Latest news with #APOS
Yahoo
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Sand City' Is a Kaleidoscopic Tale of Sand Thieves and Harsh Life in a Metropolis (Karlovy Vary Trailer)
Watch out, sand thieves are coming to the Proxima Competition of the 59th edition of the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival (KVIFF) next month. Yes, you read that right: sand thieves! Bangladeshi screenwriter and director Mahde Hasan, who has made shorts I Am Time (2013), Death of a Reader (2017), and A Boring Film (2020), is bringing his feature film debut, Sand City, to the picturesque Czech spa town. More from The Hollywood Reporter 'Tehran Another View' Features Paintball, Carwalking, and a DJ Dressed up as the Joker (Karlovy Vary Trailer) APOS: Amazon Doubles Down on Dual Streaming Strategy in India with Prime Video and MX Player 'The Shining,' 'A Clockwork Orange,' 'Megalopolis' Costume Designer to Receive Locarno Vision Award The cinematic tale promises daring visuals, which are kaleidoscopic and often make the story, and life, feel like shattered glass. It also promises a thought-provoking dissection of life in a big city, in this case, Bangladesh's capital Dhaka, which has a reputation as one of the most densely populated cities in the world. The movie's logline can be understood in that context. 'Sand, an unstable element, reveals the life in a ruthless metropolis,' it reads. The protagonists of the two parallel stories told in the film are a woman from an ethnic minority, portrayed by Victoria Chakma in her screen debut, and a man who is a member of the majority population, played by Bangladeshi actor Mostafa Monwar. 'Emma and Hasan don't know each other, but they have much in common. Most importantly, they are both sand thieves,' reads a synopsis on the KVIFF website. 'Emma steals it for kitty litter, Hasan for making homemade glass. One day, their lives are disrupted by the discovery of a severed finger, and they learn that the human psyche can shatter as easily as glass.' In case you still expect a classic popcorn movie, the fest highlights the deeper and darker layers of human life that it explores. 'It is an oppressive portrait of a city full of sand, blended with a stylistically refined elegy about the flow of time, personal privacy, destruction, and the tear-filled valleys of our inner worlds,' it emphasizes. The cinematography of the film, for which Diversion is handling sales, comes from Mathieu Giombini, who has worked with such directors as Francois Ozon, Michel Piccoli, Mahamat-Saleh Haroun, and Manoel de Oliveira. Director Hasan explains in a director's note that he wanted to 'explore the many facets of urban survival, fantasy, and sexuality,' while also 'exploring my own emotions' about the city and how it 'constantly occupies my thoughts and creations.' And he shares: 'I have been photographing this city and the lives within it for almost a decade now. At first, my gaze was romantic and celebratory till I decided to probe even deeper and look beyond the obvious. Then, I realized the inherent claustrophobia of living in the city; the lives of people as if they were all locked inside their own abyss.' Concludes Hasan: 'I witnessed how the passage of time suffocates our daily lives. We all seemed to be locked within a trap where there is a need to hide ourselves and never had the courage to come out as we are, to speak as we feel. There is almost a crisis of faith, wherein the people have stopped trusting and believing in better days.' He and Giombini opted for a look and feel inspired by some big names. 'Mahde and I have often mentioned the cinema of the Portuguese director Pedro Costa, for his particular treatment of shadows and directions of light, but also of the American director David Lynch, who manages so well to interfere with the irrational, even the fantastic, quite simply, without resorting to expensive special effects, which we couldn't afford anyway,' Giombini explains. The aesthetics fit with the 'fractured structure and form' that the director chose. 'Dhaka, the city where I dwell, is like a collage of broken glass,' filmmaker Hasan concludes. The trailer introduces the two people whose journey the movie follows and gives a first taste of the dreamy qualities of Sand City. 'There's no shortage of sand in this city,' protagonist Hasan is heard saying as he dreams of 'huge profits.' Watch the Sand City trailer below. Best of The Hollywood Reporter The 40 Best Films About the Immigrant Experience Wes Anderson's Movies Ranked From Worst to Best 13 of Tom Cruise's Most Jaw-Dropping Stunts
