CINEMAS
The Slovak government today declared a state of emergency will go into effect on Friday Nov. 25 in response to the deteriorating COVID-19 situation in the country. The state of emergency includes a curfew, with exceptions only for traveling to work, shopping and medical visits, and will run through Dec. 9. At that time, the government will re-evaluate the situation and decide whether to continue with the curfew.
In response to the notification that all cultural institutions, including cinemas, will be closed for at least two weeks as part of the curfew, Cinemax, the largest cinema operator in the country, announced across its social media profiles that it would pre-premiere Ridley Scott’s “House of Gucci” one day early for those interested in catching in the theater. The film was originally scheduled to premiere in the country on Friday, Nov. 25. Bratislava’s Slovak Film Week, scheduled for Nov. 29 – Dec. 5, has yet to announce how it will respond to the news. Last year, the event was held entirely online.
Related Stories
AWARDS
Producer Bernard Michaux (“Collective”) from Luxembourg, actor and former European Shooting Star Sara Serraiocco (“Counterpart”), casting director Timka Grin from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Swedish filmmaker of Georgian descent Levin Akin (“The Circle”) and German-based film scholar and curator Yun-hua Chen will make up the jury for this year’s European Film Promotion (EFP), responsible for the selection of this year’s European Shooting Stars, to be announced at the Berlin International Film Festival. The jury will select from 23 candidates from across Europe, nominated by their national film promotion institutes. Winners will be announced over four days of the Berlinale, Feb. 11-14, with an award ceremony held on the final day. European Shooting Stars is financed by the Creative Europe Media Program of the European Union and the participating national film promotion institutes.
Popular on Variety
PRODUCTION
Fremantle Australia has unveiled its latest original scripted series production, “Significant Others,” a six-part drama created by award-winning writer Tommy Murphy (“Holding the Man,” “Devil’s Playground”). The show tells the story of a family torn apart when the matron, a single mother, doesn’t return home after her morning swim leaving behind two teenagers and a load of questions, the answers to which threaten to tear apart the remaining family. The series will be ready for delivery in 2022 and will air on ABC TV in Australia, with Fremantle handling international distribution. It is backed by Screen Australia in association with the ABC and financed with support from Screen NSW.
SALES
International distribution company Eccho Rights has sold Yellow Bird’s Swedish drama series “Threesome” to a trio of major territories. Channel 4 in the U.K. picked the series up for its free streaming service All 4, while RTL Passion in Germany and Canal Plus in France each also acquired the series, one of Sweden’s best-reviewed drama series of the year. “Threesome” tracks the lives of a young Swedish couple living in London whose once idyllic relationship undergoes a series of major changes. The series is written and directed by Lisa Linnertorp.
