Hollywood
Satish Kaushik’s ‘Dead End’ wins $15,000 in Seoul
MUMBAI: Independent Film Week is one-of-a-kind event which brings the international film and media community to New York City to advance new projects and support the future of storytelling by nurturing the work of both emerging and established independent artists and filmmakers.
Through the Project Forum, held at the Independent Film Week, creatives connect with the financiers, executives, influencers and decision-makers in film, television, new media and cross-platform storytelling that can help them complete their latest works and connect with audiences. This one-of-a-kind event will take place from 14-18 September 2014 at Lincoln Center supporting bold new content from a wide variety of domestic and international artists. And Satish Kaushik’s ‘Dead End’ has found place in the coveted few from entries coming from world over.
After winning HAF at Hong Kong, ‘Dead End’ has scored in Korea. The script is making its rounds in the Network of Asian Fantastic Film (NAFF) countries and has made yet another mark by winning the best script at Seoul at Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (Pifan).
Dev Benegal’s pitch for a dark comedy ‘Dead End’ was named as the best project at the Network of Asian Fantastic Films. The Bucheon Award is worth $15,000.
‘Dead End’ is a story of a man who is declared as dead by a shady government department and has to take extreme measures to prove that he is alive. The script is written by Dev Benegal and Sarat Rao and is to be produced by Satish Kaushik Entertainment and Benegal’s August Entertainment. Satish Kaushik will play the main lead.
Talking about the win Satish Kaushik said,” The project has been garnering positive response and now with two awards in its kitty and a cash prize win we can look at kick- starting pre production. ‘Dead End’ will see one of the most successful complex cross country funding and I’m sure it will firm up India’s position in the global cinema market. I have always believed that cinema has no language and ‘Dead End’ has proved it so. A simple village folk from India is now known to all top notches in the cinema circuit. Who could even imagine of such a scope? I had the rights to the story. Dev and I developed it and I want him to direct this project as well.”
After the win at HAF and NAFF, the script has garnered interest from world over. Kaushik has been in talks with The Weinstein Company and the legendary Karl Baumgartner’s partners. Enquiries have been trickling down from countries like Germany, France, Japan, UK, South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan and US to meet Kaushik and Benegal to lap up the project.
The project is up for funding and will be developed as an international venture. It will release world over as the story caters to international sensibilities and a wider audience beyond India.
The NAFF project platform is a successful market to the Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (Pifan). Now in its Eighteenth edition the festival has not only made a mark in Korea but also on the global map. This year it hosted 27 local and Asian projects, welcoming 259 executives to 449 formal one-on-one pitch meetings.
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.
