Swift’s latest release is part of a growing trend among mainstream artists.
Taylor Swift is selling “The Life of a Showgirl” on cassette tape. More and more artists are offering this now to engage fans. (Press Association via AP Images)
After Taylor Swift announced her latest album, “The Life of a Showgirl,” fans began pre-ordering limited-release vinyls, CDs and even cassette tapes.
Yes, that’s right: cassette tapes. While their popularity is nowhere near what it was in the 1980s when they were the main form of listening to music, mainstream artists like Swift and Sabrina Carpenter are selling cassette tapes of their music.
While it may have been a while since the average person has bought a cassette tape, Andrew Mall, associate music professor at Northeastern University, says cassettes have percolated on the music scene and have become popular again over the last 10 to 15 years. There were 436,400 cassettes sold in the United States in 2023, up from 80,720 cassettes sold in 2015.
“The cassette didn’t ever really die,” says Mall. “The sales are still minuscule, but what’s been bringing it back is the interest in the cassette as an aesthetic object.”
Mall said the resurgence of cassettes began with small labels and artists and has since expanded to more mainstream ones like Swift. Labels now sell them alongside vinyls and CDs.
Much like some people buy and display vinyls, many like cassette tapes for the same reasons. And at price points ranging from approximately $20 to $25, cassettes are cheaper than vinyls, which can start at upwards of $30.
“That’s more affordable for younger collectors, listeners and fans,” Mall said. “Just like there are super fans of vinyl, there’s super fans of cassettes as well.”
Northeastern music professor Andrew Mall said cassettes never “really died” out, despite the decline in popularity. Photo by Alyssa Stone/Northeastern University
Cassettes also allow people to listen on the go, if they want, and to enjoy music without being on their phone. More companies are even selling cassette players.
But Mall said cassettes are not about to replace vinyls as a listening experience.
“The sonic quality of cassettes degrades much faster than the sonic quality of records,” Mall said. “It only takes a few dozen listens to start to hear that cassette degrade. With records, I have plenty that I’ve spun more than a few dozen times and if you have your record player calibrated correctly, you shouldn’t hear an audible degradation until 100 or 200 spins.”
Beyond this, cassette players don’t allow for the same sort of setup many audiophiles indulge in with their record players.
While people might not be listening to cassettes the same way as they do vinyls, they still provide another revenue stream for record labels, Mall said.
“(Some fans) might not be buying records. They might not be able to afford tickets to see Taylor Swift next time she tours,” Mall said. “So it’s a way to get listeners engaged.”
In addition to her cassette, Swift is once again selling certain exclusive vinyls of her new album, much like she did with her last album. This time, though, each pressing is being advertised as the only one of its kind and available for a limited time.
“That’s a new strategy,” Mall said. “It promotes the idea of scarcity. Taylor Swift records are not scarce, but if you’re going to do a limited release that is truly limited, that’s actually going to build up excitement for the overall rollout and product.”
Blues has been rated as the most popular hold music, in a study carried out by the University of York.
Academics monitored the reactions of 2,540 people left waiting in a virtual queue in order to explore the psychological effects different types of sounds have on callers.
Each listener was exposed to one of 10 audio experiences, with blues coming out on top ahead of heavy metal, country and pop.
Music psychologist Dr Mimi O’Neill said the findings revealed that different audio experiences could even influence how long people felt they had been on the phone.
“The blues genre is typified by that mellow, chilled out feeling so you sink into it and wallow in the enjoyment of the experience,” she said.
“That’s as opposed to something like metal which is quite frantic, and possibly leads to an increase in stress.”
Researchers monitored heart rate, mood and alertness, to judge what may cause an increase or decrease in stress levels.
Dr O’Neill said the quality of the music was also key.
“We’re really familiar with that broken, stilted, compressed music sound when we’re on hold, and if you have something that’s a bit better than that, it’s going to enhance the experience.”
She added that one alternative to music was playing trivia and general knowledge, with listeners finding that the most preferable experience.
However, she said it wasn’t entirely without its pitfalls.
“It is worth bearing in mind, if you’re not on hold for that long and you don’t hear the punchline of the trivia fact, that might actually be more irritating,” she added.
Away From Home, the traveling festival curated by Louis Tomlinson, will make its U.S. debut this October with a two-day takeover of Cooperstown, N.Y.
Tomlinson will top the festival bill along with pop singer-songwriter Lauv and mega-producer Steve Aoki, who is billed as a “special guest.” Other performers include Plain White T’s, Daya, Circa Waves and Pale Waves, with Abbie McCarthy as the resident DJ for the weekend.
