UTA Independent Film Group has acquired Uwe Boll’s upcoming migrant crisis thriller “Run,” starring Emmy and Tony award winner Amanda Plummer (“Star Trek: Picard”) and James Russo (“Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1”).

UTA will handle global sales for the pic, produced by Boll’s U.S.-Canadian shingle Event Film and his German outfit Boll Films.

UTA takes over from the film’s initial sales company, Stuttgart-based Kinostar, headed by “Run” executive producer Michael Roesch. The move is seen as an advantage for potential worldwide deals.

“We are thrilled to work with UTA for the global sales of ‘Run’ and can’t wait to introduce the movie to audiences around the world,” said Boll.

“We are excited that UTA loves the strong performances of our ensemble cast as much as we do, and we can’t wait to start working with them,” added Roesch.

The film’s cast includes Ulrich Thomsen and Oscar nominee Barkhad Abdi (“Captain Phillips”).

“Run” examines how the ongoing migrant waves crossing the Mediterranean Sea by boat to Europe are changing the lives of all involved — migrants (Abdi, Sammy Sheik and British newcomer Hannah Balogun), smugglers (Michel Quissi, Costas Mandylor), local police (Daniel Sauli), local business owners (Russo, Thomsen and Kristen Renton) and tourists (Plummer).

The film, edited by frequent Robert Rodriguez collaborator Ethan Maniquis, is currently in post-production at Tunnel Post in Santa Monica.

“Run,” Boll’s 36th feature, follows in the wake of his latest movie, “First Shift,” which also features Renton and Sauli. It was released in theaters and on demand via Quiver on Aug. 30.

The filmmaker’s works include high-profile video game adaptations like “In the Name of the King,” with Jason Statham, cult favorites, including “Postal” and “Rampage,” and fact-based pics “Attack on Darfur” and “1968 Tunnel Rats.”

A recent Ph.D. graduate’s excavation of an ancient forest near Strahan in western Tasmania exceeded expectations with the discovery of new plant species.

Fossils were discovered during a 2020 excavation led by Dr. Miriam Slodownik, a recent graduate of the University of Adelaide. The goal of the dig was to “understand the ancient ecosystems of Tasmania,” Slodownik told Fox News Digital in an email.

Slodownik’s research was published in the American Journal of Botany on Aug. 27, 2024.

“I’ve always been fascinated by the idea that regions near the poles, areas we associate with extreme cold and ice, were once covered in dense forests,” Slodownik said. “To study this, I looked for places where we could find rocks that formed during the right time and at the right place.”

MOM, SON DIG UP ANCIENT OBJECT OFTEN FOUND NEAR BURIAL GROUNDS WHILE GARDENING

“Tasmania turned out to be a perfect location, not only because it was accessible (in contrast to Antarctica, which is much harder to reach) but also because previous research had already indicated the presence of fossils,” Slodownik continued. Fossils were previously found during a 2003 excavation conducted by the University of Tasmania led by professor Gregory Jordan, Slodownik said.

Even though Slodownik had past findings on her side, the success of the more recent excavation turned out to be greater than what was previously expected. 

The goal of understanding ancient ecosystems was far exceeded by also discovering new plant species along the way. 

“We did not expect to find new species,” Slodownik told Fox News Digital.

The fossils were found near the town of Strahan on the west coast of Tasmania. (Auscape/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

Among the significant fossils found included relatives of living plants such as Araucaria, Slodownik noted, as well as relatives of the Wollemi pine, an ancient and extremely rare plant. Fewer than 100 adult trees are known to exist today. 

12-YEAR-OLD BOY STUMBLES UPON STUNNING ANCIENT FIND WHILE WALKING DOG IN ENGLAND: ‘RELATIVELY RARE’

Fossils often tell larger stories about the conditions of the world around them at the time when they lived. 

The forest in which these plant fossils were found dates back 53 million years, according to a news release about the find from the University of Adelaide. 

“The fossils tell an incredible story. Around 50 million years ago, a lush, ‘tropical-like’ forest thrived near the polar circle. This was during a time of peak global temperatures, so much so that even regions close to the poles, areas we now think of as icy and barren, were covered in dense vegetation,” Slodownik explained.

“At that time, Tasmania was positioned at the polar circle and was still connected to Antarctica, which served as a land bridge to South America. Because of this connection, many fossil plants we found in Tasmania are quite similar to those of the same age found in South America,” Slodownik continued. 

Among the fossils found were new plant species, something Slodownik did not expect from the dig. (Dr. Miriam Slodownik)

“Overall, these fossils provide us with a fascinating glimpse into how Earth’s climate and continents have shifted dramatically over millions of years,” Slodownik concluded. 

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — A fire in a school dormitory in Kenya killed 17 students and seriously burned 13 others, police said Friday.

There are fears that the death toll may rise, police said.

The cause of the fire Thursday night at Hillside Endarasha Primary in Nyeri county was being investigated, police spokesperson Resila Onyango said.

“We are investigating the cause and will take necessary action,” she said.

School fires are common in Kenyan boarding schools, where many students stay because parents believe it gives them more time to study without long commutes.

Some fires have been started by students during protests over the workload or living conditions. In 2017, 10 high school students died in a school fire in the capital, Nairobi.