Iranian director Mohammad Rasoulof’s Oscar hopeful The Seed of the Sacred Fig has won the sixth edition of the Arab Critics‘ Award for European Films, a joint initiative between European Film Promotion (Efp) and the Arab Cinema Center (Acc).
The drama, produced by Germany’s Run Way Pictures in co-production with Parallel45, Arte France Cinéma, was among 22 European-produced films in the running for the award, voted on by 89 critics from 15 Arab countries,
Taking inspiration from Iran’s Woman Life Freedom protests, the film revolves around a devout man who is promoted to the position of investigating judge at the Revolutionary Court in Tehran, just as his daughters become swept up in the pro-equal rights and democracy movement.
The award was announced on the fringes of Egypt’s El Gouna International Film Festival. Rasoulof could not attend in person, but sent greetings via a video message, while producer Mani Tilgner...
The drama, produced by Germany’s Run Way Pictures in co-production with Parallel45, Arte France Cinéma, was among 22 European-produced films in the running for the award, voted on by 89 critics from 15 Arab countries,
Taking inspiration from Iran’s Woman Life Freedom protests, the film revolves around a devout man who is promoted to the position of investigating judge at the Revolutionary Court in Tehran, just as his daughters become swept up in the pro-equal rights and democracy movement.
The award was announced on the fringes of Egypt’s El Gouna International Film Festival. Rasoulof could not attend in person, but sent greetings via a video message, while producer Mani Tilgner...
- 10/30/2024
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
An Iranian drama called “The Seed of the Sacred Fig” recently won the top prize at the Arab Critics’ Awards in Egypt. The awards are part of the El Gouna Film Festival and celebrate European films each year. A group of critics from 15 Arab countries choose the winning movies.
The film tells the story of a traditional Iranian family. It shows how they are affected by women’s rights protests happening in their country. Famous director Mohammad Rasoulof made the movie in secret while in Iran. He faced problems from the government for his work.
Rasoulof has taken big risks to make art about modern Iranian society. In the past, authorities imprisoned him for signing a petition about protests. He later escaped from Iran on foot to Germany where he now lives.
“The Seed of the Sacred Fig” has already won other awards for its storytelling. It received a special...
The film tells the story of a traditional Iranian family. It shows how they are affected by women’s rights protests happening in their country. Famous director Mohammad Rasoulof made the movie in secret while in Iran. He faced problems from the government for his work.
Rasoulof has taken big risks to make art about modern Iranian society. In the past, authorities imprisoned him for signing a petition about protests. He later escaped from Iran on foot to Germany where he now lives.
“The Seed of the Sacred Fig” has already won other awards for its storytelling. It received a special...
- 10/30/2024
- by Naser Nahandian
- Gazettely
Mohammad Rasoulofs deutsche Oscareinreichung wurde auf dem Filmfestival in El Gouna mit dem Arab Critics‘ Award for European Films ausgezeichnet, der von der European Film Promotion und dem Arab Cinema Center zum fünften Mal vergeben wurde.
Mit dem Arab Critics‘ Award for European Films ausgezeichnet: „Die Saat des heiligen Feigenbaums“ (Credit: Alamode)
Seit 2019 vergeben die European Film Promotion und das Arab Cinema Center den Arab Critics‘ Award mit dem Ziel, die Filmvielfalt in der Region zu fördern und das Interesse von Verleihern und der Branche für herausragende europäische Filme zu wecken.
Beim Filmfestival im ägyptischen El Gouna wurde die Auszeichnung, über die 89 der einflussreichsten Filmkritiker aus 15 arabischen Ländern abgestimmt haben, an Mohammad Rasoulofs „Die Saat des heiligen Feigenbaums“ (hier unsere The-spot-Besprechung) vergeben.
Die deutsche Oscareinreichung, die bei ihrer Weltpremiere in Cannes unter anderem mit dem Sonderpreis der Jury des Cannes-Wettbewerbs, dem Fipresci-Award, dem European Art House Cinemas Award (Afcae...