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“I’m so excited to be bringing Away From Home to the U.S., and for the first time, a two-day festival!” Tomlinson said in a statement. “Really honored and grateful to have such a strong lineup over both days, got a few things up my sleeve too. Can’t wait to see you all there — it’s going to be special!”
Away From Home will be held on Oct. 4 and 5 at the Brewery Ommegang in Cooperstown. Pre-sale tickets will be available on Aug. 26 at 10 a.m. ET, and general onsale starts on Aug. 28 at 10 a.m. ET. Full details for the festival can be found at its official website.
Tomlinson launched Away From Home in London in 2021 as a means of celebrating the return of live music following the pandemic shutdown. Since then, the festival has traveled to Malaga, Spain, in 2022; Camaiore, Italy, in 2023; and Mérida, Mexico, last year, with artists including The Cribs, DMA’s, Hinds, and The Vaccines among the artists who have performed at the festival.
Since One Direction’s final album in 2015, Tomlinson has released two full-lengths — 2020’s Walls and 2022’s Faith in the Future. Walls scored a No. 9 peak on the Billboard 200, while Faith in the Future did even better, reaching No. 5 on the albums chart three years ago. In May, Tomlinson shared photos of himself in the studio, presumably working on new music, to his 19 million Instagram followers.
On Feb. 6, 2024, a gathering of 25 top Contemporary Christian, Gospel and country music artists took place just south of Nashville, at World Wide Stages in Spring Hill, Tenn.
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Led by 45-time GMA Dove Awards winner Michael W. Smith and GMA Dove Award winner Darlene Zschech, the artists came together to create the upcoming album House of Worship, a collaborative work that reimagines classic worship songs as duets meant to bridge generations.
The album features Brenton Brown, Brian and Jenn Johnson, Brian Doerksen, CeCe Winans, Charity Gayle, Chris Brown of Elevation Worship, Christy Nockels, Chris McClarney, Kari Jobe and Cody Carnes, Zschech, Ed Cash of We The Kingdom, Hillary Scott of Lady A, Israel Houghton, Josh Baldwin, Kari Jobe, Leeland Mooring, Martin Smith, Matt Redman, Smith, Mitch Wong, Naomi Raine, Pat Barrett, Paul Baloche and Tim Hughes.
House of Worship is set for release in January 2026 through The Fuel Music.
The first single from the project brings together Zschech and 17-time Grammy winner CeCe Winans for a new rendition of Zschech’s 1994 hit “Shout To The Lord,” which Zschech originally recorded with Hillsong Music.“Every song is a prayer rising, not from artists, but from sons and daughters crying out to God together.”
“Every song is a prayer rising, not from artists, but from sons and daughters crying out to God together,” Zschech told Billboard in a statement.
The new project was recorded and filmed in-the-round at World Wide Stages, with all 25 artists together in the same room. Executive produced by Smith and Zschech, and produced by Paul Mabury (Lauren Daigle, Cory Asbury) and John Hartley (Twila Paris, Leigh Nash), the album also features a top-shelf lineup of musicians, including Smith on piano, Mabury on drums, Dwan Hill on keyboard, and Stu Garrard on guitar.
“When we were in the process of planning the House Of Worship recording, our goal was to pull together a few of our friends in the worship community to join us in singing some of the best loved worship songs of all time,” Smith tells Billboard in a statement. “What took us all by surprise was the level of response from worship leaders from around the world who quickly let us know they were in! They also committed to staying through the recording and joined the circle of worship for each song. The presence of the Spirit, mixed with the unity of purpose and spontaneity, was so beautiful to be a part of.”
House of Worship is also in negotiations now for a national theatrical release to coincide with the release of the album.
Noel Clarke pictured outside the High Court in London in March
Actor Noel Clarke has lost his libel case against the Guardian, after he sued the newspaper’s publisher for printing allegations of sexual misconduct.
The Doctor Who and Kidulthood star took Guardian News and Media (GNM) to court after the paper ran a series of stories in 2021 claiming he had used his power in the film and TV industry to prey upon and harass women.
On Friday, the judge dismissed Clarke’s libel claim and said the Guardian had succeeded in defending its stories on the grounds of truth and public interest.
The Guardian’s editor welcomed the decision, describing it as “a deserved victory for those women who suffered” and a “landmark for investigative journalism”.
Clarke described the judgement as “disappointing”, adding: “I have never claimed to be perfect. But I am not the person described in these articles.”
The judgement found the meaning of each of the newspaper’s articles was “substantially true”.
Mrs Justice Steyn added: “I have accepted some of Mr Clarke’s evidence… but overall I find that he was not a credible or reliable witness.”
During a High Court defamation trial earlier this year, Clarke’s legal team said accusations that he was a “serial abuser of women” were false, and argued he was the victim of an “unlawful conspiracy”.
