Marta Balaga “Hesitation Wound” and “Hollywoodgate” were named winners at the Zurich Film Festival, as the 19th edition of the Swiss festival came to a close. Selman Nacar’s drama “Hesitation Wound” impressed the Feature Film Competition jury.
18.09.2023 - 19:57 / etcanada.com
As the glitz-and-glam of TIFF wrapped up in Toronto over the weekend, a special film titled “I Am Sirat” made its international debut.
“I Am Sirat”, which stars Sirat Taneja and c0-directed by Deepa Mehta, follows a transgender woman in New Delhi, India, who must act as her mother’s son at home but lives her true self around her friends and colleagues.
Taneja and Mehta caught up with ET Canada’s Sangita Patel, discussing the importance of international LGBTQ+ representation on the silver screen.
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“I don’t feel it’s mine. It’s her narrative. It’s through her lens. It’s her journey as a trans woman in India,” says Mehta of the story, which was completely shot on smartphones.
Taneja expressed that although her mother knows she’s at TIFF, she still doesn’t accept her identity.
“She knows about my sexuality but she doesn’t accept it. Because of the society’s pressure, relatives pressure.”
“I think that Sirat’s story and the way she tells it made me realize that it’s a universal story in many ways,” added the 73-year-old director. “I felt that I was fighting with my own duality. I still can’t accept Canada as home. I still feel India as home. But when I’m in India, I don’t accept that.”
READ MORE: Indian Web Series ‘Made In Heaven’ Is The Talk Of The Town For Its Powerful Storytelling And An Exceptional Cast
On the topic of trans representation, Mehta thinks trans actors should play trans characters, but they should be “good actors.”
Recently, films and shows in India came under scrutiny for casting cis actors in trans roles — such as actress Vaani Kapoor in “Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui” and Sushmita Sen in “Taali”.
Marta Balaga “Hesitation Wound” and “Hollywoodgate” were named winners at the Zurich Film Festival, as the 19th edition of the Swiss festival came to a close. Selman Nacar’s drama “Hesitation Wound” impressed the Feature Film Competition jury.
SAG-AFTRA National Executive Director and Chief Negotiator, Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, is attending New York Comic Con on Oct. 14 for the panel “AI in Entertainment: The Performer’s Perspective”.
NFTS And Left Bank Pictures Launch UK Writers Program
When TOWIE star Gemma Collins met the King Charles and Queen Camilla back in June, it looked like the start of a budding - and unlikely - friendship. Now, in an exclusive interview with, the 42-year-old revealed how much she "loves them" and their work they do to help animals. "Charles and Camilla invited me to the Animal Ball, and I just thought it was amazing," Gemma said.
Queen and Adam Lambert are set to embark on their North American ‘Rhapsody’ tour next week – find all the details below.The legendary band launched the acclaimed show back in 2019, and brought it to the UK, Ireland and Europe last year.Per a press release, Queen and their frontman Lambert are now taking the newly “expanded and updated” production back to the US and Canada “where it first began”. The group have promised an “even more ambitious show” at the upcoming dates.Queen’s 2023 Rhapsody’ tour is scheduled to begin with two consecutive nights at the CFG Bank Arena in Baltimore, Maryland next Wednesday (October 4) and Thursday (5).From there, they’ll visit Toronto, Detroit, New York, Boston, Philadelphia and other cities throughout the month.
More than 100 vintage motorcycles gathered in Blairgowrie recently before enjoying a run through some of east Perthshire’s beautiful countryside in what was the largest Vintage Motor Cycle Club (VMCC) event in Scotland since 2008.
Taylor Swift fans say they feel 'torn' after the singer made a huge Eras Tour announcement this week.
Two Door Cinema Club have announced a US and Canada tour set to kick off in early spring of next year – find all the details below.The Northern Ireland trio will embark on a 22-date tour across North America in February 2024. Their first show is set to take place on February 21 at The Eastern in Atlanta, Georgia.
The remnants of Hurricane Lee are hitting Scotland today in a deluge of rain that could bring flooding and travel delays.
The Rovers Return has been involved in a bit of a rollercoaster ride of late after Jenny Connor was forced to sell as the cost of living crisis bit the Weatherfield institution. But the beloved pub faces a sudden closure next week in Coronation Street, however, it's not what it seems.
EXCLUSIVE: Netflix closed a $20 million deal on Hit Man, making the biggest deal at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival and of the year for that matter. After the Richard Linklater-directed noir comic thriller debuted to raves at Venice, the film was expected to fetch the biggest deal of the fall festivals so far. Hit Man did not disappoint. Hit Man stars Top Gun Maverick’s Glen Powell and Adria Arjona (Andor) playing the most unlikely romantic partners, in performances that will boost each of their careers. Especially Powell, who co-wrote with Linklater what will be a major star turn for him. Netflix got US, UK, Australia/New Zealand, India, South Korea, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia, Singapore, Philippines, and Iceland. There is also a theatrical component to the deal, I’ve heard.
Naman Ramachandran U.K. broadcaster ITV has signed a deal with UEFA to become the new home of England men’s soccer qualifying games. All European qualifiers, UEFA Nations League ties and friendlies between major tournaments will be shown on ITV from September 2024 through to June 2028.
Despite fears for the future of film in the new, seemingly disposable digital era, there are still many auteurs holding on out there in the modern movie landscape. For example, there’s Quentin Tarantino, Christopher Nolan and even Michael Bay (for, as director Tarsem said of the latter’s work, “You may not like it, but you know who made it”). But few directors are as instantly recognizable as Wes Anderson. Nothing happens by accident in a Wes Anderson movie: the camera moves are perfectly choreographed — sideways tracking shots are a specialty — and the sets don’t even begin to aim for realism. Clothes are tailored, hair and makeup is scrutinized all the way down to lipstick and nail polish, and music is key, creating a subtle, sometimes melancholy and always wholly effective emotional backdrop.
Salma Hayek knows how to bring the style.
Maria Menounos is opening up about her scary battle with pancreatic cancer and welcoming her first baby via surrogacy earlier this year.
Adam Sandler is going on tour!
ET Canada’s Brittnee Blair touched down in New Jersey last night for one of the most exciting nights in music: the 2023 MTV VMAs.
Filmmaker Karan Johar, who was in the 6ix to attend the prestigious Toronto International Film Festival, got chatty with ET Canada’s Sangita Patel about the success of actress Priyanka Chopra.
“The cracks in the employers’ walls are getting deeper everyday.”
As Ben Hardy touched down in Toronto for TIFF for the premiere of his film “Unicorns” on Friday, the UK-born actor hit up a red carpet interview with ET Canada’s Dallas Dixon to discuss his support from the LGBTQ+ community and how he achieved a sizable derrière.