Daniel Schmid’s ‘The Written Face’ Near to Re-Launch by Cinémathèque Suisse (EXCLUSIVE)

Leo Barraclough International Features EditorMunich-based sales agency The Playmaker has picked up international distribution rights to “And Tomorrow We Will Be Dead,” which is based on the true story of the abduction of a Swiss couple by the Taliban in Pakistan. Variety has been given access to the international trailer for the film, which opens the Zurich Film Festival.

Katy Perry is such a doting mom! The 36-year-old headed to her hometown of Santa Barbara in Southern California to celebrate her daughter Daisy Dove‘s first birthday — see all the pics here. The “Teenage Dream” chart topper was spotted carrying her mini-me into the Santa Barbara Natural History museum on August 27, alongside her parents Mary and Keith Hudson. The tiny tot’s dad Orlando Bloom, was out of town filming a movie in Prague, so it was a girl’s day out for the mother-daughter duo!

“Under Pressure” is easily one of the most recognizable songs but it was nearly lost.

Alexander Durie “The Man Who Sold His Skin” and “Coda” stood out among films which picked up awards at the closing ceremony of the 49th Norwegian International Film Festival Haugesund. For the festival’s grand reopening to the international market, after a restricted 2020 edition due to the COVID-19 pandemic, attendance surpassed pre-pandemic levels with an all-time-high number of industry accreditations for the event which ran Aug.

Leo Barraclough International Features EditorThe 17th Zurich Film Festival will host the Swiss premiere of “No Time to Die,” the 25th James Bond film, on Sept. 28.

Naman Ramachandran Taliban hostage drama “And Tomorrow We Will Be Dead,” by Swiss filmmaker Michael Steiner (“The Awakening of Motti Wolkenbruch”) will open the 17th Zurich Film Festival (Sept. 23 – Oct.

Annika Pham Powered by its famed partners, Oslo-based Motion Blur, one of Norway’s top producers of commercials, features and TV shows, has never been that busy with projects both on home turf and in the U.S.That activity in part rolls off the pulling power of the company’s pedigreed partners: “Karate Kid” helmer Harald Zwart; “Kon-Tiki” and “Pirates of the Caribbean-Dead Men Tell No Tales” co-helmer Espen Sandberg: and producer Espen Horn (“The 12th Man,”, “Amundsen”).Minority shareholder SF

Alexander Durie After a stellar year picking up awards at Berlin, South by Southwest, Edinburgh and Melbourne, “Ninjababy” continued its prize-winning streak at Norway’s top plaudits for national movies, the Amanda Awards.

Leo Barraclough International Features EditorBerlin-based sales agency Picture Tree Intl. has kicked off sales for action biopic “Chasing the Line,” about the Austrian skiing champion Franz Klammer, which will make its world premiere at the Zurich Film Festival.PTI has closed its first deal on the film with Praesens Film taking rights for Switzerland, and will launch its international campaign with an exclusive work-in-progress buyer screening at the Toronto Film Festival.

Todd Spangler NY Digital EditorViacomCBS has decided to phase out Paramount Plus in Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland — less than a year after launching the streamer in the Nordics — to be replaced by the new SkyShowtime service coming in 2022.On Wednesday, Comcast and ViacomCBS announced their formation of a joint venture that will introduce the SkyShowtime subscription VOD service in 22 European territories starting next year. SkyShowtime will include content from the NBCUniversal, Sky and

Awkwafina is back as Nora.Comedy Central's returns for season 2 on Wednesday with back-to-back episodes, and in ET's exclusive sneak peek, Nora (Awkwafina) has a (hilarious) chance encounter with 's Chloe Fineman while at the doctor's office for «a potpourri of things.»After Nora fibs her way through most of the iPad questionnaire about smoking, vaping and drug use, she makes herself comfortable in one of the chairs where she meets the quirky Greta (Fineman). «Long story short, I swallowed a

John Hopewell Chief International CorrespondentBuenos Aires-based Compañía de Cine has swooped on sales rights to “Mostro,” a trenchant take on one consequence of violence in Mexico: Its thousands of women who suddenly join the ranks of Mexico’s “disappeared.”The boutique sales company is introducing the feature to buyers at this week’s Locarno Film Festival where it world premiered Wednesday in the Swiss Fest’s Cineasti del Presente section.The first feature of Mexico’s José Pablo Escamilla,

Bowen Yang tells ET’s Lauren Zima about his Emmy nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for his breakout year on . When the 73rd Primetime Emmy Award nominations were announced in July, the 30-year-old performer also made history by becoming the first featured cast member recognized. “I’m just very lucky that I am the beneficiary of good timing,” Yang says, noting how the category structure has changed over time.

Naman Ramachandran Vax.India.Now, a virtual fundraiser to support India in its fight against COVID-19, has raised more than $5 million.Liam Neeson, Annie Lennox, A.R. Rahman, Pia Toscano, Zubin Mehta, Gloria Estefan, Sting, Andrea Bocelli, Josh Groban, Yo-Yo Ma, David Foster, Norwegian DJ Alan Walker, Asif Mandvi, Nishat Khan, Ranjani Gayatri Sisters and Matteo Bocelli participated in the July 7 event, which was globally livestreamed by CNN and Dreamstage.live, and hosted by Hasan Minhaj.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau ChiefCecilia Marino has been hired to launch Lionsgate Play, the South Asia-focused platform of Lionsgate’s premium subscription service Starz, in The Philippines. She will become GM of Lionsgate Play Philippines and report to Rohit Jain, MD South Asia, and networks – emerging markets Asia.The service recently launched in Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, after a successful rollout in India last year.

John Hopewell Chief International CorrespondentFast emerging as a go-to company for high-profile Chilean and women director titles, Buenos Aires boutique agency Meikincine has swooped on “My Brothers Dream Awake,” ahead of its world premiere at Switzerland’s Locarno Festival on Saturday.Competing in Cineasti del Presente, a section reserved for emerging filmmakers from around the world, “My Brothers Dream Awake” marks the second feature outing for young Chilean Mapuche cineaste Claudia

John Hopewell Chief International CorrespondentHigh-flying Spanish outfit Filmika Galaika has boarded Gabriel Azorín’s poetic, time-blending “Last Night I Conquered the City of Thebes”(“Anoche conquisté Tebas”), a buzz title at the Locarno Festival Match Me forum.A networking platform for up-and-coming producers, and a few who have pretty much arrived, Match Me runs on-site at Switzerland’s Locarno Festival over Aug.

Will Thorne Staff Writer“Succession” has added another intriguing piece to the Season 3 puzzle.Swiss actor Ella Rumpf, best known for her leading role in Julia Ducournau’s fleshy horror pic “Raw,” is set to play a guest starring role in the HBO drama’s upcoming third outing, Variety has learned exclusively.Although the exact nature of her role is being kept under wraps, sources say Rumpf already finished shooting the part in Italy, where Season 3 production has been ongoing since June.A role in