Yahoo
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Amazon Doubles Down on Dual Streaming Strategy in India With Prime Video and MX Player
In a wide-ranging conversation at the APOS summit in Bali on Wednesday, senior regional executives from Amazon laid out their vision for the company's twin-pronged streaming strategy in India, where the tech giant operates both the subscription-based Prime Video platform and the ad-supported service Amazon MX Player. The dual-service approach, they argued, is key to capturing India's vast and varied entertainment consumer base. 'India is a really heterogeneous and diverse country with customers having very different needs,' said Gaurav Gandhi, vp of Prime Video for Asia Pacific and MENA. 'Prime Video caters to customers who are subscription-ready, who have actually transitioned to streaming as their first or only choice of entertainment. Amazon MX Player is aimed at customers who are now transitioning from traditional media — TV or they are not subscription-ready yet — though they are still seeking high-quality premium content.' More from The Hollywood Reporter 'The Shining,' 'A Clockwork Orange,' 'Megalopolis' Costume Designer to Receive Locarno Vision Award Engagement, Monetization, Quality Content and the Impact of AI Take Center Stage at NATPE Budapest 'Rivals' Breakout Bella Maclean Cast in Ray Panthaki's Directorial Debut 'In Starland' (Exclusive) Prime Video, which has achieved some local hits like The Family Man, Paatal Lok, and Made in Heaven, also isn't neglecting the big screen, still an essential entertainment pillar in cinema-mad India, which famously produces more movies per year than any other nation. The company is currently preparing for a bigger push into theatrical production through Amazon MGM Studios. Starting in 2026, the studio will release four to six original Indian films in theaters annually. The next Amazon MGM Studios feature, Anurag Kashyap's Nishaanchi, is slated to hit cinemas this September. The plan builds on Prime Video's past co-productions with leading Indian studios. Nikhil Madhok, head of originals for Prime Video India, described the platform's creative strategy as 'premium, nuanced, and cinematic,' arguing that the company invests in production values and themes for its series to rival feature films — in order to cut through a content landscape that's hyper competitive. He cited shows like Khauf, a horror series that doubles as a meditation on urban trauma, and Dupahiya, which taps into nostalgic yearnings for rural India. 'We were very clear from the start that the local content in India had to be highly differentiated from television, but at the same time, when it lands up on the service, sitting next to our international content, it must be equally compelling, if not more,' Madhok explained. Meanwhile, Amazon MX Player, which reaches over 250 million monthly users — many of them mobile-first— has carved a niche with local scripted and unscripted fare, dubbed international content, and escapist franchises like Hustler and Aashram, the latter of which has netted more than 200 million views. Amazon acquired the MX Player service, a former rival, from India's Times conglomerate last year — in a deal pegged at about $100 million by local press — and promptly merged the service with its AVOD platform Amazon miniTV to create Amazon MX Player. Amogh Dusad, head of content for Amazon MX Player, revealed plans for the service to boost its efforts in the buzzy micro-drama category. As part of a new initiative titled MX Fatafat, the company will produce a slate of serialized micro-dramas optimized for smartphones. Each series will comprise 80 to 100 episodes of one to two-minute vertical videos, ideal for brief moments of consumption throughout the day. 'MX Fatafat is a fresh approach, requiring unique writing and production methods, and we are looking forward to launch it later this year,' Dusad said. The panel, moderated by Media Partners Asia executive director Vivek Couto, also touched on Amazon's broader investments in India's surging creator economy. Gandhi noted that over half of Prime Video's current originals feature first-time talent, and the company is actively co-producing short-form content with emerging creator voices through MX Fatafat. With continued investment across both services, Gandhi stressed that Amazon remains bullish on the long-term potential of India's hyper-competitive streaming market, which has seen local champion JioStar emerge as the dominant player in recent months. 'It's still early days for streaming in India,' Gandhi said. Best of The Hollywood Reporter How the Warner Brothers Got Their Film Business Started Meet the World Builders: Hollywood's Top Physical Production Executives of 2023 Men in Blazers, Hollywood's Favorite Soccer Podcast, Aims for a Global Empire
