Actor Abhay Deol on Sunday shared some fun pictures of himself from the recent photoshoot, asking fans to suggest him a DJ name. Taking to Instagram, the actor, who was last seen in the streaming show ‘Trial By Fire’, shared a series of pictures wherein he can be seen wearing a black round neck T-shirt, with pink and red flowers on it. He is sporting a black round hat with red roses on it.
Looking candidly at the lens, Abhay is biting his finger and thumb.
The last photo shows him toying around with the DJ console.
The post is captioned: “This shoot with @trupalpandya was mad as the hatter and finger lickin’ satisfying. As the great @nellyfurtado sang, ‘Lickin’ my fingers, l’m in control. Fly like a bird, I’m takin’ it home. Movin’ my body like a nympho, I say it right, now do what I say.
Looking candidly at the lens, Abhay is biting his finger and thumb.
The last photo shows him toying around with the DJ console.
The post is captioned: “This shoot with @trupalpandya was mad as the hatter and finger lickin’ satisfying. As the great @nellyfurtado sang, ‘Lickin’ my fingers, l’m in control. Fly like a bird, I’m takin’ it home. Movin’ my body like a nympho, I say it right, now do what I say.
- 4/7/2024
- by Agency News Desk
- GlamSham
Someone who has navigated seamlessly between parallel and mainstream cinema, choosing scripts that had scandalised his colleagues in Industry, actor Abhay Deol insists that taking a risk is his formula, and playing safe is not part of who he is. The actor talked about films like ‘Dev D’ and ‘Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye!’ that made him a darling of independent film followers.
“These were directed by those boasting of a different cinematic language and story treatment. I have always believed in good work and the fact that people are ready to embrace the new. I am glad I was part of that movement where I worked with several debut directors or those who had just started their careers,” says the actor who debuted with ‘Socha Na Tha’ (2005).
Surprisingly, he came in very late for the publicity of the above mentioned films. “Believe it or not, I was afraid of fame.
“These were directed by those boasting of a different cinematic language and story treatment. I have always believed in good work and the fact that people are ready to embrace the new. I am glad I was part of that movement where I worked with several debut directors or those who had just started their careers,” says the actor who debuted with ‘Socha Na Tha’ (2005).
Surprisingly, he came in very late for the publicity of the above mentioned films. “Believe it or not, I was afraid of fame.
- 3/28/2024
- by Agency News Desk
- GlamSham
Mumbai, July 26 (Ians) The hit streaming show ‘Made in Heaven’ is all set to return with its second season on August 10.
The new season stars Sobhita Dhulipala, Arjun Mathur, Jim Sarbh, Kalki Koechlin, Shashank Arora, Shivani Raghuvanshi and Vijay Raaz, all of whom will be reprising their roles from the first season.
It will also feature new faces such as Mona Singh, Ishwak Singh and Trinetra Haldar, this time.
Set in New Delhi, the International Emmy nominated show brings to life the magnificence of the big fat Indian weddings of the city. With the new season, it will delve deeper into the lives of its characters who navigate the complexities of organising and celebrating marriages while their own lives unfold in unexpected ways.
While the first season was directed by Nitya Mehra, Zoya Akhtar, Prashant Nair and Alankrita Shrivastava, the second season has made two additions to its directors’ team,...
The new season stars Sobhita Dhulipala, Arjun Mathur, Jim Sarbh, Kalki Koechlin, Shashank Arora, Shivani Raghuvanshi and Vijay Raaz, all of whom will be reprising their roles from the first season.
It will also feature new faces such as Mona Singh, Ishwak Singh and Trinetra Haldar, this time.
Set in New Delhi, the International Emmy nominated show brings to life the magnificence of the big fat Indian weddings of the city. With the new season, it will delve deeper into the lives of its characters who navigate the complexities of organising and celebrating marriages while their own lives unfold in unexpected ways.
While the first season was directed by Nitya Mehra, Zoya Akhtar, Prashant Nair and Alankrita Shrivastava, the second season has made two additions to its directors’ team,...
- 7/26/2023
- by Agency News Desk
- GlamSham
Since launching on Netflix on July 15, Indian crime drama Kohrra has shot to the top of the streamer’s Indian rankings and had critics, audiences and industry figures including Karan Johar raving about the show.
In addition to describing it as an atmospheric murder mystery, local critics have praised the series for being an incisive portrait of contemporary Punjab, the northwestern Indian state where it is set.
The six-part series follows two cops – played by Suvinder Vicky and Barun Sobti – investigating the murder of an Nri (non-resident Indian) who lives in London but has travelled to India for an arranged marriage. After he’s found dead in a field, with the British friend who had accompanied him also missing, the cops start to unravel not just a murder case, but a complex web of family secrets, land-related power plays, childhood trauma and parental patriarchy.
Randeep Jha, who was recently a...
In addition to describing it as an atmospheric murder mystery, local critics have praised the series for being an incisive portrait of contemporary Punjab, the northwestern Indian state where it is set.
The six-part series follows two cops – played by Suvinder Vicky and Barun Sobti – investigating the murder of an Nri (non-resident Indian) who lives in London but has travelled to India for an arranged marriage. After he’s found dead in a field, with the British friend who had accompanied him also missing, the cops start to unravel not just a murder case, but a complex web of family secrets, land-related power plays, childhood trauma and parental patriarchy.
Randeep Jha, who was recently a...
- 7/25/2023
- by Liz Shackleton
- Deadline Film + TV
Currently riding high on the success of Netflix series Rana Naidu, Indian production outfit Locomotive Global is building out its slate through a string of deals with companies including All3Media and Endemol Shine India.
Rana Naidu, an Indian adaptation of Ray Donovan starring Rana Daggubati and Venkatesh Daggubati, has recently been greenlit for a second season by Netflix after the first season trended in its Global Top 10.
Sunder Aaron’s Locomotive Global, a subsidiary of Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment, developed and produced the series and has now added further scripted and unscripted adaptations to its fast-growing slate, along with original stories with filmmakers such as Prashant Nair.
Among the new titles, the company has signed a deal with All3Media to bring an adaptation of popular unscripted series Undercover Boss to India. It’s also acquired rights to UK series I’ve Created A Monster, written by Terry Clark,...
Rana Naidu, an Indian adaptation of Ray Donovan starring Rana Daggubati and Venkatesh Daggubati, has recently been greenlit for a second season by Netflix after the first season trended in its Global Top 10.
Sunder Aaron’s Locomotive Global, a subsidiary of Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment, developed and produced the series and has now added further scripted and unscripted adaptations to its fast-growing slate, along with original stories with filmmakers such as Prashant Nair.
Among the new titles, the company has signed a deal with All3Media to bring an adaptation of popular unscripted series Undercover Boss to India. It’s also acquired rights to UK series I’ve Created A Monster, written by Terry Clark,...
- 4/20/2023
- by Liz Shackleton
- Deadline Film + TV
Netflix series “Trial by Fire,” which began streaming Jan. 13, has emerged as a hit for the service, featuring in the top 10 in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.
Based on the book of the same name by Neelam and Shekhar Krishnamoorthy, the series details the 25-year struggle for justice of the couple whose daughter and son were among the 59 people who died in a fire caused by negligence at Delhi’s Uphaar cinema on June. 13, 1997.
In 2018, the book was optioned by Sidharth Jain’s book-to-screen company The Story Ink, which quickly got the Krishnamoorthys an offer for the rights. However, after meeting the Krishnamoorthys in person, Jain changed his mind.
“I realized that this is no ordinary story. I cannot treat this like any other book to screen deal. The story needed to told responsibly and sensitively. So after a lot of contemplation, I canceled the deal and decided to develop and produce this myself.
Based on the book of the same name by Neelam and Shekhar Krishnamoorthy, the series details the 25-year struggle for justice of the couple whose daughter and son were among the 59 people who died in a fire caused by negligence at Delhi’s Uphaar cinema on June. 13, 1997.
In 2018, the book was optioned by Sidharth Jain’s book-to-screen company The Story Ink, which quickly got the Krishnamoorthys an offer for the rights. However, after meeting the Krishnamoorthys in person, Jain changed his mind.
“I realized that this is no ordinary story. I cannot treat this like any other book to screen deal. The story needed to told responsibly and sensitively. So after a lot of contemplation, I canceled the deal and decided to develop and produce this myself.
- 1/26/2023
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
On the afternoon of June 13, 1997, a fire caused by an improperly maintained transformer broke out in Delhi’s Uphaar Cinema, quietly fumigating an auditorium packed for a first-day screening of flagwaving blockbuster “Border” with carbon monoxide before plunging the room into darkness.
Those scrambling for the exits found multiple code violations standing between them and survival; the balcony doors had been padlocked from the outside to prevent late entry. 59 cinemagoers never saw the light again; over 100 were injured.
“It wasn’t a cinema hall, it was a crematorium,” notes one official in “Trial by Fire,” a necessarily sorrowful but forcefully compelling seven-part dramatization of the blaze and its aftermath, which represents one of Netflix India’s strongest miniseries to date.
At its centre are Neelam and Shekhar Krishnamoorthy (Rajshri Deshpande and Abhay Deol), a representative middle-class couple who are introduced as they wave their son Ujjwal (Abhishek Sharrma) and daughter...
Those scrambling for the exits found multiple code violations standing between them and survival; the balcony doors had been padlocked from the outside to prevent late entry. 59 cinemagoers never saw the light again; over 100 were injured.
“It wasn’t a cinema hall, it was a crematorium,” notes one official in “Trial by Fire,” a necessarily sorrowful but forcefully compelling seven-part dramatization of the blaze and its aftermath, which represents one of Netflix India’s strongest miniseries to date.
At its centre are Neelam and Shekhar Krishnamoorthy (Rajshri Deshpande and Abhay Deol), a representative middle-class couple who are introduced as they wave their son Ujjwal (Abhishek Sharrma) and daughter...
- 1/17/2023
- by Mike McCahill
- Variety Film + TV
Trial By Fire
Directed by Prashant Nair, Randeep Jha, Avani Nair
This is not a series. It is a piece of history regurgitated into a meticulously re-designed eyewitness account of what happened on 13 June 1997 when Delhi’s Uphaar cinema went up in flames extinguishing the joy and wellbeing of several families who lost their near and dear ones in the tragedy.
