‘Campolivar’ Director Alicia Moncholi’s ‘Weekends,’ Turning on Childhood Trauma, Advances in Development at Oberon Media (EXCLUSIVE)

The engaging and surprising crime film “Reptile” is flying slightly under the radar and perhaps even somewhat underestimated. Maybe it is because it’s a Netflix film, which often falls into—one piece of content of many, for better or worse—maybe it’s because it’s been marketed in a pretty standard straightforward way that makes it look like a prototypical crime or killer procedural (hey, they have to sell these things in the simplest ways they can).

A pair of hot-button Instagram posts from a director-turned-acting coach has once again put the spotlight on whether SAG-AFTRA should enforce audition pay — an entitlement that’s been in the actors’ contract since 1947.

It may only be the end of September, but the race to land a Best Director Oscar nomination may be over before it starts. That’s partially due to the massive critical and commercial success of both Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” and Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie.” Throw in Yorgos Lanthimos‘ already lauded Venice Film Festival Golden Lion winner “Poor Things” and cinema maestro Martin Scorsese’s “Killers of the Flower Moon,” and, well, there might be just one slot left.

Leo Barraclough International Features Editor Munich-based Beta Film, one of Europe’s leading television companies, and seasoned executive Danny Goldman have joined forces to form London-based Omega Global Media, a distribution business focusing on a selection of high-end English-language TV series. The new entity’s first project is the Canadian crime series “Something Undone,” starring Billy Campbell (“Cardinal”) and Amanda Brugel (“The Handmaid’s Tale”).

Holly Jones As it plays in competition at San Sebastian’s Works In Progress Latam strand, Buenos Aires-based sales agency Meikincine has swooped on international sales rights for mother-daughter relationship drama “Maybe It’s True What They Say About Us” (“Quizás Es Cierto Lo Que Dicen De Nosotras”). Produced by Storyboard Media (“Santiago, Italia” “El pacto de Fuga”), the film is directed by Chilean filmmaking duo Camilo Becerra (“El último sacramento”) and Sofía Paloma Gómez (“Quiero morirme dentro de un tiburón”).

Alicia Keys may be planning to spill some tea.

Callum McLennan Latido Films is venturing yet more into the inspiring world of e-sports and viral fame with Goya Award winning producer-helmer Alvaro Longoria’s new doc-feature, “La vida de Brianeitor.” The film serves as a spin-off from Javier Fesser’s Spanish box office smash hit, “Championext,” which Latido is also selling. The doc follows Brian Albacete, better known as Brianeitor2022. With millions of social media followers, an acting role in a top-charting Spanish film “Championext” and a spot on Team Heretics—one of Spain’s leading e-sport entities—Brian is redefining what it means to be a star.

John Hopewell Chief International Correspondent “Modestly speaking, we’ve tried to create a culture at Movistar Plus+ which attracts talent. We have a lot of respect for what creators want to tell and believe in them,” Domingo Corral, Movistar Plus+ director of fiction and entertainment, has said. One case in point is Berto Romero, whose latest series, “The Other Side” (“El otro lado”), world premieres at Spain’s San Sebastian Festival on Sunday.

John Hopewell Chief International Correspondent SAN SEBASTIAN — In a first big deal to be announced during this year’s San Sebastian Festival, Madrid-based The Mediapro Studio, one of Europe’s biggest independent and international creation-production-distribution powerhouses, has acquired Cimarrón, the Uruguay, Argentina and Mexico-based production house and services company. Of “highly significant value,” TMS said Friday, the deal looks set to consolidate TMS’ presence in Latin America and beyond.

John Hopewell Chief International Correspondent SAN SEBASTIAN — Paris-based Luxbox has clinched major territory pre-sales on anticipated San Sebastian competition title “Puan,” an original attempt by its writer-directors, María Alche (“A Family Submerged”) and Benjamín Naishtat (“Rojo”) to deliver a state of the nation take on Argentina – and any country in thrall of European ideas – but in a notably lighter tone than most Latin American arthouse fare. Key first major territory buyers take in Condor for France, whose release lineup has featured major auteurs such as Kelly Reichardt, Casey Affleck, Agnieszka Holland, Paul Schrader, Denis Villeneuve, Michel Franco and Ira Sachs.

