Catalan titles will be in no short supply at this year’s Cannes Festival and Marché du Film. Below, a near dozen titles that hope to impress at this year’s event.
“Blue Sun Palace,” (Constance Tsang)
Tsang’s debut feature, shot in New York, world premieres at this year’s Critics’ Week. Field Trip Media and Big Buddha Prods. produce this film about two migrants who work at a massage parlor in Queens. Co- produced by Catalonia’s Marta Cruañas (“Creature”).
Sales: Charades
“Daniela Forever,” (Nacho Vigalondo)
Vigalondo helms this English language romantic drama about loss and memory, reminiscent of “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.” Producers include Mediacrest, Sayaka, XYZ Films, Wrong Men and Señor & Señora.
Sales: XYZ Films
“Misericordia,” (Alain Guiraudie)
French director Guiraudie, behind 2013 Queer Palm winner “Stranger by the Lake,” will bow his latest film in the Cannes Premiere section. This French-Catalan co-production received...
“Blue Sun Palace,” (Constance Tsang)
Tsang’s debut feature, shot in New York, world premieres at this year’s Critics’ Week. Field Trip Media and Big Buddha Prods. produce this film about two migrants who work at a massage parlor in Queens. Co- produced by Catalonia’s Marta Cruañas (“Creature”).
Sales: Charades
“Daniela Forever,” (Nacho Vigalondo)
Vigalondo helms this English language romantic drama about loss and memory, reminiscent of “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.” Producers include Mediacrest, Sayaka, XYZ Films, Wrong Men and Señor & Señora.
Sales: XYZ Films
“Misericordia,” (Alain Guiraudie)
French director Guiraudie, behind 2013 Queer Palm winner “Stranger by the Lake,” will bow his latest film in the Cannes Premiere section. This French-Catalan co-production received...
- 5/14/2024
- by Jamie Lang
- Variety Film + TV
Catalonia has a rich filmmaking tradition backed by public investment in local artists and production companies. Four years ago, the region expanded its existing financing structures by launching its Minority Co-Production Fund. It’s now beginning to prove to be a success story.
The fund provides financing to films with at least one Catalan minority co-producer, showcasing the region’s talent and helping local companies grow their international networks.
Launched in 2020, the fund initially had a budget of €1.5 million ($1.6 million) ear- marked to support up to five high-end films annually. Since then, the number of projects backed has steadily increased, with total funding rising to €2 million ($2.2 million) annually, capped at €300,000 per title.
“When we launched, the goal was to provide Catalan producers with the best conditions and framework to enhance and promote their creative, professional and artistic exchanges in the international arena,” says Edgar Garcia, director of the governmental culture industry unit Icec,...
The fund provides financing to films with at least one Catalan minority co-producer, showcasing the region’s talent and helping local companies grow their international networks.
Launched in 2020, the fund initially had a budget of €1.5 million ($1.6 million) ear- marked to support up to five high-end films annually. Since then, the number of projects backed has steadily increased, with total funding rising to €2 million ($2.2 million) annually, capped at €300,000 per title.
“When we launched, the goal was to provide Catalan producers with the best conditions and framework to enhance and promote their creative, professional and artistic exchanges in the international arena,” says Edgar Garcia, director of the governmental culture industry unit Icec,...
- 5/14/2024
- by Jamie Lang
- Variety Film + TV
Vulnerability and ferocity buzz together in Natalie Press’ unpredictably magnetic performance as a young single mum at the heart of Andrea Arnold’s 2005 Oscar-winning short - and it’s worth noting the writer/director was up against stiff competition from Nacho Vigalondo’s 7:35 In The Morning and Taika Waititi’s Two Cars, One Night that year.
We meet Zoë as she’s cantering down a communal stair in her nightie, her baby boy in arms, her bare feet slapping against the linoleum and with her three young daughters trailing behind her. She’s in lioness mode, about to have a cat fight with a neighbour over which kid did what to whose. This is just the start of this day-in-the-life drama, which is filled with these sorts of small explosions that Zoë tries to navigate.
Arnold has never been one to shy away from the realities of poverty and...
We meet Zoë as she’s cantering down a communal stair in her nightie, her baby boy in arms, her bare feet slapping against the linoleum and with her three young daughters trailing behind her. She’s in lioness mode, about to have a cat fight with a neighbour over which kid did what to whose. This is just the start of this day-in-the-life drama, which is filled with these sorts of small explosions that Zoë tries to navigate.
Arnold has never been one to shy away from the realities of poverty and...
- 5/6/2024
- by Amber Wilkinson
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
Al Pacino and Dan Stevens have teamed up for exorcism horror film “The Ritual” from director David Midell.
XYZ Films has acquired worldwide rights to the feature, with plans to release it theatrically in 2025 and arrange international distribution at the upcoming Cannes market.
“The Ritual” was written by Midell and Enrico Natale and produced by Andrew Stevens, Mitchell Welch and Natale. Ashley Greene and Abigail Cowen round out the cast.
Based on a true story, “The Ritual” follows two priests — one questioning his faith (Stevens) and one reckoning with a troubled past (Pacino) — who must put aside their differences to save a possessed young woman through a difficult and dangerous series of exorcisms. The film is an authentic portrayal of Emma Schmidt, an American woman whose demonic possession culminated in harrowing exorcisms. Her case remains the most thoroughly documented exorcism in American history.
BondIt Media Capital provided financing for the project,...
XYZ Films has acquired worldwide rights to the feature, with plans to release it theatrically in 2025 and arrange international distribution at the upcoming Cannes market.
“The Ritual” was written by Midell and Enrico Natale and produced by Andrew Stevens, Mitchell Welch and Natale. Ashley Greene and Abigail Cowen round out the cast.
Based on a true story, “The Ritual” follows two priests — one questioning his faith (Stevens) and one reckoning with a troubled past (Pacino) — who must put aside their differences to save a possessed young woman through a difficult and dangerous series of exorcisms. The film is an authentic portrayal of Emma Schmidt, an American woman whose demonic possession culminated in harrowing exorcisms. Her case remains the most thoroughly documented exorcism in American history.
BondIt Media Capital provided financing for the project,...
- 4/23/2024
- by Alex Ritman
- Variety Film + TV
“Shazam” star Zachary Levi is set to headline rock-climbing action thriller “Free Fall” for XYZ Films, with acclaimed New Zealand stuntwoman and stunt coordinator Zoë Bell tapped to direct.
The film — written by Sean Finegan and Gregg Maxwell Parker — tells the story of a father’s attempt to reconcile with his estranged daughter on a rock-climbing trip that turns deadly as an accident leaves them stranded hundreds of feet in the air. Production is set to start later this year in New Zealand. Tom Hern and Nua Finau of Tavake are producing, with Navid McIlhargey and Erik Olsen executive producing alongside Finegan, Parker and Levi.
Bell began her career as a stunt performer on “Xena: Warrior Princess” and then alongside Quentin Tarantino as a stunt woman and coordinator over a decades-long relationship. She has worked on films such as “The Hateful Eight,” “Django Unchained,” “Kill Bill,” “Inglourious Basterds,” “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,...
The film — written by Sean Finegan and Gregg Maxwell Parker — tells the story of a father’s attempt to reconcile with his estranged daughter on a rock-climbing trip that turns deadly as an accident leaves them stranded hundreds of feet in the air. Production is set to start later this year in New Zealand. Tom Hern and Nua Finau of Tavake are producing, with Navid McIlhargey and Erik Olsen executive producing alongside Finegan, Parker and Levi.
Bell began her career as a stunt performer on “Xena: Warrior Princess” and then alongside Quentin Tarantino as a stunt woman and coordinator over a decades-long relationship. She has worked on films such as “The Hateful Eight,” “Django Unchained,” “Kill Bill,” “Inglourious Basterds,” “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,...
- 4/16/2024
- by Alex Ritman
- Variety Film + TV
Echa un vistazo a las primeras imágenes de la distopía protagonizada por Henry Golding y Beatrice Grannò. © Filmax
Ya están disponibles las primeras imágenes de “Daniela Forever”, la nueva película de Nacho Vigalondo rodada en Madrid. Se trata del proyecto más personal de Vigalondo hasta la fecha: una original distopia sobre el amor, los dilemas personales y los sueños.
La vida pierde todo sentido para Nicolas (Henry Golding) con la pérdida de su novia Daniela (Beatrice Grannò). Un día le invitan a participar en un ensayo clínico que le permitirá controlar sus sueños y él acepta con la esperanza de recuperarse. Ahora Nicolas puede soñar con Daniela cada noche y reanudar su relación, más idílica que nunca. Aunque sea en sueños. Y corriendo el riesgo de perderse en ellos para siempre.
