Movies

Despite vast differences in style, temperament and life priorities, there is palpable closeness between Zorah, Nohra and Djamila, the central French-Algerian siblings of Yamina Benguigui’s generations-spanning yet emotionally and visually flat familial movie “Sisters.” Played respectively by the legendary Isabelle Adjani (who is inexplicably wooden here), Maïwenn and Rachida Brakni, three actors who are aptly

“Hello, Atlanta!” Bobcat Goldthwait greets his enthusiastic audience in a small comedy club at the start of “Joy Ride.” “A funny thing happened on the way to the show.” Actually, what happened was a near-fatal 2019 automobile accident that, contrary to contemporary news reports of the mishap, seriously injured Goldthwait and fellow comic Dana Gould

From fashion model to actor, and currently taking on her most important role yet, a new mother, actress Caitríona Balfe looks to be having her most significant big-screen breakout yet with her awards worthy performance in the emotional drama “Belfast,” opposite Jamie Dornan. On this episode of the “Variety Awards Circuit Podcast,” Balfe talks about

Editor’s Note: On Nov. 14, 2005, Variety published the following interview with Mort Sahl. The revolutionary comedian, who died on Oct. 26, provided an unfiltered view on the entertainment industry, from Depression-era cinema and the Hollywood blacklist to how current films tackle race, politics and culture. For half of the last century and on into

Queer filmmaker and social media star Brian Jordan Alvarez has released a trailer for this next feature-length project, the satire “A Spy Movie.” The film is written and directed by Alvarez’s frequent collaborator and “The Flight Attendant” actor Stephanie Koenig. She and Alvarez lead an ensemble of mainstays from his past work — notably the

France’s most famous Catholic priest, Abbé Pierre, will be portrayed in a €15 million ($17.5 million) biopic movie produced by SND and Wassim Beji, who previously teamed on “Yves Saint Laurent.” Titled “Abbé Pierre, a Century of Devotion,” the movie will be directed by Frederic Tellier (“Goliath,” “Through the Fire”) with Benjamin Lavernhe (“The Speech”)

MGM has offered another peek at “House of Gucci,” releasing a new trailer for its upcoming star-studded drama. Set to the alluring beat of “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)” by the British pop duo Eurythmics, the new trailer features the first meeting between socialite Patrizia Reggiani (Lady Gaga), accompanied by her husband Maurizio Gucci

It is never too early to take a look at the movies that could figure in the 94th Academy Awards. Variety’s experts present the Circuit Contenders, movies that could score a minimum of two nominations in the major categories — picture, director, screenplay, international film and the acting races. ANNETTE(Amazon)Though it came out earlier in

Eminent Russian media industry executive Nadezda Motina has launched Arna Media, a Moscow-based independent distribution company that will distribute local language and international feature films for the Russian market. Arna, which plans to release 12 films a year from 2022, already has a strong line-up as part of its inaugural distribution slate. These include Lionsgate’s

At the Middleburg Film Festival this month, there were two rapturous standing ovations in the main theater of the Salamander Resort, where all the prominent films screen. One was for the best picture front-runner “Belfast” from Focus Features. The other was for Clifton Collins Jr.’s heartfelt turn as an aging equestrian hoping for his final

Regina King’s acting and directing career is abundant with accolades. So much so that the USC alumna reigns as the most awarded African-American performer to date with an Academy Award, a Golden Globe and four Primetime Emmys. “I’m born and bred in L.A., when we got to see a film at the Chinese Theatre it

The voice cast of the animated movie “Sneaks” is shaping up, thanks to multi-platinum and Grammy-winning producer and artist Mustard. Mustard, who serves as executive music producer on the family film, has enlisted his frequent collaborators and fellow chart-topping and award-winning musicians Roddy Ricch, Ella Mai, Swae Lee to join Macy Gray and NBA superstar

Oliver Stone believes we will never really get to the bottom of the many conflicting accounts of the assassination of John F. Kennedy in 1963 – but he will never let the issue go, he says. Speaking via video link to a small but fascinated audience at the Ji.hlava International Documentary Film Festival, who had

“Euphoria” star Storm Reid is best known for her work on television and in movies. Most recently, the 18-year-old actor played Tyla in James Gunn’s “The Suicide Squad.” Coming up, she’ll not only star in 20th Century Studios’ upcoming “Darby Harper Wants You to Know,” about a woman who can see ghosts, a film that

It’s been known for some time that actor Kristen Stewart has been gearing up for a trip behind the camera with her the adaptation of the memoir “The Chronology of Water.” For an upcoming episode of the “Variety Awards Circuit Podcast,” Stewart spoke with Variety about the feature and its current status, which is currently

