Movie News
Ari Aster and his producing partner Lars Knudsen have boarded Chile’s Cristóbal León and Joaquín Cociña’s new film “Hansel & Gretel” as executive producers through their company, Square Peg.
The Chilean duo’s feature “The Hyperboreans” forms part of Cannes’ Directors’ Fortnight.
The story is expected to twist the fairy tale into inimitable shapes. “It’s our very personal adaptation of the classic fairy tale, with the main difference that Hansel and Gretel are both boys in this version, at least at the beginning of the story,” Cristóbal León told Variety. In this telling, “the story itself gets lost,” León added.
León and Cociña worked with Aster on “Beau is Afraid,” having come to his attention via their feature “The Wolf House,” a winner at Annecy described by Variety as “a jaw-dropping marriage of various animation techniques.”
“Cociña and León are among the true originals working in animation right now.
The Chilean duo’s feature “The Hyperboreans” forms part of Cannes’ Directors’ Fortnight.
The story is expected to twist the fairy tale into inimitable shapes. “It’s our very personal adaptation of the classic fairy tale, with the main difference that Hansel and Gretel are both boys in this version, at least at the beginning of the story,” Cristóbal León told Variety. In this telling, “the story itself gets lost,” León added.
León and Cociña worked with Aster on “Beau is Afraid,” having come to his attention via their feature “The Wolf House,” a winner at Annecy described by Variety as “a jaw-dropping marriage of various animation techniques.”
“Cociña and León are among the true originals working in animation right now.
- 5/20/2024
- by Callum McLennan
- Variety - Film News
Not exactly the opening weekend that dreams are made of.
Director John Krasinski’s “If,” a fantasy-comedy that promises your imaginary friends from childhood are real, fell slightly short of box office expectations with $35 million. Heading into the weekend, “If” was expected to bring in at least $40 million in its first weekend of release. Based on Friday’s turnout, it looked like “If” would open to $30 million but projections were revised up after Saturday’s strong showing. Ticket sales were enough for first place, but it’s a wobbly start for a PG family film that cost $110 million to make and many millions more to market. It collected an additional $20 million overseas for a global total of $55 million.
The good news for Paramount Pictures, which distributed “If,” is that audiences dug the film, giving it an “A” CinemaScore. Ideally, it’ll have staying power like recent original kid-friendly movies, including “Migration” and “Elemental,...
Director John Krasinski’s “If,” a fantasy-comedy that promises your imaginary friends from childhood are real, fell slightly short of box office expectations with $35 million. Heading into the weekend, “If” was expected to bring in at least $40 million in its first weekend of release. Based on Friday’s turnout, it looked like “If” would open to $30 million but projections were revised up after Saturday’s strong showing. Ticket sales were enough for first place, but it’s a wobbly start for a PG family film that cost $110 million to make and many millions more to market. It collected an additional $20 million overseas for a global total of $55 million.
The good news for Paramount Pictures, which distributed “If,” is that audiences dug the film, giving it an “A” CinemaScore. Ideally, it’ll have staying power like recent original kid-friendly movies, including “Migration” and “Elemental,...
- 5/19/2024
- by Rebecca Rubin
- Variety Film + TV
As the longest running reality television series, “Survivor” has become a household name. Just think of the famous catchphrases. Who hasn’t said they wanted to vote an irritating person “off the island” or used “the tribe has spoken” at one punny point in their life? After three decades of filming, this year’s Season 46 is proving that changes to this season’s unique gameplay combining social, mental, and physical elements is the key to keeping the series exciting, highly discussable, and popular with viewers.
New aspects of the game introduced after the pandemic have earned the last five seasons the fan-dubbed moniker “New Era Survivor” for good reason. Instead of 39 days, “Survivor” is now played in a shorter and more intense 26 days. Forget those lavish days of “Survivor’s” past with building supplies, canned food and rice, and comfy hammocks. Contestants are no longer given any food to start,...
New aspects of the game introduced after the pandemic have earned the last five seasons the fan-dubbed moniker “New Era Survivor” for good reason. Instead of 39 days, “Survivor” is now played in a shorter and more intense 26 days. Forget those lavish days of “Survivor’s” past with building supplies, canned food and rice, and comfy hammocks. Contestants are no longer given any food to start,...
- 5/21/2024
- by Brigid Misselhorn
- Indiewire
Cannes film festival
Seven world leaders – including Charles Dance’s dozy US president – are trapped in a forest in this amusing but bizarre apocalyptic comedy
Cate Blanchett has supplied the strangest moment of this year’s Cannes film festival; for Brits of a certain age, anyway. Her character reverently invokes the name of the late Roy Jenkins, Labour grandee and former chancellor of both the exchequer and Oxford University. Blanchett plays a fictional German chancellor called Hilda Ortmann who mentions Jenkins as the first president of the European Commission allowed to attend a G7 summit Perhaps in her next film Blanchett can do a big speech about Peter Shore.
Rumours is an amusing drawing-room absurdist comedy, co-written and directed by Canadian film-maker Guy Maddin with his longtime collaborators, the brothers Evan and Galen Johnson. The title is inspired by the 1977 Fleetwood Mac album, because of the emotional crises that are...
Seven world leaders – including Charles Dance’s dozy US president – are trapped in a forest in this amusing but bizarre apocalyptic comedy
Cate Blanchett has supplied the strangest moment of this year’s Cannes film festival; for Brits of a certain age, anyway. Her character reverently invokes the name of the late Roy Jenkins, Labour grandee and former chancellor of both the exchequer and Oxford University. Blanchett plays a fictional German chancellor called Hilda Ortmann who mentions Jenkins as the first president of the European Commission allowed to attend a G7 summit Perhaps in her next film Blanchett can do a big speech about Peter Shore.
Rumours is an amusing drawing-room absurdist comedy, co-written and directed by Canadian film-maker Guy Maddin with his longtime collaborators, the brothers Evan and Galen Johnson. The title is inspired by the 1977 Fleetwood Mac album, because of the emotional crises that are...
- 5/21/2024
- by Peter Bradshaw
- The Guardian - Film News
In this instalment of Screen’s Cannes Close-Up interview series, Spanish producer Valérie Delpierre - whose credits with Inicia Films include 20,000 Species Of Bees - reveals the countries she’s keen to work with and her best tip for newcomers.
Delpierre is here with the festival’s Producers Network and Spain’s Icex. “It’s a way to be in Cannes and not be lost in the middle of so many people, so many contacts and, in a way, it drives us to meet each other and network,” she says of the network.
The producer also recommends coming with...
Delpierre is here with the festival’s Producers Network and Spain’s Icex. “It’s a way to be in Cannes and not be lost in the middle of so many people, so many contacts and, in a way, it drives us to meet each other and network,” she says of the network.
The producer also recommends coming with...
- 5/21/2024
- ScreenDaily
“The Apprentice” director Ali Abbasi has responded to the Trump campaign’s threat to sue over the movie, which premiered at Cannes Film Festival on Monday night.
“Everybody talks about him suing a lot of people — they don’t talk about his success rate though, you know?” Abbasi said. He even offered to meet with Trump and screen the movie for him, saying, “I don’t necessarily think that this is a movie he would dislike.”
Abbasi continued, “I don’t necessarily think he would like it. I think he would be surprised, you know? And like I’ve said before, I would offer to go and meet him wherever he wants and talk about the context of the movie, have a screening and have a chat afterwards, if that’s interesting to anyone at the Trump campaign.”
Trump’s 2024 campaign put out a lengthy statement Monday night calling the film “garbage” and “pure fiction.
“Everybody talks about him suing a lot of people — they don’t talk about his success rate though, you know?” Abbasi said. He even offered to meet with Trump and screen the movie for him, saying, “I don’t necessarily think that this is a movie he would dislike.”
Abbasi continued, “I don’t necessarily think he would like it. I think he would be surprised, you know? And like I’ve said before, I would offer to go and meet him wherever he wants and talk about the context of the movie, have a screening and have a chat afterwards, if that’s interesting to anyone at the Trump campaign.”
