The signing ceremony was being held at the Mipcom along with the signing of an agreement for 10-feature film co-production with Wings Media, a member of the Oriental Pearl Group and a wholly owned subsidiary of China’s second-largest media group, Shanghai Media Group.

Valued at an estimated US$$250 million, this will be the biggest animation film cooperation in Asia, and the first ever China-Singapore-Thailand animation co-production.

The first film produced by the joint venture will integrate Wings Media’s sci-fi centric hit reality TV series “Starship MZ:2049” with Tiny Island Productions’ award-winning animated series, “Dream Defenders”.

It is expected to be completed for release in 2020, with a new film based on a new IP to be rolled out each following year. The long-term goal will be to build China’s own version of the Marvel Cinematic Universe that will entertain audiences worldwide.

Shellhut Entertainment and Tiny Island Productions had previously partnered to produce Shellhut Entertainment’s hit animated TV series project “Shelldon”. This venture is part of the Shellhut Entertainment’s Strategy to expand its media footprint in Asia, and IPs from these films will be used to build theme parks in Thailand.

“We are dedicated to searching the globe for the best film and television content,” said Dr. Jwanwat Ahriyavraromp, CEO of Shellhut Entertainment. “We are confident that this partnership will introduce the world’s audience to the new, exciting and unique flavours of Asia.”

An international team of animation veterans will be assembled to lead the development and production of the films, led by director Paul Chung who has worked for feature film studios like Dreamworks, Walt Disney, Warner Brothers and MGM, on films such as “Shrek”, “Madagascar”, “Megamind” and “Jungle Book”.

“Paul has many years of experience working in the US and UK, and has been working in China recently,” said David Kwok, CEO of Tiny Island Productions. “Our goal is to create appealing characters and stories that will touch the heart of audiences in the East and West. Shellhut and Tiny Island Pictures’ next step will be to talk with American and European partners, and we will have more exciting announcements coming soon. Through the creation of new IPs, the company plans to expand its operations towards developing licensing and merchandising products.”

“This collaboration will bring together Science Fiction from China and the rest of the world,” said Shelan He,Vice President of Oriental Pearl Group,President of Shanghai WingsMedia “I believe the co-produced films will showcase the best of China’s culture, as well as expose China’s audiences to the multi-cultural characteristics of Singapore and Thailand.”

Wings Media views Shellhut and Tiny Island Pictures as important long-term partners, and will use this partnership to lay the foundation for more extensive collaborations in the future to create more quality content for international markets.

Beginning in December, two series from each of the regions will arrive on the US streaming services HBO GO and HBO NOW as well as HBO On Demand.

“Working with talented local writers, directors and producers, our international networks are creating programming that lives up to the high-quality storytelling that is expected of the HBO brand. This programming regularly outperforms even ‘Game of Thrones’ record audience numbers in their respective markets. I am tremendously proud to bring such a selection of programs to our US audience,” said Plepler during his keynote conversation at Mipcom, Cannes.

The selected content is produced and aired by HBO international networks in Latin America, Europe and Asia in local languages and includes the Czech Republic’s mini-series “Wasteland”, seasons 1 and 2 of Polish series “Pakt”, seasons 1 and 2 of El Hipnotizador”, new Brazilian drama La Vida Secreta De Las Parjeas”, Taiwan series “ The Teenage Psychic” and the first two seasons of the Thai/Indonesia co-production “Halfworlds”.

The programming has been featured at major international film festivals including the Toronto International Film Festival and the Karlovy Vary Film Festival among others.

Plepler is in Cannes to receive the Variety Vanguard Award and spoke on stage about the power of brands in an increasingly competitive global marketplace.

Thai movie “Chalard Games Gong” (“Bad Genius”) only opened in in China last Friday (October 13) and has already grossed more than100 millon yuan (Bt500 million) in box office takings. The production team also released several posters and materials behind the scene on the same day.

Bad Genius’s performance at the box office on the first day was very good and the film is expected to raise another film frenzy after the Golden Week national holiday. Before the first show in Chinese mainland, the film was shown in Thailand, Hong Kong and Taiwan to good feedback.

After topping box office takings in Thailand, the film set a new record for Thai films in Taiwan and topped the box office for two consecutive weeks in Hong Kong. It has also got good ratings on major film review websites, including 100 per cent on Rotten Tomatoes, 8.3 points on IMDb and 8.5 points on China’s douban. The movie has been called “a must-see film in October” by Internet users and film critics alike.

