Global Flicks: ‘Tara Khabar’ Is Disney+ Hotstar’s Biggest Hit; Tiwa Savage Set To Make Acting Debut In Upcoming Film ‘Water And Garri’

Tiwatope savage - David M. Benett

Africa: Tiwatope Savage, better known as Tiwa Savage, will make her acting debut in an upcoming film titled Water and Garri. The Nigerian singer will be playing a fashion designer who leads a promising career in the U.S. The film will be directed by Meji Alabi.

Amazon Prime Video is looking to expand its reach across the African continent, inking and locking deals with various actors, writers, and filmmakers across Africa. This move comes in the wake of the streaming giant’s multi-year licensing contract with the Nigerian production company, Inkblot Studios.

Asia: Love Today, the hit Tamil-language rom com, is getting a Hindi language remake from Phantom Studios and AGS Entertainment, the producers behind the original film. The story follows the results of two young lovers forced to exchange phones for a day. The original film was directed by Pradeep Ranganathan, where he also made his acting debut. The remake is expected to be released sometime in early 2024.

In addition to screening two films at Berlin’s European Film Market, Mumba Devi Motion Pictures, the Singapore- and India-based production company, has revealed a full slate of its future titles. Headed by Sweta Chhabria and Aditya Kripalani, the company is known for developing films that deal with issues such as gender and mental health. The production outfit recently completed work on Grand Sugar Daddy and presented the film at EFM on February 18 for its market premiere.

Cultpix, the classic film streaming service, has signed a 31 film deal with Japan’s Kadokawa Daiei Studio. The deal consists of 20 Zatoichi films, 8 Gamera films, and three Daimaijin films.

Taaza Khabar, a new series about a man future predicting abilities, has become Disney+ Hotstar’s biggest hit of 2023. The series, which premiered on January 6, is described as a mashup of multiple genres including comedy, fantasy, drama, and suspense.

At the Berlin International Film Festival, acclaimed Hong Kong filmmaker, Johnnie To, made remarks about totalitarianism that have attracted widespread attention. When asked by a journalist about the importance of cinema today, To said the following:

For me, cinema has always been in the vanguard. When totalitarian rule emerges, when people lose their freedoms, cinema is the first to take the hit. In most cases, cultural production will be forcefully suspended, since the cinema speaks directly to the audience. That’s why dictators always target the cinema. I think Hong Kong … No, sorry. I think all the countries and peoples fighting for freedom across the globe should support the cinema. Because the cinema speaks out on behalf of you.

Following its world premiere at the Berlin Film Festival, In Water, the latest film from Korean filmmaker Hong Sang-soo, has been acquired by Cinema Guild for its North American distribution. The film will have its premiere at a North American film festival later this year and, despite its 61-minute runtime, will be released theatrically.

The first trailer for Zee Studios’ Mrs. Chatterjee Vs Norway starring Rani Mukerji. Based on a true story about an Indian couple whose kids were taken away by welfare services, the film is directed by Ashima Chibber and is set for release on March 17.

Freida pinto - Taylor Hill

Europe: Freida Pinto and Vanessa Redgrave have signed on to a feature film adaptation of the popular children’s book, The Boy at the Back of the Class. The film is being helmed by Stephen Herek in the director’s chair and follows a girl who plans to reunite a refugee student with his family. Production is expected to begin on the film sometime later this year.

Planet B, an upcoming female-led sci-fi thriller being developed by Orange Studio, has enlisted the talents of Adele Exarchopoulos and Souheila Yacoub. In the director’s chair will be Heroes Don’t Die filmmaker Aude Léa Rapin. The story follows an activist who, after being shot in the eye during a violent demonstration, wakes up on another planet called Planet B. The film will shoot in both English and French, with production commencing within the next few weeks.

The new Milli Vanilli biopic, Girl You Know It’s True, from Leonine Studios and Wiedemann & Berg Film, has been picked up by Voltage Pictures. Buyers were sought after at Berlin’s European Film Market after footage from the film was presented. Chronicling the rise of the popular R&B duo, the film is expected to be release towards the end of year.

Monica villarreal - Lizzie Morgan

Latin America: Renowned talent manager, Monica Villarreal, has joined Anonymous Content as a talent manager and producer, being based out of the company’s offices in New York and Los Angeles. Villarreal rose through the ranks of WME’s as a talent manager and has grown a client list that includes names such as Moses Ingram and Sasha Calle.

Perlimps, the Brazilian animated feature from Alê Abreu, director of the Oscar nominated Boy and the World, has been sold by Best Friend Forever in territories such as China, Japan, and the Baltics. The film was recently released in Brazil by independent company, Vitrine Films. Sony Pictures holds the film’s Latin American rights.

Yalitza Aparicio, star of Alfonso Cuarón’s Roma, has signed on to executive produce a sweatshop drama titled Bonded alongside Infinity Hill, the team behind the Oscar-nominated film, Argentina 1985. The directorial debut of Mohit Ramchandani features the cast of Diego Calva, Alfredo Castro, Paulina Gaitán, and Jason Patric.

Quijote Films, the Chilean production company run by Giancarlo Nasi, has retimed with its former partners, El Viaje Films and Gema Films of Spain and Argentina respectively, to tackle two different projects. With El Viaje Films, the partnership is tackling Théo Court’s latest project, Tres noches negras. Meanwhile, in collaboration with Gema Films, the Quijote Films team has developed María Paz González’s, Morir de pie.

SXSW’s first South Asian House initiative will feature a number of panels focused on developing South Asian stories for international audiences. One panel, Creating South Asian Content for a Global Audience, with feature figures such as actor Rizwan Manji and Delhi Crime producer Apoorva Bakshi. Another panel, Investing in the Future of Our South Asian Stories, will feature The Flash’s Kausar Mohammed.

Abu Bakr Shawky - Tristar Media

Middle East: Director Abu Bakr Shawky’s new travel based film, Hajjan, is gearing up to make its rounds across the film festival circuit. The film is described as a big budget adventure film following a boy and his camel on the run across a vast desert. Behind the script were the pen masters of Omar Shama and Mufarrij Almajfel.

The Sundance favorite, Animalia, from French Moroccan filmmaker Sofia Alaoui, has caught the eyes of international distributors and has now been picked up by the Egypt-based production company, Film Clinic.Film Clinic acquired the film from the Paris-based sales company, Totem Films. The sci-fi film follows a pregnant Moroccan woman living in the midst of an alien invasion.

After being released from prison, two of Iran’s most prominent dissident filmmakers, Jafar Panahi and Mohammad Rasoulof, are focused on growing the Iranian Independent Filmmakers Association (IIFA), a new independent production apparatus aiming to develop content free from government intervention. The organization took center stage at the European Film Market in Berlin after the EFM prohibited any bodies tied to the government regime in Iran from attending.