Hollywood
Francis Lai to receive lifetime achievement award
NEW DELHI: Renowned French composer Francis Lai is all set to receive the world Soundtrack Lifetime Achievement Award at the 14th World Soundtrack Awards’s focus on France.
The 14th World Soundtrack Awards and Concert will take place on October 25 at Kuipke in Ghent on the concluding day of the 41st Film Fest Gent which will begin on October 14 and will focus on France.
Francis Lai (born in 1932 in Nice) became world famous with A man and a woman (1966) which is his first score for a film by Claude Lelouch, for whom he went on to compose over 30 scores during the next four decades.
The Oscar winning film A man and a Woman launched the career of Lelouch and made Lai a celebrated French film composer with an international career. Thanks to the ‘chabadabada’ tune, the music of A man and a woman topped the music charts. In this film, as well as in the follow-up Live for Life (1967), he introduced the authentic use of both English and French chansons sung by Pierre Barouh and Nicole Croisille, which became an innovative, refreshing and romantic sound in French film music.
In 1970 Lai scored his biggest international hit with the soundtrack of the phenomenal blockbuster Love Story (1970) by Arthur Hiller. He achieved his biggest cult success with the film Bilitis (1977) by softcore sex photographer David Hamilton. Other acclaimed films for which he composed the music are Rider on the Rain by Rene Clement, Anima Persa by Dino Risi, My New Partner by Claude Zidi and Dark Eyes by Nikita Mikhalkov.
During the WSA concert a selection of his work will be performed by the Brussels Philharmonic and conducted by Dirk Brossé.
In addition, Jeff Neve’s captivating music for the prestigious Flemish drama series In Flanders Fields will also be receiving some deserved attention that evening. With this score, Jef Neve proved that he is not only a gifted jazz musician but also a very inspiring composer of many talents. He will be performing a selection of the music he wrote, accompanied by footage from the series.
Confirmed central guests and performers at the World Soundtrack Awards are American composer Cliff Martinez (Drive, Only God Forgives, Contagion and Spring Breakers) and 2013 WSA Discovery Award winner Dan Romer (Beasts of the Southern Wild).
Hollywood
David Zaslav could net up to $887m as Warner Bros Discovery sells up
Media mogul strikes gold as Paramount Skydance deal triggers massive windfall
NEW YORK: While the average office worker might hope for a nice clock and a round of applause upon leaving, David Zaslav is looking at a slightly more substantial parting gift. The chief executive officer of Warner Bros Discovery is positioned to receive a windfall of up to $887 million following the company’s blockbuster $110 billion sale to Paramount Skydance.
In a twist of corporate fate that feels scripted for the big screen, the deal marks the finale of a high-stakes bidding war. It comes after Netflix, once the frontrunner, decided to exit stage left and abandon its pursuit of the HBO Max parent company.
While most people receive a standard final paycheck, the filing released on Monday suggests Zaslav’s exit package is built a little differently. If the deal closes as expected in the third quarter of 2026, the numbers break down like this:
The cash out: A severance package of $34.2 million, covering his salary and bonuses.
The equity: $115.8 million in vested shares he already owns.
The future fortune: A massive $517.2 million in unvested share awards, essentially “future stock” that turns into real money the moment the ink dries on the merger.
Perhaps the most eye-catching figure is the $335 million earmarked for tax reimbursements. However, this particular pot of gold has an expiration date.
The company noted that these reimbursements are tied to specific tax-code rules that significantly decline as time passes. If the deal hits a snag and drags into 2027, that tax payout drops to zero. With hundreds of millions on the line, the chief executive officer likely has every incentive to ensure the closing process moves at double-speed.
