According to a well-positioned source speaking to Variety, once Tourette’s campaigner John Davidson’s made the involuntary outburst while “Sinners” stars Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo presented the first award of the night, execs from the studio immediately raised the issue with BAFTA and requested that the incident be removed from BBC’s time-delayed broadcast going out later that night.
The source also noted that the Warner Bros. execs — who were in contact with BAFTA throughout Sunday evening and met with them on Monday — had been assured that the request had been passed on.
However, the broadcast aired with the racial slur not edited out, sparking further outrage, and prompting an apology from BBC. But the BBC’s claim that the producers had been unaware what was said until after it has aired has now been called into question following the source’s account of proceedings. Many commentators online have also cast doubt over how and why such an incident — which was audible in the ceremony room — would not be immediately relayed to the producers of the TV show.
The incident — and the handling of it by both the BBC and BAFTA — has sparked a firestorm of anger that continues to reverberate. Late on Monday, BAFTA put out a statement in which it said that it took “full responsibility” for putting its “guests in a very difficult situation and we apologise to all.” It also said it wanted to “apologise unreservedly” to Jordan and Lindo. “We would like to thank Michael and Delroy for their incredible dignity and professionalism,” it said.
CPH:DOX, also known as Copenhagen Intl. Documentary Film Festival, has teamed with European Film Promotion for Europe! Docs for a second-year. The objective for the showcase is to spotlight outstanding European documentaries and boosting market access in North America.
The online showcase, which takes place ahead of the festival, is designed to generate early buzz and attract industry attention. It is jointly curated by EFP and the CPH:DOX programming team.
The showcase presents U.S. buyers and distributors with six European documentaries from this year’s CPH:DOX lineup. All films are world premieres and screened in the festival’s flagship competition section, DOX:AWARD. They have been selected to highlight “the diversity and creative strength of contemporary European documentary filmmaking.”
“Continuing our collaboration with CPH:DOX is a real pleasure,” said Sonja Heinen, managing director of EFP. “In its second year, Europe! Docs provides a unique platform connecting European filmmakers directly with key North American industry players. By showcasing carefully selected films ahead of the festival, we create early visibility and open the door to new partnerships, reinforcing our commitment to bringing European cinema further and making a real impact in the U.S. market.”
Mara Gourd-Mercado, head of industry and training at CPH:DOX, said: “We’re very happy to continue building Europe! Docs together with EFP in 2026. The initiative adds real value to CPH:Market by giving outstanding European documentaries early exposure to U.S. buyers and decision-makers, while creating space for meaningful exchange around the films. It’s an important step in strengthening international pathways for European non-fiction and further underlines CPH:Industry as a key meeting point for the global documentary sector. We’re looking forward to another strong and inspiring showcase.”
Resurfaced decades after it was shot, Nathan Grossman’s “Amazomania” (Sweden, France, Denmark, 2026) revisits footage from a 1996 expedition to document the isolated Korubo people triggering a renewed examination of that first contact and the implications that followed.
Honored with the Kompagnon-Fellowships Prize (Berlinale Talent 2020), “Arctic Link” (Switzerland, 2026) is Ian Purnell’s hybrid documentary and visual essay, moving between a fiber-optic cable-laying vessel and a remote Alaskan community where hopes for connection collide with fears of dystopian change made possible by the realities of climate change.
Told from the inside, Karl Friis Forchhammer’s “Christiania” (Denmark, 2026) traces 50 years of Copenhagen’s experiment in freedom and consensus democracy, where radical creativity and idealism exist alongside violence, drugs, internal conflict, and mounting pressure from the outside world.
“The Cord” by Nolwenn Hervé (France, 2026) focuses on Venezuela. In a broken health system where life hangs by a thread, Carolina rises as a “maternity warrior.” Drawing strength from her past, she relentlessly preserves the vital cord between pregnant women and their babies. “The Cord” received the IDFA Forum Award for Best Rough Cut Project for its “raw emotional power and intimate approach.”
Shot on 16mm, Pieter-Jan De Pue’s “Mariinka” (Belgium 2026), selected as the opening film of CPH:DOX 2026, is a long-term documentary following several young Ukrainians whose lives have been shaped by more than a decade of war in the Donbas “where survival, belonging, and national loyalty can fracture even family ties.”
British-Romanian filmmaker Rachel Close’s “Something Familiar” (Romania, U.K., 2026), winner of the Cineuropa Marketing Award and first place in the Romanian CNC Development Fund in 2022, begins as Close helps a fellow adoptee search for her birth mother, before launching her own search for missing sisters and confronting a family legacy of abuse and exploitation in an attempt to write a new script for the future.
