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The British Film Institute has announced the eight feature films selected for this year’s “Great 8” initiative at the Cannes Marché du Film, featuring a new generation of UK directors making their first or second films. The initiative, now in its eighth year, pairs rising talent with international buyers and programmers through curated screenings and digital showcases.

One of the high-profile selections is Animol, the debut feature from Top Boy actor Ashley Walters. Written by Nick Love and produced by Walters alongside Sky, Film4, the BFI, and Joi Productions, the film stars Tut Nyuot and Stephen Graham. It follows 15-year-old Troy, who is incarcerated for a murder he didn’t commit. Inside a notorious Young Offenders’ Institution, he forms a bond with another inmate, Krystiyan, as the pressure of survival escalates. Walters, known for his music career with So Solid Crew and his breakout role in Bullet Boy, brings his...

Ashley Walters’ feature directorial debut Animol and Celyn Jones’ second feature, Madfabulous, are among the eight projects taking part in the 2025 Cannes Great 8 online showcase of UK feature films from first-and second-time UK filmmakers.

Animol is written by Nick Love, with Joy Gharoro-Akpojotor among the producers. It is a BFI, Film4 and Sky-backed coming-of-age story that takes place within the confines of a young offenders’ institution. Stephen Graham, with whom Walters’ co-starred in Netflix seriesAdolescence,is among the cast.

Madfabulous is Jones’ second film followingThe Almond And The Seahorse.Set in the 19th century, it isinspired by the flamboyant life...

The British Council and British Film Institute have unveiled the crop of films that will make up its annual Great 8 lineup of projects to be showcased in Cannes.

The features — from either first-time or early career filmmakers — will be introduced and screened to buyers and festival programmers in Cannes, where all eight will be available to distributors at the market.

This year marks the eighth year of the Great 8 initiative, funded and produced by the BFI and British Council with thanks to BBC Film and Film 4. Previous films to have been selected include Charlotte Wells’ “Aftersun,” Rungano Nyoni’s “I Am Not A Witch” and Rose Glass’s “Saint Maud.”

“The 8th edition of Great 8 shows once again that UK film is in rude health with an upcoming slate that we can be proud of,” said Briony Hanson, the British Council’s Director of Film. “Again, this shows off...

First-look pictures have landed for Celyn Jones’s Madfabulous, a feature film inspired by the flamboyant life of the fifth Marquess of Anglesey, Henry Paget.

It’s set in the late 19th century and stars It’s A Sin’s Callum Scott Howells as rebellious aristocrat Paget, with Rocks star Ruby Stokes as the woman whose life is sparked by his arrival on the island.

Paget arrives from France to live at the family’s castle on the island of Anglesey in Wales, bringing his lavish and riotous lifestyle with him. Rupert Everett, Paul Rhys, Louis Hynes, Louise Brealey and Tom Rhys-Harries also star.

Celyn Jones has started filming Madfabulous in Wales, as the cast for his latest movie as director gets filled out. More here.

Earlier this year, a man best known for his acting and screenwriting – Celyn Jones – shifted into the director’s chair for the first time with the movie The Almond & The Seahorse (pictured). Actually, already, that’s not quite true. He shot that movie originally with co-director Tom Stern a couple of years back, then overhauled it in post-production. Co-starring with Rebel Wilson, the film notched up solid notices on its UK release.

Around the time of its release, Celyn Jones was talking about his next project as director, that was pretty much ready to go. That’d be Madfabulous, that he confirmed to Film Stories is now up and running in Wales.

The film is set in the 19th century, and it tells the story of the fifth Marquess of Anglesey.

Ruby Stokes, the original Francesca actor in Bridgerton, joins the new 19th-century-set movie Madfabulous. Madfabulous reimagines history through Marquess of Anglesey Henry Paget's lavish life and breaking of social and gender boundaries. Stokes' work in Bridgerton makes her perfect for the role of Lily, Henry's best friend, alongside the rest of the large cast.

Bridgerton's original Francesca actor Ruby Stokes has joined the cast of an upcoming, alternate history movie set in the 19th century titled Madfabulous. Stokes was originally part of the cast of Bridgerton during seasons 1 and 2, having a recurring role as one of the middle sisters in the large, titular family. However, her role was recast in season 3, with Hannah Dodd stepping into her shoes as the character became a central part of the show. Even so, Stokes' performance remains a memorable part of the show's earlier seasons.

Now, Deadline reports that Stokes will be joining...

Exclusive: Rupert Everett and Ruby Stokes (Bridgerton) have signed on to join Madfabulous, a 19th-century-set feature from director Celyn Jones, which has just rolled cameras in Wales.

Described as a “fantastical reimagining set in the late 19th Century,” the film is inspired by the life of the fifth Marquess of Anglesey. Per the official synopsis, the story follows the outrageous Henry Paget, a flamboyant character, so ahead of his time that he smashes through society’s protocols of elitism and gender. Known for his gregarious theatrical expressions, exuberant sense of fashion, and lavish social life, Paget spent a multi-million-pound fortune before his untimely death at age twenty-nine.

