HFPA Bans Members From Receiving Freebies, Gifts, Trips and Other Promo Items From Studios, Networks and Stars

Naman Ramachandran Acclaimed Bangladeshi director Rubaiyat Hossain, known for her powerful women-centric films, has a new project participating in the Berlinale Co-Production Market and is launching a female filmmaker grant.Her Berlinale co-production market project, “The Difficult Bride,” follows Novera, a bride-to-be in present-day Dhaka who is in love with the groom and the idea of a fairytale wedding, but secretly struggles with her body, which does not seem to comply with the wedding rituals. She makes continuous trips to the beauty salon and uses home remedies to “cure” her body.

Christopher Vourlias Germany’s Sola Media has closed a wave of international sales for the animated feature “Finnick,” produced by Riki Group, which will be released by Sony Pictures Russia in Russia and CIS on March 24.The CGI-animated comedy follows the adventures of 13-year-old Christine, who befriends the young prankster Finnick – one of the furry and usually invisible beings known as Finns. The odd couple has to team up as detectives to solve the mysterious events happening in their city.The Stuttgart-based sales agency has inked deals with Eagle Pictures (Italy), Independent Films (Benelux), Koch Films (German/Austria/Switzerland), Vertigo Releasing (U.K.), Tanweer (Greece), Selmer Media (Scandinavia), Myndform (Iceland), Rialto (Australia and New Zealand), and Black Sheep Films (South Africa), and holds exclusive distribution rights in multiple additional territories.

Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou used to watch Scottish Cup Finals from the other side of the world.

Gordon Smith feared Rangers were booked for trouble with Craig Whyte when learning he’d dodged paying the club’s pre-season hotel.

An Ayrshire nursing home which was previously told to improve its infection control practices has been given the thumbs up by an official watchdog.

Chapelhall FC will kick their first league ball during the summer, having been borne of a hunger for the game in the village but, more importantly, to help struggling players with their mental health battles.

Calum Gallagher says Airdrie can't focus on Cove Rangers, and must take care of their own business.

Manori Ravindran International EditorMia Wasikowska will take on the lead role in “Little Joe” director Jessica Hausner’s cult thriller “Club Zero,” Variety can reveal.The Australian actor will portray an unusual schoolteacher in Hausner’s second English-language film, which begins shooting in the U.K. and Austria in July.Wasikowska was most recently seen in Mia Hansen-Løve’s Cannes-premiering film “Bergman Island.”In “Club Zero,” Wasikowska’s teacher takes a job at an elite school and forms a strong bond with five students — a relationship that eventually takes a dangerous turn.Discussing the film at the Doha Film Institute’s Qumra event last year, Hausner described the film as “a lot about eating,” relating to eating disorders and “eating behaviors.” This will be Hausner’s sixth feature.

Nick Vivarelli International CorrespondentItalian director Roberta Torre, known for campy Mafia musical “Tano to Die For” and other anarchic pics, is making “Le Favolose,” about a group of transgender women who reunite after 20 years to commemorate a dead friend and do right by her after her identity has been violated.“Le Favolose,” which translates as “The Fabulous Ones,” is being produced by Donatella Palermo, who is at the Berlinale with auteur Paolo Taviani’s competition entry “Leonora Addio.”Palermo, who has a longstanding rapport with Torre, is the Italian producer behind two Berlin Golden Bear winners: the Taviani brothers’ “Caesar Must Die” and Gianfranco Rosi’s “Fire at Sea.” “When a person decides to face the [gender] transition from man to woman it can be a very painful process in several different ways: social, physical, etc.,” said Palermo, who notes that “when a trans dies, most of the time their body is returned to their families.” Torre’s new pic is based on a real-life story of Antonia, one of the “Fabulous Ones,” who is buried by her family dressed as a man under her original name, Giampaolo, amid the indifference of most.

