With Catherine Deneuve, Juliette Binoche to Open Venice Film Festival

VENICE FILM FESTIVAL

DAY 5

MONDAY, SEPT. 2, 2019

Proudly presented by the Czech Film Fund and Slovak Audiovisual Fund – World Sales Celluloid Dreams Proudly presented by the Czech Film Fund and Slovak Audiovisual Fund – World Sales Celluloid Dreams

0902 VD Silver screen - PAINTED BIRD_CVR1 REV.indd 1 8/22/19 12:41 PM We’ve Got Venice Covered.

HOME > FILM > FESTIVALS JULY 18, 2019 3:44AM PT Hirokazu Kore-eda’s ‘The Truth’ With Catherine Deneuve, Juliette Binoche to Open Venice Film Festival

JULY 23, 2019 4:00AM PT HOME > FILM > GLOBAL First Trailer Released for Venice Days Entry ‘Beware of Children’ (EXCLUSIVE)

JULY 16, 2019 HOME > FILM > FESTIVALS 7:39AM PT With ‘Ad Astra,’ ‘Joker’ Likely, Venice Set for Strong Showing by U.S., Bolstered by Streamers

GLOBAL ENTERTAINMENT NEWS COVERAGE

DAY We’ve Got Venice Covered. 5

MONDAY, SEPT. 2, 2019

PRESS CONFERENCE Heads of the ‘Network’ DYNAMIC DUO Parker Bac Boosts Contrite Int’l Sales

HOME > FILM > FESTIVALS JULY 18, 2019 3:44AM PT Over Past With New Remarks Leaders Hirokazu Kore-eda’s ‘The Truth’ With By NICK VIVARELLI AND By ELSA KESLASSY ELSA KESLASSY bac films, the Par- Catherine Deneuve, Juliette Binoche to looking to make a is-based film group comeback, director Nate behind the Venice Hori- Parker was in contrition zons title “My Days of Open Venice Film Festival mode Sunday at the Ven- Glory,” has bolstered its ice Film Festival, admitting international sales divi- that he had been “tone sion with a new team JULY 23, 2019 4:00AM PT HOME > FILM > GLOBAL deaf” in his past remarks topped by Marine Goulois regarding the rape charge and Andrea Dos Santos. First Trailer Released for he faced as a student. Goulois previous- Producer Rodrigo Teixeira (from top right) director Olivier Assayas, actors Penelope Cruz and Edgar Venice Days Entry ‘Beware “The last three years Ramirez; actors Wagner Moura (from bottom right), Leonardo Sbaraglia and Gael García Bernal at the ly worked at SND, the of Children’ (EXCLUSIVE) have been such a learning Venice photo call for “Wasp Network.” sales arm of the commer- experience for me,” he said cial network M6, and Les

JULY 16, 2019 at a press conference on Films du Losange, while HOME > FILM > FESTIVALS 7:39AM PT the Lido for his new film, NEW ERA Dos Santos worked at With ‘Ad Astra,’ ‘Joker’ Likely, Venice Set for “American Skin.” “I feel like Orange Studio and Alfama Strong Showing by U.S., I have gained so much wis- Films. They will head the Bolstered by Streamers dom from people in my international sales divi- circle,” he added. Sky Aims for Big Impact → BAC, P.7 “Three years ago I was pretty tone deaf to the realities of certain situa- By NICK VIVARELLI Nicola Maccanico, Sky Italia’s execu- REVIEW tions that were happen- tive vice president for programming and ing in the climate. And Pay-TV giant Sky has hit Venice with the managing director of the company’s Soderbergh I’ve had a lot of time to two of its original series in tow, “The New Vision Distribution unit, which releases think about that, and I’ve Pope” and “ZeroZeroZero,” the only TV movies theatrically in Italy, spoke to Vari- learned a lot from it,” he shows with premieres on the Lido this ety about Sky’s ambitions and investments Tackles Global said. “And being tone deaf, year. Both are Italy-based but conceived in original content under its new owner, there were a lot of peo- with global audiences in mind, and come Comcast. (The interview has been edited Corruption ple that were hurt in my from the new Sky Studios in-house pro- for clarity and concision.) By OWEN GLEIBERMAN response, in the way I duction unit headed by Gary Davey. → SKY, P.7 → PARKER, P.7 steven soderbergh’s “The Laundromat” is a fluky contradiction that PRESS CONFERENCE documents that were leaked Although the approach is works. I’m tempted to to journalists in 2016 and humorous in many ways, the call it a brain-teaser — Soderbergh, Streep Hit that revealed global schemes subject matter is deadly seri- not because it’s some set up by a Panamanian ous, both Soderbergh and sort of clockwork mys- the ‘The Laundromat’ law firm to help companies Streep said Sunday in Venice, tery caper that toys with and rich clients around the where the Netflix film is hav- your expectations, but By HENRY CHU film’s stars, said Sunday. world avoid billions of dol- ing its world premiere. “This because it’s a true-life GLOBAL ENTERTAINMENT NEWS COVERAGE Directed by Steven Soder- lars in taxes. Streep plays a is an entertaining, flash, fun- journalistic drama about “the laundromat” is bergh, the Netflix movie middle-class woman who is ny way of telling a very, very the new world order of the story of a terrible joke takes a blackly comic look cheated of money she’s owed dark, black-hearted joke, a offshore financial cor- “that’s being played on all of at the investigation into the and starts asking uncomfort- joke that’s being played on ruption, and it’s a movie