This series recreates the long and endless legal battle of a couple Shekhar and Neelam Krishnamoorthy who lost both children in the Uphaar cinema fire while watching J P Dutta’s Border.
The battle is long. But the couple’s patience, especially Neelam’s , is unlimited. This is the story of resilience determination and obstinacy , so real so tangible you can feel the pain of the couple every step along their painful battle. It won’t be wrong to say the couple fought their own war as fiercely as the soldiers seen in Border.
Directed by Prashant Nair, Randeep Jha, Avani Nair
This is not a series. It is a piece of history regurgitated into a meticulously re-designed eyewitness account of what happened on 13 June 1997 when Delhi’s Uphaar cinema went up in flames extinguishing the joy and wellbeing of several families who lost their near and dear ones in the tragedy.
This series recreates the long and endless legal battle of a couple Shekhar and Neelam Krishnamoorthy who lost both children in the Uphaar cinema fire while watching J P Dutta’s Border.
The battle is long. But the couple’s patience, especially Neelam’s , is unlimited. This is the story of resilience determination and obstinacy , so real so tangible you can feel the pain of the couple every step along their painful battle. It won’t be wrong to say the couple fought their own war as fiercely as the soldiers seen in Border.
- 1/13/2023
- by Subhash K Jha
- Bollyspice
Trial by Fire is a Netflix miniseries directed by Prashant Nair and Randeep Jha starring Abhay Deol, Rajshri Deshpande and Ashish Vidyarthi. Based on a book by Shekhar Krishnamoorthy.
Trial by Fire is a traditional series in which some parents seek justice and try to find the guilty party to, in some way “return” their lost children.
A clear premise that because of its choice, leads us, undoubtedly, to a portrait about justice and a denouncement of its mechanisms, also political and social around red tape and organization of a country, India in this case, and its problems.
Valued fairly, this is a series which seeks the “denouncement” more than a cinematographic approach. Some characters that are “parents” like any other “parent” in a tragedy that has happened as a singular case but could be considered a generalized problem, systemic if you wish.
It is up to you to enter...
Trial by Fire is a traditional series in which some parents seek justice and try to find the guilty party to, in some way “return” their lost children.
A clear premise that because of its choice, leads us, undoubtedly, to a portrait about justice and a denouncement of its mechanisms, also political and social around red tape and organization of a country, India in this case, and its problems.
Valued fairly, this is a series which seeks the “denouncement” more than a cinematographic approach. Some characters that are “parents” like any other “parent” in a tragedy that has happened as a singular case but could be considered a generalized problem, systemic if you wish.
It is up to you to enter...
- 1/13/2023
- by TV Shows Martin Cid Magazine
- Martin Cid - TV
Actor Abhay Deol, who is gearing up for the release of his upcoming limited series Trial By Fire, says he
He added: “A fire that left a trail of tragedies in its wake. Tragedies Neelam and Shekhar Krishnamoorthy had to deal with over the two plus decades. Follow their journey in #TrialByFire, trailer out tomorrow only on @netflix_in.”
The series also stars Rajshri Deshpande, Rajesh Tailang, Ashish Vidyarthi, Anupam Kher, Ratna Pathak, Shilpa Shukla, and Shardul Bharadwaj. It is all set to release on January 13 on Netflix.
The story follows the unfortunate incident that took place in June 1997 and saw the loss of 59 victims and 100 injured film-goers as a fire broke out at Uphaar Cinema in south Delhi.
It is inspired by the bestseller book, “Trial by Fire: The Tragic Tale of the Uphaar Fire Tragedy” by Neelam and Shekhar Krishnamoorthy. The series is produced by Endemol Shine India and House of Talkies.
He added: “A fire that left a trail of tragedies in its wake. Tragedies Neelam and Shekhar Krishnamoorthy had to deal with over the two plus decades. Follow their journey in #TrialByFire, trailer out tomorrow only on @netflix_in.”
The series also stars Rajshri Deshpande, Rajesh Tailang, Ashish Vidyarthi, Anupam Kher, Ratna Pathak, Shilpa Shukla, and Shardul Bharadwaj. It is all set to release on January 13 on Netflix.
The story follows the unfortunate incident that took place in June 1997 and saw the loss of 59 victims and 100 injured film-goers as a fire broke out at Uphaar Cinema in south Delhi.
It is inspired by the bestseller book, “Trial by Fire: The Tragic Tale of the Uphaar Fire Tragedy” by Neelam and Shekhar Krishnamoorthy. The series is produced by Endemol Shine India and House of Talkies.
- 1/3/2023
- by News Bureau
- GlamSham
Actors Abhay Deol, Rajshri Deshpande, Rajesh Tailang, Ashish Vidyarthi, Anupam Kher, Ratna Pathak, Shilpa Shukla and Shardul Bharadwajs upcoming limited series Trial By Fire.
It is inspired by the bestseller book, ‘Trial by Fire: The Tragic Tale of the Uphaar Fire Tragedy’ by Neelam and Shekhar Krishnamoorthy. The series is produced by Endemol Shine India and House of Talkies.
Director and Showrunner Prashant Nair said, “Neelam and Shekhar Krishnamoorthy are inspiring examples of the kind of resilience and fortitude it takes to move the needle even slightly in this country.
“What happened to them and the way they have been forced to fight for justice is truly horrific and, unfortunately, there are countless other people today in similar situations. We are grateful to Netflix for being such courageous partners in telling this story.”
Prashant Nair has beautifully captured the heartbreaking yet resilient journey of the parents – Neelam and Shekhar Krishnamoorthy,...
It is inspired by the bestseller book, ‘Trial by Fire: The Tragic Tale of the Uphaar Fire Tragedy’ by Neelam and Shekhar Krishnamoorthy. The series is produced by Endemol Shine India and House of Talkies.
Director and Showrunner Prashant Nair said, “Neelam and Shekhar Krishnamoorthy are inspiring examples of the kind of resilience and fortitude it takes to move the needle even slightly in this country.
“What happened to them and the way they have been forced to fight for justice is truly horrific and, unfortunately, there are countless other people today in similar situations. We are grateful to Netflix for being such courageous partners in telling this story.”
Prashant Nair has beautifully captured the heartbreaking yet resilient journey of the parents – Neelam and Shekhar Krishnamoorthy,...
- 12/14/2022
- by Glamsham Bureau
- GlamSham
Prashant Nair, Sundance audience award winner for “Umrika,” and veteran producer Ronnie Screwvala (“Uri: The Surgical Strike”) are teaming up on series “The Support Group.”
Nair serves as the director-showrunner on the multi-season series, which follows three characters from very different backgrounds who form an uneasy alliance to escape the consequences of an accidental killing.
The series is produced by Screwvala’s RSVP in association with Sidharth Jain’s House of Talkies. While a streaming or broadcast partner has not been revealed yet, typically Screwvala prefers to develop content on his own steam and then negotiate with partners who buy into the show’s vision.
Nair won best screenplay at Tribeca in 2020 for “Tryst With Destiny” and has directed episodes of Emmy-nominated Amazon Prime Video series “Made in Heaven.” Nair has just completed principal photography on “Trial By Fire,” a limited series about the 1997 Uphaar cinema fire in Delhi, based...
Nair serves as the director-showrunner on the multi-season series, which follows three characters from very different backgrounds who form an uneasy alliance to escape the consequences of an accidental killing.
The series is produced by Screwvala’s RSVP in association with Sidharth Jain’s House of Talkies. While a streaming or broadcast partner has not been revealed yet, typically Screwvala prefers to develop content on his own steam and then negotiate with partners who buy into the show’s vision.
Nair won best screenplay at Tribeca in 2020 for “Tryst With Destiny” and has directed episodes of Emmy-nominated Amazon Prime Video series “Made in Heaven.” Nair has just completed principal photography on “Trial By Fire,” a limited series about the 1997 Uphaar cinema fire in Delhi, based...
- 9/21/2022
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
EntertainmentWhile mainstream cinema is slowly changing its portrayal of gender norms, it's nowhere close to what's available online.Tnm StaffThe explosion of content on Over-the-Top (Ott) platforms has meant that there's a wide variety of options when it comes to entertainment. Whatever be the genre or language, viewers are spoilt for choice on online streaming platforms. It's no different when it comes to feminist content. Mainstream cinema in India has largely been disappointing when it comes to the representation of women, mostly conforming to gender norms and patriarchal attitudes. While this is slowly changing, it's still nowhere as close to the kind of content that's available online. Here's a list of web series that will make a feminist viewer happy, and not want to tear their hair out. Churails (Zee5): This show is from Pakistan and is about a motley group of women in Karachi who come together to start a detective agency.
- 9/16/2020
- by Sowmya
- The News Minute
Chicago – “The show must go on … “ That became the rallying cry of the 2020 Tribeca Film Festival, which was physically postponed because of the Covid pandemic (it was originally scheduled from April 15-26). Despite that unexpected turn, the Festival went online, named juries and awarded honors to films on April 29th.
The top prizes went to “The Half of It,” directed by Alice Wu (Best U.S. Narrative), “The Hater,” directed by Jan Komasa (Best International Narrative) and “Socks on Fire,” directed by Bo McGuire (Best Documentary).
Best U.S. Narrative Feature is ‘The Half of It,’ directed by Alice Wu
Photo credit: Tribeca Film Festival
Awards were distributed in the following feature film competition categories – U.S. Narrative, International Narrative, Documentary, New Narrative Director, and the Nora Ephron Prize, honoring a woman writer or director. Awards were also given in the short film categories – Narrative, Documentary, Student Visionary and Animation.
The top prizes went to “The Half of It,” directed by Alice Wu (Best U.S. Narrative), “The Hater,” directed by Jan Komasa (Best International Narrative) and “Socks on Fire,” directed by Bo McGuire (Best Documentary).
Best U.S. Narrative Feature is ‘The Half of It,’ directed by Alice Wu
Photo credit: Tribeca Film Festival
Awards were distributed in the following feature film competition categories – U.S. Narrative, International Narrative, Documentary, New Narrative Director, and the Nora Ephron Prize, honoring a woman writer or director. Awards were also given in the short film categories – Narrative, Documentary, Student Visionary and Animation.
- 4/30/2020
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
This evening, Tribeca Film Festival revealed the Jury-selected winning titles from the 19th annual confab, which was forced to postpone its originally scheduled April gathering in response to the global health crisis. Top honors went to Alice Wu’s Netflix coming-of-age dramedy The Half of It, which picked up The Founders Award for Best U.S. Narrative Feature, while The Hater was named Best International Narrative Feature, and Socks On Fire nabbed Best Documentary Feature.
