Noticias

It is a mixed bag for UK and Irish films at this year’s Cannes – there’s a strong showing in Un Certain Regard, but it is a weak year overall for UK-Ireland female representation.

In Competition, as it stands, there are no films from UK or Irish directors.

However inUn Certain Regard, there are three UK-Irish debut features in selection.UK-Nigerian filmmaker Akinola Davies Jr’sMy Father’s Shadowstars UK actor Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù. The semi-autobiographical tale is set over the course of a single day in the Nigerian capital Lagos during the 1993 Nigerian election crisis.

UK-Ireland outfit Element Pictures produces,...

It is a mixed bag for UK and Irish films at this year’s Cannes – there’s a strong showing in Un Certain Regard, but it is a weak year overall for UK-Ireland female representation.

In Competition, as it stands, there are no films from UK or Irish directors.

However inUn Certain Regard, there are three UK-Irish debut features in selection.UK-Nigerian filmmaker Akinola Davies Jr’sMy Father’s Shadowstars UK actor Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù. The semi-autobiographical tale is set over the course of a single day in the Nigerian capital Lagos during the 1993 Nigerian election crisis.

UK-Ireland outfit Element Pictures produces,...

The 2025 BAFTAs are here!

The annual celebration of film is taking place Sunday (February 16) at Royal Festival Hall in London, England. Doctor Who actor David Tennant is hosting for the second year in a row.

This year, Conclave scored the most nominations with 12 total. Emilia Pérez is in second place, with 11 nominations this year.

Just Jared will be live updating with all the winners throughout the event, so stay tuned!

Keep reading to find out more…

See the full list of nominees and winners…

Best Film

“Anora” — Alex Coco, Samantha Quan, Sean Baker

“The Brutalist”

“A Complete Unknown”

“Conclave” - Winner!

“Emilia Pérez”

Outstanding British Film

“Bird” — Andrea Arnold, Tessa Ross, Juliette Howell, Lee Groombridge

“Blitz” — Steve McQueen, Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Anita Overland

“Conclave” — Edward Berger, Tessa Ross, Juliette Howell, Michael A. Jackman, Peter Straughan - Winner!

“Gladiator II” — Ridley Scott, Douglas Wick, Lucy Fisher, Michael Pruss, David Scarpa,...

“Conclave” won Best Film at the 2025 EE BAFTA Film Awards, leading the pack with four BAFTAs overall. The British equivalent of the Oscars took place February 16 from the Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall in central London, honoring the best in film for its 78th annual edition.

Edward Berger’s “Conclave” led all films with 12 BAFTA nominations, and it won Best Film, Outstanding British Film, Best Adapted Screenplay for Peter Straughan, and Best Editing. It’s an upset after “Anora” swept all three of the DGAs, PGAs, and WGAs. The last film to win those three prizes, but not Best Picture at the Oscars was “Brokeback Mountain,” but then again, it did win the BAFTA for Best Film.

“Anora” did have a strong showing though, with Mikey Madison pulling off an upset and winning Leading Actress over Demi Moore for “The Substance.” “Anora” also won Best Casting, though Madison lost...

At a BAFTA Awards where there was no clear frontrunner going into the ceremony, British Academy voters chose to largely share the spoils when it came to handing out honors.

But only one could win the top prize of best film, and this year that went to “Conclave,” which had entered the night with the most number of nominations (11). Edward Berger’s Vatican thriller wound up tying with Brady Corbet’s “The Brutalist” with four BAFTA wins each. Of its four, the 3.5-hour American epic won leading actor for Adrien Brody and director for Corbet.

Meanwhile, there was a surprise when Mikey Madison was named leading actress for “Anora” (one of two wins for Sean Baker’s sex worker comedy), with “The Substance” star Demi Moore’s seem by many as sure bet. Coralie Fargeat’s body-horror instead took home one award, for makeup and hairstyling.

Elsewhere, Jacques Audiard’s crime musical “Emilia Pérez,...

Barry Keoghan has good luck with donkeys. He last shared the screen with one in 2022’s The Banshees of Inisherin, in which Jenny the Donkey stole hearts as Colin Farrell’s beloved pet. Banshees earned Keoghan his first Oscar nomination. Now he returns to rural Ireland with a new mule named Don Mosley for a Super Bowl ad touting the website service Squarespace.

The pair teased their collaboration in a pre-Super Bowl ad called Barry and Mosley. And now the actual spot has dropped, embedded below. Keoghan checked in with The Hollywood Reporter via Zoom from London to talk about the commercial, walk us through some Irish geography and tell as much as he can about his upcoming movie with the Weeknd, whose trailer dropped today.

2025 Super Bowl ad for Squarespace.

Hi, Barry! Can you put your camera on or no?

I’d rather not because it’s 9:00 p.

