Movies

After Bruce Willis’ family announced in March 2022 that the actor had been diagnosed with aphasia and would retire from acting, his condition has now progressed into frontotemporal dementia. His family posted a statement on Thursday about Willis’ latest diagnosis. “Since we announced Bruce’s diagnosis of aphasia in spring 2022, Bruce’s condition has progressed and

To return to documentary filmmaking after her lauded debut fiction feature “Prayers for the Stolen” (“Noche de Fuego”), Tatiana Huezo laid down a set of parameters to follow. “I didn’t want to include any interviews, any narration or any voice-over,” she told Variety. “The Echo” (“El Eco”), world premiering at Berlinale’s Encounters sidebar, sometimes feels

Back in 2012 when Steven Soderbergh directed the first “Magic Mike” based loosely upon star Channing Tatum’s experiences in Tampa, FL, no one could have anticipated the actual empire that the film would inspire: two more films, the latest of which, “Magic Mike’s Last Dance,” opened February 10, a live revue in Vegas, a stage

Top Marvel Studios executive Victoria Alonso felt it was important to get behind Santiago Mitre’s film “Argentina 1985” because the story is a reminder, “that if we don’t create a memory with our art, chances are this will happen again.” Alonso was speaking as part of Variety’s FYC Fest: The Producers. She was joined by

BAD EDUCATION Director: Kai Ko Producers: Ko Yao-zong, Lu Wei-chun, Giddens Ko, Midi Z, Molly Fang Key cast: Berant Zhu, Kent Tsai, Edison Song Actor Kai Ko’s directorial debut revolves around three young men who decide to bond with each other as sworn brothers as they graduate from high school by sharing dark secrets. The

The slate of offerings from Taiwan at this year’s European Film Market is a solid one, without a doubt. Among the 92 titles of films and projects, there are recent Golden Horse award-winning titles as well as new regional and international co-productions, both completed or works in-progress, in a diverse range of genres that come

Following their collaboration on “I Want You Back,” Amazon Studios is re-teaming with filmmakers Jason Orley and Isaac Aptaker on a yet-to-be-titled comedy. Orley will direct the new project from a script by Aptaker, based on a story they wrote. While plot details are being kept under wraps for the film, Amazon Studios landed the

After a long break from feature films, director Uwe Boll is back and ready to roll with his latest project, a crime drama about two mismatched New York City cops on their first day as partners. “First Shift” stars Kristen Renton (“Sons of Anarchy”) and Gino Anthony Pesi (“Shades of Blue”) as the badge-carrying duo,

The Berlin Brandenburg Airport announced Thursday the cancellation of flights on Friday to and from Frankfurt, Munich and Stuttgart due to planned strikes at other German airports. Planned strikes on Friday have been announced at airports in Frankfurt, Munich, Stuttgart, Hamburg, Hanover, Dortmund and Bremen. The move has the potential to impede industry travel to

International exhibitors gathered at Berlin’s majestic Kino International on the eve of the Berlin Film Festival on Wednesday to discuss challenges and innovative concepts that are pulling audiences back into theaters. Opening the Berlinale edition of Cinema Vision 2030 conference, Christian Bräuer, chairman of Germany’s AG Kino – Gilde e.V. cinema association, which organized the

“20,000 SPECIES OF BEES” (Estíbaliz Urresola) A Berlin competition contender and, like “Alcarràs,” redolently grounded – unspooling in a Basque Country village – and yet a big-issue drama. Catalonia’s Inicia Films (“La Maternal”) and Basque Country’s Gariza Films (“Nora) produce. Sales: Luxbox “ANQA” (Helin Celik) Selected for Forum, a doc feature produced by Barcelona’s Kepler

Over 2003-11, Catalonia’s regional film hub was the envy of Europe. Now, it’s enjoying the full flush of a second renaissance and growing its international impact in film and now TV. In 2022, three Catalan directors had titles in the main competition in Berlin and Cannes, more than Italy (two), Germany (one) or the U.K.

Berlin Film Festival jury president Kristen Stewart doesn’t buy the talk that movies are dead. At a press conference in Germany on Thursday afternoon to commemorate the launch of the 73rd annual Berlinale, she declared that cinema will live forever. “Take a quick glance at your rear view mirror,” said Stewart, taking questions from reporters.

