Day: April 27, 2022

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Charli D’Amelio, Social Media’s Biggest Star, to Star in Ryan Kavanaugh’s Proxima Media New Film Franchise ‘Home School’

Second Proxima film to list on the entertainment stock exchange (ESX.io,) allowing fans to buy into the film
Not since ‘The Six Sense’ reveal will audiences be this shocked

LOS ANGELES, April 26, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Home School, the first in an eight-film franchise of supernatural thrillers starring two-time Kids Choice Award winner Charli D’Amelio, will be produced by EGOT nominee (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony) Ryan Kavanaugh—directed by F. Javier Gutierrez.

Kavanaugh has brought more than 200 feature films, and 40 TV shows to audiences worldwide, and this will be the second film to list on the entertainment stock exchange, esx.io.

Award-winning visionary horror film director F. Javier Gutiérrez (Before the Fall, Rings) has come on board to direct. Home School marks the live-action feature film debut of D’Amelio, the first TikTokker to accrue 100 million followers on the platform. Production is set to begin July 2022.

Charli shot to global fame on TikTok after posting dance videos in 2019. Since exploding on the app, Charli has parlayed her success into other ventures. She appeared in a 2020 Super Bowl ad for Sabra Hummus and danced in a Jennifer Lopez music video. In September of last year, Hulu launched The D’Amelio Show docuseries, starring Charli and her family, which has already been picked up for a second season. Charli co-created her own clothing line Social Tourist and has worked with major fashion brands, including Louis Vuitton and Prada. Charli was also the youngest star to appear on Time Magazine’s NEXT list.

In Home School, Charli will play ‘Mira,’ a 17-year-old who moves to a different town to live with her aunt after her mother passes away. After arriving in what seems like the all-too-perfect town, Mira soon discovers that her mother’s death and her own future are intertwined supernaturally.

“As soon as I read Home School, I knew it was for me. I connected with the character, Mira, the story, the script, and the team. I knew if I was going to do a movie, it needed to be something fun, edgy, and fresh,” Charli says. “While the role will certainly be challenging and push me to learn to act and become Mira, it’s a fun ride and meant to be fun to make and fun to watch. I also wanted to make sure I surrounded myself with a great team.”

“When Ryan and I met while developing The Crow remake with Luke Evans, we knew we wanted to foster a creative partnership further. I’m thrilled for Home School to mark our first official project together,” explains director F. Javier Gutiérrez. “With its compelling visuals and a strong psychological element, I think Home School has the potential to be a modern classic. I can’t wait to work alongside Charli and the Proxima team.”

Gutiérrez, a two-time nominee for the best European Fantastic Film award, shot to movie fame with his horror film, Rings, the third installment of The Ring franchise, that opened #2 at the U.S. box office and was praised by Koji Suzuki, author of The Ring novels. His short Brasil, won top honors and numerous awards, including winning the Universal Studios Film Master Award for Best European Director. After its North American premiere at AFI Fest, the film came to the attention of the U.S. industry, landing #3 on the Hollywood International Watchlist. That same year, Before the Fall got an offer for a remake from the late legendary filmmaker Wes Craven. Early in his career, Gutiérrez established himself as a horror filmmaker to watch when his first short film, Brasil, which he directed, wrote, and produced in 2002, also won the Sitges Film Festival, one of the world’s foremost international festivals, specializing in fantasy and horror.

“We’ve been developing this project for a few years to bring something new and exciting to the screen,” says Ryan Kavanaugh. “Having Javier direct and Charli star is the perfect package. We are going for ‘The Sixth Sense’ meets ‘Get Out,’” said Kavanaugh.

Home School is written by Casey Giltner, a Minneapolis-based screenwriter whose script On the First Day of Christmas was featured on the 2021 BloodList and was recently picked up by Village Roadshow and Brillstein Entertainment Partners. SVP of Production at Proxima, Daniel Herther, who shepherded the development of Home School, will be producing as well. Kavanaugh’s partner Bobby Sarnevesht and Marc, Heidi, and Dixie D’Amelio will serve as executive producers.

