Austria Showbiz Latest News and Updates

John Hopewell Chief International Correspondent “On the Go,” a spirited, freewheeling road movie capturing the first lead performance in a movie of ‘Elite’ star Omar Ayuso, has clinched its first major sales, selling to Salzgeber for Germany, Austria and Switzerland, and to Cineplex for Taiwan. Paris-based MPM Premium picked up world sales rights to “On the Go” in the run-up to the Locarno Festival where it world premiered in its Filmmakers of the Present section.

Ann Lee became a voice of Eurodance with her hits ‘2 Times’ and ‘Voices’ in the 90s and continues to tour the world from her base in Italy. The singer, now 55, released her most famous tracks in 1999 and is also credited with contributing to the composition of the dance banger ‘The Rhythm Of The Night’.

EXCLUSIVE: Radu Jude’s Do Not Expect Too Much From The End Of The World, which has just been submitted as Romania’s official entry into the International Oscar race, has been picked up by Mubi for multiple key territories. 

Clayton Davis Senior Awards Editor Actor Sandra Hüller could be the critical darling of awards season with two acclaimed performances in two high-profile international feature contenders, France’s “Anatomy of a Fall” from Justine Triet and United Kingdom’s “The Zone of Interest” from Jonathan Glazer. The German performer has opted to campaign her work in Glazer’s Holocaust-era drama for best supporting actress, Variety can reveal exclusively, greatly increasing her chances for possible double acting recognition this year. Her work in Triet’s French Oscar hopeful will be submitted for lead actress consideration.

Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent “Vogter,” a psychological thriller directed by Gustav Möller, whose previous film “The Guilty” won the Audience Award at Sundance, has been pre-sold by Les Films du Losange to multiple territories. “Vogter,” which was just completed and is now in post, has been picked up for Germany, Austria, Switzerland (Ascot Elite), Spain (La Aventura), Italy (Movies Inspired), Japan (Happinet Phantom Studios), Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg (Cineart), Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania (Kino Pavasaris) and Hungary (Vertigo). Les Films du Losange has closed these deals since unveiling the project at Cannes and is negotiating further sales in other key territories.

Scientists have issued a warning over "super gonorrhoea" with cases of the potentially fatal sexually transmitted infection on the rise across the UK.

Leo Barraclough International Features Editor Film Constellation has sealed a first raft of pre-sales in key territories on French female-led revenge feature “Animale,” directed by Emma Benestan (“Fragile”) and starring César winner Oulaya Amamra (“Divines”). The pre-sales include Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Italy (Plaion), Spain (Filmin), Portugal (Nos Lusomundo), former Yugoslavia (MCF Megacom) and Middle East and North Africa (Falcon). Wild Bunch Distribution will release “Animale” in French theaters next year.

Adam Benzine Guest Contributor Controversial hacker and Wikileaks associate Jacob Appelbaum is the subject of a secretive new documentary screening Sept. 10 for buyers in Toronto. Appelbaum headlines “Nobody Wants to Talk About Jacob Appelbaum,” from Canadian filmmaker Jamie Kastner (“The Skyjacker’s Tale”).

Leo Barraclough International Features Editor Cinemalovers has acquired all rights in Germany and Austria for “Mami Wata,” which world premiered in the World Cinema – Dramatic section of the Sundance Film Festival, and won the cinematography award. The film, written and directed by C.J. “Fiery” Obasi, with cinematography by Lílis Soares, is based on West African mermaid folklore and mythology.

William Friedkin’s last film The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial will make its U.S. premiere on October 6 on Paramount+ with Showtime.

Leo Barraclough International Features Editor The international trailer for “A Whole Life,” which will have its world premiere in the Gala section of the Zürich Film Festival (Sept. 28 to Oct. 8), has debuted with Variety (below).

Rasmus Hojlund hopes to hit the ground running at Manchester United but admits it will take time for him to adapt to new surroundings.

Paramount+ has announced it will premiere William Friedkin’s last film The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial in all international markets where the service is currently live.

Erik ten Hag believes Rasmus Hojlund has the bravery and the personality to deal with the pressure of becoming Manchester United's leading man when he makes his debut at Arsenal today.

New St Johnstone winger Diallang Jaiyesimi is “fast and loves being direct”, according to manager Steven MacLean.

A man spent more than two days travelling on coach, train, and bus after his flight was cancelled due to a UK air traffic control failure.

St Johnstone’s deal for Austrian midfielder Sven Sprangler has been agreed - now the Perth club is seeking to push it through with relevant authorities.

Rumours that Harry Styles is dating Taylor Russell are heating up.

New works by Ryusuke Hamaguchi, Kitty Green, and Christos Nikou are among the titles that have been set to play in competition at the upcoming 67th edition of the British Film Institute’s (BFI) London Film Festival. Scroll down for the full list.

