Marta Balaga Switzerland’s Locarno Film Festival has revealed the lineup for its 75th edition, sticking to its promise of discovering new talent.A slew of debuting filmmakers will showcase their works, from Italy’s Nicola Prosatore with “Piano Piano” to Caterina Mona, focusing in “Semret” on an Eritrean single mother working at a Zurich hospital and dreaming of becoming a midwife.Thomas Hardiman’s U.K.’s proposition “Medusa Deluxe,” a murder mystery set in a competitive hairdressing competition — boarded by New Europe Film Sales — is also bound to generate some excitement.“‘Medusa Deluxe’ is one of the coolest debuts of the year,” the company’s CEO Jan Naszewski enthused to Variety. “I’m sure it will rock the Piazza Grande and give the festival a great spark.”But Locarno will also bring in heavyweights, starting with a screening of the much-anticipated Brad Pitt vehicle “Bullet Train,” directed by “Atomic Blond” helmer David Leitch, and Olivia Newman’s “Where the Crawdads Sing” with Daisy Edgar-Jones and David Strathairn.Anna Gutto’s “Paradise Highway” packs star power as well, starring the likes of Morgan Freeman, “Captain America’s” Frank Grillo and Juliette Binoche, cast as a truck driver forced to smuggle illicit cargo to save her brother from a prison gang.In an interview with Variety earlier this year, the French actor described the role as a “worthwhile challenge.”“I never imagined I’d play a truck driver! I was drawn to incongruity and the prospect of embarking on a new adventure.
‘The Artist’ Director Michel Hazanavicius Unveils Debut Animation Film in Annecy
18.06.2022 - 14:47 / variety.com
Lise Pedersen Oscar-winning director Michel Hazanavicius (“The Artist”) has unveiled his first-ever animation film project at the Annecy Intl. Animation Film Festival.Entitled “The Most Precious of Cargos,” it is an adaptation of the eponymous best-selling book by acclaimed French playwright and children’s books author Jean-Claude Grumberg, who is co-writing the film with Hazanavicius.Told in the form of a classic fairy tale in 2D animation, it is set during World War II, and tells the story of a poor woodcutter and his wife who live deep in the Polish forest.
To the woman’s despair, the couple have no children.One day, while foraging for food, she sees a bundle fall out of what she believes to be a cargo train crossing the forest. Inside is a baby girl who was thrown from the train by her Jewish father – whose wife no longer has enough milk to feed both his twins – in the hope of saving them both.
The woodcutter’s wife decides to keep the precious cargo and raise her as her own against her husband’s wishes. Hazanavicius boarded the project more than three years ago, but the COVID-19 pandemic brought it to a halt, allowing him to make this year’s Cannes opener “Final Cut,” in the meantime.The director, whose own family fled the Nazis in Eastern Europe, explained how he was initially reluctant to take on the project, but said he was deeply moved when he read the book, whose author is also a long-time family friend.“The last survivors of the Holocaust are dying, soon there will no longer be any verbal testimonies of that period in time, we are moving into history with a capital ‘H,’” said Hazanavicius.“It is now open to fiction to tell these stories, which were sacred until now.
Brad Pitt-Starrer ‘Bullet Train’ To Kick-Off Switzerland’s Locarno Film Festival, Lakeside Festival Unveils 75th Edition Selections, Juries
The Locarno Film Festival has announced the full line-up and juries for its 75th edition, which is due to unfold August 3-13.
Inside Victoria and David Beckham’s 23rd anniversary in Paris from personalised wine to heart balloons
Victoria and David Beckham have been celebrating their 23rd wedding anniversary in style on a romantic getaway to Paris.The Spice Girls star, 48, and her former footballer husband, 47, recently jetted off to France together to celebrate 23 years since they tied the knot back in 1999. The couple, who are parents to sons Brooklyn, 23, Romeo, 19, Cruz, 17, and 10 year old daughter Harper, looked as loved-up as ever as they headed on a date night in Paris, with them both taking to Instagram to document their trip.
Wild Bunch Posts Mega Cannes Sales Haul Including Slew Of Deals For Claire Denis, Michel Hazanavicius & Dardenne Movies
EXCLUSIVE: French film sales powerhouse Wild Bunch International (WBI) has unveiled a slew of deals on key titles on its 15-title Cannes 2022 slate.
Lori Harvey Enjoys Trip to New Orleans After Michael B. Jordan Breakup
Lori Harvey is enjoying the sights and eats in New Orleans! The model and beauty mogul took to Instagram to share photos of her trip to The Big Easy and her carousel of photos looks delicious. Harvey captioned her post on Sunday, «I love New Orleans food,» alongside the salivating emoji. In the first photo, she is taking a bite out of a praline from Loretta's, a local pastry shop in the area. In the rest of the images, you see Harvey eating baked oysters, a variety of seafood and playing tourist in the French Quarter. A post shared by Lori Harvey (@loriharvey)Lori was in the Birthplace of Jazz for the 2022 Essence Festival of Culture in New Orleans. She was a speaker at the yearly convention held at the Caesars Superdome. Last month, Michael B.
