Hugh Jackman is in talks to star in Michael Mann’s racing drama “Ferrari,” about Ferrari founder Enzo Ferrari. STX will be handling international sales at the Cannes virtual market, with CAA Media Finance representing U.S. rights. Mann will give a presentation for buyers on Tuesday. STX will distribute the film in the U.K. and Ireland,
Movies
Mifa’s TV series & specials pitches went live on Thursday with an epic eight-parter from the U.K.’s Mosaic Films, focusing on the life of a young family growing up in North Korea. Directed by award-winning director Andy Glynne, “38th Parallel: Hidden Voices from North Korea” takes the collected stories of defectors from the secretive regime and
Paris-based arthouse outfit Autour de Minuit, producer of Oscar-winning toon short “Logorama,” will produce toon feature “Spitsbergen” and medium-length “Return to Nix,” both to be directed by Suzie Templeton, who won as Academy Award and Annecy Cristal for”Peter & the Wolf”). “Spitsbergen”marks Templeton’s much-awaited feature debut, currently in development. The news comes as Annecy awarded a
June 20 was always meant to be the day the 2020 Annecy International Animation Film Festival would hand out awards at an energetic, paper airplane-filled gala, making it one of the most important dates on the global animation calendar. While other aspects of the festival were changed dramatically by the fallout of the COVID-19 crisis, festival
Netflix is negotiating a deal to acquire domestic rights to Aaron Sorkin’s “The Trial of the Chicago 7” from Paramount Pictures and Cross Creek Pictures, Variety has learned. The film follows the Chicago Seven, a group of seven activists who were charged by the federal government with conspiracy, inciting to riot and other charges stemming
Prized at Locarno, El Gouna and Valladolid, ”Carne” celebrates and explores femininity through successive stages of life, as well as presenting a fresh examination on the perennial taboos that weigh on conceptions of the female body. The short weaves highly disparate techniques – paint, watercolor, stop motion, 35mm film and virtual image decomposition via glitches and
France Televisions has confirmed its commitment to animation spanning all ages with the Paris-based public broadcaster announcing a raft of series and putting a call out for more animated education and edutainment content. Speaking during an online press conference on the third day of this year’s Virtual Annecy animation festival, the broadcaster’s CEO Delphine Ernotte
A selection of short format pitches from around the world kicked off the last day in the first week of presentations at Annecy’s virtual animation market. It was led by “The Wasp and the Hummingbird” (“Avispa y Colibrí”) a Peruvian tale of subtle female emancipation from French-Peruvian director Aida del Solar and Lima-based Apus Studios. Inspired
In the last two years, a series of scalding and essential documentaries — “Leaving Neverland,” “Surviving R. Kelly,” “Untouchable,” “On the Record,” “Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich” — have shined a light on the contours of sexual abuse and the supreme, if not obscene, concentration of power that too often allows it to be concealed and
With a projected $32 million loss in wages for canceled scoring dates because of COVID-19, the Los Angeles music community is gearing up for the return of film and TV recording — but cautiously, under strict guidelines. Yet, musicians say, not everyone is prepared to go back to work in groups, given the uncertainty of
Alan Metter, best known for directing the 1980s films “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” and “Back to School,” died on June 7, his family confirmed to Variety. He was 77. Metter was born in Sharon, Mass., on Dec. 19, 1942. He graduated from the University of Arizona in 1965 with a degree in philosophy
After last weekend’s influx of movies from big-name directors like Spike Lee and Judd Apatow, the landscape for movies looks to be comparatively calmer this weekend. However, that doesn’t mean there isn’t a fair share of worthwhile releases hitting VOD and streaming services this weekend, from studio movies with big stars, independently produced treasures coming
Though Channing Godfrey Peoples’ directorial debut “Miss Juneteenth” is named for the holiday often called “Black Independence Day” or “Freedom Day,” the film is not a history lesson. At least not entirely. And with the film’s release on the 155th anniversary of the holiday, Peoples can’t help but find the moment a little bittersweet. “There’s
Having your official or unofficial debut at a drive-in tends to take the “gala” out of “gala premiere,” for worse or for better. For Dave Franco, the director and co-writer of the horror thriller “The Rental,” who admitted that having his film unspool for the first time at the Vineland Drive-In in the City of
Singer Big Freedia uses her platform to raise awareness on gun violence in New Orleans. In her new doc, premiering at AFI Docs, she shares her personal and heartbreaking story of losing her brother, Adam Ross, to gun violence. Directed by Chris McKim, the documentary follows Freedia as she goes into schools and prisons, diving
