EMIRATI MOVIE
British actor Jefferson Hall (“House of the Dragon,” “Oppenheimer”) will soon appear on screen in Emirati director Nayla Al Khaja’s psychological thriller “Three,” about a young boy who appears to be possessed.
Al Khaja – who is known for standout shorts including horror film “The Shadow” and “Animal” that both play on Netflix – has just wrapped the independently-produced “Three,” her debut feature, which was shot in Thailand.
Besides, Hall, “Three” also stars Faten Ahmed; Noura Alabed (“Wiladah”); veteran U.A.E. actor Mari Al Halyan (“On Borrowed Time”); Mohannad Bin Huthail (“Rashash”) and emerging Emirati talent Saud Alzarooni.
“Three” marks a rare case of a drama in which a Brit becomes enmeshed with the core of an Emirati family. The film unfolds in an unspecified modern-day Middle Eastern city, where a young boy named Ahmed begins exhibiting strange behavior, eventually leading his mother Maryam, to believe he is possessed. As the plot thickens, Maryam races against the clock, seeking help from a Western doctor, other medical professionals, and ultimately an infamous exorcist.
ACQUISITION
The BBC has acquired Irish thriller drama “Clean Sweep” from ZDF Studios. The six-part series, starring Charlene McKenna (“Peaky Blinders”), was created by Gary Tieche (“Preacher”) and is inspired by true events. It follows a seemingly ordinary housewife, Shelly Mohan (McKenna), a mother of three married to a Garda detective (Barry Ward). On the surface, all seems normal until her dark past comes back to haunt her. It was produced by ShinAwil and Incendo and will be launching on BBC Four and BBC iPlayer later this year.
AUDIENCE AWARDS
After the end of the Sydney Film Festival, organizers have revealed the winners of the GIO Audience Awards. With some 18,000 votes counted, “The Birdeater,” directed by Jack Clark and Jim Weir, was named best Australian narrative feature. “The Defenders,” by Matthew Bate, was named best Australian documentary. The international winner of best narrative feature was Cannes Palme d’Or winner“Anatomy of a Fall,” French director Justine Triet’s tense drama featuring Sandra Hueller as an author accused of her husband’s murder. Taking home the Best International documentary award was“Beyond Utopia,” the Sundance 2023 Audience Award winning film, directed by Madeleine Gavin, about afamily’s dramatic journey from North Korea to freedom. “Birdeaterwas a fantastic indie production by the team at Breathless Films who had three films premiere at the festival. A homegrown psychological thriller that painted a darkly comic portrait of young Aussie men,‘Birdeater’was a real hit with audiences,” said festival director Nashen Moodley.
TEACHING STAFF
Japanese director Suwa Nobuhiro has been appointed dean ofthe 2023 Chanel X BIFF Asian Film Academy that is part of the Busan International Film Festival’s industry program. He will be joined by Korea’s Kim Hee-Jung, who joins as the directing mentor, and by Polish cinematographer Artur Zurawski. Suwa came to the forefront with his official debut,“2/Duo” in 1997 and has since made“M/Other,“ “A Perfect Couple” and “Yuki & Nina,” which he co-directed with French actor Hippolyte Girardot.He is currently a professor at the Tokyo University of the Arts. The next edition of the festival is set to run 4-13 October, 2023.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
O4 Media’s cooking and adventure series, “Food Tales,” is set to premiere on the Asian Food Network channel, part of the Warner Bros. Discovery network, from Aug. 5. Produced by IFA Media, Singapore, the series blends captivating narratives, stunning cinematography, and delightful recipes as it showcases the diverse cuisines and rich cultural heritage of Singapore’s streetfood hawkers.
STREAMING
Netflix has unveiled a trailer for its anthology “Lust Stories 2,” directed by Amit Ravindernath Sharma, Konkona Sen Sharma, R. Balki and Sujoy Ghosh. The cast includes Amruta Shubhash, Angad Bedi, Kajol, Kumud Mishra, Mrunal Thakur, Neena Gupta, Tamannaah Bhatia, Tillotama Shome and Vijay Varma. Produced by Ashi Dua and Ronnie Screwvala, the film will premiere on Netflix on June 29.
