Germany: Last News

Fans of 99 To Beat were all set for a Saturday night treat as they tuned in for the second episode featuring Ryan and Adam Thomas.The ITV show, which began with 100 hopefuls last week, saw its numbers dwindle to 86 as contestants faced quirky challenges like guessing llama weights and threading penne pasta onto spaghetti using only their mouths. But it wasn't just the games that caught viewers' attention; hosts and brothers Ryan and Adam Thomas became the talk of the town.

John Hopewell Chief International Correspondent LILLE, France — Lili Reinhart scored best actress for “Hal & Harper” at France’s Series Mania, Europe’s biggest TV festival, as its attendance figures went through the roof. Meanwhile, Spain’s Movistar Plus+ scored a historic double, winning the top Grand Prize in main competition for Alauda Ruiz de Azua’s “Querer” and best series for Diego San José’s “Celeste,” co-produced with The Mediapro Studio, in the fest’s major sidebar.

Nick Vivarelli International Correspondent “Theatre is Body – Body is Poetry” is the title chosen by Willem Dafoe for his first edition as artistic director of the Venice Biennale‘s International Theatre Festival, which kicks off May 31 with the European premiere of the revival of the Wooster Group’s “Symphony of Rats.” The lineup assembled by Dafoe for the fest – which runs through June 15 – stems from his own experiences and influences, and ranges from a Whose Who of big experimental theatre names such as the Odin Teatret, Italy’s Romeo Castellucci, Germany’s Thomas Ostermeier, and Switzerland’s Milo Rau, to emerging talents like Afro-Belgian multidisciplinary artist Princess Bangura who will present two solo shows: “Oedipus Monologue” and “Great Apes of the West Coast.” Dafoe speaks to Variety from Venice about assembling his lineup and deciding to personally participate with a homage to late great New York experimental theater guru Richard Foreman, who died in January. What are some of the discoveries that are part of your program? One is Davide Iodice’s “Pinocchio – What is a Person,” which I saw in Naples.

Chris Brown is celebrating 20 years in the music biz in a big way.The popular R&B singer just announced he’ll be paying homage to his 2005 self-titled debut album by playing stadiums and ballparks all over the U.S., Canada, United Kingdom, France, Germany and more on his ‘Breezy Bowl XX World Tour’ this summer with special guests Summer Walker and Bryson Tiller joining him on select dates.Early in the North American leg of the run, Brown, 35, will touch down at East Rutherford, NJ’s MetLife Stadium on Tuesday, Aug. 12.This is quite a jump for the “Run It” hitmaker.

: Netflix has dropped an unusual, heartbreaking watch. Con Mum explores the true story of Masterchef star Graham Hornigold, and what happened when a woman named Dionne contacted him out of the blue claiming to be his mother.The doc explores what happened next, how it impacted Graham's relationships and finances, and whether he believes that Dionne is, in fact, the scammer that so many have accused her to be after it was discovered that she hadn't been entirely truthful when she'd contacted him.Here's everything we know about the behind Netflix's Con Mum documentary.You may recognize Graham from his time on screen, as he has appeared on Masterchef: The Professionals in his capacity as a pastry chef and has worked in some of London's top restaurants.Now, he is the subject of Netflix's true-life Con Mum documentary, which explores what happened when a woman named Dionne got in touch with him to tell him she was his long-lost biological mother.The true story begins with Graham receiving an email from a woman named Dionne, claiming to be his mother.

Kanye West is facing a lawsuit from German singer-songwriter Alice Merton over a sample of one of her songs being featured in his ‘Vultures 2’ album without permission.The singer-songwriter is best recognised for her 2017 hit song ‘No Roots’, and has reportedly filed a new lawsuit against the rapper while in California on Tuesday (March 25).In the suit, she claims that Ye sampled her 2022 song ‘Blindside’ without permission. The use of the sample allegedly featured in his song with Kid Cudi called ‘Gun To My Head’, which appeared on his collaborative album with Ty Dolla $ign, ‘Vultures 2’.Merton first became aware of the sample usage after the rapper previewed the track at a listening party in December 2023.

The Match Factory has closed multiple distribution deals for by Michel Franco’s illegal migrant drama Dreams following its Berlinale premiere.

EXCLUSIVE: Longtime Constantin producer Constanze Guttmann is joining the Leonine Documentaries team.

Leo Barraclough International Features Editor The Match Factory has closed multiple distribution deals for the Berlinale Competition title “Dreams,” directed by Michel Franco, and starring Jessica Chastain and Isaac Hernández. The Match Factory has secured distribution in France (Metropolitan Filmexport), Germany and Austria (Weltkino Filmverleih), Italy (Fandango), Spain (Sideral), Scandinavia (Lucky Dogs), Poland (Best Film), Benelux (Paradiso), the Baltics (ACME Film), Portugal (FILMS 4 YOU), Greece (Spentzos Film), Ascot Elite (Switzerland), Czech Republic and Slovakia (Aerofilms), Romania (Transilvania Film), Hungary (ADS), Ex-Yugoslavia (MCF MegaCom), Turkey (Bir Film), MENA (Front Row), South Korea (NK Contents), and Taiwan (Andrews Film).

