The virtual reality distribution market is like a “jungle” with wildly different fees being asked for projects, says Andrea Slováková, programmer of the VR section at the Ji.hlava Intl. Documentary Film Festival. One of the big challenges in organizing Ji.hlava’s VR section, she explains, is that in the emerging VR market there are still no
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“We want you to act as 12-year-olds.” This was the bizarre, admittedly creepy direction Vit Klusak gave to a gaggle of 19-year-old actresses who turned up for a casting call on his newest docu project, “Caught in the Net.” The film, co-directed with Barbora Chalupova, has not yet opened in the Czech Republic but has
The Emerging Producers section at the Ji.hlava Intl. Documentary Film Festival has a growing reputation for its ability to spot the producing talent of the future. Producers to have passed through its ranks include Bianca Oana, the Romanian producer of 2018 Berlinale Golden Bear winner “Touch Me Not,” as well as its Czech co-producer Radovan
The Clown Prince of Crime and the Mistress of Evil will duke it out at the box office for the No. 1 spot this weekend, with “Joker” estimated to take in about $19 million in its fourth weekend while “Maleficent: Mistress of Evil” is projected to earn about $18.3 million in its second frame. “Maleficent:
Among the pivotal and juicy nuggets of film history recounted in “Making Waves: The Art of Cinematic Sound,” Midge Costin’s wonkishly engaging movie-love documentary, there’s one that speaks volumes about the foundation of the New Hollywood. It’s 1967, and George Lucas, who is three years away from making his first film, is on the set
In today’s film news roundup, Warner Bros. is giving an earlier date to “Tom and Jerry,” “Inside the Rain” gets distribution, Lionsgate is launching a crime drama, and the Napa Valley Film Festival annnounces its honorees. RELEASE DATES Warner Bros. has moved its live-action hybrid comedy “Tom and Jerry” forward by four months to Dec. 23,
Michael Keaton and William Hurt have joined the ensemble cast of Aaron Sorkin’s “The Trial of the Chicago 7.” Their casting in the historical drama comes with the news that the long-awaited film is finally moving forward, with Paramount Pictures on board for domestic distribution and Cross Creek signing on to finance and co-produce alongside
HBO Max and Focus Features have teamed with CNN Films and filmmaker Morgan Neville for a documentary about the life of Anthony Bourdain, the influential chef, writer and TV host who died by his own hand in June 2018. The untitled docu will be released in theaters by Focus before airing on CNN and being
October 25, 2019 2:39PM PT Disney has hired “Pirates of the Caribbean” veteran Ted Elliott and “Chernobyl” creator Craig Mazin to develop a story for its reboot of the franchise. Jerry Bruckheimer is expected to produce as he has on the previous five entries in the series. Disney hired the “Deapool” writing team of Rhett
“Joker” may have the last laugh this weekend. Joaquin Phoenix’s comic-book pic is narrowly beating “Maleficent: Mistress of Evil” with about $18 million at the North American box office, early estimates showed on Friday. Disney’s second weekend of the “Maleficent” sequel is coming in at about $17 million, followed by the sophomore frame of Sony’s
Netflix went all out for the Los Angeles premiere of “The Irishman,” celebrating a $160 million film the only way the streamer could since the film boasts such A-list talent and director. The black carpet outside the TCL Chinese Theatre was transformed into a New York City street with storefronts and replicas of sets from
October 25, 2019 1:24PM PT “Joker” has passed “Deadpool 2” to become the highest-grossing R-rated film ever with a worldwide box office total of $788.1 million. “Deadpool 2” grossed $785 million in 2018 and $782 million for 2016 original. The fourth weekend of “Joker” is battling with “Maleficent: Mistress of Evil” for the top spot
Films by and centering around women will be showcased among the 159 films — 35 narratives, 15 documentaries and 109 shorts — at the 22nd SCAD Savannah Film Festival. Following an Oscar year in which they were shut out, more than 50 selections — many in awards-foreshadowing categories — are directed by women. “I remember
October 25, 2019 11:02AM PT Bleecker Street has acquired “The Assistant,” the story of an entry-level employee in the entertainment industry that made headlines for its look at the movie business in the #MeToo era. The film debuted at this year’s Telluride Film Festival. Bleecker will release it in theaters on Jan. 31, 2020. Emmy
October 25, 2019 10:21AM PT Australian actress Olivia DeJonge will star as Priscilla Presley in Baz Luhrmann’s untitled Elvis Presley biopic for Warner Bros. Austin Butler is set to play the king of rock and roll and Tom Hanks will portray his manager, Col. Tom Parker. The movie hits theatres on Oct. 1, 2021. “Olivia
