Hollywood
‘Siddharth’ wins top award at Beijing, Wong Kar-Wai takes the cake
NEW DELHI: India-shot Canadian film Siddharth by Richie Mehta has won the top prize at the Tiantan Award ceremony held during the closing of the fourth Beijing International Film Festival.
This is the second feature by Mehta, about a father’s search for his son who has gone missing, that has won the ‘Best Feature Film’ at the second edition of the festival’s competition section.
The award was presented by jury president John Woo and director Feng Xiaogang.
However, renowned Wong Kar-wai’s The Grandmaster won five awards, three for ‘Best Director,’ ‘Best Actress’ (Zhang Ziyi) and ‘Best Cinematography’ (Philippe Le Sourd). This is the tenth time the actress has won for her role as a martial artist seeking revenge for the death of her father.
Adding to France’s success at the ceremony, French comedy Attila Marcel picked up two awards: ‘Best Actor’ (Guillaume Gouix) and ‘Best Score.’
Peter Chan’s American Dreams in China won ‘Best Screenplay,’ child actor Lee Re won ‘Best Supporting Actress’ for Lee Joon-ik’s Hope, Alan Rickman won ‘Best Supporting Actor’ for A Promise and Australia’s The Rocket won Best Special Effects.
Hollywood
Disney chair confident CEO Josh D’Amaro will ‘rise to the occasion’ in Trump–Kimmel row
Board backs new chief as ABC controversy tests leadership early on
NEW YORK: The Walt Disney Company has placed the responsibility of handling the escalating dispute between Donald Trump and late-night host Jimmy Kimmel squarely on its new chief executive, Josh D’Amaro.
Speaking at a business conference in Oslo, Disney chair James Gorman said it would be up to the CEO and his team to determine the company’s response to the controversy surrounding Jimmy Kimmel Live!. He noted that such challenges are not uncommon for large corporations and require careful handling at the leadership level.
The row intensified after both Donald Trump and Melania Trump publicly called for Kimmel’s dismissal following remarks made on his show. The comments, which referenced the First Lady, sparked backlash in the days leading up to a security incident at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.
Kimmel addressed the issue on-air, clarifying that his joke was intended as a reference to the couple’s age difference and not an incitement to violence. He also expressed sympathy for those affected by the incident and reiterated his stance against violent rhetoric.
Despite mounting pressure, Gorman refrained from offering specific guidance on the future of the show or the host. Instead, he voiced confidence in D’Amaro’s leadership, describing him as “world class” and capable of navigating the situation effectively.
The episode presents an early and high-profile test for D’Amaro, who stepped into the top role just last month. How Disney balances editorial independence, public sentiment and political pressure will likely shape not just the outcome of this controversy, but also the tone of its leadership in the months ahead.
