Backed by Cinema Talent and Broadcaster Financing, Basque TV Steps up Its Game

Netflix has picked up worldwide rights outside of France, Spain and China to The Swarm, a horror thriller from French director Just Philippot about a woman who develops an obsessional bond with grasshoppers she is breeding as a high-protein crop. The woman, played by French actress Suliane Brahim, finds herself growing closer to her demanding swarm of bugs as they begin to develop a taste for human blood.

Tom Grater International Film ReporterNetflix has taken world rights to The Swarm, French director Just Philippot’s Cannes Critics’ Week 2020 label horror thriller about a woman who develops an obsessional bond with grasshoppers.The deal, struck with Wild Bunch International, includes all territories excluding France, Spain and China. Pic will launch on Netflix on December 4.

As North America's box office crumples, China's theatrical film business is back in an enormous way. A collection of high-profile local films released in China over the past week to coincide with the country's National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival holiday period, which lasts eight days.

Penelope Cruz sports big hair and a sparkly jumpsuit while walking a red carpet with Antonio Banderas on the set of their upcoming movie!

Rebecca Davis editorWith U.S. studio tentpoles dropping out of the theatrical calendar, Chinese blockbusters may find a rare opportunity to gain some traction abroad.

Mariah Carey is delving into her relationship, and subsequent divorce from Nick Cannon in her new memoir “The Meaning of Mariah Carey.”

Naman Ramachandran London-based sales agent WestEnd Films has sold multiple territories on romantic comedy “Falling For Figaro,” starring Joanna Lumley (“Absolutely Fabulous”) and Danielle Macdonald (“Patti Cake$”).The film has sold to Entertainment Film Distributors for the U.K., Twelve Oaks for Spain, Splendid for Benelux, Huanxi Media Group for China, United King for Israel, Investacommerce for the former Yugosvalian territories and Umbrella Entertainment for Australia and New Zealand.

Andreas Wiseman International EditorEXCLUSIVE: WestEnd Films has scored UK distribution and other key deals for TIFF Selects title Falling For Figaro, from director Ben Lewin (The Sessions) and starring Joanna Lumley (Absolutely Fabulous) and Danielle Macdonald (Patti Cake$).Entertainment Film Distributors has picked up the romantic comedy for the UK.

Recent social media posts claiming @JoeBiden used a teleprompter during an interview with Noticias Telemundo and anchor @jdbalart are absolutely FALSE,” tweeted Telemundo’s official account.The tweet invited viewers to watch a video of Biden peering off-camera at a viewer-submitted question delivered in Spanish and translated via English voiceover.

Emiliano De Pablos An emerging generation of new Basque filmmakers is making its mark in the San Sebastian Festival, building on the foundations of now consolidated creative and industrial infrastructures.Only time will tell if the Basque Country can follow in the footsteps of Catalonia, another richer region of Spain, and launch a modern day new wave.

Jamie Lang Headlined by Penélope Cruz and Antonio Banderas, The Mediapro Studio’s “Official Competition,” one of the year’s highest-profile international Spanish productions lensing in Spain, has resumed shooting.Compounding the difficulty of going into production for a second time, the film features an international cast including Argentine heavyweight Oscar Martínez, a former San Sebastian, Venice and Argentine Academy best actor award-winner, plus two Argentina-based directors, Mariano Cohn

Jake Kanter, Andreas Wiseman, Tom Grater Filming Resumes On Official Competition Filming is back underway in Spain on Penelope Cruz and Antonio Banderas comedy feature Official Competition, which had to go on hiatus due to the pandemic. Cruz plays a renowned filmmaker who is recruited by a billionaire entrepreneur who impulsively decides to create an iconic movie.

Jamie Lang Set in Extremadura, south-west Spain, “Nights Gone By” marks the debut feature of Switzerland-based, Madrid-born Alberto Martín Menacho, participating in this year’s ECAM Incubator.

Beatle but it’s his love of heavy metal that has made Lennon Jon Sharp Garcia an overnight star in Spain. The mini kilted rock star, who is half Scottish, half Basque, stunned TV audiences with a headbanging performance on the nation’s hit talent show Idol Kids.

Despite Cardi B‘s personal life being in the headlines, she’s gotten right back to work, appearing in the music video for Brazilian singer Anitta‘s “Me Gusta” music video. The 27-year-old rapper, who filed for divorce this week from her husband Offset, appeared on the new track and sang in both English and Spanish. She switched effortlessly between the two, as she joined the Latin American star in the colorful video, which was filmed in Salvador, Brazil.

Jamie Lang Spain’s northern region of Navarre has fortified its position as a hub for the audiovisual industry in recent years and, mirroring trends seen elsewhere in the country, seen particularly strong growth in TV production in the past year, in spite of the current COVID-19 pandemic.Why is another matter. In 2019, Netflix produced more hours of original productions in Spain (163) than any other country outside the U.S., apart from South Korea (238), according to an Omdia analysis.