Exclusive: Paris-based Superprod Group has acquired top Luxembourgish animation companies Studio 352 and Mélusine Productions in a move that consolidates its position as one of Europe’s leading animation production groups.
Based in Contern in Southern Luxembourg, the sister companies were founded by Belgian producer Stéphan Roelants in the late 1990s.
Mélusine Productions develops, finances and manages the projects, while Studio 352, which has built up a local team of top-level artists and technicians, executes the work.
The sister companies have been involved in some of the most important animated feature films produced out of Europe in the past 27 years.
At the same time, they have also cemented Luxembourg’s position as an animation production hub, with strong support from the Luxembourg Film Fund.
Latest credits include Neil Boyle and Kirk Hendry’s Michael Morpurgo-adaptation Kensuké’s Kingdom, which won Best Feature Film at the 2024 British Animation Awards in February.
Other...
Based in Contern in Southern Luxembourg, the sister companies were founded by Belgian producer Stéphan Roelants in the late 1990s.
Mélusine Productions develops, finances and manages the projects, while Studio 352, which has built up a local team of top-level artists and technicians, executes the work.
The sister companies have been involved in some of the most important animated feature films produced out of Europe in the past 27 years.
At the same time, they have also cemented Luxembourg’s position as an animation production hub, with strong support from the Luxembourg Film Fund.
Latest credits include Neil Boyle and Kirk Hendry’s Michael Morpurgo-adaptation Kensuké’s Kingdom, which won Best Feature Film at the 2024 British Animation Awards in February.
Other...
- 4/2/2024
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
The ‘Waltz With Bashir’ director is working with a collective of Israeli filmmakers to keep up global awareness of the hostages’ situation.
Oscar-nominated Waltz With Bashir filmmaker Ari Folman has partnered with other Israeli filmmakers for a collective project bringing together testimony from families of hostages kidnapped during the October 7 terror attack by Hamas to urge their release.
Folman and documentary director Jasmine Kainy are spearheading the initiative titled #BringThemHomeNow that is produced by Ophir-winning director and filmmaker Eliran Peled and director Smadar Zamir.
The more than 40 videos of families of hostages were filmed in a studio in Tel Aviv...
Oscar-nominated Waltz With Bashir filmmaker Ari Folman has partnered with other Israeli filmmakers for a collective project bringing together testimony from families of hostages kidnapped during the October 7 terror attack by Hamas to urge their release.
Folman and documentary director Jasmine Kainy are spearheading the initiative titled #BringThemHomeNow that is produced by Ophir-winning director and filmmaker Eliran Peled and director Smadar Zamir.
The more than 40 videos of families of hostages were filmed in a studio in Tel Aviv...
- 10/18/2023
- by Rebecca Leffler
- ScreenDaily
The ‘Waltz With Bashir’ director is working with a collective of Israeli filmmakers to keep up global awareness of the hostages’ situation.
Oscar-nominated Waltz With Bashir filmmaker Ari Folman has partnered with other Israeli filmmakers for a collective project bringing together testimony from families of hostages kidnapped during the October 7 terror attack by Hamas to urge their release.
Folman and documentary director Jasmine Kainy are spearheading the initiative titled #BringThemHomeNow that is produced by Ophir-winning director and filmmaker Eliran Peled and director Smadar Zamir.
The more than 40 videos of families of hostages were filmed in a studio in Tel Aviv...
Oscar-nominated Waltz With Bashir filmmaker Ari Folman has partnered with other Israeli filmmakers for a collective project bringing together testimony from families of hostages kidnapped during the October 7 terror attack by Hamas to urge their release.
Folman and documentary director Jasmine Kainy are spearheading the initiative titled #BringThemHomeNow that is produced by Ophir-winning director and filmmaker Eliran Peled and director Smadar Zamir.
The more than 40 videos of families of hostages were filmed in a studio in Tel Aviv...
- 10/18/2023
- by Rebecca Leffler
- ScreenDaily
U.S. actor Robin Wright will be awarded the President’s Award at the 57th Karlovy Vary Film Festival’s closing ceremony. In honor of Wright, it will screen “The Princess Bride.”
Wright is best known for her performance in Netflix series “House of Cards.” She earned three Golden Globe nominations and a win in 2014. She earned five Screen Actors Guild award nominations for the show, and received five consecutive Emmy nominations.
In 2017, Wright played Lieutenant Joshi in “Blade Runner 2049,” and Amazon warrior General Antiope in “Justice League” and Patty Jenkins’ “Wonder Woman.” The following year, she reprised her role as Antiope in “Wonder Woman 1984.” She will be seen this Fall starring opposite Millie Bobby Brown in the fantasy film “Damsel,” and co-starring with Tom Hanks in “Here,” directed by Robert Zemeckis.
Her first two nominations, a Golden Globe and a SAG, came as early as 1995 for her...
Wright is best known for her performance in Netflix series “House of Cards.” She earned three Golden Globe nominations and a win in 2014. She earned five Screen Actors Guild award nominations for the show, and received five consecutive Emmy nominations.
In 2017, Wright played Lieutenant Joshi in “Blade Runner 2049,” and Amazon warrior General Antiope in “Justice League” and Patty Jenkins’ “Wonder Woman.” The following year, she reprised her role as Antiope in “Wonder Woman 1984.” She will be seen this Fall starring opposite Millie Bobby Brown in the fantasy film “Damsel,” and co-starring with Tom Hanks in “Here,” directed by Robert Zemeckis.
Her first two nominations, a Golden Globe and a SAG, came as early as 1995 for her...
- 6/20/2023
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
Actress and director Robin Wright will be honored with the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival’s President’s Award, a lifetime achievement honor, during the event’s closing ceremony next month, organizers said on Tuesday. They also unveiled that Bobby Farrelly’s Champions, starring Woody Harrelson, would close the festival’s 57th edition and that it would pay homage to legendary independent film producer Christine Vachon.
This year’s edition of the Czech festival runs Friday, June 30-Saturday, July 8.
“Robin Wright is an award-winning actress and philanthropist who is carving an indelible mark in Hollywood,” the festival said. “She recently directed, and starred in, her first feature film, Land, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. Shortly after the release of Land, she directed several episodes of the award-winning drama series Ozark and Tell Me Lies. Wright found her love of directing on the hit Netflix series House of Cards,...
This year’s edition of the Czech festival runs Friday, June 30-Saturday, July 8.
“Robin Wright is an award-winning actress and philanthropist who is carving an indelible mark in Hollywood,” the festival said. “She recently directed, and starred in, her first feature film, Land, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. Shortly after the release of Land, she directed several episodes of the award-winning drama series Ozark and Tell Me Lies. Wright found her love of directing on the hit Netflix series House of Cards,...
- 6/20/2023
- by Georg Szalai
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Canadian-Indian-American actor Sunny Leone is making her Cannes debut with Anurag Kashyap’s “Kennedy.”
Presumed dead for years, Kennedy (Rahul Bhat) is an insomniac former cop who continues to work for a corrupt system while seeking redemption. Leone plays a pivotal character named Charlie.
“She’s a little bit of a complex character and she hides behind some of her motions. And one of the things she hides behind the most is this laugh. And I believe she’s a woman who’s caught in two different worlds – one is the one that she wants to live in and one is the one she has been deliberately caught up in. I really enjoyed playing this character. And I think she is someone who’s trying her very best to be as strong as possible at every moment of the day,” Leone told Variety.
Leone’s laugh in the film is...
Presumed dead for years, Kennedy (Rahul Bhat) is an insomniac former cop who continues to work for a corrupt system while seeking redemption. Leone plays a pivotal character named Charlie.
“She’s a little bit of a complex character and she hides behind some of her motions. And one of the things she hides behind the most is this laugh. And I believe she’s a woman who’s caught in two different worlds – one is the one that she wants to live in and one is the one she has been deliberately caught up in. I really enjoyed playing this character. And I think she is someone who’s trying her very best to be as strong as possible at every moment of the day,” Leone told Variety.
Leone’s laugh in the film is...
- 5/23/2023
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
As the writers' strike pushes against Hollywood's embracing of A.I., one underseen drama, "The Congress," reminds us why humanity in filmmaking matters.
