A thought-provoking film about the importance of architecture by three-time Oscar nominee Wim Wenders, and an investigative documentary about the troubled life and times of Egyptian heart-throb Omar Sharif are among 30 feature film projects to be pitched as part of the 8th edition of the Venice Gap-Financing Market, which runs Sept. 3-5 at the
Movies
A long-gestating non-conventional documentary directed by Iranian multi-hyphenate Mitra Farahani centered around a conversation between Jean-Luc Godard and Iranian filmmaker and literary figure Ebrahim Golestan that took place via regular weekly email exchanges involving videos, images, aphorisms, and letters, is set to soon surface on the international festival circuit. The film, called “See You Friday
Shudder, AMC Networks’ premium streaming service for horror, thriller and the supernatural, has snagged the occult horror pic, “Hellbender” prior to its Aug. 14 world premiere at the 25th Fantasia Intl. Film Festival. “Hellbender” is written and directed by Toby Poser, John Adams and their daughter Zelda Adams who also star in the film along
More often than not, true stories are infinitely more interesting and continue to resonate now. In Johannesburg-based filmmaker Charlie Vundla’s “Frontier Mistress,” which he describes as a Western set in 18th century South Africa, the story of a Huguenot refugee and her struggle against an abusive husband and an oppressive, racist regime, continues to reverberate today.
Blue Fox Entertainment has acquired U.S. rights to “I Am Here,” a documentary about 100-year-old Holocaust survivor Ella Blumenthal which recently won the Jury Prize at the Durban Film Festival. Directed by Jordy Sank, “I Am Here” tells Blumenthal’s incredible life story, starting with her youth in Poland during World War II, where she witnessed
The U.K.’s Independent Cinema Office (ICO) has launched The Cinema of Ideas, a collaborative film platform aimed at independent cinemas. The Cinema of Ideas is a digital, revenue-sharing platform that will bring the ICO’s expertise, connections and public funding to allow independent cinemas to create culturally-relevant programs that tackle issues of race, disability, sex, sexuality
Netflix in Spain has kicked off production on “Rainbow,” a new feature film from celebrated film and TV multi-hyphenate Paco León (“The House of Flowers,” “Kiki, Love to Love”). Inspired by “The Wizard of Oz,” the film will heavily feature important aspects of contemporary culture such as dance, fashion, plastic arts and above all, music.
Toronto-based outfit Syndicado Film Sales has picked up Romanian duo Monica Stan and George Chiper-Lillemark’s Venice Days selection “Imaculat.” The film follows Daria, whose junkie boyfriend ends up in prison, and she is taken by her parents to rehab to quit heroin and become a good daughter again. Inside the clinic, Daria’s unwavering loyalty to
As co-host of the “Labyrinths” podcast, Amanda Knox specializes in spotlighting real-life figures who, as she puts it, “lack agency” as they’re drawn against their will into becoming central figures in attention-getting stories. It’s something she knows a lot about, of course: Knox may need little introduction to anyone who followed international news, but she
ViacomCBS president and CEO Bob Bakish sent employees a memo Wednesday detailing the company’s concerns over the Delta variant of COVID-19 and specifying that most workers would not return to the office until Oct. 18 “at the very earliest.” Bakish specified that employees returning to ViacomCBS prior to Oct. 18 in the “yellow phase” would
“Jane,” a feature film from startup studio Creator Plus, has halted production after two COVID cases on set in New Mexico. The film stars Madelaine Petsch (“Riverdale”), who is also a producer. None of the cast has tested positive, according to the company. The shutdown is expected to last for six days. In a statement,
As any entertainment journalist who has interviewed James Gunn will tell you, the director of comic book adaptations “Guardians of the Galaxy” and the upcoming “The Suicide Squad” is never shy about answering questions honestly and unreservedly. It’s a rare quality in such a public and successful figure in the entertainment industry, especially when so
The Los Angeles City Council will consider imposing a vaccine requirement for entry into restaurants, gyms and movie theaters, a day after the City of New York imposed a similar requirement. L.A. City Council President Nury Martinez — who is line to become acting mayor once Mayor Eric Garcetti is confirmed as ambassador to India
“Cobra Kai” star Xolo Maridueña has been cast as Blue Beetle for HBO Max’s movie adaptation of the DC superhero of the same name. Both Maridueña and Angel Manuel Soto, who will be directing the film, confirmed the news at “The Suicide Squad” premiere on Monday night in Los Angeles. Manuel Soto told Variety‘s Marc
Lil Rel Howery, Billy Magnussen and Jillian Bell will star in the ensemble comedy film “Reunion.” The movie is the first greenlit project for Artists Road, the comedy film joint venture that was formed in October by Spyglass Media Group, Propagate Content, Artists First and Off-Road Productions. The pic puts a darkly humorous spin on
