News

Europe’s Ace Producers network has selected 18 international producers for Ace Series Special, its workshop for understanding the series production landscape.

Selected producers include Razor Film producer Roman Paul, with Ian Iqbal Rashid’s project Afterlives, based on the 2020 historical fiction work by Nobel laureate Abdulrazak Gurnah.

Scroll down for the full list of selected producers

Paul is a co-producer on Cannes 2024 title Santosh, 2021’s Petrov’s Flu and 2020’s Oscar-nominated Quo Vadis, Aida?, and produced Mia Hansen-Love’s 2022 One Fine Morning.

Also selected from Germany is Harry Floter of Germany’s 2Pilots Filmproduction, with Julia Klier’s project Semis Trail.

The upcoming third season of CBC and Max original comedy “Sort Of” will be its final season, co-creators Bilal Baig and Fab Filippo have announced.

The final eight-episode season will premiere in Canada on the CBC Gem streaming service on Nov. 17, releasing two episodes per week until the series finale on Dec. 8.

“We set out to tell a story about a kind of transition in Sabi’s life, and how those around them also change — and we feel in this coming season that story came to an end in a way that felt right for us,” Baig and Filippo said in a statement.

“Sort Of” follows Sabi Mehboob, played by Baig, a gender expansive millennial who is exhausted with changing themselves for the comfort of others. In the third and final season, the series will explore Sabi’s journey coming to terms with feelings of both grief and freedom after their father’s passing.

Marti Noxon & Frank Doegler Among Showrunner Speakers For Series Mania And Beta’s Seriesmakers Initiative As It Opens For Submissions

Series Mania Forum and European content powerhouse Beta Group have opened their €120,000 Seriesmakers initiative for submissions and unveiled several high-profile speakers for its inaugural event. Marti Noxon, Agnieszka Holland, Michael Hirst are among nine speakers unveiled for the initative’s first online edition. Janine Jackowski, Israeli script doctor Ronit Weiss-Berkowitz (The Girl From Oslo), Isabelle Lindberg Pechou (Trom) and Brazil’s Felipe Braga are among the mentors. Feature film directors who have had at least one movie screen in the official selection of a top film festival in the past five years who are looking to move into series production can now submit projects, with...

HBO Max said Thursday that it is launching a new eight-episode half-hour comedy series Sort Of this fall.

The series stars Bilal Baig (Acha Bacha) who, along with Fab Filippo (Save Me) created the show. Commissioned by HBO Max and the CBC, the series is produced by Sienna Films, a Sphere Media company, with the participation of the Canada Media Fund.

The series will also launch in Canada this fall on the CBC Gem streaming service and CBC TV.

Sort Of follows the journey of Sabi Mehboob (Baig), a gender-fluid millennial who straddles various identities from sexy bartender at an LGBTQ bookstore/bar, to the youngest child in a large Pakistani family, to the de facto parent of a downtown hipster family. Sabi feels like they’re in transition in every aspect of their life, from gender to love to sexuality to family to career. A coming-of-age story, Sort Of...

Netflix released a trailer for “Q-Force,” an animated series starring Sean Hayes, Gary Cole, David Harbour, Patti Harrison, Laurie Metcalf, Matt Rogers, Wanda Sykes and Gabe Liedman that launches Sept. 2.

“Q-Force” follows Steve Mayweather, Aka Agent Mary (voiced by Hayes), who was once the leader of the American Intelligence Agency (Aia) until he came out as gay. The Agency was not able to fire him on the basis of his sexual orientation, so they sent him to West Hollywood to disappear into obscurity. Instead, Steve put together a rag-tag group of LGBTQ geniuses, joining forces with the expert mechanic Deb (Sykes), master of drag and disguise Twink Rogers), and hacker Stat (Harrison), making the “Q-Force” squad.

“Q-Force” is created by Liedman, who executive produces alongside Hayes, Todd Milliner, Ben Heins, Mike Schur and David Miner.

Watch the trailer below.

Also in today’s TV news roundup…

Programming

HBO Max announced...