After months of speculation and failed negotiations, the Writers Guild of America put down their pens and went on strike this month. The entertainment industry has shifted exponentially in the past 15 years since the last WGA strike, thanks to the dominance of streaming services and changes in the residual process. One of the key areas where the guild is fighting for security is the growing presence of artificial intelligence in their field. In a list of their proposals, sent to the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), the WGA sought to regulate the use of A.I. in writers' rooms and wanted assurances from studios that it would not be used to write or rewrite material. They also want to block it from being used as source material.
After months of speculation and failed negotiations, the Writers Guild of America put down their pens and went on strike this month. The entertainment industry has shifted exponentially in the past 15 years since the last WGA strike, thanks to the dominance of streaming services and changes in the residual process. One of the key areas where the guild is fighting for security is the growing presence of artificial intelligence in their field. In a list of their proposals, sent to the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), the WGA sought to regulate the use of A.I. in writers' rooms and wanted assurances from studios that it would not be used to write or rewrite material. They also want to block it from being used as source material.
- 5/8/2023
- by Kayleigh Donaldson
- Slash Film
Indian auteur Anurag Kashyap is back in Cannes with thriller “Kennedy,” starring Rahul Bhat in the title role.
The film, which also stars Sunny Leone, will play in the Midnight Screenings strand of the festival. Several films directed by Kashyap have played at Cannes, including “Psycho Raman” (2016), “Ugly” (2013), “Bombay Talkies” (2013) and “Gangs of Wasseypur” (2012). In addition, several films produced by him have made it to the Croisette, including “Masaan” (2015), “The Lunchbox” (2013), “Monsoon Shootout” (2013), “The Congress” (2013) and “Udaan” (2010).
The plot of “Kennedy” is being kept under wraps at the moment. “Kennedy is a ghost in the system looking for redemption,” is how Kashyap describes the film to Variety.
The filmmaker says that the character of Kennedy has been an obsession with him for years and was born when fellow Indian filmmaker Sudhir Mishra hired him to write a cop story set in the 1980s. That film never got made but the character stayed with Kashyap.
The film, which also stars Sunny Leone, will play in the Midnight Screenings strand of the festival. Several films directed by Kashyap have played at Cannes, including “Psycho Raman” (2016), “Ugly” (2013), “Bombay Talkies” (2013) and “Gangs of Wasseypur” (2012). In addition, several films produced by him have made it to the Croisette, including “Masaan” (2015), “The Lunchbox” (2013), “Monsoon Shootout” (2013), “The Congress” (2013) and “Udaan” (2010).
The plot of “Kennedy” is being kept under wraps at the moment. “Kennedy is a ghost in the system looking for redemption,” is how Kashyap describes the film to Variety.
The filmmaker says that the character of Kennedy has been an obsession with him for years and was born when fellow Indian filmmaker Sudhir Mishra hired him to write a cop story set in the 1980s. That film never got made but the character stayed with Kashyap.
- 4/24/2023
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Drafthouse Films has acquired North American rights to the documentary Chop & Steele, about the creators of the Found Footage Festival, announcing plans to release the film in April at Alamo Drafthouse theaters as part of a double bill with another newly-acquired doc, A Life on the Farm.
Chop & Steele premiered at Tribeca in 2022 and went on to a robust North American festival run that encompassed Calgary, Philadelphia, Seattle, Denver, the Heartland International Film Festival in Indianapolis, the Sidewalk Film Festival in Birmingham, Ala., and the San Francisco Independent Film Festival.
In Chop & Steele, Found Footage Festival principals Joe Pickett and Nick Prueher, “lifelong friends who tour the country with their popular VHS oddities festival, are slapped with a federal lawsuit after pranking a local news station as ‘strong men’ Chop and Steele. Many notables are featured in the doc, including David Cross, Bobcat Goldthwait, Reggie Watts, and Howie Mandel.
Chop & Steele premiered at Tribeca in 2022 and went on to a robust North American festival run that encompassed Calgary, Philadelphia, Seattle, Denver, the Heartland International Film Festival in Indianapolis, the Sidewalk Film Festival in Birmingham, Ala., and the San Francisco Independent Film Festival.
In Chop & Steele, Found Footage Festival principals Joe Pickett and Nick Prueher, “lifelong friends who tour the country with their popular VHS oddities festival, are slapped with a federal lawsuit after pranking a local news station as ‘strong men’ Chop and Steele. Many notables are featured in the doc, including David Cross, Bobcat Goldthwait, Reggie Watts, and Howie Mandel.
- 3/11/2023
- by Matthew Carey
- Deadline Film + TV
The U.S. lineup for films coming to Mubi this September has been announced, featuring some of my personal favorites of the last few years, notably Philippe Lesage’s severely overlooked coming-of-age drama Genesis, John Gianvito’s Helen Keller documentary Her Socialist Smile, Joe DeNardo, Paul Felten’s formally thrilling Slow Machine, and Robert Greene’s documentary Bisbee ’17, as well as Jia Zhangke’s latest release Swimming Out Till the Sea Turns Blue.
Also in the lineup is Bill Forsyth’s delightful Gregory’s Girl, Ari Folman’s hybrid feature The Congress, and Manoel de Oliveira’s Visit, or Memories and Confession, which was made in 1982, and only allowed to screen after his death.
See the lineup below and get 30 days free here.
September 1 | Yellow Cat | Adilkhan Yerzhanov | Festival Focus: Venice
September 2 | Visit, or Memories and Confessions | Manoel de Oliveira | Rediscovered
September 3 | Slow Machine | Joe DeNardo, Paul Felten | Mubi Spotlight
September...
Also in the lineup is Bill Forsyth’s delightful Gregory’s Girl, Ari Folman’s hybrid feature The Congress, and Manoel de Oliveira’s Visit, or Memories and Confession, which was made in 1982, and only allowed to screen after his death.
See the lineup below and get 30 days free here.
September 1 | Yellow Cat | Adilkhan Yerzhanov | Festival Focus: Venice
September 2 | Visit, or Memories and Confessions | Manoel de Oliveira | Rediscovered
September 3 | Slow Machine | Joe DeNardo, Paul Felten | Mubi Spotlight
September...
- 8/21/2021
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
The gang’s all here. Not just LeBron James and a cadre of actors and athletes ranging from Don Cheadle and Steven Yeun and Sarah Silverman and Lil Rel Howery (with a little voice acting action by way of Rosario Dawson) to Nneka Ogwumike and Damian Lillard and Chiney Ogwumike and Kyrie Irving — though that, in itself, is quite a gang.
How to Watch ‘Space Jam: A New Legacy’ Online: Stream the Sequel Free on HBO Max
But they’re outdone by the vast range of IP that Space Jam: A New Legacy...
How to Watch ‘Space Jam: A New Legacy’ Online: Stream the Sequel Free on HBO Max
But they’re outdone by the vast range of IP that Space Jam: A New Legacy...
- 7/16/2021
- by K. Austin Collins
- Rollingstone.com
‘Where Is Anne Frank’ Review: A Visionary Animated Update of a Holocaust Story That Needed Retelling
“School Ties” had a great run, but substitute Hebrew school teachers of the world finally have a new movie to play on the old tube TV they always roll in from the storage closet. Don’t groan just yet: Despite the fact that it’s both destined and explicitly designed to become an educational tool for the next generation of Jewish tweens, Ari Folman’s “Where Is Anne Frank” is . They may not even ask why the film’s title is missing a question mark.
As anyone familiar with Folman’s previous forays into animation (“Waltz with Bashir” and “The Congress”) can imagine, this is no ordinary cartoon rendering of the unimaginable. In the context of the director’s body of work, perhaps the strangest thing about “Where Is Anne Frank” is that it tries so hard not to traumatize kids for life.
This project was first conceived in 2009, when...
As anyone familiar with Folman’s previous forays into animation (“Waltz with Bashir” and “The Congress”) can imagine, this is no ordinary cartoon rendering of the unimaginable. In the context of the director’s body of work, perhaps the strangest thing about “Where Is Anne Frank” is that it tries so hard not to traumatize kids for life.
This project was first conceived in 2009, when...
- 7/9/2021
- by David Ehrlich
- Indiewire
Israeli director Ari Folman has made five feature films, including 2013’s bold live-action/animation sci-fi hybrid “The Congress.” But nobody at the Cannes Film Festival who sees his new film, “Where Is Anne Frank” (which premiered in an out-of-competition slot on Friday), is liable to be thinking of any Folman film other than his Oscar-nominated “Waltz With Bashir” from 2008.
