Hollywood
India in focus in the ‘New World View’ at Zurich Film Festival
NEW DELHI: A total of 12 Indian features and six shortfilms are being showcased in the ongoing Zurich Film Festival (ZFF) in which India is the focus in the ‘New World View’ section.
The Festival is being held from 25 September to 5 October. Chaitanya Tamhane’s ‘Lion of the future’ winner Court and recent festival favourites Anand Gandhi’s Ship of Theseus and Kanu Behl’s Titli are among the selected films.
A package of shorts curated by Swiss Short Film Festival Internationale Kurzfilmtage Winterthur will be on display as well. There are six shorts made by Anurag Goswami , Varun Chawla , Hossein Mozdgir Roozane , Rodd Rathjen , Payal Kapadia and Gitanjali Rao.
The other features include Fandry by Nagraj Manjule; Gulabi Gang by Nishtha Jain; I.D by Kamal K.M.; Katiyabaaz by Deepti Kakkar and Fahad Mustafa; Liar’s Dice by Geethu Mohandas (which is India’s selection for the Oscars); Lucia by Pawan Kumar; Monsoon Shootout by Amit Kumar; Soodhu Kavvum by Nalan Kumarasamy, and Sulemani Keeda by Amit Masurkar.
Festival’s artistic director Karl Spoerri, one of the festival founders in October 2005, said, “The event will also include a Game Changer award for Mediakraft Networks president Christoph Krachten, honouring a visionary who breaks new ground while choosing to ignore convention and popular opinion”.
ZFF will also introduce an out-of-competition strand to present television productions that have garnered international attention.
The third International Film Music Competition will also be held during the festival and brings with it Oscar-winning composer Hans Zimmer, who will be honoured with a lifetime achievement award and a concert of his most famous works.
ZFF’s partnership with San Sebastian Film Festival will continue, with each hosting a window dedicated to films from their respective countries rather than competing for titles.
Hollywood
Paramount seeks FCC nod for foreign-backed $110 billion WBD deal
Gulf funds back merger as foreign stake nears 50 per cent, control stays with Ellison
NEW YORK: Paramount Global has approached the Federal Communications Commission seeking approval for foreign investments tied to its proposed $110 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, marking another key step in one of the biggest media deals in recent years.
According to regulatory filings made public this week, the investment backing the deal includes major Gulf sovereign funds such as the Public Investment Fund, the Qatar Investment Authority and L’imad Holding Company. Together, foreign investors are expected to hold just under 50 per cent of Paramount’s equity once the transaction is complete.
Despite the sizeable international backing, Paramount has made it clear that voting control will remain with the family of chief executive David Ellison, ensuring the company stays firmly under US control as required by broadcasting rules.
A company spokesperson described the FCC filing as routine for transactions involving foreign capital and stressed that it does not impact the closing of the deal. Under US law, any significant foreign ownership in broadcast licence holders must undergo regulatory review.
The merger itself has already cleared a major hurdle, with Warner Bros. Discovery shareholders approving the deal on 23 April. The transaction values the company at $31 per share, a 147 per cent premium to its earlier trading price, reflecting strong strategic intent behind the tie-up.
If completed, the combined entity will bring together a vast portfolio including Warner Bros. film studios, HBO Max, and networks such as CNN, TNT and Discovery Channel. The deal is currently expected to close in the third quarter of 2026.
However, scrutiny is intensifying. The US Department of Justice has issued subpoenas seeking details on the merger’s potential impact on cinema competition, streaming services and content licensing. Reviews are also anticipated in international markets, including the United Kingdom.
There is also a financial safety net built into the agreement. If regulators ultimately block the deal, Paramount would face a $7 billion break-up fee. Additionally, the company has taken on $2.8 billion in obligations previously owed by Warner Bros. Discovery to Netflix following an earlier terminated arrangement.
Paramount maintains that easing foreign ownership barriers will unlock fresh capital and strengthen its ability to compete in a rapidly evolving media landscape. For now, the spotlight remains on regulators, whose decision will determine whether this global media consolidation moves from script to screen.
