Berlinale Co-Head Mariëtte Rissenbeek on Stepping Down, Personal Festival Highlights and What’s Next After 2024 Edition

Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent Pixar will be back at the Cannes Film Festival on closing night (May 27) with the world premiere of their new feature “Elemental.”   Presented Out of Competition, the film will be released in theaters on June 16 in the U.S. and on June 21 in France.

Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent Rolling off a successful edition that premiered Charlotte Wells’ celebrated film “Aftersun” with Paul Mescal, Cannes’ Critics Week is back with an international lineup spanning South Korea and Malaysia to France and Jordan, among others. The Critics Week sidebar runs parallel to the Cannes Film Festival, and focuses on first and second films. Under the leadership of artistic director Ava Cahen since last year, the lineup will boast 11 feature films chosen from 1,000 submitted movies. Out of these 11 movies, seven are feature debuts and six are directed by women. Among them is “Ama Gloria,” directed by French helmer Marie Amachoukeli, who previously won Cannes’ Golden Camera for “Party Girl” which she co-directed with Claire Burger and Samuel Theis.

PrettyLittleThing founder Umar Kamani has announced he will be stepping down as CEO after 12 years of running the fashion empire.

The ladies are back for amore!

Todd Spangler NY Digital Editor Less than a year after Spotify acquired Heardle, the audio streamer is mothballing the music game. “Heardle is going away on May 5th,” a message on the service’s website says. “Thanks for playing Heardle, but unfortunately we have to say goodbye.” In the note to Heardle users, Spotify said that if they have statistics they would like to save, “make sure you go to your stats and take a screenshot by May 4th.” When Spotify announced its deal to buy Heardle in July 2022, the company touted it as “a tool for musical discovery,” saying that playing the game “might just help you to rediscover old tracks you may have thought you’d forgotten, discover amazing new artists, or finally put a title to that wordless melody you’ve had caught in your head forever.”

Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent Cannes Film Festival’s longtime director Thierry Fremaux sat down with Variety following the announcement of this year’s lineup, which includes a bevy of star-studded period movies, including Martin Scorsese’s highly anticipated “Killers of the Flower Moon,” Karim Aïnouz’s “Firebrand” and Jonathan Glazer’s “Zone of Interest.” Along with a raft of politically-minded films, there’s also a record six movies directed by female helmers in competition, including newcomers like Senegalese direcotr Ramata-Toulaye Sy’s feature debut “Banel et Adama.” Fremaux said his only regret this year is to miss out on “Oppenheimer” and “Barbie,” but he’s keeping high hopes to convince Scorsese to vie for a second Palme d’Or 47 years after winning his first with “Taxi Driver.” He also revealed that as many as two or three movies are expected to be added to the competition next week, after Directors’ Fortnight and Critics’ Week announce their respective lineups.

Mixmag reports, multiple DJs have spoken out about their alleged abusive experiences with Hall, who is the son of the late Terry Hall of The Specials.On Tuesday (April 11), New York-based artist Rainstick (real name Anthony Lowe) shared a statement on Instagram in which he accused Hall of sending “completely unprovoked, violent zionist messages, including vile death threats against my family”.“I learned that he also menaced at least two other people – female musicians of colour – with zionist messages, and that this may be a pattern of anti-Palestinian behaviour,” Lowe continued.In a statement obtained by Mixmag, Lowe said: “I have never before had a personal issue with Felix Hall. The issue is the bigotry, racism and violence he has displayed (and then tried to hide), and the greater dangers they represent.”Several other artists have since come forward to detail their experiences with Hall, including North African DJ Marwa Belhaj Youssef.

Rebecca Rubin Film and Media Reporter Bold Film’s longtime CEO Gary Michael Walters has stepped down to form Walters Media Group. Walters has been with Bold Film since its founding in 2004 and served as producer and executive producer all of the company’s film and television projects, including Damien Chazelle’s “Whiplash” starring Miles Teller and JK Simmons; Dan Gilroy’s “Nightcrawler,” with Jake Gyllenhaal and Riz Ahmed; and “Drive” starring Ryan Gosling, Carey Mulligan, Bryan Cranston and Oscar Isaac. Other notable projects that Walter worked on at Bold Films include the action thriller “No Escape,” featuring Owen Wilson and Pierce Brosnan, and the apocalyptic thriller “Legion,” with Paul Bettany and Dennis Quaid. More recently, Walters was Emmy-nominated for HBO’s “Oslo” and produced Netflix’s “The Guilty” starring Jake Gyllenhaal and directed by Antoine Fuqua.

Bold Films’ longtime CEO Gary Michael Walters has stepped down from his position to form Walters Media Group.