We announced back in May that Callum Scott Howells (It’s A Sin) signed on to star in the lead role of Henry Paget. Stokes joins alongside Scott Howells to star as Lily, Henry’s best friend,...

This piece first appeared in the February 2021 issue of Empire.

Russell T Davies is exhausted. The story he's had on his mind for decades is finally arriving on television, in the form of visceral, angry, funny, transgressive five-part drama It’s A Sin, and he's still coming to terms with it. When Empire meets Davies, 57, in a London hotel bar, he's still processing it. "I think I'm stunned that, having wanted to write this for about 30 years, we've actually made it." he explains. "And now I'm a little bit bereft."

Once he gets going though, digging deep into the show's long difficult glorious birth, he doesn't seem bereft at all. He's burning with excitement and pride, in fact, palpably thrilled that he's managed to tell the stories of his friends from the 1980s and the virus that cut a swathe through their lives. The series isn't so much broadly autobiographical...

Exclusive: It’s A Sin star Callum Scott Howells has been tapped to play flamboyant and rebellious aristocrat Henry Paget in indie film Madfabulous, which is due to shoot this summer.

The Mad As Birds (Poms) production will be directed by Celyn Jones (The Almond And The Seahorse) and will chart the true story of the fifth Marquess of Anglesey who in the late 19th Century eschewed societal protocols of class and gender with his theatrical expressions and lavish social life, spending a multi-million pound fortune before his untimely death aged 29.

The British peer, dubbed “the dancing marquess”, was known for wearing voluminous robes, cross-dressing and his fluid sexuality and gender identity, all of which contributed to him becoming the black sheep of his aristocratic family.

Filming is due to get underway on the island of Anglesey, North Wales in August.

Script comes from Anglesey-born Lisa Baker in her feature film debut.

Margot Robbie and Rosamund Pike are among the nominees for the National Film Awards.The stars of 'Barbie' and 'Saltburn' respectively will compete against talent including Patricia Hodge ('Arthur's Whiskey'), Jo Hartley ('Swede Caroline'), Eiza Gonzalez ('The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare') and Emma Stone ('Poor Things)' in a star-studded Best Actress category.This year's ceremony is set to take place on July 3 at the Porchester Hall in London and marks the 10th anniversary of the prestigious awards. It will feature a lineup of nominees from around the globe consisting of seasoned acting veterans and emerging young talents.The Best Actor category is equally competitive with stars including Barry Keoghan ('Saltburn), Kevin Hart ('Lift') and Ewan McGregor ('Bleeding Love') competing for the prize with Kane Robinson ('The Kitchen') and Lakeith Stanfield ('Book of Clarence').Meanwhile,...

BAFTA has announced the winners of the BAFTA Television Craft Awards, presented at a ceremony held on Sunday night in London. The awards celebrate the creativity, skill, and craft of behind-the-scenes television talent and the best programs of 2023.

The following won two BAFTAs each:

Charlie Brooker and Bisha K Ali won the Writer Drama category and Stephan Pehrsson won for Photography & Lighting Fiction for Demon 79 (Black Mirror). Nikki Parsons, Ollie Bartlett and Richard Valentine won the Director: Multi-camera category, and Julio Himede, Tim Routledge, Kojo Samuel, Michael Sharp and Dan Shipton won Entertainment Craft Team for Eurovision Song Contest 2023. The Editing Team behind Once Upon a Time in Northern Ireland won Editing: Factual and the documentary’s composer Simon Russell won Original Music: Factual. Atli Örvarsson won Original Music: Fiction and Gavin Bocquet and Amanda Bernstein won Production Design for their work on Silo. The Sound Team behind Slow Horses won Sound: Fiction,...

Amusing, uplifting, and about as sugary and teeth-sabotaging as caramelized popcorn, The Beautiful Game celebrates the healing power of team sports for those who might feel pushed to society’s margins by misfortune or choice. Although prefaced with the vague assurance that it’s based on true stories, this comedy-drama by eminent British screenwriter Frank Cottrell-Boyce (The Railway Man) and directed by Thea Sharrock (Wicked Little Letters) is a tidily assembled, happy-ending-hewing narrative package that revolves mostly around the fortunes of a half dozen unhoused men, competing for England in the Homeless World Cup.

Bill Nighy stars as the team’s manager, a former scout for major London football club West Ham, who takes the team to Rome, where he must also accommodate each player’s foibles and faults, including the arrogance of star striker Vinnie (Micheal Ward, of Empire of Light). After a short theatrical run in the U.

The Beautiful Game by Thea Sharrock is available on Netflix now. The movie depicts the lives of homeless people and the adversities they face. As a sports drama film filled with characters wrestling with their demons, The Beautiful Game shows how the Homeless World Cup, as an initiative, works to raise awareness about homelessness, a raging social issue in almost every country in the world. But again, the point isn’t just to raise awareness. By giving this opportunity to people who have lost hope in themselves, this initiative intends to uplift these people and reinstate them in a society where they can function for their renewed self-esteem. The Homeless World Cup helps people believe in themselves again. The film surely sticks close to reality and pays homage to all those people around the world suffering without a roof above their heads. It presents an array of different characters who...