Charli D’Amelio is repped by UTA’s Steve Cohen and Kevin Yorn of Morris, Yorn, Barnes, Levine, Krintzman, Rubenstein, Kohner, Endlich & Gellman. Proxima and Kavanaugh are repped by Neil Sacker of Sacker Entertainment Law. F. Javier Gutiérrez is represented by UTA’s Michael Sheresky and Nick Shumaker of Anonymous Content. Stephen Clark of Lichter Grossman Nichols Adler Feldman & Clark negotiated the deal on behalf of F. Javier Gutiérrez.

About Proxima and Ryan Kavanaugh
Founder of Proxima Media, the controlling shareholder of Triller, Ryan Kavanaugh is one of the most accomplished, prolific, and honored executives in entertainment industry history. Using an intelligent financial model of film finance, he was dubbed the creator of “Moneyball for movies.” He produced, distributed, and/or structured financing for more than 200 films, generating more than $20 billion in worldwide box office revenue and earning 60 Oscar nominations. He is the 25th highest-grossing film producer of all time. His productions include Fast and Furious 2-6, 300, Social Network, Limitless, Fighter, Talladega Nights, Step Brothers, and Mama Mia! Kavanaugh and Proxima pioneered an innovative finance deal for post-bankruptcy Marvel, making the studio and finance structure that led to Marvel Cinematic Universe. He built the SVOD (streaming) category with Netflix, which boosted that company’s market capitalization from $2 to $10 billion. Kavanaugh is the co-founder of Triller, one of the three fastest-growing creator platforms. He recently led the acquisition, merger, and re-launch of the social media and music app.

He also created the powerhouse television company, now known as Critical Content, producing hit shows like Catfish on MTV and Limitless on CBS, which he sold for $200M. The company had 40 television series across 19 networks before its sale. Kavanaugh has earned several achievements and awards, from Variety’s Producer of the Year Award to The Hollywood Reporter’s Leadership Award, from Fortune’s 40 Under 40 Most Influential People in Business to Forbes’ Fortune 400, Billion-Dollar Producer by the Daily Variety and the 100 Most Influential People in the World by Vanity Fair.

About Entertainment Stock Exchange (“ESX”)
Entertainment Stock X (ESX), a first-of-its-kind platform allowing users and fans to invest in film and entertainment projects via the Jobs Act, is an innovative platform for financing entertainment. The company fills the need for new and more efficient financing for filmmakers. ESX allows filmmakers to generate a valuable direct marketing relationship with fans and will enable fans to invest in film for the first time. More information is available on ESX.io

Media Contact

Michelle Vieyra
Jive PR + Digital
202-415-7714
michelle@jiveprdigital.com
www.jiveprdigital.com

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Envision Energy Awarded 2000 MW Wind Turbine Contract in India

DELHI, India, April 26, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Envision Energy today announced that it has been awarded a 2000 MW wind turbine order in India. The 596 wind turbines, all manufactured in Envision’s India factory, will be delivered by the end of 2023.

Envision will supply and commission its state-of-the-art EN156/3.3 wind turbines for the projects. EN 156/3.3 has a 156m rotor – the largest in the country. This rotor is coupled with a 3.3MW generator and a hub height of 140m. This design is uniquely suited to maximize energy produced from the low wind regimes predominant in the country.

Envision invested $25M USD to establish its 1200 MW-capacity nacelle and hub assembly plant at Pune in 2018. To meet the increased market demands, Envision will be ramping up to double the current capacity. Envision is also building a blade factory in India, which is expected to be completed by Q1 of 2023.

Envision’s existing projects in India, the 198MW Khagashree wind farm and 35MW Kagvard wind farm equipped with EN- 131/2.5MW wind turbines, have been in operation since May and October 2019 respectively. So far, these projects have generated more than 1.76 billion kWh clean energy for the region.