“Daniela Forever” está protagonizada por dos caras muy conocidas internacionalmente, Henry Golding y Beatrice Grannò (“The White Lotus” temporada...
Ya están disponibles las primeras imágenes de “Daniela Forever”, la nueva película de Nacho Vigalondo rodada en Madrid. Se trata del proyecto más personal de Vigalondo hasta la fecha: una original distopia sobre el amor, los dilemas personales y los sueños.
La vida pierde todo sentido para Nicolas (Henry Golding) con la pérdida de su novia Daniela (Beatrice Grannò). Un día le invitan a participar en un ensayo clínico que le permitirá controlar sus sueños y él acepta con la esperanza de recuperarse. Ahora Nicolas puede soñar con Daniela cada noche y reanudar su relación, más idílica que nunca. Aunque sea en sueños. Y corriendo el riesgo de perderse en ellos para siempre.
“Daniela Forever” está protagonizada por dos caras muy conocidas internacionalmente, Henry Golding y Beatrice Grannò (“The White Lotus” temporada...
- 4/11/2024
- by Marta Medina
- mundoCine
Exclusive: Here are your first look images of Henry Golding (Crazy Rich Asians) and The White Lotus S2 breakout Beatrice Grannò in sci-fi romance Daniela Forever.
The movie from Spanish director Nacho Vigalondo (Colossal) is in post-production after filming in Madrid, Spain.
The synopsis reads: “When Nicolas (Golding) is invited to a clinical trial allowing participants to control their dreams, he takes the plunge in hopes of recovering from the tragic loss of his girlfriend, Daniela (Grannò). But as his lucid dreams bring Daniela back to him, Nicolas becomes obsessed with the fantasy world that he’s created and finds that his dreams aren’t as perfect as they seem.”
Nahikari Ipiña and Nacho Vigalondo are producing Daniela Forever with Sayaka Producciones, co-produced by Benoit Roland from Wrong Men, Leire Apellaniz from Señor y Señora, Gustavo Ferrada from Mediacrest Entertainment, and XYZ Films.
XYZ is also financing the film in association with Ipr.Vc,...
The movie from Spanish director Nacho Vigalondo (Colossal) is in post-production after filming in Madrid, Spain.
The synopsis reads: “When Nicolas (Golding) is invited to a clinical trial allowing participants to control their dreams, he takes the plunge in hopes of recovering from the tragic loss of his girlfriend, Daniela (Grannò). But as his lucid dreams bring Daniela back to him, Nicolas becomes obsessed with the fantasy world that he’s created and finds that his dreams aren’t as perfect as they seem.”
Nahikari Ipiña and Nacho Vigalondo are producing Daniela Forever with Sayaka Producciones, co-produced by Benoit Roland from Wrong Men, Leire Apellaniz from Señor y Señora, Gustavo Ferrada from Mediacrest Entertainment, and XYZ Films.
XYZ is also financing the film in association with Ipr.Vc,...
- 4/9/2024
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
A Universal Monsters project is coming our way from Radio Silence, the filmmaking team that previously brought Ready or Not, Scream (2022), and Scream VI to the screen. Universal has scheduled an April 19, 2024 theatrical release date for the film, which was once going by the title Dracula’s Daughter and now going by the less informative title of Abigail. With the release date swiftly approaching, a promo video in which cast member Kathryn Newton (Freaky) gives a tour of the set has arrived online, while co-star Dan Stevens – who can be seen in this weekend’s release Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire – has given an interview where he described Abigail as extreme and hilarious. The set tour promo video can be seen in the embed above.
Speaking with The Hollywood Reporter, Steven said, “Those Radio Silence boys are so much fun. I’m slowly ticking off all of the guys from the V/H/S anthology.
Speaking with The Hollywood Reporter, Steven said, “Those Radio Silence boys are so much fun. I’m slowly ticking off all of the guys from the V/H/S anthology.
- 3/29/2024
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
“Tatami,” the Iranian drama from co-directors Guy Nattiv and Zar Amir, has been picked up by XYZ Films for North America, where both lip-synched English and original language versions will be released later this year.
The feature, which bowed in Venice 2023 where it won the Brian Award, made history by becoming the first film to be jointly directed by an Iranian and an Israeli filmmaker.
Starring Arienne Mandi, Amir, Jaime Ray Newman and Ash Goldeh, and written by Nattiv — an Oscar winner for his short film “Skin” — and Elham Erfani, “Tatami” is set during the Judo World Championships in Tbilisi, Georgia. Midway through the competition, Iranian female judo fighter Leila (Mandi) and her coach Maryam (Amir ) receive an ultimatum from the Islamic Republic ordering Leila to fake an injury and lose, lest she be branded a traitor of the state. With her own and her family’s freedom at stake,...
The feature, which bowed in Venice 2023 where it won the Brian Award, made history by becoming the first film to be jointly directed by an Iranian and an Israeli filmmaker.
Starring Arienne Mandi, Amir, Jaime Ray Newman and Ash Goldeh, and written by Nattiv — an Oscar winner for his short film “Skin” — and Elham Erfani, “Tatami” is set during the Judo World Championships in Tbilisi, Georgia. Midway through the competition, Iranian female judo fighter Leila (Mandi) and her coach Maryam (Amir ) receive an ultimatum from the Islamic Republic ordering Leila to fake an injury and lose, lest she be branded a traitor of the state. With her own and her family’s freedom at stake,...
- 2/17/2024
- by Alex Ritman
- Variety Film + TV
Originally reported by Jeff Sneider and John Rocha on their show “The Hot Mic” last year, David Robert Mitchell (It Follows) is at the helm of a mysterious new genre movie for Bad Robot and Warner Bros. that’s reportedly set in the 1980s… and features dinosaurs?!
These specific details haven’t been officially confirmed by any subsequent news reports, but Deadline does provide their own update on the mysterious genre movie this afternoon.
Ewan McGregor will star alongside the previously announced Anne Hathaway!
The untitled film will be shot in IMAX, expected to head into production this year.
Anne Hathaway is no stranger to massive beasts, as the actress starred in Nacho Vigalondo’s original Kaiju movie Colossal back in 2016. Could her next battle be with dinosaurs?
Stay tuned for more on this developing story as we learn it.
Deadline adds, “Mitchell will direct from his own original script...
These specific details haven’t been officially confirmed by any subsequent news reports, but Deadline does provide their own update on the mysterious genre movie this afternoon.
Ewan McGregor will star alongside the previously announced Anne Hathaway!
The untitled film will be shot in IMAX, expected to head into production this year.
Anne Hathaway is no stranger to massive beasts, as the actress starred in Nacho Vigalondo’s original Kaiju movie Colossal back in 2016. Could her next battle be with dinosaurs?
Stay tuned for more on this developing story as we learn it.
Deadline adds, “Mitchell will direct from his own original script...
- 2/13/2024
- by John Squires
- bloody-disgusting.com
It’s Groundhog Day, a strange little holiday overshadowed by a popular Bill Murray comedy that sees his selfish character become a better person thanks to a bizarre time loop. It’s a fascinating concept that can turn downright sinister within the realm of horror.
So we’re celebrating Groundhog Day by revisiting ten horror and sci-fi time loop movies that bring suspense, terror, and sometimes laughs through messing around with time…
Haunter
From director Vincenzo Natali, Haunter brings a refreshing twist to a haunted house thriller through a time loop. Abigail Breslin stars as Lisa, a teen who slowly comes to realize that she’s a ghost stuck reliving the day she was murdered in 1985 along with her family, on a perpetual loop. Lisa also discovers that she can bend time to communicate with people in other timelines, eventually working with a teen currently living in her home to...
So we’re celebrating Groundhog Day by revisiting ten horror and sci-fi time loop movies that bring suspense, terror, and sometimes laughs through messing around with time…
Haunter
From director Vincenzo Natali, Haunter brings a refreshing twist to a haunted house thriller through a time loop. Abigail Breslin stars as Lisa, a teen who slowly comes to realize that she’s a ghost stuck reliving the day she was murdered in 1985 along with her family, on a perpetual loop. Lisa also discovers that she can bend time to communicate with people in other timelines, eventually working with a teen currently living in her home to...
- 2/2/2024
- by Meagan Navarro
- bloody-disgusting.com
Netflix has ordered another Spanish film, My Dearest Señorita, and unveiled a first look at upcoming dram series Superstar at an event in Madrid.
My Dearest Señorita, produced by Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi, is an adaptation of the 1972 Oscar-winning film of the same name directed by Jaime de Arimañán, who co-wrote the script with José Luis Borau starring José Luis López Vázquez.
