CHAMPION CAMPION
The Sydney Film Festival will present ‘Jane Campion – Her Way,’ a retrospective of films by the pioneering director. Campion herself will appear in conversation with David Stratton on June 10 at the 2023 edition of the festival, its 70th anniversary presentation (June 7-18).
Held in association with ACMI and the National Film and Sound Archive, ‘Jane Campion – Her Way’ will encompass screenings of all nine of Campion’s feature films, as well as a selection of her short films. The selection will go on to tour the ACMI in Melbourne (June 15 – July 2) and at NFSA in Canberra (July 20-30).
“For our 70th edition, we wanted to present a retrospective commensurate with the milestone, reflecting the audacious and boundary pushing filmmaking synonymous with our festival and region. Campion is a ground-breaking filmmaker who has made a profound impact on cinema with her daring and unforgettable films,” said Sydney Film Festival director Nashen Moodley.
Popular on Variety
“Campion has broken barriers for women in the industry, winning two Academy Awards and becoming the first woman to receive the Palme d’Or at Cannes. She has changed the landscape of cinema around the world, crafting films now etched in film history. It will be remarkable to see the full suite of her talents in one program, which take us to unexpected and exciting places with every frame and film.”
“Jane Campion, The Cinema Woman,” a 2022 documentary from French director Julie Bertuccelli, about the Campion, her life and work, will also be screened as part of the retrospective.
HOME FOR HARPER
Sophie Harper has been appointed as executive director of the Australian Directors’ Guild. She will take up the role on May 29. Harper is currently the senior fund manager at Screen Canberra where she has most recently managed programs including the A$5 million ($3.5 million) CBR Screen Fund for the state government. Previously, Harper was based in Denmark from 2009 – 2015, holding a variety of roles at the European Film College including vice principal, head creative documentary, principal (acting) and head of producing. On her return to Australia, Harper created and hosted the hit podcast “Not By Accident,” which has been downloaded more than two million times. Previously she worked at both Screen Australia and the Australian Film Commission in various roles including that of governance and compliance manager.
VENICE MARKET
Projects from Germany and Quebec seeking gap financing will be the focus of this year’s Venice Production Bridge, the informal market of the upcoming Venice Film Festival. The market will take place on the Lido Aug 31-Sept. 5, while the 80th edition of the festival will run Aug. 30–Sept. 9.
SLUNG OUT
The Singapore High Court has issued an order to block 20 streaming sites and associated domains responsible for the distribution of illegally streamed content in Singapore. Under the order, internet service providers must disable access to these sites and their associated domains. The order is the latest in an ongoing campaign by Coalition Against Piracy members BBC Studios, LaLiga, the Premier League and TVB International, that has seen the blocking of almost 300 sites that were offering access to sought-after content including premium sports, drama and entertainment.
LIV ACTION
Sony LIV’s 1st Malayalam-language original, “Jai Mahendran,” a political drama, has begun production. The show focuses on the life of Mahendran, a manipulative officer who believes in getting things done through powerplay and by use of his influence within the system. However, his freedom within the office comes to a halt and his ideologies get challenged, as he becomes the victim of the same powerplay. In an attempt to safeguard his job and restore his reputation, he plans to sabotage an entire system to his advantage.
“Jai Mahendran” is overseen by award-winning filmmaker Rahul Riji Nair as writer, producer and showrunner and the show is directed by Srikanth Mohan. The show features a cast including: Saiju Kurup, Suhasini, Miya, Suresh Krishna, Maniyanpilla Raju, Balachandran Chullikad, Vishnu Govindan, Sidhartha Siva, and Rahul Riji Nair in pivotal roles.
DEADLY TRAILER
Prime Video, has unveiled the trailer of Indian true crime docu-series “Dancing On The Grave.” The Amazon Original series documents and investigates the sudden disappearance and mysterious murder of Shakereh Khaleeli, who belonged to an illustrious family in Bangalore. Produced by India Today Originals Production, written and directed by Patrick Graham and co-written by Kanishka Singh Deo, “Dancing on The Grave” will premiere worldwide on April 21.
The trailer provides a glimpse into the life and the gruesome death of Shakereh Khaleeli (nee Namazie), a beautiful heiress who left everything behind to marry another man. The series examines her motivation for upheaval and the events that led to her disappearance without a trace?
See the trailer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LeDZTRlJadA
