Curate Management Taps Becca Rodriguez as Book and IP Manager (EXCLUSIVE)

Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent Paris-based company Indie Sales has boarded Emad Aleebrahim Dehkordi’s feature debut “A Tale of Shemroon” which is set to premiere in the New Directors competition at San Sebastian. Set in the north of Tehran, “A Tale of Shemroon” follows Iman and his younger brother Payar who live with their father. After the death of their mother, Iman starts a business thanks to his connections with the city’s affluent youth, but these new opportunities bring him on a dangerous path affecting his family’s destiny. “We are proud to be a part of San Sebastian’s New Directors competition with this new voice from Iranian cinema,” said Nicolas Eschbach at Indie Sales. “Emad (Aleebrahim Dehkordi) depicts the reality of the Iranian youth living in parts of Tehran that have seldom been seen before,” Eschbach continued.

Britney Spears' mother, Lynne Spears, is speaking out after the singer made a series of bombshell claims about her 13-year conservatorship in a lengthy audio file, which she released publicly on YouTube over the weekend. In the 22-minute clip — which has since been made private, though the audio of it has been reposted online — Britney issues a series of accusations against her family members, including parents Lynne and Jamie Spears, and expresses deep hurt and anger. «I felt like my family threw me away,» she says at one point. Lynne took to Instagram on Sunday with a response of her own, sharing a black and white throwback shot with her daughter. The pair are seen arm-in-arm, laughing, as they walk through a wooded area in the photo. «Britney, your whole life I have tried my best to support your dreams and wishes! And also, I have tried my best to help you out of hardships! I have never and will never turn my back on you!» Lynne captioned the post.

Annika Pham New Europe Film Sales has added U.K. distributor Signature Entertainment to the slew of global buyers won over by Guðmundur Arnar Guðmundsson’s “Beautiful Beings,” which has racked up awards from Poland, Bulgaria, Italy and Taiwan, since its first bow at the last Berlinale Panorama. Earlier deals were closed with the U.S. (Altered Innocence), Hungary (Vertigo), Benelux (Arti Film), Germany/Austria (Salzgeber), Spain (Filmin), and CEE (HBO).Billed by Variety reviewer Jessica Kiang as an “Icelandic coming-of age, radiant with violence and tenderness,” Guðmundsson’s drama revolves around a young boy raised by a clairvoyant mother who decides to adopt a bullied misfit into his gang of outsiders. 

Leo Barraclough International Features EditorViva Kids has acquired North American distribution rights to the Sky Original animated adventure “The Amazing Maurice,” set to be released stateside and only in theaters on Jan. 13, 2023.

Selome Hailu Disney Branded Television has set a celebrity voice cast for its upcoming animated musical series “Firebuds” including Padma Lakshmi, Melissa Rauch, Oscar Nuñez, José Andres, Pamela Adlon and “Weird Al” Yankovic. The series will premiere on Disney Channel, Disney Junior and Disney+ on Sept.

Brent Lang Executive Editor of Film and MediaVerve has promoted Melissa Darman to partner.Darman, who joined Verve in 2014, started her career at ICM before pivoting to the studio system to work in comedy development at ABC Network. She then moved onto Lionsgate before joining Verve, where she has continued to focus on comedy during her time as an agent on the TV literary team.“Working at Verve continues to be rewarding on a daily basis,” Darman said in a statement.

Naman Ramachandran Industry stalwarts including director Cheryl Dunye (“Bridgerton”), actor, writer, director Romola Garai (“The Amulet,” “Becoming Elizabeth”), producer Elizabeth Karlsen (“Mothering Sunday”) and Sky Comedy commissioning editor Tilusha Ghelani have joined the illustrious roster of mentors at The Writers Lab U.K. & Ireland.Now in its second year in the territory, the lab, which supports women and non-binary writers over 40, is set up to discover new writing voices from across Scotland, England, Ireland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Britney Spears’ lawyer, Matthew Rosengart, is coming to her defense after Kevin Federline tried to make her look like a bad parent!

