Sony Pictures Hires Production General Manager In India

EXCLUSIVE: Deadline can reveal a first look at writer-director Subhadra Mahajan‘s debut feature, Second Chance, which will premiere at the upcoming Karlovy Vary International Film Festival.

Sony Pictures Networks India has named Disney+ Hotstar content chief Gaurav Banerjee as its new Managing Director and CEO.

Sony Pictures Networks India (SPNI) has confirmed Gaurav Banerjee as its new managing director and CEO. He will take the reins on or before Aug. 26, pending approvals.

EXCLUSIVE: Sony Pictures Television has extended comedy writer and showrunner Brigitte Muñoz-Liebowitz‘s (Gordita Chronicles) overall deal, sources reveal to Deadline.

Naman Ramachandran India’s Doc Film Bazaar, which is part of the Mumbai International Film Festival, has unveiled the winners of its inaugural edition. The awards, sponsored by Prasad Lab, are aimed at supporting post-production efforts, particularly in digital intermediate (DI) services.

Leo Barraclough International Features Editor Actor-director Viggo Mortensen, actor Clive Owen and actor-director Daniel Brühl will be honored at the Karlovy Vary Film Festival, Central and Eastern Europe’s leading movie event, which will open with Mortensen’s “The Dead Don’t Hurt.” The festival also revealed Wednesday that director-producer Steven Soderbergh and screenwriter-director Nicole Holofcener will attend the event. Mortensen, Owen and Brühl will each receive the Festival President’s Award.

Naman Ramachandran Ketan Mehta, the revered Indian filmmaker who also serves as founder and chair of animation house Cosmos-Maya, known for long-running animated Nickelodeon show “Motu Patlu,” says that the global companies who operate TV channels in India create content that is local-specific and fails to resonate with international audiences. Mehta was speaking at the ongoing Mumbai International Film Festival which hosted a lively panel debate on animation. The discussion featured some of the top Iranian and Indian names in the business.

Naman Ramachandran After Jonathan Glazer’s Cannes, Oscar and BAFTA-winning “The Zone of Interest,” Daniela Volker’s “The Commandant’s Shadow” tackles the same subject – what it was like to live next door to a WWII concentration camp. While Glazer’s film was a work of fiction, based on Martin Amis’ novel, Volker’s film is a documentary. Exploring the legacy of Auschwitz, it follows Hans-Joergen Höss, son of commandant Rudolf Höss, and grandson Kai, on an emotional journey.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Coralie Fargeat’s Demi Moore-starring feminist body horror film “The Substance” has been set as the closing night title for the New Zealand International Film Festival. The picture is one of 16 which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival last month selected for the NZIFF which is now under the artistic leadership of Paolo Bertolin.

EXCLUSIVE: Israeli romcom drama series The Baker and the Beauty is being remade for France’s TF1, with French singer-songwriter Amir Haddad playing the lead in his debut TV role.

Naman Ramachandran Indian actor and filmmaker Manohara has had an inspirational journey. Hailing from humble circumstances in Bengaluru, southern India, Manohara was picked out of school and cast by filmmaker Prithvi Konanur in “Railway Children” (2016), which won him best child actor at India’s National Film Awards. Manohara went on to act in supporting roles in Konanur’s Busan and Hainan selection “Where Is Pinki?” (2020) and Busan, Hong Kong and Goa title “Seventeeners,” on which he also assisted.

Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent Sony Pictures Classics‘ Dylan Leiner along with FilmNation’s Stefan Zorich and Paramount‘s Fabrizio Carrer were among the top film executives and companies who participated in the 13th NY Film & Entertainment Soccer Tournament for charity hosted at the Tribeca Festival. The sun-drenched event gathered 39 teams, along with more than 60 filmmakers from the Tribeca Festival, and hundreds of spectators at Brooklyn Bridge Park overlooking downtown Manhattan.

Naman Ramachandran Far from the bright lights of Bollywood, the indomitable Indian documentary filmmaking industry has been making waves globally. The recent past has several examples of India‘s international success.

Brent Lang Executive Editor Sony Pictures Entertainment has acquired Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, the theater chain that inspired a passionate following with its creative cocktails, extensive food menu and strict “no talking, no texting” policies. The media company acquired Alamo Drafthouse from owners Altamont Capital Partners, Fortress Investment Group and its founder Tim League. Under its new ownership, Alamo Drafthouse will be managed under a newly established division, Sony Pictures Experiences.

Naman Ramachandran In a significant development for the Indian entertainment industry, Artist International Group (AIG), under the leadership of David Unger, and Creativeland Studios, helmed by Sajan Raj Kurup, have unveiled a joint venture to establish AIG India. This new talent and production company aims to bridge the gap between Hollywood and India’s vibrant creative scene. AIG India will focus on discovering, nurturing, and promoting Indian talent across various artistic fields, leveraging AIG’s global reach and Creativeland Studios’ in-depth knowledge of the Indian market.

EXCLUSIVE: The UK-based VFX and animation company Jellyfish Pictures has launched a new VFX production outpost in Toronto. 

Lada Guruden Singh Steps Down From Sony Pictures India Role

Tim Chan If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Variety may receive an affiliate commission. The 2024 ICC T20 Cricket World Cup is underway and one of the most anticipated matchups takes place this weekend as India faces off against Pakistan in a group stage match airing live on Willow TV. Pakistan is coming off a stunning loss to the U.S.

Tim Chan If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Variety may receive an affiliate commission. Cricket fans in the U.S. are in for a treat this weekend as two of the biggest cricket nations in the world face-off at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.

Naman Ramachandran Indian animation will be in the spotlight across the 2024 Annecy Animation Festival. For the first time, Indian animation will feature at Namaste MIFA, a pitch event at MIFA (Marché International du Film d’Animation) in Annecy. The event, organized by Annecy-backed Indian animation festival AniMela and co-hosted by Assemblage Entertainment and Zebu Animation Studios, will present four work-in-progress projects reflecting diverse themes such as sports, food, gender and tradition.