Michael Owen's 'resentment' towards David Beckham as daughter Gemma reveals family link
Love Island viewers finally got the 'famous dad' bombshell moment from Gemma Owen, but it wasn't all it was hyped up to be. There was a lot of disappointment on Thursday night's episode of the show, with her supposedly big reveal as Michael Owen's daughter being barely worth mentioning - as most of the Islanders apparently already knew.
See Michael Douglas as Benjamin Franklin for Historic Limited Series
Michael Douglas is Benjamin Franklin.
American Black Film Festival Names 2022 Best of Fest Award Winners
Angelique Jackson The American Black Film Festival has announced this year’s Best of ABFF award winners, with “Our Father, the Devil” and “Feel Like Ghosts” among the top honorees.After two years of virtual programing, ABFF returned to Miami Beach for its 26th edition, with live events held June 15-19. The 2022 winners were announced by Emmy nominee Dondré Whitfield, who hosted the ceremony on the final day of ABFF’s in-person program, with a virtual presentation of the event now available to view on its custom-designed online platform, ABFF PLAY, where the festival continues until June 30.The Best of ABFF Awards includes winners in the official film selection categories — narrative and documentary features, web series and the 25th HBO Short Film Award Showcase, decided by a jury led by Michael Quigley, Warner Bros.
Palm Springs ShortFest Prizes Go to ‘Sierra,’ ‘The Cave,’ ‘The Sentence of Michael Thompson’
Pat Saperstein Deputy EditorThe Palm Springs International ShortFest wrapped Sunday with juried prizes going to Estonia’s “Sierra” for Best of the Fest, South Korea’s “The Cave” for best animated short and “The Sentence of Michael Thompson” for best documentary, in both juried and audience categories. Cambodia’s “Further and Further Away” took the best live action short over 15 minutes prize and “The Right Words” from France won the best live action short 15 minutes and under category.The winners of the top awards are eligible to submit their shorts to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for Oscar consideration.Additional prizes included:Student Animated Short● Winner: The Seine’s Tears (France) Student Documentary Short● Winner: La Prova (Belgium)Best Student International Short – Winner received a $500 cash prize.● Winner: Bug (Israel),Best Student U.S.
Michael J. Fox and Diane Warren to be honoured with Oscars
Video: Michael J. Fox shares how parkinson's disease has altered his acting approach (Cover Video)The Kelly Clarkson Show wins big at Daytime Creative Arts & Lifestyle Emmy AwardsBen Stiller travels to Poland to support refugees from UkraineDrake releases surprise new albumNEWS OF THE WEEK: Bradley Cooper opens up about recovering from cocaine addictionNEWS OF THE WEEK: Ozzy Osbourne 'on the road to recovery' after surgeryNEWS OF THE WEEK: Kanye West accuses Adidas of producing 'fake Yeezy' slidesNEWS OF THE WEEK: Post Malone is a first-time fatherNEWS OF THE WEEK: Lady Gaga in talks to play Harley Quinn in Joker sequelNEWS OF THE WEEK: Marilyn Monroe dress allegedly damaged after Kim Kardashian Met Gala outingNEWS OF THE WEEK: Taika Waititi dodges Rita Ora engagement question during interviewNEWS OF THE WEEK: Taylor Swift keen to direct feature filmNEWS OF THE WEEK: Jennifer Hudson achieves EGOT statusNEWS OF THE WEEK: Matthew McConaughey hopeful new gun control measures in the U.
Liam and Noel Gallagher “got on like a house on fire” at George Michael’s house party three years after Oasis split
Liam and Noel Gallagher reportedly “got on like a house on fire” when they both attended a party at George Michael’s house three years after Oasis split.The brothers’ band infamously broke up backstage at a festival in France in 2009, and the pair have been embroiled in a feud ever since.According to Michael’s friend and collaborator David Austin, though, an unplanned meeting between the brothers at the late pop icon’s house was very “amicable”.Austin said that Michael held a party at his north London home after performing at the 2012 Olympics and Liam “just kind of rocked up”.“I think he was with Beady Eye at the time,” he said at a screening of the new George Michael Freedom Uncut documentary, per Radio X. “They came to the house and there was a bit of hoo-ha because Noel was there and they hadn’t seen each other for quite a while.
