CASTING
Casting for the beloved “Famous Five” stories of Enid Blyton, which are being reimagined for the BBC and ZDF by Nicolas Winding Refn, has been revealed.
Diaana Babnicova is playing the role of George, alongside Elliott Rose as Julian, Kit Rakusen as Dick, Flora Jacoby Richardson as Anne, playing George’s cousins who come to stay at Kirrin Cottage.
Making up the fifth member of the “Famous Five” is Kip, the Bearded Collie Cross playing Timmy the dog. The cast also includes Jack Gleeson (“Game of Thrones”), Ann Akinjirin (“Moon Knight”), James Lance (“Ted Lasso”) and Diana Quick (“Father Brown”).
The 3 x 90′ series is based on the 21 “Famous Five” novels and short stories Blyton wrote between 1942 and 1963. The series follows five daring young explorers as they encounter treacherous, action-packed adventures, remarkable mysteries, unparalleled danger and astounding secrets. It is created for television and executive produced by Winding Refn (byNWR) and Matthew Read (Moonage Pictures), in co-production with ZDF in Germany.
The first episode is directed by Tim Kirkby (“Fleabag”), Asim Abbasi (“Churails”) will direct the second episode and Bill Eagles (“Beautiful Creatures”) will direct the third episode. BBC Studios, who have a minority stake in Moonage, will oversee international distribution and has presold the series to France’s TF1.
Filming is currently underway across the southwest of the U.K.
COMMITTEES
Anna Higgs, managing director of Casarotto Ramsay & Associates, has been re-elected as chair of BAFTA’s Film Committee, having held the position of chair for the previous two years, and deputy chair two years prior. Higgs will serve alongside Emily Stillman, senior VP at Warner Bros. Studio Leavesden, who has been newly elected deputy chair. Hilary Rosen, director of commissioning at UKTV, has been newly elected as chair of BAFTA’s Television Committee. Christine Healy, COO of Keshet Productions U.K., has been newly elected deputy chair. As previously announced, Sara Putt was appointed by the board as chair of BAFTA in June. Tara Saunders continues as chair of the Games Committee, alongside deputy chair Des Gayle.
THAILAND IN MEXICO
Thai auteur Apichatpong Weerasethakul will deliver a masterclass at the Cineteca Nacional de México on July 29. The masterclass will be followed by a screening of Weerasethakul’s “Memoria,” after which he will participate in a Q&A. After the public events, Weerasethakul will begin a lab (Aug. 2-11) with 50 emerging talents from 25 different countries, who will develop a short film each under a methodology created by Abbas Kiarostami, adapted by Werner Herzog and now revisited by the Thai auteur. The methodology will be implemented in an environment designed by the PlayLab Films team.
AWARD
The Zurich Film Festival (Sept. 28 – Oct. 10) will honor the German composer Volker Bertelmann, Oscar winner for “All Quiet on the Western Front,” with its career achievement award. He will receive the award on Sept. 30 during the 11th International Film Music Competition at which he is this year’s jury president.