This afternoon, Will Sharpe and Mia McKenna-Bruce announced the list of lucky nominees for 2025’s Ee BAFTA Awards.

This year nominations see 12 nominations for ‘Conclave,’ 11 nominations for ‘Emilia Pérez,’ While ‘The Brutalist’ received 9 nominations. 7 nominations for ‘Anora,’ ‘Dune: Part Two’ and ‘Wicked.’

14 out of 24 nominees in the performance categories have received their first BAFTA Film nomination, including Yura Borisov (Anora), Kieran Culkin (A Real Pain), Cynthia Erivo (Wicked), Karla Sofía Gascón (Emilia Pérez), Ariana Grande (Wicked), Selena Gomez (Emilia Pérez), Clarence Maclin (Sing Sing), Mikey Madison (Anora), Demi Moore (The Substance), Guy Pearce (The Brutalist), Isabella Rossellini (Conclave), Zoe Saldaña (Emilia Pérez), Sebastian Stan (The Apprentice) and Jeremy Strong (The Apprentice).

The Ee BAFTA Film Awards ceremony will once again be held at the Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall in central London, and broadcast on Sunday 16 February 2025 on BBC One and iPlayer in the UK.

Also in news – Jack Huston...

The nominations for the 2025 BAFTAs are here!

This year, Conclave scored the most nominations with 12 total. Emilia Pérez is in second with 11 nominations this year.

This year’s ceremony is set to take place on Sunday (February 16) live from London, England with Doctor Who‘s David Tennant returning to host.

Just Jared will be live updating throughout the event, so stay tuned!

Keep reading to find out more…

Scroll down for the full list of nominees…

Best Film

“Anora” — Alex Coco, Samantha Quan, Sean Baker

“The Brutalist”

“A Complete Unknown”

“Conclave”

“Emilia Pérez”

Outstanding British Film

“Bird” — Andrea Arnold, Tessa Ross, Juliette Howell, Lee Groombridge

“Blitz” — Steve McQueen, Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Anita Overland

“Conclave” — Edward Berger, Tessa Ross, Juliette Howell, Michael A. Jackman, Peter Straughan

“Gladiator II” — Ridley Scott, Douglas Wick, Lucy Fisher, Michael Pruss, David Scarpa, Peter Craig

“Hard Truths” — Mike Leigh, Georgina Lowe

“Kneecap” — Rich Peppiatt, Trevor Birney,...

The 2025 Ee BAFTA Film Awards nominations are in, with 42 films receiving nods on Wednesday morning. Leading the crop of nominees are “Conclave” with 12, “Emilia Pérez” with 11, and “The Brutalist” with nine. “Anora,” “Dune: Part Two,” and “Wicked” all received seven nominations, even though “Wicked” was shut out from the Best Film category. Ireland’s Oscar entry “Kneecap,” which is on the Academy shortlist, made a strong showing with six nominations. Same with “A Complete Unknown.” “Nosferatu” and “The Substance,” meanwhile, both earned five nominations.

Shut-outs and also-rans included “Challengers,” which received zero nominations; Denzel Washington from the Best Supporting Actor category for his work in “Gladiator II”; Nicole Kidman, out for her work in “Babygirl”; and Daniel Craig, the English actor snubbed for his work in “Queer.” “Sing Sing” did well with three nominations including for Best Actor Colman Domingo and Best Supporting Actor Clarence Maclin. Selena Gomez is in for “Emilia Pérez,...

“Conclave” leads the pack of 2025 BAFTA Film Awards nominees with 12 nods, one more than “Emilia Pérez,” which had appeared on the most BAFTA longlists (15) when they were announced on Jan. 3.

Mia McKenna-Bruce and Will Sharpe announced the 2025 nominees live on Wednesday in London.

The British academy nominated “Conclave” for best film, outstanding British film, best director (for Edward Berger), lead actor (Ralph Fiennes), supporting actress (Isabella Rossellini), and adapted screenplay (Peter Straughan). “Emilia Pérez” picked up nods for best film, director (Jacques Audiard), lead actress (Karla Sofía Gascón), supporting actress (Selena Gomez and Zoe Saldaña) and adapted screenplay (Audiard).

“The Brutalist,” meanwhile, received nine nominations, including best film, director (Brady Corbet) and actor (Adrien Brody), followed by seven each for “Anora,” “Dune: Part Two” and “Wicked.” Of those three, only “Anora” made the cut for best film and director (Sean Baker). Coralie Fargeat landed the last spot in the director category,...

The 2025 BAFTA Film nominations were revealed in London this morning with Papal thriller Conclave and crime-musical Emilia Pérez leading the way with 12 and 11 nominations, respectively. Scroll down for the full list of nominees.