In addition, Best U.S narrative feature screenplay went to Anna Kerrigan for Cowboys, a film that also earned a best actor nod for its star Steve Zahn. Assol Abdullina was awarded best actress for her performance in Materna. Also announced were the winners in the shorts program.
Soon after announcing the delay of its 2020 edition, Tribeca Enterprises and Tribeca Film Festival Co-Founder and CEO Jane Rosenthal told Deadline that the org was looking into...
In addition, Best U.S narrative feature screenplay went to Anna Kerrigan for Cowboys, a film that also earned a best actor nod for its star Steve Zahn. Assol Abdullina was awarded best actress for her performance in Materna. Also announced were the winners in the shorts program.
Soon after announcing the delay of its 2020 edition, Tribeca Enterprises and Tribeca Film Festival Co-Founder and CEO Jane Rosenthal told Deadline that the org was looking into...
- 4/29/2020
- by Amanda N'Duka
- Deadline Film + TV
“The Half of It,” a coming-of-age drama written and directed by Alice Wu, and actors Steve Zahn and Assol Abdullina were among the winners of the 2020 Tribeca Film Festival’s slate of juried awards.
“The Half of It,” which will be released on Netflix on May 1, follows a shy, straight-a student named Ellie Chu who makes some extra money by writing papers for her high school peers. She reluctantly agrees to write a love letter for a lovesick jock to his crush, a girl Ellie also secretly loves. All three students go on a journey of complicated friendship and self-discovery in the drama-comedy film.
The Polish film “The Hater” by Jan Komasa won for best international narrative feature and “Socks on Fire” directed by Bo McGuire won for best documentary feature.
Due to the coronavirus pandemic halting most in-person award shows, this year’s Tribeca winners were announced on Instagram.
“The Half of It,” which will be released on Netflix on May 1, follows a shy, straight-a student named Ellie Chu who makes some extra money by writing papers for her high school peers. She reluctantly agrees to write a love letter for a lovesick jock to his crush, a girl Ellie also secretly loves. All three students go on a journey of complicated friendship and self-discovery in the drama-comedy film.
The Polish film “The Hater” by Jan Komasa won for best international narrative feature and “Socks on Fire” directed by Bo McGuire won for best documentary feature.
Due to the coronavirus pandemic halting most in-person award shows, this year’s Tribeca winners were announced on Instagram.
- 4/29/2020
- by Jordan Moreau
- Variety Film + TV
Though it postponed its annual in-person gathering, the Tribeca Film Festival on Wednesday handed out awards for the 2020 juried competition. Top narrative and nonfiction honors went to two queer films, Alice Wu’s coming-of-age tale “The Half of It” and Bo McGuire’s hybrid documentary “Socks on Fire,” while Jan Komasa’s “The Hater” won Best International Narrative Feature. Other winners include “Cowboys,” “Materna,” “Kokoloko,” and “Asia.”
In mid-March, festival organizers postponed the festival just weeks before it was set to bow in New York City. In the interim, some programming for the 19th annual festival was made available online, while its brass still hopes to hold a traditional festival in the coming months.
“We are fortunate that technology allowed for our jury to come together this year to honor our filmmakers,” said Tribeca co-founder and CEO Jane Rosenthal in an official statement. “Despite not being able to be together physically,...
In mid-March, festival organizers postponed the festival just weeks before it was set to bow in New York City. In the interim, some programming for the 19th annual festival was made available online, while its brass still hopes to hold a traditional festival in the coming months.
“We are fortunate that technology allowed for our jury to come together this year to honor our filmmakers,” said Tribeca co-founder and CEO Jane Rosenthal in an official statement. “Despite not being able to be together physically,...
- 4/29/2020
- by Chris Lindahl
- Indiewire
In this week’s International TV Newswire Variety looks at international free-to-air sports rights, ITV finds its new “Love Island” host after off-camera drama, “Money Heist” tops non-English-language binge ratings, Endemol Shine adapts “Trial by Fire” and Spanish TV’s boom might still be on the horizon.
Free-To-Air Remains Bastion of Major Sports Events
Amazon Prime Video has just swooped on Premier League and German Champions League rights. Dazn is hunting ever more around the more major margins of sports rights, taking the Premier League in Spain, and sharing the Champions League in Germany. Free to air TV remains, however, a bastion of big international sporting events, suggests a recent report, the 2019 edition of Yearly Sports Key Facts, published by Mediamétrie’s Glance. That’s partly because of regulation: Final phase matches are prohibited by law from receiving exclusive pay TV broadcast. But it also reflects a move by broadcast...
Free-To-Air Remains Bastion of Major Sports Events
Amazon Prime Video has just swooped on Premier League and German Champions League rights. Dazn is hunting ever more around the more major margins of sports rights, taking the Premier League in Spain, and sharing the Champions League in Germany. Free to air TV remains, however, a bastion of big international sporting events, suggests a recent report, the 2019 edition of Yearly Sports Key Facts, published by Mediamétrie’s Glance. That’s partly because of regulation: Final phase matches are prohibited by law from receiving exclusive pay TV broadcast. But it also reflects a move by broadcast...
- 12/20/2019
- by John Hopewell and Jamie Lang
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Endemol Shina India is lining up a web series based on Neelam and Shekhar Krishnamoorthy’s book Trial By Fire:The Tragic Tale Of The Uphaar Fire Tragedy.
The book is an account of the Uphaar cinema fire in Delhi in 1997, which resulted in the deaths of 59 people and injured 100 more. Injured survivors and the families of the deceased went on to form a group which filed a landmark civil compensation case against the cinema owners. Writers Neelam and Shekhar Krishnamoorthy fought for justice for 19 years for their children, Unnati and Ujjwal, who were among those to perish in the fire.
The series will be helmed by Prashant Nair, whose 2015 film Umrika is the only Indian feature to win an award at Sundance, and who most recently directed Amazon Hindi-language series Made In Heaven.
Mumbai-based outfit The Story Ink put the project together and its founder Sidharth Jain will be a producer on the series.
The book is an account of the Uphaar cinema fire in Delhi in 1997, which resulted in the deaths of 59 people and injured 100 more. Injured survivors and the families of the deceased went on to form a group which filed a landmark civil compensation case against the cinema owners. Writers Neelam and Shekhar Krishnamoorthy fought for justice for 19 years for their children, Unnati and Ujjwal, who were among those to perish in the fire.
The series will be helmed by Prashant Nair, whose 2015 film Umrika is the only Indian feature to win an award at Sundance, and who most recently directed Amazon Hindi-language series Made In Heaven.
Mumbai-based outfit The Story Ink put the project together and its founder Sidharth Jain will be a producer on the series.
- 12/18/2019
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
ReviewCreated by Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti, the series follows two wedding planners and the messy reality behind their work. Saraswati DatarAs someone wise once said, marriages are made in heaven, but so is thunder and lightning. While earlier staying happily married was the challenge, today having the perfect wedding is where the trouble starts. So while the wealthy couple aspires for a heavenly celebration, its wedding planners like Tara Khanna (Sobhita Dhulipala) and Karan Mehra (Arjun Mathur), owners of the wedding planning company ‘Made in Heaven’ that inspires the show’s title, who handle the messy reality behind the picture-perfect celebrations. The fourth Indian original series, all nine episodes now streaming on Amazon Prime video, is produced by Excel Entertainment and Tiger Baby Productions. Created by Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti, and co-produced by Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani, 'Made in Heaven' uses the big fat Indian...
- 3/13/2019
- by Nikhita Venugopal
- The News Minute
The Amazon Prime Series Made in Heaven, is garnering rave reviews from critics and viewers a like. An Excel Entertainment production, aka Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani, the special series created by Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti features power-packed performances by Arjun Mathur, Sobhita Dhulipala, Jim Sarbh, Kalki Koechlin, Shashank Arora and Shivani Raghuvanshi. Adding to the mix are respected character actors Yashaswini Dayama, Ayesha Raza, and veterans Vinay Pathak, Neena Gupta and Deepti Naval.
Made In Heaven takes a closer look into the lives of the elite. It narrates the journey of two wedding planners Tara and Karan whose efforts at delivering the perfect wedding for crazy rich Indians, leads them on a journey of self-discovery. The show portrays today’s India as a potent blend where tradition jostles with modern aspiration, set against the theme of the ‘Big Fat Indian Wedding’. Indians believe marriages are made in heaven...
Made In Heaven takes a closer look into the lives of the elite. It narrates the journey of two wedding planners Tara and Karan whose efforts at delivering the perfect wedding for crazy rich Indians, leads them on a journey of self-discovery. The show portrays today’s India as a potent blend where tradition jostles with modern aspiration, set against the theme of the ‘Big Fat Indian Wedding’. Indians believe marriages are made in heaven...
- 3/12/2019
- by Stacey Yount
- Bollyspice
From her strong cinematic vision to her and contemporary and layered treatment of characters, Zoya Akhtar has carved out a unique niche for herself in the Indian film industry. On the back of the commercial success and critical appreciation of?Gully Boy,?Zoya Akhtar and Reem Katgi, of Tiger Baby, are now gearing up for their next venture ? Prime Original Series ??Made in Heaven.??The series promises a sneak peek at what transpires behind-the-scenes in Big Fat Indian Weddings!?Made In Heaven?revolves around the lives of two wedding planners, Tara and Karan, whose lives intersect against the backdrop of big-fat-Indian weddings, uncovering not only their personal turmoil but also the deep-rooted social nuances and prejudices still etched in Indian society.
Hinging its uniqueness, we bring to you a few reasons why?Made In Heaven?should be a must-watch on your binge-list this month.
1.?Each episode explores a societal theme...
Hinging its uniqueness, we bring to you a few reasons why?Made In Heaven?should be a must-watch on your binge-list this month.
1.?Each episode explores a societal theme...
- 3/7/2019
- GlamSham
Excel Media and Entertainment and Amazon Prime Video Original join hands for yet another spell bounding web show with Made In Heaven. Created by Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti, the nine episode series brings to light the scandalous reality behind the big fat Indian weddings.?
Showcasing the journey of two wedding planners as they tackle their professional and personal difficulties against the backdrop of dream weddings, Made In Heaven has an alluring appeal amongst the audience.?