While “Where Is Anne Frank” and “Waltz Bashir” are dramatically different in some ways – the former is a fantasy based on real events, the latter an autobiographical take on Folman’s time in the Israeli army – they both use sophisticated and dramatic animation to tell wartime stories to which Folman has a close personal connection. “The Congress,” the film Folman made in between “Anne Frank” and “Bashir,” felt like a fascinating, risky experiment; “Anne Frank” feels like a consolidation of his strengths and an attempt to explore new areas in a subtler way.
While “Where Is Anne Frank” and “Waltz Bashir” are dramatically different in some ways – the former is a fantasy based on real events, the latter an autobiographical take on Folman’s time in the Israeli army – they both use sophisticated and dramatic animation to tell wartime stories to which Folman has a close personal connection. “The Congress,” the film Folman made in between “Anne Frank” and “Bashir,” felt like a fascinating, risky experiment; “Anne Frank” feels like a consolidation of his strengths and an attempt to explore new areas in a subtler way.
- 7/9/2021
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
Memento International (“Call Me By Your Name”) has boarded “Legend of Destruction,” a thought-provoking animated feature by Israeli filmmaker Gidi Dar (“Ushpizin”), produced by Lama Films.
The film’s unique visual style is being created from 1,500 original paintings which are edited and animated together. The paintings and art direction are being handled by David Polonsky and Michael Faust, the artists behind the Oscar-nominated “Waltz With Bashir.”
Dar co-wrote the script with Shuli Rand, a veteran Israeli actor with whom he also collaborated on “Ushpizin” which competed at Tribeca in 2004. On top of having co-written “Legend of Destruction,” Rand is also leading the voice cast.
Set in Jerusalem during the first Jewish–Roman War, “Legend of Destruction” follows an oppressive Roman governor who is driven out of the city by the people. Due to rampant social inequalities, corruption and injustice, secret groups of religious fanatics appear and seek to rebel in the name of God.
The film’s unique visual style is being created from 1,500 original paintings which are edited and animated together. The paintings and art direction are being handled by David Polonsky and Michael Faust, the artists behind the Oscar-nominated “Waltz With Bashir.”
Dar co-wrote the script with Shuli Rand, a veteran Israeli actor with whom he also collaborated on “Ushpizin” which competed at Tribeca in 2004. On top of having co-written “Legend of Destruction,” Rand is also leading the voice cast.
Set in Jerusalem during the first Jewish–Roman War, “Legend of Destruction” follows an oppressive Roman governor who is driven out of the city by the people. Due to rampant social inequalities, corruption and injustice, secret groups of religious fanatics appear and seek to rebel in the name of God.
- 6/14/2021
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
The Cannes Film Festival has completed the extensive film lineup of its Official Selection, including the animated feature “Where Is Anne Frank?” directed by Oscar-nominated Ari Folman (“Waltz with Bashir”).
The festival has also added “Vortex” by Gaspar Noe to the Cannes Premiere section and “Mes Freres Et Moi” by Yohan Manca to Un Certain Regard.
Additional midnight screenings include “Tralala” by Arnaud and Jean-Marie Larrieu and “Supremes” by Audrey Estrougo.
Special screenings added include “Bill Murray’s Party: New Worlds, The Cradle of a Civilisation” by Andrew Muscato; “Mi iubta Mon amour” by Neomie Ferlant; Les Heroiques by Maxime Roy; and “Are You Lonesome Tonight?” by Wen Shipei.
“Anne Frank’s Diary” is a passion project for Folman who was granted privileged access to Anne Frank’s diary, various texts and family archives. The film follows the journey of Kitty, the imaginary friend to whom Anne dedicated her diary,...
The festival has also added “Vortex” by Gaspar Noe to the Cannes Premiere section and “Mes Freres Et Moi” by Yohan Manca to Un Certain Regard.
Additional midnight screenings include “Tralala” by Arnaud and Jean-Marie Larrieu and “Supremes” by Audrey Estrougo.
Special screenings added include “Bill Murray’s Party: New Worlds, The Cradle of a Civilisation” by Andrew Muscato; “Mi iubta Mon amour” by Neomie Ferlant; Les Heroiques by Maxime Roy; and “Are You Lonesome Tonight?” by Wen Shipei.
“Anne Frank’s Diary” is a passion project for Folman who was granted privileged access to Anne Frank’s diary, various texts and family archives. The film follows the journey of Kitty, the imaginary friend to whom Anne dedicated her diary,...
- 6/10/2021
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
Voice cast includes Lake Bell and Michael Cera.
Leading German sales company The Match Factory has acquired international rights to Dash Shaw’s Cryptozoo, a feature animation set to receive its world premiere at Sundance this week.
The hand-drawn animation marks the second feature of US comic-book artist and writer Shaw, whose distinctive debut My Entire High School Sinking Into The Sea premiered at Toronto in 2016 and went on to screen at the Berlinale.
His follow-up is a fantastical, psychedelic feature set amid the counterculture of the 1960s, with a voice cast led by Lake Bell and Michael Cera. It...
Leading German sales company The Match Factory has acquired international rights to Dash Shaw’s Cryptozoo, a feature animation set to receive its world premiere at Sundance this week.
The hand-drawn animation marks the second feature of US comic-book artist and writer Shaw, whose distinctive debut My Entire High School Sinking Into The Sea premiered at Toronto in 2016 and went on to screen at the Berlinale.
His follow-up is a fantastical, psychedelic feature set amid the counterculture of the 1960s, with a voice cast led by Lake Bell and Michael Cera. It...
- 1/26/2021
- by Michael Rosser
- ScreenDaily
The Oscars were built to highlight the cinematic year’s most audacious and outstanding achievements. Past snubs have left many of the industry’s finest filmmakers, actors and technical artists waiting for their first Dolby Theatre invitation. This year, multiple contenders are angling for an inaugural mention, even though it should be one of many. So who are they?
It’s always gratifying to see a veteran actor — in this case, Delroy Lindo — finally receiving the acclaim he’s deserved for his nearly 40-year career. Lindo’s role in Vietnam War drama “Da 5 Bloods,” which reunited him with director Spike Lee after 1995’s “Clockers,” could bring him his first nomination for best actor. But where were the voters in 1995 or in 1992 for “Malcolm X”?
Robin Wright hopes to drop into a very competitive Oscar race with her directorial debut “Land,” which is premiering at the Sundance Film Festival. Despite her work in “Forrest Gump,...
It’s always gratifying to see a veteran actor — in this case, Delroy Lindo — finally receiving the acclaim he’s deserved for his nearly 40-year career. Lindo’s role in Vietnam War drama “Da 5 Bloods,” which reunited him with director Spike Lee after 1995’s “Clockers,” could bring him his first nomination for best actor. But where were the voters in 1995 or in 1992 for “Malcolm X”?
Robin Wright hopes to drop into a very competitive Oscar race with her directorial debut “Land,” which is premiering at the Sundance Film Festival. Despite her work in “Forrest Gump,...
- 1/21/2021
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
In a powerful Spanish talent package, “Patria” director Felix Viscarret is set to direct “House of Flowers” Paco Leon and “Nasdrovia” star Leonor Watling in psychological thriller “From the Shadows” (“Desde la Sombra”), adapting a novel by Spanish writer Juan José Millas, winner of most of Spain’s foremost literary awards, including the Planeta, Nadal and National Narrative Awards.
A star of sitcom “Aida,” a free-to-air TV phenomenon over 2005-14, and more latterly Netflix Mexico hit “House of Flowers,” Leon co-wrote and directed “Arde Madrid,” a Movistar Plus Rose d’Or winning original series. Star of Pedro Almodovar’s Academy Award winning “Talk to Her,” Watling confirmed her comic talents most recently in Movistar Plus’ excruciatingly discomforting Russian mob comedy “Nasdrovia.”
Produced by Academy Award winning Tornasol Media (“The Secret in Their Eyes”), and co-produced by Belgium’s Entre Chien et Loup, “From the Shadows” will be brought onto the...
A star of sitcom “Aida,” a free-to-air TV phenomenon over 2005-14, and more latterly Netflix Mexico hit “House of Flowers,” Leon co-wrote and directed “Arde Madrid,” a Movistar Plus Rose d’Or winning original series. Star of Pedro Almodovar’s Academy Award winning “Talk to Her,” Watling confirmed her comic talents most recently in Movistar Plus’ excruciatingly discomforting Russian mob comedy “Nasdrovia.”
