Two-time Palme d’Or winner Ruben Östlund’s highly anticipated next feature The Entertainment System Is Down might just have Keanu Reeves on board.
Given his unassailable pedigree as a filmmaker, the next film by Ruben Östlund was already highly anticipated, not least because he’s following up the acclaimed Triangle Of Sadness with another ambitious English-language project. It’s the central idea for the film that has garnered so much buzz up until this point: according to Variety, Östlund has ‘teased it several times as a social satire set on a long-haul flight on which the entertainment system isn’t working, sparking chaos and rages among passengers. The Swedish director has been collecting anecdotes for the last few years for the movie and recently finalised the script.’
With just that teasing plot hook we were fully dialled in, but the outlet is now reporting that Keanu Reeves is in...
Given his unassailable pedigree as a filmmaker, the next film by Ruben Östlund was already highly anticipated, not least because he’s following up the acclaimed Triangle Of Sadness with another ambitious English-language project. It’s the central idea for the film that has garnered so much buzz up until this point: according to Variety, Östlund has ‘teased it several times as a social satire set on a long-haul flight on which the entertainment system isn’t working, sparking chaos and rages among passengers. The Swedish director has been collecting anecdotes for the last few years for the movie and recently finalised the script.’
With just that teasing plot hook we were fully dialled in, but the outlet is now reporting that Keanu Reeves is in...
- 4/22/2024
- by Dan Cooper
- Film Stories
Keanu Reeves is reportedly eying a role in director Ruben Ostlund‘s new movie The Entertainment System is Down.
The 59-year-old John Wick actor is said to be in talks with the Swedish director to star in the project, which is a follow-up to Ruben‘s critically acclaimed Triangle of Sadness.
Keep reading to find out more…
Variety reported that Keanu was interested in the movie. If he signs on, he is expected to join an ensemble cast.
Little is known about the movie just yet, but the outlet described it as a “social satire set on a long-haul flight on which the entertainment system isn’t working, sparking chaos and rages among passengers.”
We will update you as we learn more about the project moving forward!
If you missed it, we recently learned that Keanu had lined up another role. He’s also reportedly starring in another movie with Cameron Diaz.
The 59-year-old John Wick actor is said to be in talks with the Swedish director to star in the project, which is a follow-up to Ruben‘s critically acclaimed Triangle of Sadness.
Keep reading to find out more…
Variety reported that Keanu was interested in the movie. If he signs on, he is expected to join an ensemble cast.
Little is known about the movie just yet, but the outlet described it as a “social satire set on a long-haul flight on which the entertainment system isn’t working, sparking chaos and rages among passengers.”
We will update you as we learn more about the project moving forward!
If you missed it, we recently learned that Keanu had lined up another role. He’s also reportedly starring in another movie with Cameron Diaz.
- 4/19/2024
- by Just Jared
- Just Jared
Following in the footsteps of Woody Harrelson, Keanu Reeves is the next actor in line for a special kind of miserablism reserved for air travellers in Ruben Östlund’s The Entertainment System Is Down. The project which was set to shoot only next year might be taking flight earlier than projected – it’s entirely possible that the film project could be pushing for a Cannes 2025 drop — according to Variety the screenplay has been finalized. We can’t wait to see what ensemble of actors the Swedish director puts in this tin box. The novel approach here with the film is Östlund will film in real time — so long takes will likely test auds’ patience.…...
- 4/19/2024
- by Eric Lavallée
- IONCINEMA.com
Call it “The Matrix of Sadness.”
“Triangle of Sadness” writer-director Ruben Östlund has tapped Keanu Reeves to star in his next film, the disaster comedy “The Entertainment System Is Down,” Variety reports.
Reeves will join an international ensemble cast in the Swedish filmmaker’s follow-up to his Oscar-nominated dark comedy “Triangle of Sadness.” While the cast is not set and exact plot details are being kept under wraps, “The Entertainment System Is Down” is expected to be a satirical, class-conscious, transportation-based black comedy, similar to “Triangle of Sadness” but even more ambitious. It’s set on a long international flight where, yes, the entertainment system is down, and the passengers react poorly.
“They don’t have the screens that we are so used to in our contemporary world,” Östlund told Variety in 2022. “So it’s going to be like a study of how human beings interact in this little laboratory that is a plane.
“Triangle of Sadness” writer-director Ruben Östlund has tapped Keanu Reeves to star in his next film, the disaster comedy “The Entertainment System Is Down,” Variety reports.
Reeves will join an international ensemble cast in the Swedish filmmaker’s follow-up to his Oscar-nominated dark comedy “Triangle of Sadness.” While the cast is not set and exact plot details are being kept under wraps, “The Entertainment System Is Down” is expected to be a satirical, class-conscious, transportation-based black comedy, similar to “Triangle of Sadness” but even more ambitious. It’s set on a long international flight where, yes, the entertainment system is down, and the passengers react poorly.
“They don’t have the screens that we are so used to in our contemporary world,” Östlund told Variety in 2022. “So it’s going to be like a study of how human beings interact in this little laboratory that is a plane.
- 4/19/2024
- by Liam Mathews
- Gold Derby
Keanu Reeves is making headlines again after joining the cast of Paramount‘s Sonic the Hedgehog 3 as the voice of Shadow the Hedgehog by engaging in talks to star in Triangle of Sadness director Ruben Östlund’s next feature, The Entertainment System Is Down.
Variety broke the news on Friday. Still, details about the plot remain a mystery. Östlund says The Entertainment System Is Down is a social satire set on a long-haul flight with a faulty entertainment system. As boredom spreads throughout the cabin, rage starts to overwhelm the passengers. Chaos ensues. The idea for Östlund’s next feature is something he’s been building for years. The filmmaker says he’s been collecting anecdotes to use as inspiration for The Entertainment System Is Down, with several years of material at his disposal. Though it likely involves dark comedy and sharp humor, Reeves’s role remains a mystery.
Variety broke the news on Friday. Still, details about the plot remain a mystery. Östlund says The Entertainment System Is Down is a social satire set on a long-haul flight with a faulty entertainment system. As boredom spreads throughout the cabin, rage starts to overwhelm the passengers. Chaos ensues. The idea for Östlund’s next feature is something he’s been building for years. The filmmaker says he’s been collecting anecdotes to use as inspiration for The Entertainment System Is Down, with several years of material at his disposal. Though it likely involves dark comedy and sharp humor, Reeves’s role remains a mystery.
- 4/19/2024
- by Steve Seigh
- JoBlo.com
What’s Keanu Reeves up to in his post-“John Wick” period? Well, he’s not quite done with the character yet; he’ll reprise it briefly in the upcoming spin-off “Ballerina,” in theaters next summer. But Variety reports the actor is in talks to star in a project that’s sure to be an eyebrow-raiser: Ruben Östlund‘s follow-up to his second Palme d’Or winner “Triangle Of Sadness.”
Read More: ‘Barbie’: Ruben Östlund Says “Mattel Bought Off An American Auteur” & Updates Next ‘Entertainment Down’ Satire
Östlund has been teasing “The Entertainment System Is Down” for a while now, but it sounds like he’s finally gearing up to film it. It’s another social satire for the Swedish auteur, about a long-haul flight where the entertainment system stops working, leading passengers to fly into rages.
Continue reading ‘The Entertainment System Is Down’: Keanu Reeves In Talks...
Read More: ‘Barbie’: Ruben Östlund Says “Mattel Bought Off An American Auteur” & Updates Next ‘Entertainment Down’ Satire
Östlund has been teasing “The Entertainment System Is Down” for a while now, but it sounds like he’s finally gearing up to film it. It’s another social satire for the Swedish auteur, about a long-haul flight where the entertainment system stops working, leading passengers to fly into rages.
Continue reading ‘The Entertainment System Is Down’: Keanu Reeves In Talks...
- 4/19/2024
- by Ned Booth
- The Playlist
Keanu Reeves is in talks to star in two-time Palme d’Or winner Ruben Östlund’s highly anticipated next feature “The Entertainment System Is Down,” Variety has learned.
While the exact plot of the movie remains under wraps, Östlund has teased it several times as a social satire set on a long-haul flight on which the entertainment system isn’t working, sparking chaos and rages among passengers. The Swedish director has been collecting anecdotes for the last few years for the movie and recently finalized the script. The exact role that Reeves would have in the film is unknown, but it will likely involve wicked humor in line with Östlund’s brand of black comedy.
