ESPN Films Sets Gracie Family Docuseries, Guy Ritchie Among Executive Producers (EXCLUSIVE)

Jaden Thompson Women in Film (WIF) has created a resource guide and included a dedicated day on their help line to offer assistance to those impacted both physically and emotionally by the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. On Thursdays from 9 a.m.

Manori Ravindran Executive Editor of International “Scream” star Neve Campbell has boarded the Toronto Film Festival-bound documentary “Swan Song,” about the National Ballet of Canada, as an executive producer. Campbell, who is Canadian, is expected to attend Toronto in support of the film, which follows the ballet company as it mounts a new production of “Swan Lake” directed by ballet icon Karen Kain on the eve of her retirement. The documentary will screen as part of the festival’s Special Presentations program.

The film set for Beetlejuice 2 in Vermont was burglarized and authorities are still looking for the culprit.

Leo Barraclough International Features Editor “Family Portrait,” written and directed by Lucy Kerr, has debuted its trailer ahead of its world premiere in Locarno Film Festival’s Cineasti Del Presente section. World sales are being handled by Flavio Armone at Lights On. “Family Portrait” follows a sprawling family on a morning when they have planned a group picture. After the mother disappears and one of the daughters becomes increasingly anxious to find her and take the picture, the rest of the family appears to resist any attempt to gather. “Initially presenting itself as a realistic portrayal of a family on an idle but hectic summer day, the film progressively descends into a realm where time and space lose their grip, transforming the family portrait into a solemn and enigmatic ritual of transition,” according to a press statement.

Justin Roiland and Dan Harmon could fill every seat at their San Diego Comic-Con panels with eager fans hungry for any tiny detail about the animated series with a cult-like following. While this year’s panel in the Hilton Bayfront’s Indigo Ballroom was once again packed, there was an air of uncertainty regarding the series’ future as the panelists were hesitant to give many (if any) details on what’s next for their space odyssey. In January of 2023, Adult Swim terminated their relationship with Roiland, who also voiced the titular characters, after he was charged with domestic violence. “Adult Swim has ended its association with Justin Roiland,” the network said in a statement. Hulu also dropped him from “Solar Opposites,” which he co-created, and “Koala Man.” The charges against Roiland were dismissed in March.

co-creator and executive producer, has died from coronary-related issues, his family announced Friday. He was 68.«It is with great sadness that we inform you that Bill has passed away,» his family wrote on his Facebook page. «It was a sudden coronary-related death and we find comfort in knowing that he went quickly and didn't suffer.

In an era of the social media drip of snippets and IG Live previews, big ticket album releases right now can feel like the full stop on a conversation that began months (or maybe even years) prior. J Hus is different, though. Through a combination of lengthy absences from the spotlight and a refreshing musical unpredictability, his albums still feel like events that demand more discussion.

Katcy Stephan Wrangling 10 busy sisters in one room is already a herculean task — try planning a production schedule around them. That’s just what the team behind “Secrets & Sisterhood: The Sozahdahs” had to do. The reality series, which premiered June 7 on Hulu, follows the ten siblings of the Sozahdah family: Shaista, Halimah, Khadija, Rabya, Shakur, Muzlefa, Jamila, Siddiqa, Nooreya and Hamida. “The Sozahdahs have both a complicated past as well as an often complex present that makes for an abundance of story possibilities. These run the emotional spectrum from super heartfelt to hilarious to heated at times,” says Dane Joseph, Vice President of Unscripted Series for Hulu Originals. “Each of their interactions are rooted in love, but are genuinely unpredictable, which is what makes unscripted content so exciting to work on.”

EXCLUSIVE: The UK has a new South Asian-focused film talk show.

Naman Ramachandran India is on track to be the international production hub for global reality formats “Survivor” and “Temptation Island,” Banijay Asia CEO Deepak Dhar has confirmed. Dhar had revealed nascent plans for this late last year to Variety and they are now well into fruition. “Survivor” has had more than 50 international versions and “Temptation Island” more than 20. “Significant progress has happened in the last six to seven months in setting up the runway to really pave a lot of productions to happen in India, both reality and scripted. Reality is something that we’ve been pushing, because of the might of our Banijay Group catalog formats – shows like ‘Survivor’ and ‘Temptation Island.’ We are on the verge of setting up a ‘Temptation Island’ hub and ‘Survivor’ hub and a whole lot of the Banijay Group companies would come film here,” Dhar told Variety.

Clayton Davis Senior Awards Editor The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences sent a letter to its members on Friday evening, addressing the recent departure of multiple Black executives from its organization over the past few weeks. Signed by Academy CEO Bill Kramer and president Janet Yang, the statement, obtained by Variety, includes an affirmation of the organization’s commitment to its diversity and inclusion programs, as well as efforts to “expanding” their promotion. “We have heard from some of you who have asked about our Academy DEAI programs as these efforts across our film community and other industries have been called into question,” the letter begins. “A number of Black executives in Hollywood have exited their roles, including within the Academy, and we recognize the concern this creates. Given all of this, we want to reiterate, in the strongest possible terms, the Academy’s commitment to not only continuing, but expanding our efforts to promote diversity and inclusion within our organization and the film industry at large.”

