Hollywood
Manhattan Short 2014 to be held in India
MUMBAI: Manhattan Short 2014, the international platform which showcases, celebrates and awards short films from across the world, is back for the fifth time in India.
The three-day fest will be held in Mumbai from 3 -5 October. The festival will screen the 10 best short films that have been selected from USA, UK, Germany, France, Mexico, Australia, Netherlands, Norway, and England.
The films deal with a range of subjects which includes romance to sci-fi, animation and a docu-short. These films have won multiple accolades at various festivals around the world and will be screened at Manhattan Short 2014.
This film movement began in 1998 and has long established its global exposure by dedicating itself to the short film genre and witnessing hundreds of entries from across the world every year.
This year Manhattan Short 2014 in India and its chief patron Vivanta by Taj conducted and named, ‘Vote for India’. This initiative saw filmmakers from across India send in their short film entries to vie for a spot in the global finalist list. The films were hosted on the India chapter’s website – www.manhattanshortindia.com where Indian audiences voted for three best movies. These three winners each have won a chance to create a short film for Vivanta by Taj.
Manhattan Short 2014 in India will also present a few workshops for the youth and upcoming film makers by renowned artistes who will share their thoughtful insights with the audience.
Commenting on the India chapter, India Festival director Anil Sadarangani said, “With Manhattan Short’s global reach, this is a dream come true for any filmmaker to be a part of. We hope to receive a great response from the city with the grand repertoires of short films presented at the festival.”
Manhattan Short 2014 in India will kickstart with an interesting workshop on ‘The Short Film Industry: Boom!’ This session will have panelists like Shamiana Shorts Founder Cyrus Dastur, Pocket Films Managing Director Saameer Mody, renowned film maker Paromita Vohra and film-maker and Co-Curator of The FD Zone Avijit Mukul Kishore, who will share their insights on the growth of the short film industry in India.
The festival will also conduct various workshops with renowned industry veterans like- ‘Rainbow Stories – Queering Indian Shorts’ with Sridhar Rangayan from Kashish Mumbai International Queer Film Festival, ‘Joys of Film Editing’ workshop with Film Editors Dipika Kalra and Antara Lahiri, Oscar-nominated filmmaker Ashvin Kumar will conduct one on making an Oscar-worthy short film at Manhattan Short 2014.
The winner will be selected by the audience voting. Votes will be tallied at each participating cinema around the world and submitted to festival headquarters in New York City where the winner will be announced. Audiences can also catch the webcast live on www.vivantabytaj.com.
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.
