Paris-based banner Loco Films will be hitting the European Film Market with mix of French and international movies, including the Berlinale Panorama title “Property,” as well as “Grand Expectations” and “Like An Actress.” “Property,” which marks the sophomore outing of Brazilian helmer Daniel Bandeira, is a survival thriller lensed Pedro Sotero, the cinematographer of Kleber…

Following the 2019 conclusion of his acclaimed BBC series “Luther,” Idris Elba is back as detective chief inspector John Luther in Netflix’s film continuation. “Luther” ran for five seasons between 2010 and 2019. Elba notched four Emmy nominations, plus two Golden Globe wins, a Screen Actors Guild award, a Critics Choice award and a Royal…

Bestselling author, podcast host, social media sensation, life coach and former monk Jay Shetty is expanding his media footprint, now launching a talent agency, Variety has learned exclusively. Shetty, along with partners Rula Zaabri, Brittany Louks and Blaire Zierke, has announced the formation of House of 1212, a full-service, purpose-driven talent agency that will represent…

Half the battle in pulling together a creatively successful true-crime documentary is, surely, finding the right story — one that can hold our interest and can, potentially, generate insights beyond the simple facts of the case. But the other half, the filmmaker’s approach, matters every bit as much. In narrating the famous tale of a…

Odin’s Eye Animation has picked up sales rights to “Shimmy: The First Monkey King,” an animated family entertainment film that is rare official China-U.S. coproduction. Sales activity will begin at the European Film Market starting next week alongside the Berlin Film Festival. The story involves Shimmy, a cheeky monkey with newly discovered superhero-like powers who…

Paul Mescal, nominated for best actor at the BAFTAs and Oscars for “Aftersun,” has reacted to the emotional timing when the latter nod was announced. The Oscar nomination announcement came as Mescal’s mother Dearbhla was preparing to go into chemotherapy for cancer, as revealed by his sister Nell. Speaking to Martha Kearney on BBC Radio…

Berlin-based sales company M-Appeal will be handling eight films by Academy Award winner Ryûsuke Hamaguchi made between 2008-2016. The deal follows M-Appeal’s previous collaboration with Hamaguchi and producer Satoshi Takata, of NEOPA Inc., in 2021 on the film “Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy,” which premiered in Berlinale Competition and won the Silver Bear Grand Jury…

Sling TV, the internet-streaming division of Dish Network, is doubling down on free, ad-supported streaming television (FAST) and free, ad-supported VOD — looking to beef up its offering for consumers who balk at paying a monthly subscription fee. The redubbed Sling Freestream is launching with 210 free channels and 41,000-plus on-demand titles. It’s a rebranding…