ACORN TV
Programming from several countries, including Australia, Canada, France, Italy, Ireland, New Zealand, and UK. AMC Networks chief Josh Sapan told The Hollywood Reporter that Acorn TV has "among the lowest churn" among major services owing to its focus as well as viewers' "dedication and affinity" for its content.

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky made a special appearance during Cannes’ opening night. Zelensky gave an impassioned speech about the responsibility of filmmaking in the midst of war via a live video call from Kyiv. “The most brutal dictators of the 20th century loved cinema,” Zelensky said during his address. We need a new [Charlie] Chaplin who will prove that, in our time, cinema is not silent.”...

Everything Everywhere All At Once holds an impressive and unique IMDb record. With a powerhouse performance from lead actress Michelle Yeoh as Evelyn Wang and a great supporting cast (including Stephanie Hsu as Evelyn's daughter, Joy; Ke Huy Quan as Evelyn’s husband, Waymond; James Hong as Evelyn’s father, Gong Gong; and Jamie Lee Curtis as Deirdre Beaubeirdre) the movie packs an emotional yet humorous punch. Directors Dan Kwan and Daniel Scheinert have crafted an insanely memorable adventure through the multiverse which is wholly deserving of its high score on IMDb. With a score of 8.5, it broke into the IMDb Top 250, and it holds the record for being the only 2022 movie to do so as of yet. The movie originally entered the ranking at number 44, an already impressive feat with its score of 8.5. Since then, however, with a total of 43,000 user reviews (as of May 17, 2022), Everything Everywhere, with its impressive cast of characters, now scores 8.8 with users, and its ranking on the IMDb Top 250 list has shot up along with it, now named as the ninth-best movie of all time. ( courtesy El Kuiper )...

In a unique deal, Stan Lee, the beloved co-creator of Spider-Man, Avengers and Hulk who died in 2018, is returning to Marvel Studios.Marvel has signed a 20-year deal with Stan Lee Universe, a venture between Genius Brands International and POW! Entertainment, to license the name and likeness of Lee for use in future feature films and television productions, as well as Disney theme parks, various “experiences” and merchandising. Lee was the writer and editor-in-chief of Marvel Comics in the 1960s, when he, along with artists such as Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko, ushered in the creation of superheroes that are now the basis for the world’s biggest blockbuster films. He also became the ever-smiling public face of the company, a stately position he held over the decades despite changes to his actual job title and responsibilities — and even after he officially parted ways with the company...

The prestigious Cannes Film Festival’s sudden embrace of the TikTok era appears to have hit a rough patch. Cambodian auteur Rithy Panh has resigned from his position as chair of the jury for Cannes’ inaugural TikTok short film competition (aka #TikTokShortFilm) after a disagreement over artistic independence. “After a persistent disagreement over the independence and sovereignty of the jury for the TikTok Short Film Festival, I have decided to step down from my position as president of that jury,” Panh said...

The social giant formerly known as Facebook is taking the Croisette by storm and rolling out the red carpet for creators at the festival. Meta has unveiled its first creator villa, which will be powered by Instagram and host up to 300 content creators over two days at the iconic Palais Bulles. Meta’s Palais Bulles venue will give creators a space to gain hands-on experience with hardware such as Meta Quest 2 and Ray-Ban Stories. As part of the program, the company is hosting VR demos, glam teams and interactive photo and video installations. Meanwhile, a “Reels Squad” of 120 creators will be using the format to cover the festival...

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced several changes in Oscar rules and campaigning requirements, as well as a return to the calendar year for submissions. In the Music (Original Song) category, no more than three songs from any one film may be submitted. Additionally, clips for the nominating screening (bake-off) shall not exceed 10 minutes of running time per title,” the Academy explained. Films must be released in theaters to be eligible...

Los Angeles-born entrepreneur Nana Dakrabo I is partnering with Washington DC-based WEG Studios to develop a major studio complex in Ghana. With a projected cost of $350m, Dakrabo 1 Studios will be spread over 321 acres of land in Ghana and include seven sound stages, a 240-acre backlot, blue-screen water tank, a recording studio, pre/post-production facilities, screening theatres, a concert hall, office space, a hotel for cast and crews, and a film and music school. The team behind the studio hope to capitalise on the burgeoning African film industry by hosting productions from neighbouring countries, as well as attracting international film and TV projects....