Category: Entertainment

Ken Jeong, Randall Park and Daniel Dae Kim lead the star-studded cast of Audible’s new comedy series “The Moons of LA” — featuring a meta twist involving a kid who’s obsessed with true-crime podcasts and uses her investigative skills to save her parents’ marriage.

“The Moons of LA” premieres Oct. 8 exclusively at Audible. The comedy audio series is co-produced by Kim’s 3AD production company, marking the latest collaboration under his first-look deal with Audible. It comes after 2024’s “Yellow Face,” Kim’s Audible Original adaptation of David Henry Hwang’s play of the same name that transferred to Broadway with Kim in the lead role.

“The Moons of LA” also stars Jae Suh Park and Alyssa Abiera, alongside a predominantly AAPI cast including Jimmy O. Yang, John Cho, Sherry Cola, Vivian Bang, Sydney Park and Liza Soberano.

The coming-of-age comedy follows Chloe Moon (played by Abiera), a precocious middle schooler obsessed with true-crime podcasts who dreams of becoming an investigative journalist. When she discovers her parents’ marriage is on the rocks, Chloe does what any aspiring detective would do: She launches an investigation. Armed with a microphone and relentless curiosity, she interviews family and friends — from gregarious halmeonis over plates of banchan to her father’s boisterous golf buddies — determined to solve the mystery of her parents’ relationship and save her family.

Written by Paul Bae (“The Black Tapes”) and directed by James Kim (“Moonface”), “The Moons of LA” is executive produced by Kim, Jeong, John Cheng, Will Malnati and Ashley Taylor. The series is co-produced by Audible, 3AD and At Will Media.

“I’m excited to continue our partnership with Audible on Paul Bae’s wonderful ‘The Moons of LA,’” Kim said in a statement provided to Variety. “We’ve been lucky enough to bring together a stellar cast to tell a story that is both unique to Korean American identity and universal in its exploration of the definition of personal success. I’m grateful to 3AD, our entire creative team and Audible for bringing it to life.”

Jeong commented: “I’m so grateful to be part of ‘The Moons of LA.’ I’m very thankful to my friend Daniel, our amazing writer Paul Bae and the incredible cast and team who brought this project to life. I’m honored to be involved, and I’m excited for people to hear it.”

Watch interviews with Jeong, Park and Yang about “The Moons of LA” and behind-the-scenes clips of them recording a scene from the show:

Chile’s 22nd Santiago Film Festival (Sanfic) features nine pics in its Chile Film Competition this year vying for cash prizes in the best film, director and actor categories. Among them, four are debut features, including “Erratics” by Thomas Woodroffe, which competed at the San Sebastian Festival’s New Directors sidebar.

The lineup also features ‘Monguen,’ the swan song of docu filmmaker Antonio Caro, who died unexpectedly a few weeks ago. “We present his film with special affection, as a way of honoring his work and keeping his perspective present within this selection,” said Sanfic artistic director, Carlos Núñez.

“This competition reflects a particularly diverse moment in Chilean cinema, with films that engage with our present through very different languages, territories and generations. There are works that cross between fiction and documentary, new voices alongside filmmakers with established careers, and a strong presence of perspectives emerging outside traditional centers of production,” he pointed out.

“We want Sanfic to be precisely that kind of space: a place where Chilean cinema can connect with its audiences while, at the same time, reaching an international stage.”

Chile’s film industry has never been more robust, with the 2026-2027 industry catalog reporting a 20.5% surge compared to the last season. The catalog was unveiled at the San Sebastián Festival where eight Chilean titles screened across seven sections.

However, the industry is bracing for some belt tightening – and will most likely resort to even more co-productions starting next year – given the upcoming cuts announced by the administration of new President Jose Antonio Kast, who took office in March. Cuts to the Ministry of Culture and various competitive funds for the Arts are forthcoming although the ministry downplayed the cutback, stressing that it would be an overall decrease of 9% next year. However, the Audiovisual Investment Support Fund drops from approximately $586,000 (540 million pesos) in 2026 to $208,000 (192 million pesos) in 2027—a 64% reduction.

