'Miss Bala' Crowned Mexico's Foreign-Language Oscar Submission

Mexico City -- Mexico has selected Gerardo Naranjo's action-packed Miss Bala as its foreign-language Oscar contender for the 84th Academy Awards.our editor recommendsMiss Bala: Cannes Review'Miss Bala' Gearing Up for Fall Release in MexicoTwentieth Century Fox Nabs Mexico Distribution Rights for 'Miss Bala' Directed and co-written by up-and-comer Naranjo (I'm Gonna Explode), Miss Bala revolves around a beauty pageant contestant who involuntarily gets caught in the middle of a drug war in Baja California. The Mexican film academy said on Thursday that it also has chosen Miss Bala as Mexico's foreign-picture submission for Spain's 26th Goya Awards. The Canana Films-Fox International co-production premiered in Cannes' Un Certain Regard section and it has screened at film fests in Toronto and San Sebastian. At the recent edition of the Tokyo Film Festival, it won best director for Naranjo and best actress for newcomer Stephanie Sigman. Canana Films, the production company owned by actors Gael Garcia Bernal, Diego Luna and producer Pablo Cruz, has produced three of Naranjo's feature films. Should he get the nomination, Naranjo will be looking to become the first Mexican director to bring home an Oscar for best foreign-language picture; eight Mexican features have received nominations in the category since 1957, yet none have won the coveted award. Related Topics Oscars International Oscars 2012 Miss Bala

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Liberty Media Anticipates A Premium Tier For Online Video

It’s “more likely than not”that new online video streaming providers such as Amazon will offer some programming on a premium tier — a contrast with Netflix’s single-pricepackage –Liberty Media CEO Greg Maffei said this morning at the Goldman Sachs Communicopia conference. He broadly hinted that his company’s desire to charge extra for Starzwas a big reason why the premium channel recently ended negotiations to extend its carriage deal with Netflix. The current arrangement, he says,is “inconsistent” with theway consumers receive Starz on pay TV. More broadly, Maffei says that Liberty is on track to split off its Liberty Capital and Liberty Starz tracking stocks by tomorrow now that it has beat back a court challenge by bondholders.The dealtransfers some assets to the spun-off companies, violating some bond agreements. But the Delaware Supreme Court yesterday upheld a lower court decision that said the split-off is OK because it isn’t part of what it called an “overall scheme” to hurt bondholders. That likely won’t change the overall strategy for the company that’s controlled by the famously tax-averse former cable titan John Malone — and that some analysts say is little more than a portfolio of stock holdings. “Finding things to buy at attractive prices is the biggest chalenge we have today,” Maffei says. In addition to repurchasing Liberty shares, the company has “looked at things that are downtrodden,” he says. That’s how Liberty came to own major stakes in Sirius XM and Barnes & Noble.Liberty tried to buy the book store chain because it likes the potential of e-book sales for it Nook e-reader and “we think the retail business is likely to decline at a slower rate than people anticipate.” Talks fell apart when B&N wanted a higher price just as “the financial markets were moving away from us.” Maffei says that at QVC “we are doing surprisingly well in the U.S. given what consumer confidence is.” The company’s focusing more on consumer electronics than jewelry, but still wants to target women. It also wants toavoid comparisons with Amazon, which Maffei calls “a fearsome, strong competitor.” Liberty might consider going after HSN, but “not at today’s price.”

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RAINN shields within the storm

Network's Berit Francis with Marilyn and Jeffrey Katzenberg .Amy Brenneman and KaDee Strickland The Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network situated an intimate fund-raiser at WeHo's Soho House that presented the close pals of Jeffrey Katzenberg, Jason Behr, KaDee Strickland and Carol Robinson Peete.Though Julie Andrews was unable to produce the Sept. 15 RAINN event, Katzenberg recognized to her cordially as "most likely the most wonderful lady...there is no better individual on the planet!InchSo when Strickland needed for the mic, she switched through her printed speech and reminded party site visitors, "A girl's gotta have a very piece of paper when she's wearing tall rearfoot footwear."

'Human Centipede II' Director Doesn't Mind Torture Porn Label

The already controversial 'Human Centipede II (Full Sequence)' debuts at Fantastic Fest in Austin, Texas on Thursday before hitting theaters via IFC on Oct. 7, and director Tom Six is ready for the coming barbs about his disgusting horror sequel being the latest in a long line of much-criticized torture porn. "I don't have any problem with that, because I actually like the term," Six told Dave Itzkoff in a new interview with the NY Times blog ArtsBeat. "I see porno films, of course, and I like them, I have no problem with that at all. And there have been so many horror films, and that's all torture and misery. That's the genre. I kind of like that they combine it. I think my film is a torture porn with European art sauce or something." Yum? [NYT/ArtsBeat]

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'Captain America' DVD Trailer Has Sneak Peek at 'Avengers'

As if you weren't excited enough for the DVD release of 'Captain America: The First Avenger' two extras make the package look even more attractive: a new peek at 'The Avengers' set with director Joss Whedon and a short film about Clark Gregg's surprisingly badass Agent Coulson from S.H.I.E.L.D. See the DVD trailer ahead. [via EW] photo courtesy of Paramount

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Murdoch seeks cope with Dowler family

LONDON -- Rupert Murdoch could make an individual donation to charitable organisation of just one million ($1.57 million) included in funds being agreed with your family of among the sufferers of phone hacking through the News around the globe. The household of killed British teen Milly Dowler, whose phone was compromised with a private eye utilized by the U.K. tabloid, means near to saying yes an offer with News Worldwide. The settlement will apparently also involve the Dowlers receiving around $3.14 million, an amount that dwarfs other amounts compensated to sufferers of phone hacking. News Worldwide told the BBC it was "in advanced discussions using the Dowler family." It had been the thought on This summer 4 that Dowler's mobile was compromised which messages around the device have been erased, giving the household false hope that Milly was still being alive following her disappearance in 2002, which was the tipping reason for the hacking and police corruption scandal. The thought unleashed a wave of public anger within the U.K. and overseas. Within days, News Worldwide closed this news around the globe. Public opinion am hostile that News Corp. was instructed to abandon its bid to possess British paybox BSkyB outright. How much money on offer to Milly's household is thought to become a record for this type of situation. Murdoch has apologized frequently for that News around the globe intercepting messages left on Milly's phone. In other pay outs made to date within the scandal, the actress Sienna Burns was compensated $157,000, while PR consultant Max Clifford pocketed $1.57 million. Contact the range newsroom at news@variety.com

ABC News Change: Longtime World News Air Jon Banner Moves Up, Michael Corn Replaces Him

Jon Banner, that has been the executive producer of ABC’s World News for eight years, is shifting to some senior executive producer role to supervise special larger initiatives at ABC News, division leader Ben Sherwood introduced today. He'll be changed as Air of World News Tonight With Diane Sawyer by senior producer Michael Corn. Sherwood revealed this news within an email, saying of Banner, “Given Jons deep associations across the organization, his formidable understanding from the news business and the can-do spirit, he'll be a bulldozer within our drive to unite this organization having a common voice and mission. Jon will even continue like a leader for the 2012 political coverage and special occasions.” Corn and Sherwood labored together on Hello America.