Bad Genius” focuses on Lynn (Chutimon Chuengcharoensukying), a straight-A student who plans with rich kid Pat (Teeradon Supapunpinyo) to cheat the international standardised test for students wanting to enrol in the world’s leading universities. The test is scheduled to take place on the same date and same time at locations all over the world. Their plan is for Lynn to fly to a country in a time zone that’s ahead of Thailand and then send the answers back to her customers. The only setback is that they need another genius to help them pass on the answers in Thailand and the only person that fits the profile is Bank (Chanon Santinatornkul), Lynn’s scholarship-student rival who is staunchly against cheating of any kind.

“Bad Genius”, which is based on a sensational cheating case of 2014, tells a story of how talented people exploit their skills to help others cheat in exams and get high profits.

The film’s theme and conception together with social and educational issues are presented in a totally new way. Some Chinese viewers even said that the film was better than any Hollywood film they had ever seen.

However “Bad Genius” still ranks in second place in the China box office after the martial arts comedy “Never Say Die” that took the top spot at the Chinese box office for the third week in a row.

The women’s allegations against the 65-year-old movie mogul, according to the magazine, include unwanted oral sex and forced oral and full sex. Weinstein denies all charges, according to a statement from his spokeswoman Sallie Hofmeister, circulated among US media.

The accusations will be seen as a hugely damaging escalation of the scandal engulfing the Oscar-winning producer, as the numerous allegations which led to his weekend sacking from The Weinstein Company had so far been limited to complaints about harassment.

New Yorker writer Ronan Farrow spent 10 months interviewing 13 women who reported they were harassed or assaulted by Weinstein.

The investigation was published as fresh misconduct allegations emerged from Hollywood A-listers such as Angelina Jolie, Rosanna Arquette and Gwyneth Paltrow.

Argento, the 42-year-old daughter of iconic horror director Dario Argento, said Weinstein forced oral sex on her 20 years ago.

She told the publication she had maintained her silence until now for fear that Weinstein would “crush” her, adding: “I know he has crushed a lot of people before.”

She said Weinstein, who has weighed up to 300 pounds (136 kilograms), terrified her due to his immense size.

“It wouldn’t stop. It was a nightmare,” she added, revealing that she had felt forced to pretend she was enjoying the attack in hopes that it would be over with sooner.

Argento acknowledges that her credibility may be compromised by the fact that she eventually yielded to his advances, even growing close to him and having consensual sex with him multiple times over the following five years.

She said she felt “obliged” to submit, however, and worried that he would ruin her career if she rejected him.

“Just his body, his presence, his face, bring me back to the little girl that I was when I was 21… After the rape, he won,” she told the New Yorker.

Lucia Evans, an aspiring actress, said she met Weinstein at the Miramax office in New York in 2004 and that he forced her to perform oral sex on him.

“I said, over and over, ‘I don’t want to do this, stop, don’t,'” she told the New Yorker.

“I tried to get away, but maybe I didn’t try hard enough. I didn’t want to kick him or fight him.”

– ‘People give up’ –

Evans said she was overpowered and “just sort of gave up.”

“That’s the most horrible part of it, and that’s why he’s been able to do this for so long to so many women: people give up, and then they feel like it’s their fault,” she added.

Another woman, who was too afraid to allow her name to be published, told the New Yorker Weinstein brought her to a hotel room and “forced himself on me sexually.”

She thought about going to the police, but decided it would be a case of “he said, she said,” and worried about how powerful his legal team would be, and how much she had to lose.

Another instance involved model Ambra Battilana Gutierrez, once a finalist in the Miss Italy contest, whom the New Yorker said Weinstein met in March 2015 at a reception for a show he was producing in New York.

According to the New Yorker, Gutierrez says Weinstein “lunged at her, groping her breasts and attempting to put a hand up her skirt” at a meeting in his offices in Tribeca.

She reported the incident and the New York Police Department asked her to wear a wire to his play “Finding Neverland.”

Audio of their conversation in a hallway at the Tribeca Grand Hotel was released by the magazine, with Weinstein heard repeatedly trying to persuade her to come into his room.

“Why yesterday you touch my breast?” she asks, and he replies: “Oh, please, I’m sorry, just come on in, I’m used to that.”