The Los Angeles wildfires have meant that most major U.S. awards ceremonies have postponed their nominations or extended voting periods, but BAFTA has ploughed on. The ceremony is set for February 16 at the Royal Festival Hall in London

This morning’s nominations went largely to script, with movies The Brutalist, Anora, Wicked and A Complete Unknown also scoring well among nominees. British and Irish dramedy Kneecap also found favor with six nominations.

Best Film nominees comprise Anora, The Brutalist, A Complete Unknown, Conclave and Emilia Pérez. This year’s awards race has been described as an open one. Each of the five nominated BAFTA Best Film contenders does feel in with a shout of victory. But...

Academy Award winner Andrea Arnold is taking her biggest risk yet with “Bird.”

Barry Keoghan and Franz Rogowski anchor a coming-of-age fable that spreads its wings with surrealism — expanding the world of a young girl (played by newcomer star Nykiya Adams) and Arnold’s filmography in the process.

“Cow” and “American Honey” filmmaker Arnold writes and directs “Bird,” which captures life on the “marginalized fringes of contemporary society” in north Kent, England. The film follows 12-year-old Bailey (Adams), who lives with her chaotic single dad Bug (Keoghan) and uncle Hunter (Jason Buda). But after she encounters nomad Bird (Rogowski), she realizes the meaning of adult friendship.

Jasmine Jobson, Joanne Matthews, James Nelson-Joyce, Rhys Yates, and Sarah Beth Harber also star.

The IndieWire review for “Bird” charted writer/director Arnold’s “shrewd” ability to direct young stars much like Katie Jarvis (“Fish Tank”) and Sasha Lane (“American Honey”), and now, Adams.

A24 has bought U.S. distribution right to “Pillion,” a film described as a “fun and filthy romance with heart” and starring Alexander Skarsgard and Harry Melling (“The Pale Blue Eye,” “The Queen’s Gambit”).

Produced by multi-Oscar-winning powerhouse Element Pictures, “Pillion” — which wrapped earlier this summer — marks the feature debut of Harry Lighton, whose short “Wren Boys” was nominated for best British short at the 2018 BAFTAs, was nominated for a BIFA and had its U.S. premiere at the Sundance Film Festival.

“Pillion” follows Colin (Melling), a weedy wallflower letting life pass him by. That is until Ray (Skarsgård), the impossibly handsome leader of a motorbike club, takes him on as his submissive. Ray uproots Colin from his dreary suburban life, introducing him to a community of kinky, queer bikers and taking all sorts of virginities along the way. But as Colin steps deeper into Ray’s world of rules and mysteries,...

A24 has acquired U.S. distribution rights to the “funny, filthy romance” film “Pillion,” which stars Alexander Skarsgard and Harry Melling. The film marks the feature debut of Batfa-nominated writer/director Harry Lighton (“Wren Boys”).

“Pillion,” which wrapped filming this summer, chronicles the love story between “the impossibly handsome leader of a bike gang and the wallflower he takes on as his submissive.”

The film is an Element Pictures production financed by BBC Film, BFI, in association with Fremantle, Picturehouse Entertainment and September Film who will handle distribution in the UK and Benelux respectively. The screenplay was developed with BBC Film and is based on Adam Mars-Jones’ “Box Hill” which was the 2019 Fitzcarraldo Editions Nobel Prize winner.

Cornerstone handles worldwide sales and distribution.

Element Pictures’ Emma Norton, Ed Guiney and Andrew Lowe are producing together with Lee Groombridge. BBC Film’s Eva Yates, Louise Ortega for the BFI, Fremantle’s Christian Vesper,...

A24 has taken acquired US distribution rights to Element Pictures’ filthy and comedic romance Pillion, starring Harry Melling and Emmy and Golden Globe winner Alexander Skarsgård.

The debut feature from BAFTA-nominated writer/director Harry Lighton (Wren Boys) follows an impossibly handsome leader of a bike gang and the wallflower he takes on as his submissive. Production wrapped this summer. The screenplay was developed with BBC Film and is based on Adam Mars-Jones’ Box Hill which was the 2019 Fitzcarraldo Editions Nobel Prize winner.

Pillion is an Element Pictures production financed by BBC Film, BFI (awarding National Lottery funding), in association with Fremantle, Picturehouse Entertainment and September Film who will handle distribution in the UK and Benelux respectively. Cornerstone has worldwide sales and distribution.

Element Pictures’ Emma Norton, Ed Guiney and Andrew Lowe are producing together with Lee Groombridge. BBC Film’s Eva Yates, Louise Ortega for the BFI, Fremantle’s Christian Vesper,...

A24 has acquired US distribution rights to Harry Lighton’s UK feature debut Pillion starring Harry Melling and Alexander Skarsgard.

The distributor acquired the film from worldwide sales agent Cornerstone Films. Release plans are not yet confirmed.

Pillion shot this summer in the UK and is currently in post-production. Based on Adam Mars-Jones’ novel Box Hill, the film follows a romance between a shy young man and the handsome leader of a kinky, queer motorbike club.