The Guardian defended what it said was a “careful and thorough investigation conducted conscientiously” by its journalists.
During the six-week trial, which saw Clarke sue the publisher over seven articles and a podcast, more than a dozen women testified that they had personally experienced misconduct by the actor and director.
Clarke, 49, gave evidence over more than three days, and denied that he behaved sexually inappropriately with the women.
The judge said Clarke’s conspiracy claim did not have a “proper foundation”, and was “born of necessity, in the face of the large body of witnesses giving evidence against him”.
“There has been no conspiracy to lie,” she continued. “In the absence of a conspiracy, Mr Clarke’s case that more than 20 witnesses – none of whom are parties or have a stake in this case, as he does – have come to court to lie is inherently implausible.”
The judgement said it was “clear that women have been speaking about their experiences of working with Mr Clarke for many years”.
It said that Bafta’s announcement in March 2021 that Clarke would receive an award “triggered those who were concerned about his behaviour to act, out of concern that it would enhance his power within the industry and so enable him to continue misbehaving”.
The judge also found the Guardian’s editor-in-chief Katharine Viner – along with other editors and reporters – believed publication was in the public interest, which was a reasonable belief.
In a statement welcoming the judgement after it was published on Friday, Viner said it was “important to fight this case”.
“This was a deeply-researched investigation by some of the Guardian’s best reporters, who worked diligently and responsibly,” she said. “The judgement is clear that our investigation was thorough and fair, a template for public interest journalism.”
She added: “Going to court is difficult and stressful, yet more than 20 women agreed to testify in the High Court, refusing to be bullied or intimidated.
“I hope today will give encouragement to other women in similar situations who have been too fearful to raise their voices for fear of the consequences.”
Responding to the judgement on Friday, Clarke said: “For almost five years, I have fought against a powerful media outlet and its extensive legal teams over inaccurate and damaging reporting.
“These stories started via anonymous emails portraying me as a monster to attract attention and outrage. The goal was to damage my career, and they succeeded.
“I have never claimed to be perfect. But I am not the person described in these articles. Overnight I lost everything, the media outlet didn’t just ruin my life they ripped through my family’s also.”
Clarke thanked “the team who stood beside me throughout”, as well as his family, “who never stopped believing there was something worth fighting for”.
“The decision today does not change the fact that inaccuracies were published,” he said. “While they may have won in court, they have lost the trust that journalism depends on.
“I want to thank the witnesses who confirmed that key elements of the reporting were false.
In her judgement, Mrs Justice Steyn rejected an allegation of groping, and accepted Clarke’s evidence that nude photographs given in evidence were taken with the consent of the woman involved.
The judge also accepted that an improvisation exercise in an acting class led by Clarke in which some actors undressed was not set “for his own sexual gratification”, adding that, although he found actors’ objections to nudity vexing, his aim was to help students become comfortable with appearing partially nude for roles which may require it.
Clarke became famous for playing Mickey Smith during the Christopher Eccleston and David Tennant eras of Doctor Who between 2005 and 2010. He also acted in blockbuster films such as Star Trek Into Darkness.
As an actor, writer and director, he became a powerful figure in the British film industry for making movies including the ‘hood series – Kidulthood, Adulthood and Brotherhood.
In 2009, he won the Rising Star prize at the Bafta Film Awards, and in 2021 was given Bafta’s Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema honour. That award and his Bafta membership were suspended when the Guardian’s allegations were published.
Netflix’s smash hit “KPop Demon Hunters” could conquer the box office this weekend thanks to a limited sing-along release in movie theaters, adding to its global dominance on Netflix and the music charts with its blockbuster soundtrack.
“KPop Demon Hunters” is Netflix’s second most-watched movie of all time. (Photo by Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Netflix)
Getty Images for Netflix
Key Facts
“KPop Demon Hunters” will screen in nearly 2,000 U.S. and Canada theaters this weekend as part of a two-day theatrical release where audiences are encouraged to sing along with the fictional girl group’s chart-topping soundtrack.
In just two days, the movie could gross as much as $15 million, Deadline reported, which could beat the projected total of $13.5 million for its closest challenger, horror movie hit “Weapons.”
“KPop Demon Hunters” could also win this weekend because of the lack of major releases: “Weapons” is a holdover from two weeks ago, and this weekend’s release schedule is barren aside from “Honey Don’t,” the Ethan Coen-directed film opening in wide release.
Conquering the box office would add to the film’s accolades, as it currently sits atop Netflix’s movie charts, and the movie’s soundtrack and song “Golden” both lead Spotify’s weekly global album charts.
How Has “kpop Demon Hunters” Dominated?
