Hollywood
Trinity International Film Festival showcases cinema from 14 countries
New Delhi: At the eighth annual Trinity International Film Festival, Get A Job directed by Maui’s Brian Kohne took top honours for a full feature film while The Doorman by director Serena Dykman took top accolades for a short film at the eighth annual Trinity International Film Festival held at the Carr Art Center in Detroit in the United States.
“The mission statement of the film festival is to provide a multicultural festival experience,” said festival co-director Gregory Taylor. He continued, “With the showing of all these culturally diverse independent films, I know we hit the mark. If people are entertained we did our job.”
Over 40 films from 14 countries were juried and showcased and over 100 entries were received.
Director Walter V. Marshall of Michigan got a special award as Best New Artist for the full feature, A Love That Hurts.
Raymond Rolak, one of the producers from Get A Job said, “The people of Hawaii were the real stars of the film. Also, Brian Kohne weaved the musical talents of Willie K and Eric Gilliom along with the other world class island entertainers masterfully. The film and music video were giant grand slam homeruns. The jokes, pratfalls and island humor in the screenplay are all added value to leaving viewers thoroughly entertained.”
French born Serena Dykman said at the afterglow, “I am totally thrilled for my cast and crew. This award really validates all the hard work that went into the project. Manhattan was the star of our project. As a writer I see so many more stories coming from New York City. This award documents a team effort”
Winners of this year’s best feature and short film categories received a professional prize pack from Sony that included more than $3,500 worth of Sony Vegas editing software and sound effects.
Marshalle Montgomery, festival co-director added, “We tried to expose a wide variety of feature and short films for people to enjoy, everything from action, drama, animation and comedy — we definitely have movies that captured attention.”
Nate Hapke of Los Angeles got the special Emerging Talent Award for the short Alvie.
I Am Sami by Kae Bahar of the United Kingdom, Let Be by Matt Boatright-Simon (USA, Wisconsicn) and featuring actress Val Vega, along with Trapped: The Ultimate Sacrifice by Carlonese Powell (USA, Detroit) were all 15 minute shorts judged as exceptional and got festival choice awards.
Hollywood
Disney sells out ad slots for 98th Oscars broadcast
Strong demand for live events turns the Academy Awards into a global, multi-platform marketing moment
NEW YORK: Hollywood’s biggest night has also become one of advertising’s hottest tickets. Disney has sold out all advertising inventory for the 98th Oscars, underscoring the growing demand from brands eager to ride the cultural wave of major live events.
The sell-out marks the sixth consecutive live tentpole success for Disney Advertising. The streak includes last year’s 97th Oscars, the 59th Annual CMA Awards, and Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest, signalling strong appetite among marketers for moments that bring audiences together in real time.
For advertisers, the Oscars are no longer just a single night of glitz and gold statues. Disney’s “Content Everywhere” strategy has expanded the awards show into a sprawling, multi-platform brand playground spanning linear television, streaming, social media and digital content.
“Live continues to be one of the most powerful ways for brands to connect with engaged audiences at scale, and the Oscars represent the very best of culture, creativity and community,” said Disney Advertising SVP, entertainment and streaming solutions John Campbell. He added that the company has reshaped the show’s commercial potential into a connected experience that stretches well beyond the broadcast.
Brands such as Mazda, Pfizer and Volkswagen of America are tapping into Disney’s wider ecosystem, appearing across original content segments including Know Your Movies on Hulu and Critically Acclaimed on Disney+. Partnerships also extend to social media through TikTok Pulse Premiere and to custom brand storytelling created by Disney CreativeWorks.
The result is what Disney calls the “Oscars Everywhere” approach. Rather than a few high-profile ad breaks, advertisers now find themselves woven through a series of moments before, during and after the ceremony.
These include On The Red Carpet at The Oscars, a live pre-show syndicated across major local markets and streamed nationwide, and the After the Oscars Show, which keeps the conversation going once the final award has been handed out.
This year’s sponsors include Rolex, returning for its ninth year, and Burger King, which joins the Oscars advertiser roster for the first time. Other brands in the mix include Disney Cruise Line, Dunkin’, Eli Lilly and Company, Eucerin, Intuit TurboTax, L’Oréal, McDonald’s, Microsoft, Miebo, Paris Baguette, Peacock, Starbucks, State Farm, Toyota and Verizon.
The 98th Oscars will take place on March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood. The ceremony will be broadcast live on ABC and streamed on Hulu, reaching audiences in more than 200 territories worldwide.