EXCLUSIVE: Guy Ritchie’s Netflix series The Gentlemen is expanding its recurring cast, adding Harry Goodwins and Ruby Sear in key roles.

Nick Vivarelli International Correspondent Federico Fellini’s post-war immigration story “Napoli-New York,” which was penned for the big screen by the famed director but never produced, is set to become a graphic novel written by French comic book writer Jean-David Morvan. Meanwhile, as previously announced, cameras are rolling in Naples on the movie version by Oscar-winning director Gabriele Salvatores. Fellini co-wrote the tale with his frequent collaborator Tullio Pinelli, a writer on the Italian maestro’s “La Dolce Vita” and “8 1/2,” as well as other titles. Turin-based media company Arancia Studio has now attached the prolific Morvan – who has written more than 250 books that have sold millions of copies – for the graphic novel adaptation.

Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent Les Films du Losange has unveiled the trailer for “Un Silence,” Joachim Lafosse’s thought-provoking film starring Daniel Auteuil and Emmanuelle Devos that will world premiere in competition at San Sebastian Film Festival. Tackling themes of abuse, the timely film revolves around Astrid (Devos), the wife of an acclaimed lawyer (Auteuil). Silenced for 25 years, her family balance suddenly collapses when her children initiate their own search for justice. One of Belgium’s leading filmmakers, Lafosse is best known internationally for 2012’s “Our Children,” a heart-wrenching drama based on a true story starring Emilie Dequenne and Tahar Rahim. “Our Children” represented Belgium in the Oscars race. “Un Silence” will mark Joachim’s follow up to “The Restless,” which competed at Cannes in 2021 and also explored imploding family dynamics.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large Emmy-winning writer/producer/director Manny Coto, whose credits include “24” and its sequels “24: Live Another Day” and “24: Legacy,” as well as “American Horror Story,” “Star Trek: Enterprise” and “Dexter,” died Sunday in Pasadena. He was 62. News of Coto’s death was confirmed by a family representative. Coto died after a 13-month battle with pancreatic cancer, and passed away at his home, surrounded by family. Born in Havana, Cuba, Manuel Hector Coto was one of primetime’s most prominent Latino writers and showrunners. He shared the outstanding drama series Emmy in 2005 for Season 5 of “24,” and co-created “24: Legacy.” Coto also spend four seasons as exec producer of “American Horror Story,” and also exec produced two seasons of “American Horror Stories,” directing the 2021 episode “Feral.”

Jinger Duggar gave a glimpse of her reunions with her sisters Jill and Jana Duggar one month after a docuseries investigating their family’s secrets debuted.

John Hopewell Chief International Correspondent Lights On, the Turin-based world sales company, has made a double swoop on Locarno titles, taking international sales rights to Lucy Kerr’s “Family Portrait” and “Dreaming & Dying” (“Hao Jiu Bu Jian”), written and directed by Singapore’s Nelson Yeo.  Both play in Locarno’s Cineasti del Presenti Sierra, focused on new talent. Locarno’s 2023 lineup was announced July 5. ‘Family Portrait’ The first feature from Kerr, a Texas-born filmmaker, video and installation artist and curator, “Family Portrait” turns on a sprawling Texas family that gets together on a morning to take a group picture. 

Julia Fox is dabbling in the Canadian film industry.

Naman Ramachandran Julia Fox, breakout star of “Uncut Gems” has signed on as executive producer for Luis De Filippis’ debut feature “Something You Said Last Night.” The Canadian-Swiss project bowed at Toronto in 2022 and won the Shawn Mendes Change Maker Award there and went on to win major awards at San Sebastian, Cairo and Rotterdam. It stars emerging performer Carmen Madonia, Ramona Milano (“Due South”), Paige Evans (“Trapped With My Husband”) and Joey Parro (“Nikita”). The trans themed story follows 20-something aspiring writer Ren (Madonia) and her younger sister Siena (Evans) as they reluctantly accompany their parents on a family vacation.

McKinley Franklin editor Film historian Phil Hopkins has launched Film Masters, a new vintage film restoration and distribution company.  Each month, one Blu-ray/DVD title will be released, beginning on Sept. 26 with a two-disc collection featuring cult favorite “The Giant Gila Monster” with bonus film “The Killer Shrews,” which were both originally released as a double-feature bill in 1959. Following the pilot slate, the 1959 horror “Beast From Haunted Cove” will release on Oct. 24 followed by the 1934 drama “The Scarlett Letter” on Nov. 21. Upon each release, films will be restored with new 4k scans of 35mm with original film elements, offered in original aspect ratios while being presented on region-free discs with DTS-HD sound and Dolby AC3s sound.