Latest news with #AlexanderPayne
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Searchlight Pictures Buys Alexander Payne's Next Film ‘Somewhere Out There' for Worldwide Rights (EXCLUSIVE)
Searchlight Pictures has scooped worldwide rights to Alexander Payne's next project 'Somewhere Out There' which will star Renate Reinsve, the Cannes prizewinning Norwegian actor of Joachim Trier's 'The Worst Person in the World.' The Danish-language movie, which will mark Payne's first European feature, is being produced by Birgitte Skov at Scanbox Production, a Vuelta Group company, and will be shooting in 2026 in Denmark. More from Variety Charlotte Gainsbourg Says 'I Don't Need to See My Movies Anymore' and Fighting for Acting Roles Is Better Than Getting Offers: 'You Feel Like You Own It' Dogma 25 Explodes at Cannes, Spearheaded by New Quintet Led by May el-Toukhy: 'A Rescue Mission and a Cultural Uprising' Soundstage Expansion Adds to New Jersey's Strong Incentives to Juice Film and TV Production: 'People Are Taking Notice of Us' 'Somewhere Out There' will reunite Payne with Searchlight Pictures 20 years after the studio successfully handled 'Sideways' which became a cult film. Searchlight Pictures also handled 'The Descendants.' Both 'Sideways' and 'The Descendants' won an Oscar for best adapted screenplay. 'Some of my very finest filmmaking experiences have involved Searchlight,' Payne said. 'A return partnership was just a matter of time, and I'm elated.' Matthew Greenfield, Searchlight Pictures president said, 'Alexander Payne is a master storyteller, and reuniting with him is a true joy.' ''Somewhere Out There' marks an exciting new chapter, as Alexander makes yet another beautiful, honest, and deeply funny film,' Greenfield continued. The exec also praised the 'extraordinary team' behind the project, 'including Thor Sigurjonsson and our new friends at Scanbox.' The worldwide deal with Searchlight excludes the Nordics which will be handled by Scanbox. Thor Sigurjonsson, Scanbox Entertainment boss, said the deal with Searchlight 'is a perfect example of how we, at Scanbox Entertainment and Vuelta, look at when producing local features.' 'With Searchlight onboard the film, it is a great opportunity for a Danish Language film to find the widest audience possible,' Sigurjonsson said. 'Matthew and Chan Phung were so passionate about the project and we believe we have a great partnership for the film with Searchlight.' 'Somewhere Out There' is co-produced by Norway's Hummel Film Sweden's Nordic Drama Queens and France's Maneki Films. The screenplay was penned by Erlend Loe, based on Åke Sandgren's original idea. Reinsve, who will play a supporting role in 'Somewhere Out There,' is at Cannes this year with Trier's 'Sentimental Value.' The plot remains under wrap. 'Somewhere Out There' will mark Payne's follow up to 'The Holdovers' which earned five Oscar nominations in 2024, including best picture, and won best supporting actress for Da'Vine Joy Randolph. Vuelta Group's Scanbox Entertainment are financing. The film is backed by the Danish Film Institute and Regional Fund Vestdanske Filmpulje (DVF), the Norwegian Film Institute (NFI), and the Danish Broadcasting Corp (DR). Matt Donnelly contributed to this report. Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week Emmy Predictions: Talk/Scripted Variety Series - The Variety Categories Are Still a Mess; Netflix, Dropout, and 'Hot Ones' Stir Up Buzz Oscars Predictions 2026: 'Sinners' Becomes Early Contender Ahead of Cannes Film Festival
Observer
30-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Observer
US director Payne to head Venice Film Festival jury
Venice Film Festival organisers announced on Monday that US film director Alexander Payne would be president of the competition's jury this year. Payne, 64, has won two Oscars and two Golden Globes for his screenplays and is best known for films such as "Sideways", "The Descendants" and "About Schmidt". "It's an enormous honour and joy to serve on the jury at Venice," Payne said in a statement released by the festival's organisers, La Biennale di Venezia. "I couldn't be more excited," he added. The Biennale's board of directors followed the recommendation of Venice Film Festival director Alberto Barbera, the statement said. "Alexander Payne belongs to the small circle of filmmakers-cinephiles whose passion for cinema is fuelled by knowledge of films of the past and curiosity about contemporary cinema, without boundaries or barriers of any kind," Barbera said, adding that the American was the "ideal" candidate for the role. The jury at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival will decide who wins the Golden Lion for best film and other prizes. Payne, who has never won a prize in Venice, made his feature film debut with "Citizen Ruth" in 1996. "Sideways" won him both an Oscar and a Golden Globe for best screenplay. In the same category, he won an Oscar for "The Descendants" and a Golden Globe for "About Schmidt". The 82nd Venice Film Festival takes place in the watery Italian city from August 27 to September 6. —AFP
Business Recorder
29-04-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