“KPop Demon Hunters,” just two months after release, ranks as Netflix’s second most-watched movie of all time with more than 210 million views. The movie is just 20 million views away from taking the crown from “Red Notice,” a 2021 Netflix original action comedy film. The film has held steady on Netflix’s weekly charts since its release. For the week ending Aug. 17, it earned 26 million views—a slight increase from the week prior. The soundtrack, with original songs sung by the movie’s fictional girl group Huntr/x, has also shattered a host of records on the Billboard and Spotify charts. The movie’s most popular song, “Golden,” reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 last week, and although it dipped to No. 2 this week, the group still ranks three songs in the Hot 100’s top ten. Huntr/x is the first K-pop girl group to top the Hot 100, and the first girl group to lead the chart in almost a quarter-century since Destiny’s Child’s “Bootylicious.” On the Billboard 200 albums chart, the soundtrack ranks No. 2, only behind chart juggernaut Morgan Wallen.
How Is “kpop Demon Hunters” Helping The Box Office?
The movie’s expected success at the box office is a small reprieve for what is otherwise a weak end-of-summer for moviegoing. After the success of “Weapons,” which has led the box office for two straight weekends, the coming weeks don’t have any expected blockbusters on the release calendar. Though the summer had several hits, like “Jurassic World: Rebirth” and “Superman,” analysts worry the summer could fall below expectations, possibly below the 2024 summer movie season. Comscore analysts told the Hollywood Reporter the summer is on track to gross $3.75 billion, below the $4 billion some had hoped for. At the midpoint of 2025, the box office was up 16% over the same timeframe in 2024, according to data shared with Forbes by Comscore, partially thanks to a strong April and May, buoyed by hits like “A Minecraft Movie” and “Sinners.”
Key Background
“KPop Demon Hunters” follows Huntr/x, a fictional girl group who lead secret double lives as demon slayers. In the film, they face off against the Saja Boys, a rival boy group who are actually demons. The movie has been a success with critics, earning a 97% score on Rotten Tomatoes, with many praising the animation and the music.
Further Reading
Biggest Culture Winners Of 2025 So Far: Box Office Up 16% As ‘Sunrise On The Reaping’ Tops Fiction Books (Forbes)
Box Office Shocker: Netflix’s ‘Kpop Demon Hunters’ Sing-Along Looks To Slay ‘Weapons’ For No. 1 At Box Office With $15M+ – Preview (Deadline)
Wrapping Thursday, industry reps mood was upbeat at the New Nordic Films in Norway’s Haugesund. A co-production, sales and networking event running parallel to the Norwegian International Film Festival, the confab offered a curated program of what’s coming next from the Nordics, with a Baltic twist this year.
Heavyweight players tagged the lineup “impressive’,” an adjective especially used for projects in development. Boat tours on the fjord, dynamic panels, networking ops and sunshine throughout the two-day event further lifted spirits of guests and Nordic film professionals, more than ever looking outside the region for partnerships.
Capped Attendees and Meetings
Attendance numbers of over 300 participants attendees was “an ideal maximum size for quality conversations,” said New Nordic Films honcho Gyda Velvin Myklebust in a post-market wrap. “We had exceptional pitches of 21 projects in development [out of a record 92 applications] and 16 works in progress which opened up the size of the event,” she said. Over the last two years, the Nordic Co-Production Market (NCPM) has proved the NNF’s hottest strand due to the drying out of Nordic public coin and the overall tougher eco-system of indie film financing. Sydney Film Festival director Nashen Moodley, at the NNF for the first time, was pleased with the overall program.
“The market was a great place to watch so much material in a few days. It gave a good snapshot of what’s been done the last year in the Nordics and the market screening lineup was very good and wide-ranging,” said the programmer who watched half of the 20-title market program in two days. “New Nordic Films is a well-oiled organisation, so precise. That’s a nice change for us Southern Europeans,” joked Spanish veteran producer-distributor Paco Poch of Barcelona’s Mallerich Films who was eyeing possible co-productions with some NCPM teams, and hopes to be back in 2026.
From France, mover and shaker Guillaume Benski of Superbe Films, producer of “Mr Harris Goes to Paris,” was enthused with his first trip to Haugesund. “The market was a great discovery. For me the Nordics was one big brand, but now I can better identity each of the five Nordic countries, the type of movies they do. The quality of the pitches at the NCPM in particular was excellent-and from a producer’s point of view, the pitches themselves were very clear about what creators were expecting from the market, “said the French producer who attended 12 match making meetings and plans to ramp up TV and film co-productions with the Nordics.
