BYE-BYE BUNYA

Australian TV producer Bunya Leisure says that Sophia Zachariou will step down as co-managing director, after a five-year stint. Bunya Leisure is one half the Bunya Group of corporations and was established by Zachariou, David Jowsey and Greer Simpkin in 2019. 
 
Zachariou is at present in post-production on “The Workplace” (Amazon) and “Women in Black” (ABC) and can ship these collection earlier than she departs the corporate. Different productions from Bunya Leisure embody the six x half-hour sketch comedy collection “The Moth Impact” (Amazon) and the comedy collection “Good Shorts.”

In 2020 Zachariou additionally created the Bunya Expertise Indigenous Hub, in partnership with Netflix and Display screen Australia, which funded and developed 10 First Nations writers and administrators to additional develop their TV tasks. The Hub was later prolonged to incorporate a partnership with SAFC, Display screen NT and Display screen NSW.
 
Jowsey and Simpkin will proceed as co-MDs of Bunya Leisure. The separate Bunya Group entities, Bunya Productions (“Thriller Street,” “Candy Nation,” “Limbo”) and the distribution firm Darkish Matter, will stay beneath their stewardship.

“We have now beloved [Zachariou’s] vibrant contribution over the previous 5 years. She leaves the corporate in nice form, with a powerful manufacturing and improvement slate.  We want Sophia each success along with her future endeavors,” mentioned Jowsey and Simpkin. 

LOVING LIMBO

“Limbo” was the massive winner on Monday on the Movie Critics Circle of Australia, which handed out its annual FCCA Awards for Australian Movies of 2023 at a ceremony in Sydney. “Limbo” claimed six out of 9 complete awards, together with finest movie and finest director for Ivan Sen. Simon Baker gained one of the best actor prize for his function within the movie. Greatest supporting actor and finest supporting actress have been awarded to Rob Collins and Natasha Wanganeen, respectively, for his or her performances in “Limbo.” 

Zar Amir Ebrahimi gained one of the best actress prize for “Shayda,” with the movie additionally profitable finest screenplay for Noora Niasari.  Rachel Ward took dwelling finest documentary characteristic for “Rachel’s Farm,” which she directed and starred in.

HIGHER ORBIT

Chinese language director Lu Chuan (“Kekexili: Mountain Patrol,” “Metropolis of Life and Loss of life,” “Chronicles of the Ghostly Tribe”) has joined the Stars Collective mentor committee, a part of the Stars Collective movie funding operation in Hollywood that’s operated by China’s Starlight Media.

The Stars-Hana Funding fund is partnering with “main recreation corporations together with Tencent and Tencent-owned DreamSky Know-how, in addition to HYJZ, Forevernine, and different globally famend gaming corporations with a whole lot of tens of millions of customers,” to concurrently develop a collection of video video games.

It reviews that, as producer, it’s creating variations of upcoming movies and IP that embody: “Each Home is Haunted” from Sam Raimi and Roy Lee; “The Burden” from James Wan and Sam Raimi; “Searching Season” from James Wan and Don Murphy; James Wan’s “The Name of Cthulhu,” “Mass Extinction” and “GMO”; “The Goxfather” with Jon Chu; and “Reminiscence Misplaced in Area,” based mostly on the bestsellers by Tong Hua.

Stars Collective holds a 25-year unique picture-related merchandising license within the Better China area for the upcoming “The Garfield Film” encompassing all classes, besides theme park and stage rights.

ENTERTAINING TOKYO

Mitsubishi Property and Tokyo Broadcasting System have damaged floor on an leisure business hub in central Tokyo that can span 205,800 m2 (2.2 million sq. ft) together with workplace, theatre, retail and resort house, property publication Mingtiandi reviews.” We intention to change into a base that delivers one of the best content material to the world, together with establishing services the place entertainment-related corporations, startup corporations, and creators can collect,” the businesses mentioned in a press release. The companions are reported to be committing JPY 200 billion ($1.34 billion) to the mission.

“Positioned in a standard leisure space, Akasaka Leisure Metropolis additionally consists of an 18-storey, 38,150 m2 block which can embody 12 flooring of resort house and 6 ranges for theatres. The builders plan to include a 4,900 m2 plaza linked on to Akasaka station on Tokyo Metro’s Chiyoda Line,” Mingtiandi mentioned.