Reuters Entertainment News Summary

Following is a summary of current entertainment news briefs.

'Tin Drum' director Schloendorff returns to Cannes with film on Germany's turbulent past

German filmmaker Volker Schloendorff said the Cannes Film Festival shows how cinema continues to evolve, as he returned to the Croisette ​with a new film rooted in Germany's turbulent past nearly 50 years since "The Tin Drum" won the top prize. "The festival proves every time that film still exists, ​that it continues to evolve, that it is far, far more diverse than what we're usually offered," the 87-year-old ‌director told ​Reuters.

Shakira acquitted of tax fraud, court orders Spain to hand back $70 million

Spain's High Court has acquitted Colombian pop star Shakira of tax fraud and overturned the 55 million euro ($64 million) fine imposed in 2021 by the Spanish tax agency, according to a court document seen by Reuters on Monday. Acting on an appeal by the "Hips Don't Lie" singer, the court ordered the Treasury to reimburse her with over 60 million euros ($70 million), including interest, Shakira's defence said.

Indian broadcaster Zee posts quarterly loss as Middle East crisis hits ad spending

India's Zee Entertainment Enterprises ‌reported a quarterly loss on Tuesday, as clients tightening their advertising budgets following the Middle East crisis and higher overall expenses pressured the broadcaster's margins. Advertising revenues for March were "severely impacted" by the ongoing Middle East conflict as advertisers held back spends near the quarter-end, Mukund Galgali, deputy CEO and chief financial officer, said in a post-earnings call.

Nicolas Winding Refn returns to Cannes with dark fable 'Her Private Hell'

Danish filmmaker Nicolas Winding Refn returned to the Cannes Film Festival 15 years after his breakthrough hit "Drive" with a dark new fable shaped by what he described as the hidden narratives driving modern media consumption. "I love the idea of juxtapositions of narratives," he told Reuters, recalling how he loved flicking between TV channels as a child because it allowed him to go between worlds - an ‌experience now echoed with social media's endless scroll.

Bulgaria wins Eurovision Song Contest, Israel comes second again

Bulgaria won the Eurovision Song Contest for the first time on Saturday in a final overshadowed by five countries' boycott over Gaza, claiming a dramatic victory despite another big public vote for Israel that again secured it second place. The garish and usually good-natured competition ‌involving pop acts from countries across Europe and beyond, now in its 70th year, was plunged into crisis by a dispute over Israel's military offensive in Gaza, a response to the Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023.

Javier Bardem slams 'toxic masculinity' portrayed in Cannes entry 'The Beloved'

Oscar-winning actor Javier Bardem denounced the aggressive masculinity at the heart of his new Cannes Film Festival competition entry "The Beloved" on Sunday, calling it a destructive force he hopes growing awareness can help end. Bardem stars in director Rodrigo Sorogoyen's drama about a hard-driving director who casts his estranged daughter in his new movie , reopening grievances borne of anger and ego.

Kylie Minogue looks back on life in pop music in new documentary

Kylie Minogue opens up about her life in pop music for new documentary "KYLIE", looking back on her career as well as the personal challenges she has faced such as the scrutiny when she was starting out and overcoming breast cancer. The three-part ⁠series, which premieres on ​Netflix on Wednesday, sees the "Spinning Around" and "Padam Padam" singer share videos and photos from her personal archive ⁠and talk about her rise to stardom.

Bulgarians cheer 'Bangaranga' and the country's first Eurovision win

Bulgarians celebrated on Sunday their country's surprise first win in the Eurovision Song Contest as they welcomed home Dara, who triumphed with her catchy, crowd-pleasing, optimistic dance track "Bangaranga". "This victory means a great deal to me," Dara said as she arrived on Sunday evening at Sofia airport, where cheering crowds of fans including children greeted her with flowers, waving Bulgarian flags and chanting "Dara" and "Bangaranga".

Korea's Na ⁠Hong-jin already plans sequel to highly anticipated Cannes sci-fi 'Hope'

Korean director Na Hong-jin has already sketched out a sequel to his sci-fi thriller "Hope," he said on Monday, a day after the film that took eight years to make premiered at the Cannes Film Festival. "I've actually written the story down. I'd love to make it, and if the opportunity arises, I'll certainly have to," Na told journalists.

UK's Channel 4 removes 'Married at First ​Sight' show after BBC report

British broadcaster Channel 4 removed all previous seasons of "Married at First Sight" - one of its flagship reality shows - on Monday after a BBC report detailing allegations of rape during the filming of the series. Channel 4, a publicly owned but commercially funded broadcaster, said it had launched a review into contributor welfare ⁠on the show, which is made by independent production company CPL, in April.

Canal+ threatens to blacklist French film industry figures after Bollore criticism

A top media group in France has threatened to blacklist 600 cinema professionals after they criticised its top shareholder, conservative tycoon Vincent Bollore, and his growing footprint across France's cultural sector. The spat underlines the strength of political polarisation in France ahead of next year's presidential election, while also tapping into thorny questions over how the country's film industry ⁠is ​funded at a time of growing media consolidation and tight public finances.

Gay animated feature 'Jim Queen' takes comedic spin on serious topic at Cannes

"Jim Queen," a kinetic French adult animated film about a virus that turns gay men straight, was born of its creators' desire to reflect their experiences in the gay community, including its stigmas and subcultures, through humour. "We were young, two young gay guys, going out all the time to bars, to parties, and what we were experiencing was not very shown in shows or in animation," said director Marco Nguyen at the Cannes Film Festival, where it premiered out of competition on Sunday night.

Sebastian Stan 'rebonds' with his Romanian past in Cannes family drama 'Fjord'

For Romanian-born U.S. actor Sebastian Stan, the Cannes Film Festival ⁠drama "Fjord", centred around the clash of values that ensues when a religious family relocates from Romania to a Norwegian village, has allowed him to reconnect with his roots.

"I left in a very chaotic way, and I've really tried to educate myself about the country," Stan told journalists on Tuesday, a day after the premiere of the film ⁠that he said had provided the chance "to rebond" with the country of his birth.

Actor Jon Voight met ⁠with Trump to advocate for Hollywood tax incentives

Actor Jon Voight met with President Donald Trump earlier this year to advocate for a federal tax credit intended to help boost film and TV production in the United States, representatives of the actor said on Monday. The previously undisclosed meeting at the White House on February 11 is part of a Hollywood effort to secure federal assistance to fight the flight of production overseas.

Julianne Moore warns gender equality still distant at Cannes event

Oscar winner Julianne Moore said true gender equality remains a distant goal as ‌she accepted an award on Sunday night for championing women in ‌film at an elegant soiree removed from the Cannes Film Festival red carpet bustle. Guests, including Daisy Edgar Jones, Sebastian Stan, Colman Domingo and Odessa A'zion, sipped champagne as they overlooked the French Riviera ​town's yacht-filled bay from the historic Place de la Castre ahead of the ceremony.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)