Month: June 2023

Pete Docter, Pixar’s creative chief officer, is hoping the animation studio’s 27th release, “Elemental,” will draw families to movie theaters this weekend. Peter Sohn‘s film is a story about immigration, families, duty and love. Not only does Docter say the visuals are “a spectacle,” but believes it should be experienced with an audience. Docter, who
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Niall Horan is starring in the first episode of Vevo’s freshly launched live performance series, “Extended Play.” Premiering today, the franchise welcomes artists to spotlight their songwriting and music-making with an intimate showcase of their tracks in various locations. Horan delivers stripped-back renditions of songs like “You Should Start a Cult,” “On a Night Like
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The Sundance Institute has selected four feature film projects and filmmakers for its 2023 Documentary Edit and Story Lab fellowship, which takes place from June 16-24 at the Sundance Resort. The fellows include “Blacked Out Dreams” (U.S.A.), “Concrete Land” (Jordan), “No Other Land” (Palestine, Norway) and “Remaining Native” (U.S.A,). The documentary program’s advisors are Laura
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Hulu and the If/Then Shorts program have set a cohort for the second class of their short documentary lab, which focuses on production and career training for nonfiction filmmakers elevating LGBTQ stories. If/Then Shorts is an initiative from Field of Vision that amplifies regional, community-centered stories and supports nonfiction filmmakers through a combination of project
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It’s no surprise that Jason Segel hit it off with Ali Wong, given their common backgrounds in comedy. And yet both performers don’t want to be boxed in by humor — they’re contenders in the Emmy race for playing characters who are far from happy-go-lucky. In Apple TV+’s “Shrinking,” Segel (also a co-creator on the
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The search for the next dramatic alley crew is underway. The casting process has officially begun for “Vanderpump Villa,” Hulu’s upcoming reality show that will follow the staff of Lisa Vanderpump’s luxury French villa. The 10-episode unscripted series is produced by Bunim-Murray Productions and Entertainment 360. Currently, producers are searching for hospitality professionals to work
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A day after a U.K. parliamentary privileges committee concluded that former Prime Minister Boris Johnson was “deliberately disingenuous” about parties in his residence during COVID-19 lockdown, he has landed a plum writing gig. Johnson will write a weekly column for U.K. tabloid The Daily Mail. His previous journalism experience includes being the Brussels correspondent, and
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There’s been a battle brewing between two of Hollywood’s blockbuster talents. In one corner, Tom Cruise is gearing to take a victory lap from the behemoth success of “Top Gun: Maverick” with a sequel to his other big action franchise, “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One.” It’s expected to be one of the biggest
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Grammys Reduce Album, Song, Record of the Year and Best New Artist From 10 to Eight Nominees As it does every year, the Recording Academy has updated its rules and guidelines following its semiannual board of trustees meeting, and while three new categories were announced earlier this week, one major change was unveiled today among
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Sudanese director Mohamed Kordofani’s feature debut “Goodbye Julia,” a timely morality tale that takes place just before the 2011 secession of South Sudan and won the Un Certain Regard section’s Prix de Liberté (Freedom Prize) at Cannes, has scored a raft of sales following its launch. The first Sudanese film ever to screen in Cannes
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Charlie Brooker, creator of hit Netflix series “Black Mirror,” has weighed in again on the debate around AI. Earlier this month, Brooker had revealed to Empire magazine that he went full “Black Mirror” by asking the artificial intelligence chatbot known as ChatGPT to write an episode of his beloved anthology series. The final results were “shit,” according
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“Sunday,” by Uzbekistan-based director Shokir Kholikov, was Thursday named best film in the Asian New Talent section of the 25th Shanghai International Film Festival. The Asian New Talent Awards are called Golden Goblet Awards, but are separate from the festival’s official competition section, and favor new and emerging talent. The main competition jury will hand
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Seeking to recharge the animation sector in Latin America, Spain and Portugal, regional fund Ibermedia touted its latest initiative at Annecy, following its May reveal at the Quirino Awards.  Ibermedia Next, a funding scheme seeking to back innovation and ingenuity into upcoming productions, enjoyed a strong boost at MIFA, with Quirino Awards executive producer José
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A reimagined version of Fleetwood Mac’s all-time classic song “Don’t Stop” is the soundtrack to environmental organization Greenpeace’s new call to action. Fleetwood Mac vocalist and keyboard player Christine McVie wrote the song, which featured in hit 1977 album “Rumours,” and she gave Greenpeace the rights to use the song before she died in 2022. Created by Grammy-winning
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Salman Khan starrer “Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan” is set to have its streaming world premiere on ZEE5 Global. The film, a remake of 2014 Tamil-language Ajith Kumar hit “Veeram,” was released theatrically worldwide in April during the Eid holiday frame. Directed by Farhad Samji and produced by Salman Khan Films, “Kisi Ka Bhai
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U.K. broadcaster ITV has confirmed that it’s “actively exploring the possible acquisition” of “Fleabag” and “The Traitors” producer All3Media. In a letter to shareholders on Friday morning local time, the “Love Island” broadcaster confirmed media speculation about its talks to buy All3Media, which was first reported by Reuters. “There can be no certainty as to
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GETTING IN FRONT OF THE COMPETITION The International Olympic Committee said on Thursday that Swiss-based, Chinese-owned Infront Sports & Media would handle broadcast right sales in much of Asia for the next series of Summer and Winter games. The deal covers 22 territories including Afghanistan, Brunei, Cambodia, Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan,
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When you see a documentary about a game-changing pop star, you assume you’re going to get the story of the music, and also a good look at the life, and that there’ll be enough (on both counts) to go around. I was eager to see “Let the Canary Sing,” a documentary portrait of Cyndi Lauper, because
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“Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” will not be released in the United Arab Emirates after failing to pass the country’s censorship requirements, Variety has confirmed. A scene featuring a poster in the background of the frame that depicts the transgender flag and reads “Protect Trans Lives” is said to be one of the concerns that prevented
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