JOEL C RYAN/INVISION/AP/SHUTTERSTOCK us,” Meryl Streep, one of the Panama Papers, a trove of able questions. → LAUNDROMAT, P.7 → REVIEW, P.6 FOLLOW US / VARIETY #VENICE2019 VENICE FILM FESTIVAL | NEWS

French at Venice “Woman” producer/ filmmaker Yann Arthus-Bertrand, “Adults in the Room” helmer Costa-Gavras, UniFrance managing director Daniela Elstner, UniFrance president Serge Toubiana, CNC president Dominique Boutonnat and French film composer Alexandre Desplat enjoy the UniFrance cocktail Saturday evening.

GOLDEN LION FOR LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT Andrews Looks Back on Busy Career

By SHALINI DORE for King George VI and Queen Eliz- the 1964 Oscar for lead actress, “Between each other we work abeth. “Everybody was surprised Golden Globe and a Grammy for very well. It’s an amazing gift to Julie Andrews, who is receiv- that I had such a strong voice.” the soundtrack, with her co-stars. have your daughter as your equal ing the Golden Lion at Venice, will Broadway was another big She followed that up with partner.” forever be linked to three films: jump, followed by films, and now 1965’s “The Sound of Music,” She’s got a lot of other projects “The Sound of Music,” “Mary Pop- she’s on her fourth step, “still which garnered her an Oscar in the pipeline, including a pod- pins” and “The Princess Diaries.” very busy doing books and other nomination for lead actress. cast, other book ideas, voiceover But Andrews didn’t only star projects.” Andrews is the author of about work (Andrews was the voice in family-friendly hits. Her turn Andrews started out in vaude- 30 books, some with daughter of Queen Lillian in the “Shrek” in Arthur Hiller’s “The Ameri- ville, where her parents per- Emma Walton Hamilton, includ- movies). canization of Emily” in 1964 is formed in British music halls. ing “Home Work,” which will come She’s also directed for the stage, an enduring favorite among crit- Another performer, Wally Boag, out in October. but never the screen. “I was mar- ics, even though the anti-war film would make balloon animals and “She is the nuts and bolts ried to a very fine director and I was considered controversial at ask kids to come up on stage to of each story, and I’m all the wouldn’t dare when he was alive, the time. Indeed, the Venice Film receive them. “I was the last one flights of fantasy,” Andrews says. but I like directing theater.” Festival, cited “Emily” in its deci- to go up,” Andrews says. “He would sion to award Andrews the Gold- ask, ‘Would you like to sing?,’ and I en Lion: “It must be remembered would launch into an aria.” that Andrews went out of her way As a teenager, Andrews came to to avoid remaining confined as an Broadway, where she performed icon of family movies. She accept- in 1954’s highly successful West Practically Perfect ed roles that were diverse, dramat- End transplant “The Boy Friend.” in Every Way Julie Andrews ic, provocative and imbued with She then starred as Eliza Doolit- won an Oscar for scathing irony.” tle in the Broadway version of “My creating the now- iconic titluar role in

VARIETY.COM “There have been four really Fair Lady,” although the film role “Mary Poppins.” major stepping stones,” Andrews would go to Audrey Hepburn. says of her career, which also During the stage run of includes an Oscar nomination for “Camelot,” Walt Disney came to her performance in “Victor Victo- see her with the offer of a role in ria,” written and directed by her “Mary Poppins.” She refused, tell- late husband, Blake Edwards. ing him she was pregnant (with