“Envision India is proud to contribute towards India’s commitment to achieve 500 GW and 50% energy requirement from renewable energy sources by 2030. With the growth of our wind and energy storage business, we are expecting to recruit more than 300 employees locally to meet the growing needs of the country as well as the newer markets of the Asia Pacific region.” says R P V Prasad, Country Head – India Region.

According to Kane Xu, Managing Director of Envision India and Global Vice President, “We are delighted with the confidence our partner in India has in us, and we are proud to continue delivering our best solutions in India. Being an expert in utilizing digital technologies, we are able to maximize efficiency, save cost, and innovate fast to better serve our customers. In addition to wind power, we are also bringing our energy storage, digital, and other net-zero solutions to our customers, to help accelerate the energy transition, globally. ”

About Envision Group

Envision Group is a world-leading green technology company and net zero technology partner. With the mission of “solving the challenges for the sustainable future of humankind”. Envision designs, sells, and operates smart wind turbines and smart storage system through Envision Energy; AIoT-powered batteries through Envision AESC; and the world’s largest AIoT operating system through Envision Digital. It also owns Envision Racing Formula E team. Envision continues to promote wind and solar power as the “new coal”, batteries and hydrogen fuel as the “new oil”, the AIoT network as the “new grid”, the net-zero industrial parks to the “new infrastructure”, and to promote the construction and cultivation of green “new industry”.

Envision Group was ranked among the Top 10 of the 2019 ‘World’s 50 Smartest Companies’ by the MIT Technology Review. In October 2021, Envision was ranked second in the world on the Fortune “Change the World” list. Envision Group joined the global ‘RE100’ initiative and became the first company in mainland China committed to 100% renewable electricity by 2025.On April 22, 2021, Envision Group announced it will achieve carbon neutral in operations by 2022 and achieve carbon neutral throughout its value chain by 2028.

For more information, please visit www.envision-group.com

Media Contact: Jessica Koerner, jessica.koerner@envision-energy.com

Logo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/747745/Envision_Logo.jpg

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Chinese Lending to Africa Falls During First Year of Pandemic

hinese loans to African governments plunged by more than three-quarters in the first year of the pandemic compared to the year before, researchers have found, with new loan commitments in 2020 at their lowest level in 16 years.

That could be due to Chinese lenders taking more precautions at the outset of the pandemic and focusing on domestic priorities, as well as African countries being less willing to borrow, the study by Boston University’s Global Development Policy Center found.

Chinese lending in 2020 fell to $1.9 billion, the study released this week showed, with only 11 new loan commitments recorded. That’s compared to the 32 loans signed in 2019 worth some $8.2 billion.

“As the pandemic continues to wreak havoc on livelihoods within China and the debt position of some African countries, shifts in financing types and sources are expected for future Chinese financing to Africa,” the report said.

China is sub-Saharan Africa’s biggest single creditor and, in the two decades since 2000, has signed 1,188 loans worth $160 billion with 49 African governments, state-owned enterprises and regional organizations.

Despite the downturn, Oyintarelado Moses, one of the study’s authors, told VOA that Chinese loans to Africa would likely pick up in the post-pandemic period “as other sources of financing beyond lending from traditional borrowers increase.”

The biggest borrowers have been Angola, Ethiopia and Zambia. The latter became the first pandemic-era default in 2020, with debt of almost $32 billion. According to the Reuters news agency, $5.78 billion of that debt was held by China and Chinese entities. China committed last week to joining Zambia’s creditor committee, a move welcomed by the International Monetary Fund.

China has long been accused of “debt-trap diplomacy” in which its massive loans to developing countries are said to leave them dependent on their creditor for support. Beijing strongly refutes these accusations, saying the West simply resents China’s close ties with Africa because of its Belt and Road Initiative — which is China leader Xi Jinping’s global infrastructure development plan.

