Entertainment News Roundup: No Zoom for intimate 2021 Oscars, producers say; Hungary's Sziget cancels early summer music festivals and more

Following is a summary of current entertainment news briefs.

Widower turned sleuth reflects on old age in Oscar-nominated Chilean documentary

An 83-year-old widower on a mission to investigate potential abuse at a nursing home reveals telling lessons about the trials of growing old in Chilean filmmaker Maite Alberdi's Oscar-nominated documentary "The Mole Agent." Although the story rings like the plot of a fiction film, the drama that unfolds is real. The tender and touching feature film, nominated for best documentary, is the only Latin American nominated for an Academy Award.

Hungary's Sziget cancels early summer music festivals

Hungary's Sziget, which organises some of the largest music festivals in Europe, said it would decide in the coming weeks whether to hold its main event in August in Budapest after it cancelled two other festivals due to the pandemic. The company cancelled the VOLT Festival, an event in the Western corner of Hungary due in June, and July's Balaton Sound at Lake Balaton and said these would next take place in 2022.

No Zoom for intimate 2021 Oscars, producers say

The Oscars ceremony in April will be an intimate, in-person gathering, held without Zoom and limited to nominees, presenters and their guests, the producers said on Thursday. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the show to hand out the highest honors in the movie industry will be held both at the Union Station in Downtown Los Angeles and the traditional home of the Academy Awards at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.

'Falcon and the Winter Soldier' illuminates Marvel's post-blip world

Marvel Studios' newest TV spinoff, "The Falcon and the Winter Soldier," promises to show fans what life is like in the superheroes' universe following the spectacle of 2019 film "Avengers: Endgame." The six-episode series, debuting Friday on Walt Disney Co's Disney+ streaming service, stars Anthony Mackie as The Falcon and his alter-ego Sam Wilson. Sebastian Stan plays Bucky Barnes, also known as The Winter Soldier.

Six Flags to reopen theme parks in Mexico, California

Amusement park operator Six Flags Entertainment Corp said it will reopen its theme park in Mexico starting Thursday, and both of its California properties to the public on April 3. The company, known for roller coaster rides such as the El Toro, Batman the Ride and Bizarro, said the parks will operate at reduced attendance levels, in accordance with state reopening guidelines for theme parks and extensive safety measures will be implemented.

Singer Griff wins BRITs Rising Star award Singer-songwriter Griff has won the 2021 BRITs Rising Star award, organisers of Britain's pop music honours said on Friday. The "Mirror Talk" and "Forgive Myself" singer beat off competition from rapper Pa Salieu and singer Rina Sawayama to the prize, whose past winners include Adele, Sam Smith, Emeli Sande and Celeste.

Actor Depp seeks retrial in wife beater case, saying ruling 'plainly wrong' Lawyers for Hollywood actor Johnny Depp said his ex-wife's claim she had donated her divorce settlement to charity was a "calculated lie", as they sought permission to appeal a London High Court ruling which upheld that he was a wife beater. Judge Andrew Nicol ruled last November that Depp had violently assaulted Amber Heard during their tempestuous five-year relationship, at times putting her in fear for her life.

Country star Dolly Parton gets her own comic book Country singer Dolly Parton is getting her own comic book, the latest addition to TidalWave Comics' "Female Force" series dedicated to inspirational women. The 22-page "Female Force: Dolly Parton" will be released on March 31, in print and digital formats.

Lizzo launches reality TV search for 'big grrrls' U.S. musician Lizzo is making a reality TV series to find big women to join her on stage. "It's time to find my dream team of beautifully talented big grrrls," the "Good As Hell" singer, a three time Grammy winner and role model for body positivity, wrote on her Instagram page on Friday.

Actor Armie Hammer accused of rape, attorney calls claim 'outrageous' A young woman on Thursday accused U.S. actor Armie Hammer of raping her four years ago in Los Angeles and police said they were investigating the matter. Hammer's lawyer called the allegation "outrageous" and said that all the actor's sexual relationships were "completely consensual."

(With inputs from agencies.)