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‘Physical 100,’ Global Hit Korean Competition Show, Heads for Second Season at Netflix

14.06.2023 - 06:10

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Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief “Physical 100,” the first unscripted Korean show to top Netflix’s non-English global charts, is being given a second season.

The show falls between a talent contest and a survival competition with 100 contestants, including Olympians, professional fighters, bodybuilders and former soldiers, through a series of quests to challenge their strength, endurance, agility, balance and willpower, and to develop the perfect physique.

Controversially it mixed men and women and amateurs and professionals. The show incorporated a plaster cast of each contestant’s torso.

This was destroyed with a sledgehammer when they were eliminated. The first season debuted in January and remained in the Top 10 for the past month.

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foxnews.com

13.07.2023 / 10:23

Aretha Franklin joins Prince, Michael Jackson and Robin Williams as stars' families battle it out over wills

Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul, passed away in 2018, but her estate is still in flux, pitting her sons against each other. This week, a Michigan jury ruled that a handwritten document found in her couch after Franklin’s death is a valid will. It is a victory for Kecalf Franklin and Edward Franklin, whose lawyers had argued that papers dated 2014 should override a 2010 will which was discovered around the same time in a locked cabinet at the Franklin’s home in suburban Detroit.

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foxnews.com

13.07.2023 / 10:23

Prince Harry, Meghan Markle’s award nod for explosive docuseries is ‘white noise’ to royal family: experts

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle received their first award nomination for their explosive six-part docuseries that premiered on Netflix last December. On Tuesday, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's "Harry & Meghan" earned a nod from the Hollywood Critics Association (HCA) in the category of best streaming non-fiction series, alongside fellow nominees "Rennervations," "Prehistoric Planet 2," "Rainn Wilson and the Geography of Bliss," "The Reluctant Traveller with Eugene Levy" and "The 1619 Project." However, Emmy Award voters snubbed the royal couple's docuseries, which was not among the nominees announced on Wednesday. Directed by two-time Oscar-nominated filmmaker Liz Garbus, "Harry and Meghan" broke documentary ratings records for Netflix when the series' first three episodes were released on Dec.

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nme.com

13.07.2023 / 10:11

Jennifer Lawrence’s team was hesitant about ‘No Hard Feelings’ nude scene

Jennifer Lawrence has revealed that her team was hesitant about her nude scene in No Hard Feelings.The recently released comedy sees Lawrence play a 32-year-old Uber driver in the Hamptons whose car is repossessed because she failed to pay her property taxes.She ends up answering an ad on Craigslist posted by a wealthy couple (Laura Benanti and Matthew Broderick), offering a car in return for a woman to date their socially awkward 19-year-old son (Andrew Barth Feldman) to prepare him for college life.The R-rated movie features a number of raunchy moments, but one scene in particular sees Lawrence’s character, Maddie, fully naked on a beach.“Everyone in my life and my team is doing the right thing and going, ‘Are you sure? Are you sure? Are you sure?’” Lawrence told Variety while promoting the film alongside Feldman. “I didn’t even have a second thought.

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variety.com

13.07.2023 / 10:07

Jane Campion, Laura Poitras, Martin McDonagh Set for Venice Film Festival Jury Duty

Nick Vivarelli International Correspondent Jane Campion, Laura Poitras, Mia Hansen-Løve and Martin McDonagh are among high-caliber members of the Venice Film Festival’s main jury. The prominent directors, most of whom are Venice regulars – Poitras last year scored the Golden Lion with documentary “All the Beauty and the Bloodshed” – will be joined on the Venice jury panel by Palestinian actor Saleh Bakri (“Wajib”); Chinese star Shu Qi (“The Assassin”); Italian director Gabriele Mainetti, who was at Venice last year with “Freaks Out”; and Argentinian auteur Santiago Mitre whose “Argentina, 1985” also launched from the Lido last year. They will join Damien Chazelle who – as previously announced – will serve as president of the Venice competition jury.

