International
Lionsgate Play’s announces ‘Operation Fortune: Ruse De Guerre’
Mumbai: Bringing you the perfect blend of action and comedy, Lionsgate Play presents Operation Fortune: Ruse De Guerre. Headlined by your favorite stars including Hugh Grant, Aubrey Plaza, Jason Statham, Bugzy Malone, this spy thriller is here to give you the undercover experience of a lifetime on 5 May 2023 exclusively on Lionsgate Play in India. Putting together his best team of operatives they take on the charmingly villainous billionaire, Greg Simmonds played by the dreamy Hugh Grant. From excitement and intrigue to anticipation and fear this Guy Ritchie film delivers unexpected twists on run-of-the-mill spy movies.
Talking about his inspiration for the action-comedy, Ritchie said, “We had the idea to do a spy film about eight months prior to the start of production. In preparation, we watched every action and spy film we could get our hands on. I didn’t like our initial premise, so I started again. After I wrote a new scene, which now opens our story, I knew what the tone of the movie would be, and I liked it.”
“We wanted to do something different with the genre,” said producer & co-screenwriter Ivan Atkinson. “Most spy films fall into one or two categories: they’re either a spoof or they take themselves very seriously. We wanted to find a middle ground.” he added
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.
