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“Shakti,” the debut narrative feature from filmmaker Nani Sahra Walker, will make its digital bow on Prime Video across the U.S. and U.K. on May 22, with a trailer unveiled ahead of the launch. Buffalo 8 handles distribution.

The film unfolds in Kathmandu, where a mother races to shield her nine-year-old daughter from a sudden and troubling change – a journey that forces both characters to reckon with trauma and with a legal system ill-equipped to deliver justice. At its center, the story takes aim at Nepal’s time limits on prosecuting sexual violence, reflecting wider pressure for legislative accountability.

Walker’s prior credits include the documentary “Other Nature,” which she directed, and the Academy Award-winning short “The Last Repair Shop,” on which she served as executive producer.

“Shakti” gathered prizes across a run of prominent international festivals, including the Heartland International Film Festival, the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, the International Film Festival of India and the Hawaii International Film Festival. Before it reaches streaming audiences, the film will appear at the 44th CAAMFest – presented by the Center for Asian American Media – in the San Francisco Bay Area on May 10.

“The conversations we’ve seen at festivals – especially with younger audiences – point to an urgent demand for stories that confront the abuse of power in society,” Walker said.

“Every gatekeeper who called this story ‘too taboo’ only reinforced the film’s point. Naming these realities is the first step toward dismantling that culture,” Walker added.

Keiko Nakahara served as director of photography. The cast includes Laxmi Bardewa, Menuka Pradhan, Shristi Shrestha, Maoste Gurung and Akash Nepali, with Polina Oli making her screen debut. Snehal Fulzele and Vrushali Satarkar financed the project, with additional backing from the Gerbode Foundation and the ARRI International Support Program.

“As Dalit entrepreneurs, supporting ‘Shakti’ was deeply personal for us. The film confronts uncomfortable truths with rare authenticity, and we believe stories like this have the power to shift perspectives and spark meaningful change,” Fulzele and Satarkar said.

William Ryan Fritch composed the score, which Buffalo 8 Music has distributed globally. The album incorporates an original track, “Naam,” from Nepali rapper Dmriti, alongside sarangi contributions from musician Shyam Nepali.

Watch the trailer here:

Keira Knightley, “Bridgerton” star Luke Thompson and Stephen Dillane (“The Hours,” “Game of Thrones”) are set to lead a stage adaptation of Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck’s Oscar-winning 2007 film “The Lives of Others” on London’s West End.

Adapted and directed by Olivier winner Robert Icke and produced by Sonia Friedman Productions, the play will world premiere at the Adelphi Theatre on Oct. 29, with previews from Oct. 14, and will run through Jan. 9, 2027. The film, which won the international feature Oscar, centers around the covert audio surveillance of East Berlin residents by a senior operative for East Germany’s secret police, aka the Stasi.

“Listening changes everything,” the play’s plot description reads. “1984. East Germany. A writer and an actor are placed under state surveillance. From the attic above their apartment, their Stasi man listens for evidence of subversion. But to observe a life is to risk changing your own.”

“The Lives of Others” is the latest collaboration between Icke and Friedman, who has produced his acclaimed works including “Oedipus,” “Manhunt,” “Hamlet,” “The Doctor,” “Oresteia” and “1984.” It also marks a reunion for Knightley and Friedman after “The Children’s Hour.”

The set is designed by Hildegard Bechtler with lighting design by Jon Clark, sound design by Giles Thomas and original music from “Hamnet” composer Max Richter.

I’ve been obsessed with The Lives of Others ever since I first saw it — Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck’s exquisite, haunting, and completely masterful film, and there is no one better than Robert Icke to bring this to life onstage. He has this rare ability to combine huge ideas with real emotional truth, and I know he and the company will find a way to realize it that feels both unexpected and completely thrilling.

“Set in East Berlin in 1984 — a world where nothing is private, every word carries consequence and the state holds power not just over lives, but over thought, speech and imagination itself, this world premiere is a reminder of how fragile those freedoms are, and of the cost and courage required to hold on to them,” Friedman said in a statement. “What I love most about it is that it’s both epic and intimate — incredibly beautiful, sad and deeply moving — and at its heart, it’s an unlikely story about kindness. A story about connection and compassion in the most unexpected places.”

Friedman added: “To have a company led by Keira Knightley, Stephen Dillane and Luke Thompson at the Adelphi Theatre this autumn makes it all the more special. And in an extraordinary coup, we’re incredibly excited that Max Richter will be composing new music for the production. Max is one of the great composers of our time, and his work has a depth and emotional truth that has the potential to break our hearts. I really can’t wait to share it with audiences.”

Tickets are now on sale via the play’s website. Prices start from £25, with over 36,000 seats (25% of those available) selling at under £35.

European Film Promotion and its member organizations have revealed the 20 up-and-coming producers selected for the 27th edition of its networking program Producers on the Move, taking place during the Cannes Film Festival. The credits of the selected participants include “Sirât,” “September 5,” “Smoke Sauna Sisterhood” and “DJ Ahmet,” and Cannes 2026 competition title “The Dreamed Adventure.”