Mit dem Arab Critics‘ Award for European Films ausgezeichnet: „Die Saat des heiligen Feigenbaums“ (Credit: Alamode)
Seit 2019 vergeben die European Film Promotion und das Arab Cinema Center den Arab Critics‘ Award mit dem Ziel, die Filmvielfalt in der Region zu fördern und das Interesse von Verleihern und der Branche für herausragende europäische Filme zu wecken.
Beim Filmfestival im ägyptischen El Gouna wurde die Auszeichnung, über die 89 der einflussreichsten Filmkritiker aus 15 arabischen Ländern abgestimmt haben, an Mohammad Rasoulofs „Die Saat des heiligen Feigenbaums“ (hier unsere The-spot-Besprechung) vergeben.
Die deutsche Oscareinreichung, die bei ihrer Weltpremiere in Cannes unter anderem mit dem Sonderpreis der Jury des Cannes-Wettbewerbs, dem Fipresci-Award, dem European Art House Cinemas Award (Afcae...
- 10/30/2024
- by Jochen Müller
- Spot - Media & Film
The Seed of the Sacred Fig, the Iranian drama from exiled director Mohammad Rasoulof has won the top prize for best film at the Arab Critics’ Awards for European Films.
The prize was announced at Egypt’s El Gouna Film Festival. A jury of critics from 15 Arab countries picked Rasoulof’s drama from among 22 European productions. The Seed of the Sacred Fig is a French-German-Iranian production and is Germany’s official entry for the 2025 Academy Awards in the best international feature category.
The film, a depiction of a conservative Iranian family that breaks apart amid the political turmoil of the Women Life Freedom protests, premiered at the Cannes Film Festival this year, where it won a special jury prize, and the Fipresci honor from international film critics.
Rasoulof, a sharp critic of the Iranian regime — Rasoulof had been arrested and imprisoned in Tehran’s notorious Evin jail in July 2022 for...
The prize was announced at Egypt’s El Gouna Film Festival. A jury of critics from 15 Arab countries picked Rasoulof’s drama from among 22 European productions. The Seed of the Sacred Fig is a French-German-Iranian production and is Germany’s official entry for the 2025 Academy Awards in the best international feature category.
The film, a depiction of a conservative Iranian family that breaks apart amid the political turmoil of the Women Life Freedom protests, premiered at the Cannes Film Festival this year, where it won a special jury prize, and the Fipresci honor from international film critics.
Rasoulof, a sharp critic of the Iranian regime — Rasoulof had been arrested and imprisoned in Tehran’s notorious Evin jail in July 2022 for...
- 10/30/2024
- by Scott Roxborough
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Budapest International Film Festival (Biff) is building a film funding initiative independent of the Hungarian state, as the festival’s first edition gets underway today.
The fund will launch during the festival, which runs from October 29 to November 3 at the Corvin Cinema Budapest.
The fund will be run in collaboration with the Sandor Simo Foundation, and will support at least one Hungarian feature film and a short film, from script development through to theatrical release.It will aim to raise between€500,000 to€1m in its first year, which organisers say is the current average budget of an independent Hungarian feature film.
The fund will launch during the festival, which runs from October 29 to November 3 at the Corvin Cinema Budapest.
The fund will be run in collaboration with the Sandor Simo Foundation, and will support at least one Hungarian feature film and a short film, from script development through to theatrical release.It will aim to raise between€500,000 to€1m in its first year, which organisers say is the current average budget of an independent Hungarian feature film.
- 10/29/2024
- ScreenDaily
If the 2025 Oscars nominations were announced today, what would Gold Derby predict as the nominees and winners? Since our predictions center opened on July 1, 2024, more than 5,100 people have made their forecasts in 18 top categories. So who’s out front to claim these golden trophies, according to the Gold Derby Oscar predictions 2025?
Below, see a snapshot in time of our racetrack odds for the 97th Academy Awards, updated on October 28, 2024. See how the odds and rankings have changed over time by examining our previous Oscar snapshots on July 3, July 9, July 16, July 23, July 29, August 6, August 19, August 28, September 11, September 19, September 23, September 30, October 7, October 14, and October 22.