Element Pictures’ Emma Norton, Ed Guiney and Andrew Lowe are producing the film with Lee Groombridge.

The film is financed by BBC Film and the BFI,...

The European Film Academy has revealed the first tranche of film titles that members can consider for nominations for the European Film Awards, which take place on Dec. 7 in Lucerne, Switzerland.

The academy’s selection of 29 titles covers films that had their first official screening between June 1, 2023, and May 31, 2024. Further titles will be announced in September, which will include films that had their premieres in the summer and early autumn festivals, such as Locarno and Venice.

Among the selection are Jacques Audiard’s “Emilia Pérez,” Cannes’ best actress and jury prize winner, Miguel Gomes’ “Grand Tour,” Cannes’ best director winner, Yorgos Lanthimos’ “Kinds Of Kindness,” best actor winner at Cannes, Mohammad Rasoulof’s “The Seed of the Sacred Fig,” jury special prize winner at Cannes, Coralie Fargeat’s “The Substance,” best screenplay winner at Cannes, “Armand” by Halfdan Ullmann Tøndel, the Golden Camera winner at Cannes, Matthias Glasner’s “Dying,...

Cannes Competition titles The Substance, The Seed Of The Sacred Fig, and Emilia Perez are among the first set of titles recommended for nominations at this year’s European Film Awards.

Overall, 29 titles have been selected for the first stage of nominations by the European Film Academy Board. The selection includes films from 26 countries. In the coming weeks, the 5,000 members of the European Film Academy will start to vote on the selected films. The winners will be announced at the European Film Awards ceremony in Lucerne, Switzerland, on December 7.

To be eligible for a European Film Awards, films must be European feature films which, among other criteria, had their first official screening between June 1, 2023 and May 31, 2024 and have a European director. The rule book states that should a film director not be European, exceptions can be made if the filmmaker is “provided they have a European refugee or similar status...

Andrea Arnold’s Bird, Sandhya Suri’s Santosh and Karan Kandhari’s Sister Midnight are among the films to receive backing from the latest round of UK Global Screen Fund (Ukgsf) awards.

The BFI has made 19 additional awards totalling £527,563 through the £7m Ukgsf, which is financed by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (Dcms).

Cannes premieres Bird, Santosh and Sister Midnight all received international distribution awards via the festival launch track, which supports festival runs for UK films to reach global audiences.

The only film to receive an international distribution award via the prints and advertising support track in...

Andrea Arnold’s Bird, Sandhya Suri’s Santosh and Karan Kandhari’s Sister Midnight are among the films to receive backing from the latest round of UK Global Screen Fund (Ukgsf) awards.

The BFI has made 19 additional awards totalling £527,563 through the £7m Ukgsf, which is financed by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (Dcms).

Cannes premieres Bird, Santosh and Sister Midnight all received international distribution awards via the festival launch track, which supports festival runs for UK films to reach global audiences.

The only film to receive an international distribution award via the prints and advertising support track in...

The UK’s Cornerstone has landed key global deals for Andrea Arnold’s Cannes Competition title Bird.

The deals include Mfa (Germany), Lucky Red (Italy), Avalon (Spain), Cineart (Benelux), Cinobo (Greece), New Cinema (Israel), Front Row (Middle East), Lusomundo (Portugal), Nonstop (Scandinavia), Frenetic (Switzerland), Discovery, Provzglyad (Cis), Aerofilm, Impacto Cine (Latin America), New Select (Japan) and Challan (South Korea).

Mubi earlier acquired rights for North America, Turkey, UK and Ireland.

Ad Vitam is the French distributor.

Barry Keoghan and Franz Rogowski star alongside newcomers Nykiya Adams and Jason Buda in the story of a 12-year-old who lives with her distracted...

Andrea Arnold’s drama “Bird,” starring Barry Keoghan and Franz Rogowski and a recent contender for the Palme d’Or in Cannes, has been sold around the world by Cornerstone.

With Mubi having snapped up the film before Cannes for the U.K and Ireland and during the fest for North America and Turkey, the new deals include Mfa (Germany), Lucky Red (Italy), Avalon (Spain), Benelux (Cineart), Cinobo (Greece), New Cinema (Israel), Front Row (Middle East), Lusomundo (Portugal), Nonstop (Scandinavia), Frenetic (Switzerland), Discovery, Provzglyad (C.I.S), Aerofilm, Impacto Cine (Latin America), New Select (Japan) and Challan (South Korea). As previously announced, Ad Vitam is the French distributor.

Written and directed by Arnold, “Bird” sees the director return to the social realist world of her dramas “Red Road” and “Fish Tank” (both of them Cannes jury prize winners). The film sees Keoghan play Bug, a tattoo-covered young father living by the British...

