Hollywood
Francis Ford Coppola cites late Bengali cinematic great Satyajit Ray as an influence
NEW DELHI: Eminent filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola who made the iconic The Godfather has said cine craftsman Satyajit Ray was a major influence in life.
“I love Bollywood films because I come from a family involved in musicals.” he told Riz Khan during the twelfth edition of Hindustan Times Leadership Summit.
Addressing the enthusiastic audience, Coppola said that all businesses he has been involved in are about story-telling.
He talked about his path breaking films and creative journey. The acclaimed director emphasised on the value of changing techniques and what could be the future of cinema. He said, “Cinema is a marriage of writing and acting. Ultimately it is in the choice of the story and how that reaches people.”
“Cinema is about to change dramatically. The audience will be the master of the situation and there won’t be Paramount, MGM any more. It will be Netflix and Facebook in the future,” he said.
Talking about The Godfather he said, “Godfather was the metaphor for America. It was an accident. I never intended to be an important Hollywood director. I wanted to make small, personal cinema. I also never wanted to make the sequel of The Godfather, but I did so because of financial distress.”
He also spoke about the challenges of adapting a book to film. He said, “A novel is tricky because it wasn’t intended to be seen in two hours. The challenge is trying to find ways to collapse it and shorten it without destroying the original book. There has to be a balance in cinema. It’s like literature.”
Talking on whether he felt that The Godfather was dealt with the mafia, glorified violence, he said, “That’s always a problem with a war film. It’s very difficult to make a good anti-war film because it has so much violence in it. Italians are associated with great people – great artists, writers, designers – and to have it reduced to these bloodthirsty gangsters is problematic. Avoid films that are unduly violent, the responsibility lies with you.”
“I want to see films that make me more human,” he further added.
Hollywood
Disney sells out ad slots for 98th Oscars broadcast
Strong demand for live events turns the Academy Awards into a global, multi-platform marketing moment
NEW YORK: Hollywood’s biggest night has also become one of advertising’s hottest tickets. Disney has sold out all advertising inventory for the 98th Oscars, underscoring the growing demand from brands eager to ride the cultural wave of major live events.
The sell-out marks the sixth consecutive live tentpole success for Disney Advertising. The streak includes last year’s 97th Oscars, the 59th Annual CMA Awards, and Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest, signalling strong appetite among marketers for moments that bring audiences together in real time.
For advertisers, the Oscars are no longer just a single night of glitz and gold statues. Disney’s “Content Everywhere” strategy has expanded the awards show into a sprawling, multi-platform brand playground spanning linear television, streaming, social media and digital content.
“Live continues to be one of the most powerful ways for brands to connect with engaged audiences at scale, and the Oscars represent the very best of culture, creativity and community,” said Disney Advertising SVP, entertainment and streaming solutions John Campbell. He added that the company has reshaped the show’s commercial potential into a connected experience that stretches well beyond the broadcast.
Brands such as Mazda, Pfizer and Volkswagen of America are tapping into Disney’s wider ecosystem, appearing across original content segments including Know Your Movies on Hulu and Critically Acclaimed on Disney+. Partnerships also extend to social media through TikTok Pulse Premiere and to custom brand storytelling created by Disney CreativeWorks.
The result is what Disney calls the “Oscars Everywhere” approach. Rather than a few high-profile ad breaks, advertisers now find themselves woven through a series of moments before, during and after the ceremony.
These include On The Red Carpet at The Oscars, a live pre-show syndicated across major local markets and streamed nationwide, and the After the Oscars Show, which keeps the conversation going once the final award has been handed out.
This year’s sponsors include Rolex, returning for its ninth year, and Burger King, which joins the Oscars advertiser roster for the first time. Other brands in the mix include Disney Cruise Line, Dunkin’, Eli Lilly and Company, Eucerin, Intuit TurboTax, L’Oréal, McDonald’s, Microsoft, Miebo, Paris Baguette, Peacock, Starbucks, State Farm, Toyota and Verizon.
The 98th Oscars will take place on March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood. The ceremony will be broadcast live on ABC and streamed on Hulu, reaching audiences in more than 200 territories worldwide.
