🎭 Culture & Entertainment
June 13th, 2026
Today's top 5 stories, curated by Daily Direct.
Variety
DGA Deal Lands Health Plan Gains, Streaming Residual Hikes and Responds to TV Slump by Limiting Actors and Others From Taking Director Jobs
The Directors Guild of America's new contract takes aim at Hollywood's production slump by restricting actors and non-directors from helming TV episodes — a direct response to a 40% drop in directing jobs over the past four years. The deal also secures health plan improvements and higher streaming residuals for members. It marks a significant shift in how guild contracts are being used to protect career directors from losing work to talent with dual roles.
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Variety
Locarno Golden Leopard Winner Milagros Mumenthaler Talks ‘The Currents,’ Visual Memory and First Male-Led Project
Locarno Golden Leopard winner Milagros Mumenthaler is breaking new ground with her next project, stepping away from her signature female-led narratives to center a story on a young male protagonist for the first time. The Argentine-Swiss filmmaker spoke to Variety following a masterclass at Madrid's ECAM Forum, where she also reflected on the themes of visual memory that run through her work. The shift signals an intriguing evolution for a director whose distinct voice has earned her some of European arthouse cinema's most prestigious recognition.
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Variety
Kristin Scott Thomas Receives Crystal Nymph From Prince Albert II at Monte-Carlo Television Festival Opening
Kristin Scott Thomas was honored with the Crystal Nymph Award at the 65th Monte-Carlo Television Festival, presented by Prince Albert II of Monaco for her distinguished body of work in television and film. The recognition cements her status as one of the most respected figures in international screen storytelling. The ceremony also served as the launchpad for the Season 3 premiere of AMC Studios' latest offering.
Read article →Hollywood Reporter
Inside the Directors Guild’s Four-Year Deal: A Focus on Jobs, the Health Plan and AI Protections
The Directors Guild of America locked in a four-year contract that goes beyond standard wage negotiations, extracting pledges from studios to actively lobby Congress for a federal film and TV tax incentive. The deal also establishes a generative AI skills program and includes protections designed to keep members relevant as the technology reshapes production. For an industry still absorbing the aftershocks of the 2023 strikes, the agreement signals that AI governance is now a permanent fixture of labor negotiations.
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Variety
Gene Shalit, Longtime ‘Today Show’ Film Critic, Dies at 100
Gene Shalit, the iconic film and book critic known for his wild hair, oversized mustache, and pun-laden reviews, died peacefully at the age of 100. Shalit was a fixture on NBC's "Today Show" for four decades, from 1970 to 2010, becoming one of American morning television's most recognizable personalities. His tenure made him one of the longest-serving critics in broadcast history.
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