International
Salma’s animated dream venture, ‘The Prophet’ to rope in a multi starrer voice cast
MUMBAI: Hollwood beau Salma Hayek‘s animated project is all geared to set ablaze the box office with a multi-star cast including Liam Neeson, John Krasinski, Frank Langella, Alfred Molina and Quvenzhané Wallis apart from herself.
The animated adaption of Khalil Gibran‘s The Prophet, will be helmed by Roger Allers, who has previously directed Disney‘s evergreen classic The Lion King and Open Season. Allers has also helmed the writing and storyboard of such films as Aladdin, Beauty And The Beast, andThe Little Mermaid.
The film is being produced by Hayek, Clark Peterson, and Ron Senkowski while Participant Media and Doha Film Institute are financing the project as executive producers.
Khalil Gibran‘s The Prophet, which will influence the story, is an iconic book that is one of the biggest sellers in history with over 100 million copies in over 40 languages since it was first published by Alfred Knopf in 1923.
Allers is directing the most of the movie in a narrative format, while individual chapters based on Gibran‘s poems are being helmed by animation directors from around the world, including Tomm Moore (The Secret Of Kells), Joan Gratz (Mona Lisa Descending A Staircase), Bill Plympton (Guard Dog And Your Face), Nina Paley (Sita Sings The Blues), Joann Sfar (The Rabbi‘s Cat), Paul and Gaetan Brizzi (Fantasia 2000), Michal Socha (Chick) and Mohammed Harib (Freej).
The Prophet is slated to be completed and go on floors by spring 2014.
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.