SEPTEMBER 2, 2019 SEPTEMBER Andrews got her first big break daughter Emma). But he was will- at age 12, when she sang at a Roy- ing to wait till she could do the

2 al Command Variety Performance role. “Mary Poppins” earned her POPPINS: MOVIESTORE/SHUTTERSTOCK MARY UNIFRANCE: AGENCE/BESTIMAGE; FACETIME | VENICE FILM FESTIVAL

Liberating Emotions Tim Robbins went behind prison walls to direct the doc “45 Seconds of Laughter.”

How will the film alter our view of heart it’s about the fulfilment of love, Tim Robbins the prisoners? the obstacles in the way of true love, It’s my hope that the film can help us and the struggle between those that look with new eyes at something that would compromise love and those is largely an abstraction right now. that would celebrate it. The stock ‘It’s a Reminder That We don’t really think very much about characters are more than archetypes, who is inside prisons or whether they they are complicated individuals, and have any human potential. I would the more you explore them, the more They Are More Than love if the film reminded us of our you realize the depth that can be shared humanity with people that we mined from this form of theater. tend not to think about. That Angry Person.’ Will the film change the audience’s What changes do the prisoners perception of the potential of dra- tim robbins’ documentary “45 Seconds of Laugh- undergo? ma to change things in a wider ter,” which premieres Sept. 3 in Venice, follows a group Using the characters from Commedia sense? of prisoners in a California facility as they take part in dell’arte as buffers, they have the I hope so. The arts are transformative. drama workshops led by Robbins’ troupe The Actors’ license to tap into emotions that they We work with children as well, in the Gang. In the film, covering 10 sessions over an eight- might not normally express. When public school system in Los Ange- month period, the inmates reconnect with emotions you are in prison there is one emotion, les, and we are blessed to see the long buried and form bonds that cut across gang and it’s anger, and that’s your survival. To transformation on a daily basis. The racial boundaries. be in a room where you’re encouraged arts are absolutely fundamental in the to express those emotions through development of a child. I’ve seen how

these characters leads to a transfor- the safe environment of being in a VARIETY.COM mation, a liberation, and a reminder room where you can express yourself that they are more than that angry can create great change in people. person. What do you want the broader Why did you use Commedia dell’ar- effect of the film to be? te as the basis for the prison I’d love for it to allow a window into

program? reimagining what we are doing in 2, 2019 SEPTEMBER The reason why I believe it is effective being the country that incarcerates Interview by LEO BARRACLOUGH is that it is a universal story. At its the most people in the world. 3 Listen: What a Recession Could Mean for the Media Business

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Elizabeth Gabler is joining Sony Pictures Entertainment in an innovative media deal that will see the veteran executive... READ MORE

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burned and bandaged). A dead cat JULY 22 Sony Pictures Buys Nurulize, , 2 in the freezer is blamed on Polo 019 a Virtual Production Software The upcoming “Lord of the Rings” series at Amazon has made its first casting decision... Startup (EXCLUSIVE) as well. READ MORE Is the movie toying with us? If

this stuff is on the level, then Ema isn’t guilty of being a bad mom — she’s guilty of child abuse. And yes, Child Protective Services has come

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JANUA Nobody’s Angel that awesomely off-putting. But demanding m R Y 17 , once Polo (who we barely see) is 2019 Mariana Di Girolamo’s or "Vice L an e gun c READ MOREd serve as Ema is married to ive" w out of the picture, “Ema” settles ontrol

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only because it’s about a yearning . Writers Guild Preps Members REVIEW for Life Without Agents, Debuts being. She’s so disaffected that returning to Chile to make a film of the feminine to celebrate, and Submission System the benumbed protagonist of that’s borderline experimental in totally know, itself. “Ema” is chan-

ts. Agnès Varda’s “Vagabond” looks its free-form methods. neling that consciousness, holding started laying th ut agen Trusted News ho jolly by comparison, so incendi- “Ema” won’t be everyone’s cup it up to the light, and the scenes riters Guild of America have the W

