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Japanese animated sensation “Chiikawa the Movie: The Secret of the Mermaid Island” maintained a commanding grip on the South Korean box office over the weekend of Oct. 23–25, capturing nearly 45% of nationwide ticket revenue in its fourth frame. According to data from KOBIS, the tracking service operated by the Korean Film Council, the Toho-distributed […]
Stars of “Squid Game” and “KPop Demon Hunters” took the stage in Seoul on Oct. 24 as Netflix celebrated 10 years in Korea with a fan festival, where co-CEO Ted Sarandos previewed upcoming titles including “Tantara” and “All of Us Are Dead” Season 2. “Squid Game” was represented by Lee Jung-jae, Lee Byung-hun and Park […]
“Forza,” Marco Balsamo’s soccer drama shot between Bali and Milan, has been picked up for international sales by EST N8, which will take the film to the Tokyo International Film Festival’s TIFFCOM market (Oct. 28–30). Before that, it gets its first public screening on Oct. 25 at Jakarta Film Week. Balsamo’s first feature as director […]
The AI technology behind Star Plus and JioHotstar series “Mahabharat: Ek Dharmayudh” is headed to Indonesia. There, its developer Galleri5 and fellow Collective company Collective Studios’ Historyverse plan to create film and series properties drawn from the country’s myths and history. Historyverse, which handles original IP and studio work for Collective Artists Network, is partnering […]
Japanese auteur Kore-eda Hirokazu, whose films are known for their natural performances from child actors, said there is one thing he has decided never to put on screen: a child crying. “It’s not that I can’t, or that it’s difficult. I don’t shoot it,” the Japanese director said at an In Conversation event at the […]
Korean filmmaker Lee Hwan-kyung, director of “Miracle in Cell No. 7,” has assembled an Indonesian ensemble led by Vino G. Bastian, Pevita Pearce, Faradina Mufti and Indra Jegel for “Gasigogi,” a father-son drama now in production with Falcon Pictures. The film follows Jiwa, a father who sacrifices everything in a fight to save Juna, his […]
Kartik Aaryan’s upcoming action drama “Captain India” is set amid the Houthi conflict in Yemen, Variety understands. The film marks Aaryan’s first turn as a pilot. Shimit Amin directs the project, which is based on a real humanitarian evacuation. Aaryan’s character leads the rescue effort. That conflict is central to the story and adds a […]
Malaysia’s 47 million target was out of reach before the haze arrived; the year-end damage now depends on whether travelers rule out more than the worst-hit areas.
Kore-eda Hirokazu ran the screenplay for his AI-themed Cannes title “Sheep in the Box” past a generative AI chatbot, then cut it loose after concluding that notes from something with no personal history with cinema were of no use to him. Kore-eda, who is receiving the Cinema Honorary Award at the Singapore International Film Festival, […]
Gianni Infantino's hopes of being re-elected Fifa president are enhanced by an endorsement from the Asian Football Confederation.
Acclaimed Asian filmmaker Peter Chan Ho-sun, director of “Comrades: Almost a Love Story” and “The Warlords,” said he will probably use AI in his filmmaking but “definitely not AIGC,” or AI-generated content, and that the two-hour feature will hold its ground against short-form and vertical dramas, at least in his lifetime. Speaking at an In […]
ASEAN's consensus-driven approach and a lack of enforcement mechanisms make legal action difficult, experts say.
Indonesia’s film agency is helping draft a revised Film Law that would reshape its powers, while Jakarta, where Netflix now has four titles in production, is working to become a regional film hub. Fauzan Zidni, chair of the Indonesian Film Agency (BPI), tells Variety the first draft, prepared with the Ministry of Culture, has taken […]
Every series Bengali streamer Hoichoi launches over the next two years will get Hindi, Tamil and Telugu-language versions streaming exclusively on Netflix, under a partnership the two companies unveiled in Mumbai on Thursday. New titles will arrive on Netflix in the three languages at the same time as their Bengali debut on Hoichoi. The first […]
Producers behind Fan Bingbing’s “Mother Bhumi,” Cannes Un Certain Regard title “Rehana Maryam Noor” and BBC One and Stan drama “The Tourist” are among 14 picks for the debut Producers Exchange at Indonesia’s JAFF Market, which will hold its third edition Nov. 28-30 in Yogyakarta. The market runs alongside the Jogja-Netpac Asian Film Festival (JAFF) […]
Southeast Asia's rapid AI adoption is creating business opportunities beyond paid consumer subscriptions, a partner at Bain & Company, told CNBC.
Vietnamese whodunit “Karaoke Murder” will open in cinemas across North America, Europe, Australia and Asia on the same weekend, a first for a film from Vietnam, according to its backers. The film, titled “Án Mạng Karaoke” in Vietnamese, will bow nationwide at home on Oct. 30. U.S.-based specialty distributor 3388 Films will release it that […]
Nitesh Tiwari’s “Ramayana: Part One,” starring Ranbir Kapoor and Yash, will be available to buy on demand from streamer JioHotstar in India after its theatrical run. The deal between JioHotstar and Prime Focus Studios will see the film sold as a separate on-demand purchase on the platform. The companies described it as the first pay-per-view […]
Japanese filmmaker Ishikawa Hiroshi, whose credits include “Tokyo.sora,” “Su-ki-da.” and “Petal Dance,” is back with his first feature in 13 years. His new film, “the blue we touch” (original title: “Awo no Jo”), is in post-production and will be released in Japan in 2027 by Bitters End, which unveiled the project ahead of the Tokyo […]
India is grappling with growing public anger against data centers that pose a threat to its ambitions to host the whole world's data.