Coming off a well-deserved first-ever Oscar nomination, Bill Nighy has a new worthwhile movie to add to his highly impressive filmography. The Beautiful Game is, on its surface, another well-worn story of a ragtag team of misfits coming together for validation not just in their football (i.e. soccer) skills but, more importantly, in their lives. And even though we have seen countless underdog stories like this one set on a playing field, we actually haven’t seen one quite like this in terms of the welcome spotlight it puts on the homeless population among us. The timing is particularly pertinent as many major cities seem to a war going on with the homeless, a complete lack of empathy toward what gets a person to this point in life and a solution for lifting them out of it.

The Beautiful Game is not focused on the politics of their lot in life,...

An assortment of familiar life-as-sport metaphors get a healthy workout in “The Beautiful Game,” a story of underdog athletes for whom winning may not be everything, though it’s a welcome distraction from greater obstacles. For many viewers, Thea Sharrock’s cheery Netflix entertainment may serve as an introduction to the real-life event on which it’s based: the Homeless World Cup, an annual soccer tournament bringing together displaced or dispossessed players from nearly 50 countries, playing not merely for a trophy but for a second shot at life. As a premise for an inspirational sports drama, that’s close to unbeatable, and no amount of rote writing in Frank Cottrell-Boyce’s patchy script can dim the film’s lump-in-the-throat effectiveness.

Though drawn from the stories of a range of Homeless World Cup players, the film ultimately centers a single team — England, of course — from the event’s international tapestry, and...

Exclusive: Madeline Brewer has been cast in Netflix’s hit psychological drama You for the show’s fifth and final season.

In a series regular role, Brewer will portray Bronte, an enigmatic and free-spirited playwright who comes to work for Joe Goldberg (Penn Badgley) at his bookstore. As the two connect over literature and loss, she stokes in him a nostalgia for his former self, causing him to question everything his life has become.

You, based on Caroline Kepnes’ best-selling novel of the same name, revolves around the question, “What would you do for love?” The series follows Joe Goldberg, a man who will do just about anything when love is at stake.

Season 4 was set in London where Joe took on the new identity of Jonathan Moore, an English professor, while following Marienne (Tati Gabrielle) around Europe. Details regarding the focus...

Netflix has debuted the first official trailer for Thea Sharrock’s ‘The Beautiful Game,’ featuring Bill Nighy.

Mal is the manager of England’s homeless football team, taking his players to Rome with the hope of being crowned champions of the Homeless World Cup, a global street soccer tournament. At the last minute, he decides to bring with them a talented striker Vinny, who could give them a real chance at winning, but only if he’s ready to let go of his past and become part of the team.

Made with the support of the Homeless World Cup, The Beautiful Game is a film of second chances – where homeless teams from around the world find that all roads lead to Rome, and everything’s to play for.

Directed by Thea Sharrock, the cast includes Bill Nighy, Micheal Ward, Susan Wokoma, Callum Scott Howells, Kit Young, Sheyi Cole, Tom Vaughan-Lawlor,...

Netflix brings us the trailer for a sports film with an interesting twist. The Beautiful Game is based on a true story of a soccer event, The Homeless World Cup. The film stars Bill Nighy, Micheal Ward, Susan Wokoma, Callum Scott Howells, Kit Young, Sheyi Cole, Tom Vaughan-Lawlor, Robin Nazari, Aoi Okuyama, Cristina Rodlo, Tadashi Watanabe, Kazuhiro Muroyama and Valeria Golino.

The official synopsis from Netflix reads,

“Mal is the manager of England’s homeless football team, taking his players to Rome with the hope of being crowned champions of the Homeless World Cup, a global street soccer tournament. At the last minute he decides to bring with them a talented striker Vinny, who could give them a real chance at winning, but only if he’s ready to let go of his past and become part of the team. Made with the support of the Homeless World Cup, The Beautiful Game...

"Everyone has a reason for being, and every player has a story to tell." Netflix has revealed a full trailer for a sports comedy called The Beautiful Game, arriving for streaming globally on Netflix later this March. Another new feature directed by British filmmaker Thea Sharrock opening this year, along with her comedy Wicked Little Letters set for US release also in March. The legendary Bill Nighy stars as Mal, the manager of England's homeless football team. He decides to take his players to Rome with the hope of being crowned champions of the Homeless World Cup, a global street soccer tournament. (Yes it really exists.) At the last minute he decides to bring a talented striker Vinny, who could give them a real chance at winning. Made with the support of the Homeless World Cup, and produced by Colin Farrell, The Beautiful Game is a film of second chances...

First of all – is the BBC allowed to air a drama without a detective or a horse-drawn carriage in it? Can somebody check?