ary that she makes the Girl with of spiked tea — and commer- with Ema and her girlfriends from The leaders of groundwork for writer members to operate wit ‘Ema’ READ MORE the Dragon Tattoo seem like Lit- cially, I suspect, it’s doomed to be the dance troupe are the best in DailyMARCH Variety 27, 2019 By OWEN GLEIBERMAN tle Miss Sunshine. I should men- hardly anyone’s. (Even “Vox Lux” the film. They’re intimate snap- tion that when she gets in a cer- and “Her Smell,” with their gau- shots of a defiant sisterhood, one if you’re looking to meet a tain mood, she’ll shag anything dy flamboyant movie-star turns, that glides in and out of the erotic. Delivered to How America's Biggest shock-of-the-new, beyond-punk that moves. couldn’t draw much of an audi- Ema also meets a handsome bar- Theater Chains Are vanguard girl who’s so out there The movies have played with ence.) But even as “Ema” parades tender (Santiago Cabrera) whom Exploiting Their Janitors and alienated, and maybe lib- advanced styles of feminine dam- itself as a prickly art object, one she’s drawn into an affair with, erated, that you’ve never quite age, and variations on how to that refuses to invite the view- but as nice as he is, she’s really just seen the likes of her, you could look like you don’t care about er in, it has a crucial element in using him as a stud horse. Your Inbox do worse than spend 102 min- anything in the least, for a long common with “Jackie”: the way Valparaíso was the town that utes in the company of Ema time. (Just recall last year’s pop that Larraín fixates on his hero- Pablo Neruda took as a getaway,

(Mariana Di Girolamo), the title apocalypse double bill of “Vox ine. The 28-year-old Di Girolamo and in “Ema” it functions as a kind viper of Pablo Larraín’s new film. Lox” and “Her Smell.”) What’s nov- has a rapt millennial-void pres- of Chilean version of Portland — The country’s biggest exhibition chains are exploiting the men and Ema, with her stick earrings and el about “Ema” is that Larraín has ence, like Garbo on mood stabiliz- a laidback place where freak flags women who clean their theaters. READ MORE nose ring, her slicked-back plat- made a movie that, in its form, is ers, and she’s the lone force hold- can fly. Larraín made this mov- inum mane and big-eyed insa- every bit as warped and jagged ing a precarious, prismatic movie ie with a kind of freedom, impro- tiable blank stare that takes in and jarring and difficult to cuddle together. “Ema” is an estrang- vising and doing what he wanted, everything and gives back noth- up to as its heroine. ing experience at first but slowly and that’s the feeling he imparts ing, is a dancer who lives in the Unlike most of my critical lures you in. to the viewer. There are dance Chilean port city of Valparaíso. brethren, I’ve never been over- The film, you see, has no sto- montages (which are fantastic), When she’s doing her Reggaeton ly wild about Larraín’s films (sor- ry at all. It’s more like a random- and a sex montage (which is lusty, dance moves, punching the air ry, but I found “Tony Manero” con- ized series of events, and what but mostly because of how dra- as if she owned it, she’s like Lady trived, and thought “Neruda” was plays out during some of them matically it spotlights Ema’s lim- Gaga in the great video for “Tele- sodden and meandering). But I is enigmatic enough to exist in a itless hunger). And there’s a res- phone.” But this is a Gaga who’s was blown away by what he did realm between reality and meta- olution to all this that would gangsta. After hours, she takes in “Jackie,” the lyrical psychodra- phor. How, exactly, does Ema have like, somehow, to be sentimen- out a flamethrower and sets fire ma starring Natalie Portman as access to a flamethrower? There’s tal and gonzo at the same time, so to cars, swing sets, traffic lights. Jacqueline Kennedy in the har- no convincing answer, but why it doesn’t quite work. The whole NEWSLETTERS she wields a flamethrower makes movie, let’s be honest, is kind of a VARIETY.COM She’s the mother of an adopted rowing week following the JFK son, and if you’re wondering how assassination. The film suggest- perfect poetic sense. And the sto- stunt. Yet it’s a stunt that stays in #TRUTHTELLING SINCE 1905 bad a mother she is, the movie ed, at least to me, that Larraín is ry of Ema and her child is never your head. kicks off with the revelation that a superb director when he gets less than bizarrely discomfiting. she has decided to give the kid away from his own material. Giv- She is, in fact, married to Gastón CREDITS: A Fabula produc- Sepúlveda. Music: Nicolás back. (She couldn’t handle the en that film’s profile, I figured he (Gael García Bernal), the leader tion. Producer: Juan de Dios Jaar. Reviewed at Ven- Larraín. Executive pro- ice Film Festival (Compe- fact that she turned him into a might continue to do just that, and choreographer of a local hip- ducer: Rocío Jadue. Direc- tition), Aug. 30, 2019. Run- tor: Pablo Larraín. Screen- ning time: 102 MIN. WITH: SIGN UP TODAY VARIETY.COM/NEWSLETTERS SEPTEMBER 2, 2019 SEPTEMBER pyromaniac.) but instead he has drawn on his ster dance company. He’s a forceful play: Guillermo Calderón, Mariana Di Girolamo, Gael Pablo Larraín, Alejandro García Bernal, Santiago Ema is no one’s idea of a nur- “Jackie” mojo, for the moment, figure, except for one thing: He’s Moreno. Camera (color, Cabrera, Giannina Fruttero, widescreen): Sergio Arm- Catalina Saavedra, Eduardo 4 turer, or even a functional human in a fresh and idiosyncratic way, sterile. And so they adopted Polo, a strong. Editor: Sebastián Paxeco, Mariana Loyola. Listen: What a Recession Could Mean for the Media Business

