Hollywood
Danny Boyle’s curated film fest to be held in London Cemetery
NEW DELHI: Perhaps for the first time ever, a cemetery in London’s most urban woodlands is to be the venue of a unique festival next month on film, music and arts.
Academy Award-winning filmmaker Danny Boyle along with BAFTA award-nominated director Clio Barnard (The Selfish Giant), award-winning director Sally El Hosaini (My Brother the Devil) and actor and director Dexter Fletcher (Sunshine on Leith, Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels) will judge short films across three key categories: ‘Science and the Imagination’, ‘The City’ and ‘Young Filmmakers’ (under 25s).
The Festival SHUFFLE will be held from 30 July to 4 August at Tower Hamlets’ Cemetery Park (THCP).
The top award for the ‘Science and the Imagination’ contest is a trip to California to be part of the world’s most cutting-edge filmmaking and digital media technology, which includes a virtual reality session and a visit to Google HQ in silicon valley.
Winners of the ‘The City’ will bet to join a one-on-one mentoring session with Danny Boyle – a remarkable insight into how the Oscar-winning filmmaker works – plus a trip to New York.
‘Young Filmmakers’ (under 25s) will get Panalux advice and bespoke five-day lighting package for the winner’s next film.
“SHUFFLE is the most fun anyone can have in a graveyard in Mile End. The point of the festival is to help build a stronger community in East London and campaign for permanently affordable housing in the area, so please do come on by,” said Danny Boyle.
SHUFFLE’s artistic director, Kate MacTiernan, said “This year, Danny Boyle and SHUFFLE have created a new film prize, to recognise up-and-coming talent as well as celebrate the art of the short film – where concept, idea, character and visual execution must be realised quickly and concisely. We are thrilled that Danny Boyle will judge the competition and offer his expertise to the winner.”
An award-winning festival, SHUFFLE is about living in the city – in the best way possible. It’s about the quality of spaces in the city and the interconnectedness of the people that exist in these places. It is about shaping an area for healthy, affordable living.
Born out of the Community Land Trust (CLT) – providing sustainable housing in urban areas – SHUFFLE is about bringing a sense of community back to London. SHUFFLE began in summer 2013 to create awareness of the UK’s first urban CLT, the former asylum of St Clements Hospital. SHUFFLE secured the space as a cultural centre for Mile End. In 2014, this initiative moves into the surrounding streets and Tower Hamlets’ Cemetery Park.
Last year’s guests at SHUFFLE included Jarvis Cocker, Nic Roeg, Martin McDonagh, Julien Temple, Brian Cox, Tim Key, Underworld and Mark Kermode.
All prizes are sponsored by Canary Wharf Group and Panalux. All film competitions are free for young residents (under 25) from E3. Competition winners will be announced on 3 August.
Hollywood
Paramount Skydance secures financing for Warner Bros Discovery deal
Debt syndication and new loans push $111 billion merger closer to close
WASHINGTON: Paramount Skydance has taken a major step towards its planned acquisition of Warner Bros Discovery, securing fresh financing and completing the syndication of its bridge loan facility.
In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, the company confirmed that the bridge facility has now been distributed among a group of 18 banks, reducing total commitments to $49 billion from an earlier $54 billion. The move spreads risk across lenders and signals growing confidence in one of the year’s largest media deals.
Alongside this, the company has finalised permanent financing arrangements, including $5 billion in senior term loans and a $5 billion revolving credit facility. A previously planned $3.5 billion credit line has been dropped as part of the restructuring.
The loans are secured against key assets, including Paramount Global, Skydance Media and Warner Bros post-merger, underlining the scale and complexity of the transaction.
The financing push follows a competitive bidding process earlier this year, which saw interest from players such as Netflix before Paramount Skydance emerged as the frontrunner. The deal, valued at $111 billion, is expected to close in the third quarter, subject to regulatory approvals.
Adding to the momentum, the company has also secured significant equity backing, including investments from Middle Eastern funds, with support from billionaire Larry Ellison, who has guaranteed the equity portion of the transaction.
Commenting on the development, Paramount Skydance chief strategy officer Andy Gordon said, “Our successful debt syndication and new debt facilities represent another important milestone towards the completion of our acquisition of Warner Bros Discovery.”
Once completed, the combined entity is expected to carry net debt of just under $80 billion, reflecting the sheer scale of the merger.
As Hollywood continues to consolidate in the streaming era, this deal could reshape the competitive landscape, with Paramount Skydance betting big on scale, content and financial muscle to take on global rivals.
