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    Filmmaker Lars von Trier diagnosed with Parkinson’s

    By SHOOTUpdated:No Comments1119 Views
    Director Lars von Trier appears at the premiere of the film "The House That Jack Built" at the 71st international film festival, Cannes, southern France, on May 14, 2018. Von Trier, known for films like “Melancholia” and “Dancer in the Dark,” has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease, his production company Zentropa said Monday. The company said it released the information in order to avoid speculation about his health leading up to the premiere of his series “The Kingdom Exodus” at the Venice Film Festival next month. (Photo by Vianney Le Caer/Invision/AP, File)
    COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) --

    Danish filmmaker Lars von Trier, known for films like "Melancholia" and "Dancer in the Dark," has been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, his production company Zentropa said Monday.

    The company said it released the information in order to avoid speculation about his health leading up to the premiere of his series "The Kingdom Exodus" at the Venice Film Festival next month. Zentropa said von Trier, 66, was diagnosed at the beginning of the summer.

    "Lars is in good spirits and is being treated for his symptoms," producer Louise Vesth said in a statement. "And the work to complete 'The Kingdom Exodus' continues as planned."

    In his four decades of filmmaking, von Trier has won some of the most prestigious international film awards, including the Cannes Film Festival's Palme d'Or for "Dancer in the Dark." His films and comments have sometimes stirred up controversy as well. He was famously banned from Cannes for seven years after making comments sympathetic to Nazis during a 2011 press conference. Von Trier returned to the festival in 2018 with the serial killer drama "The House That Jack Built."

    "The Kingdom Exodus" is the third, and final, season of a series which first premiered in 1994 in Denmark, but have not been widely available.

    Tags:Lars von TrierThe Kingdom ExodusVenice Film FestivalZentropa



    DirecTV calls off acquisition of rival Dish, possibly ending a yearslong pursuit

    Friday, November 22, 2024
    Dish Network satellite dishes are shown at an apartment complex in Palo Alto, Calif., Feb. 23, 2011. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma, File)

    DirecTV is calling off its planned acquisition of rival Dish after the offer was rejected by bond holders at that company.

    The deal was reliant on Dish bond holders agreeing to trade in the debt they held for debt in the new company, a swap that would have cost them about $1.6 billion, collectively.

    The retreat by DirecTV this week may end a years-long effort by the company to acquire both Dish and Sling after it announced the bid in September.

    DirecTV was looking to acquire Dish TV and Sling TV from its owner EchoStar in a debt exchange transaction that included a payment of $1, plus the assumption of approximately $9.8 billion in debt. The deal was contingent on several factors, including regulatory approvals and bondholders writing off debt related to Dish.

    "While we believed a combination of DirecTV and Dish would have benefited all stakeholders, we have terminated the transaction because the proposed exchange terms were necessary to protect DirecTV's balance sheet and our operational flexibility," DirecTV CEO Bill Morrow said in a statement.

    The prospect of a DirecTV-Dish combo has long been rumored, and reported talks resurfaced over the years. And the two almost merged more than two decades ago — but the Federal Communications Commission blocked the deal valued at the time at $18.5 billion deal, citing antitrust concerns.

    The pay-for-TV market has shifted significantly since. As more and more consumers tune into online streaming platforms, demand for more traditional satellite entertainment continues to shrink.

    DirecTV says that it will continue to invest in next-generation streaming platforms and offer new packaging options while integrating content from live TV alongside direct-to-consumer... Read More

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