Speaking to Variety when the news first broke, Alejandra Garcia of Ronda Cine, producer of “The Meltdown,” Chile’s Oscars submission, said: “The recent budget cuts to culture in Chile are deeply frustrating. It’s difficult to understand why a country’s support for culture is still seen as an expense to be reduced, rather than an investment that should be strengthened.”

The other nine sections of the festival will be announced on Oct. 20.

Sanfic runs Nov. 2 – 6 in Santiago de Chile.

Chilean Pics in Competition:

“Animals” (Andrés Waissbluth Weinstein, Retaguardia Films, Avispa Cine, Frutacina, Chile, Argentina)

In a near future where animals have civil rights, three privileged couples see their lives disrupted by an eerily human quadruped: a sheep running for office, a dog that can sniff out lies and a jealous cat. Produced by Felipe Azúa and Iván Eibuszyc, the Chilean-Argentine Sanfic world premiere was developed through Santiago Lab, BrLab and Guadalajara’s Co-production Meeting, with support from CORFO, Ibermedia and Buenos Aires’ Mecenazgo program.

“Beat” (“Latir,” Patricio Loutit Azócar, Suroeste Films, Reinos Cine, Chile)

Loutit Azócar’s feature debut follows Manuel, a retired university professor who joins a body-percussion workshop during Chile’s 2022 constitutional plebiscite. The experience transforms his life as he confronts his wife’s terminal illness. World premiering at Sanfic, it was produced by Manuel González Llanos and Daniel Rebolledo. The Chilean production received support from the Audiovisual Development Fund in 2024 and participated in Industria FIC Viña’s 2024 business meetings.

“Black Corp,” (“Cuadro Negro,”Carolina Adriazola and José Luis Sepúlveda, Iglo Cine Chile)

Adriazola and Sepúlveda’s film follows Sofía, a young journalist documenting the Chilean army who returns to live with her grandmother after a breakup. She meets María, whose view of the military legacy contrasts with her grandmother’s. Produced by Sofía Paloma Gómez, José Luis Sepúlveda and Carolina Adriazola, the film premiered at Punto de Vista, winning the Grand Prize for Best Film and Youth Jury Award for Best Film. It marks its Latin American premiere.

“Death Brought You Back” (“La muerte te vio volver,” Sebastián Cuevas Barria, Praxia Producciones, Mala Films, Chile; Vert & Bleu Productions, France)

Cuevas Barria’s debut follows Silvia, returning to Chiloé after 30 years to claim her dying mother’s inheritance and confront a disturbing family past. Produced by Catalina Alarcón Reyes, it received support from Chile’s Audiovisual Fund and was developed through Sanfic Lab, CCC and the Lebu Film Festival Lab. Selected for Sanfic’s 2024 Ibero-American WIP, it won the Films en Cours Award at Entrevues Belfort and FECILS’ Sound Award. Participated in Ventana Sur in Montevideo.

“Erratics” (“Bloques Erráticos,” Thomas Woodroffe, La Belle Affaire Productions, Un Puma, Chile, France, Argentina)

Woodroffe’s debut follows filmmaker Lucien Castelnau’s ghost, played by France’s Denis Lavant (“Holy Motors”), released from a glacier after a century into a futuristic Patagonia where technological progress collides with forgotten histories. A Rotterdam CineMart winner produced by Rodrigo Díaz, Pascual Mena and Jérôme Blesson, the Chilean-French-Argentine co-production was developed through La Fabrique Cinéma, TorinoFilmLab, CineMart Darkroom and Sanfic Lab. Selected for San Sebastián’s New Directors, it received Eurimages’ New Lab Outreach Award and support from Chile’s Audiovisual Fund and TorinoFilmLab’s Co-production Fund.

“Floating Population” (“Población Flotante,” Carlos Araya Díaz, Maria una vez, Chile)

Araya Díaz’s docu-fiction hybrid follows a filmmaker reconnecting with a childhood friend through an actor’s voice, revisiting his final days as a bus worker. World premiered at Czech Republic’s Ji.hlava Fest and marking its Latin American premiere at Sanfic, the film was produced by María Paz González and developed through Encuentros Australes at FIC Valdivia, where it won Best Chilean Film of the Future (First Cut) in 2023, plus WIP selections at FIC Viña del Mar.

