Almost 50 years ago, another disease was ravaging Europe and called for enforced quarantine measures and mass vaccinations to save lives: Smallpox. The last epidemic in Europe occurred in spring 1972 in communist Yugoslavia. The docu feature project, “Another Spring” by Mladen Kovačević, pitched at this year’s Visions du Réel’s Industry platform, explores this other spring
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Premiered simultaneously in Vision du Réel’s International Competition and at CPH: DOX, “Holgut” is a documentary-fiction hybrid which takes viewers on an immersive double journey deep within the Siberian tundra. Prague-based Filmotor is handling international sales. The film follows the journey of two brothers who travel north upriver to hunt the last wild reindeer and
Mexico-based, El Salvador-born Tatiana Huezo has quickly emerged in the world of documentary as one of its most talented and thought-provoking directors of her generation. As she finally jumps from documentary to fiction with the upcoming “Noche de Fuego,” a strong big fest candidate, the director delivered a three-hour masterclass at this week’s Swiss doc
Among the 16 projects pitched at this year’s Visions du Réel is “Science Fiction” – a genre-busting documentary about Argentine filmmaker Ezequiel Yanco’s flight of imagination during the confines of quarantine. Yanco and producer Ana Godoy first visited the Swiss festival three years ago when “La Vida en Común,” their hybrid documentary about a group of
Germany’s Deckert Distribution, a world sales agent on two-time Oscar nominee “Honeyland,” has confirmed first deals on “The Bubble,” “Bellum – Daemon of War” and “Les Enfants terribles,” three world premiere standouts in International Competition at Nyon Switzerland’s Visions du Réel. “Les Enfants terribles” shared the prestige Swiss doc fest’s Special Jury Prize, announced at
Copenhagen documentary film festival CPH:DOX sees the world premiere of “Children of the Enemy,” which captures the journey of a Swedish-Chilean man to a Syrian prison camp to rescue his grandchildren, after their parents – members of the Islamic State terrorist group – are killed. Director Gorki Glaser-Müller spoke to Variety about the film, and
Natalia Almada, who won best director at Sundance this year for her mesmerizing film “Users,” is eager to continue the cinematic journey she began in that work with plans to next explore the boundaries of human endurance and the desire to discover the unknown. “Users,” which is screening at the Copenhagen Documentary Film Festival (CPH:DOX)
“Only in our forest can you sleep in peace,” says Davi Kopenawa, a shaman and elder of the Yanomami community — the indigenous population of the rainforest terrain on the Brazilian-Venezuelan border. His words, enticing as they sound, aren’t an invitation to visitors, but a warning to his own. As the Yanomami’s unchanged, elemental way
Californian Uber driver Annette breaks down in tears at the wheel of the car she can scarcely afford to fill with gas. In Lagos, Mitchell rarely sleeps through the night for fear of missing out on one of the more lucrative online tasks listed on Mechanical Turk. In Paris, Leila tries to wrangle backpay for
Kanye West and the Sunday Service Choir gave a hauntingly beautiful performance at DMX’s celebration of life on Saturday, performing several songs in honor of the late rapper. Shrouded under red lighting and hooded sweatshirts, speculation soon swirled on Twitter if it really was West and the Sunday Service Choir on stage, but a representative
Tesla CEO Elon Musk is set to host the May 8 edition of “Saturday Night Live,” with musical guest Miley Cyrus. Musk is a rare example of a business mogul to be featured as host of the NBC late-night institution. The news comes on the heels of Musk’s SpaceX travel venture launching its second operational
Tesla CEO Elon Musk is set to host the May 8 edition of “Saturday Night Live,” with musical guest Miley Cyrus. Musk is a rare example of a business mogul to be featured as host of the NBC late-night institution. The news comes on the heels of Musk’s SpaceX travel venture launching its second operational
Jessica Beshir’s mesmeric Sundance hit “Faya Dayi” won big at Visions du Réel on Saturday, scooping both its top Grand Jury Prize as well as a Fipresci International Critics Award. The prize – and Beshir’s surprised but ecstatic acceptance via Zoom from New York – brought to a climax a festival which, as director Emile
Late Thursday, the Weeknd dropped the music video for “Save Your Tears,” featuring Ariana Grande (and her seldom-heard lower register). The video, in classic recent Weeknd fashion, begins with a dismembered head. It’s a brightly-colored tour through an assembly line that translates the song’s unmistakable ‘80s vibe into fuzzy, globoid visuals. Produced by London-based studio
Caitlyn Jenner took to Twitter last night to accept an apology from “The View” co-host Joy Behar, who repeatedly misgendered her during the show’s discussion of Jenner’s recently announced run for California governor. “Don’t sweat it, @JoyVBehar,” Jenner wrote. “I’m not about cancel culture. I know where your heart is. California has bigger issues than