Produced by Academy Award winning Tornasol Media (“The Secret in Their Eyes”), and co-produced by Belgium’s Entre Chien et Loup, “From the Shadows” will be brought onto the...
- 11/30/2020
- by John Hopewell
- Variety Film + TV
Lending some bigger movie heft to the Malaga market, Latido Films is bringing onto the international sales scene two thrillers – though very different propositions – from Academy Award winning producer Tornasol Media (“The Secret in Their Eyes”).
“Thrillers have high export potential, but they’re a highly competitive market and since Spanish movies can’t compete with U.S. films’ star power, they have to offer something else,” said Latido Films head Antonio Saura.
Both in production, what Imanol Uribe’s “La Mirada de Lucía” and Oscar Aibar’s “El sustituto” offer is high quality entertainment grounded in different but powerful social realities.
The directors go about addressing that reality in highly different ways, however.
Winner of San Sebastian’s Golden Shell with “Running Out of Time” and “Bwana,” a feat only achieved by five other directors, the first Francis Ford Coppola, Imanol Uribe’s “La mirada de Lucía,” written by...
“Thrillers have high export potential, but they’re a highly competitive market and since Spanish movies can’t compete with U.S. films’ star power, they have to offer something else,” said Latido Films head Antonio Saura.
Both in production, what Imanol Uribe’s “La Mirada de Lucía” and Oscar Aibar’s “El sustituto” offer is high quality entertainment grounded in different but powerful social realities.
The directors go about addressing that reality in highly different ways, however.
Winner of San Sebastian’s Golden Shell with “Running Out of Time” and “Bwana,” a feat only achieved by five other directors, the first Francis Ford Coppola, Imanol Uribe’s “La mirada de Lucía,” written by...
- 11/19/2020
- by John Hopewell
- Variety Film + TV
“Never Gonna Snow Again,” which was chosen as Poland’s Oscar submission prior to its world premiere in Venice, marks a further step in cinematographer Michał Englert’s long collaboration with Małgorzata Szumowska. It started in the 1990s with her short “Silence,” followed by her feature debut “Happy Man” in 2000, and continues with “Never Gonna Snow Again,” with Englert serving as both cinematographer and co-director, alongside Szumowska, on the film.
“Our way of working, or our sense of humor, hasn’t really changed. Although the scope of my involvement is constantly expanding,” says Englert, who has been developing screenplays with Szumowska since 2013’s “In the Name Of,” and describes their process as “instinctive.”
“I definitely have an ego, but you can’t make movies all by yourself and in the case of ‘Never Gonna Snow Again’ we decided its power will be bigger if we sign it as a directorial duo.
“Our way of working, or our sense of humor, hasn’t really changed. Although the scope of my involvement is constantly expanding,” says Englert, who has been developing screenplays with Szumowska since 2013’s “In the Name Of,” and describes their process as “instinctive.”
“I definitely have an ego, but you can’t make movies all by yourself and in the case of ‘Never Gonna Snow Again’ we decided its power will be bigger if we sign it as a directorial duo.
- 11/15/2020
- by Marta Balaga
- Variety Film + TV
Instead of births, Althusser seeks unforeseen and stupefying eruptions. Autobiography becomes a kind of science fiction. Philip K. Dick might have dreamed up these memoirs without memory, without genesis or origin. More than a philosopher’s account of his life, replicants with mnemonic implants come to mind – as do the vertiginous temporalities that provide the framework for novels such as Ubik and The Man in the High Castle. This conception of temporality extending from future to the past – where the origins amounts to either a lure or an agent of chaos – evokes Dick’s theories, according to which the commonplace understanding of History is only a fiction, and the world we inhabit just one version of reality among others.—Nicolas Bourriaud, The ExformGyörgy Pálfi thrives on low budgets. Rather than a masochistic personal choice intended to sharpen his artistic sensibilities, the tight purse strings are more the result of limited...
- 8/1/2019
- MUBI
In today’s film news roundup, Andre Caraco and Paul Noble receive promotions at Sony, Stanley Kubrick’s anti-war drama “Paths of Glory” gets restored, Drafthouse Films gets launched and “The Chainsaw Artist” wraps.
Exec Promotions
Sony Pictures has promoted veteran executives Andre Caraco and Paul Noble to the posts of co-presidents of global marketing.
Sony Pictures President of Worldwide Marketing and Distribution Josh Greenstein made the announcement Tuesday.
“As you all know, taking a more global approach to our marketing efforts has been a top priority for some time now, and we wanted Andre and Paul’s titles to more accurately reflect the increasingly collaborative and global scope of their work and oversight,” he said in a staff memo. “Andre and Paul will now partner on all marketing efforts to ensure our campaigns are aligned with our global moviegoing audience.”
Curaco led the studio’s national publicity team from 2006 to 2016. Since then,...
Exec Promotions
Sony Pictures has promoted veteran executives Andre Caraco and Paul Noble to the posts of co-presidents of global marketing.
Sony Pictures President of Worldwide Marketing and Distribution Josh Greenstein made the announcement Tuesday.
“As you all know, taking a more global approach to our marketing efforts has been a top priority for some time now, and we wanted Andre and Paul’s titles to more accurately reflect the increasingly collaborative and global scope of their work and oversight,” he said in a staff memo. “Andre and Paul will now partner on all marketing efforts to ensure our campaigns are aligned with our global moviegoing audience.”
Curaco led the studio’s national publicity team from 2006 to 2016. Since then,...
- 7/3/2019
- by Dave McNary
- Variety Film + TV
Paris-based company Indie Sales has enlisted the support of the Mukwege Foundation, the org created by Nobel Peace Prize winning Congolese doctor and activist Denis Mukwege, for its animated documentary “Zero Impunity.”
“Zero Impunity” is part of a global transmedia project combining investigative journalism and activism focused on ending the seemingly blanket impunity for sexual violence in current armed conflicts. Based on six in-depth investigations spearheaded by 11 female journalists, the documentary weaves animated sequences chronicling stories of sexual violence in times of war across the world, notably in Ukraine and Syria, with live action segments featuring survivors, whistle-blowers and psychologists.
Mukwege is a prominent Congolese gynecologist who founded the Panzi Hospital in Bukavu, where for decades he has been treating thousands of women who have been raped by armed rebels. He was jointly awarded last year’s Nobel Peace Prize with Iraqi Yazidi human rights activist Nadia Murad.
The partnership...
“Zero Impunity” is part of a global transmedia project combining investigative journalism and activism focused on ending the seemingly blanket impunity for sexual violence in current armed conflicts. Based on six in-depth investigations spearheaded by 11 female journalists, the documentary weaves animated sequences chronicling stories of sexual violence in times of war across the world, notably in Ukraine and Syria, with live action segments featuring survivors, whistle-blowers and psychologists.
Mukwege is a prominent Congolese gynecologist who founded the Panzi Hospital in Bukavu, where for decades he has been treating thousands of women who have been raped by armed rebels. He was jointly awarded last year’s Nobel Peace Prize with Iraqi Yazidi human rights activist Nadia Murad.
The partnership...
- 3/29/2019
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
“The Ballad of Yaya,” “Where is Anne Frank?” and “Musketeers of the Tsar” proved the most-attended of industry presentations among 66 feature projects pitched at this year Cartoon Movie, Europe’s top animated feature co-production forum which ran at the French port city of Bordeaux over March 5-7.
A production of Blue Spirit Productions, the company behind François Laguionie’s César-nominated “The Painting” and Claude Barras’ “My Life as a Zucchini,” “The Ballad of Yaya” is penned by Patrick Marty, Céline Ronté and Antoine Schoumsk. The director is yet to be confirmed.
Set in 1937, in development, and targeting 6-12s, it turns on 9-year-old Chinese girl Yaya, raised in the French Concession in Shanghai, who flees Japanese bombings to join her family in Hong Kong.
Already in production and targeting family audiences “Where is Anne Frank?” is the new project of Ari Folman, a revisitation of the Nazi legacy through the...
A production of Blue Spirit Productions, the company behind François Laguionie’s César-nominated “The Painting” and Claude Barras’ “My Life as a Zucchini,” “The Ballad of Yaya” is penned by Patrick Marty, Céline Ronté and Antoine Schoumsk. The director is yet to be confirmed.