Reeves will be part of the ensemble cast comprising several international stars. The movie will mark Östlund’s follow up to “Triangle of Sadness,” which won the Palme d’Or at Cannes Film Festival in...
While the exact plot of the movie remains under wraps, Östlund has teased it several times as a social satire set on a long-haul flight on which the entertainment system isn’t working, sparking chaos and rages among passengers. The Swedish director has been collecting anecdotes for the last few years for the movie and recently finalized the script. The exact role that Reeves would have in the film is unknown, but it will likely involve wicked humor in line with Östlund’s brand of black comedy.
Reeves will be part of the ensemble cast comprising several international stars. The movie will mark Östlund’s follow up to “Triangle of Sadness,” which won the Palme d’Or at Cannes Film Festival in...
- 4/19/2024
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
Producer Konstantinos Kontovrakis has left Heretic Films, the Athens-based production and sales company he co-founded with Giorgos Karnavas in 2013.
Kontovrakis has not announced his post-Heretic plans yet, but said he was “very much looking forward to the challenges and discoveries of our ever-new cinema landscape”.
He told Screen: “After over a decade of setting up and running a successful company and making great films, I found myself losing sight of the broader landscape. So much changes in our industry so fast that the time felt right for me to be immersed in it once more and to expand my...
Kontovrakis has not announced his post-Heretic plans yet, but said he was “very much looking forward to the challenges and discoveries of our ever-new cinema landscape”.
He told Screen: “After over a decade of setting up and running a successful company and making great films, I found myself losing sight of the broader landscape. So much changes in our industry so fast that the time felt right for me to be immersed in it once more and to expand my...
- 4/15/2024
- ScreenDaily
Triangle of Sadness director Ruben Östlund understands the power of cinema and its impact on society, which is why he’s proposing a radical idea to regulate the use of cameras.
The Oscar-nominated filmmaker recently expressed in an interview with The Guardian the importance of consuming high-quality media, especially since people’s relationship with screens — big or small — has become much more prominent today.
“I have an idea,” Östlund said. “What if you were only allowed to use a camera if you have a license? You need one for a gun — at least in sophisticated countries. The camera is also a powerful tool.”
The Square director also advised other filmmakers to treat media with a level of caution and understand the responsibility they hold as films can potentially influence society in ways they weren’t intended to.
“Movies are changing the world and it’s important to take that into...
The Oscar-nominated filmmaker recently expressed in an interview with The Guardian the importance of consuming high-quality media, especially since people’s relationship with screens — big or small — has become much more prominent today.
“I have an idea,” Östlund said. “What if you were only allowed to use a camera if you have a license? You need one for a gun — at least in sophisticated countries. The camera is also a powerful tool.”
The Square director also advised other filmmakers to treat media with a level of caution and understand the responsibility they hold as films can potentially influence society in ways they weren’t intended to.
“Movies are changing the world and it’s important to take that into...
- 4/14/2024
- by Carly Thomas
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
As human beings spend an ever-increasing amount of their free time looking at screens and disinformation continues to shape global politics, “Triangle of Sadness” director Ruben Östlund has some radical ideas about how to ensure that people are consuming high quality media.
In a new interview with The Guardian, Östlund floated the idea that images have become so powerful and omnipresent that cameras might need to be regulated with the same care with which many European countries treat guns.
“I have an idea,” Östlund said. “What if you were only allowed to use a camera if you have a license? You need one for a gun — at least in sophisticated countries. The camera is also a powerful tool.”
Östlund went on to caution new filmmakers against dismissing the potential impact of their work, explaining that he thinks fictional movies can create ripple effects that go on to shape society in unintended ways.
In a new interview with The Guardian, Östlund floated the idea that images have become so powerful and omnipresent that cameras might need to be regulated with the same care with which many European countries treat guns.
“I have an idea,” Östlund said. “What if you were only allowed to use a camera if you have a license? You need one for a gun — at least in sophisticated countries. The camera is also a powerful tool.”
Östlund went on to caution new filmmakers against dismissing the potential impact of their work, explaining that he thinks fictional movies can create ripple effects that go on to shape society in unintended ways.
- 4/13/2024
- by Christian Zilko
- Indiewire
As his new film looks at society’s relationship with the camera, the double Palme d’Or winner talks about the power of the screen – big and small – and why the next generation will be Marxist
‘I have an idea,” says Ruben Östlund. “What if you were only allowed to use a camera if you have a licence? You need one for a gun – at least in sophisticated countries. The camera is also a powerful tool.”
He laughs, slim and bearded, in a book-lined coffee shop in Stockholm. A double Palme d’Or winner – for art satire The Square and bilious kill-the-rich comedy Triangle of Sadness – Östlund takes cinema seriously. Others, he fears, may be less responsible.
‘I have an idea,” says Ruben Östlund. “What if you were only allowed to use a camera if you have a licence? You need one for a gun – at least in sophisticated countries. The camera is also a powerful tool.”
He laughs, slim and bearded, in a book-lined coffee shop in Stockholm. A double Palme d’Or winner – for art satire The Square and bilious kill-the-rich comedy Triangle of Sadness – Östlund takes cinema seriously. Others, he fears, may be less responsible.
- 4/12/2024
- by Catherine Shoard
- The Guardian - Film News
Sovereign is proud to announce that award-winning Mexican director Amat Escalante’s powerful thriller Lost In The Night received its UK premiere at the 2023 BFI London Film Festival, as part of the ‘Thrill’ section, and now the film is available to rent/buy on Amazon Prime Video in the UK.
From acclaimed Mexican director Amat Escalante, following Heli, for which he won Best Director at Cannes in 2013, and The Untamed, which won him the Best Director prize at Venice in 2016, comes Lost In The Night, a taut, engrossing thriller that blends traditional elements of Latin American cinema with astute social commentary on Mexican society and contemporary influencer culture.
The film, which premiered at Cannes this year, stars Juan Daniel García Treviño (Narcos México), and Latin American influencer superstar Ester Expósito, who has 27 million followers, and features a superb score by Stranger Things composers Kyle Dixon and Michael Stein.
The film...
From acclaimed Mexican director Amat Escalante, following Heli, for which he won Best Director at Cannes in 2013, and The Untamed, which won him the Best Director prize at Venice in 2016, comes Lost In The Night, a taut, engrossing thriller that blends traditional elements of Latin American cinema with astute social commentary on Mexican society and contemporary influencer culture.
The film, which premiered at Cannes this year, stars Juan Daniel García Treviño (Narcos México), and Latin American influencer superstar Ester Expósito, who has 27 million followers, and features a superb score by Stranger Things composers Kyle Dixon and Michael Stein.
The film...
- 4/11/2024
- by Peter 'Witchfinder' Hopkins
- Horror Asylum
If you’re lucky enough to live in New York, Film Forum is mounting a 20-film Ken Loach retrospective on April 19 after his latest — and quite possibly last — film, Cannes 2023 entry “The Old Oak” starts rolling out on April 5. The British director carries the distinction of being one of nine filmmakers (among them Francis Ford Coppola and Ruben Östlund) to win the Palme d’Or twice: for the Irish history “The Wind That Shakes the Barley” (2006), starring Cillian Murphy, and healthcare drama “I, Daniel Blake” (2016).
Both times, the Competition juries were powerless to resist the films’ emotional pull.
And resistance is futile. That’s because Loach knows how to move us. His movies hit a nerve because they dig into believable characters inspired by real people and informed by current events.
Loach and his long-time screenwriter Paul Laverty do not rip stories out of the headlines so much as they...
Both times, the Competition juries were powerless to resist the films’ emotional pull.
And resistance is futile. That’s because Loach knows how to move us. His movies hit a nerve because they dig into believable characters inspired by real people and informed by current events.
Loach and his long-time screenwriter Paul Laverty do not rip stories out of the headlines so much as they...
- 4/1/2024
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
Bettina Blümner’s “Vamos a la playa” won ArteKino Festival’s European Audience Award at a ceremony co-organized by the iconic French fashion house Chanel in Paris.
Held at La Femis, Paris’ prestigious film school, the event also included a conversation with French filmmaker Rebecca Zlotowski (“Other People’s Children”), followed by a ceremony honoring Blümner and a screening of “Vamos a la playa,” as well as a posh cocktail which brought together film talent, executives and students.
ArteKino Festival is a competitive online event taking place in December and showcasing director-driven films which are made available in six language across 32 countries on the website of Arte and its YouTube channel.
