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When Mojean Aria was asked to teach a week-long acting workshop for the Australian Institute of Performing Arts (Aipa), he agreed on one condition: they offer a free place to an aspiring young actor of Middle Eastern or North African (Mena) background.

As such, a scholarship has been established for one student (aged 12-18) from the Mena community to cover all meals, accommodation and classes during Aria’s six day, five-night residential masterclass next month.

Throughout the week, students will work with Aria – who stars with Jason Momoa in AppleTV’s See and will next be seen with Hugh Jackman in Lisa Joy’s Reminiscence – covering topics such as scene work and building a character. Industry professionals from the US will also Zoom in to give advice, guidance and feedback.

Of Iranian heritage, Aria pushed for the scholarship in order to spread awareness in the communities he grew up in...

Mojean Aria with Marilee Talkington in ‘See.’

Mojean Aria is in the midst of filming the biggest role of his career in a Warner Bros sci-fi thriller alongside one of his heroes in Hugh Jackman, plus Rebecca Ferguson, Thandie Newton, Cliff Curtis and Daniel Wu.

Jackman stars in Reminiscence as Nicolas Bannister, a war veteran living in a near-future Miami flooded by rising seas who has a special power: offering clients the chance to relive any memory they desire.

His life changes when he meets and embarks on a passionate affair with Ferguson’s Mae. But when another client’s memories implicate Mae in a series of violent crimes, he must uncover the truth about the woman he fell for.

Shooting in New Orleans, the film marks the directing debut of Westworld executive producer Lisa Joy, who wrote the screenplay and is producing with her Kilter Film partner Jonathan Nolan...

Australian actor Mojean Aria will star in the independent immigrant drama “Thief of Sleep” with filming planned for Scotland in February.

Producers include “Jojo Rabbit’s” Chelsea Winstanley and “Beasts of No Nations” executive producer Tommee May through her Come What May Productions.

“Thief of Sleep” will be directed by Darwin Serink from a script he wrote with playwright Stuart Thomas. Serink made the short film “Aban + Khorshid,” which won the Lgbtq Emerging Filmmaker Showcase during the Cannes Film Festival. Aria starred in the short.

Winstanley’s producing credits also include “What We Do in the Shadows,” directed by her spouse Taika Waititi, and “Merata.”

Aria won the Heath Ledger Scholarship Award and starred as the young Jake Lamotta in “The Bronx Bull.” He will be seen next alongside Jason Momoa in “See,” the upcoming series launching on Apple TV+, written by creator Steven Knight, directed by Francis Lawrence and produced by Peter Chernin.

Exclusive: Highlander creator to direct first film since The Prophecy; team also includes UK outfit Bad Penny Productions.

An eclectic array of international producers are assembling on intriguing European Film Market (Efm) script See How We Are, the new project from Gregory Widen, the creator of the Highlander and The Prophecy franchises.

Producers on the fantasy project include Stephen L’Heureux (Sin City: A Dame to Kill For) of Solipsist Films, Phin Glynn (Mad to be Normal) of Bad Penny Productions and Wild Tales [pictured], The Secret In Their Eyes and Neruda producer Axel Kuschevatzky.

Widen, who also wrote 90’s thriller Backdraft, has written the script and will direct, marking only his second feature as director after the first instalment in The Prophecy (1995) franchise, starring Christopher Walken and Viggo Mortensen.

Bad Penny Productions, the fledgling UK outfit whose slate includes David Tennant projects Mad To Be Normal and You, Me And Him, will also finance...