Now expected to receive a nomination since the last update: “A Real Pain” in Best Picture, “Challengers” in Best Score for Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross, and “Sing Sing” (“Like a Bird”) in Best Song for Adrian Quesada & Abraham Alexander. Note that the music score for “Dune: Part Two” was deemed ineligible last week,...
Below, see a snapshot in time of our racetrack odds for the 97th Academy Awards, updated on October 28, 2024. See how the odds and rankings have changed over time by examining our previous Oscar snapshots on July 3, July 9, July 16, July 23, July 29, August 6, August 19, August 28, September 11, September 19, September 23, September 30, October 7, October 14, and October 22.
Now expected to receive a nomination since the last update: “A Real Pain” in Best Picture, “Challengers” in Best Score for Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross, and “Sing Sing” (“Like a Bird”) in Best Song for Adrian Quesada & Abraham Alexander. Note that the music score for “Dune: Part Two” was deemed ineligible last week,...
- 10/28/2024
- by Marcus James Dixon
- Gold Derby
And the 2024 Montclair Film Festival awards go to…
The Montclair Film Festival bestowed its top honor, the Fiction Feature Prize, to Payal Kapadia’s critically acclaimed “All We Imagine as Light.” The feature won the Grand Prix at Cannes but was later snubbed by India for its Oscar submission. The film centers on two nurses, played by Kani Kusruti and Divya Prabha, who grapple with their own relationships. “All We Imagine as Light” will premiere November 15 in theaters from Sideshow/Janus Films.
Montclair Film additionally recognized Mohammad Rasoulof’s “The Seed of the Sacred Fig” with a Special Jury Prize. The Feature Film jury included artist and podcaster Janette Afsharian, AP critic Jake Coyle, and Rolling Stone critic David Fear.
The festival’s Bruce Sinofsky Award for the Documentary Feature Competition was won by “Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat,” which was directed by Johan Grimonprez. A Special Jury Prize was...
The Montclair Film Festival bestowed its top honor, the Fiction Feature Prize, to Payal Kapadia’s critically acclaimed “All We Imagine as Light.” The feature won the Grand Prix at Cannes but was later snubbed by India for its Oscar submission. The film centers on two nurses, played by Kani Kusruti and Divya Prabha, who grapple with their own relationships. “All We Imagine as Light” will premiere November 15 in theaters from Sideshow/Janus Films.
Montclair Film additionally recognized Mohammad Rasoulof’s “The Seed of the Sacred Fig” with a Special Jury Prize. The Feature Film jury included artist and podcaster Janette Afsharian, AP critic Jake Coyle, and Rolling Stone critic David Fear.
The festival’s Bruce Sinofsky Award for the Documentary Feature Competition was won by “Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat,” which was directed by Johan Grimonprez. A Special Jury Prize was...
- 10/28/2024
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
Academy members who are voting in the Best International Feature Film category have been given 85 different films to consider, according to emails sent to voters on Friday and obtained by TheWrap.
The 85 films make up the smallest field in the category in nine years. Last year saw 88 qualifying films, after the total number of eligible films had topped 90 in five of the previous six years. The record was 93, set in 2000.
In late September, all prospective voters in the category received emails inviting them to vote in the international category and telling them that those who opted in would receive emails with their assigned viewing on Friday, Nov. 1. But those emails came a week early, going to prospective voters on Friday afternoon, Oct. 25, and separating the members into seven separate groups.
Each group was given a list of 12 or 13 films to view, either in the Academy’s members-only screening platform devoted...
The 85 films make up the smallest field in the category in nine years. Last year saw 88 qualifying films, after the total number of eligible films had topped 90 in five of the previous six years. The record was 93, set in 2000.
In late September, all prospective voters in the category received emails inviting them to vote in the international category and telling them that those who opted in would receive emails with their assigned viewing on Friday, Nov. 1. But those emails came a week early, going to prospective voters on Friday afternoon, Oct. 25, and separating the members into seven separate groups.
Each group was given a list of 12 or 13 films to view, either in the Academy’s members-only screening platform devoted...
- 10/28/2024
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
Im Rahmen der Filmkunstmesse Leipzig haben drei Vertreter der Fbw-Jugend-Filmjurys drei von ihnen im Vorfeld ausgewählte Kinofilme in Screenings vorgestellt. Die Empfehlungstexte der Jurys stehen interessierten Kinos jetzt online zur Bewerbung der Filme zur Verfügung.