“Vamos a la playa” was one of the 12 feature films selected for the latest edition of ArteKino Festival, an initiative spearheaded by Remi Burah, ArteKino Foundation president and CEO of Arte France Cinema, the film division of the TV network.
Held at La Femis, Paris’ prestigious film school, the event also included a conversation with French filmmaker Rebecca Zlotowski (“Other People’s Children”), followed by a ceremony honoring Blümner and a screening of “Vamos a la playa,” as well as a posh cocktail which brought together film talent, executives and students.
ArteKino Festival is a competitive online event taking place in December and showcasing director-driven films which are made available in six language across 32 countries on the website of Arte and its YouTube channel.
“Vamos a la playa” was one of the 12 feature films selected for the latest edition of ArteKino Festival, an initiative spearheaded by Remi Burah, ArteKino Foundation president and CEO of Arte France Cinema, the film division of the TV network.
- 3/27/2024
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
Q&a’s are a staple of indie opening weekends since they tend to sell tickets but Bob and Jeanne Berney’s Picturehouse has raised that bar, offering audiences seven-minute live burlesque revues before selected screenings of documentary Carol Doda Topless At The Condor. The ode to the woman, and to 1960s San Francisco where she broke out topless, opens in limited release in New York, LA, San Francisco and San Rafael. Dancers in what Bob Berney called a “Doda-esqe burlesque” will not be topless,” he said — “but pretty close.”
Dancers start in the audience then move to the front of the theater against a specially designed backdrop of image and sound on screen. “It brings you into that world immediately. You are there before the film starts,” he said.
“Eventizing” a film is great if you can do it. The box office is much better but still a bit weird since Covid.
Dancers start in the audience then move to the front of the theater against a specially designed backdrop of image and sound on screen. “It brings you into that world immediately. You are there before the film starts,” he said.
“Eventizing” a film is great if you can do it. The box office is much better but still a bit weird since Covid.
- 3/22/2024
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
Jeremy Irons and double-Palme d’Or winner Bille August are gearing up for their highly-anticipated Count of Monte Cristo series but when offered the chance to work on the project, they had certain red lines.
“I wouldn’t have taken it if it was a movie, it had to be TV,” Danish director August told Deadline at Series Mania. “The story is so rich and deserves TV. For this one it was obvious.”
Oscar-winner Irons said TV series can do “these great novels justice” in a way that some movies can’t, referencing his breakout work on 1981’s Brideshead Revisited, which was across 13 episodes. Both stars have skewed towards movies during their decorated careers and Count Of Monte Cristo has never been made for TV. A 2002 movie version saw Richard Harris play Irons’ role.
“With TV’s insatiable appetite for material it seemed for this great novel, we needed to...
“I wouldn’t have taken it if it was a movie, it had to be TV,” Danish director August told Deadline at Series Mania. “The story is so rich and deserves TV. For this one it was obvious.”
Oscar-winner Irons said TV series can do “these great novels justice” in a way that some movies can’t, referencing his breakout work on 1981’s Brideshead Revisited, which was across 13 episodes. Both stars have skewed towards movies during their decorated careers and Count Of Monte Cristo has never been made for TV. A 2002 movie version saw Richard Harris play Irons’ role.
“With TV’s insatiable appetite for material it seemed for this great novel, we needed to...
- 3/21/2024
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
Roll up, roll up for Part 2 of our Cannes Film Festival preview, this time with a focus on international, mainly non-English-language fare. If you didn’t catch Andreas’ English-language-focused Part 1, check it out.
As the fest basks in the warm glow of the Oscar wins for 2023 Palme d’Or winner Anatomy of a Fall and Grand Jury Prize winner The Zone of Interest, delegate general Thierry Frémaux and his team are furiously tying up the 2024 Official Selection.
With less than four weeks to go until the bulk of the 77th edition (running May 14-25) is revealed at the press conference in Paris on April 11, we’ve rounded up a host of the titles ready and in the running for a splash in either Official Selection or the main parallel sections of Directors’ Fortnight and Critics’ Week.
The registration deadline was March 15, with March 22 the official cut-off for submissions to arrive...
As the fest basks in the warm glow of the Oscar wins for 2023 Palme d’Or winner Anatomy of a Fall and Grand Jury Prize winner The Zone of Interest, delegate general Thierry Frémaux and his team are furiously tying up the 2024 Official Selection.
With less than four weeks to go until the bulk of the 77th edition (running May 14-25) is revealed at the press conference in Paris on April 11, we’ve rounded up a host of the titles ready and in the running for a splash in either Official Selection or the main parallel sections of Directors’ Fortnight and Critics’ Week.
The registration deadline was March 15, with March 22 the official cut-off for submissions to arrive...
- 3/18/2024
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
Oppenheimer director Christopher Nolan won the Academy Award for best director, his first Oscar ever, on Sunday night.
“I have so many people to thank,” Nolan said during his acceptance speech. “The most incredible cast, Matt Damon, Robert, Emily, Florence, just so many others, all at the top of their game, led by the incredible Cillian Murphy… a crew, some of whom have been awarded tonight. I can’t say enough about the incredible crew that we got together on this film. Thank you to Chuck Roven for putting the book in my hands… The incredible Emma Thomas, producer of all our films and all of our children. I love you. To the academy, just to say movies are just a little bit over 100 years old. I mean, imagine being there 100 years into painting or theater. We don’t know where this incredible journey is going from here. But to...
“I have so many people to thank,” Nolan said during his acceptance speech. “The most incredible cast, Matt Damon, Robert, Emily, Florence, just so many others, all at the top of their game, led by the incredible Cillian Murphy… a crew, some of whom have been awarded tonight. I can’t say enough about the incredible crew that we got together on this film. Thank you to Chuck Roven for putting the book in my hands… The incredible Emma Thomas, producer of all our films and all of our children. I love you. To the academy, just to say movies are just a little bit over 100 years old. I mean, imagine being there 100 years into painting or theater. We don’t know where this incredible journey is going from here. But to...
- 3/11/2024
- by Beatrice Verhoeven
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Agnieszka Holland’s refugee drama The Green Border has taken the top prize for best film at the Polish Film Awards. The black-and-white feature, which looks at the inhumane treatment of refugees trying to cross the natural border between Belarus and Poland, premiered to critical acclaim at the Venice Film Festival last year but came under attack from Poland’s far-right government, which called the movie “Nazi propaganda” for its supposedly negative depiction of Polish police and border guards. The political attacks are thought to have influenced the Polish Oscar committee’s decision not to put Green Border forward as Poland’s best international film contender this year, instead selecting Dk and Hugh Welchman’s Hugh animated literary adaptation The Peasants (which did not get nominated).
But a lot has changed in Poland since. Parliamentary elections last October ousted the nationalist Law and Justice (PiS) party, which had ruled for 8 years,...
But a lot has changed in Poland since. Parliamentary elections last October ousted the nationalist Law and Justice (PiS) party, which had ruled for 8 years,...
- 3/7/2024
- by Scott Roxborough
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Berlin — In a bellwether deal on one of the cutting edges of European TV, Zdf Studios has taken distribution worldwide on drama series “The Zweiflers,” produced by Turbokultur for Ard Degeto Film and Hessischer Rundfunk (Hr).
Created and showrun by David Hadda, the six-part series will premiere in Germany on Ard’s Mediathek streaming service in the spring and also be shown on Das Erste, Ard’s main linear channel, in the near future.
In an age of spiraling costs and a large need to cut through a still immensely crowded market, Europe’s public broadcasters –Zdf Studios, not Zdf in this case – are looking to partner. The most obvious partners are other state TV networks, even in their own country if the co-operation works.
“We have already added Ard Degeto Film projects to our portfolio before. And there will be more in the future. There are no limits to our choice of partners,...
Created and showrun by David Hadda, the six-part series will premiere in Germany on Ard’s Mediathek streaming service in the spring and also be shown on Das Erste, Ard’s main linear channel, in the near future.
In an age of spiraling costs and a large need to cut through a still immensely crowded market, Europe’s public broadcasters –Zdf Studios, not Zdf in this case – are looking to partner. The most obvious partners are other state TV networks, even in their own country if the co-operation works.
“We have already added Ard Degeto Film projects to our portfolio before. And there will be more in the future. There are no limits to our choice of partners,...
- 2/16/2024
- by John Hopewell and Callum McLennan
- Variety Film + TV
Battered by disappointing markets at Toronto and AFM, both of which were held under the shadow of the actors strike, buyers and sellers are looking to Berlin’s European Film Market (EFM), which runs Feb. 15-21, to re-energize the indie business. The outlook, coming out of Sundance, is good.
