Hollywood
American film wins top award at Karlovy Vary, Czech actress Iva Janžurová gets special honour
NEW DELHI: American feature film Bob and the Trees, where the main character, logger and rap fan Bob Tarasuk plays himself, was awarded with the Crystal Globe at the 50th anniversary Karlovy Vary International Film Festival.
Tarasuk accepted the Festival Grand Prix in person, together with director Diego Ongaro who said, “We had virtually no money to shoot the film so I had to invest my and my wife’s money.” He said he had still not found a distributor.
Tarasuk added, “My grandmother was Czech and my grandfather Ukrainian so I dedicate this award to them.”
Popular actress Iva Janžurová was awarded with The Festival President’s Award, an Honorary Mention for her fundamental contribution to the Czech cinematography. “I promise that this award will not mean the end of my acting career,” noted the actress. Czech actor Alena Mihulová received the Best Actress Award for her portrayal of a dedicated nurse in Slávek Horák’s debut Home Care and her compatriot Kryštof Hádek received the Best Actor Award as the problematic younger brother in the drama The Snake Brothers directed by Jan Prušinovský.
The Special Jury Prize was granted to Austrian director Peter Brunner for the film Those Who Fall Have Wings, a drama on coming to terms with the death of a loved one. Kosovan Visar Morina received the Best Director Award for his film Babai, a story about a small boy setting off on a journey to find his father. The jury also awarded two Special Mentions to animated biography The Magic Mountain directed by Anca Damian, and the drama Antonia, a tragic story of the Italian poet.
The prize for the best film of the East of the West Competition was awarded to social drama The Wednesday Child by the Hungarian director Lili Horváth, a tale of a young girl who wants to secure better circumstances for her child. A Special Mention was awarded to Romanian film The World Is Mine.
The Grand Prix for Best Documentary Film went toHelena Treštíková for her latest long-term documentary Mallory. The jury also awarded a Special Mention to Austrian film The Father Tapes. The prize for the best documentary film up to 30 minutes in length was awarded to White Death, a story of a Chilean military company trapped in the snow told using a variety of formats and animation techniques. The Special Mention in this category was granted to Women in Sink, a visit to an Israeli beauty salon. The Forum of Independents Award went to American transgender comedy Tangerine, shot by director Sean Baker on an iPhone 5.
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.
