Alice Rohrwacher to Present Alfonso Cuaron-Produced Short ‘Pupils’ at Cannes

Elsa Keslassy International CorrespondentEmpreinte Digitale, the thriving Paris-based production company behind Disney +’s “Parallèles,” has hired Thomas Saignes, a well-established producer whose track record includes “Bad Banks” and “Parlement.” Joining from Cinétévé, Saignes will be in charge of producing drama series and one-offs for streaming services and traditional TV channels, as well as spearheading Empreinte’s international co-productions.Saignes, who is based in Paris and lived a number of years in Montreal, Canada, has been actively involved in the financing and co-productions of films and series with international and European partners, notably Benoit Jacquot’s period movie “Farewell, my Queen.” Prior to Cinétévé, Saignes worked at the Luxembourg-based company Iris where he was involved in the ZDF-Arte series “Bad Banks” which Federation sold around the world. During his tenure at Cinétévé, Saignes collaborated with veteran producer Fabienne Servan-Schreiber and was a driving force behind several ambitious series, for instance Noé Debré’s political satire “Parlement” whose season 3 will soon launch on France Televisions; as well as the French-Italian series “Survivors,” and “Cuisine Interne,” an upcoming crime show set in the world of French gastronomy.

Fremantle has appointed a Group Head of Strategy to support growth after striking a range of partnerships and buying up labels over the past year.

Nick Vivarelli International CorrespondentItalian director Alice Rohrwacher, whose “The Wonders” and “Happy as Lazzaro” both won prizes in Cannes, is back at the fest with “The Pupils,” a short film that is screening during her masterclass in the “Rendez-vous With…” section.Variety is unveiling an exclusive clip (above).Written and directed by Rohrwacher, the 37-minute short is backed by Disney and was produced by Alfonso Cuaron in tandem with her regular producer Carlo Cresto-Dina. It features a cast comprising the director’s sister and regular collaborator, Alba Rohrwacher, actor-director Valeria Bruni Tedeschi — whose latest directorial effort “Forever Young” is competing in Cannes — and also Melissa Falasconi, Carmen Pommella, Greta Zuccheri Montanari, Luciano Vergaro — aka “Catirre” — and Tatiana Lepore.

A.D. Amorosi Erykah Badu, executive producer of the forthcoming documentary about late jazz and R&B trumpeter Roy Hargrove, wastes no time in elaborating on the influence her collaborator and high school classmate exerted on her life and career.“It started with Roy,” says Badu, who first met Hargrove in 1985, when she was a freshman at Dallas’ Booker T.

Marta Balaga Italy’s Valerio Ferrara was named the winner of the 25th edition La Cinef for his warm take on a hapless barber who believes in conspiracy theories in “A Conspiracy Man” (“Il Barbiere Complottista”). Laughing stock of his family, nobody takes him seriously. Until he is arrested by the police.“Personally, I have a special affection for the cinema of this country,” said Canadian actor Monia Chokri, praising the director’s sense of humor.

Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent“CODA” producer Philippe Rousselet’s next movie “Maestro” has been sold to major territories by Orange Studio which hosted a market screening at Cannes. “Maestro” is adapted from Joseph Cesar’s Oscar-nominated, Cannes-prizewinning Israeli film “Footnote.” The movie is directed by Bruno Chiche and stars Yvan Attal, Pierre Arditi, Miou-Miou and Pascale Arbillot.

Is it just us that has been glued to our phone screens anxiously waiting for the Kardashian wedding spam? Yes, what an exciting weekend it’s been for the reality stars. Kourtney Kardashian had her big Italian wedding this weekend after legally saying 'I do' in the US last week and the reality star didn’t just have one dress, nor two, in fact she’s had three wedding dresses in total and she broke tradition with all of them.

Kourtney Kardashian was a vision in white during her wedding to Travis Barker in Italy over the weekend. While the pair are already legally married, they took Portofino, Italy to celebrate their nuptials.Kourtney wore a short, white silk lace and corsetted satin dress by Dolce & Gabbana, inspired by iconic figures of the Italian lingerie and la dolce vita.