The 1970s film was a romantic drama that explored themes of intersexuality, and was one of very few to tackle sexual orientation in General Franco’s ultra-conservative Spain. It won the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film at the 1973 Oscars.
“My Dearest Señorita is an adaptation,” said Calvo and Ambrossi in a statement. “Times have changed, and we believe it is a good time to revisit this story, a story of gender identity and wonderful, mainstream love. The creative challenge is how far we can update it without losing the essence.
My Dearest Señorita, produced by Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi, is an adaptation of the 1972 Oscar-winning film of the same name directed by Jaime de Arimañán, who co-wrote the script with José Luis Borau starring José Luis López Vázquez.
The 1970s film was a romantic drama that explored themes of intersexuality, and was one of very few to tackle sexual orientation in General Franco’s ultra-conservative Spain. It won the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film at the 1973 Oscars.
“My Dearest Señorita is an adaptation,” said Calvo and Ambrossi in a statement. “Times have changed, and we believe it is a good time to revisit this story, a story of gender identity and wonderful, mainstream love. The creative challenge is how far we can update it without losing the essence.
- 2/1/2024
- by Jesse Whittock
- Deadline Film + TV
Clockwise from bottom left: Beetlejuice (Warner Bros.), Palm Springs (Hulu), The Guilt Trip (Paramount), Frank (Magnolia) Graphic: AVClub
Hulu is a great resource for viewers seeking laughs, as this round-up of the platform’s best available comedy movies can attest. The A.V. Club’s list particularly proves that Hulu...
Hulu is a great resource for viewers seeking laughs, as this round-up of the platform’s best available comedy movies can attest. The A.V. Club’s list particularly proves that Hulu...
- 1/20/2024
- by The A.V. Club
- avclub.com
Fresh off the selection of “La Mesías” as the only European series at this year’s Sundance Festival, “Veneno” creators Javier Ambrossi and Javier Calvo – Los Javis – are set to produce Netflix original series “Superestar,” created by Spain’s Nacho Vigalondo, writer-director of 2016’s Anna Hathaway headed “Colossal,” Neon’s first pick-up for the U.S.
The six-episode series is directed by Vigalondo and Claudia Costafreda, co-creator of “Cardo,” an uninhibited portrait of Spain’s young generation eager for a quick fix of sex or drugs for want of a larger sense of direction in life, which was chosen by Variety, as “Veneno,” as one of the best international TV shows of the year.
Set up at Los Javis’ Suma Content, their indie Madrid-based label, “Superestar” is written by Vigalondo, María Bastarós, Paco Bezerra and Costafreda.
Oscar-nominated for his short, “7:35 in the Morning,” Vigalondo is best known for sci-fi comedies and thrillers such as,...
The six-episode series is directed by Vigalondo and Claudia Costafreda, co-creator of “Cardo,” an uninhibited portrait of Spain’s young generation eager for a quick fix of sex or drugs for want of a larger sense of direction in life, which was chosen by Variety, as “Veneno,” as one of the best international TV shows of the year.
Set up at Los Javis’ Suma Content, their indie Madrid-based label, “Superestar” is written by Vigalondo, María Bastarós, Paco Bezerra and Costafreda.
Oscar-nominated for his short, “7:35 in the Morning,” Vigalondo is best known for sci-fi comedies and thrillers such as,...
- 1/11/2024
- by John Hopewell
- Variety Film + TV
Investment vehicle has backed 20 productions including upcoming Sundance premieres Skywalkers: A Love Story, Krazy House.
LA-based XYZ Films and European fund management company Ipr.Vc have renewed their slate financing partnership initially established in November 2019.
The investment vehicle has resulted in 20 productions to date including last year’s Berlinale selection Blackberry and upcoming Sundance premieres Skywalkers: A Love Story, a documentary by Jeff Zimbalist, and Krazy House starring Nick Frost and Alicia Silverstone.
Other XYZ Films which have received backing from Ipr.Vc include Atom Egoyan’s TIFF selection Seven Veils starring Amanda Seyfried, Ash with Eiza González and Aaron Paul and directed by Flying Lotus,...
LA-based XYZ Films and European fund management company Ipr.Vc have renewed their slate financing partnership initially established in November 2019.
The investment vehicle has resulted in 20 productions to date including last year’s Berlinale selection Blackberry and upcoming Sundance premieres Skywalkers: A Love Story, a documentary by Jeff Zimbalist, and Krazy House starring Nick Frost and Alicia Silverstone.
Other XYZ Films which have received backing from Ipr.Vc include Atom Egoyan’s TIFF selection Seven Veils starring Amanda Seyfried, Ash with Eiza González and Aaron Paul and directed by Flying Lotus,...
- 1/10/2024
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
The countdown to Creepmas continues, and it’s crunch time. With three days left remaining, it’s time to cram in as much holiday cheer and fear as possible. So, for the 3rd day of Creepmas, we’re offering up three genre-bending double feature ideas for your holiday horror watchlists. These pairings delve into action-horror or fantasy or even switch tones once the holiday spirit has been established. If you’re trapped spending the holidays with family members that hate horror, these double features might do the trick.
The 12 Days of Creepmas continues on Bloody Disgusting, this time with 3 genre-bending double features that bring the holiday spirit.
Keep track of the 12 Days of Creepmas here.
Holiday Action/Horror/Sci-fi Mashups:
Horror pairs well with everything, from holiday fare to action and sci-fi. This double feature is for those that want it all.
Cobra
Director George P. Cosmatos gives a horror...
The 12 Days of Creepmas continues on Bloody Disgusting, this time with 3 genre-bending double features that bring the holiday spirit.
Keep track of the 12 Days of Creepmas here.
Holiday Action/Horror/Sci-fi Mashups:
Horror pairs well with everything, from holiday fare to action and sci-fi. This double feature is for those that want it all.
Cobra
Director George P. Cosmatos gives a horror...
- 12/23/2023
- by Meagan Navarro
- bloody-disgusting.com
Exclusive: XYZ Films, Wayward Entertainment, and Resolute Films have wrapped on the horror pic Svalta with This Way Up actor Aisling Bea and Nick Frost leading.
The pic, written and starring Nick Frost, has just wrapped production in Tampere, Finland, with post-production currently underway in the UK. Plot follows a family on their summer vacation to a remote island where they discover a serial killer is on the loose. Unfortunately for them, the locals have no interest in helping the stranded family. The title is taken from the name of the fictional island. Directing is Steffen Haars (New Kids Turbo). Cast is rounded out by Sebastian Croft (Heartstopper) and newcomer Maisie Ayres.
Lena Headey (Game Of Thrones) had previously been attached to the pic but stepped back due to what has been described as scheduling conflicts. She was replaced by Bea.
Svalta is produced by Lee Kim for Resolute Films,...
The pic, written and starring Nick Frost, has just wrapped production in Tampere, Finland, with post-production currently underway in the UK. Plot follows a family on their summer vacation to a remote island where they discover a serial killer is on the loose. Unfortunately for them, the locals have no interest in helping the stranded family. The title is taken from the name of the fictional island. Directing is Steffen Haars (New Kids Turbo). Cast is rounded out by Sebastian Croft (Heartstopper) and newcomer Maisie Ayres.
Lena Headey (Game Of Thrones) had previously been attached to the pic but stepped back due to what has been described as scheduling conflicts. She was replaced by Bea.
Svalta is produced by Lee Kim for Resolute Films,...
- 11/6/2023
- by Zac Ntim
- Deadline Film + TV
Pierre Morel among producers. Production in Australia set for early 2024.
XYZ Films has boarded worldwide sales on Sentient Entertainment’s shark thriller Alphas starring Martin Henderson and will introduce to buyers at AFM next week.
Liam O’Donnell will direct the Australia-uk co-production and Taken and District 13 director Pierre Morel will produce alongside his partners Renee Tab and Christopher Tuffin of Sentient, and Matthew Chausse and Drew Bailey.
Principal photography is scheduled to start in Australia in early 2024 on Alphas, which takes place in a quiet surfing community where killer whales are enlisted to fend off great white sharks after a series of attacks.
XYZ Films has boarded worldwide sales on Sentient Entertainment’s shark thriller Alphas starring Martin Henderson and will introduce to buyers at AFM next week.
Liam O’Donnell will direct the Australia-uk co-production and Taken and District 13 director Pierre Morel will produce alongside his partners Renee Tab and Christopher Tuffin of Sentient, and Matthew Chausse and Drew Bailey.
Principal photography is scheduled to start in Australia in early 2024 on Alphas, which takes place in a quiet surfing community where killer whales are enlisted to fend off great white sharks after a series of attacks.