Karlovy Vary Film Festival to Honor Geoffrey Rush, Benicio Del Toro
Crystal Globe Competition“America,” Ofir Raul Graizer (Israel, Germany, Czech Republic)“Chemi otakhi” (“A Room Of My Own”), Ioseb “Soso” Bliadze (Georgia, Germany)“Edna provintsialna bolnitsa” (“A Provincial Hospital”), Ilian Metev, Ivan Chertov, Zlatina Teneva (Bulgaria, Germany)“F—ing Bornholm,” Anna Kazejak (Poland)“Hranice lásky” (“Borders of Love”), Tomasz Wiński (Czech Republic, Poland)“Isihia 6-9” (“Silence 6-9”), Christos Passalis (Greece)“The Ordinaries,” Sophie Linnenbaum (Germany)“Slovo” (“The Word”), Beata Parkanová (Czech Republic, Slovak Republic, Poland)“Tabestan Ba Omid” (“Summer with Hope”), Sadaf Foroughi (Canada)“Tenéis que venir a verla” (“You Have to Come and See It”), Jonás Trueba (Spain)“Tooi tokoro” (“A Far Shore”), Masaaki Kudo (Japan)“Vesper,” Kristina Buožytė, Bruno Samper (Lithuania, France, Belgium)Proxima Competition“A pak přišla láska…” (“And Then There Was Love…”), Šimon Holý (Czech Republic)“Los Agitadores” (“Horseplay”), Marco Berger (Argentina)“Au grand jour” (“In Broad Daylight”), Emmanuel Tardif (Canada)“Balaye aseman zire ab” (“Like a Fish on the Moon”), Dornaz Hajiha (Iran)“Głupcy” (“Fools”), Tomasz Wasilewski (Poland, Romania, Germany)“Još jedno proleće” (“Another Spring”), Mladen Kovačević (Serbia, Qatar)“La pietà” (“Piety”), Eduardo Casanova (Spain, Argentina)“Ramona,” Andrea Bagney (Spain)“Stric” (“The Uncle”), David Kapac, Andrija Mardešić (Croatia, Serbia)“Tinnitus,”Gregorio Graziosi (Brazil)“Zkouška umění” (“ART talent show”), Tomáš Bojar, Adéla Komrzý (Czech Republic)“Zoo Lock Down,” Andreas Horvath (Austria)Special Screenings“BANGER.” Adam Sedlák (Czech Republic)“June Zero,” Jake Paltrow (USA, Israel)“The Killing of a Journalist,” Matt Sarnecki (Denmark, USA, Czech
‘Little Nicholas – Happy As Can Be’ Takes Top Honor At Annecy International Animation Film Festival
Directors Amandine Fredon and Benjamin Massoubre take home the top prize for their animated film Little Nicholas–Happy as Can Be at the annual Annecy International Animation Film Festival in France.
Jean-Louis Trintignant dead at 91: ‘A Man and a Woman’ star was French film icon
to Agence France-Presse.
An Exclusive Look at Annecy Guest Artist Laurent Durieux’s 10 Best Movie Posters
Peter Debruge Chief Film CriticBelgian graphic artist Laurent Durieux has designed some of the most gorgeous movie posters of the past decade, working not for the studios but in custom-published runs just for collectors and fans. You’ve probably seen his work: intricate, finely tooled reimaginings of classic films — “Jaws,” “King Kong” and “Casablanca,” to name a few — produced as limited-edition screenprints by companies such as Mondo, resold on eBay for thousands of dollars.Durieux’s retrofuturist designs have appeared on everything from bottles of Francis Ford Coppola’s wine to the cover of The New Yorker.
After Katy Perry Musical ‘Melody’, Cross Creek & Zag Set 10-Picture Animation Deal Including Michael Gracey Collaboration: Annecy
EXCLUSIVE: On the heels of us revealing their Katy Perry animated musical Melody, The Trial Of The Chicago 7 and The Pale Blue Eye outfit Cross Creek Pictures and animation specialist Zag have set an agreement to develop and produce a slate of ten animated, live-action and hybrid format features, the majority of which will be musicals.
Michel Ocelot’s New Animated Feature Lures International Buyers for Playtime (EXCLUSIVE)
Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent“The Black Pharaoh, the Savage and the Princess,” BAFTA-winning French director Michel Ocelot (“Kirikou and the Sorceress”)’s anticipated new animated feature, has been sold by Paris-based Playtime to major territories. The colorful film is playing at this week’s Annecy International Animation Film Festival where Ocelot is the recipient of the Honorary Cristal Award paying tribute to his laureled career.
Michael Peterson Lambasts ‘The Staircase’ As ‘Grossly Homophobic’ & Flat-Out ‘Wrong’
Michael Peterson likely won’t watch “The Staircase” but he has plenty to say about HBO Max’s dramatization of his life.
Passion Unveils ‘Love,’ ‘Greetings From the Apocalypse’ at Annecy (EXCLUSIVE)
John Hopewell Chief International CorrespondentFortified by top executive appointments, London-based Academy Award winning Passion Pictures is driving powerfully into long-form animation.It has already produced episodes of cult Netflix series “Love, Death & Robots” – “Life Hatch” and “Ice,” which scored three Emmy Awards – as well as Netflix’s “Headspace,” Disney’s “101 Dalmatian Street” and Nickelodeon’s “Lego City Adventures.”Building on that, Passion will unveil two new projects, “Greetings from the Apocalypse” and “Love,” at the MIFA TV Series & Specials Pitches on June 16. Passion is the only company to have two titles in this category which currently packs a lot of the excitement and innovation at the cutting edge of current animation.