Malia Obama Really Nailed the Indie Darling Thing at the Sundance Film Festival

Oprah Winfrey undoubtedly has a lot to be thankful for, but as she marks her 70th birthday on 29 January, we take a look at what she says has given her all that she has - gratitude.The media mogul and Oscar-nominated actress once famously said she wasn't grateful because she's "a gazillionaire", but her habit of practising gratitude was "the way I got to be a gazillionaire". While she has almost unprecedented levels of wealth and success (particularly for a woman), she came from very humble beginnings and was raised by her maternal grandmother on a pig farm in Mississippi for the first six years of her life.

The 2024 Sundance Film Festival is almost at an end, but there are still films to screen in the online portion of the festival and, almost as importantly, awards to hand out to happy independent filmmakers. The big winners at this year’s awards ceremony were Alessandra Lacorazza’s “In the Summers” which won the Grand Jury Prize U.S.

The 2024 Sundance Film Festival is almost at an end, but there are still films to screen in the online portion of the festival and, almost as importantly, awards to hand out to happy independent filmmakers. The big winners at this year’s awards ceremony were Alessandra Lacorazza’s “In the Summers” which won the Grand Jury Prize U.S.

The 2024 Sundance Film Festival awards ceremony honoring the best of this year’s lineup in Park City is in progress right now at the Ray Theatre. Refresh frequently as the winners are announced.

Clayton Davis Senior Awards Editor “Rustin” star Colman Domingo has just been named an Oscar nominee for best actor for his powerhouse performance in the biographical drama. As he arrives to record the latest episode of Variety’s Awards Circuit Podcast, Domingo says he wants to stay present in this moment, noting that he was “waiting around for a certain call for a few hours.” That “certain call” would former President Barack Obama, who is the founder of the production company Higher Ground, which financed the George C. Wolfe drama.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter Jemele Hill has signed with WME for representation in all areas, Variety has learned exclusively. Hill currently serves as contributing writer for The Atlantic and a creative consultant for Meadowlark Media. She is also a co-founder of Lodge Freeway Media.

Michelle Obama could extend her list of Grammy wins this year. The former First Lady is the recipient of one Grammy award for best spoken work album.

Colman Domingo has just been nominated for an Oscar for the first time. He is delighted to be recognized by the Academy for his outstanding performance in the George C. Wolfe-directed biopic Rustin.

Barack and Michelle Obama. In a Tiktok, they revealed that they received a surprise letter from The Obamas, who had some kind words for them, even if they didn’t make it to the event. Sasha Obama shows off relaxed Boho style in Los AngelesMalia Obama gets a shake with a friend in LABARACK OBAMA RESPONDED TO MY WEDDING INVITATION #weddingtiktokIn a series of TikToks, a user called Bree shared her entire experience of receiving a letter from Barack and Michelle Obama.

Exhibiting Forgiveness, directed and written by Titus Kaphar, is a thought-provoking film starring Andre Holland, John Earl Jelks, Andra Day, Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, and Ian Foreman. Set against a backdrop of familial struggle and personal demons, Kaphar’s film navigates the complexities of forgiveness, accountability, and the resilience of the human spirit. Tarrell Rodin (Holland), a loving father and husband who resides in the suburbs with his wife Aisha (Day), a singer-songwriter, and their son Jermaine. Renowned in the American art scene for his haunting, personal work, Tarrell dedicates his days to his art studio, using painting to turn his nightmares into art. His devotion to art, coupled with the support of his family and his diligent work ethic, has helped him keep his ugly past at a distance. He aims to take care of his mother Joyce (Ellis-Taylor) and wants to get her out of the neighborhood she lives in, but she’s apprehensive as she wants to stay close to her church. Its only a temporary move nit deep down he hopes Joyce in hopes she can provide support as he struggles with old memories. 

Anyone with more than a passing interest in the weird and wonderful will have seen, if not heard of, the Patterson-Gimlin footage, the cryptoozological equivalent of the Zapruder film. Shot in 1967 in the forests of Northern Carolina, it purports to show a large, ape-like creature with an elongated forehead striding purposefully into the trees. Unlike an ape, the creature walks upright, and, unlike the furtive behavior of any other forest creature, it has the casual air of the average human being popping over to the 7-11 to pick up a gallon of milk. Most people who see the footage wonder what the hell this damn thing is, but the sibling directors of Sasquatch Sunset have a couple more questions that they’d like answered. Like, where is it going? And what does it do all day?

Malia Obama made her directorial debut at the Short Film Program 1 during the 2024 Sundance Film Festival held at Prospector Square Theatre in Park City, Utah. The young director and writer attended the premiere of her film “The Heart,” a story about a grieving son who receives an unusual request from his dead mother in her will.

the Hollywood Reporter.The outlet added that the project centers around a grieving son who received a dying request from his late mother.“The film is about lost objects and lonely people and forgiveness and regret, but I also think it works hard to uncover where tenderness and closeness can exist in those things,” Malia revealed in an interview about the project.“We hope you enjoy the film and it makes you feel a bit less lonely, or at least reminds you not to forget about the people who are.”The film was previously screened at the Telluride Film Festival in Colorado back in Sept. 2023, as well as the Chicago International Film Festival in Oct.

