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Teddy Leifer Talks Busy 20th Anniversary Year For Rise Films With Three Pictures On Release & Freshly Announced Venice Debut
Teddy Leifer’s London-based documentary production company Rise Films is marking its 20th anniversary with a particularly busy year, including three films on release and a first-ever selection at the Venice Film Festival. Erik Shirai’s Sumo: Spirit Weighs Nothing, an ESPN presentation exploring the hidden world of Japanese sumo wrestling, has been chosen for Venice’s Venezia…
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Google hit with $1B fine in Europe
The European Commission has fined Google €890 million (about $1 billion) for breaching the EU’s Digital Markets Act. It said Google unfairly favoured its own services in search results and restricted competition through its Play app store, a decision that reinforces the bloc’s effort to regulate major technology platforms. The penalty comprises €460 million over…
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With NBCUniversal Becoming “Independent”, Talks With Potential Partners Are Under Way, Comcast Execs Say
Comcast Co-CEOs Brian Roberts and Mike Cavanagh told investors on the company’s second-quarter earnings call that NBCUniversal is already in discussions with potential partners as it prepares to spin off into a standalone company. This marks the first time executives have addressed the planned split in an earnings context since it was announced, and signals…
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Dario Albertini’s ‘Armony,’ Set for World Premiere in Locarno’s Piazza Grande, Secures Swiss Distribution With Xenix (EXCLUSIVE)
Italian director Dario Albertini’s family drama “Armony” has secured Swiss distribution through Xenix Filmdistribution ahead of its world premiere in the Piazza Grande section of the Locarno Film Festival. The deal marks the first time Xenix, which regularly handles Italian titles in Switzerland, has distributed one of Albertini’s films, and the high-profile Locarno slot is…
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Your backstage pass to TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 is waiting
TechCrunch is calling for volunteers for its Disrupt 2026 conference, offering a behind-the-scenes role in running one of the industry’s major startup events in exchange for free admission and networking opportunities. The scheme is aimed at aspiring founders, event enthusiasts and others wanting hands-on experience and connections within the startup community, with organisers framing it…
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Goalkeeper Startup joins WSL newcomers Birmingham
Birmingham City have signed goalkeeper Katie Startup on a free transfer after her Manchester City contract expired. The 27-year-old joins the newly promoted Women’s Super League side on a reported two-year deal, adding top-flight experience as Birmingham seek to establish themselves in the division. Startup was part of Manchester City’s 2025-26 WSL and FA Cup-winning…
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Apple’s OpenAI lawsuit is about who gets to define the post-smartphone era
Apple has filed a trade secrets lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging that former Apple employees now working at the AI company solicited confidential information during job interviews and, in some cases, downloaded files from Apple’s servers relating to hardware manufacturing. The Verge’s senior AI reporter Hayden Field discusses the case with editor-in-chief Nilay Patel on the…
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The Roost Podcast Network Relaunches As Podium & Signs Trisha Paytas Show ‘Just Trish’
Talent management company Night has rebranded its podcast unit, The Roost, as Podium, repositioning it as a video-first business focused on personality-driven, fandom-powered content. The relaunch coincides with a new deal bringing Trisha Paytas’s podcast “Just Trish” onto the network, with Podium handling distribution, audience development and brand partnerships for the show, mirroring its arrangements…
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You only get one, permakillable Jedi Padawan in Star Wars Zero Company, but that’s fine because I’m going to roll an R2-D2 deathsquad anyway
Bit Reactor has revealed further details of Star Wars Zero Company, its XCOM-style tactics RPG set during the Clone Wars, via a new developer Q&A. Players lead a squad of “unconventional professionals” as a roughneck named Hawks, but notably only get access to a single Jedi Padawan character, Tel-Rea, who cannot be replaced if killed…
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Salaud Morisset Boards Ali Asgari’s ‘A Bit Of Light’ Ahead Of Venice Debut
Paris and Berlin-based sales company Salaud Morisset has acquired worldwide sales rights to A Bit of Light, the new feature from Iranian director Ali Asgari, ahead of its world premiere in the Main Competition at the Venice Film Festival. The deal marks a significant milestone for Asgari, whose previous work has featured at major festivals…