Red Brigades Terrorism Tackled by Italy’s Stand By Me, RAI in ‘The General’s Men,’ Toplining Sergio Castellitto (EXCLUSIVE)

Nick Vivarelli International CorrespondentTV production is growing in Italy, where U.S. streamers are gradually raising their investment levels just as pubcaster RAI, which is still the industry’s main driver, is cutting back.According to local TV producers association APA, the Italian market in 2022 will generate more than €1.2 billion ($1.3 billion) worth of scripted content resulting in double-digit growth.

Manori Ravindran International Editor“The Killing Fields” and “The Mission” director Roland Joffé is in talks to helm an epic drama spanning the two World Wars in a project set up with international film and media fund APX Capital Group.“L’Inverno” is the first pic to emerge from APX’s new Music World Films & TV venture — a new division headed by Mathew Knowles (Beyoncé’s father), who sold his Music World Entertainment Group to APX last month. As part of the deal, the film and TV division of Knowles’ company has been merged with the studio.APX will complete the financing on “L’Inverno,” with the $12-million budgeted movie starting principal photography in Rome, Italy, this fall.

Nick Vivarelli International CorrespondentThe Rome Film Festival is under new management following a political shake-up that has led to the appointment of RAI Cinema executive Paola Malanga as the fest’s artistic director and Gian Luca Farinelli, who heads the Bologna film archives, as president.Malanga, who was appointed late on Tuesday, replaces Antonio Monda, the New York based journalist and film academic who during his seven-year stint at the helm of the event secured a steady stream of high-caliber guests such as Quentin Tarantino, Tim Burton and Angelina Jolie, to mention a few names on the Rome red carpet at last year’s edition.Farinelli –– who has been appointed president of the Cinema Per Roma foundation that oversees the Rome fest –– takes the reins from Laura Delli Colli, a prominent film journo and critic who remains on the foundation’s board. The new Rome fest regime was prompted by the election last October of new Rome mayor Roberto Gualtieri.The Eternal City extravaganza, which is the brainchild of former Rome mayor Walter Veltroni, has been undergoing management shake-ups due to Italy’s political spoils system ever since its launch in 2006 with Nicole Kidman on the red carpet and ambitions to rival Venice.While Delli Colli exited gracefully, Monda’s departure has been a bit more acrimonious.

Jon Hamm stepped out in style for some of the Oscars' biggest after-parties, and he had a special lady on his arm — his girlfriend, Anna Osceola.The  alum, 51, and Osceola made their red carpet debut as a couple while posing for pics at both the party and the Mercedes-Benz viewing party Sunday night.Hamm looked as dapper as ever in a striped, velvet tuxedo jacket and black pants, while the 33-year-old actress opted for something a bit bolder. Osceola rocked a multi-colored floral and geometric print long-sleeved dress, which featured a thigh-high slit, showing off her black, strappy sandals.The couple is believed to have met in 2015 when Osceola appeared on the final episode of, in which she played a secretary at the retreat Hamm's character, Don Draper, ends up at, but it's unclear when they started dating.While Hamm and Osceola have kept their relationship pretty private, they have been spotted out and about over the last few years.The pair was last seen enjoying some Super Bowl Sunday activities ahead of the big game last month and before that were spotted enjoying their time together while on an Italian vacation in September 2021.Before coupling up with Osceola, Hamm was in a long-term relationship with Jennifer Westfeldt.

Manchester United are to face a 'big battle' for Lazio midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, according to reports.

My Brilliant Friend is coming to an end at HBO. But not quite yet.

Nick Vivarelli International CorrespondentItalian producer Roberto Sessa (“The Sea Outside”) has snapped up rights to bestselling spy thriller “Supernotes” about a CIA-trained Italian intelligence officer who winds up in a Cambodian prison after investigating a sensitive scheme to print counterfeit $100 bills in North Korea.Picomedia chief Roberto Sessa plans to turn the book – which had previously been optioned by Alexandra Milchan’s Los Angeles-based Emjag Productions — into a high-end TV series that he is pitching to prospective partners during France’s Series Mania festival.“Supernotes,” which has been published in more than 30 countries, including the U.S., U.K. and France, is the purportedly true story of an Italian secret agent known as Agent Kasper who while on a mission during the mid-90s to investigate perfectly counterfeited $100 bills that were flooding Southeast Asia stumbles into an explosive secret behind them involving the CIA.

Lady Gaga brought some old Hollywood glamour to the 2022 BAFTA Awards.The 35-year-old singer and actress hit the red carpet at the 75th annual awards show Sunday in an emerald green velvet and silk taffeta evening gown by Ralph Lauren. The intricate outfit took 150 hours to make by hand, using 50 meters of both velvet and silk taffeta.Gaga styled her hair to match, rocking soft sideswept waves that were a call to carpets of the past.

Rod Stewart has taken matters into his own hands and repaired the potholes on a road near his house after he had trouble driving his Ferrari down the street. Sir Rod, 77, posted a video of the moment to Instagram, where he can be seen wearing a hi-vis vest and tracksuit bottoms as he works as part of a team shovelling gravel into the road.

Manchester City saw their ploy to sign former Arsenal and Chelsea striker Olivier Giroud prior to his move to AC Milan rejected, according to reports.

The UK's entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 2022 has been revealed as singer-songwriter and social media star Sam Ryder. 

Rio Ferdinand has suggested Arsenal should go after Manchester City forward Gabriel Jesus in the summer.

Nick Vivarelli International CorrespondentAlba Rohrwacher (“The Lost Daughter,” “The Wonders”) is set to play Elena, aka Lenù, in the fourth and final season of RAI/HBO show “My Brilliant Friend.”Just as season three of the Elena Ferrante adaptation, directed by Daniele Luchetti, kicks off in the U.S. where it debuted on Feb.

A football fan who sent racist abuse to former England defender Rio Ferdinand has been handed a 12-week suspended sentence.