Movies

Saudi Arabia is currently undergoing profound social change, following the progressive lifting of restrictions since the late 2010s. The film “Dancing on Fire,” currently in development, directed by Hana Al-Omair and produced by Soha Samir, who are both co-writers, highlights the joy and freedom of women in tribal communities in pre-oil Saudi Arabia. Al-Omair says:

Memento International has boarded “Fremont,” the latest film by BAFTA-nominated Iranian-born director Babak Jalali, which is set to world premiere at Sundance. Slated for the Next section, the black-and-white film tells the story of Donya, a young woman working at a Chinese fortune cookie factory in the San Francisco bay. Formerly a translator for the

British publicist and marketing consultant Freddie Ross Hancock, whose clients included Sophia Loren, Julie Andrews and Benny Hill, and helped bring the British Academy of Film and Television Arts to New York, has died in the city at the age of 92. Born Freda Ross in 1930 in North London, she learned the public relations

Kuwaiti director Zeyad (also known as “Z”) Alhusaini worked for years to bring to the screen “How I Got There,” an action movie with a comedic undertone about two best buddies from childhood, Salem and Asad, who stumble upon a gun shipment and try to seize this opportunity to get rich quick. This groundbreaking pic,

“Men of Plastic,” a current comedy film starring the larger-than-life Korean American actor Don Lee (aka Ma Dong-seok) has racked up sales in 32 territories for distributor Showbox. Lee is the star of the crime action film series that kicked off with “The Outlaws” and which was followed by “The Roundup,” this year’s biggest film

Scandinavia’s leading streamer Viaplay has ordered its Danish feature, “Camino,” a heartwarming comedy-drama directed by Birgitte Stærmose (“Industry”) with a cast led by Lars Brygmann (“Riders of Justice,” “Borgen”) and Danica Curcic (“The Chestnut Man”). “Camino” portrays the complex relationship between a father and daughter who are walking a famous pilgrim route in Spain. The

Aspect Ratio and Hope Runs High have struck a deal to give North American theatrical and non-theatrical releases to dystopian German film “We Might as Well Be Dead,” from first-time filmmaker Natalia Sinelnikova. The 2023 theatrical distribution of the film in the U.S. and Canada will be a partnership between the two companies and be

New Zealand’s Auckland Film Studios has completed the opening of two new sound stages. They are both approximately 2,000 square metres (22,000 square feet). The expansion means that AFS, long a work-horse of the New Zealand production industry, now has five stages totalling more than 7,500 square metres (80,700 square feet). The year-long construction project

Sam Mendes’ buzzy new drama, “Empire of Light,” is a story about a single woman with mental health issues. The script – Mendes’ first solo writing credit – was informed by his mother’s struggles while he was growing up in the U.K. “As the parent of young children myself, you’re always reflecting on how you

Singaporean metaverse start-up Stardust has signed memorandums of understanding with three companies at the sidelines of the Asia TV Forum and Market. Stardust will become the official metaverse platform for Esports World Federation (ESWF) Singapore, streaming tournaments held within the country, and hosting a virtual clubhouse for the organization’s players and fans. Kevin Balhetchet, president,

“Top Gun: Maverick” features one of the best edge-of-your-seat action sequences of the year as Tom Cruise’s Maverick takes the supersonic Darkstar aircraft on an unauthorized test flight, pushing it to reach a speed of Mach 10. Production designer Jeremy Hindle worked closely with concept designer Daniel Simon to come up with a mockup of

The Red Sea Film Festival awarded Ahmed Yassin Al Daradji’s “Hanging Gardens” the Golden Yusr for Best Feature Film, the top prize of the festival’s main competition. The film, which was also awarded the Silver Yusr for Best Cinematic Achievement for Duraid Munajim, was selected by a jury led by director Oliver Stone, who was

Argentine filmmaker Gaspar Noé is attending the Red Sea Film Festival to give a masterclass. His most recent feature film, “Vortex,” lensed during the lockdown, screened at last year’s edition. Noé embarked on a far more meditative realistic tone in “Vortex,” compared to his previous films, and explained to Variety that he would now like

Brendan Fraser’s 1997 comedy favorite “George of the Jungle” spawned a 2003 direct-to-DVD sequel in which Fraser was replaced by actor Christopher Showerman. Several characters comment on the actor switch in “George of the Jungle 2,” with one joking that Disney was too cheap to hire Fraser for a second time. It turns out that

