Lucy J. Mukerjee Joins Firelight Media As Documentary Lab Director; Buffalo 8 Takes North America On ‘Jacob The Baker’; Jane Seymour Set For Alicia Coppola’s Short ‘And You Are?’ – Film Briefs

Joe Otterson TV Reporter The two-part “30 for 30” documentary on the seminal 1990s competition show “American Gladiators” has now concluded, wrapping up an epic saga that cut right to the core of the American Dream. The documentary dove deep into the largely unknown history of the show, which dominated the TV landscape in its initial run in syndication on US television and around the world. It revealed stories of love, lust, betrayal, friendship, injury, agony, and everything in between from the creators of the show and the Gladiators themselves. So how did a nearly three-hour doc about a show famous for events like jousting with things that looked like huge cotton swabs and rolling around in giant steel balls called Atlaspheres come together? According to the doc’s co-director Ben Berman, he was skeptical when initially approached by Vice about the project but changed his mind once he learned more about the story.

Prepare for an incredible fusion of musical powerhouses as Enrique Iglesias, Ricky Martin, and Pitbull team up for The Trilogy Tour across North America this fall.

Thania Garcia Latin music stars Enrique Iglesias, Ricky Martin, and Pitbull will be heading out on a joint “Trilogy” tour of North America, with each global artist set to deliver a “unique” headlining performance. The arena trek opens in Washington, DC at the Capital One Arena on Oct. 14, and closes on Dec. 10 in Vancouver, BC at the Rogers Arena. “It’s a true honor to tour with Enrique and Ricky, two music icons, who broke global music barriers for our culture and open doors for someone like myself,” said Pitbull in a statement. “We’re excited to take The Trilogy tour around the world and give our fans the time of their Trilogy lives, Dale!”

Janelle Monae is hitting the road!

Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent Well Go USA Entertainment has acquired North American rights to Kore-eda Hirokazu’s film “Monster” which world premiered in competition at the Cannes Film Festival and and won best screenplay (for Yuji Sakamoto). A critically acclaimed Japanese master, Kore-eda previously won Cannes’ Palme d’Or with “Shoplifters” in 2018 and returned to the competition last year with “Broker” which won best actor for Song Kang-ho. Well Go USA Entertainment plans to release “Monster” in North American theaters in late 2023 or early 2024. Scored by late Oscar-winning composer Ryuichi Sakamoto (“The Last Emperor”) and lensed by Ryoto Kondo (“Shoplifters”), “Monster” tells the story of a widowed mother (Ando Sakura, “Shoplifters) who notices that her young son (Kurokawa Soya) has begun exhibiting strange behaviors. When she brings her concerns to the staff at his school, she discovers that a teacher (Nagayama Eita, “Hara-Kiri: Death of a Samurai”) is responsible and demands an explanation. Told through the multilayered perspectives of mother, teacher and child, the film gradually unveils the truth which proves much more complex than anyone expects.

Royal Blood have announced a series of North American tour dates set to take place later this year.The shows will be in support of their recently announced album ‘Back To The Water Below’, which is set for release on September 8.Split into two parts, the first leg of the tour will see the duo venture to New Jersey’s Sea.Hear.Now festival on September 16 to kick off the live dates. From there they will make stops in Ohio, Kentucky, Illinois and more, before wrapping up in New York on October 3, supported by Bad Nerves.For the second part of the North American tour, Royal Blood — comprised of Mike Kerr and Ben Thatcher — will head to Los Angeles for a show at The Wiltern on November 9.

Leo Barraclough International Features Editor Sumerian has acquired the North American rights to brutal coming-of-age story “Mascot,” which had its world premiere in January at Slamdance, and its international premiere at the International Film Festival Rotterdam the same month. Sumerian is planning a limited theatrical release this year under the English title “Fortunate Son.” The pickup marks the second acquisition for Sumerian’s new film and streaming division, which launched this year. Sumerian founder Ash Avildsen said the film is “a dark, brutally authentic and beautifully shot independent film centered around troubled youth in unorthodox households. It will undoubtedly strike a nerve with audiences who appreciate gritty arthouse drama, as it did with me.”

AB6IX have announced the dates for their upcoming 2023 ‘The Future’ world tour.AB6IX are set to go on a 12-date world tour from July to September this year, in support of their new mini-album ‘The Future Is Ours: Lost’. The upcoming tour will feature shows in Asia and across North America.AB6IX’s ‘The Future’ world tour outside of South Korea will kick off in Macau, China on July 15.