In addition to the showcase, Europe! Docs includes a press and promotion campaign, featuring an online press event with leading industry media, as well as “tailor-made industry preparation for participating filmmakers, offering guidance on U.S. market strategies and targeted introductions.” On-site at the festival, the program also offers an in-person networking event at CPH:Forum, facilitating face-to-face meetings between European filmmakers and North American decision-makers.
Tucked away in a quiet corner of North London sits the iconic Abbey Road Studios — a pillar of history where recorded music began in 1931, the Beatles found their artistic home and the world’s most celebrated artists still come to create new hits. Though tourists flock to the street crossing just outside where the Beatles shot their 1969 “Abbey Road” cover, the studio itself is closed to the public and shrouded in secrecy. However, on Saturday night, down in the basement that houses Studio One, Abbey Road hosted its first-ever rave for 300 lucky guests.
For music fans, walking inside the studio’s famed wooden double-doors is like stepping into the Vatican. Even in the reception, bits of music history are everywhere — decades-old gear, signed posters from James Bond movies that recorded their iconic opening songs there and black-and-white photographs of all the legends who have graced the storied halls, from the Beatles to Oasis to Frank Ocean. Though just touring the building would have been exciting enough, on Saturday night Studio One — Abbey Road’s biggest space, typically used for recording film soundtracks — was transformed into a dance hall.
Behind the operation were David and Stephen Dewaele — the Belgian brothers and electronic pioneers better known as Soulwax — who were shocked when Mark Robertson, Abbey Road’s director of marketing and creative, came to them with the idea. “We were surprised they even knew who we were,” David says with a laugh, speaking to Variety on Zoom from Abbey Road two days before the event.
“You rarely get the chance to be in one of the most iconic studios in the world and get sort of a carte blanche to do whatever you want to do — and then have it culminate into the first-ever rave, which we hope is not going to be the last,” Stephen adds.
Officially titled Abbey Road After Hours, the Dewaele brothers headlined the event under their DJ moniker 2ManyDJs, with friends Erol Alkan and Laima Leyton warming up the crowd. Though many attendees were in the industry, free tickets were raffled off through a hotline that fans could call beginning two weeks before. “About 8,000 people tried,” Stephen reveals. “Shit, really?!” David responds.
“It’s been weird because there’s all these names being added and they’re artists you know and you’re like, ‘We can’t put them on the list!’” Stephen continues. “That’s how it should be with a rave, no? Or we’ll see Paul McCartney come in and go, ‘Oh no…’”
Though the rave started out tame, with only a small group dancing at the front, once 2ManyDJs took to the decks things quickly got sweaty. After playing dance favorites including their remix of Marie Davidson’s “Work It” and vamped-up versions of Dead or Alive’s “You Spin Me Round (Like a Record),” Blur’s “Girls & Boys” and the Rapture’s “House of Jealous Lovers,” the Dewaeles debuted a brand-new Soulwax track that they recorded in Abbey Road’s Studio Two the day before and pressed onto vinyl with the in-house machine.
David and Stephen Dewaele recording at Abbey Road Studios.
Scarlet Page
Soulwax had a “full-on geek fest” recording the track, Stephen says. They used the same grand piano the Beatles and Pink Floyd recorded on and rare stereo microphones, in addition to their own electronic equipment. A big part of their set-up on the night was their Deewee sound system, consisting of four huge speaker stacks in each corner of Studio One for an all-encompassing, soul-pounding sound.
“Most modern clubs have basically maximized the amount of volume and power that you can get out of small speakers. So normally they have what’s called array sound — it’s a lot of stuff hanging at different points all over the place and then subs and that’s how the sound is divided,” David explains. “Whereas what we’re using is a very old-school approach, which is gigantic towers of speakers. They’re humongous.”
The night was filmed and will be broadcast on YouTube on March 5, not unlike the popular “Boiler Room” series. However, Stephen says it will focus more on the historic aspect of the event and less on those behind the DJ booth.
“For a lot of people, this place is the crossing outside, it’s the Beatles. But there’s so much more here, and I think a lot of people forget that this is the first place where music was being recorded,” Stephen says. “Dave and me have been in a couple studios around the world, but there’s something about this one because so much of the musical DNA that we’ve been inspired by comes from this building.”
So, will there be more raves inside Abbey Road? Though Soulwax’s night didn’t go off without a hitch — the event ended 15 minutes earlier than planned due to a noise complaint, and one attendee was removed for rowdy behavior — the Dewaele brothers are hopeful.