Clinton, Obama weigh in

Authorities decided not to press charges, according to the New Yorker, after it emerged the young woman had attended one of former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi’s infamous “bunga bunga” sex parties.

Weinstein was fired late Sunday from his own film studio, three days after a New York Times report alleged that the man behind such hits as “The King’s Speech” and “The Artist” had preyed on young women hoping to break into the industry.

The Times, as well as various entertainment media, separately reported on Tuesday that the litany of Weinstein’s harassment victims also included Gwyneth Paltrow, Angelina Jolie, Rosanna Arquette and French actress Judith Godreche.

“I was shocked and appalled by the revelations about Harvey Weinstein,” former Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton said in a statement Tuesday, while former President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle said they were “disgusted” at the longtime Democratic Party donor.

“Any man who demeans and degrades women in such fashion needs to be condemned and held accountable, regardless of wealth or status,” they said in a statement.

Variety magazine, citing unnamed sources, said the latest allegations had sparked anger and dismay at The Weinstein Company’s offices in Tribeca and Beverly Hills, where work had ground to a halt.

Weinstein was fired late Sunday from his own film studio, three days after a bombshell New York Times report alleged that the Oscar-winning producer behind such hits as “The King’s Speech” and “The Artist” had preyed on young women hoping to break into the film industry.

Weinstein’s accusers — who reportedly include celebrities such as Rose McGowan and Ashley Judd — say the 65-year-old tycoon had promised to help advance their careers in exchange for sexual favors, pressuring them to massage him and watch him naked.

The Weinstein Company’s board said it had sacked him “in light of new information about misconduct” in the explosive Times article, which detailed decades of legal settlements stemming from harassment allegations.

Variety magazine reported Monday that Paramount Network had subsequently dropped Weinstein as an executive producer on two upcoming drama series, “Waco” and “Yellowstone.”

– Who knew? –

As the firestorm of controversy escalated, a string of entertainment industry figures have spoken out to condemn Weinstein — including actors Seth Rogan, Lena Dunham and Patricia Arquette, director James Gunn and fellow producer Judd Apatow.

Streep — who famously called Weinstein “God” in an Oscars acceptance speech — broke her silence in a statement first published by the Huffington Post, in which she said she was “appalled” by the “disgraceful” news and insisted “not everybody” knew about the allegations.

“I don’t believe that all the investigative reporters… would have neglected for decades to write about it,” she added.

Fellow Oscar winner Judi Dench, who has credited much of her success to Weinstein and once revealed she had a fake tattoo of his initials applied to her buttocks, said in a statement to Newsweek she was “horrified” and also denied any knowledge of the accusations.

But tough questions were also being asked about what some suspect was a collective effort to protect the movie mogul and father-of-two, one of Hollywood’s most influential powerbrokers who was able to make or break careers.

In a statement to the New York Times, the actress Glenn Close acknowledged that “for many years” she had been aware if rumors of inappropriate behavior by Weinstein.

“Harvey has always been decent to me, but now that the rumors are being substantiated, I feel angry and darkly sad,” she wrote.

The New York Times wrote that of the more than 40 entertainment industry players it contacted for comment after breaking the story last week, almost all refused to speak on the record.

“We read the reports about his temper and volatility, but we had also heard stories that he was, to put it bluntly, gross: the kind of guy who promised to make someone a star in exchange for sex, and leveraged his power in the industry to make sure no one talked about it,” wrote BuzzFeed journalist Anne Helen Petersen.

Sharon Waxman, creator of showbiz website “The Wrap,” meanwhile accused the New York Times itself of initially covering up the scandal.

In an editorial, she said the newspaper sent her to investigate allegations of sexual misconduct by Weinstein in 2004 — a story she said did not run following “intense pressure” from the producer.

The Times disputed her account in a statement to AFP, defending its “meticulously reported investigation” of Weinstein’s settlements for harassment and stating that “in general the only reason a story or specific information would be held is if it did not meet our standards for publication.”

– Hollywood powerhouse fades –

Five of The Weinstein Company’s nine all-male board members have so far resigned over the scandal.

It was not immediately clear what would happen to Weinstein’s share in the firm.

The tycoon, who was said to have been fighting to remain at the company, last week issued a bizarre statement apologizing for his actions without addressing any specific allegations, misquoting the rapper Jay Z, and appearing in part to justify his behavior.

He also said he was hoping for a second chance while acknowledging he had “work to do to earn it.”

