International Insider: Academy Award Noms Are In; Berlin Latest; Channel 5 Boss Talks Tough

Kristin Stewart said she was feeling the full weight of the responsibility of being jury president at the Berlin Film Festival at the opening jury press conference on Thursday.

Nick Vivarelli International Correspondent   When the Iran-Iraq war broke out in 1980, director Sepideh Farsi was a high school student in Iran. At age 16, she was incarcerated for being an anti-Islamic Republic activist. Farsi stayed in her country until 1984 and then moved to France, where she experienced the second half of the conflict.  In her first animated feature, “The Siren” — which opens Berlin’s Panorama section — the Paris-based director revisits this war through the story of a 14-year-old boy named Omid, who decides to brave the Iraqi siege of Abadan, the capital of the Iranian oil industry. After opting to stay in the city with his grandfather and a bunch of other diehards, Omid and the others take over an abandoned boat he finds in Abadan’s port, which becomes their ark.

EXCLUSIVE: 101 Films International has taken worldwide distribution rights on live-action Paul McGann-starring movie Mia and the Dragon Princess, which will launch at EFM.

Manori Ravindran Executive Editor of International New sales agent and financier Architect has come on board to represent international sales on writer-director Laurel Parmet’s Sundance-premiering “The Starling Girl.” The film was acquired for North America by Bleecker Street in a deal negotiated by UTA and WME, and will release in cinemas later this year. Architect will launch international sales at this week’s European Film Market, which runs alongside the Berlin Film Festival. “The Starling Girl” premiered at Sundance to strong reviews, and will screen in the Festival Favourites section at SXSW next month. It stars Eliza Scanlen (“Sharp Objects”), Lewis Pullman (“Top Gun: Maverick”), Jimmi Simpson (“Westworld”), Wrenn Schmidt (“Nope)” and Austin Abrams (“Paper Towns|). The film is produced by Kevin Rowe and Kara Durrett.

Nick Vivarelli International Correspondent Italian director Daniele Luchetti, who most recently helmed the third season of RAI/HBO’s Elena Ferrante series “My Brilliant Friend,” is working on a new film titled “Confidenza” (“Trust”) toplining Elio Germano. Luchetti previously directed Germano in the drama “Our Life” in a role that in 2015 won the actor top honors in Cannes. Vision Distribution is launching sales on “Trust” at the European Film Market. In “Trust” Giordano (first look image, above) plays a teacher in his forties named Pietro Vella who works in a rundown Roman high school. He strongly believes he can help students strive for a better future and Teresa, and bright and rebellious student, is totally taken with him and his lessons. Then, a few years later, they meet up again and get romantically entangled. Teresa insists they must share their deepest secrets to bond for life. But as soon as Pietro really opens up, the relationship ends.

the only Latina nominated in this year’s best actress in a leading role category and the only Latina actress considered for a 2023 Oscar. But according to one of her closest friends, although the Cuban actress had a magistral performance as Marilyn Monroe in Netflix’s NC-17 psychodrama “Blonde,” she is not expecting to take home the statuette.As Periodico Cubano reported, Elena Furiase, granddaughter of Lola Flores and one of Ana’s best friends, the actress is happy and grateful for her nomination but still taking it one step at a time.“She is very well, very happy.

Christian Petzold is no stranger to the Berlin International Film Festival. Three of his last four films debuted at that prestigious event.

Nick Vivarelli International Correspondent Italy’s Coccinelle Film Sales has acquired world rights to Nigerian director Babatunde Apalowo’s gay-themed drama “All the Colours of the World Are Between Black and White,” ahead of the film’s Berlin Film Festival launch.  “All the Colours” is the feature film debut of Apalowo, who was born in Ogbagi-Akoko, Nigeria, and is U.K.-based. Pic is world premiering in Berlin’s Panorama section. Apalowo also wrote and produced the restrained and tender drama about two men named Bambino and Bawa who meet in Lagos during a photography competition and immediately hit it off. During long trips exploring the city they develop a deep affection for each other. But in a society which considers homosexuality taboo, they feel the pressure of social norms.

Variety Staff Follow Us on Twitter The European Film Market kicks off Feb. 16 with a wide assortment of films from sellers around the world. Below is a healthy selection of what’s on offer for buyers. Director: Alex Winter Key cast: Evan Rachel Wood, Josh Gad, Anthony Carrigan Synopsis: A sister and brother, Megan and Nathan are barely hanging on and their lives are completely upended when they discover a dead body, long buried in their parent’s basement, sending them down a rabbit hole of crime and murder. Producers: Alex Winter, Scott Kroopf, Russell Hollander Sales: Rocket Science (international); CAA Media Finance (domestic)  Director: Jess Varley  Key cast: Emma Roberts, Laurence Fishburne  Producers: Brad Fuller, Eric B. Fleischman, Cameron Fuller  Synopsis: When astronaut Sam Walker (Roberts) returns from her first space mission, she’s found miraculously alive in a punctured capsule floating deep off the coast of the Atlantic Ocean. General William Harris (Fishburne) arranges for her to be placed under intense NASA surveillance in a high security house for rehabilitation and medical testing. However, when disturbing occurrences begin happening around the property, she fears that something extraterrestrial has followed her back to Earth. Sales: Highland Film Group (international); CAA Media Finance and UTA Independent Film Group (domestic) 

Kristen Stewart is no stranger to biopics, with “Seberg” in 2019 and “Spencer” in 2021. Now she has another to add to her upcoming projects, but this one has a meta twist.

Good afternoon Insiders, Max Goldbart here. The Berlinale is nearly upon us and plenty has been going down in the film and TV world this week. Read on.

EXCLUSIVE: Belfast breakout Jude Hill has come aboard for a role in Holland, Michigan, the Hitchcockian thriller being directed for Prime Video by Fresh helmer Mimi Cave. He’s set to star alongside Nicole Kidman, Gael García Bernal and Matthew Macfadyen, whose castings were previously announced, in a role that has not been disclosed.

Hello and welcome back, Insiders. Jesse Whittock here to guide you through another week in film and TV. Onwards to the weekend…

Justin David Sullivan, a nonbinary performer who plays the character of May in the hit Broadway musical & Juliet, has withdrawn from Tony Award consideration due to the gendered nomination categories, and Tony administrators suggest they’re considering a rule change after the current season.

Doctor Who’s latest regeneration represents “excellent commercial value,” according to BBC Studios boss Tom Fussell.

EXCLUSIVE: Julius Caesar, Alexander the Great and Cleopatra are to be brought to life in the latest History Channel mega-doc from HBO’s The Invisible Pilot indie Ample.

A “globetrotting” college boss racked up over twenty foreign trips before backing a redundancy scheme for staff.

EXCLUSIVE: Academy Award and 3x Emmy winner Bill Conti (The Right Stuff) has been tapped to pen the score for Roselli’s Way, a new biopic on Italian American pop singer Jimmy Roselli.

The Berlinale’s European Film Market was the last major physical market to take place in 2020 as the world began shutting down because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Berlinale’s European Film Market (February 16-22) has unveiled a pioneering initiative offering a phone and laptop-free “safe space” where delegates can reflect and decompress.