CAA Signs ‘Union’ Filmmaker Brett Story Ahead of Sundance World Premiere (EXCLUSIVE)

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large Comedian Bert Kreischer is sticking with Netflix, signing with the streamer to film two more stand-up comedy specials. This reps the fourth and fifth specials for Kreischer at Netflix, following “Razzle Dazzle” (2023), “Hey Big Boy” (2020), and “Secret Time” (2018). The first of the two specials will be filmed by Kreischer at the Mahaffey Theater in St.

Rafa Sales Ross Guest Contributor Marcelo Gomes’ new film “Portrait of a Certain Orient” will be represented for world sales by Brazil’s O2 Play. The deal was sealed ahead of the film’s premiere at the International Film Festival Rotterdam, where it plays as part of the Big Screen Competition.

Swedish-Eritrean filmmaker Binyam Berhane has filed a $2 million lawsuit against the producers of Daniel Espinosa’s Italy-set immigration drama Madame Luna ahead of its world premiere at the Rotterdam Film Festival this weekend.

Lauren Sanchez has a great relationship with her ex, Tony Gonzalez. Following hte premiere of “The Underdoggs,” the new series that features Tony, Sanchez took to social media to share her congratulations and promote her ex’s work. Jeff Bezos’ relationship with Lauren Sánchez sparks positive reactions on social media: here’s whyJeff Bezos’ 60th birthday party hosted by Lauren Sanchez was star-studded: detailsIn an Instagram story, Sanchez shared a photo of Tony and their son Nikko at the premiere of “The Underdoggs.” In it, both Nikko and Tony are wearing mostly black outfits, made out of a jacket, pants and a t-shirt.

Annika Pham Banijay Benelux’s Belgian banner Jonnydepony has set rising star Willem De Schryver from Netflix’s YA hit show” High Tides” (“Knokke Off”) for the title role of “I Was a Cop in the 80s,” ordered by Amazon Prime Netherlands and Flemish streamer Streamz. The period crime drama in development will be pitched by seasoned showrunner Philippe De Schepper (“Arcadia,” “Missing Persons Unit”), co-writer Bas Adriaensen and producer Helen Perquy (“Tabula Rasa”) as part of a Focus on Flanders at Göteborg’s forthcoming TV Drama Vision (Jan. 30-31).

Star Wars and Star Trek alum J. J. Abrams is set for the Cinema Audio Society‘s 2024 Filmmaker Award. The Lost double Emmy winner will be honored during the 60th anniversary CAS Awards on March 2 at the Beverly Hilton.

The stars of the highly anticipated movie Argylle stepped out for the world premiere event in London!

Brent Lang Executive Editor “Presence,” a twisty new thriller that premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, has sold to Neon. The movie, which is directed by Oscar winner Steven Soderbergh, puts an inventive spin on the haunted house genre. It unfolds from the perspective of the spectral entity and is primarily interested in dramatizing the issues of the people living in the home, who seem to be grappling with a lot of interpersonal problems.

Naman Ramachandran Indian star Shruti Haasan will headline India-U.K. film co-production “Chennai Story.” Haasan, who is also a renowned musician, has acting credits across India’s various language film industries and in the U.S. and U.K.

Leo Barraclough International Features Editor Chinese filmmaker Lin Jianjie‘s debut feature “Brief History of a Family,” which is being sold by Films Boutique, has debuted its trailer (below), following its world premiere in the World Cinema Dramatic Competition section of the Sundance Film Festival. The film, which will make its European premiere in the Panorama program of the Berlin Film Festival, was received warmly by Variety critic Carlos Aguilar. In the review, Aguilar says the suspenseful drama was “elevated by its consistent visual inventiveness.” He adds that although at first it seems to be the story of a “cunning infiltrator wreaking havoc in an unsuspecting household,” it then “reveals itself as a tale of wish fulfillment for everyone involved.” Aguilar says that it is this approach which “turns Lin’s debut into an engrossing brain-tickler.” The drama is put in motion by an incident at the high school attended by Wei, an outgoing only son from a middle-class family, and Shuo, his quiet, perceptive classmate.

