Ken Loach gives support to Jonathan Glazer following Oscars speech about Israel Palestine conflict

Nick Vivarelli International Correspondent Sudanese director Mohamed Kordofani’s “Goodbye Julia,” a timely morality tale that takes place just before the 2011 secession of South Sudan, leads the way in nominations for the eighth edition of the Critics Awards for Arab films, winners of which will be announced during the Cannes Film Festival. The first Sudanese film ever to screen in Cannes’ official selection, “Goodbye Julia” is the story of two women — one from the North, the other from the South — who are brought together by fate in a complex relationship that attempts to reconcile differences between northern and southern Sudanese communities in the currently war-ravaged country.

Leo Barraclough International Features Editor Cinephil has sold Arun Bhattarai and Dorottya Zurbó’s feature documentary “Agent of Happiness” to a wide range of key international territories ahead of the film’s Hot Docs debut this weekend. Deals are confirmed in the U.K.

EXCLUSIVE: June Zero, the latest from writer-director Jake Paltrow (Young Ones, The Good Night, De Palma) and producers Oren Moverman (The Messenger, Bad Education), Miranda Bailey (Swiss Army Man, The Diary of a Teenage Girl) and David Silber (Incitement, Junction 48), is set for theatrical release in New York on June 28, Los Angeles July 5 and nationwide July 12 by Cohen Media Group.

Iran is "within minutes" of developing a nuclear capability and "mad enough to use it", the Government has been warned.

The Santa Barbara International Film Festival has announced that the 40th annual festival will take place in Santa Barbara, California, from February 4 through February 15.

K.J. Yossman International writers guilds representing 67,000 professional screen writers across the globe are collaborating on developing an “ethical framework” for the use of AI in screenwriting.

EXCLUSIVE: Israel’s Keshet International (KI) has struck its latest co-development deal, a partnership with British presenter Bettany Hughes‘ indie SandStone Global.

The Zone Of Interest filmmaker Jonathan Glazer has reinforced his support for the virtual Cinema For Gaza campaign auction, pledging a new personalized gift to the fundraiser alongside first-time donors Spike Lee, Olivia Colman, and Paul Mescal. 

On Easter Sunday, comedian Alex Edelman completed his final performance of Just for Us, bringing six life-changing years with the solo show to a close.

While “The Zone Of Interest” director Jonathan Glazer may still be embattled with criticism about his Oscar speech—the filmmaker caused much uproar during the Academy Awards ceremony for condemning the violence, “dehumanization,” and war in Gaza— the director is seemingly carrying on with business as usual. Glazer is the latest filmmaker to direct an ad for Prada, which reunites the helmer with his “Under The Skin” star Scarlett Johansson, as part of a Prada Galleria bag series to “celebrate the art of performance.” READ MORE: ‘The Zone of Interest’ Wins The 2024 International Film Oscar In the ad, Johansson struggles to recite Shakespeare’s “Antony and Cleopatra” and “Macbeth” during a screen test, culminating with tears of frustration.

Ellise Shafer Joaquin Phoenix, Elliott Gould, Chloe Fineman and more than 150 other Jewish creatives have signed an open letter in support of Jonathan Glazer’s Oscars speech. The list of 151 signees obtained by Variety also includes Phoenix’s sister Rain, three-time Oscar nominee Debra Winger, “May December” director Todd Haynes, “Sorry to Bother You” helmer Boots Riley, acclaimed filmmaker Joel Coen, “Room” director Lenny Abrahamson, “Arrested Development” star David Cross, documentarian Amy Berg, “Barbie” actor Hari Nef, legendary playwright Tom Stoppard, former Focus Pictures CEO James Schamus, comedian Kate Berlant, “You Hurt My Feelings” director Nicole Holofcener, “Secrets & Lies” auteur Mike Leigh, “Passages” filmmaker Ira Sachs, “Gossip Girl” actor and writer Tavi Gevinson, “The Princess Bride” actor Wallace Shawn, “Bottoms” director Emma Seligman, “Mistress America” star Lola Kirke, “Zola” helmer Janicza Bravo, “Broad City” stars Ilana Glazer and Abbi Jacobson and IndieWire film critic David Ehrlich.

Ellise Shafer “The Zone of Interest” director Jonathan Glazer has donated signed posters to the Cinema for Gaza auction, which has collected gifts from major names in the U.K. entertainment industry to raise money for Medical Aid for Palestinians. Before the fundraiser officially began on Tuesday, Glazer and “Zone of Interest” producer James Wilson donated seven “Zone of Interest” posters and a selection of posters from his 2014 film “Under the Skin.” The posters will be signed by Glazer, Wilson and composer Mica Levi, who scored both films.

A growing list of high-profile names from the film and TV world, including Jonathan Glazer, Tilda Swinton, and Succession star Brian Cox, have donated unique gifts to Cinema For Gaza, a fundraising auction supporting aid for people in Gaza, which launched yesterday April 2nd.

EXCLUSIVE: Ken Loach has been restored to a decision-making role at Bectu after his shock suspension last year, but a bitter internal row at the UK’s biggest film and TV union shows no sign of abating.

Alex Ritman Ken Loach says he has “great respect” for Jonathan Glazer in raising the subject of Gaza in his Oscars acceptance speech for “The Zone of Interest,” asserting that the director was “very brave” to say what he did. “And I’m sure he understood the possible consequences, which makes him braver still, so I’ve got great respect for him and his work,” he tells Variety. The veteran filmmaker and campaigner is speaking ahead of the U.S.

Michaela Zee Celebrity chef and humanitarian José Andrés has announced that several members of his World Central Kitchen nonprofit organization were killed in Gaza on Monday. “I am heartbroken and grieving for their families and friends and our whole WCK family,” Andrés wrote on X/Twitter. “There are people…angels…I served alongside in Ukraine, Gaza, Turkey, Morocco, Bahamas, Indonesia.

Ramy Youssef called for an end in the conflict between Israel and Palestine during his opening monologue on the March 30 episode of Saturday Night Live.

This year’s UK Eurovision entry has rejected calls for him to boycott this year’s Song Contest in protest at Israel being included in the competition.

Alex Ritman French TV giant Banijay is losing its second C-suite exec in just over a month. The company has confirmed to Variety that COO Peter Langenberg is departing, with his last day set to be March 31. Langenberg will remain with Banijay on a consultancy basis in the ESG (environment, social and governance) space.

Marta Balaga It has been a while since “The Queen’s Gambit,” but as proven by “Rematch,” viewers’ love for chess is certainly not diminishing. The show, dedicated to confrontation between famous chess player Garry Kasparov and IBM’s supercomputer Deep Blue, was named the winner at Series Mania. A somewhat lukewarm reception of “Apples Never Fall” didn’t stop Annette Bening from being crowned as best actress.