“The Walled Off Hotel VR Experience” will offer a virtual trip to The Walled Off Hotel in Bethlehem, established and curated by internationally famed British street artist Banksy. The Red Sea Fund has joined investors from FFF-Bayern, Creative Europe and the German Games Fund. The experience, directed by Amer Shomali and Clarens Grollmann, gives the

Ron Perlman is visiting Saudi Arabia for the first time, but it’s too soon for him to have formed an opinion. “For a guy like me, last night I just finished watching the grand debut of Z’s movie and all I want to do is go and have a drink and I realized that I’m

“Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical,” based on the popular West End show and not the 1996 film with Mara Wilson, doesn’t sing and dance its way to Netflix until Christmastime. But already, one musical number — the foot-stomping anthem “Revolting Children” — has captivated the internet’s attention, much to the surprise of choreographer Ellen Kane.

“Everything Everywhere All at Once” co-director Daniel Kwan is telling fans of his A24 hit not to get toxic on social media when it comes to film critics snubbing the movie on their “best movies of 2022” lists. Some “Everything Everywhere” admirers stormed Twitter to criticize The New York Times film critics Manohla Dargis and

Elizabeth Hurley knows her acting niche. “I normally play manipulative, cunning, morally bankrupt people,” she tells me on this week’s “Just for Variety” podcast. The actor, model and producer says it all began with 2000’s “Bedazzled” when she played the devil opposite Brendan Fraser, and continued with a stint on the original “Gossip Girl” and

James Cameron told ComicBook.com in a recent video interview that when it comes to motion capture and building emotive faces from VFX, Marvel villain Thanos doesn’t hold a candle to the Na’vi. Both the Marvel Cinematic Universe and Cameron’s “Avatar” franchise utilize extensive motion capture technology so that real-world actors can play otherworldly beings. Josh

“I started off very passionate about writing. When I was young, I thought that I would become a writer. I never, never thought of myself as a person who would be working in the film industry,” Tunisian filmmaker Kaouther Ben Hania, whose “The Man Who Sold His Skin” was nominated for the Best International Feature

Michelle Yeoh is a near lock to land an Oscar nomination for best actress thanks to her acclaimed performance in “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” but it’s a role she nearly walked away from all due to her character’s name. Speaking to Cate Blanchett as part of Variety’s “Actors on Actors” series, Yeoh revealed that

Hindi cinema heartthrob Ranbir Kapoor travelled to the Red Sea Film Festival on Wednesday to receive the Variety International Vanguard Actor Award, in tribute to his career achievements – from his debut performance in “Saawariya” to his lead roles in two big-budget films released this year, “Shamshera” and “Brahmastra Part One: Shiva.” He is currently

Hollywood hasn’t even busted out the Moncler jackets or Bogner boots yet, but the indie sales market around the upcoming Sundance Film Festival is already seeing action.   Netflix has acquired the documentary “The Deepest Breath,” which promises to be a visual and emotional thriller about the world of high-risk freediving — where brave souls

Cinedigm has acquired SXSW genre bender “Jethica” from New York’s Visit Films for U.S. release, Variety can reveal. Pete Ohs’ offbeat movie — which premiered in Austin, Texas, earlier this year — follows Jessica, who lives in fear of a man named Kevin that follows her everywhere she goes. While on a road trip in New

Octavia Spencer is known for playing characters who aren’t afraid to speak their mind and often have something to say. But the actor found herself speechless when she heard she was being honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Dec. 8. “How do you respond to that?” Spencer says of the

The Lippin Group communications firm has promoted three veteran executives to the rank of president. Pamela Golum has advanced to president of Global Entertainment. Jim Benson rises to president of Corporate Communications for the West Coast and Jennifer Price-Keith is upped to president of Television and Events. Also promoted as part of the management shuffle

The Motion Picture and Television Fund has been the favored charity of Hollywood’s elite for generations. Founded 101 years ago, the non-profit operates a home for industry retirees and provides grants to film workers in need, and lives by the insular motto “We take care of our own.” But after being battered by the pandemic,

In their very distinct movies “Everything Everywhere All at Once” and “Tár,” Michelle Yeoh and Cate Blanchett play characters whose worlds implode. In the case of Yeoh’s character, Evelyn Wang — a Chinese American immigrant who runs a family-owned laundromat — her life is turned inside out (quite literally) when she discovers during a tax audit with vindictive

What holiday gift do you get the man who already owns the most iconic building in Christmas film history? His first tattoo, apparently. Brian Jones, who owns the beloved Cleveland house that served as rambunctious Ralphie Parker’s residence in the 1983 feature “A Christmas Story,” is taking this interview inside of a tattoo parlor, meeting