International Insider: MIPTV Comes To A Close; BBC Blows Hot & Cold On AI; ‘Toxic’ Hot Docs Exodus

Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent In a big move to plant their flag internationally, leading Hollywood talent agency CAA has appointed Alex McGuire to oversee the firm’s sports media representation efforts throughout the U.K. and Europe.

Iran is "within minutes" of developing a nuclear capability and "mad enough to use it", the Government has been warned.

Meredith Woerner Deputy Editor, Variety.com Ryan Gosling returned to “SNL” this week in a cold open with “Barbie” co-star Kate McKinnon, reviving one of their most famous sketches, “Close Encounter,” in which they recount being abducted by aliens and their vastly different experiences aboard the spaceship. The original sketch debuted eight years ago and featured Gosling and McKinnon, alongside Cecily Strong (it currently has 60 million views on YouTube). The actor also recreated this sketch on his second time hosting six years ago.

EXCLUSIVE: There’s a new student joining the ranks at Essex College.

Good afternoon Insiders, thanks for always sticking with us. Max Goldbart here talking you through a packed week in the global entertainment world. Read on, and sign up here.

EXCLUSIVE: CAA has laid off a number of staff in its global TV division and is centralizing the team to the U.S. and UK.

MIPTV is coming to an end – but the hard truth is that people did not travel here to Cannes in the numbers of yesteryear to say goodbye. Market organizers RX France said Tuesday that the final MIPTV has attracted 3,500 people including 1,100 buyers. For context, there were over 5,000 in town last year and the event regularly topped 10,000 delegates in the earlier 2000s. MIPCOM in October, by contrast, still hits those numbers and remains a focal point for the international TV industry.

EXCLUSIVE: Israel’s Keshet International (KI) has struck its latest co-development deal, a partnership with British presenter Bettany Hughes‘ indie SandStone Global.

The Iranian TV journalist who was stabbed last weekend in London is already back live on air, saying attempts to silence him are not going to work.

Welcome back, Insider crew. Jesse Whittock taking you through another eventful week in film and TV. Let’s begin.

Emiliano De Pablos Spain’s film and TV industries are in their second wave as standout content providers for global streamers. Some of the country’s most intriguing titles will take the international stage this weekend at MipTV in Cannes. Built on a foundation of hits such as “The Red Band Society,” “Grand Hotel,” “Velvet” and “Locked Up,” a new era of internationally renowned content creation in Spain kicked off in 2018 with Alex Pina’s blockbuster series “Money Heist,” picked up by Netflix.

The Tehran government has denied that it had any part on the attack on an Iran International TV presenter outside his London home.

Andrew Garfield is sparking romance rumors with Dr. Kate Tomas, and the potential couple was seen on a double date with Phoebe Bridgers and Bo Burnham on Friday (March 30) in Malibu, Calif.

The Mediapro Studio’s parent company, produced. Like Cruz, Fernández Espeso is driven. At a dinner during Spain’s San Sebastian Film Festival in 2020, most of the executive attendees started out with small talk.

The ten film programmers who led a mass exodus this week out of Canada’s Hot Docs Film Festival have said a “toxic workplace” environment was the central issue behind their public exit. 

Leo Barraclough International Features Editor European Film Promotion has unveiled the seventh edition of the Changing Face of Europe, a section that runs as part of Toronto documentary festival Hot Docs, which runs April 25 – May 5. The section features nine European documentaries, selected by the Hot Docs programming team, that “illustrate and examine a new and contemporary Europe from a cultural, social, geo-political and economic perspective.” In addition to attending the screenings and the festival’s industry program, the directors and producers of the films will be part of on-site and online events organized by EFP, including networking sessions and one-on-one meetings with distributors, buyers and festival programmers from North America. “Kelly – Someone Else’s Dream” follows Estonian freestyle skier Kelly Sildaru.

Bruce Springsteen is set to become a Fellow of The Ivors Academy – making him the first international songwriter to receive the honour.Announced today (March 25), The Boss is set to receive the award at this year’s instalment of the Ivors, which will take place at Grosvenor House in London on Thursday, May 23.Becoming an Academy Fellow is the highest honour the organisation bestows, and with it, the iconic singer, songwriter and guitar becomes the first-ever international songwriter that the Academy has inducted into Fellowship in its 80-year history.“I’m proud to be the first international songwriter to be recognised by The Ivors Academy. In addition to recognising my songwriting, the award stands as a tribute to the fans and friends who have supported me and my work for the last fifty years,” Springsteen said of the announcement.

EXCLUSIVE: It’s confirmed – or will be later today – the organizers of MIPTV are setting up a new event in London, Deadline can reveal. MIP London will be based in The Savoy hotel and an adjoining space, the IET London, in a seismic change to the international TV calendar. Historic programming market MIPTV has been situated in Cannes since the 1960s.

Naman Ramachandran Artistic director Hussain Currimbhoy and several programmers have stepped down ahead of this year’s edition of Hot Docs, North America’s largest documentary festival. Festival director Heather Haynes will now lead the programming department. A statement from the Toronto-based event said: “Hot Docs has announced that Hussain Currimbhoy stepped down from his role as Artistic Director on March 20th due to personal reasons.

UPDATED, 3:55 p.m.: Without acknowledging them by name, a spokesperson for leading documentary festival Hot Docs has confirmed the departure of “some members of the programming team,” as well as recently appointed Artistic Director Hussain Currimbhoy.