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at LargeComedian, writer and actor Larry Wilmore has been tapped to host the 46th Annual Humanitas Prizes, which return as an in-person event on September 9, 2022 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. Wilmore is a previous Humanitas winner, having served as creator, writer and exec producer of “The Bernie Mac Show,” which won two of the prizes (along with an Emmy and a Peabody over five seasons).

EXCLUSIVE: Kyle Jaeger has joined 2AM as a manager and will focus on representing emerging creators across film, television, and theater.

Warning: the following contains spoilers for AMC’s “Better Call Saul” episode that aired Aug. 8Last week, “Better Call Saul” finally welcomed back Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul as Walter White and Jesse Pinkman, respectively, after nearly six seasons of anticipation. In Monday’s penultimate episode, fans were treated to more of the iconic “Breaking Bad” characters as the two timelines continue to merge.

With Little Mix currently on hiatus (we're fast-approaching the 100-day mark, not that we're counting), our attention's turned to Leigh-Anne Pinnock, Jade Thirlwall and Perrie Edwards' solo endeavours.

Joy Behar has been on for nearly its entire quarter-century run, and the celebrated TV personality is opening up about the reason she's stayed with the program for as long as she has.The 79-year-old veteran TV personality sat down with ET's Rachel Smith to talk about the show's new co-host, Alyssa Farah Griffin, and she joked about what keeps her coming back to the show each season.«Money,» Behar says with a laugh. «And also geography.

Rebecca Rubin Film and Media ReporterGigi Saul Guerrero is set to direct “Jenni,” a movie about the life of Mexican American singer Jenni Rivera.The biopic, which is authorized by the late artist’s estate, will be produced by Los Angeles-based multimedia company Mucho Mas Media and De Line Pictures.Developed by Guerrero and screenwriter Shane McKenzie, the movie follows Rivera’s rise as a Spanish singer who successfully crossed over to U.S. and global audiences, as well as her work as a women’s rights activist.

Clayton Davis Disney and Warner Bros. topped the 22nd annual Golden Trailer Awards nominations, announced on Tuesday.Disney picked up a massive haul of 85 nominations, which includes Walt Disney Motion Pictures, Disney+, National Geographic, Marvel Studios, ABC, Hulu and 20th Century Studios.

Naman Ramachandran Actor and campaigner Mehwish Hayat (“Ms. Marvel”) and writer-director Lena Khan (“Never Have I Ever”) have been revealed as the first patrons for charity U.K. Muslim Film (UKMF).UKMF works to change perspectives through championing underrepresented talent and voices, both on-screen and behind the camera and also advises the entertainment industry on how to authentically represent Muslims on-screen.

Great British Bake Off star Val Stones seems a little baffled to hear from fans that her voice features in new animated film DC League of Super-Pets. Val starred in the 2016 series when Mary Berry was still judging alongside Paul Hollywood, but was sadly the fifth contestant to be booted out after a disastrous pastry week. At the time, Val amused viewers by listening to her cakes and performing aerobics while baking.

Addie Morfoot ContributorFour documentary filmmakers were invited to participate in the Sundance Institute’s newly created Indigenous non-fiction intensive program that concludes July 29.The three-day program was created to identify Indigenous artists creating formally bold and personal work and to uplift them with a small grant and mentorship on a current edit of their short-form documentary films.The four filmmakers selected to partake in the new initiative are: Sarah Liese (“Coming In”), Sean Connelly (“A Justice Advancing Architecture Tour”), Olivia Camfield and Woodrow Hunt (“If You Look Under There You’ll Find It”). The advisors for the inaugural program include Emmy award-winning filmmaker Colleen Thurston (“Osiyo, Voices of the Cherokee People”), filmmaker-editor Maya Daisy Hawke (“Cave of Forgotten Dreams”), and filmmaker Darol Olu Kae (“I Ran From It and Was Still in It”).