Theda Hammel’s latest dramedy at Neon Stressed Positions stars Hammel, John Early, Qaher Harhash, Amy Zimmer, Faheem Ali, and Rebecca F. Wright follows Bahlul, a queer Moroccan-American model that everyone wants to meet. While moments emerge showing the glimmer of an insightful character study, the film quickly dissolves into an endurance test drowned out by superficial noise. One must tip the cap to Hammel’s sheer feat of micro-budget production, but his organic style choices bewilder more than enlighten.The film follows Bahlul (Harhash), a 20-year old  Moroccan, American model, spending his time in recovery from a broken leg with his uncle Terry in Brooklyn, Ny. Terry is not Moroccan, but American and white and are family by marriage. The injured Bahlul meets a cast of eccentric characters, including Terry’s best friend Karla (Hammel), Carla‘s girlfriend, Vanessa (Zimmer), Terry’s husband Leo (Roberts), Ronald (Ali), the local GrubHub delivery guy, and Coco (Wright), the woman living in the apartment above them. 

Malia Obama has lived her life in the spotlight, but she only just made her first-ever appearance on a red carpet!

EXCLUSIVE. When the alternative book of film trivia is written, a page will be dedicated to the influence of Leonard Nimoy’s paranormal-themed late-’70s TV show In Search of… on director siblings. It was here that Albert and Allen Hughes first heard about Britain’s most notorious serial killer, Jack the Ripper, beginning an obsession with Victorian London that resulted in their 2001 horror-drama From Hell. And for David and Nathan Zellner, the cultural impact was very similar. “We loved that show,” recalls David. “As kids, there wasn’t much out there, that we were exposed to, that covered those sorts of things. They’d cover the Loch Ness monster, everything. I remember one about plants, wondering if they were able to think and what kind of music they’d like to listen to. They got really obscure with some of the subjects, but we loved that show. We loved the vibe of it. And that’s where we first learned about Bigfoot…”

Barack Obama, took to social media to celebrate his wife Michelle Obama’s birthday. The beloved former First Lady turned 60, and Mr. Obama honored her with a sweet post and a never-seen-before snap of Mrs.

Lil Nas X‘s controversial new single ‘J Christ’ has received a stamp of approval from the Church Of Satan.The singer and rapper’s comeback single landed last week and he faced backlash and controversy surrounding the ‘J Christ’ cover artwork, which depicts him lying on a crucifix as five bystanders begin to raise him off the ground.In the video, impersonators of Taylor Swift, Kanye West, Ed Sheeran, Oprah Winfrey, Barack Obama and more appear as a gospel choir sings: “Oh lord please/ Deliver us/ Deliver me.”In an interview with TMZ, Church Of Satan leader David Harris described the track and video as “fantastic.”It comes after the organisation also supported Lil Nas X back in 2021, when he faced controversy after promoting that he would be selling selling 666 pairs of limited edition “Satan Shoes” – each containing a drop of real human blood.Lil Nas X was accused of making a “mockery of Christ” with the song’s artwork, and responded by revealing that he was going to university to join a Biblical Studies programme. He will undertake a dual concentration in Christian Leadership and Biblical Studies later this year at Liberty University, a Christian university in Virginia.In the caption, Lil Nas X wrote: “I know some of yall hate me right now but i want yall to know im literally about to go to college for biblical studies in the fall.

EXCLUSIVE: The MACRO Lodge at Sundance Film Festival (www.StayMACRO.com), hosted by MACRO Founder & CEO Charles D. King (Mudbound, Judas and the Black Messiah) and his wife Stacey Walker King, Chief Brand Officer of the company, returns to the Sundance Film Festival for its seventh annual showcase of panels and parties at the iconic film festival to champion inclusion and people of color at its prime location at 136 Heber Avenue in Park City, UT with three days of programming. 

Lil Nas X has shared his first new single in two years – listen to ‘J Christ’ below.The rapper/singer confirmed last week that he would be releasing a song and a self-directed music video, asking fans: “Y’all ready for a show?” He later posted a teaser for the official visuals.Arriving today (January 12), the video for ‘J Christ’ begins with a scene in which various celebrity lookalikes walk across a field before making their way up a stairway to Heaven.We see impersonators of Taylor Swift, Kanye West, Ed Sheeran, Oprah Winfrey, Barack Obama and more as a gospel choir sings: “Oh lord please/ Deliver us/ Deliver me.” After the faux celebs cross over to the other side, we’re greeted by a godlike Lil Nas X at the pearly gates.Later, viewers are transported to the fiery depths of Hell and introduced to a devil version of the artist. He then plays a one-on-one basketball game against Satan in Heaven in front of a crowd of spectators.The video spoofs various biblical stories, with Lil Nas X later seen on a crucifix and travelling across a stormy ocean on an arc.