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Women in Film has found its class of 2024.

From nearly 900 applications, the organization has confirmed 60 members for its Wif Fellowship Program for this year, bringing together cohorts of directors, writers, cinematographers, producers, line producers, executives, representatives, artisans and below-the-line crewmembers for a year of mentoring, guest speakers, master classes, networking and individualized support.

The program, launched last year to mark Wif’s 50th anniversary, is open to women, nonbinary and trans people. This year’s roster also includes the participants of the Wif x Black List Episodic Lab, a month-long program for new TV writers supported by the Golden Globes Foundation and ShivHans Pictures. Designed for mid-career professionals, the program offers each fellow at least six mentoring sessions with their cohort and a complimentary mentor team, made up of professionals across business and craft sectors of the industry. The fellows will also meet with Melissa Verdugo, senior manager of career programs.

Exclusive: Monarch Media, 11-time Emmy winner Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Point Grey Pictures, Lylas Pictures and Giant Ant Films are teaming to bring Sarah Leavitt’s graphic novel Tangles: A Story About Alzheimer’s, My Mother and Me, to the big screen as a feature-length animated film.

Along with Louis-Dreyfus, the cast includes Abbi Jacobson, Bryan Cranston, Samira Wiley, Beanie Feldstein, Seth Rogen, Wanda Sykes, Bowen Yang, Pamela Adlon and Sarah Silverman.

In Tangles, when Alzheimer’s disease begins to strip away her mother’s vibrant personality, a headstrong young woman is forced to return to her oddball family in the conservative small town she recently fled in order to care for her. She quickly realizes she must accept the cruel and warped reality of the disease — and the imperfect beauty of her family — in order to become the daughter they need.

Leavitt adapted her novel for film along with Trev Renney and Leah Nelson.

Exclusive: Jacki Weaver (Silver Linings Playbook) and Tony Shalhoub (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) will lead the cast of the upcoming feature film The Wonder Yard from writer Beth Curry. Lauren Miller Rogen (Like Father) is set to direct.

Elevate Entertainment will produce alongside Lylas Pictures. Concourse Media has attached to finance and handle worldwide sales, repping domestic sales alongside CAA.

The Wonder Yard follows Dinah (Weaver), who becomes a widow after 50 years of marriage. Following her husband’s death, Dinah throws her energy into building an eclectic wonderland in her front yard. Her adult children wonder if their mom has lost it, but through her wonder yard, Dinah discovers it’s never too late to chase a dream as she finds her voice, herself, and love at the seasoned age of 73.

Shalhoub will portray Yusuf, a Middle-Eastern man who finds a second lease on life when he becomes invested in Dinah’s journey.

Exclusive: Monarch Media, Point Grey Pictures, Lylas Pictures and Giant Ant are teaming to produce an animated feature based on Sarah Leavitt’s acclaimed memoir, Tangles: A Story About Alzheimer’s, My Mother and Me.

The synopsis for Leavitt’s 2010 graphic novel: When Alzheimer’s disease begins to strip away her mother’s vibrant personality, a headstrong young woman is forced to return to her oddball family in the conservative small town she recently fled in order to care for her. She quickly realizes she must accept the cruel and warped reality of the disease – and the imperfect beauty of her family – in order to become the daughter they need.

The Tangles film will be directed by Giant Ant principal Leah Nelson. Vicky Patel, Steve Barnett and Alan Powell will produce through Monarch Media, along with Seth Rogen through Point Grey Pictures and Lauren Miller Rogen through Lylas Pictures.

UTA Independent Film Group...

The last nine years have been one heck of a ride for “The Middle” cast and executive producers.

Series creators DeAnn Heline and Eileen Heisler don’t even want audiences to pardon the pun when they turn on ABC to watch the middle-America family comedy one last time on May 22 and see that the series finale title is simply that — “A Heck of a Ride.”

“One thing that’s very important to us is to think about our fans and to think about us and think about an ending that’s appropriate to the show we’ve always been,” Heisler tells Variety. “Personally, I don’t think the point of a finale is to shock [the audience]. I think that you really want to honor the show and give people an [episode] that is closer to a typical one, while being exciting, than something that veers off in another direction.”

“The Middle” was...

Heroes and Villains Entertainment has hired literary manager Jen Ray, who previously worked as a manager at Gotham/Principal, TheWrap has learned. Ray joins the company on the heels of fellow managers Henry Huang and Benjamin Blake, who were added to the team in 2015. She brings a predominantly female roster of screenwriters, directors and authors to Heroes and Villains. Among the clients Ray is bringing with her is Lauren Miller Rogen, who wrote and starred in the indie comedy “For a Good Time, Call…” Ray produced that film with her client. Also Read: Heroes and Villains Entertainment Expands TV Business With Staffing.

Recently, ABC released the new,official synopsis/spoilers for their upcoming "The Middle" episode 9 of season 6. The episode is entitled, "The Christmas Wall," and it sounds like things will get quite dramatic as Frankie starts to feel unappreciated. Mike gets cheated on an artificial Christmas Tree buy, and more. In the new, 9th episode press release: Frankie has had enough of schlepping out the Christmas decorations and is going to be trying to make the perfect holiday for her family -- who she feels doesn't appreciate all that she does for them -- and decides to kick back on the couch and have a minimalist Christmas this year. In the meantime, due to Sue's allergy to real Christmas trees, Mike is going to attempt to purchase an artificial one and ends up not getting what he paid for. Axl will put Boss Co. back into business for the holidays as...