Latest news with #GlobalConversationsSummit
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Cannes-Bound ‘Left-Handed Girl,' ‘Heads or Tails?' Producer Cinema Inutile Takes Stake in 1-2 Special
Alex C. Lo's Cinema Inutile has taken a stake in distribution banner 1-2 Special. The New York and Tokyo-based production company, which has been steadily building a slate of festival darlings, has joined as a founding partner in the recently launched North American distributor headed by Jason Hellerstein, a former Sideshow executive who debuted the venture in February. More from Variety Sebastian Stan, Renate Reinsve Family Drama 'Fjord' Sells to Neon Variety to Host Global Conversations Summit at Cannes Film Festival Cannes' Thierry Fremaux on Trump's Tariff Plan, Resilience of American Film Culture: 'The United States Remains a Great Country for Cinema' Cinema Inutile slate includes recent festival hits 'Stranger Eyes' (Venice Competition 2024), 'Happyend' (Venice Orizzonti 2024), and 'Viet and Nam' (Cannes Un Certain Regard 2024). Its development pipeline features collaborations with art-house heavyweights including Ruben Östlund's 'The Entertainment System Is Down,' Manuela Martelli's 'The Meltdown,' and Jim Jarmusch's 'Father, Mother, Sister, Brother.' The move represents a significant evolution for Cinema Inutile, expanding its end-to-end capabilities in the independent space. The company now stands positioned to shepherd projects from development through theatrical release, a rarity in today's challenging art-house market. The announcement comes as Cinema Inutile celebrates a banner year on the festival circuit, with two high-profile entries set to premiere at the Cannes Film Festival: Shih-Ching Tsou's 'Left-Handed Girl' (co-written and edited by 'Anora' helmer Sean Baker) in Critics' Week, and Alessio Rigo de Righi and Matteo Zoppis' 'Heads or Tails?' in Un Certain Regard. The theatrical-first strategy represents a bullish stance on traditional exhibition at a time when many independent distributors are pivoting toward streaming and day-and-date strategies. 1-2 Special plans to release up to 10 films annually, with Radu Jude's 'Kontinental '25' from this year's Berlinale marking its inaugural acquisition. 'This partnership with 1-2 Special is a natural and exciting next step for Cinema Inutile,' Lo told Variety. 'Be it 'The Settlers,' 'Girls Will Be Girls,' or 'Stranger Eyes,' we've always championed stories that challenge conventions and ignite conversation. Collaborating with Jason, who shares that same passion for risk-taking cinema, is incredibly inspiring.' 'We're both committed to supporting films that deserve to be seen on the big screen, and to creating a home for filmmakers who bring new and unique perspectives to the conversation,' Lo added. Cinema Inutile is represented by Hayden Goldblatt at Frankfurt Kurnit Klein & Selz. 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
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Variety to Host Global Conversations Summit at Cannes Film Festival
For the third year, Variety will host a Global Conversations Summit at Cannes Film Festival featuring four panels centered on global incentives and filming. The summit will take place on May 16 with panelists from Cinecittà, Les Studios de Paris, The Royal Commission of Alula and Bulgaria participating in conversations moderated by Variety journalists Leo Barraclough, John Hopewell, Nick Vivarelli and Alex Ritman. The panels will showcase each of the region's facilities, incentives and filming community. Guests at the conversations will include producers, sales agents, distributors and creatives looking to learn about the different filming opportunities in these regions. More from Variety Cannes' Thierry Fremaux on Trump's Tariff Plan, Resilience of American Film Culture: 'The United States Remains a Great Country for Cinema' Jessica Hausner and Annemarie Jacir Films Among Projects Pitched by Up-and-Coming European Producers in Cannes (EXCLUSIVE) Damson Idris, Anamaria Vartolomei to Star as Miles Davis and Juliette Greco in Mick Jagger-Produced 'Miles & Juliette' Manuela Cacciamani, CEO of Cinecittà; Nicola Borrelli, director general for Cinema; and Steve Jelley, producer and CO-CEO of Dimension Studio will speak on its facilities and production offerings. Brigitte Segal, president of Les Studios de Paris, and Peninsula Pictures producer John Bernard will speak on Studios de Paris and its facilities as the largest and newest inner city studio complex. Stuart Sutherland, CEO of Celtic Films Entertainment, filmmaker Haifaa al-Mansour and acting executive director of Film AlUla Zaid Shaker will speak on behalf of The Royal Commission of Alula. Krassimira Belev, actor, producer and writer at First Draft; Martin I. Petrov, festival director at the International Film Festival Glasgow; Stefan Prohorov, international relations expert, Bulgarian National Film Center; and Yariv Lerner, CEO of Nu Boyana Film Studio will discuss the benefits of the incentives, crews and facilities in Bulgaria. If you are attending the Cannes Film Festival and would like to attend Variety Global Locations, please request an invite here. Conversations will be published on after the event. Variety will be present at Cannes Film Festival in several additional ways, including its annual Welcome to Cannes Party, the Variety and Golden Globes Breakthrough Artist Awards Party and more. 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