Trump’s 2024 campaign put out a lengthy statement Monday night calling the film “garbage” and “pure fiction.
- 5/21/2024
- by Ellise Shafer and Matt Donnelly
- Variety - Film News
New York-based production, sales and distribution company The Dazey Phase has picked up Sundance and Thessaloniki winner “Desire Lines,” Variety has found out exclusively. The company will be shopping it at Cannes’ Marché du Film.
The hybrid doc, directed by Jules Rosskam, examines trans masculine sexuality and the taboos that surround it. It was produced by Full Spectrum Features and MamSir Productions in association with 521 Films.
“I’m always interested in experimenting with form,” said Rosskam.
“I am the kind of filmmaker who finds a new form for each film I make because I strongly believe that form and content co-create one another. If I tried to make a film where the content was asking audiences to let go of binary ways of thinking, but the form was operating from within a binary, I don’t think it would be as effective.”
The film has already been awarded the...
The hybrid doc, directed by Jules Rosskam, examines trans masculine sexuality and the taboos that surround it. It was produced by Full Spectrum Features and MamSir Productions in association with 521 Films.
“I’m always interested in experimenting with form,” said Rosskam.
“I am the kind of filmmaker who finds a new form for each film I make because I strongly believe that form and content co-create one another. If I tried to make a film where the content was asking audiences to let go of binary ways of thinking, but the form was operating from within a binary, I don’t think it would be as effective.”
The film has already been awarded the...
- 5/21/2024
- by Marta Balaga
- Variety - Film News
For one of this year’s Variety Global Conversations Summit at Cannes, a group of leading women actors and filmmakers from around the world joined Variety’s Nick Vivarelli to discuss how they got into the business, what motivates them and some of the groundbreaking roles they’ve played.
Egyptian actor Salma Abu-Deif (“El-Asliyyin”) discussed her recent turn in the series “Highest Viewing Rate,” which tells the true story of a girl from a poor family who becomes obsessed with TikTok and uses the platform to escape her daily life.
According to Abu-Deif, the show has impacted some traditionally strict Arab parents who have watched it and gained a better understanding of some issues their children face. “I love that I saw Arab parents saying, ‘Oh, maybe we need to listen to our kids, even if it’s against how we were raised or how we think culture should be.
Egyptian actor Salma Abu-Deif (“El-Asliyyin”) discussed her recent turn in the series “Highest Viewing Rate,” which tells the true story of a girl from a poor family who becomes obsessed with TikTok and uses the platform to escape her daily life.
According to Abu-Deif, the show has impacted some traditionally strict Arab parents who have watched it and gained a better understanding of some issues their children face. “I love that I saw Arab parents saying, ‘Oh, maybe we need to listen to our kids, even if it’s against how we were raised or how we think culture should be.
- 5/21/2024
- by Jamie Lang
- Variety - Film News
As part of this year’s Variety Global Conversations at the Cannes Film Festival, representatives from the Czech Republic engaged in a lively discussion about the industry’s state of affairs and celebrated 20 years of involvement at the Marché du Film.
Markéta Šantrochová, head of the Czech Film Center at the Czech Film Fund; Pavlína Žipková, head of the Czech Film Commission at the Czech Film Fund; and Petr Tichý, CEO of Barrandov Studio, participated in the talk, moderated by Variety’s Leo Barraclough.
According to Zipkova, the Czech delegation wanted to make one key point clear to everyone in attendance: “If there is only one thing you need to remember from this session, it is that the Czech Film Fund production incentives scheme is open. It’ll never close again. Let me repeat. It is opened; it’s not closing down,” she insisted.
Her confidence in making such a...
Markéta Šantrochová, head of the Czech Film Center at the Czech Film Fund; Pavlína Žipková, head of the Czech Film Commission at the Czech Film Fund; and Petr Tichý, CEO of Barrandov Studio, participated in the talk, moderated by Variety’s Leo Barraclough.
According to Zipkova, the Czech delegation wanted to make one key point clear to everyone in attendance: “If there is only one thing you need to remember from this session, it is that the Czech Film Fund production incentives scheme is open. It’ll never close again. Let me repeat. It is opened; it’s not closing down,” she insisted.
Her confidence in making such a...
- 5/21/2024
- by Jamie Lang
- Variety - Film News
For crisp tension or thematic clarity, nothing in “The Balconettes” quite outdoes the nearly self-contained, minutes-long short that opens actor-director Noémie Merlant’s frenzied, heatstruck genre mashup. On a 115-degree summer afternoon in a wilting, AC-challenged Marseilles apartment block, a put-upon middle-aged wife passes out on her balcony. Roused with a splash of water by her boorish husband, who demands she get back to her chores, the poor woman breaks: Getting to her feet, she whacks him unconscious with a steel dustpan, smothers him with a towel, and sits on him for good measure until all life seeps out of his body. With not a scrap of backstory required, this immensely satisfying vignette earns the film an early round of cheers.
That’s the last we see of this character’s plight, save for a brief shot later of her being led away from the building by police. (Cue some...
That’s the last we see of this character’s plight, save for a brief shot later of her being led away from the building by police. (Cue some...
- 5/21/2024
- by Guy Lodge
- Variety - Film News
True story of Jewish boy in flight from the Nazis and hiding in the forest is told here with a fair amount of sentiment
This sweet if somewhat sentiment-and-string-section-forward Canadian film tells the true story of Max, a Jewish boy aged 12 from Warsaw, trying to evade capture during the second world war. Max’s mother (Berkley Silverman), aware that there’s only a little time left and she and her baby daughter won’t make it, manages to bundle Max off to go stay with a Polish family deep in the forest who will be paid for their troubles. Jasko (Richard Armitage) and Kasia (Masa Lizdek) are basically good souls, but when the authorities start coming round looking for hiding Jews and Max only just manages to convince them he’s Kasia’s little brother, the Polish couple feel they can’t risk endangering their own and their child’s lives for Max.
This sweet if somewhat sentiment-and-string-section-forward Canadian film tells the true story of Max, a Jewish boy aged 12 from Warsaw, trying to evade capture during the second world war. Max’s mother (Berkley Silverman), aware that there’s only a little time left and she and her baby daughter won’t make it, manages to bundle Max off to go stay with a Polish family deep in the forest who will be paid for their troubles. Jasko (Richard Armitage) and Kasia (Masa Lizdek) are basically good souls, but when the authorities start coming round looking for hiding Jews and Max only just manages to convince them he’s Kasia’s little brother, the Polish couple feel they can’t risk endangering their own and their child’s lives for Max.
- 5/21/2024
- by Leslie Felperin
- The Guardian - Film News
Brazilian auteur Carolina Markowicz will head to Bucharest to hone her third feature, “The Funeral.” In development, the film was selected for the 2024 Pop Up Residency, pairing Markowicz with multi-prized Romanian producer Ada Solomon for a three-week consultancy.
“It’s truly a privilege to be able to dialogue with an industry professional like Ada, a producer who has made some films I truly admire. Daring, original and different. I love the artists who still dare to take risks, this is so rare nowadays. I’m looking forward to hearing her take on my film, and very honored to have it selected by her,” Markowicz told Variety.
The residency is part of an exclusive development initiative from Projeto Paradiso, which additionally awarded Markowicz a Paradiso Scholarship this year to attend the Tfl ScriptLab for the budding concept. It’s the fifth consecutive year that the partner program has offered the residency to a Brazilian filmmaker.
“It’s truly a privilege to be able to dialogue with an industry professional like Ada, a producer who has made some films I truly admire. Daring, original and different. I love the artists who still dare to take risks, this is so rare nowadays. I’m looking forward to hearing her take on my film, and very honored to have it selected by her,” Markowicz told Variety.
The residency is part of an exclusive development initiative from Projeto Paradiso, which additionally awarded Markowicz a Paradiso Scholarship this year to attend the Tfl ScriptLab for the budding concept. It’s the fifth consecutive year that the partner program has offered the residency to a Brazilian filmmaker.
