Movies

Paris-based company Indie Sales (“My Life as a Zucchini”) has scored a raft of pre-sales on “Richard the Stork 2,” the sequel of the hit animated feature about a daring little sparrow that traveled to 155 countries. The company is introducing the project to buyers at the AFM with an exclusive promo reel. Directed by

This awards season presents one of the most robust slates of international Oscar contenders in recent memory. With “Close” (Belgium), “Holy Spider” (Denmark) and “Saint Omer” (France) leading the way, there’s also an avalanche of luscious storytelling in “All Quiet on the Western Front” (Germany) and “Argentina, 1985” (Argentina). Even larger-than-life actioner “RRR,” distributed by

Mexico’s “All the Fires” and “We Shall Not Be Moved” and Chile’s “Sariri” look like buzz titles at this year’s Ventana Sur Primer Corte and Copia Final, the biggest single industry draws at Ventana Sur, which is both Latin America’s most important movie market and a springboard for selection at at Sundance, Berlin and Cannes.

BAFTA nominated British actor Mark Strong will star alongside the previously announced Joel Kinnaman in Boston-set crime thriller “The Silent Hour,” to be directed by Brad Anderson (“Beirut”). Stuart Ford’s AGC Studios will finance and produce with producer Eric Paquette’s Meridian Pictures, and the project is being sold at the ongoing American Film Market. Strong

The AFI Fest returns this year to its full glory as an in-person event, Nov. 2-6.  “You know, we asked ourselves really early on — because the world is still weary from pandemics and politics and the rest — what is a film festival in 2022? And the answer was really clear, which is that

Emmy-winning writer, creator, actor and Hillman Grad founder Lena Waithe will serve as the ambassador for the 2023 American Black Film Festival (ABFF). As ambassador, Waithe — an influential advocate for underrepresented storytellers in Hollywood — will aid ABFF’s mission of showcasing Black talent and discovering new voices. “I am so honored to have been

Film Movement has acquired North American rights to “Under The Fig Trees,” Tunisia’s official Oscar submission which opened at Cannes’ Director’s Fortnight. The film, which marks the narrative feature debut of French Tunisian documentary filmmaker Erige Sehiri, is an ensemble film about a group of workers in a Tunisian orchard.  Luxbox Films is handling international sales on

It’s time to change the Academy’s award for international films. Not just the name of the category — which switched from foreign language film to international feature film in 2019 — but the whole way it is administered.  To be clear, I’m not suggesting that the award be abolished. Just because “Parasite” finally overcame what

Actor Isabelle Fuhrman is wasting no time in racking up impactful performances. After her auspicious debut as the titular character in 2009’s horror-thriller hit “Orphan,” she recently reprised the role in this year’s prequel “Orphan: First Kill.” Her ultra-intense performance in 2021 indie “The Novice” made critical waves, signaling a talent who goes all-in with

Magnolia Pictures has nabbed U.S. rights to “Master Gardener,” a crime thriller from director Paul Schrader. The movie, which premiered at the Venice Film Festival and later screened at New York Film Festival, is based on an original screenplay by Schrader. Magnolia will release “Master Gardener” next year. “Magnolia has been a class act for

It’s a clear, windy day on the Atlanta set of the sci-fi adventure “The Electric State,” Joe and Anthony Russo’s latest film for Netflix through their independent studio, AGBO. While the brothers direct Millie Bobby Brown and Chris Pratt inside one of the soundstages, their youngest sister, AGBO’s newly promoted chief creative officer, Angela Russo-Otstot,

Film industries from the U.K. and Norway are forging closer ties in an effort to jointly lure a greater number of high-end film productions to shoot in tandem in both countries. The British Film Commission (BFC) and the Norwegian Film Commission (NFC) on Wed. announced they have signed a Memorandum of Understanding “to seek to

Yash Raj Films and Shah Rukh Khan have revealed an action packed teaser for spy thriller “Pathaan” on the occasion of the star’s 57th birthday on Nov. 2. “Pathaan” is part of producer Aditya Chopra’s spy universe, which also includes the “Tiger” franchise, starring Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif, and “War,” starring Hrithik Roshan and

After enduring long-lasting COVID restrictions, many of the Korean executives attending the AFM this week will be making their first U.S. business trip in more than two years. In the time that they were away, the Korean entertainment scene has undergone a transformation. The changes have proved tricky for some and beneficial for others. But,

Leading Australian producers Cathy Rodda (“Unfinished Sky”) and Lisa Duff (“Last Cab to Darwin”) are joining Anupam Sharma’s English and Hindi-language “Honour” as the film project heads for Film Bazaar (Nov. 20-24, 2022) in Goa, India. “Honour” is a social thriller based on true events and is the story of a bride who goes to

