Americas: Film is in competish at the Venice Film Festival -- Sony Pictures Classics has acquired all U.S. rights to "Barney's Version," which is in competish at the Venice Film Festival.

Top News: Film is in competish at the Venice Film Festival -- Sony Pictures Classics has acquired all U.S. rights to "Barney's Version," which is in competish at the Venice Film Festival.

Film Reviews: Given the popularity of Brazilian President Luis Inacio Lula da Silva, aka "Lula," it was only a matter of time before a large-scale biopic of the leader's prole-to-power story was made. The fact that "Lula: Son of Brazil" was produced by the venerable LC Barreto unit, the country's deepest-pocketed filmmaking family, ensures a lavishly staged film (the $7 million pic is Brazil's priciest to date), even as its conventionally chronological narrative offers a much sanitized retelling. Solid local B.O. results in theaters and homevid has extended Lula's fame.

Technology News: Korine joins online fundraising initiative from Rotterdam -- Harmony Korine is the third filmmaker to join the lineup of creatives aiming to finance movies via Cinema Reloaded, the crowd-funding initiative launched earlier this year by the Rotterdam Film Festival.

Venice Show Dailies: Young filmmakers take a shot at Hollywood -- "America," one European producer recently declared, "is the only country with a real film industry. That's why so many people want to work there."

Venice Film Festival: Campuses caught between government, corporate cutbacks -- In a climate of budgetary belt-tightening, the U.K.'s network of Screen Academies has been cut back to align it more closely with the needs of the film industry.

Spotlight: Euro Film Schools: Students benefit from their real-world experience -- American film-school students have been known to complain that their professors have little to offer in the way of practical experience.

Spotlight: Euro Film Schools: Student feedback leaves La Femis looking for answers -- Has La Femis, France's most prestigious national film school, lost its mojo?

Philanthropy: Adams, Garner to be feted at Power of Women luncheon -- Seven women in the entertainment biz will be honored for their philanthropic efforts at Variety's second annual Power of Women luncheon, set for Sept. 30 at the Beverly Hills Hotel.

Headline Newsletter TV News: David Westin's exit signals static ahead -- Roone Arledge, among other things, knew how to put on a show. There was nothing quite like an ABC affiliates meeting during his free-wheeling stewardship of ABC Sports and ABC News.

Gotham: Director set for story of privileged L.A. teens -- Tao Ruspoli ("Fix") has been set to direct indie coming-of-age comedy "Bad Apples," set in the social world of overprivileged L.A. teens.

Web Exclusive: Indian and French fests in H'w'd for April 2011 -- The Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles has begun accepting entries for for its 2011 event.

Legit News: Seasonal drop may prove less severe than usual -- Broadway perked up last week, with the Labor Day weekend helping to ring in a bit more biz than the prior frame.

Headline Newsletter Film News: Dimension pic will go out Aug. 19 -- Joel McHale is in final negotiations to star opposite Jessica Alba in Robert Rodriguez's "Spy Kids 4" reboot for Dimension.

Americas: Ramsay series cooks up ratings -- Gordon Ramsay is keeping the kitchen open: Fox just gave Ramsay a season two pickup for his summer competish "Masterchef."

Film News: 'Desperate Housewives' actress set for indie feature role -- Andrea Bowen ("Desperate Housewives") has been set to star in the upcoming indie feature "Preacher's Daughter."

Gotham: David Nevins draws from John Wells -- Looking to make his mark as Showtime's new entertainment prexy, David Nevins has turned to a familiar face: John Wells.

Film News: Season's top three releases were franchise titles -- Summer was a bit less sunny at the domestic box office this year, but hits like "Iron Man 2" and "Shrek Forever After" helped Paramount top the season's distribs with $778 million.

Toronto Film Fest News: Shingle preems two pics at fest, readies 'Shark' -- While it has two films premiering at the Toronto Film Festival, Nick Meyer and Marc Schaberg's Sierra Pictures also is getting ready to sink its teeth into "Shark Night 3D," its first pic with Incentive Filmed Entertainment.

Headline Newsletter TV News: Bayer, Brittain, Killam and Pharoah new players -- After days of speculation, NBC officially announced its plans for the 36th season of "Saturday Night Live" -- which kicks off Sept. 25 with guest host Amy Poehler.