- 5/21/2024
- by Holly Jones
- Variety - Film News
“Delivery Man,” the next film project for hit-making Thai director Kongkiat Komesiri has been picked up by Los Angeles- and Bangkok-based Est N8. The company is launching it at the Cannes Market, adjacent to the Cannes Film Festival.
Komesiri, known for his hit “Khun Pan” film trilogy, popular Bl series “KinnPorsche” and horror films including “Slice” and “Art of the Devil II.”
The new film, which he also wrote, is pitched as “a spine-chilling horror experience [.. ] that evokes the suspenseful style of Korean cinema, mixed with the renowned Thai style of storytelling.” Production is set to get under way in September, with delivery of the completed picture in the first quarter of 2025.
“Delivery Man” will star ‘Yada’ Narilya Gulmongkolpech, who broke through in Gdh’s “The Medium” in 2021. She “brings a unique blend of intensity and authenticity to her roles, enhancing the film’s appeal to both national and international audiences,...
Komesiri, known for his hit “Khun Pan” film trilogy, popular Bl series “KinnPorsche” and horror films including “Slice” and “Art of the Devil II.”
The new film, which he also wrote, is pitched as “a spine-chilling horror experience [.. ] that evokes the suspenseful style of Korean cinema, mixed with the renowned Thai style of storytelling.” Production is set to get under way in September, with delivery of the completed picture in the first quarter of 2025.
“Delivery Man” will star ‘Yada’ Narilya Gulmongkolpech, who broke through in Gdh’s “The Medium” in 2021. She “brings a unique blend of intensity and authenticity to her roles, enhancing the film’s appeal to both national and international audiences,...
- 5/21/2024
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety - Film News
Award-winning Malaysian filmmaker Woo Ming Jin has wrapped principal photography on his latest film, “The Fox King,” the producers revealed at the Cannes Film Festival.
Set in a coastal Malaysian town in the early 2000s, “The Fox King” tells the story of Ali and Amir, inseparable fraternal twins with a telepathic bond. The brothers are forced to fend for themselves when their father abandons them after remarrying a younger bride. The arrival of a new teacher, Lara, tests their brotherly bond.
The film is headlined by Indonesian star Dian Sastrowardoyo (Netflix’s “Cigarette Girl”) alongside Idan Aedan (“Blood Flower”), Amerul Affendi (“I.D.”), Chew Kin Wah (“Rain Town”) and newcomer Hadi Putra.
“The Fox King” participated in the Tokyo gap financing market and the QCinema project market in 2023. The film is a Sunstrong Entertainment (Venice selection “Snow in Midsummer”) production in collaboration with fellow Malaysian companies Greenlight Pictures and Da Huang Pictures...
Set in a coastal Malaysian town in the early 2000s, “The Fox King” tells the story of Ali and Amir, inseparable fraternal twins with a telepathic bond. The brothers are forced to fend for themselves when their father abandons them after remarrying a younger bride. The arrival of a new teacher, Lara, tests their brotherly bond.
The film is headlined by Indonesian star Dian Sastrowardoyo (Netflix’s “Cigarette Girl”) alongside Idan Aedan (“Blood Flower”), Amerul Affendi (“I.D.”), Chew Kin Wah (“Rain Town”) and newcomer Hadi Putra.
“The Fox King” participated in the Tokyo gap financing market and the QCinema project market in 2023. The film is a Sunstrong Entertainment (Venice selection “Snow in Midsummer”) production in collaboration with fellow Malaysian companies Greenlight Pictures and Da Huang Pictures...
- 5/21/2024
- by Naman Ramachandran and Patrick Frater
- Variety - Film News
Donald Trump’s presidential election campaign has threatened legal action against the makers of The Apprentice, Ali Abassi’s biographical drama that premiered in the Cannes competition on Sunday (May 19).
In a statement about the film released to the Hollywood trades on Monday, campaign chief spokesperson Steven Cheung said: “We will be filing a lawsuit to address the blatantly false assertions from these pretend filmmakers. This garbage is pure fiction which sensationalises lies that have been long debunked.”
“This ‘film’ is pure malicious defamation,” the statement added, “should not see the light of day, and doesn’t even deserve a...
In a statement about the film released to the Hollywood trades on Monday, campaign chief spokesperson Steven Cheung said: “We will be filing a lawsuit to address the blatantly false assertions from these pretend filmmakers. This garbage is pure fiction which sensationalises lies that have been long debunked.”
“This ‘film’ is pure malicious defamation,” the statement added, “should not see the light of day, and doesn’t even deserve a...
- 5/21/2024
- ScreenDaily
Dressed like an extra from The Crow, the actor plays a tragicomic supporting character in this drama that feels like a TV pilot show
Set in New York City and filmed in Manchester, England, here is a film that aims to play like a feature-length episode of The Wire or The Sopranos. Naturally, that is not an easy target to hit, and the result, while decent enough, falls somewhat short but is still watchable.
Luke Evans plays Adam, a nice guy who made a terrible mistake in his youth: shooting another young man and going to prison for 16 years. His partner, Donna (Stephanie Leonidas), has brought up their son Jimmy to believe his dad simply skipped town and abandoned them, so she’s none too chuffed to find Adam back in the neighbourhood and desperate to reconnect with a now-teenaged Jimmy (Rudy Pankow).
Set in New York City and filmed in Manchester, England, here is a film that aims to play like a feature-length episode of The Wire or The Sopranos. Naturally, that is not an easy target to hit, and the result, while decent enough, falls somewhat short but is still watchable.
Luke Evans plays Adam, a nice guy who made a terrible mistake in his youth: shooting another young man and going to prison for 16 years. His partner, Donna (Stephanie Leonidas), has brought up their son Jimmy to believe his dad simply skipped town and abandoned them, so she’s none too chuffed to find Adam back in the neighbourhood and desperate to reconnect with a now-teenaged Jimmy (Rudy Pankow).
- 5/21/2024
- by Catherine Bray
- The Guardian - Film News
AGC International has closed major territory sales here in Cannes on Eden, Ron Howard’s all-star survival thriller and potential awards season contender which is tipped to land a Venice world premiere slot.
A multi-territory deal with Amazon Prime Video includes the UK & Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, France, Scandinavia, Spain, Latin America, Japan, South Korea, South Africa, India, Turkey, West Indies, and Asia pay-tv.
Jude Law, Ana de Armas, Sydney Sweeney, Vanessa Kirby, and Daniel Brühl star in the story based on an unsolved mystery in the Galapagos which explores the lengths people go in pursuit of happiness.
Rights...
A multi-territory deal with Amazon Prime Video includes the UK & Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, France, Scandinavia, Spain, Latin America, Japan, South Korea, South Africa, India, Turkey, West Indies, and Asia pay-tv.
Jude Law, Ana de Armas, Sydney Sweeney, Vanessa Kirby, and Daniel Brühl star in the story based on an unsolved mystery in the Galapagos which explores the lengths people go in pursuit of happiness.
Rights...
- 5/21/2024
- ScreenDaily
AGC International has closed major territory sales here in Cannes on Eden, Ron Howard’s all-star survival thriller and potential awards season contender which is tipped to land a Venice world premiere slot.
A multi-territory deal with Amazon Prime Video includes the UK & Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, France, Scandinavia, Spain, Latin America, Japan, South Korea, South Africa, India, Turkey, West Indies, and Asia pay-tv.
Jude Law, Ana de Armas, Sydney Sweeney, Vanessa Kirby, and Daniel Brühl star in the story based on an unsolved mystery in the Galapagos which explores the lengths people go in pursuit of happiness.
Rights...
A multi-territory deal with Amazon Prime Video includes the UK & Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, France, Scandinavia, Spain, Latin America, Japan, South Korea, South Africa, India, Turkey, West Indies, and Asia pay-tv.
Jude Law, Ana de Armas, Sydney Sweeney, Vanessa Kirby, and Daniel Brühl star in the story based on an unsolved mystery in the Galapagos which explores the lengths people go in pursuit of happiness.
Rights...
- 5/21/2024
- ScreenDaily
AGC International has closed major territory sales here in Cannes on Eden, Ron Howard’s all-star survival thriller and potential awards season contender which is tipped to land a Venice world premiere slot.
