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    Unable to leave Russia, director attends Cannes virtually

    By SHOOTUpdated:No Comments1084 Views
    Yury Kolokolnikov, from left, Chulpan Khamatova, Ivan Dorn, and Yulia Peresild pose for photographers at the photo call for the film "Petrov's Flu" at the 74th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Tuesday, July 13, 2021. (Photo by Vianney Le Caer/Invision/AP)

    By Jake Coyle, Film Writer

    CANNES, France (AP) --

    Celebrated Russian filmmaker Kirill Serebrennikov is banned from leaving his home country, so he is attending the Cannes Film Festival virtually. Serebrennikov phoned into the red-carpet premiere of his film, "Petrov's Flu," by FaceTime and spoke to the media on Tuesday by Zoom. 

    A seat was left open for the 51-year-old director when "Petrov's Flu" premiered Monday in Cannes. It wasn't the first time Serebrennikov was forced to miss a Cannes premiere. In 2018, he was under house arrest when his film "Leto" debuted at the festival. 

    Serebrennikov is no longer under house arrest in Russia, but he's unable to travel outside the country. He was convicted of fraud in 2020 and sentenced to probation and fined for embezzlement. 

    The verdict was seen as a success for artistic freedom in Russia – prosecutors had sought a six-year sentence in a penal colony – and concluded a high-profile, years-long legal battle for Serebrennikov, one of Russia's most prominent theater and film directors. The case against him was protested widely throughout the Russian artistic community and internationally. 

    On Tuesday, Serebrennikov joined the middle of the news conference for "Petrov's Flu" remotely while actors and producers appearing in person flanked the monitor. He joked that during the pandemic, everyone has gotten to experience a version of his isolation. 

    "My situation has much improved," Serebrennikov said. "Last time, three years ago, there was no television. I was not with you, so it's much better today. Everyone is getting used to this trend. I have become a Zoom personality. You are used to Zoom and I am, too." 

    Serebrennikov wrote "Petrov's Flu" while under house arrest, basing it on the 2018 novel by Alexei Salnikov about a flu epidemic in Russia. The film, which is in competition for Cannes' top honor, the Palme d'Or, received glowing reviews at the festival. 

    On the Cannes red carpet, cast members and producers wore badges with the director's photo and initials. 

    "Yesterday was a double celebration for us. We had at once the premiere in Cannes with the red carpet," Serebrennikov said. "But I'm also shooting my next film in the studio. Where we are shooting, we set up a red carpet in order to be able to support the actors and team who are in Cannes." 

    Tags:Cannes Film FestivalKirill SerebrennikovPetrov's Flu



    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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