In today’s Global Bulletin, Telepool’s Global Screen consolidates sales and acquisitions and puts Julia Weber in charge, Izzy snags six series for streaming, ITV will adapt “Our House,” Abacus Media Rights will distribute Canadian Comedy “Sort Of,” and Zdfe and taglicht team on historical cold cases.

Appointment

Telepool’s international distribution division Global Screen is consolidating its sales and acquisition activities for both film and TV content and has appointed Julia Weber as the company’s new head of international acquisitions and sales, effective January 2021. Alexandra Heidrich, who previously held the role, will exit Telepool before the end of 2020.

“I kicked off my career in TV sales and have also spent years dedicating myself to the film business,” said Webber in a release. “This move allows me to bring it all together just as the lines between cinema, TV and VOD are becoming increasingly blurred.”

“The traditional international...

Kyle MacLachlan with Anne-Katrin Titze in Batsheva on his role in Giant Little Ones: "It's the language and I think a perspective that is one that we don't necessarily hear that often." Photo: Anne-Katrin Titze

Keith Behrman's perceptive Giant Little Ones stars Josh Wiggins as teenager Franky, Kyle MacLachlan and Maria Bello as his parents, Darren Mann as best friend Ballas, plus Taylor Hickson, Peter Outerbridge, Stephanie Moore, Olivia Scriven, Kiana Madeira, Hailey Kittle, and Niamh Wilson.

In David Lynch's Twin Peaks, Kyle MacLachlan eerily transformed from Agent Dale Cooper to Dougie Jones and in last year's highly successful The House With A Clock In Its Walls, starring Cate Blanchett and Jack Black, Kyle morphed into a fantastically eldritch warlock, a role he enjoyed playing very much, he told me when we met. In high school he performed in Cole Porter's Anything Goes, Oscar Hammerstein II and Richard Rodgers' Oklahoma!

Brace yourselves. This list of the Top 100 Greatest Gay Movies is probably going to generate some howls of protest thanks to a rather major upset in the rankings. Frankly, one that surprised the hell out of us here at AfterElton.

But before we get to that, an introduction. A few weeks ago we asked AfterElton readers to submit up to ten of their favorite films by write-in vote. We conducted a similar poll several years ago, but a lot has happened culturally since then, and a number of worthy movies of gay interest have been released. We wanted to see how your list of favorites had changed.

We also wanted to expand our list to 100 from the top 50 we had done previously. We figured there were finally enough quality gay films to justify the expansion. And we wanted to break out gay documentaries onto their own list (You'll find the...

This report is about the upcoming Ian Iqbal Rashid‘s romantic comedy titled American English.

But, since he’s not famous (enough), this report is actually about Iain Canning and Emile Sherman, The King’s Speech producers, that will team up with Canadian producer Christina Piovesan (also not famous enough) for the above mentioned romantic comedy.

Yeah, I know, life is cruel, but those two were the part of the Oscar winning movie, so Rashid , who wrote the whole thing, and is going to direct it as well, is, unfortunately, not so important right now. Just remember his name for the future, or something like that.

According to the latest reports, American English is a story about “a New Jersey born-and-bred young woman who lives in London and tries to mask her background.

Succeeding in being “perfectly” English, she’s soon engaged to the man of her dreams. There’s...

"The King's Speech" producers Iain Canning and Emile Sherman are teaming with Christina Piovesan on the romantic comedy "American English" for See-Saw Films and First Generation Films reports Variety.

The story follows a young woman from New Jersey who lives in London and tries to cover up her East Coast roots by teaching herself how to be "perfectly" English.

Ian Iqbal Rashid will direct from a script he wrote. Shooting is scheduled to begin later this year.

Arriving almost exactly one year after the surprise boxoffice hit "Stomp the Yard" is this grittier, Canadian-made drama also showcasing the exhilarating urban dance form.

Considering that it features the sort of cliched story line that wouldn't have been out of place in an Andy Hardy movie, "How She Move" doesn't exactly break any new ground. But the terrific dance numbers on display should please its teenage target audience.