A multi-territory deal with Amazon Prime Video includes the UK & Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, France, Scandinavia, Spain, Latin America, Japan, South Korea, South Africa, India, Turkey, West Indies, and Asia pay-tv.
Jude Law, Ana de Armas, Sydney Sweeney, Vanessa Kirby, and Daniel Brühl star in the story based on an unsolved mystery in the Galapagos which explores the lengths people go in pursuit of happiness.
Rights...
A multi-territory deal with Amazon Prime Video includes the UK & Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, France, Scandinavia, Spain, Latin America, Japan, South Korea, South Africa, India, Turkey, West Indies, and Asia pay-tv.
Jude Law, Ana de Armas, Sydney Sweeney, Vanessa Kirby, and Daniel Brühl star in the story based on an unsolved mystery in the Galapagos which explores the lengths people go in pursuit of happiness.
Rights...
- 5/21/2024
- ScreenDaily
Payal Kapadia’s All We Imagine As Light , the first Indian film to play in Cannes competition in 30 years, has lit up the market with sales to a slew of territories.
Paris-based sales house Luxbox has sold the film ahead of its Thursday (May 23) Cannes premiere to Atalante in Spain, Leopardo Filmes in Portugal, Lev Cinemas in Israel, DDDReam in China, Lighthouse in Singapore, Gutek Film in Poland, Cinobo in Greece, Green Narae Media in South Korea, Trigon-Film in Switzerland, Kino Pavasaris for the Baltics, and McF Megacom for former Yugoslavia.
Set and shot in Mumbai, All We Imagine As Light...
Paris-based sales house Luxbox has sold the film ahead of its Thursday (May 23) Cannes premiere to Atalante in Spain, Leopardo Filmes in Portugal, Lev Cinemas in Israel, DDDReam in China, Lighthouse in Singapore, Gutek Film in Poland, Cinobo in Greece, Green Narae Media in South Korea, Trigon-Film in Switzerland, Kino Pavasaris for the Baltics, and McF Megacom for former Yugoslavia.
Set and shot in Mumbai, All We Imagine As Light...
- 5/21/2024
- ScreenDaily
Erke Dzhumakmatova and Emil Atageldiev’s gritty drama Kurak is set to be the first official France-Kyrgyzstan co-production, following an agreement signed between Cnc and Kyrgyzstan’s Cinema Department in Cannes.
Through Oymo Studio, director Dzhumakmatova is also the main producer of Kurak, an international collaboration co-produced with France’s Johann Chapelan of Girelle Production, along with Kairat Birimkulov from Switzerland’s Kbp and Katerina Tarbo-Ignatenko from Serbia’s Spirito Libero.
Based on true events, the film touches on the disempowerment of women against the background of the patriarchal society of modern-day Kyrgyzstan. It is set in the capital Bishkek,...
Through Oymo Studio, director Dzhumakmatova is also the main producer of Kurak, an international collaboration co-produced with France’s Johann Chapelan of Girelle Production, along with Kairat Birimkulov from Switzerland’s Kbp and Katerina Tarbo-Ignatenko from Serbia’s Spirito Libero.
Based on true events, the film touches on the disempowerment of women against the background of the patriarchal society of modern-day Kyrgyzstan. It is set in the capital Bishkek,...
- 5/21/2024
- ScreenDaily
Mongolia’s film industry is on the rise, with a momentum that began at Cannes in 2023.
Zoljargal Purevdash’s If Only I Could Hibernate was the first Mongolian film to be shown in Cannes’ official selection when it played in Un Certain Regard last year, going on to win a jury prize at Tokyo FilmEx and scoring box-office success both at home and internationally.
It was followed by Lkhagvadulam Purev-Ochir’s City Of Wind, the first feature from the Asian country to play Toronto and Venice.
Both features followed the introduction of a film law in January 2022 to promote production in Mongolia,...
Zoljargal Purevdash’s If Only I Could Hibernate was the first Mongolian film to be shown in Cannes’ official selection when it played in Un Certain Regard last year, going on to win a jury prize at Tokyo FilmEx and scoring box-office success both at home and internationally.
It was followed by Lkhagvadulam Purev-Ochir’s City Of Wind, the first feature from the Asian country to play Toronto and Venice.
Both features followed the introduction of a film law in January 2022 to promote production in Mongolia,...
- 5/21/2024
- ScreenDaily
Amid a generally positive market the familiar gripe of high asking prices has sent a clear message that buyers and sellers are finding it increasingly tough to reconcile their respective financial models.
The tension remains particularly acute on A-list market packages, where independent producers have fought (and paid) to attract and hold on to talent in a post-strike world where hefty offers from studios and streamers, driven by talent agents, have been hard to resist.
The ripple effect has forced sales agents to push up their asks in order to recoup financiers’ investments. Sales estimates set more than a year ago,...
The tension remains particularly acute on A-list market packages, where independent producers have fought (and paid) to attract and hold on to talent in a post-strike world where hefty offers from studios and streamers, driven by talent agents, have been hard to resist.
The ripple effect has forced sales agents to push up their asks in order to recoup financiers’ investments. Sales estimates set more than a year ago,...
- 5/21/2024
- ScreenDaily
Iran’s independent filmmakers are making their presence felt in Cannes, despite the challenges they face at home or in exile abroad.
A key focus is the premiere of Mohammad Rasoulof’s The Seed Of The Sacred Fig which premieres at Cannes on May 24. The dissident filmmaker fled Iran earlier this month after receiving an eight-year prison sentence.
It is understood that some 70 independent Iranian films were submitted to Cannes this year, while the Iranian Independent Filmmakers Association (Iifa) has a stand in the Market.
Also making an impact in Cannes is the Woman Life Freedom Project with billboard posters...
A key focus is the premiere of Mohammad Rasoulof’s The Seed Of The Sacred Fig which premieres at Cannes on May 24. The dissident filmmaker fled Iran earlier this month after receiving an eight-year prison sentence.
It is understood that some 70 independent Iranian films were submitted to Cannes this year, while the Iranian Independent Filmmakers Association (Iifa) has a stand in the Market.
Also making an impact in Cannes is the Woman Life Freedom Project with billboard posters...
- 5/21/2024
- ScreenDaily
Agathe Riedinger’s debut feature Wild Diamond has dazzled buyers following its premiere in Cannes Competition, with France’s Pyramide International selling the film to key territories.
The film has been scooped up by Wild Bunch Germany for German-speaking territories, Caramel in Spain, Filmcoopie in Switzerland, September Film in Benelux, Academy Two in Italy, Beta Film in Bulgaria and Mars Production in Turkey. Deals with Latin America, Portugal, Sweden, Cis and ex-Yugoslavia are also in the works.
The film is about a 19 year-old girl in southern France, played by newcomer Malou Khebizi, obsessed with beauty and the quest for fame...
The film has been scooped up by Wild Bunch Germany for German-speaking territories, Caramel in Spain, Filmcoopie in Switzerland, September Film in Benelux, Academy Two in Italy, Beta Film in Bulgaria and Mars Production in Turkey. Deals with Latin America, Portugal, Sweden, Cis and ex-Yugoslavia are also in the works.
The film is about a 19 year-old girl in southern France, played by newcomer Malou Khebizi, obsessed with beauty and the quest for fame...
- 5/21/2024
- ScreenDaily
Payal Kapadia’s All We Imagine As Light , the first Indian film to play in Cannes competition in 30 years, has lit up the market with sales to a slew of territories.
Paris-based sales house Luxbox has sold the film ahead of its Thursday (May 23) Cannes premiere to Atalante in Spain, Leopardo Filmes in Portugal, Lev Cinemas in Israel, DDDReam in China, Lighthouse in Singapore, Gutek Film in Poland, Cinobo in Greece, Green Narae Media in South Korea, Trigon-Film in Switzerland, Kino Pavasaris for the Baltics, and McF Megacom for former Yugoslavia.
Set and shot in Mumbai, All We Imagine As Light...
