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Music major BMG, owned by German media giant Bertelsmann, reported record profitability and an organic revenue gain of 8.1 percent for 2024 on Monday. Revenue grew 6.4 percent on a reported basis to €963 million ($1.04 billion), “fueled by the successful execution of its BMG Next strategy, strong organic growth, and content investments in the music publishing and recorded music sectors.”

Digital revenue jumped 16 percent, accounting for 68 percent of total revenue, up from 63 percent in 2023. That was “driven primarily by streaming,” the company said.

The company’s adjusted operating earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (Ebitda) rose by 37 percent to €265 million ($287 million). “The Ebitda margin also reached an all-time high of 28 percent (previous year: 21 percent),” it highlighted. “BMG achieved record profitability and its strongest ever financial results due to the outstanding work of its artists and songwriters and the success of its BMG Next strategy.”

In its recorded music segment, BMG touted “notable success...

If you like Euro-crime and haven’t seen this one you’re in for a real treat. English killers are on the road in Spain, executing a hit on a ‘Supergrass’ who’s spent ten years in protective custody. The brilliant cast — Terence Stamp, John Hurt, Tim Roth and Laura Del Sol give the criminal twists extra credibility. The suspenseful show is one of Stephen Frears’ best, and it builds to a highly satisfying conclusion. It’s also the feature debut of Tim Roth, and as such shouldn’t be missed.

The Hit

Blu-ray

The Criterion Collection 469

1984 / Color / 1:78 widescreen / 98 min. / available through The Criterion Collection / Street Date October 20, 2020 / 39.95

Starring: Terence Stamp, John Hurt, Tim Roth, Laura Del Sol, Fernando Rey, Bill Hunter, Jim Broadbent.

Cinematography: Mike Molloy

Film Editor: Mick Audsley

Original Music: Paco de Lucía

Written by Peter Prince

Produced by Jeremy Thomas

Directed by Stephan Frears

Class-act...

Rosalía’s El Mal Querer, an impressive fusion of old-school flamenco and hyper-modern electronic production, won Album of the Year at the Latin Grammy Awards on Thursday night in Las Vegas. Rosalía produced the album with El Guincho, and despite minimal radio play Stateside, it has earned around 40 million streams in the U.S. this year, according to the analytics company Alpha Data.

Rosalía was competing against Sebastián Yatra, Tony Succar, Ximena Sariñana, Alejandro Sanz, Luis Fonsi, Fonseca, Andrés Calamaro, Rubén Blades and Paula Arenas. Notably absent this year were...

J Balvin, the Colombian reggaeton star, was nominated for more awards than any other artist at the Latin Grammys on Thursday. In two separate categories, Record of the Year and Best Urban Song, he was even nominated multiple times. He deserves the attention: Behind Ozuna, he’s the second most-watched singer on the planet (thanks to his mind-bogglingly large audience on YouTube), with an intuitive grasp of melody and an already-long list of eminently hummable hooks; his Vibras album was handsome and tightly knit, but also strong enough on a...

Benjamín Naishtat wins best director Silver Shell for Rojo.

Spanish production Between Two Waters (Entre Dos Aguas) by Isaki Lacuesta has won the top award at the San Sebastián Film Festival, marking a second Golden Shell for the Spanish director who after claiming the top prize in 2011 for The Double Steps.

Between Two Waters tells the story of two Roman brothers who meet again after years apart, one having spent some time in prison, the other in the army.

The title is a Spanish expression that translates to “neither here nor there”, and is also the title of a classic...

Lorenzo Vigas’ Venice Golden Lion winner From Afar and César Augusto Acevedo’s Cannes Critics Week France 4 Visionary Award winner Land And Shade will screen at the International Film Festival of Panama.

Both selections will play in the Ibero American Showcase under the auspices of Iff Panama 2016, which runs from April 7-13.

Italian actress Lucía Bosé will be guest of honour at the festival’s fifth edition when three of films will screen — Death Of A Cyclist, Story Of A Love Affair, and No Peace Under The Olive Tree. High Heels will screen in special presentation.

Ibero American Showcase entries include Anna Muylaert’s Brazilian foreign language Oscar submission My Second Mother, Álex de la Iglesia’s My Big Night (Spain), 3 Beauties (Venezuela) by Carlos Caridad-Montero, and Spy Time (Spain) by Javier Ruiz Caldera.

Rounding out the section are: The Apostate (Spain-France-Uruguay) by Federico Veiroj; Road To La Paz (Argentina) by Francisco Varone; Semana Santa (Mexico) by [link...

Sarajevo Film Festival’s Laško Sumer Nights line-up revealed.

The 21st Sarajevo Film Festival (Aug 14-22) has unveiled the titles that will make up its Laško Sumer Nights strand, screened at the Open Air Cinema Vatrogasac.

The selection includes Amy Winehouse documentary Amy, directed by Asif Kapadia, which debuted at Cannes, and Laura Poitras’s Edward Snowden doc Citizenfour.