Set in 1937, in development, and targeting 6-12s, it turns on 9-year-old Chinese girl Yaya, raised in the French Concession in Shanghai, who flees Japanese bombings to join her family in Hong Kong.
Already in production and targeting family audiences “Where is Anne Frank?” is the new project of Ari Folman, a revisitation of the Nazi legacy through the...
- 3/11/2019
- by Emilio Mayorga
- Variety Film + TV
Other winners included Museo (Museum), In den Gangen (In the Aisles) and Andid Edlilega (And Breathe Normally).
The Heiresses (Las herederas) by Marcelo Martinessi has won the best film award (Golden Athena) at the 24th Athens International Film Festival (September 19-30).
The film, an international coproduction by Paraguay, Uruguay, Germany, Brazil, Norway and France, is a socially charged drama placing a loving couple of two mid aged women in a stressful situation of intense imbalance. It is sold worldwide by French outfit Luxbox.
Paraguayan Martinessi’s debut premiered in Berlinale last February where it won the Alfred Bauer award for best first film,...
The Heiresses (Las herederas) by Marcelo Martinessi has won the best film award (Golden Athena) at the 24th Athens International Film Festival (September 19-30).
The film, an international coproduction by Paraguay, Uruguay, Germany, Brazil, Norway and France, is a socially charged drama placing a loving couple of two mid aged women in a stressful situation of intense imbalance. It is sold worldwide by French outfit Luxbox.
Paraguayan Martinessi’s debut premiered in Berlinale last February where it won the Alfred Bauer award for best first film,...
- 10/1/2018
- by Alexis Grivas
- ScreenDaily
Israeli filmmaker Ari Folman, whose 2008 “Waltz With Bashir” nabbed a foreign-language Oscar nom, is set to write and direct “The Horse Boy,” an English-language feature based on Rupert Isaacson’s New York Times bestseller that will topline current Cannes jury member Léa Seydoux and Joel Kinnaman.
Gaumont has come on board to co-produce, take international sales and handle French distribution on the ambitious film, one of the hottest titles being pitched at Cannes. Gaumont and Endeavor Content are co-repping U.S rights.
Folman’s first full-on live-action movie, “The Horse Boy” is being produced by Didar Domehri — whose “Girls of the Sun” is competing at Cannes — Laurent Baudens and Gael Nouaille at Full House, the joint label of French banners Maneki Films and Borsalino Prods. Diana Elbaum at Belgium’s Beluga Tree is also producing.
The film follows the journey of Emily and Jonathan’s son, Noah, an autistic child...
Gaumont has come on board to co-produce, take international sales and handle French distribution on the ambitious film, one of the hottest titles being pitched at Cannes. Gaumont and Endeavor Content are co-repping U.S rights.
Folman’s first full-on live-action movie, “The Horse Boy” is being produced by Didar Domehri — whose “Girls of the Sun” is competing at Cannes — Laurent Baudens and Gael Nouaille at Full House, the joint label of French banners Maneki Films and Borsalino Prods. Diana Elbaum at Belgium’s Beluga Tree is also producing.
The film follows the journey of Emily and Jonathan’s son, Noah, an autistic child...
- 5/8/2018
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
MaryAnn’s quick take… A tough, uncompromising depiction of a rape and its aftermath that serves as a formidable corrective for how this subject is typically seen onscreen. I’m “biast” (pro): I’m desperate for stories about women
I’m “biast” (con): nothing
(what is this about? see my critic’s minifesto)
I’ve seen some demure descriptions of this movie: its female protagonist is “assaulted,” “attacked,” “her world… irrevocably changed.” But there’s no point in being coy or spoiler-averse about it: The Light of the Moon is about a rape and its aftermath for the woman who is subjected to it. Not being upfront about this could actually be dangerously distressing for some potential viewers: this is a tough, realistic, uncompromising depiction of a crime that is perpetrated upon far too many women, and some of those women may well want to avoid this movie.
I’m “biast” (con): nothing
(what is this about? see my critic’s minifesto)
I’ve seen some demure descriptions of this movie: its female protagonist is “assaulted,” “attacked,” “her world… irrevocably changed.” But there’s no point in being coy or spoiler-averse about it: The Light of the Moon is about a rape and its aftermath for the woman who is subjected to it. Not being upfront about this could actually be dangerously distressing for some potential viewers: this is a tough, realistic, uncompromising depiction of a crime that is perpetrated upon far too many women, and some of those women may well want to avoid this movie.
- 11/3/2017
- by MaryAnn Johanson
- www.flickfilosopher.com
Exclusive: Venice and Toronto berths for Golden Lion winner’s drama.
The Match Factory will launch sales in earnest this autumn on Samuel Maoz’s Venice and Toronto drama Foxtrot, the writer-director’s anticipated follow-up to his 2009 narrative debut Lebanon, which won Venice’s Golden Lion and four Israeli Academy awards.
In Foxtrot, Michael and Dafna are devastated when army officials show up at their home to announce the death of their son Jonathan.
Michael becomes increasingly frustrated by overzealous mourning relatives and well-meaning army bureaucrats.
While his sedated wife rests, Michael spirals into a whirlwind of anger only to experience one of life’s unfathomable twists which rival the surreal military experiences of his son.
Footnote and Big Bad Wolves star Lior Ashkenazi leads cast alongside The Cakemaker and Notre Musique actress Sarah Adler.
The Israeli title, which has already drawn unannounced buyers, will get its world premiere in competition on the Lido before heading to Toronto...
The Match Factory will launch sales in earnest this autumn on Samuel Maoz’s Venice and Toronto drama Foxtrot, the writer-director’s anticipated follow-up to his 2009 narrative debut Lebanon, which won Venice’s Golden Lion and four Israeli Academy awards.
In Foxtrot, Michael and Dafna are devastated when army officials show up at their home to announce the death of their son Jonathan.
Michael becomes increasingly frustrated by overzealous mourning relatives and well-meaning army bureaucrats.
While his sedated wife rests, Michael spirals into a whirlwind of anger only to experience one of life’s unfathomable twists which rival the surreal military experiences of his son.
Footnote and Big Bad Wolves star Lior Ashkenazi leads cast alongside The Cakemaker and Notre Musique actress Sarah Adler.
The Israeli title, which has already drawn unannounced buyers, will get its world premiere in competition on the Lido before heading to Toronto...
- 8/16/2017
- by andreas.wiseman@screendaily.com (Andreas Wiseman)
- ScreenDaily
A cliff marks a turning point in a young man's life. In Alpha, the young man is learning how to hunt buffalo in an ancient civilization when he is trapped in the wrong place at the wrong time; the beast takes vengeance and our hero plunges off a very high cliff. Naturally, he survives, but he's cut off from everything -- and everyone -- he knows. As the first trailer shows, he must still learn to become a warrior, but he must also form a partnership with an animal if he is to have any hope of long-term survival. Kodi Smit-McPhee stars as the young man, and he's a very fine actor, as his past performances in Let Me In, The Congress, and Slow West...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
- 7/18/2017
- Screen Anarchy
MaryAnn’s quick take… Everything about this joyful, sincere origin story feels like a retort — a very welcome and much needed one — to traditional male-centered superhero stories. I’m “biast” (pro): I am desperate for stories about women
I’m “biast” (con): nothing
(what is this about? see my critic’s minifesto)
She’s done it!” an anonymous grunt cheers from the trenches at the Western front after Diana, Princess of Themyscira, Amazonian goddess warrior, has succeeded in crossing No Man’s Land to the German side and taken out the enemy, clearing the path for the soldiers to follow. And I cried tears of joy. Not because of the badassedly heroic depiction of a woman doing a thing women do all the time: come in, assess a messy situation not of her own making, and just tuck in and do the nasty, dirty job that a bunch...
I’m “biast” (con): nothing
(what is this about? see my critic’s minifesto)
She’s done it!” an anonymous grunt cheers from the trenches at the Western front after Diana, Princess of Themyscira, Amazonian goddess warrior, has succeeded in crossing No Man’s Land to the German side and taken out the enemy, clearing the path for the soldiers to follow. And I cried tears of joy. Not because of the badassedly heroic depiction of a woman doing a thing women do all the time: come in, assess a messy situation not of her own making, and just tuck in and do the nasty, dirty job that a bunch...
