Cinema Italiano Hits Berlinale With Films From Veterans and Rookies

Nick Vivarelli International CorrespondentGiancarlo Giannini, who was the late great Lina Wertmüller’s muse, helmer Gabriele Muccino (“The Pursuit of Happyness”), and Teresa Saponangelo, star of Paolo Sorrentino’s “The Hand of God,” are among top honorees of the seventh edition of Filming Italy — Los Angeles, the bridge between Italy and Hollywood set to run as a hybrid event Feb. 28-March 3.The celebration of Italy’s top film and TV titles is headed by longtime Italian industry promoter Tiziana Rocca, a former chief of the Taormina Film Festival.

Garden Rescue viewers have slammed the latest episode as the 'worst' makeover they've ever seen.

EXCLUSIVE: Nicole Kerr has been promoted to VP Entertainment at Jessie Cohen PR & Consulting, where she has been for the past five years. In the newly created leadership position, the veteran will continue rep her full slate of clients spanning film festivals, feature films, filmmakers and talent.

Nominations have been announced for this year’s Irish Film And TV Academy Awards (IFTAs). Scroll down for the full list.

Naman Ramachandran BBC Studios has revealed a format agreement for an Italian version of Abi Morgan‘s hit show “The Split.” Locally titled “Studio Battaglia,” the screenplay has been adapted by Lisa Nur Sultan (Golden Globe winner for “On My Skin”) and is directed by Simone Spada (“Hotel Gagarin”). The Italian cast includes Barbora Bobulova, (“Sacred Heart”), Miriam Dalmazio (“Anna”), Marina Occhionero (“Monterossi”), Lunetta Savino (“Saturn in Opposition”), Massimo Ghini (“The New Pope”) Thomas Trabacchi (“Nico, 1988”) and Giorgio Marchesi (“Medici”) .Originally produced by “Chernobyl” maker Sister in association with Little Chick, the six-part Italian series is produced by Palomar with Tempesta Film in collaboration with Rai Fiction.

Nathan Chen is bringing home his first Olympic gold medal, as well as a Team Silver medal, after winning the 2022 Beijing Olympics.

Refresh for latest…: After debuting early in 15 overseas markets last weekend, Sony’s Uncharted was game for another $55.4M at the international box office this session in a total 62 offshore hubs. With a projected $51M four-day domestic frame, the weekend maps out at $106.4M worldwide. This takes the running offshore cume to $88M and global to $139M.

Nick Vivarelli International CorrespondentThe Locarno Film Festival’s Locarno Pro initiative dedicated to pics in post is set to look at German films that are in their final stage of production for its upcoming edition.The fest, located in the Italian-speaking region of Switzerland, in a statement said that the initiative, now in its tenth edition, will celebrate the up-and-coming cinema of a country that has been “crucial to the history” of the fest. Locarno Pro is now looking closer to home after being a springboard for pics from Colombia, Mexico, Chile, Brazil, Israel, Poland, the Baltic Countries, Portugal, Serbia and Switzerland itself.“German filmmakers and producers and the work they have given us has been at the heart of so many memorable editions of the Locarno Film Festival, the fest said in a statement.

Sony’s Tom Holland/Mark Wahlberg-starrer Uncharted has been dated for a March 14 release in China. The studio’s Weibo account shared the news today with a video message from Holland and Wahlberg and a subtitled trailer, as well as a new poster (see it in full below). This comes at the same time as China has also set a date for Warner Bros/DC’s The Batman, which will go out on March 18.

Nick Vivarelli International CorrespondentAdriana Chiesa Enterprises has taken world sales on high-profile doc “Caterina Caselli: One Life, 100 Voices,” about the former Italian pop singer, base player and actress who is now president of Andrea Bocelli’s record label, Sugar Music.The veteran Italian sales agent is lauching sales on the doc at the online EFM.Directed by Renato De Maria, who is known for films such as “Love Me” and “The First Line,” which went to Toronto – and more recently Netflix Italy original “The Ruthless” – the doc delves into Caselli’s career which kicked off with the 1966 Sanremo song fest where she performed proto feminist song “Nessuno mi può giudicare,” (which translates as “Nobody Can Judge Me”). It went gold, selling over one million copies.

How was Ur Valentine’s Day? Ours was all smiles! Thankfully! We did our traditional gift-exchange AND Momma Perez and P got the girls something very similar! Total coincidence! We also took the kids and grandma out for brunch and some people-watching! We tried our best to be healthy! Did I succeed? Watch!

Elsa Keslassy International CorrespondentLoco Films, the Paris-based world sales and production company, has unveiled the trailer for Yulia Trofimova’s feature debut “The Land of Sasha” which is premiering today at the Berlinale, in the Generation 14plus strand.“The Land of Sahsa” tells the story of an indecisive 18-year-old struggling to pursue his desire to become a painter as his mother urges him to choose a safer career path. The sudden appearance of the boy’s estranged father complicates things further. But when Sasha has an unexpected encounter with an unusual girl called Zhenia, he realizes he has no choice but to finally grow up.“The Land of Sasha” was produced by Katerina Mikhaylova and Konstantin Fam for Moscow-based Vega Film.

Leo Barraclough International Features EditorWorld sales company Global Screen has released the first-look image of “Recipes for Love and Murder,” which has been chosen for Berlinale Series Market Selects lineup at the European Film Market. Acorn has the rights to the series for the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Ireland, Australia and New Zealand.The 10-part South African and U.K.

The Times reports, the 69-year-old Roberto Vivaldi fled Italy in the 1990s after being convicted of money laundering and fraudulent bankruptcy had been living under a fake name. The prolific fraudster had also decided to pivot careers and had been running a vintage record shop on the island of Isla de Margarita in Venezuela.

1960’s “L’Avventura” and 1966’s “Modesty Blaise” — was confirmed Wednesday by Walter Veltroni, a filmmaker and the former mayor of Rome.“Roberto Russo, her companion in these years, asks me to communicate that Monica Vitti is no more. I do so with great grief, affection, and nostalgia,” Veltroni posted to Twitter.The blond bombshell was the new wave leading lady of movies helmed by the most legendary international filmmakers in the industry: She worked with directors such as Michelangelo Antonioni, Ettore Scola and Luis Buñuel, often starring alongside the superstar likes of Sir Michael Caine, Terence Stamp and Richard Harris.Born Maria Luisa Ceciarelli to strict, poverty-stricken parents on Nov.

Naman Ramachandran Producer and financier Anton (“Greenland,” “The Night House”) has hired Leslie Chen as senior VP, international distribution and sales and has elevated consultant Louis Balsan to executive VP, international distribution and acquisitions. They will be part of Anton’s German office and will report into Paris-based Cécile Gaget, president of international production and distribution.

Elsa Keslassy International CorrespondentBrussels-based company Best Friend Forever has acquired “Coma,” the latest film by celebrated French director Bertrand Bonello (“Saint Laurent”). “Coma” will have its world premiere premiere at the Berlin Film Festival in the Encounters section. Weaving genre, animation and live action, the stylish movie boasts an exciting cast including Louise Labeque (“Zombi Child”) and Julia Faure (“Camille Rewinds”), with voices by beloved late actor Gaspard Ulliel, as well as Louis Garrel, Laetitia Casta, Anaïs Demoustier and Vincent Lacoste.

Monica Vitti has died at the age of 90. The award-winning actress has passed away after a long battle with Alzheimer's disease. Walter Veltroni, the former Mayor of Rome and a film critic, confirmed the news via a Twitter post.