Yahoo
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Tehran Another View' Features Paintball, Carwalking, and a DJ Dressed up as the Joker (Karlovy Vary Trailer)
A mention of Iran's capital Tehran may make you think of politics, world affairs and other serious issues. But how about paintball, carwalking and a party of people dancing to music played by a DJ dressed up as the Joker? Welcome to the world of Tehran Another View, the new film from writer and director Ali Behrad (Tasavor), which will world premiere in the Special Screenings program of the 59th edition of the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival (KVIFF) on July 5. 'The moment they greet each other at their friends' wedding, we know that Leili and Pasha were once a couple,' a synopsis on the KVIFF website reads. 'But something split them apart. We see their story in flashback.' More from The Hollywood Reporter APOS: Amazon Doubles Down on Dual Streaming Strategy in India with Prime Video and MX Player 'The Shining,' 'A Clockwork Orange,' 'Megalopolis' Costume Designer to Receive Locarno Vision Award Engagement, Monetization, Quality Content and the Impact of AI Take Center Stage at NATPE Budapest The festival promises 'a charming mix of genres' and highlights: 'Iranian director Ali Behrad's second feature film is a vibrant portrait of Tehran and its inhabitants.' The cast of the film includes Ali Shadman, Anahita Afshar, Ayda Mahiani, and Reza Kolavani. Sales are being handled by Persia Film Distribution. The trailer for the movie includes the mentioned paintball, DJ, people carwalking, and more, giving you a first sense for what to expect. The 2025 edition of KVIFF runs July 4-12. The star-studded festival will honor Dakota Johnson, Stellan Skarsgård, Peter Sarsgaard and Vicky Krieps, with Michael Douglas also traveling to the picturesque Czech spa town to present a screening of a newly restored version of Czech-American directing legend Milos Forman's One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, on which Douglas was a producer and which starred Jack Nicholson. Watch the trailer for Tehran Another View here. Best of The Hollywood Reporter The 40 Best Films About the Immigrant Experience Wes Anderson's Movies Ranked From Worst to Best 13 of Tom Cruise's Most Jaw-Dropping Stunts
Time of India
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
'Bold, Culturally Rooted, and Scalable Storytelling for a Young, Diverse India'
Asia Pacific Video Operators Summit At the Asia Pacific Video Operators Summit (APOS) 2025, hosted by Media Partners Asia (MPA), JioStar Entertainment leaders Alok Jain and Krishnan Kutty laid out a compelling blueprint for the future of Indian storytelling — one that's bold, emotionally resonant, culturally rooted, and built for scale. In a fireside session titled 'Inside the Next Wave of Indian Storytelling', moderated by Vivek Couto, Executive Director and Co-Founder of MPA, Jain and Kutty outlined JioStar's ambitions to champion local voices, innovate across formats, and program for India's young, diverse, and multilingual audiences. Redefining the Role of the Platform 'In a country as creatively diverse as India, it's no longer about scaling content — it's about resetting the creative ecosystem,' said Alok Jain, Chief of Content at JioStar. 'At JioStar, we're committed to ensuring creators are not boxed in by platforms, formats, or legacy structures. Today's storytellers move seamlessly — from short-form to long-form, social to television, digital to streaming. Our role is not to act as gatekeepers, but as collaborators.' He added that JioStar is building infrastructure that allows storytellers to move fluidly across mediums, giving them room to evolve while staying authentic. 'That's how we grow the ecosystem — by empowering creators, not restricting them. That's also how we expand its impact.' Boldness, Redefined: From Spectacle to Substance 'What was considered bold five or six years ago is not what's considered bold now,' said Krishnan Kutty, CEO of JioStar. 