- 10/26/2023
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
XYZ Films has acquired North American sales rights to the horror-thriller “Deus Irae,” the debut feature of Argentine filmmaker Pedro Cristiani, and will introduce the film to buyers at the upcoming AFM. Variety has been given exclusive access to the film’s bone-chilling trailer (see below).
Premiering at the Mar Del Plata Film Festival in November, “Deus Irae” follows Father Javier, a priest living a fractured existence. On one side, he assists families who claim to have witnessed miracles, and on the other he belongs to a trio of excommunicated priests who hunt the possessed down to exorcize them under their own terms: with Bibles, fire and shotguns.
But when the only way to crush Evil is by becoming something even worse, he must question how much of his own humanity — or sanity — he’s willing to sacrifice in order to defeat the Devil.
Produced by Molino Studio and Hudsonman,...
Premiering at the Mar Del Plata Film Festival in November, “Deus Irae” follows Father Javier, a priest living a fractured existence. On one side, he assists families who claim to have witnessed miracles, and on the other he belongs to a trio of excommunicated priests who hunt the possessed down to exorcize them under their own terms: with Bibles, fire and shotguns.
But when the only way to crush Evil is by becoming something even worse, he must question how much of his own humanity — or sanity — he’s willing to sacrifice in order to defeat the Devil.
Produced by Molino Studio and Hudsonman,...
- 10/26/2023
- by Christopher Vourlias
- Variety Film + TV
Julio Quintana (Blue Miracle) directed true golf story set in 1950s.
XYZ Films has come on board international sales at AFM for sports drama and SXSW Narrative Spotlight Audience Award winner The Long Game starring Dennis Quaid and Jay Hernandez.
Julio Quintana (Blue Miracle) directed the true story of five young Mexican American caddies in 1955 who created their own golf course in the middle of the South Texas brush country.
Despite outdated and inferior equipment and no professional instruction to begin with, they would go on to compete against wealthy, all-white teams and win the 1957 Texas State High School Golf Championship.
XYZ Films has come on board international sales at AFM for sports drama and SXSW Narrative Spotlight Audience Award winner The Long Game starring Dennis Quaid and Jay Hernandez.
Julio Quintana (Blue Miracle) directed the true story of five young Mexican American caddies in 1955 who created their own golf course in the middle of the South Texas brush country.
Despite outdated and inferior equipment and no professional instruction to begin with, they would go on to compete against wealthy, all-white teams and win the 1957 Texas State High School Golf Championship.
- 10/25/2023
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
LA-based executive joined in 2017; reports to CEO Nick Spicer.
XYZ Films has promoted Maxime Cottray from executive vice president to COO in the run-up to the American Film Market.
Cottray has played a key role in turning XYZ Films into a rounded studio and has worked closely with the principals to raise production and P&a financing for the company, including a facility with Bank of America.
As COO he will oversee financing, business affairs, and day-to-day operations, reporting to XYZ Films CEO Nick Spicer.
Since 2021 Cottray has closed the acquisition and financing of a slate of films including Berlinale...
XYZ Films has promoted Maxime Cottray from executive vice president to COO in the run-up to the American Film Market.
Cottray has played a key role in turning XYZ Films into a rounded studio and has worked closely with the principals to raise production and P&a financing for the company, including a facility with Bank of America.
As COO he will oversee financing, business affairs, and day-to-day operations, reporting to XYZ Films CEO Nick Spicer.
Since 2021 Cottray has closed the acquisition and financing of a slate of films including Berlinale...
- 10/24/2023
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
As the recently concluded WGA strike conclusively proved, a TV writer’s work doesn’t stop the moment they shut Final Draft. A TV showrunner all the more so. For both Season 1 and Season 2 of “Our Flag Means Death,” creator David Jenkins has had to weigh in on every facet of the series: from the biker-gang look of Blackbeard’s (Taika Waititi) crew to the comic-splash-panel style of the cinematography in romantic moments between the notorious pirate and the show’s more low-key infamous lead Stede Bonnet (Rhys Darby) to the quality of clouds brought in by the VFX team for the show’s LED background.
So while stepping into the director’s chair for the first two episodes of Season 2 did give Jenkins even more and new choices to make, he found it was a smooth transition; the work of directing honestly offered a bit of a break from...
So while stepping into the director’s chair for the first two episodes of Season 2 did give Jenkins even more and new choices to make, he found it was a smooth transition; the work of directing honestly offered a bit of a break from...
- 10/12/2023
- by Sarah Shachat
- Indiewire
“Modestly speaking, we’ve tried to create a culture at Movistar Plus+ which attracts talent. We have a lot of respect for what creators want to tell and believe in them,” Domingo Corral, Movistar Plus+ director of fiction and entertainment, has said.
One case in point is Berto Romero, whose latest series, “The Other Side” (“El otro lado”), world premieres at Spain’s San Sebastian Festival on Sunday.
Romero broke out with star turns on Andreu Buenafuente’s “Buenafuente” and “Leit Motiv,” two late-night mainstays on Movistar Plus+ produced by El Terrat, owned by The Mediapro Studio from 2019. Over 2018-19, his first fiction series, the Terrat-produced “Look What You’ve Done,” a fresh comedic take on the tribulations of parenting, ran for three seasons on Movistar Plus+. Now “The Other Side” weighs in as a step-up in ambition for Romero.
The comedy remains. In early scenes, Nacho Nieto (Romero), once...
One case in point is Berto Romero, whose latest series, “The Other Side” (“El otro lado”), world premieres at Spain’s San Sebastian Festival on Sunday.
Romero broke out with star turns on Andreu Buenafuente’s “Buenafuente” and “Leit Motiv,” two late-night mainstays on Movistar Plus+ produced by El Terrat, owned by The Mediapro Studio from 2019. Over 2018-19, his first fiction series, the Terrat-produced “Look What You’ve Done,” a fresh comedic take on the tribulations of parenting, ran for three seasons on Movistar Plus+. Now “The Other Side” weighs in as a step-up in ambition for Romero.
The comedy remains. In early scenes, Nacho Nieto (Romero), once...
- 9/23/2023
- by John Hopewell
- Variety Film + TV
Flawless, XYZ Films and Tea Shop Productions have acquired the Cannes Critics’ Week selection “Vincent Must Die” for all English-speaking territories from Goodfellas.
Flawless, the pioneering film technology company and a leader in the field of visual translation, recently announced it has launched a partnership with XYZ Films and Tea Shop Productions to acquire rights to foreign-language films, converting them to English for distribution in relevant markets.
Directed by Stéphan Castang, “Vincent Must Die” is written by Mathieu Naert, produced by Thierry Lounas and Claire Bonnefoy, and stars Karim Leklou and Vimala Pons. In the film, an ordinary man finds himself fighting for his life after he goes out one day and is mysteriously attacked by random strangers in the street with the intent to kill him.
This is the first film from the production company Wild West. Goodfellas and Capricci joined forces to create Wild West, a production company...
Flawless, the pioneering film technology company and a leader in the field of visual translation, recently announced it has launched a partnership with XYZ Films and Tea Shop Productions to acquire rights to foreign-language films, converting them to English for distribution in relevant markets.
Directed by Stéphan Castang, “Vincent Must Die” is written by Mathieu Naert, produced by Thierry Lounas and Claire Bonnefoy, and stars Karim Leklou and Vimala Pons. In the film, an ordinary man finds himself fighting for his life after he goes out one day and is mysteriously attacked by random strangers in the street with the intent to kill him.
This is the first film from the production company Wild West. Goodfellas and Capricci joined forces to create Wild West, a production company...
- 5/21/2023
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
El Estudio and Morbido are launching The Latin House of Horror, a hugely ambitious feature film slate channelling the voices of a powerful new generation of genre directors – and indeed writers – emerging in Spain and, most especially, Latin America.
The slate is designed to supercharge genre production in Latin America, in ambition, profile and exports, just as Filmax’s Fantastic Factory did a generation ago in Spain, El Estudio producer Enrique López Lavigne told Variety.
Mexico’s Sula Films, headed by Mexican producer Alejandro Sugich (“Los Hermanos Salvador”), will also produce the series. Vicente Canales’ Film Factory Entertainment is handling world sales.
Announced at Cannes, the House’s first slate of six movies features established talent such as Adrián García Bogliano, a founding figure of modern Argentine scarefare, now based out of Mexico; and Isaac Ezban, who rapidly established a reputation for films wrapped in hauntingly surreal scenarios: Think “The Incident” and “The Similars.
The slate is designed to supercharge genre production in Latin America, in ambition, profile and exports, just as Filmax’s Fantastic Factory did a generation ago in Spain, El Estudio producer Enrique López Lavigne told Variety.