Strong Market Value of Genre-Bending, Arthouse Fare
“There was a healthy and interesting balance between arthouse festival films, high concept/genre-driven films, as well as family/young adult films,” said Yuan Sui, co-managing director and head of sales at Berlin-based Picture Tree International, among some 20-plus sales agents in attendance. “What stands out is that many projects were market-aware: even the more artistically films were anchored in strong hooks (mythology, elevated genre, social themes). A few were in a very early stage (with 2027 Q2/Q3 shooting plans), but that’s part of the strength of the market; it gives us visibility on promising work early on and more time to adapt with the market,” she noted.
Benski enjoyed the “good mix of psycho thrillers, elevated genre, arthouse dramas, period pieces, children’s films, although his own top choice were genre-bending projects. “At a time when soft money is harder to secure, genre is a bit easier to finance,” he said.
Commenting on the overall NCPM slate, Casey Baron, Tribeca Film Festival programmer and co-production market jury, felt “a lot of projects had a true universal appeal and potential to hit [the audience], no matter what’s your walk of life.
Nordic storytellers have a natural intuition into tapping into humanity, the kind of things that make us tick, that either drive us or depress us, the kind of stuff that defines us for years. There is a real sensibility to explore that space, to mind that for interesting storytelling, and I think we saw that to the nth degree here,” he said.
For his party, fellow jury member Josef Kullengård, Göteborg Fest head of industry, highlighted the raft of seasoned directors and producers, as well as directing-writing talent coming into film from serialised drama, such as Måns Månsson, Baldvin Z, Johan Fasting, Björn Hlynur Haraldsson, Julia Lindström. “This is indicative of what’s happening in the industry, with creatives working both film and TV. It’s a standard now and that’s to everyone’s benefit,” he said.
Buzz Titles
At the NCPM, Storyline Production winner “The Greatest Illusion” stood out for its jaw-dropping story of a talented magician, navigating between memory and trauma of the killing of his mother by his father. Project is by acclaimed Norwegian docu filmmaker Benjamin Ree (“The Remarkable Life of Ibelin,” “The Painter and the Thief’).
There was also good word of mouth on Finnish elevated vampire pic “Blood – The Devil in Helsinki” by debutante Viivi Huuska who said in a video link: “Why the fuck haven’t vampires been smart enough to go to Finland? We have no sun-and we don’t like people! We’re weird on the street and no one cares!”
“Viivi is most exciting voice coming out of Finland; she’s positively mad”, said genre-expert producers Aleksi Hyvärinen (“Lake Bodom,” “The Twin”) and Mika Pajunen. Also from Finland, the documentary “God is Tango” by Annika Grof sparked interested for its vision to explore Argentine tango as a path to relief in four war-torn countries.
From Iceland, the English-language pic “Klara” by Bjørn Hlynur Haraldsson stood out as an arthouse pic with international crossover potential, according to one sales agent; the suspense drama “Dark Ocean” by Baldvin Z scored for its A-list cast – Baltasar Kormákur, “Severance” star Ólafur Darri Ólafsson and its theme of toxic masculinity.
Another claustrophobic offer to be shot on a ship – “Into the Ice” by Norwegian star actor Nicolai Cleve Broch – was viewed as a strong offer for streamers, while the Norwegian comedy “How to Steal a Bike” enthused for its catchy universal topic and humorous presentation from writer Johan Fasting. “That movie will appeal to people in any bike cities in the world – whether they are in New-York, hanging out on a beach in L.A. or in Iceland” said juror Baron.
From the strong slate of six Baltic projects part of the Baltic Focus, “Silverwhite,” which won a best pitch project honorary mention, captured an industry audience for its ambitious storyline spanning 7,000 years and potentially strong delivery by visionary Estonian filmmaker Martti Helde (“In the Crosswind”). Latvia’s “Sorcerer’s Eye” by Aik Karapetian had fans, thanks to a clever storyline and mix of live action/animation and family adventure.
Works in Progress Favorites
Stand-out titles by seasoned helmers ranged from monster pic “Kraken” by Pål Øie to animated feature “Dante” by Linda Hambäck to Finnish social dramas “Father’s Day” by Aleksi Salmenperä and “Don Quixotte of Barcelona” by Jarmo Lampela.
Debut projects that caught delegates’ attention included the Sámi musical drama “Árru” by Ele Sofe Sara, realistic drama “Lucky” by Nitesh Anjaan and drama thriller about radicalism “Nipster” by Sunniva Eir Tangvik Kveum. But some buyers preferred to wait for the finished films to make a move. “The French market is highly competitive for foreign language pics. Besides the Cannes brand names Joachim Trier or Ruben Östlund, we need strong hooks and to watch the full feature to eventually take a risk,” said first time Haugesund attendee Daniel Chabannes, senior producer/distributor from Epicentre Films.
