In today’s film news roundup, the Santa Barbara Film Festival moves back, Legion M is backing “Save Yourselves!,” Gravitas buys “Odd Man Rush,” a Tiny Tim documentary finds a home and The Creative Coalition is backing films about obesity. FILM FESTIVAL The Santa Barbara International Film Festival has shifted its dates backwards for its 36th
Movies
Nia DaCosta, director of the upcoming “Candyman” film inspired by the 1992 horror classic, shared a chilling short film depicting the origin story of her titular star. Shadow puppets, manned by Manual Cinema, re-tell the gruesome scenes that form the Candyman’s lore set to Robert Aiki Aubrey Lowe’s score. “Candyman, at the intersection of white
Earlier this month, the British government gave the greenlight to film and TV production to resume, but how can this be done safely? During a panel discussion on Wednesday, moderated by Joseph Chianese, executive VP at consultancy Entertainment Partners, three prominent figures in the British production sector spoke about how the industry is figuring out
It’s now widely accepted that despite being a beloved classic, “Gone With the Wind” needs an explanation of its context when it’s screened on TV or in theaters. HBO Max says it will eventually restore the Oscar-winning film to the service, but with “context and framing.” It’s a start, but Hollywood’s vaults are filled with
After several years of high-profile roles in movies like “500 Days of Summer,” “Inception,” “Looper” and “Snowden,” Joseph Gordon-Levitt stepped back from the spotlight for three years to spend time with his wife and young children. After his self-imposed hiatus, he returns this week with “7500,” a taut thriller that is set almost entirely in
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences launched its fourth Academy Gold internship program. The program, which is being held virtually because of the COVID-19 pandemic, offers mentorship for 74 students and young professionals from underrepresented communities. “We are so thankful for our industry partners, who share the Academy’s commitment to creating meaningful opportunities
There may be no Cannes Film Festival this year, but the markets are gearing up. The agency-led market set to run alongside the official Marché du Film has launched its website, which is now live at ADemainMarche.com. A CAA Media Finance rep tells Variety that the title, A Demain Marché, which literally translates to ‘See
Karlovy Vary Film Festival, the leading cinema event in Central and Eastern Europe, has unveiled the projects that will be showcased during the online edition of its industry program, Eastern Promises. Eastern Promises will feature a total of 41 film projects, which will be presented as part of its various sections – Works in Progress,
Amazon Studios has acquired worldwide rights to an untitled voting rights documentary for Story Syndicate centering on insights from politician, lawyer and author Stacey Abrams. Following a theatrical run, the film will be released on Amazon Prime Video later this year. It’s directed by Oscar-nominated and Emmy-winning filmmaker Liz Garbus and Lisa Cortés. Abrams is
Disney’s global distribution president Cathleen Taff said cinemas will need to “over-deliver” when they reopen, but that the “at-home experience” is not sustainable in the long term. Speaking at a virtual CineEurope panel on Wednesday, the executive revealed she was bracing for “a little skepticism” about the process of reopening movie theaters. “The challenge for
“If ever there was a time to reimagine the future then we are in it,” said Jamal Joseph, kicking off the 2020 Women in Animation World Virtual Summit by addressing this year’s overriding theme. The Columbia professor, activist and former Black Panther member moderated Wednesday’s first panel, Black Women in Animation: Looking to the Future.
