VFX/Animation Studio Tippett Expands Into Canada (EXCLUSIVE)

Leo Barraclough International Features EditorShout! Studios has acquired North American distribution rights to family film “Three Wishes for Cinderella,” starring Norwegian pop singer Astrid Smeplass, in a deal with Sola Media.The retelling of the classic tale was a big hit in Norway, only outperformed by “No Time to Die” in last year’s box office. It is directed by Cecilie A.

lost his seat as a North Carolina congressman this week, and Seth Meyers had an absolute ball roasting him for it on Wednesday night.Cawthorn was defeated in his primary contest by just 1,500 votes — despite having the endorsement of the twice-impeached Donald Trump — losing to Chuck Edwards, a state senator. The incumbent’s loss seems to be the direct result of a campaign against him by his own party, and that aspect is one that thrilled Meyers.“I will say it’s a rare treat to watch Republicans tear each other apart because when Republicans decide to knife each other, they hold nothing back,” he joked.And of course, the late night host isn’t exactly sad to see Cawthorn go.

Anna Marie de la Fuente Argentina’s most bankable star, Adrian Suar, has wrapped his directorial debut “30 Noches Con Mi Ex” (“30 Nights With My Ex”) to which FilmSharks has snagged worldwide rights. The Buenos Aires-based sales and production outfit has already sold remake rights to Conchita Taboada of Spectrum Films for Mexico and to Italian producer Alessandro Usai of Colorado Films.Disney’s Star Distribution holds the theatrical distribution rights for Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay and Bolivia, while Cinecolor snapped up rights to Peru, Chile and Colombia.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau ChiefIndonesian firm MSV Studio is well underway on production of “Ajisaka: The King and the Flower of Life,” the first of three hugely ambitious animated films it will work on this year.MSV Studio is the animation division of MSK Pictures, which itself is part of the larger, Indonesia-based Amikom Group. Since 2015, Amikom says it has invested $20 million into the research and development of computer animation technology.

Leo Barraclough International Features EditorAnimated movie “The Amazing Maurice,” based on a Terry Pratchett novel and featuring a voice cast led by Hugh Laurie and Emilia Clarke, has sold to multiple major territories. Global Screen will present the film as a market premiere at Cannes.Territories where the movie has been picked up include Italy (Lucky Red), Spain (Flins y Piniculas), Scandinavia (Selmer Media), Portugal (NOS Lusomundo), Israel (Red Cape Distribution), Middle East (Selim Ramia & Co.), Australia and New Zealand (Icon Film Distribution), CIS and Baltics (Volgafilm), Poland (Kino Swiat), Hungary, Romania, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Bulgaria (Prorom Media), former Yugoslavia (Investacommerce), Taiwan (Swallow Wings) and Vietnam (Blue Lantern).

John Hopewell Chief International CorrespondentBrazil’s economic powerhouse, São Paulo is emerging as a key film-TV player in Brazil’s post-pandemic mix. In one move, São Paulo State and City authorities are teaming to power up a new cash rebate for shoots, international and national, to more than four times the endowment of its first edition in 2021. Launched last July by Spcine, the city’s go-ahead film commission, the first shoot spend rebate in Brazil had a total annual budget of $1.6 million. This time round, now also backed by São Paulo State, 2022’s endowment will come in at R$40 million, $8 million at current exchange rates.Given a return of 20%-30% of expenditure that will make $36 million of various titles’ shoot spend in São Paulo eligible for the rebate program.

EXCLUSIVE: Fresh off their Oscar nominations for drama The Lost Daughter, Oscar winner Olivia Colman (The Favourite) and Chernobyl star Jessie Buckley are set to reunite on comedy Wicked Little Letters, which will be a hot project at the Cannes market.

Jazz Tangcay Artisans EditorDNEG, the visual effects house behind “Dune” and “First Man” has opened the doors of its VFX and animation studio in Toronto.The studio is located in the King West district of the city with over 150 artists on board as it pushes forward in its expansion. In January, DNEG revealed plans to go public via a $1.7 billion SPAC deal.“I am thrilled with the progress DNEG has made over the past six months in establishing a strong presence in Ontario, with exciting career opportunities in visual effects work for film and episodic projects, feature animation, and technology,” said general manager, Gavin Graham.