Crime and period’s drama dominance isn’t the only modern TV trend bucked by The Way. Actor Michael Sheen’s directorial debut is a wild throwback to the society-falls-apart TV of the past: Threads. The Year of the Sex Olympics. The Guardians. Cold Lazarus… all those wiggy, provocative Nigel Kneale and Dennis Potter stories that aimed for more than just audience share.

Written by Sherwood and Quiz’s James Graham, and co-created with documentary maker Adam Curtis, The Way also aims high – too high for what it’s able to achieve in three episodes, making it much more a curio than a must-see.

The drama imagines a Welsh civil uprising that turns the country into a closed-border police state and its people into persecution-fleeing refugees. It follows the Driscolls,...

Get ready for the highly anticipated premiere of “The Way” on BBC One, airing at 9:00 Pm on Monday, February 19th, 2024. In Season 1 Episode 1, titled “The War,” viewers are plunged into a gripping tale of family dynamics, personal struggles, and unforeseen challenges.

The episode follows Geoff, a man grappling with the aftermath of his separation from his wife, Dee. His world is turned upside down when he is unexpectedly confronted by someone from his past, forcing him to confront long-buried emotions and unresolved issues.

Meanwhile, their daughter, Thea, finds herself pushed to the limit as she navigates the complexities of her relationship with her brother, Owen, who is battling the world around him. As tensions escalate and emotions run high, a shocking event sends panic rippling through the community, leaving everyone reeling in its wake.

Amidst the chaos, a heated meeting sparks a strike, further intensifying the turmoil and uncertainty gripping the town.

Playwright James Graham has teamed up with Michael Sheen for three part BBC drama, The Way. Here’s the trailer.

Michael Sheen has spent a good portion of his career playing real-life figures, perhaps most notably David Frost in Ron Howard’s film version of Peter Morgan’s Frost/Nixon.

He has also played journalist Robbie Ross in Wilde, writer Jeremy Dyson in The League Of Gentlemen’s Apocalypse, Chris Tarrant in Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? scandal drama Quiz and he played a heightened version of himself opposite David Tennant in Staged. He’s about to take on the role of Aneurin “Nye” Bevan in Tim Price’s play Nye at the National Theatre. Likewise, James Graham often writes political plays based around recent events.

The two have now teamed up for BBC drama The Way, which although it takes its inspiration from real events, follows fictional characters.

The synopsis reads as follows:

Ambitious,...

Exclusive: Michael Sheen, Adam Curtis and James Graham’s BBC drama The Way has been gestating for almost a decade but, for Good Omens star Sheen, the wait has been a necessary one.

As the BBC prepares to launch the drama set in Sheen’s hometown of Port Talbot, he told Deadline the pandemic and other recent events played an important role in shaping the script and believability of the three-part series, which is one of the broadcaster’s most anticipated of the year, bringing together three of the nation’s supreme creative talents.

Starring Sheen, who is making his directorial debut, Luke Evans (The Hobbit), Callum Scott Howells (It’s a Sin) and a wealth of talented Welsh actors, The Way tells the story of an ordinary family caught up in an extraordinary chain of events that ripple out from their home town. Driven by celebrated documentary maker Curtis, the...

Netflix kicked off February with news of the streaming service’s 2024 film slate.

The steamer, which landed 18 Oscar nominations this year – including seven for Bradley Cooper’s “Maestro” – will debut numerous populist films in 2024, including new projects from Jamie Foxx and Cameron Diaz, Mark Wahlberg and Halle Berry, Jenifer Lopez, Millie Bobby Brown, Eddie Murphy, and more.

Well-known directors with movies set to premiere on Netflix this year include Tyler Perry (two titles), McG, Richard Linklater, and Lee Daniels. Comedian Jerry Seinfeld will also make his directorial debut with “Unfrosted: The Pop-Tart Story.”

On the awards front, while it’s too early to tell which projects might pop – and what movies Netflix might acquire for release this year, similarly to how the studio purchased Todd Haynes’ “May December” at the Cannes Film Festival last year – titles to flag include “The Piano Lesson” from Malcolm Washington with Samuel L. Jackson and John David Washington,...

Netflix has unveiled a first image of Bill Nighy in The Beautiful Game, their upcoming feature about the Homeless World Cup. The sports drama will kick off on March 29, 2024. Deadline has the first look at the film, in which Nighy can be seen cheering his team to victory, as England's flag waves in the background. Nighy stars as Mal, the manager of England's Homeless World Cup team, who takes his team to Rome for the tournament. Just before leaving, he takes a chance, adding striker Vinny (Top Boy's Micheal Ward) to the team; Vinny has the talent to propel the team to a championship, but he has to conquer his own personal demons, first. The film will also star Susan Wokoma (Enola Holmes), Callum Scott Howells (It's a Sin), Kit Young (Shadow and Bone), Sheyi Cole (Full Circle), Tom Vaughan-Lawlor (Avengers: Infinity War), Robin Nazari (Snabba Cash), Aoi Okuyama...