Set in the gritty Jane-Finch Corridor of Toronto, the film depicts the travails of young Raya Green (Rutina Wesley), the daughter of hard-working Jamaican immigrants. It looked like Raya, a terrific dancer as well as brilliant student, was on the fast track out of the ghetto, thanks to her acceptance into an exclusive prep school. But when her sister dies of a drug overdose, she's forced to return to the public school in her own neighborhood where she started her education.

But she thinks she's found a way back out in the form of a dance competition featuring a major cash payoff. She persuades the members of the all-male "Jane Street Junta" to allow her to join their dance outfit led by the charismatic Bishop (Dwain Murphy). It isn't long before sparks fly between the two, as Raya dazzles him and the other boys in the group with her aggressive dance moves. But her determination to succeed at any cost drives a wedge between her and her fellow troupe members, and Raya ultimately has to decide where her true loyalties lie.

Annmarie Morais' semi-autobiographical script admirably attempts to inject thoughtful sociological ideas into the mix, displaying a thematic complexity uncommon to such teen-oriented genre efforts. But the strength of the film ultimately comes less from the dramatic elements than the highly energetic dance numbers choreographed by Hi Hat that, while not photographed to their best advantage, nonetheless manage to be thrilling.

Director Ian Iqbal Rashid, using mainly 16mm hand-held photography, applies an interestingly gritty touch to the proceedings. Young Wesley displays an intense charisma and powerful moves in the central role, while Melanie Nicholls-King is deeply moving as Raya's concerned Mom.

HOW SHE MOVE

Paramount Vantage

MTV Films

Credits:

Director: Ian Iqbal Rashid

Screenwriter: Annmarie Morais

Producers: Jennifer Kawaja, Julia Sereny, Brent Barclay

Director of photography: Andre Pienaar

Production designer: Aidan Leroux

Music: Andrew Lockington

Co-producer: Claire Prieto

Costume designer: Kimberley Ann Rush

Editor: Susan Maggi

Cast:

Raya Green: Rutina Wesley

Bishop: Dwain Murphy

Michelle: Tre Armstrong

Quake: Brennan Gademans

Trey: Shawn Desman

E. C.: Kevin Duhaney

Faye Green: Melanie Nicholls-King

Running time -- 90 minutes

MPAA rating: PG-13...

Arriving almost exactly one year after the surprise boxoffice hit Stomp the Yard is this grittier, Canadian-made drama also showcasing the exhilarating urban dance form.

Considering that it features the sort of cliched story line that wouldn't have been out of place in an Andy Hardy movie, How She Move doesn't exactly break any new ground. But the terrific dance numbers on display should please its teenage target audience.

Set in the gritty Jane-Finch Corridor of Toronto, the film depicts the travails of young Raya Green (Rutina Wesley), the daughter of hard-working Jamaican immigrants. It looked like Raya, a terrific dancer as well as brilliant student, was on the fast track out of the ghetto, thanks to her acceptance into an exclusive prep school. But when her sister dies of a drug overdose, she's forced to return to the public school in her own neighborhood where she started her education.

But she thinks she's found a way back out in the form of a dance competition featuring a major cash payoff. She persuades the members of the all-male Jane Street Junta to allow her to join their dance outfit led by the charismatic Bishop (Dwain Murphy). It isn't long before sparks fly between the two, as Raya dazzles him and the other boys in the group with her aggressive dance moves. But her determination to succeed at any cost drives a wedge between her and her fellow troupe members, and Raya ultimately has to decide where her true loyalties lie.

Annmarie Morais' semi-autobiographical script admirably attempts to inject thoughtful sociological ideas into the mix, displaying a thematic complexity uncommon to such teen-oriented genre efforts. But the strength of the film ultimately comes less from the dramatic elements than the highly energetic dance numbers choreographed by Hi Hat that, while not photographed to their best advantage, nonetheless manage to be thrilling.

Director Ian Iqbal Rashid, using mainly 16mm hand-held photography, applies an interestingly gritty touch to the proceedings. Young Wesley displays an intense charisma and powerful moves in the central role, while Melanie Nicholls-King is deeply moving as Raya's concerned Mom.

