FESTIVAL, MARKET
The first edition of India’s Cinevesture International Film Festival and market (Chandigarh, March 27-31) will feature a range of masterclasses and panels headlined by a range of luminaries including filmmakers Shekhar Kapur (“What’s Love Got to Do with It?”) and Karan Johar (“Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani”).
The lineup also includes actors Jaideep Ahlawat (“Paatal Lok”), Roshan Mathew (“Paradise”), Suvinder Vicky (“Kohrra”), Rajshri Deshpande (“Trial by Fire”), Boman Irani (“Dunki”), Rasika Dugal (“Mirzapur”), Abhay Deol (“Trial by Fire”), actor-producers Richa Chadha and Ali Fazal (“Girls Will be Girls”), filmmakers Tahira Kashyap (“Sharmajee Ki Beti”), Sudhir Mishra (“Tanaav”), Ajitpal Singh (“Tabbar”), Anurag Singh (“Kesri”) and Saugata Mukherjee, head of content at streamer SonyLiv.
As previously announced, the India premieres of France’s “The Taste of Things” and Korea’s “Exhuma” will open and close the festival. Former Cannes film market director Jerome Paillard, Indian actor and producer Rana Daggubati and Nicole Guillemet who was co-director of the Sundance Film Festival are on the event’s advisory board. The festival is the brainchild of Nina Lath, who previously headed Film Bazaar, South Asia’s largest co-production market, from 2006 to 2018.
THEATER CASTING
Musical “Fangirls,” the U.K. version of the hit Australian musical, co-produced by Sonia Friedman Productions, will have its British premiere at the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre from July 13-Aug. 24. The initial casting includes Jasmine Elcock (“The Crucible”), Miracle Chance (“The Witches”), Mary Malone (“Burnt at the Stake”), Gracie McGonigal (“The Little Big Things”), Terique Jarrett (“Daddy”), Eve De Leon Allen (“The House with Chicken”), Max Gill (“Bugsy Malone”), Lena Pattie Jones (“She Loves Me”) and Nicky Wong Rush (“The Wedding Singer – The Urdang Academy”).
Book, music and lyrics are by Yve Blake and the musical is directed by Paige Rattray.
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Elsewhere, Matt Henry, best known for his Olivier-winning performance playing Lola in “Kinky Boots,” will play Nigel in the London stage musical adaptation of “The Devil Wears Prada.” He joins the previously announced Vanessa Williams who will play Miranda Priestly.