Hollywood
Two Indian films in Un Certain Regard at Cannes
NEW DELHI: Two Indian films have been chosen for the Un Certain Regard section at the Cannes International Film Festival, while renowned British-Indian filmmaker Asif Kapadia’s Amy will be featured in a Midnight Screening.
No Indian film has made it in the main competition of the festival being held from 13 to 24 May.
The Richa Chadda-starrer Masaan is the debut feature by Neeraj Ghaywan. “I am thrilled to be going again to Cannes with a movie! Over the moon, and excited about this for India and the team of Masaan… It’s a huge deal,” said Chadda, who had earlier been to the festival with the Gangs Of Wasseypur team.
Masaan is an Indo-French collaboration co-produced by Anurag Kashyap under the Phantom Films banner. The film also stars Shweta Tripathi, Sanjay Mishra and Vicky Kaushal in a gritty drama shot in Benaras.
“#Cannes2015 Masaan (Fly Away Solo) by Neeraj Ghaywan #UnCertainRegard,” confirmed the official Twitter handle of Cannes film festival. Ghaywan too took to Twitter to express his delight. “Happiest tweet I will ever put up. Our first film Masaan is selected at Un Certain Regard section of Cannes 2015,” he tweeted.
Gurvinder Singh’s Punjabi film Chauthi Koot (The Fourth Direction) is the other film in the section. Singh, who shot to fame with Anhe Ghore Da Daan, has turned his attention to state-sponsored crimes in Punjab of the 1980s and the resistance movement it spawned.
Asif Kapadia’s Amy is a documentary on the late Rhythm&Blues singer Amy Winehouse who was found dead at her residence of suspected alcohol poisoning at the age of 27 in July 2011. She achieved worldwide fame with her album Back to Black, which won five Grammies.
As was reported earlier by Indiantelevision.com, Emmanuelle Bercot will open Cannes with her film La Tete Haute.
There are 17 films in the main competition, fourteen in the Un Certain Regard, four out of competition, two Midnight Screenings, and six Special Screenings.
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.
