Hollywood
Family calls Amy Winehouse documentary misleading
MUMBAI: Just a few weeks before the world premiere of the Amy Winehouse documentary titled Amy, the family of the late singer has spoken out strongly against it.
The Hollywood Reporter recently reported that the family wanted to “disassociate themselves” from Amy, directed by British filmmaker AsifKapadia, of the Sennafame, the 2010 documentary about late Formula 1 driver AyrtonSenna.
“They feel that the film is a missed opportunity to celebrate her life and talent and that it is both misleading and contains some basic untruths,” the family’s spokesperson told The Hollywood Reporter, adding that there were allegations made in the doc against the family and management that were “unfounded and unbalanced.”
The late singer’s family further opines, “The narrative is formed by the testimony of a narrow sample of Amy’s associates, many of whom had nothing to do with her in the last years of her life. By misunderstanding the condition and its treatment, the film suggests, for instance, that not enough was done for Amy, that her family and management pushed her into performing or did not do enough to help her.”
Speaking to The Sun, Winehouse’s father Mitch Winehouse claimed that he “felt sick” when he first saw the film. “Amy would be furious. This is not what she would have wanted. I am painted as being an absent father during her last years. It gives the impression the family weren’t there,” he said.
Mitch Winehouse also claimed that the filmmakers “had a pretty good idea of the film they wanted to make from the off” and on Monday told BBC radio that he would look to “sue for damages” if the film cut screened at Cannes was shown to misrepresent him.
In response to the allegations, the filmmakers claimed they came on board with the “full backing of the Winehouse family” and approached the project with “total objectivity.”
“During the production process, we conducted in the region of 100 interviews with people that knew Amy Winehouse; friends, family, former partners and members of the music industry that worked with her,” they said. “The story that the film tells is a reflection of our findings from these interviews.”
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.