Veteran German artist Wolfgang Tillmans has designed the official poster for this year’s Locarno Film Festival, which runs August 6-16. 

MFE-MediaForceEurope, the television holding of Italy’s Berlusconi family, has launched a public tender offer for the stake of German broadcaster ProSiebenSat.1 Media it doesn’t own.

Nick Vivarelli International Correspondent MFE-MediaForEurope, the TV group controlled by Italy’s Berlusconi family, has launched a takeover bid for German broadcaster ProSiebensat.1 as part of its stated ambition to build a pan-European broadcaster that can compete with U.S. streaming giants such as Netflix.

Addie Morfoot Contributor On Tuesday at Copenhagen doc festival CPH:DOX, European broadcasters, funders and producers, as well as key players from the U.S. market, gathered for a private lunch at the Odd Fellow Palace to discuss the growing threats to journalistic political feature documentaries.

John Hopewell Chief International Correspondent Banijay Entertainment’s three shows selected for Series Mania underscore just how far the film-TV’s giant has come in scripted, and most especially its vast range, Apple TV+’s “Carême,” from Banijay’s Shine Fiction, opened the French TV festival, Europe’s largest, delivering a portrait of the world’s first celebrity chef, the Napoleonic-era Antonin Carême, as Variety reports, a “sex-oozing rock star.” Playing Series Mania in International Panorama, “A Life’s Worth,” from Banijay Nordics’ Yellowbird, follows the challenges faced by the first Swedish U.N. battalion, made up of volunteers, sent to Bosnia in 1993.

Wes Anderson’s Studio Babelsberg Honor

Jamie Lang The highly anticipated first African adaptation of the global hit scripted format “Liar” has been unveiled, marking a milestone for Botswana’s growing film industry. The series, produced by Botswana Ignite in partnership with leading distributor All3Media International, is set for completion in early April 2025.

TV On The Radio have announced a collection of new tour dates across Europe and the UK this summer – see the full list of dates below.The Tunde Adebimpe-led band have taken to social media to announce five new shows in Europe and the UK this summer in between their previously announced festival run and side shows.The new dates will see them play shows in Athens, Lausanne, Berlin, Vienna and Manchester – you will be able to get tickets here beginning this Friday (March 28) at 10am local time.The five newly announced shows will take place in June between a slew of festival performances, with their Manchester show being held at the Albert Hall on June 27, before playing Glastonbury on June 28.JUNE05 – Zurich, Switzerland – Unique Moments06 – Barcelona, Spain – Primavera Sound Barcelona08 – Athens, Greece – Lycabettus Hill Theater (NEW)11 – Lausanne, Switzerland – Docks (NEW)13 – Porto, Portugal – Primavera Sound Porto14 – Hilvarenbeek, Netherlands – Best Kept Secret15 – Wicklow, Ireland – Beyond the Pale Festival17 – Berlin, Germany – Astra (NEW)20 – Katowice, Poland – Tauron Nowa Muzyka22 – Lido di Camaiore, Italy – La Prima Estate25 – Vienna, Austria – Gasometer (NEW)27 – Manchester, England – Albert Hall (NEW)28 – Sommerset, England – GlastonburyAUGUST15 – London, England – Gunnersbury Park 17 – Wales, United Kingdom – Green Man FestivalAmong the previously announced gigs they’ll play are a set at Primavera Sound in Barcelona this summer, and a slot supporting Khruangbin at their huge outdoor gig at London’s Gunnersbury Park in August.The tour and announcement of new dates come after a pretty big 2024 for TV On The Radio, who last year made a comeback and went on to re-release their debut album ‘Desperate Youth, Blood

French-Japanese comedy romance series Tokyo Crush has won the Series Mania Co-Pro Pitching Sessions event.

European production and sales studio Vuelta Group has acquired a minority stake in Italian distribution and international sales company PiperFilm.

There was some disgruntled chatter within parts of the German contingent at this year’s Berlinale about what had been perceived as a shortage of local projects in the festival’s main competition lineup. Much of that criticism was overblown, as German filmmakers were positively represented across the wider festival programme. On the ground in Berlin, it was also difficult to ignore the increased presence of a new and diverse generation of local artists. 

EXCLUSIVE: After posting record box office figures in Greece, Stelios, a biopic of the revered Greek musician Stelios Kazantzidis, is heading stateside for a theatrical release via Firestorm Entertainment.