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    Park Pictures’ “The Heart Still Hums” named best documentary short at BlackStar Film Fest

    By SHOOTUpdated:No Comments1792 Views
    A scene from "The Heart Still Hums"
    NEW YORK --

    International production company Park Pictures short documentary film The Heart Still Hums, co-directed by roster director Savanah Leaf and actress Taylor Russell (Netflix’s Lost In Space, Waves), was awarded the 2020 Best Short Documentary Award at the BlackStar Film Festival.

    The Heart Still Hums follows five women based in Sacramento, Calif., through varying stages of young motherhood. The young mothers navigate the turbulence of accessing hard-won resources through nonprofits or, in the hardest circumstances, seeking foster or adoptive families for their children.

    The film has already garnered sweeping critical praise and film festival accolades, including the Palm Springs ShortFest Best Documentary Short Award. The award arrives on the heels of a momentous few months for Leaf, having officially signed to Park Pictures’ roster, along with the launch of her co-led initiative “Change the Lens,” a pledge to ensure the representation of black filmmakers within the commercial and music video film industry that is reflective of the greater population.

    Tags:Park PicturesSavanah LeafTaylor RusellThe Heart Still Hums



    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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