Exclusive: Netflix has set a March 29 global launch for Homeless World Cup movie The Beautiful Game, which stars Oscar nominee Bill Nighy (Living) and BAFTA winner Micheal Ward (Top Boy).

The movie will follow Mal (Nighy), the manager of England’s homeless soccer team, who takes his players to Rome with the hope of being crowned champions of the Homeless World Cup, a global street tournament. At the last minute he decides to bring talented striker Vinny (Ward), who could give them a real chance at winning, but Vinny must overcome personal demons and embrace the team to give them a chance at winning the tournament. Above is a first-look image from the movie.

Also starring are Susan Wokoma, Callum Scott Howells, Kit Young, Sheyi Cole, Tom Vaughan-Lawlor, Robin Nazari, Aoi Okuyama, Cristina Rodlo, Tadashi Watanabe, Kazuhiro Muroyama and Valeria Golino.

The long-gestating project, which began filming in 2021, has been produced by Graham Broadbent,...

Exclusive: Tubi has acquired Aardman Animations’ series Lloyd of the Flies.

The series, originally for Citv in the UK, will be badged as a Tubi Original in the U.S. and Canada. It will launch exclusive on the free streaming service on August 6.

The 52-episode series follows Lloyd, a young fly who is the middle child of 451, who lives in an apple with his long-suffering parents, cheeky little sister and 224 maggots. Along with his best friend, woodlouse Abacus, his faces endless endless awkward, annoying and occasionally life-threatening situations largely of his own devising, because when you’re only one centimeter high, even tiny problems can lead to massive consequences.

Tom Rosenthal plays Lloyd and Alex Lawther, who we revealed on Friday is among the leads for new FX series Alien plays Abacus. Lauren Patel (Everybody’s Talking About Jamie), Callum Scott Howells (It’s a Sin), Teresa Gallagher...

The Olivier Award-winning West End revival of Cabaret is coming to Broadway: Producers announced that the acclaimed musical will begin previews at the August Wilson Theater in spring 2024.

Not confirmed: Whether the West End production’s original 2021 stars Eddie Redmayne (as the Emcee) or Jessie Buckley (as Sally Bowles) will make the move. Redmayne’s participation, in particular, has been widely speculated, prompted in part by his participation in this year’s Tony Awards tribute to Cabaret composer John Kander and actor Joel Grey, who played the Emcee in the original Broadway production as well as the 1972 movie version.

The West End revival – officially titled Cabaret At The Kit Kat Club – swept the 2022 Olivier Awards with seven wins including Best Musical Revival, Best Actor and Actress in a Musical (Redmayne and Buckley), and Best Director (Rebecca Frecknall). Supporting Actor and Actress in a Musical awards went to Elliot Levey and Liza Sadovy.

The 2023 Cannes market runs May 16-24.

Screen is rounding up the key packages launched before and during the 2023 Cannes market (which runs May 16-24).

Refresh the page for latest updates.

May 16 ’The Salt Path’

The feature debut of acclaimed theatre director Marianne Elliott stars Gillian Anderson and Jason Isaacs portraying the real-life couple who trekked 630 miles of UK coastline after being kicked out of their home. Black Bear are distributing in the UK.

World sales: Rocket Science

’The Rule Of Jenny Pen’

Geoffrey Rush and John Lithgow star in James Ashcroft’s thriller as a conceited judging and a psychopath...

Luke Evans and Callum Scott Howells are among the stars of upcoming BBC drama The Way from Michael Sheen, James Graham and Adam Curtis.

Sheen, who is also directing, will star in The Way with Steffan Rhodri and Mali Harries. The drama, announced in February, comes from Welsh indie Red Seam.

The Way is billed “an emotional and darkly humorous story about what it means to be faced with impossible choices” and follows the Driscoll family, who are forced to escape their small home town, which becomes ground zero of a spiraling civil uprising.

Rhodri (Steeltown Murders, Gavin and Stacey), Harries (Keeping Faith, Hinterland), Sophie Melville (The Pact, Iphigenia In Splott), Scott Howells (It’s A Sin, Cabaret) and Sheen (Staged, Good Omens) lead the cast as the Driscoll family with Maja Laskowska (Trigonometry, Baptise) as a young woman caught up in the family’s escape.

Evans (Nine Perfect Strangers, The Pembrokeshire Murders...

Sherwood star Adeel Akhtar has won Best Supporting Actor at the BAFTA TV Awards.

Akhtar beat Slow Horses’ Jack Lowden and White Lotus star Will Sharpe, along with The Crown’s Salim Daw and newcomers Samuel Bottomley (Somewhere Boy) and Josh Finan (The Responder).

The award was presented by Apple TV+’s Silo stars Harriet Walter and Rebecca Ferguson to Akhtar, who was also BAFTA nominated for indie romance Ali & Ava.

Last year’s winner was Matthew Macfadyen for Succession, who beat the likes of Stephen Graham and It’s a Sin’s Callum Scott Howells.

The BAFTA TV Awards are taking place through the late afternoon of Sunday 14 May at London’s Royal Festival Hall. Hosted by Romesh Ranganathan and Rob Beckett, they are featuring the great and the good of the UK TV industry.