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variety.com

13.07.2023 / 09:55

Constantin’s ‘Home Sweet Home – Where Evil Lives,’ a Contender at FrightFest, Picked Up by The Playmaker (EXCLUSIVE)

Leo Barraclough International Features Editor The Playmaker has signed with “Resident Evil” producer Constantin Film to handle the international sales for its FrightFest London contender “Home Sweet Home – Where Evil Lives,” a one-shot horror film told in real time by director Thomas Sieben (“Kidnapping Stella”). The film stars German A-list cast Nilam Farooq (“Heilstätten,” “Contra”), Justus von Dohnányi (“The Experiment”) and David Kross (“The Reader”). “Home Sweet Home – Where Evil Lives” will have its world premiere at FrightFest London, which runs Aug. 24-28. It will be screened in the Main Screen section on Aug. 28 at the Cineworld Leicester Square on an IMAX screen.

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variety.com

13.07.2023 / 09:55

‘Godzilla,’ Japanese Movie Monster, to Make End of Year Return in ‘Minus One,’ Releases Trailer

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Major Japanese studio Toho Co. has announced “Godzilla Minus One” as the title of the latest instalment in its “Godzilla” film franchise. The film will premiere in Japanese theaters on Nov. 4. A U.S. release is set a few weeks later, on Dec. 1. The company revealed an understated poster and a short but punchy teaser trailer. It suggests that an already-devastated postwar Japan faces a new threat in the form of Godzilla, an enormous, mutated kaiju. Directed by sci-fi and fantasy specialist Yamazaki Takashi, the picture is the first Japanese-produced “Godzilla” movie since 2016’s “Shin Godzilla.” The previous picture topped the Japanese box office, earning JPY25 billion ($181 million at current exchange rates).

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variety.com

13.07.2023 / 09:55

Actors Strike: Global Biz Braces for Impact as ‘Gladiator 2,’ ‘Mortal Kombat 2’ Prepare to Stop Filming

concluded talks without reaching an agreement, thus triggering a strike vote by the SAG-AFTRA National Board for Thursday morning. A strike is expected to be called, and the union will direct its 160,000 members to immediately stop all scripted film and TV work around the world.

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dailyrecord.co.uk

13.07.2023 / 09:53

Piers Morgan brands Huw Edwards 'stand up guy' amid bombshell revelation

Piers Morgan has branded Huw Edwards a 'stand up' guy as he commented on the BBC star's wife's admission that he was the presenter at the centre of the BBC scandal.

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dailyrecord.co.uk

13.07.2023 / 09:53

Meghan Markle facing new court showdown for 'degrading' half-sister Samantha

Meghan Markle faces a court battle with her half-sister after Samantha Markle revealed she was suing the Duchess for libel.

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dailyrecord.co.uk

13.07.2023 / 09:53

Dele Alli reveals he was sexually abused aged 6 in tearful interview

Dele Alli has revealed he was abused at the age of six and was dealing drugs by the time he was just eight years old.

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dailyrecord.co.uk

13.07.2023 / 09:53

Nina Nesbitt stuns on Barbie premier pink carpet as 'Scottish Barbie' with bottle of Irn Bru

Scots singer Nina Nesbitt stunned on the pink carpet at the Barbie movie premiere in London last night and in true Nina fashion, her outfit was a nod to her Scottish roots.

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nme.com

13.07.2023 / 09:37

Jamie Foxx saves women’s lost purse months after “medical complication”

Jamie Foxx has returned a woman’s lost purse, just months after suffering an unknown “medical complication“.On Monday (July 10), the Oscar-winning actor was spotted in Chicago, Illinois returning the purse to its owner.A clip of the moment was posted on Instagram by a user named Quan Ellis, who wrote in the caption: “Mom lost her bag in Chicago today Jamie Foxx found it and brought it to her and he said he feels good y’all god is good.”In the video, two different voices can be heard shouting “thank you” to Foxx as he makes his way into a black SUV. “He saved your purse!” a woman says.The video comes just one day after Foxx made his first public appearance since being hospitalised with an unknown “medical complication” in early April.

