Editor’s note: IndieWire obtained a statement from Asghar Farhadi’s attorney via representatives in response to the piece published in The New Yorker on Monday, October 31. The full statement can be found at the bottom of this story.
Updated November 3: A New Yorker spokesperson shared this statement of IndieWire supporting Rachel Aviv’s piece following Farhadi’s attorney’s claims: “Rachel Aviv wrote a fair and factual account, supported by numerous on-the-record sources and confirmed by our fact checkers. She spoke extensively with Mr. Farhadi — more than a dozen hours worth of interviews — and the article examines his perspective at length and reflects his substantial input. The New Yorker stands by the story.”
Published November 1: Asghar Farhadi is currently awaiting a final decision in the plagiarism lawsuit filed against him by his former student Azadeh Masihzadeh, who claims that his film “A Hero” was based on a...
Updated November 3: A New Yorker spokesperson shared this statement of IndieWire supporting Rachel Aviv’s piece following Farhadi’s attorney’s claims: “Rachel Aviv wrote a fair and factual account, supported by numerous on-the-record sources and confirmed by our fact checkers. She spoke extensively with Mr. Farhadi — more than a dozen hours worth of interviews — and the article examines his perspective at length and reflects his substantial input. The New Yorker stands by the story.”
Published November 1: Asghar Farhadi is currently awaiting a final decision in the plagiarism lawsuit filed against him by his former student Azadeh Masihzadeh, who claims that his film “A Hero” was based on a...
- 11/3/2022
- by Christian Zilko
- Indiewire
Get in touch to send in cinephile news and discoveries. For daily updates follow us @NotebookMUBI.NEWSHale County This Morning, This Evening.RaMell Ross—whose 2018 documentary Hale County This Morning, This Evening was among the best releases of the 2010s—will direct an adaptation of Colson Whitehead’s Pulitzer Prize-winner The Nickel Boys, which will star Aunjanue Ellis. In another major production announcement, Kantemir Balagov will make his English-language debut with Butterfly Jam, produced by Ari Aster. (Ela Bittencourt wrote about Balagov’s WWII-set sophomore feature Beanpole for Notebook.)’Tis the season. Yorgos Lanthimos is also about to begin filming his next movie—the un-Googleable And—in New Orleans. The cast includes Emma Stone, Jesse Plemons, Willem Dafoe, Hong Chau, and, for Stars at Noon fans, both Margaret Qualley and Joe Alwyn.That’s not all. James Gray is on board to direct and substantially revise the screenplay for a “young John F. Kennedy” biopic.
- 11/1/2022
- MUBI
In June 2017 The New Yorker magazine published a piece under the evocative title, “Remembering the Murder You Didn’t Commit.”
It told the story of the “Beatrice Six”–three men and three women sentenced to lengthy prison terms for the 1985 rape and murder of a grandmother in the small Nebraska town of Beatrice (pronounced bee-at-trice). Five of the accused had confessed; only one had steadfastly maintained his innocence. More than two decades passed before DNA testing revealed none of those convicted had been present at the crime scene.
Among those who read The New Yorker article back in 2017 was filmmaker Nanfu Wang.
“I was immediately intrigued,” Wang recalls. “After reading [the article], I knew that I wanted to explore it in the form of a film.”
That exploration evolved into the new six-part documentary series Mind Over Murder, for HBO. A new episode premieres on the cable channel each Monday through July...
It told the story of the “Beatrice Six”–three men and three women sentenced to lengthy prison terms for the 1985 rape and murder of a grandmother in the small Nebraska town of Beatrice (pronounced bee-at-trice). Five of the accused had confessed; only one had steadfastly maintained his innocence. More than two decades passed before DNA testing revealed none of those convicted had been present at the crime scene.
Among those who read The New Yorker article back in 2017 was filmmaker Nanfu Wang.
“I was immediately intrigued,” Wang recalls. “After reading [the article], I knew that I wanted to explore it in the form of a film.”
That exploration evolved into the new six-part documentary series Mind Over Murder, for HBO. A new episode premieres on the cable channel each Monday through July...