Andrea Arnold’s Bird is soaring to new heights, securing distribution deals worldwide following its successful premiere at the Cannes Film Festival.

Cornerstone Films, which is handling international sales, confirmed the coming-of-age drama has been picked up across several major territories including Germany (Mfa), Italy (Lucky Red), Spain (Avalon), Japan (New Select), and South Korea (Challan). Cornerstone also struck with Benelux, Scandinavia, Latin America, and others. Arthouse streamer Mubi previously picked up the rights for Bird for North America, in a deal co-repped between Cornerstone and CAA Media Finance, as well for the U.K., Ireland, and Turkey. Ad Vitam is releasing the film in France.

Newcomer Nykiya Adams stars in Bird as Bailey, a 12-year-old girl living in a squat in North Kent with her single dad (Barry Keoghan) and brother (Jason Buda), who is struggling to protect her younger siblings and herself from domestic violence while seeing connection...

Mubi has doubled down on Andrea Arnold’s “Bird” — starring Barry Keoghan and Franz Rogoswki — swooping on North American and Turkish rights to the Cannes competition entry less than two weeks after it announced it had bought the film for the U.K. and Ireland.

The acquisition — which Variety understands came after a fierce bidding war — marks another buzzy U.S. deal for the arthouse distributor, production house and streaming platform as it looks to expand its theatrical presence in North America. Before Cannes kicked off, it made a major splash by picking up body-horror “The Substance” — starring Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley and one of the biggest talking points of Cannes — for North America, U.K., Ireland, Germany, Austria, Latin America and Benelux, where it will release theatrically this year.

The “Bird” deal was arranged between CAA Media Finance, Cornerstone and Mubi. Further release details the film’s release in North America,...

Andrea Arnold‘s anticipated new film Bird touched down at the Cannes Film Festival on Thursday for an afternoon world premiere at the Grand Lumiere Theatre. And it got a warm reception, including a seven-minute standing ovation.

The competition title stars Barry Keoghan, Franz Rogowski, Nykiya Adams and Jason Buda star in the film which follows a 12-year-old (Adams) who lives with her brother (Buda) and single dad (Keoghan) in a squat in North Kent. As she approaches puberty she seeks attention and adventure elsewhere. The drudgery of everyday life is thrown off kilter when she meets Bird (Rogowski).

The showing marked a triumphant return to Cannes for Arnold, who has become one of the festival’s most beloved and award-winning veterans. She last was on the Croisette to present her film, Cow, in 2021. Before that, she picked up a jury prize in 2016 for American Honey, a fable of life in the U.

Mubi Swoops For Andrea Arnold’s ‘Bird’

Mubi has acquired UK and Ireland rights to Bird, the Andrea Arnold feature that is getting its world premiere in competition at the Cannes Film Festival. Written and directed by Arnold, the pic stars Barry Keoghan, Franz Rogowski (Passages, Great Freedom), and newcomers Nykiya Adams and Jason Buda. The plot follows a 12-year-old girl, Bailey, who lives with her dad and brother in a squat in north Kent in southern England. As her dad has little time for his kids, Bailey seeks attention and adventure elsewhere. BBC Studios-owned House Productions made the film, which was shot in the UK around the Kent area. Tessa Ross, Juliette Howell and Lee Groombridge are the producers. Financiers include BBC Film, the BFI through National Lottery funding), Pinky Promise, FirstGen Content and Access Entertainment. Cornerstone is handling international sales and distribution, striking the deal with Mubi.

Arthouse streamer Mubi has snatched up Andrea Arnold’s Bird for the U.K. and Ireland ahead of the film’s world premiere in competition in Cannes.

Barry Keoghan, Franz Rogowski, Nykiya Adams, and Jason Buda co-star in the new drama from the American Honey and Red Road director. The film follows a 12-year-old who lives with her brother and single dad in a squat in North Kent. As she approaches puberty she seeks attention and adventure elsewhere.

Bird was produced by Tessa Ross, Juliette Howell and Lee Groombridge for House Productions (The Iron Claw, The Wonder).

Cornerstone is handling international sales for Bird and is co-repping U.S. rights with CAA Media Finance.

Recent Mubi releases include Sofia Coppola’s Priscilla, Wim Wender’s Perfect Days, Molly Manning Walker’s How to Have Sex, and Aki Kaurismäki’s Fallen Leaves, all festival hits. The streamer’s upcoming slate includes Levan Akin’s Crossing,...

Mubi has bought UK-Ireland rights to Andrea Arnold’s Bird, ahead of its Cannes Competition launch on Thursday.

The distributor acquired the film from Cornerstone Films, which is handling international rights and co-representing the US sale with CAA Media Finance.

Bird tells the story of Bailey, a 12-year-old girl living with her single father and brother in a North Kent squat. As her father has little time for her, Bailey, who is approaching puberty, seeks adventure elsewhere.

