Hollywood
Charlie Chaplin to be paid tribute on 67th Locarno Film Festival
NEW DELHI: Around 274 films from 47 different countries – features, shorts and those of medium-length – are being screened at the ongoing 67th edition of the Festival del film Locarno.
The second under Carlo Chatrian’s stewardship as artistic director was officially inaugurated earlier this month by its President Marco Solari.
The festival paid a tribute to Charlie Chaplin to mark the centenary of his creation, The Tramp, via a screening of Modern Times with live musical accompaniment by the Orchestra della Svizzera italiana conducted by Philippe Béran.
The award of the Pardo alla carriera was given to Jean-Pierre Léaud. The film Lucy introduced by its director Luc Besson was screened at the opening.
The 67th edition’s guests will include, among others, Dario Argento, Olivier Assayas, Juliette Binoche, Garrett Brown, Suzanne Clément, Pedro Costa, Julie Depardieu, Lav Diaz, Víctor Erice, Mia Farrow, Florian David Fitz, Tony Gatlif, Giancarlo Giannini, Hippolyte Girardot, Melanie Griffith, HPG, Guido Lombardo, Fernand Melgar, Armin Mueller-Stahl, Rita Pavone, Alex Ross Perry, Matías Pi?eiro, Roman Polanski, Jonathan Price, Martín Rejtman, Eran Riklis, Jason Schwartzmann, Emmanuelle Seigner, Nansun Shi, Aleksandr Sokurov, Andrea Staka, Agn?s Varda, Paul Vecchiali and Jürgen Vogel.
Among the institutional guests, the Federal Councillor Alain Berset at the opening day and, on Sunday, the Federal Coucillor and president of the Swiss Confederation Didier Burkhalter, as well as Navi Pillay, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.
While the three official competitions offer an opportunity to take the pulse of current production all over the world, an important part of the programme is dedicated to film history, and those who have created it, giving viewers an intimate insight into those artists whose work they can discover, or re-discover, also via the numerous ‘in conversation’ events that are open to the public.
The festival will conclude over the weekend with the prize-giving ceremony on 16 August.
Hollywood
Disney unifies streaming, film, TV and games under Dana Walden
Debra O’Connell to chair Disney Entertainment Television in new setup
LOS ANGELES: The Walt Disney Company is pressing play on a more tightly woven future. As audiences hop between cinema screens, streaming apps and game worlds, the media giant is stitching its storytelling arms into one coordinated machine under Dana Walden.
Set to take charge as president and chief creative officer on March 18, Walden will oversee a newly unified Disney Entertainment structure that brings together streaming, film, television and the company’s fast-expanding games and digital business. She will report directly to incoming chief executive officer Josh D’Amaro.
The thinking is simple. Whether viewers are watching on Disney+, heading to the cinema or diving into a game, Disney wants the experience to feel like chapters of the same story. Walden summed it up as strengthening the emotional thread between Disney’s characters and its audiences, wherever they choose to engage.
The leadership reshuffle reads like a carefully cast ensemble. Alan Bergman continues as chairman of Disney Entertainment, studios, steering film production, marketing and distribution while sharing oversight of direct to consumer.
Streaming gets a dual command. Joe Earley and Adam Smith step in as co-presidents of direct to consumer, jointly handling strategy and financial performance across Disney+ and Hulu. Earley will also guide content strategy, while Smith retains his role as chief product and technology officer across Disney Entertainment and ESPN.
A new chair enters the frame with Debra O’Connell taking on the role of chairman, Disney Entertainment Television. She will oversee an expansive slate that includes ABC Entertainment, National Geographic and Hulu Originals, while continuing to supervise ABC News and owned stations.
Gaming, once a side quest, is now a central storyline. Sean Shoptaw, executive vice president, games and digital entertainment, moves into the Disney Entertainment fold. His remit includes partnerships such as the collaboration with Epic Games, aimed at building a Disney universe linked to Fortnite.
Elsewhere, John Landgraf remains chairman of FX, reporting to Walden, while Asad Ayaz continues as chief marketing and brand officer, reporting to both D’Amaro and Walden.
The message behind the reshuffle is clear. Disney is no longer thinking in silos of screens but in stories that travel. And with Walden at the creative helm, the company is betting that a single, seamless narrative can keep audiences hooked, whether they are watching, scrolling or playing.
