ACORN TV
Programming from several countries, including Australia, Canada, France, Italy, Ireland, New Zealand, and UK.

“I believe we always need [the movie theater],” said Lee. “It’s our church, our temple. It’s a ceremony. It’s in our nature, the congregation. But now television’s so convenient. You have to come up with something you cannot experience at home. Not only the crowd, not only the size, but the ceremonial effect. It has to upgrade.”  Ang Lee (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon).

As Italy’s government wobbles, the country’s struggling film and TV industry is staying afloat thanks to beefed-up funding that in 2021 will provide a €640 million ($775 million) safety net for local exhibitors, distributors and producers. Key aspects of Italy’s safety net for the film and TV production sector include a refinancing of the 40% tax rebate for production that has been keeping sets open by offsetting extra coronavirus costs and risks; €110 million ($133 million) to subsidize shuttered movie theaters, which are also getting substantial tax breaks; and €25 million ($30 million) to help shore up losses suffered by film distributors. Italy’s increased industry funding will also provide a new €35 million ($42 million) cash injection to state film entity Istituto Luce Cinecittà, with part of the money going to revamping Rome’s Cinecittà Studios.

Cinedigm  has acquired the assets of Fandor, a subscription-streaming service with a catalog of 4,600 films that has been in hibernation mode for the last two years. In late 2018, Fandor laid off nearly all of its employees and reorganized as a new entity that was seeking a buyer for the Fandor assets. Terms of Cinedigm’s acquisition of Fandor aren’t being disclosed. In announcing the deal, Cinedigm said it believes the relaunched Fandor service could top 1 million subscribers “within the next 24-30 months” with a focus on rapid global expansion and distribution.

The Walt Disney, Frank Capra, Whitney Houston, Billie Holiday, Johnny Cash and Alex Trebek are among the entertainment industry figures who have been added as proposed honorees in the National Garden of American Heroes monument project unveiled by President Donald Trump on July 3 during his speech at Mt. Rushmore. Trump issued an amended executive order last Monday that added dozens of names slated to be honored in the the planned statuary park. The location for the park has yet to be determined...