Cycling in City of London rises more than 50% in two years
LONDON: The number of people cycling in the City of London has increased by more than 50% in two years, boosted by new cycle paths and dockless cycles and helping to improve air quality in the financial district. According to official data, in October 2024, 139,000 people a day cycled in the Square Mile, the historic centre of London which is the city's main financial district, up from 89,000 in 2022. That means there are nearly twice as many bikes as cars on the streets during the day, the City of London Corporation said in a statement. The boom in cycling has coincided with a reduction in motor-vehicle traffic, down 5% since 2022, and air quality improvements in the area, with the number of locations exceeding nitrogen dioxide targets falling to two in 2024 from 15 in 2019. London has had a congestion charge aimed a reducing vehicle traffic since 2003. US director Alexander Payne to head Venice Film Festival jury The wider city's air quality has improved in recent years thanks to an Ultra Low Emission Zone which imposes a levy on the most polluting vehicles. Cyclists have been encouraged by new paths and routes, and by the growth of dockless hire cycle schemes in the city, the use of which has quadrupled since 2022. 'Lime' and 'Forest' bikes now account for one-in-six bikes on the City's streets. The jump in cycling in the City of London is ahead of the rise in the broader central London area, which is up 12% since 2023.
Business Recorder
29-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Business Recorder
US director Alexander Payne to head Venice Film Festival jury
ROME: US director Alexander Payne will head the main competition jury at this year's Venice Film Festival, the organisers said on Monday. Payne's films, including the comedies 'The Holdovers', 'Sideways' and 'The Descendants', have been nominated for a total 24 Oscars, including four times for Best Picture and three times for Best Director. He has won twice for Best Adapted Screenplay. 'It's an enormous honour and joy to serve on the jury at Venice. Although I share a filmmaker's ambivalence about comparing films against one another, I revere the Venice Film Festival's nearly 100-year history of loudly celebrating film as an art form,' Payne said in a statement. Saudi's Jeddah old town regains glory as the Grand Prix lures tourists The 82nd Venice Film Festival, held on the lagoon city's Lido island, will run from August 27 to September 6. The movies in competition will be announced in July. Payne's 2017 comedy 'Downsizing' opened the festival in 2017.
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Banijay, Production Giant Behind ‘Black Mirror' and ‘Survivor,' Eyeing Bid for ITV or ITV Studios (Report)
Industry talk about a possible takeover bid for U.K. TV giant ITV or its production arm ITV Studios is showing no signs of slowing down. On Monday, the latest spotlight was on French production powerhouse Banijay Group, which is in very early-stage talks about a potential acquisition offer for either the whole company or its studio unit, according to the Financial Times. The report cited two people familiar with the situation. Representatives for ITV and Banijay declined to comment when contacted by THR. More from The Hollywood Reporter Alexander Payne to Head Venice Jury John Oliver Jokes About Pope Francis Dying a Day After Meeting With J.D. Vance: "Relatable" Platino Awards: Walter Salles' 'I'm Still Here' Dominates as Fernanda Torres Scoops Best Actress Merging Banijay and ITV, or ITV Studios, would bring together two of Europe's largest TV production companies. ITV Studios hit franchises include the likes of Love Island, Disney+ series Rivals, The Voice, and Netflix hit Fool Me Once. Meanwhile, Banijay produces the likes of Big Brother, MasterChef, Survivor, Peaky Blinders, and Black Mirror. ITV's studio division has previously attracted interest from such companies as RedBird IMI and its production giant All3Media, and private equity groups. ITV's stock price has gained this year amid the deal chatter. ITV is continuing to focus on growing a successful production business, CEO Carolyn McCall said during an earnings call with reporters last month, declining to comment on rumors about a possible merger for the division. 'We've got a really high-quality business. We already have scale, and we're very diversified,' she said. 'There's been a lot of speculation, but I think you'd expect that speculation. There's (also) speculation about Banijay and Fremantle, and there's speculation about all studios businesses. We won't comment on any speculation. All we would say is that we will continue to build the business as it has been built. We've grown even since 2018 by about 35 percent.' If Banijay made a bid for all of ITV, it would likely look to bring in additional investors, according to the FT report. Best of The Hollywood Reporter How the Warner Brothers Got Their Film Business Started Meet the World Builders: Hollywood's Top Physical Production Executives of 2023 Men in Blazers, Hollywood's Favorite Soccer Podcast, Aims for a Global Empire Sign in to access your portfolio
