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.
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Hollywood
David Zaslav could net up to $887m as Warner Bros Discovery sells up
Media mogul strikes gold as Paramount Skydance deal triggers massive windfall
NEW YORK: While the average office worker might hope for a nice clock and a round of applause upon leaving, David Zaslav is looking at a slightly more substantial parting gift. The chief executive officer of Warner Bros Discovery is positioned to receive a windfall of up to $887 million following the company’s blockbuster $110 billion sale to Paramount Skydance.
In a twist of corporate fate that feels scripted for the big screen, the deal marks the finale of a high-stakes bidding war. It comes after Netflix, once the frontrunner, decided to exit stage left and abandon its pursuit of the HBO Max parent company.
While most people receive a standard final paycheck, the filing released on Monday suggests Zaslav’s exit package is built a little differently. If the deal closes as expected in the third quarter of 2026, the numbers break down like this:
The cash out: A severance package of $34.2 million, covering his salary and bonuses.
The equity: $115.8 million in vested shares he already owns.
The future fortune: A massive $517.2 million in unvested share awards, essentially “future stock” that turns into real money the moment the ink dries on the merger.
Perhaps the most eye-catching figure is the $335 million earmarked for tax reimbursements. However, this particular pot of gold has an expiration date.
The company noted that these reimbursements are tied to specific tax-code rules that significantly decline as time passes. If the deal hits a snag and drags into 2027, that tax payout drops to zero. With hundreds of millions on the line, the chief executive officer likely has every incentive to ensure the closing process moves at double-speed.