- 6/30/2022
- by Matthew Carey
- Deadline Film + TV
Nia DaCosta is confirmed to direct the film adaptation of Ta-Nehisi Coates’ debut novel “The Water Dancer” for MGM, as reported on April 18.
“The Water Dancer” follows Young Hiram Walker, who was born into bondage, per an official synopsis. As a child, Hiram loses his mother and, over time, all memory of her. Now a young man, Hiram almost drowns when he crashes a carriage into a river, but is saved from the depths by a mysterious power he never realized he had and struggles to understand.
“The Water Dancer” was named Oprah Winfrey’s first Apple TV+ book club selection in 2019, and Winfrey is a producer on the adaptation with production company Harpo Films. Author Coates co-produces with Maceo-Lyn along with Brad Pitt’s Plan B Entertainment. “The Water Dancer” is the second film to be a collaboration between Coates and Plan B, following “Wrong Answer,” based on Rachel Aviv...
“The Water Dancer” follows Young Hiram Walker, who was born into bondage, per an official synopsis. As a child, Hiram loses his mother and, over time, all memory of her. Now a young man, Hiram almost drowns when he crashes a carriage into a river, but is saved from the depths by a mysterious power he never realized he had and struggles to understand.
“The Water Dancer” was named Oprah Winfrey’s first Apple TV+ book club selection in 2019, and Winfrey is a producer on the adaptation with production company Harpo Films. Author Coates co-produces with Maceo-Lyn along with Brad Pitt’s Plan B Entertainment. “The Water Dancer” is the second film to be a collaboration between Coates and Plan B, following “Wrong Answer,” based on Rachel Aviv...
- 4/18/2022
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
Nia DaCosta (Candyman) has been tapped to direct an adaptation of Ta-Nehisi Coates’ 2019 debut novel The Water Dancer for MGM, Plan B, Harpo Films and Maceo-Lyn.
Coates’ #1 New York Times bestseller follows Young Hiram Walker, who was born into bondage. As a child, he loses his mother and over time loses all memory of her. Now a young man, Hiram almost drowns when he crashes a carriage into a river, but is saved from the depths by a mysterious power he never realized he had and struggles to understand.
Oprah Winfrey named The Water Dancer as her first Oprah’s Book Club selection in partnership with Apple. It has also been named one of the best books of the year by such publications as Time, NPR, The Washington Post, The Chicago Tribune, Vanity Fair and Esquire. The title from Random House imprint One World has over a million copies in print.
Coates’ #1 New York Times bestseller follows Young Hiram Walker, who was born into bondage. As a child, he loses his mother and over time loses all memory of her. Now a young man, Hiram almost drowns when he crashes a carriage into a river, but is saved from the depths by a mysterious power he never realized he had and struggles to understand.
Oprah Winfrey named The Water Dancer as her first Oprah’s Book Club selection in partnership with Apple. It has also been named one of the best books of the year by such publications as Time, NPR, The Washington Post, The Chicago Tribune, Vanity Fair and Esquire. The title from Random House imprint One World has over a million copies in print.
- 4/18/2022
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Nia DaCosta will direct the feature film adaptation of Ta-Nehisi Coates’ best-selling novel “The Water Dancer.” The film is being backed by Metro Goldwyn Mayer and will be produced by Maceo-Lyn, Brad Pitt’s Plan B and Oprah Winfrey’s Harpo Films.
DaCosta directed last year’s horror hit “Candyman” and is also stepping into the Marvel Cinematic Universe with her next feature, the upcoming “The Marvels.” Her first film, “Little Woods,” starred Tessa Thompson and Lily James and premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2018 before getting released theatrically by Neon.
“The Water Dancer” is a surrealist story that unfolds in the pre–Civil War South. It follows Hiram Walker, born into slavery, who lost his mother as a child and over time loses all memory of her. As a young man, Hiram almost drowns when he crashes a carriage into a river, but he’s saved from the...
DaCosta directed last year’s horror hit “Candyman” and is also stepping into the Marvel Cinematic Universe with her next feature, the upcoming “The Marvels.” Her first film, “Little Woods,” starred Tessa Thompson and Lily James and premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2018 before getting released theatrically by Neon.