HOW SHE MOVE

Paramount Vantage

MTV Films

Credits:

Director: Ian Iqbal Rashid

Screenwriter: Annmarie Morais

Producers: Jennifer Kawaja, Julia Sereny, Brent Barclay

Director of photography: Andre Pienaar

Production designer: Aidan Leroux

Music: Andrew Lockington

Co-producer: Claire Prieto

Costume designer: Kimberley Ann Rush

Editor: Susan Maggi

Cast:

Raya Green: Rutina Wesley

Bishop: Dwain Murphy

Michelle: Tre Armstrong

Quake: Brennan Gademans

Trey: Shawn Desman

E. C.: Kevin Duhaney

Faye Green: Melanie Nicholls-King

Running time -- 90 minutes

MPAA rating: PG-13...

PARK CITY -- As the unexpectedly insane buying frenzy at the Sundance festival was reaching a fever pitch, Paramount Vantage seemed to be staying out of the spotlight. That all changed Tuesday morning when the studio announced that it has acquired two films, How She Move for $3-4 million and Son of Rambow, the fest's biggest buy so far at $7 million.

Each hefty purchase was notable because neither film features any big or even recognizable actors. How She Move, an urban drama centered in the world of step dancing, closed early Tuesday morning after an all-night bidding war that attracted several specialty divisions. Vantage picked up virtually all worldwide rights to the film from director Ian Iqbal Rashid and first-time feature screenwriter Annmarie Morais.

Move, an entry in the World Cinema dramatic competition, was produced by Jennifer Kawaja, Julia Sereny and Brent Barclay. UTA and Celluloid Dreams represented the project in the sale.

Vantage also picked up worldwide rights (excluding Japan, Germany and French free tv) to Son of Rambow, an 80s-era tale of young friends inspired to become filmmakers by their favorite Sylvester Stallone movie.

PARK CITY -- As the unexpectedly insane buying frenzy at the Sundance festival was reaching a fever pitch, Paramount Vantage seemed to be staying out of the spotlight. That all changed Tuesday morning when the studio announced that it has acquired two films, "How She Move" for $3-4 million and "Son of Rambow", the fest's biggest buy so far at $7 million.

Each hefty purchase was notable because neither film features any big or even recognizable actors. "How She Move", an urban drama centered in the world of step dancing, closed early Tuesday morning after an all-night bidding war that attracted several specialty divisions. Vantage picked up virtually all worldwide rights to the film from director Ian Iqbal Rashid and first-time feature screenwriter Annmarie Morais.

"Move", an entry in the World Cinema dramatic competition, was produced by Jennifer Kawaja, Julia Sereny and Brent Barclay. UTA and Celluloid Dreams represented the project in the sale.

Vantage also picked up worldwide rights (excluding Japan, Germany and French free tv) to "Son of Rambow", an 80s-era tale of young friends inspired to become filmmakers by their favorite Sylvester Stallone movie.

• Quick Links  Complete Film Listing: Premieres: Dramatic Comp:  Docu Comp: World Docu Comp: Spectrum: Park City at Midnight: New Frontier: Short Film Programs January 18 to 28, 2007 Counting Down: updateCountdownClock('January 18, 2007'); Blame It On Fidel (France), directed and written by Julie Gavras, which takes the point of view of a 9-year-old girl whose parents become political radicals in early '70s Paris. Drained (Brazil), directed by Heitor Dhalia and written by Marcal Aquino and Dhalia, about the life change of a devious pawnbroker.Driving With My Wife's Lover (South Korea), directed by Kim Tai-sik and written by Kim Joen-han and Kim, which describes the long taxi journey of a man and the cab driver he's learned is having an affair with his wife.Eagle Vs. Shark (New Zealand), directed and written by Taika Waititi, a portrait of two social misfits who try to find love. A Miramax release in its world premiere.

...

PARK CITY -- "Touch of Pink" has a touch of movie magic. Its writer-director Ian Iqbal Rashid, who makes his feature debut after writing for British television, has obviously mainlined Hollywood movies from an early age. He understands how romantic entertainment can beautifully filter and distill honest human emotions. At the heart of the best films of, say, Cary Grant or Doris Day, lie emotional truths no matter how preposterous the comedy or melodrama.

