Russian company allegedly refuses to print images of BTS, says the group “perverts” children

LONDON -- A British journalist and her publisher faced defamation claims in a London court on Wednesday from billionaire Chelsea Football Club owner Roman Abramovich and other wealthy Russians over a book about the rise of President Vladimir Putin.Catherine Belton’s book, “Putin’s People: How the KGB Took Back Russia and then Took on the West,” charts the rise to wealth and power of former KGB agent Putin and a circle of associates after the breakup of the Soviet Union.Abramovich says the book’s

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Trouble in Tokyo. Athletes and celebrities are speaking out after Simone Biles withdrew from the gymnastics final at the Tokyo Olympics on Tuesday, July 27.

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.

EXCLUSIVE: German actor August Diehl, whose credits include The Young Karl Marx, Inglourious Basterds and A Hidden Life, has signed on to play the lead role in big-budget Russian drama Woland.

**Minor spoilers ahead for “Black Widow.”** Marvel‘s “Black Widow” had plenty of Easter Eggs and a big standout was the prison arm wrestling scene when David Harbour‘s Red Guardian snaps the wrist of a large fella that was willing to call him out on his tall tales of battling against Captain America, who is pointed out to be frozen at this point time.

Guy Lodge Film CriticCANNES — At a banner ceremony for female filmmakers, Russian writer-director Kira Kovalenko’s sophomore feature “Unclenching the Fists” won the top prize for best film in the Un Certain Regard section at the Cannes Film Festival this evening, from a jury headed by British filmmaker Andrea Arnold.

Christopher Vourlias When she was growing up in Nalchik, the capital of Russia’s remote Kabardino-Balkarian Republic, Kira Kovalenko wasn’t particularly interested in cinema. She can cite few films that inspired her as a girl.

coronavirus.After founding the rock group Zvuki Mu (Sounds of Mu) in 1982, Mamonov became an underground cult figure in Moscow. He gained wider recognition after Soviet restrictions on rock music and alternative culture were lifted in the late 1980s as part of then-leader Mikhail Gorbachev's reforms.Mamonov further expanded his fame through acting.

Jon Burlingame It’s a pretty rare occasion when the director of a superhero movie sits down with the composer to talk about music and neither of them ever uses the word “action” or even “superhero.”Instead, “Black Widow” director Cate Shortland and composer Lorne Balfe talked about the backstory of Natasha Romanoff and her sister, Yelena Belova.

Elsa Keslassy International CorrespondentDidier Lupfer, the former CEO of Studiocanal, has launched the Paris-based production banner The Media Company with a lineup comprising high-concept films and series, including “The Quest of Fire” and “Front Row.”The outfit is also developing about 10 feature films, including Russian helmer Michael Idov’s “Aspiration,” which is co-produced with Artem Vassiliev at Métrafilms, and thriller “Override,” directed by Dmitry Glukhovsky (“Tekst”).Lupfer said he

Christopher Vourlias Germany’s Sola Media has acquired sales rights across a host of territories for “Finnick,” an animated feature from leading Russian animation studio Riki Group, Variety has learned. The companies will be introducing the film to buyers during the Cannes Film Market.The CGI-animated comedy follows the adventures of 13-year-old Christine, who befriends the young prankster Finnick — one of the furry invisible beings known as Finns — in unlikely circumstances.

EXCLUSIVE: Russian film promotion body Roskino has launched a new export initiative, Russian Content Worldwide, in a bid to aid development of international relationships and interest in the Russian content market. The initiative was launched at the Russian Pavilion in Cannes this week and is direct response to the growing global interest in Russia’s film and television sector.