Nicholas Winding Refn’s ‘Famous Five’ Adaptation Sets Cast; BAFTA Film & TV Committees; Screen Australia Access Program; ‘All Quiet’ Composer Honored – Global Briefs

Nicholas Winding Refn’s ‘Famous Five’ Adaptation Sets Cast

The BBC’s upcoming Famous Five adaptation from Nicholas Winding Refn has set cast and unveiled first look images. Diaana Babnicova will play 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. Joining the five are Jack Gleeson (Game of Thrones) as Wentworth, Ann Akinjirin (Moon Knight) as Fanny, James Lance (Ted Lasso) as Quentin and Diana Quick (Father Brown) as Mrs Wentworth. The series is being co-produced for ZDF and comes from Drive creator Winding Refn’s byNWR along with Moonage Pictures. The show will be based on Enid Blyton’s iconic 21 stories with filming set to take place shortly across the south west of the UK. Famous Five is one of the highest-profile series to come out of the BBC Children’s department in recent years.

BAFTA Sets TV & Film Committee Bosses

BAFTA has set its Film and Television Committee bosses for the next two years. Casarotto Ramsay & Associates new MD Anna Higgs has been re-elected to the Film Committee while UKTV Commissioning Director Hilary Rosen takes on TV. Both are joined by new deputies, Warner Bros’ Emily Stillman on Film and Keshet’s Christine Healy for TV. The pair comprise part of new Chair Sara Putt’s board. Putt was previously heading up the TV Committee. “We are so grateful to our Sector Committee members who are comprised of people from across the screen industries who generously volunteer their time and expertise,” said Putt. Tara Saunders has been reappointed as Chair of the Games Committee alongside deputy chair Des Gayle.

Screen Australia Launches Access Coordinator Program

Screen Australia has launched an Access Coordinator Training Program for up toa. dozen people in the new production role. The bespoke training program will be delivered by UK inclusion consultancy Bridge06 in partnership with the New Zealand Film Commission (NZFC) and multiple other agencies. The Access Coordinator role is an emergent below-the-line crew position, which is becoming more standardized worldwide. Co-ordinators work with film and television productions to bring knowledge and experience in facilitating adjustments for deaf, disabled or neurodivergent talent both in front of and behind the camera. Sara Johnson and Julie Fernandez from Bridge06 train and represent Access Coordinators in the UK and carried out the first formalized training for the role in 2021, funded by British training body ScreenSkills. “This new program is an important step in meeting the increasing need and demand for inclusive jobs and content that speaks to and represents all Australians,” said Screen Australia Head of Industry Development Ken Crouch.

Zurich Film Festival To Honor ‘All Quiet On The Western Front’ Composer

The Zurich Film Festival (ZFF) will honor German composer Volker Bertelmann with a Career Achievement Award for his life’s work, which includes his Oscar-winning original score for All Quiet On The Western Front. The composer and pianist, who also goes under the alias of Hauschka, has racked up more than 60 credits since 2007, creating scores for film and TV shows as diverse as Black Mirror (2023), Memory Of Water (2022), War Sailor (2022), Summerland (2020) and The Perfect Candidate (2019) “Volker Bertelmann is a virtuoso pianist and one of the most significant film composers of our time,” said Christian Jungen, ZFF’s Artistic Director. “He is a master of reinvention, constantly evolving and drawing on his own inspiration to create authentic scores that invariably serve each film’s narrative. With his doom-laden triad for All Quiet On The Western Front, he has created an iconic piece of music that both freezes the blood in our veins and leaves behind an indelible impression. As an artist, Bertelmann is a shining example of how to conquer Hollywood from Europe and thus a perfect role model for many young musicians.” Bertelman will receive the award on September 30 during the 11th International Film Music Competition (IFMC), which takes place under the auspices of the ZFF, running from September 28 to October 9.