Kourtney Kardashian was a vision in white during her wedding to Travis Barker in Italy over the weekend. While the pair are already legally married, they took Portofino, Italy to celebrate their nuptials.Kourtney wore a short white corsetted dress with a lace overlay by Dolce & Gabbana, which she paired with a cathedral-length lace veil, embroidered with a floral design and the image of the Virgin Mary. For his part, Travis looked as dapper as ever in a dark gray tuxedo by Dolce & Gabbana.The couple exchanged vows on a red carpeted altar at the 16th-century Castello Brown in Portofino, where their children were in attendance. Mason, 12, Penelope, 9, and Reign, 7, and Travis' kids Landon, 18, Alabama, 16, as well as his stepdaughter, Atiana De La Hoya, 22, were all by their side as the pair said «I do.»Kourtney's sisters, Kim Kardashian, Khloe Kardashian, Kendall Jenner and Kylie Jenner were also in attendance, as well as mom Kris Jenner, who helped walk Kourtney down the castle steps and to the altar.  The couple legally wed at the Superior Court of California in Santa Barbara last Sunday, with the intimate courthouse wedding serving as a precursor to their big Italian nuptials.«Kourtney and Travis are now legally married, but plan to have a big wedding at another time,» a source told ET last Sunday.

Neon has landed North American rights at Cannes to La Chimera, the tomb-robbing drama from writer-director Alice Rohrwacher that stars Josh O’Connor and Isabelle Rossellini.

For his most subdued film yet, Belgian director Felix van Groeningen, along with co-directing partner Charlotte Vandermeersch take to the Italian Alps for a decades-spanning story of friendship. Following Groeningen’s solo effort, 2018’s “Beautiful Boy,” “The Eight Mountains” is a quiet return to form with its stunning mountain scenery and strong performances from Luca Marinelli and Alessandro Borghi, but this elegiac personal epic is far too languid for its length.

Two years in France inspired Italian director Pietro Marcello to create “Scarlet,” his French-language feature debut and the opening film of this year’s Directors’ Fortnight at the Cannes Film Festival. Freely inspired by Aleksandr Grin’s tale “The Scarlet Sails,” the film examines the quiet tenderness that permeates the relationship between a father comfortable in skepticism and a daughter driven by unshakeable belief.

Manori Ravindran International Editor“Snowpiercer” producer Tomorrow Studios has struck a first-look deal with Frank Spotnitz’s London-based production company Big Light Prods.Under the deal, Tomorrow Studios will tap into Big Light’s network of established and emerging writers and its pursuit of IP for projects to produce together under one development slate.Big Light Prods. specializes in returning and limited dramas for the global market.

Manori Ravindran International EditorThe first trailer for Jasmine Trinca’s “Marcel!” features Alba Rohrwacher’s eccentric artist searching for her beloved lost dog Marcel, and in the process reconnecting with her neglected young daughter.The film, which is a Special Screenings title at the Cannes Film Festival this year, has secured distribution in France with Rezo Films. Paris-based sales agent Totem Films, which handled sales for hit movie “Compartment No.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorIt’s safe to say that although Italian rock quartet Maneskin were pretty huge in their home country and parts of Europe when they took the Eurovision stage last year, their name recognition and popularity exploded when they won the coveted prize with their song “Zitti E Buoni.” Over the past year, the group has seen their streams, sales and tour itineraries soar, appeared on “Saturday Night Live” and at the Coachella festival — and perhaps most impressive of all, began working with Max Martin, the most successful songwriter-producer of the past 25 years (from Britney Spears and Backstreet Boys to Katy Perry to the Weeknd and Taylor Swift), on their next album.Although the group premiere a new, anti-Putin song called “Gasoline” at Coachella last month, the first fruit of the new partnership arrives tonight: the single “Supermodel,” which drops tonight. While Martin started off as a singer in a hard rock band, this is the first time in many years he’s worked with one — and it’s hard not to notice that the song’s riff owes more than a little to Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit.” “Yeeepppp,” bassist Victoria De Angelis acknowledges coyly.

EXCLUSIVE: Peacock has acquired British drag doc City of Queens, the Sky doc which features star of RuPaul’s Drag Race Bimini Bon Boulash.

Leona Lewis was spotted cradling her baby bump in Los Angeles as she enjoyed a relaxing day out before becoming a mum. The X Factor winner, 37, placed her hand on her stomach feeling the baby while on a stroll over the weekend. She was wearing black skinny jeans and a black top, below an open blue shirt which was worn open to reveal her bump.