Hollywood
BAFTA: Redmayne, Moore win top honours; ‘Lunchbox’ loses to Polish film
MUMBAI: Held at the Royal Opera House in London on 8 February, 2015, the 68th edition of the annual British Academy of Film and Arts (BAFTA) awards was hosted by Stephen Fry in the presence of a string of international film celebrities.
Eddie Redmayne and Julianne Moore received the top acting honours for their roles in The Theory Of Everything and Still Alice respectively. The American coming-of-age tale Boyhood won a BAFTA for ‘Best Film’ while the award for the ‘outstanding British Film’ went to The Theory Of Everything.
India’s acclaimed movie, The Lunchbox was nominated for the foreign film category. It was competing with Russian drama, Leviathan, Brazilian-British adventure drama thriller film, Trash and Belgian drama Two Days, One Night but eventually Polish-Danish drama movie Ida, was named the winner in the category.
Actress Nimrat Kaur, the leading lady of The Lunchbox looked lovely on the red carpet in a pink Georges Hobeika dress.
Below is the complete list of BAFTA 2015 winners:
Film: Boyhood, Richard Linklater, Cathleen Sutherland
Director: Boyhood, Richard Linklater
Leading Actor: Eddie Redmayne, The Theory Of Everything
Leading Actress: Julianne Moore, Still Alice
Supporting Actor: J.K. Simmons, Whiplash
Supporting Actress: Patricia Arquette, Boyhood
Adapted Screenplay: The Theory Of Everything, Anthony Mccarten
Animated Film: The Lego Movie, Phil Lord, Christopher Miller
British Short Animation: The Bigger Picture, Chris Hees, Daisy Jacobs, Jennifer Majka
British Short Film: Boogaloo And Graham, Brian J. Falconer, Michael Lennox, Ronan Blaney
Cinematography: Birdman, Emmanuel Lubezki
Costume Design: The Grand Budapest Hotel, Milena Canonero
Documentary: Citizenfour, Laura Poitras
EE Rising Star: Jack O’Connell
Editing:Whiplash, Tom Cross
Film not in the English Language: Ida, Pawel Pawlikowski, Eric Abraham, Piotr Dzieciol, Ewa Puszczynska
Make-Up And Hair: The Grand Budapest Hotel – Frances Hannon
Original Music: The Grand Budapest Hotel, Alexandre Desplat
Original Screenplay: The Grand Budapest Hotel, Wes Anderson
Outstanding British Film: The Theory Of Everything, James Marsh, Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Lisa Bruce, Anthony Mccarten
Outstanding Debut By A British Writer, Director or Producer: Stephen Beresford, David Livingstone,Pride
Production Design: The Grand Budapest Hotel, Adam Stockhausen, Anna Pinnock
Sound: Whiplash, Thomas Curley, Ben Wilkins, Craig Mann
Special Visual Effects: Interstellar, Paul Franklin, Scott Fisher, Andrew Lockley
Hollywood
Paramount seeks FCC nod for foreign-backed $110 billion WBD deal
Gulf funds back merger as foreign stake nears 50 per cent, control stays with Ellison
NEW YORK: Paramount Global has approached the Federal Communications Commission seeking approval for foreign investments tied to its proposed $110 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, marking another key step in one of the biggest media deals in recent years.
According to regulatory filings made public this week, the investment backing the deal includes major Gulf sovereign funds such as the Public Investment Fund, the Qatar Investment Authority and L’imad Holding Company. Together, foreign investors are expected to hold just under 50 per cent of Paramount’s equity once the transaction is complete.
Despite the sizeable international backing, Paramount has made it clear that voting control will remain with the family of chief executive David Ellison, ensuring the company stays firmly under US control as required by broadcasting rules.
A company spokesperson described the FCC filing as routine for transactions involving foreign capital and stressed that it does not impact the closing of the deal. Under US law, any significant foreign ownership in broadcast licence holders must undergo regulatory review.
The merger itself has already cleared a major hurdle, with Warner Bros. Discovery shareholders approving the deal on 23 April. The transaction values the company at $31 per share, a 147 per cent premium to its earlier trading price, reflecting strong strategic intent behind the tie-up.
If completed, the combined entity will bring together a vast portfolio including Warner Bros. film studios, HBO Max, and networks such as CNN, TNT and Discovery Channel. The deal is currently expected to close in the third quarter of 2026.
However, scrutiny is intensifying. The US Department of Justice has issued subpoenas seeking details on the merger’s potential impact on cinema competition, streaming services and content licensing. Reviews are also anticipated in international markets, including the United Kingdom.
There is also a financial safety net built into the agreement. If regulators ultimately block the deal, Paramount would face a $7 billion break-up fee. Additionally, the company has taken on $2.8 billion in obligations previously owed by Warner Bros. Discovery to Netflix following an earlier terminated arrangement.
Paramount maintains that easing foreign ownership barriers will unlock fresh capital and strengthen its ability to compete in a rapidly evolving media landscape. For now, the spotlight remains on regulators, whose decision will determine whether this global media consolidation moves from script to screen.
