Hollywood
Coen brothers named presidents of Cannes Film Festival jury
MUMBAI: American filmmakers Joel and Ethan Coen will be presiding over the jury of the 68th Festival de Cannes.
This will be the first time in the history of the Festival de Cannes, when not one but two leading figures will chair the Jury.
“We look forward to returning to Cannes this year. We welcome as always the opportunity to watch movies there from all over the world. Cannes is a festival that has been important to us since the very beginning of our career. Presiding over the Jury is a special honour, since we have never heretofore been president of anything. We will issue further proclamations at the appropriate time,” said Joel and Ethan Coen.
The brothers are currently filming the George Clooney, Christophe Lambert, Scarlett Johansson, Tilda Swinton, Josh Brolin and Channing Tatum starrer film Hail Caesar!
2015 is the celebration of 120 years since the invention of the Lumi?re cinematograph, and the Festival de Cannes will recognise, through the Coens, the work of all “cinema brothers” who, since Louis and Auguste Lumi?re, have enriched its history. The Festival has also had the opportunity to welcome “brothers” in a great way: like Joel and Ethan Coen who won the Palme d’or in 1991, Paolo and Vittorio Taviani received it in 1976, as well as Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne in 1998 and in 2005.
The Festival de Cannes will take place from 13-24 May, 2015. The composition of the Official Selection and the members of the Jury will be unveiled in mid-April.
Hollywood
Paramount eyes $24bn Gulf support to fund Warner Bros Discovery merger: Reports
Sovereign funds line up funding as media giants chase streaming scale
NEW YORK: Paramount Skydance is in talks to secure nearly $24 billion in equity commitments from Gulf sovereign wealth funds to support its planned takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery, according to a WSJ report.
The funding push comes as Paramount Skydance advances its proposed $110 billion deal for Warner Bros. Discovery, which carries an equity valuation of $81 billion and is expected to close in the third quarter of 2026.
At the heart of the financing plan are three major Gulf investors. Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund is expected to contribute roughly $10 billion, while the Qatar Investment Authority and Abu Dhabi-based L’imad Holding are likely to make up the remainder.
Crucially, the proposed investments are structured as non-voting stakes. This means the Gulf backers would not have direct control in the combined entity, a move designed to ease regulatory concerns in the United States. Paramount executives reportedly do not expect the deal to trigger scrutiny from bodies such as the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States or the Federal Communications Commission.
If completed, the merger would bring together a formidable portfolio of entertainment and news assets, including CNN and CBS. The combined entity aims to better compete in a fast-evolving media landscape where streaming platforms are steadily pulling audiences away from traditional television.
The deal reflects a broader shift in global media, where scale is increasingly seen as essential to survive the streaming wars. By pooling content libraries, technology and distribution, Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros. Discovery are betting on size and synergy to drive future growth.
The involvement of deep-pocketed Gulf investors also underscores the growing role of sovereign wealth in shaping global media consolidation, particularly at a time when high-value deals demand equally large financial backing.
With shareholder votes and regulatory milestones still ahead, the proposed tie-up remains one of the most closely watched media deals of the year. If it clears the final hurdles, it could redraw the competitive map of the global entertainment industry.