Einer der drei von Mitgliedern der Fbw-Jugend-Filmjurys in Leipzig vorgestellten Filme: die deutsche Oscarhoffnung „Die Saat des heiligen Feigenbaums“ (Credit: Alamode)
Emilia Pegler (17) und Nola Hohlwein (16) aus Berlin sowie Phoebe Blau (17) aus Erfurt bildeten als Mitglieder der Fbw-Jugend-Filmjurys als Jugendjury zur Filmkunstmesse Leipzig eingeladen worden, um dort drei von ihnen im Vorfeld kuratierte Filme in Screenings vorzustellen.
Die Wahl war auf Claire Burgers „Tandem – In welcher Sprache träumst Du?“, den Port au Prince am vergangenen Donnerstag in den deutschen Kinos gestartet hat, Andres Veiels „Riefenstahl“ (hier unsere Spot-Besprechung), der in Venedig seine Weltpremiere gefeiert hatte und am kommenden Donnerstag von Majestic in den deutschen Kinos gestartet wird, und Mohammad Rasoulofs deutsche Oscareinreichung „Die Saat des heiligen Feigenbaums“ gefallen,...
Einer der drei von Mitgliedern der Fbw-Jugend-Filmjurys in Leipzig vorgestellten Filme: die deutsche Oscarhoffnung „Die Saat des heiligen Feigenbaums“ (Credit: Alamode)
Emilia Pegler (17) und Nola Hohlwein (16) aus Berlin sowie Phoebe Blau (17) aus Erfurt bildeten als Mitglieder der Fbw-Jugend-Filmjurys als Jugendjury zur Filmkunstmesse Leipzig eingeladen worden, um dort drei von ihnen im Vorfeld kuratierte Filme in Screenings vorzustellen.
Die Wahl war auf Claire Burgers „Tandem – In welcher Sprache träumst Du?“, den Port au Prince am vergangenen Donnerstag in den deutschen Kinos gestartet hat, Andres Veiels „Riefenstahl“ (hier unsere Spot-Besprechung), der in Venedig seine Weltpremiere gefeiert hatte und am kommenden Donnerstag von Majestic in den deutschen Kinos gestartet wird, und Mohammad Rasoulofs deutsche Oscareinreichung „Die Saat des heiligen Feigenbaums“ gefallen,...
- 10/28/2024
- by Jochen Müller
- Spot - Media & Film
Maura Delpero’s Venice Silver Lion winner Vermiglio has earned the Gold Hugo award in Chicago International Film Festival’s international feature competition, while Payal Kapadia’s All We Imagine As Light has won the Silver Hugo.
Vermiglio follows three sisters in an Alpine village in the latter stages of the Second World War as a deserter’s arrival has a profound impact on the community.
All We Imagine As Light was the first Indian film in Cannes Competition in three decades and follows two nurses who head off on a road trip.
Silver Hugos in the international feature competition...
Vermiglio follows three sisters in an Alpine village in the latter stages of the Second World War as a deserter’s arrival has a profound impact on the community.
All We Imagine As Light was the first Indian film in Cannes Competition in three decades and follows two nurses who head off on a road trip.
Silver Hugos in the international feature competition...
- 10/25/2024
- ScreenDaily
The 2024 Chicago Film Festival shined a light on films that stretch the limits of storytelling. From Italy to Cape Verde, this year’s award winners drew viewers in with stories about family, identity, and resilience, along with fresh directing approaches and standout performances. Below are some highlights from the festival’s top prize categories.
Gold Hugo for Best Film: Vermiglio
Directed by Maura Delpero, Vermiglio tells the story of a young woman finding her way within a complex family in Italy’s scenic Alps. The film won the festival’s top honor for its attention to human details and beautiful visuals, capturing relationships that feel timeless.
Silver Hugo for Jury Prize: All We Imagine As Light
Payal Kapadia’s All We Imagine As Light explores choice and control across generations in a journey that invites audiences to confront life’s crossroads. It balances comfort with disruption and presents these choices with a relatable vulnerability.