Good afternoon Insiders, Max Goldbart here, and with Cannes just a few days away we’ve got plenty for you to digest in this week’s newsletter. You can subscribe here.

Cannes You Feel It

Final weekend arrives: Film execs are frantically packing suitcases, polishing pitches and tying down meetings, in between squeezing in haircuts or getting their nails done, as the countdown for the 76th Cannes Film Festival and its Marché du Film enters its final weekend. More than 12,500 cinema professionals will descend on the Croisette this year, with the Marché du Film head Guillaume Esmiol telling Deadline this week that the event will likely break its attendance record of 2019 – in a sign the pandemic is well and truly over. One of the biggest returning territories will be China, with more than 250 professionals registered to attend against just 55 in 2022. Liz expertly explores what this might mean for business in this analysis piece.

If the story of Freddie Mercury and Queen can lead to an Oscar (or four) for Bohemian Rhapsody, why wouldn't you make a film about Frankie Goes To Hollywood crafting iconic song 'Relax'? Per Deadline, Working Title is planning just that, with It's A Sin's Callum Scott Howells aboard to play frontman Holly Johnson in Relax.

Bernard Rose, who has a deep connection to the band and that song as he directed the 'Relax' music video, has adapted Johnson's memoir A Bone In My Flute and will make the film, which will chronicle the genesis and impact of the song. Alongside Howells, the producers will look to cast fellow Frankie members Paul Rutherford, Mark O'Toole, Brian Nash and Peter Gill.

The group, also well known for number one hits 'Two Tribes' and 'The Power Of Love' were among the biggest pop acts of the ’80s.

Yet they disbanded acrimoniously...

Exclusive: Here’s some neat casting. Zoë Kravitz (The Batman) and Thomasin McKenzie (Leave No Trace) are set to lead psychological horror film Self-Portrait which Mona Fastvold (The World To Come) will direct from a script she co-wrote with Brady Corbet (Vox Lux).

The movie will see grieving photographer Lu Rile (McKenzie) move to a run-down artists’ warehouse in 1990s Brooklyn where she befriends Katherine (Kravitz), an accomplished painter who lives downstairs. When Katherine suffers her own tragic loss, Lu unknowingly captures the incident in one of her self-portraits, generating a sublime but horrifying image. Consumed with by mutual grief and an intensifying relationship, the women find themselves haunted by a demonic force hellbent on shaking their realities.

The film is based on Rachel Lyon’s debut novel Self-Portrait With Boy. WME Independent will launch international sales at Cannes with CAA and UTA handling domestic rights. Production is currently slated for later this year.

Callum Scott Howells from It’s a Sin will play lead singer Holly Johnson, whose memoir forms the basis for the film

Relax, about the rise to fame of the 80s pop group Frankie Goes to Hollywood, has been announced as in the works. The film will be directed by Bernard Rose, who directed the Relax music video, as well as films including Candyman and Ivans xtc.

Callum Scott Howells, who rose to fame on It’s a Sin, Russell T Davies’s drama set during the Aids epidemic in the 80s and 90s, will play the band’s lead singer, Holly Johnson. His memoir, A Bone in My Flute, forms the basis for the film.

Thouret was deputy managing director of Newen Group.

Banijay has appointed Guillaume Thouret as managing director for Banijay Studios France.

Thouret joins Banijay France’s production label from Newen Group, where he was deputy managing director having joined as managing director of Newen label Capa in 2015.

He was previously deputy managing director of TF1 Production, overseeing the group’s scripted and streamer formats, and managing director of TF6 and Série Club.

Thouret replaces Alban Etienne who left in 2021. In his new role, he will set Banijay Studios France’s strategy for the local and international market, managing its portfolio of projects in development,...

The film was written and will be directed by Bernard Rose, the director of the original ’Relax’ music video.

Working Title and Independent Entertainment are co-producing Relax, a biopic of UK pop group Frankie Goes To Hollywood, and will launch sales in Cannes.

It’s A Sin star Callum Scott Howells will play the band’s lead singer Holly Johnson. The film was written and will be directed by Bernard Rose, the director of the original ‘Relax’ music video and 1992 horror Candyman.

Based on Johnson’s memoir A Bone in My Flute, the film will tell the story of the...

Exclusive: Just a couple of days after they reunited for the first time in almost 40 years, we can reveal that UK band Frankie Goes To Hollywood is the subject of a new movie biopic from UK powerhouse Working Title and Independent Entertainment.

Titled Relax after the group’s 1983 hit single, and based on frontman Holly Johnson’s memoir A Bone In My Flute, the film is set to star It’s A Sin breakout Callum Scott Howells as Johnson.

The project is heading to the Cannes market with Independent, which is handling sales, and we hear there is already strong interest in the package from potential buyers. Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner will produce for Working Title and Luc Roeg is producing for Independent Entertainment.