- 6/8/2017
- by MaryAnn Johanson
- www.flickfilosopher.com
This year’s Oscar nominations will be announced on January 24. Will the Academy uphold conventional wisdom or think outside of the box? With Oscar This, we highlight unlikely candidates—the dark horses we’d love to see compete.
Here’s something I hadn’t anticipated: Nearly a decade and a half after Andy Serkis’ revolutionary collaboration with CG wizards in creating Gollum, neither he nor anybody else has yet been nominated for a motion-capture performance. I genuinely thought this would have been settled by now, given how many characters in today’s big-budget Hollywood films are mostly or entirely digital creations. Obviously, the actors’ branch has a vested interest in honoring traditional, flesh-and-blood performances, lest they wind up obsolete (a fate that befalls Robin Wright, playing “herself,” in the little-seen film The Congress). As the movie business evolves, though, the definition of what constitutes acting will inevitably evolve with ...
Here’s something I hadn’t anticipated: Nearly a decade and a half after Andy Serkis’ revolutionary collaboration with CG wizards in creating Gollum, neither he nor anybody else has yet been nominated for a motion-capture performance. I genuinely thought this would have been settled by now, given how many characters in today’s big-budget Hollywood films are mostly or entirely digital creations. Obviously, the actors’ branch has a vested interest in honoring traditional, flesh-and-blood performances, lest they wind up obsolete (a fate that befalls Robin Wright, playing “herself,” in the little-seen film The Congress). As the movie business evolves, though, the definition of what constitutes acting will inevitably evolve with ...
- 1/13/2017
- by Mike D'Angelo
- avclub.com
Director: Ari Folman
Writer: Ari Folman
We’ve been waiting quite some time for the latest project from Ari Folman, who broke out with 2008’s animated documentary Waltz With Bashir and presented the underrated hybrid film The Congress in 2013.
Continue reading...
Writer: Ari Folman
We’ve been waiting quite some time for the latest project from Ari Folman, who broke out with 2008’s animated documentary Waltz With Bashir and presented the underrated hybrid film The Congress in 2013.
Continue reading...
- 1/5/2017
- by Nicholas Bell
- IONCINEMA.com
Every week, IndieWire asks a select handful of film and TV critics two questions and publishes the results on Monday. (The answer to the second, “What is the best film in theaters right now?”, can be found at the end of this post.)
Warning: This article reveals critical plot plots from “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.”
Of all the surprises seen in “Rogue One,” none was more unexpected — or more divisive — than the return of Grand Moff Tarkin, whose presence might have been less of a shock if actor Peter Cushing hadn’t died in 1994.
While this isn’t the first time that a movie has used technology to bring someone back from the grave, the prominence of Tarkin’s role in “Rogue One” has rekindled the debate over digitally manipulating deceased performers. For this week’s survey, we asked our panel of critics a question (or two...
Warning: This article reveals critical plot plots from “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.”
Of all the surprises seen in “Rogue One,” none was more unexpected — or more divisive — than the return of Grand Moff Tarkin, whose presence might have been less of a shock if actor Peter Cushing hadn’t died in 1994.
While this isn’t the first time that a movie has used technology to bring someone back from the grave, the prominence of Tarkin’s role in “Rogue One” has rekindled the debate over digitally manipulating deceased performers. For this week’s survey, we asked our panel of critics a question (or two...
- 12/19/2016
- by David Ehrlich
- Indiewire
The late Star Wars villain’s return to the space franchise isn’t the first time a star has been digitally brought back to life, but could represent a tipping point for Hollywood
Spoiler Alert: This article alludes to the presence of a CGI reconstruction of actor Peter Cushing in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, which has been widely reported for over a year. It contains no other information about the content of the film
“We want to scan you, all of you, your body, your face, your emotions, your laughter, your tears. We want to sample you, preserve you. We want to own this thing called Robin Wright.” These are the unnerving words from Danny Huston’s Jeff Green in sci-fi film The Congress, as he discusses the idea of digitally capturing the actor for generations to come. Once her image is handed over, she will lose...
Spoiler Alert: This article alludes to the presence of a CGI reconstruction of actor Peter Cushing in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, which has been widely reported for over a year. It contains no other information about the content of the film
“We want to scan you, all of you, your body, your face, your emotions, your laughter, your tears. We want to sample you, preserve you. We want to own this thing called Robin Wright.” These are the unnerving words from Danny Huston’s Jeff Green in sci-fi film The Congress, as he discusses the idea of digitally capturing the actor for generations to come. Once her image is handed over, she will lose...
- 12/16/2016
- by Joseph Walsh
- The Guardian - Film News
It’s a common image in cinema: a beautiful, but vulnerable woman entering a cold and unforgiving world, where good bone-structure and talent become dangerously interchangeable. While navigating the leering male gaze and sometimes heartless competition of female peers, she also must do battle with her own insecurities and self-doubts, all of which can be seemingly cured with the miraculous kiss of success. But for some, that success can lead directly to their downfall. Sometimes, the consequences can even be lethal, the adversary too ruthless to be conquered, and the beauty is left to rust in tragic defeat. And sometimes, it’s more painfully simple. They merely want to cut the poor girl’s throat.
The Neon Demon, the spellbinding new film from director Nicolas Winding Refn, is now playing in theaters nationwide. The plot follows Jesse (Elle Fanning) a 16-year-old girl who arrives in Hollywood with dreams of becoming a successful model.
The Neon Demon, the spellbinding new film from director Nicolas Winding Refn, is now playing in theaters nationwide. The plot follows Jesse (Elle Fanning) a 16-year-old girl who arrives in Hollywood with dreams of becoming a successful model.
- 6/30/2016
- by Tony Hinds
- The Film Stage
Robin Wright looks to be playing her cards right when it comes to upcoming projects.
The fierce "House of Cards" actress is in final negotiations to join Ryan Gosling and Harrison Ford in the highly anticipated sequel to the sci-fi classic Blade Runner. Based off of the novel by Philip K. Dick, the original 1982 film was a landmark in science fiction and special effects. The sequel sees Canadian Denis Villeneuve (Prisoners, Sicario) in the director's chair.
The plot of the sequel is still highly secretive, but this casting has us extremely excited. Wright has had a career resurgence with the Netflix series where she plays the Lady Macbeth-like Claire Underwood, First Lady of the United States. She also starred in the sci-fi/fantasy/extremely meta film The Congress, which is one of the most underrated movies of the last few years. We're convinced the woman can do anything.
She'll also...
The fierce "House of Cards" actress is in final negotiations to join Ryan Gosling and Harrison Ford in the highly anticipated sequel to the sci-fi classic Blade Runner. Based off of the novel by Philip K. Dick, the original 1982 film was a landmark in science fiction and special effects. The sequel sees Canadian Denis Villeneuve (Prisoners, Sicario) in the director's chair.
The plot of the sequel is still highly secretive, but this casting has us extremely excited. Wright has had a career resurgence with the Netflix series where she plays the Lady Macbeth-like Claire Underwood, First Lady of the United States. She also starred in the sci-fi/fantasy/extremely meta film The Congress, which is one of the most underrated movies of the last few years. We're convinced the woman can do anything.
She'll also...
- 3/31/2016
- by Adriana Floridia
- Cineplex
Robin Wright looks to be playing her cards right when it comes to upcoming projects.
The fierce "House of Cards" actress is in final negotiations to join Ryan Gosling and Harrison Ford in the highly anticipated sequel to the sci-fi classic Blade Runner. Based off of the novel by Philip K. Dick, the original 1982 film was a landmark in science fiction and special effects. The sequel sees Canadian Denis Villeneuve (Prisoners, Sicario) in the director's chair.
The plot of the sequel is still highly secretive, but this casting has us extremely excited. Wright has had a career resurgence with the Netflix series where she plays the Lady Macbeth-like Claire Underwood, First Lady of the United States. She also starred in the sci-fi/fantasy/extremely meta film The Congress, which is one of the most underrated movies of the last few years. We're convinced the woman can do anything.
She'll also...
The fierce "House of Cards" actress is in final negotiations to join Ryan Gosling and Harrison Ford in the highly anticipated sequel to the sci-fi classic Blade Runner. Based off of the novel by Philip K. Dick, the original 1982 film was a landmark in science fiction and special effects. The sequel sees Canadian Denis Villeneuve (Prisoners, Sicario) in the director's chair.
