APOS Conference to Focus on Disruption, Value Creation in Asian Entertainment Industry

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief The QCinema International Film Festival in the Philippines has beefed up its industry program by introducing a project market strand, QCinema Project Market (QPM). It acts as a networking and funding platform for Filipino and Southeast Asian projects in advanced development.

Netflix’s Teresa Moneo, Mubi’s Bobby Allen, Cinetic Media’s John Sloss, and Jeb Brody, President of Production at Amblin Partners, are among the names set for CAA Media Finance and the San Sebastian Film Festival’s second annual Creative Investors’ Conference. 

John Hopewell Chief International Correspondent CAA Media Finance’s Roeg Sutherland, Goodfellas’ Vincent Maraval and Cinetic Media’s John Sloss look set to attend the San Sebastian Festival’s second Creative Investors’ Conference, co-organised once again with CAA Media Finance. Bringing to San Sebastian the biggest bevy of high-powered U.S. execs and industry movers-and-shakers to attend the Spanish Festival, further CIC attendees include Netflix’s Teresa Moneo, Amblin Partners’ Jeb Brody and Anonymous Content’s David Davoli as well as K&S’s Matías Mosteirín and Infinity Hill’s Axel Kuschevatzky, as the Conference opens up to Latin America.

Although she wasn’t seated at the dais this afternoon, and rather in the audience, Priscilla Presley loomed large over the Venice press conference for Sofia Coppola’s film, Priscilla, which screens in competition here tonight. 

Ellise Shafer Woody Allen got a warm ovation from journalists at the press conference for “Coup de Chance” at the Venice Film Festival, where he managed to avoid any controversial questions about his stalled career and the sexual abuse allegations made against him by his daughter, Dylan Farrow. That was in large part thanks to his longtime cinematographer, Italian superstar Vittorio Storaro, who spoke for nearly a third of the press conference, while answering a single question.

The Pac-12, formed in 1915 and spending subsequent years as one of the top athletic conferences in the U.S., is down to two teams, and likely finished.

Brendan Rodgers has ruled out losing Matt O'Riley before the transfer deadline.

Mitch McConnell has been given the all clear to return to work.

Adam Driver is speaking out about the ongoing SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes.

Mitch McConnell appeared to have another very concerning freeze-up during a second press conference on Wednesday.

U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell once again appeared to have some sort of health incident while in the middle of a news conference.

Leo Barraclough International Features Editor In support of the SAG and WGA members, and those affected by the strikes, entertainment industry social networking and education platform Stage 32 is giving away $100,000 in free education so they can hone their skills and be in the best position when the work stoppages lift. Stage 32, which recently reached 1 million members, is offering free codes to the platforms webinars and workshops, which typically cost $49 each.

Venice Film Festival jury head Damien Chazelle arrived at the opening press conference sporting a Writers Guild on strike t-shirt and badge today.

Naman Ramachandran As South Asians increasingly make their mark on the world film and TV stage, an initiative to find emerging talent from the region and propel them globally is being launched. Alongside talent from the region who are already entrenched in Hollywood, including Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Freida Pinto, in recent years several South Asian actors have appeared in international projects.

If anyone was in any doubt as to where world heavyweight champion Tyson Fury and his younger boxing brother Tommy Fury got their fighting spirits, everything would have been explained on Tuesday, August 22. John Fury, 59, the father of the two boxing stars, let his inner animal come out during a pre-fight press conference featuring Tommy Fury, KSI, Logan Paul and Dillon Danis.

NATPE, under new management after encountering turbulence during the pandemic, has appointed a new advisory board and is firming up plans for the return of its signature U.S. conference next January in Miami.

With the news that Britney Spears 'has split' from her husband Sam Asghari, just 14 months after they married, fans are scratching their heads about where things could have gone so wrong.The pair reportedly had a 'nuclear argument' after Sam, 29, confronted his wife, 41, over rumours that she had cheated on him, the US website TMZ reported on Wednesday, 16 August. Sources told TMZ that Iranian-American model and actor Sam has moved out of their house and is now living in a place of his own, with one source saying: "It's only a matter of time before Sam files for divorce." It is not known whether the rumours are true, and OK! approached representatives for Britney and Sam for comment.

Media Partners Asia has announced the full line-up of speakers for its APOS Summit in Bali, which includes Canal+ Group’s Asia Pacific chief Manuel Rougeron, Bodhi Tree Systems director Uday Shankar and Amazon Prime Video head of international Kelly Day. 

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Disney-owned Lucasfilm/ Industrial Light & Magic is to close its VFX and animation facility in Singapore, where more than 300 people are employed. The company points to changes in the global entertainment industry as a factor behind the decision. “Over the next several months, ILM will be consolidating its global footprint and winding down its Singapore studio due to economic factors affecting the industry,” Disney said in a statement emailed to Variety.

Fulton County D.A. Fani Willis gave a press conference tonight after charges were unsealed in Georgia related to alleged efforts by former President Donald Trump and his allies to reverse the election results in that state in the aftermath of the 2020 presidential election. Fox News, CNN and MSNBC all carried the event live.