“The difference in Sundance from last year to this was extreme, there were a lot more deals being down, both by distributors and streamers,” says Janina Vislmaier, head of sales at Protagonist Pictures, which screened The Outrun with Saoirse Ronan and Sasquatch Sunset with Riley Keough and Jesse Eisenberg in Park City, both of which will screen at the EFM. “Everyone is really excited ahead of Berlin, especially because all the buyers are back, including from Asia, which is a really good sign.”
The end of the SAG and WGA strikes hasn’t, yet, delivered the flood of new projects and packages many had predicted,...
“The difference in Sundance from last year to this was extreme, there were a lot more deals being down, both by distributors and streamers,” says Janina Vislmaier, head of sales at Protagonist Pictures, which screened The Outrun with Saoirse Ronan and Sasquatch Sunset with Riley Keough and Jesse Eisenberg in Park City, both of which will screen at the EFM. “Everyone is really excited ahead of Berlin, especially because all the buyers are back, including from Asia, which is a really good sign.”
The end of the SAG and WGA strikes hasn’t, yet, delivered the flood of new projects and packages many had predicted,...
- 2/13/2024
- by Scott Roxborough
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The Swedish Film Institute (Sfi) has appointed Svt executive Anna Croneman as its new CEO.
Croneman will start in the role in mid-April. She is a permanent replacement for temporary CEO Asa Sjoberg.
Sjoberg had been in the role since the departure of Anette Novak, who left the role abruptly in September 2023.
”I have worked as a commissioner of tv-drama and feature films at Svt for seven wonderful years and I guess I am ready for the next big challenge,” said Croneman. ”The film industry is in a troubled state, from the pandemic, with new players entering and changing viewer habits.
Croneman will start in the role in mid-April. She is a permanent replacement for temporary CEO Asa Sjoberg.
Sjoberg had been in the role since the departure of Anette Novak, who left the role abruptly in September 2023.
”I have worked as a commissioner of tv-drama and feature films at Svt for seven wonderful years and I guess I am ready for the next big challenge,” said Croneman. ”The film industry is in a troubled state, from the pandemic, with new players entering and changing viewer habits.
- 2/13/2024
- ScreenDaily
The British producer of Ruben Östlund’s Triangle of Sadness has sounded the alarm on the state of the UK’s independent film industry.
This comes as the UK enjoys a boom due to respected British craft skills and tax incentives. The recent box office behemoth Barbie was made at Warner Bros studios near Watford, north London, and those studios are being expanded. Netflix is also planning to expand its studio space at Shepperton, south of London. Such investment from overseas translates into a huge boon for local economies and for training, and bringing new talent into the business.
However, veteran producer Mike Goodridge, who made the recent hit Triangle of Sadness, told the BBC’s Today Programme:
“The industry is essentially on its knees. On the upside, British actors, crew, are working at the highest level, but all for American companies. Theoretically, that’s wonderful, however, on a more philosophical level,...
This comes as the UK enjoys a boom due to respected British craft skills and tax incentives. The recent box office behemoth Barbie was made at Warner Bros studios near Watford, north London, and those studios are being expanded. Netflix is also planning to expand its studio space at Shepperton, south of London. Such investment from overseas translates into a huge boon for local economies and for training, and bringing new talent into the business.
However, veteran producer Mike Goodridge, who made the recent hit Triangle of Sadness, told the BBC’s Today Programme:
“The industry is essentially on its knees. On the upside, British actors, crew, are working at the highest level, but all for American companies. Theoretically, that’s wonderful, however, on a more philosophical level,...
- 2/10/2024
- by Caroline Frost
- Deadline Film + TV
Copenhagen-based Dr Sales has snapped up international rights on the anticipated opening film of the 21st Cph:dox Festival, “Life and Other Problems.” Variety debuts the trailer below.
The playful existential film by Danish documentary filmmaker Max Kestner is shepherded by Denmark’s Bullitt Film (Prix Europa for “Absolute Beginners”), with Ruben Östlund’s Swedish banner Plattform Produktion and the U.K.’s Hopscotch Films (“Story of Film”). Bullitt and Plattform teamed up earlier on the 2023 Sundance special jury prize winning doc “And the King Said, What a Fantastic Machine.”
Commenting on the Dr Sales pick up, Kim Christiansen, executive producer, in charge of documentaries and co-productions, says: “Max Kestner has for decades been one of the most intelligent filmmakers in Denmark, and I have personally been a huge fan since his 2002 TV series ‘Blue Collar White Christmas,’ which in tone and humor was way ahead of its time.”
“It’s...
The playful existential film by Danish documentary filmmaker Max Kestner is shepherded by Denmark’s Bullitt Film (Prix Europa for “Absolute Beginners”), with Ruben Östlund’s Swedish banner Plattform Produktion and the U.K.’s Hopscotch Films (“Story of Film”). Bullitt and Plattform teamed up earlier on the 2023 Sundance special jury prize winning doc “And the King Said, What a Fantastic Machine.”
Commenting on the Dr Sales pick up, Kim Christiansen, executive producer, in charge of documentaries and co-productions, says: “Max Kestner has for decades been one of the most intelligent filmmakers in Denmark, and I have personally been a huge fan since his 2002 TV series ‘Blue Collar White Christmas,’ which in tone and humor was way ahead of its time.”
“It’s...
- 2/9/2024
- by Annika Pham
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Cannes Marché du Film has unveiled the four film industry professionals who will select the projects for the second edition of its Investors Circle initiative.
The one-day event – taking place within the framework of this year’s market, running from May 14 to 22 – is aimed at connecting elevated, international feature film projects with film financiers and high-net worth individuals with a desire to invest in cinema.
This year’s selection committee comprises Arte France Cinéma CEO Remi Burah; French film and TV biz entrepreneur Serge Hayat; Georgian cinema professional Tamara Tatishvili, who is currently head of the International Film Festival Rotterdam’s Hubert Bals Fund, and Korean co-production expert Wonsun Shin.
The projects are gathered through a combination of networking and scouting as well as direct submissions to the Cannes Marché du Film up until February 29. The Selection Committee will meet throughout March to decide the final line-up.
Aleksandra Zakharchenko,...
The one-day event – taking place within the framework of this year’s market, running from May 14 to 22 – is aimed at connecting elevated, international feature film projects with film financiers and high-net worth individuals with a desire to invest in cinema.
This year’s selection committee comprises Arte France Cinéma CEO Remi Burah; French film and TV biz entrepreneur Serge Hayat; Georgian cinema professional Tamara Tatishvili, who is currently head of the International Film Festival Rotterdam’s Hubert Bals Fund, and Korean co-production expert Wonsun Shin.
The projects are gathered through a combination of networking and scouting as well as direct submissions to the Cannes Marché du Film up until February 29. The Selection Committee will meet throughout March to decide the final line-up.
Aleksandra Zakharchenko,...
- 2/6/2024
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
Jerusalem Film Festival artistic director Elad Samorzik will depart from his role later this year, with programmer, critic and author Orr Sigoli taking over the position.
Samorzik, who has been artistic director of the festival since late 2013, will work alongside Sigoli on the 2024 edition as outgoing artistic director.
The 41st Jerusalem Film Festival will run from July 18-28 – the first official indication that the festival is moving forwards with plans for this year, despite war in the region since the Hamas attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023, and subsequent Israeli invasion of Gaza.
A popular figure in the Israeli and international industry,...
Samorzik, who has been artistic director of the festival since late 2013, will work alongside Sigoli on the 2024 edition as outgoing artistic director.
The 41st Jerusalem Film Festival will run from July 18-28 – the first official indication that the festival is moving forwards with plans for this year, despite war in the region since the Hamas attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023, and subsequent Israeli invasion of Gaza.
A popular figure in the Israeli and international industry,...
- 2/5/2024
- ScreenDaily
Jerusalem Film Festival Artistic Director Elad Samorzik has announced his departure from the role later this year after ten editions in the role, to be replaced by Orr Sigoli.
Sigoli and Samorzik will work together on the next edition, scheduled to unfold from July 18 to 28, with the latter continuing to working for the next few months as Outgoing Artistic Director.
“After a decade at the festival, I have decided to leave my position and move on to new challenges. It was an incredible honor to serve as Artistic Director of the Jerusalem Film Festival for so many years and work with a team that became such a meaningful part of my life,” said Samorzik.
