Director Mehdi Norowzian has signed with RSA for worldwide representation. As part of the deal, Norowzian’s London-based Joy Films becomes Joy@RSA in the U.K., an RSA satellite. Joy Films’ executive producer Desley Gregory joins Joy@RSA, and continues to work with Norowzian and a U.K. directorial roster that also includes Joy Film’s Tom Merilion, Peter Salmi, Albert Kodagolian and James Marsh. (RSA Films, London, continues to be headed by managing director Kai-Lu Hsuing.) In the United States, Norowzian will direct out of bicoastal RSA USA and be executive produced by Rhea Scott under the aegis of managing director Jules Daly. As earlier reported, Norowzian left his longstanding stateside roost for commercials, bicoastal/international Chelsea Pictures, effective Aug. 1….Director Kieran Walsh and Chelsea Pictures have parted ways…. Cine/DRSA International, New York, and Sydney-headquartered production company Luscious International have signed an exclusive agreement to represent Luscious directors Richard Gibson, James Holt and Damien Toogood, as well as visual effects director Paul Butterworth, for U.S. spotwork. Luscious is headed by executive producer Andrew Morris….Zero 2 Sixty, New York, has signed director Alphonzo Wesson III for spotwork….Noted visual effects artist Brian Buongiorno has joined the staff of Sea Level, Venice, Calif. For the past two years, Buongiorno has freelanced as a visual effects artist and supervisor for Sea Level, as well as for Sight Effects, Venice; A52, Los Angeles; and Method, Santa Monica….Acterna Corporation, the Germantown, Md.-headquartered parent company to several firms, including Coral Springs, Fla.-based da Vinci Systems, has emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, just five months after its initial filing. The da Vinci company provides SDTV, HDTV, data, and digital film color enhancement technology and film restoration products to the postproduction market….
Breakout Films and Major Takeaways From This Year’s Sundance Fest
Film wasn't the only thing on people's minds at this year's Sundance Film Festival, which comes to a close Sunday in Park City, Utah ( and online ).
The effects of the wildfires in Southern California loomed large, as did the bittersweet knowledge that this year will be the second to last Sundance based in Park City. Some films offered an escape from reality; others were a pointed reminder of the domestic and international political landscape, from transgender rights to the war in Ukraine.
Here are some of the key takeaways from the 41st edition of the festival.
The effects of the Southern California fires were deeply felt
The wildfires were still burning in parts of Los Angeles when Sundance began last week and reminders of its devastation were everywhere, even on screen. Max Walker-Silverman's "Rebuilding," starring Josh O'Connor as a cowboy who loses his ranch in a wildfire and forms a community with fellow survivors in a FEMA camp, hit close to home for many.
Filmmakers Meena Menon and Paul Gleason lost their home in Altadena where they filmed some of their zombie apocalypse movie "Didn't Die." Sundance artist labs head Michelle Satter lost her Palisades home as well. Satter had an audience of Sundance Institute donors in tears early in the festival while accepting an honor at a fundraising gala.
"It's a deeply devastating time for us and so many others, a moment that calls for all of us coming together to support our bigger community," Satter said. "As a friend recently noted, and I have to listen to this, 'Take a deep breath ... We lost our village, but at the end of the day we are the village.'"
The festival's move to another city dominated conversations
It was a topic... Read More