Mexico’s Sula Films, headed by Mexican producer Alejandro Sugich (“Los Hermanos Salvador”), will also produce the series. Vicente Canales’ Film Factory Entertainment is handling world sales.
Announced at Cannes, the House’s first slate of six movies features established talent such as Adrián García Bogliano, a founding figure of modern Argentine scarefare, now based out of Mexico; and Isaac Ezban, who rapidly established a reputation for films wrapped in hauntingly surreal scenarios: Think “The Incident” and “The Similars.
- 5/18/2023
- by John Hopewell
- Variety Film + TV
Beatrice Grannò, who exquisitely captured her character's journey in Mike White's The White Lotus, Season 2, will star opposite Henry Golding in a new film by Nacho Vigalondo, Daniela Forever. Per the official description: "Struggling to come to terms with the sudden death of his girlfriend (Grannò) in an accident six months prior, a man (Golding) signs up for a sleep trial that allows him to reconstruct his life with her through the use of lucid dreams." Knowing Nacho Vigalondo's past work as a filmmaker, I am confident that this "sci-fi romance" will venture far beyond what might otherwise be expected from a romance, sci-fi or otherwise. The film is set to start production in Madrid, Spain, next month. More official verbiage: "XYZ Films is...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
- 4/28/2023
- Screen Anarchy
Exclusive: The White Lotus S2 breakout Beatrice Grannò has been cast to star opposite Henry Golding (Crazy Rich Asians) in sci-fi romance Daniela Forever, marking her English-language movie debut.
Production is due to start next month in Madrid, Spain, on the film from Spanish director Nacho Vigalondo (Colossal).
Struggling to come to terms with the sudden death of his girlfriend (Grannò) in an accident six months prior, Golding will play a man who signs up for a sleep trial that allows him to reconstruct his life with her through the use of lucid dreams.
Nahikari Ipiña and Nacho Vigalondo are producing at Sayaka Producciones, along with Benoit Roland at Wrong Men, Leire Apellaniz at Señor y Señora, and XYZ Films. Pic is being made with the participation of Filmin and Movistar Plus+ and will be distributed in Spain by Filmax.
XYZ is financing, with investment funding coming from Ipr.Vc, and...
Production is due to start next month in Madrid, Spain, on the film from Spanish director Nacho Vigalondo (Colossal).
Struggling to come to terms with the sudden death of his girlfriend (Grannò) in an accident six months prior, Golding will play a man who signs up for a sleep trial that allows him to reconstruct his life with her through the use of lucid dreams.
Nahikari Ipiña and Nacho Vigalondo are producing at Sayaka Producciones, along with Benoit Roland at Wrong Men, Leire Apellaniz at Señor y Señora, and XYZ Films. Pic is being made with the participation of Filmin and Movistar Plus+ and will be distributed in Spain by Filmax.
XYZ is financing, with investment funding coming from Ipr.Vc, and...
- 4/27/2023
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
Originally reported by Jeff Sneider and John Rocha on their show “The Hot Mic” this week, David Robert Mitchell (It Follows) is at the helm of a mysterious new genre movie for Bad Robot and Warner Bros. that’s reportedly set in the 1980s… and features dinosaurs?!
Jeff Sneider tweeted yesterday, “David Robert Mitchell is making a dinosaur movie set in the ’80s for Bad Robot and Warner Bros. with Oscar winner Anne Hathaway attached to star.”
Deadline confirms part of that scoop this afternoon, reporting that David Robert Mitchell is indeed directing Anne Hathaway in what they’re calling a “thrill ride” for Warner Bros.
The untitled film will be shot in IMAX, expected to head into production this Fall.
Anne Hathaway is no stranger to massive beasts, as the actress starred in Nacho Vigalondo’s original Kaiju movie Colossal back in 2016. Could her next battle be with dinosaurs?...
Jeff Sneider tweeted yesterday, “David Robert Mitchell is making a dinosaur movie set in the ’80s for Bad Robot and Warner Bros. with Oscar winner Anne Hathaway attached to star.”
Deadline confirms part of that scoop this afternoon, reporting that David Robert Mitchell is indeed directing Anne Hathaway in what they’re calling a “thrill ride” for Warner Bros.
The untitled film will be shot in IMAX, expected to head into production this Fall.
Anne Hathaway is no stranger to massive beasts, as the actress starred in Nacho Vigalondo’s original Kaiju movie Colossal back in 2016. Could her next battle be with dinosaurs?...
- 3/17/2023
- by John Squires
- bloody-disgusting.com
Being a Kaiju fan wasn’t always this easy. Not only were dubbed and subtitled copies of Japanese monster movies hard to come by before the advent of online streaming and boutique Blu-rays, but it was also hard to find other cinephiles with the same taste for rubber-suits and cardboard destruction. Fortunately, times have changed, with the rise of internet culture allowing what were once niche interests to find their way into mainstream culture.
However, while general audiences are now mostly aware of Godzilla and his titanic rogues’ gallery, there’s still a whole world of untapped kaiju flicks out there, just waiting to be discovered by a new generation of fans. And with the internet making even the most obscure creature features more accessible, we’ve decided to come up with a list celebrating six Kaiju movies that aren’t Godzilla-related.
While we obviously have nothing against everyone’s favorite radioactive lizard,...
However, while general audiences are now mostly aware of Godzilla and his titanic rogues’ gallery, there’s still a whole world of untapped kaiju flicks out there, just waiting to be discovered by a new generation of fans. And with the internet making even the most obscure creature features more accessible, we’ve decided to come up with a list celebrating six Kaiju movies that aren’t Godzilla-related.
While we obviously have nothing against everyone’s favorite radioactive lizard,...
- 3/2/2023
- by Luiz H. C.
- bloody-disgusting.com
Zdf Studios has signed a deal to distribute the second season of the remake of the iconic Spanish horror series “Stories to Stay Awake” (“Historias Para No Dormir”).
The series is a reboot of the classic series created by Spain’s Chicho Ibáñez Serrador in the 1960s which proved a milestone in Spanish horror, introducing Spain to classic tales from Ray Bradbury, Edgar Allen Poe,
The deal sees Zdf Studios taking distribution rights to “Stories” in all territories outside Spain, Portugal, Italy and Latin America, which will be handled by Paramount Global Content Distribution. Zdf operated in the same capacity for the first season.
The second season is produced by Paramount in association with Zdf Studios, along with Prointel and Isla Audiovisual. The first season of the series premiered on Prime Video and public broadcaster Rtve in Spain.
In Season 2, directors Salvador Calvo (“Adu), Nacho Vigalondo (“Colossal”), Alice Waddington (“Scarlet...
The series is a reboot of the classic series created by Spain’s Chicho Ibáñez Serrador in the 1960s which proved a milestone in Spanish horror, introducing Spain to classic tales from Ray Bradbury, Edgar Allen Poe,
The deal sees Zdf Studios taking distribution rights to “Stories” in all territories outside Spain, Portugal, Italy and Latin America, which will be handled by Paramount Global Content Distribution. Zdf operated in the same capacity for the first season.
The second season is produced by Paramount in association with Zdf Studios, along with Prointel and Isla Audiovisual. The first season of the series premiered on Prime Video and public broadcaster Rtve in Spain.
In Season 2, directors Salvador Calvo (“Adu), Nacho Vigalondo (“Colossal”), Alice Waddington (“Scarlet...
- 2/21/2023
- by Liza Foreman
- Variety Film + TV
In the most prominent Oscar categories, many of the nominees are fairly established; the short film categories, and the Best Live Action short in particular, provide more room for discoveries. It was here, 18 years ago, that “The Banshees of Inisherin” writer-director Martin McDonagh won for his short “Six Shooter,” and where Andrea Arnold won a year prior for “Wasp,” from a category of nominees that also included Taika Waititi and Nacho Vigalondo.
It’s also a category that can attract support from major Hollywood talent, as with last year’s winner “The Long Goodbye,” starring and produced by Riz Ahmed, who shared the award with director Aneil Karia. Yet even in that case, the winner of the category — a spoken-word indictment of racial violence — was more daring and inventive than the bulk of the feature nominees.
In that regard, this year’s set of contenders all stand out for one...
It’s also a category that can attract support from major Hollywood talent, as with last year’s winner “The Long Goodbye,” starring and produced by Riz Ahmed, who shared the award with director Aneil Karia. Yet even in that case, the winner of the category — a spoken-word indictment of racial violence — was more daring and inventive than the bulk of the feature nominees.
In that regard, this year’s set of contenders all stand out for one...