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deadline.com

13.07.2023 / 09:33

Huw Edwards’ Conduct Was Being Examined By BBC News Journalists Before The Sun’s Sex Pics Claims

EXCLUSIVE: BBC News journalists had begun work on a potential exposé about Huw Edwards prior to The Sun newspaper sparking a UK media storm about the presenter, Deadline can reveal.

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variety.com

20.06.2023 / 03:15

AsiaSat Acquires Lightning International, Content and Channels Distributor (EXCLUSIVE)

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Asia Satellite Telecommunications (AsiaSat), a leading operator of satellites, has moved into content distribution with the acquisition of Hong Kong- and U.K.-based TV distributor Lightning International. The diversification was described by AsiaSat as “a strategic move to expand the company’s services and extend its clients’ reach to global audiences through traditional and new distribution platforms including OTT and FAST.” AsiaSat is known to be acquiring 100% of Lightning International, but other deal terms were not disclosed.

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variety.com

19.06.2023 / 08:37

Three Thai Series Added to HBO Go Production Slate

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Warner Bros. Discovery has announced three new Thai HBO Asia Originals: action-fantasy blockbuster “Khun Pan 3”; fun-filled cooking series “MarkKim + Chef” and reality series “Deane’s Dynasty.” The shows will be available exclusively to HBO and HBO GO in Southeast Asia, Hong Kong and Taiwan. Thai TV content is currently growing in popularity among Asian TV audiences and has recently been seen pioneering soft homo-erotic series known as the ‘Boys Love’ genre, that has appeal to mature female audiences. BL is conspicuously absent from the new additions to the HBO Go slate. “Khun Pan 3” is the final instalment of the “Khun Pan” franchise and represents a journey from 1950 after World War ll, as sorcerer cop Khun Pan is persuaded to take on another dangerous mission. This time he is hunting down two bandits and uncovering a conspiracy that challenges everything, he believes in.

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variety.com

19.06.2023 / 07:49

Australia’s Stan Renews Lionsgate Content Supply Deal

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Stan, the Australian streaming service owned by Nine Entertainment, has renewed its content supply partnership with Lionsgate. The multi-year output agreement secures a slate of first-run premium scripted dramas from STARZ and Lionsgate and a new slate of theatrical films exclusive to Australian audiences. The agreement follows Stan’s renewal last year of a deal with Sony Pictures Television. Headlining the new shows expected to flow from the Lionsgate deal is espionage drama “Gray,” starring Patricia Clarkson (“Six Feet Under”), Nathalie Emmanuel (“Game of Thrones”) and Rupert Everett (“My Best Friend’s Wedding”) which is based on an original concept by bestselling novelist David Baldacci.

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variety.com

19.06.2023 / 03:41

China Box Office: ‘The Flash’ and ‘Elemental’ Make Soft Starts on Debut Weekend

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Warner Bros.’s “The Flash” and Disney/Pixar’s “Elemental” made theatrical debuts in China that were in line with their soft starts in North America and other international territories. “The Flash” captured the top spot in China with a $13.4 million (RMB94.8 million) opening weekend ($13.8 million including previews), according to data from consultancy Artisan Gateway. It deposed “Transformers: Rise of the Beasts” which opened a week earlier and which slipped to second place in its sophomore frame. “Transformers” took a 69% fall and recorded $12.4 million between Friday and Sunday in China. That produces a $61.7 million cumulative after ten days in Chinese theaters.

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variety.com

16.06.2023 / 04:53

‘Killing Romance,’ Offbeat Korean Comedy, to Open New York Asian Film Festival (EXCLUSIVE)

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief “Killing Romance,” one of the most creative Korean films of the past year, has been set as the opening night title for the upcoming New York Asian Film Festival. The deliberately multi-genre picture tells the tale of a beautiful movie star with dubious acting skills (portrayed by Le Ha-nee) who suddenly quits the industry and retires to newly-married life that turns out to be anything but bliss. When she decides to return to acting she teams up with a fan and an absurd plot to kill her absurdly rich husband. The film is directed by Lee Won-suk who previously attended the NYAFF with his first film, “How to Use Guys With Secret Tips,” in 2013 and returned with his second feature, the big-budget period drama The Royal Tailor, which earned the audience award at NYAFF in 2015.