Republicans have pounced on the scandal involving a staunch Democratic campaign fundraiser, while many Democrats have vowed to give their contributions from Weinstein to charity.

President Donald Trump — who himself faced multiple allegations of sexual misconduct before winning the White House — declared himself “not at all surprised” by the revelations about Weinstein.

Weinstein’s lawyer Charles Harder said the Times’ report “relies on mostly hearsay accounts and a faulty report, apparently stolen from an employee personnel file, which has been debunked by nine different eyewitnesses.”

The lawyer is preparing a lawsuit against the newspaper, and has vowed to donate any proceeds to women’s organizations.

LIKE MOST Thais, Manatsanun “Donut” Phanlerdwongsakul remembers clearly the evening of October 13 last year when it was announced that His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej has passed away. Her first reaction was to turn to her friend Pornmanus Rattanavich and tell her that she wanted to do something in memory of the late King. Thus was born the documentary “The Journey…Bunthuek Thang Klai Thueng Phor”.

Over the next few weeks, Donut buried her nose in books about the late Monarch’s life. That research led her to “King Bhumibol and the Thai Royal Family in Lausanne” penned by Lysandre C Seraidaris, who coincidentally happened to be Bangkok at the time and was happy to meet up with Donut.

Director Manatsanun “Donut” Phanlerdwongsakul, sitting right, and Lysandre C Seraidaris, left, on the set of “The Journey…Bunthuek Thang Klai Thueng Phor”

The son of Cleon C Seraidaris, King Bhumibol’s private tutor during his childhood in Lausanne, Lysandre was granted permission by the late Monarch to write about his time in Switzerland, based on his father’s collections of letters, personal photographs and documents from the family archive.

“The Journey”, much of which is filmed in Switzerland, is a feature documentary that looks back on the young King’s childhood and adolescence in Lausanne until his return to Thailand to accede to the throne.

“People have different ways of coping with grief and Donut’s way has been to dwell on King Bhumibol’s past and record it for posterity,” says Pornmanus, who co-wrote the script.

Countless films and documentaries have chronicled the late King’s life in Switzerland over the years and Donut admits that she worried about making her story stand out from the rest. “But it came out as I expected and I’m confident that ‘The Journey’ tells the story in a different way whilst never straying from the facts or the timeline,” she says, adding that as protocol demands, she submitted the project details to the Bureau of the Royal Household for approval before going ahead.

In the documentary, Donut plays a young woman who sets out on a journey to visit the places to which the late King Bhumibol travelled, from Lausanne to Paris where he met the Queen Sirikit for the first time at Fontainebleau, and back to Thailand when the Royal Couple returned here.

She travelled to Europe to film on three occasions, painstakingly gathering rare archival material from the United States, England, Switzerland and also Thailand. Narrated by the director herself, the documentary also features the voices of actress Sansanee Wattananukul and actor Teerapat Sajakul.

The film also includes some never-before-seen footage of the King’s last day in Lausanne in 1951 and screenshots of the letters sent by the late King to his private tutor.

The director during the filming in Switzerland

“It is the first time I’ve shared the letters for the screen. I’ve had plenty of approaches over the years but it wasn’t until I met Donut that I knew I had the right person,” says Lysandre, who has kept the hundreds of letters and photographs he inherited from his father.

Donut adds that convincing Lysandre to allow her to film the archive wasn’t easy. “In fact, he only allowed us to shoot the documents last month,” she says.

Lysandre also came on board, as project consultant and gives an interview in the documentary.

“She told me what she wanted to do and after reflection, I agreed. Unlike the other project proposals I have received, I felt this beautiful story should rightly be told to Thai people,” Lysandre says, adding that he has no regrets at showing his entire historical archive to the director to shoot in the documentary.

“She captured exactly the sentiments I was trying to convey to the Thai people while also creating an artistic film. I didn’t offer any advice but I know she used sensitivity. I haven’t seen the documentary yet but I’m she has understood and has done a good job,” he continues.

“The other filmmakers who interviewed me just wanted information. Donut was different. She was going to create something in the right spirit. The information she needed to was to help her to create something beautiful.”

Filming the late King’s letters in Lausanne, Switzerland

The letters are only part of the story. Donut has also used information from other books and archives, among them “Mua Khapachao Chak Siam Ma Soo Switzerland” (“When I Left Siam for Switzerland”), the late Monarch’s own series of diary-style articles detailing his preparations for his trip back to Switzerland for further education in August 1946 after acceding to throne in June that year.