- 2/17/2023
- by Eric Kohn
- Indiewire
The European Film Market kicks off Feb. 16 with a wide assortment of films from sellers around the world. Below is a healthy selection of what’s on offer for buyers.
The Adults
Director: Alex Winter
Key cast: Evan Rachel Wood, Josh Gad, Anthony Carrigan
Synopsis: A sister and brother, Megan and Nathan are barely hanging on and their lives are completely upended when they discover a dead body, long buried in their parent’s basement, sending them down a rabbit hole of crime and murder.
Producers: Alex Winter, Scott Kroopf, Russell Hollander
Sales: Rocket Science (international); CAA Media Finance (domestic)
The Astronaut
Director: Jess Varley
Key cast: Emma Roberts, Laurence Fishburne
Producers: Brad Fuller, Eric B. Fleischman, Cameron Fuller
Synopsis: When astronaut Sam Walker (Roberts) returns from her first space mission, she’s found miraculously alive in a punctured capsule floating deep off the coast of the Atlantic Ocean. General...
The Adults
Director: Alex Winter
Key cast: Evan Rachel Wood, Josh Gad, Anthony Carrigan
Synopsis: A sister and brother, Megan and Nathan are barely hanging on and their lives are completely upended when they discover a dead body, long buried in their parent’s basement, sending them down a rabbit hole of crime and murder.
Producers: Alex Winter, Scott Kroopf, Russell Hollander
Sales: Rocket Science (international); CAA Media Finance (domestic)
The Astronaut
Director: Jess Varley
Key cast: Emma Roberts, Laurence Fishburne
Producers: Brad Fuller, Eric B. Fleischman, Cameron Fuller
Synopsis: When astronaut Sam Walker (Roberts) returns from her first space mission, she’s found miraculously alive in a punctured capsule floating deep off the coast of the Atlantic Ocean. General...
- 2/13/2023
- by Variety Staff
- Variety Film + TV
Up next from Nacho Vigalondo is a sci-fi movie titled Daniela Forever, and Deadline reports that Henry Golding (Snake Eyes) will star.
Daniela Forever is said to be a science fiction romance, and XYZ is financing and launching the project for sales at the upcoming European Film Market in Berlin.
“Golding will play a man struggling to come to terms with the sudden death of his girlfriend in an accident six months prior. So, he signs up for a sleep trial that allows him to reconstruct his life with her through the use of lucid dreams.”
Nahikari Ipiña and Nacho Vigalondo are producing at Sayaka Producciones, along with Benoit Roland at Wrong Men, Leire Apellaniz at Señor y Señora, and XYZ Films.
“This movie is built around a deeply human character trapped in twisted plot, something Henry Golding is so perfect for this almost feels unreal,” said Vigalondo. “I’m...
Daniela Forever is said to be a science fiction romance, and XYZ is financing and launching the project for sales at the upcoming European Film Market in Berlin.
“Golding will play a man struggling to come to terms with the sudden death of his girlfriend in an accident six months prior. So, he signs up for a sleep trial that allows him to reconstruct his life with her through the use of lucid dreams.”
Nahikari Ipiña and Nacho Vigalondo are producing at Sayaka Producciones, along with Benoit Roland at Wrong Men, Leire Apellaniz at Señor y Señora, and XYZ Films.
“This movie is built around a deeply human character trapped in twisted plot, something Henry Golding is so perfect for this almost feels unreal,” said Vigalondo. “I’m...
- 2/8/2023
- by John Squires
- bloody-disgusting.com
Exclusive: Henry Golding (Crazy Rich Asians) is set to star in the sci-fi romance Daniela Forever, a new film from Spanish filmmaker Nacho Vigalondo (Colossal), which XYZ is financing and launching for sales at the EFM.
Daniela Forever, which is set to shoot in Madrid, Spain, this spring/summer, will see Golding play a man struggling to come to terms with the sudden death of his girlfriend in an accident six months prior. So, he signs up for a sleep trial that allows him to reconstruct his life with her through the use of lucid dreams.
Nahikari Ipiña and Nacho Vigalondo are producing at Sayaka Producciones, along with Benoit Roland at Wrong Men, Leire Apellaniz at Señor y Señora, and XYZ Films.
“This movie is built around a deeply human character trapped in twisted plot, something Henry Golding is so perfect for this almost feels unreal,” said Vigalondo. “I’m...
Daniela Forever, which is set to shoot in Madrid, Spain, this spring/summer, will see Golding play a man struggling to come to terms with the sudden death of his girlfriend in an accident six months prior. So, he signs up for a sleep trial that allows him to reconstruct his life with her through the use of lucid dreams.
Nahikari Ipiña and Nacho Vigalondo are producing at Sayaka Producciones, along with Benoit Roland at Wrong Men, Leire Apellaniz at Señor y Señora, and XYZ Films.
“This movie is built around a deeply human character trapped in twisted plot, something Henry Golding is so perfect for this almost feels unreal,” said Vigalondo. “I’m...
- 2/8/2023
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
Madrid shoot scheduled for spring/summer.
Henry Golding (Crazy Rich Asians) will star in the sci-fi romance Daniela Forever from Colossal director Nacho Vigalondo as the producers gear up for a Madrid shoot in spring/summer. XYZ Films is financing and will introduce the project to EFM buyers next week.
The story follows a man (Golding) struggling to come to terms with the accidental death of his girlfriend who signs up for a sleep trial that would allow him to reconstruct his life with his girlfriend through lucid dreams.
Nahikari Ipiña and Vigalondo are producing for Sayaka Producciones, along with Benoit Roland at Wrong Men,...
Henry Golding (Crazy Rich Asians) will star in the sci-fi romance Daniela Forever from Colossal director Nacho Vigalondo as the producers gear up for a Madrid shoot in spring/summer. XYZ Films is financing and will introduce the project to EFM buyers next week.
The story follows a man (Golding) struggling to come to terms with the accidental death of his girlfriend who signs up for a sleep trial that would allow him to reconstruct his life with his girlfriend through lucid dreams.
Nahikari Ipiña and Vigalondo are producing for Sayaka Producciones, along with Benoit Roland at Wrong Men,...
- 2/8/2023
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Thanks to the runaway success of The Blair Witch Project in 1999, found footage movies quickly became the hottest thing in horror. By relying on camcorders, surveillance footage, and other unlikely camera sources, filmmakers could not only add some verisimilitude to their stories but could also do it on the cheap. But just as quickly, found footage became the most hated subgenre, as fans and critics decried its rigid constraints, laughing at the ridiculous ways characters justified recording when they should be running.
Just as the subgenre died, a new and more relevant approach emerged: desktop movies taking place entirely on computer screens, using webcams, streaming video, and recordings to tell their stories. Not only do desktop movies offer more variety in visual style, but they also better reflect our actual lives, as we spend a lot of time staring at computer and phone screens.
Exciting as the subgenre certainly is,...
Just as the subgenre died, a new and more relevant approach emerged: desktop movies taking place entirely on computer screens, using webcams, streaming video, and recordings to tell their stories. Not only do desktop movies offer more variety in visual style, but they also better reflect our actual lives, as we spend a lot of time staring at computer and phone screens.
Exciting as the subgenre certainly is,...
- 1/21/2023
- by Kirsten Howard
- Den of Geek
Vice’s “The 3:07 Am Project” gave four emerging horror filmmakers a chance to play around in ‘The Conjuring’ universe with minute-long morsels of murder.
The Conjuring has proven itself to be a worthy cinematic universe, delivering two proper sequels and a slew of spin-offs, with more creepy content on the way to further expand the multi-billion dollar horror franchise. The reception towards Ed and Lorraine Warren’s cinematic antics has somewhat cooled down in recent years and left audiences wondering if what’s currently on slate for The Conjuring universe will be its last hurrah or if “The Nun 3” or “Crooked Man Vs. Annabelle” are inevitable.
There are lofty expectations in place when it comes to The Conjuring IP, but there were also surprisingly ambitious plans in place even during the production of the original movie. A connected Conjuring universe may not have been on anyone’s radar yet.
The Conjuring has proven itself to be a worthy cinematic universe, delivering two proper sequels and a slew of spin-offs, with more creepy content on the way to further expand the multi-billion dollar horror franchise. The reception towards Ed and Lorraine Warren’s cinematic antics has somewhat cooled down in recent years and left audiences wondering if what’s currently on slate for The Conjuring universe will be its last hurrah or if “The Nun 3” or “Crooked Man Vs. Annabelle” are inevitable.
There are lofty expectations in place when it comes to The Conjuring IP, but there were also surprisingly ambitious plans in place even during the production of the original movie. A connected Conjuring universe may not have been on anyone’s radar yet.