“Inner Rebellion” (“Rebelión Interior,” Sofía Paloma Gómez Vergara, La Jauría Comunicaciones, Chile)

Gómez Vergara’s documentary revisits Chile’s social uprising through a health brigade treating protesters injured by police repression, connecting present violence with dictatorship-era wounds. World premiering at Sanfic, it was produced by Catalina Alarcón Reyes and developed through FIC Valdivia’s Cine Chileno del Futuro, where it won Best Chilean Film of the Future (Post-production) and the Sonamos Award. It also participated in WIP FicViña, DocsMX and Fidba’s LINK-WIP and received national post-production funding in 2025.

“Monguen” (“Life,” Antonio Caro, Lemuntu Producciones, Totem Producciones, Chile)

The late Caro’s documentary feature follows Fresia, a young Mapuche woman from Alto Biobío who must leave her community to give birth in the city, navigating motherhood between two worlds. World premiering at Sanfic, the film is produced by Michel Toledo and was developed through Conecta CCDoc, Residencia Arca, Nuevas Miradas EICTV, Hot Docs Forum, Cannes Docs at Marché du Film and Encuentros Australes Fic Valdivia.

“The Tiger of the East” (“El Tigre del Este,” Jorge Acevedo, Yareta Films, Queltehue Films, Chile; Estudio Churubusco, Mexico)

Acevedo’s debut pic follows Andrés, a young Chilean muleteer and self-taught musician who leaves his hometown to pursue his dream of becoming a professional musician in Mexico. His wish to gift an original song to Los Tigres del Norte inspires the journey. Produced by Mixie Araya Soler, the Chilean-Mexican co-production premiered at Shanghai Film Festival. Developed since 2018, the project has participated in international labs and markets including Cannes Docs, DocsMX and FiDocs.

Ever since its premiere at Sundance, “Wicker” has been generating headlines. Mostly thanks to its erotic scenes featuring Olivia Colman and Alexander Skarsgård as her custom-woven lover, with both characters putting an enthusiastic spin on Taylor Swift’s “Wood.”

The film’s raunchiness might have surprised some unsuspecting viewers at Zurich Film Festival. But Colman adored the script.

“I’ve never read anything like it before. It’s in my top three scripts that I’ve loved and I’ve done,” she said at the fest, where it celebrated its European premiere.

“It’s beautiful, funny and original. And yes, the only way you can sell it is by having a picture of Alex as a very sexy basket.”

In “Wicker,” Colman plays a medieval fisherwoman who’s constantly ostracized – until she marries a wicker husband (Skarsgård), created by the basket weaver (Peter Dinklage).

It’s directed by Alex Huston Fischer and Eleanor Wilson, and adapted from “The Wicker Husband” by Ursula Wills-Jones.

While no stranger to risqué films thanks to “Pillion,” Skarsgård – better known for darker roles – had to embrace his softer side for a change.

“To be honest, I found it terrifying. I feel way more comfortable playing dark, twisted, demented characters,” he said.

“This was a departure and yeah, I was confused in the beginning about how to approach this. He’s so sweet, so tender and caring, and all those things that I can’t relate to personally.”

The famed Wētā Workshop created his woven body.

“It was extraordinary. It really was,” he said, recalling seeing it for the first time.

“Wētā is behind ‘The Lord of the Rings’ and that whole universe. They wanted practical [effects], which was really exciting. This was not going to be a CGI version.”

He added: “I’ll never forget the first time I saw the wicker husband at the workshop in Budapest, and looked at that version of myself. We’d done a bunch of tests and scans, but I was shooting something else and they were obviously in New Zealand. Then they built it. Stepping into it was also a way of finding the character because it defined his physicality and who he was.”

Learning how to move was tricky, though.

“It was glued to my face! It was crucial that [the mask] would move with my facial movements so that it wouldn’t be completely flattened, but that meant I had to exaggerate them. Al and Elle, our directors, kept saying that normal movements wouldn’t really register. At first, that felt a little strange, like you really had to overact. Luckily, we had a few days to perfect that.”

