Hollywood
Cannes Film Festival stumbles over ‘Flatgate’ controversy
NEW DELHI: A day after actress Salma Hayek appeared on a panel at the 68th Cannes International Film Festival to talk about misogyny in Hollywood, the festival’s organizers banned women from wearing anything other than high heels on the red carpet.
A group of women, who arrived at a screening for Cate Blanchett’s latest film, Carol, were reportedly turned away because of their flat shoes, according to Screen Daily.
The New York Magazine in a tweet said this immediately set off a #showmeyourflats hashtag in solidarity.
It noted that actress Emily Blunt put it best, “Everyone should wear flats to be honest. We should not be wearing high heels anyways. That is my point of view. I just prefer wearing Converse sneakers.”
Actress Aishwarya Rai Bachchan had also stressed on gender equality with Hayek at the discussion organized by UN Women. Aishwarya also did a shoot for L’Oréal Paris with Eva Longoria, Natasha Poly and Li Bingbing for L’Oreal.
The Cannes film festival began on 13 May and will conclude on 24 May.
Indian contingent at Cannes
Meanwhile, the red carpet for Gurvinder Singh’s Punjabi film Chauthi Koot and Neeraj Ghaywan’s debut feature Masaan, which are the Indian films in the official UnCertain Regard, was graced by Indian ambassadors of L’Oreal Paris — Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Sonam Kapoor and Katrina Kaif. Nandita Das was also present.
Film and theater veteran Shabana Azmi noted on how fashion was taking away the attention from cinema at the 68th Cannes International Film Festival. She said a film festival should be treated seriously and not as a fashion parade ground.
Azmi used her Twitter handle on 15 May to remind her fans and followers about the main motive behind holding a film festival. “2day Cannes seems to b a clothes parade! It’s a serious film festival guys not a fashion event. Hw abt focusing on films n filmakers (sic),”
Hollywood
David Zaslav could net up to $887m as Warner Bros Discovery sells up
Media mogul strikes gold as Paramount Skydance deal triggers massive windfall
NEW YORK: While the average office worker might hope for a nice clock and a round of applause upon leaving, David Zaslav is looking at a slightly more substantial parting gift. The chief executive officer of Warner Bros Discovery is positioned to receive a windfall of up to $887 million following the company’s blockbuster $110 billion sale to Paramount Skydance.
In a twist of corporate fate that feels scripted for the big screen, the deal marks the finale of a high-stakes bidding war. It comes after Netflix, once the frontrunner, decided to exit stage left and abandon its pursuit of the HBO Max parent company.
While most people receive a standard final paycheck, the filing released on Monday suggests Zaslav’s exit package is built a little differently. If the deal closes as expected in the third quarter of 2026, the numbers break down like this:
The cash out: A severance package of $34.2 million, covering his salary and bonuses.
The equity: $115.8 million in vested shares he already owns.
The future fortune: A massive $517.2 million in unvested share awards, essentially “future stock” that turns into real money the moment the ink dries on the merger.
Perhaps the most eye-catching figure is the $335 million earmarked for tax reimbursements. However, this particular pot of gold has an expiration date.
The company noted that these reimbursements are tied to specific tax-code rules that significantly decline as time passes. If the deal hits a snag and drags into 2027, that tax payout drops to zero. With hundreds of millions on the line, the chief executive officer likely has every incentive to ensure the closing process moves at double-speed.