“The Water Dancer” is a surrealist story that unfolds in the pre–Civil War South. It follows Hiram Walker, born into slavery, who lost his mother as a child and over time loses all memory of her. As a young man, Hiram almost drowns when he crashes a carriage into a river, but he’s saved from the...
- 4/18/2022
- by Brent Lang
- Variety Film + TV
“Candyman” director Nia DaCosta has found her next film and has been set to direct an adaptation of Ta-Nehisi Coates’ book “The Water Dancer” for MGM.
Coates adapted the script based on his #1 New York Times Bestselling Novel of the same name. The film adaptation is being produced by Coates’ Maceo-Lyn, Brad Pitt’s Plan B and Oprah Winfrey’s Harpo Films.
“The Water Dancer” follows Hiram Walker, born into bondage. As a child, he loses his mother and, over time, loses all memory of her. Now a young man, Hiram almost drowns when he crashes a carriage into a river, but is saved from the depths by a mysterious power he never realized he had and struggles to understand.
“The Water Dancer” was a selection of Oprah’s Book Club and has over a million copies in print. The book was published by One World, an imprint of Random House.
Coates adapted the script based on his #1 New York Times Bestselling Novel of the same name. The film adaptation is being produced by Coates’ Maceo-Lyn, Brad Pitt’s Plan B and Oprah Winfrey’s Harpo Films.
“The Water Dancer” follows Hiram Walker, born into bondage. As a child, he loses his mother and, over time, loses all memory of her. Now a young man, Hiram almost drowns when he crashes a carriage into a river, but is saved from the depths by a mysterious power he never realized he had and struggles to understand.
“The Water Dancer” was a selection of Oprah’s Book Club and has over a million copies in print. The book was published by One World, an imprint of Random House.
- 4/18/2022
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
It has been such a pleasure watching Michael B. Jordan evolve onscreen. From his breakout as Wallace, the emotional center of the first season of The Wire, to Vince Howard, the anchor of the latter seasons of Friday Night Lights, on to film projects that showcased his true leading man ability like Creed and Fruitvale Station, Jordan has always projected both naturalism and star power. He’s been compared to Denzel Washington by The Hollywood Reporter, listed as a “rising young star” in just about every media trade publication, and has even been named People’s Sexiest Man Alive. Yet despite this, Jordan still projects an everyman quality that makes him believable in superhero spectacles and courtroom dramas alike.
Jordan’s next film is Without Remorse, which hits Amazon Prime on Friday. Based on the Tom Clancy novel of the same name, Without Remorse is a film set in the...
Jordan’s next film is Without Remorse, which hits Amazon Prime on Friday. Based on the Tom Clancy novel of the same name, Without Remorse is a film set in the...
- 4/30/2021
- by Nick Harley
- Den of Geek
Update: MGM confirms Michael B. Jordan will make his directorial debut with “Creed III,” opening in theaters Thanksgiving 2022. Jordan will star, produce, and direct, with Tessa Thompson and Phylicia Rashad expected to reprise their roles. The film’s writers are Keenan Coogler and Zach Baylin, who penned the screenplay based on an outline by Ryan Coogler.
“Directing has always been an aspiration, but the timing had to be right,” Jordan said in a statement. “Creed III is that moment — a time in my life where I’ve grown more sure of who I am, holding agency in my own story, maturing personally, growing professionally, and learning from the Greats like Ryan Coogler, most recently Denzel Washington, and other top tier directors I respect. All of which sets the table for this moment. This franchise and in particular the themes of Creed III are deeply personal to me. I look forward...
“Directing has always been an aspiration, but the timing had to be right,” Jordan said in a statement. “Creed III is that moment — a time in my life where I’ve grown more sure of who I am, holding agency in my own story, maturing personally, growing professionally, and learning from the Greats like Ryan Coogler, most recently Denzel Washington, and other top tier directors I respect. All of which sets the table for this moment. This franchise and in particular the themes of Creed III are deeply personal to me. I look forward...