Faye Winter has gone on a date night with a difference following her split from Teddy Soares earlier this year.The Love Island star, 27, met Teddy, 26, during their time on the hit ITV dating show in 2021 and after a fiery few moments finished in third place and later moved in together after leaving the villa. But after almost two years in a relationship, the pair announced their split in February this year.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief The Shanghai International Film Festival has unveiled plans for its return to an in-person event that will mark its 25th edition and its 30th anniversary. The festival was canceled last year, due to the severe restrictions imposed on the city in reaction to a Spring flare-up in the COVID outbreak. The 2023 edition will run June 9-18, 2023, organizers confirmed on Tuesday. They said it would, “open a two-way journey between Chinese films and world films.” The Jinjue (Golden Goblet) Awards competition will this year operate across five categories: main feature film competition, Asian newcomers, documentaries, animation and short films.

Brent Lang Executive Editor Arianna Bocco has stepped down as president of IFC Films. She will be replaced on an interim basis by Scott Shooman, who currently serves as head of acquisitions. Bocco left the company on Thursday. IFC, which is owned by AMC Networks, will conduct a search for a permanent replacement for Bocco, a longtime executive at the company and a major force in the world of independent film, respected for her keen taste and strong relationships with top talent. Bocco took the reins at IFC in 2020 after her predecessor Lisa Schwartz stepped down. But she had been at the company for more than a decade before making that leap. “IFC Films is a vibrant and vital part of our business and we will continue to acquire, produce and distribute films across our IFC Films, Shudder and RLJE Films ecosystems,” AMC Networks said in a statement. “We have full and total confidence in Scott’s ability to run the business as interim head and know that our film team will not miss a beat as it proceeds forward with a robust slate of releases and acquisitions.”

Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent Mariëtte Rissenbeek, who heads over the Berlin International Film Festival along with Carlo Chatrian, has decided to step down after next year’s edition. Rissenbeek’s contract expires in March 2024, and she has opted to not renew it, according to the German culture ministry, which is the main financier of the festival. German Culture Minister Claudia Roth said she regretted Rissenbeek’s decision, but praised her for prompting a “generational change” within the leadership of the cultural institution. Rissenbeek, an industry veteran who previously worked as managing director of promotion agency German Films, has reached retirement age in Germany (at 67). The executive will step down after the 74th edition of the festival which she’s due to prepare with Chatrian.

Berlinale co-head Mariette Rissenbeek has taken the decision to not renew her contract as co-head of the Berlin Film Festival after the 2024 edition.

Two days after a judge shut down the prosecution’s attempt to bring on a new special prosecutor in the Rust shooting, Santa Fe District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies has stepped aside and appointed a pair of special prosecutors — veteran New Mexico attorneys Kari Morrissey and Jason Lewis — to take over the high-profile case.

Two new special prosecutors were appointed to Alec Baldwin's fatal "Rust" movie shooting case Wednesday. New Mexico First Judicial District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies announced Kari Morrissey and Jason Lewis will serve as "special prosecutors." "Morrissey's and Lewis' extensive experience and trial expertise will allow the state to pursue justice for Halyna Hutchins and ensure that in New Mexico everyone is held accountable under the law," Heather Brewer, spokesperson, First New Mexico Judicial District Attorney, said in a statement.

The Hollywood Reporter first revealed.The role change extends an overall deal between MGM — the studio behind “The Handmaid’s Tale” for Hulu — and Tuchman. The writer first signed a deal with the studio in 2018 that included creating new projects.

A Scots mum has hit out at a Blackpool hotel after claiming she found a 'bed bug' and urine stains on the mattress in their room.

Matt Hancock is claiming an extra £13,200 a year in expenses from the taxpayer to rent a love nest after quitting his marital home. The former Health Secretary has been claiming £3300 a month for a property in London since September, shortly before he earned £320,000 for appearing on TV reality show, I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here.

Multistory Media Bolsters Entertainment TeamITV Studios label MultiStory Media has bolstered its entertainment team. Simone Haywood has been promoted to Creative Director for MultiStory London, while Jon Cahn has joined as Executive Producer and Zinia Scroggs has been appointed Series Editor. Haywood was previously Head of Factual Entertainment, steering shows such as Scared of the Dark for Channel 4, BBC Three’s Project Icon, Big Flower Fight for Netflix and Come Dine With Me for Channel 4. Reporting to Chief Creative Officer Ana de Moraes, she will work with Ceri Aston, Creative Director at MultiStory North. Cahn most recently worked on the Danny Dyer-hosted, celebrity show Scared of the Dark, with other credits including Channel 4’s SAS: Who Dares Wins and Married at First Sight. Scroggs is currently working on Project Icon with previous credits inlcuding BBC Three’s Glow Up. “Simone is fearless about breaking new ground and grabbing big ideas by the horns… We are excited to give her the opportunity to take the next step in her career, building MultiStory’s entertainment slate with Jon Cahn and Zinia Scroggs, both rising stars whose talents are incredible additions to our team,” said de Moraes.