Director Frank Ockenfels 3 and bicoastal Go Film have parted ways. At press time, Ockenfels future plans were not known…. Leo Burnett Worldwide announced the formation of a new agency, Made, London, which will specialize in lifestyle and fashion brands. The new shop will be headed up by creative director Joakim Jonason, who scored two Grand Prix honors at Cannes for his work on Diesel out of Paradiset DDB, Stockholm….Burbank, Calif.-based Holy Cow Spots, best known for its animation commercials, has changed its name to MooUSA, reflecting an expansion which includes diversifying into live-action film with the addition of producer Roger J. Hunt—formerly of now defunct The End—as a partner, and directors Amie Steir and the helming duo Fabric….Music and sound design house Human, New York and Paris, has opened an office in Sydney, headed by partner/composer Simon Lister. Pilar Tronzick is the executive producer, while Anna Naylor and Peter Fenton have signed on as staff composers. The new office will maintain an affiliation with Melbourne-based composer Josh Abrahams…Word is that bicoastal Moxie Pictures and an undisclosed Hollywood management company are about to announce a script-writing contest for advertising creatives. Stay tuned…..Producer/programmer Lemahead has signed as a composer with Amber Music, London and New York. He is a former tour DJ for the band Prodigy….Composers Lewis Flinn and Dan Goldberg will soon be partnering to form a new music and sound design house in New York: The Music Dept. Goldberg has been running Off Center Music, New York, while Flinn has headed Lewis Flinn Music, also New York….Sound designer Bryan K. Klumpp has signed for exclusive national representation with the newly formed AudiO. He has relocated from New York to Los Angeles to provide a West Coast presence for the music/sound design shop, a division of Southfield, Mich.-headquartered Producers Color Service. Plans call for AudiO to build on its new base of operations in Los Angeles and to add new creatives, as well as a producer and marketing rep….
India’s Official Oscar Entry, Which Failed To Make The Cut, Tops Bollywood Awards Show With 10 Wins
The film that was submitted as India's official Oscar entry but failed to make the final list of nominees has swept the International Indian Film Academy Awards, which recognize outstanding work in the country's film industry.
Director Kiran Rao's critically acclaimed "Laapataa Ladies" — renamed "Lost Ladies" for its Oscar campaign — emerged as the biggest winner at the 2025 IIFA Awards, bagging 10 wins, including best picture and best direction.
The 2023 comedy is about two veiled brides who are accidentally swapped during a train ride, and tackles issues of patriarchy and gender roles, a shift from decades of male-centered mainstream Indian movies.
"It's a rare privilege to win an award for a film like 'Laapataa Ladies.' It's been a wonderful night. It's a rare privilege to make a film like this," Rao said in her acceptance speech.
Rao's film — a rare departure from most Bollywood films, which typically feature song-and-dance routines, violence and melodrama — also won in categories for best story, best screenplay and best actress in a leading role.
The annual ceremony of IIFA began in the western city of Jaipur on Saturday and concluded Sunday.
Indian cinema's most recognizable names took part in the glitzy event and Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan and actor Shahid Kapoor were among those who performed at the ceremony. The event was hosted by veteran director and producer Karan Johar and actor Kartik Aaryan.
The awards show also presents an opportunity for Indian celebrities to showcase their fashion, and this year was no exception. Notable figures such as Madhuri Dixit, Katrina Kaif and Kareena Kapoor Khan displayed their fashion choices on the green carpet.
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