Here are five reasons that would add to the excitement of everyone
1. Collaboration of creative minds:
Some of the finest filmmakers came together to weave the bonds between different stories. Zoya Akhtar who is currently the hottest favorite director after Gully Boy along with Gold's director Reema Kagti, has presented the stories curated by Alankrita Shrivastava, Prashant Nair, Nitya Mehra and herself.?
2. Plethora of content:
Presenting a tale of a new wedding with every episode,...
Showcasing the journey of two wedding planners as they tackle their professional and personal difficulties against the backdrop of dream weddings, Made In Heaven has an alluring appeal amongst the audience.?
Here are five reasons that would add to the excitement of everyone
1. Collaboration of creative minds:
Some of the finest filmmakers came together to weave the bonds between different stories. Zoya Akhtar who is currently the hottest favorite director after Gully Boy along with Gold's director Reema Kagti, has presented the stories curated by Alankrita Shrivastava, Prashant Nair, Nitya Mehra and herself.?
2. Plethora of content:
Presenting a tale of a new wedding with every episode,...
- 3/6/2019
- GlamSham
Amazon Prime Video Original, Excel Media and Entertainment and Tiger Baby, invite you to take a sneak peek at the many secrets and myriad lies, that hide behind the grandeur of the Big fat Wedding, at the show launch Press Conference of upcoming Prime Original Made In Heaven. Team Made In Heaven has invited media with a luxurious set of goodies which includes stuff which represents the wedding season.
Glimpses from the upcoming web series Made in Heaven treat the fans with wedding goals with the elaborate wedding set ups.?
Made In Heaven chronicles the lives of Tara and Karan, two wedding planners in Delhi. India is a potent blend of old and new. Tradition jostles with modern aspirations against the backdrop of a Big Fat Indian Wedding revealing many secrets and many lies. Indians believe marriages are made in heaven and it is against these sacred unions that Tara and Karan?...
Glimpses from the upcoming web series Made in Heaven treat the fans with wedding goals with the elaborate wedding set ups.?
Made In Heaven chronicles the lives of Tara and Karan, two wedding planners in Delhi. India is a potent blend of old and new. Tradition jostles with modern aspirations against the backdrop of a Big Fat Indian Wedding revealing many secrets and many lies. Indians believe marriages are made in heaven and it is against these sacred unions that Tara and Karan?...
- 3/4/2019
- GlamSham
Director-Actor duo, Zoya Akhtar and Vijay Raaz are all set to make a comeback with Amazon Prime Video Original's upcoming web-series Made In Heaven. Leaving a mark with his character in Gully Boy, Vijay Raaz will be seen in a prominent role in the upcoming Prime Original series created by Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti. Over the years, Vijay Raaz has treated masses with his iconic characters and this time he is set for his web debut.?
Glimpses from the upcoming web series Made in Heaven treat the fans with wedding goals with the elaborate wedding set ups. Presenting multiple set ups with intricate details, the weddings from the show have generated immense curiosity amongst the audience. Shot at multiple locations in Delhi, Made In Heaven provides picture perfect wedding decors.?
Zoya Akhtar, Nitya Mehra, Alankrita Shrivastav, and Prashant Nair along with Reema Kagti collaborate to showcase the various facades of a wedding.
Glimpses from the upcoming web series Made in Heaven treat the fans with wedding goals with the elaborate wedding set ups. Presenting multiple set ups with intricate details, the weddings from the show have generated immense curiosity amongst the audience. Shot at multiple locations in Delhi, Made In Heaven provides picture perfect wedding decors.?
Zoya Akhtar, Nitya Mehra, Alankrita Shrivastav, and Prashant Nair along with Reema Kagti collaborate to showcase the various facades of a wedding.
- 3/1/2019
- GlamSham
Glimpses from the upcoming web series Made in Heaven treat the fans with wedding goals with the elaborate wedding set ups.?
The wedding season came in early this year with the release of the trailer of Amazon Prime Video Original's upcoming web series 'Made in Heaven' which is produced by Excel Entertainment.?
The Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti creation traces the journey of two wedding planners and unveils the scandalous reality behind the big fat Indian weddings.?
Presenting multiple set ups with intricate details, the weddings from the show have generated immense curiosity amongst the audience. Shot at multiple locations in Delhi, Made in Heaven provides picture perfect wedding decors.?
Zoya Akhtar, Nitya Mehra, Alankrita Shrivastav, and Prashant Nair along with Reema Kagti collaborate to showcase the various facades of a wedding.
Starring Sobhita Dhulipala as the poised and graceful Tara Khanna and Arjun Mathur as the charming and gritty Karan Mehra,...
The wedding season came in early this year with the release of the trailer of Amazon Prime Video Original's upcoming web series 'Made in Heaven' which is produced by Excel Entertainment.?
The Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti creation traces the journey of two wedding planners and unveils the scandalous reality behind the big fat Indian weddings.?
Presenting multiple set ups with intricate details, the weddings from the show have generated immense curiosity amongst the audience. Shot at multiple locations in Delhi, Made in Heaven provides picture perfect wedding decors.?
Zoya Akhtar, Nitya Mehra, Alankrita Shrivastav, and Prashant Nair along with Reema Kagti collaborate to showcase the various facades of a wedding.
Starring Sobhita Dhulipala as the poised and graceful Tara Khanna and Arjun Mathur as the charming and gritty Karan Mehra,...
- 2/25/2019
- GlamSham
Los Angeles-based content executive will not be relocating to Mumbai.
Netflix India’s director of international originals and acquisitions, Swati Shetty, has resigned from her position.
Shetty is based in Los Angeles, from where she makes frequent trips to India, but it’s understood that her post is being relocated to Mumbai. She has made the decision to remain in Los Angeles.
Netflix is understood to be expanding its office in Mumbai as it ramps up its activities across content production and marketing.
Shetty joined Netflix in 2016 after holding positions as president of Balaji Telefilms and executive director at Walt Disney International Productions India.
Netflix India’s director of international originals and acquisitions, Swati Shetty, has resigned from her position.
Shetty is based in Los Angeles, from where she makes frequent trips to India, but it’s understood that her post is being relocated to Mumbai. She has made the decision to remain in Los Angeles.
Netflix is understood to be expanding its office in Mumbai as it ramps up its activities across content production and marketing.
Shetty joined Netflix in 2016 after holding positions as president of Balaji Telefilms and executive director at Walt Disney International Productions India.
- 12/13/2018
- by Liz Shackleton
- ScreenDaily
Mollywood Composed by the veteran M Jayachandran, the song depicts the brother - sister bond and features the younger versions of Prithviraj and Nazriya. Digital NativeKoode, the Malayalam film starring Prithviraj Sukumaran and Nazriya Nazim in the lead roles, is a film that will tell the tale of a brother – sister love. With the highlight of the film being sibling love, the second song in the album released recently is a number that shows the older brother welcoming his little sister home. It features the younger versions of Prithviraj and Nazriya in the film. The song Minnaminni has been composed by the veteran M Jayachandran while Rafeeq Ahammed has penned the lyrics. It is beautiful song that depicts the relationship between brother Joshua and his sister Jenny. The film is about a the siblings sharing a strong bond and what they undergo even after their father abandons them and both find the love of their lives. Directed by Anjali Menon, who is staging a comeback after a long gap along with Nazriya, Koode banks on a lot of expectations as their last venture together, Bangalore Days was a huge hit. While Prithviraj Sukumaran plays the character Joshua, Nazriya will be seen as Jenny. Parvathy and Renjith, who play crucial roles in the film, will be seen as Sophie and Aloshy respectively. The others playing supporting roles in Koode include Atul Kulkarni, Parvathy T, Prashant Nair, Roshan Mathews, and Siddharth Menon. While M Jayachandran is composing the tunes for the songs, Raghu Dixit will be scoring music for the Bgm. The other technical crew of the film includes Littil Swayamp for cinematography, Praveen Prabhakar for editing, Arvind Ashok Kumar for production designing, Pampa Biswas for costume designing and Mitta Antony for makeup. Koode is scheduled for release next month and its post production work is happening at a breakneck speed right now. Details of its release date is expected to be out soon. Watch the song here: (Content provided by Digital Native)...
- 6/27/2018
- by Monalisa
- The News Minute
The fabulous Bagri Foundation London Indian Film Festival in London and Birmingham, is UK and Europe’s largest platform of independent cinema from the Indian subcontinent. The brilliant London festival has closed but the amazing movies continue in Birmingham until July 2nd.
The festival has grown significantly in stature and reputation, with pan-Indian and Indian sub continental cinema in several languages, all subtitled in English, Bsl (British Sign Language) incorporated in some talks, and this year attracted major award winning films including Newton, Hotel Salvation and The Cinema Travellers, as well as world premieres like the Tamil comedy, Ticket – The Movie.
Festival executive and programming director Cary Rajinder Sawhney said: “It is wonderful that the festival continues to lead the debate and not simply reflect the changing shape of Indian cinema; from this year’s Indian virtual reality showcases to bringing carefully curated important new talent to the world stage...
The festival has grown significantly in stature and reputation, with pan-Indian and Indian sub continental cinema in several languages, all subtitled in English, Bsl (British Sign Language) incorporated in some talks, and this year attracted major award winning films including Newton, Hotel Salvation and The Cinema Travellers, as well as world premieres like the Tamil comedy, Ticket – The Movie.
Festival executive and programming director Cary Rajinder Sawhney said: “It is wonderful that the festival continues to lead the debate and not simply reflect the changing shape of Indian cinema; from this year’s Indian virtual reality showcases to bringing carefully curated important new talent to the world stage...
- 7/1/2017
- by Stacey Yount
- Bollyspice
Jan 10 Update: Giulio Ricciarelli’s German foreign-language Oscar submission Labyrinth Of Lies won on Sunday the Palm Springs Film Festival’s Mercedes-Benz Audience Award for best narrative feature and Jacob Bernstein and Nick Hooker’s Everything Is Copy from the Us earned the documentary award.
On Saturday Hou Hsiao-hsien’s Taiwanese foreign-language Oscar submission The Assassin won the Fipresci Prize at the 27th annual festival.
In other juried award winners announced at a luncheon on January 9, the Fipresci Prize for Best Actor of the Year in a Foreign Language Film went to Sigurður Sigurjónsson and Theodór Júlíusson from Grimur Hakonarson’s Icelandic Oscar submission Rams.
