Hollywood
Wim Wenders to get Golden Bear at Berlinale
NEW DELHI: Renowned German filmmaker Wim Wenders will be presented the Golden Bear for Lifetime Achievement award and the Homage Section of the 65th Berlin International Film Festival will be dedicated to him.
The award ceremony on 12 February 2015 will include a screening of Der amerikanische Freund (The American Friend, 1977). It was Wenders’ international breakthrough film. “We were so impressed by the brilliance of the recently completed digital restoration that we decided to premiere it as part of the award ceremony for the Honorary Golden Bear,” Festival director Dieter Kosslick said.
In addition, the Deutsche Kinemathek has teamed up with Berlinale Talents for a special event entitled ‘Wings of Time: A Conversation with Wim Wenders’ the evening before the honourary award gala. The director will hold a discussion in English with Rainer Rother, artistic director of the Deutsche Kinemathek – Museum für Film und Fernsehen.
The Museum of Modern Art, New York, is honouring Wenders in March 2015 with a comprehensive retrospective that will include many of the films shown in the Homage programme.
In another nod to the Homage and the honorary award, the ZDF broadcasting group has scheduled a 2015 Wim Wenders retrospective, with the first series of films airing in February on ZDF, as well as on 3sat and ARTE.
Hollywood
Disney unifies streaming, film, TV and games under Dana Walden
Debra O’Connell to chair Disney Entertainment Television in new setup
LOS ANGELES: The Walt Disney Company is pressing play on a more tightly woven future. As audiences hop between cinema screens, streaming apps and game worlds, the media giant is stitching its storytelling arms into one coordinated machine under Dana Walden.
Set to take charge as president and chief creative officer on March 18, Walden will oversee a newly unified Disney Entertainment structure that brings together streaming, film, television and the company’s fast-expanding games and digital business. She will report directly to incoming chief executive officer Josh D’Amaro.
The thinking is simple. Whether viewers are watching on Disney+, heading to the cinema or diving into a game, Disney wants the experience to feel like chapters of the same story. Walden summed it up as strengthening the emotional thread between Disney’s characters and its audiences, wherever they choose to engage.
The leadership reshuffle reads like a carefully cast ensemble. Alan Bergman continues as chairman of Disney Entertainment, studios, steering film production, marketing and distribution while sharing oversight of direct to consumer.
Streaming gets a dual command. Joe Earley and Adam Smith step in as co-presidents of direct to consumer, jointly handling strategy and financial performance across Disney+ and Hulu. Earley will also guide content strategy, while Smith retains his role as chief product and technology officer across Disney Entertainment and ESPN.
A new chair enters the frame with Debra O’Connell taking on the role of chairman, Disney Entertainment Television. She will oversee an expansive slate that includes ABC Entertainment, National Geographic and Hulu Originals, while continuing to supervise ABC News and owned stations.
Gaming, once a side quest, is now a central storyline. Sean Shoptaw, executive vice president, games and digital entertainment, moves into the Disney Entertainment fold. His remit includes partnerships such as the collaboration with Epic Games, aimed at building a Disney universe linked to Fortnite.
Elsewhere, John Landgraf remains chairman of FX, reporting to Walden, while Asad Ayaz continues as chief marketing and brand officer, reporting to both D’Amaro and Walden.
The message behind the reshuffle is clear. Disney is no longer thinking in silos of screens but in stories that travel. And with Walden at the creative helm, the company is betting that a single, seamless narrative can keep audiences hooked, whether they are watching, scrolling or playing.