ACQUISITION Magnolia Pictures has acquired North American rights from Participant to “A Compassionate Spy,” the new documentary from Steve James (“Hoop Dreams,” “Life Itself”). The film, which world premiered at the Venice Film Festival ahead of its North American launch at Telluride, is a real-life spy story about Manhattan Project physicist Ted Hall, who provided nuclear secrets

Paris-based Loco Films has released the tense, terrifying trailer for “Property,” Brazilian director Daniel Bandeira’s survival thriller that’s set to have its world premiere Feb. 23 in the Panorama section of the Berlin Film Festival. Lensed by veteran cinematographer Pedro Sotero, the DP behind Kleber Mendonça Filho’s 2019 Berlinale player “Bacurau,” “Property” follows a woman

Cologne-based sales company The Match Factory has expanded and restructured its acquisition and development team. Former head of sales, Thania Dimitrakopoulou, has been promoted to vice president of acquisitions and sales. Claudia Solano comes on board as senior manager of acquisitions, and Cécile Tollu-Polonowski, a long-time partner with the company, has been appointed as head

Fresh off her 2023 Goya best actress win for “Lullaby” on Saturday night,” Laia Costa (“Only You,” “Piercing,” “Victoria) is set to star in the passionate romance drama “Un Amor,” by multi-prized Spanish filmmaker Isabel Coixet (“The Bookshop,” “The Secret Life of Words”). Film Constellation, the London and now Paris-based production, finance & sales company, will introduce the new

Last year the copyright protection on British author A.A. Milne’s most famous creations ran out, releasing — or perhaps condemning — them to the public domain. The first (and, let’s hope, worst) consequence of that development is “Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey,” a rock-bottom joint that fails to meet even the most basic expectations set up

Cornerstone has struck several deals on Australian-made horror thriller “Sting,” about a huge and insatiable spider, which wrapped production this week. The film was licensed to Lucky Red (Italy), Diamond Films (Latin America, Spain, Portugal), Nordisk (Scandinavia), Kinoswiat (Poland), Pasatiempo Pictures (Baltics, CIS), Karantanija (Ex-Yogoslavia), Italia (Middle East), Filmfinity (South Africa) and Terry Steiner International

  When the Iran-Iraq war broke out in 1980, director Sepideh Farsi was a high school student in Iran. At age 16, she was incarcerated for being an anti-Islamic Republic activist. Farsi stayed in her country until 1984 and then moved to France, where she experienced the second half of the conflict.  In her first

Linking two top players on the Spanish TV scene, Barcelona studio Filmax has acquired international sales rights to Spanish comedy “Co-Husbands,” whose backers include Telecinco Cinema, producer of Guillermo del Toro’s “Pan’s Labyrinth” and J.A. Bayona’s The Impossible.” Filmax will unveil a trailer to clients at this week’s Berlin European Film Market, before the film’s

Paris-based Haut et Court has closed French distribution rights with sales agent Film Factory Entertainment on Victor Erice’s ”Close Your Eyes” (“Cerrar los ojos”), the legendary Spanish director’s return to feature film direction 30 years after Cannes Jury Prize winner “Dream of Light” and a half century on from his milestone debut, “The Spirit of

Saban Films has acquired the U.S., U.K. and other international rights to Jean-Claude Van Damme action-spy thriller “Darkness of Man.” Directed by James Cullen Bressack, the film sees Van Damme playing Interpol operative Russell Hatch, who witnesses the death of his last informant in a routine raid gone wrong. Years later, he takes on a

Italian director Daniele Luchetti, who most recently helmed the third season of RAI/HBO’s Elena Ferrante series “My Brilliant Friend,” is working on a new film titled “Confidenza” (“Trust”) toplining Elio Germano. Luchetti previously directed Germano in the drama “Our Life” in a role that in 2015 won the actor top honors in Cannes. Vision Distribution

There’s been no shortage of moral support for the Ukrainian cause since Russia’s unprovoked invasion last year, and the country’s beleaguered screen industry has gotten a much-needed boost from foreign buyers. Ukrainian documentaries are doing brisk business as global audiences search for broader context on the conflict, while even narrative features that hit the festival

Charades and WTFilms have teamed on “Vermin,” a horror movie set in the French projects with a cast of local up-and-coming actors, who star alongside real spiders. The movie will mark the feature debut of Sébastien Vaniček, who previously directed critically acclaimed shorts such as “Mayday.” Harry Tordjman at My Box Films (“Bref,” “A voix

What better way to celebrate Jamie Lee Curtis’ Oscar nomination for her work in “Everything Everywhere All at Once” then by slipping on a pair of hot dog finger gloves? That’s exactly what a star-studded crowd did Wednesday night during a party for the Hollywood icon at Dear Jane’s in Marina del Ray. Demi Lovato,

Polish directorial duo Małgorzata Szumowska and Michał Englert have set drama “Let Me Out” as their next film. Spanning 45 years, the film will focus on Adam, trying to be a good husband and father in a small town in Poland. But Adam starts to feel increasingly uncomfortable in his body, one that doesn’t reflect

“Avatar: The Way of Water” topped the 21st Annual VES Awards with nine wins, including for photoreal feature. Meanwhile, Guillermo del Toro’s “Pinocchio” was named best animated feature and took home three awards total. On the TV side, Amazon’s “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” won three awards and was named best

Alexander Rodnyansky, the Oscar-nominated producer behind “Leviathan” and “Loveless,” has boarded “The Dissident,” a Cold War drama that follows a former Ukrainian resistance fighter trying to rebuild his life after his release from a Soviet prison camp. The film marks the fiction feature debut of directors Andriy Alferov, a renowned Ukrainian film critic, and Stas