Fipresci’s Best Actress of the Year in a Foreign Language Film went to Alena Mihulová from Slávek Horák’s Czech Oscar submission Home Care.
The New Voices/New Visions competition honoured Xavier Seron’s Death By Death (Belgium-France), while a special mention went to Thithi (India-us) by Raam Reddy.
The...
On Saturday Hou Hsiao-hsien’s Taiwanese foreign-language Oscar submission The Assassin won the Fipresci Prize at the 27th annual festival.
In other juried award winners announced at a luncheon on January 9, the Fipresci Prize for Best Actor of the Year in a Foreign Language Film went to Sigurður Sigurjónsson and Theodór Júlíusson from Grimur Hakonarson’s Icelandic Oscar submission Rams.
Fipresci’s Best Actress of the Year in a Foreign Language Film went to Alena Mihulová from Slávek Horák’s Czech Oscar submission Home Care.
The New Voices/New Visions competition honoured Xavier Seron’s Death By Death (Belgium-France), while a special mention went to Thithi (India-us) by Raam Reddy.
The...
- 1/9/2016
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Hou Hsiao-hsien’s Taiwanese foreign language Oscar submission has won the Fipresci Prize at the 27th Annual Palm Springs International Film Festival (Psiff).
In other juried award winners announced at a luncheon on January 9, the Fipresci Prize for Best Actor of the Year in a Foreign Language Film went to Sigurður Sigurjónsson and Theodór Júlíusson from Grimur Hakonarson’s Icelandic Oscar submission Rams.
Fipresci’s Best Actress of the Year in a Foreign Language Film went to Alena Mihulová from Slávek Horák’s Czech Oscar submission Home Care.
The New Voices/New Visions competition honoured Xavier Seron’s Death By Death (Belgium-France), while a special mention went to Thithi (India-us) by Raam Reddy.
The John Schlesinger Award for a first-time documentary filmmaker was awarded to The Birth Of Saké (Japan) by Erik Shirai, while the Hp Bridging The Borders Award went to Umrika (India) by Prashant Nair
The audience award winners will be announced on January...
In other juried award winners announced at a luncheon on January 9, the Fipresci Prize for Best Actor of the Year in a Foreign Language Film went to Sigurður Sigurjónsson and Theodór Júlíusson from Grimur Hakonarson’s Icelandic Oscar submission Rams.
Fipresci’s Best Actress of the Year in a Foreign Language Film went to Alena Mihulová from Slávek Horák’s Czech Oscar submission Home Care.
The New Voices/New Visions competition honoured Xavier Seron’s Death By Death (Belgium-France), while a special mention went to Thithi (India-us) by Raam Reddy.
The John Schlesinger Award for a first-time documentary filmmaker was awarded to The Birth Of Saké (Japan) by Erik Shirai, while the Hp Bridging The Borders Award went to Umrika (India) by Prashant Nair
The audience award winners will be announced on January...
- 1/9/2016
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Hansal Mehta’s Aligarh will open the festival this year, while there will be a restored screening of Satyajit Ray’s Apu Trilogy.
The Mumbai Film Festival (October 29 - November 5) has announced the line-up for this year’s edition, which will open with Hansal Mehta’s Aligarh, while Claude Lelouch’s One Plus One will close the eight-day event.
As previously leaked on social media, Selma director Ava DuVernay will head the jury for the International Competition for debut filmmakers, which includes titles such as Bi Gan’s Kaili Blues, Chloe Zhao’s Songs My Brother Taught Me, Raam Reddy’s Thithi and Jayro Bustamante’s Ixcanul Volcano.
Titles selected for the India Gold competition include Gurvinder Singh’s The Fourth Direction, Ruchika Oberoi’s Island City, Prashant Nair’s Umrika and Shlok Sharma’s Haraamkhor.
The festival is also launching several new sidebars including ‘Half Ticket’ for children’s’ films; ‘The India Story’, showcasing India’s regional...
The Mumbai Film Festival (October 29 - November 5) has announced the line-up for this year’s edition, which will open with Hansal Mehta’s Aligarh, while Claude Lelouch’s One Plus One will close the eight-day event.
As previously leaked on social media, Selma director Ava DuVernay will head the jury for the International Competition for debut filmmakers, which includes titles such as Bi Gan’s Kaili Blues, Chloe Zhao’s Songs My Brother Taught Me, Raam Reddy’s Thithi and Jayro Bustamante’s Ixcanul Volcano.
Titles selected for the India Gold competition include Gurvinder Singh’s The Fourth Direction, Ruchika Oberoi’s Island City, Prashant Nair’s Umrika and Shlok Sharma’s Haraamkhor.
The festival is also launching several new sidebars including ‘Half Ticket’ for children’s’ films; ‘The India Story’, showcasing India’s regional...
- 10/8/2015
- by lizshackleton@gmail.com (Liz Shackleton)
- ScreenDaily
Light-hearted drama won Sundance audience award.
The Oldenburg Film Festival (Sept 16-20) is to close with Umrika, an Indian drama from writer-director Prashant Nair’s that stars Life of Pi’s Suraj Sharma and The Grand Budapest Hotel’s Tony Revolori.
The film, first seen at the Sundance Film Festival where it won the audience award, is set in the mid-1980s and centres on a small village in India that is invigorated when one of their own travels to America and details his adventures through letters home.
But when the letters mysteriously stop, his younger brother Rama ( Sharma) sets out on a journey to find him. With the help of his best friend Lalu (Revolori), Rama retraces his brother’s steps and charts a path of his own.
The Hindi-language film will be jointly released in German cinemas on Nov 19 by Ascot Elite and CaminoFilmverleih.
Highlights at this year’s Oldenburg Film Festival include the world...
The Oldenburg Film Festival (Sept 16-20) is to close with Umrika, an Indian drama from writer-director Prashant Nair’s that stars Life of Pi’s Suraj Sharma and The Grand Budapest Hotel’s Tony Revolori.
The film, first seen at the Sundance Film Festival where it won the audience award, is set in the mid-1980s and centres on a small village in India that is invigorated when one of their own travels to America and details his adventures through letters home.
But when the letters mysteriously stop, his younger brother Rama ( Sharma) sets out on a journey to find him. With the help of his best friend Lalu (Revolori), Rama retraces his brother’s steps and charts a path of his own.
The Hindi-language film will be jointly released in German cinemas on Nov 19 by Ascot Elite and CaminoFilmverleih.
Highlights at this year’s Oldenburg Film Festival include the world...
- 9/4/2015
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
The Bagri Foundation London Indian Film Festival opened this year with Prashant Nair’s second film Umrika, starring Suraj Sharma, Toni Revolori, Adil Hussain, Smita Tambe and Prateik Babbar. It was the UK premiere of the film after it wowed the audience at Sundance Festival earlier this year and won the World Cinema Audience Award.
Umrika revolves around the lives of a humble family living in a small village in rural India. Udai, the eldest brother, decides to try his luck and embarks on a long journey to America, or “Umrika”, as locals pronounce it, where “anything is possible”. After a short time without any news, letters with detailed stories about this exotic land begin to arrive, filling the imaginations of the whole village and boosting an idealised version of the United States. The youngest brother Rama grows up with all this stories and believing his brother is living a...
Umrika revolves around the lives of a humble family living in a small village in rural India. Udai, the eldest brother, decides to try his luck and embarks on a long journey to America, or “Umrika”, as locals pronounce it, where “anything is possible”. After a short time without any news, letters with detailed stories about this exotic land begin to arrive, filling the imaginations of the whole village and boosting an idealised version of the United States. The youngest brother Rama grows up with all this stories and believing his brother is living a...
- 7/23/2015
- by Núria Bonals Hidalgo
- Bollyspice
Aged 17, Suraj Sharma was plucked from obscurity to play the central character in Ang Lee's Life of Pi, Piscine Molitor ″Pi″ Patel, an Indian boy from Pondicherry, who is stranded at sea for 227 days on a boat with a Bengal tiger named Richard Parker. The film went on to win four Oscars and Sharma was instantly propelled to global fame.
While he had no real plans to become an actor prior to bagging the life-changing role, Sharma was clearly bitten by the bug and subsequently went on to win roles in Million Dollar Arm and Homeland. Still only 22 he has enrolled on a filmmaking course at Nyu and he is now intent on making movies his career, either in front or behind the camera.
Sharma was in the UK to open the London Indian Film Festival with the screening of his most recent film Umrika. In the movie, the 22-year-old plays Ramakant,...
While he had no real plans to become an actor prior to bagging the life-changing role, Sharma was clearly bitten by the bug and subsequently went on to win roles in Million Dollar Arm and Homeland. Still only 22 he has enrolled on a filmmaking course at Nyu and he is now intent on making movies his career, either in front or behind the camera.
Sharma was in the UK to open the London Indian Film Festival with the screening of his most recent film Umrika. In the movie, the 22-year-old plays Ramakant,...
- 7/21/2015
- Digital Spy
So the day has come! The 6th edition of the Bagri Foundation London Indian Film Festival has finally begun. And what a start! Cineworld Haymarket cinema, the venue for the occasion, received a host of celebrities including Konkona Sen Sharma, Vir Das, and the team of Umrika, director Prashant Nair, producer Swati Shetty and actors Suraj Sharma and Adil Hussain.
The evening culminated in the UK premiere of Umrika, followed by an exciting Q&A with the whole team conducted by “The Times” journalist Wendy Ide.
Umrika follows the steps of Rama in the search for his elder brother Udai, who left their small village to go to America. Sadly, migration is a huge issue nowadays and a central topic in many films, but Prashant Nair offers a different approach in his film. Son of a diplomat, he has lived in many places and has had the opportunity to know the stories of many immigrants.
The evening culminated in the UK premiere of Umrika, followed by an exciting Q&A with the whole team conducted by “The Times” journalist Wendy Ide.
Umrika follows the steps of Rama in the search for his elder brother Udai, who left their small village to go to America. Sadly, migration is a huge issue nowadays and a central topic in many films, but Prashant Nair offers a different approach in his film. Son of a diplomat, he has lived in many places and has had the opportunity to know the stories of many immigrants.
- 7/18/2015
- by Núria Bonals Hidalgo
- Bollyspice
London Indian Film Festival returns for its 6th year from 16 – 26 July with some of the most prestigious and thought-provoking new independent films from the Indian sub-continent.
