Anurag Kashyap, Rahul Bhat Talk Cannes Selection ‘Kennedy,’ Poster Released (EXCLUSIVE)

Naman Ramachandran U.K. streamer ITVX has acquired “The Effects of Lying,” a comedic drama with South Asian representation, from independent production company Bonaparte Films. It is directed by Isher Sahota, known for his work on “Grace” and “McDonald & Dodds” and produced by Jon Tarcy, whose previous work includes “Life in Black.” Written by James Hey (“Doctors”), the plot revolves around Naveen, a dutiful husband and loving father played by Ace Bhatti (“Bohemian Rhapsody,” “Line of Duty”). His life is turned upside down when a series of shocking events occur in just one day, exposing decades of festering secrets. Laila Rouass (“Holby City,” “Spooks”), Lauren Patel (“Everybody’s Talking About Jamie”), Navin Chowdry (“The End of the F***ing World”), Shaheen Khan (“What’s Love Got to Do with It?”) and Mark Williams (the Harry Potter franchise).

The Cannes Film Festival can be daunting. Sure, there are always 25-plus titles you know, but dozens of titles you’ve never heard of and don’t know if they’re worth seeing or covering.

Khartoum-set drama Goodbye Julia will make history in Cannes this year as the first Sudanese film to play in the festival across its 76 editions.

EXCLUSIVE: The Gotham Film & Media Institute has today named the fellows set for the 2023 edition of its Festival De Cannes Producers Network Program, scheduled to take place in person at Cannes from May 17-22. The list includes independent filmmakers Maria Altamirano, Liz Cardenas, Leah Chen Baker, Yoni Golijov, Emma Hannaway Nikkia Moulterie and Carlos Zozaya.

Naman Ramachandran Indian studio Excel Entertainment has promoted business head Vishal Ramchandani to the newly created position of CEO. An MBA by qualification, Ramchandani joined Excel in 2008, in the marketing division. In 2013, he was entrusted with the duties of heading the division, where he spearheaded award-winning marketing campaigns for films such as “Fukrey,” “Baar Baar Dekho,” “Gold” and “Gully Boy.” In 2018, Ramchandani was elevated to the position of business head. In this role, he played a pivotal role in transforming Excel Entertainment from a creative production house to a studio that self-funds, markets and distributes its films. Under his leadership, the company’s distribution business diversified with the K.G.F. franchise, which became a nationwide blockbuster. He was also instrumental in Excel expanding into different verticals such as a talent division and co-production deals, as well as facilitating new media ventures.

Naman Ramachandran Yash Raj Films’ Bollywood blockbuster “Pathaan,” headlined by superstar Shah Rukh Khan, is set for a historic theatrical release in Bangladesh, Variety has confirmed. Hindi-language Bollywood films, while very popular in the country, have not been released in Bangladesh since the country’s formation in 1971, in a bid to protect the country’s local film industry. In 2009, the decision was relaxed to allow “Wanted,” starring Salman Khan, to open in the territory. However, the release was met with protests led by a local film industry organization and the film was pulled from the 50 cinemas it was running in after a week. In February this year, a consortium of 19 Bangladesh film associations decided to allow Hindi-language films to release in the country and suggested that 10 films release a year. “Pathaan” then will become the first Hindi-language film to enjoy a wide release in Bangladesh.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Glossy drama film, “Inside the Yellow Cocoon,” has unveiled its first trailer ahead of its world premiere this month in the Directors’ Fortnight section at Cannes. Its world sales representative, Cercamon will give the picture a market launch with a buyers-only screening on May 16. The anticipated Vietnamese-Singapore co-production is the debut feature by Pham Thien An and is eligible for the Camera d’Or prize. Its narrative follows a man whose sister-in-law is killed in a freak motorcycle accident in Saigon. He is tasked with delivering her body back to their countryside hometown. It is a journey on which he also takes his young nephew, who miraculously survived the crash. Amidst the mystical landscapes of rural Vietnam, the man begins a search for his older brother who vanished years ago in order to be able to hand over the boy. His pursuit, interrupted by magical dreams and forbidden desires, leads him to question what is worth living for.

Brie Larson, Paul Dano and Julia Ducournau are among the eight people chosen to complete the main competition jury at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival, Cannes organizers announced Thursday morning in Paris.Swedish director Ruben Ostlund, who won the Palme d’Or last year for “Triangle of Sadness,” was previously announced as president of the jury. The presence of Ducournau, who won the top award for “Titane” in 2021, means that the last two Palme winners will be part of the deliberations to determine who succeeds them this year.Other jurors will be Moroccan writer-director Maryam Touzani, who was in Cannes last year with “The Blue Caftan”; French actor Denis Menochet, who recently appeared in Ari Aster’s “Beau Is Afraid”; Zambian/British writer-director Rungano Nyoni, whose “I’m Not a Witch” premiered in Cannes; Afghan novelist and writer-director Atiq Rahimi, whose film work often adapts his own bestselling books; and Argentinian writer-director Damian Szifron, who landed an Oscar nomination for his 2014 Cannes film “Wild Tales.”The jury’s 5-to-4 split between men and women is typical for Cannes in recent years.