A January op-ed in China’s state media, the Global Times, criticized reports in Western media that Beijing was slowing lending to countries on the continent, saying, “Whether China accelerates or slows its lending to Africa, the West is ready to criticize China with their well-worn ‘debt trap’ story.

“In fact,” the op-ed continued, “not one developing country has fallen into the so-called debt trap due to Chinese loans.”

On his visit to several African states last year, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said countries should not be left with a “tremendous debt that they cannot repay.”

Source: Voice of America

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Investor Interest in Africa at All-Time High, But Risks Remain

The Private Equity & Venture Capital Association (AVCA) says Africa attracted a record $7.4 billion in private capital in 2021, more than double the year before. But while the continent provides ample possibilities for investors, it also presents challenges, from instability to climate change. At this year’s AVCA conference in Senegal, investors discussed some of the trends.

More than 500 people from some 50 countries filtered in and out of conference rooms at Dakar’s Radisson Hotel Tuesday for Day 2 of AVCA’s annual gathering.

Africa offers a rich environment for local and international investors, attendees say, as it has a growing youth population and consumer market.

Alexia Alexandropoulou is a research manager at AVCA. She said investor interest in the continent has been largely driven by the attraction of financial technology companies. A number of sizable infrastructure deals also contributed to investment growth.

“And these infrastructure investments were focused on renewable energy, transportation and communication services. And they support African governments to fill the infrastructure gap on the continent. We expect to see more of these trends continue in the years to come,” she noted.

Some African governments such as Senegal’s have successfully attracted international investment in recent years. In 2019, it became the second African country to pass a “start-up act,” which eases regulations and provides tax breaks to innovative new businesses.

Venture capital activity here comprised 80 percent of total reported deals in 2021, up from 6 percent between 2016 and 2020, according to AVCA. But investing in African companies also comes with challenges, investors say, including currency volatility, small national economies, limited access to finance and banking services and political unrest.

“If you have a long-term view, and if you’re well diversified, you can obviously overcome those issues,” expressed Walid Cherif, the managing director of BluePeak Private Capital, adding “from [the] outside you read the news, or you think it’s scary, it’s difficult. But at the end of the day, there’s so many opportunities on the ground, so many great businesses. As long as you put the tools in them and give them a lot of assistance and support, you can definitely help them become strong businesses.”

Climate change is another major hindrance. Sub-Saharan Africa is expected to suffer disproportionately from extreme weather events such as floods and drought. This is disruptive to businesses, particularly those in the agricultural sector.

Some investors have begun setting climate goals.

Clarisa De Franco is the managing director of British International Investment. Last year, her company set a goal of having 30 percent of their investments dedicated toward addressing climate change.

“They will have to have the specific mandate of addressing climate from a resilience, adaptation or mitigation point of view. How do we achieve that from a new commitment point of view, but also from a portfolio point of view, is something that we need to explore a bit more,” De Franco pointed out.

Potential investments might include the renewable energy and plantation sectors, she said.

The AVCA conference continues in Dakar through Friday.

Source: Voice of America

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Media Analysts Welcome Demand for Nigeria to Repeal Cybercrime Law

“Even if they shut down all the courts in Nigeria, they must not shut down the court of public opinion,” said Agba Jalingo.

The investigative journalist and founder of the news website CrossRiverWatch was speaking to VOA via phone from Lagos in Nigeria.

His commitment to media freedom is what gave Jalingo the resolve to keep going through one of the most difficult—and defining—moments of his career as a journalist.

He was imprisoned in 2019 on charges including cybercrime. His case triggered a chain of events that last month resulted in a landmark ruling.

A ruling by the Economic Community of West African States, or ECOWAS, in Accra, Ghana, ordered Nigerian authorities to amend the law. The presiding judge, Keikura Bangura, said the law flouted the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR), to which Nigeria is a signatory.

Nigerian authorities have not responded to the ruling and have denied using the law to muzzle the press or citizens.

