TF1/M6 Merger Under Threat As French Competition Authority Raises Concerns

is. That’s why acting jobs are called roles.”Maher pointed out that Leguizamo has played a Columbia American, a Venetian, a French little person and an Italian plumber when he is none of those things.

Guy Lodge Film CriticThe fashions, fabrics and eye-crossingly patterned wallpapers of the 1970s abound in “Angry Annie,” a French period piece practically painted in avocado green and Le Creuset orange, with hand-crocheted accessories for good measure. Would that the rest of Blandine Lenoir’s rousing abortion drama felt quite so dated.

Winter blackouts are being planned as part of the 'reasonable worst case scenario' preparations by the UK Government. The planned blackouts mean the energy in households and businesses would be turned off for hours during the coldest months of the year.

EXCLUSIVE: France’s Why Not Productions has unveiled a playful first teaser image of Johnny Depp in the role of King Louis XV in French director Maïwenn’s historical love story Jeanne du Barry, in which she also co-stars as the titular courtesan. Check it out below.

John Hopewell Chief International CorrespondentTo the exuberant tones of Christophe’s “Aline,” lamenting the loss of his love, two shirtless men rejoice orgiastically as water tumbling down a rock face drenching their bodies. Meanwhile, at a country house, maids and a gardener, dressed in period costume, proudly pour what looks like a mixture of water and milk onto plants.The scenes, it seems, are from a libertine costume drama, being shot in the wooded French countryside. Then suddenly Valentin, the director, disappears.

Holly Jones Paris-based sales company Alief has swooped on international sales rights to horror-political thriller “Matadero” (“Slaughterhouse”), the awaited fiction feature debut of Argentina’s Santiago Fillol, co-scribe on Oliver Laxe’s Cannes winners “Mimosa” and “Fire Will Come.”Co-written by Fillol, “Matadero” world premieres this week in Locarno’s main International Competition.The film takes a stark look at a historic tale through the maniacal lens of U.S. filmmaker Jared (Julio Perillán), as he shoots a big-screen version of a 19th-century text by Argentine writer Estaban Echeverría, exploiting the times and their trappings to create a piece of cinema meant to dig itself into the collective consciousness.

Manchester City footballer Benjamin Mendy has pleaded not guilty to a further charge of rape ahead of the start of his trial. The Blues defender's case is being heard at Chester Crown Court today (Wednesday).

Homes across Britain could face four days of blackouts this winter as the Government prepares for cold weather gas shortages.

European broadcasting giant RTL Group has reaffirmed its belief the merger of its French subsidiary M6 with local rival TF1 must go ahead to keep competing with the likes of Netflix, Disney+ and Amazon.

France, Match Me! focuses on emerging producers. Featuring new projects from tracked auteurs – Lithuania’s Ignas Jonynas, India’s Payal Kapadia and Mexico’s Francisco Vargas – and winners at Cannes, San Sebastian and other major meets, many producers look only a title or two from full emergence. If the fulsome slates of some producers are anything to go by – DR’s Leticia Brea, Estonia’s Tallifornia and Kask Films, for instance – production is a going concern in countries outside traditional production centers. (Distribution, whether to platforms or in theaters, may be another matter).

Dawn French took to social media on Thursday to reshare a very impressive post from her rarely-seen nephew Jack French who has an unbelievable talent.MORE: Dawn French debuts striking silver hairdo as she teases exciting newsTaking to her Instagram Stories, the 64-year-old reshared a clip of a brilliant clay sculpture of a chimpanzee cyclops, made by the graduate - and it is incredible!WATCH: Dawn French shares impressive video of rarely-seen nephew's talentBeaming with pride, Dawn captioned the post: "My nephew made this!" and reshared a video from the artist who updated his followers with a video panning around his impressive creation.SEE: Dawn French shares teeth transformation from the dentist – see photoREAD: Dawn French shares hilarious health quirk she's noticed in her 60s – fans reactThe mother-of-one also took to the comments of the original post from Jack which, as well as the video, had a selection of fabulous close-up photos of his masterpiece. The comedian penned: "AMAAAAZING JACK!" on the spectacular update.

Tencent is reportedly looking to raise its stake in Assassin’s Creed and Far Cry publisher Ubisoft.According to a new report from Reuters, Tencent apparently expressed interest in the French publisher and is looking to raise the five per cent stake it placed in 2018.Two sources claimed that Tencent is aiming to “become the single largest shareholder” of Ubisoft with another stake purchase. At this time it’s unclear how much the company is planning on owning of the company.Additional sources said that Tencent does plan on purchasing the extrastake from the Guillemot family – the current CEO of Ubisoft – which own 15 per cent of the firm.

John Hopewell Chief International CorrespondentSebastian Lelio’s “Wonder,” starring “Black Widow’s” Florence Pugh, “Winter Boy” with Juliette Binoche and directors Hong Sang-soo and Ulrich Seidl will compete in main competition at September’s San Sebastian Film Festival, the biggest film event in the Spanish-speaking world.In “Wonder,” the latest from Academy Award winning director Lelio (“A Fantastic Woman”),Pugh plays an English nurse brought in to the Irish Midlands in 1862 to observe the alleged miracle of girls going months without food.Binoche co-stars in “Winter Boy,” from resilient French auteur Christophe Honoré who won at Cannes Un Certain Regard with 2019’s “On a Magical Night.” Hong Sang-soo, the prolific South Korean director, will present “Walk Up,” a film which is billed as taking a gently delightful new perspective on themes dear to his poetics. Seidl’s “Sparta” forms part of a diptych with 2022 Berlin competition contender “Rimini,” both movies turning on men who cannot escape their past.The 12 competition titles announced on Tuesday by San Sebastian join its four Spanish contenders, unveiled last month.A brief breakdown on the new competition entries:San Sebastian Main Competition: Newly Announced Titles“Il Boemo,” (Petr Václav, Czech Republic, Italy, Slovakia)The passions and ambitions, breakthrough and tragic fall from grace of Czech opera composer, Josef Mysliveček,a mentor to Mozart.

The San Sebastián Film Festival has revealed the line-up for its latest edition, which is due to unfold from September 16-24.

Anna Marie de la Fuente Brazilian filmmaker Julia Murat’s provocative drama “Rule 34” (“Regra 34”) has shared its trailer exclusively with Variety before its bow at the Locarno Film Festival.If the trailer is anything to go by, the movie will make the filmmakers behind “50 Shades of Gray” blush. “Rule 34” competes in the official section of the Swiss festival which posts the following disclaimer on its site: “This film features scenes that could shock the sensitivity of some viewers.”As explained in the Urban Dictionary, Rule 34 refers to “the 34th rule of the Internet, which states that any object, character, or media franchise imaginable has porn associated with it.”“Rule 34” turns on 23-year-old Simone (played by Sol Miranda) who studies criminal law and advocates for women’s rights.

The French government’s controversial move to abolish the country’s 89-year-old TV license fee is due to be voted on by France’s upper house this week.

International sales agents Hengameh Panahi, Grégoire Melin, producers Philippe Rousselet, Didar Domehri and directors Jacques Audiard and Michel Gondry have been named as the members of France’s new-look Oscar committee.

France’s TF1 Group has posted a positive set of results for the first half of 2022, as Covid-19 pandemic challenges which weighed on turnover in 2020 and 2021 continue to subside.