“Mark [Robertson, Abbey Road director of creative and marketing] was saying he would like this to be a thing where once in a while we come in and come up with some weird ideas,” Stephen says. “And I was like, ‘Well, we could definitely do that, but I don’t know if you’re gonna like it!’”
Adds David with a smile: “To their credit, they really want us to push the limits, which is cool.”
Russell Brand has pleaded not guilty to two new charges of rape and sexual assault.
The former TV host and actor entered his plea at Southwark Crown Court in London, U.K. on Tuesday morning.
The offences, which relate to two women, are alleged to have taken place in 2009 in the capital city.
He has already made two previous court appearances, both times pleading not guilty, relating to previous charges. In May 2025 he pleaded not guilty in relation to incidents that allegedly took place between 1999 and 2005 involving four separate women. Last month he again appeared in court regarding two additional charges of sexual assault and rape. He again pleaded not guilty.
Brand was granted bail on both occasions.
A trial to hear the original charges is scheduled for June and a hearing next month will decide whether to append the new allegations to the trial. Brand’s lawyer has argued that the former comedian needs more time to address the charges.
Wearing a semi-unbuttoned leopard print shirt and a silver cross around his neck, Brand spoke only to confirm his name and his plea, according to reports.
As he exited the car to make his way into the court building, he was pictured holding a bible filled with Post It notes.
A joint investigation by The Sunday Times and Channel 4 in 2023 reported that five women were accusing Brand of “rape, sexual assaults and emotional abuse” in the early 2010s. Brand responded in a YouTube video in which he said he “absolutely refutes” the allegations.
After shooting to fame as a TV host and comedian, Brand appeared in films such as “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” and “Get Him To The Greek” before re-positioning himself as an anti-establishment spiritual guru with a YouTube following.
Banijay Entertainment has struck a partnership with Yoshimoto Kogyo, one of Japan’s largest entertainment groups and the creator behind global phenomenon “LOL: Last One Laughing,” to acquire global format rights to long-running comedic challenge series “You Laugh You Lose.”
Under the deal, Banijay Entertainment will lead adaptations across its 23 territories, with Yoshimoto retaining distribution responsibilities everywhere else.
The show, which has been on Japanese screens since its 2006 debut on Nippon TV, puts a group of comedians through a grueling 24-hour challenge set inside an immersive real-world environment. Each participant plays a character as the day’s situations grow progressively more elaborate – but the one rule that never changes is that nobody is permitted to crack a smile. Do so, and a comedic forfeit kicks in immediately. Unannounced celebrity guests and a steady stream of increasingly absurd scenarios keep the stakes – and the suppressed laughter – ratcheting up until the very end.
The pickup deepens Banijay’s already significant footprint in comedy formats. The company currently produces “LOL: Last One Laughing” through its labels in 11 markets worldwide, and the Yoshimoto deal signals a continued appetite for proven formats in the genre.
“‘You Laugh You Lose’ is a blockbuster comedy classic in Japan,” said James Townley, chief content officer of development at Banijay Entertainment. “It’s playful, unpredictable, and packed with international potential. The 24-hour scenario delivers escalating comedic tension, and the instant penalty gag adds a hilarious format beat. It is incredibly adaptable and complements our portfolio, offering our labels, and clients, a chance to craft a locally distinctive, market-defining hit.”
Hiroshi Fujiwara, director and vice president of Yoshimoto Kogyo, added: “We are truly honored to be working with Banijay Entertainment, home to one of the world’s largest production networks, to drive the international expansion of ‘You Laugh You Lose’ (No Laughing).’ We are proud to count it among Japan’s most popular variety shows, and we look forward to audiences around the world enjoying the format.”
Helen Greatorex, head of format acquisitions at Banijay Entertainment, negotiated the deal. The title slots into Banijay’s third-party showcase for London Screenings 2026, a lineup that also features “Werewolves,” a strategic reality format from Studiocanal and Dreamspark; “Ninja Warrior,” sourced from Tokyo Broadcasting System; and “All Star Hide and Seek,” a digital-first entry from Troot and Rabbit Film.
At the screenings, those acquired titles will share the stage with Banijay’s own new formats, among them “Football Island,” “100 Knives,” “How Old Is Your Brain?,” “Staying Alive,” “The Dinner,” “Who’s Guilty?” and “DecoMasters.”
Jonte Richardson, a Black writer and producer, has resigned from BAFTA’s emerging talent judging panel, citing the organisation’s “utterly unforgivable” handling of the incident in which Tourette’s syndrome activist John Davidson involuntarily shouted the N-word while Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo were presenting on stage.