Paris-based sales house Luxbox has sold the film ahead of its Thursday (May 23) Cannes premiere to Atalante in Spain, Leopardo Filmes in Portugal, Lev Cinemas in Israel, DDDReam in China, Lighthouse in Singapore, Gutek Film in Poland, Cinobo in Greece, Green Narae Media in South Korea, Trigon-Film in Switzerland, Kino Pavasaris for the Baltics, and McF Megacom for former Yugoslavia.
Set and shot in Mumbai, All We Imagine As Light...
- 5/21/2024
- ScreenDaily
Mathias Holtz has been elected as the new president of European exhibition network Europa Cinemas, with Metka Dariš confirmed as vice-president.
Holtz is programming manager for Swedish exhibitor Folkets Hus och Parker and was previously VP of the organisation, and he replaces outgoing president Nico Simon. Dariš is the director of the cinema Kinodvor in the Slovenian capital Lublijana.
Europa Cinemas comprises a network of 1,263 cinemas and 3,121 screens in 39 countries, providing financial, training and networking support to cinemas that devote significant part of their screenings to non-national European films. It is headed by CEO Fatima Djoumer who took over last year from founder Claude-Eric Poiroux.
Holtz is programming manager for Swedish exhibitor Folkets Hus och Parker and was previously VP of the organisation, and he replaces outgoing president Nico Simon. Dariš is the director of the cinema Kinodvor in the Slovenian capital Lublijana.
Europa Cinemas comprises a network of 1,263 cinemas and 3,121 screens in 39 countries, providing financial, training and networking support to cinemas that devote significant part of their screenings to non-national European films. It is headed by CEO Fatima Djoumer who took over last year from founder Claude-Eric Poiroux.
- 5/21/2024
- ScreenDaily
French actress Kim Higelin will lead the cast of Earl Grey, a UK-French co-production by debut director Ornella Pacchioni.
Earl Grey is adapted from Pacchioni’s 2022 novel Londres a beau etre une ville laide. It is a co-production between France’s Master Movies and UK company Candid Broads Productions, with backing from French network France2.
The film follows the story of a French girl living in London who, on the day of her 23rd birthday, allows herself 24 hours before ending her life; until she meets an enigmatic stranger.
Production will begin this autumn, with UK casting underway for the role of the stranger.
Earl Grey is adapted from Pacchioni’s 2022 novel Londres a beau etre une ville laide. It is a co-production between France’s Master Movies and UK company Candid Broads Productions, with backing from French network France2.
The film follows the story of a French girl living in London who, on the day of her 23rd birthday, allows herself 24 hours before ending her life; until she meets an enigmatic stranger.
Production will begin this autumn, with UK casting underway for the role of the stranger.
- 5/21/2024
- ScreenDaily
Chilean producer Tomas Gerlach Mora of A Simple Vista has struck a deal in the Cannes Marché for Colombia’s Rhayuela Films to join as co-producer on the upcoming genre film Dog Legs (Patas De Perro) starring Chilean A-lister Alfredo Castro.
Matías Rojas Valencia will direct and established his reputation with San Sebastián Horizontes Latinos 2013 selection Root and Tallinn 2021 entry A Place Called Dignity.
Based on the 1960 novel by Chilean literary giant Carlos Droguett, Dog Legs follows a lonely man who adopts a child born with the legs of a dog and is met with escalating violence when he tries...
Matías Rojas Valencia will direct and established his reputation with San Sebastián Horizontes Latinos 2013 selection Root and Tallinn 2021 entry A Place Called Dignity.
Based on the 1960 novel by Chilean literary giant Carlos Droguett, Dog Legs follows a lonely man who adopts a child born with the legs of a dog and is met with escalating violence when he tries...
- 5/21/2024
- ScreenDaily
Los Angeles-based Concourse Media has reported brisk pre-sales here on its action thriller Raider starring Aaron Eckhart as the US president and Danny Huston as the head of the Secret Service.
Rights have closed in Germany (Constantin Film), Australia/New Zealand (Rialto), Spain (Second Gen Pictures), Italy (Eagle Pictures), Scandinavia (Mis Label), Eastern Europe (MediaSquad), Cis (Paradise), Indonesia, (Pt Prima), Middle East (Grant Entertainment), and Israel (Shoval Film).
Talks are underway on a North American sale and production is scheduled to begin in Spain in autumn.
Raider tells the story of the recently elected US president who sweeps into power...
Rights have closed in Germany (Constantin Film), Australia/New Zealand (Rialto), Spain (Second Gen Pictures), Italy (Eagle Pictures), Scandinavia (Mis Label), Eastern Europe (MediaSquad), Cis (Paradise), Indonesia, (Pt Prima), Middle East (Grant Entertainment), and Israel (Shoval Film).
Talks are underway on a North American sale and production is scheduled to begin in Spain in autumn.
Raider tells the story of the recently elected US president who sweeps into power...
- 5/21/2024
- ScreenDaily
Action choreographer Brahim Chab, who recently staged the action sequences for Deve Patel’s “Monkey Man,” has joined the crew of “Blood Passage.” To be directed by The Philippines’ Pedring Lopez, who recently completed the prison drama series “Sellblock.”
“Blood Passage” is a martial arts vampire action horror feature set in Southeast Asia. It s tory follows a rescue mission gone wrong, that pits a private military unit against relentless supernatural forces.
The film is the first to emerge from the alliance between Lopez’s Blackops Studios Asia and Alaric Tay’s Very Tay Media.
The film will be produced by Rex Lopez for Blackops Studios Asia & Psyops8 and Tay for Very Tay Media. Fred Hedman of Evolution Pictures and Gfm Film Sales, and Christopher Shaw, scion of the Shaw Brothers legacy, will executive produce. Sonny Sisson, who provided stunts on Lopez’s “Sellblock,” will return in a similar role.
“Blood Passage” is a martial arts vampire action horror feature set in Southeast Asia. It s tory follows a rescue mission gone wrong, that pits a private military unit against relentless supernatural forces.
The film is the first to emerge from the alliance between Lopez’s Blackops Studios Asia and Alaric Tay’s Very Tay Media.
The film will be produced by Rex Lopez for Blackops Studios Asia & Psyops8 and Tay for Very Tay Media. Fred Hedman of Evolution Pictures and Gfm Film Sales, and Christopher Shaw, scion of the Shaw Brothers legacy, will executive produce. Sonny Sisson, who provided stunts on Lopez’s “Sellblock,” will return in a similar role.
- 5/21/2024
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety - Film News
As part of Variety‘s Global Conversations Summit at the Cannes 2024 Film Festival, Variety executive editor Tatiana Siegel sat down with New Zealand Film Commission CEO Annie Murray and Philippa Mossman, head of International Screen Attraction at New Zealand Film Commission, to talk about the country’s thriving film industry.
Murray’s most recent project with the New Zealand Film Commission is a pop-up intensive film school by writer and director Jane Campion. Campion has hand-picked a class of ten filmmakers from 300 applicants and is taking them through a two-year program where they will develop and shoot original short films.
“What’s really important to [Campion] is that all the participants are paid to attend,” Murray explained. “So that removes barriers. It’s a super diverse group and they have spent a year with Dame Jane, who is not taking a fee and so very generously giving her time. And now...
Murray’s most recent project with the New Zealand Film Commission is a pop-up intensive film school by writer and director Jane Campion. Campion has hand-picked a class of ten filmmakers from 300 applicants and is taking them through a two-year program where they will develop and shoot original short films.
“What’s really important to [Campion] is that all the participants are paid to attend,” Murray explained. “So that removes barriers. It’s a super diverse group and they have spent a year with Dame Jane, who is not taking a fee and so very generously giving her time. And now...
- 5/21/2024
- by Jack Dunn
- Variety - Film News
In 2023, Saudi Arabian film agency Film AlUla formed AlUla Creates, a local initiative that provides funding, mentorship and networking opportunities for Saudi filmmakers and fashion designers. And in just one year, AlUla Creates has exploded into a global brand, already hosting 123 international productions in the scenic valleys of AlUla, Saudi Arabia.
“We call it a living museum,” said marketing director at Film AlUla Mahsa Motamedi. “It’s absolutely beautiful.”
