Event Coverage
Gaumont TV France set to produce ‘Spy City’
MUMBAI: Gaumont TV France, a division of the European based motion picture studio Gaumont, announced that the company plans to produce Spy City, a 10 x one-hour English language drama series focusing on the intense spy game in early 1960s Berlin.
Spy City will be co-produced by Odeon in Germany, with CEO Mischa Hofmann and head of international co-productions Britta Meyermann, responsible for the deal. Acclaimed novelist and UK-based screenwriter William Boyd is set to create and write with respected French director Pascal Chaumeil to direct.
In addition, it was announced today that Gaumont TV France has hired Elizabeth Dreyer to the newly created position head of international co-productions. Based in Paris, Dreyer will oversee co-productions originating out of Europe that will be produced in English. Gaumont TV France plans to produce one to two English language European series a year, while Gaumont’s production and distribution studio Gaumont International Television, will continue with its mandate to produce and distribute programming for the global marketplace.
Gaumont CEO Christophe Riandee said “Spy City is the perfect English language project for us to produce in Europe and we are thrilled that William Boyd and Pascal Chaumeil are attached to this project,” He went on to add that with Elizabeth on board they will be able to focus on additional strong international projects financed and produced out of Europe.
With high-stakes political intrigue at its core, each episode of Spy City will be played out in an elaborate chess game with post WWII superpowers vying for power in Berlin. Spy City is also an intimate look at the personal lives of those who chose to become spies. The series focuses on a group of men and women of different nationalities and backgrounds as they endeavor to realise their hopes, dreams and ambitions in the hornet’s nest of divided Berlin.
William Boyd has received worldwide acclaim for his novels, A Good Man in Africa, An Ice Cream War, Brazzaville Beach, The Blue Afternoon and Any Human Heart. Boyd’s most recent works include his novel Ordinary Thunderstorms, the latest James Bond book Solo, and the espionage novel Waiting for Sunrise. Boyd wrote the screenplay for the acclaimed film Chaplin, directed by Richard Attenborough, and has been nominated for two Emmy Awards.
Pascal Chaumeil has both film and television credits to his name. He is currently directing Spotless, a London-set series for Canal+. His film career includes A Long Way Down, A Perfect Plan and Heartbreaker. On the television side Chaumeil’s credits include the French TV series Fais pas ci, fais pas ça, and the French miniseries L’état de Grace, among others.
A well-respected film executive with experience spanning acquisitions, development, production and sales, Dreyer joins Gaumont TV France from Velvet Calico Films where she served as president consulting and advising a variety of clients in feature film, animation, and television. Prior to that position, she was vice president, development and acquisitions, at Liaison Films, Focus Features’ Paris-based subsidiary, sourcing European-originated projects for production by Focus. Dreyer began her career with Miramax Films in acquisitions, buying independent and foreign films while based in New York and then London, ultimately being promoted to vice president.
Event Coverage
Anime India announces Amazon MX Player as co-presenting partner for Anime India Kolkata 2026
MUMBAI: Riding high on the success of its blockbuster Mumbai debut, Anime India is accelerating its nationwide expansion with the announcement of Amazon MX Player as the co-presenting partner for Anime India Kolkata. The partnership marks a significant step forward in the festival’s mission to deliver large-scale, accessible, and fan-first anime experiences across the country.
Scheduled for 14 and 15 February 2026 at the iconic Biswa Bangla Mela Prangan, Anime India Kolkata will launch the first regional chapter of what is set to be a year-long, multi-city tour. As the curtain-raiser for the 2026 circuit, the Kolkata edition aims to fuse the energy of global Japanese pop culture with India’s fast-growing community of anime, manga, and pop-culture fans.
A household name in digital entertainment, Amazon MX Player brings unmatched reach and cultural relevance to the Anime India platform. With its expanding focus on anime and youth-driven content, Amazon MX Player’s involvement as co-presenting partner reinforces Anime India’s vision of making anime culture more inclusive breaking barriers of language, geography, and accessibility to connect with fans nationwide.
Anime India Kolkata 2026 will showcase cosplay competitions, interactive zones led by the Indian Gunpla Community, India-39 Vocaloid Community, The Japan Curry, and Adda-o-Otaku by The Otaku Guild. Fans can join tournaments across fighting games, Pokémon VGC, and more. Acclaimed Japanese director Susumu Mitsunaka (Haikyu!!) will attend as guest of honour, appearing in panels and live sessions. Positioned as an immersive celebration of fan culture and industry collaboration, the Kolkata edition marks the beginning of Anime India’s nationwide expansion.
Sharing their perspective on the partnership, Amazon MX Player director Aruna Daryanani expressed, “Anime in India has evolved from a niche interest into a mainstream cultural movement, driven by an increasingly engaged and passionate fanbase. At Amazon MX Player, our focus is on expanding access by bringing anime to audiences across the country for free and in multiple local languages. Our association with Anime India reflects our commitment to supporting the growth of anime in India and deepening connections with fans, while continuing to build Amazon MX Player as a trusted destination for free, high-quality entertainment.”
“Anime India Kolkata is a celebration of how anime has grown beyond entertainment into a powerful cultural and creative force. By bringing fans, creators, and industry leaders onto one shared platform, the festival is helping define the future of pop culture in India,” said Anime India co-founder and director Neha Mehta.
The debut edition of Anime India 2025 in Mumbai attracted over 29,000 fans, quickly cementing its status as a landmark celebration of anime and Japanese pop culture. Riding on this overwhelming response, the Kolkata chapter is projected to draw more than 40,000 visitors across two days, positioning it as one of the biggest anime conventions ever held in eastern India.
Anime India is focused on bringing together fans from across the country to create a truly pan-India celebration of anime, manga, cosplay, gaming, and Japanese culture. With plans to expand into four key metropolitan hubs in 2026—east (Kolkata), north (Delhi), west (Mumbai), and south (Hyderabad)—the festival seeks to deliver globally benchmarked experiences while supporting and uplifting creators, artists, and fan communities throughout India.