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variety.com

16.06.2023 / 03:25

Disney to Close Remaining Linear TV Channels in Southeast Asia and Korea

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Disney is to close its six remaining linear TV channels in Southeast Asia, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Korea as the conglomerate puts a greater emphasis on direct-to-consumer streaming. The channels concerned are National Geographic, National Geographic Wild, Star Chinese Movies, Star Chinese Channel, Star Movies and Star World. Linear services will end from September in Southeast Asia, Hong Kong and Korea, and by December in Taiwan. The group expects to retain a streamlined television portfolio with channels in Japan, China, Australia and New Zealand for the time being.

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variety.com

16.06.2023 / 02:52

Ateez, Cravity, (G)-Idle to Headline KCON LA Convention and Concert Series

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Leading K-pop acts including Ateez, Cravity and (G)-Idle are set to perform at this year’s K-CON convention and concert series in Los Angeles. The convention returned as a live event in 2022 and attracted some 90,000 attendees to the Los Angeles Convention Center with two nights of concerts held at the adjacent Crypto.com Arena. The convention will again run for three days (Aug. 18-20), but the concert series will be expanded to run multi-act performances on all three nights. The performer full line-up will include: Ateez, Cravity, Everglow, (G) Idle, INI, Itzy, Ive, J01, Kep1er, Lapillus, Nmixx, Shownu x Hyungwon (Monsta X), Stray Kids, Taemin, Taemin, Taeyong, The Boyz, WayV, xikers, and Zerobaseone.

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variety.com

16.06.2023 / 02:02

Japan’s Skip City Film Festival Retains Hybrid Format in Post-COVID Era

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief The Skip City International D-Cinema Festival, in Saitama, on the outskirts of Tokyo, will hold its 2023 edition with both in-person and online components, long after COVID, which necessitated such hybrid formats, has retreated. The festival, which sees itself as a gateway for emerging talent, and has operated since 2004, will hold its physical edition July 15-23 and its online from July 22- 26, organizers said on Wednesday. This year, the festival will begin with the world premiere of “Confetti,” which was produced to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the festival as well as the 90th anniversary of its Kawaguchi City base.

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variety.com

15.06.2023 / 15:20

Johnnie To Set as Jury Head at Malaysia’s MIFFest – Global Bulletin

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Hong Kong icon Johnnie To will head the jury of the sixth edition of the Malaysia International Film Festival (MIFFest) next month. Other jurors include: Truong Ngoc Anh from Vietnam, Ryuichi Hiroki from Japan, Zizan Razak from Malaysia, and Eric Khoo from Singapore. The event will open with the world premiere of “Eraser,” directed by Mark Lee See Teck. The Malaysian film features the final on-screen appearance of the late Adibah Noor, a beloved Malaysian gem known for her timeless charisma. MIFFest will play “See You at the Rally,” directed by Taiwanese filmmaker Kanny Chang as its closing title. The festival is set to take place at LaLaport BBCC from July 23-29 and will play a total of 42 films from 15 countries.

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variety.com

13.06.2023 / 11:47

Korean Police Raid Multiplex Operators, Film Distributors

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Seoul Metropolitan Police on Tuesday raided the offices of Korea’s three leading multiplex cinema operators and three film distributors. “The six entities are accused of obstructing the business of the Korean Film Council (KOFIC) by falsely counting the audience numbers for Korean films,” a spokesman for the police is reported to have told Korean media, according to the semi-official Yonhap news agency. The raids were conducted by the force’s anti-corruption and public crime investigation team. Local media named the companies visited by the police on Tuesday as cinema chains CJ CGV, Megabox and Lotte Cinema, and distributors Showbox, Lotte Entertainment and Kidari.

