Hollywood
28 animation films in competition at Annecy in France
NEW DELHI: Eight feature films and around 20 short films from all over the world are to compete for the 26 awards at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival in France this month.
The Festival is being held in Annecy in France from 15 to 20 June.
Held once every two years, the Festival became an annual feature in 1998. It specialises in animated films – shorts, medium, and feature length.
The feature films are: Adama (France by Simon Rouby), Avril et le Monde truque (France, Canada), Belgium (Franck Ekinci and Christian Desmares), Mune (France – Alexandre Heboyan, Benoit Philippon), Pos eso (Spain – Sam Orti), Sabogal (Colombia – Juan Jose Lozano, Sergio Mejia Forero), Sarusuberi: Miss Hokusai (Japan – Keiichi Hara), The Case of Hana & Alice (Japan – Shunji Iwai) and Tout en haut du monde (Denmark, France – Remi Chaye).
Apart from juries for features and non-features, there will be a jury of FIPRESCI (international Federation of Film Critics) and two separate juries of children between eleven and sixteen years of age for judging features and shorts.
There will also be a market for animation films during the festival, apart from some Master classes by experts in animation. The emphasis will also be on women making animation films, and there will be a large number of films out of competition.
Hollywood
David Zaslav could net up to $887m as Warner Bros Discovery sells up
Media mogul strikes gold as Paramount Skydance deal triggers massive windfall
NEW YORK: While the average office worker might hope for a nice clock and a round of applause upon leaving, David Zaslav is looking at a slightly more substantial parting gift. The chief executive officer of Warner Bros Discovery is positioned to receive a windfall of up to $887 million following the company’s blockbuster $110 billion sale to Paramount Skydance.
In a twist of corporate fate that feels scripted for the big screen, the deal marks the finale of a high-stakes bidding war. It comes after Netflix, once the frontrunner, decided to exit stage left and abandon its pursuit of the HBO Max parent company.
While most people receive a standard final paycheck, the filing released on Monday suggests Zaslav’s exit package is built a little differently. If the deal closes as expected in the third quarter of 2026, the numbers break down like this:
The cash out: A severance package of $34.2 million, covering his salary and bonuses.
The equity: $115.8 million in vested shares he already owns.
The future fortune: A massive $517.2 million in unvested share awards, essentially “future stock” that turns into real money the moment the ink dries on the merger.
Perhaps the most eye-catching figure is the $335 million earmarked for tax reimbursements. However, this particular pot of gold has an expiration date.
The company noted that these reimbursements are tied to specific tax-code rules that significantly decline as time passes. If the deal hits a snag and drags into 2027, that tax payout drops to zero. With hundreds of millions on the line, the chief executive officer likely has every incentive to ensure the closing process moves at double-speed.