“Rapes are not what we see on TV,” Dr. Barbara Ziv told the jury during Harvey Weinstein’s trial in Los Angeles, when she was called by the prosecution on Tuesday to testify about “rape myths” — in other words, debunking common-held societal beliefs about rape and sexual assault. “Most of the things people believe are

Adventures in the sex trade, ladyboys and Thai boxing feature prominently on the debut film slate being launched at the AFM by Hollywood (Thailand). The company is currently handling its own rights sales at the American Film Market. It recently struck a first-look deal with Epic Pictures for North American rights to the slate. The

Canadian documentary filmmaker Jennifer Baichwal was “excited and happy” to pick up an award at Ji.hlava Documentary Film Festival for “Into the Weeds: Dewayne ‘Lee’ Johnson vs. Monsanto Company.” Johnson, who developed a deadly form of Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma, took Monsanto to trial, alleging it failed to warn about cancer risks with its Roundup herbicide. “I

“What Remains,” a murder mystery and thriller that stars Kellan Lutz and Cress Williams, has sold domestic distribution rights to Gravitas Ventures. There’s a bittersweet element to “What Remains.” The film also features Anne Heche in one of her final feature film roles. Heche died in August after crashing her car in Los Angeles. The

A judge dismissed theft charges on Tuesday against Stan Lee’s former business manager, Keya Morgan, after a jury announced that it was deadlocked in the case. The jurors said they were split 11-1 in favor of acquitting Morgan, who was accused of stealing $222,480 in cash from Lee. Judge George Lomeli declared a mistrial, excused

Miami’s legion of film fans get an extra treat this week via the expanded ninth edition of the Miami Film Festival GEMS. The carefully curated, week-long festival (under the aegis of Miami Dade College) unspools Nov. 3-10 at Miami’s historic Tower Theater, showcasing some of the most lauded fall festival entrants along with five international

“The Devil Wears Prada” remains one of Anne Hathaway’s most enduring hits, but the Oscar winner isn’t too sold on returning for a potential sequel. Hathaway was recently asked about returning for “The Devil Wears Prada 2” during an interview on “The View” (Entertainment Weekly). She said a sequel would be “tempting” to make but

“Empire of Light” star Micheal Ward wasn’t nervous about having to perform a romantic love scene with his Oscar-winning co-star Olivia Colman during filming. However, Ward, 24, says that Colman, 48 was very nervous. Believe it or not, Colman’s decades-long career has never had her sharing a kiss with a man on screen. The set’s

Before Robert Pattinson landed the breakthrough role of Edward Cullen in “The Twilight Saga,” it was none other than Henry Cavill who was at the top of “Twilight” author Stephenie Meyer’s wish list. When she announced in July 2017 that Summit Entertainment had optioned the rights to her book, Meyer wrote on her blog, “The

When “Banshees of Inisherin” filmmaker Martin McDonagh first mentioned the film to composer Carter Burwell, he kept the pitch simple. “It’s about two guys breaking up.” A few years later, McDonagh sent the script over and again, he didn’t preface it with anything. Says Burwell, “He wanted my opinion because it involved on-screen music. Brendan

Private equity investors in indie movies “might as well throw their money down a rat hole.” Those words of warning from the late Jake Eberts (“Driving Miss Daisy”) continue to send a shudder down the spines of the unrecouped. Indeed, the industry motto that “you never get net” remains as prescient as ever. As industryites

The Northwest Film Forum has selected filmmaker Izabel Acevedo will be the 2022 recipient of the Lynn Shelton “Of A Certain Age” Grant. Acevedo will receive an unrestricted cash award of $20,000 to financially support her first narrative feature film. “Today is such a joyful day,” Acevedo said. “I feel seen as a filmmaker, and

While the streaming wars continue and the pandemic’s damage still smolders around the world, indie distributors are biting the bullet. And as the American Film Market unfolds in Santa Monica, it seems like it’s harder to bring an indie feature to market than it is to find the financing and resources to produce it.  Distribution

At the height of backlash against J.K. Rowling over her views on the transgender community, “Harry Potter” star Daniel Radcliffe published an open letter in which he proclaimed, “Transgender women are women.” In a new interview with IndieWire, Radcliffe opened up about why he decided to speak out publicly against the author who essentially gave

The “A Quiet Place” universe is adding another A-list name to its world: Lupita Nyong’o. The “Black Panther” and “Us” actor is in final negotiations to star in the spinoff “A Quiet Place: Day One,” which is the next installment of the Paramount horror franchise. “Pig” director Michael Sarnoski will helm the film, set for