Film

International Insider: Surfing To MIPCOM Cannes; Russell Brand Trial Begins; Nicole Wallace Interview

• Banijay and Skydance made their first major international market appearances at MIPCOM.
• Russell Brand denies seven charges linked to allegations from six women.
• The trial is expected to last six to eight weeks.

MIPCOM Cannes showcased a Baywatch reboot and the first major international market appearances of newly formed Banijay and Skydance, as television executives weighed opportunities amid industry pressures. The newsletter also reports that Russell Brand’s trial has begun, drawing major attention because of the seriousness and number of allegations…

Boo Junfeng’s ‘Trinity,’ Sidharta Tata’s ‘Slaughterground’ Among JAFF Market 2026 Selections

• JAFF Market chose 11 feature projects and 10 adaptation properties.
• “Trinity” and “Slaughterground” are among the selected films.
• The market runs in Yogyakarta from 28 to 30 November.

JAFF Market 2026 has selected 11 feature projects for its development programme and 10 existing works for an adaptation programme. The choices include Boo Junfeng’s “Trinity” and Sidharta Tata’s “Slaughterground”, and reflect the market’s aim of connecting filmmakers and rights-holders with collaborators across Asia and beyond. The feature…

‘The Big Boom!,’ Documentary About Weapons Factory Workers, Picked Up by Lightdox Ahead of IDFA Premiere (EXCLUSIVE)

• Lightdox acquired world sales rights to “The Big Boom!”
• The documentary follows four people in Bulgaria’s arms-making town of Kazanlak.
• It explores the tension between Ukraine’s war effort, local beliefs and economic survival.

Lightdox has acquired world sales rights to Swiss filmmaker Gabriel Tejedor’s documentary “The Big Boom!” ahead of its world premiere in IDFA’s Frontlight programme. The film examines how a Bulgarian town’s arms industry supplies weapons and ammunition for Ukraine’s frontlines, while raising questions about local loyalties, pacifism and…

‘Paddington’ Officially Returns With a Special New Release in November

• The original *Paddington* is getting a 4K Steelbook release.
• Lionsgate plans to release it in November.
• The 2014 film earned $326.1 million worldwide.

Lionsgate is set to bring back the original *Paddington* with a 4K Ultra HD Steelbook release in November. The new edition gives fans a chance to revisit the 2014 film, whose story of a Peruvian bear finding a home in London helped establish a successful family-film franchise. Directed…

Stuntman: Hollywood Looks Like a Blast in New Knight Rider Gameplay Trailer

• Trailer shows KITT in Knight Rider stages.
• The game combines stunt driving with film and TV licences.
• Release date has not been announced.

A new gameplay trailer for Stuntman: Hollywood shows its Knight Rider stages, where players take the wheel of KITT and perform stunts for film scenes. The game revives the driving series with licensed settings, pairing precise, skill-based driving with familiar films and television. The trailer is brief, and…

36 Years Later, Calvin and Hobbes’ Wordless Comic Still Says Everything

• A wordless strip turns a rolling snowball into a visual punchline.
• Susie’s angry reaction captures her dynamic with Calvin.
• Watterson’s experimentation helped define the comic’s enduring appeal.

Bill Watterson’s wordless Calvin and Hobbes strip uses a snowball rolling downhill to deliver a visual joke and capture the comic’s playful style. Published at the start of 1990, it also shows how experimentation with form helped make the strip distinctive. Calvin cheers as a small snowball grows…

Josh Brolin is making a documentary about his teenage punk band Cito Vice Squad

• Josh Brolin is making a documentary about his teenage band.
• Cito Vice Squad led to hardcore group Rich Kids On LSD.
• The film will also explore Los Angeles’s punk scene.

Josh Brolin is making a documentary about Cito Vice Squad, the teenage punk band he formed with his friend Jason Sears in the Los Angeles scene. The project will also explore the wider scene with filmmaker Amy Berg, preserving the story of a group that later became the…

AWOL Vision Aetherion Max RGB Laser UST Projector Review: A Top Buy

• Vivid 4K images and detailed dark scenes are its strongest points.
• Google TV, Wi-Fi 7 and three HDMI 2.1 ports add convenience.
• At £4,499, it is a premium projector with a weak remote.

The AWOL Vision Aetherion Max is a £4,499 ultra-short-throw projector that produces a vivid, sharp 4K image on screens up to 120 inches, with picture controls that helped reveal detail in dark scenes. The review finds its image quality strong enough to approach a cinema experience, making it…

Speaking skills head education plans as Spitfire monument nears approval

Lucy Powell wants communication skills given equal status in English, while Southampton’s Spitfire monument could win final approval. The Beekeeper 2 teaser, Guns N’ Roses’ alternate lyric and Spy x Family’s chart success round out the bulletin.

Sundance Winners Blerta Basholli and Myrsini Aristidou Compete in Thessaloniki’s Meet the Neighbors+ Competition (EXCLUSIVE)

• Sundance winners Basholli and Aristidou compete in Thessaloniki.
• Meet the Neighbors+ features 11 films.
• The top award carries a €10,000 prize.

The 67th Thessaloniki International Film Festival has announced its Meet the Neighbors+ and >>Film Forward competition line-ups, with Sundance award winners Blerta Basholli and Myrsini Aristidou among the filmmakers competing. Basholli’s “Dua”, a coming-of-age drama set during the Kosovo War, won the SACD Award at Cannes Critics’ Week;…