Oscar Winner Stefan Ruzowitzky’s Locarno-Bound ‘Hinterland’ Unveils Trailer (EXCLUSIVE)

Christopher Vourlias Variety has been given exclusive access to the trailer for “Toma,” Dragan Bjelogrlić’s biopic about Serbian singer Toma Zdravković, which closes the Sarajevo Film Festival.“Toma” is a portrait of the iconic singer-songwriter, who was born in the former Yugoslavia and was known as much for his music as his bohemian way of life. Released 30 years after his untimely death, the film will have its world premiere Aug.

Anna Marie de la Fuente Koch Media has acquired German and Italian VOD rights to Russian filmmaker Anna Zaytseva’s feature debut “#Blue_Whale” ahead of its Aug. 17 world premiere at the 25th Fantasia Int’l Film Festival.“Searching” and “Profile” creator and Screenlife format pioneer TimurBekmambetov is a co-producer of “#Blue_Whale.”The cautionary tale is inspired by a news story Zaytseva came upon years ago which was later presented to her as a treatment.

Ellen DeGeneres‘ talk show is coming to an end.

Elsa Keslassy International CorrespondentNadav Lapid’s thought-provoking film “Ahed’s Knee,” which just world premiered at Cannes and won the jury prize, has been acquired by Kino Lorber for North American distribution.“Ahed’s Knee” will have its North American premiere in the Special Presentations section at Toronto.

Leo Barraclough International Features EditorStefan Ruzowitzky, who won an Oscar for “The Counterfeiters,” is at the Locarno Film Festival on Friday for the world premiere in the iconic Piazza Grande venue of his crime thriller “Hinterland.” He speaks to Variety about the film, which Beta Cinema is selling worldwide.“Hinterland” centers on a former Austrian prisoner of war, Peter Perg, who returns home to Vienna in 1920. Everything has changed.

Leo Barraclough International Features EditorLondon-based sales agency Film Republic has picked up Peter Brunner’s “Luzifer,” which will feature next week in competition at the Locarno Film Festival.

EastEnders star Sid Owen, who played Ricky Butcher on the popular BBC soap, has revealed Hollywood megastar Al Pacino nearly adopted him when he was 13.The unlikely duo made a film together in 1985, and it turns out life could have taken a very different path for the London-based actor.The Godfather great played youngster Sid’s father in the period epic Revolution. After discovering his teen co-star’s mum had tragically died, the now 81 year old Al considered adopting him instead.

Leo Barraclough International Features EditorLondon-based world film sales and production company Taskovski Films has picked up Karol Palka’s feature-length documentary “Bucolic,” which plays in the Critics’ Week section of the Locarno Film Festival.The Polish film is described as “a parable about people living in a different way, an affectionate observation that invites curiosity about their world and a desire for a closer look.”It centers on Danusia and her daughter Basia, who “live far away

Naman Ramachandran Rintu Thomas and Sushmit Ghosh’s documentary “Writing With Fire,” which won Audience and Special Jury awards at Sundance earlier this year, has sold to multiple territories.Sales agent Autlook Filmsales has sold the film to to E&O (The Netherlands), BBC Storyville (U.K. and Ireland), Bertha Doc House (U.K.

Stephen Manas' journey to fame was not easy in the slightest. Born in a small French village, he was attracted to film when he was cast as an extra in a movie being shot in his hometown.MORE: Ted Lasso season two: everything we know so farHowever, a life of focus on academics from family meant that he ended up in a more conventional profession.WATCH: The team from Ted Lasso"I went to work for two weeks," he says exclusively to HELLO!, "with a suit and tie, offices, everything.

Olivia Munn's single mother, her convict ex, the local crime lord he works for and a ruthless cartel in the upcoming crime thriller — and ET can exclusively debut the trailer. stars Whigham as Parker, a tortured social worker who finds himself fighting to protect a client, Dahlia (Munn), after her husband, Mike, is released on parole.

Leo Barraclough International Features EditorThe worldwide trailer for Holocaust revenge film “Plan A” has been revealed, with Variety given an exclusive first look.

Will Thorne Staff WriterReason 8 is prepared to make moves at the upcoming Locarno Film Festival.The London-based sales and production outfit has secured the international sales rights to Russian drama “Medea.” Reason 8 will be on the ground in Switzerland ahead of the film’s premiere on Aug.

A total of 47 films will compete at this year’s Sarajevo Film Festival across its four competitive sections. The event will feature 18 world premieres and three international premieres.

Nick Vivarelli International CorrespondentMultiple Oscar-winning Chinese-American director Chloé Zhao, whose “Nomadland” launched from the Venice Film Festival last year, is set to return to the Lido as a member of the upcoming fest’s main jury, which will comprise four women and three men.As previously announced, “Parasite” director Bong Joon Ho, another recent multiple Oscar winner, will preside over the jury of the event’s upcoming edition.They will be serving jury duty on the Lido alongside

Emiliano De Pablos Sales agency Heretic has picked-up worldwide sales rights to “The Sacred Spirit,” Spaniard Chema García Ibarra’s feature debut, which world premieres in the International Competition at the Locarno Film Festival.Its teaser trailer is launching exclusively in Variety.García Ibarra’s awaited feature debut, “Sacred Spirit” blends local detail and dystopian surrealism, following José Manuel and the other members of a Spanish Ufology association -UFO-Levante- who meet weekly to

Angelique Jackson Oscar-winning filmmaker Rodney Rothman (“Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse”) and former MGM co-president of production Adam Rosenberg have teamed up to launch the new “event entertainment” company, Modern Magic.“Helping lead the team that made Into the Spider-Verse was a life-altering experience that forever changed what I thought was possible,” Rothman said, announcing the new venture.

Madonna is coming to Paramount+.