International
Books to read before they hit Indian theatres in 2014
MUMBAI: Here’s the review of the fifth book in the 10-part series that features the books being adapted into Hollywood movies in the year 2014.
A Long Way Down – Nick Hornby
Life is looking up…!
Just when you’re about to jump off a building and you’re almost at the edge, two other strangers with a similar motive join you! And to make the situation even more awkward, add a pizza delivery boy WITH A PIZZA!
And so starts the live action motion picture adaptation of Nick Hornby’s dark comedy, A Long Way Down, one that stands at 3.41/5 from 41,934 ratings on Goodreads. Nick Hornby is best known for About A Boy and High Fidelity, both of which have been made into films to wide acclaim and popularity.
The story of A Long Way Down is written in the first-person narrative and moves back and forth from the points of view of its four main characters, Martin, Maureen, Jess and JJ; four strangers, who just happen to meet on the roof of a high building in London on New Year’s Eve, each with the intent of committing suicide. Their plans of jumping to death are howbeit ruined when they stumble upon each other on the roof-top. The novel recounts their misadventures as they decide to come down from the roof-top alive – however temporarily that may be!
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The movie adaptation stars EMMY award winner Aaron Paul (Breaking Bad) as J.J., a wannabe musician who now delivers pizza, Imogen Poots (That Awkward Moment) as Jess, an 18-year old girl with endless family problems, EMMY award winner Toni Colette (Hostages, Little Miss Sunshine) as Maureen, the sacrificial mother of a disabled son and Golden Globe award nominee Pierce Brosnan (Remington Steele, Mamma Mia) as Martin Sharp, the famous talk show host who goes to prison for sleeping with an underage girl.
Johnny Depp (Pirates of the Caribbean, Alice in Wonderland) originally bought the rights for the book even before it was published. And as soon as A Long Way Down hit the bookshelves, it was shortlisted for the Whitbread Novel Award.
International
Council of Europe to unveil new TV and streaming co-production convention
Series Mania Forum to host landmark signing to boost global TV collaboration
LILLE: The small screen is getting a big policy push. At this year’s Series Mania Forum in Lille, Alain Berset will take centre stage to chair the opening ceremony for a new international convention aimed at reshaping how television and streaming series are co-produced across borders.
Set for March 26 at the Théâtre Marie Curie in Lille Grand Palais, the signing marks the debut of the first legal framework dedicated specifically to the independent co-production of series. In an industry where stories travel faster than ever, the move aims to make collaboration smoother, fairer and more transparent.
Backed by the Council of Europe, the convention is designed to strengthen cultural ties, give independent producers a firmer footing, and bring greater clarity to deals in a rapidly evolving content landscape. With streaming platforms fuelling a surge in global storytelling, the timing feels deliberate.
Council of Europe secretary general Alain Berset, underscored the cultural heft of series today, noting how they carry voices and viewpoints across borders. He called on member states and countries beyond Europe to sign on, framing the initiative as a way to turn culture into a tool for cooperation and democratic exchange.
For Series Mania founder and general director Laurence Herszberg, hosting the signing is both symbolic and strategic. She described the convention as a step that could widen the range of stories reaching audiences, staying true to the forum’s long-standing mission of championing diverse storytelling.
The ceremony will unfold alongside the Lille Dialogues, a high-level summit that gathers policymakers and industry leaders to debate the future of Europe’s audiovisual sector. Berset is also set to deliver the opening address there, adding political weight to a week already rich in creative ambition.
In short, as screens multiply and borders blur, Europe is putting a framework in place to ensure that storytelling keeps pace, collaboratively and coherently.
