SCARING UP A BIG WIN
Jon Bell ’s “ The Moogai ” was Saturday named winner of the Film Prize at Western Australia’s CinefestOZ festival. With a cash award of A$100,000 ($67,000), it is one of the richest film festival prizes in the world.
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Sarah and Fergus, a hopeful young Aboriginal couple, give birth to their second baby. But what should be a joyous time of their lives becomes sinister when Sarah starts seeing a malevolent spirit that she is convinced is trying to take her baby. Fergus, can’t see it but desperately wants to believe her. He does not know if the child-stealing spirit real or is Sarah is in fact the biggest threat to the safety of their family. The film stars Shari Sebbens and Meyne Wyatt.
It is produced by Kristina Ceyton , Mitchell Stanely and Samantha Jennings and coproduced by Alex White. International sales are handled by the U.K.’s Bankside Films.
“Genre films have long dealt with ideas of grief and loss. With ‘The Moogai,’ Australia now has one of the finest examples, all of our own. ‘The Moogai’ has a clear-sighted view of how the trauma of the Stolen Generations blends with motherhood-anxiety,” said the festival in a statement. Three other films were in contention for the prize: “Runt,” “Audrey” and “Memoir of a Snail.”
HAVING MORE KIDS
Banijay Kids & Family , a children’s entertainment unit of multinational group Banijay and responsible for shows such as “Totally Spies!” and “Mr Bean: The Animated Series,” has announced the majority acquisition of French production company, Procidis , creator of the famous edutaining saga “ Once Upon a Time….” The deal includes Procidis’ iconic umbrella brand, Hello Maestro. “The complementary deal broadens the group’s existing portfolio of premium kids labels and marks its first edutainment focused producer,” Banijay said.
Procidis was established in 1962 by the late Albert Barillé, and since 2009 has been led by Hélène Barillé as president. She will now remain as managing director of Procidis following the acquisition. Banijay Kids & Family head Benoît Di Sabatino takes on the role of president of Procidis.
SHUT AND RE-OPENED
Classic Thai horror film “Shutter” has been given a re-release in theaters on the 20th anniversary of its original release. Directed by Banjong Pisanthanakun and Parkpoom Wongpoom, the film depicts a couple fleeing from the scene of a car accident. But strange shadows start to appear in photos taken by the photographer.
It stars Ananda Everingham , Natthaweeranuch Thongmee and Achita Sikamana, and helped spark several years of interest in the Thai horror genre, including a 2008 Japanese remake. Pisanthanakun has gone one to direct hits including smash hit horror-comedy “Pee Mak” and the Korean co-production “The Medium.”
THAI PRIDE
The two-day Thailand International LGBTQ+ Film & TV Festival 2024 got under way on Monday at the Paragon Cineplex in central Bangkok. Its lineup includes some 28 LGBTQ+ films from 14 countries, including “Before I Change My Mind,” “Splendid Isolation,” “Big Boys,” “Solids by the Seashore,” “Days,” “Vera,” “Pleasure of Others” and Thai-produced classics “The Last Song” and “Love of Siam.” Taiwan-based Tsai Ming-liang is expected to attend.
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The festival is said to underline Thailand’s ‘soft power’ credentials and underline the country’s role in creating LGBT content. Thailand has become a hub for production of BL and GL content, which is finding a growing audience across the Asian region.
‘DEVARA’ DOMINATION
“Devara,” starring NTR Jr , has set new benchmarks for Indian cinema in U.S. pre-sales. The film sold over 25,000 tickets faster than any previous Indian release and has surpassed $500,000 in premiere pre-sales, according to information released by the producers. Directed by Koratala Siva and produced by Yuvasudha Arts and NTR Arts, “Devara” is slated for a Sept. 27 release. The film marks NTR Jr’s return to screens following his global success in “RRR.”
FIFA+ KICK OFF
FAST service Pluto TV has rolled out football-focused channel FIFA+ in multiple markets including the U.K. The channel offers documentaries, original series, match replays and highlights from FIFA tournaments. Content spans from World Cup moments to player interviews and behind-the-scenes features. FIFA+ is now available on Pluto TV in multiple countries across Europe and the Americas. Upcoming programming includes a 2010 World Cup retrospective and specials celebrating Mexican Independence Day and Spain’s football victories.
GORE SCORES SILVER
John Gore Media Limited has inked a deal to acquire Silver Salt Restoration , the London-based film remastering facility. Founded in 2017, Silver Salt has handled 4K restorations for titles including “American Werewolf in London,” “Don’t Look Now” and “The Deer Hunter.” Mark Bonnici will continue as managing director post-acquisition. The studio, employing 10 staff, boasts high-end equipment including an ARRI XT film scanner and Davinci Resolve 4K grading suites.
John Gore, CEO of John Gore Media Limited, said the acquisition “marks a significant step in expanding our media portfolio.” Gore’s entertainment holdings include Broadway Across America and Hammer Films.
Silver Salt’s client roster includes include Apple Corps, Arrow, BBC Motion Gallery, The BFI, Blue Underground, BritBox, Criterion, Powerhouse, Second Sight, Shout Factory, StudioCanal and 88 Films. The company has also worked on restorations for “When Harry Met Sally,” “True Romance,” and “The Wicker Man.”
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