'Back then, it was about scale and visual spectacle. Today, boldness is about pushing societal norms, asking deeper questions, and doing it within the Indian context. We're not in California; we're in India. Our job is to push boundaries, but also to carry our audience with us.' This ethos is reflected in JioStar's programming — where boldness is not a matter of provocation, but of emotional depth, authenticity, and local resonance. Programming for a Young, Demanding India Jain emphasized that Indian consumers are evolving rapidly, and with them, so must formats and strategies. 'It's a young country. People are exposed to new things and they're demanding and unforgiving. If the story isn't great, they won't watch — regardless of who stars in it.' He cited Thukra Ke Mera Pyaar, a 19-episode show with 50-minute episodes, a debut director, and a debut cast, which turned into a hit from day one. 'That's proof the audience will embrace newness if the content speaks to them.' JioStar is also experimenting with non-fiction, micro-dramas, and hybrid formats. 'Innovation isn't a tactic for us — it's the baseline,' Jain said. The Untapped Youth Opportunity — Especially in the South While platforms like MTV have made inroads with younger audiences, Kutty pointed out that broadcasters and streamers have largely under-programmed for Gen Z. That's about to change. 'For the South, we are committed to increasing our programming volume for that audience by 7 to 10 times.' Jain echoed that youth-focused storytelling is both a creative and business imperative. 'If the industry is to run in a sustainable manner, we must drive content profitably — and focusing on youth is a big one for us.' Embracing the Multilingual, Multi-India Landscape Krishnan Kutty highlighted India's unique advantage: a multilingual, culturally rich ecosystem that fosters endless creative possibilities. 'The diversity of India is a gift from a content creator perspective — every state, every region is a source of different perspectives. What's remarkable is how audiences embrace content beyond their own language or state.' He gave the example of Kerala,"A small state like Kerala creates stories that travel nationwide. 80% of the consumption on JioHotstar for Malayalam content is outside the state. Great stories truly transcend borders.' India's digital video ecosystem is also vast — with 500–600 million users consuming 4–5 hours of content daily. 'The real challenge isn't what to do — but what not to do. There's significant headroom for both subscription and ad growth. And between premium long-form dramas and social storytelling lies a massive untapped space.' Resetting the Economics of Storytelling Kutty was candid about the systemic challenges facing the streaming industry: 'In streaming, we've escalated prices to a point where producers have become B2B entities, creating primarily for the platform, not the end consumer. That has led to a disconnect. Unless the model is reset, I believe it's deeply broken.' Reflecting on the state of theatrical entertainment in India, Alok Jain observed -'We've been in a difficult period where people aren't coming to theatres unless the movie is really, really good. Watching a film now is a three-hour commitment — and that's a big ask.' He argued that both storytellers and exhibitors must reinvent. 'Creators need to tell more authentic stories. Theatre owners must rethink pricing, experience, and value delivery. Theatrical viewing must feel like an experience - not just a screening.' The Great Reset — and the Great Opportunity Jain believes Indian content is poised for a reset — but one filled with possibility. 'Consumers are adapting to multiple formats, and I believe the space will settle. The industry is very cognizant of that. This reset is happening across content types — theatrical films, television, digital-first. And with that comes the opportunity to rethink, reformat, and rebuild.' With 320,000 hours of content across JioStar's network, the common thread, he said, is human emotion and shared experience. 'Our focus is to tell authentic stories from every corner of the country — stories that resonate universally. That emotional truth is what allows Indian content to scale and even travel globally.' India: A Strategic, Youth-Driven Market India remains one of the most strategic markets globally, said Jain. 'With a billion young people, 22 languages, and a thriving economy, India is unmatched in scale and diversity. What makes it exciting is not just its size — it's the scale, youth, and openness to change.'
