AMC Networks to Rebrand UMC Streaming Service (Exclusive)

Christmas church services will look different for many Americans across the U.S. this year, as COVID-19 restrictions limit and alter gatherings.  Services that are usually attended by hundreds will be capped down to prevent transmission of the virus, as well as following social distancing guidelines.

Peter Debruge Chief Film CriticLast year, “Parasite” made Oscar history by becoming the first non-English-language film to win best picture, which should have signaled a new, more internationally open-minded attitude at the Academy.Ninety-two years in, an org founded with the strategic purpose of benefiting the American film industry had demonstrated that it had, as “Parasite” director Bong Joon Ho put it, “overcome the 1-inch-tall barrier of subtitles.”Back in the ’60s, there existed a

Elsa Keslassy International CorrespondentFilm Movement has acquired North American rights to Amjad Abu Alala’s feature debut “You Will Die at Twenty,” which marks Sudan’s first official Oscar submission.As part of the deal, Film Movement will give “You Will Die at Twenty” a theatrical rollout via virtual cinema in 2021, followed by a release on home entertainment and digital platforms.The film, which is only the eighth narrative feature film to be made in Sudan, follows Muzamil, whose death at

Cynthia Littleton Business EditorThe entertainment business is by definition unpredictable. That’s what makes it such a magnet for the best and the brightest, the bold and the brazen, the born innovators and entrepreneurs.Efforts to forecast the future are often folly, because the path is determined by financial agendas and the interests and discretionary income of American and, increasingly, global consumers.But just because something is hard to do well doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try.

Rebecca Rubin Film and Media Reporter“After the Reign,” a mockumentary about the rise and fall of a social media persona, has sold North American distribution rights to Gravitas Ventures.The film, which premiered at the New York Latino Film Festival, will debut on premium video-on-demand on March 2, 2021.“After the Reign” is a satirical documentary following the newfound viral fame of social media prankster Benito Cruz, who is known to the internet as Lil Tito.

Unless you’ve been avoiding social media like the plague that it is over the past few days (and bravo, if you have!), then you probably already know that Congress has approved a new stimulus package that aims to help businesses and citizens of the US survive the still-ongoing pandemic. But what you might not realize is that buried deep in that bill are two things of note: money for theaters and a new law that says illegal streaming is a felony.

Passed by Congress on Monday night (December 21), the US$900billion stimulus package will revive unemployment benefits and launch a round of $600 stimulus payments to many Americans, among other provisions.The 5,000-page bill also includes a proposal by Republican senator Thom Tillis, introduced less than two weeks ago, that aims to increase the penalty for operating a for-profit illegal streaming service, writes the Hollywood Reporter.The bill proposes criminal penalties for operators of

Elaine Low Senior TV WriterFox Broadcasting Company and Sinclair Broadcast Group have struck a multi-year deal to renew Fox network affiliations for stations across 25 U.S. markets, Variety has learned exclusively.Those markets account for more than a tenth of all American television households.“We are pleased that we have reached agreements with FOX to continue our long-standing relationship,” said Sinclair president of distribution and network relations Barry Faber.

Elsa Keslassy International CorrespondentStrand Releasing has acquired all North American rights to Anthony Chen’s “Wet Season,” which represents Singapore in the Oscar race for best international feature film.The movie world premiered in the Platform section at the Toronto International Film Festival, and is being represented in international markets by Memento Films International.Penned and directed by Chen, “Wet Season” revolves around a Chinese language teacher whose marriage and school

Service members in the U.S. military will get a rude awakening in the new year when they see their taxes increase over four months to pay back a deferment given to them back in September.

Jamie Lang Rapidly consolidating as one of South America’s banner film-TV events, Chile’s 10th Santiago International Film Festival (Sanfic) will split the Sanfic Industria industry section into two parts next year with a fully virtual industry section and marketplace to be held March 18-25 and an in-person festival in August.Five Industria sections will unspool online in March including the traditional Santiago Lab for Ibero-American projects and Sanfic WIP sidebars as well as three new

Brent Lang Executive Editor of Film and MediaIFC Films has nabbed North American rights to South African Oliver Hermanus’ “Moffie,” a queer war film that is set against the backdrop of a South African border war. The indie studio will release the film in April 2021.Hermanus directs the film and adapted the story from André Carl van der Merwe’s autobiographical 2006 novel with Jack Sidey.

Naman Ramachandran Mini-studio, Level Forward has acquired North American virtual theatrical rights and impact distribution privileges for “I’ll Meet You There,” a portrait of three generations of a Muslim-American family. The company will roll out the film from Feb.

Elsa Keslassy International CorrespondentNew York-based outfit Grasshopper Film has acquired North American rights to Ephraim Asili’s debut feature, “The Inheritance,” following its premiere at Toronto and screening at the New York Film Festival.Grasshopper Film is planning to have “The Inheritance” open on March 12 in New York at Film at Lincoln Center, as well as in other cities.The ensemble film takes place almost entirely in a West Philadelphia house, where a community of young people have

Natalie Oganesyan editorActor, singer and longtime supporter of the United Nations Refugee Agency Kat Graham has been named a Goodwill Ambassador in the world. She is just one of five Americans to have received the title.Variety caught up the “Vampire Diaries” actor, who recently starred in Netflix’s “Operation Christmas Drop,” to talk about her work with the UN.My grandfather was a UN ambassador.

, the Apple TV+ coming-of-age original starring as the young American poet, is back. And ET has an exclusive, extended look at the new season, which has everything: seances, house parties, day spas, barn-themed balls, new hotties and plenty of poetry!“It’s more sophisticated and it’s sexier and more mature,” Steinfeld teases in the featurette.

China may be abusing telecoms' vulnerabilities to spy on Americans’ cellphones through Caribbean phone networks, according to a new report. “No one in the industry wants the public to know the severity of ongoing surveillance attacks,” Gary Miller, a former tech security executive, told the Guardian in a new report published Tuesday.

Disney+‘s significant expansion announcement last week.The streamer recently confirmed that it would be bringing 10 Marvel series, 10 Star Wars series, alongside a host of other new content, to fans in the next few years.Disney’s increased spending on content will come at a cost to subscribers, with the company announcing that users will have to pay more next year, with US fans paying $1 (£0.75) more from February 23, while UK fans will go from paying £5.99 to £7.99 a month.However, it seems

NBCUniversal is adding digital and streaming inventory for local advertisers through an expansion of NBC Spot On, a program it launched in February.

EXCLUSIVE: AMC Networks streamers Sundance Now and UMC have inked a deal for the North American, Caribbean, Canadian, and UK rights to South African horror series Dead Places.