Dante
Credit Lee Film
Animation Rocks at First Haugesund Showcase
At the first ever Nordic Animation showcase in Haugesund held in partnership with the association Nordic Animation, six heavyweight producers took centre stage to pitch some of the region’s most compelling projects.
After highlighting that feature film animation in Norway “is booming and experiencing a golden age,” Den Siste Skilling’s Kristine Knudsen (“Richard the Stork”) pitched her upcoming pic “Coco Banana and the Dinosaur” directed by Will Ashurst and Kjersti G. Steinsbø, co-produced with her Germany sister company Den Sister Skilling Germany and Seru Animation. The 3D film is due to enter production next year.
Her Norwegian counterpart Tonje Skar Reiersen of major studio Mikrofilm (a 2007 Oscar-winner with the short animation “The Danish Poet”), highlighted the young-adult skewed “Pesta,” by Hanne Berkaak, a love story set in Norway during the Black Death. The co-production with France’s Xilam Films and Germany’s Knudsen Pictures will step into production next year for a 2028 delivery.
From Sweden, Snowcloud’s Petter Lindblad presented “Millie and the Secret of the Crocodile,” the next 3D animation pic by acclaimed Esben Toft Jacobsen (“The Great Bear,” “Beyond Beyond”). The co-production with Nørlum Denmark and Viking Film in the Netherlands starts production later this year, with a planned delivery early 2027. LevelK handles sales.
From Denmark, Claus Toksvig Kjær from Nørlum Animation Studio – which contributed to Disney TV’s “Big Hero 6” series and the Oscar-nominated “Song of the Sea” – said his co-production “Lotte & Totte”, has just passed 50,000 admissions in Denmark, making it the biggest pre-school title in Denmark for 20 years.
For the fans of the 2008 Icelandic hit “Ploey-You Never Fly Alone,” which sold to over 70 territories, producer Haukur Sigurjónsson of GunHill unveiled the good news that the sequel “Ploey-the Legend of the Wind” will hit screens in 2027. The expanded brand will include a large merchandise offer with books, soft toys and two spinouts in development. Sigurjónsson also underscored the enlarged community of animation producers in Iceland with Compass Films, Tulipop, and the country’s Oscar nod in 2021 with “Yes-People” by Gísli Darri Halldórsson.
Another prime purveyor of quality Nordic animation, Finland’s Anima Vitae, credited for the blockbuster “Niko” multi-pic franchise, presented its next feature “Fleak” which premiered in Annecy and will hit local screens this fall.
Baltic Focus
The first NNF and Baltic film agencies’ joint initiative to boost Baltic and Nordic ties, was a successful bet as 30-plus producers, funders from Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania were able to network with their Nordic counterparts and discussed ways to boost collaborations.
At the panel Insights on Co-producing with the Baltics on Thursday joined as speakers Lithuanian producer Brigita Beniuŝytė of M Films (“The Visitor”), Inga Blese at the National Film Centre of Latvia’s (NFCL), Estonian cash rebate commissioner Nele Paves and Estonian Film Institute’s head of production Viola Salu. They reminded the floor of the Baltics’ competitive cash rebates, large pool of skilled professionals and talent. Paves said Finnish projects are “the bread and butter” of Estonian co-producers, thanks to a long-standing relationship, cultural and geographical closeness, but she urged Swedes, Danes and especially Norwegians to step up. “We are very professional, solution-minded, straight in deal-making and have a good sense of humor,” they summarised.
Picked for the Nordic Co-Production Market showcase, the six Baltic projects in development received strong feedback from attendees. Kullengård from the Göteborg Festival felt the Baltic slate “integrated really well into the overall Nordic selection thanks to their high quality and shared story-telling and cultural affinities between the Nordics and Baltics.
Insights on Co-producing With the Baltics Panel
Credit: Annika Pham
Norwegian pics local-global appeal
During the Norwegian Film Festival and New Nordic Films, Norwegian films displayed their full pulling power, especially Lilja Ingolfsdóttir’s “Loveable” and Dag Johan Haugerud’s “Sex-Love-Dreams” trilogy, which both won national Amanda Awards – on top of a Nordic Council Film Prize nomination for “Dreams.”
“Loveable” and Haugerud’s trilogy were also discussed at a panel staged by Europa Distribution, attended by distributors from Italy (Wanted Cinema) and the Czech Republic (Aero Films) who detailed their launch and promotional strategy for the pics. Motlys’ Yngve Sæther, producer of “Sex-Love-Dreams” said he was proud to be “part of the Norwegian wave,” an upward trend in the global appeal of Norwegian films confirmed by the Norwegian Film Institute’s Hanne M. Okstad, the NFI’s international promotion advisor, who discussed the institute’s international distribution scheme.