“The film reveals how these journeys changed the late King, especially when he travelled back to Switzerland after the death of his brother. His journals reflect how lonely he felt at the time while also recording the beginning of his interest in photography,” she says.

“I love travelling because we change as we continue our journey. The destination is not as important as what we encounter along the way. His Majesty the late King Bhumibol’s journey in this film will inspire us all,” Donut says.

The director and the crew during the filming in Switzerland

Stephane Lambert, who co-produced the project, says at the heart of the documentary is a point of view. “You try to give the facts as precisely as possible in a documentary and these are combined with the director’s point of view. The stronger that point of view is, the more interesting the documentary becomes,” he says.

“I was born in France so my understanding is very different. We are hoping that this documentary will also appeal also to an international audience who want to understand why the relationship between people in Thailand and His Majesty King Rama 9 is so intense. It’s not about politics and it’s not about history; it’s really about a very deep and strong bond and if we can bring some understanding and shed new light on this relationship through this story, we will be very pleased,” Lambert says.

Donut’s message has also attracted support. Despite starting with nothing, the project has gradually drawn official sponsorship from such industry giants as Thai Beverage, Thai Airways International, Total Access Communication (DTAC), and SF Corporation,

“The Journey” will be screened at SF Cinemas from Thursday to Sunday in the Bangkok area and on Friday and Saturday nationwide. It also shows at Bangkok Art and Culture Centre Thursday and Friday and at Bangkok Screening Room on Soi Sala Daeng 1 from October 20 to 28. Admission is free. From next year, the documentary will be screened on all Thai Airways flights until the end of 2019.

TRAVELLING ALONG MEMORY LANE

“The Journey” screens in the auditorium of the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre on Thursday at 1pm, 3pm and 7pm and on Friday at 3pm, 5pm and 7pm. A discussion with the production team follows the last screening. Visit http://www.Bacc.or.th

For updates and showtimes elsewhere, check http://www.SFCinemaCity.com and https://BkkSR.com/movies.

Watch the trailer at. http://www.YouTube.com/watch?v=qa_588JWqu4

But with takings of $31.5 million in North American theaters, the sci-fi reboot — featuring original star Harrison Ford and Ryan Gosling — didn’t enjoy the sensational opening its rave reviews suggested it might.

“Blade Runner: 2049” sees Gosling as a new Los Angeles Police Department “blade runner” — charged with killing bioengineered androids known as “replicants.” On uncovering a secret which threatens society, he embarks on a search for Harrison Ford’s character, a former blade runner who disappeared 30 years ago.

Despite a disappointing first weekend, “Blade Runner” did not face much competition for the top spot — with Fox’s “The Mountain Between Us,” in second place, earning just $10.1 million.

Starring Kate Winslet and Idris Elba, “The Mountain Between Us” tells the story of a surgeon (Elba) and a journalist (Winslet), who fall in love as they fight to survive following a plane crash on a snowy Utah mountain range.

Meanwhile, with takings dropping from last week’s $16.9 million to $9.6 million, freaky horror hit “It” — based on the Stephen King novel — settled for third place in its fifth week in theaters.

In fourth, earning $8.8 million, was Lionsgate animation “My Little Pony: The Movie” — featuring star-studded voiceovers from the likes of Emily Blunt and Australian singer Sia.

But it was a fall from grace for espionage comedy “Kingsman: The Golden Circle,” which — having taken the crown last week — dropped to fifth place with earnings of $8.1 million.

Rounding out the top 10 were:

“American Made” ($8 million)

“The Lego Ninjago Movie” ($6.7 million)

“Victoria and Abdul” ($4.1 million)

“Flatliners” ($3.8 million)

“Battle of the Sexes” ($2.4 million)

Created by Stephanie SenGupta and Laurie McCarthy, the first season has 22 episodes and opens in 1557, with Mary living in the French court and awaiting her marriage to Prince Francis, to whom she has been engaged since they were six.

Mary has to contend with changing politics and power plays, as well as her burgeoning feelings for Francis and the romantic attentions of Francis’s bastard half-brother, Bash. Francis’s mother, Catherine de’ Medici, secretly tries to prevent the marriage following Nostradamus’s confidential prediction that the marriage will lead to Francis’s death.

The series also follows the affairs of Mary’s Scottish handmaidens Kenna, Aylee, Lola, and Greer, who are searching for husbands of their own at court.