John Hopewell Chief International Correspondent Mexico’s Katina Medina Mora, director of Netflix hits ‘Emily in Paris’ and ‘Firefly Lane’ and Apple TV+ standout “Swagger,” is teaming with Chile’s Julio Rojas, creator of podcast phenom “Caso 63,” to direct and co-write with Rojas “Freeland.” Medina Mora, Rojas and “Freeland” producer Nestor Hernández, a former Sony and HBO development exec for Latin America, will attend the San Sebastian Film Festival, which kicks off on Sept. 22, to present the project.

Tatiana Siegel Range Media Partners has signed Chinese actor, singer-songwriter, dancer and fashion icon Lay Zhang and will represent him globally across all areas. The 31-year-old star, who rose to fame as a former member of K-Pop boyband EXO before launching a solo career, already is a household name in Asia, boasting more than 80 million followers across social media. As an actor, he stars in the Chinese box office smash “No More Bets,” which has earned more than $547 million in China to date, becoming the country’s biggest hit of the summer.

Lise Pedersen LYON, France — Four-time Oscar winner Alfonso Cuarón and “Time Bandits” helmer Terry Gilliam will join a star director-studded lineup at this year’s Lumière Film Festival including Wes Anderson, Alexander Payne and Wim Wenders. Cuarón (“Roma,” “Gravity”) is returning to Lyon – where he was a guest of honor in 2018 – to present a selection of films by Swiss filmmaker Alain Tanner (“Charles Dead or Alive,” “The Salamander,” “Jonah Who Will Be 25 in the Year 2000”).

Following up on his two acclaimed horror directorial efforts, “Before The Fall” and his entrée into Hollywood with the “Rings” franchise, Spanish director F. Javier Gutiérrez returns to Spain and takes us on the disturbing journey of a man who loses everything to evil with “The Wait” (“La Espera”).

Former WarnerMedia CEO Jason Kilar has been named to the board of Roblox Corporation, the company behind the online game platform and game-creation system.

Ink (★★★☆☆), co-produced by Round House and Olney, combines a talented cast with titillating text for a thorough chronicle of Rupert Murdoch’s typically rude 1969 takeover of British tabloid The Sun.Cody Nickell, portraying the paper’s exacting editor Larry Lamb, supplies the steady, galvanizing force that drives the story of how Lamb, handpicked by Australian media baron Murdoch (Andrew Rein), assembled a ragtag squad of Fleet Street vets who would carry out Rupe’s directive to create a paper for the people. Its first act structured as a countdown to The Sun‘s unlikely launch, the production gathers steam as Lamb gathers his A-team.Yet, there’s one workhorse in this production who often upstages D.C.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief The Japan rugby union team on Sunday thrashed tournament newcomers Chile 42-12 on the first weekend of the freshly kicked-off Rugby World Cup. But in 2015, Japan were the underdogs and yet pulled off a surprise result against rugby titans South Africa. In the first ever match between the two nations Japan won 34-32, due to an 80th minute try. “The Brighton Miracle,” a docu-drama capturing and re-constructing that shock match, has been picked up by Blue Sky Media.

Holly Jones Ahead of its ambitious release scheme, Shudder has granted Variety exclusive access to the lurid teaser trailer for Argentine genre-phenom Demián Rugna’s fifth feature “When Evil Lurks” (“Cuando Acecha La Maldad”). With Paris-based prestige sales agent Charades (“Little Girl Blue”) handling global sales, the film debuts at the Toronto Film Festival’s Midnight Madness screenings on Sept. 13.

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.

BBC Breakfast viewers have been left asking 'whose idea was it' as they were left unimpressed after tuning in to a special edition of the programme. Sally Nugent was nowhere to be seen as co-host Jon Kay appeared solo - and not in the usual Salford-based studio the BBC One programme usually broadcasts from.