- 9/26/2022
- by Daniel Kurland
- bloody-disgusting.com
Set to film in 2023, the thriller will be presented at San Sebastian’s Creative Investors’ Conference.
Leading Spanish distribution and production company A Contracorriente has boarded Whalemen – At the Ends of Earth (Baleazaleak), which is to be directed by veteran Icelandic filmmaker Baltasar Kormákur.
The project is at an advanced stage of development and will be presented to potential co-producers and international distributors at the San Sebastian Film Festival’s inaugural Creative Investors’ Conference, which runs on September 19 and 20 as part of the Spanish Screenings: Financing & Tech strand.
A Contracorriente has boarded as a co-producer and will distribute the title in Spain.
Leading Spanish distribution and production company A Contracorriente has boarded Whalemen – At the Ends of Earth (Baleazaleak), which is to be directed by veteran Icelandic filmmaker Baltasar Kormákur.
The project is at an advanced stage of development and will be presented to potential co-producers and international distributors at the San Sebastian Film Festival’s inaugural Creative Investors’ Conference, which runs on September 19 and 20 as part of the Spanish Screenings: Financing & Tech strand.
A Contracorriente has boarded as a co-producer and will distribute the title in Spain.
- 9/15/2022
- by Emilio Mayorga
- ScreenDaily
Exclusive: Fresh off starring in Toronto Film Festival drama North Of Normal, Sarah Gadon is set to make her directorial debut on feature Lullabies For Little Criminals, based on Heather O’Neill’s 2007 novel which won the Canada Reads competition.
Alias Grace and True Detective star Gadon will adapt the screenplay and also produce alongside Brightlight Pictures’ (Firefly Lane) Shawn Williamson and Emily Alden. Production is slated to take place in Montreal.
The movie will follow thirteen year-old Baby who vacillates between childhood comforts and adult temptation. Her father, Jules, takes better care of his drug habit than he does of his daughter, however when her blossoming beauty captures the attention of a charismatic and dangerous local it creates a volatile situation which threatens to crush Baby’s spirit.
Gadon’s latest feature is Carly Stone drama North of Normal which launched on Sunday at TIFF. The Canadian actress stars with Robert Carlyle,...
Alias Grace and True Detective star Gadon will adapt the screenplay and also produce alongside Brightlight Pictures’ (Firefly Lane) Shawn Williamson and Emily Alden. Production is slated to take place in Montreal.
The movie will follow thirteen year-old Baby who vacillates between childhood comforts and adult temptation. Her father, Jules, takes better care of his drug habit than he does of his daughter, however when her blossoming beauty captures the attention of a charismatic and dangerous local it creates a volatile situation which threatens to crush Baby’s spirit.
Gadon’s latest feature is Carly Stone drama North of Normal which launched on Sunday at TIFF. The Canadian actress stars with Robert Carlyle,...
- 9/12/2022
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
Mubi has announced its lineup of streaming offerings for next month and amongst the highlights are a Ricky D’Ambrose double bill, including his new film The Cathedral, as well as a trio of films by Maurice Pialat, Gaspar Noé’s Vortex, David Osit’s Mayor, Paul Thomas Anderson’s The Master, an expansion of their Tilda Swinton series, and more.
Also including films by Tsai Ming-liang, Sky Hopinka, Nacho Vigalondo, Anton Corbijn, and more check out the lineup below and get 30 days free here.
September 1 – Classical Period, directed by Ted Fendt | Ted Fendt Focus
September 2 – 2 Days in New York, directed by Julie Delpy
September 3 – Timecrimes, directed by Nacho Vigalondo
September 4 – Małni – Towards the Ocean, Towards the Shore, directed by Sky Hopinka
September 6 – Mayor, directed by David Osit
September 7 – Friendship’s Death, directed by Peter Wollen | The One and Only: Tilda Swinton
September 8 – Hideous, directed by Yann Gonzalez | Brief Encounters
September 9 – The Cathedral,...
Also including films by Tsai Ming-liang, Sky Hopinka, Nacho Vigalondo, Anton Corbijn, and more check out the lineup below and get 30 days free here.
September 1 – Classical Period, directed by Ted Fendt | Ted Fendt Focus
September 2 – 2 Days in New York, directed by Julie Delpy
September 3 – Timecrimes, directed by Nacho Vigalondo
September 4 – Małni – Towards the Ocean, Towards the Shore, directed by Sky Hopinka
September 6 – Mayor, directed by David Osit
September 7 – Friendship’s Death, directed by Peter Wollen | The One and Only: Tilda Swinton
September 8 – Hideous, directed by Yann Gonzalez | Brief Encounters
September 9 – The Cathedral,...
- 8/29/2022
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Forget flux capacitors and sports almanacs. Where these underrated time travel movies are going, you don't need mainstream references. This year-hopping corner of cinema may be predominantly dominated by Marty and the Doc's souped-up DeLorean and emotionless machines sent back in time to kill us, but take a deeper look and you'll find a range of stories that take time travel to some pretty unexpected places.
If we were to have our way, this list wouldn't be quite as brief. After all, with the entire space-time continuum at their fingertips, you'd think filmmakers would've put a little more effort into mining time travel for the full mind-bending potential the genre contains. However, as it stands, truly left-field adventures can often seem few and far between.
That said, we're lucky to have a handful of movies that use time and space as a jumping-off point to tell tales that are wild,...
If we were to have our way, this list wouldn't be quite as brief. After all, with the entire space-time continuum at their fingertips, you'd think filmmakers would've put a little more effort into mining time travel for the full mind-bending potential the genre contains. However, as it stands, truly left-field adventures can often seem few and far between.
That said, we're lucky to have a handful of movies that use time and space as a jumping-off point to tell tales that are wild,...
- 8/24/2022
- by Simon Bland
- Slash Film
If you’re looking for a new movie to watch on HBO Max this month, you’ve come to the right place. June brings a bevy of new titles to stream, ranging from brand new releases to excellent library titles that fit every mood. Below, we’ve assembled a curated list of the best new movies to watch on HBO Max in June, which range from big-budget fantasies to feel-good rom-coms to underseen hidden gems. There’s truly something for everyone, so pop some popcorn, grab a cozy blanket and settle in with one of these swell movies.
Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore Warner Bros.
The big new release on HBO Max in June actually hit the streaming service at the tail end of May, but “Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore” serves as both something of a franchise course-correction and a conclusion to this Wizarding World prequel series.
Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore Warner Bros.
The big new release on HBO Max in June actually hit the streaming service at the tail end of May, but “Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore” serves as both something of a franchise course-correction and a conclusion to this Wizarding World prequel series.
- 6/5/2022
- by Adam Chitwood
- The Wrap
Here's the elevator pitch for "Colossal": Anne Hathaway is a party girl with a heart of gold and every time she gets drunk, a giant monster terrorizes Seoul. This combination of words makes next to no sense and yet, this movie really does exist and is even more thrilling than you can possibly imagine.
"Colossal" advertises as a city-stomping monster movie — or at very least, the head-scratching kaiju on the poster does that for it. In reality, Nacho Vigalondo's inventive hybrid is too complex to classify. A romantic comedy crossed with a monster movie, "Colossal" is comedic camp and a dejected...
The post Colossal Isn't the Kaiju Comedy You Think It Is — It's Better appeared first on /Film.
"Colossal" advertises as a city-stomping monster movie — or at very least, the head-scratching kaiju on the poster does that for it. In reality, Nacho Vigalondo's inventive hybrid is too complex to classify. A romantic comedy crossed with a monster movie, "Colossal" is comedic camp and a dejected...
The post Colossal Isn't the Kaiju Comedy You Think It Is — It's Better appeared first on /Film.
- 5/18/2022
- by Shania Russell
- Slash Film
Each week we highlight the noteworthy titles that have recently hit streaming platforms in the United States. Check out this week’s selections below and past round-ups here.
All My Friends Hate Me (Andrew Gaynord)
Pete (Tom Stourton) hasn’t seen his university mates in years. Ten years to be exact. It happens. Life happens. We reach adulthood, mature, and set goals for ourselves that the people who were closest to us during that formidable period simply cannot follow—their own ambitions lie upon different forks in the road. So resentment shouldn’t factor in. Nor should jealousy. Yet Pete can’t help wondering about both. A little voice in the back of his head wonders if a decade was too long to pretend things could pick up where they left off. Would their very posh upbringing think he abandoned them to work with refugees? Do they think he thinks...