Barry Keoghan stars as the father, with Franz Rogowski also on the cast alongside newcomers Nykiya Adams and Jason Buda.

Bird was written and directed by Arnold,...

Alexander Skarsgård has signed on to co-star alongside Harry Melling (The Pale Blue Eye) in Pillion, a new feature from Poor Things producers Element Pictures being pitched as a “fun and filthy romance with heart.”

Harry Lighton, who directed the BAFTA-nominated short Wren Boys, will direct Pillion from his own script, which is inspired by Adam Mars-Jones’ 2019 novel Box Hill. Cornerstone is handling worldwide sales on the films and will pitch the project to buyers at the Cannes film market next week.

Melling plays Colin, a weedy wallflower who is letting life pass him by until he meets Ray (Skarsgård), an impossibly handsome leader of a motorbike club, who him on as his submissive. Ray uproots Colin from his dreary suburban life and introduces him to a community of kinky, queer bikers, but as Colin dives deeper into Ray’s world, he begins to question whether the life of a 24/7 submissive is really for him.

Alexander Skarsgard and Harry Melling are set to lead the cast of “Pillion,” described as a “fun and filthy romance with heart” and being produced by multi-Oscar-winning powerhouse Element Pictures.

The film — to be launched in Cannes by Cornerstone, which is handling worldwide sales — marks the feature debut of Harry Lighton, whose short “Wren Boys” was nominated for best British short at the 2018 BAFTAs, was nominated for a BIFA and had its U.S. premiere at the Sundance Film Festival.

“Pillion” follows Colin (Melling), a weedy wallflower letting life pass him by. That is until Ray (Skarsgård), the impossibly handsome leader of a motorbike club, takes him on as his submissive. Ray uproots Colin from his dreary suburban life, introducing him to a community of kinky, queer bikers and taking all sorts of virginities along the way. But as Colin steps deeper into Ray’s world of rules and mysteries,...

Harry Potter star Harry Melling and Alexander Skarsgard will star in Pillion, the debut feature of UK filmmaker Harry Lighton, produced by Element Pictures and shooting in the UK this summer.

Based on Adam Mars-Jones’ novel Box Hill, the film follows a romance between a shy young man and the handsome leader of a kinky, queer motorbike club.

Element Pictures’ Emma Norton, Ed Guiney and Andrew Lowe will produce the film with Lee Groombridge.

Cornerstone Films is handling worldwide sales on the project, which it will launch at Cannes this month.

The film is backed by BBC Film, which developed the project,...

With 2023 Emmy Awards voting to begin in just a days on June 15, Gold Derby can exclusively reveal that “Documentary Now” will be in the limited series categories. It’s a shocking move from the television academy since previous seasons have brought nominations for Best Variety Sketch Series. That specific category has been renamed as Scripted Variety Series, and that is where AMC awards campaigners asked for the show to be placed for the 2023 ballot. That petition was ultimately denied.

The fourth season debuted on October 19, 2022, and finished on November 16 for AMC+. The series pretends to be a long-running documentary series but is actually a mockumentary of famous documentaries from the past. Dame Helen Mirren provides the narration for the program.

See‘Barry’ season 4 rave reviews: Bill Hader’s direction ‘remains a highlight of any series on TV’

The show boasts an impressive list of executive producers and producers, including Lorne Michaels,...

Documentary Now! is back on IFC and it is set to premiere Season 53 on Wednesday, October 19 at 10 p.m. Et with two new episodes. The titles of the two-part season premiere are “Soldier of Illusion,” written by John Mulaney, and “Trouver Frisson,” which plays tribute to the Agnès Varda films.

Alexander Skarsgard (Big Little Lies), Nicholas Braun (Succession), and August Diehl (Inglorious Bastards) star in the premiere episode titled “Soldier of Illusion,” which was inspired by the Werner Herzog-focused documentary Burden of Dreams. Skarsgard plays a visionary German filmmaker in the 1980s who tries to will his magnum opus into existence while working in the remote, punishing conditions of the Russian Ular mountains.

Deb Hiett returns as narrator in the episode that also stars Kevin Bishop (The Tracey Ullman Show), Gana Bayarsaikhan (Wonder Woman), Matthias Rimpler (Ludzie i Bogowie), and Fred Armisen (SNL).

The second episode of the premiere...

IFC on Friday released a first look teaser of the 4th season of “Documentary Now!” — or in the show’s parody universe, the 53rd season — which finds Alexander Skarsgård as a Werner Herzog-inspired filmmaker slogging through the Russian mountains in the two-part season that premieres on IFC and AMC+ on October 9.

Skarsgård is joined by “Succession” star Nicholas Braun and August Diehl of “Inglourious Basterds” in the John Mulaney-penned ode to Herzog’s “Burden of Dreams.” Kevin Bishop, Gana Bayarsaikhan, Matthias Rimpler, and, series co-creator Fred Armisen will also star.

