Indonesia Showbiz Latest News and Updates

The Tokyo Film Festival has set Gu Xiaogang and Mouly Surya as the recipients of the Kurosawa Akira Award at its upcoming 2023 edition, running October 23 — November 1. 

Big Brother,” which first launched 23 years ago, is set to return to ITV screens on Oct. 8.

While a fairly quiet frame overall, there were some significant milestones this international box office session. To wit: New Line/Warner Bros’ The Nun II topped the $200M mark worldwide and Shah Rukh Khan’s Jawan became the highest-grossing Bollywood movie ever in India, overtaking the star’s earlier 2023 movie, Pathaan.

Nicole Midori Woodford’s feature debut “Last Shadow at First Light,” which world premieres at the New Directors strand of the San Sebastian Film Festival. The film is in competition for the New Directors Award.

Gareth Edwards directed his first movie, the 2010 indie “Monsters,” it could scarcely have been a more DIY endeavor. He had less than $500,000 to tell an intimate story about two Americans contending with giant aliens rampaging through Mexico, so his crew consisted of just his actors (Scoot McNairy and Whitney Able), a sound tech, a line producer, a translator and a driver.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Japan’s Dean Fujioka (“Fullmetal Alchemist,” “The Man From The Sea”) and the U.K.’s Callum Woodhouse (“All Creatures Great and Small,” “The Durrells”) are set to star in “Orang Ikan,” a WWII-set creature horror film. The picture is scripted by Singapore and Indonesia-based Mike Wiluan (“Buffalo Boys,” HBO series “Grisse”) who will also direct the picture from next month. International rights to “Orang Ikan” have been picked up by London-based SC Films International, which will give the project its sales launch at the Busan festival and accompanying market next month. Set in the Pacific, 1942, a Japanese ship transports prisoners of war to occupied territories as slave labor.

EXCLUSIVE: Netflix closed a $20 million deal on Hit Man, making the biggest deal at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival and of the year for that matter. After the Richard Linklater-directed noir comic thriller debuted to raves at Venice, the film was expected to fetch the biggest deal of the fall festivals so far. Hit Man did not disappoint. Hit Man stars Top Gun Maverick’s Glen Powell and Adria Arjona (Andor) playing the most unlikely romantic partners, in performances that will boost each of their careers. Especially Powell, who co-wrote with Linklater what will be a major star turn for him. Netflix got US, UK, Australia/New Zealand, India, South Korea, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia, Singapore, Philippines, and Iceland. There is also a theatrical component to the deal, I’ve heard.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Oscar-winning Korean actor Youn Yuh-jung (“Minari,” “Pachinko”) will headline the Actors’ House section of the upcoming Busan International Film Festival, it was announced on Thursday. Introduced in 2021, Actors’ House is a special series that connects audiences and film enthusiasts with iconic actors from the current generation through its in-depth discussions. “There’s much anticipation to hear her words of wisdom, as she’s known for her insightful observations,” said the festival. Others this year include: Han Hyo-joo, Song Joong-ki and Korean-American actor and author John Cho.

Indonesia has selected Makbul Mubarak’s award-winning drama Autobiography as its submission in the Best International Feature category of the Oscars. 

Refresh for latest…: There’s a lot to unpack this weekend at the international box office, including a flying start for Warner Bros/New Line’s The Nun II, Indian superstar Shah Rukh Khan continuing to outdo himself and a major milestone afoot for Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer. Meanwhile, Barbie has danced past $1.4B worldwide.

WOODZ has announced his 2023 ‘OO-LI And’ world tour.The K-pop musician is set to kick off his ‘OO-LI And’ tour with a two-night concert in Seoul, South Korea on October 28 and 29. WOODZ will then play three shows in Japan in early-November, as well as one concert in Taiwan.At the start of end of November, the singer kick off the US leg of his tour, which will feature six shows over two weeks in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and more.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Indonesian production firm is setting its sights on becoming a diverse studio operation with the injection of high-profile management and the acquisition of a significant new animated series “Nussa.” It will also display its credentials at next month’s Busan International Film Festival where two of its feature films are selected. Its “24 Hours with Gaspar,” directed by Yosep Anggi Noen, will compete for the Kim Jiseok Award.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Kim Jee-woon’s black comedy “Cobweb,” which debuted this year at Cannes, is set for a U.S. theatrical release in early 2024.