Naman Ramachandran The 67th BFI London Film Festival has unveiled the titles that will compete in its official, first feature, documentary and short film competitions. Festival director Kristy Matheson said: “The films represented in each of these competitive strands offer audiences an exciting array of U.K. and global filmmaking voices and cinematic forms.

Leo Barraclough International Features Editor Triple Oscar nominee Agnieszka Holland’s “Green Border,” which will premiere in competition at the Venice Film Festival, before going onto Toronto Film Festival and New York Film Festival, has sold to multiple territories. Variety has been granted access to an exclusive clip from the film, and Holland’s notes on the production, which we quote from below, again exclusively.

Leo Barraclough International Features Editor “Evil Does Not Exist,” the new film by the Oscar-winning auteur Ryūsuke Hamaguchi, has sold to several additional territories. The film will world premiere in competition at the Venice Film Festival, will have its North America premiere as a special presentation at Toronto, and will go on to screen at New York and San Sebastian. Hamaguchi received Oscar nominations last year for directing and adapted screenplay, shared with Takamasa Ôe, for “Drive My Car.” The film was also nominated in the best picture category and won the international feature film Oscar.

King Charles has stripped Anthony Bailey of his OBE as his bitter divorce from Princess Marie-Therese von Hohenberg rumbles on. Anthony was awarded the OBE by the late Queen in 2008 for services to inter-religious relations and charity. Over the years, the businessman was branded Mr Fixit and was known by a number of famous faces and Royal Family members.

Chile on Wednesday named the anti-colonialist Western The Settlers from first-time feature filmmaker Felipe Gálvez as its official entry for Best International Feature at the 2024 Academy Awards.

Leo Barraclough International Features Editor Ed Herzog’s comedy-crime movie “Rehragout Rendezvous” is on the verge of supplanting “Oppenheimer” as the No. 2 film in Germany, behind box office champ “Barbie.” In Austria, “Rehragout Rendezvous” is the top film. “Rehragout Rendezvous” is the ninth in the Bavarian Eberhofer franchise, centering on laid-back cop Franz Eberhofer, who battles crime in a small town in the state of Bavaria, Southern Germany.

Manchester United transfer target Sofyan Amrabat has been left out of Fiorentina's 24-man squad for their Europa Conference League clash with Rapid Wien on Thursday evening.

Prince Harry has accused King Charles of blocking his dream career path as a young man.

Naman Ramachandran Global film distributor, production company and streamer Mubi has acquired international rights, excluding North America and Italy, for Sofia Coppola’s “Priscilla,” which will premiere in competition at the Venice Film Festival. Mubi will retain all rights in the U.K., Ireland, Germany, Austria, Latin America, Benelux and Turkey. Mubi will release the film theatrically in the U.K., Ireland, Germany, Latin America, Belgium and Netherlands and will reveal release dates imminently.

Mubi has snapped up rights across multiple territories for Sofia Coppola’s upcoming feature Priscilla ahead of its world premiere in Competition at the 80th Venice International Film Festival.

A dad says he had to pay £3,000 and drive 1,000 miles across Europe to join his family on holiday - after he fell victim to a little-known passport rule.

The UK spends a lower percentage of its GDP on financial support for disabled people and sick workers than any other country in north-west Europe, the SNP has claimed.

Angelique Jackson Chilean filmmaker Felipe Gálvez, whose debut feature “The Settlers” premiered at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, has signed with CAA for representation. Set in 1901, “The Settlers” centers on Segundo, a mixed-race Chilean, who rides south on an expedition led by a former Boer War English captain and an American mercenary to fence off land granted to Spanish landowner José Menéndez. Their mission soon turns into a “civilizing” raid.

Estonia has selected the Sundance prize-winning doc Smoke Sauna Sisterhood as its entry for the Best International Feature Film category at the 2024 Oscars.

Showtime has set a fall premiere for its limited series Fellow Travelers, starring Matt Bomer and Jonathan Bailey. Fellow Travelers will make its streaming debut on the Paramount+ with Showtime plan beginning Friday, October 27 before its linear debut on Sunday, October 29 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on Showtime. The series will also premiere on Paramount+ on October 27 in Canada and on October 28 in all the UK, Australia, Latin America, South Korea, Italy, Germany Switzerland and Austria.

World of Wonder has announced the drag queens who will compete in season one of “Drag Race Germany,” the first German iteration of the award winning “RuPaul’s Drag Race” franchise. The show is set to premiere on Sept.

Tara Karajica In Brigitta Kanyaro’s debut feature, “Vagabondess,” the Romania-native Austria-based director takes her protagonist Camelia, a millennial mom, on the road in a bid to prevent her daughter from meeting her biological father. The road trip allows the film to explore issues of motherhood and migration in the age of fourth-wave feminism and TikTok. The film features in the Co-Production Market of Cinelink, the industry section of Sarajevo Film Festival, and is looking to woo co-producers.