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variety.com

13.06.2023 / 07:59

Wim Wenders Set as Tokyo Jury Head as Festival Prepares to Honor Ozu Yasujiro – Global Bulletin

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief German filmmaker Wim Wenders is to be the president of the jury that decides the main competition prizes later this year at the Tokyo International Film Festival. Wenders has frequent connections with the Japanese capital and last year shot his “Perfect Days” film in the city. The film recently appeared in competition in Cannes and earned Yakusho Koji the best actor prize. The Tokyo festival confirmed plans to host a celebration of Japanese director Ozu Yasujiro, who was born 120 years ago and died exactly 60 years later. Wenders previously shot 1985 documentary “Tokyo-ga” as a tribute to Ozu.

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variety.com

13.06.2023 / 02:33

China Box Office: ‘Transformers: Rise of the Beasts’ Scores $40 Million Opening Weekend

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief “Transformers: Rise of the Beasts” enjoyed a $38.9 million (RMB276 million) opening weekend in mainland China. The score was comfortably the biggest by any film between Friday and Sunday and the second biggest opening by a Hollywood film this year in the territory. Data from consultancy firm Artisan Gateway suggests that the film accounted for some 63% of China’s nationwide gross box office over the weekend. Giant screen systems provider, Imax reported that the film earned $5.9 million of the total from its screen network in China, or some 15% of the China total.

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variety.com

11.06.2023 / 23:09

Korea Box Office: ‘The Roundup: No Way Out’ Hits $60 Million on Second Weekend, Thumps ‘Transformers’

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Korean-produced crime action film “The Roundup: No Way Out” dominated proceedings at the South Korean cinema box office for the second successive weekend. Its massive haul now totals $60 million. “Transformers: Rise of the Beasts” opened with a puny second place. The Friday to Sunday period saw the film bring in $10.4 million from 1.32 million ticket sales and account for a 72% market share, according to data from Kobis, the data tracking service operated by the Korean Film Council (Kofic). Including pre-release previews and strong midweek sales, the film has now rushed on to an aggregate of $59.6 million that has been earned from 7.78 million spectators.

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variety.com

11.06.2023 / 15:23

Jane Campion Talks Leading by Inspiration at Sydney Film Festival Showcase: ‘I Don’t Know Where My Comfort Zone Is’

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief These days Jane Campion – Palme d’Or and Oscar-winning film director – is celebrated for a vein of heartfelt cinema that is aching and quirky, rather than gushing. She’s also an intelligent and determined female pioneer who has had to struggle for her present standing in a male-dominated industry. The Sydney Film Festival this week is showcasing and contextualizing her body of work. Its screening program includes all nine of her feature works, from “Two Friends” to “The Power of the Dog,” and a selection of her short films. “For our 70th edition, we wanted to present a retrospective commensurate with the milestone, reflecting the audacious and boundary pushing filmmaking synonymous with our festival and region. There was no one more appropriate than Jane Campion,” said SFF director Nashen Moodley in notes ahead of the event.

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variety.com

09.06.2023 / 09:07

Chinese Film ‘The Sand Murmurs’ Set for Xinjiang Shoot (EXCLUSIVE)

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Big-budget period action film “The Sand Murmurs” is set to start production in China’s remote region of Xinjiang later this month. The film is the tale of a soldier and an enemy nobleman brought together after a once-in-a-century sandstorm. After braving a near-death experience together, the pair find common purpose despite their differences. They also need to work together to find their way out across 800km of desert. The picture is directed by Wu Youyin as an adaptation of his novel of the same title. Wu previously wrote and directed “Till The End of the World,” which released in 2018.

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variety.com

09.06.2023 / 09:07

Disney+ Hotstar to Give Free Access to Cricket Tournaments

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Disney in India has announced that the Asia Cup and ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup tournaments being held later this year, will be made available free-to-view to all mobile phone users accessing its Disney+ Hotstar streaming platform. “The move to lift the paywall for mobile-only viewers […] is aimed at further democratizing the game of cricket and making it accessible to as many mobile users in India as possible for the duration of the season,” the company said in a statement on Friday.