The new season also spoofs beloved late director Agnès Varda in “Trouver Frisson,” in which French actor Liliane Rovère stars as filmmaker Ida Leos, who is searching for “frisson,” the goosebumps that have always been her guide. Written by series producers Matt Pacult and Tamsin Rawady and co-directed by Micah Gardner, the episode also stars “Documentary Now!” alumni Gary Kraus.

The first round of casting for the next season of Documentary Now! is complete.

Cate Blanchett, Jamie Demetriou, Trystan Gravelle, Jonathan Pryce, John Rhys-Davies and Harriet Walter, with singer Tom Jones join the comedy series.

Created by Bill Hader, Fred Armisen, Seth Meyers and Rhys Thomas, and hosted by Dame Helen Mirren is known for lovingly paying homage to the world of documentaries, six all-new episodes of Documentary Now! Season 53 is set to air on IFC and AMC+ in the Fall of 2022. The show is produced by Lorne Michaels and Broadway Video.

The synopsis of three episodes are out and here is the breakdown:

Two Hairdressers in Bagglyport will star Cate Blanchett and Harriet Walter who pay homage to fashion documentaries 3 Salons at the Seaside and The September Issue, the episode is a fly-on-the-wall portrait of a hair salon owner (Walter) and her staff (Blanchett...

IFC today released the first round of casting for “Documentary Now!” Season 4 which includes Cate Blanchett, Jamie Demetriou, Trystan Gravelle (“Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power”), Jonathan Pryce, John Rhys-Davies and Harriet Walter as well as musical artist Tom Jones.

The all new six-episode season will begin airing on IFC and AMC+ later this fall. Blanchett previously guest starred in the Season 2 episode “Waiting for the Artist.”

Co-created by Fred Armisen, Bill Hader, Seth Meyers and Rhys Thomas, and hosted by Helen Mirren, the series is executive produced by Lorne Michaels and produced by Broadway Video. The announced cast toplines the three previously announced episodes from the upcoming season written by Meyers.

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“Two Hairdressers in Bagglyport” will star Blanchett and Walter as it pays homage to fashion documentaries “3 Salons at the Seaside” and “The September Issue.” The episode is...

Further territories include Germany, Latin America, Italy.

Mubi has acquired rights for Screen Star of Tomorrow Thomas Hardiman’s feature debut Medusa Deluxe, for major territories including UK-Ireland, Germany, Latin America and Italy.

It has also taken rights for Switzerland, Turkey, India and Southeast Asia. Mubi has committed to a theatrical release for UK-Ireland.

Medusa Deluxe is a murder mystery set in a competitive hairdressing competition. The death of one of the community sows divisions in a group whose passion for hair verges on obsession.

The cast includes Clare Perkins, Anita-Joy Uwajeh, Kae Alexander, Harriet Webb, Darrell D’Silva and Luke Pasqualino,...

Exclusive: Jan Naszewski’s Warsaw-based sales outlet New Europe Film Sales has boarded Thomas Hardiman’s debut feature Medusa Deluxe ahead of the film taking part in the BFI London Film Festival Works-in-Progress showcase.

Pic is a murder mystery set in a competitive hairdressing competition. Extravagance and excess collide, as the death of one of their own sows seeds of division in a community whose passion for hair verges on obsession. Delivery is scheduled for 2022.

The film is produced by Michael Elliott, Louise Palmkvist Hansen and Lee Groombridge and is an Emu Films production. The company’s recent credits include Terence Davies’ Benediction, and Steve McQueen’s Small Axe series.

New Europe recently premiered two Venice Competition titles: Reflection by Valentyn Vasyanovych and Leave No Traces by Jan P. Matuszyński, as well as the TIFF Platform title Silent Land by Aga Woszczyńska.

Medusa Deluxe was developed and financed by the BFI and BBC Film,...

BFI London Film Festival has revealed its line-up for its second Works-in-Progress showcase, including a documentary about Hong Kong’s draconian National Security law and a TV narrative feature starring Sir Lenny Henry and Malachi Kirby (pictured above).

The showcase will take place on Oct. 9.

It consists of seven recently completed or in production/post-production audio-visual projects from emerging British talent made for cinema, television and immersive platforms.

The audience will include international buyers, festival programmers and, via a secure digital platform, a number of other industry professionals.

The talent selected for the workshop will also, with assistance from the British Council as well as the BFI Lff, get an opportunity to network with various industry players such as buyers, commissioners, producers and programmers via a number of initiatives including a reception for new talent and a producers’ lunch.

2021 marks the workshop’s second year. Last year’s projects included...

The second edition of the showcase will take place on October 9.