The plot of the sequel is still highly secretive, but this casting has us extremely excited. Wright has had a career resurgence with the Netflix series where she plays the Lady Macbeth-like Claire Underwood, First Lady of the United States. She also starred in the sci-fi/fantasy/extremely meta film The Congress, which is one of the most underrated movies of the last few years. We're convinced the woman can do anything.
She'll also...
- 3/31/2016
- by Adriana Floridia
- Cineplex
Double Oscar nominee has been in Rotterdam with his new feature, The Idol, a biopic of Palestinian singer Mohammad Assaf.
Palestinian director Hany Abu-Assad is working on Mountain Between Us, a film he is hoping to make with a Us studio. The challenge is to combine his own “vision as an auteur” with the “vision of the studio”.
He had a mixed experience on his Us 2012 action thriller The Courier but blames his own misunderstandings of the Us way of working for the film’s problems.
Intriguingly, he is also planning to make a film together with Israeli director Ari Folman (Waltz with Bashir, The Congress).
Speaking at International Film Festival Rotterdam (Iffr), Abu-Assad has a very strong personal connection with festival director Bero Beyer, who produced his film Paradise Now.
“He (Beyer) was a producer who was very loyal and dedicated to his job and to me,” Abu-Assad said. “He was a very...
Palestinian director Hany Abu-Assad is working on Mountain Between Us, a film he is hoping to make with a Us studio. The challenge is to combine his own “vision as an auteur” with the “vision of the studio”.
He had a mixed experience on his Us 2012 action thriller The Courier but blames his own misunderstandings of the Us way of working for the film’s problems.
Intriguingly, he is also planning to make a film together with Israeli director Ari Folman (Waltz with Bashir, The Congress).
Speaking at International Film Festival Rotterdam (Iffr), Abu-Assad has a very strong personal connection with festival director Bero Beyer, who produced his film Paradise Now.
“He (Beyer) was a producer who was very loyal and dedicated to his job and to me,” Abu-Assad said. “He was a very...
- 2/3/2016
- by geoffrey@macnab.demon.co.uk (Geoffrey Macnab)
- ScreenDaily
The Burglar
Director: Hagar Ben Asher
Writer: Hagar Ben Asher
Actress turned director Hagar Ben Asher’s first film, The Slut (2011) premiered at Cannes and went onto a rather hushed reception. She’s back with a sophomore feature, which was been backed by Eurimages with the Match Factory picking up international sales in February, 2015. We’re hoping to see the burgeoning Israeli director get a bit more traction with her latest feature which concerns young pretty Yaeli, who lives in a small town by the Dead Sea where she works as a carer for the skin diseased. Her house is a small house, with two small bedrooms. One of them belongs to her absent mother and has not been opened for a long time. Only then, brutal thieves invade the house. The door is now open, but life is impossible to live. With no primal intent, she herself becomes a burglaress.
Director: Hagar Ben Asher
Writer: Hagar Ben Asher
Actress turned director Hagar Ben Asher’s first film, The Slut (2011) premiered at Cannes and went onto a rather hushed reception. She’s back with a sophomore feature, which was been backed by Eurimages with the Match Factory picking up international sales in February, 2015. We’re hoping to see the burgeoning Israeli director get a bit more traction with her latest feature which concerns young pretty Yaeli, who lives in a small town by the Dead Sea where she works as a carer for the skin diseased. Her house is a small house, with two small bedrooms. One of them belongs to her absent mother and has not been opened for a long time. Only then, brutal thieves invade the house. The door is now open, but life is impossible to live. With no primal intent, she herself becomes a burglaress.
- 1/5/2016
- by Nicholas Bell
- IONCINEMA.com
It might be wishful thinking on our part to think that Hager Ben-Asher would somehow submit her sophomore film in January instead of holding out for the month of May. Before The Burglar (which will drop in 2016), there was the Critics’ Week Cannes Film Festival 2011 selected The Slut (see pic above) which helped make a proper name for the filmmaker. This directorial debut was indeed affiliated to the Sundance – as it was selected by the Sundance Institute for what was the 2010 Israel mini lab. Featuring newbie actress, popular Israeli model Lihi Kornowski, The Burglar was on our radar for 2015, but now we’re hopeful it’ll drop in early ’16 with stops at Rotterdam and/or Berlin as a strong possibility. While her debut was a little bit louder than a pin drop, featuring another strong female heroine, this could make a thunderous noise for her national cinema.
Gist: Lihi Kornowski...
Gist: Lihi Kornowski...
- 11/23/2015
- by Eric Lavallee
- IONCINEMA.com
Us actor/director to curate the Katrin Cartlidge Foundation award and present new feature Tigers alongside director Danis Tanovic.
Danny Huston has been named the curator for the Sarajevo Film Festival’s Katrin Cartlidge Foundation and will present this years award.
The actor and director, currently in post production on The Last Photograph, will present the Foundation’s annual bursary to “a new voice in cinema” on Aug 21 in Sarajevo.
Previous curators include Charlotte Rampling, Emily Watson, Jeremy Irons, Danny Glover and Stellan Skarsgard, directors Mike Leigh, Ken Loach, Simon McBurney and Danis Tanović, as well as John Lyons, Annie Nocenti and photographer Juergen Teller.
Huston will also present Danis Tanović’s Tigers, with the Director and Producers. The film will be screened within the Open Air Programme at the festival’s largest venue.
His other recent work in front of the camera includes Marc Forster’s “All I See Is You”, “Monster”, directed by Bernard Rose, “[link...
Danny Huston has been named the curator for the Sarajevo Film Festival’s Katrin Cartlidge Foundation and will present this years award.
The actor and director, currently in post production on The Last Photograph, will present the Foundation’s annual bursary to “a new voice in cinema” on Aug 21 in Sarajevo.
Previous curators include Charlotte Rampling, Emily Watson, Jeremy Irons, Danny Glover and Stellan Skarsgard, directors Mike Leigh, Ken Loach, Simon McBurney and Danis Tanović, as well as John Lyons, Annie Nocenti and photographer Juergen Teller.
Huston will also present Danis Tanović’s Tigers, with the Director and Producers. The film will be screened within the Open Air Programme at the festival’s largest venue.
His other recent work in front of the camera includes Marc Forster’s “All I See Is You”, “Monster”, directed by Bernard Rose, “[link...
- 8/6/2015
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
Ewa Puszczynska, a producer on Pawel Pawlikowski’s Oscar-winning Ida, is preparing the first feature project of her own new company.
Speaking to ScreenDaily during this week’s Polish Days in Wroclaw, Puszczynska said Lodz-based Extreme Emotions is managed with her daughter Emilia and is in addition to her work as a producer and head of development at Opus Film (Ida).
Puszczynska was at the Polish Days’ pitching session on Thursday (July 30) with Aa, the planned feature film debut by the Israeli-born writer-director Jack Faber, which she has been accompanying in its development for the past 18 months
Based on actual events, the film centres on the last night of a heritage tour in Poland by a group of Israeli high-school students when a prank quickly spins out of control and exposes the violent nature of the young people’s present lives.
Faber had initially started working on the project during his studies at the Netherlands Film Academy...
Speaking to ScreenDaily during this week’s Polish Days in Wroclaw, Puszczynska said Lodz-based Extreme Emotions is managed with her daughter Emilia and is in addition to her work as a producer and head of development at Opus Film (Ida).
Puszczynska was at the Polish Days’ pitching session on Thursday (July 30) with Aa, the planned feature film debut by the Israeli-born writer-director Jack Faber, which she has been accompanying in its development for the past 18 months
Based on actual events, the film centres on the last night of a heritage tour in Poland by a group of Israeli high-school students when a prank quickly spins out of control and exposes the violent nature of the young people’s present lives.
Faber had initially started working on the project during his studies at the Netherlands Film Academy...
- 7/31/2015
- by screen.berlin@googlemail.com (Martin Blaney)
- ScreenDaily
Spiro chief Eitan Mansuri will be in Toronto with final draft of Lavie’s The Current Love Of My Life.
Talya Lavie’s second feature The Current Love Of My Life, a New York-set comedy in which secular and orthodox worlds collide, is moving towards a 2016 shoot, according to producer Eitan Mansuri of Tel Aviv’s Spiro Films.
Lavie’s debut Zero Motivation, which captured the ennui of a group of female army recruits, became the best-performing Israeli film at the local box office when it was released last year.
