agency, Esha Bargate Productions, blue Entertainment, Paper Plane Productions, Paprika Studios, Playmaker, Off the Fence, Goalpost Pictures, Spin Master, Stand By Me.

• Also: Aarhus Series Festival, The Wit, Norwegian Film Commission, New Zealand Film Commission, IMDA, MIA, Getty Images, Ottawa Film Office, Simkins, Harbottle & Lewis, Screen Brussels, Sheffield DocFest, FilmChain, Documentary Business, Zero Gravity Management, SXSW, MEA, DOC.

NEWS

Audrey Diwan, Florian Zeller, and Patrick Wachsberger Join France's Oscar Committee

Filmmakers Audrey Diwan, Florian Zeller, and producer Patrick Wachsberger have been appointed to France’s Oscar selection committee. This committee selects the French submission for the Best International Feature Film category at the Academy Awards. Diwan, who won the Venice Golden Lion for Happening, and Zeller, the Oscar-winning director of The Father, bring their acclaimed expertise to the process. Read More

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77th Writers Guild Awards Set for February 2025

The Writers Guild of America has announced that the 77th Writers Guild Awards will take place in February 2025. The event will honour outstanding achievements in writing for film, television, and other media. With the industry’s landscape evolving, this edition of the awards will likely reflect current trends and emerging talent in storytelling following significant changes in the entertainment business. Read More

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Industry Reacts to Reports of Mooky Greidinger Eyeing Return to UK Exhibition

Reports have surfaced that Mooky Greidinger, former CEO of Cineworld, is considering a return to the UK cinema exhibition scene. Industry figures are reacting with mixed opinions on the potential move, given Greidinger's history in the business and his departure following Cineworld’s financial troubles. His return could signal a new chapter for UK cinemas, though details remain speculative. Read More

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Caroline Dinenage Re-Elected as Chair of UK’s Culture, Media, and Sport Committee

Caroline Dinenage has been re-elected as the UK Parliament’s Culture, Media, and Sport Committee chair. Dinenage, who has held the role since 2021, will continue to oversee discussions on critical issues in media, digital infrastructure, sports, and cultural development. Her re-election reinforces her leadership in shaping policies for the UK’s creative and cultural sectors. Read More

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Screen Australia Issues Guidelines on Unethical AI Use in Film

Screen Australia has introduced new industry guidelines to address the ethical concerns surrounding using artificial intelligence (AI) in filmmaking. The guidelines aim to prevent the misuse of AI in areas such as creative rights and content integrity. The move comes as AI technology increasingly impacts the creative industries, prompting Screen Australia to ensure that ethical standards are upheld across all productions. Read More

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INSIGHTS

Reimagining Bergman’s Work for a Modern Audience

Director Tomas Alfredson and writer Sara Johnsen have reimagined Ingmar Bergman’s 2000 film Trolösa (Faithless) into a six-part series. Originally directed by Liv Ullmann and based on Bergman’s life, Faithless follows an ageing director who envisions Marianne, a woman recalling her life-changing love triangle with her husband and their friend. Alfredson pitched the idea to Bergman in 2001, and after two decades, the series has materialised with support from SVT and Arte. The story explores two timelines: an older Marianne and David reuniting and their passionate affair 40 years earlier. Read More

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Writers Discuss Creative Processes Behind TV Dramas

In this film, showrunners and writers like Chris Brancato, Steven Knight, Anna Winger, Jeff Melvoin, and Suzie Miller explore the origins and evolution of the television writers' room over the past 50 years. They discuss how the model has been adopted internationally and reflect on the impact of the recent Writers Guild of America strike on the future of writing and script production, particularly how it has influenced global approaches to storytelling. Read More

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Amuz and GoQuest Partner to Tap into Global Potential

This summer, Amuz Distribution and GoQuest Media signed a distribution deal covering various territories. Amuz's catalogue will be distributed in Asia, Oceania, MENA, and non-French-speaking African regions, while GoQuest's titles will be represented in Canada and the U.S. Both companies, focused on heartwarming and compelling programming, found their catalogue strategies aligned. Notable Amuz titles include About Antoine and Larry, while GoQuest will showcase Divorce in Peace. Both companies anticipate a long-term partnership, aiming to maximise licensing opportunities globally. Read More

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A Breakdown of Anime Streaming Services and Libraries

Anime has surged in popularity in American TV, particularly attracting a younger male audience, making it a key genre for streaming platforms. While many subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) services typically have a female-skewed audience, platforms like Crunchyroll and Hidive, specialising in anime, boast predominantly male viewership with the highest percentage of audiences under 30. Recognising this demographic potential, several streaming platforms are now investing in licensing Japanese anime and producing original titles to cater to this growing fanbase. Read More

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Silke König: Generations of Children Have Grown Up with The Peppercorns

Silke König discusses the long-lasting success of the German children’s series The Peppercorns, a generation favourite. She explains how the show’s engaging storytelling, relatable characters, and social themes have helped it maintain its relevance over the years. König also shares insights into the series’ production process and its impact on young viewers across multiple generations. Read More

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Growth in European Content Spending Slows

In 2023, total expenditure on original content in Europe, excluding news and sports, reached €22 billion ($24.2 billion), a 7.8% increase from the previous year. This marks a slowdown following the pandemic rebound, where content investments surged from €15.2 billion in 2020 to €20.4 billion in 2022. Global streamers spent €5.7 billion on European originals, a 34% increase from 2022, with most of the investment going to the U.K. and Spain. Scripted programming dominated streamer spending, accounting for 80%, primarily focused on series rather than films. Read More

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Helium Studios: “Be Selective with What You Bring to Us”

Mark Fennessy, head of Helium Studios, advises creators and producers to carefully curate projects before pitching them. Helium, behind several successful productions, emphasises the need for originality and high standards. Fennessy’s approach reflects the studio’s selective philosophy, seeking projects that have the potential to stand out in a crowded content landscape. Read More

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Pathé CEO Ardavan Safaee Discusses Monte Cristo, Box Office Strategy, and English-Language Plans

Pathé CEO Ardavan Safaee has shared details about the studio’s strategy for its upcoming film Monte Cristo, directed by Alexandre de La Patellière and Matthieu Delaporte. The film, a modern retelling of Alexandre Dumas’ classic, is expected to be one of the studio’s major box office hits. Safaee emphasised Pathé’s commitment to delivering high-quality productions with broad international appeal and revealed the company’s growing interest in expanding into English-language films. This strategy reflects Pathé’s ambition to establish its presence in the global market further while continuing to produce local content. Read More

EXECUTIVE MOVES

Autlook Filmsales Appoints New CEO

Autlook Filmsales has appointed Stephanie Fuchs as its new CEO, succeeding Salma Abdalla, who led the Vienna-based documentary sales outfit for nearly a decade.