The second edition of the BFI London Film Festival (Lff)’s Work-in-Progress showcase has selected seven projects from emerging British talent, to present to an invited audience of international buyers and festival programmers at the event on October 9.

The in-person showcase will include extracts screened from each project, followed by a Q&a with the director and producer. Projects include cinema, television and immersive works; all are recently completed or in production or post-production.

The works include Dionne Edwards’ debut feature Pretty Red Dress, backed by BBC Film and the BFI,...

Neil Armfield.s Holding the Man, Simon Stone.s The Daughter, Jeremy Sims. Last Cab to Darwin and Jen Peedom.s feature doc Sherpa will have their world premieres at the Sydney Film Festival.

The festival program unveiled today includes 33 world premieres (including 22 shorts) and 135 Australian premieres (with 18 shorts) among 251 titles from 68 countries.

Among the other premieres will be Daina Reid.s The Secret River, Ruby Entertainment's. ABC-tv miniseries starring Oliver Jackson Cohen and Sarah Snook, and three Oz docs, Marc Eberle.s The Cambodian Space Project — Not Easy Rock .n. Roll, Steve Thomas. Freedom Stories and Lisa Nicol.s Wide Open Sky.

Festival director Nashen Moodley boasted. this year.s event will be far larger than 2014's when 183 films from 47 countries were screened, including 15 world premieres. The expansion is possible in part due to the addition of two new screening venues in Newtown and Liverpool.

As previously announced, Brendan Cowell...

Update, Writethru, 3 Pm Pt: Period culture clash comedy Pride was the big winner at the British Independent Film Awards which took place at London’s Old Billingsgate this evening. Pathé’s Matthew Warchus-directed ensemble took three prizes including Best Film, Best Supporting Actress for Imelda Staunton and Best Supporting Actor for new Bond cast member Andrew Scott. Brendan Gleeson was named Best Actor for John Michael McDonagh’s Calvary and Gugu Mbatha-Raw was Best Actress for drama Belle. Best Director was Yann Demange whose ’71 was the most nominated film going into the evening. (See below for the full list of winners.) The BIFAs, as their name suggests, have a decidedly indie bent and are an important date on the British awards season calendar in that they tend to honor UK films that might not get as much recognition at, say, the BAFTAs.

Emma Thompson and Benedict Cumberbatch were awarded...

In a rare deal for a third-party format, Talpa Global will partner with Israel’s A Cappella to handle the worldwide distribution rights to game show The Big Picture. Created by TV host and mentalist Nimrod Harel and A Cappella, The Big Picture sees studio contestants given a shot at winning $1M by correctly answering 12 picture-based questions. If the studio player is unsure, they can enlist help from a connected viewer playing along in real time with the Big Picture app. At that moment, the connected player will have their image projected on the TV screen, play along via the technology and also have a shot at winning a substantial amount of the studio player’s total prize money. A budget of $1M went toward developing and producing an English-language Big Picture pilot, which A Cappella’s Einat Shamir and Tal Shaked shopped at Mip-tv in April.

Beta Film has...

British drama debuted at Venice Days.

Soda Pictures has acquired UK rights to The Goob, the debut feature from writer-director Guy Myhill.

The deal was negotiated between Soda Pictures’ MD Edward Fletcher and producers Mike Elliott and Lee Groombridge of Emu Films.

The cast includes Sean Harris (Prometheus), Sienna Guilleroy (Luther), Hannah Spearritt (Primeval) and newcomer Liam Walpole.

The coming-of-age story centres on 16-year-old Goob Taylor (Walpole) in Norfolk. He helps his mother run a transport cafe and harvests the surrounding pumpkin fields. But when she starts a relationship with a stock car driver (Harris), Goob becomes an unwelcome side thought. But when exotic pumpkin picker Eva arrives, Goob dreams of a better life, fuelled by her flirtatious comments.

The Goob received its world premiere last month in Venice. It is up for the Golden Hitchcock at the 25th Dinard British Film Festival and will feature in the First Feature Competition at the BFI London Film Festival...

Guy Myhill’s film is the first to be made under Creative England’s iFeatures2 scheme.

Principal photography for The Goob has begun in Norfolk.

For production details visit

The Goob

It is the first film to be made under iFeatures2, the second iteration of Creative England’s low-budget filmmaking scheme.

The Goob is one of three greenlit from Creative England and its iFeatures2 partners the BFI Film Fund, BBC Films and the Creative Skillset Film Skills Fund.

Its budget of $645,000 (£415,000) is higher than the original $545,000 (£350,000) announced at the launch of the scheme due to the ambitious nature of the film, which will see some scenes filmed live at Swaffham Raceway during banger and stock car racing.

The film, from writer/director Guy Myhill and producers Lee Groombridge and Mike Elliott of Emu Films, is described as “an emotionally charged tale of divided family loyalties played out over a sizzling hot summer”.

The cast includes Sean Harris ([link...