‘Game of Thrones’ Actors Tom Wlaschiha, Jazzy de Lisser Join Cast of Lasse Hallström’s ‘Hilma’ (EXCLUSIVE)

Venice Critics’ Week Unveils 2022 Selection

Nick Vivarelli International CorrespondentItaly’s True Colours has sold Mario Martone’s Naples-set Cannes competition drama “Nostalgia” to Curzon Film for the U.K. and Ireland, among other new territories.The deal, negotiated by True Colours sales manager Francesca Tiberi and Curzon acquisitions executive Eleonora Pesci, marks the first partnership between the companies.At the Italian Screenings market event recently held in Lecce, Southern Italy, the Rome-based sales company also sealed fresh deals on several other films, including pre-sales on upcoming Locarno title “Delta,” which is a revenge drama with a contemporary Western vibe.Martone’s “Nostalgia,” which has been praised by Variety critic Guy Lodge as the prolific Italian auteur’s “most rewarding film in years,” stars Pierfrancesco Favino as the middle-aged Felice Lasco, who returns to the bustling port city after having lived in Egypt for 40 years.

Elsa Keslassy International CorrespondentBeta has pre-sold sprawling Finnish drama series “Estonia” to Germany’s broadcaster Seven.One Entertainment Group, the parent company of ProSieben. The eight-hour drama, about the deadliest civil maritime disaster in recent European history, is now in its third week of shooting.

Manori Ravindran International EditorThe New Yorker has acquired Israeli documentary shorts “Holy Holocaust” and “Herd.”Jerusalem-based sales agent Go2Films has secured a worldwide digital distribution deal with the publication for the pair of award-winning films. “Holy Holocaust” is directed by Osi Wald and Noa Berman-Hertzberg, while “Herd” is helmed by Omer Daida.Both films are currently nominated for Israeli Academy Awards and have played at international festivals.

Manori Ravindran International EditorGerman investment and co-production outfit Night Train Media has fully acquired Swedish distributor Eccho Rights, buying Korean media group CJ ENM’s majority stake in the business in the process, Variety can reveal.The Stockholm-headquartered Eccho Rights is best known for a rich catalogue of Turkish content — which travels extremely well internationally — as well as Scandinavian, Western European and Korean programs. CJ ENM bought a majority stake in the company in December 2018 as part of a drive to expand in Europe, but has now fully sold that stake into Night Train Media.The deal for Eccho comes almost exactly a year after Night Train Media, which is backed by private equity company Serafin Group, bought a majority stake in Paul Heaney’s London-based distribution outfit BossaNova.

DEALSSony Music Entertainment Middle East and Egyptian music company Craft Media have announced a new partnership to sign, produce and promote Arabic artists and music across the Middle East. “Craft Media’s creative prowess, coupled with our years of experience in the music industry and international network of talent and collaborators, give our artists an edge in a competitive market”, says Mike Fairburn, General Manager of Sony Music Middle East.

Legendary performer Elton John is saying goodbye. Wrapping up a 50-plus year career with a farewell tour, the British pianist and vocalist has created some of the most memorable and enduring music in the history of pop-rock, songs burned into the collective DNA of humanity. John kicked off the final leg of his North American farewell tour Friday night at Citizens Bank Park, home of baseball’s Philadelphia Phillies.

Elsa Keslassy International CorrespondentStrand Releasing has bought North American rights to João Pedro Rodrigues’ “Will-O’-The-Wisp” which had its world premiere at Director’s Fortnight in Cannes. Films Boutique represents the movie in international markets.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterThe scripted and unscripted series based on “The Battersea Poltergeist” from Blumhouse Television and Maniac Productions have been set up at Peacock for development, Variety has learned exclusively.Both projects are based on the BBC Radio 4 docu-drama podcast “The Battersea Poltergeist.” It was first announced as being in the works in May 2021, though no network or streaming service was attached at that time.The shows are meant to be the first installment of a new anthology series called “Blumhouse’s Ghost Story.” “The Battersea Poltergeist” tells the story of strange events that occurred in 1956 in Battersea, South London, when 15-year old Shirley Hitchings first began being terrorized by a powerful force. The events were investigated over a 12-year period, becoming the longest documented poltergeist haunting in history.

Many Brits will be eager to go abroad this summer as lots of countries ease their restrictions after the pandemic. Portugal is one of the latest countries to scrap its entry requirements, meaning passengers no longer have to show proof of vaccination or a negative test.

A pill is now being sold in the UK which could help British drinkers avoid the much-dreaded hangover after a night out.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau ChiefBanijay Rights, the global distribution arm of Banijay, has licensed eight-part historical drama “Marie Antoinette” to BBC First in Australia.Created and written by Deborah Davis (“The Favourite”), “Marie Antoinette” tells the story of the incredibly modern and avant-garde young queen, played by Emilia Schüle (“Ku’damm 56/ 63”). It was previously licensed to U.K. public broadcaster BBC2.

$43 million merger that formed Warner Bros. Discovery in April 2022, the company is cutting costs by adjusting its strategy for HBO Max in parts of Europe.

Manori Ravindran International EditorWarner Bros. Discovery’s post-merger growing pains and an eye-watering $3 billion cost-savings target are hitting its programming strategy in Europe, Variety can reveal.As the media conglomerate looks to recalibrate its streaming priorities, it will no longer produce originals for HBO Max in the Nordics (Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland), Central Europe, the Netherlands and Turkey, and will also remove some content from its platform in order to free up licensing deals elsewhere.In a statement shared with Variety, a spokesperson for Warner Bros.

Alissa Simon Film CriticFuture Frames is a next generation showcase comprised of short works by students and recent graduates of European film schools, curated by the Karlovy Vary Fest in cooperation with European Film Promotion. The selected directors and their films will be introduced on-site to Karlovy Vary audiences.

Leo Barraclough International Features EditorPay TV network Canal+ in Poland has greenlit a third season of local crime thriller “The Teach” after its previous runs broke ratings records, and sold around the world via the distribution arm of Studiocanal, which is also succeeding to secure international distribution for its other shows produced by Canal+ Poland. “The Teach,” which had the best ratings of any series on Canal+ in Poland, has been sold to Walter Presents in the U.S., Canada and the U.K.; Australian broadcaster SBS; New Zealand broadcaster Rialto; M7 Group, which runs pay TV and OTT services in Belgium, the Netherlands, Austria, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary and Romania; and digital channel Polar+ in France.

Elsa Keslassy International CorrespondentAlbert Serra’s “Pacifiction” has lured major distributors around the world following its critically acclaimed world premiere in competition at the Cannes Film Festival. Berlin-based Films Boutique (“Lunana, a Yak in the Classroom,” “Charlatan”) is representing the film in international markets.“Pacifiction” stars Cesar-winning French actor Benoit Magimel (“Peaceful”) as a calculating French government official working in the French Polynesian island of Tahiti.