The opening evening gala promises to be a star studded event that culminates in the premiere screening of Umrika, which stars Suraj Sharma (Life of Pi, Million Dollar Arm and Homeland). The first night of this cool film festival takes place at the historic art deco Cineworld Haymarket Cinema.
Expected attendees are Hollywood, indie film, TV and Bollywood stars including star Suraj Sharma and director of Umrika Prashant Nair. Also there will be Adil Hussain who has been seen in The Reluctant Fundamentalist, English Vinglish (Bollywood), Life of Pi, and Tigers and Umrika.
The amazing Konkona Sen Sharma (Indian national award Page 3, Omkara, Life in a Metro), whose films Saari Raat & Gour Hari Dastaan both will be screened at Liff this year will at the gala event.
The opening evening gala promises to be a star studded event that culminates in the premiere screening of Umrika, which stars Suraj Sharma (Life of Pi, Million Dollar Arm and Homeland). The first night of this cool film festival takes place at the historic art deco Cineworld Haymarket Cinema.
Expected attendees are Hollywood, indie film, TV and Bollywood stars including star Suraj Sharma and director of Umrika Prashant Nair. Also there will be Adil Hussain who has been seen in The Reluctant Fundamentalist, English Vinglish (Bollywood), Life of Pi, and Tigers and Umrika.
The amazing Konkona Sen Sharma (Indian national award Page 3, Omkara, Life in a Metro), whose films Saari Raat & Gour Hari Dastaan both will be screened at Liff this year will at the gala event.
- 7/15/2015
- by Stacey Yount
- Bollyspice
Set mostly in early '80s rural northern India, Prashant Nair's Umrika pulses with universally relatable warmth and emotion. The film is the story of a young man whose older brother leaves his modest hamlet on the way to better things in America (the Umrika of the title). When the older brother Udai turns out to have disappeared on the way, the younger brother Ramakant (Life of Pi's Suraj Sharma) tries to track him down while simultaneously writing letters home to his mother so that she won't worry. Revealing much more than these skeletal details would represent major spoilers, but allow me to assure you that it's a journey well worth taking.Prashant Nair's Sundance Audience Award winning drama is among the finest Indian independent dramas of the...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
- 7/15/2015
- Screen Anarchy
The festival returns this month for its sixth edition. Every year Liff aims to bring audiences some of the very best new Indian independent cinema, which includes features, documentaries and short films by both acclaimed and emerging filmmakers. This year’s line up promises to leave you entertained, informed, thought provoking and even in some cases leaving a screen shocked.
We now present the films that will be screened at this prestigious festival
Umrika | Opening Night | UK Premiere | cert 12A
Hindi with English subtitles | 98 min | India 2015 | Dir. Prashant Nair | with: Suraj Sharma, Tony Revolori, Adil Hussain, Smita Tambe, Prateik Babbar.
This year’s Sundance Audience Award winner is an uplifting, rights of passage tale about two brothers from a small village who have dreams of making it big in Umrika (America). Udai (Pratiek Babbar) is the eldest and adored by his hard-working mum. He leaves their hamlet on a bullock...
We now present the films that will be screened at this prestigious festival
Umrika | Opening Night | UK Premiere | cert 12A
Hindi with English subtitles | 98 min | India 2015 | Dir. Prashant Nair | with: Suraj Sharma, Tony Revolori, Adil Hussain, Smita Tambe, Prateik Babbar.
This year’s Sundance Audience Award winner is an uplifting, rights of passage tale about two brothers from a small village who have dreams of making it big in Umrika (America). Udai (Pratiek Babbar) is the eldest and adored by his hard-working mum. He leaves their hamlet on a bullock...
- 7/8/2015
- by Stacey Yount
- Bollyspice
Festival to open with Gere-starrer Time Out Of Mind. Other guests include Harvey Keitel, 50 Shades of Grey star Jamie Dornan and George A. Romero.
Us actor Richard Gere is to receive the highest honour of the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival (Kviff) during its 50th anniversary edition, which runs July 3-11.
Gere, star of American Gigalo, Pretty Woman and Chicago, will receive the Crystal Globe for Outstanding Contribution to World Cinema at the festival in the Czech spa town.
Previous winners include Helen Mirren, John Travolta and last year’s recipient Mel Gibson.
This year’s Kviff will open with Time Out Of Mind, starring Gere who will present the film alongside director Oren Moverman and co-star Jena Malone. The psychological drama follows a man seeking a way to reach his estranged daughter.
The festival will also screen Gere’s latest film, Andrew Renzi’s drama Franny, the story of a philanthropist who gets involved in the...
Us actor Richard Gere is to receive the highest honour of the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival (Kviff) during its 50th anniversary edition, which runs July 3-11.
Gere, star of American Gigalo, Pretty Woman and Chicago, will receive the Crystal Globe for Outstanding Contribution to World Cinema at the festival in the Czech spa town.
Previous winners include Helen Mirren, John Travolta and last year’s recipient Mel Gibson.
This year’s Kviff will open with Time Out Of Mind, starring Gere who will present the film alongside director Oren Moverman and co-star Jena Malone. The psychological drama follows a man seeking a way to reach his estranged daughter.
The festival will also screen Gere’s latest film, Andrew Renzi’s drama Franny, the story of a philanthropist who gets involved in the...
- 6/22/2015
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
Get ready the London Indian Film Festival is back to bring you the best of South Asian cinema that goes beyond Bollywood running from July 16th to the 23rd.
This year The Bagri Foundation London Indian Film Festival kicks off with Sundance winner Umrika with the hard-hitting cricket documentary Death of a Gentleman to close festival.
Prashant Nair’s Umrika, winner of the Audience Award at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival, starring Suraj Sharma (Life of Pi) and Tony Revolori (The Grand Budapest Hotel), will be the opening night gala of The Bagri Foundation London Indian Film Festival (July 16-23). The festival is now in its 6th edition and firmly established as Europe’s largest showcase for South Asian cinema. Nair’s debut film Delhi in a Day was a great success at the festival’s 2012 edition. Prashant Nair, writer/director of Umrika, said: “I’m so excited to hear that...
This year The Bagri Foundation London Indian Film Festival kicks off with Sundance winner Umrika with the hard-hitting cricket documentary Death of a Gentleman to close festival.
Prashant Nair’s Umrika, winner of the Audience Award at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival, starring Suraj Sharma (Life of Pi) and Tony Revolori (The Grand Budapest Hotel), will be the opening night gala of The Bagri Foundation London Indian Film Festival (July 16-23). The festival is now in its 6th edition and firmly established as Europe’s largest showcase for South Asian cinema. Nair’s debut film Delhi in a Day was a great success at the festival’s 2012 edition. Prashant Nair, writer/director of Umrika, said: “I’m so excited to hear that...
- 6/17/2015
- by Stacey Yount
- Bollyspice
Beta Cinema’s International Market Premiere "Ghosthunters on Icy Trails" and Sundance Audience Award-winning "Umrika" lead the company’s sales at the Marché du Film in Cannes. Among the early buyers for the family entertainment feature "Ghosthunters on Icy Trails" were Eone (USA/Canada), Altitude Distribution (UK), Transmission (Australia/New Zealand), Notorious (Italy), Gulf Film (Middle East), New Guys (Israel), Medyavizyon (Turkey), Pratama Films (Malaysia/Indonesia/Singapore) and Blitz (former Yugoslavia).
Starring Suraj Sharma (“Life of Pi”) and Tony Revolori (“Dope”, “The Grand Budapest Hotel”), Prashant Nair’s Indian feature "Umrika" was sold to France (Arp Selection), German Speaking Territories (Ascot Elite), Australia/New Zealand (Vendetta Films), South Korea (Focus Entertainment), Poland (Aurora Films), Portugal (Outsider Films), Taiwan (Swallow Wings), Former Yugoslavia (Discovery Film) and Israel (New Cinema).
Oliver Hirschbiegel’s Berlinale official selection entry "13 Minutes," nominated for seven German Film Awards, goes to Portugal (Outsider Films), Turkey (Fabula Films), Former Yugoslavia (Blitz), Taiwan (Swallow Wings), Singapore (Lighthouse Pictures) and Hong Kong (First Distributors).
Berlinale competition entry and Romanian # 1-box-office hit "Aferim!" by Radu Jude was acquired by France (Eurozoom), Poland (Aurora Films), Hungary (Mozinet), Taiwan (Swallow Wings) and Former Yugoslavia (Discovery Film).
Giulio Ricciarelli’s "Labyrinth of Lies," which was released in France at the end of April and made more than 150.000 visitors within its first two weeks, was picked up by Aurora for Poland, Blitz for Former Yugoslavia and DDDream for China. In the family entertainment section, the Enid Blyton adaptation "The Famous Five 4" goes to Benelux (Just Films), "Bibi & Tina II" to Benelux (just4kids) and Turkey (Medyavizyon) and the animated feature "The Little Medic" to Turkey (Özen Film).
Starring Suraj Sharma (“Life of Pi”) and Tony Revolori (“Dope”, “The Grand Budapest Hotel”), Prashant Nair’s Indian feature "Umrika" was sold to France (Arp Selection), German Speaking Territories (Ascot Elite), Australia/New Zealand (Vendetta Films), South Korea (Focus Entertainment), Poland (Aurora Films), Portugal (Outsider Films), Taiwan (Swallow Wings), Former Yugoslavia (Discovery Film) and Israel (New Cinema).
Oliver Hirschbiegel’s Berlinale official selection entry "13 Minutes," nominated for seven German Film Awards, goes to Portugal (Outsider Films), Turkey (Fabula Films), Former Yugoslavia (Blitz), Taiwan (Swallow Wings), Singapore (Lighthouse Pictures) and Hong Kong (First Distributors).
Berlinale competition entry and Romanian # 1-box-office hit "Aferim!" by Radu Jude was acquired by France (Eurozoom), Poland (Aurora Films), Hungary (Mozinet), Taiwan (Swallow Wings) and Former Yugoslavia (Discovery Film).
Giulio Ricciarelli’s "Labyrinth of Lies," which was released in France at the end of April and made more than 150.000 visitors within its first two weeks, was picked up by Aurora for Poland, Blitz for Former Yugoslavia and DDDream for China. In the family entertainment section, the Enid Blyton adaptation "The Famous Five 4" goes to Benelux (Just Films), "Bibi & Tina II" to Benelux (just4kids) and Turkey (Medyavizyon) and the animated feature "The Little Medic" to Turkey (Özen Film).
