County Mclennan Showbiz Latest News and Updates

Callum McLennan In the heart of the Atlantic Ocean, the Canary Islands is rapidly becoming a global animation force.   “Tara Duncan,” has charmed audiences via the Disney Channel, “Arcane,” which also uses a Canary Islands service studio, is one of the biggest shows on the planet, and the merchandise of “Miraculous Ladybug,” is seen everywhere.  All three hits share a common thread: the unmissable imprint of talent from this dynamic archipelago.  What began with a small community of digital artists and small studios has now burgeoned into an entire ecosystem of homegrown and international talent making some of the biggest and most innovative projects in the world, either as service studios or true-blue producers.

Callum McLennan Chile’s Storyboard Media brings its latest documentary venture to Berlin, a project centered on Jorge González, a Latin American music legend frontman of Los Prisioneros. Set to be shown at the EFM, the doc feature charts the life and legacy of a musician whose songs became anthems of resistance during Pinochet’s dictatorship in Chile, and are still played loud when protests flare.

Callum McLennan Brazilian TV behemoth Globo presented its world premiere preview of Brazilian series “Justice: Misconduct” at Content Americas, while also spotlighting its 2024 slate, presenting via sleek fast-paced sizzle reels its array of ever popular telenovelas such as “Crossed Paths,” “Land of Desire,” and “Perfect Love” alongside teasing the continuation of its successful “Justice” series. “Justice: Misconduct,” the series created by Manuela Dias, is a narrative of moral complexity and human connection framed by the dilemmas surrounding the notion of justice.

Callum McLennan In a vibrant move reinforcing its commitment to Brazilian cinema, Paris-based MPM Premium has announced its acquisition of “Betânia,” prior to its Berlinale bow. The film will world premiere in the diverse Panorama strand of the festival.

Gareth Gates shot to fame after finishing runner-up on the first series of Pop Idol in 2002, going on to sell 3.5 million records in the UK. The 39-year-old is now starring in the latest series of Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins.The show sees 16 stars undertake mentally and physically gruelling challenges in the jungle in Thung Ui, North Vietnam. With Gareth thrust into the limelight once again on the hit show, let's take a look inside his love life, from his new girlfriend Allana Taylor to a teenage fling with former glamour model Katie Price.

Callum McLennan In the Spanish comedy drama series “Zorras,” based on the Noemí Casquet best selling novel of the same name, Andrea Ros, Mirela Balic, and Tai Fei play Alicia, Emily, and Diana, three women from very different backgrounds. They find a commonality, however, in a desire for friendship and exploration of themselves through sexual experimentation and novelty. “Zorras” might translate as “sluts” or “tramps.” The show flips such terms and acts such as bondage on their head.

Callum McLennan In the run-up to next week’s Cologne’s Gamescom, a break-down of just some of the video game titles made or in the hopper from Spain’s Canary Islands gaming scene: “All On Board!” (The Game Kitchen) Brace yourselves for “All On Board!,” a potential impending VR sensation, masterfully merging the nostalgia of board games with avant-garde VR finesse. Envisioned for Meta Quest and SteamVR, this platform promises a redefined experience, simulating the warmth of board game nights with pals. On its horizon is an ocean of community-crafted mods, empowered by a user-friendly, code-free editor, with the aim of ensuring every game feels like a novel escapade.

Callum McLennan Santa Cruz de Tenerife in Spain’s Canary Islands will set the stage for a conference on European video game policy and virtual environments on July 12-13. The move acknowledges the Islands’ growing status as a hub for digital arts and video games and, alongside economic benefits, a growing recognition of the sector’s cultural influence and its potential for greater integration within a broader creative and cultural ecosystem including film and TV. This year saw a video-game-based feature, “The Super Mario Bros. Movie,” punch for the first time ever over $1 billion at the global box office, grossing $1.35 billion worldwide, making it the biggest movie hit of 2023. Based on the video game, HBO’s “The Last of Us” became one of the service’s most critically lauded series of the last decade, while breaking HBO Max viewership records in Europe.  

Callum McLennan In the lead-up to Cannes, Spanish film sales continue to show resilience despite shifting market trends and global challenges. The market signals suggest an enduring preference for genre movies and high-concept films, while the sale of arthouse fare remains tough. Antonio Saura, director general of Latido Films, tells Variety, “The trends we are seeing confirm the trends we identified last year — movies with a strong concept, genre in general, generate interest, [whereas] drama and ‘art house’ is more complicated and requires a different type of attention and positioning.” While there are signs of interest for movies with top talent attached, smaller films without a significant festival presence face an uphill battle.

Callum McLennan Belgium’s Panique! (“Adoration,”), and Chile’s Pájaro have joined Oscar-nominated Vivemant Lundi! (“Flee,” “Mémorable,”) and Spanish collective Terremoto AIE to round out the co-production force behind the animated feature, “Olivia and the Invisible Earthquake.”  Filmax will handle distribution in Spain. KMBO will handle its domestic release in France. The Gallic distributor is on a roll with strong animation box office performances in France for “Amazing Maurice” and current Ukrainian hit “Mavka: The Forest Song,” Spearheading the production is Terremoto AIE, which includes Citoplasmas Stop Motion studio, Cornelius Films, and Bígaro Films, all contributing to the feature. 

Callum McLennan In a bid to boost the animation sector across Latin America, Spain, Portugal and Italy, Ibermedia has opened a call for applications for Ibermedia Next funding, a scheme designed to take animation in the region to a new technological – and artistic – level.  Providing a much-needed boost to creators and producers who are eager to explore the cutting-edge possibilities of new technologies, the initiative, presented Friday May 12 at the Canary Island Quirino Awards, is offering grants of up to €150,000 ($163,500), alongside a support programme valued at up to €95,000 ($103,550). 

Aberdeen have the strength in depth to deliver without a band of big names. The Dons were missing eight players for Sunday’s 4-0 defeat to Rangers with Niall McGinn, Jonny Hayes, Dylan McGeouch, Scott Wright and Marley Watkins out through injury.

A  judge who regularly refuses to perform marriages for same-sex couples is suing a Texas commission that issued a warning to her over her decision to not treat all couples equally. McLennan County Justice of the Peace Dianne Hensley is now suing he State Commission on Judicial Conduct, claiming her religious freedom rights have been violated.