Ellise Shafer Following sold-out dates in London, New York and San Francisco, the “Avatar: The Last Airbender” concert series is expanding to a 100-city world tour. Beginning September 2024, the music of the hit Nickelodeon series will travel to cities across North America, Europe and the Asia-Pacific. The over two-hour concert, produced by GEA Live, brings “Avatar: The Last Airbender’s” iconic musical score to life with an orchestra as fan-favorite moments from the series are shown on screen.

Angelique Jackson When basketball legend Sue Bird decided to let a team of filmmakers capture her final season after playing 21 years in the WNBA, she wasn’t entirely sure what to expect from watching her career be contextualized on film, but it turned out to be wonderful. “You play such a long time — so many different moments, so many different memories — and to have it now, in this one film is amazing,” Bird said, visiting the Variety Studio presented by Audible at the Sundance Film Festival.

Brent Lang Executive Editor Mavis Beacon taught the world to type. Starting in the late 1980s, a software program featuring the eponymous instructor drilled computer users on their keyboard skills, selling more than 10 million copies worldwide. But it often comes as a shock to find out that Beacon never really existed.

PARK CITY – The grass isn’t always greener is an axiom that has driven horror movies or “almost” horror movies since the silent film era. It’s no surprise then, that Aaron Schimberg’s “A Different Man” is clearly inspired by the noir thrillers of a time gone by.

Addie Morfoot Contributor In 2013, Angela Patton gave a TEDWomen talk that described a father-daughter dance for incarcerated dads and their daughters. That talk was viewed over a million times and inspired the documentary “Daughters,” which has its world premiere Monday at the Sundance Film Festival. In the film, Patton, who in the past decade has helped arrange approximately 15 Daddy Daughter Dances across the nation, and co-director Natalie Rae follow four young girls preparing for the event with their fathers in a prison in Washington, D.C.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief First-time mainland Chinese director Lin Jianjie (aka JJ Lin) makes a splash this weekend with the premiere of his “Brief History of a Family.” Asking questions about family in the era since the end of China’s ‘One Child Policy,’ while also borrowing genre tropes such as the idea of the intruder and blood, it is a polished and ultra-modern fable that sees a teenage schoolboy ingratiate himself into another boy’s family.Variety spoke to biologist-turned-filmmaker Lin on the eve of his Sundance debut.How did you get from zero to making your first feature?[After graduating in biology] I did two short films at film school. I went to Tisch Asia, which had a campus in Singapore. We also had an exchange program with Tisch in New York.

Addie Morfoot Contributor Carla Gutierrez is known in the documentary community for her work as a film editor. She was behind Oscar nominated docs “RBG” and “La Corona” as well as Emmy winner “Julia.” But in 2022, after two decades of editing, Gutierrez decided to direct “Frida,” a docu about iconic Mexican artist Frida Kahlo, which has its world premiere at Sundance Film Festival this week. “A few months before we started working on ‘Frida,’ I would say, ‘I’m really content with editing.’ I had no thoughts of directing, but her story really pulled me in and I realized I have to direct this (film).

Caroline Brew editor CAA has upped six employees to agent and executive roles, including Sebastian Brogan, Olivia Brooks, Kaitlin Gascoyne, Ross Lee, Jeff Lynds and Jenna Powell. Based in New York, Brogan was promoted to agent in the basketball department. He began his CAA career in 2016 as a mailroom clerk, then serving as an assistant to Lloyd Frischer and Tyeke Sullivan in basketball prior to his acceptance into Elevate, CAA’s agency training program, in 2021.

EXCLUSIVE: Ned Benson, the filmmaker behind Searchlight Pictures’ forthcoming romance The Greatest Hits, has signed with CAA.

Cast reunions paying homage to milestone comedy and drama series from the past few decades were one of last night’s Emmy Awards’ main attractions. Taking place on a stage that recreated a signature setting from the show, the reunions brought back together stars from Grey’s Anatomy, The Sopranos, Cheers, Martin and Ally McBeal.