As part of the Variety Global Conversations Summit at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, Variety‘s Italy and Middle East correspondent Nick Vivarelli sat down with Motamedi, director Maram Taibah and sister filmmakers Raneem and Dana Almohandes to discuss the impact of AlUla Creates on the Saudi Arabian film industry.
Taibah is one of the many young filmmakers who found support from AlUla Creates. After her sister sent her an Instagram ad for the program, she knew immediately she wanted to join.
“We call it a living museum,” said marketing director at Film AlUla Mahsa Motamedi. “It’s absolutely beautiful.”
As part of the Variety Global Conversations Summit at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, Variety‘s Italy and Middle East correspondent Nick Vivarelli sat down with Motamedi, director Maram Taibah and sister filmmakers Raneem and Dana Almohandes to discuss the impact of AlUla Creates on the Saudi Arabian film industry.
Taibah is one of the many young filmmakers who found support from AlUla Creates. After her sister sent her an Instagram ad for the program, she knew immediately she wanted to join.
- 5/21/2024
- by Jack Dunn
- Variety - Film News
The late, great George A. Romero didn't invent the zombie movie, but his "Dead" saga certainly helped bring it to prominence. Things began with Romero's now-classic "Night of the Living Dead," a low-budget shocker that became a monster hit when it arrived in 1968. All told, Romero would direct six "Dead" films — "Night of the Living Dead" (1968), "Dawn of the Dead" (1978), "Day of the Dead" (1985), "Land of the Dead" (2005) "Diary of the Dead" (2007), and "Survival of the Dead" (2009). While the later films have their fans, most folks agree that the original trilogy — "Night," "Dawn," and "Day" — are the best of the bunch, with "Dawn" often being hailed as the masterpiece of the series.
But it's important to remember that Romero didn't exactly map this series out from the jump. He wasn't initially planning on a whole franchise when he sat down to make "Night of the Living Dead." Indeed, after...
But it's important to remember that Romero didn't exactly map this series out from the jump. He wasn't initially planning on a whole franchise when he sat down to make "Night of the Living Dead." Indeed, after...
- 5/21/2024
- by Chris Evangelista
- Slash Film
"Minority Report" was shot before the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, but you wouldn't know it. Director Steven Spielberg's 2002 adaptation of Philip K. Dick's 1956 sci-fi novella "The Minority Report" plays almost like a direct response to the post-9/11 War on Terror, in particular the Bush doctrine of preemptive strikes. Set in a version of 2054 where three psychics known as "precogs" are used to locate and arrest people before they commit murder, "Minority Report" wrestles with the concept of free will, in the process raising big questions about due process and profiling. Even the movie's "happy" ending leaves some room for uncertainty about what's to come in the future.
At the same time, "Minority Report" is a blast and a half. Amidst its many weird, creepy moments and noir mystery plot, Spielberg serves up some of the most whiz-bang action scenes he's ever directed. From a bare-knuckle brawl in the...
At the same time, "Minority Report" is a blast and a half. Amidst its many weird, creepy moments and noir mystery plot, Spielberg serves up some of the most whiz-bang action scenes he's ever directed. From a bare-knuckle brawl in the...
- 5/21/2024
- by Sandy Schaefer
- Slash Film
This post contains spoilers for "Star Trek: Discovery."
In its final season, "Star Trek: Discovery" has reintroduced a species of aliens that "Star Trek" fans haven't seen in live-action in decades. The Breen, a mysterious warrior race that first appeared in "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine," have made their surprise return in recent weeks thanks to the gooier half of ill-fated courier duo Moll (Eve Harlow) and L'ak (Elias Toufexis).
In their original incarnation, the Breen appeared clad in metal helmets with snout-like protrusions and green laser-like eye bands. They were typically covered up in outfits featuring diagonal metal bands, and though characters on "Star Trek: The Next Generation" often made offhand comments about what the then-unseen aliens might be like, little was explained about their culture in the 20th century "Star Trek" shows. Enter "Discovery," which has a long track record of building upon and deepening existing in-universe lore.
In its final season, "Star Trek: Discovery" has reintroduced a species of aliens that "Star Trek" fans haven't seen in live-action in decades. The Breen, a mysterious warrior race that first appeared in "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine," have made their surprise return in recent weeks thanks to the gooier half of ill-fated courier duo Moll (Eve Harlow) and L'ak (Elias Toufexis).
In their original incarnation, the Breen appeared clad in metal helmets with snout-like protrusions and green laser-like eye bands. They were typically covered up in outfits featuring diagonal metal bands, and though characters on "Star Trek: The Next Generation" often made offhand comments about what the then-unseen aliens might be like, little was explained about their culture in the 20th century "Star Trek" shows. Enter "Discovery," which has a long track record of building upon and deepening existing in-universe lore.
- 5/21/2024
- by Valerie Ettenhofer
- Slash Film
You ever wondered what it would be like to see bug Bugs Bunny fight Wonder Woman? If so, weird, but congratulations, there’s a new game for you! Announced in 2021 and beta-tested between July 2022 and June 2023, “MultiVersus” is a free-to-play crossover fighting game in the vein of “Super Smash Bros.” but featuring characters from various Warner Bros. properties such as Tom and Jerry, Arya Stark from “Game of Thrones,” DC staples including Batman, Superman, and the Joker, and even Rick and Morty. In a recently released trailer, latest additions were revealed to include Jason Voorhees and Agent Smith from “The Matrix” franchise.
The game’s official description reads: “Step into the fray of our MultiVerse, where every match is a wild jamboree of iconic characters throwing down in wonderfully weird ways. Pair Marvin the Martian and Arya Stark, or Velma with Batman. Get ready for a rollercoaster of fun and...
The game’s official description reads: “Step into the fray of our MultiVerse, where every match is a wild jamboree of iconic characters throwing down in wonderfully weird ways. Pair Marvin the Martian and Arya Stark, or Velma with Batman. Get ready for a rollercoaster of fun and...
- 5/21/2024
- by Harrison Richlin
- Indiewire
Unfolding in the cramped corridors of Hong Kong’s Kowloon Walled City (it was one of the most dangerously dense urban areas on Earth before being demolished in 1993), Soi Cheang’s ’80s-set “Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In” delivers on its blockbuster action promise. However, its martial arts spectacle is scattered across a sprawling refugees-and-triads saga that, while adequately laying foundation for the aforementioned fisticuffs, is seldom coherent or engaging on its own.
Based on the Chinese comic “City of Darkness” by Andy Seto, the film follows Chan Lok-kwun (Raymond Lam), a mainland refugee trying to pay his way to a fake ID by winning bare-knuckle brawls. When he ends up double crossed by remorseless triad leader Mr. Big (legendary actor-director Sammo Hung), the desperate outsider steals a satchel of the head honcho’s cocaine and makes a run for the Walled City, which Cheang and cinematographer Cheng Siu-keung capture as a darkened citadel,...
Based on the Chinese comic “City of Darkness” by Andy Seto, the film follows Chan Lok-kwun (Raymond Lam), a mainland refugee trying to pay his way to a fake ID by winning bare-knuckle brawls. When he ends up double crossed by remorseless triad leader Mr. Big (legendary actor-director Sammo Hung), the desperate outsider steals a satchel of the head honcho’s cocaine and makes a run for the Walled City, which Cheang and cinematographer Cheng Siu-keung capture as a darkened citadel,...
- 5/21/2024
- by Siddhant Adlakha
- Variety - Film News
Campaign spokesperson called Ali Abbasi’s film, which premiered at Cannes on Monday, ‘pure fiction which sensationalises lies that have been long debunked’
The Trump campaign has come out swinging against The Apprentice after the film, which depicts the former president raping his first wife, shocked audiences at Cannes, with a spokesperson saying that they will be “filing a lawsuit to address the blatantly false assertions from these pretend filmmakers”.
Speaking to Variety on Monday after the world premiere of Ali Abbasi’s film, the Trump campaign’s chief spokesperson Steven Cheung confirmed they would take legal action.
