‘Lupin’ Star Omar Sy, ‘Fast X’ Director Louis Leterrier and Producer Thomas Benski Launch Production Company Carrousel Studios

EXCLUSIVE: Actor-turned-executive Ella Wahlestedt on Wednesday announced the launch of Quarterlife Pictures, an L.A.-based production company dedicated to developing and producing women-centric and impactful narratives across film and TV.

EXCLUSIVE: House of Ninjas creator Dave Boyle and the star and co-EP of the Netflix series, Kento Kaku, are opening the doors to their new production company, Signal181.

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.

Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent Bettina Blümner’s “Vamos a la playa” won ArteKino Festival’s European Audience Award at a ceremony co-organized by the iconic French fashion house Chanel in Paris. Held at La Femis, Paris’ prestigious film school, the event also included a conversation with French filmmaker Rebecca Zlotowski (“Other People’s Children”), followed by a ceremony honoring Blümner and a screening of “Vamos a la playa,” as well as a posh cocktail which brought together film talent, executives and students.

Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent “Dahomey,” the Berlinale Golden Bear-winning film helmed by French-Senegalese director Mati Diop, has been sold to a raft of international territories by Les Films du Losange. Along with being acquired by Mubi in key markets, “Dahomey” has been acquired in Australia & New Zealand (Rialto), China (Hugoeast), Spain (Filmin), Portugal (Nitrato Filmes), Greece (One From the Heart), Scandinavia (NonStop Entertainement), Benelux (Cinéart), Bulgaria (Beta Films), Ex-Yugoslavia (Discovery), Hungary (Mozinet), Czech Republic (Film Europe), Romania (Voodoo), Baltic Countries (Taip Toliau), Poland (New Horizons), Ukraine (Kyivmusicfilm), Taiwan (Joint Entertainment), Indonesia (PT Falcon) and Sudu Connexion in Africa.

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.

Nick Vivarelli International Correspondent Josh O’Connor is in talks to star in Luca Guadagnino’s new drama “Separate Rooms,” an adaptation of the eponymous novel by the late Italian writer Pier Vittorio Tondelli. The story follows an Italian writer named Leo who is mourning the loss of his boyfriend. O’Connor, who stars in Guadagnino’s upcoming tennis love triangle film “Challengers” alongside Zendaya and Mike Faist, is in advanced talks to play Leo in “Separate Rooms,” whose passionate romance with a shy German musician named Thomas is marked by different forms of separation.

EXCLUSIVE: JoAnna Garcia Swisher is expanding her lifestyle platform The Happy Place with the launch of her production banner THP Entertainment, which she will co-run alongside longtime business partner and co-founder, Kate Gordon.

Rhys Ifans (The King’s Man), Olivia Cooke (House of Dragon), Paapa Essiedu (The Lazarus Project), Mia McKenna-Bruce (How to Have Sex) and Antonia Thomas (The Good Doctor) have all joined new comedy-horror feature The Scurry from Eternal Beauty helmer Craig Roberts. 

Naman Ramachandran Robert Schildhouse will serve in an expanded role at streamer BritBox International following the departure of global CEO Reemah Sakaan. Schildhouse, who previously had stints with Hulu and CBS, joined the streamer in 2022, with his most recent position being general manager, North America, and group editorial for BritBox International, where he was instrumental in driving the service’s business growth in the U.S. and Canada.

Naman Ramachandran Four African screenwriters will pitch stories spanning genres at the 15th edition of Series Mania in Lille, France. Pitching this year are Kelly-Eve Koopman (South Africa) with urban fantasy “Facing the Mountain”; Moreetsi Gabang (Botswana) with crime drama “Outreach”; Tiah Beye (Senegal/Côte d’Ivoire) with comedy-drama “Brouteure” (“The Yahoo Girl”); and Wanjiru Kairu (Kenya) with political satire “Serikali Saidia!” The shows are under the aegis of the AuthenticA Series Lab, a training program for African episodic screenwriters from Realness Institute.

Actor and producer Omar Sy (Lupin), director-producer Louis Leterrier (Fast X) and producer and Pulse Films founder Thomas Benski (American Honey) are launching Carrousel Studios with bases in Paris, London, LA and Senegal.

We’re back again, Insiders. Jesse Whittock with you this week, as Netflix showcased its latest wares, Hong Kong welcomed the entertainment world and Argentinian film was plunged into crisis. Here we go. Sign up to the newsletter here. 

Veteran producer and sales agent Rosa Bosch has joined the Madrid-based distributor and international sales agency Begin Again Films. Bosch will serve as part of the company’s international department. 

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has already confessed he would prefer to avoid Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain in today's Champions League quarter-final draw.

Michael Douglas, Kyle MacLachlan, Ella Purnell and Daniel Brühl are among the high-caliber stars who will take part in the 7th edition of Canneseries. The robust lineup, unveiled today by Canneseries’ artistic director Albin Lewi at a press conference in Paris, boasts the world premiere of Apple TV+’s “Franklin,” starring Michael Douglas as one of the Founding Fathers, and Disney +’s “Becoming Karl Lagerfeld” with Daniel Brühl as the acid-tongued designer.

Celebrity Big Brother has seen one star involved in a new feud as Louis Walsh has been branded "vile" by Coronation Street actor Sally Ann Matthews, 53.The former X Factor judge, 71, and music mogul, who regularly ended up in tiffs with Simon Cowell during their time together on the hugely-popular entertainment series, has already rubbed a number of his housemates up the wrong way. Now the Jenny Bradley star has gotten involved in the drama despite not being in the bungalow herself, as she voiced her opinions on Louis' comments on social media. Taking to X, formerly known as Twitter, Sally Ann shared her frustration about Louis making fun of her fellow Corrie star Colson Smith, 25, in the hours after they both entered the house together.

Ed Meza @edmezavar Eager to move into horror, Spanish director Miguel Martí is partnering with famed actress-producer Macarena Gómez and distributor Carlos Guerrero on an ambitious project to find their perfect hair-raising script. The trio’s respective, Madrid-based companies, Wonder Ficción, Cilantro Films and 39 Escalones, have launched the We Are Looking for Your Horror Script initiative, putting the call out to screenwriters with a penchant for chills, thrills and the macabre to submit their works from March 2 to April 16 via the website buscamostuguiondeterror.com.

Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent At last year’s Cannes Film Festival, Leonardo DiCaprio, Harrison Ford and Scarlett Johansson hit the red carpet to premiere their latest big movies. But Hollywood may have a much lighter presence at the 2024 edition of one of the world’s most notable film festivals.