Movies

Many a short film that is later expanded into a feature feels reverse-engineered for that specific purpose: an eye-catching taster of what is clearly intended as a larger work, though perhaps not wholly satisfying as a miniature. Bogdan Mureșanu‘s much-lauded 2018 short “The Christmas Gift” — a European Film Award winner for best short film,

Laura Dern shared a heartfelt birthday message on Instagram Monday to her lifelong collaborator David Lynch, four days after news broke of his death. “Happy birthday, tidbit,” Dern wrote. “I will love and miss you every day for the rest of my life.” Since casting Dern in “Blue Velvet” at the age of 17, Lynch

Out of the 15 films that were named to this year’s Oscars shortlist for Best International Film, major distributors like Netflix backing “Emilia Pérez” and Sony Pictures Classics behind “I’m Still Here” have been huge contributors to the success of those films. Notably, though, one film on the list still doesn’t have U.S. distribution —

Josh Gad almost landed a role in the 2009 sci-fi epic “Avatar,” but he didn’t quite have the physical archetype James Cameron was looking for. In his new memoir, “In Gad We Trust,” the “Frozen” actor recalls while desperate to find a reprieve from starring in “The 25th Annual Putman County Spelling Bee” on Broadway,

Jacques Audiard’s “Emilia Pérez” swept France’s 30th Lumiere Awards, the local equivalent to the Golden Globes, at a ceremony held on Monday in Paris at the Forum des Images auditorium. “Emilia Pérez” dominated the show, winning a whopping five awards: best film, director, script, actress for Karla Sofía Gascón, and music for Camille and Clement

Director Brady Corbet is defending the use of AI in “The Brutalist” after facing heavy backlash for utilizing the controversial tech to alter Adrien Brody and Felicity Jones’ Hungarian dialect and to create certain images in the film’s ending. “Adrien and Felicity’s performances are completely their own,” Corbet said. “They worked for months with dialect

Those who keep a close watch on the Academy Awards’ international feature category probably noticed two things this year. First, the overall number of countries submitting for the award dropped to its lowest number since 2018, the year “Roma” was nominated for best picture. While that number contracts slightly, down from an all-time high of

LuckyChap and Wattpad Webtoon Studios Inc. are producing a live-action film adaptation of the Webtoon hit “Stagtown.” Filmmaker and “Everything Everywhere All at Once” VFX artist Benjamin Brewer is on board to write and direct the project. The film will be adapted from creator Punko’s Webtoon webcomic, “Stagtown,” which has over 18 million views online.

Eze Olzanski’s Buenos Aires-based EO Media has confirmed the Jan. 27 A&E Latin America debut for Argentine-Brazil series “Sumergidos” as it descends on Content Americas. This follows a raft of various new movie deals that the production and distribution company sealed at Mip Cancun with the likes of Paramount, NBC Universal, Globo and MVS. It

As it gears up to become one of the frontrunners of awards season, Brady Corbet’s “The Brutalist” has sparked backlash on social media after its editor admitted to using AI in the film. In an interview with tech magazine Red Shark News, editor Dávid Jancsó revealed that AI tools from Respeecher — a Ukrainian software

Six years ago, Ari Nesher, the teenage son of Israeli director Avi Nesher, was killed in a hit-and-run accident, while riding an electric bicycle. He died on his 17th birthday. The case attracted international attention at the time not only because the victim — a promising artistic soul with several short films already to his

Martin Luther King Jr.: His Rise as a National Media Figure Image Credit: Getty Images More than 50 years after he died at age 39 from an assassin’s bullet, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. endures as one of the most influential and recognizable figures in American history. His rise from the pulpit of

Paul Schrader is sounding off in support of using ChatGPT to come up with ideas for films. In a recent Facebook post, the “Taxi Driver” writer and “First Reformed” director said he asked the AI platform to generate plots for movies by famous filmmakers, including himself, and was impressed by the results. “I’M STUNNED,” Schrader

Dubai-based sales agent Cercamon has boarded “Perla” ahead of its premiere at International Film Festival Rotterdam in the Tiger Competition. Directed by Alexandra Makarová, it focuses on a painter who – after fleeing Communist Czechoslovakia – lives in 1980s Vienna with her new partner Josef and teenage daughter Julia. But when Julia’s father contacts her,

Hong Kong International Film Festival Society’s (HKIFF) Hong Kong – Asia Film Financing Forum (HAF) has unveiled a slate of 25 in-development projects for its 23rd edition, with renowned auteur Kore-eda Hirokazu among the heavyweight filmmakers backing emerging talent. Among the highlights is “Yellow,” directed by newcomer Yamaura Miyoh and produced by Kore-eda. The film

“Kneecap,” Rich Peppiatt’s acclaimed comedy-biopic about the Belfast rap trio of the same name, is heading back to Irish cinemas this week after landing six BAFTA nominations. Wildcard Distribution — which also co-produced the film — is re-releasing “Kneecap” across Ireland exactly a year after it became the first Irish-language film to world premiere in Sundance 2024,

“The Substance” emerged as the standout story of the South Korean box office for the weekend of Jan. 17-19, climbing to fourth place with a significant 72% increase in sales. The film, for which Demi Moore won a Golden Globe for her performance, earned KRW307.1 million ($211,900), drawing 31,302 admissions and a 5.7% market share.

