Liza Minnelli, 76, felt 'shaken' and 'sabotaged' after being forced on stage in wheelchair at Oscars

Tom Hanks, Jodie Comer, Olivia Colman, David Cronenberg and Richard Linklater head projects at a Cannes 2022 pre-sales market that looks like the most buoyant in recent years, while also ushering in what is being hailed as a new era in global rights licensing.“We’re very optimistic, expecting a pretty busy market with a lot of titles, the first real market after the pandemic,” said Constantin Film’s Martin Moszkowicz.“Several distributors have told me that this Cannes will be the biggest market for projects in several years — in volume and quality,” said Cecile Gaget at Anton, which is selling Jodie Comer-led apocalyptic thriller “The End We Start From.”Multiple larger packages hit the market late last week. “People are conscious there could still be quite a lot to come in,” said Anne Cherel at Studiocanal, which over the weekend unveiled one hot project, comedy “Wicked Little Letters,” re-teaming Olivia Colman and Jessie Buckley.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau ChiefHong Kong-based sales firm Golden Network has picked up international rights to Jackie Chan’s upcoming film “Ride On.”The feature has recently wrapped production and is scheduled to be released on Dec. 31 in time for what is normally a peak cinemagoing period in China and elsewhere.Asian films are currently struggling to achieve pre-sales in international markets, but “Ride On” could be an exception.

Naman Ramachandran Acclaimed Indian filmmaker Alankrita Shrivastava will direct a film about Pakistani model and social media star Qandeel Baloch, who was murdered in an honor killing in 2016. Shrivastava, along with producers Vikas Sharma (“Toba Tek Singh”) and Sunny Khanna (“Why Cheat India”), has acquired the rights to the book “The Sensational Life and Death of Qandeel Baloch,” by Sanam Maher, published by Aleph, it was revealed ahead of the Cannes Film Market.Shrivastava’s credits include feminist films “Lipstick Under My Burkha,” which was briefly banned in India in 2017, Busan selection “Dolly Kitty and Those Twinkling Stars” and Netflix series “Bombay Begums.”Baloch, whose real name is Fouzia Azeem, had stoked controversy in Pakistan by living a Westernized lifestyle and posting her thoughts on social media, including Facebook and Twitter. Divorced from her husband, she had been nicknamed “Pakistan’s Kim Kardashian” and “Pakistan’s first social media star.” “When Qandeel Baloch was murdered in Pakistan in 2016, I was shaken up,” Shrivastava said.

Naman Ramachandran “The Boy Who Belonged to the Sea,” the multiple award-winning 2001 novel by Canadian author Denis Theriault, has been acquired for film adaptation by fledgeling U.K. outfit the White Lotus Picture Company.Set on the rugged north shore of the Gulf of St.

Brent Lang Executive Editor of Film and MediaWestEnd Films has closed a series of new deals on “Out of the Blue,” an upcoming thriller that brings together Neil LaBute and Diane Kruger.Rights for the film, which LaBute writes and directs, have gone to Australia and New Zealand (Kismet Movies), France (Metropolitan Filmexport), Germany (Koch Films), Spain (A Contracorriente Films), Italy (Eagle Pictures), Middle East (Phoenicia Pictures) Israel (Forum Film), Poland (Galapagos Films), Greece (Spentzos Film), former Yugoslavia (Investacommerce) and Portugal (Nos Lusomundo). WestEnd is also sharing a moody first-look image.Kruger, best known for her performances in “Inglourious Basterds” and “Troy,” leads an ensemble that also includes Ray Nicholson (“Promising Young Woman”), Hank Azaria (“Love & Other Drugs”) and Chase Sui Wonders (“Genera+ion”).

Manori Ravindran International Editor“Snowpiercer” producer Tomorrow Studios has struck a first-look deal with Frank Spotnitz’s London-based production company Big Light Prods.Under the deal, Tomorrow Studios will tap into Big Light’s network of established and emerging writers and its pursuit of IP for projects to produce together under one development slate.Big Light Prods. specializes in returning and limited dramas for the global market.