“I have known Orr Sigoli for many years; he is a true cinephile and I am certain that the festival will benefit greatly from his deep commitment to the art of film.”
Samorzik took up the...
Sigoli and Samorzik will work together on the next edition, scheduled to unfold from July 18 to 28, with the latter continuing to working for the next few months as Outgoing Artistic Director.
“After a decade at the festival, I have decided to leave my position and move on to new challenges. It was an incredible honor to serve as Artistic Director of the Jerusalem Film Festival for so many years and work with a team that became such a meaningful part of my life,” said Samorzik.
“I have known Orr Sigoli for many years; he is a true cinephile and I am certain that the festival will benefit greatly from his deep commitment to the art of film.”
Samorzik took up the...
- 2/5/2024
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
Denis Lavant, the iconic French actor of Claire Denis’ “Beau Travail” and Leos Carax’ “Holy Motors,” stars in “Redoubt,” the feature debut of rising contemporary artist-turned-director John Skoog.
Currently in post, the black-and-white film is produced by Plattform Produktion, the Goteborg-based banner run by two-time Palme d’Or winning director Ruben Ostlund (“Triangle of Sadness”) and Erik Hemmendorff. Skoog previously directed the California-set documentary short “Shadowland” which completed for a Golden Bear at the Berlinale.
“Redoubt” (“Reduit”) is a narrative film that expands on Skoog’s video installation by the same name which won the prestigious Baloise Art Prize in 2014, and is also part of the artist’s exhibition “Walls.”
Lavant’s reclusive character in “Redoubt” is inspired by Karl-Göran Persson, a farmer known as a good samaritan on the verge of madness, who lived near Skoog’s home town Kvidinge during WWII. After receiving a warning by the Swedish...
Currently in post, the black-and-white film is produced by Plattform Produktion, the Goteborg-based banner run by two-time Palme d’Or winning director Ruben Ostlund (“Triangle of Sadness”) and Erik Hemmendorff. Skoog previously directed the California-set documentary short “Shadowland” which completed for a Golden Bear at the Berlinale.
“Redoubt” (“Reduit”) is a narrative film that expands on Skoog’s video installation by the same name which won the prestigious Baloise Art Prize in 2014, and is also part of the artist’s exhibition “Walls.”
Lavant’s reclusive character in “Redoubt” is inspired by Karl-Göran Persson, a farmer known as a good samaritan on the verge of madness, who lived near Skoog’s home town Kvidinge during WWII. After receiving a warning by the Swedish...
- 2/4/2024
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
Niclas Larsson’s “Mother, Couch” was awarded the Dragon Award for Best Nordic Film at Goteborg, taking home the considerable amount of Sek 400,000.
Led by Ewan McGregor – this year’s recipient of the Honorary Dragon Award – the U.S.-Swedish-Danish co-production also features Ellen Burstyn and “Bones and All” breakout Taylor Russell, making it one of the starriest Goteborg winners in recent years.
“My therapist was wrong! I pitched him this idea a few years ago and he said: ‘Don’t do it.’ I am from here and this festival has meant the world to me. Standing on this stage is a bit surreal,” said Larsson.
Jurors Lena Endre, Ramata-Toulaye Sy, William Spetz, Tonia Noyabrova and Anna Novion appreciated the way it shows “how difficult it is to let go of the past, accept loss and finally embrace the future.” They praised “original and bold storytelling, with a lot of humor,...
Led by Ewan McGregor – this year’s recipient of the Honorary Dragon Award – the U.S.-Swedish-Danish co-production also features Ellen Burstyn and “Bones and All” breakout Taylor Russell, making it one of the starriest Goteborg winners in recent years.
“My therapist was wrong! I pitched him this idea a few years ago and he said: ‘Don’t do it.’ I am from here and this festival has meant the world to me. Standing on this stage is a bit surreal,” said Larsson.
Jurors Lena Endre, Ramata-Toulaye Sy, William Spetz, Tonia Noyabrova and Anna Novion appreciated the way it shows “how difficult it is to let go of the past, accept loss and finally embrace the future.” They praised “original and bold storytelling, with a lot of humor,...
- 2/3/2024
- by Marta Balaga
- Variety Film + TV
Niclas Larsson’s Mother, Couch took the Dragon award for best Nordic film at Goteborg Film Festival, which held its closing ceremony this evening.
The Swedish-us drama received the 400,000 Sek prize from the five-person jury, consisting of actors Lena Endre and William Spetz, and directors Ramata-Toulaye Sy, Tonia Noyabrova and Anna Novion.
Scroll down for the full list of winners
The jury chose the film for its “original and bold storytelling with a lot of humour; with the use of creative cinematography and sharp and witty dialogue.”
Mother, Couch centres on three children who are brought together when their mother...
The Swedish-us drama received the 400,000 Sek prize from the five-person jury, consisting of actors Lena Endre and William Spetz, and directors Ramata-Toulaye Sy, Tonia Noyabrova and Anna Novion.
Scroll down for the full list of winners
The jury chose the film for its “original and bold storytelling with a lot of humour; with the use of creative cinematography and sharp and witty dialogue.”
Mother, Couch centres on three children who are brought together when their mother...
- 2/3/2024
- ScreenDaily
Serbian director Emilija Gašić will follow International Film Festival Rotterdam premiere “78 Days” with the “atmospheric and tense” psychological thriller “Witches,” she reveals to Variety exclusively.
“I’ve always been drawn to scary elements in films — especially if there are moments of comic relief. Growing up in Serbia, I was surrounded by stories and legends. There are so many superstitions and traditions that date back to pagan times.”
Her new film will focus on a woman going through menopause, without support from her loved ones or the healthcare system. Desperate, she turns to an elderly woman for help, a folk healer from a nearby village. Soon, she is asked to perform a series of rituals in order to lift a supposed curse.
“In some villages, there are still these revered healers. I am interested in tapping into this heritage because it’s so rich and really unlike anything else we have seen,...
“I’ve always been drawn to scary elements in films — especially if there are moments of comic relief. Growing up in Serbia, I was surrounded by stories and legends. There are so many superstitions and traditions that date back to pagan times.”
Her new film will focus on a woman going through menopause, without support from her loved ones or the healthcare system. Desperate, she turns to an elderly woman for help, a folk healer from a nearby village. Soon, she is asked to perform a series of rituals in order to lift a supposed curse.
“In some villages, there are still these revered healers. I am interested in tapping into this heritage because it’s so rich and really unlike anything else we have seen,...
- 2/3/2024
- by Marta Balaga
- Variety Film + TV
As the final work in progress wrapped on Friday, Göteborg ‘s head of TV Drama Vision Cia Edström and head of industry and Nordic Film Market Josef Kullengård could finally relax after a mission well accomplished.
Two of their biggest challenges this year – hosting an industry showcase for 700-plus international delegates in a brand-new venue, the Clarion Hotel Draken, and lifting the Nordic industry’s moral by the crisis in the drama sector – had been successfully met. Variety drills down on how and why:
All-Time Record Attendees
As many as 2,029 accredited delegates registered for the festival and industry showcases at the 47th Göteborg Film Festival, and parallel TV and film markets, the largest in the Nordic region. “We’ve never hit this silver line,” said Kullengård. The 18th TV Drama Vision drew 729 delegates, the Nordic Film Market 556.
Ideal New Göteborg Industry Hub
Literally built around Götoborg’s historic Draken Cinema...
Two of their biggest challenges this year – hosting an industry showcase for 700-plus international delegates in a brand-new venue, the Clarion Hotel Draken, and lifting the Nordic industry’s moral by the crisis in the drama sector – had been successfully met. Variety drills down on how and why:
All-Time Record Attendees
As many as 2,029 accredited delegates registered for the festival and industry showcases at the 47th Göteborg Film Festival, and parallel TV and film markets, the largest in the Nordic region. “We’ve never hit this silver line,” said Kullengård. The 18th TV Drama Vision drew 729 delegates, the Nordic Film Market 556.
Ideal New Göteborg Industry Hub
Literally built around Götoborg’s historic Draken Cinema...
- 2/3/2024
- by Annika Pham
- Variety Film + TV
Isabelle Thomas, British documentary filmmaker and the wife of Oscar-nominated Killers of the Flower Moon producer Bradley Thomas, was found dead at a Los Angeles hotel this week, medical records show. Thomas was 39.