All My Friends Hate Me (Andrew Gaynord)
Pete (Tom Stourton) hasn’t seen his university mates in years. Ten years to be exact. It happens. Life happens. We reach adulthood, mature, and set goals for ourselves that the people who were closest to us during that formidable period simply cannot follow—their own ambitions lie upon different forks in the road. So resentment shouldn’t factor in. Nor should jealousy. Yet Pete can’t help wondering about both. A little voice in the back of his head wonders if a decade was too long to pretend things could pick up where they left off. Would their very posh upbringing think he abandoned them to work with refugees? Do they think he thinks...
- 3/25/2022
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Big news for Blumhouse and horror fans here in Canada. Their anthology series, Into the Dark, is coming to specialty channel Hollywood Suite! Featuring films from director like Gigi Saul Guerrero, Nacho Vigalondo, Chelsea Stardust and Adam Mason, all twenty four films will be available to stream on demand starting on February 1st. The program starts with Daniel Stamm's Down and Maggie Levin's My Valentine. Two films will roll out on the service each month for the rest of the year. The complete lineup with loglines and promo trailer follows the official announcement! You will also find many links to our coverage of the series down below as well. Into The Dark, the 24-film horror anthology from Blumhouse Television – the producers...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
- 1/25/2022
- Screen Anarchy
[This post originally appeared as part of Recommendation Machine, IndieWire’s daily TV picks feature.]
Where to Watch “Culture Shock”: Hulu
“Into the Dark,” which wrapped its second season earlier this year on Hulu, is an anthology series. By its nature, there’s a certain hit-or-miss quality, especially when the horror collection adds the constraint of tying each installment into a holiday. Some can get too cute by half, while others (like Nacho Vigalondo’s bonkers “Pooka!” or the most recent “Blood Moon”) strip away those ties to find the thematic strength underneath.
It’s what makes “Culture Shock,” the Gigi Saul Guerrero-directed episode of “Into the Dark,” shocking at times, and it also makes it difficult to talk around the specific turns it takes without giving away its ultimate goal. Still, effectively told in three parts, it balances all of those inputs, making it a standout among “Into the Dark” episodes and the greater Blumhouse body of work at large.
Where to Watch “Culture Shock”: Hulu
“Into the Dark,” which wrapped its second season earlier this year on Hulu, is an anthology series. By its nature, there’s a certain hit-or-miss quality, especially when the horror collection adds the constraint of tying each installment into a holiday. Some can get too cute by half, while others (like Nacho Vigalondo’s bonkers “Pooka!” or the most recent “Blood Moon”) strip away those ties to find the thematic strength underneath.
It’s what makes “Culture Shock,” the Gigi Saul Guerrero-directed episode of “Into the Dark,” shocking at times, and it also makes it difficult to talk around the specific turns it takes without giving away its ultimate goal. Still, effectively told in three parts, it balances all of those inputs, making it a standout among “Into the Dark” episodes and the greater Blumhouse body of work at large.
- 10/27/2021
- by Steve Greene
- Indiewire
Zdf Enterprises (Zdfe) has acquired the international distribution rights to Spanish horror anthology “Stories to Stay Awake,” in Spanish “Historias para no dormir,” for all territories outside of Spain, Portugal, Italy and Latin America, which will be handled by series producer ViacomCBS International Studios.
50 years ago, Chicho Ibáñez Serrador became a household name in Spain thanks to his creation “Historias Para No Dormir,” a Spanish series which aired from 1966 to 1968 and again in 1982. In 2005, the IP was reformatted for the big screen as a group of shorts in “Peliculas Para No Dormir” (Movies to Stay Awake), with Ibáñez’s contribution “La Culpa” being the filmmaker’s final directorial work. He was joined then by several other Spanish genre masters on the project in Álex de la Iglesia (“30 Coins”), Jaume Balagueró (“[Rec]”), Mateo Gil (“Open Your Eyes”), Enrique Urbizu (“The Ninth Gate”) and, back for this new series reboot, Paco Plaza.
50 years ago, Chicho Ibáñez Serrador became a household name in Spain thanks to his creation “Historias Para No Dormir,” a Spanish series which aired from 1966 to 1968 and again in 1982. In 2005, the IP was reformatted for the big screen as a group of shorts in “Peliculas Para No Dormir” (Movies to Stay Awake), with Ibáñez’s contribution “La Culpa” being the filmmaker’s final directorial work. He was joined then by several other Spanish genre masters on the project in Álex de la Iglesia (“30 Coins”), Jaume Balagueró (“[Rec]”), Mateo Gil (“Open Your Eyes”), Enrique Urbizu (“The Ninth Gate”) and, back for this new series reboot, Paco Plaza.
- 10/13/2021
- by Jamie Lang
- Variety Film + TV
Each week we highlight the noteworthy titles that have recently hit streaming platforms in the United States. Check out this week’s selections below and past round-ups here.
Blue Bayou (Justin Chon)
After Antonio (Justin Chon) is wrongfully arrested in front of his wife Kathy (Alicia Vikander) and step-daughter Jessie (Sydney Kowalske), he’s surprised to learn he’s been flagged for deportation. Due to his adoptive parent’s oversight, Antonio, who was born in Korea but has lived in Louisiana since he was a toddler, doesn’t have citizenship. Justin Chon’s Blue Bayou is an amalgam of real stories like Antonio’s, among which there are thousands. – Gabrielle M. (full review)
Where to Stream: VOD
Detention (John Hsu)
As a subversive poem (according to the Chinese Nationalist Party that ruled Taiwan under martial law during the period known as the White Terror from 1947 until 1987) read by Miss Yin...
Blue Bayou (Justin Chon)
After Antonio (Justin Chon) is wrongfully arrested in front of his wife Kathy (Alicia Vikander) and step-daughter Jessie (Sydney Kowalske), he’s surprised to learn he’s been flagged for deportation. Due to his adoptive parent’s oversight, Antonio, who was born in Korea but has lived in Louisiana since he was a toddler, doesn’t have citizenship. Justin Chon’s Blue Bayou is an amalgam of real stories like Antonio’s, among which there are thousands. – Gabrielle M. (full review)
Where to Stream: VOD
Detention (John Hsu)
As a subversive poem (according to the Chinese Nationalist Party that ruled Taiwan under martial law during the period known as the White Terror from 1947 until 1987) read by Miss Yin...
- 10/8/2021
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Horror fans don’t have to wait until October to celebrate the scary movies, but this month offers a welcome opportunity to embrace the form. Last year, when the pandemic made in-person film festivals hard to achieve, four respected genre festivals from around the country — Boston Underground, Brooklyn Horror, North Bend, and Overlook — joined forces for a virtual festival event called Nightstream. Blending traditional horror programming with broader examples of genre filmmaking, the lineup provided a welcome opportunity to bring the festival experience to audiences nationwide.
This year is no exception: The second edition of Nightstream begins tonight and runs through October 13, with an exciting online program of films and events accessible to anyone in the U.S. Badgeholders will be able to tune into conversations with David Lowery, “Malignant” writer Akela Cooper, and “Creepshow” showrunner Greg Nicotero, as well as recurring events like The Future of Film Is Female...
This year is no exception: The second edition of Nightstream begins tonight and runs through October 13, with an exciting online program of films and events accessible to anyone in the U.S. Badgeholders will be able to tune into conversations with David Lowery, “Malignant” writer Akela Cooper, and “Creepshow” showrunner Greg Nicotero, as well as recurring events like The Future of Film Is Female...
- 10/7/2021
- by Eric Kohn
- Indiewire
Bleecker Street’s sci-fi romantic comedy I’m Your Man blasted off – relatively speaking in today’s specialty market – with a per screen average of $2,139 in 16 theaters in North America.
Directed by Maria Schrader film with Maren Eggert and Dan Stevens, it was the rare specialty film of late to pass $2K per screen in limited release. New York and Los Angeles were standouts. It also played San Francisco, Boston, Washington, D.C., Phoenix and Dallas. Bleecker will expand in those markets next week and add 15 new ones.
Stevens supported the film at a Q&a at the Landmark Saturday. It has a 17-day exclusive theatrical window.
See Deadline review here for the 95% Certified Fresh film that’s Germany’s entry for the 2022 International Feature...
Directed by Maria Schrader film with Maren Eggert and Dan Stevens, it was the rare specialty film of late to pass $2K per screen in limited release. New York and Los Angeles were standouts. It also played San Francisco, Boston, Washington, D.C., Phoenix and Dallas. Bleecker will expand in those markets next week and add 15 new ones.
Stevens supported the film at a Q&a at the Landmark Saturday. It has a 17-day exclusive theatrical window.
See Deadline review here for the 95% Certified Fresh film that’s Germany’s entry for the 2022 International Feature...
- 9/26/2021
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
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