Christopher Vourlias Ukrainian filmmaker Oleh Sentsov and producer Denis Ivanov are teaming up again after their last collaboration, the ‘90s-set crime drama “Rhino,” premiered in the Venice Film Festival’s Horizons sidebar last year.The new feature, “Shining World,” centers on a mother and her young son living in a small American town in the 1960s. Described by Ivanov as a “fairy tale” with echoes of Wes Anderson’s whimsical tone, it unspools in both the real world and in the imagination of its young protagonist after he learns an amusement park is being built nearby.“Shining World” was written by Sentsov while imprisoned on what his supporters insist were trumped-up charges after Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014.

Nick Vivarelli International CorrespondentParis-based company Kinology has secured international sales to “Il Sol Dell’Avvenire,” from Italian auteur and Cannes regular Nanni Moretti. Pic is currently shooting in Rome.The deal between Kinology and Domenico Procacci’s Fandango, which is producing in tandem with Moretti’s Sacher shingle and RAI Cinema, marks the first time Kinology has handled a Moretti pic.

Eurovision Song Contest 2022 winners Kalush Orchestra returned to their homeland Ukraine following an emotional victory. Hundreds of fans greeted the Ukrainian band at the border with Poland as Russia’s occupancy of the country continues.

Liza Minnelliis not letting her recent drama at the Oscars get her down.After reports that she felt 'sabotaged' at the event, and forced into appearing on stage withLady Gagain a wheelchair, the Cabaret icon was spotted enjoying a dinner out with her friend Joan Collins.Liza, 76, and Joan, 88, dined at Italian eatery Il Piccolino in West Hollywood with Lisa's longtime pal Michael Feinstein. EXCLUSIVE: Liza Minelli moves on from Oscars 'sabotage' with a cigarette and a smile as she leaves dinner with Joan Collins in wheelchair...

As the world was processing Will Smith slapping Chris Rock in the face at the 2022 Oscars, Liza Minnelli was apparently dealing with a figurative slap to the face by producers of the awards show!

Liza Minnelli was “sabotaged” and “forced” onstage when she presented an award at this year’s Oscar’s according to her longtime friend Michael Feinstein. The Cabaret star, 76, was joined by Lady Gaga to present the best picture award at the Dolby Theatre on March 27. Speaking to SiriusXM, Feinsten, 65, said she was left “shaken up” after being told to go on stage in her wheelchair.

Liza Minnelli was “sabotaged” at the Oscars after being brought on stage in a wheelchair against her wishes, her long-time collaborator has claimed. The Cabaret star appeared on stage in a wheelchair during the March awards show to present the prize for Best Picture, alongside Lady Gaga. While viewers were touched by the interactions between the two, Minnelli’s friend, singer Michael Feinstein, has now claimed that the 76-year-old was left “very disappointed” by the experience, which he claims was negatively impacted after Will Smith slapped Chris Rock.

Oscars, a friend of the star has claimed.Singer and pianist Michael Feinstein spoke on SiriusXM‘s The Jess Cagle Show (per The Guardian), saying Minelli was left feeling “very disappointed” about her appearance at the Oscars alongside Lady Gaga.“She was sabotaged,” Feinstein said on Tuesday (April 19). “That’s a terrible word to use, but she only agreed to appear on the Oscars if she would be in a director’s chair, because she’s been having back trouble.“She said, ‘I don’t want people to see me limping out there.’ She said, ‘You know, I want to look good.

following her appearance on stage at the ceremony last month, it has been claimed.The Cabaret star, 76, was joined by Lady Gaga to present the best picture award at the Dolby Theatre on March 27 – which eventually went to Coda.However, according to her friend Michael Feinstein, she originally planned to sit in a director’s chair on stage and was left ‘flustered’ and ‘discombobulated’ when this changed at the last minute.Appearing on SiriusXM, the 65-year-old claimed that he was by her side before she addressed the star-studded audience and had been vocal about not wanting viewers to ‘worry’ about her.‘She was sabotaged. That’s a terrible word to use, but she only agreed to appear on the Oscars if she would be in the director’s chair, because she’s been having back trouble,’ he said on the Jess Cagle Show, explaining that she had experienced back pains beforehand.‘She said, “I don’t want people to see me limping out there… You know, I want to look good.