Isabelle Thomas died by suicide and was discovered with “multiple traumatic injuries” at a local hotel, according to online records from the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office. Citing law enforcement sources, TMZ reported this week that on Monday, Thomas had lept from a high-up floor at the Hotel Angeleno; the 17-floor Westwood hotel is notable for the balconies that wrap around the building on each floor.
Police sources reportedly indicated that she was discovered dead at the scene when first responders arrived.
“Isabelle was the light of our lives,” said the family in a statement to the L.A. Times. “She was courageous and took all life’s opportunities without fear, showering love and kindness on her friends,...
Isabelle Thomas died by suicide and was discovered with “multiple traumatic injuries” at a local hotel, according to online records from the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office. Citing law enforcement sources, TMZ reported this week that on Monday, Thomas had lept from a high-up floor at the Hotel Angeleno; the 17-floor Westwood hotel is notable for the balconies that wrap around the building on each floor.
Police sources reportedly indicated that she was discovered dead at the scene when first responders arrived.
“Isabelle was the light of our lives,” said the family in a statement to the L.A. Times. “She was courageous and took all life’s opportunities without fear, showering love and kindness on her friends,...
- 2/3/2024
- by Kevin Dolak
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Cannes Chief Calls David Fincher ‘One of the Most Important Filmmakers in the World in Recent Years’
Cannes Film Festival chief Thierry Fremaux took a break from screening movies to share his faith in the big screen and why filmmakers shouldn’t compromise on theatrical in a conversation with two-time Palme d’Or winner Ruben Ostlund at the Goteborg Film Festival.
Fremaux talked about the winning theatrical strategy of streamers such as Apple, which presented Martin Scorsese’s “Killers of the Flower Moon” in competition and had it released in theaters via Paramount. The movie is now nominated for 10 Oscars, including best actress for Lily Gladstone, best picture and director.
“Apple has a different strategy than Netflix, and what they have done with Martin Scorsese’s film and Ridley Scott’s film [‘Napoleon’], they made a lot of money at the box office, and now the films are on the platforms, which is the perfect reflection of our times,” he said.
While he tries every year to...
Fremaux talked about the winning theatrical strategy of streamers such as Apple, which presented Martin Scorsese’s “Killers of the Flower Moon” in competition and had it released in theaters via Paramount. The movie is now nominated for 10 Oscars, including best actress for Lily Gladstone, best picture and director.
“Apple has a different strategy than Netflix, and what they have done with Martin Scorsese’s film and Ridley Scott’s film [‘Napoleon’], they made a lot of money at the box office, and now the films are on the platforms, which is the perfect reflection of our times,” he said.
While he tries every year to...
- 1/31/2024
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
“My role is to sometimes talk to the press or to fight with policemen,” Cannes Delegate General Thierry Fremaux joked during a keynote this evening at the Göteborg Film Festival.
Fremaux had been making a comedic reference to his altercation with a local police officer on the pavement outside the Carlton Hotel at last year’s Cannes Film Festival. The altercation — which went viral — was just one of the topics Fremaux touched on this evening in Göteborg during a keynote session with Swedish filmmaker and two-time Palme d’Or winner Ruben Östlund.
Concluding the description of his unique job title, Fremaux added: “We are really at the service of the artist, the press, the audience and the professionals. If those roles are well done, we are happy.”
The evening’s session was chaired by outgoing Göteborg head Jonas Holmberg, who quizzed the pair on their working relationship and what they...
Fremaux had been making a comedic reference to his altercation with a local police officer on the pavement outside the Carlton Hotel at last year’s Cannes Film Festival. The altercation — which went viral — was just one of the topics Fremaux touched on this evening in Göteborg during a keynote session with Swedish filmmaker and two-time Palme d’Or winner Ruben Östlund.
Concluding the description of his unique job title, Fremaux added: “We are really at the service of the artist, the press, the audience and the professionals. If those roles are well done, we are happy.”
The evening’s session was chaired by outgoing Göteborg head Jonas Holmberg, who quizzed the pair on their working relationship and what they...
- 1/31/2024
- by Zac Ntim
- Deadline Film + TV
Thierry Fremaux, general delegate of Cannes Film Festival, has praised Apple’s release strategy on Killers Of The Flower Moon and Napoleon.
Speaking at a conversation event at Goteborg Film Festival with Swedish director Ruben Ostlund, Fremaux said, “What Apple have done with the Martin Scorsese film and the Ridley Scott film, they have made a lot of money at the box office, and now the films are on the platforms. Which to me is the perfect reflection of our times.”
Scorsese’s Killers Of The Flower Moon has grossed over $156m worldwide since its release last October; while Scott...
Speaking at a conversation event at Goteborg Film Festival with Swedish director Ruben Ostlund, Fremaux said, “What Apple have done with the Martin Scorsese film and the Ridley Scott film, they have made a lot of money at the box office, and now the films are on the platforms. Which to me is the perfect reflection of our times.”
Scorsese’s Killers Of The Flower Moon has grossed over $156m worldwide since its release last October; while Scott...
- 1/31/2024
- ScreenDaily
Mubi has unveiled their February 2024 lineup, featuring Roy Andersson’s little-seen 1991 short World of Glory, Nicole Holofcener’s Lovely & Amazing starring Catherine Keener with an early Jake Gyllenhaal performance, and special Black History Month selections: Spike Lee’s Red Hook Summer, Kasi Lemmon’s Eve’s Bayou, Carl Franklin’s One False Move, and more.
Check out the lineup below, including recently added January titles, and get 30 days free here.
Just-Added
American Movie, directed by Christopher Smith | Festival Focus: Sundance
Pieces of April, directed by Peter Hedges | Festival Focus: Sundance
The Blair Witch Project, directed by Daniel Myrick, Eduardo Sánchez | Festival Focus: Sundance
But I’m a Cheerleader, directed by Jamie Babbit | Festival Focus: Sundance
Secretary, directed by Steven Shainberg | Festival Focus: Sundance
Medicine for Melancholy directed by Barry Jenkins | First Films First
Antiviral, directed by Brandon Cronenberg | First Films First
Shithouse, directed by Cooper Raiff | First Films First
Age of Panic,...
Check out the lineup below, including recently added January titles, and get 30 days free here.
Just-Added
American Movie, directed by Christopher Smith | Festival Focus: Sundance
Pieces of April, directed by Peter Hedges | Festival Focus: Sundance
The Blair Witch Project, directed by Daniel Myrick, Eduardo Sánchez | Festival Focus: Sundance
But I’m a Cheerleader, directed by Jamie Babbit | Festival Focus: Sundance
Secretary, directed by Steven Shainberg | Festival Focus: Sundance
Medicine for Melancholy directed by Barry Jenkins | First Films First
Antiviral, directed by Brandon Cronenberg | First Films First
Shithouse, directed by Cooper Raiff | First Films First
Age of Panic,...
- 1/25/2024
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
U.K.-based film production and distribution company Sovereign is expanding across the Atlantic with the launch of a distribution arm in the U.S.
With a plan to release two to three titles a year theatrically and across VOD platforms, the first film slated for release from the new entity is Laurent Nègre’s World War II thriller “A Forgotten Man,” which Sovereign also produced. Set in 1945 after the surrender of Nazi Germany, the story follows the Swiss ambassador (played by Michael Neuenschwander) after he leaves Berlin, but finds himself haunted by his past.
The film, which recently had its U.S. premiere at the Miami Jewish Film Festival and first bowed in Zurich, was released in the U.K. by Sovereign with support from the Swiss Confederation and Swiss Films. Its U.S. release is now slated for April.
Andreas Roald, who first founded Sovereign in 2008, and the head of U.
With a plan to release two to three titles a year theatrically and across VOD platforms, the first film slated for release from the new entity is Laurent Nègre’s World War II thriller “A Forgotten Man,” which Sovereign also produced. Set in 1945 after the surrender of Nazi Germany, the story follows the Swiss ambassador (played by Michael Neuenschwander) after he leaves Berlin, but finds himself haunted by his past.
The film, which recently had its U.S. premiere at the Miami Jewish Film Festival and first bowed in Zurich, was released in the U.K. by Sovereign with support from the Swiss Confederation and Swiss Films. Its U.S. release is now slated for April.
Andreas Roald, who first founded Sovereign in 2008, and the head of U.
- 1/25/2024
- by Alex Ritman
- Variety Film + TV
It’s the surprise Oscars snub that many of us saw coming. Greta Gerwig missed out on a Best Director nomination for “Barbie,” even as the film scored an impressive eight nominations: picture, adapted screenplay, supporting actor (Ryan Gosling), supporting actress (America Ferrera), costume design, song (“I’m Just Ken”), song (“What Was I Made For”) and production design.
