Hollywood
Montreal Filmfest: ‘Chucks’ gets audience award, Puttman bags award for exceptional service to cinema
NEW DELHI: Mad Love from Philippe Ramos (France) received the Grand Prize of the Americas, while Turkish film Misafir (The Visitor) from Mehmet Eryilmaz got the Special Grand Jury Award at the Montreal World Film Festival.
The film, which had opened last month with the film Mohammed by renowned Iranian director Majid Majidi and music by AR Rahman, closed yesterday. A special grand prize of the Americas is awarded to producer Lord Puttnam for his exceptional contribution to the world of cinema.
There was a tie for Best director: 2 Nights Till Morning by Mikko Kuparinen (Finland / Luthania) and Dosieto Petrov (Petrov File) from Georgi Balabanov (Bulgaria / Germany).
The Best Actress award went to Malin Buska for The Girl King de Mika Kaurismäki(Canada / Finland /Germany / Switzerland) while Wolfram Berger was voted best actor for Rider Jack by This Lüscher (Switzerland).
The best screenplay went to Letnie Przesilenie for Summer Solstice by Michal Rogalski (Poland/ Germany) and best artistic contribution went to Seven Days byXing Jian (China).
The Innovation Award went to Un Instante En La Habana (Havana Moment) from Guillermo Iv?n Duenas (USA / Cuba / Mexico/ Colombia).
Among Short Films, the first prize went to La Voce from David Uloth (Canada) and the jury award to Honeysuckle from Lucy Lumsden (United Kingdom).
The Golden Zenith award for best first fiction feature went to Chuyi (The Funeral) from Qi Wang (China) and the Silver Zenith for the First Fiction Feature Film went toPara Minha Amada Morta (To My Beloved) from Ali Muritiba (Brazil). The Bronze Zenith for the First Fiction Feature Film went to La Linea Delgada Amarilla (The Thin Yellow Line) from Celso Garcia (Mexico).
The Special Mentions of the First Feature Film Jury were Asman Aldynda (Under Heaven) from DalmiraTilepbergen (Kyrgyzstan) and Rosa Chumbe from Jonatan Relayze Chiang (Peru).
The Audience Award went to Chucks by Sabine Hiebler and Gerhard Ertl from Cornelia Travnicek’s book (Autriche).
The most popular film of the Festival was The Girl King from Mika Kaurismäki (Canada / Finland /Germany / Switzerland).
The Glauber Rocha Award for the Best Latin American was La Delgada Linea Amarilla (The Thin Yellow Line) from Celso Garcia (Mexico), while the Best Documentary was a tie between Marzia, Ystäväni (Marzia My Friend) from Kirsi Mattila (Finland) and Playing Lecuona by Pavel Giroud (Spain- Colombia).
The Best Canadian Short Film was La Voce (The Voice) from David Uloth.
The FIPRESCI (Internationale Film Critics) prizes went in World competition to the Turkish Misafir and First Feature to Rosa Chumbe from Jonatan Relayze Chiang (Peru).
Ecumenical Jury Prize was given to L’orchestre de minuit by Jérôme Cohen Olivar (Morocco).
Hollywood
Disney to cut 1,000 jobs in major restructuring drive
Layoffs span ESPN, studios and tech as company pivots to growth
MUMBAI: The magic isn’t disappearing but it is being reorganised. The Walt Disney Company has announced plans to cut around 1,000 jobs as part of a sweeping restructuring effort aimed at sharpening its edge in an increasingly unpredictable entertainment landscape. The move, led by CEO Josh D’Amaro, reflects a broader internal reset as the company rethinks how it operates, allocates resources and competes in a fast-evolving industry. In a memo to employees, D’Amaro acknowledged the difficulty of the decision but framed it as a necessary step to ensure Disney remains “efficient, innovative, and responsive” to rapid shifts in consumer behaviour and technology.
The layoffs will span multiple divisions, including marketing, film and television studios, ESPN, technology teams and corporate functions. Notifications have already begun, signalling that the restructuring is not a distant plan but an active transition underway.
Importantly, the company has clarified that the cuts are not performance-driven. Instead, they form part of a wider transformation strategy aimed at building a leaner, more agile organisation, one better equipped to respond to streaming dynamics, digital disruption and evolving audience expectations.
The timing is telling. The global entertainment industry is in the middle of a structural shift, with traditional television revenues under pressure and box office returns becoming increasingly volatile. Meanwhile, streaming platforms and digital-first competitors continue to redraw the rules of engagement, forcing legacy players to rethink scale, speed and storytelling formats.
For Disney, long synonymous with blockbuster franchises and timeless storytelling, the pivot is both strategic and symbolic. The company is doubling down on technology, direct-to-consumer services and content ecosystems that align with modern viewing habits, where audiences expect immediacy, personalisation and cross-platform experiences.
Even as the restructuring unfolds, D’Amaro struck a note of optimism, reiterating Disney’s commitment to creativity and long-term growth. Support measures for affected employees are expected as part of the transition, though details remain limited.
In essence, this is less about cutting back and more about reshaping forward. As Disney redraws its organisational map, the message is clear, in today’s entertainment world, even the most magical kingdoms must evolve or risk being left behind.
