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    “Imitation Game” opens London Film Festival

    By SHOOTUpdated:No Comments790 Views
    British actor Benedict Cumberbatch poses for photographers during the photo call of the film The Imitation Game, at the Corinthia Hotel in central London, which will open the London Film Festival, Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2014. (Photo by Joel Ryan/Invision/AP)
    LONDON (AP) --

    Keira Knightley says it's exciting to be opening the London Film Festival with World War II code-breaking story "The Imitation Game."

    The film stars Benedict Cumberbatch as computer pioneer Alan Turing, who helped win the war but was later prosecuted for homosexuality.

    Knightley, who plays fellow code-breaker Joan Clarke, said Wednesday that "it's lovely to be the first" of the 248 features screened at the 12-day festival.

    "The Imitation Game" won the audience award at the Toronto Film Festival, often a precursor to Oscar success.

    Director Morten Tyldum said playing the London festival was "like coming home" for the movie, which was shot in the British capital and at the nearby Bletchley Park code center.

    The festival opens Wednesday and closes Oct. 19 with the Brad Pitt war saga, "Fury."

    Tags:The Imitation Game



    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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