Cairo Film Festival Canceled Due to Israel-Hamas War

Nick Vivarelli International Correspondent Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Film Festival has announced the bulk of its lineup from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), signaling that the event is forging ahead with its third edition despite the Israel-Hamas war that has caused cancellations of several movie celebrations across the Arab world. The fest’s third edition, set to run Nov.

Nick Vivarelli International Correspondent Richard Linklater’s action comedy “Hit Man” is set to open the Marrakech International Film Festival, which has announced its lineup of more than 70 films mixing known titles and fresh fare. The fest is forging ahead with its 20th edition, which will run Nov.

UPDATED with rescheduled date: The Academy Museum Gala, which had been postponed last month in the wake of Hamas‘ attack on Israel, has been rescheduled for December 3.

J. Kim Murphy The Academy Museum has set a new date for its annual fundraising gala, after initially postponing the event out of respect for the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict. The event is now scheduled for the evening of Dec.

Editors note: Michael Seitzman is a veteran film and TV writer and showrunner. He created the series Code Black and Intelligence and penned the Charlize Theron-starring movie North Country. In a guest column titled “Because Jews,” he shares is impassioned take on the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel and its reverberations around Hollywood.

Nick Vivarelli International Correspondent The Marrakech International Film Festival has announced its full jury, signaling that the event is forging ahead with its 20th edition despite the Israel-Hamas conflict — which has caused cancellations of several other fests in the region — and the earthquake that hit the country in September. Joining Jessica Chastain – who is the fest’s previously announced jury president – will be Iranian actor Zar Amir; French actor Camille Cottin; Australian actor and director Joel Edgerton; British director Joanna Hogg; U.S. director Dee Rees; Swedish-Egyptian director Tarek Saleh; Swedish actor Alexander Skarsgård and French-Moroccan writer Leïla Slimani.

The B-52s‘ scheduled concert at the White House last night (October 25) was cancelled due to the “sorrow and pain” of the Israel-Hamas war.The US new wave band – best known for their 1989 hit single ‘Love Shack’ – were set to play at an official state dinner for the Australian PM Anthony Albanese, hosted by the US President Joe Biden.In a statement, First Lady Jill Biden said (via The Guardian): “While we had initially planned for the legendary B-52s to perform their iconic dance and party music, we are now in a time when so many are facing sorrow and pain, and we have decided to make adjustments to the entertainment portion of the evening.”It is reported that The B-52s – who are named after a US bomber aircraft – instead attended the state dinner as guests. Presidential military bands provided “instrumental music” in the group’s place.Albanese arrived at the White House on Tuesday (October 24) ahead of a formal state visit yesterday, when he reportedly discussed topics such as Ukraine, China and the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.“Nurturing our partnerships and relationships with our allies is critically important, especially in these tumultuous times,” Jill Biden continued.

Todd Spangler NY Digital Editor On X — the social network formerly called Twitter — about 74% of the most-viral posts promoting misinformation about the Israel-Hamas war in the first week of the conflict were shared by verified blue check-mark accounts, according to a new study. For the first seven days following Hamas’ deadly terrorist attack on Israeli civilians (Oct.

Caroline Brew editor In a prime-time speech, President Joe Biden addressed the country for the first time since massive violence broke out between Israel and Hamas, explaining why it’s necessary to continue to support America’s partners in Israel and Ukraine. “That’s why tomorrow, I’m going to send to Congress an urgent budget request to fund America’s national security needs to support our critical partners including Israel and Ukraine. It’s a smart investment that’s going to pay dividends for American security for generations.

Ellise Shafer The MTV Europe Music Awards, which were set to be held in Paris on Nov. 5, are no longer going forward this year “out of an abundance of caution.” A statement from a Paramount spokesperson reads, “Given the volatility of world events, we have decided not to move forward with the 2023 MTV EMAs out of an abundance of caution for the thousands of employees, crew members, artists, fans and partners who travel from all corners of the world to bring the show to life.” The statement continues, “The MTV EMAs are an annual celebration of global music.

Qatar’s Doha Film Institute (DFI) has cancelled the 11th edition of its Ajyal Film Festival, which was due to take place from November 8 to 16, due to the Israel-Hamas conflict.

Ellise Shafer Egypt’s El Gouna Film Festival has now been postponed indefinitely due to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas. The festival was previously rescheduled to Oct. 27- Nov.

Hundreds of protesters were arrested on Capitol Hill today as they demonstrated inside the Cannon Office Building, chanting for a ceasefire in the Israel–Hamas war.

Nick Vivarelli International Correspondent Rome Film Fest opener “There’s Still Tomorrow,” a bold period dramedy that marks the directorial debut of popular Italian actor Paola Cortellesi, has scored a slew of international sales. The film, shot in black-and-white and set in post-World War II Rome, riffs on Italy’s neorealist past, albeit with a female empowerment element angle and a contemporary A-list Italian cast.

The 45th edition of the Cairo Film Festival, which was due to run from November 15 to 24, has been postponed amid rising tensions in the Middle East due to the Israel-Hamas conflict.

Ellise Shafer Madonna addressed the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas at her third Celebration Tour date in London on Tuesday night, asking the audience, “What the fuck is going on in the world?” According to The Guardian, the Queen of Pop took a moment during the concert to make a lengthy statement about the war, calling it “heartbreaking.” “Nobody wants to see what’s happening. I turn on social media and I want to vomit,” Madonna said, as The Guardian reports. “I see children being kidnapped, pulled off motorcycles; babies being decapitated, children at peace raves being shot and killed.

Alicia Keys found herself dealing with a whole lot of backlash this week…

Between the Rains and The Echo are among the big winners at the prestigious Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival in Arkansas.

Zack Sharf Digital News Director Gigi Hadid was called out by the State of Israel Instagram page for a post she shared related to the Israel-Hamas war. The supermodel shared a graphic to her Instagram story that read: “There is nothing Jewish about the Israeli government’s treatment of Palestinians.

Last Week Tonight usually starts with the opening sequence featuring cheerful music but Sunday’s episode had John Oliver addressing the Israel-Hamas war. In the cold open, Oliver explained why he would not be covering the events taking place in the Middle East in the main show.