FilmBunch | The worldwide film business, explained.

Wednesday 28 October 2026

Wednesday 28 October 2026Latest

Yesterday Spain’s ICAA awards €31.5m to 70 film projects, and its 5 largest grants go to animation
Yesterday Emily Atef’s Call Me Queen opens in 4 East African markets on 30 October, then streams
Yesterday Brett Morgen’s David Bowie concert experience Stage to premiere with Berlinale 2027
Yesterday Tokyo Vice producer Alex Boden urges Japan to lower its ¥800m ($5.1m) incentive floor
Yesterday Faith drama Agbara Nla: The Return passes NGN408m ($304,000) in Nigeria, Nile says
Yesterday Disney+ will carry Channel 4’s main channel and new shows in the UK and Ireland from 2027
Yesterday Matloub Aelian passes EGP52m ($930,000) in Egypt as a new comedy takes the daily lead
Yesterday Parallax takes world sales on Fuxi and DNEG reportedly co-finances Sinbad before TIFFCOM

Courtesy of Alhena Production

Spain Money & Policy

Spain’s ICAA awards €31.5m to 70 film projects, and its 5 largest grants go to animation

The pot is smaller than 2025’s €37m for 98 projects. Five animated features take €1m each, and 31 of the 70 winners are directed solely by women.

27 October 20264 min read

Photo: Firul Maithya / Ringel Film. Courtesy of Filmreederei

East Africa Distribution & Streaming

Emily Atef’s Call Me Queen opens in 4 East African markets on 30 October, then streams
Courtesy of Wonderworld and the David Bowie Estate

Germany Festivals & Markets

Brett Morgen’s David Bowie concert experience Stage to premiere with Berlinale 2027
Photo: Akonnchiroll / CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped

Japan Money & Policy

Tokyo Vice producer Alex Boden urges Japan to lower its ¥800m ($5.1m) incentive floor

Saturday analysis

Who is actually taking films to audiences?

A film finds a buyer and everyone shares the headline. Then it gets harder to follow. Five cases from recent weeks, the companies doing the work, and what is still only promised.

3 October 20265 min read
Read the analysis: Who is actually taking films to audiences?
1. 01Key facts

The week in the business

All stories →

Box Office

Nigeria

Faith drama Agbara Nla: The Return passes NGN408m ($304,000) in Nigeria, Nile says

Mount Zion’s remake of its early-1990s gospel classic is now Nollywood’s second-biggest release of 2026, behind only Call of My Life, its distributor says.

Festivals & Markets

Japan

Sanae Takaichi backs Japanese film at Tokyo festival, restating ¥20tn ($127bn) goal

The prime minister’s video message restated film’s place in Japan’s growth strategy. The trade ministry wants a far bigger content budget for 2027. December’s budget round is the next test.

Money & Policy

US

SAG-AFTRA’s streaming bonus fund will pay $1.5m to about 700 performers

The first payout covers 2024 streaming releases and reaches well under 1% of the union, as dues relief ends and the board extends its chief executive’s contract to 2032.

Distribution & Streaming

UK

Disney+ will carry Channel 4’s main channel and new shows in the UK and Ireland from 2027

New Channel 4 series such as Maya will reach Disney+ on the day they air. Neither company has disclosed the price or how many new shows a year the deal covers.

Across the regions

Lionsgate forms joint venture with Steven Paul’s SP Media, whose films it will distribute

SP Media puts capital into a Lionsgate-controlled venture that backs 3 Arts and new businesses, and will produce independent features for the studio to distribute.

More from North America →

You Can See Everything will have its Italian premiere at the Torino Film Festival

Nathan Fielder and Lance Oppenheim’s Elizabeth Holmes documentary heads to Turin after IDFA and Stockholm. I Wonder Pictures will release it in Italy.

More from Europe →

Parallax takes world sales on Fuxi and DNEG reportedly co-finances Sinbad before TIFFCOM

One deal covers a hand-painted Sichuan fantasy in Tokyo’s competition, the other a sailor epic not due until 2029. No prices or new budgets were disclosed.

More from Asia-Pacific →

Middle East & Africa

Matloub Aelian passes EGP52m ($930,000) in Egypt as a new comedy takes the daily lead

Karim Abdel Aziz’s family comedy has sold 336,400 tickets in 19 days. In Saudi Arabia it has taken about SAR9.3m ($2.48m) in three weeks.

More from Middle East & Africa →

Brazilian cinema chains will sell tickets for local films at R$12 ($2.40) for a week

Exhibitors’ first Festival do Cinema Brasileiro runs from 29 October to 4 November, with a fixed price for Brazilian features in standard screens across the country.

More from Latin America →

The number Week of 28 September

73.1%

Domestic films’ share of Korean admissions in the fourth week of September, as local titles took the top two places.

The diary

Coming up: markets, festivals, release dates

11 DecThe World of Love opens in Japan
15 Jan 2027River opens in the US (Universal)

Fewer stories, each one explained.

FilmBunch Daily

Weekday mornings. Five stories from every territory, and our reading of them.

FilmBunch Saturday

One researched analysis of the companies, deals and routes to audiences behind the week’s news.

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