Hollywood star Liza Minnelli, 76, has been left "shaken" and "sabotaged" after being forced to appear at the Oscars in her wheelchair, according to a pal.Her friend Michael Feinstein has since come to her defence after viewers at home were worried that she looked frail during her awards night appearance.Some fans argued that she looked "out of it" when she presented Best Picture at the 2022 Academy Awards alongside pop sensation Lady Gaga.Her close pal spoke on SiriusXM's The Jess Cagle Show on Monday (April 18) and claimed that the 76-year-old acting and singing icon had been treated unfairly.The 65-year-old argues that Liza was "sabotaged" by Oscars organisers at the very last minute.He revealed the plan had been for her to be sat in a director's chair, but instead she was forced to use a wheelchair which flustered her and left her "discombobulated".Feinstein, an acclaimed jazz singer who focuses on standards, said he was in attendance at the Oscar with Minnelli.He claimed that she had wanted to do her presentation sitting down due to back pain issues.He said the New York, New York star and daughter of Judy Garland and Vincent Minnelli wanted to look and feel strong as possible after suffering from back pain issues.Her friend reportedly recalled her saying: "She said, 'I don't want people to see me limping out there'."She said, 'You know, I wanna look good.

Michael Feinstein, a longtime friend of the legendary Liza Minnelli, was by her side at the 2022 Oscars and he has revealed she was “sabotaged” at the show.

Oscars sparked concern after she took to the stage in a wheelchair, along with fumbling her lines. Her close friend Michael Feinstein, 65, claimed in a recent interview that Liza did not want to be seen in a wheelchair and was originally planned to sit in a director's chair due to her "back trouble".Liza took to the stage with Lady Gaga to present the Best Picture at the 2022 Academy Awards.Lady Gaga wheeled Liza out on stage and helped her with her cue cards, causing fans to worry about her frail appearance.The singer's friend, Michael, alleged during an appearance on SiriusXM's The Jess Cagle Show that Liza felt "sabotaged" by the award show.Michael attended the Oscars with Liza and claims she told the crew how she wanted to do her presentation sitting down due to back pain issues.He claimed: "You know, that whole thing was, she was sabotaged.

Michael Feinstein is making something clear about his friend Liza Minnelli’s appearance at The Oscars.

Oscars last month, things were apparently far more tense behind the scenes. Oscars organizers "sabotaged" Liza and "forced" her to go on stage in her wheelchair last month, a friend alleged.While on SirusXM's The Jess Cagle Show, jazz singer Michael Feinstein claimed Liza agreed to present the best picture award with Lady Gaga as long as she could sit in a director's chair, not her wheelchair."You know, that whole thing was, she was sabotaged.

hand out the Best Picture award — and her frail appearance and confused demeanor was a shock to many.Now in a wheelchair after battling years of ill health, an emotional Minnelli was given a standing ovation by the A-list audience.“Oh! It’s so exciting,” Minnelli exclaimed as Gaga — who had stepped away to allow her a moment in the sun  — told her: “You see that? The public, they love you.”It was Minnelli’s former publicist Scott Gorenstein who helped make the moment happen, after he was approached by Academy officers who said that Gaga personally asked that the actress present with her in honor of the anniversary of “Cabaret.”“Liza is living her best life, not having to be in front of the cameras,” Gorenstein told The Post. “She’s been under tremendous pressure her entire life to perform for audiences.