- 5/17/2015
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
Production house behind Berlinale award-winner Rainbow (Dhanak) and Sundance winner Umrika.
Manish Mundra, producer of award winning films such as Aankho Dekhi, Umrika and Dhanak, has appointed Shiladitya Bora as the CEO of his production house Drishyam Films.
Bora previously ran indie release unit PVR Director’s Rare, during his stint with the PVR Group. He was instrumental in the theatrical release and distribution of more than 84 independent films such as Moonrise Kingdom, Amour, Inside Llewyn Davis and documentary Fire in the Blood.
Selected for the Berlinale Talents programme at the 2015 Berlinale, Bora had recently gone solo with pecialty distribution banner Long Live Cinema, responsible for bringing acclaimed films such as Court and documentaries including In Their Shoes to Indian screens.
The fast-growing production outfit has been behind award-winning festival films including Prashant Nair’s Umrika, which won an audience award at Sundance, and Nagesh Kukunoor’s Rainbow (Dhanak), which won the grand jury prize in Berlin...
Manish Mundra, producer of award winning films such as Aankho Dekhi, Umrika and Dhanak, has appointed Shiladitya Bora as the CEO of his production house Drishyam Films.
Bora previously ran indie release unit PVR Director’s Rare, during his stint with the PVR Group. He was instrumental in the theatrical release and distribution of more than 84 independent films such as Moonrise Kingdom, Amour, Inside Llewyn Davis and documentary Fire in the Blood.
Selected for the Berlinale Talents programme at the 2015 Berlinale, Bora had recently gone solo with pecialty distribution banner Long Live Cinema, responsible for bringing acclaimed films such as Court and documentaries including In Their Shoes to Indian screens.
The fast-growing production outfit has been behind award-winning festival films including Prashant Nair’s Umrika, which won an audience award at Sundance, and Nagesh Kukunoor’s Rainbow (Dhanak), which won the grand jury prize in Berlin...
- 4/29/2015
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
Sundance Institute and Drishyam have unveiled the artists and creative advisors for the inaugural Drishyam | Sundance Institute Screenwriters Lab set to run in Goa, India, from April 12-16.
The Lab supports emerging film-makers in India over a five-day workshop that allows screenwriters to work on their scripts via one-on-one story sessions with creative advisors.
The projects and fellows selected for the 2015 Drishyam | Sundance Institute Screenwriters Lab are: Geetu Mohandas, Mulakoya; Raj Rishi More, Pirates; Atanu Mukherjee, Unknown Faces; Ritu Sarin and Tenzing Sonam, The Sweet Requiem; Sandhya Suri, Santosh; Anay Tarnekar, Untitled Tiger Project; and Dnyanesh Zoting, The Monster.
The creative advisors are: Srdan Golubovic (Circles), Erik Jendresen (Band Of Brothers), Rose Troche (The Safety Of Objects, The L Word), Habib Faisel (Do Dooni Char), Sriram Raghavan (Badlapur, Ek Haseena Thi), Shridhar Raghavan (Yennai Arindaal) and Kasi Lemmons (Eve’s Bayou, Talk To Me).
Lab leader Srinivasan Narayanan, former director of the Mumbai Film Festival, said: “Our aim...
The Lab supports emerging film-makers in India over a five-day workshop that allows screenwriters to work on their scripts via one-on-one story sessions with creative advisors.
The projects and fellows selected for the 2015 Drishyam | Sundance Institute Screenwriters Lab are: Geetu Mohandas, Mulakoya; Raj Rishi More, Pirates; Atanu Mukherjee, Unknown Faces; Ritu Sarin and Tenzing Sonam, The Sweet Requiem; Sandhya Suri, Santosh; Anay Tarnekar, Untitled Tiger Project; and Dnyanesh Zoting, The Monster.
The creative advisors are: Srdan Golubovic (Circles), Erik Jendresen (Band Of Brothers), Rose Troche (The Safety Of Objects, The L Word), Habib Faisel (Do Dooni Char), Sriram Raghavan (Badlapur, Ek Haseena Thi), Shridhar Raghavan (Yennai Arindaal) and Kasi Lemmons (Eve’s Bayou, Talk To Me).
Lab leader Srinivasan Narayanan, former director of the Mumbai Film Festival, said: “Our aim...
- 4/8/2015
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Beta wins My Special Prize for the Best Berlin Lineup of all the International Sales Agents
From the producer of 2013 Golden Bear winner “Child’s Pose” comes “Aferim!” playing in Berlinale Competition. Policeman Costandin, a charismatic mixture of a funny Stalin and a somewhat more pragmatic Don Quixote, and his shy and introverted son ride through the rural countryside In search of a fugitive Gypsy slave. Meeting hundreds of characters, delivering a surprise in every scene, this is an ingenious Western in a very wild East of 19th century Romania directed by Radu Jude (“Everybody in our Family”) and produced by HiFilm’s Ada Solomon, Klas, Endorfilm and Mulberry Development, and stars Teodor Corban (“Child’s Pose”, “Beyond the Hills”), Mihai Comãnoiu and Cuzin Toma.
Forum entry “Zurich," Oliver Hirschbiegel’s "13 Minutes" (Competition - Out of Competition) plus this year’s Sundance Audience Award winner “Umrika” and the new Sky Italia series “1992" kicking off the Berlinale Special Series section make this a banner Berlin for Beta Cinema.
In official selection/out of competition bows Nazi resistance drama "13 Minutes" about failed Hitler assassin Georg Elser. Oliver Hirschbiegel, whose Academy Award nominated “Downfall” is one of the most successful Beta Cinema titles ever with 145 sold territories, presents a stunning, emotional portrait of the resistance fighter and his attack on the Munich Bürgerbräukeller on November 8th 1939. Georg Elser was a man who could have changed world history and saved millions of human lives, but his bomb, built to tear Adolf Hitler apart, exploded 13 minutes late. Produced by Lucky Bird’s Oliver Schündler and Boris Ausserer, who just recently won the Bavarian Film Award for "13 Minutes", and written by Fred Breinersdorfer (“Sophie Scholl”), the feature stars Christian Friedel (“The White Ribbon”), Katharina Schüttler (“Generation of War” ) and Burghart Klaussner (“The White Ribbon”).
Dutch filmmaker Sacha Polak, who received the prestigious Fipresci-award at the 2012 Berlinale for Hemel, presents with "Zurich" her second feature film, a road movie starring famous Dutch singer and performance artist Wende Snijders. "Zurich" (Viking Film/Rohfilm/Private View/Nrt/Zdf/arte) revolves around Nina, who is wandering along Europe’s motorways in a desperate attempt to leave the past behind. Slowly it becomes clear that Nina’s drive to hang around in the truckers’ scene is a result of the pain caused by the ultimate betrayal that has befallen her. Sacha Polak developed the script by author Helena van der Meulen during last year’s Berlinale Residency program.
Kicking off the Berlinale Special Series, designated to promote outstanding international TV-series, is the political thriller "1992" from Sky Italia ("Gomorrah"), La 7 and Wildside. Over 20 years ago, on February 17th 1992, the first arrest within the so-called Mani Pulite (Clean Hands) maxi-investigation was made in Italy. It was the symbolic start of a revolution. "1992" revolves around six ordinary people whose lives are intertwined with the country's political, civil and social earthquake. The 10xone hour series stars Stefano Accorsi (idea), Guido Caprino and Miriam Leone; director is Giuseppe Gagliardi.
Celebrating its Berlin Market Premiere is Prashant Nair’s Indian drama "Umrika," which just recently received the Audience Award at Sundance, starring world-renowned, up-and-coming young actors Suraj Sharma ("Life of Pi") and Tony Revolori ("The Grand Budapest Hotel," "Dope"). "Umrika" (Hindi for America) is about a small village in India that is invigorated when one of their own travels to America, sharing his adventures and inspiring hope through letters home. But when the letters mysteriously stop coming, his brother sets out on a journey to find him.
Also premiering at the market is the fourth adventure of "The Famous Five" (Sam Film/Constantin), in which Enid Blyton’s teenager gang venture thousands of miles and thousands of years back in time to solve yet another nail-biting mystery. Prolific maverick filmmaker Detlev Buck ("Hands off Mississippi") presents as international market premiere "Bibi & Tina 2," an inventive live-action adaptation of the teen-adventure and romance in the beloved “Bibi & Tina” universe.
Amongst the upcoming titles, "Colonia" is heading the slate, starring Emma Watson in her first lead role since "Harry Potter" alongside Daniel Brühl ("Rush") as her abducted boyfriend and opposite a very sinister Mikael Nykvist ("The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo"). The $15 million production wrapped shooting mid-January and is being presold at the European Film Market.
"Ghosthunters: On Icy Trails" marks another English-language presales highlight for the Efm. This witty and charming Family Entertainment movie sees Milo Parker ("Robot Overlords") team up with the animated Asg, the “Averagely Spooky Ghost” Hugo, to save the world from the “Ancient Ice Ghost”. A promo will be made available for buyers.
From the producer of 2013 Golden Bear winner “Child’s Pose” comes “Aferim!” playing in Berlinale Competition. Policeman Costandin, a charismatic mixture of a funny Stalin and a somewhat more pragmatic Don Quixote, and his shy and introverted son ride through the rural countryside In search of a fugitive Gypsy slave. Meeting hundreds of characters, delivering a surprise in every scene, this is an ingenious Western in a very wild East of 19th century Romania directed by Radu Jude (“Everybody in our Family”) and produced by HiFilm’s Ada Solomon, Klas, Endorfilm and Mulberry Development, and stars Teodor Corban (“Child’s Pose”, “Beyond the Hills”), Mihai Comãnoiu and Cuzin Toma.
Forum entry “Zurich," Oliver Hirschbiegel’s "13 Minutes" (Competition - Out of Competition) plus this year’s Sundance Audience Award winner “Umrika” and the new Sky Italia series “1992" kicking off the Berlinale Special Series section make this a banner Berlin for Beta Cinema.