Samuel Goldwyn Films has acquired U.S. rights to Korean filmmaker Kim Jee-woon’s Cobweb, starring Song Kang-ho, which had its world premiere Out Of Competition at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. 

Michelle Keegan shared a rare makeup-free selfie as she headed to the O2 Arena for tonight's NTAs. The star is joining the rest of the cast of Sky original series Brassic as they hope for a celebration on Tuesday evening, 5 September.The hit series is nominated for an award in the comedy category, and is facing off against the likes of Ghosts, Ted Lasso and Young Sheldon. But as Michelle, 36, raced over to the venue and nearby hotel to start getting ready for the festivities, she admitted it was a struggle after jetting back to the UK from a trip to Bali.

Michelle Keegan has shared how she likes to 'switch off' when on holiday as she enjoyed a short but sweet trip to Bali. The actress looked incredible as she showed off her bronzed glow and sensational figure in a cut-out dress as she attended a wedding alongside her husband Mark Wright.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief The QCinema International Film Festival in the Philippines has beefed up its industry program by introducing a project market strand, QCinema Project Market (QPM). It acts as a networking and funding platform for Filipino and Southeast Asian projects in advanced development.

Busan International Film Festival (BIFF, October 4-13) has unveiled its full line-up, including opening and closing films, and announced that Hong Kong star Chow Yun-fat has been named as Asian Filmmaker of the Year. 

Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent French director Edouard Bergeon, whose Cesar-nominated debut feature “In the Name of the Land” was a box office hit in 2019, has penned another eco-thriller, “The Green Deal.” The movie, which is partly set in the Indonesian forest, has been boarded by Playtime and will be pitched to buyers at the Toronto Film Festival. “The Green Deal” explores crimes and colliding interests in the exploitation of a palm oil and the production of biofuels.

Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent French director Edouard Bergeon, whose Cesar-nominated debut feature “In the Name of the Land” was a box office hit in 2019, has penned another eco-thriller, “The Green Deal.” The movie, which is partly set in the Indonesian forest, has been boarded by Playtime and will be pitched to buyers at the Toronto Film Festival. “The Green Deal” explores crimes and colliding interests in the exploitation of a palm oil and the production of biofuels.

Christopher Vourlias Bosnian-Dutch filmmaker Ena Sendijarević’s Locarno prizewinner “Sweet Dreams,” a droll satire set on a sugar plantation in colonial-era Indonesia, has released its first trailer. Athens-based production and sales outfit Heretic has given Variety exclusive access ahead of the film’s North American premiere in the Centerpiece section of the Toronto Film Festival (see below).

Caitlin Cook wrote an entire musical based on quotes she found scrawled on bathroom stalls.After college, the art history major grew tired of how pretentious that world could be, and became fascinated with bathroom graffiti.“I loved the idea that if you take all that elitism away, you just have people trying to communicate with each other,” Cook, 33, told The Post.She first found inspiration in a dive bar in Chicago: “Writing on toilet walls is neither for critical acclaim nor financial reward. It is the purest form of art.”Thus began her 10-year search for quotes scribbled in restrooms in places like Australia, New Zealand, Vietnam, Indonesia and Iceland. In women’s bathrooms, she often finds “gossipy, fun” dialogue and empowering notes.

Naman Ramachandran Production has commenced on British multiverse horror-thriller film “Parallel.” The film follows a detective’s journey through the pain of losing his son. As he navigates through a small British community veiled in enigma and fear, a hidden portal to a parallel realm offers a chance at reunion, blurring reality as secrets unfurl. The film is directed by Matthew Tibbenham (“Surviving Confession,” video game “Peaky Blinders: The King’s Ransom”).

Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent With fashion-themed films and series building momentum on the festival circuit, Kevin Macdonald’s “High & Low — John Galliano” has been sold by Newen Connect in major territories ahead of its premiere at Telluride. “High & Low — John Galliano,” a documentary portrait of the controversial fashion designer, is produced by Chloe Mamelok and Macdonald through KGB Films, in association with Condé Nast Entertainment.

Naman Ramachandran The Busan International Film Festival has unveiled its selections for the popular Korean Cinema Today – Special Premiere and On Screen strands. The On Screen section, introduced in 2021, showcases series and this year boasts six world premieres – five from Korea and one from Indonesia. Tving show “I Am a Running Mate,” about an ordinary student trying to become student president marks the directorial debut of Han Jin-won, winner of best original screenplay as a co-writer for Bong Joon Ho’s “Parasite.” The series merges the coming-of-age genre with elements of a political drama, and stars Yoon Hyun-soo, Lee Jung-sic, Choi Woo-sung, Hong Hwa-yeon and Lee Bong-jun.

, one-year-old son , mother Kris Jenner, and half-sister The clip began with Cooper, who has 56k followers on Instagram, flying to Italy onboard the 26-year-old make-up mogul's 10-seat She was sure to share a look at a plate of fresh fruit that she enjoyed while she was up in the air before sharing the view outside the jet window.Soon, she had landed at her destination, where she pulled back the blinds to show off her gorgeous mountainous view. It was then time for food, and the spread of pastries, fruits, cheeses and meats that she could indulge in was like something out of our wildest dreams.While Andreza was keen to highlight the perks of her job, it's clear she takes her role seriously.

Naman Ramachandran Evanna Lynch, the actor best known for portraying Luna Lovegood in the Harry Potter franchise, will star in “Influenced!,” a black comedy set in the world of social media influencers that has been inspired by Oscar Wilde’s classic 1891 novel “The Picture of Dorian Gray.” Lynch will play Dora, a makeup sales assistant who goes on to become one of the world’s biggest influencers. But the more ruthless Dora becomes in her pursuit of insta-fame the more grotesque and distorted her social media profile photo also becomes.

Naman Ramachandran The ongoing renaissance in the Indonesian film industry will be celebrated at the upcoming Busan International Film Festival. Films from the country now routinely get selected and win prizes at major international festivals.

BreAnna Bell Luka Dončić announced he’ll be self-producing and releasing, “Everything It Takes,” a short-form docuseries that aims to give viewers an inside look at the 2023 Slovenia national basketball team’s journey to the FIBA Basketball World Cup. “I am proud to share the story of my national team, especially my teammates, and to shine a light on Slovenian basketball and what it means to me,” Dončić said. “It’s more than just what we do on the court.

Refresh for latest…: It’s been another very busy weekend at the international box office with milestones and great holds, as well as a new entry and local-language movies adding to the mix. 

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief With the global entertainment industry still rocked by the impact of streaming, the pandemic – and Hollywood’s twin strikes – the APOS conference will next month examine disruption and the responses to it from a senior executive Asian perspective. After being held virtually during the COVID era and then last year making a stop in Singapore, the conference itself will return to Bali, Indonesia, and be held 26-28 Sept.

Media Partners Asia has announced the full line-up of speakers for its APOS Summit in Bali, which includes Canal+ Group’s Asia Pacific chief Manuel Rougeron, Bodhi Tree Systems director Uday Shankar and Amazon Prime Video head of international Kelly Day. 

The tragic cause of death for Katharine McPhee and David Foster‘s nanny has been revealed.

Katharine McPhee and David Foster's nanny has been revealed. The Los Angeles Police Department announced on Tuesday that a 55-year-old woman was the victim of a fatal traffic collision on Aug.

Katharine McPhee and David Foster’s 2-year-old son Rennie’s nanny has died, according to multiple reports.

We learned Friday morning that Katharine McPhee and David Foster had suffered a “horrible tragedy” in their family. Now we’re finally learning more.