The Trump campaign has come out swinging against The Apprentice after the film, which depicts the former president raping his first wife, shocked audiences at Cannes, with a spokesperson saying that they will be “filing a lawsuit to address the blatantly false assertions from these pretend filmmakers”.
Speaking to Variety on Monday after the world premiere of Ali Abbasi’s film, the Trump campaign’s chief spokesperson Steven Cheung confirmed they would take legal action.
- 5/21/2024
- by Sian Cain
- The Guardian - Film News
[Editor’s note: this list was originally published in May 2023. It has since been updated with new films to crack the Cannes 5-minute mark.]
Each Cannes Film Festival is accompanied by the annual debate about whether the length of a film’s standing ovation is an accurate measure of its quality. But whether you see the practice of tracking ovation times as a fun cinephile tradition or an oversimplified waste of time, there’s no denying that it happens every year. For certain film industry observers, the number of minutes of applause that a buzzy movie receives on the Croisette is as significant as the first wave of reviews.
Cannes audiences have long been known for their bold responses to new movies. There’s virtually no such thing as a lukewarm response at the world’s biggest film festival — or at least, nothing that an American audience would recognize as lukewarm. Virtually all films receive either a standing ovation or loud boos. The over the top responses are a ritual in and of themselves,...
Each Cannes Film Festival is accompanied by the annual debate about whether the length of a film’s standing ovation is an accurate measure of its quality. But whether you see the practice of tracking ovation times as a fun cinephile tradition or an oversimplified waste of time, there’s no denying that it happens every year. For certain film industry observers, the number of minutes of applause that a buzzy movie receives on the Croisette is as significant as the first wave of reviews.
Cannes audiences have long been known for their bold responses to new movies. There’s virtually no such thing as a lukewarm response at the world’s biggest film festival — or at least, nothing that an American audience would recognize as lukewarm. Virtually all films receive either a standing ovation or loud boos. The over the top responses are a ritual in and of themselves,...
- 5/21/2024
- by Wilson Chapman
- Indiewire
No matter how badly your week is going, it’s worth pausing to appreciate the fact that you’re not currently embroiled in a violent feud with a snake venom dealer who calls himself Butcher Hu. But we can’t all be so lucky.
Lang (Eddie Peng) is a changed man since coming out of prison. Emotionally callused and silent by choice, you’d never guess that he was once a beloved entertainer who played rock music and rode motorcycles in the local circus. But when he leaves the joint and returns to his small hometown in China’s Gobi Desert, there’s nothing waiting for him except bad vibes. His father is drinking himself to death at the local zoo, his neighbors resent him for his perceived crimes and assume he got a light sentence because of his celebrity, and his town is overrun with rabid dogs. To make matters worse,...
Lang (Eddie Peng) is a changed man since coming out of prison. Emotionally callused and silent by choice, you’d never guess that he was once a beloved entertainer who played rock music and rode motorcycles in the local circus. But when he leaves the joint and returns to his small hometown in China’s Gobi Desert, there’s nothing waiting for him except bad vibes. His father is drinking himself to death at the local zoo, his neighbors resent him for his perceived crimes and assume he got a light sentence because of his celebrity, and his town is overrun with rabid dogs. To make matters worse,...
- 5/20/2024
- by Christian Zilko
- Indiewire
Former President Donald Trump’s campaign is hitting back following the premiere of the controversial film “The Apprentice,” which chronicles the 2024 presidential candidate’s early years as a real estate developer.
“We will be filing a lawsuit to address the blatantly false assertions from these pretend filmmakers,” the Trump campaign’s chief spokesperson Steven Cheung said in a statement to Variety. “This garbage is pure fiction which sensationalizes lies that have been long debunked. As with the illegal Biden Trials, this is election interference by Hollywood elites, who know that President Trump will retake the White House and beat their candidate of choice because nothing they have done has worked.”
Cheung’s statement continues, “This ‘film’ is pure malicious defamation, should not see the light of day, and doesn’t even deserve a place in the straight-to-dvd section of a bargain bin at a soon-to-be-closed discount movie store, it belongs in a dumpster fire.
“We will be filing a lawsuit to address the blatantly false assertions from these pretend filmmakers,” the Trump campaign’s chief spokesperson Steven Cheung said in a statement to Variety. “This garbage is pure fiction which sensationalizes lies that have been long debunked. As with the illegal Biden Trials, this is election interference by Hollywood elites, who know that President Trump will retake the White House and beat their candidate of choice because nothing they have done has worked.”
Cheung’s statement continues, “This ‘film’ is pure malicious defamation, should not see the light of day, and doesn’t even deserve a place in the straight-to-dvd section of a bargain bin at a soon-to-be-closed discount movie store, it belongs in a dumpster fire.
- 5/20/2024
- by Katcy Stephan
- Variety - Film News
As lovely and lilting as hearing Claude Debussy’s “Clair de Lune” over a crackly record player on a snow-flecked day, Japanese filmmaker Hiroshi Okuyama’s second feature “My Sunshine” is a moving coming-of-age drama about kids facing up to the troubles of adulthood.
This gently composed story of an ice-skating coach on the island of Hokkaido, and his two young pupils, has darker dynamics under its sleeve than the emotionally generous time-to-face-the-music-of-growing-up story that’s on its surface. It’s told in furtive glances and silent pacts against a frost-dappled backdrop, the end of winter coming soon, as two adolescents form a bond on the ice rink that complicates the private life of their instructor. Japan would be wise to submit “My Sunshine,” the second feature from “Jesus” director Okuyama, for the Best International Feature Oscar. Both the glass-half-full and the glass-half-empty corners of the audience will resonate with...
This gently composed story of an ice-skating coach on the island of Hokkaido, and his two young pupils, has darker dynamics under its sleeve than the emotionally generous time-to-face-the-music-of-growing-up story that’s on its surface. It’s told in furtive glances and silent pacts against a frost-dappled backdrop, the end of winter coming soon, as two adolescents form a bond on the ice rink that complicates the private life of their instructor. Japan would be wise to submit “My Sunshine,” the second feature from “Jesus” director Okuyama, for the Best International Feature Oscar. Both the glass-half-full and the glass-half-empty corners of the audience will resonate with...
- 5/20/2024
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Indiewire
Scarlett Johansson said that OpenAI CEO Sam Altman contacted her last September about voicing the current ChatGPT 4.0 system but that she declined. After the launch of “Sky” that resembles her voice, Johansson said she’s hired legal counsel to demand more information about how the company created the AI voice model, leading the company to today “pause” its usage.
“When I heard the released demo, I was shocked, angered, and in disbelief that Mr. Altman would pursue a voice so eerily similar to mine that my closest friends and news outlets could not tell the difference,” Johansson said in a statement obtained by NPR on Monday, May 20.
Johansson said Altman contacted her agents two days before the release of ChatGPT 4.0 asking her to reconsider, but the demo featuring Sky was launched before they had the chance to meet.
The statement also refers to Altman’s May 13 tweet of the word “her,...
“When I heard the released demo, I was shocked, angered, and in disbelief that Mr. Altman would pursue a voice so eerily similar to mine that my closest friends and news outlets could not tell the difference,” Johansson said in a statement obtained by NPR on Monday, May 20.
Johansson said Altman contacted her agents two days before the release of ChatGPT 4.0 asking her to reconsider, but the demo featuring Sky was launched before they had the chance to meet.
The statement also refers to Altman’s May 13 tweet of the word “her,...
- 5/20/2024
- by Brian Welk
- Indiewire
Before becoming one of Hollywood’s most beloved leading men, Chris Pratt lived in an apartment behind the TLC Chinese Theater. Well into the early morning, he would wander on the Walk of Fame and stare at the stars beneath his feet, wondering if his time in the spotlight would ever come.
Pratt returned to the Hollywood landmark on Sunday, not to lament over broken dreams, but to help introduce Garfield creator Jim Davis as he cemented his signature outside the TLC Chinese Theater at “The Garfield Movie” premiere.
“[He] absolutely rocked the part,” said Davis about Pratt’s performance as the lasagna-loving cat. “You laugh just listening to [his] kind of timing. He also has the ability to go over to the softer side and to sound angry and stuff like that. So, it’s not just the humor, but his ability to bring out all sides of the character.”