So how did Gerwig stumble? Let’s look at the five most likely reasons.
1. “Barbie” had absolutely zero snob appeal.
The Directors Branch of the academy is notoriously highbrow, and its members like to salute what they are feel are genuine, original and unique achievements in the field of film directing. They don’t care about celebrity status or box office. Gerwig was previously cited by the branch for 2017’s “Lady Bird.” She beat out the likes of Martin McDonagh for “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri” and Steven Spielberg for “The Post.
So how did Gerwig stumble? Let’s look at the five most likely reasons.
1. “Barbie” had absolutely zero snob appeal.
The Directors Branch of the academy is notoriously highbrow, and its members like to salute what they are feel are genuine, original and unique achievements in the field of film directing. They don’t care about celebrity status or box office. Gerwig was previously cited by the branch for 2017’s “Lady Bird.” She beat out the likes of Martin McDonagh for “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri” and Steven Spielberg for “The Post.
- 1/23/2024
- by Tariq Khan
- Gold Derby
The Academy Awards still have the ability to shock even the savviest of prognosticators. While Gold Derby’s combined odds were letter-perfect in Best Picture and Best Actor, there were other categories where we blundered. Here are five contenders we should not have banked on to earn nominations.
One of our biggest blunders — predicting “Barbie’s” Greta Gerwig for director — was not actually a bad guess. The filmmaker has three past Oscar bids for “Lady Bird” and “Little Women,” after all, and was at the helm of the biggest sensation at the box office, as it outpaced the nominations leader “Oppenheimer” by earning over $1 billion. She also had that key nomination at the Directors Guild of America and some other precursors. However, Gerwig has missed directing at the Oscars before for “Little Women,” and she was snubbed in the directing category at the BAFTAs for “Barbie.” The notorious gender bias...
One of our biggest blunders — predicting “Barbie’s” Greta Gerwig for director — was not actually a bad guess. The filmmaker has three past Oscar bids for “Lady Bird” and “Little Women,” after all, and was at the helm of the biggest sensation at the box office, as it outpaced the nominations leader “Oppenheimer” by earning over $1 billion. She also had that key nomination at the Directors Guild of America and some other precursors. However, Gerwig has missed directing at the Oscars before for “Little Women,” and she was snubbed in the directing category at the BAFTAs for “Barbie.” The notorious gender bias...
- 1/23/2024
- by David Buchanan
- Gold Derby
Barbie director Greta Gerwig was notably snubbed in the best director category during the Oscar nominations on Tuesday. But following last year’s omission of any female filmmaker in the category, Anatomy of a Fall’s Justine Triet received a nomination.
Triet, Yorgos Lanthimos (Poor Things), Christopher Nolan (Oppenheimer), Jonathan Glazer (The Zone of Interest) and Martin Scorsese (Killers of the Flower Moon) were nominated in the coveted category Tuesday morning.
Gerwig is a notable snub, as the Barbie director, throughout the awards season, received various best director nominations (the Directors Guild of America, the Golden Globes, Critics Choice) and wins (Palm Springs International Film Fest). She was also on various pundits’ prediction lists for best director, including from The Hollywood Reporter. Frontrunner Alexander Payne (The Holdovers) was also omitted.
Last year, no woman was nominated for best director. The nominees were Martin McDonagh (The Banshees of Inisherin), Todd Field...
Triet, Yorgos Lanthimos (Poor Things), Christopher Nolan (Oppenheimer), Jonathan Glazer (The Zone of Interest) and Martin Scorsese (Killers of the Flower Moon) were nominated in the coveted category Tuesday morning.
Gerwig is a notable snub, as the Barbie director, throughout the awards season, received various best director nominations (the Directors Guild of America, the Golden Globes, Critics Choice) and wins (Palm Springs International Film Fest). She was also on various pundits’ prediction lists for best director, including from The Hollywood Reporter. Frontrunner Alexander Payne (The Holdovers) was also omitted.
Last year, no woman was nominated for best director. The nominees were Martin McDonagh (The Banshees of Inisherin), Todd Field...
- 1/23/2024
- by Beatrice Verhoeven
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Hailing from the country that gave us such grim social critics as Michael Haneke and Ulrich Seidl, Vantablack Austrian satire “Veni Vidi Vici” opens with a senseless homicide. It’s a startling scene, no less upsetting than the Scorpio killing that kick-starts “Dirty Harry” — except that in this case, the incident is calibrated as the darkest sort of comedy. Rather than picking off an unsuspecting rooftop swimmer, the serial killer does his hunting out in the open, without shame or any pretense of covering his tracks.
The movie makes no mystery of the sniper’s identity, revealing it right from the jump, the way a “Columbo” episode might. And yet the authorities show zero interest in arresting the guilty party, even going so far as to toss an eyewitness out of the police station (that man winds up offing himself in exasperation). That’s because the person responsible, Amon Maynard (Laurence Rupp), is a millionaire,...
The movie makes no mystery of the sniper’s identity, revealing it right from the jump, the way a “Columbo” episode might. And yet the authorities show zero interest in arresting the guilty party, even going so far as to toss an eyewitness out of the police station (that man winds up offing himself in exasperation). That’s because the person responsible, Amon Maynard (Laurence Rupp), is a millionaire,...
- 1/19/2024
- by Peter Debruge
- Variety Film + TV
Getting impatient for Kenneth Lonergan to get his act together and make another great movie? Ghostlight should scratch that itch and more besides, being a funny, intelligent and yet at times almost unbearably sad movie that takes a searing family tragedy and spins it into a riveting redemption story that, while a little predictable in the more familiar second half, somehow never hits a false note. Although technically an ensemble piece, with a lovely cast of supporting players whose thespian antics will ring a bell with actors of all generations, it rests squarely on a powerhouse performance from Chicago stage veteran Keith Kupferer, whose career must surely about to enter a whole new phase, perhaps to the fill the void left by the late, great Brian Dennehy.
Directed by Kelly O’Sullivan and Alex Thompson, who caused a splash at SXSW in 2019 with Saint Frances, Ghostlight opens with a curtain-up, as...
Directed by Kelly O’Sullivan and Alex Thompson, who caused a splash at SXSW in 2019 with Saint Frances, Ghostlight opens with a curtain-up, as...
- 1/19/2024
- by Damon Wise
- Deadline Film + TV
Andrew McCarthy is getting back together with his fellow Brat Pack alums Rob Lowe, Demi Moore, Jon Cryer, Ally Sheedy, Emilio Estevez and more for the feature documentary Brats, a revealing look at the cultural phenomenon they became in the 1980s and how that has impacted their lives ever since.
Brats, from ABC News Studios, Neon, and Network Entertainment, is set to premiere on Hulu later this year. McCarthy, author of the 2021 memoir Brat: An ‘80s Story, writes and directs the documentary, which is now in post-production. He co-starred with fellow Brat Packers in some of the biggest hits of the mid- ‘80s including St. Elmo’s Fire (1985), Pretty in Pink (1986), and Less Than Zero (1987).
From left: ‘St. Elmo’s Fire’s Rob Lowe, Demi Moore, Emilio Estevez, Mare Winningham, Judd Nelson,
Ally Sheedy and Andrew McCarthy
“McCarthy crisscrosses the country to meet up with some of the stars of those beloved films,...
Brats, from ABC News Studios, Neon, and Network Entertainment, is set to premiere on Hulu later this year. McCarthy, author of the 2021 memoir Brat: An ‘80s Story, writes and directs the documentary, which is now in post-production. He co-starred with fellow Brat Packers in some of the biggest hits of the mid- ‘80s including St. Elmo’s Fire (1985), Pretty in Pink (1986), and Less Than Zero (1987).
From left: ‘St. Elmo’s Fire’s Rob Lowe, Demi Moore, Emilio Estevez, Mare Winningham, Judd Nelson,
Ally Sheedy and Andrew McCarthy
“McCarthy crisscrosses the country to meet up with some of the stars of those beloved films,...
- 1/18/2024
- by Matthew Carey
- Deadline Film + TV
The move in recent years to make the Oscars a truly global event in terms of the membership drive by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has paid off particularly well this year: Eligible voters from a record 93 countries submitted ballots in the Academy Awards’ nominating round, which ended Tuesday at 5 p.m. Pt.
That number is up significantly from last year’s 79 countries. The Academy also said it broke the overall turnout record for all members participating — and by a significant margin.
