Hollywood
Five European debut films shortlisted for FIPRESCI Prix at European Film Awards
NEW DELHI: Five films have made it to the nominations for ‘European Discovery 2014 – Prix FIPRESCI, an award presented annually by the International Federation of Film Critics as part of the European Film Awards to a young and upcoming director for a first full-length feature film.
This year’s nominations were determined by a committee comprised of EFA Board Members Ilann Girard (France) and Dagmar Jacobsen (Germany), EFA Members Paul Negoescu (Romania) and José Luis Cienfuegos (Spain), as well as Krzysztof Kwiatkowski (Poland), Marco Spagnoli (Italy) and Neil Young (UK) as representatives of FIPRESCI, the International Federation of Film Critics.
The nominated films will soon be submitted to the more than 3,000 EFA members to elect the winner. The European Discovery 2014 – Prix FIPRESCI will then be presented at the European Film Awards Ceremony in Riga on 13 December and will be streamed live on www.europeanfilmawards.eu.
The films are: ‘10,000 KM’ from Spain, directed by Carlos Marques-Marcet; ‘71’ from the United Kingdom directed by Yann Demange; ‘Party Girl’ from France directed and written by Marie Amachoukeli, Claire Burger, Samuel Theis; ‘The Tribe’ from Ukraine written and directed by Myroslav Slaboshpytskiy; and ‘Wounded’ from Spain directed by Fernando Franco.
The European Film Awards 2014 are presented by the European Film Academy and EFA Productions with the support of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Latvia, the Riga City Council, Foundation Riga 2014, Creative Europe MEDIA Sub-Programme, FFA German Federal Film Board, German State Lottery Berlin, German State Minister for Culture and the Media, Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg in co-operation with LTV and ZDF/ARTE.
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.
