Diaz & Del Toro Team for Agent, Posey Honored, LaBeouf's Film Critic Movie: Biz Break

Also in Thursday afternoon's Biz Break: Gavin O'Connor (Warrior) is set to direct a post-tsunami Japan crime thriller, Naomi Watts and Matt Dillon's Sunlight Jr. will preview at Cannes, Nigel Lythgoe teams with BAFTA L.A., and Venice winners are spotlighted in NYC Italian film series.

Cameron Diaz and Benicio Del Toro Set for Agent: Century 21
Exclusive Media will produce and finance the action/comedy. The film revolves around a divorced mother (Diaz) who does a task for her boss that gets her kidnapped and thrown into the center of the Mexican drug war. Adam Hashemi will make his directorial debut from a script by Greg Brooker.

Provincetown Film Festival to Open with Bachelorette
The festival will host the East Coast debut of the dark comedy which debuted at Sundance. Producer/director Roger Corman will receive the festival's Filmmaker on the Edge Award (and will appear in a live conversation with John Waters). Parker Posey will be honored with the Excellence in Acting Award and director Kirby Dick (The Invisible War) with the Faith Hubley Career Achievement Award. The Provincetown International Film Festival takes place June 13 - 17.

Venice Film Festival Winners and More Set for Italian Film Series in NYC
Called Open Roads: New Italian Cinema, the series will also feature debuts by two of Italy's finest screenwriters, Francesco Bruni (Easy!) and Ivan Cotroneo (Kryptonite). Hosted by the Film Society of Lincoln Center, the series takes place June 8 - 14. For a full list, visit their website.

Nigel Lythgoe to Chair 2012 BAFTA L.A. Britannia Awards
The British Academy of Film and Television Arts Los Angeles will celebrate 25 years and the American Idol producer Nigel Lythgoe will lead oversight of the 2012 Britannia Awards set for November 7th at the Beverly Hilton.

Around the 'net...

Gavin O'Connor to Direct Japan Crime Thriller Yakuza
The story revolves around an American intelligence expert who becomes involved with a yakuza 'godfather' set against a criminal underworld of post-tsunami Japan. Brian Grazer will produce, Deadline reports.

Naomi Watts/Matt Dillon Pic to Get Cannes Preview
A promo reel of Sunlight Jr. will be shown in Cannes by Hyde Park International. Directed by Laurie Collyer (Sherrybaby), the film revolves around store clerk Melissa and her paraplegic boyfriend who are excited when they learn they will be having a baby. But when she loses her job and they are evicted from their motel, things go from bad to worse. Hollywood Wiretap reports.

Shia LaBeouf to Bring Movie Critic Film to Cannes
The Transformers star directed the short Howard Cantour.com, billed by organizers as an "offbeat, irreverent vision of film criticism." The film debuts in Critics Week May 18th, The Guardian reports.

Studios, Guilds, Agencies Align for Vets
Movie studios, TV networks, talent agencies and the entertainment unions, together with a host of nonprofit groups, have created the "Got Your 6" initiative, a multi-pronged effort to support military veterans and their families, A.P. reports.