Obviously, Colman has never acted alongside a similar costar.

“I’ve never done it before, but we’re in that magical world where we’re just talking to each other. We got on very well, and giggled a lot. It was lovely to play those two people. Well, one person and a basket.”

Despite its twisted premise, “Wicker” – whose humor echoes the madness of “Monty Python and the Holy Grail” – also takes a look at the institution of marriage and gender roles.

“None of the women [in the film] have their own names, except for the fisherwoman, and she’s shunned and ostracized for being sort of ugly and smelly, and unmarriable. But she shows them,” noted Colman.

“I like the fact that they are the only equals here. They support each other, listen to each other, take care of each other. It was really about these two humans – or, again, a basket – and two souls being kind to each other. We have no same sex marriages in this story, which I just realized and that’s a shame, but they’re kind to each other and that was the important relationship in the film.”

Skarsgård added: “It commented on the patriarchy of our time and on the construct of marriage, but it was done with so much humor. And in a way that didn’t feel preachy or too on the nose.”

“It was so tender, sweet, funny and irreverent, and with a subtlety to it. That’s what really spoke to me.”

After all, it’s all about a girl, standing in front of a boy – or a basket – asking him to love her.

BBC boss Matt Brittin says he was recently sent a fully AI-generated episode of “Doctor Who,” which he deemed “pretty good” – although he was quick to add it was “not going to replace humans.”

“Everyone’s got the ability in their hands — or six billion people have — to create content at the standard of a Hollywood studio,” said Brittin, who was speaking at the Royal Television Society conference in London, U.K.

“Somebody sent me a 50-minute episode of ‘Doctor Who’ that was AI-generated the other day. It’s pretty good,” he continued. “I mean, it’s not going to replace humans, and we’ll come on to that. So everyone’s a creator. Not all the creativity is bad.”

He didn’t give any more details about what the episode contained — for example using existing actors or generating entirely new ones — or who made it.

Brittin joined the BBC as director-general earlier this year after an eighteen-year stint at Google. He confessed at the conference, where he was in conversation with Kirsty Young, that he first turned down the job when he was approached. “They called me, and I said, ‘I can’t do the job, I’m not a program maker. I’m not a journalist.’”

“And actually, I was persuaded that being an outsider, I might be able to do the job, but only with all of you,” he said, gesturing to the audience, which was made up of senior television producers, commissioners and executives.

AI has been the dominant topic of conversation at the convention, which is this year hosted by Amazon and themed “United in change, if not now when?”

At the opening of the convention, Prime Video international boss Kelly Day also urged the industry to embrace AI, saying “AI doesn’t replace imagination, it amplifies it.”

Rome’s MIA Market is launching a new initiative called European Investment Hub, which aims to help European industry professionals navigate the wide range of financial tools — in both the soft money and equity financing spheres — that are currently at their disposal.

MIA (which stands for Mercato Internazionale Audiovisivo or International Audiovisual Market) will run Oct. 19-23. Roeg Sutherland, who is co-head of CAA’s media finance department and its international film group, and U.S. specialty finance company Media Capital Technologies principals Raj Singh and Christopher Woodrow are expected to make the trek to the Eternal City to attend this new MIA strand.

The Rome market’s new project — which is conceived in collaboration with the European Commission, the European Investment Fund (EIF), the CineRegio network of regional film funds in Europe and pan-European fund Eurimages, along with leading private equity players — will unfold during the event’s first two days. There will be panels, roundtables and advisory one-to-one meetings dedicated to stimulating dialogue between producers and the myriad funding sources available to them just as the amount of private equity money they can tap into is on the rise.

MIA’s European Investment Hub will focus on exploring and explaining financial tools such as European co-production funds, equity funds dedicated to content creation and completion bonds and risk-mitigation mechanisms, including those developed in synergy with European and national institutions.

“The idea is to foster direct contact between producers and representatives from these various entities who can provide guidance,” MIA chief Gaia Tridente tells Variety.