Alex Gibney, best known for documentaries such as “Taxi to the Dark Side” and “Going Clear,” is helming a new feature starring Viggo Mortensen (“Captain Fantastic”) and Cannes best actor winner Caleb Landry Jones (“Nitram”). Produced and sold internationally by Altitude, thriller “Two Wolves” will be introduced to buyers at the virtual American Film Market

Netflix’s Spanish adaptation of its hit original movie “Bird Box” is coming together. Cast and a handful of early details were announced for the previously announced project from Àlex and David Pastor. Leading the international cast are Mario Casas, one of Spain’s most bankable leading men who this year won a best actor Spanish Academy

“The Forgotten History,” by celebrated Afghanistan filmmaker Roya Sadat (“A Letter to the President”), is one of 20 projects from 11 countries chosen for India’s Film Bazaar virtual co-production market. Being produced by Sadat’s women-centric collective Roya Film House and Spain’s Alba Sotorra Cinema Productions, the project previously participated at the Hong Kong – Asia

Berlin-based Picture Tree International has picked up global sales rights to two Scandinavian romantic comedies – the Finland’s “70 Is Just a Number,” about an aging female pop singer, and Sweden’s “Til Sun Rises,” about two lovers who escape their respective marriages to come together at night with the help of an ancient and magic

Munich-based sales agency Global Screen has closed a raft of sales on its live-action family adventure “Jim Button and the Wild 13.” The adaptation of Michael Ende’s best-selling novel – which has been translated into 25 languages – is one of the most expensive feature films in the history of German cinema, with a budget

Maybe she was kidding, but director Clio Barnard recently described “Ali & Ava” as her shot at making a “social-realist musical.” The phrase, which slipped out during an interview from the BFI London Film Festival, struck me as some kind of oxymoron at first: How could a rugged, true-to-life depiction of a struggling working-class English

M-Appeal, the Berlin-based sales outfit, has acquired world rights to Dutch title “Bigman,” which follows best friends Dylan and Youssef, as they dream of becoming professional soccer players. When Dylan is paralyzed following an accident, he has to come to terms with his new life. His dad – and former coach – wants him to

Upcoming Bollywood blockbusters with A-list talent from leading Indian studio Yash Raj Films will stream on Amazon Prime Video four weeks after their theatrical release. The licensing deal is for exclusive global streaming rights. The slate includes heist comedy “Bunty Aur Babli 2,” starring Saif Ali Khan, Rani Mukerji, Siddhant Chaturvedi and Sharvari; action entertainer

Though horror movies have increasingly gravitated toward jump scares and computer-generated FX, often the genre’s most unsettling exercises eschew such tricks for quiet, unadorned menace. That’s certainly the case with “Roh,” which was Malaysia’s submission for the best international feature Oscar last year. Belatedly getting released to U.S. virtual cinemas, VOD and digital formats on

Santa Fe District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies has given an update on the details of the police’s investigation into the tragedy on the set of the independent film “Rust,” in which a prop gun handled by Alec Baldwin accidentally discharged, killing cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. While speaking on NBC News Now’s “Top Story with Tom Llamas,” Carmack-Atlwies

Hong Kong legislators on Wednesday approved an amended law that will allow film censorship on the basis of national security considerations. It does not cover the online screening of movies, though a government minister described that omission as a “loophole.” The revision to the law is the latest operation to tighten the government grip on

While acting on four seasons of FX’s “American Horror Story,” Leslie Grossman estimates she’s been called upon to shoot a gun “several times.” “They’re never real guns,” she says. “Nine times out of 10, I’m using a rubber gun.” When the scene does call for a more dramatic close-up of a gun firing with a

Depression isn’t rational, and the strongest aspect of “A Mouthful of Air” is its refusal to propose a one-to-one explanation for the cause of the common, and debilitating, condition. Writer/director Amy Koppelman’s adaptation of her 2003 novel of the same name charts the plight of new mom Julie (Amanda Seyfried), who unsuccessfully attempts to take

Kristen Stewart wants you to know that “Spencer,” her new movie in which she stars as Princess Diana, is not a biopic or documentary. It is a fictional take on what happened when Diana decided during a family Christmas that she wanted out of her marriage to Prince Charles. “We’re not trying to educate anyone,

Jacques Cousteau was an adventurer, filmmaker, inventor, author, unlikely celebrity and conservationist. But for National Geographic’s “Becoming Cousteau,” director Liz Garbus focused on his legacy as an explorer. Garbus chronicled the highs and lows of Cousteau’s life as an adventurer who was a dedicated conservationist and was highlighting climate change half a century ago. To