Regal Cinemas has updated its reopening policy and will now require guests to wear face masks at their locations when theaters are able to resume business. “Our current mask policy requires both employees and guests to wear masks at all Regal theaters,” a company spokesperson told Variety. “Our ultimate goal is to create a safe
Actor Gugu Mbatha-Raw has long been drawn to stories that combined both art and activism. From her breakthrough role as Dido Elizabeth Belle, a gentlewoman of color in the film “Belle,” to her recent work in films like “Misbehaviour” and “Fast Color” and the Apple TV program “The Morning Show,” Mbatha-Raw is often at the
When movies work their magic, the screen becomes a kind of mirror, reflecting dimensions of our identities or experience back to us in profound and emotional ways. When the characters aren’t so familiar, it serves as more of a window, offering insight into the lives of those who are different from ourselves. Now imagine how
As it looks to reopen its theaters after the coronavirus lockdown, European cinema giant Vue International has restructured its leadership across the U.K. and Italy. Toby Bradon, general manager of Vue’s Italian business The Space Cinema, will switch markets, taking on the role of territory general manager for Vue U.K., Ireland and Denmark. He will
Seven years after the original game was released, “The Last of Us Part II” will finally hit the PlayStation 4 on Friday. The sequel will continue to follow Ellie and Joel, two grizzled companions in a post-apocalyptic United States going to brutal lengths to survive day to day. Developer Naughty Dog, also known for its
Cesc Gay’s “The People Upstairs,” David Victori’s “Cross the Line,” Kike Maíllo’s “A Perfect Enemy” and David Matamoros and Ángeles Hernández’s “Isaac” are among a robust 11-feature pack offered by Upcoming Catalan Films at Cannes’ online Marché du Film. An acclaimed Catalan director of dramedy focused on middle-aged, urban, often lost characters, in “The People
Former Writers Guild of America West president Patric Verrone and negotiating committee co-chair Betsy Thomas are among the 15 candidates for eight WGA West board seats. The guild’s nominating committee made the announcement Friday. The election will take place on Sept. 21. The seats are for two-year terms. The president, vice president, secretary-treasurer, and eight other
Film Factory has dropped the first trailer for anticipated Cannes title “Forgotten We’ll Be” (“El Olvido que Seremos”), from director Fernando Trueba, an Academy Award winner (“Belle Epoque”) and nominee (“Chico and Rita”). One of only three Cannes Official Selection label titles in its Faithfuls section – featuring the Selection’s biggest names – which will
Ian Holm, the classically trained Shakespearean actor best known to film audiences for his performances in films including the “Lord of the Rings” and “Hobbit” movies, “Chariots of Fire” and “Alien,” has died. He was 88. A rep for the actor has said Holm died in hospital on Friday morning. The actor had been battling
France is getting ready to reopen cinemas on June 22 after a three-month shutdown, with plans in place to cap admissions to 50% of auditorium capacities. The limitations in France aren’t as strict as in Germany, Norway or the Czech Republic, where theaters reopened with a 50 to 100-person capacity per screen. Securing a percentage
The Key Buyers Event: Digital Edition, a virtual platform for Russian content hosted by film promotion body Roskino, wrapped this week with a slew of sales and an affirmation that global players are increasingly looking to tap into the Russian market. The online market welcomed some 600 international participants from 70 countries, with the largest
“A Thousand Cuts,” a film that chronicles how Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte uses social media to spread disinformation, was Friday named the best international feature at New Zealand’s Doc Edge International Documentary Film Festival. The festival is being held online only due to the effects of the coronavirus outbreak. In an unforeseen real-world twist, earlier
Is Olivier Courson, once a game-changing chairman-CEO of Studiocanal, about to make a big media comeback? Arte France, bastion of quality European TV, announced June 2 that its president, Veronique Cayla would step down on July 5. Candidates to succeed her, the French press has suggested, include Courson. Arte France presidency is currently one of
OK, a quick show of hands: How many of you actually knew there was a movie titled “I Am Vengeance” released in 2018? Wow, that many? Well, that’s probably why we now have a sequel, “I Am Vengeance: Retaliation,” even though it isn’t likely to reach beyond the niche audience of undiscriminating action fans who
Kelsey Grammer, Jason Flemyng, and Sebastien Foucan will star in the crime film “Edge of Justice,” with worldwide right will on sale through Archstone Entertainment at the upcoming Cannes Virtual Market. “Edge of Justice,” directed by Jake L. Reid, follows an African refugee, portrayed by Foucan, who arrives in London to search for his missing sister.