Academy president Janet Yang and CEO Bill Kramer shared the news with members Wednesday in an email while further encouraging them to tune in to the nomination announcement January 23 at 5:30 a.m. Pt/8:30 a.m. Et, and also to make a major effort to see all the nominated films before final balloting begins February 22.
What this strong international showing means for the eventual...
That number is up significantly from last year’s 79 countries. The Academy also said it broke the overall turnout record for all members participating — and by a significant margin.
Academy president Janet Yang and CEO Bill Kramer shared the news with members Wednesday in an email while further encouraging them to tune in to the nomination announcement January 23 at 5:30 a.m. Pt/8:30 a.m. Et, and also to make a major effort to see all the nominated films before final balloting begins February 22.
What this strong international showing means for the eventual...
- 1/18/2024
- by Pete Hammond
- Deadline Film + TV
The Toronto drama took seven prizes including best director, actor, supporting actor.
Axel Petersen’s Malta-set drama Shame On Dry Land won a record seven prizes at the Guldbagge awards, Sweden’s national film ceremony, held on Monday, January 15 in Stockholm.
The film, about a con man who becomes entangled in a Swedish online gambling community while in Malta, took best director for Petersen, best actor for Joel Spira, and best supporting actor for Christopher Wagelin.
Scroll down for the full list of winners
It also received prizes for best editing, cinematography, sound design and original score. Its seven awards...
Axel Petersen’s Malta-set drama Shame On Dry Land won a record seven prizes at the Guldbagge awards, Sweden’s national film ceremony, held on Monday, January 15 in Stockholm.
The film, about a con man who becomes entangled in a Swedish online gambling community while in Malta, took best director for Petersen, best actor for Joel Spira, and best supporting actor for Christopher Wagelin.
Scroll down for the full list of winners
It also received prizes for best editing, cinematography, sound design and original score. Its seven awards...
- 1/16/2024
- by Ben Dalton
- ScreenDaily
The Toronto drama took seven prizes including best director, actor, supporting actor.
Axel Petersen’s Malta-set drama Shame On Dry Land won a record seven prizes at the Guldbagge awards, Sweden’s national film ceremony, held on Monday, January 15 in Stockholm.
The film, about a con man who becomes entangled in a Swedish online gambling community while in Malta, took best director for Petersen, best actor for Joel Spira, and best supporting actor for Christopher Wagelin.
Scroll down for the full list of winners
It also received prizes for best editing, cinematography, sound design and original score. Its seven awards...
Axel Petersen’s Malta-set drama Shame On Dry Land won a record seven prizes at the Guldbagge awards, Sweden’s national film ceremony, held on Monday, January 15 in Stockholm.
The film, about a con man who becomes entangled in a Swedish online gambling community while in Malta, took best director for Petersen, best actor for Joel Spira, and best supporting actor for Christopher Wagelin.
Scroll down for the full list of winners
It also received prizes for best editing, cinematography, sound design and original score. Its seven awards...
- 1/16/2024
- by Ben Dalton
- ScreenDaily
The Göteborg Film Festival’s film industry confab, the Nordic Film Market, unspooling Jan 31-Feb. 2, has unveiled in exclusivity to Variety its 2024 lineup comprising 58 new and upcoming Nordic films.
These are directed by newcomers and bona fide helmers such as Hans Petter Moland, Rúnar Rúnarsson, Charlotte Sieling, Daniel Espinosa and Pirjo Honkasalo.
Just over two weeks before kick-off, a record number of delegates – 507 from 33 countries – have signed up for the biggest film market in the Nordic region.
The 90-plus international buyers, 90 funding bodies, 60 festival programmers and 50 sales agents can look forward to a revamped showcase, both in terms of programming and set-up, with a new hub for networking and accommodation at the Clarion Hotel Draken. “We’re very excited about making this year’s venue both new and familiar for delegates coming to Göteborg,” said head of industry Josef Kullengård.
“The industry has entered a slowdown, but creatively, the Nordic...
These are directed by newcomers and bona fide helmers such as Hans Petter Moland, Rúnar Rúnarsson, Charlotte Sieling, Daniel Espinosa and Pirjo Honkasalo.
Just over two weeks before kick-off, a record number of delegates – 507 from 33 countries – have signed up for the biggest film market in the Nordic region.
The 90-plus international buyers, 90 funding bodies, 60 festival programmers and 50 sales agents can look forward to a revamped showcase, both in terms of programming and set-up, with a new hub for networking and accommodation at the Clarion Hotel Draken. “We’re very excited about making this year’s venue both new and familiar for delegates coming to Göteborg,” said head of industry Josef Kullengård.
“The industry has entered a slowdown, but creatively, the Nordic...
- 1/16/2024
- by Annika Pham
- Variety Film + TV
In the wake of the Golden Globes and the guild noms, only “Barbie,” “Oppenheimer,” and “Killers of the Flower Moon” are ticking every pre-Oscar box: Major Globes awards, making the DGA list, and receiving the SAG Ensemble nod.
While “The Holdovers” director Alexander Payne can cheer his inclusion as a DGA nominee, the comedy three-hander did not land a SAG Ensemble slot, even if Globe winners Paul Giamatti and Da’Vine Joy Randolph got SAG nominations. For the DGA, popular hit “The Holdovers” was a predictable choice; voters include assistant directors and production managers who often lean more mainstream than the Oscars. Last year, Joseph Kosinski landed a DGA nod for “Top Gun: Maverick,” while the Oscar nomination went to “Triangle of Sadness” director Ruben Ostlund. Yorgos Lanthimos made this year’s DGA list, along with Martin Scorsese, Christopher Nolan, and Greta Gerwig.
In addition to his SAG nomination, “Oppenheimer” star...
While “The Holdovers” director Alexander Payne can cheer his inclusion as a DGA nominee, the comedy three-hander did not land a SAG Ensemble slot, even if Globe winners Paul Giamatti and Da’Vine Joy Randolph got SAG nominations. For the DGA, popular hit “The Holdovers” was a predictable choice; voters include assistant directors and production managers who often lean more mainstream than the Oscars. Last year, Joseph Kosinski landed a DGA nod for “Top Gun: Maverick,” while the Oscar nomination went to “Triangle of Sadness” director Ruben Ostlund. Yorgos Lanthimos made this year’s DGA list, along with Martin Scorsese, Christopher Nolan, and Greta Gerwig.
In addition to his SAG nomination, “Oppenheimer” star...
- 1/10/2024
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
The Directors Guild of America has officially unveiled the film nominees for the 2024 DGA Awards.
After announcing the TV nominations January 9, the Guild shared the film directors now in the running for the top prizes. The ceremony takes place on Saturday, February 10. Guild members can vote online starting today through Friday, February 9.
Greta Gerwig for “Barbie,” Christopher Nolan for “Oppenheimer,” Yorgos Lanthimos for “Poor Things,” Alexander Payne with “The Holdovers,” and Martin Scorsese with “Killers of the Flower Moon” are this year’s DGA nominees for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Theatrical Feature Film. Payne took a surprise best director spot from the likes of Jonathan Glazer (“The Zone of Interest”), Bradley Cooper (“Maestro”), or Celine Song (“Past Lives”), featured in the next category instead.
For Outstanding Directorial Achievement in First-Time Theatrical Feature Film, Nominated are: Cord Jefferson for “American Fiction,” Manuella Martelli for “Chile ’76,” Noora Niasari for “Shayda,” A.V. Rockwell...
After announcing the TV nominations January 9, the Guild shared the film directors now in the running for the top prizes. The ceremony takes place on Saturday, February 10. Guild members can vote online starting today through Friday, February 9.
Greta Gerwig for “Barbie,” Christopher Nolan for “Oppenheimer,” Yorgos Lanthimos for “Poor Things,” Alexander Payne with “The Holdovers,” and Martin Scorsese with “Killers of the Flower Moon” are this year’s DGA nominees for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Theatrical Feature Film. Payne took a surprise best director spot from the likes of Jonathan Glazer (“The Zone of Interest”), Bradley Cooper (“Maestro”), or Celine Song (“Past Lives”), featured in the next category instead.
For Outstanding Directorial Achievement in First-Time Theatrical Feature Film, Nominated are: Cord Jefferson for “American Fiction,” Manuella Martelli for “Chile ’76,” Noora Niasari for “Shayda,” A.V. Rockwell...
- 1/10/2024
- by Ryan Lattanzio and Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
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