“Over the last four years, we’ve supported 55 unique Norwegian films internationally and 165 releases globally,” she said,’ underlining the NOK 250,000 or $24,400 grant per territory, seen by many distributors as a vital distribution support.
At home, Norwegian films are still struggling to climb back to pre-pandemic times, said Espen Pedersen, head of Film & Kino and chair of the Board of the Norwegian Film Festival. He said local admissions so far are down 15%, due to the lack of Norwegian tentpoles and the hot summer weather, but he is hopeful that the end of year will close with over 9.5 million admissions and a Norwegian market-share of around 25%.
For her wedding day attire, Kinjal chose to wear a couture saree with Kashida embroidery designed by Tarun Tahiliani. “I wanted to wear something timeless that showcased the vibrancy of Indian heritage and culture,” she says. “The designer truly showcases his love for women through his work. I did not want trends and social media to get in the way of choosing my dress. I wanted something that would represent my personality.” She chose a design in magenta pink, a shade both her mother and grandmother wore for their wedding days. “My grandma told me the color magenta pink translates to ‘rani,’ which also means queen in Gujarati. There is something so royal and timeless about a rani saree for an Indian bride.” To accessorize the look, the bride worked with Vinay Gupta, the owner of Shri Paramani Jewels, to create a custom collection. “We sat down and went back and forth to create a design of pieces set on 22-carat gold with uncut diamonds, rubies, and precious and semi-precious stones for the necklace, earrings, maltikka, and bangles.” She also wore magenta Celosia Cristata flowers in her hair to accent her sleek knot bun. The groom also wore Tarun Tahiliani for his ceremony ensemble. His look featured an embroidered sherwani in a light pink tone that mirrored the bride’s saree.
At the reception, the bride chose to shine in a gold saree by Tarun Tahiliani embellished with pearls and kundan stones. “For the final look, I wore my great grandmother’s two gold 22-carat bangles on my right wrist given to me by my mother,” says Kinjal. “They were worn by my grandmother and mother on their wedding days, which made it feel all the more special. It was a form of auspicious good luck brought upon the next generation of daughters in our family.” Herit donned a custom Indo-Western suit by Shantanu and Nikhil to finish the celebrations.
The couple kicked off their wedding day by reciting their vows to each other in private at their hotel. For the rest of the morning, the couple and the venue team had some reservations about the weather for the outdoor Hindu Gujrathi ceremony. “While I was worrying the entire week, a nonna reminded me in Italian ‘sposa bagnata, sposa fortunata,’ which translates to ‘a wet bride is a lucky bride’—and indeed, I was blessed with the rain,” says Kinjal. Herit shares that as rain came down with a hint of sun at the start of the ceremony, he actually felt lucky. “I thought at that moment, what perfect weather as I always wished for rain during the wedding, despite Kinjal’s worries,” shares Herit. The bride adds, “It became even more magical and meaningful.” After the ceremony, the newlyweds spent some time together alone. “We stood at the edge of the lake and soaked in the last moments of the night and the first few moments as husband and wife,” says the groom.
The reception at Passalacqua was an intimate and celebratory affair. The couple was surprised with video messages from their friends and family who weren’t present, while their parents and siblings gave toasts around the table. “We burst into tears with the amount of overflowing love and support we had,” say the newlyweds. “We had good wine and pasta…it couldn’t get better than that.” Despite the damp weather, the bride and groom finished the evening with a final tradition. “We went outside and had our first dance in the rain with lightning in the far distance striking between the mountains,” they share. Reflecting on their wedding, Kinjal and Herit both agree: “It feels like a new chapter in our life has begun.”
Sphere is promising to take audiences over the rainbow, down the yellow brick road and into an entirely new type of cinematic experience. It’s “The Wizard of Oz” as you’ve never seen it before — not only digitally enhanced but expanded to fit the Las Vegas entertainment complex’s massive 160,000-square foot screen.
“It’s pushing the visual medium,” Jane Rosenthal, one of the new film’s producers, says. “It’s pushing the exhibition of shows and concerts in a way that’s singular, and it’s exhilarating.”
And it’s also controversial, at least among cinephiles, sparking fierce debate ahead of its Aug. 28 premiere about whether you should muck around with a classic. That’s because this “Wizard of Oz” adds characters to scenes (we didn’t see you there, Uncle Henry!) and extends the images projected on screen to fit Sphere’s sprawling canvas. The team behind the film combed the archives at both the Academy and Warner Bros., looking through shot lists, sketches and notebooks from the 1939 original that could inspire and shape their work.