“It’s got the backing of the Israel Film Fund and now we’re trying to figure out whether it makes sense to go with North American partners for the financing or build a European co-production,” Mansuri said of Lavie’s new project.
He plans to attend Toronto and the project forum of the Independent Filmmaker Project in New York in September as part of the decision-making...
Talya Lavie’s second feature The Current Love Of My Life, a New York-set comedy in which secular and orthodox worlds collide, is moving towards a 2016 shoot, according to producer Eitan Mansuri of Tel Aviv’s Spiro Films.
Lavie’s debut Zero Motivation, which captured the ennui of a group of female army recruits, became the best-performing Israeli film at the local box office when it was released last year.
“It’s got the backing of the Israel Film Fund and now we’re trying to figure out whether it makes sense to go with North American partners for the financing or build a European co-production,” Mansuri said of Lavie’s new project.
He plans to attend Toronto and the project forum of the Independent Filmmaker Project in New York in September as part of the decision-making...
- 7/13/2015
- ScreenDaily
A furious slew of titles in the works would seem to prophesize a robust main competition slate for Cannes 2016. Though our initial list will eventually be pruned down as the year progresses (Berlin may snag something in here, especially if their 2016 lineup looks anything like their landmark selection from this past January), we’re confident that we will be seeing another round of heavy hitting auteurs unveiling their latest bits on the Croisette.
Absent from the main competition in 2015 were the Romanians (Muntean and Porumboiu were assigned to Un Certain Regard) and any trace of Latin filmmakers. The 2016 edition looks to make up for lost ground. For the Romanians, a couple heavy hitting titans from the New Wave will be ready. Cristi Puiu, who previously won Ucr in 2005 with The Death of Mr. Lazarescu should hopefully be getting a competition invite for Sierra Nevada. Meanwhile, previous Palme d’Or winner...
Absent from the main competition in 2015 were the Romanians (Muntean and Porumboiu were assigned to Un Certain Regard) and any trace of Latin filmmakers. The 2016 edition looks to make up for lost ground. For the Romanians, a couple heavy hitting titans from the New Wave will be ready. Cristi Puiu, who previously won Ucr in 2005 with The Death of Mr. Lazarescu should hopefully be getting a competition invite for Sierra Nevada. Meanwhile, previous Palme d’Or winner...
- 6/29/2015
- by Nicholas Bell
- IONCINEMA.com
Evan falls hard for Louise after arriving in Italy. He doesn't know that much about her, but he's in love with her just the same. The more he discovers about her, though, the more he realizes just how different Louise is from anyone he's known before. Lovecraftian love abounds in Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead's Spring, coming out on Blu-ray and DVD as a Best Buy exclusive on June 2nd before hitting other stores on August 11th, and we have the film's home media release details and cover art:
Press Release -- "A young American in a personal tailspin heads to Europe to escape his past and falls for a beautiful woman with a dark and deadly secret in the unique and unforgettable Spring. From Drafthouse Films, FilmBuff and Anchor Bay, the genre-bending horror romance that's been described as a brilliant cross between Before Sunrise and An American Werewolf in London...
Press Release -- "A young American in a personal tailspin heads to Europe to escape his past and falls for a beautiful woman with a dark and deadly secret in the unique and unforgettable Spring. From Drafthouse Films, FilmBuff and Anchor Bay, the genre-bending horror romance that's been described as a brilliant cross between Before Sunrise and An American Werewolf in London...
- 4/16/2015
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
Last year, director Ari Folman (Waltz with Bashir) brought the ambitious live-action, animated hybrid film The Congress to the big screen, and now he's doing something else innovative with animation for his next project. Folman is currently working on an animated drama that tells the story of Anne Frank with a blend of stop-motion and traditional 2D animation. The filmmaker is using stop-motion backgrounds while the characters themselves are 2D animated. The film has been in production since last winter, and now we have some photos showing off the style of the film along with some behind the scenes shots. Look! Here's the photos from Ari Folman's Anne Frank film (via Thompson on Hollywood): Folman is reportedly still working on securing funding for the film, which promises to be unlike any other telling of Anne Frank's story because this production has the world rights in all languages...
- 3/31/2015
- by Ethan Anderton
- firstshowing.net
Earlier today, the Thompson On Hollywood site showed concept art and behind-the-scenes pictures from Ari Folman's as yet untitled animated "Anne Frank" project. And it definitely warrants a close look indeed. To say we're big fans of Ari Folman here at TwitchFilm sure is no lie. He was even on my shortlist of people to give a hundred million dollars to, just to see what he'd do with it. And for good reason, as the Israeli director already has two brilliant and unique films to his name: the animated documentary Waltz With Bashir, and the live-action/animation hybrid The Congress. This new project promises to become pretty special as well: Ari Folman plans to mix 2D animation with stop-motion puppetry, and he has added some crew-members...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
- 3/31/2015
- Screen Anarchy
Nobody can touch Ari Folman’s approach to animation – he, like Miyazaki, is rewriting the rules. If you’ve not yet seen The Congress give it a whirl. It is...
- 3/31/2015
- by Sasha Stone
- AwardsDaily.com
Ari Folman continues to follow his own strange star. The Israeli filmmaker will follow his spellbinding animation hybrids "Waltz with Bashir" (Oscar-nominated) and "The Congress" (a high-iq cult oddity that will someday get its due) with an animated retelling of the life and diary of Anne Frank. A blend of stop-motion and traditional animation—with 2D characters cut into stop-motion backgrounds — his Anne Frank Film is the first of its kind. That's because Folman, with Diana Elbaum of Belgian-based production company Entre Chien et Loup, negotiated to obtain world rights in all languages and media and complete access to the Anne Frank archives. Read More: Ari Folman Takes on Animated Anne Frank Feature Production began in winter 2014. Folman has finally shared concept art from the studio at Passion Films in London. Folman is collaborating with "Fantastic Mr. Fox" Dp Tristan Oliver and designer Andy Gent to hew the film's stop motion look,...
- 3/31/2015
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Thompson on Hollywood
13th Annual Tsr Movie Awards
Here are the results for the 13th Annual Tsr Movie Awards.
Thank you to the 342 movie fans from across the nation voted in the awards this year.
Click Here for instructions to the Tsr Movie Awards.
Read 13th Annual Tsr Movie Awards Read 13th Annual Tsr Movie Awards (Critics Only Edition) Read 12th Annual Tsr Movie Awards Read 12th Annual Tsr Movie Awards (Critics Only Edition) Read 11th Annual Tsr Movie Awards Read 11th Annual Tsr Movie Awards (Critics Only Edition) Read 10th Annual Tsr Movie Awards Read 10th Annual Tsr Movie Awards (Critics Only Edition) Past Tsr Movie Awards coverage
Best Blockbuster
7.87 Guardians Of The Galaxy
7.80 The Lego Movie
7.57 Captain America: The Winter Soldier
7.48 X-men: Days Of Future Past
6.96 Big Hero 6
6.68 The Hobbit: The Battle Of The Five Armies
6.51 The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1
6.40 American Sniper
5.09 Maleficient
3.63 Transformers: Age Of Extinction
Funniest...
Here are the results for the 13th Annual Tsr Movie Awards.
Thank you to the 342 movie fans from across the nation voted in the awards this year.
Click Here for instructions to the Tsr Movie Awards.
Read 13th Annual Tsr Movie Awards Read 13th Annual Tsr Movie Awards (Critics Only Edition) Read 12th Annual Tsr Movie Awards Read 12th Annual Tsr Movie Awards (Critics Only Edition) Read 11th Annual Tsr Movie Awards Read 11th Annual Tsr Movie Awards (Critics Only Edition) Read 10th Annual Tsr Movie Awards Read 10th Annual Tsr Movie Awards (Critics Only Edition) Past Tsr Movie Awards coverage
Best Blockbuster
7.87 Guardians Of The Galaxy
7.80 The Lego Movie
7.57 Captain America: The Winter Soldier
7.48 X-men: Days Of Future Past
6.96 Big Hero 6
6.68 The Hobbit: The Battle Of The Five Armies
6.51 The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1
6.40 American Sniper
5.09 Maleficient
3.63 Transformers: Age Of Extinction
Funniest...
- 2/22/2015
- by Jeff Bayer
- The Scorecard Review
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.