Marta Balaga “Face Off” helmer John Woo will receive a Career Achievement Award during Montreal’s Fantasia International Film Festival, about to celebrate its 26th edition. The Hong Kong filmmaker is currently working on “Silent Night,” starring Joel Kinnaman and Kid Cudi.“I defy anyone to watch ‘Bullet in the Head,’ ‘Hard Boiled’ or ‘The Killer’ and not walk away wanting to break down the shots and make a movie.

In a further expansion of their kids and family programming slate, HBO Max and Cartoon Network are teaming on new live-action coming-of-age comedy series, Home Sweet Rome, from Emmy-nominated Hannah Montana and That’s So Raven creator Michael Poryes, for premiere in 2023.

Disney Branded Television will bring Shawn Amos’ debut novel Cookies & Milk to screen with an animated series currently in development. The project hails from Laurence Fishburne and Helen Sugland of Cinema Gypsy Productions (black-ish), Jesse Murphy and James Sears Bryant of Jesse James Films and Shawn Amos.

K.J. Yossman VFX giant Framestore, whose recent projects include “Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness,” “Moon Knight” and Baz Luhrmann’s upcoming biopic “Elvis,” is expanding its Canadian footprint.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at LargeSerenity now: “Sweet Magnolias” has been renewed for a third season by Netflix, Variety has exclusively learned.Stars JoAnna Garcia Swisher, Brooke Elliott and Heather Headley are all set to reprise their roles on the series, which debuted on May 19, 2020. Season 2 of “Sweet Magnolias” dropped Feb. 4 on the streaming service.“Sweet Magnolias” takes place in the small town of Serenity, S.C., and stars JoAnna Garcia Swisher as Maddie Townsend, a divorced woman with three children.

A gay man was bashed, on April 24 in South Africa, by a group of men in an apparent hate crime. Mfundo Ngobese, 24, was walking with friends after a night out when they were approached by the three men. Ngobese’s friends took off, but one of the men tripped him before he could get away.“My mouth and chin were hurt and half my teeth are broken. The femur on my right leg is also broken.

Leo Barraclough International Features EditorMunich-based Global Screen has acquired family entertainment film “School of Magical Animals 2” for worldwide distribution. A first teaser will be presented at the Cannes Market for the project, which has a budget of more than $13 million.

Studio City, the little-engine-that-could creation of The Bold and Beautiful actor Sean Kanan, is back for a second season on Amazon Prime.

Emiliano De Pablos After a two-and-a half year hiatus, renowned Spanish producer Manuel Cristobal has returned to toon production, joining the team behind animated feature project “The Glassworker,” directed by Usman Riaz, and created by Pakistan-based Mano Animation Studios. “The Glassworker” marks the first hand-drawn animated feature from Pakistan. Scheduled for a 2023 release, the project is said to be in the running for a berth at this year’s Annecy Work in Progress showcase, a prestige selection which would earn the title considerable international profile. Targeting family audiences, the film is set in a location loosely inspired by Pakistan, telling the story of young Vincent and his father Tomas, who run the finest glass workshop in the country and find their lives upended by an approaching war in which they want no part.  The arrival in their town of an army colonel and his young talented, violinist daughter, Alliz, shakes their reality and tests the relationship between father and son.The love that develops between Vincent and Alliz is challenged constantly by the differing views of their fathers.

Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent“The Inventor,” the animated family feature by “Ratatouille” scribe Jim Capobianco whose all-star voice cast is led by Marion Cotillard, Daisy Ridley, Stephen Fry and Matt Berry, has been sold by MK2 Films to a flurry of territories. The stop-motion film, which charts the life of Renaissance master Leonardo Da Vinci, has pre-sold to a large part of the world, with deals in France (KMBO), Portugal (Nos Lusomundo), Hong Kong & Taiwan (Muse), the Philippines (Falcon), Former Yougoslavia (Karantanija).

ITV tonight (April 27). Hosted by Ross Kemp, the programme will see the ex- EastEnders star travel across America as he tries to figure out what happened to the King of Pop's Neverland animals. Bubbles the chimp was Jackson's most famous pet, however at its peak, Jackson's personal collection of animals was thought to include up to 50 different species, from giraffes and elephants to alligators and monkeys.