Starring Pratt,...
Pratt returned to the Hollywood landmark on Sunday, not to lament over broken dreams, but to help introduce Garfield creator Jim Davis as he cemented his signature outside the TLC Chinese Theater at “The Garfield Movie” premiere.
“[He] absolutely rocked the part,” said Davis about Pratt’s performance as the lasagna-loving cat. “You laugh just listening to [his] kind of timing. He also has the ability to go over to the softer side and to sound angry and stuff like that. So, it’s not just the humor, but his ability to bring out all sides of the character.”
Starring Pratt,...
- 5/20/2024
- by Jack Dunn
- Variety - Film News
Indian Paintbrush founder Steven Rales has purchased Criterion and Janus Films.
The mission and leadership of the companies will not change following the private transaction.
Screen Daily was first to report the news of the sale. “We have grown our brands and audience with dedication to a set of values reflected in the films we release, the way we release them, and the way we conduct our business with our valued partners around the world,” said Criterion and Janus Films president Peter Becker told the outlet. “We are excited to continue that legacy and pursue new opportunities now available through this relationship.”
Janus Films was founded in 1954 by Bryant Haliday and Cyrus Harvey, Jr., and has since become the preeminent distributor of international classic films in the United States. Recent films include “Drive My Car,” “Evil Does Not Exist,” “Eo” and “The Beast.” On Monday, Sideshow and Janus films acquired...
The mission and leadership of the companies will not change following the private transaction.
Screen Daily was first to report the news of the sale. “We have grown our brands and audience with dedication to a set of values reflected in the films we release, the way we release them, and the way we conduct our business with our valued partners around the world,” said Criterion and Janus Films president Peter Becker told the outlet. “We are excited to continue that legacy and pursue new opportunities now available through this relationship.”
Janus Films was founded in 1954 by Bryant Haliday and Cyrus Harvey, Jr., and has since become the preeminent distributor of international classic films in the United States. Recent films include “Drive My Car,” “Evil Does Not Exist,” “Eo” and “The Beast.” On Monday, Sideshow and Janus films acquired...
- 5/20/2024
- by Katcy Stephan
- Variety - Film News
Are we on the verge of a Livelaissance? Four years after her last live-action movie role, Blake Lively is returning to the big screen this year with "It Ends With Us." The film adaptation of Colleen Hoover's best-selling toxic relationship novel made waves this past week with the arrival of its trailer, which even came fitted with an appropriately bleary-eyed tune by Lively's buddy Taylor Swift. It's also a reminder of just how well Livelites (which is what I'm calling Lively fans until I come up with a better name) were eating in the 2010s.
We're talking about a decade in which the "Gossip Girl" and "Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants" alum was in a marijuana-growing throuple in "Savages," played a woman who stopped aging at 29 and dated a young Harrison Ford in "The Age of Adaline," and killed a great white shark with her bare hands in "The Shallows...
We're talking about a decade in which the "Gossip Girl" and "Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants" alum was in a marijuana-growing throuple in "Savages," played a woman who stopped aging at 29 and dated a young Harrison Ford in "The Age of Adaline," and killed a great white shark with her bare hands in "The Shallows...
- 5/20/2024
- by Sandy Schaefer
- Slash Film
Criterion and its sister distribution arm Janus Films each have a new owner: Indian Paintbrush founder Steven Rales.
Rales has acquired both Criterion and Janus in a private transaction, IndieWire has learned according to two individuals, giving the home for classic and art house films a new leader.
However, as Screen Daily first reported, leadership, including Criterion and Janus Films president Peter Becker, is expected to remain in place, and the overall mission of both companies is not expected to change, per a source.
“We have grown our brands and audience with dedication to a set of values reflected in the films we release, the way we release them, and the way we conduct our business with our valued partners around the world,” Becker said in a statement to Screen. “We are excited to continue that legacy and pursue new opportunities now available through this relationship.”
Reps for Janus Films...
Rales has acquired both Criterion and Janus in a private transaction, IndieWire has learned according to two individuals, giving the home for classic and art house films a new leader.
However, as Screen Daily first reported, leadership, including Criterion and Janus Films president Peter Becker, is expected to remain in place, and the overall mission of both companies is not expected to change, per a source.
“We have grown our brands and audience with dedication to a set of values reflected in the films we release, the way we release them, and the way we conduct our business with our valued partners around the world,” Becker said in a statement to Screen. “We are excited to continue that legacy and pursue new opportunities now available through this relationship.”
Reps for Janus Films...
- 5/20/2024
- by Brian Welk
- Indiewire
David Cronenberg’s “The Shrouds,” the horror auteur’s latest film about a widow who invents technology to see inside his late wife’s grave, received a 3.5-minute standing ovation at its Cannes premiere on Monday night.
The crowd showed their respect for the Cannes legend with applause after the credits rolled, but it was lackluster as audience members digested the film, which is a departure from Cronenberg’s usual out-of-the-box body horror. Instead, “The Shrouds” is a thoughtful exploration of grief and technology, and though there are several gross-out moments, the film relies on emotion more than anything.
“This is the first time I’ve seen the movie with an audience, and it’s completely different,” Cronenberg said after the clapping died down. “I’m very happy that you are all here.”
Described as an arthouse horror film, “The Shrouds” stars Vincent Cassel, Diane Kruger, Guy Pearce and Sandrine Holt.
The crowd showed their respect for the Cannes legend with applause after the credits rolled, but it was lackluster as audience members digested the film, which is a departure from Cronenberg’s usual out-of-the-box body horror. Instead, “The Shrouds” is a thoughtful exploration of grief and technology, and though there are several gross-out moments, the film relies on emotion more than anything.
“This is the first time I’ve seen the movie with an audience, and it’s completely different,” Cronenberg said after the clapping died down. “I’m very happy that you are all here.”
Described as an arthouse horror film, “The Shrouds” stars Vincent Cassel, Diane Kruger, Guy Pearce and Sandrine Holt.
- 5/20/2024
- by Ellise Shafer
- Variety - Film News
Lionsgate has added three movies to its release calendar.
“Flight Risk,” an aviation thriller starring Mark Wahlberg and directed by Mel Gibson, will land on Oct. 18, 2024, while Dave Bautista-led action-comedy “The Killer’s Game” will debut on Sept. 13, 2024. Meanwhile, Gerard Butler’s sequel “Den of Thieves: Pantera” will open on Jan. 10, 2025.
“Flight Risk” is scheduled to debut on the big screen alongside Paramount’s “Smile 2.” In “Flight Risk,” Wahlberg plays a balding and psychotic mob hitman who tricks a federal agent into allowing him to pilot a plane carrying an informant (Topher Grace) out of a remote area. The movie reunites Gibson and Wahlberg, who worked together in the past on “Father Stu” and “Daddy’s Home 2.”
“The Killer’s Game” will open on the same day as Universal’s horror remake “Speak No Evil,” starring James McAvoy. Adapted from Jay R. Bonansinga’s book of the same name, this...
“Flight Risk,” an aviation thriller starring Mark Wahlberg and directed by Mel Gibson, will land on Oct. 18, 2024, while Dave Bautista-led action-comedy “The Killer’s Game” will debut on Sept. 13, 2024. Meanwhile, Gerard Butler’s sequel “Den of Thieves: Pantera” will open on Jan. 10, 2025.
“Flight Risk” is scheduled to debut on the big screen alongside Paramount’s “Smile 2.” In “Flight Risk,” Wahlberg plays a balding and psychotic mob hitman who tricks a federal agent into allowing him to pilot a plane carrying an informant (Topher Grace) out of a remote area. The movie reunites Gibson and Wahlberg, who worked together in the past on “Father Stu” and “Daddy’s Home 2.”
“The Killer’s Game” will open on the same day as Universal’s horror remake “Speak No Evil,” starring James McAvoy. Adapted from Jay R. Bonansinga’s book of the same name, this...
- 5/20/2024
- by Rebecca Rubin
- Variety - Film News
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