Leo Barraclough International Features EditorArna Media, the Russian distribution company run by Nadezda Motina, has secured the rights to “Brother and Sister,” “The Tank,” “Little Allan – The Human Antenna” and “The Colors of Fire” for its theatrical pipeline. Arnaud Desplechin’s family-drama “Brother and Sister” stars Marion Cotillard, Melvil Poupaud and Golshifteh Farahani. Cotillard and Poupaud play the titular siblings who, following the death of their parents, reunite after decades of silence.

Jamie Lang After a banner 2021 for high-end genre films, industry vets are hopeful that the fantastic can resurrect the corpse of pre-COVID theatrical distribution.As bolts of lightning reanimated the body of Frankenstein’s monster, Julia Ducournau’s “Titane,” which turned heads when it took the Palme d’Or at Cannes, and Sundance Grand Jury prize-winner “Nanny,” a supernatural tale from director Nikyatu Jusu, have revitalized the festival scene.While “Nanny” may have been the jewel in the genre crown at Sundance, the influence that genre cinema held over 2022’s first major festival was wide-ranging and undeniable. Chloe Okuno’s psychological thriller “Watcher” impressed — segueing into several sales deals — as did Hanna Bergholm’s psycho-horror feature “Hatching,” sold by Wild Bunch and Charades-sold Spanish standout “Piggy,” the follow-up to Carlota Pereda’s 2019 Spanish Academy Award-winner “Cerdita.” Among genre titles at Berlin this year are Dario Argento’s serial killer thriller “Dark Glasses” in the Berlinale Special section, while Bertrand Bonello’s subconscious voyage “Coma” and Peter Strickland’s gory “Flux Gourmet” (pictured above) feature in Encounters.

Amidst family drama piled miles high, Travis Scott looks as chilled out as ever; but then again, maybe it’s just new dad exhaustion! In the first photos of the rapper since the birth of his second child with wife Kylie Jenner, the rapper wore a comfortable outfit and statement hoodie as he arrived at the Fanatic Super Bowl party on Feb. 12. Travis and Kylie welcomed a son, Wolf Webster, on Feb. 2nd.

Luke Shaw has told Jadon Sancho to keep his head high after emerging as a shining light during Manchester United's difficult run of form.

"I’ve played with Katie Zelem since I was 12 years old. I’m not going to sit here and say I don’t want her to do well. She’s one of my best friends and always will be," Keira Walsh explains.

Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner are enjoying a day out with friends!

The 2022 Super Bowl is one day away and we have all the details you need to know about the big game!

The stars are stepping out for Christian Siriano‘s latest fashion show!

A “pandemic of suicide ” exists at one of the Army’s largest military barracks, according to soldiers inside the base.

When it comes to de-cluttering your loft space - or anywhere else in your home for that matter - how many times have you come across old items from your childhood?

Thousands of children were made homeless during the pandemic, according to shock new figures branded a “national disgrace.”

Workers at one of Scotland’s most successful pub chains claim thousands of pounds of pension contributions are missing.

Sir Sean Connery’s widow has given $1million to help find a cure for dementia in the screen legend’s name.

A lane-hogging car driver has been pulled over and reported in Manchester after immediately taking up the central carriageway of the M60 when joining the highway.

Olives! Kentucky Fried Chicken! Kourtney Kardashian, Katy Perry and more pregnant stars have described their distinct food cravings while expecting.

Kathy Griffin is celebrating being cancer-free.

Anna Sorokin aka Anna Delvey, the fake German heiress, was paid a hefty sum of money from Netflix for her story in a Shonda Rhimes produced series titled, . 

Manchester United manager Ralf Rangnick insists he is not worried by Cristiano Ronaldo's goalscoring drought.

Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson took to Twitter to let fans know we’ll be seeing him during Super Bowl 56. 

Chrishell Stause is spending the night with one of her ex-boyfriends.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at LargeGreetings from Variety Awards Headquarters! Today is July 19, 2021, which means it’s 31 days until final-round voting starts on Aug. 19; 42 days until final voting ends on Aug.