With many economists predicting a recession could hit the U.S. economy in the coming months, the media business could be in for a rou … READ MORE

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Avoid Getting Crushed by Debt?

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Media giants have piled up mountains of debt. AT&T, Disney and Comcast now need to make sure they don’t get crushed under… READ MORE

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Writers Guild Preps Members for Life Without Agents, Debuts Submission System

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The leaders of the Writers Guild of America have started laying the groundwork for writer members to operate without agents. READ MORE Delivered to DailyMARCH Variety 27, 2019 How America's Biggest Theater Chains Are Your Inbox Exploiting Their Janitors

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NEWSLETTERS #TRUTHTELLING SINCE 1905

Mystery Money Meryl Streep tries to unravel financial hijinks in “The Laundromat.”

←REVIEW, FROM P.1 movie? Soderbergh designed “The not just the film’s narrators, Each of the tales Soderbergh tells Laundromat” as a light drama they’re its deviously enthused is a kind of deflection, an illustra- you’ve got to put on your think- that’s also a tongue-in-cheek lec- hosts, kicking things off with a tion of hanky-panky that isn’t, in ing cap to watch. But then, Soder- ture — a kind of sardonic meta prelude in which they explain itself, very significant but that fits bergh knows how to make using analysis of our corruption as act- the concept of money from the into a larger mosaic of corruption your head fun. “The Laundromat” ed out by a handful of its players ground up. and deceit. is Soderbergh at his most play- and pawns. Soderbergh brings a handful “The Laundromat” has a mes- ful, and also Soderbergh at his Based on “Secrecy World,” the of minor and major players to sage : The world — our world — most wonkish, and damned, in Pulitzer Prize-winning journal- life as characters, all with a tone is being looted. And here’s how. this case, if the two don’t chime ist Jake Bernstein’s book-length of deadpan but slightly chortling But this time, Soderbergh works together. exposé of the shadow economy, can-you-believe-this? reportori- with a let’s-try-it-on prankishness. Made for Netflix, “The Laun- “The Laundromat” doesn’t pre- al glee. One by one, we’re drawn, He divides the movie into lessons dromat” flashes by in a brisk tend to make us “care” about the ever so blithely, into their stories. with snark titles like “Secret Num- and buoyant 90 minutes, but it’s characters we’re watching. But There’s plucky Ellen Martin (Mer- ber One: The Meek Are Screwed.” about something that can seem, partly for that reason, I think it’s yl Streep), a coarse but sweet Mid- He has Streep, in disguise, play- at times, ludicrously complicat- a more cutting and compelling dle American nobody who loses ing a Panamanian office drone ed: the scandal of the Panama movie than “The Big Short.” It’s her new husband (James Crom- whose anonymity turns out to be Papers, which revealed, with a also the first film I’ve seen by a well) on a tour-boat accident on an in-joke. And Mossack and Fon- detail that hadn’t been report- major director that feels like it Lake George, then learns she’s seca look right into the camera ed in the mainstream media, the belongs on Netflix more than it not going to receive the insurance to inform us that shell compa- staggering network of shell com- does in a theater. At home, you payout she deserved. The reason? nies in Delaware (yes, Delaware) panies, many located on tropical can rewind it to catch a detail or The boat business signed a con- are so common that “the director islands, in which the global finan- two you might have missed, and tract with an on-the-cheap insur- of this film” uses five of them. At cial elite (corporations, wealthy not have to pretend that it’s more ance company, which was taken the end, though, Soderbergh lets citizens, criminals) conceal their than a droll ingenious sketch- over by another company, and it his lead actress take over, turn- assets to avoid paying taxes, or book of a movie. turns out that none of these coming the film into a grand tour de just to stash the funds, period. The Panama Papers, a series of panies even … exist. They’re shell Streep of “J’accuse!” And why not? A major news story in 2015, documents about offshore enti- companies, abstract entities that Streep and Soderbergh are saying the Panama Papers made tan- ties, was leaked by an anonymous do nothing. that this issue matters more than gible what a lot of us already, source inside the Panamani- Ellen decides to get to the bot- their own damn movie. Who are tom of why she was cheated we to disagree? VARIETY.COM in essence, knew: that the mon- an law firm of Mossack Fonseca. eyed elite, the people with pow- The firm’s two founders, the Ger- out of a better insurance settle- er, the one percent — whatever man-born Jürgen Mossack and ment. So she takes a trip to vis- CREDITS: A Netflix release Soderbergh. Music: David you want to call them — didn’t his Panamanian partner, Ramón it the United Insurance Group in of a Grey Matter, Sugar 23/ Holmes. Reviewed at Ven- Anonymous Content, Net- ice Film Festival (Competi- just have “advantages.” They were Fonseca, are played in the film the West Indies. That’s where the flix production. Producers: tion), Sept. 1, 2019. MPAA Scott Z. Burns, Lawrence Rating: R. Running time: 96 playing by an entirely different by Gary Oldman, chewing on a shell game starts to unravel. Grey, Gregory Jacobs, Ste- MIN. WITH: Meryl Streep, ven Soderbergh, Michael Gary Oldman, Antonio Ban- set of rules. Germin accent with hambone The funny thing is, Soderbergh Sugar. Executive producers: deras, Jeffrey Wright, Sha- Jake Bernstein, Ben Everard, ron Stone, David Schwim-

