GRAND CANAL
France’s Canal+ Group has elevated its stake in multi-territory Asian video streamer Viu to 36.8%. It says that the transfer is in accordance with the phrases of the strategic partnership with Viu proprietor PCCW Group announced a year ago and follows the satisfaction of key enterprise milestones.
The transfer is the second time that Canal+ has increased its share stake and signifies that Canal+ has launched the final instalment of its $300 million staggered funding. “This funding is a renewed testimony to Canal+’s dedication to develop Asia as one of many group’s development engines and underlines Canal+’s confidence in Viu and its workforce,” the French firm mentioned in a press release. An additional funding, at Canal+’s discretion, may elevate its possession stake in Viu to 51%.
SYDNEYSIDERS SPEAK
Days after the completion of the pageant, “The Moogai” was revealed because the winner of the viewers award for finest Australian characteristic on the Sydney Movie Competition. Directed by Jon Bell and tailored from an earlier brief movie, “The Moogai” combines chilling parts of psychological horror with disturbing historical past.
Mohammad Rasoulof’s “The Seed of the Sacred Fig,” which received 5 awards at Cannes and compelled Rasoulof to flee his homeland after the Iranian authorities sentenced him to flogging and imprisonment for making his movie with out acquiring a license, was the winner within the worldwide characteristic class.
Viewers awards for documentaries went to Australia’s “Skategoat” and Madeleine Gavin’s “The Dwelling Sport.”
The pageant was accomplished on the weekend and revealed its juried awards on Sunday.
MURK AT STARLIGHT
Starlight Culture Entertainment, a Chinese language group which operates loss-making movie funding companies in Los Angeles, has requested for extra time to finish a deliberate capital restructuring. Earlier this month, the group mentioned that it deliberate a ten-to-one share consolidation with a view to stay in compliance with Hong Kong Inventory Change’s share itemizing necessities. Starlight’s annual report reveals that final 12 months it defaulted on HK$501 million ($64 million) of loans and that on the finish of 2023 it had a internet deficit of HK$378 million ($48.5 million). Now it says that the proposed capital discount is just not prepared.
In its heyday, Starlight was an investor in “Loopy Wealthy Asians” and “Halfway.”
MAKING MUSIC
Sony Music Leisure India and outstanding Hindi producer Maddock Movies (“Love Aaj Kal,” “Cocktail,” “Badlapur,” “Hindi Medium,” “Stree” and “Luka Chuppi”) have agreed a broad strategic collaboration with the purpose of manufacturing music initiatives, encompassing movie soundtracks and impartial pop initiatives that includes A-list Indian expertise.
Proposed initiatives embrace: soundtracks for the upcoming Hindi movie “Chhava” starring Vicky Kaushal and Rashmika Mandanna with music by A.R. Rahman, the drama “Diler” that includes Ibrahim Ali Khan, and “Ikkis” starring Agastya Nanda with music by Sachin-Jigar. The deal may also cowl soundtracks for “Luka Chhupi 2,” “Sector 36” starring Vikrant Massey, “Sarvagunn Sampan” that includes Vaani Kapoor, and “Rumi Ki Sharafat” starring Radhika Madan.
FAIR PLAY
Rakuten, the Japanese dwelling purchasing and leisure group, is launching Rakuten Play, a free service that goals to assist Japanese shoppers navigate their method by way of the mass of streaming providers to search out the content material they need.
Japan’s streaming panorama is one with a number of providers providing overlapping acquired content material choices and a few originals. An incentive to make use of the Rakuten Play service is the flexibility to earn dwelling purchasing factors for shoppers who signal as much as a streamer by way of the platform.
At launch, Rakuten Play will analyze Abema, Hulu Japan, U-Subsequent, WOWOW On Demand, Rakuten TV, R Channel, NBA Rakuten and Rakuten Pacific League Particular. Prime Video, the streaming market chief in Japan, and Netflix are absent from the checklist, although Rakuten says that extra providers are to be added quickly.