EXCLUSIVE: Neon is nearing a deal for North American rights to Cannes competition entry Perfect Days from The Match Factory in a deal pegged in the mid-to-high six figures.

Charna Flam Kino Lorber has acquired North American rights to “Story Ave,” which won a special jury award for cinematography at SXSW. From debut filmmaker Aristotle Torres, “Story Ave” stars Luis Guzmán (“Narcos,” “Boogie Nights”) and Asante Blackk (“When They See Us,” “This Is Us”), with Guzmán serving as executive producer alongside producer Jamie Foxx. “Story Ave”follows teenage graffiti artist, Kadir Grayson (Blackk) who recently ran away from home and tries to prove himself to his neighborhood gang. One night Kadir heads over to the Story Ave. subway platform and attempts to hold up MTA worker Luis Torres (Guzmán) in a robbery. But once Luis proposes he’ll hand over the cash if Kadir has a meal with him, the two get to know each other throughout the meal, and with time their connection turns into growing and sincere friendship.

EXCLUSIVE: Shout! Studios and Convoke Media have set Ron Perlman (Nightmare Alley), Rosanna Arquette (Signs of Love) and Brendan Bradley (A Tale Told by an Idiot) to star in Succubus, a new horror thriller written and directed by R.J. Daniel Hanna (Hard Miles), which Shout! will distribute in North America.

Nick Vivarelli International Correspondent CAA Media Finance has come on board to handle sales in North America on Mohamed Kordofani’s “Goodbye Julia,” the first film from Sudan to launch from the Cannes Film Festival. CAA will be working in tandem with Egypt-based producer Ali El Arabi’s Ambient Light Films, which holds North American rights for the timely drama that premiered on May 21 in Un Certain Regard. “Goodbye Julia” takes place just before the 2011 secession of South Sudan. It revolves around two women, one from the north, the other from the south, that are brought together by fate in a complex relationship that attempts to reconcile differences between northern and southern Sudanese communities.

EXCLUSIVE: Egyptian-U.S. company Ambient Light has acquired North American sales rights for Sudanese director Mohamed Kordofani’s Cannes Un Certain Regard title Goodbye Julia.

EXCLUSIVE: Paramount’s Republic Pictures label has acquired North American rights to dystopian drama-thriller The End We Start From, starring BAFTA and Emmy winner Jodie Comer (Killing Eve).

EXCLUSIVE: Quiver Distribution has boarded recently wrapped holiday film Christmas Actually, starring Malin Akerman (Billions), Ryan Hansen (Party Down) and Amy Smart (Stargirl).

EXCLUSIVE: Good Deed Entertainment (GDE) has acquired North American rights to Carol Ray Hartsell’s Hamptons-set indie romantic comedy Love… Reconsidered for a Valentine’s Day 2024 release.

Manori Ravindran Executive Editor of International MUBI has acquired all rights for Kevin Macdonald’s John Galliano documentary from Newen Connect. The film “High & Low — John Galliano” has sold to MUBI for North America, U.K. and Ireland, Germany, Austria, Latin America, Benelux, Turkey and India. The streamer and distributor will reveal its theatrical release plans and streaming dates in the near future. Macdonald’s credits include the Oscar-winning “One Day in September,” “Touching the Void,” “The Last King of Scotland,” “Whitney” and, most recently, “The Mauritanian.” Widely recognized as one of the most influential and successful fashion designers of our time, Galliano dressed the most beautiful and famous women in the world for almost 15 years at Givenchy and Dior. He reinvented the fashion industry by transforming his runway shows into immersive fantasies and helped turn high-fashion from an elitist niche into a multi-billion-dollar global business.

Rose Ayling-Ellis To Lead ITV Drama ‘Code Of Silence’

Jonas Brothers have announced their massive 35-date ‘Five Albums, One Night’ North American tour for this summer.Following the band’s Broadway residency which saw them perform one album from their discography in its entirety each night and their planning for their Yankee Stadium five albums, one-night show, the brothers have decided that instead of doing a one-off show, they will take the Five Albums, One Night show across North America.The 35-date run is set to kick off on August 12 with two nights at Yankee Stadium in New York City. From there, the band will spend the following two months making their way through North America making stops at Chicago’s Wrigley Field, Arlington’s Globe Life Field and Los Angeles’ Dodger Stadium, Toronto’s Rogers Centre.

EXCLUSIVE: Los Angeles-based Lion Heart Distribution has acquired North American rights to Allan Piper’s horror-comedy eVil Sublet co-starring All In The Family star Sally Struthers and Jennifer Leigh Houston.