Halle Berry, the sole Black woman to win the best actress Oscar in 93 years, has unveiled her directorial debut film “Bruised” at the AFI Film Festival, showcasing a commitment and skill that only the very best actors in the world can harness. Written by debut screenwriter Michelle Rosenfarb, “Bruised” tells the story of Jackie
Kristen Stewart, Jamie Dornan, Mahershala Ali, Kirsten Dunst, Jake Gyllenhaal and Javier Bardem were among the stars who came out Saturday to celebrate the contributions of artisan, craft and technical crew members at the 11th annual Hamilton Behind the Camera Awards. “We seem to get a lot of the attention and the kudos when movies
It’s the crossover event that Swifties didn’t know they needed. Taylor Swift announced on Sunday that she’s dropping a new music video for “I Bet You Think About Me (Taylor’s Version) (From the Vault)” on Monday. The video will be directed by none other than her close friend Blake Lively. The surprise video, dramatizing one
Who knew Victoria Alonso could sing? Marvel Studios’ president of physical and postproduction, visual effects and animation production broke out into song not once, but twice when she was presented with the Visionary Award at the Outfest Legacy Awards on Saturday night at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures. She sang a verse of B.o.B’s
Aaron Sorkin’s “Being the Ricardos” took over Westwood Village on Saturday night as both press and SAG-AFTRA members lined the streets around the Bruin Theater, keen to get their eyes on Nicole Kidman as Lucille Ball and Javier Bardem as Desi Arnaz. Kidman received a standing ovation as she joined Bardem, Sorkin, Nina Arianda, Tony
Samuel Theis’ “Softie” won the top prize at the 62nd Thessaloniki Film Festival, which wrapped Sunday night with a ceremony in Greece’s second city. The film, which premiered in Cannes’ Critics’ Week section, was awarded the Golden Alexander and a €10,000 ($11,400) cash prize by a jury comprised of writer-director Nanouk Leopold, sound designer Roland
Two-time Oscar winner Mahershala Ali celebrated a major milestone on Friday night with the AFI Fest debut of “Swan Song,” which marks his first film project in a leading role and first narrative feature as a producer. “It was an emotional day, for me, I gotta say,” Ali told Variety on the red carpet outside
Marvel’s comic book epic “Eternals” is once again dominating over domestic box office charts. In its second weekend of release, the superhero adventure has collected a leading $27.5 million from 4,090 North American theaters. Through Sunday, “Eternals” crossed the $100 million mark in the U.S. and Canada, with box office receipts at $118 million. Though
Southern Spain’s annual showcase of standout recent European auteur cinema, the Seville European Film Festival, wrapped its 18th edition Saturday, Nov. 13 with a slew of prizes scattered among its various contenders, with the top prize, the Giraldillo de Oro, going to Sebastian Meise’s “Great Freedom” and its lead, Franz Rogowski, nabbing the best actor award. The Andalusian
Blue Monday Productions has boarded “Cora,” the feature directorial debut of visual artist and filmmaker Evi Kalogiropoulou, which was awarded at the Rotterdam Film Festival’s CineMart and the Cannes Cinefondation’s Atelier earlier this year. “Cora” is the story of two working-class women fighting for freedom and their own identity against a dystopian patriarchal society. It
Zürich- and Berlin-based sales outlet First Hand Films has acquired world rights (excluding Norway) for Håvard Bustnes’ “Name of the Game” ahead of its world premiere in IDFA’s Frontlight section, Variety has learned. The director’s previous credits include IDFA 2017 competition entry “Golden Dawn Girls” and “Two Raging Grannies.” Bustnes’ new effort centers on controversial
M-Appeal has closed more deals on “The Man With the Answers,” Stelios Kammitsis’ gay road trip dramedy about a spontaneous summer journey that unexpectedly turns into something more. The company announced sales to Poland (Tongariro Releasing), Japan (Edko Films), and Taiwan (Joint Entertainment Int.) during the Thessaloniki Film Festival, where the film played in the
Halle Berry fought to get “Bruised” made. The movie, a labor of love (if not necessarily of originality) about an ex-MMA fighter who goes from scrubbing toilets to standing proud for her estranged young son, is all about proving oneself to the world, and so it’s fitting that Berry spent several years whipping the project
The 29th edition of the EnergaCamerimage Film Festival, one of the world’s leading events dedicated to cinematography, returned to fully live status Saturday amid tributes to the power of the image and an homage to the life and work of cinematographer Philippe Rousselot. The DP for “A River Runs Through It” and “Dangerous Liaisons” commended
Taylor Swift delivered a passionate, 10-minute performance of “All Too Well” on “Saturday Night Live” as she kept up the momentum behind Friday’s release of “Red (Taylor’s Version).” The moody, anthemic ballad has become a fan favorite over the years and was expanded from the original 2012 version of the song. Swift began the performance
