iWorld
Amuz Distribution announces acquisition of dramedy series Larry
Mumbai: Amuz Distribution’s Alex Avon, vice president of global distribution announced the acquisition of Larry a dramedy produced by Avenue Productions. This is the second acquisition for Amuz Distribution (formerly ComediHa! Distribution until May of this year). Larry received six nominations at Prix Gémeaux and won “Best Sound – Fiction”; additionally, director Patrice Sauvé is nominated for the upcoming Prix RÉALS Awards. In other news, Amuz Distribution’s series About Antoine received three separate award wins and a nomination this month – the Prix Gémeaux, La Rochelle’s Festival de la Fiction and MIPCOM’s Diversify TV Award.
Larry is a dramedy about a former undercover police officer, Larry, whose reputation was tarnished from a corruption case, is now a security guard at the ripe age of 62 and working in a culturally mixed Montreal neighborhood. He is left to navigate a new life with his disabled wife who recently became injured when caught between a gang shootout. Larry, along with his quirky neighbors, tries to uncover the identities of those who were responsible for his wife while trying to make the best of his situation and redeem his reputation.
Avenue Productions producer Josée Desrosiers added, “Amuz Distribution is the perfect partner for Avenue Productions. They have the international contacts and stellar reputation as well as the sensibilities to represent our special series “Larry”. We are confident audiences around the world will be moved by the program.”
Amuz Distribution’s series About Antoine is the recipient of multiple awards this month. The Prix Gémeaux in Montreal bestowed the Best Supporting Role in a Comedy award for actress Micheline Bernard, while in La Rochelle at the Festival de la Fiction, About Antoine received the Best Francophone Foreign Fiction Award. And MIPCOM just named the series one of the finalists for its Diversify TV Awards, and the winner will be crowned on 17 October at a ceremony during MIPCOM.
About Antoine is an uplifting story of love and family triumphing over limitations. With authenticity, sensitivity, and humor the series tackles a rarely explored theme in fiction: life with a poly-handicapped child. Inspired by True Events.
Avon stated, “As we grow Amuz Distribution, we are thrilled to add Larry to our portfolio. This thought-provoking series demonstrating redemption fits nicely into our expansion mission for feel-good programming. We are also honored to have our heartfelt series About Antoine be recognized by the industry around the world with wins at the Prix Gémeaux in Quebec; and in France – a win at the La Rochelle Festival de la Fiction and our nomination for upcoming MIPCOM’s Diversify Awards. We’ll be at MIPCOM with these and other inspiring programs and look forward to meeting with everyone.”
iWorld
X launches XChat messaging app on iOS with calls and encryption
Standalone app marks shift from “everything app” vision, adds E2E messaging.
MUMBAI: From one big app to many small chats, X seems to be splitting its ambitions. X has rolled out its standalone messaging app, XChat, to iOS users, opening up a new front in its evolving product strategy. The app allows users to connect with existing X contacts through private and group messages, file sharing, as well as audio and video calls. The launch follows a limited beta phase, where the platform tested the product with a smaller user base to refine the experience. Now available publicly, XChat marks a notable pivot from earlier ambitions championed by Elon Musk to turn X into a single “everything app” combining messaging, payments, commerce and more.
Instead, the company under xAI ownership and backed by SpaceX appears to be building a suite of standalone applications, each targeting specific use cases while expanding its broader ecosystem.
At launch, XChat includes end-to-end encrypted messaging, PIN-based access, disappearing messages, and features such as message editing, deletion for all participants, and screenshot blocking. The company has also said the app is free from advertisements and tracking mechanisms, positioning it as a privacy-first alternative in a crowded messaging space.
However, security claims around the platform are likely to face scrutiny. Earlier iterations of XChat drew criticism from experts who argued it fell short of established encrypted platforms like Signal. With the wider rollout, the app is expected to undergo fresh evaluation to assess whether those concerns have been addressed.
Beyond messaging, XChat will also house X’s Communities feature, which is being discontinued on the main platform due to low usage and spam concerns. Migrating these users could provide an early boost to adoption, effectively turning XChat into both a communication and community hub.
The move underscores a broader recalibration at X less about cramming everything into one app, and more about spreading bets across multiple touchpoints, one message at a time.
