ICM Signs Cooper Raiff, Filmmaker Behind SXSW Jury Prize Winning Narrative ‘Shithouse’

EXCLUSIVE: ICM Partners has signed Cooper Raiff, the young filmmaker whose feature directorial debut, Shithouse, picked up the grand jury prize in the narrative feature competition from the restructured 2020 SXSW Film Festival edition (films were judged virtually). ICM will rep Raiff on both the talent and the lit side.

In addition to writing, directing, and producing the piece, Raiff starred alongside Amy Landecker, Dylan Gelula, and Logan Miller. The pic centered on a homesick college freshman who goes to a party at Shithouse and ends up spending the night with his sophomore RA who’s had a shitty day and wants someone to hang out with.

Dallas native Raiff and his best friends made a short film and tweeted the link to Jay Duplass. To their surprise, Duplass liked the short and helped them develop it into what became Shithouse.

Raiff is managed by Adam Kersh.

Valence Media Begins Cuts At Hollywood Reporter, Billboard, Vibe, Dick Clark Productions & MRC

Less than a week after Hollywood Reporter editorial director Matthew Belloni exited the publication, owners Valence Media started making staffing cuts at outlets THR, Billboard, Vibe, Dick Clark Productions and finance studio Media Rights Capital today.

At this point in time, we’re hearing that senior ranking reporters and editors remain safe at THR, and those impacted were in Ops. However, sources say that layoffs “are definitely expected” at the trade in the immediate future and coming weeks.

Long beset by rocky finances, THR has taken significant advertiser and other revenue hits during the coronavirus pandemic. Even as early as January, THR was reevaluating its people on the ground at major festivals such as Sundance were they sent a limited crew this year, and didn’t host an ad-supported photo/video studio like other entertainment publications, i.e. Variety and IMDB.

Among those impacted at other Valence outlets included Vibe Deputy Editor William Ketchum III, Billboard writer Will Gottsegen, and Chris Payne who took to Twitter to express news about being fired.

At least eight people from Dick Clark Productions were axed, and three staffers from Valence finance studio MRC.

Valence Media slashes staff at Hollywood Reporter, Billboard, more

Hollywood entertainment company Valence plans to slash more than a third of the newsrooms jobs at its Hollywood Reporter and Billboard publications, The Post has learned.

The Valence Media-owned publications will see 35 percent of their newsrooms slashed by end of the day Tuesday, according to a well-placed source. The source said the cuts will hit the publications’ corporate management and advertising sides before spreading to the entire Valence operation, which includes Dick Clark Productions, the producer of awards shows like the Golden Globes and content studio MRC, behind series like “Ozark” and “House of Cards.”

A rep from Valence declined to comment.

Valence is on “financially shaky” ground,” the source told The Post, adding that since the coronavirus pandemic hit, “the bottom fell out” for the company.

The cuts follow the exit of the Hollywood Reporter’s top editor, who left the company earlier this month amid conflicts with co-CEOs Modi Wiczyk and Asif Satchu.

According to reports, Hollywood Reporter’s top editor Matthew Belloni clashed with his bosses over stories that were deemed too “negative” to attract advertisers. The edict to soften up coverage reportedly came from Valence.

“This will be a rough road for them. It will be run on fumes,” a source said of the well-read Hollywood and music publications.

Dog euthanized after mauling 76-year-old woman, then biting animal control officer: Oliver RCMP

A senior from the South Okanagan was airlifted to hospital last week following a dog attack in Oliver.

According to police, the 76-year-old woman was a landlord and was visiting the property on Sumac Street last Tuesday, April 7, to speak to tenants when the attack occurred.

Edmonton compiles $2B COVID-19 stimulus proposal for province

Edmonton wants the province to invest more than $2 billion in stimulus spending to create up to nearly 10,500 construction jobs this summer and next. The list calls for spending on road work, rec centres and flood mitigation.

Brazil in no rush to return to bond market – Treasury Secretary

BRASILIA, April 14 (Reuters) – Brazil can wait weeks or even months before returning to the bond market to borrow, Treasury Secretary Mansueto said on Tuesday, adding that when it does it will be at the short end of the curve where current borrowing costs are very low.

Speaking at an online event hosted by local media outlet Jota, Almeida said Brazil’s national debt could top 85% of gross domestic product after this crisis but it could be easily financed if the government sticks to its commitment to fiscal adjustment. (Reporting by Gabriel Ponte ; Editing by Sandra Maler Writing by Jamie McGeever)

Jowett Farms Recalls 42,587 Pounds Of Pork Products

Blumenort, Canada-based Jowett Farms Corp. has announced a voluntary recall of about 42,587 pounds of raw pork trimmings that were not presented for import re-inspection into the U.S.

The raw pork trimmings were imported on April 2, 2020 and further processed into sausage products.

The recalled products include: 20-oz. plastic wrapped tray packages containing sausage links of “Jewel-Osco Sheboygan Brand Bratwurst – Made in Illinois” with a sell-by date of 4/17/20; 20-oz. plastic wrapped tray packages containing sausage links of “Jewel-Osco Mild Italian Sausage” with a sell-by date of 4/17/20;
20-oz. plastic wrapped tray packages containing sausage links of “Jewel-Osco Hot Italian Sausage” with a sell-by date of 4/17/20.

These items were shipped to retail locations in Illinois and Wisconsin. The problem was discovered during routine FSIS surveillance activities of imported products.