Other titles include:

B-Movie: Lust & Sound In West-Berlin 1979-1989 (Germany)

Dirs: Jörg A. Hoppe, Klaus Maeck, Heiko Lange

Cobain: Montage Of Heck (Us)

Dir: Brett Morgen

A German Youth (Fra-Swi-Ger)

Dir: Jean-Gabriel Périot

One Day In Sarajevo (B&H, Aus)

Dir: Jasmila Žbanić

Paco De Lucía: A Journey (Spain)

Dir: Curro Sánchez

The Wolfpack (Us)

Dir: Crystal Moselle...

As 19 titles are revealed for the Zabaltegi section, Danis Tanovic’s Tigers is added to the official competition and The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby has entered the Pearls section.

The 62nd San Sebastian Festival has unveiled the titles for its Zabaltegi section, a non-competitive strand featuring a variety of films, documentaries, shorts and television.

This year’s line-up will include world premieres of four features made in Spain: Virginia García del Pino’s Basilio Martín Patino. The Tenth Letter; Borja Cobeaga’s Negotiator; Francisco Sánchez Varela’s Paco De Lucía: La Búsqueda; and Pedro González Bermúdez’s documentary When Bette Davis Bids Farewell.

The strand will also include the Spanish premieres of the latest works by Ulrich Seidl and Kazuyoshi Kumakiri as well as a screening of Bruno Dumont’s TV series Lil´Quinquin.

In addition, Danis Tanovic’s Tigers will compete in the Official Selection, while the Pearls section has added Ned Benson’s relationship...

Source: Getty Arizona Governor Jan Brewer vetoed the state's controversial anti-lgbt bill yesterday. The bill would have made it legal for businesses to discriminate against gays and lesbians due to religious reasons. Pippa Middleton joked about her famous bridesmaid dress at the royal wedding, saying that it maybe "fit too well." Trending on Google: The Americans returned with its second season last night and everyone is worked up about it! Seth Rogen and Ben Affleck visited Washington yesterday to promote causes close to their hearts. Ben spoke about issues in the Republic of Congo, while Seth testified about Alzheimer's disease. Watch Seth's moving testimony below. Famed Flamenco guitarist Paco de Lucia died yesterday at the age of 66. There's a new polar vortex settling in across the Us today, with 49 states currently below freezing. The lucky state that's not freezing? Hawaii, of course. The United States warned Russia about getting involved...

One of the world's most celebrated flamenco guitarists

The fame and influence of the guitarist Paco de Lucía, who has died aged 66 from a suspected heart attack, reached far beyond the intense and sometimes enclosed world of Spanish flamenco. His musical role in Carlos Saura's Carmen (1983) was as arresting in its way as the first glimpse of Laura del Sol, the film's luminous lead. The director-choreographer Saura cleverly reinvented the opera as a contemporary fable while retaining the original's elements of passion, possession, jealousy and obsession. De Lucía's interpretation respectfully returned Bizet's score – a French fantasy of Spain – to its Moorish antecedents. He also gave Carmen's timeless melodies a fresh, international appeal that chimed with the movie's arthouse success.

De Lucía had begun to broaden his horizons in the late 1960s, on teaming up with the charismatic young singer Camarón de la Isla. Their partnership yielded many...

Famed Flamenco Guitarist Paco de Lucia, who revolutionized the Spanish music genre, died on Wednesday in Mexico. He was 66.

Paco de Lucia Dies

De Lucia is believed to have suffered a heart attack on Wednesday while playing music with family members on a Cancun beach. He died on his way to a local hospital, reported CNN.

Joining forces with singer Camaron de la Isla in the 60s kicked off de Lucia's successful turn in the music industry. Together, they released more than 10 records, which varied between the more traditional to those infused with rock and pop sensibilities. One of de Lucia’s most popular songs was “Entre Dos Aguas (Between Two Waters).”

Throughout his illustrious career, de Lucia modernized flamenco, allowing it to reach a broader audience than ever before. Teaming up with guitarists like Eric Clapton and Al Di Meola, the Algeciras, Spain native brought his music to the mainstream.

Variety says that director Stephen Frears, writer Peter Prince and producer Jeremy Thomas are reuniting to remake their 1984 film, The Hit . In the original, Terence Stamp plays Willie, a gangster's henchman turned "supergrass" (informer) trying to live in peaceful hiding in a remote Spanish village. Sun-dappled bliss turns to nerve-racking suspense, however, when two hit men--played by a soulless John Hurt and a youthful, loose-cannon Tim Roth--come a-calling to bring Willie back for execution. Eric Clapton created music for the film with guitarist Paco de Lucía. Thomas says the remake moves the action to Mexico and the U.S.

The 30th annual Vancouver International Film Festival (Viff) is starting to finally announce their roster of films with an outstanding line-up of documentaries that celebrate the power of cinema and the arts across the Dance, Music, Theatre and the Visual Arts mediums. Legendary filmmakers Wim Wenders , Frederick Wiseman, and Mike Figgis are among the talent presenting films at the festival this year which runs from September 29-October 14th. Here is a taste of what to expect so far:

Pina

Germany/France/UK | Director: Wim Wenders

One German master more than does justice to another as Wim Wenders fashions a kinetic and gorgeous tribute to the singular German choreographer and dancer Pina Bausch. “Entertainment that will send culture vultures swooning… the film lets the artist’s work speak for itself via big, juicy slabs of performance.” — Variety

Flamenco, Flamenco

Spain | Director: Carlos Saura

Carlos Saura continues to mine a rich vein...