Max is dead, long live HBO
Plus: The news from Cannes; CNN Films is back; Mubi takes on A24
Happy Thursday, friends.
Spring has sprung, Cannes has kicked off, and everything old is new again. What happened inside Warner Bros. Discovery this week?
HBO Max lives! RIP, Max.
CNN Films is back! With Chevy Chase and a cancer doc.
Tucci returns to Italy! This time on NatGeo’s dime. Keep searching, Stanley.
Let’s dive into what else came (back) into the world this week.
Roll of Honor
Premieres, Awards, and More. Say hi to featured Portrait members on the Portrait app.
What to Watch This Weekend
Campus Protests and Surreal Comedies
Deaf President Now! “Deaf individuals across the globe took up the cause, unified in their anger after generations of being underestimated. Deaf President Now! honors that struggle” (AV Club). Jonathan Furmanski, Cinematographer; Jacob Bloomfield-Misrach, Michel Holbrook, Jim LeBrecht, Greg Francis, Sound Department; Mars Feehery, Cailin Grantham, Elsa Ramo, Sean Drummond, Kelsey Carr, David Magdael, Production; Ariel Kaplan, Graphics; Carmen Delaney, Camera Operator; Andrea Chlebak, Colorist.
Sister Midnight. “A surreal Mumbai fable with an aggressive comedic rhythm” (Variety). Alan McAlex, Alastair Clark, Producers; Heeral Gandhi, Supervising Producer.
Frustrated Homecomings and Found Families
To Live and Die and Live. “Stylistically, To Live and Die and Live is cut down to the bone… with a vital terseness that both frustrates and keeps you on your toes” (Deadline). Dana Offenbach, ProducerAndre Kelman, Supervising Sound Editor; Kareem Mortimer, Trevite Willis, Executive Producers; Janet Pound, Casting; Paul Byrne, Colorist.
Bound. “A ruthless yet compassionate story of perseverance”(Cinemacy). Andrés Marthe, re-recording mixer / supervising sound editor; Jeff Spivack, Post Producer; Ai Miyatake, Sound Effects Editor; Nathan Hasz, Chief Audio Engineer; Ramfis Myrthil, Special Thanks.
What We’re Reading: Asking the Big Questions
Is Mubi Really Worth $1 Billion? The plan to make the streamer cooler than A24.
Streaming Is … Stable? The view from inside Q1 earnings reports.
Who needs lightsabers? An examination of what fans really want following the finale of the acclaimed Andor season.
On the Circuit: The View from the Croisette
Your Cannes ABCs, from Alpha to Yes! This year’s must-see films.
What to watch for in 2025. A Hollywood-heavy lineup, actors in the director’s chair, and more.
Who’s on the ground at Cannes? Jump into the Portrait app to see who’s attending from the industry, with full profiles. DM to meet up all week.
One day in, Cannes has its first raved-about film. Let the bidding wars begin for Mascha Schilinski’s Sound Of Falling.
The Acquisitions Beat
We Bury The Dead, post-apocalyptic thriller starring Daisy Ridley, acquired by Vertical. Steve Annis, DP; Anna-Nora Bernstein, Ross Dinerstein, Josh Harris, Producers; DJ Jiang, Philip Hunt, Nicholas Erickson, Nathan Klingher, Ford Corbett, Ari Novak, Lee Broda, EPs; Kym Jackson, Actor
Robin And The Hoods, starring Gwendoline Christie, acquired by Shout! Studios. Lee Herrick, Sound Editor; Karol Griffiths, EP.
Love, Brooklyn, Sundance drama starring André Holland, acquired by Greenwich. Martim Vian, Cinematographer; Liz Niles, EP; Davone Alexis, Editorial; Roman Hankewycz, Colorist
Fantasy Life, Matthew Shear’s SXSW prize-winner, acquired by Greenwich. Christopher Bear, Music; Katie Fleming, Production Designer; Emily McCann Lesser, Producer; Samantha Rattner, Costume Designer; Emily Rucker, Casting; David Belizario, Asst. Editor.
Selena Y Los Dinos, doc feature, acquired By Netflix. Isabel Castro, Director; Lorena Duran, Cinematographer; Cassandra Giraldo, Additional Cinematography; David Blackman, Daniel Torres, Producers; Alma Herrera-Pazmiño, Additional Editor; Camilo Lara, Music; Kendall Marianacci, Associate Producer; Tom Paul, Re-Recording Mixer.
Window of Opportunity 🔎
Closing Soon: May Deadlines
Have an opportunity to share? Post it on the app or fill out our form.
Miller / Packan Film Fund (5/15 deadline)
SFFILM RAININ Grant (5/16 deadline)
SFFILM Sloan Stories of Science Fund (5/16 deadline)
CAAM Building Bridges Doc Fund (5/18 deadline)
PIC Media Fund (5/23 deadline)
The Women’s List (5/31 deadline)
1497 Features Lab (6/1 deadline)
The Black List 2025 Annual Labs (6/1 deadline)
Select Jobs/Gigs Roundup
Have a job to share? Share it on the app or fill out our form.
VP, Marketing & Distribution Technology, Sony Pictures
Vice President, Development, Warner Bros. Discovery
EVP Social Media, Minds + Asssembly
Script Reader, Austin Film Festival
Social Video Producer, National Geographic
Experiential Strategist, Vox Media
Executive Editor, Them, Conde Nast
End Credits: Portrait Post of the Week
Until next week, friends. See you on the Portrait app.
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