CUMBERBATCH CROWNED
Benedict Cumberbatch will be honored with the Golden Eye Award at the Zurich Film Festival (Sept. 25-Oct. 5) for his multifaceted career and role in “The Thing With Feathers,” which he also produced through SunnyMarch and Lobo Films.
The actor will receive the award in person on Sept. 29, followed by a ZFF Masters talk. Festival director Christian Jungen praised Cumberbatch as “one of the most versatile character actors of his generation,” noting his theater background and emotional depth across roles from Alan Turing in “The Imitation Game” to Doctor Strange in the Marvel universe.
In “The Thing With Feathers,” directed by Dylan Southern, Cumberbatch portrays a grieving father rebuilding his life after his wife’s death while being haunted by an eerie crow symbolizing loss.
Seven of Cumberbatch’s films have previously screened at ZFF.
BOARD BOOST
Following the Production Guild of Great Britain‘s (PGGB) AGM Wednesday, new CEO Kaye Elliott announced board appointments. Bianca Gavin, head of production, scripted for Pulse Films, was re-elected for another four-year term, continuing as PGGB chair. Producer Brian Donovan returns to the board after his previous tenure, while Bertie Spiegelberg, manager, physical production (U.K. and European Studio Film) Netflix, joins as a new member.
In her first public engagement as CEO, Elliott told members: “We absolutely know that continuing to provide a platform for our members and partners to meet, learn, share experiences and knowledge, question, guide and support each other is at the very heart of what you want.”
Elliott, who assumed the role July 16 from ScreenSkills where she was director of high-end television, acknowledged industry challenges but noted “renewed optimism ahead.”
HERITAGE HITS
“Mahabharata“
Collective Media Network
Collective Media Network has unveiled Historyverse, a new digital destination for mythological and historical content, launching with “Mahabharata,” India’s first AI-powered epic microdrama featuring 3-4 minute episodes.
The series, created in partnership with devotional wellness brand Pujashree, targets younger audiences seeking bite-sized immersive storytelling on fast-moving platforms.
“India has always been a land of rich, layered stories. We’re using technology to bring these narratives to life in ways that resonate with today’s audience,” said Vijay Subramaniam, founder and Group CEO, Collective Artists Network.
Sudeep Lahiri, head of channels and distribution, noted the platform “brings mythology and history into everyday feeds — not by simplifying them, but by adapting how they’re told.”
Pujashree’s Rajiv Tiwari praised supporting “storytelling formats that bring timeless wisdom to younger audiences.”