The film was written and will be helmed by Bernard Rose, director behind the original Relax music video, 1992’s horror classic Candyman, and Howard Marks biopic Mr. Nice.

David Dimbleby condemned the “chaos” engulfing Liz Truss’s Conservative government during an appearance on Good Morning Britain on Thursday (6 October).

The veteran broadcaster was interviewed following the Tory party’s annual conference, held in Birmingham earlier this week.

Truss came to the conference amid widespread divisions within the party, exacerbated by the publication of a “mini-budget” last month that left the economy in crisis.

Speaking to Gmb hosts Ben Shephard and Kate Garraway, Dimbleby said: “It’s chaotic isn’t it. I’ve never seen quite such chaos.

“It’s not just the chaos of a party that’s clearly disintegrating before our eyes in the Conservative Party. It’s riven with disagreement. What was going on in Birmingham... unbelievable.”

However, the former Question Time presenter added: “It seems to me in politics these things, they do kind of come and go. I think our politics will settle at some point.

Russell T Davies has shared his shock after Liz Truss appeared at the Tory party conference wearing the same dress as Emma Thompson’s character from Years and Years.

Thompson starred in Davies’ dystopian drama as Vivienne Rook, a populist politician and leader of the right-wing Four Star party who becomes the UK’s prime minister.

In order to deal with population increase in the show, Vivienne proposes the introduction of concentration camps, known as “Erstwhile sites”.

As she makes these plans, Thompson is seen wearing Karen Millen’s “Forever Dress”, which features lightly puffed sleeves and an inward collar.

However, eagle-eyed Twitter users pointed out that Truss appeared to be wearing the same dress during her speech at the Tory party conference on Wednesday (5 October).

The prime minister has previously worn the dress at an event in 2019.

Years and Years creator Davies was among those to spot the similarities,...

Channel 4 and HBO’s lauded drama It’s a Sin missed out in several major categories at the BAFTA TV Awards this evening, as the BBC and ITV emerged as the big winners. Scroll down for the full list.

Russell T Davies’ Red Production Company-created drama was up for Best Mini-Series, with Olly Alexander in contention for Leading Actor and Lydia West competing for Leading Actress.

However, BBC prison drama Time won the Mini-Series category, Sean Bean won Leading Actor for the same drama and Jodie Comer’s performance in Channel 4’s Help pipped West and Kate Winslet in the Leading Actress Category.

Compounding a disappointing evening for the hotly-tipped show, Callum Scott Howells, Omari Douglas and David Carlyle lost out to Succession’s Matthew Macfadyen in the Supporting Actor category. It’s a Sin writer Davies, who earlier today unveiled Sex Education’s Ncuti Gatwa as Doctor Who’s next Time Lord,...

Succession star Matthew Macfadyen has won Best Supporting Actor at the BAFTA TV Awards.

The Brit beat two It’s A Sin actors (Callum Scott Howells and Omari Douglas), along with Stephen Graham for Time and Nonso Anozie for Netflix’s Sweet Tooth.

Succession creator Jesse Armstrong collected the award on Macfadyen’s behalf, having earlier lost out in Best International to Amazon Prime Video’s The Underground Railroad.

Macfadyen plays the hilarious Tom Wambsgans in Succession, Sky and HBO’s mega-hit. His performance in season three was lauded as the ‘village idiot’-style character gained a mean streak.

Armstrong read out congratulations from his co-stars Sarah Snook and Nicholas Braun.

British television stars are preparing for the biggest night on the calendar, with one title a firm favourite going into this evening’s BAFTA TV Awards.

Channel 4’s drama It’s a Sin, a drama about a group of young people facing the Aids crisis of the 1980s, is the firm frontrunner with 11 nominations including five acting nods.

See the full list of BAFTA TV Awards nominations below

The mini-series, created by former Doctor Who showrunner Russell T Davies, became Channel 4’s most successful ever drama when it was broadcast last year. Davies is also recognised in the Best Writer category this evening.

The international category is strong, with two global hits Succession (HBO) and Squid Game (Netflix) up against Call My Agent! and Lupin (both Netflix), Mare of Easttown (HBO) and The Underground Railroad (Amazon).

Other nominees include Kate Winslet (Mare of Easttown) and Matthew Macfadyen (Succession), while Boiling...

‘Landscapers’ earned seven nominations, whilst Help and ’Time’ received six.

Russel T Davies’ It’s A Sin leads the nominations for this year’s Bafta Television and Bafta Craft awards.

The drama, produced by Red Production Company for UK broadcaster Channel 4, earned 11 nominations, including mini-series, leading actor for Olly Alexander, actress for Lydia West, director: fiction for Peter Hoar, writer: drama for Davies and three supporting actor nods for Callum Scott Howells, David Carlyle and Omari Douglas.

Drama Landscapers, produced by Sister for Sky Atlantic, earned seven nominations including mini-series and leading actor for David Thewlis.

Jack Thorne’s...

‘Landscapers’ earned seven nominations, whilst Help and ’Time’ received six.

