Zhang Yimou Poised to Make Series Debut – Global Bulletin

ZHANG SERIES DEBUT

Zhang Yimou, China’s most enduring filmmaker, is joining the worldwide shift by feature film directors into the streaming arena.

Zhang, who directed “Full River Red,” the most successful film of 2023 in China, is to be involved with his first TV series. He will executive produce “The First Shot,” his representatives confirmed to Variety.

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The show is to be directed by Xing Lu and is backed by Tencent Video. It is currently in development, with a tentative air date in 2025. That’s because Zhang has a film directing project with an anticipated Chinese New Year release date, due to begin shooting this summer.

SAKAMOTO DEAL

Award-winning Japanese screenwriter Sakamoto Yuji will partner with Netflix over the next five years to develop a range of titles to premiere only on the streaming platform. “In Love and Deep Water,” set to be released later this year, promises to be Sakamoto’s most ambitious film and his largest in scale to date. The romantic mystery takes place aboard a luxury cruise ship and stars Yoshizawa Ryo and Miyazaki Aoi. Sakamoto won the screenplay award at the recent Cannes film festival for “Monster,” directed by Kore-eda Hirokazu Kore-eda, who previously partnered with Netflix on his debut series “The Makanai: Cooking for the Maiko House.” Sakamoto’s previous notable works include “Beautiful Bouquet,” the social phenomenon “Tokyo Love Story” and “Mother,” which has been remade in many countries and become a worldwide hit.

ANSELM SALES

Sideshow and Janus have acquired all U.S. rights to Wim Wenders’ “Anselm,” a documentary on celebrated contemporary artist Anselm Kiefer. Shot at 6K resolution and returning to the 3D format Wenders previously utilized in his Academy Award-nominated documentary “Pina,” “Anselm” had its world premiere as a special screening at this year’s Cannes film festival. It is produced by Karsten Brünig for Road Movies and executive produced by Jeremy Thomas. Sideshow and Janus Films are planning a theatrical release following fall festivals.

Sales agent, HanWay has distribution for the film in France with Films Du Losange, Germany with DCM, Benelux with Cherry Pickers, Greece with The Film Group, Italy with Lucky Red, Spain with A Contracorriente, Portugal with Alambique, Poland with New Horizons, Australia and New Zealand with Madman, China with DDDream and NonStop releasing in Scandinavia, Iceland and the Baltics.

CINEMA FOR PEACE

Pope Francis, Ukranian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and Oscar-nominated filmmaker Evgeny Afineevsky are being honored with Cinema for Peace awards for their contributions to the freedom of Ukraine and humanitarian efforts to protect civilians and in particular children who lost their lives in the Ukrainian-Russian war.

The Berlin-based charity on Wed. hosted a gala screening of Afineevsky’s film “Freedom on Fire: Ukraine’s Fight for Freedom,” at the European University of Rome.

AWARD

Women in Film and Television U.K. awarded Glassworks junior colourist Daniela Rotaru with the Elouise Carden Rising Star Award for Post Production at the org’s summer party in London on Wednesday night. The award was presented in partnership with Viacom International Studios

The award is given in memory of Elouise Carden, going MD and co-owned of Rapid Pictures and Radiant Post Production, who passed away in 2020.

“It’s a great pleasure to be able to shine a spotlight on an area of the industry where women remain unrepresented,” said WFTV CEO Katie Bailiff. “This award recognises and celebrates the new generation of women who are coming up through the post production pipeline – Daniela, a junior colourist, is a true rising star and we’re delighted she’s this year’s winner.”

LUCCA COMICS

Italy’s Lucca Comics & Games event, which is Europe’s biggest pop culture and cosplay meet, have launched the poster created by Israeli twin brothers Asaf and Tomer Hanuka for the event’s 2023 edition, announced its theme, which is “Together,” plus some hot talents expected to attend.

Tomer Hanuka is a The New Yorker illustrator, while Asaf is a comic book artist and animator whose work includes “Waltz With Bashir” and an upcoming adaptation for the big screen of Italian author Roberto Saviano’s graphic novel “Still Alive.” 

First announced Lucca guests include Japanese manga artist and musician Naoki Urasawa; prominent U.S. comics writers Garth Ennis (“Preacher,” “The Boys”); Howard Chaykin (“American Flagg!”); graphic novelist Craig Thompson (“Blankets”); DC Comics president Jim Lee; Spanish illustrator Luis Royo; South Korean science fiction writer Kim Bo-young and American actor Joe Manganiello who played Flash Thompson in Sam Raimi’s 2002 “Spider-Man,” the movie that started the superhero craze.

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