The characters in this out-of-the-closet comedy are heavily influenced by old movies and so is Rashid, who manages to capture in an all-too-fleeting 91 minutes the magic of '50s studio comedies. That magic should enable "Touch of Pink" to crossover to a much wider audience than most gay films reach. At the moment, the film has distribution deals set for Canada and the United Kingdom.

What makes the film so much fun is an ingenious plot device embedded in Rashid's sharply observed screenplay. Alim (Jimi Mistry), a gay photographer and film buff of Indian ancestry, lives in London with his partner Giles (Kristen Holden-Ried), far from his mother Nuru (Suleka Mathew) and family in Toronto, who know nothing of his sexual orientation. Just as the film buff in Woody Allen's play and later movie "Play It Again, Sam" gets coaching in his love life from the ghost of Humphrey Bogart, Alim gets help over any rough passages in life from the spirit of Cary Grant.

Kyle MacLachlan with a tiny bit of help from makeup and prosthetics brings Grant back to the screen in all his glory. Borrowing from Grant's many roles, MacLachlan catches the very essence of suave, marvelously droll star in this tour-de-force turn, undoubtedly the best Cary Grant impression since Tony Curtis' in "Some Like It Hot".

So when Alim's traditional Moslem mom suddenly turns up in London with the intention of dragging her son back to Toronto for his cousin's big fat wedding and the prospect of getting Alim matched up with a "nice girl," Cary Grant becomes indispensable to Alim.

First Alim and Giles pretend to be flat mates. Then Alim gets the bad idea of fabricating an engagement to Giles' surprised sister. For his part, Giles woos his lover's mother by showing her around a town she first came to as a young woman from East Africa, inspired in her own way by Doris Day movies.

All subterfuges collapse, though, and Alim levels with his mother who, infuriated, catches the next plane back to Canada. Giles finds Alim's treatment of his mother appalling, causing a temporary break in their relationship and embarrassing Alim into following his mother to Toronto to make amends and attend the family wedding, where several very different cultures comically collide.

Rashid's depiction of how large Indian families operate especially around weddings rivals those of "Monsoon Wedding's". The richest character here is Nuru, whose sibling rivalry with sister Dolly (Veena Sood) over their sons and their respective fortunes is acute. Mathew, a beautiful actress playing a character much older than her, brings the full force of Indian motherhood to bear on Nuru. She has a tongue sharp enough to cut glass and a lifetime of role-playing to sustain the impression of a stronger backbone than she actually possesses.

With the best lines and comic antics left mostly to MacLachlan and Mathew, Mistry ("The Guru") still forges a fine and funny performance as a confused guy with his heart in the right place. Holden-Ried's sagacious wit nicely balances Mistry's more frantic behavior.

Rashid infuses this comedy of clashing cultures, crossed purposes and thwarted romance with a passion for cinema. He borrows from old movies in the best possible way: not by pale imitation but with a keen appreciation and understanding of the spirit of those comedies and the tight narrative structure that is required.

The bright cinematography and design of the production and costumes (especially over-the-top creations worn by nouveau riche Indians who dress to impress) suffer not one wit from the film's modest budget. "Touch of Pink" is the comedy highlight of the Sundance Festival so far and for that we may owe a small debt of gratitude to the late Cary Grant.

A TOUCH OF PINK

Alliance Atlantis presents a Sienna Film/Martin Pope Productions production

Credits:

Writer/director: Ian Iqbal Rashid

Producer: Jennifer Kawaja, Julia Sereny

Director of photography: David Makin

Production designer: Gavin Mitchell

Music: Andrew Lockington

Costume designer: Joyce Schure

Editor: Susan Maggi

Cast:

Alim: Jimi Mistry

Spirit of Cary Grant: Kyle MacLachlan

Giles: Kristen Holden-Ried

Nuru: Suleka Mathew

Dolly: Veena Sood

Hassan: Brian George

Running time -- 91 minutes

No MPAA rating...

PARK CITY -- "Touch of Pink" has a touch of movie magic. Its writer-director Ian Iqbal Rashid, who makes his feature debut after writing for British television, has obviously mainlined Hollywood movies from an early age. He understands how romantic entertainment can beautifully filter and distill honest human emotions. At the heart of the best films of, say, Cary Grant or Doris Day, lie emotional truths no matter how preposterous the comedy or melodrama.