“I cannot and will not contribute my time energy and expertise to an organisation that has repeatedly failed to safeguard the dignity of its Black guests, members and the Black creative community,” Richardson wrote on social media.
The incident prompted a firestorm of anger which snowballed further when the BBC failed to cut the outburst from their time-delayed broadcast. Late on Monday, BAFTA put out a statement in which it said that it took “full responsibility” for putting its “guests in a very difficult situation and we apologise to all.” It also said it wanted to “apologise unreservedly” to Jordan and Lindo. “We would like to thank Michael and Delroy for their incredible dignity and professionalism,” it said.
See Richardson’s full statement below.
After considerable soul-searching, I feel compelled to withdraw from the BAFTA emerging talent judging panel. The organisation’s handling of the unfortunate Tourette’s N-Word incident last night at the awards was utterly unforgivable. I cannot and will not contribute my time energy and expertise to an organisation that has repeatedly failed to safeguard the dignity of its Black guests, members and the Black creative community. This is particularly unfortunate given that this year’s cohort boasts some incredible Black talent, especially one of my favourite shows of 2025 “Just Act Normal”. However, when an organisation like BAFTA, with its own long history of systemic racism, refuses to acknowledge the harm inflicted on both the Black and disabled communities and offer an appropriate apology, remaining involved would be tantamount to condoning its behaviour. I hope BAFTA leadership comprehend the damage they and the BBC have caused and take the necessary steps to ensure their production staff are inclusive enough to prevent such an issue in the future.
France’s Vivendi, the parent company of Canal+ Group, has acquired a 51% majority stake in prominent Italian distribution and production company Lucky Red, in the latest consolidation move in Europe.
Lucky Red, which is a leading Italian indie film distributor, and is also active in film and TV production, was among the few Italian outfits that had not yet been snapped up by a bigger international group
The Rome-based company’s recent releases include “Sentimental Value,” “Nouvelle Vague,” “Greenland 2: Migration” and Robbie Williams biopic “Better Man.” Their standout productions comprise Gabriele Mainetti’s “Freaks Out” and Netflix’s first Italian film “On My Skin.”
The deal, which reportedly values the 51% Lucky Red stake at roughly $30 million, is not expected to lead to management changes or impact creative decisions within the company founded in 1987 by Andrea Occhipinti and Kermit Smith. It is described in a statement as a “strategic partnership” geared towards European synergies. Occhipinti is the holder of the remaining 49% stake.
Lucky Red over the past 39 years has distributed some 400 titles by the world’s top auteurs including Ang Lee, Jean Pierre e Luc Dardenne, Nanni Moretti, Aki Kaurismaki, Mario Martone, Hayao Miyazaki, Alexander Payne, Stephen Frears, Pablo Larrain, Paolo Sorrentino, Cristian Mungiu, Todd Haynes, Sofia Coppola, Denis Villeneuve, Wes Anderson, Darren Aronofsky, Jia Zhangke, Wong Kar Wai, Tim Burton, Asghar Farahdi, Luc Besson, Jim Jarmusch, and Jafar Panahi.
The Lucky Red acquisition deal was reportedly inked in Rome by Occhipinti, along with business partners Valerio Scarinci and Stefano Massenzi, with StudioCanal CEO Anna Marsh.
In 2024 Lucky Red reported revenues of over €50 million ($58.8 million) and a net profit of €3.7 million ($4.35 million). Revenues in 2025 reached nearly €24 million, placing the company eighth among Italian distributors.
Warner Bros.’ “Wuthering Heights” remained at No. 1 at the U.K. and Ireland box office in its second weekend, taking £3.8 million ($5.3 million) and pushing its cumulative total to £16.2 million ($22.1 million), according to Comscore.
“GOAT” held at No. 2 with $3.8 million, reaching $14.3 million in total, while “Crime 101” added $1 million in third place for a $4 million cumulative. Both titles are distributed by Sony.
Disney’s long-running “Zootopia 2” was in fourth with $926,000, lifting its total to $48.6 million after 13 weeks on release.
The highest new entry was Mubi’s “The Secret Agent,” which debuted at No. 5 with $566,000. Close behind, Studiocanal’s “Cold Storage” opened in sixth place on $544,000.
Further down, Disney’s “Send Help” moved to seventh in its third weekend, adding $465,000 for a $5.3 million total. Lionsgate U.K.’s “Wasteman” bowed in eighth with $450,000, followed by Universal’s “The Moment” in ninth with $441,000.
Entertainment Film Distributors’ “Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die” rounded out the top 10 with $379,000.