“I am truly pleased that this new edition of MIA is opening with such an in-depth focus spanning two days on the subject of investments and financial tools tailored to companies in our sector,” Alessandro Usai, head of Italy’s motion picture association ANICA, said in a statement.

“In recent years, it has become clear to everyone that access to finance is the true game-changer for the industry, and that we must work together to remove remaining barriers and obstacles, better understand best practices and implement new ones,” Usai added. “In particular, delving into public-private partnerships, guarantee systems and the interplay between national, European and international tools is crucial for the growth of the entire sector— and not just in Italy.”

Commented Chiara Sbarigia, head of Italian TV producers’ association APA: “There was a need for a new space dedicated to audiovisual financing to address the challenges faced by producers, particularly small and medium-sized ones.”

“A few months ago, APA presented a proposal to the relevant institutions for a public-private fund, which we will showcase to industry professionals during the market. MIA will provide domestic and international players with a clear overview of available tools through a practical approach: while competing in international markets certainly requires ideas, talent, and production capacity, understanding where to invest in development — and how and where to secure resources — remains crucial,” Sbarigia went on to point out.

Dedicated panels will comprise “Unlocking Italy’s Potential,” during which Raj Singh, Roeg Sutherland and prominent U.S. entertainment lawyer Steve Saltzman, head of the International Entertainment Group at London-based law firm Fieldfisher, will delve into the range of opportunities the Italian industry ecosystem has to offer.

Singh, during a separate session, will launch a new venture that aims to expand content creation financing opportunities.

Christopher Woodrow, founder and chairman of Media Capital Technologies (MCT); Celine Dornier, content executive at Finland-U.K. based film investment fund IPR.VC; and Alexandra Lebret, who is a partner in Together Fund that was recently launched in partnership with Paris-based investment firm Axio Capital, will be among participants in a panel titled “Equity and Growth Capital: Investing in Creativity, IP and Long-Term Value.”

“Clearly, there will be funds supporting very high-budget films or series — projects on a massive scale —alongside others that operate within the indie circuit, dedicated to auteur cinema, or more modestly scaled serial productions,” Tridente said.

“We are talking about funds accessible to projects with budgets of €50 million and up, as well as others with lower budgets that are more typical for European cinema and television,” she added.

Teps from 35 European co-production funds will be making the trek to Rome to explain their various national mechanisms. For instance, Spain will be repped by three different funds, “ensuring that those at the table can understand exactly how to access specific tax credits or funding within the Spanish or French systems,” the MIA market chief specified.

The 12th edition of MIA will run Oct. 19-23 in the Eternal City.

The Madrid Audiovisual Cluster (MAC), an economic interest group comprising close to 100 Madrid-based companies, has put together a two-day industry networking and peer-learning program at the Iberseries & Platino confab, taking place over Sept. 29 – Oct. 2 in the Spanish capital.

AI takes center stage again but the program will attempt to delve deeper into the hot-button topic this year, presenting eight industry case studies examining innovation across the audiovisual value chain.

“While AI is a common thread running through the projects, the session takes a broader view of innovation, covering new business models, emerging technologies and evolving production and creative workflows,” said Teresa Azcona, managing director of the Madrid Audiovisual Cluster.

“Together, they show how innovation is transforming the industry and opening up new opportunities across the value chain.”

But as Iberseries & Platino Industria co-Director Samuel Castro pointed out: “The ability to create stories should always be based on a fully human, author-driven concept and development. AI should be used as a tool, not as an end in itself.”

Under the banner Innovation ‘Case Studies in the Audiovisual Industry: New Business Models, AI and Emerging Technologies,’ the eight case studies will illustrate how companies are applying technology to address practical challenges across the industry. Running from 12:00 noon to 2:00 p.m. on Sept. 29, the workshop will feature eight case-study presentations, with approximately 12 minutes allocated to each.

The next day, Sept. 30, takes in a conversation between producer Rosa Bosch and Tanja Meissner, Director of Berlinale Pro, which encompasses major industry platforms including the European Film Market, Co-Production Market, Berlinale Talents and World Cinema Fund.