SEPTEMBER 2, 2019 SEPTEMBER The trouble is, how do you tell bonhomie, and Antonio Ban- has staged “The Laundromat” as Douglas Urbanski. Director: mer, James Cromwell, Steven Soderbergh. Screen- Matthias Schoenaerts, Alex that story and get people to feel deras, who matches him in eager, if it were the dramatic equivalent play: Scott Z. Burns. Camera Pettyfer, Robert Patrick, (color, widescreen): Steven Melissa Rauch, Will Forte, 6 like they’re watching an actual self-justifying volubility. They’re of a series of shell companies. Soderbergh. Editor: Steven Chris Parnell. NEWS | VENICE FILM FESTIVAL

←PARKER, FROM P.1 Parker added that he felt hon- ←BAC, FROM P.1 ←LAUNDROMAT, FROM P.1 ored to be in the Festival with approached things. I apologize to “American Skin,” a film that, he sion together. all of us,” Streep said. those people.” said, “I believe so desperately in.” The new team will be com- She added that the crimes Parker made a splash in 2016 Tarak Ben Ammar, who pleted by Juliette Béchu, who revealed in the Panama Papers with his debut film, “The Birth financed “American Skin” along will work on sales, and Marine were not victimless, citing the of a Nation,” which was snapped with Mark Burg, told Variety on Dorville, who will be the festival example of Daphne Carua- up by Fox Searchlight in a record Sunday that he approached Park- manager. na Galizia, a Maltese journal- $17.5 million deal at Sundance er after watching “The Birth “Our ambition is to continue ist who was using the Panama but tanked at the B.O. Its pros- of a Nation” three years ago. “. I to develop an international line- Papers to investigate corrup- pects were negatively affected told him that I’ve worked with up of independent European cin- tion when she was killed by a when news resurfaced that Park- Roman Polanski, Claude Chabrol ema, high-profile English-lan- car bomb in 2017. er had been charged with rape and Jean-Jacques Annaud and guage projects and animated “Some people died for it,” as a college student. Although he that he was an auteur like them,” feature,” said Bac Films president Streep said. “This movie is fun, was acquitted in that 2001 case, Ben Ammar said. “At the time David Grumbach. it’s funny, but it’s really, really his response to the situation was no one was calling him because Since taking over Bac Films important.” judged callous, especially when of the controversy” over his in 2013, Grumbach has led the Soderbergh cited “Dr. Stran- it emerged that his accuser later remarks about the rape case. company to board ambitious gelove,” which took on the committed suicide. “When he talked to me about English-language films like “The nuclear arms race in a comedic “I’ve learned, I’m continuing this project, he said it’s a very Third Wave,” as well as French way, as an inspiration for “The to learn,” he said. “I’m 39 years small story with unknown and foreign-language movies Laundromat.” old now. Hopefully I have a long actors, but when I read what he from high-profile auteurs, nota- “We decided that a dark way to go. The hope is that I can sent me, I said ‘Let’s do it. I’m in bly Paolo Virzi’s “Like Crazy” and comedy would have the best continue taking the wisdom if you can make film at the same “The Leisure Seeker,” Thomas possible chance of remain- from people who care enough … level as what you wrote,’” Ben Cailley’s “Love at First Fight” and ing in the minds of the view- and help me to be introspective Ammar’s production-distribu- Ruben Ostlund’s Palme d’Or win- ers and also gave us the oppor- about where I am and what I’ve tion company Eagle Pictures will ning “The Square,” which Bac tunity to use the complexity of been through.” release the movie in Italy. released in France. these kind of financial activi- ties almost as