Cinematographer Newton Thomas Sigel was working on Sam Hargrave’s “Extraction” in Asia when Spike Lee called to ask him to work on “Da 5 Bloods.” Sigel, who is known for his work on such diverse films as “Three Kings,” “The Usual Suspects” and “Bohemian Rhapsody,” and had previously collaborated with Lee only on commercials, was
The sole French animated title in this year’s Cannes Official Selection and now screened by sales agent The Party Film Sales at next week’s Marché du Film, “Josep” marks the feature debut of editorial journalist Aurélien Froment. Better known as Aurel, the award-winning cartoonist has filed illustrated reports for French daily Le Monde since 2007,
Kristen Stewart will portray Princess Diana in a new film. The drama, titled “Spencer,” centers on a weekend in the early 1990s when Diana decided to separate from Prince Charles. “Jackie” director Pablo Larrain is on board to helm from a script by Steven Knight. Production is expected to begin in early 2021. CAA Media
Netflix and Imagine Impact — an offshoot of Ron Howard and Brian Grazer’s production company Imagine Entertainment — are teaming up develop original content from up-and-coming screenwriters. Through the open submission process, Imagine Impact will identify and develop feature film ideas in four specific genres over the next year that they will then bring to
After years of working together on “Saturday Night Live,” Colin Jost and Pete Davidson are taking their comedy antics to the big screen. Sources tell Variety, the two “SNL” stars are set to headline the wedding comedy “Worst Man” for Universal Pictures. The idea is based on an original idea pitched by Jost, Matthew Bass
Several major North American LGBTQ film festivals are forming an alliance so that they can continue to highlight the works of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer filmmakers during the coronavirus pandemic. To that end, Frameline (San Francisco), Inside Out (Toronto), NewFest (NYC), and Outfest (Los Angeles) have formed NAQFA: the North American Queer Festival
The worldwide disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic is creating both massive challenges and unprecedented opportunities for the animation industry, according to a panel presented Tuesday as part of a weekly discussion series hosted by UniFrance. The session, “Successful Strategies to Promote French Animation Worldwide,” included Benoit Berthe Siward, of the curated screening event The
Picturehouse Entertainment will kick off the reopening of U.K. cinemas with the theatrical release of Alice Winocour’s “Proxima” from July 10. Cinemas across the U.K. closed in March due to the coronavirus pandemic. Picturehouse and Cineworld cinemas are confirmed to reopen from July 10, subject to government guidelines. “Proxima” opened this year’s Glasgow Film Festival
Russian filmmaker Kirill Serebrennikov (“Leto,” “The Student”) is developing a limited series based on the life of legendary Soviet filmmaker Andrei Tarkovsky, Variety has learned exclusively. The series will be written and directed by Serebrennikov, and produced by Ilya Stewart, Murad Osmann and Pavel Burya of Moscow-based Hype Film. “Andrei Tarkovsky and his iconic masterpieces
South Africa’s Triggerfish has announced it’s setting up its first international studio in Galway, Ireland. The award-winning animation studio is a rising powerhouse behind projects like the Oscar-nominated Roald Dahl adaptation “Revolting Rhymes,” as well as the International Emmy-winning “Zog,” the British Animation Awards winner “The Snail and the Whale” (pictured), and the Rose d’Or-winning
Constance Wu (“Crazy Rich Asians,” “Hustlers”) and Sam Heughan (“Outlander,” “The Spy Who Dumped Me”) have joined the cast of romantic comedy “Mr. Malcolm’s List,” where they will star alongside Freida Pinto, Sope Dirisu and Oliver Jackson-Cohen. Wu also joins as an executive producer. International rights of the film are being repped by WestEnd Films,
Sales agent Beta Cinema is launching its Cannes Market slate, which is headlined by psychological thriller “Corvidae,” with a playful and novel approach. The company has produced an entertainment show, in the style of a late-night chatshow, featuring its sales team pitching its films and presenting exclusive clips from them. Variety has been given an
The Force is with U.K. cinemas this July as they plan to reopen doors with a remastered 4K edition of “Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back,” Variety can reveal. It’s understood the planned screenings mark the first time a “Star Wars” film from the original trilogy will be screened to cinema audiences in 4K. European
Using immersive storytelling to tackle issues such as mental health, trans identity and end-of-life care featured heavily in the pitches in this year’s Digital Experience category at Annecy. Aimed at showcasing the best interactive animated film projects in development, the category’s strong contenders included U.K-Ghanaian branching narrative short “Unwanted Guest,” which tackles depression and anxiety.
It’s strange that as mannered a film as Carl Hunter’s Scrabble-loving debut feature “Sometimes Always Never” should yield one of Bill Nighy’s very least mannered — and best — performances, but then, these are strange times. They were strange back in 2018 when this British production, based on a screenplay by celebrated screenwriter Frank Cottrell
Sales agent Le Bureau Films is set to launch sales at the Cannes Virtual Market on British writer and director Aleem Khan’s “Afterlove.” Variety has been given an exclusive image of the film, which is one of only five selected to receive the Cannes Critics’ Week Label. “Afterlove,” set in the port town of Dover
In today’s film new roundup, “Broken Hearts Gallery” moves back, “Burnt Orange Heresy” gets a release date, “Summertime,” “2 Hearts” and “The Mechanic” find homes and Helen Mirren is narrating “Escape from Extinction.” RELEASE DATES Sony Pictures has moved back the release of romantic comedy “The Broken Hearts Gallery” from July 10 to July 17.
The 2021 Film Independent Spirit Awards have been postponed until April 24. The announcement follows the news that the Oscars are being pushed back two months — from Feb. 28 to April 25. The Spirit Awards traditionally take place the day before the Academy Awards in Santa Monica, Calif. “The Film Independent Spirit Awards will
Robert De Niro, Oscar Isaac, Anne Hathaway and Donald Sutherland are joining Cate Blanchett in the period drama “Armageddon Time.” Wild Bunch International will introduce the film to buyers at this year’s virtual Cannes market and represent its international rights. CAA Media Finance, which arranged financing for the movie, represents the film’s domestic distribution rights.