Mint
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Mint
Inside JioStar's bet on bold stories, Gen Z, and the future of Indian entertainment
Mumbai: In a world of 15-second videos and fractured attention spans, getting an audience to commit to a three-hour film is, in the words of JioStar Entertainment's Alok Jain, 'a big ask.' But rather than chase scale for its own sake, India's newest content powerhouse is betting on something more enduring: bold, emotionally resonant storytelling—and its youngest viewers. At the Asia Pacific Video Operators Summit (APOS) 2025 in Bali, Jain, who heads entertainment at JioStar, and Krishnan Kutty, the firm's head of cluster, Entertainment (South), laid out a vision for India's next phase of content growth—one that places creators, not platforms, at the centre of a rapidly evolving media ecosystem. 'In a country as creatively diverse as India, it's no longer just about scaling content. It's about resetting the creative ecosystem,' Jain said during a fireside chat with Media Partners Asia's Vivek Couto. 'Our role is not to act as gatekeepers but as collaborators.' And bold, in JioStar's vocabulary, doesn't mean flashy sets or big budgets. It means challenging societal norms, amplifying underrepresented voices, and telling stories that resonate deeply across India's varied but emotionally unified audience. As Kutty put it, 'We're not in California. Our job is to take the audience along with us, even as we challenge convention.' The executives emphasized that today's creators aren't bound by traditional formats or distribution mediums. From short-form video to long-form streaming dramas, from social-first storytelling to network television, creators are increasingly moving seamlessly across platforms. JioStar, they said, is working to build structures that support this creative mobility. 'We're building mechanisms that allow creators to evolve with their voice and cross over across mediums,' Jain noted. Backed by the heft of Reliance's media infrastructure, JioStar boasts a massive distribution footprint—over 800 million viewers on television and another 400 million streaming users on JioHotstar. That reach is now being aligned with a strategy that emphasizes flexibility, emotional depth, and regional storytelling. According to Kutty, India's digital video landscape now comprises between 500–600 million users, each consuming four to five hours of content daily. That diversity, he added, is not a constraint—but a creative edge. 'Every state, every region is a source of new perspectives and storytelling potential,' he said. 'A small state like Kerala, for example, creates stories that travel across the country—80% of Malayalam content consumption on our platform comes from outside the state.' JioStar's model is rooted in the belief that while formats, languages, and geographies may differ, emotional resonance binds Indian audiences. Jain pointed to Thukra Ke Mera Pyaar, a 19-episode digital drama featuring a debut director and cast, as a recent breakout success. 'It worked because the story worked. We must go back to first principles—not just to innovate in stories but also in formats,' he said, adding that the company is exploring micro-dramas, non-fiction formats, and other experimental structures. Kutty noted that bold storytelling today means addressing social complexity within the Indian context—not relying on spectacle. He cited a recent show featuring a flawed, short-tempered protagonist grappling with post-Covid identity issues. The series has since climbed to the top of the platform's charts and is being adapted in multiple Indian languages. Looking ahead, JioStar is placing a deliberate bet on India's youth. While acknowledging that MTV has led the way in Gen Z programming in recent years, Kutty said the broader industry has failed to cater to this cohort adequately. 'For the South, we are committed to increasing our Gen Z programming volume by 7 to 10 times,' he said. Jain agreed, but added that chasing youth audiences must also be economically viable. 'If the industry is to run sustainably, we must drive innovation profitably—and focusing on youth is central to that.' The executives were candid about the broader economic challenges facing India's content industry. Streaming, Kutty said, is locked in a 'broken model.' 'We've escalated prices and seen production costs spike, but consumer demand hasn't kept pace. Producers have become B2B players—serving platforms, not viewers. That disconnect needs to be addressed.' Jain expressed similar concerns about theatrical content. 'People won't go to theatres unless the content is exceptional. Watching a film is a three-hour commitment in an era of 15-second entertainment. That's a big ask,' he said. 'Theatres need to evolve—through pricing, experience, and value delivery.' Despite structural headwinds, both executives remained optimistic about the long-term outlook for Indian content. With a young population, 22 official languages, and what Jain called an 'openness to change,' India remains a high-potential market for both domestic and global media players. 'Authentic storytelling, powered by local emotion but built to scale—that's what we believe will carry Indian content forward,' said Jain. 'And we have barely scratched the surface.'
