Hollywood
Venice Film Festival is on for September
MUMBAI: The Venice film festival will not be postponed and will be held as planned, reports Variety.
The website has quoted Veneto governor Luca Zaia as saying that the world’s longest-running film festival will take place between September 2 and 12.
The prestigious film festival will be held as planned, even though the number of films will be less than the normal this year.
Though the Venice Biennale, which oversees the film festival, postponed its Biennale of Architecture to next year, has been postponed, the film festival’s dates weren’t changed.
The Biennale of Architecture was postponed, according to the governor, due to complexities with regard to building the pavilions.
Venice had sent a letter to film industry executives, filmmakers, actors and producers if they are willing to attend the film festival. They were also asked to share their concerns and suggestions about the festival.
The letter, signed by Venice’s artistic director Alberto Barbera, also asked producers and sales agents about the possibility of “bringing talent to accompany the invited films.”
It further said: “We know that it would be simply impossible to plan a festival without knowing if you all are willing to use the Festival to give a new start and a strong sign for keeping cinema alive, even in these difficult times.”
The oldest film festival in Europe, the Venice Film Festival started in Venice, Italy in August 1932. It is considered one of the big five film festivals, like the Cannes Film Festival in France, the Berlin International Film Festival in Germany, the Toronto International Film Festival in Canada and the Sundance Film Festival in the US. The festival is part of the Venice Biennale, one of the oldest exhibitions of art in the entire world, founded by the Venice City Council on 19 April 1893. The festival is held on the island of the Lido in the Venice Lagoon.
Follow Tellychakkar for the consumer facing news & entertainment
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.
