Actualités

Upstart Ivorian production company Aby Media, founded by Bernard and Kimberley Azria and Brazilian powerhouse Globo, have unveiled a new production-distribution agreement for a slate of popular Globo scripted titles. Under the new deal, Aby Media will be authorized to produce and distribute local versions of several Globo shows in the territory.

Both Aby Media and Globo will be at this year’s Mip Africa in Cape Town, held from Sept. 2-4, where they will showcase their slate of formats.

Among the shows set to be adapted or distributed by Aby Media in Africa are “Pantanal,” “Total Dreamer,” “Shades of Sin” and “The Other Side of Paradise.” By producing local versions of the show, the partnership is intended to satisfy increasingly diverse demands from the audience.

“Having distributed Globo finished content in Africa for almost three decades, I’m particularly happy and proud to initiate with Globo this unprecedented landmark venture,...

Trigger Warning! This article contains mention of sexual assault.

Brazilian melodrama Desperate Lies follows Liana's complicated journey as she navigates pregnancy with twins fathered by different men. The talented cast, including Juliana Paes, Vladimir Brichta, and Felipe Abib, brings to life the drama, tragedy, and romance of the story. Created by Dark Days' Angela Chaves, Desperate Lies adopts the elements of a classic telenovela, spanning years of secrets and family drama.

Netflix drama Desperate Lies tells a story that spans decades, requiring a sizeable, talented cast to bring the tale to the small screen. The Brazilian melodrama, created by Dark Days' Angela Chaves, adopts many elements of a great telenovela. There's tragedy, drama, and romance, but with a nostalgic edge as the story carries out over several years. Of course, Desperate Lies wouldn't have been possible without its cast, which includes Brazilian stars like Juliana Paes, Vladimir Brichta, Felipe Abib,...

For Heavens Sake

“Heavens: The Boy and His Robot,” a Singapore-produced movie, will have its world and commercial premiere in Japanese cinemas this November. The film is Singapore’s first live-action feature film of the mecha genre, a genre of Japanese manga and anime that features or focuses on mechanical innovations such as robots and cyborgs.

The film is an action-adventure drama with offbeat humor, following the journey of a struggling young pilot, Kai, and his fighter mecha, Little Dragon. Set against a backdrop of epic galactic warfare, the movie explores Kai’s dream of joining the Mecha Corps to bring peace to a war-torn world and the unique friendship that develops between him and his mecha.

The film is very much the product of Rich Ho, who serves as producer, director, writer, film music composer, art director, set designer, director of photography and co-visual effects supervisor.

Distribution in Japan...

Stalwart Marvel Studios executive Victoria Alonso has been promoted to president of physical and post production, visual effects, and animation production.

The 15-year veteran will oversee those departments across all Marvel film and series efforts. She was promoted from executive vice president and continues to report to Marvel Studios co-president Louis D’Esposito.

“Victoria has been an incredible partner and part of our team since the very first ‘Iron Man,’” said Marvel Studios president and chief creative officer Kevin Feige and D’Esposito in a joint statement “She is one of the most dynamic, candid and accessible executives in the industry and we’re thrilled that she’ll continue to be by our side in this elevated role as we lead Marvel Studios into the future.”

Alonso said that “when Louis first suggested I come to work with the team on ‘Iron Man,’ I never could have imagined the adventure ahead,...

Brazilian TV giant Globo has brought to this year’s Natpe conference in Miami one of its biggest access prime time hits in the last eight years. “A Life Worth Living” underscores that, as Globo and its Svod service Globoplay explore ever more shorter series formats – “Second Call,” “Aruanas,” telenovelas and melodrama are still kings in Latin America.

With a daily audience of 36 million, the show turns on Paloma (Grazi Massafera), a dreamy seamstress and mother of three whose life is turned upside down when she’s diagnosed with a terminal disease. Wrongly, as she later discovers, along with the really terminally ill Alberto (Antonio Fagundes) a wealthy book publisher, on the verge of death. Between them a friendship blossoms inspired by a common love of literature and an awareness of how finite life is.

Variety talked with novela writers Rosane Svartman and Paulo Halm- whose work together has...