‘The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live’ Joins Sky In Wide-Ranging AMC Pact
Sky has struck a deal with AMC Networks to bring the Walking Dead universe to the UK pay-TV service. The agreement includes the British debut of The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live, which went out in the U.S. earlier this year, reuniting the departed Rick and Michonne characters from the main Walking Dead show. The spin-off series will launch on Sky and streaming service Now on May 31, while all eleven seasons of The Walking Dead launching on Sunday (May 19). Further franchise spin-offs The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon and The Walking Dead: Dead City will join the platform later this year. The Walking Dead has had several homes in the UK, including on Fox and Channel 5. This marks the first time its available exclusively on Sky. The deal comes ahead of the LA Screenings next week. “We are delighted to have found a new home for The Walking Dead universe in the UK,” said said Mike Pears, Executive Vice President of Distribution and Content Sales for AMC Network. “As we enter an exciting new chapter in the evolution of this franchise, with three new eagerly awaited, character-driven series, Sky is the perfect, premium home for UK viewers to embrace all things Walking Dead. “The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live is the most successful series in the history of AMC+, even including the original series, so it is fitting that it will lead the way as Sky brings this entire universe to U.K. fans in the coming weeks and months on Sky and Now.”
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Asif Kapadia To Be Feted At Muslim International Film Festival
Amy and Senna director Asif Kapadia will be receive the inaugural Trailblazer Award at the first Muslim International Film Festival (MIFF) in the UK later this month. The Academy Award, Grammy and four-time BAFTA winning director, writer and producer is being honored for championing new filmmakers and talent and for contributions to the film industry. He was nominated for three BAFTAs for his first feature, The Warrior, which was shot in India, before his fourth film, Senna, won kin the Best Documentary and Editing categories and became the biggest grossing British doc ever at the time. His doc about late musician Amy Winehouse later scored the best UK opening weekend for a doc film in 2015 and won numerous awards. Kapadia will receive the MIFF award during the festival’s opening gala London premiere of Kamal Lazaraq’s Hounds at the Odeon Luxe Leicester Square on May 30, followed by a reception at the LSQ rooftop. “It’s a great honour to receive the Trailblazer Award from the Muslim International Film Festival,” he said. “It’s important to show that people from all faiths and backgrounds can be successful and there should never be any boundaries or limits for what we are able to say, create or express through our art.”
‘Kneecap‘ To Open 36th Galway Film Fleadh
Kneecap, the drama about a trio of Irish-language rappers starring Michael Fassbender, is to open the 36th Galway Film Fleadh, which is taking place in Ireland from 9-14 July at the Town Hall Theatre and Pálás Cinema. Based on the origin story of the riotous rap group who give their name to the film, it stars the band’s Mo Chara, Móglaí Bap and DJ Próvaí in their acting debuts alongside the Academy Award-nominated Fassbender. It is set in Belfast in 2019 and chronicles how fate brought the trio together. At the same time, Palestine has been named as the country of focus for the Galway film fest, with Director of Programming Maeve McGrath saying the decision showed “support and solidarity” to the Palestinian people, as the bloody Israel-Hamas conflict continues. Full program details for the Galway Film Fleadh will be announced on June 25.
Film And TV Charity Launches Diversity Grants Program
The Film and TV Charity has launched a strategic program to support mid-level Black and Global Majority people working in film, TV and cinema, along with production company and industry organizations run by people from those backgrounds. Reel Impact will seek to address the impacts of systemic industry racism, drive better opportunities and support and develop the careers of under-represented talent. An initial round of grants of up to £10,000 ($12,500) for individuals and £25,000 for companies and orgs is being offered, with a second strand of the program aim at developing partnerships with organisations that can support Black and Global Majority professionals and creatives with access to skills and leadership development, networking and career development. Grant applicants need to demonstrate how the funds will benefit Black and Global Majority projects in the UK. Funding will be awarded in three rounds over two years, with the first round open from today (May 13) to June 30. The first grants will be awarded in September, with further rounds expected in November this year and September 2025. “The grants element is intended to service the specific needs of applicants, rather than being oppressively prescriptive – so as our campaign launches, we want to encourage everyone in the film, TV, and cinema industry to help us spread the word throughout their networks,” said Marcus Ryder, CEO of the Film and TV Charity.
UK’s Caravan Working Up PBS Vampire Myth Doc
PBS has ordered a doc about how the myth of vampires began from UK indie Caravan. Field of Vampires, which will be for PBS’s Secrets of the Dead strand uses exclusive access to archaeological discoveries throughout Eastern, Central and Western Europe and the U.S. to explore ritual burial sites of those suspected of vampiric behavior, and explore why certain dead people were singled out as being vampires. Abacus Media Rights has boarded for international sales, already closing pre-sales with A+E Networks EMEA for Sky History in the UK, The History Channel in Poland and SVT in Sweden. Steven Perring is the producer and director. Executive producer is Caravan CEO Dinah Lord and production exec is Johann Insanally. Samuel Mundell is assistant producer. Stephanie Carter is exec producer for Secrets of the Dead.
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