Small Screen Series ‘La Mesias’ Draws Big Buzz

J. Kim Murphy The Bulgarian producer of an espionage thriller sued Abigail Breslin, one of the film’s stars, on Friday, alleging that her “hysterical” and “imaginary” allegations against co-star Aaron Eckhart have imperiled the film’s release. Dream Team Studios produced the film, entitled “Classified,” in Malta earlier this year.

Japan has dominated this year’s Asia Pacific Screen Awards (APSA), with German filmmaker Wim Wenders’ latest Tokyo-set pic and Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s Drive My Car follow-up taking the top prizes. 

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Two films from Japan, Wim Wenders’ “Perfect Days” and Hamaguchi Ryusuke’s “Evil Does Not Exist,” won the top prizes at the Asia Pacific Screen Awards on Friday. Multiple other honors went to films from Korea and Kazakhstan. The 16th edition of the APSA Awards was held on the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia and recognized films from eight countries. “Perfect Days,” a gentle comedy drama about a toilet cleaner in Tokyo finding happiness in the everyday, premiered in Cannes and more recently was selected as Japan’s Oscar contender and as the opening title of the Tokyo International Film Festival.

Abigail Breslin privately made allegations about her co-star Aaron Eckhart while working together on the upcoming movie Classified and now those claims have been made public as part of a lawsuit against her.

All Creatures Great and Small star Patricia Hodge will be a familiar face to fans of TV. The 77 year actress got her small screen break in Rumpole of the Bailey in 1978 and went on to appear in hit shows including Downton Abbey and Miranda.The TV veteran is currently starring as Mrs Pumphrey in the Channel 5 reboot of 1970s series All Creatures Great and Small. In the show, Patricia plays an affluent widow and regular client of Farnon’s veterinary practice - meaning she often comes into contact with main character James Herriot, played by Nicholas Ralph.

John Hopewell Chief International Correspondent Filmax has boarded “The Monster of Many Noses,” which marks yet another feature debut of a Barcelona-based female director, Abigail Schaaff, here in a movie which blends fantasy genre and local lore to large social point. Filmax, which also handles distribution in Spain, will show first images of the film at the American Film Market. Connecting 1960s Spain to its 1930s, the decade of Spain’s Civil War whose atrocities were silenced as the price of transition to democracy in 1970s Spain, “The Monster of Many Noses” (“L’home dels lassos”) is set in 1968 in a small village in the mountains.

Jason Aldean is still confused about the controversy surrounding the music video for his song “Try That in a Small Town.”

Selome Hailu Mike Birbiglia has set his newest comedy special, “The Old Man and the Pool,” at Netflix. The hour-long set debuts on the streamer on Nov.

Jason Aldean is not backing down from his stance on defending “Try That in a Small Town” despite the controversy around the song.

Zack Sharf Digital News Director Jason Aldean is disputing claims that his controversial music video for “Try That in a Small Town” had racist undertones. The country music star participated in an interview with “CBS Mornings” and was asked by reporter Jan Crawford about his reaction to hearing such accusations from the public, to which Aldean asked, “How?” “You know, it was like a call to arms and small towns,” Crawford said, summarizing the backlash Aldean faced. “It was a threatening kind of video for Black people, I mean, people were putting this on like, TikTok.” “But there was people of all color doing stuff in the video,” Aldean said.

John Hopewell Chief International Correspondent “No Me Sigas,” the directorial debut of “Anything’s Possible” writer Ximena García Lecuona, and “Malamuerte,” from Caye Casas, a rising star of pitch black Spanish comedy, both feature in a rich and far-ranging 2023 Blood Window Lab, the project platform of Ventana Sur’s genre forum, which unspools Nov. 27-Dec. 1.

doubled down on his defense of the controversial song “Try That in a Small Town” after it was branded pro-lynching and racist. Aldean, 46, claimed while appearing on the “Coop’s Rockin’ Country Saturday Night” podcast that he was “not sayin’ anything that’s not true.“If you’ve got common sense, you can look at the video and see, I’m not sayin’ anything that’s not true,” the singer added.

Jason Aldean is doubling down on his stance in defending his controversial song “Try That In A Small Town” and sees nothing wrong with it.

Recent docs on Indigenous peoples in the United States emphasize the troubled, tragic legacy between Native Americans and the US government, like “Lakota Nation Vs. United States.” Others, like Showtime‘s “Murder In Big Horn,” chart ongoing issues like the murdered and missing indigenous women crisis and the media and government’s relative neglect to take it seriously.

Anna Marie de la Fuente In a deal unveiled at Mipcom, Movistar Plus+ International, the prominent Spanish pay TV/SVOD platform’s sales division, announced at Mipcom a key sale to HBO Latin America of series “La Mesías,” hailed as the buzziest title at the San Sebastian Film Festival in September. The series is written, directed and produced by Javier Ambrossi and Javier Calvo of Suma Content, best known for their series “Veneno,” an HBO Max U.S. pickup, as well as “Paquita Salas,” sold to Netflix.

All Creatures Great and Small sees vets Siegfried Farnon and James Herriot deal with several difficult animals. But in the new series, Helen will also have to get to grips with some new animal additions at Skeldale House. Speaking ahead of the series, actress Rachel Shenton revealed there's one addition who she has "tricky" scenes with.

John Hopewell Chief International Correspondent Turning on real-life 1990s trans icon Cristina Ortiz, “Veneno” established Javier Ambrossi and Javier Calvo as leading LGBTQ directors in Spain. In “La Mesías,” they bring their hallmark visceral sense of diversity to each and every scene and episode, which lends them their large distinction. “We’re not very conscious of it, but you can see diversity in how each character reacts differently to trauma, as well as the genre mix and diversity of settings.

Samuel West has been incredibly successful in the acting and entertainment business over the years. From starring in the long running series Midsomer Murders, Waking the Dead and Poirot, to his stint in Netflix's The Crown, he now spends his time playing the role of eccentric veterinary surgeon Siegfried Farnon in Channel 5's popular period drama, All Creatures Great and Small.The 57 year old has been a staple part of the cast since the show premiered in 2020, with filming taking place in the quaint and quiet Yorkshire Dales.

Big Brother has returned, which means for the next six weeks, we'll be pretty much unavailable most evenings.The iconic reality show aired on Sunday after a five year hiatus, but now it's back and bigger than ever. With two new presenters - Strictly's AJ Odudu and Dance Dance Dance's Will Best - plus a fresh batch of new housemates, just as we expected, there's been laughs, tears, and a whole load of drama. One housemate in particular - Olivia Young - has caused quite a stir already, mainly thanks to the bizarre #salmongate chaos, plus being the first contestant up for eviction in a shocking new twist.

All Creatures Great and Small actress Rachel Shenton has revealed that she was “thrilled” to spend more time on set with fellow co-star Patricia Hodge while filming the Channel 5 show. Rachel, 35, who plays Helen Herriot on the show, has opened up about her friendship with Patricia, who plays Mrs Pumphrey, and called it “a pleasure” to film more scenes with the actress.