a joke, almost as a setup for a punchline,” Soder- ←SKY, FROM P.1 bergh said. “Otherwise…[view- Global Thriller Sky’s series “ZeroZero- ers] would feel as if they were Zero” bows at Venice. being educated as opposed to How is Sky Studios going to impact entertained.” Italian production? Besides Streep, the film stars It’s clear that we want to pro- Gary Oldman and Antonio Ban- duce more and better content, deras as the founders of the law and have more control and own- firm at the center of the story. ership of our content. But at the Oldman said that “The Laun- same time, we want this to be dromat” was well-served by a single global strategy under a being a Netflix title, because the single structured oversight. The streaming giant’s global foot- really big gamble for Sky Studios print would help the film and is the idea of a studio that is able its underlying message reach a to produce scripted content that worldwide audience. “If you’ve can conquer the world, produced got something this serious, with a wide range of modali- you want to get that out to as ties, and which can achieve its many people” as possible, said full potential thanks to the inter- Oldman. section between a global stra- that we will be more likely on How does Sky Italia’s film distribu- Streep, who has recent- tegic vision and the needs and international projects to have tion arm, Vision Distribution, factor ly been seen in HBO’s “Big Lit- strengths of local talents. all rights for Sky territories and into the equation? tle Lies,” said that the size of beyond. That said, content is It’s helped Sky build an ecosys- the screen no longer matters in In its deals for international pro- king. We want access to top con- tem and widen its range of rap- terms of the work she chooses. ductions, will Sky demand to have tent. So there is no single busi- port with Italy’s production com- “We’ll all be appearing on all international rights? If so, are ness model, despite the fact that munity. It’s also led to innovative screens right here soon, right?” they willing to fully finance? Sky Studios was set up for full cross-media activity…for exam- she said, looking down at her We are ready to do everything. ownership and control. ple, “The Immortal” [a spinoff mov- watch. “The size doesn’t even The idea is to move as much as ie from the “Gomorrah” series]. For compute anymore. I mean, I’d

possible to build content from Is Sky setting up other produc- the first time, between the fourth rather see it big, but the kids VARIETY.COM the outset, because in the new tion hubs besides London in and the fifth seasons of “Gomor- these days, they don’t care.” world, controlling content gives Europe, like Netflix? rah,” we will insert a movie that “The Laundromat” is an you a more solid rapport with We are still building the struc- is a bridge between the two sea- adaptation of Jake Bernstein’s your clients. Whether this con- ture, but the idea is that the con- sons…It will be necessary to see it book “Secrecy World.” Follow- tent is fully financed or in part- trol room will be in London to fully understand the fifth sea- ing Saturday’s premiere on the nerships will depend on the [headed by Davey]. Local resourc- son. This has never been done Lido, it heads to Toronto and

content. Over the years we’ve es and manpower will be at Sky before. And it’s something that we will be released theatrically 2, 2019 SEPTEMBER worked with a great deal of flex- Studios’ disposal, and all territo- can do in-house thanks to our film before being put on Netflix’s ibility. Going forward, it’s clear ries will work collaboratively. distribution arm. platform. 7 VENICE FILM FESTIVAL | REVISIT VARIETY & IHEARTRADIO ANNOUNCE OUR NEW FILM PODCAST

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