Case Studies:

1. PLIA: Applying PLIA Technology to Script Breakdown, Pre-Production Planning and Production Tracking on “Playback”

PLIA, an AI-powered production platform for film and audiovisual projects, has developed an integrated production-management solution designed to bring the information generated across the creative and production process into a single platform.

The company will present its application on the feature film “Playback,” covering script breakdown, pre-production planning and production tracking. The platform brings together scripts, notes, budgets, location photography and production breakdowns, with the aim of streamlining information management across the production workflow.

Presenting: Jose Velasco — CEO, PLIA

2. TBS (Telefónica Broadcast Services) Tech Brand Stories: From the Physical Studio to the Virtual Production Environment: Virtual Production, AR, Motion Graphics and AI

TBS – Tech Brand Stories, formerly Telefónica Broadcast Services, is the Telefónica Group’s creative production company and audiovisual agency. The company operates across live production, broadcast services, branded content and entertainment, combining creative and technical capabilities. Its team of more than 450 professionals works across major sporting and live events as well as non-fiction, entertainment, documentary and current-affairs programming.

The case study will examine the convergence of virtual production, augmented reality, motion graphics and AI, and how these technologies are being integrated into contemporary production environments.

Alberto Gonzalo — Graphics Supervisor
Luis Miguel Boedo — Technical Coordinator

3. Hark Media – Go Global: When AI Learns to Move Us: Hybrid Dubbing for Global Distribution

Go Global specializes in localization for the entertainment industry, providing translation, subtitling, dubbing and voice-over services to streaming platforms and production companies.

The company will look at the emerging role of AI in dubbing and how hybrid workflows combining technology and human expertise could support the localization of content for international markets.

Paula Ferrari — Founder & CEO

4. Xpost Studios – Secuoya Content Group: Innovation in VFX and Post-Production Workflows

Xpost Studios, part of Secuoya Content Group, is a Madrid-based post-production and VFX facility operating from Madrid Content City. Its infrastructure includes facilities for editing, color grading, sound post-production, VFX and digital workflows.

The session will focus on the application of new technologies to VFX and post-production workflows, examining how innovation is changing the way content is processed and delivered.

Marcos Requena — Post-Production Manager

5. Story Pitcher: Connecting Audiovisual Creators and Producers Through a Digital Platform

Story Pitcher has developed a digital platform designed to connect screenwriters, directors and other audiovisual creators with production companies and content platforms.

Its model combines AI-powered matching with legal-protection tools, with the aim of facilitating more direct connections between creative talent and industry decision-makers.

Frank Belyeu — CEO, Story Pitcher

6. Mercedes Santalla: From Talent to Market: Strategy and Business for Creative and Technology Projects

Creative strategist and talent manager Mercedes Santalla works with projects and talent operating at the intersection of creative practice and technology. Her session will examine the commercial and strategic considerations involved in taking creative and technology-led projects from development to market, alongside the evolving relationship between talent, technology and business.

Mercedes Santalla — Creative Strategist & Talent Manager

7. Scoutters – Scout & Film: A Digital Platform for Location Scouting and Production

Scoutters is a digital location-search and management platform developed by Spanish company Scout & Film. Built on Scout & Film’s experience managing locations for film and advertising productions, the platform connects location scouts, agencies, production companies and film commissions with locations suited to their production requirements.

The case study will explore how digital tools are changing the traditionally location-based process of sourcing, managing and presenting filming locations.

Rubén Souto — Co-Founder, Scout & Film
Jose Díaz — Co-Founder, Scout & Film

8. HaMo – Paramotion Films: HaMo Real-Time Animation System: Digital Puppetry and Next Lab R&D

Developed by Paramotion Films through the Next Lab Generation R&D initiative, HaMo is a real-time motion-capture system designed for 3D animation and digital puppetry.

The system uses inertial sensors to capture an operator’s physical movements and Unreal Engine to transfer them in real time to a CGI character. The technology enables virtual characters to perform live alongside human presenters and audiences, with potential applications across studios, live events and social media.

This case study will look at the development and practical application of the system as an example of R&D moving from prototype to production technology.

Jose Luis Farias — CEO, HaMo
Alfonso Fulgencio — CTO, HaMo