Russel T Davies’ It’s A Sin leads the nominations for this year’s Bafta Television and Bafta Craft awards.

The drama, produced by Red Production Company for UK broadcaster Channel 4, earned 11 nominations, including mini-series, leading actor for Olly Alexander, actress for Lydia West, director: fiction for Peter Hoar, writer: drama for Davies and three supporting actor nods for Callum Scott Howells, David Carlyle and Omari Douglas.

Drama Landscapers, produced by Sister for Sky Atlantic, earned seven nominations including mini-series and leading actor for David Thewlis.

Jack Thorne’s...

The Royal Television Society Program Awards 2022 started with a slap on Wednesday evening, when nominee Aj Odudu ran up to the stage and pretended to strike host Tom Allen.

“Oh my God, Aj, oh my God – I’m the one who’s lost their hair, don’t hit me,” Allen, who is bald, quipped in the evidently pre-rehearsed skit. “I never put my wife anywhere near your mouth.”

Continuing the reference to the altercation between Will Smith and Chris Rock, which took place at the Oscars on Sunday night, Allen continued: “I’ve got to look my best for tomorrow, I’ve got an audition for ‘G.I. Jane 2.'”

Watching from the audience at the Jw Marriott Grosvenor House in Mayfair, where the awards were taking place, were a bevy of well-known faces including “The Batman” star Andy Serkis, “Supergirl’s” David Harewood and “Succession” actor Matthew Macfadyen. Macfayden was accompanying his wife Keeley Hawes,...

Russell T Davies Channel 4/HBO AIDS drama It’s a Sin has continued its awards season domination by picking up six nominations at the Royal Television Society (Rts) Awards.

The show from Red Production Company also has six Broadcasting Press Guild nods and has been recognized by the Rts for Writer (Davies), Actor (Female – Keeley Hawes), Actor (Male – Olly Alexander & Callum Scott Howells), Breakthrough and the coveted Limited Series.

Host broadcaster Channel 4 picked up 28 nominations, with the BBC edging it out with 30, Sky with 10 and ITV with eight.

BBC One, ITV and Sky Arts will compete for the prestigious Rts Channel of the Year award at the March ceremony in London.

Other high-profile nominees include The Serpent’s Tahir Rahim against the two It’s a Sin actors, Stephen’s Sharlene Whyte and In My Skin’s Gabrielle Creevey against Hawes, and Jack Thorne for Help against The Serpent’s Richard Warlow...

The Royal Television Society (Rts) has unveiled the nominees for this year’s Rts Programme Awards.

“It’s a Sin” has scored six nominations, including nods for Keeley Hawes and Olly Alexander (pictured above), while Tahar Rahim has been nominated for his performance in “The Serpent.”

Of the U.K.’s broadcasters, the BBC scored the most noms, boasting 30 across 24 categories, followed by Channel 4, who scored 28, Sky with 10 and ITV who scored 8.

BBC One, ITV and Sky Arts have all been nominated for the Channel of the Year award.

The awards, which will be in-person for the first time in two years, will take place on March 29 in London. Comedian Nish Kumar will host.

“Despite the unprecedented challenges the last two years have presented every single one of us, the sheer talent and amazing professionalism from U.K. creatives both in front of and behind the camera, has truly shone through,...

Russell T Davies’ It’s a Sin has been nominated six times for the UK’s prestigious Broadcasting Press Guild (Bpg) Awards next month, with Jeremy Clarkson, Olivia Colman and Stephen Graham also picking up nods.

Leads Olly Alexander, Callum Scott Howells and Lydia West are nominated in Best Actor and Best Actress respectively for the Channel 4/HBO Max drama, with Davies recognized in Best Writer, the show itself picking up a Best Drama Series (+4 episodes) nod and the quartet of young residents of the show’s ‘Pink Palace’ competing for the Bpg Breakthrough Award alongside Starstruck’s Rose Matefeo and We Are Lady Parts’ Nida Manzoor.

It’s a Sin, which follows LGBTQ+ characters during the UK’s 1980s Aids epidemic and is produced by Red Production Company, has already been recognized at a raft of awards ceremonies.

The five-parter will compete in the Best Drama Series (+4 episodes) category...

“The Last Duel” star Jodie Comer is set to receive the Variety Outstanding Achievement Award, distributed in association with the Edinburgh TV Festival as part of the organization’s annual TV Awards.

The honor celebrates Comer’s extensive body of work, which ranges from BBC America’s “Killing Eve” to international blockbusters such as “Free Guy” and more recently, Ridley Scott’s “The Last Duel.” The actor’s award will be paired with a wide-ranging conversation with Variety.

“Jodie Comer has never ceased to surprise with her extraordinary versatility and knack for selecting roles that really get under the skin,” said Variety international editor Manori Ravindran. “From her performances in the BBC’s ‘Thirteen’ and Channel 4’s ‘Help’ to playing one of television’s most entertaining villains in ‘Killing Eve’ and making her major film debut in ‘Free Guy,’ Jodie is wonderfully unpredictable and always electric on screen. We...