Hollywood
Solid, Moriah forge distribution deal for WWII films
MUMBAI: Solid Entertainment, a leading distributor of factual programming, today announced that it has signed an exclusive two-year distribution deal with two-time Academy Award winning production company Moriah Films for five of their landmark documentaries.
Negotiated by Solid Entertainment founder and CEO Richard Propper and Moriah Films head Rick Trank, the deal includes worldwide broadcast, home video, and DVD rights and comes on the eve of the 60th anniversary (2005) of the end of World War II (WWII).
Solid Entertainments first time offering of such films as Genocide, the first Holocaust documentary to win an Academy Award, The Long Way Home, a second Academy Award winning documentary, In Search Of Peace, Liberation, and the recently completed Unlikely Heroes, comes at the right time to present relevant programming for this monumental anniversary.
The titles included in this deal are: Genocide, which is narrated by Elizabeth Taylor and Orson Welles is the story of the millions of men, women and children who fell victim to Hitler’s Final Solution. A unique multi-image documentary, this programme combines historical narrative with actual stories of ordinary people caught up in the Nazi’s reign of terror.
The Long Way Home is narrated by award-winning actor Morgan Freeman and is a riveting documentary which tells the story of Holocaust survivors in the years 1945-1948 engaged in the battle to rebuild their shattered lives and to recapture human dignity.
In Search of Peace has been narrated by Michael Douglas and chronicles the first two decades of Israel’s existence, offering new insights on the origins of the Middle East conflict. Combining rare archival film and photos, In Search of Peace not only examines events in Israel, but their impact on other places as well – the Arab refugee camps, the General Assembly of the United Nations, Moscow, Paris, London, Buenos Aires, Cairo and Washington DC.
Liberation is narrated by Ben Kingsley and Whoopi Goldberg, and is a programme which focuses on the end of WWII as Hitler continued to persist on two fronts: fighting the allies attempting to liberate Europe and continuing the genocidal war against the Jews. This WWII documentary uses film footage, radio broadcasts, and period music gathered from archives around the world.
Unlikely Heroes, which is Moriah Films’ latest release, is narrated by Kingsley and chronicles the untold stories of Jewish resistance and individual heroism throughout the Nazi Holocaust. Utilising never-before-seen film and photos discovered in European archives, this documentary shatters the myth that the Jewish people did not stand up to the Nazis.
Hollywood
WBD sets April 23 vote on $110bn Paramount Skydance merger
Investor approval key step, but regulators loom over mega media deal
NEW YORK: Warner Bros. Discovery has set April 23 as the date for shareholders to vote on its proposed $110 billion merger with Paramount Skydance, marking a crucial step in one of the biggest media deals in recent years.
The all-cash transaction offers WBD shareholders $31 per share, a hefty 147 per cent premium to its unaffected stock price, signalling strong intent to push the deal across the finish line. The company’s board has unanimously backed the merger and is urging investors to vote in favour.
Even if shareholders give the green light, the deal is far from done. Regulators in the United States and Europe are expected to scrutinise the merger closely, weighing concerns around competition and potential price impacts for consumers.
To keep investors on side, WBD has built in a safety net. If the deal is not completed by September 30, shareholders will receive a quarterly “ticking fee” of $0.25 per share until closure.
The proposed merger would significantly reshape the media landscape, combining the assets of Warner Bros. Discovery with those linked to Paramount Global and Skydance Media. It would also cement the growing influence of David Ellison, who has been steering Skydance’s aggressive expansion strategy.
“The WBD Board has been guided by the singular principle of securing a transaction that maximises the value of our iconic assets and delivers as much certainty as possible to our shareholders,” said Warner Bros. Discovery board chair Samuel A. Di Piazza Jr.. “This historic transaction will expand consumer choice and create new opportunities for creative talent.”
Warner Bros. Discovery chief executive officer David Zaslav added that the company is working closely with its counterpart to close the deal and unlock value for stakeholders.
With investor backing likely but regulatory hurdles ahead, the proposed merger is shaping up to be a defining moment for the global entertainment industry, where scale, content and competition are increasingly intertwined.