Looking ahead, Paramount’s “Scream 7” is the clear commercial driver of the upcoming frame. Directed by Kevin Williamson and headlined by Neve Campbell and Courteney Cox alongside a new ensemble, the latest installment of the long-running horror franchise is positioned to inject fresh momentum into the market.
Event cinema remains prominent. The National Theatre continues its stage-to-screen run with “Audience – NT Live 2026,” while Trafalgar Releasing brings concert film “Twenty One Pilots: More Than We Ever Imagined” to cinemas. Universal also rolls out “EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert,” directed by Baz Lurhmann, across 300-plus sites.
Altitude Film Distribution opens Cannes winner “Sirat,” while Disney releases “The Testament of Ann Lee,” starring Amanda Seyfried. Tull Stories debuts “The Spin,” and Munro Film Services platforms “La Boheme.” Anime Ltd. adds “All You Need Is Kill,” and Cosmic Cat launches documentary feature “Molly vs The Machines.”
Spanish-language media giant TelevisaUnivsion said it narrowed its losses in the fourth quarter as it generated profits from its ViX streaming service and grappled with sluggish ad trends in the United States.
The owner of the Univision TV network reported a net loss of $234.7 million, compared with a loss of $809.7 million in the year earlier period. Revenue fell 2% to $1.32 billion.
“We meaningfully transformed our business and delivered on the expectations that we set at the outset of the year,” said Daniel Alegre, CEO of TelevisaUnivision, in a prepared statement. “ViX delivered record revenue, achieved profitability in every quarter, and expanded operating margins throughout the year, evolving into a scalable growth engine that is now a strategically central component to our business model. In 2026, we are building on this momentum to deepen audience engagement, unlock greater value for our partners, and reinforce our leadership as the Voice of Hispanics.”
TelevisaUnivision has been working to bolster its balance sheet after Alegre took its corporate reins of TelevisaUnivision from Wade Davis, the former Viacom CFO who orchestrated a buyout of Univision in 2020 before merging it with Mexico’s Grupo Televisa in 2022, ceded his CEO role to him. Alegre was president and chief operating officer of Activision Blizzard, which was acquired for $69 billion by Microsoft. Davis remains TelevisaUnivision’s vice-chairman. Since Alegre joined in 2024, TelevisaUnivision has been working to streamline operations that had previously been siloed by geographic region. The company owns media assets in both the United States and Mexico
Revenue in the U.S. revenue declined 7% to $777 million, or 3% excluding political advertising. Revenue from operations in Mexico rose 7% to $546 million. Advertising revenue was flat at $856 million. In the U.S., advertising revenue declined 11% to $423 million. In Mexico, advertising revenue grew 15% to $433 million.
The company said revenue from subscriptions and licensing fell 4% to $446 million. Revenue in the U.S. fell 2% to $341 million, while revenue from Mexico operations declined 12% to $105 million.
Disney and U.K. media conglomerate ITV have extended their strategic content-sharing partnership with two new titles.
“The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox” and “The Stolen Girl,” both Hulu Original series, are set to air on ITV1 in primetime slots as well as the broadcaster’s streaming platform ITVX. They will be broadcast under the brand “Disney+ presents a Hulu Original.”
Psychological drama “The Stolen Girl” will air first on Feb. 25. Produced by Quay Street Productions with Brightstar it follows a family whose young daughter goes missing during a sleepover. It first debuted on Disney+ in April 2025.
“The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox” follows later in the year, dramatizing a case that gripped audiences on both sides of the Atlantic after a young British exchange student is found murdered in Italy and her American roommate is soon arrested for her murder.
The two platforms first inked a licensing deal in 2023 before expanding to a cross-promotional initiative that saw each streamer publicize the other under banners titled “Taste of ITVX” and “Taste of Disney+,” enabling viewers to watch curated titles from the other’s service.
In recent weeks Disney has also signed a multi-year deal with U.K. broadcaster Sky, which will see Disney+ bundled with other platforms including Netflix and HBO Max in a money-saving deal for Sky customers as well as launching a Disney+ Cinema linear channel on the broadcaster’s EPG.
“This marks an exciting next step in our collaboration with ITV,” said Karl Holmes, general manager for Disney+ EMEA. “We’re thrilled that two of our most compelling original series will air on ITV’s powerful primetime platform, introducing millions more viewers to Hulu Originals on Disney+.”
Kevin Lygo, ITV’s media and entertainment MD, said: “We are delighted to be deepening our relationship with Disney. Bringing these premium original series into our primetime linear schedule is fantastic for ITV audiences. This extension perfectly complements our existing relationship and showcases the strength of the content-sharing model we established last summer.”