Naman Ramachandran India is the fastest growing market market in the world for giant streamer Netflix and Monika Shergill, VP, content, for the country, has a clear plan to keep the trajectory going. “A healthy streaming business, according to us, has to be built on the strong fundamentals of engagement, where we are doing very well, and revenue and profit as a global service. We are a profitable service – in many of our markets, we are on the path to profitability,” Shergill told Variety. Earlier this year, Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos had said that content watching grew by 30% last year in India and revenue grew by 25%. In a subsequent earnings call, Sarandos addressed the importance of pricing in India, saying: “We’ve got to get pricing and the main payment methods right.”

The trailer for Dune: Part Two is being released TOMORROW, but Warner Bros. is giving fans a sneak peek at some of the new characters.

Leo Barraclough International Features Editor Variety has been given access to the teaser (below) for “Murals,” an immersive 3D documentary that has its world premiere on May 18 at Cannes Next, a sidebar to the Marché du Film in Cannes. The experience, which is created in Unreal Engine and displayed on LED screens, centers on murals by Banksy, created following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The project was initiated by Artem Ivanenko, a 3D artist from Irpin, Ukraine, which was one of the first towns to be hit during the Russian invasion. Later, when the Russians withdrew, Ivanenko returned to Irpin to record the devastating destruction using 3D scanning.

Jada Pinkett Smith and her son Jaden Smith travel in style.

with Jada Pinkett Smith, Willow Smith and Adrienne «Gammy» Banfield-Norris, along with several other Facebook Watch Originals, has officially been canceled, ET can confirm.On Wednesday, reported that Mina Lefevre, who was Head of Development and Programming at Meta, was part of the latest round of layoffs at the Mark Zuckerberg-run company. None of the series launched under Lefevre will return for new seasons as Facebook shifts focus from original programming to creating VR experiences in Meta Horizon Worlds.Along with the  franchise, which included the Gloria Estefan spinoff Facebook's other original series included  with Steve Harvey, with Taraji P.

Jennie Punter Five years ago, New York-based filmmaker Jason Goldman was researching a possible documentary about animal sanctuaries and heard about Renee King-Sonnen, who had gone vegan a few years earlier, transformed her husband’s Texas beef cattle ranch into Rowdy Girl Sanctuary, and started advocacy work that received regular national media attention. In a clip (see below) released in advance of the world premiere of Goldman’s “Rowdy Girl” at Hot Docs this weekend, King-Sonnen succinctly lays out the origin of her life-changing decision to visitors seated at her kitchen table: “I was seeing how my actions were contributing to violence and cruelty … I started having real issues that I was loving some animals and eating others.”

Jennie Punter The producers of “Allihopa: The Dalkurd Story,” which follows a nail-biting stretch in the Dalkurd soccer club’s pivotal 13th season, have released a clip (below) in advance of the film’s world premiere at Toronto’s Hot Docs festival, which kicks off April 27. Dalkurd was founded in 2004 by Kurdish refugees in Sweden as an activity for Kurdish youth in a working-class town. The team immediately and swiftly rose through the country’s professional soccer ranks, its unprecedented success attracting media attention in Europe and abroad—despite notably lackluster local attendance—and making the team a symbol of victory and unity for Kurdish people around the world.

A little under two weeks ago, the Cannes Film Festival unveiled its lineup for the upcoming event. However, as we know with film festivals, the initial lineup is far from complete and more films can be added at any time.

elskes editor Memento International is set to represent global rights to “Omen,” the feature debut of Belgian-Congolese artist-turned filmmaker Baloji Tshiani which is slated to world premiere at Cannes’ Un Certain Regard. Tshiani previously directed several short films including “Zombies” which played at the BFI London film festival. Blurring the lines between reality and the realm of dreams, “Omen” follows Kofi, who return to his birthplace after being ostracized by his family. The movie explores the weight of beliefs on one’s destiny through four characters accused of being witches and sorcerers, all of them intertwined and guiding each other into the phantasmagoria of Africa.

France tv distribution has acquired international sales rights on French drama “All To Play For” ahead of its world premiere in the Cannes Film Festival’s Un Certain Regard section in May.

Naman Ramachandran Sadler’s Wells associate artist Kate Prince’s acclaimed dance theatre production, “Message In A Bottle,” set to the music of 17-time Grammy winner Sting, has been filmed for cinema release in 2024. The stage show is set to embark on a U.K. and international tour from May 2023. The original dance production premiered at Sadler’s Wells’ West End venue, The Peacock Theatre, in February 2020. The international refugee crisis is at the centre of “Message In A Bottle.”A village alive with joyous celebrations is suddenly under siege and three parted siblings step out on adventures.

Pixar’s Elemental will have its world premiere screening at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival on May 27.