Realness Institute Spotlights African Talent at FAME Week (EXCLUSIVE)

The Lee Strasberg Theatre & Film Institute has brought in veteran TV casting executive as Head of Talent, a newly created position focused on transitioning the Institute’s students to becoming professional actors in film and TV.

The BFI London Film Festival has unveiled the full lineup for its revamped “Industry Forum,” which will feature keynote sessions with Jennifer Lee, chief creative officer of Disney Animation Studios, and Bill Kramer, CEO of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts (AMPAS).

Marta Balaga International Sámi Film Institute’s managing director Anne-Lajla Utsi will now add “trailblazer” to her résumé as the recipient of the first-ever Women in Film and Television International Peace Prize. The award ceremony will take place on Sept. 23 during the WIFTI Helsinki Summit.

K.J. Yossman BBC Studios has merged three areas of its formats business to create a new global entertainment division led by Matt Forde.

Sophia Scorziello editor South African crime writer Rudie Van Rensburg’s “Piranha” is set to be adapted into a new crime drama series from Strong Studios. Titled “Endangered,” the project is being shopped as a six-episode limited series written by screenwriter Jake Riddell (“Reyka,” “Grantchester”) and directed by BAFTA award winner Stuart Urban (“The Mystery of Suzy Lamplugh”).

Aubrey O’Day is spilling all, she doesn’t give a f**k!

Anette Novak is out at the Swedish Film Institute. 

Jaden Thompson Seasons 3 and 4 of David Moscow’s travel and food show “From Scratch” will premiere on Tastemade, set to release on the streaming platform on Oct. 18. In “From Scratch,” actor David Moscow is presented with a recipe from a chef and he subsequently hunts, dives, forages and grows every ingredient to create the meal.

Real Sociedad left-back Aihen Munoz is ready to wrestle for minutes with Kieran Tierney this season.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief The Japan rugby union team on Sunday thrashed tournament newcomers Chile 42-12 on the first weekend of the freshly kicked-off Rugby World Cup. But in 2015, Japan were the underdogs and yet pulled off a surprise result against rugby titans South Africa. In the first ever match between the two nations Japan won 34-32, due to an 80th minute try. “The Brighton Miracle,” a docu-drama capturing and re-constructing that shock match, has been picked up by Blue Sky Media.

Naman Ramachandran After a record-breaking first season, “The Real Housewives of Lagos” is returning for Season 2. Season 1 of the reality TV series saw the first episode break the first-day streaming record on Showmax Nigeria and become the only African title to crack the top 10 most-watched shows on the streaming service in 2022 across Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya and South Africa.

Leo Barraclough International Features Editor Cinemalovers has acquired all rights in Germany and Austria for “Mami Wata,” which world premiered in the World Cinema – Dramatic section of the Sundance Film Festival, and won the cinematography award. The film, written and directed by C.J. “Fiery” Obasi, with cinematography by Lílis Soares, is based on West African mermaid folklore and mythology.

Ellise Shafer At the Venice Film Festival press conference for Ava DuVernay’s new film “Origin” on Wednesday, the director revealed that she has previously been told not to apply to the festival, because “you won’t get in.” DuVernay is making history this year as the first African American woman in the festival’s 80-year history to have a film compete for the Golden Lion. “For Black filmmakers, we’re told that people who love films in other parts of the world don’t care about our stories and don’t care about our films.

Showmax CEO Yolisa Phahle is leaving the African streamer after nearly two decades.

K.J. Yossman Netflix has unveiled a new slate of programming at TV conference MIP Africa. The line-up includes the fourth season of hit drama “Blood & Water” plus a new feature-length rom-com, “Soweto Love Story.” The streamer also revealed a number of partnerships with South African filmmakers and production outfits.

Netflix has unveiled a swathe of South African content including the first feature from Mandla Dube’s high-profile talent deal and a rom-com titled Soweto Love Story.

The Real Housewives is a cultural phenomenon.

Peter Debruge Chief Film Critic It’s the moment of truth for Emerald Fennell, whose “Promising Young Woman” established the actor-turned-auteur (last seen playing pregnant doll Midge in “Barbie”) as a formidable new filmmaking talent. Building on the barbed sensibility she established with “Killing Eve,” the writer-director’s zeitgeist-throttling feature debut lured audiences like a bright red candy apple, leaving them with plenty to debate after the cyanide-laced sugar high wore off.

Luca Guadagnino is putting a brave face on the sudden pulling last month of new movie Challengers from the prestigious opening slot of the Venice Film Festival, after the actors’ strike grounded its U.S. cast led by Zendaya.

The Real Housewives of Atlanta cast for season 16 is going to look very different, ET has learned.