The opening night of the Locarno Film Festival was led by a pair of rousing call to arms for the theatrical experience. Early on it was rain, rather than COVID-19, which threatened to put a dampener on proceedings, as sodden conditions in the famous Piazza Grande forced the world premiere of “Beckett” indoors. However, ironically,
The Directors Guild of America announced its new Women’s Steering Committee Squad Mentorship Program along with its first class of mentees. In the program, 10 mid-career directors are each paired with filmmakers that are well established in the field. The WSC Squad will last for six months. Mentors will not only discuss craft and artistic
For Jennifer Hudson, it’s a happy anniversary. “It was about 15 years ago when Aretha (Franklin) and I had our first discussion about my playing her,” says the star of “Respect.” It’s not a coincidence that this is also the 15th anniversary of something else momentous — Hudson delivering her Oscar-winning performance in “Dreamgirls” —
Netflix is expanding its vaccine mandate. The streaming giant will require that all employees who come into its offices be vaccinated for COVID-19. Those new rules will also include any visitors to its headquarters. In July, Netflix became the first Hollywood studio to set a blanket policy requiring that the casts of all of its
“Alberta has arrived,” Luke Azevedo, commissioner for Film, Television and Creative Industries of Calgary Economic Development, tells Variety. With productions scouting for new locations to help maximize their budgets and fit their creative vision, the removal of the $10 million-per-project cap on March 26 is a game-changer for the region, making Alberta nationally and globally
John David Washington shot “Beckett” before last summer’s “Tenet” put the actor on a short list of potential action figures. But when it comes to this considerably more modest, Greece-set manhunt movie — which kicks off the Locarno Film Festival before releasing via Netflix on Aug. 13 — it helps to look at Washington (son
Walt Disney Animation Studios is opening a new production facility in Vancouver, British Columbia, as it ramps up its streaming offerings. Focusing on long-form series like the upcoming musical revisiting of “Moana,” the studio will recruit new talent for its feature-quality slate and special projects meant exclusively for Disney Plus, it was announced Wednesday by
The first trailer for “The Capote Tapes” gives a glimpse into the life of the small man behind towering works like “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” and “In Cold Blood.” Ebs Burnough directed the documentary, centering on the rise and fall of Truman Capote. Burnough, who spent years in politics, used never-before-seen taped interviews from Capote’s inner
Calling Alan Horn! As the nasty war between Scarlett Johansson and Disney continues to escalate and rage on in the public eye, might it not be beneficial for someone within the not-so-Magic Kingdom — such as Horn — to intervene and help diffuse the hostilities? A highly respected industry statesman who’s always been a voice
The Toronto International Film Festival announced which films will fill the TIFF Docs, Midnight Madness, and Wavelength sections at this year’s edition of the event, which runs from Sept. 9-18. The festival also added new titles to the Special Presentation and Contemporary World Cinema programs. Opening TIFF Docs is the world premiere of “Attica” by
The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees announced on Wednesday that it will conduct its first-ever diversity survey, as the entertainment industry faces pressure to become more inclusive in the below-the-line ranks. The union, which represents 150,000 members in the U.S. and Canada, said it would undertake its first membership census in the spring of
“For Sama” director Waad Al-Kateab is in Tokyo filming a documentary about the IOC Refugee Olympic Team for XTR. Al-Kateab, a Syrian filmmaker who received an Oscar nomination for “For Sama,” is working with Oscar-winning producer Joanna Natasegara on the project. They have had access to the IOC Refugee Olympic Team before and during the
After Warner Bros. released Zack Snyder’s director’s cut of “Justice League,” fans are rallying for the company to release David Ayer’s cut of his 2016 supervillain team-up movie “Suicide Squad” after he confirmed its existence in an emotional letter last week. The stars of “Suicide Squad” weighed in on the Ayer cut at the premiere
The world premiere of Netflix’s new school western “The Harder They Fall” will open the 65th British Film Institute (BFI) London Film Festival. The film is directed by Londoner Jeymes Samuel, touted by Ted Sarandos as one of the streamer’s discoveries. The film stars Jonathan Majors, Zazie Beetz, Delroy Lindo, LaKeith Stanfield, Danielle Deadwyler, Edi
Siân Heder’s “CODA,” an Apple original film, has won the 2021 Sundance Film Festival: London Award presented by BIFA. The award was voted for by 40 leading professionals from the British film industry assembled by the British Independent Film Awards. The film follows Ruby, a CODA or Child of Deaf Adults, who is torn between