Gold Hugo for Best Film: Vermiglio
Directed by Maura Delpero, Vermiglio tells the story of a young woman finding her way within a complex family in Italy’s scenic Alps. The film won the festival’s top honor for its attention to human details and beautiful visuals, capturing relationships that feel timeless.
Silver Hugo for Jury Prize: All We Imagine As Light
Payal Kapadia’s All We Imagine As Light explores choice and control across generations in a journey that invites audiences to confront life’s crossroads. It balances comfort with disruption and presents these choices with a relatable vulnerability.
- 10/25/2024
- by Naveed Zahir
- High on Films
The Chicago International Film Festival is wrapping up its 60th edition by handing out its prizes. In fact, though the New York Film Festival has been around longer (it just wrapped its 62nd festival), Chicago is the longest running fest in North America to give out awards. And as you’d expect from this festival that’s especially focused on international film, its winners have also been standouts at Cannes and Venice.
The Best Film winner, or Gold Hugo, at the Chicago International Film Festival is Maura Delpero’s “Vermiglio,” a World War II drama centered in the Alps that drew praise out of Venice, though received a mixed reception from IndieWire. Italy has named the film its entry for next year’s Best International Feature competition at the Academy Awards. The previous three winners of the Gold Hugo at Chicago are Gabor Reisz’s “Explanation for Everything,” Hlynur Palmason’s “Godland,...
The Best Film winner, or Gold Hugo, at the Chicago International Film Festival is Maura Delpero’s “Vermiglio,” a World War II drama centered in the Alps that drew praise out of Venice, though received a mixed reception from IndieWire. Italy has named the film its entry for next year’s Best International Feature competition at the Academy Awards. The previous three winners of the Gold Hugo at Chicago are Gabor Reisz’s “Explanation for Everything,” Hlynur Palmason’s “Godland,...
- 10/25/2024
- by Christian Blauvelt
- Indiewire
Could Ridley Scott ride an overdue narrative to an Oscar win? Who or what will be the shocking snub or nomination this season? Gold Derby editors and experts Christopher Rosen and Joyce Eng are here to answer your burning questions of the week.
Since “Gladiator II” has screened for press this week, Scott has surged to sixth place in the Best Director odds. The four-time Oscar nominee has an inconsistent track record at the Oscars and was surprisingly snubbed the last time he was firmly in a race, for 2015’s “The Martian.” But in a field that lacks a marquee name of the top contenders and with the possibility of “Dune: Part Two’s” Denis Villeneuve being snubbed again, will voters feel inclined to vote for the soon-to-be 87-year-old?
See Experts slugfest mailbag: ‘Saturday Night,’ ‘Here,’ and a third Oscar for Denzel Washington?
Scott’s snub for “The Martian” was...
Since “Gladiator II” has screened for press this week, Scott has surged to sixth place in the Best Director odds. The four-time Oscar nominee has an inconsistent track record at the Oscars and was surprisingly snubbed the last time he was firmly in a race, for 2015’s “The Martian.” But in a field that lacks a marquee name of the top contenders and with the possibility of “Dune: Part Two’s” Denis Villeneuve being snubbed again, will voters feel inclined to vote for the soon-to-be 87-year-old?
See Experts slugfest mailbag: ‘Saturday Night,’ ‘Here,’ and a third Oscar for Denzel Washington?
Scott’s snub for “The Martian” was...
- 10/25/2024
- by Joyce Eng and Christopher Rosen
- Gold Derby
Zum Abschluss des Film Festival Cologne fand gestern Abend die Preisverleihung statt. Mit dem Filmpreis Nrw wurde die österreichische Oscareinreichung „Des Teufels Bad“ ausgezeichnet, für die Produzentin Bettina Brokemper (Heimatfilm) den Preis erhielt.