The producers are Lixi Frank (Austria), Roxanne Sarkozi (Belgium), Constantinos Nikiforou (Cyprus), Dagmar Sedláčková (Czech Republic), Maria Møller Kjeldgaard (Denmark), Marianne Ostrat (Estonia), Daniel Kuitunen (Finland), Julie Billy (France), Philipp Trauer (Germany), Danae Spathara (Greece), Sunna Guðnadóttir (Iceland), Julianne Forde (Ireland), Stefano Centini (Italy), Marion Guth (Luxembourg), Olivia Sophie van Leeuwen (The Netherlands), Ivana Shekutkoska (North Macedonia), Agata Novinski (Slovak Republic), Xavi Font (Spain), Linda Mutawi (Sweden) and Michela Pini (Switzerland).

Two of the producers are attached to titles in the Cannes official selection: Lixi Frank of Panama Film from Austria is producer of Sandra Wollner’s “Everytime,” screening in Un Certain Regard, and co-producer of Valeska Grisebach’s competition entry “The Dreamed Adventure.” Italy’s Stefano Centini of Volos Films is aboard Jorge Thielen Armand’s “Death Has No Master,” which has been selected for Directors’ Fortnight.

Several participants are linked to internationally recognized productions, including recent submissions to the Academy Awards’ International Feature Film category: Marianne Ostrat of Alexandra Film from Estonia was behind “Smoke Sauna Sisterhood” (2023), which won the Directing Award at the World Cinema Documentary Competition at Sundance. Icelandic producer Sunna Guðnadóttir of Bjartsýn Films is associated with “Beautiful Beings” (2022), Iceland’s Oscar submission.

The group also includes Xavi Font of ZuZú Cinema, Spanish producer of Cannes jury prize winner “Sirât” (2025), which was nominated twice for the Academy Awards as well as Swedish producer Linda Mutawi of Fikra, whose credits comprise Sweden’s Oscar entry “Eagles of the Republic” (2025), which premiered last year in the Cannes Film Festival competition.

Further names in this year’s lineup are Julie Billy from France of June Films, whose film “The Little Sister” (2025) by Hafsia Herzi earned Nadia Melliti the best actress award at Cannes, Philipp Trauer from Germany of BerghausWöbke Filmproduktion, associated with “September 5” (2025), which was nominated for both an Oscar and a Golden Globe, as well as Finnish producer Daniel Kuitunen of Komeetta and his film “Nightborn” (2026), which premiered in this year’s Berlinale Competition, starring former Shooting Star Seidi Haarla.

Ivana Shekutkoska of Minimal Collective from North Macedonia is one of the two producers of “DJ Ahmet” (2025), produced by Cinema Futura, which received the special jury award for Creative Vision and the audience award at the Sundance Film Festival 2025, while Julianne Forde of Tailored Films from Ireland produced “The Apprentice,” which received nominations at the Oscars, BAFTAs and Golden Globes.

Danish producer Maria Møller Kjeldgaard of Manna Film was behind Isabella Eklöf’s “Kalak” (2023), which won the special jury prize at the San Sebastián Film Festival in 2023.

Yash fans will have to wait a bit longer for their idol’s much anticipated next film.

The release of “Toxic: A Fairytale for Grown-Ups” has been postponed from its June 4 date to accommodate a broader global theatrical rollout following strong reception at CinemaCon, producers KVN Productions and Monster Mind Creations announced.

The film’s presentation to global distributors and industry stakeholders at the annual exhibition trade show generated sufficient interest to warrant rescheduling while the production locks international distribution deals and partnerships. The completed film had previously been moved from a March 19 release due to Middle East regional instability.

“There are films we make, and then there are films that remind us why we fell in love with cinema. ‘Toxic’ has been one such journey,” said Yash, who co-wrote and produced the film. “Presenting our film at CinemaCon and witnessing the overwhelming global response reaffirmed what we have always believed – that this film deserves to reach its fullest potential worldwide.”

The production is currently finalizing global distribution agreements before confirming a new release date.

“‘Toxic’ is complete, and we are currently aligning global distribution and partnerships. In light of this, we have decided to recalibrate our release timeline,” Yash said. “While we will not be releasing on June 4 as announced earlier, we will be releasing at a later, globally aligned date.”

Yash positioned the delay within broader industry ambitions for Indian cinema’s international expansion.

“At a time when Indian cinema is finding its voice and stepping onto the global stage with such promise, each of us has a responsibility to raise the bar,” he said. “As an actor and producer, I see this moment as an opportunity to do my part – for the Indian film industry and for all of us – by taking the time to ensure our film reaches the world with the impact it is meant to have.”

The film stars Yash alongside Nayanthara, Kiara Advani, Huma Qureshi, Rukmini Vasanth and Tara Sutaria. Written by Yash and Geetu Mohandas, the production has been shot simultaneously in the Kannada and English languages with dubbed versions planned for Hindi, Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam. Mohandas directs.

KVN Productions and Monster Mind Creations are producing.