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variety.com

08.06.2023 / 09:15

U.S. Content Second Most Streamed in East Asia, Tops in Australia – Report

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief U.S. film and television content captures 30% of viewing time in key Asia-Pacific territories, according to a new research report by consultancy Media Partners Asia. Korean product takes 40%. The study “U.S. Content in the Asia Pacific” tracked the video consumption behavior between January and March this year of some 40,000 consumers in ten Asia-Pacific markets: Australia, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam. Australia, a $2.2 billion SVOD market, exhibits the highest reliance on US entertainment with 72% of measured SVOD viewership, followed by Singapore, Malaysia, and the Philippines where U.S. content accounts for 40-50% of viewership on average, with Indonesia close behind at 35%.

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variety.com

07.06.2023 / 13:39

International Box Office Ready to Reap the Rewards of Hollywood’s Summer of Sequels

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief After a few pandemic-addled years, the global box office is finally ready to feel the warmth of the studios’ tentpole releases. Though the swing-back to pre-pandemic release schedules is happening at different speeds in each market, the quartet of “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3,” “Fast X,” “The Little Mermaid” and “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” — not to mention “The Super Mario Bros Movie” before them — have announced the arrival of Hollywood’s version of summer across much of the planet. France saw admissions climb by 33% in the first five months of 2023, compared with the equivalent period last year, according to data from the CNC (National Film Board). Compared with an average figure for 2017 to 2019, the performance of the 2023 box office is (only) 12% behind. France’s recovery has been powered by a string of successful local films including “Asterix and Obelix: The Middle Kingdom,” “Alibi.com 2,” “The Three Musketeers: D’Artagnan,” “The Crime Is Mine” and Cannes opener “Jeanne du Barry.”

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variety.com

07.06.2023 / 00:01

Park Chan-wook-Produced ‘War and Revolt’ Set at Netflix

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Park Chan-wook, the Korean filmmaker behind “Oldboy” and last year’s “Decision to Leave,” has joined as producer and co-writer of historical drama film “War and Revolt.” The film is Park’s first collaboration with Netflix, the global streaming platform that is market leader in Korea and which has been instrumental in the global success of Korean contemporary culture. “War and Revolt” tells the story of two childhood friends, portrayed by Gang Dong-won and Park Jeong-min, who become adversaries. It is directed by Kim Sang-man (“Midnight F.M.”) from a script by Shin Chul and Park Chan-wook.

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variety.com

06.06.2023 / 18:45

Sarah Polley’s ‘Women Talking’ Wins at Bali Film Festival – Global Bulletin

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief “Women Talking,” which won Sarah Polley an Oscar for best adapted screenplay, was this weekend named best narrative feature at the Bali International Film Festival (aka the Balinale).Ashen Nadeem’s “Crows Are White” won the feature documentary prize and “The Tone Wheels,” by Yuda Kurniawan, was named winner of the Gary L Hayes Award for Indonesian Filmmaker. The festival jury called “The Tone Wheels” “an outstanding endeavor that transported us into the backstreets of Jakarta on a captivating musical journey.” The film depicts a busking village where dreams flourish, despite the scarcity of resources and equipment.

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variety.com

06.06.2023 / 17:36

Korea Box Office: ‘The Roundup: No Way Out’ Dominates With $22 Million Opening Weekend

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Crime action film “The Roundup: No Way Out” dominated the South Korean box office on its official opening weekend with a thumping $21.9 million performance. The film, the third in a franchise that pits a heavy-fisted cop, portrayed by Ma Dong-seok (aka Don Lee), against colorfully devious rogues, crushed all competing titles by taking an 88% market share. In terms of admissions, it attracted 2.82 million into cinemas between Friday and Sunday. The film’s official opening was on Wednesday (May 31). But it also enjoyed wide previews through much of the preceding week. Adding in the weekday takings and the preview activity, “The Roundup: No Way Out” has a current aggregate of $34.1 million and has sold a total of 4.51 million tickets, according to data from Kobis, the tracking service operated by the Korean Film Council.