Hollywood
Manhattan Short 2014 to be held in India
MUMBAI: Manhattan Short 2014, the international platform which showcases, celebrates and awards short films from across the world, is back for the fifth time in India.
The three-day fest will be held in Mumbai from 3 -5 October. The festival will screen the 10 best short films that have been selected from USA, UK, Germany, France, Mexico, Australia, Netherlands, Norway, and England.
The films deal with a range of subjects which includes romance to sci-fi, animation and a docu-short. These films have won multiple accolades at various festivals around the world and will be screened at Manhattan Short 2014.
This film movement began in 1998 and has long established its global exposure by dedicating itself to the short film genre and witnessing hundreds of entries from across the world every year.
This year Manhattan Short 2014 in India and its chief patron Vivanta by Taj conducted and named, ‘Vote for India’. This initiative saw filmmakers from across India send in their short film entries to vie for a spot in the global finalist list. The films were hosted on the India chapter’s website – www.manhattanshortindia.com where Indian audiences voted for three best movies. These three winners each have won a chance to create a short film for Vivanta by Taj.
Manhattan Short 2014 in India will also present a few workshops for the youth and upcoming film makers by renowned artistes who will share their thoughtful insights with the audience.
Commenting on the India chapter, India Festival director Anil Sadarangani said, “With Manhattan Short’s global reach, this is a dream come true for any filmmaker to be a part of. We hope to receive a great response from the city with the grand repertoires of short films presented at the festival.”
Manhattan Short 2014 in India will kickstart with an interesting workshop on ‘The Short Film Industry: Boom!’ This session will have panelists like Shamiana Shorts Founder Cyrus Dastur, Pocket Films Managing Director Saameer Mody, renowned film maker Paromita Vohra and film-maker and Co-Curator of The FD Zone Avijit Mukul Kishore, who will share their insights on the growth of the short film industry in India.
The festival will also conduct various workshops with renowned industry veterans like- ‘Rainbow Stories – Queering Indian Shorts’ with Sridhar Rangayan from Kashish Mumbai International Queer Film Festival, ‘Joys of Film Editing’ workshop with Film Editors Dipika Kalra and Antara Lahiri, Oscar-nominated filmmaker Ashvin Kumar will conduct one on making an Oscar-worthy short film at Manhattan Short 2014.
The winner will be selected by the audience voting. Votes will be tallied at each participating cinema around the world and submitted to festival headquarters in New York City where the winner will be announced. Audiences can also catch the webcast live on www.vivantabytaj.com.
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.