The characters in this out-of-the-closet comedy are heavily influenced by old movies and so is Rashid, who manages to capture in an all-too-fleeting 91 minutes the magic of '50s studio comedies. That magic should enable "Touch of Pink" to crossover to a much wider audience than most gay films reach. At the moment, the film has distribution deals set for Canada and the United Kingdom.

What makes the film so much fun is an ingenious plot device embedded in Rashid's sharply observed screenplay. Alim (Jimi Mistry), a gay photographer and film buff of Indian ancestry, lives in London with his partner Giles (Kristen Holden-Ried), far from his mother Nuru (Suleka Mathew) and family in Toronto, who know nothing of his sexual orientation. Just as the film buff in Woody Allen's play and later movie "Play It Again, Sam" gets coaching in his love life from the ghost of Humphrey Bogart, Alim gets help over any rough passages in life from the spirit of Cary Grant.

Kyle MacLachlan with a tiny bit of help from makeup and prosthetics brings Grant back to the screen in all his glory. Borrowing from Grant's many roles, MacLachlan catches the very essence of suave, marvelously droll star in this tour-de-force turn, undoubtedly the best Cary Grant impression since Tony Curtis' in "Some Like It Hot".

So when Alim's traditional Moslem mom suddenly turns up in London with the intention of dragging her son back to Toronto for his cousin's big fat wedding and the prospect of getting Alim matched up with a "nice girl," Cary Grant becomes indispensable to Alim.

First Alim and Giles pretend to be flat mates. Then Alim gets the bad idea of fabricating an engagement to Giles' surprised sister. For his part, Giles woos his lover's mother by showing her around a town she first came to as a young woman from East Africa, inspired in her own way by Doris Day movies.

All subterfuges collapse, though, and Alim levels with his mother who, infuriated, catches the next plane back to Canada. Giles finds Alim's treatment of his mother appalling, causing a temporary break in their relationship and embarrassing Alim into following his mother to Toronto to make amends and attend the family wedding, where several very different cultures comically collide.

Rashid's depiction of how large Indian families operate especially around weddings rivals those of "Monsoon Wedding's". The richest character here is Nuru, whose sibling rivalry with sister Dolly (Veena Sood) over their sons and their respective fortunes is acute. Mathew, a beautiful actress playing a character much older than her, brings the full force of Indian motherhood to bear on Nuru. She has a tongue sharp enough to cut glass and a lifetime of role-playing to sustain the impression of a stronger backbone than she actually possesses.

With the best lines and comic antics left mostly to MacLachlan and Mathew, Mistry ("The Guru") still forges a fine and funny performance as a confused guy with his heart in the right place. Holden-Ried's sagacious wit nicely balances Mistry's more frantic behavior.

Rashid infuses this comedy of clashing cultures, crossed purposes and thwarted romance with a passion for cinema. He borrows from old movies in the best possible way: not by pale imitation but with a keen appreciation and understanding of the spirit of those comedies and the tight narrative structure that is required.

The bright cinematography and design of the production and costumes (especially over-the-top creations worn by nouveau riche Indians who dress to impress) suffer not one wit from the film's modest budget. "Touch of Pink" is the comedy highlight of the Sundance Festival so far and for that we may owe a small debt of gratitude to the late Cary Grant.

A TOUCH OF PINK

Alliance Atlantis presents a Sienna Film/Martin Pope Productions production

Credits:

Writer/director: Ian Iqbal Rashid

Producer: Jennifer Kawaja, Julia Sereny

Director of photography: David Makin

Production designer: Gavin Mitchell

Music: Andrew Lockington

Costume designer: Joyce Schure

Editor: Susan Maggi

Cast:

Alim: Jimi Mistry

Spirit of Cary Grant: Kyle MacLachlan

Giles: Kristen Holden-Ried

Nuru: Suleka Mathew

Dolly: Veena Sood

Hassan: Brian George

Running time -- 91 minutes

No MPAA rating...