After revisiting a slice of 1960s history in last year’s “The Trial of the Chicago 7,” Aaron Sorkin turned his lens to “Being the Ricardos,” cataloging a politically tumultuous week in the 1950s for Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz during the heyday of “I Love Lucy.” The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences often
After Ted Cruz called Big Bird “government propaganda” on Twitter because that fictional character’s account tweeted about the COVID-19 vaccine, “Saturday Night Live” saw an opportunity to create a fictional new kids’ show from the senator. Titled “Cruz Street” and hosted by Aidy Bryant as Cruz, that sketch opened the Nov. 13 episode of NBC’s
Pete Buttigieg is going to be the President of the United States. That is something I believe, and have from virtually the moment I first saw him — though I don’t suspect it’s going to happen for 10 or maybe 20 years. If you watch the fascinating new documentary “Mayor Pete,” which was shot during
The indie drama “Allswell” wrapped principal photography this month in New York, N.Y. The film stars Elizabeth Rodriguez (“Orange is the New Black,” “Fear the Walking Dead”), Liza Colón-Zayas (“In Treatment,” “David Makes Man”) and Daphne Rubin-Vega (from “In the Heights”) along with a cast that includes Felix Solis, Max Casella, Michael Rispoli, Shirley Rodriguez,
It’s hard to remember that there was ever a fleeting moment that Taylor Swift and the streaming music industry didn’t see eye to eye, now that she’s setting and re-setting records as the Queen of Stream. Spotify reps say that Swift broke two records for the service on Friday, the day that “Red (Taylor’s Version)”
This tear-jerking duet with Phoebe Bridgers is chock-full of devastating lyrics about the passage of time, but perhaps the line that hits hardest is in the chorus, when Swift reflects on the previous four years of her life. Then on the verge of entering true adulthood, Swift gets at an extremely relatable part of growing
Joe Manganiello proved that he could change shapes as the werewolf Alcide on HBO’s “True Blood,” and since the hit series wrapped in 2014, he’s starred in films like “Magic Mike XXL” and “Pee-wee’s Big Holiday.” He’s also managed to live a childhood dream by becoming a consultant and designer for some of his favorite
Juice WRLD’s untimely death two years ago did little to snuff out his burgeoning stardom — quite the opposite, in fact. As evidenced by the very existence of Tommy Oliver’s documentary “Juice WRLD: Into the Abyss,” the rapper’s impact on those around him — to say nothing of his legions of fans — continues to
Jeff Wald, longtime manager, producer and boxing promoter, died on Friday in Los Angeles. He was 77. Wald’s death was confirmed to Variety by his daughter Traci Wald. A cause of death was not available. “To the very end, he was laughing and fighting for the life he lived with epic proportions in every way,” Traci Wald
San Francisco native rapper Berner has been making his way through self-produced hardcore hip-hop since 2006, with the release of his first mixtape, “Dirty Sneakers … Plenty Ways to Get It,” and debut album “Weekend at Bernie’s.” Since then, along with opening a successful cannabis company and store, Cookies, that produces everything from bold weed
Dubbed the “Polish Marilyn Monroe,” the late actor and singer Kalina Jędrusik used to electrify the audiences of the Polish People’s Republic with her risqué outfits, performance in Andrzej Wajda’s Oscar-nominated “The Promised Land” or unconventional relationship with husband, writer Stanisław Dygat. But “Autumn Girl” – which screens this week in the Polish Competition of
In setting the frame for the Cold War Poland thriller “Operation Hyacinth” – which plays in the Polish Films Competition section of this week’s EnergaCamerimage Film Festival – cinematographer Piotr Sobocinski says he found himself in a race against time. The DP, who’s filmed dark stories in critical successes such as “Corpus Christi” and “Hatred,”
Lady Gaga has released a short film exploring the connection between kindness and mental health to coincide with World Kindness Day on Nov. 13. The 30-minute special supported by Gaga’s Born This Way Foundation follows Gaga and mental health expert Dr. Alfiee Breland-Noble speaking with a group of 11 young people exploring their personal mental
It’s been 14 years since Kirsten Dunst last played Mary Jane Watson in the “Spider-Man” franchise. Dunst now says that she’s open to returning to the web-slinger’s world. “I would do it. Why not? That would be fun,” she told me Thursday night at “The Power of the Dog” screening at AFI Fest at the
“Eternals” will keep its crown at the domestic box office, as the Marvel entry is projected to repeat as No. 1 with an estimated $27 million gross in its second weekend. Should current projections pan out, the MCU entry will fall approximately 62% in its sophomore outing. Measured against the second weekends of other Marvel