In official selection/out of competition bows Nazi resistance drama "13 Minutes" about failed Hitler assassin Georg Elser. Oliver Hirschbiegel, whose Academy Award nominated “Downfall” is one of the most successful Beta Cinema titles ever with 145 sold territories, presents a stunning, emotional portrait of the resistance fighter and his attack on the Munich Bürgerbräukeller on November 8th 1939. Georg Elser was a man who could have changed world history and saved millions of human lives, but his bomb, built to tear Adolf Hitler apart, exploded 13 minutes late. Produced by Lucky Bird’s Oliver Schündler and Boris Ausserer, who just recently won the Bavarian Film Award for "13 Minutes", and written by Fred Breinersdorfer (“Sophie Scholl”), the feature stars Christian Friedel (“The White Ribbon”), Katharina Schüttler (“Generation of War” ) and Burghart Klaussner (“The White Ribbon”).
Dutch filmmaker Sacha Polak, who received the prestigious Fipresci-award at the 2012 Berlinale for Hemel, presents with "Zurich" her second feature film, a road movie starring famous Dutch singer and performance artist Wende Snijders. "Zurich" (Viking Film/Rohfilm/Private View/Nrt/Zdf/arte) revolves around Nina, who is wandering along Europe’s motorways in a desperate attempt to leave the past behind. Slowly it becomes clear that Nina’s drive to hang around in the truckers’ scene is a result of the pain caused by the ultimate betrayal that has befallen her. Sacha Polak developed the script by author Helena van der Meulen during last year’s Berlinale Residency program.
Kicking off the Berlinale Special Series, designated to promote outstanding international TV-series, is the political thriller "1992" from Sky Italia ("Gomorrah"), La 7 and Wildside. Over 20 years ago, on February 17th 1992, the first arrest within the so-called Mani Pulite (Clean Hands) maxi-investigation was made in Italy. It was the symbolic start of a revolution. "1992" revolves around six ordinary people whose lives are intertwined with the country's political, civil and social earthquake. The 10xone hour series stars Stefano Accorsi (idea), Guido Caprino and Miriam Leone; director is Giuseppe Gagliardi.
Celebrating its Berlin Market Premiere is Prashant Nair’s Indian drama "Umrika," which just recently received the Audience Award at Sundance, starring world-renowned, up-and-coming young actors Suraj Sharma ("Life of Pi") and Tony Revolori ("The Grand Budapest Hotel," "Dope"). "Umrika" (Hindi for America) is about a small village in India that is invigorated when one of their own travels to America, sharing his adventures and inspiring hope through letters home. But when the letters mysteriously stop coming, his brother sets out on a journey to find him.
Also premiering at the market is the fourth adventure of "The Famous Five" (Sam Film/Constantin), in which Enid Blyton’s teenager gang venture thousands of miles and thousands of years back in time to solve yet another nail-biting mystery. Prolific maverick filmmaker Detlev Buck ("Hands off Mississippi") presents as international market premiere "Bibi & Tina 2," an inventive live-action adaptation of the teen-adventure and romance in the beloved “Bibi & Tina” universe.
Amongst the upcoming titles, "Colonia" is heading the slate, starring Emma Watson in her first lead role since "Harry Potter" alongside Daniel Brühl ("Rush") as her abducted boyfriend and opposite a very sinister Mikael Nykvist ("The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo"). The $15 million production wrapped shooting mid-January and is being presold at the European Film Market.
"Ghosthunters: On Icy Trails" marks another English-language presales highlight for the Efm. This witty and charming Family Entertainment movie sees Milo Parker ("Robot Overlords") team up with the animated Asg, the “Averagely Spooky Ghost” Hugo, to save the world from the “Ancient Ice Ghost”. A promo will be made available for buyers.
- 2/8/2015
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
The awards for this year's Sundance Film Festival were handed out last night in Utah with Alfonso Gomez-Rejon's coming-of-age tale "Me and Earl and the Dying Girl" taking the top honors of both the U.S. Dramatic Grand Jury Prize and the Audience Award in that category.
In the film, Thomas Mann plays a young man who is asked to befriend a girl with leukemia (Olivia Cooke). The project was already picked up by Fox Searchlight for a record setting $12 million
The Michael Fassbender-led "Slow West" won the World Cinema Dramatic Grand Jury Prize, with Prashant Nair’s Indian drama "Umrika" taking the audience award in that category.
The British documentary "The Russian Woodpecker," which deals with a Chernobyl survivor, took the World Cinema Documentary Grand Prize. Louise Osmond's "Dark Horse" taking the audience award in the same category. Mountain climbing documentary "Meru" took both the U.
In the film, Thomas Mann plays a young man who is asked to befriend a girl with leukemia (Olivia Cooke). The project was already picked up by Fox Searchlight for a record setting $12 million
The Michael Fassbender-led "Slow West" won the World Cinema Dramatic Grand Jury Prize, with Prashant Nair’s Indian drama "Umrika" taking the audience award in that category.
The British documentary "The Russian Woodpecker," which deals with a Chernobyl survivor, took the World Cinema Documentary Grand Prize. Louise Osmond's "Dark Horse" taking the audience award in the same category. Mountain climbing documentary "Meru" took both the U.
- 2/1/2015
- by Garth Franklin
- Dark Horizons
U.S Dramatic
Grand Jury Prize
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl (Alfonso Gomez-Rejon)
Audience Award
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl (Alfonso Gomez-Rejon)
Directing Award
The Witch (Robert Eggers, U.S./Canada)
Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award
The Stanford Prison Experiment (Tim Talbott)
Special Jury Award – Excellence in Cinematography
Diary of a Teenage Girl (Brandon Trost)
Special Jury Award – Excellence in Editing
Dope (Lee Haugen)
Special Jury Award – Collaborative Vision
Advantageous (Jacqueline Kim, Jennifer Phang)
U.S. Documentary
Grand Jury Prize
The Wolfpack (Crystal Moselle)
Audience Award
Meru (Jimmy Chin, E. Chai Vasarhelyi)
Directing Award
Cartel Land (Matthew Heineman, U.S./Mexico)
Special Jury Award — Social Impact
3 1/2 Minutes (Marc Silver)
Special Jury Award – Verite Filmmaking
Western (Bill Ross, Turner Ross)
Special Jury Award – Break Out First Feature
(T)error (Lyric R. Cabral, David Felix Sutcliffe)
Special Jury Award – Cinematography
Cartel Land (Matthew Heineman, Matt Porwoll)
World Cinema Dramatic...
Grand Jury Prize
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl (Alfonso Gomez-Rejon)
Audience Award
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl (Alfonso Gomez-Rejon)
Directing Award
The Witch (Robert Eggers, U.S./Canada)
Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award
The Stanford Prison Experiment (Tim Talbott)
Special Jury Award – Excellence in Cinematography
Diary of a Teenage Girl (Brandon Trost)
Special Jury Award – Excellence in Editing
Dope (Lee Haugen)
Special Jury Award – Collaborative Vision
Advantageous (Jacqueline Kim, Jennifer Phang)
U.S. Documentary
Grand Jury Prize
The Wolfpack (Crystal Moselle)
Audience Award
Meru (Jimmy Chin, E. Chai Vasarhelyi)
Directing Award
Cartel Land (Matthew Heineman, U.S./Mexico)
Special Jury Award — Social Impact
3 1/2 Minutes (Marc Silver)
Special Jury Award – Verite Filmmaking
Western (Bill Ross, Turner Ross)
Special Jury Award – Break Out First Feature
(T)error (Lyric R. Cabral, David Felix Sutcliffe)
Special Jury Award – Cinematography
Cartel Land (Matthew Heineman, Matt Porwoll)
World Cinema Dramatic...
- 2/1/2015
- by Notebook
- MUBI
Updated with details and quotes: The Sundance Film Festival awards ceremony tonight in Park City saw a dramatic dual decision and strong political voices to put a cap on a hot-deals festival. Like last year, when Whiplash took both the U.S. Dramatic Grand Jury Prize and the Audience Award on its way to an Best Picture Oscar nomination, the much-sought Me And Earl And The Dying Girl took both this year.
“I want to dedicate this to all the young filmmakers in my hometown of Laredo, Texas,” said director Alfonso Gomez-Rejon onstage. Fox Searchlight and Indian Paintbrush teamed to land the pic earlier this week after frenzied bidding, with a 2015 release planned. The Jesse Andrews script follows Greg, who is coasting through senior year of high school as anonymously as possible, avoiding social interactions like the plague while secretly making spirited, bizarre films with Earl, his only friend. But...
“I want to dedicate this to all the young filmmakers in my hometown of Laredo, Texas,” said director Alfonso Gomez-Rejon onstage. Fox Searchlight and Indian Paintbrush teamed to land the pic earlier this week after frenzied bidding, with a 2015 release planned. The Jesse Andrews script follows Greg, who is coasting through senior year of high school as anonymously as possible, avoiding social interactions like the plague while secretly making spirited, bizarre films with Earl, his only friend. But...
- 2/1/2015
- by Dominic Patten and Patrick Hipes
- Deadline
Competing in Sundance's World Cinema Dramatic Competition, Prashant Nair's "Umrika" focuses on the small Indian village of Jitvapur, where new traditions and community debates arise after letters from abroad paint a picture of foreign American life in the 1980s. For Nair, a director who has traversed the globe, the film was an opportunity to use continental culture to punctuate his subjects, something the director believes film is a vital tool for. Now that film is screening at Sundance following a hectic production shoot, it couldn't be a better time to get acquainted with Prashant Nair. What's your film about, in 140 characters or less? A tiny Indian village begins to transform when letters start arriving from one of their own describing the marvels and eccentricities of life in 1980s America. Now, what's it Really about? It’s about the mythology of America and, more generally, how cultures perceive each other: the stereotypes,...
- 1/31/2015
- by Zack Sharf
- Indiewire
Prashant Nair’s “Umrika” isn’t your typical Bollywood film. That is to say, it’s not about marriage or forbidden romance, and it’s not a musical or action comedy made for the sole purpose of entertainment. But it is about family, the cornerstone of so many Bollywood films. It’s a universal enough subject and, if combined with eventful storytelling, breaks every cultural barrier one can think of. A great example of this is last year’s “The Lunchbox,” or any Satyajit Ray film. As far as “Umrika” goes, however, it’s more of a case of why certain Bollywood films might get lost in translation for an international audience and fail to generate much excitement, regardless of some familiar faces. The premise is a promising one, and Nair’s opening shots do a fantastic job of lulling the viewer towards it. A smooth, mellow medley, played on...
- 1/27/2015
- by Nikola Grozdanovic
- The Playlist
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