International
Overseas b-o collection of Universal crosses $ 1 bn mark
MUMBAI: The overseas box-office grosses of Universal Pictures International (UPI) has crossed passed the $1 billion mark on the strength of such recent movies as Battleship and Snow White and the Huntsman.
This feat is the fastest that Universal‘s international distribution arm has hit that mark besting its previous record of 16 August 2008, when it was handling films including Mamma Mia! and The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor.
With the international audience growing, UPI is the fifth distributor to collect $1 billion in foreign grosses this year. While Disney and Warner Bros. hit that mark in May, Fox hit it in June and Sony in July.
Films from the UPI stable that have contributed to its foreign haul include Safe House(grossed $77.5 million to date overseas; Dr. Seuss‘ The Lorax ($99.7 million); American Reunion ($177.4 million); Battleship ($238 million) and Snow White and the Huntsman ($220 million).
UPI has five more films to release this year. The thriller sequel The Bourne Legacy; the comedy Pitch Perfect, action-thriller The Man With the Iron Fists, the musical adaptation Les Miserables and the Judd Apatow comedy This Is 40.
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.
