Viaplay Studios, Mikael Håfström Team on English-Language Period Film ‘Stockholm Bloodbath’ (EXCLUSIVE)

Michael Sheen has shared a pivotal update on Good Omens season 2… while also revealing the happy news that he and his partner have an ‘angel’ baby on the way. In 2019, Michael and Swedish actor Anna Lundberg, welcomed their first child, a daughter called Lyra. In a new series of tweets, the Staged star revealed that they are adding to their brood, with the actor also sharing an elder daughter, Lily, with ex Kate Beckinsale.

Cannes Film Festival has released a statement in response to the war in Ukraine saying it will not accept “Russian delegations” this year. Scroll down to read it in full.

The European Film Academy (EFA) has joined growing calls in the international cinema community for a boycott of Russian films.

The Glasgow Film Festival has withdrawn two Russian titles from its 2022 program in response to Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.

The Stockholm Film Festival, due to run November 9-20, says it will not program any films that benefit from Russian state funding due to Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.

Elsa Keslassy International CorrespondentIn the wake of Russia’s invasion, the Stockholm International Film Festival will turn the spotlight on Ukraine during its next edition which kicks off on Nov. 9.

Elsa Keslassy International CorrespondentSF Studios has boarded “Forever,” a football-themed film directed by Anders Hazelius, the award-winning director of “Thunder in My Heart” and the popular TV series “Tunna Blå Linjen.”Tackling friendship, love and football, “Forever” is based on a script by Jessika Jankert (“So Damn Easy Going”) and produced by Stefan Lindén (“Eagles”) and Erik Lundqvist (“Pink Cloud Syndrome”) for SF Studios.“Forever” stars emerging actors Flutra Cela and Judith Sigfridsson as Mila and Kia, a pair of teenage best friends and aspiring football professionals. When the girls get a new demanding football coach Lollo (Agnes Lindström Bolmgren), they slowly start to drift apart.

Zack Sharf Jake Gyllenhaal surprised his “Ambulance” co-star Yahya Abdul-Mateen II on the set of the upcoming Michael Bay action movie by taking the camera out of the filmmaker’s hand and directing scenes of the movie himself. “Ambulance” is based on the 2005 Danish film of the same name by Laurits Munch-Petersen and Lars Andreas Pedersen.

Following Deadline’s story about Michael Mann’s forthcoming prequel/sequel novel to his landmark film Heat — he cowrote the book with Edgar winner-Meg Gardiner — has quickly sold rights in major markets around the world. The novel, which hits bookstores August 9, has already sold in 13 major territories including Germany, Japan, France, Italy, Spain, Holland, Hungary, Mexico, Poland, Brazil, Sweden, Czech Republic and the UK. The international rollout of Heat 2 is mirroring Harper Collins’ launch of Quentin Tarantino’s #1 bestselling novelization of his film Once Upon A Time…in Hollywood.

Elsa Keslassy International CorrespondentMemento International has closed major sales on Ursula Meier’s Berlin contender “The Line,” and “Boy from Heaven” by Tarik Saleh, the Swedish-Egyptian helmer of “The Nile Hilton Incident.” A religious and political thriller, “Boy From Heaven” is set in Cairo, in a Koranic school following the collapse of a grand imam which marks the start of a ruthless battle for influence.The movie is headlined by Tawfeek Barhom and Fares Fares, who previously starred in “The Nile Hilton Incident.” Saleh’s Stockholm-based outfit Atmo is producing the movie with Memento. Memento International has sold the film to Benelux (Cineart), Spain (La Aventura), Italy (Movies Inspired), Greece (Cinobo), Hungary (Vertigo) and Middle East (Falcon). Other territories in negotiation.

Elsa Keslassy International CorrespondentNordic production powerhouse Miso Film, which looks to make a splash at the Berlinale Series with its daring HBO Max show “Lust,” is developing high-end international dramas with Scandinavian creatives such as Pilou Asbæk, Ole Bornedal and Fenar Ahmad. The company is part of FremantleMedia.Ahead of the Berlinale, Miso founders Peter Allen and Jonas Bose discussed with Variety about their ambition to find new voices and original ways to tell stories. The banner, which just started shooting the third season of “Those Who Kill” and is about to begin filming season 3 of “Face to Face” with Lars Mikkelsen, recently shot “Blasted,” the first Norwegian sci-fi comedy, for Netflix.

Elsa Keslassy International CorrespondentFollowing its recent launch in the U.S., Viaplay has acquired domestic rights to Erik Poppe’s “The Emigrants” from REinvent International Sales.Produced by SF Studios, “The Emigrants” is a big-budget epic drama based on Vilhelm Moberg’s story about Swedes who left misery behind for a new life on the other side of the Atlantic in the mid-19th century. The film’s cast includes Lisa Carlehed (“In Your Arms”) and Gustaf Skarsgård (“438 days”), who star opposite Sofia Helin, Lena Strömdahl and Swedish pop sensation Tove Lo.REinvent International Sales has also closed deals for former Yugoslavia (MCF Megacom), Czech Republic and Slovakia (Film Europe) and Hungary (Vertigo).Helene Aurø, REinvent sales and marketing director, pointed out that “The Emigrants” will be one of the first films shown by Viaplay’s newly launched US platform.

Elsa Keslassy International CorrespondentOne of Scandinavia’s leading film distributors, Scanbox Entertainment is changing ownership with a new board including CEO Thor Sigurjonsson. The company was bought back from Scanbox Chairman Joni Sighvatsson. New owners include COO Kim William Beich, commercial director Torben Thorup Jorgensen, and producer Chris Briggs.

Amazon Prime, Banijay & Others Boarded For UK Apprentice Scheme

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief“Yanagawa,” which this week won the top prize at the Vesoul International Film Festival of Asian Cinemas in France, has been set as the opening title of the 17th Osaka Asian Film Festival in Japan. The festival, which runs as an in-person event, March 10-20, 2022 will close with multinational co-production “Miss Osaka.”Yanagawa, was directed by Korean-Chinese auteur Zhang Lu, and was filmed in China and Japan.

HanWay Films has closed several international deals on McCarthy, Václav Marhoul’s drama about the infamous U.S. Senator Joseph McCarthy, ahead of this month’s virtual European Film Market.

Annika Pham Versatile Finnish helmer A.J. Annila (“Sauna,” “Shadow Lines,” “Peacemaker”) is on board to direct the thriller series with a working title of “ID” which marks HBO Max’s first commission of a Finnish premium TV show.Set in the art fraud world, the six-part series is co-created by seasoned writer Aleksi Bardy (“Tom of Finland,” “Moscow Noir”) and Mia Ylönen (“Bad Apples,” “Moscow Noir”) for Finnish production powerhouse Helsinki-Filmi, a subsidiary of Finland’s Aurora Studios.“ID” revolves around art fraud investigator Emma who goes undercover to infiltrate an auction house in Stockholm in order to investigate the firm’s connection to a notorious money launderer known as Blanko.

Alissa Simon Film CriticDanish debut feature helmer-writer Tea Lindeburg’s period drama “As In Heaven,” that portrays a fateful summer day and night in 19th century farming society, came away the biggest winner at the 44th Göteborg Film Festival, scoring on Saturday the best Nordic film kudo, this year worth approx. $44,000.Meanwhile, Seidi Haarla of Finland’s Oscar-shortlisted drama, “Compartment No.