Nigeria’s Minister of Information did not respond to VOA’s calls requesting an interview.

For media and civil rights activists, the court decision backs up concerns they have raised for years. If enforced, it could prevent journalists going through the same experience as Jalingo.

Media arrest

Jalingo was first alerted to a possible legal issue while at a UNICEF workshop in Nigeria’s Benue state, in August 2019.

A letter from police in his home state of Cross River asked him to come in for questioning about an alleged breach of peace.

The summons related to an investigative report Jalingo published two weeks earlier alleging misuse of state funds.

Jalingo says he agreed on a date to meet with the police at the station. Before that took place, though, officers detained him.

“They came to my house in Lagos, arrested me, locked me up in their detention for one night, and the following morning they threw me in the boot [trunk] of a Toyota Highlander and we started a 26-hour journey,” he said.

Jalingo, whose publication focuses on sociopolitical issues, says it was not his first arrest for reporting, but it was the scariest.

“The journey took unnecessarily long, and I was in the trunk of a car, so I couldn’t even see what was happening outside. My hands and legs were cuffed. I defecated on my body, I thought they were going to kill me. I kept thinking about my wife,” he said.

When they arrived in Cross River state, the officers detained him for 43 days, chained him to an old cooling storage facility, and did not allow any visitors.

When Jalingo appeared before the federal high court in the state capital Calabar, authorities charged him with treason and cybercrime.

The Cross River state governor in an interview denied the allegations of mistreatment.

Legal landscape

Nigeria’s cybercrime law was enacted in 2015 in order to provide legally backed regulations for online interactions, as well as punishments for offenders.

But activists say a portion of the law too often has been manipulated to punish journalists who report critically about authorities.

Those cases led to the non-governmental organization, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project or SERAP, contesting the law and charges against Jalingo.

“We witnessed the spate of those unlawful arraignments and charges,” said Kolawole Oluwadare, deputy director at SERAP. “So, we decided to approach the court to challenge the legality of that law.”

Jalingo’s trial lasted two and a half years, with many twists and charges dropped and added. He says there were times when officers told him he must stop criticizing the government if he wanted to be freed.

But in July last year, with help from SERAP, an ECOWAS court called for the case to be dismissed and ordered the state authorities to pay him $75,000 in compensation. He’s yet to receive the compensation.

Jalingo’s triumph was a boost to Nigeria’s press freedom testament, but SERAP wanted to make sure no other journalist went through a similar ordeal.

The group continued its 2019 suit against the Nigerian government at the ECOWAS court, calling for the law to be amended or withdrawn.

And in March, the ECOWAS ruled in their favor.

“We’re happy that the court agreed with us ultimately,” Oluwadare said.

While the ruling on the cybercrime law and Jalingo’s victory raised hopes, some media rights experts say they continue to have concerns.

Only about 30 percent of ECOWAS judgments are enforced by authorities in the region the body covers. Analysts say they fear Nigeria will be slow to actually implement the decision.

Seun Bakare, of Amnesty International, says authorities must demonstrate leadership and commitment to the regional body by complying with the ruling.

“A country that prides itself as a country where the rule of law is paramount, I think such a country should continue to show its commitment to the rule of law,” Bakare said.

Not everyone shares concerns, however, that media freedom in Nigeria is on the decline.

Ahaziah Abubakar, director of news at the state-run Voice of Nigeria, supports the authorities’ assertion that Nigeria enjoys greater press freedom compared to others in Africa.

“I think relatively compared to other African countries, Nigeria’s media has been the freest of all. I make bold to say this, I’ve visited several African countries. But there’s still room for much more improvement,” he told VOA.

SERAP and other human rights defenders say they will monitor Nigeria’s response to the ruling and press authorities to comply with it.

And for Jalingo, with the trial behind him, he has returned to investigative reporting.

“I’ll not stop doing that,” he said. “Since I left prison, I’ve continued to ask those same questions.”

Source: Voice of America

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