In the series, which premiered last October, Parker plays Frances Dufresne, a married woman who has an affair and finds herself being sued for divorce by her husband Robert (Thomas Haden Church). As Frances begins to reassess her life and her marriage, she finds that making a clean break and a fresh start is harder than she thought.

Season two finds Frances and Robert dealing with the aftermath of their explosive separation and learning to rebuild their lives.

Parker’s role led her to be nominated for a Golden Globe award for best actress in a Television Series Musical or Comedy.  Church earned an Oscar nomination for his role in “Sideways” and was most recently seen as the villain Sandman in “Spider-Man 3”.

The show also stars Molly Shannon, Talia Balsam, Tracy Letts, Sterling Jerins and Charlie Kilgore.

The series was created by Sharon Horgan. Season two is executive produced by Jenny Bicks, Parker, Sharon Horgan, Alison Benson and Aaron Kaplan.

The first season of “Divorce” is now streaming on HBO GO via AIS PLAY and AIS PLAYBOX.

“I appreciate the way I’ve behaved with colleagues in the past has caused a lot of pain, and I sincerely apologize for it,” the movie mogul said in a statement to the Times after its damning story was published.

Weinstein added that he had hired therapists and planned to take a leave of absence “to deal with this issue head on.”

Lisa Bloom, one of Weinstein’s lawyers who specializes in sexual harassment cases, separately said in a statement sent to AFP that her 65-year-old client “denies many of the accusations as patently false.”

‘Dinosaur learning new ways’

“He has acknowledged mistakes he has made,” she wrote. “He is reading books and going to therapy. He is an old dinosaur learning new ways.”

According to the Times, Weinstein’s allegedly inappropriate behavior goes back nearly three decades and he has reached private settlements with at least eight women.

His accusers, the Times said, include celebrities such as actresses Rose McGowan and Ashley Judd.

Judd recalled in an interview with the paper being invited to Weinstein’s suite at a posh Beverly Hills hotel two decades ago expecting a breakfast meeting to discuss business.

Instead, the actress said, Weinstein appeared in a bathrobe and asked if she could give him a massage or watch him shower.

Two former assistants and an Italian model made similar accusations and allegedly reached settlements.

One of the assistants was allegedly badgered by Weinstein into giving him a massage while he was naked, leaving her “crying and very distraught” in the words of a colleague, Lauren O’Connor, the Times said.

‘Toxic environment for women’

O’Connor said Weinstein, who co-founded Miramax and is co-chairman of The Weinstein Company, had created “a toxic environment for women” at his firm.

Many in the entertainment industry spoke out on Thursday in the wake of the Times report, expressing support for his alleged victims.

“The women who chose to speak about their experience of harassment by Harvey Weinstein deserve our awe,” actress and self-proclaimed feminist Lena Dunham said in a tweet. “It’s not fun or easy, it’s brave.”

McGowan also published a series of tweets, jokingly saying in one of them that she wanted “to buy the movie rights.”

In his statement, Weinstein said he had been working over the past year with Bloom and a team of therapists “to learn about myself and conquer my demons.”

The staunch Democrat who backed Hillary Clinton in her presidential bid said that he respected all women and was hoping for a second chance although he knew he had “work to do to earn it.”

“I have goals that are now priorities,” he said. “Trust me, this isn’t an overnight process.

“I’ve been trying to do this for 10 years and this is a wake-up call.”

He appeared to justify his alleged misconduct saying he had come of age in the ’60s and ’70s “when all the rules about behavior and workplaces were different.”

“That was the culture then,” he said. “I have since learned it’s not an excuse, in the office — or out of it. To anyone.”

He said one year ago he began organizing a $5 million foundation to provide scholarships to women directors at the University of Southern California.

“It will be named after my mom and I won’t disappoint her,” He said.

Weinstein, who is married to English fashion designer Georgina Chapman, with whom he has two children, is considered a powerhouse in Hollywood and many of his movies have picked up Oscars over the years, including “Good Will Hunting,” and “The Artist.”

He formed the Miramax production house in the late 1970s with his brother and then sold it to Disney. The pair went on to create The Weinstein Company, producing such hits as “The King’s Speech,” “The Butler,” and “Django Unchained.”

Trade magazine Variety said the board of directors of the Weinstein Company would meet by Friday evening to decide whether Weinstein would remain at the helm of the company.