Hollywood
CineAsia to honour Akella; feature Shyamalan’s ‘Split’
MUMBAI: The Motion Picture Association Asia-Pacific Copyright Educator Award will be bestowed on comScore India managing director, theatrical, Rajkumar Akella, at CineAsia in Hong Kong. comScore which is an American media measurement and analytics company providing marketing data and analytics to many of the world’s largest enterprises, media and advertising agencies, and publishers.
The annual CineAsia convention will be held 6-8 December at the Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre, wherein awards will be given away to the deserving. CineAsia is the platform for the those seeking to learn the ins and outs of owning and operating cinemas in the booming Asia-Pacific region.
Major studio representatives will be in Hong Kong with presentations of their 2017 product: Sony Pictures International, Paramount Pictures International, Twentieth Century Fox International, Universal Pictures International, Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures International and Warner Bros. Pictures International, along with EuropaCorp. The lineup of feature screenings includes Fox’s NASA drama Hidden Figures, Disney’s South Seas animated adventure Moana, Warner Bros.’ Will Smith starrer Collateral Beauty, and Universal’s animated musical Sing and M. Night Shyamalan chiller Split.
Seminars at CineAsia will cover a wide range of trending topics, including “Maximizing Business Performance Through Investments in Next-Generation Cinema Technology,” “Attracting Millennials and Reinventing Cinema,” “Driving Global Conversion to Laser Technology” and “Online Ticketing.” The National Association of Concessionaires and the International Cinema Technology Association, meanwhile, coordinated programming for “CineAsia University” on the tradeshow floor.
NAC sessions will focus on topics such as putting the customer first, inventory issues, promotional tie-ins, and Coca-Cola’s suggestion on “refreshing the movies.” The ICTA’s Thursday lineup, meanwhile, covers in-theatre gaming and ticketing with the cloud.
At Sony’s presentation, veteran Sony executive Noriaki “Dick” Sano will accept a Lifetime Achievement Award from CineAsia. This year’s awardees are — Mei Lee Koh, CEO of Golden Screen Cinemas, as “Exhibitor of the Year”; Walt Disney International as “Distributor of the Year,” with the prize accepted by David Kornblum, VP, international sales and marketing, APAC/Russia, and international film acquisitions; and CineAsia official sponsor GDC Technology as “Technology Innovator of the Year,” to be accepted by chairman and CEO Dr. Man-Nang Chong. The DLP Cinema® Marketing Achievement Award goes to Taiwan circuit VieShow Cinemas and its chairman, Dennis Wu.
The show will finally honor groundbreaking Titanic and Avatar producer Jon Landau with the “CineAsia Visionary Award.”
Hollywood
Disney to cut 1,000 jobs in major restructuring drive
Layoffs span ESPN, studios and tech as company pivots to growth
MUMBAI: The magic isn’t disappearing but it is being reorganised. The Walt Disney Company has announced plans to cut around 1,000 jobs as part of a sweeping restructuring effort aimed at sharpening its edge in an increasingly unpredictable entertainment landscape. The move, led by CEO Josh D’Amaro, reflects a broader internal reset as the company rethinks how it operates, allocates resources and competes in a fast-evolving industry. In a memo to employees, D’Amaro acknowledged the difficulty of the decision but framed it as a necessary step to ensure Disney remains “efficient, innovative, and responsive” to rapid shifts in consumer behaviour and technology.
The layoffs will span multiple divisions, including marketing, film and television studios, ESPN, technology teams and corporate functions. Notifications have already begun, signalling that the restructuring is not a distant plan but an active transition underway.
Importantly, the company has clarified that the cuts are not performance-driven. Instead, they form part of a wider transformation strategy aimed at building a leaner, more agile organisation, one better equipped to respond to streaming dynamics, digital disruption and evolving audience expectations.
The timing is telling. The global entertainment industry is in the middle of a structural shift, with traditional television revenues under pressure and box office returns becoming increasingly volatile. Meanwhile, streaming platforms and digital-first competitors continue to redraw the rules of engagement, forcing legacy players to rethink scale, speed and storytelling formats.
For Disney, long synonymous with blockbuster franchises and timeless storytelling, the pivot is both strategic and symbolic. The company is doubling down on technology, direct-to-consumer services and content ecosystems that align with modern viewing habits, where audiences expect immediacy, personalisation and cross-platform experiences.
Even as the restructuring unfolds, D’Amaro struck a note of optimism, reiterating Disney’s commitment to creativity and long-term growth. Support measures for affected employees are expected as part of the transition, though details remain limited.
In essence, this is less about cutting back and more about reshaping forward. As Disney redraws its organisational map, the message is clear, in today’s entertainment world, even the most magical kingdoms must evolve or risk being left behind.