„Des Teufels Bad“ wurde beim Film Festival Cologne mit dem Filmpreis Nrw ausgezeichnet (Credit: Plaion Pictures)
Zum Abschluss des Film Festival Cologne fand gestern Abend die Preisverleihung statt. Der mit 20.000 Euro dotierte Filmpreis Nrw, dessen Preisträger im Gegensatz zu den übrigen Gewinnern erst am Abend bekannt gegeben wurde, ging an Bettina Brokemper (Heimatfilm) für die Produktion der österreichischen Oscareinreichung „Des Teufels Bad“ (hier unsere Spot-Besprechung) von Veronika Franz und Severin Fiala, die zuvor u.a. mit acht Österreichischen Filmpreisen ausgezeichnet worden war. Stellvertretend für Brokemper nahmen Regissseur Severin Fiala und Herstellungsleiter Sascha Verhey die Auszeichnung entgegen.
Bereits zuvor bekannt gegeben worden waren die übrigen Gewinner des Film Festival Cologne. So wurde der aus Haiti stammende Filmemacher Raoul Peck,...
„Des Teufels Bad“ wurde beim Film Festival Cologne mit dem Filmpreis Nrw ausgezeichnet (Credit: Plaion Pictures)
Zum Abschluss des Film Festival Cologne fand gestern Abend die Preisverleihung statt. Der mit 20.000 Euro dotierte Filmpreis Nrw, dessen Preisträger im Gegensatz zu den übrigen Gewinnern erst am Abend bekannt gegeben wurde, ging an Bettina Brokemper (Heimatfilm) für die Produktion der österreichischen Oscareinreichung „Des Teufels Bad“ (hier unsere Spot-Besprechung) von Veronika Franz und Severin Fiala, die zuvor u.a. mit acht Österreichischen Filmpreisen ausgezeichnet worden war. Stellvertretend für Brokemper nahmen Regissseur Severin Fiala und Herstellungsleiter Sascha Verhey die Auszeichnung entgegen.
Bereits zuvor bekannt gegeben worden waren die übrigen Gewinner des Film Festival Cologne. So wurde der aus Haiti stammende Filmemacher Raoul Peck,...
- 10/25/2024
- by Jochen Müller
- Spot - Media & Film
Across “Lemon Tree,” “The Syrian Bride” and “Shelter,” Israeli filmmaker Eran Riklis has built a sturdy body of work, telling defiant stories of Middle Eastern women from different walks of life. With “Reading Lolita in Tehran” — a moving adaptation of Iranian-American author and professor Azar Nafisi’s memoir — he adds an understated, yet generally absorbing and similarly minded entry to his oeuvre, warmly transposing Nafisi’s experience in the post-revolution Iran onto the screen with sensitivity.
Unfolding in episodic segments and significant jumps in time that sometimes feel too abrupt, the screenplay by Marjorie David follows Nafisi (an expressive Golshifteh Farahani) across a 24-year period, after the young academic holding a fresh American degree settles in Tehran with her husband Bijan (Arash Marandi) in 1979, on the heels of the country’s Islamic Revolution. A title card at the start contextualizes the couple’s return to their homeland. Historically, it was...
Unfolding in episodic segments and significant jumps in time that sometimes feel too abrupt, the screenplay by Marjorie David follows Nafisi (an expressive Golshifteh Farahani) across a 24-year period, after the young academic holding a fresh American degree settles in Tehran with her husband Bijan (Arash Marandi) in 1979, on the heels of the country’s Islamic Revolution. A title card at the start contextualizes the couple’s return to their homeland. Historically, it was...
- 10/25/2024
- by Tomris Laffly
- Variety Film + TV
If the 2025 Oscars nominations were announced today, what would Gold Derby predict as the nominees and winners? Since our predictions center opened on July 1, 2024, more than 4,900 people have made their forecasts in the categories for picture, directing, acting, writing and animation (below-the-line categories were added in early October). So who’s out front to claim these golden trophies, according to the Gold Derby Oscar predictions 2025?
Below, see a snapshot in time of our racetrack odds for the 97th Academy Awards, updated on October 22, 2024. See how the odds and rankings have changed over time by examining our previous Oscar snapshots on July 3, July 9, July 16, July 23, July 29, August 6, August 19, August 28, September 11, September 19, September 23, September 30, October 7 and October 14.