As Hollywood gears up to celebrate the best in film at this Sunday’s Oscars, another awards show — The Razzies — is honoring the worst. Sia’s feature directorial debut, “Music,” which drew backlash for its portrayal of people with autism, was the big winner — or shall we say, loser — of the night. The
Three crew members from the production of French comedy “Serial (Bad) Weddings 3” died in a car accident on Friday night. A fourth crew member is currently in critical condition. The events were first reported by local newspaper La Nouvelle Republique. The three crew members — whose names are still unknown but who are aged
This year, the Academy Awards will not allow acceptance speeches on Zoom, but that doesn’t mean you can’t virtually gather with your friends to watch the Oscars. However, before you unmute to discuss the best and worst red carpet looks and groan about what will win versus what should win, take a few minutes to
“Mortal Kombat” and “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba” are locked in a fierce battle for box office dominance. “Demon Slayer” has a slight edge at this point, earning $9.5 million from 1,598 locations on Friday. The Funimation and Aniplex of America release is based on an anime series and enters the U.S. after enjoying huge
Between the releases of HBO’s “Mortal Kombat” and casting hype for adaptations of “The Last of Us” and “Borderlands,” videos games adaptations are having a moment. Despite some notable missteps, recent entries into video game movie canon like “Pokémon: Detective Pikachu” and “Sonic the Hedgehog” suggest Hollywood versions of beloved franchises may be leveling up.
SPOILER WARNING: Do not read if you have not seen “Mortal Kombat,” available now in theaters and on HBO Max. Director Simon McQuoid’s “Mortal Kombat” builds the groundwork for what could be a gory action franchise, and star Joe Taslim already told Variety that he’s signed up for four more movies if Warner Bros. decides
Check out the top new trailers released this week that you’ve gotta see! Let us know what you think in the comments below. ► Sign up for a Fandango FanAlert or Buy Movie Tickets: https://www.fandango.com?cmp=MCYT_YouTube_Desc Want to be notified of all the latest movie trailers? Subscribe to the channel and click the bell icon to
Belgian filmmaker Johan Grimonprez, who examined the ties between the international arms industry and Western political establishments in his recent documentaries, the award-winning “Shadow World” and “Blue Orchids,” is set to explore its impact in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in his new project, “Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat.” Grimonprez and producer Daan Milius
The unexpected Academy Award run of “My Octopus Teacher,” Netflix’s hit, heartfelt documentary about a filmmaker’s unlikely relationship with an octopus living off the coast of South Africa, marks a rare Oscar nomination for an African documentary. But perhaps it should come as no surprise. These are widely hailed as boom times for documentary filmmaking,
Even in the late 1960s, when it seemed like the world was turning upside down, no one had ever seen anything quite like Tiny Tim. Standing onstage in an oversize plaid jacket, a mop of curls draped over his face, strumming his ukulele as he sang “Tiptoe Through the Tulips” in a trilling falsetto quaver
With COVID-19 infections still a major factor in Toronto, CBS Studios’ “Star Trek: Discovery” has paused production due to a possible exposure, Variety has confirmed. During the shooting of its fourth season, a “Zone A” individual came in contact with someone who had tested positive for COVID-19, so the decision was made to halt production
When debates are had about what year in history represented popular music’s peak, the argument is often made for 1971. Apple TV Plus clearly gives some credence to that belief. The platform has announced imminent plans to premiere “1971: The Year That Music Changed Everything,” an eight-episode documentary series dedicated to using archival footage and
Songwriting collaborations are so often portrayed as mystical unions that those of us who aren’t in the room where it happens have to wonder if there aren’t just as many instances where oil and water refuse to mesh. At last, the testiness that can result when writing sessions go south is portrayed on screen in
Alec Baldwin and Kelsey Grammer’s comedy will not be moving forward at ABC and is being shopped elsewhere. The straight-to-series order, which also had Alec Mapa (“Ugly Betty,” “Doom Patrol”) attached to star, was scrapped after network executives saw the completed pilot episode, directed by James Burrows. ABC had been lining up the half-hour series
Cinematographer Jannicke Mikkelsen is used to working with non-traditional filmmaking techniques, methods and in unique environments. In fact, it’s kind of her thing. Over the last decade, the Norwegian film director and cinematographer has solved innovative tech challenges with and for David Attenborough, the rock band Queen, Apollo11’s 50th-anniversary installation for NASA and was a