When German filmmaker Eckhart Schmidt’s 1982 romantic shock thriller “The Fan” plays the prestigious Thessaloniki Festival this year, it’s a culmination of the film’s long multi-decade road back from critical disdain and commercial obscurity as well as a sweet vindication for the obstreperous octogenarian film artist and critic. The Munich-based Schmidt’s iconoclastic career has taken
Matthew Wiseman came to work for BAFTA LA in 2002 for what he thought would be a short stint. The BAFTA Film Awards had just shifted their dates ahead of the Oscars and the Hollywood outpost was expanding. “BAFTA was in such a growth spurt at that point, that I mentally thought I would be
Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Jodie Comer, Jesse Armstrong and other British stars had a good showing at the Emmys, highlighting the many talented actors, writers and producers in Hollywood who come from across the pond. And as the British Academy of Film and Television Arts Los Angeles’ Britannia Awards approach on Oct. 25, the occasion at the
October 25, 2019 10:00AM PT Netflix chief content officer Ted Sarandos will receive the Producers Guild of America’s 2020 milestone award. Sarandos will get the award at the 31st Annual Producers Guild Awards on Jan. 18 at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles. “Ted continues to push the industry to new heights through his leadership at
Nancy Meyers, Lisa Cholodenko, Nisha Ganatra and Martha Coolidge came out to Culina at the Four Seasons in Beverly Hills on Thursday afternoon for a Women in Film luncheon in honor of Lina Wertmüller, the legendary Italian director who was the first woman nominated for an Oscar for best director in 1977 for “Seven Beauties.” Now 91,
“Mrs. Doubtfire,” one of Robin Williams’ most successful comedies, is headed to Broadway. Last week, Variety learned there will be a stage musical based on the 1993 movie about a cross-dressing dad who poses as a nanny to spend time with his kids after a difficult divorce. Will the adaptation be a hit? Here’s a
Bille August (“Pelle the Conqueror”), one of Denmark’s best known filmmakers, is set to direct “The Pact,” a psychological drama about the intense friendship between Karen Blixen, the Danish author best known for her autobiographical novel “Out of Africa,” and Thorkild Bjønvig, a young and promising poet. “The Pact” was written by Christian Torpe, based
Redbox, the DVD-kiosk and digital on-demand network, is opening its checkbook to acquire and produce original TV shows and movies. The company announced the formation of Redbox Entertainment, a division that will fund, develop and produce projects across multiple genres, with a focus on action, comedy, and suspense/thrillers. Redbox said it is already in talks
Felicity Huffman was released from prison on Friday morning after serving 11 days of her two-week sentence for cheating on her daughter’s SAT test. The actor began her 14-day sentence at the Federal Correctional Institution in Dublin, Calif., on Oct. 15, after pleading guilty to one count of fraud in the nationwide college admissions scandal.
Sony’s action-thriller “Black and Blue” opened with $675,000 at 1,962 sites on Thursday night. Meanwhile, STX’s horror movie “Countdown” has called up $515,000 million at 2,150 North American locations in Thursday night preview showings. Both new arrivals are expected to wind up with less than $10 million during the weekend, which will be dominated by
China’s sensitive National Day holiday period is safely past, but it’s difficult to discern from the lineup of upcoming movie releases whether authorities plan to continue their heavy censorship or relax it to give the box office a healthy end-of-year boost. Some films that censors previously clamped down on are finally seeing the light of
When Kelly Bachman stepped into Downtime Bar NYC for a night of comedy, the last person she expected to see was disgraced film producer Harvey Weinstein. And yet see him she did, sitting at a reserved table in the corner of the bar, invited by, she says, the hosts of Wednesday night’s event: Actor’s Hour.
MORELIA, Mexico – In a relatively brief ceremony, the 17th Morelia Int’l Film Festival handed out the Best Film Ojo prize Thursday night to “I’m No Longer Here,” Fernando Frias’ portrait of a Monterrey urban tribe called Los Terkos who spend their days listening to Cumbia and going to dance parties until their leader is
October 24, 2019 7:34PM PT Chinese romantic drama, “Somewhere Winter” is set to release in North America next month following a deal between China Lion Film Distribution and Tencent Pictures. China Lion will release the film day-and-date in the U.S. and Canada simultaneously with the Chinese Mainland release of Nov. 15, as well as in
In today’s film news roundup, early estimates are in for “Ford v Ferrari” and “Charlie’s Angels,” Jenn Murray receives an honor and the documentary “Human Nature” gets distribution. EARLY TRACKING Disney-Fox’s “Ford v Ferrari,” starring Christian Bale and Matt Damon, is heading for a North American launch in the $23 million to $27 million range,