Movies
Cricket comes to the big screen: PVR INOX to show Champions Trophy matches
MUMBAI: PVR Inox, India’s largest cinema chain, has partnered with JioStar to screen live matches from the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, beginning with the highly anticipated India-Pakistan clash on 23 February in Dubai.
The cinema exhibitor will broadcast matches across more than 150 screens nationwide, including the India versus New Zealand fixture on 2 March. Additional screenings of semi-finals and finals will be arranged should India progress in the tournament.
“This association combines two of India’s greatest passions: cricket and cinema,” said Gautam Dutta, chief executive of revenue and operations at PVR INOX. He noted that similar screenings last year drew substantial audiences across cities, demonstrating strong demand for communal sports viewing experiences.
The initiative will span major metropolitan areas and tier-2 and tier-3 cities, including Mumbai, Delhi NCR, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Pune, and Lucknow. Viewers will have access to PVR INOX’s full range of food and beverage offerings during matches.
The partnership represents a significant move by PVR INOX to diversify its entertainment portfolio, leveraging its cinema technology to create stadium-like atmospheres for major sporting events. All matches will be shown at 1:00 PM GST (Gulf Standard Time).
The screenings mark an interesting convergence of traditional cinema exhibition and live sports broadcasting, potentially opening new revenue streams for the theatre chain while providing cricket fans with an alternative viewing experience.
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.
