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The Zurich Film Festival will this year present director Edward Berger with its prestigious Golden Eye A Tribute To…Award, honoring his life’s work.

Berger, whose 2022 war epic All Quiet on the Western Front was nominated for 9 Oscars and won 4, is back in the award conversations this year with his latest feature, Conclave. The gripping Vatican-set drama stars Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci and John Lithgow in a behind-the-scenes thriller about the selection of a new pope after the death of the previous pontiff.

“With Conclave, Edward Berger has successfully created a masterpiece,” said Zurich Film Festival artistic director Christian Jungen. “Edward is a master of the classic style who allows his character actors like Ralph Fiennes to give room to their talent and whose directions are entirely intended to serve the story. He is multifaceted, able to navigate a wide range of genres and always manages to find the appropriate style and tone.

Iranian filmmaker Mohammad Rasoulof is set to attend the Cannes premiere of his latest feature, The Seed Of The Sacred Fig, after receiving an eight-year prison sentence from Iranian authorities and fleeing his home country.

Speculation had been rife that the dissident director would attend the festival when the film receives its world premiere in Competition on Friday (May 24), having found asylum in Germany, but Cannes’ general delegate Thierry Fremaux has now confirmed his attendance.

“We are particularly touched to welcome [Rasoulof] here as a filmmaker,” Fremaux said in a statement to Agence France-Presse (Afp).

Our joy will be that of...

International filmmakers are calling for solidarity with Mohammad Rasoulof and persecuted filmmakers in Iran in an open letter, shared with Variety.

Rasoulof – about to screen his latest film “The Seed of the Sacred Fig” in Cannes’ main competition – was sentenced to imprisonment and torture by the Islamic Republic of Iran. He fled the country.

“We condemn the inhumane treatment of Rasoulof and numerous other independent artists in Iran, who are being severely punished, criminalized and silenced for exercising their artistic freedom,” it was stated in the letter, already signed by “Holy Spider” star Zar Amir Ebrahimi, Fatih Akin, Atom Egoyan, Ildiko Enyedi, Andrew Haigh, Agnieszka Holland, Laura Poitras, Sandra Hüller, Sean Baker, Payal Kapadia and Ariane Labed.

“We stand in full solidarity with Rasoulof’s demands and call upon the international film community to raise our voices against an Islamist dictatorship that systematically oppresses every aspect of their society’s lives.

Fresh off a whopping nine Oscar nominations for his Netflix adaptation of “All Quiet on the Western Front,” filmmaker Edward Berger is setting up shop at Fremantle. The company announced on Friday that it has secured a two-year, first-look deal with Nine Hours, the new production label created by Berger and his partner Luke Rivett.

Under the two-year deal, Fremantle will become the primary home for all of Nine Hours’ television projects and will give the global producer and distributor second look access to Berger’s new film pipeline. The new production company was launched by Berger and partner Luke Rivett (“Berlin Station”) with producer Jeanne Tremsal.

“Great drama comes from filmmakers who have an undeniable urge to tell their story,” Berger said in a statement. “We intend to find and nourish these filmmakers in their endeavors to bring their grounded, intelligent and cinematic vision to the screen. We couldn...

Fremantle has struck a two-year, first-look deal with Nine Hours, the new production label set up by Edward Berger, director of the Oscar-nominated “All Quiet on the Western Front,” and his partner Luke Rivett.

Netflix drama “All Quiet on the Western Front” recently scored nine Oscar nominations, including best picture, and a record 14 BAFTA nominations. Berger’s other directing credits include “Patrick Melrose,” “Your Honor,” “ The Terror” and Fremantle’s “Deutschland 83.”

The two-year deal will see Fremantle become the primary home for all of Nine Hours’ television projects. It will also give the super-indie second look access to Berger’s new film pipeline. The new production company was launched by Berger and Rivett with producer Jeanne Tremsal.

The deal with Berger was spearheaded by Fremantle’s Christian Vesper, who was recently promoted to CEO of global drama, and Seb Shorr, executive VP of commercial and business affairs. Lorenzo De Maio assisted on the deal.

All Quiet on the Western Front director Edward Berger has launched a new production label, Nine Hours, and signed a two-year first-look deal with production giant Fremantle.

Berger, riding high on the success of All Quiet, which picked up 9 Oscar nominations, including for best picture, launched the new company together with producing partners Luke Rivett (Corner Office, Berlin Station) and Jeanne Tremsal (So Long Daddy, See you in Hell).

Fremantle’s deal will give the company the first crack at Nine Hours’ television projects and second-look access to Berger’s new film pipeline.

All Quiet on the Western Front, made for Netflix, has been a breakout success this awards season. In addition to its 9 Oscar nominations, the German film is the front-runner for this year’s BAFTA awards, with an astounding 14 nominations. The first-ever German adaptation of Erich Maria Remarque’s classic anti-war novel, the film stars Felix Kammerer, Albrecht Schuch and Daniel Brühl.

Berger has just launched new label with partner Luke Rivett.

Fremantle has agreed a two-year, first-look deal with Nine Hours, the new production label set up by All Quiet On The Western Front director Edward Berger and partner Luke Rivett.

German director Berger recently secured nine Oscar nominations and 14 Bafta nominations for All Quiet On The Western Front. He is also the director of BAFTA winner Patrick Melrose as well as Your Honor, The Terror and Fremantle’s Deutschland 83.

The two-year deal sees Fremantle become the primary home for all of Nine Hours’ television projects. The global producer and...

Oscar-nominated All Quiet on the Western Front director Edward Berger has launched a production outfit and struck a first-look deal with Fremantle.

Berger has forged Nine Hours with partner Luke Rivett (The Tomorrow Man) and producer Jeanne Tremsal and the indie will make global TV and film projects.

Fremantle will house Nine Hours’ TV projects for the next two years as well as being given second-look access to Berger’s new film pipeline.

Berger is fresh off the back of nine Oscar nominations for critically-acclaimed Netflix adaptation All Quiet on the Western Front , which has also secured a record 14 BAFTA noms. Other high-profile credits include Patrick Melrose, Your Honor, The Terror and Deutschland 83, the latter of which he made with Fremantle.

“Great drama comes from filmmakers who have an undeniable urge to tell their story,” said Berger. “We intend to find and...