Notizie

Production in Western Australia has wrapped on psychological thriller “The Surfer,” starring Nicolas Cage. Producers have released a first-look image of a tousled and confused-looking Cage inside a car that his character may have slept in.

When a man returns to Australia to buy back his family home after many years in the U.S., he is humiliated in front of his teenage son by a group of local surfers who claim ownership over the secluded beach of his childhood. Wounded, he defies them and remains at the beach, demanding acceptance. As the conflict escalates he is brought to the edge of his sanity and his identity is thrown into question.

The film is directed by Lorcan Finnegan (“Vivarium”) and written by Thomas Martin, with production taking place entirely a single location in Yallingup in Western Australia.

Joining Cage is an Australian ensemble cast including Julian McMahon (“Nip/Tuck”), Nicholas Cassim...

The CW reveals Canadian sitcom “Run the Burbs” will make its US debut as the network unveils its Summer 2023 programming lineup.

“Run the Burbs” follows the Phams, a young, bold Vietnamese-South Asian family taking a different approach to living life to the fullest, while changing the way we think about contemporary family values and life in the burbs.

Phung (“Kim’s Convenience”), who co-created and executive produces the series with Scott Townend, stars as stay-at-home dad Andrew Pham. Rahkee Morzaria (“What We Do in the Shadows”) plays Andrew’s free-spirited entrepreneur wife Camille, Zoriah Wong (“Nancy Drew”) as their teenage daughter Khia, and Roman Pesino (“Odd Squad”) as their clever young son Leo. The show is a CBC Original Production produced by Pier 21 Films and distributed by Fifth Season.

The network has renewed both newcomers “Family Law” and the comedy “Bump” for second seasons. Starring Jewel Staite and Victor Garber,...

The CW has unveiled its slate of original scripted and unscripted programming set to debut on the network this summer.

Canadian family comedy Run The Burbs, from Kim’s Convenience breakout star Andrew Phung and dramedy Moonshine, about dysfunctional siblings battling for control of their family business are among titles on the network’s scripted slate for summer debut. Legal drama Family Law, starring Jewel Staite and Victor Garber, and comedy series Bump also return for second seasons.

New summer unscripted programs include the four-part docuseries Greatest Geek Year Ever: 1982, chronicling a classic moviegoing year in pop culture, and extreme cooking competition Recipe for Disaster. Additionally, Down To Earth With Zac Efron will make its broadcast television debut, along with new seasons of returning alternative series Great Chocolate Showdown and Mysteries Decoded. Airdates and times for all these series will be announced at a later date.

All join prevously announced summer series,...

Sales

Chris O’Dowd (“Puffin Rock”), Amy Huberman (“Derry Girls”), Beth McCafferty and Eva Whittaker (“Wolfwalkers”) lead the voice cast of “Puffin Rock and the New Friends,” the film based on the TV series “Puffin Rock.”

Following their collaboration on Oscar nominees “Song of the Sea” and “The Breadwinner,” WestEnd Films is teaming again with Irish animation studio Cartoon Saloon and Northern Ireland’s Dog Ears on the film and is launching sales at Berlin’s European Film Market (EFM), where first footage will be shown to buyers.

“Puffin Rock and the New Friends” sees Oona, Baba, May and Mossy joined by a new characters Isabelle, Phoenix and Marvin. When the last Little Egg of the season disappears under mysterious circumstances, Oona and her new friends race against time to bring the Little Egg home before a big storm hits Puffin Rock and puts the entire island in danger.

The film...

Rahel Romahn has been named the 11th recipient of the Heath Ledger Scholarship, the richest acting prize in Australia.

The Heath Ledger Scholarship is awarded to an emerging Australian actor with extraordinary ability and dedication to their craft who wishes to work and train internationally. The scholarship has propelled many previous recipients into international careers, including Bella Heathcote (Pieces of Her), Cody Fern (American Horror Story), Ashleigh Cummings (Citadel), Mojean Aria (The Enforcer), and Charmaine Bingwa (The Good Fight).

Ledger died on January 22, 2008 as a result of an accidental overdose of medications. He had just finished filming his role as the Joker in The Dark Knight.

Romahn most recently starred in the series Shantaram, as well as Mr InBetween andLittle Monsters. He was nominated for an Aacta and Logie award for his role in The Principal. He is based in Sydney and does not, as yet, have US representation.

Announced...

Sales

BBC Studios has closed a raft of sales deals for Jimmy McGovern’s “Time,” a BBC Studios production for BBC One which has proved a critical and rating success in its first month on the air, pulling 11.6 million viewers in its first 28 days. The series stars Bafta-winner Sean Bean (“Games of Thrones”) and four-time nominee Stephen Graham (“Line of Duty”) in a powerful story about life inside a prison.

Deals closed by BBC Studios include France and international French speaking territories, Switzerland and Africa (Canal+), Estonia (Etv), New Zealand (Prime), Greece (Cosmote), Israel (Yes and Hot), Latin America (HBO Max), Russia (Yandex), Sub – Saharan Africa (Mnet and ShowMax) and Spain (Movistar+). BBC First will broadcast and stream the series in in Australia, Asia, Canada, Benelux and Turkey.

Festival

The 65th BFI London Film Festival (Oct. 6-17) has unveiled a range of events that are free to attend for the public.

For actor Zac Garred, starring in the long-awaited and much-delayed Australian Gangster was like “going to a really cool party and not being able to tell anyone about it”.

The Roadshow Rough Diamond series, written and directed by Gregor Jordan, premieres tonight on the Seven Network some three years after it was shot, with delays due to legal reasons.

Inspired by true events, Alexander Bertrand leads the show as Pasquale “Pas” Barbaro, who grew up in an organised crime family. He is released from jail, but not before making an enemy of fellow inmate and Brothers For Life member, Mohammed “Little Crazy” Hamzy (Rahel Romahn).

The newly-freed Barbaro is not concerned about playing it safe or hiding in the shadows. He is, however, concerned about looking good on Instagram.

The supporting cast includes Steve Bestoni, Louisa Mignone, Karla Tonkich and Salvatore Coco.

Given legal sensitivities, when he speaks to If,...