Billboard Women in Music 2025
CINEMATIC CELEBRATION
Legendary Japanese director Takeshi Kitano‘s samurai epic “Kubi” will open the sixth edition of London’s Queer East Festival on April 23 at BFI Southbank. The festival, running through May 18, will showcase over 100 titles exploring LGBTQ+ experiences across East and Southeast Asia.
Highlights include “Rookie,” about a teenager joining an all-girls volleyball team in the Philippines; “Under the Moonlight,” documenting an Islamic boarding school for transgender women in Indonesia; and the 1968 Japanese underground film “Crazy Love,” shot in Tokyo’s Shinjuku district. Also featured is “Bel Ami,” following a middle-aged Chinese man’s decision to come out, and “Some Nights I Feel Like Walking,” which explores desire and belonging through a teenager’s nighttime journey in Manila.
The festival will close with “Edhi Alice,” a South Korean documentary from filmmaker Ilrhan Kim examining the experiences of trans individuals in Seoul.
This year’s program celebrates activism, community, and queer history. The festival has expanded beyond traditional screenings to include live performances, workshops, and a new “Beyond” strand exploring queer identity in Central Asia, South Asia, and Scotland.
The festival will take place across numerous London venues including Barbican Centre, ICA, and Rich Mix, among others.
STREAMING SYNERGY
Apple TV+ is now available via Prime Video in India as an add-on subscription. Prime members can access the service for INR99 ($1.15) per month, unlocking Apple’s exclusive content library featuring weekly releases.
Subscribers can stream popular titles including comedies like “Ted Lasso” and “Shrinking,” dramas such as “Severance,” “The Morning Show,” “Slow Horses,” and “Disclaimer,” along with sci-fi series “Silo” and hit films “Wolfs” and “The Gorge.”
This expansion follows Apple TV+’s integration with Prime Video in the U.S., Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and regions across Europe and Latin America.
“We’re delighted to continue to roll-out Apple TV+ on Prime Video with the launch in India today,” said Kelly Day, VP of international, Prime Video.
Apple TV+ joins Prime Video India’s extensive lineup of add-on subscription options including Lionsgate Play, Discovery+, BBC Player, and numerous other content providers.
TALENT TRAINING
Netflix is partnering with the U.K.’s National Film and Television School on an expanded Access NFTS program, aimed at creating pathways for state-educated creatives into the film, TV and games industries.
The initiative, running for over five years, will roll out more than 60 events throughout 2025, designed to engage young people from diverse backgrounds in screen industry careers.
Programming includes campus tours at NFTS Beaconsfield, hands-on workshops exploring various production roles, and online sessions highlighting behind-the-camera opportunities.
The partnership launches April 2 with a Sheffield event featuring screenings, talks and workshops led by NFTS students and alumni. Additional events will follow in Beaconsfield, Cardiff, Dundee, Great Yarmouth and Sunderland.
This collaboration builds on Netflix’s existing youth development work, including the IGNITE program with National Youth Theatre, which has supported emerging talent in the West Midlands, North East and London over the past two years.
DOWRY DRAMA
India’s “Dream Girl” filmmaker Raaj Shaandilyaa‘s Kathavachak Films has acquired the life rights of Deeptanshu Shukla for “The Verdict 498A,” a film about an Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, who was falsely accused under Section 498A and then studied law to fight against alleged misuse of India’s dowry harassment statute.
Directed by Bengali-language filmmaker Anindya Bikas Datta (“Bonku Babu”) in his Hindi-language debut, the film aims to shed light on what producers call false accusations under Section 498A, highlighting cases of men who died by suicide while facing such allegations.
“This is not just Deeptanshu’s story — it’s the story of thousands of families suffering in silence,” says Shaandilyaa, who appeals for legal reforms and a “Men’s Protection Act.” Producer Vimal Lahoti describes the project as “more than just a film – it’s a mirror to a harsh reality.”
Currently in pre-production, the film will be shot in Hindi with plans for a pan-India release in five languages.
DOCU DEVELOPMENT
The KIMFF Foundation has announced the inaugural Kathmandu Doc Lab, set to run May 24-28 in Nepal’s capital. The five-day intensive program will select nine promising documentary projects from South Asian filmmakers for development through mentoring sessions, specialized workshops, and pitching opportunities.
The lab features a high-profile mentor lineup including Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Rintu Thomas (“Writing With Fire,” India), award-winning producer Anam Abbas (“In Flames,” Pakistan), and acclaimed documentarian Arun Bhattarai (“Agent of Happiness,” Bhutan).
Participants will gain access to major industry players including IDFA Bertha Fund, Sundance, Visions du Réel, and broadcasters like Deutsche Welle. The program offers $5,000 in cash prizes.
KIMFF has been Asia’s pioneering mountain film festival since 2000. Applications are open until April 5.
