Director Thom Higgins, formerly of bicoastal Bedford Falls, has joined Santa Monica-based Green Dot Films….Linda Ross, who came aboard bicoastal Neue Sentimental Film USA (NSF USA) as executive producer in August, has been promoted to president of NSF USA. Helene Rohr, managing director of NSF’s stateside operation (NSF is headquartered in Frankfurt), has left the company….Visual effects house The Mill, London, is set to open a satellite office in New York this spring…..Director Adam Jones and executive producer Pam Rohs have joined The Joneses, a commercial production house that has relocated from Southern California to New York. Jones and Rohs had been at Next Media, a satellite of the recently closed OneSuch Films….Gillen Films has been launched by executive producer Tony Busching, who continues as executive producer/founder of Electric Avenue Films, Marina del Rey, Calif. Gillen Films, also in Marina del Rey, features director/cinematographer Scott Gillen….Mono-monikered director mink has joined Los Angeles-headquartered A Band Apart for music video representation. Mink comes over from Geneva Films, Hollywood…. Director Christopher Erskin has joined Los Angeles-based spot/music video production company Legacy Films….The Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists (ACTRA), which represents some 18,000 actors, has reached tentative agreement with the Association of Canadian Advertisers and the Institute of Communications and Advertising on a new two-year contract for TV and radio spots. The deal calls for a five percent increase in minimum rates over two years for actors and averts an ACTRA strike against the advertising industry. Subject to ratification, the contract would run through June 30, ’04…Mixer Mitch Raboy and operations manager Lydia Perez, formerly of Superdupe Recording, New York, have joined Parallax Audio Post, New York….
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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