STREAMING
Taiwanese streamer Catchplay has added its original series “Not a Murder Story” to its available lineup in Indonesia. The eight-part series combines a gripping criminal thriller narrative with an exploration of greed and deception.
The story revolves around Dong, an aspiring actor who finally gets an opportunity to become famous and successful, but wakes up one day next to a dead woman. Dong cannot recall the events of the previous night, cleans up and stages a crime scene as if it were a botched robbery, but he inadvertently leaves traces. As the police investigate the apartment block, it becomes clear that all the residents have hidden secrets and a motive for murder.
“Not a Murder Story” is written and directed by Ko Chen-Nien and features Taiwanese stars Liu Kuan-Ting, Gingle Wang and Sonia Sui.
It debuted on Catchplay+ last week with the first two episodes immediately available and others uploading every Wednesday. In Indonesia, where the service is available as a standalone app, on smart TVs and as part of other channel bundles, the first episode of “Not a Murder Story” is available for free to all Indonesian viewers.
FESTIVAL
The Glasgow Film Festival (Feb. 28- March 10) will host a live In Conversation event with Viggo Mortensen, discussing his life both in front of and behind the camera. Following the event, the festival will host the U.K. premiere of his new Western “The Dead Don’t Hurt,” which he directs and stars in alongside Vicky Krieps, Danny Huston and Solly McLeod. The festival will also host a free 35mm screening of David Cronenberg’s “A History of Violence,” starring Mortensen in one of his most memorable roles, as part of its morning retrospectives.
Filmmaker Ben Wheatley returns to Glasgow for a screening of his debut feature “Down Terrace,” a dark and hilarious journey into the gritty British underworld, followed by a Q&A. The 20th edition of the festival will open with Rose Glass’ “Love Lies Bleeding,” starring Kristen Stewart.
EDUCATION
Scottish film producer and founder of Young Films, Chris Young (“Silent Roar”) will lead the inaugural Sean Connery Talent Lab as part of the expansion of National Film and Television School (NFTS) Scotland. Young will leverage his experience to mentor 30 emerging creatives at the lab. Each of the 30 places at the lab are substantially subsidised, with 70% of fees underwritten by the Sean Connery Foundation. The lab will culminate in the creation of six short films made with the support of BBC Film, which will be submitted for U.K. and international film festivals and will premiere at a showcase event. Applications to the lab close on Jan 29.