Syndicado Film Sales has boarded two films selected for Berlinale: “Paul” by Denis Côté, which has its world premiere in the Panorama Dokumente section, and “Sirens Call” by Miri Ian Gossing and Lina Sieckmann, which is part of the Forum lineup. Côté’s documentary focuses on Paul, who suffers from depression and social anxiety. He seeks

The Chinese box office continued to be dominated by “Octopus With Broken Arms,” which held its top spot. The crime thriller earned RMB 60.8 million ($8.4 million) over the Jan. 17–19 weekend, bringing its cumulative total to $111.4 million, according to Artisan Gateway. Directed by Jacky Gan, the film remains a steady performer and has

Asian Shadows has acquired international sales rights to “This City Is A Battlefield” (Perang Kota) the upcoming neoclassical war drama from Indonesian director Mouly Surya that will serve as the closing night film at the 54th International Film Festival Rotterdam. Set in 1946 Jakarta during Indonesia’s struggle for independence, the film follows Isa (Chicco Jerikho),

As Kevin Costner turns 70, he remembers his once costar Whitney Houston. On his birthday, Jan. 18, Costner shared a photo to his Instagram Stories of himself and Houston on the set of 1992’s “The Bodyguard,” in which the pair costarred. The photo originated from Houston’s account, which is run by her estate. “This photo

In a recent discussion with The Guardian, Rami Malek detailed his experiences with racism as an Egyptian-American, pointing to one racial profiling incident where he found himself on the hood of a cop car. “I got thrown on the bonnet of an LAPD cop car because someone had robbed a liquor store and stolen a

“Moana 2,” originally conceived as a television show for streaming, is officially a billion-dollar box office smash. The animated sequel has generated $445 million domestically and $567 million internationally, bringing its grand total to $1.009 billion globally after eight weekends of release. “Moana 2” is Disney‘s third 2024 release to join the billion-dollar club following “Inside Out

Heading into the long weekend, Universal’s “Wolf Man” reboot was projected to climb to No. 1 on domestic box office charts. Yet Sony’s “One of Them Days,” an R-rated buddy comedy starring Keke Palmer and SZA, may have the last laugh. “One of Them Days” opened at No. 2 on the higher end of expectations

Anthony Hopkins made his first public appearance over the weekend since recently losing his home in the Pacific Palisades fire by traveling to Saudi Arabia. The legendary Oscar-winning actor, who is also a composer, hosted a gala concert featuring his pieces played by Britain’s Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. While in Saudi Arabia, Hopkins also attended the kingdom’s

Ahead of the Oscar nominations being announced Jan. 23, where “Waves” is hoping for recognition after being shortlisted for Best International Film, it led the pack this past week at the Czech Lion Awards — Czech Republic’s equivalent of the Academy Awards — with 14 nominations. “Waves” was mentioned in numerous categories, including best director

Cameron Diaz is ready to go green (again). Diaz, who just came out of a 10-year retirement from acting in Netflix’s “Back in Action,” recently revealed to Access Hollywood that she’d be open to returning for a sequel to the 1994 comedy “The Mask” as long as Jim Carrey is involved. “If Jim’s on board,

To honor the life of their father David Lynch, who died last week at age 78, Jennifer, Austin, Riley and Lula Lynch will host a “worldwide group meditation” on Monday, which would have been the visionary filmmaker’s 79th birthday. “David Lynch, our beloved dad, was a guiding light of creativity, love, and peace. On Monday,

Josh Gad, who released his memoir “In Gad We Trust: A Tell-Some” on Jan. 14, says his “Love & Other Drugs” co-star Jake Gyllenhaal warned him not to pursue a role in “The Book of Mormon,” the raunchy musical-comedy from “South Park” creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone. “While bouncing back and forth to do

“A Complete Unknown” is the rare Hollywood movie that has inspired a reckoning. Everywhere, on social media, in mainstream media, or simply on the part of so many who have seen the film, a tingling conversation is taking place — a kind of collective meditation/investigation into who Bob Dylan was, who he is, what he