Hollywood
Tongue-in-cheek film on ‘Indian Aussies’ highlight of St Kilda Festival this year
NEW DELHI: Producer-director-writer Anupam Sharma’s short documentary ‘Indian Aussies’ – a mosaic that incorporates the faces and voices of Indian Aussies across Australia and generations’- will be screened at the St Kilda Film Festival.
The 31st edition of the Festival is being held from 22 to 31 May in St Kilda in Australia.
The documentary commissioned by the Australian National Maritime Museum is a tongue in cheek look at Indian Australians across the spectrum. It was commissioned for the May 2013 exhibition East of India – The Forgotten Trade with Australia.
The documentary deals with everything from identity to racism, maintaining their roots to assimilation, and of course Cricket. The film is like a Bollywood film, with a twist and music at the end, according to South Asia Times.
The short documentary film explores the width and breath of culture, education, and identity amongst Indian Aussies.
The ‘Indian Aussies’ has been selected for the Festival as one of the top 100 Aussie short films.
The St. Kilda Festival has screened films that went on to be Oscar winners and nominees, and Palme D’or winners at Cannes.
Australia’s Top 100 prize pool totals over $40,000 in cash and in-kind craft awards, including a $10,000 prize for Best Short Film. Other prizes include Best Director, Best Achievement in Screenplay, Best Documentary, Best Animation, Best Achievement in Cinematography, Best Achievement in Indigenous Film Making, Best Comedy and Best Achievement in Sound Post.
Hollywood
Disney to cut 1,000 jobs in major restructuring drive
Layoffs span ESPN, studios and tech as company pivots to growth
MUMBAI: The magic isn’t disappearing but it is being reorganised. The Walt Disney Company has announced plans to cut around 1,000 jobs as part of a sweeping restructuring effort aimed at sharpening its edge in an increasingly unpredictable entertainment landscape. The move, led by CEO Josh D’Amaro, reflects a broader internal reset as the company rethinks how it operates, allocates resources and competes in a fast-evolving industry. In a memo to employees, D’Amaro acknowledged the difficulty of the decision but framed it as a necessary step to ensure Disney remains “efficient, innovative, and responsive” to rapid shifts in consumer behaviour and technology.
The layoffs will span multiple divisions, including marketing, film and television studios, ESPN, technology teams and corporate functions. Notifications have already begun, signalling that the restructuring is not a distant plan but an active transition underway.
Importantly, the company has clarified that the cuts are not performance-driven. Instead, they form part of a wider transformation strategy aimed at building a leaner, more agile organisation, one better equipped to respond to streaming dynamics, digital disruption and evolving audience expectations.
The timing is telling. The global entertainment industry is in the middle of a structural shift, with traditional television revenues under pressure and box office returns becoming increasingly volatile. Meanwhile, streaming platforms and digital-first competitors continue to redraw the rules of engagement, forcing legacy players to rethink scale, speed and storytelling formats.
For Disney, long synonymous with blockbuster franchises and timeless storytelling, the pivot is both strategic and symbolic. The company is doubling down on technology, direct-to-consumer services and content ecosystems that align with modern viewing habits, where audiences expect immediacy, personalisation and cross-platform experiences.
Even as the restructuring unfolds, D’Amaro struck a note of optimism, reiterating Disney’s commitment to creativity and long-term growth. Support measures for affected employees are expected as part of the transition, though details remain limited.
In essence, this is less about cutting back and more about reshaping forward. As Disney redraws its organisational map, the message is clear, in today’s entertainment world, even the most magical kingdoms must evolve or risk being left behind.