- 3/10/2021
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Indiewire
It’s hard to disregard the “easy living” motif that covers the 10-year-old Furkan Demiri’s bed sheets in Dea Gjinovci’s “Wake Up on Mars.” The heartbreaking irony of the phrase stings, as there is nothing easy about this imaginative child’s life, brought to a halt amid endless immigration machinations in a frosty Swedish town. But citizenship status isn’t the only painful impediment that puts Furkan’s six-member, asylum-seeking Kosavan family in uncertainty.
Gjinovci’s compassionate yet slightly muddled documentary debut lays bare that two of Furkan’s siblings, Ibadeta and Djeneta, have been living in a coma-esque vegetative state for years, after falling ill with a mysterious disease called “the resignation syndrome,” a sleep-like shutdown of the body that apparently affects nearly 200 shell-shocked immigrant children living with fears of deportation each year.
While the tight-knit, caring Demiri family, led by loving parents Muharrem and Nurje, struggles...
Gjinovci’s compassionate yet slightly muddled documentary debut lays bare that two of Furkan’s siblings, Ibadeta and Djeneta, have been living in a coma-esque vegetative state for years, after falling ill with a mysterious disease called “the resignation syndrome,” a sleep-like shutdown of the body that apparently affects nearly 200 shell-shocked immigrant children living with fears of deportation each year.
While the tight-knit, caring Demiri family, led by loving parents Muharrem and Nurje, struggles...
- 5/18/2020
- by Tomris Laffly
- Variety Film + TV
America’s most award-winning magazine comes to life in this docu-series pilot. Produced by Oscar and Emmy winner Alex Gibney, The New Yorker Presents features a documentary from Jonathan Demme based on Rachel Aviv’s article, “A Very Valuable Reputation,” about the biologist Tyrone Hayes. Writer Ariel Levy interviews performance artist Marina Abramović, and a story by Simon Rich is adapted into a short film starring Alan Cumming (The Good Wife). Actor Andrew Garfield (The Amazing Spiderman) performs a moving poem by Matthew Dickman called “King,” and the cartoons of Emily Flake take shape throughout the half-hour show.
Weigh in on ’The New Yorker Presents’ and our other pilots and help decide which ones become Amazon’s next Original Series.
Weigh in on ’The New Yorker Presents’ and our other pilots and help decide which ones become Amazon’s next Original Series.
- 2/4/2015
- Hollywonk
Get ready to watch, rate and review Amazon’s just-released pilots – a slate of 13 original comedy, drama, docuseries and kids offerings now available on Amazon Instant Video.
The pilots come from a talented creative roster that includes both newcomers discovered through Amazon Studios as well as highly-acclaimed veterans such as Ridley Scott (Blade Runner), Frank Spotnitz (The X-Files), Carlton Cuse (Lost), Randall Wallace (Braveheart), Shawn Ryan (The Shield), Brad Silberling (Jane the Virgin, Lemony Snickets…), Mark Waters (Mean Girls), Academy and Emmy Award winning director Alex Gibney (The Armstrong Lie), Angela Santomero (Blue’s Clues), and Carol Greenwald (Arthur).
Over the course of the next four weeks, viewer feedback will ultimately help to decide which of them get picked up to full series. So your opinions matter! You could help choose the next Golden Globe-winning series, after all.
Check out the synopsis of each of them below, and start watching them here today.
The pilots come from a talented creative roster that includes both newcomers discovered through Amazon Studios as well as highly-acclaimed veterans such as Ridley Scott (Blade Runner), Frank Spotnitz (The X-Files), Carlton Cuse (Lost), Randall Wallace (Braveheart), Shawn Ryan (The Shield), Brad Silberling (Jane the Virgin, Lemony Snickets…), Mark Waters (Mean Girls), Academy and Emmy Award winning director Alex Gibney (The Armstrong Lie), Angela Santomero (Blue’s Clues), and Carol Greenwald (Arthur).
Over the course of the next four weeks, viewer feedback will ultimately help to decide which of them get picked up to full series. So your opinions matter! You could help choose the next Golden Globe-winning series, after all.
Check out the synopsis of each of them below, and start watching them here today.
- 1/15/2015
- Hollywonk
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