Artist Nicholle Kobi Leads Animated African Queens Series in Erik Barmack’s ‘Queens’ (EXCLUSIVE)

Christopher Vourlias The Lithuanian Film Center will present five classics of Lithuanian cinema in the Locarno Film Festival’s online screening room as part of Heritage Online, the festival’s recently launched, first-of-its-kind platform that will serve as a database of films that premiered prior to 2005.A highlight will be “The Girl and the Echo,” by Arūnas Žebriūnas, which won the Silver Sail when it screened in Locarno in 1965 and will be launched in French cinemas this autumn, along with a

Nick Vivarelli International CorrespondentFollowing a two-year absence, France will be back among the partner countries of Locarno Pro’s Alliance 4 Development platform that facilitates cooperation between existing co-development funds in Switzerland, Italy, Germany and – well – France, once again.Launched by the Locarno fest’s industry side in 2014, the initiative aims to test market potential and to form creative alliances and foster European co-productions at early stages of development.

You’ve got to love the entire movie premise of a recent film—“Happy Happy Joy Joy: The Ren & Stimpy Story,” a documentary that debuted at Sundance earlier this year—and that posit being completely ignored just a few short months later.

John Hopewell Chief International CorrespondentFollowing his star turn in “Jauja,” a major hit at the 2014 Cannes Festival, Viggo Mortensen will re-team with Argentine director Lisandro Alonso on “Eureka,” one of the boldest upcoming art films from Latin America.Mortensen, who takes the lead role in “Eureka’s” first part, will be joined by France’s Chiara Mastroianni, a Cesar Award best actress nominee this year for “On a Magical Night,” and Portugal’s Maria de Medeiros (“Pulp Fiction”).In a

Andreas Wiseman International EditorNetflix is underway in France on Jean-Claude Van Damme action-comedy The Last Mercenary from director David Charhon (The Other Side Of The Tracks).Also starring in the film are Alban Ivanov, Assa Sylla, Samir Decazza, Patrick Timsit, Eric Judor and Miou-Miou.Van Damme will play a mysterious former secret service agent who must urgently return to France when his estranged son (Decazza) is falsely accused of arms and drug trafficking by the government, following

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau ChiefSouth Korean animation “Red Shoes and the Seven Dwarfs” opens Wednesday in some 300 cinemas in France, giving the fairy tale derivative a further chance demonstrate its resistant to coronavirus.Using the fairy tale format to tell a story about the true meaning of beauty, the film was written and directed by Hong Sung Ho (“Egg Cola,” “Wonderful Days”), with Jin Kim (“Frozen,” “Moana,” “Tangled”) credited as the film’s animation director.

Tom Grater International Film ReporterNetflix has commissioned a third season of How To Sell Drugs Online (Fast), which the streamer has confirmed is its most-watched German original series.The show, which follows two teenagers who inadvertently become large scale drug dealers, is also popular in Italy, France, Brazil, the service said.Created by Philipp Käßbohrer and Matthias Murmann, the series first premiered in May 2019 and its second season debuted last week on July 21.Käßbohrer and Murmann

Manori Ravindran International EditorWarner Bros. is reaching out to international exhibitors about a possible late August launch for Christopher Nolan’s “Tenet.” If it takes place, it would mean that the twisty spy thriller, which was expected to be among the highest-grossing summer releases, will have some sort of popcorn season debut.Exhibitors in the U.K., France and Spain have been told by the studio to plan for an Aug.

A restaurant had found an interesting, and rather unique, way of making the place 'full' while keeping customers socially distanced.Bosses at La Brasserie De La Cour were finally allowed to open the French restaurant earlier this month with additional coronavirus safety measuresAnd owner Thierry Le Port decided that while also keeping customers safe, he wanted to "add a bit of atmosphere" which may be missing with reduced capacity.So what did he come up with? Smartly-dressed mannequins sat at

Katie Price has become embroiled in an animal cruelty row after it emerged her tragic pet puppy was crushed in an electric-powered armchair. The 42-year-old's dog Rolo suffocated - she believes it died instantly - after getting stuck in the chair's mechanism while she was out the room.

Dino-Ray Ramos Associate Editor/ReporterEXCLUSIVE:  AMC is giving us another helping of Bottomless Brunch at Colman’s hosted by Fear the Walking Dead actor Colman Domingo. The network has ordered an additional six episodes of the digital series which features Domingo and his guests having a virtual conversation with the staples of a good brunch: food and booze.

Shirley Ju For French Montana, accolades come in threes. His 2017 single “Unforgettable,” featuring Swae Lee, has accumulated over three billion streams in the three years since his album “Jungle Rules” made a home for the hit — all milestones the South Bronx, New York rapper celebrated this week in addition to 13 billion combined streams throughout his career (including features).

Studiocanal, the leading European production, distribution and international sales powerhouse, is teaming with France’s CPB Films (“Savages”) and Leyland Films (“Murder in Provence”) to develop a high-end English-language drama series about the trailblazing African American entertainer and civil rights activist Josephine Baker, whom the partners describe as the world’s first Black global star performer.Studiocanal, part of Vivendi’s Canal Plus Group, will handle international distribution rights

Patrick Hipes Executive Managing EditorNetflix has acquired rights to Bombay Rose, Gitanjali Rao’s animated film that last year became the first Indian animated pic to open Venice Critics Week.

Justin Kroll Film ReporterGina Prince-Bythewood is set to direct TriStar Pictures’ “The Woman King,” starring Academy Award-winning actress Viola Davis.The film is a historical epic inspired by true events that took place in The Kingdom of Dahomey, one of the most powerful states of Africa in the 18th and 19th centuries.