“Some of the things we did were just organic and authentic to what the original filmmaker’s intent was,” says Jennifer Koester, president and chief operating officer of Sphere.
But it’s also true that none of this would be possible without AI — a technological advancement that many in Hollywood worry will cost jobs.
Rosenthal has heard the criticism, but she argues that the use of AI in storytelling is nothing new, likening it to CGI: “Anyone who is talking about this hasn’t seen it, so you’ve got the blind talking to the blind, and they’re upset about AI. AI in the film industry has been used for many years. It’s been used on ‘Jurassic Park,’ ‘Avatar,’ ‘Benjamin Button.’”
The Sphere team says it’s using “ethical models” that have been trained on “The Wizard of Oz” footage, as well as original props and designs, all with the permission of the rights holders.
It also promises a full sensory experience, such as giant wind machines to drop the audience inside a tornado or a boom sound that ricochets around Sphere’s 167,000 speakers as Dorothy taps on the Tin Man’s heart.
“The whole idea of it is you’re not passively watching — you are actively feeling like you’re in it,” Carolyn Blackwood, head of Sphere Studios, says.
The Sphere team is excited for audiences to hear Dorothy singing “Over the Rainbow.” “We ended up rerecording with an orchestra, on the original MGM lot, and in the soundstage where they had recorded the original music. We were able to split the tracks. You can now hear her voice. It’s still her voice, but you’re hearing it pure,” Rosenthal says.
Ultimately, the hope is that presenting “The Wizard of Oz” on the biggest, widest and most decked-out screen imaginable won’t just delight fans; it will introduce new audiences to the story of a little girl from Kansas who came to realize there’s no place like home.
“For people that haven’t seen it before, this is going to totally blow them away,” Koester says.
The Women of Oz – Jane Rosenthal, Jennifer Koester and Carolyn Blackwood
BRIAN FRIEDMAN
Raza Murad filed a complaint regarding fake death rumors. Ranbir Kapoor’s team liked Deepika Padukone’s reel, sparking fan speculation. Manoj Pahwa noted Aryan Khan’s resemblance to Shah Rukh Khan. R Madhavan celebrated his son Vedaant’s birthday. Sadly, Jaswinder Bhalla passed away after a stroke. These events have kept the entertainment world buzzing with news and updates.
Bollywood never sleeps—and neither does the drama, glamour, and gossip! From Punjabi actor-comedian Jaswinder Bhalla passing away allegedly due to brain stroke, R Madhavan celebrating son Vedaant’s 20th birthday to Raza Murad slamming fake death rumours; today’s entertainment roundup has it all. Here are the top 5 stories that had everyone talking…
Raza Murad slams fake death rumours
Veteran actor Raza Murad filed a police complaint in Mumbai after a false social media post declared him dead, complete with his birthdate and a fake death date. Disturbed by the hoax, which caused panic among his family and fans, he urged strict punishment for those behind the misinformation.
Ranbir Kapoor ‘liked’ Deepika Padukone’s old reel?
Ranbir Kapoor’s brand reportedly liked an old Instagram reel featuring Deepika Padukone and her sister Anisha decorating a cake. Since Ranbir lacks a personal Instagram account, fans jokingly speculated over whether he personally interacted or if it was his social media team. The incident sparked light-hearted comparisons to a similar moment involving Virat Kohli and Avneet Kaur.
Manoj Pahwa calls Aryan ‘spitting image’ of SRK
Veteran actor Manoj Pahwa praised Aryan Khan—son of Shah Rukh Khan—as the “spitting image” of his father, noting his striking resemblance, dedication, and perfectionism. Pahwa clarified that a prison scene in Aryan’s OTT debut, The Ba**ds of Bollywood*, is entirely fictional and unrelated to his 2021 arrest.
R Madhavan celebrates son Vedaant’s 20th birthday
R. Madhavan and his wife, Sarita Birje, celebrated their son Vedaant’s 20th birthday on August 21 with heartwarming Instagram posts featuring rare family photos. The proud mom shared emotional tributes, while Vedaant—an accomplished swimmer—received warm wishes from celebrities like Ronit Roy and Dia Mirza (as reported today).
Brain stroke reported as Punjabi actor-comedian Jaswinder Bhalla’s cause of death
Punjabi actor-comedian Jaswinder Bhalla passed away at age 65 in a Mohali hospital after suffering a brain stroke. Known for iconic roles in films like Carry On Jatta and his comedic series Chhankata, he was cherished across the Punjabi entertainment world. His sudden death has left his fans and colleagues deeply saddened. Also See: Jaswinder Bhalla Death News: Punjabi actor-comedian Jaswinder Bhalla passes away; cause of death reported as brain stroke
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