Now expected to receive a nomination since the last update: “September 5,” the Paramount Pictures historical drama about the 1972 Munich Olympic hostage crisis, in Best Picture, plus Edward Berger in Best Director for “Conclave,” the Focus Features mystery-thriller film.
Below, see a snapshot in time of our racetrack odds for the 97th Academy Awards, updated on October 22, 2024. See how the odds and rankings have changed over time by examining our previous Oscar snapshots on July 3, July 9, July 16, July 23, July 29, August 6, August 19, August 28, September 11, September 19, September 23, September 30, October 7 and October 14.
Now expected to receive a nomination since the last update: “September 5,” the Paramount Pictures historical drama about the 1972 Munich Olympic hostage crisis, in Best Picture, plus Edward Berger in Best Director for “Conclave,” the Focus Features mystery-thriller film.
- 10/23/2024
- by Marcus James Dixon
- Gold Derby
Despite a welcome East Side renaissance in repertory screenings, genre fests, and classical retrospectives, Los Angeles as a sprawling industry town needs a banner festival where undiscovered gems, glitzy red carpet premieres, and especially international fare can earn equal ovation. Only AFI Fest, even if scaled down from the previous decade, fits the bill.
The festival’s full-time programming team travels year-long to festivals such as the Berlinale, Cannes, and TIFF to scout the finest work, and the weighty influence of the American Film Institute ensures the glamour and the gravitas. This year, the Angelina Jolie-starrer “Maria,” the world premiere of the latest Clint Eastwood movie, “Juror #2,” and the opening night documentary tribute “Music by John Williams” are all on-brand selections. Robert Zemeckis will be in conversation with Tom Hanks on Thursday before the sold-out Friday premiere of their latest collaboration, “Here.”
Premiering in L.A. are several titles...
The festival’s full-time programming team travels year-long to festivals such as the Berlinale, Cannes, and TIFF to scout the finest work, and the weighty influence of the American Film Institute ensures the glamour and the gravitas. This year, the Angelina Jolie-starrer “Maria,” the world premiere of the latest Clint Eastwood movie, “Juror #2,” and the opening night documentary tribute “Music by John Williams” are all on-brand selections. Robert Zemeckis will be in conversation with Tom Hanks on Thursday before the sold-out Friday premiere of their latest collaboration, “Here.”
Premiering in L.A. are several titles...
- 10/22/2024
- by Ritesh Mehta
- Indiewire
This time of year, major fall festivals give way to regional fests around the country, which program a mix of Oscar contenders and international Oscar submissions. The better-resourced festivals bring in talent to regale the Academy members on hand, from the Hamptons and Woodstock to Savannah. Audience award winners gain momentum, such as “Conclave” (Focus Features), which won at both Middleburg and Mill Valley. And at this year’s BendFilm Festival in Oregon, ex-Sundance festival director John Cooper launched the inaugural BendFilm: Basecamp.
Filmmakers and their casts did not make the trek to the Orcas Island Film Festival (October 16-20), which has built up a passionate following over 10 years. Coaxing distributors to send them DCPs is Carl Spence, veteran of the Seattle, Palm Springs, Miami, and Sonoma fests, who runs Orcas Island with local culture impresario Donna Laslo. It was fun taking the puddle jumper from Seattle to Orcas Island...
Filmmakers and their casts did not make the trek to the Orcas Island Film Festival (October 16-20), which has built up a passionate following over 10 years. Coaxing distributors to send them DCPs is Carl Spence, veteran of the Seattle, Palm Springs, Miami, and Sonoma fests, who runs Orcas Island with local culture impresario Donna Laslo. It was fun taking the puddle jumper from Seattle to Orcas Island...
- 10/22/2024
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
For the first time in its history, the contest for the Audience Award at the Middleburg Film Festival has resulted in a tie. “Conclave” from Edward Berger and “September 5” from Tim Fehlbaum won top honors at the 12th edition of the Northern Virginia event.
“Conclave” centers on a cardinal (Ralph Fiennes) who is tasked with leading the secretive papal election after the sudden death of the Pope and finds himself in the middle of a battle for the direction of the Universal Church. It also stars Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow, and Isabella Rossellini. Rossellini received the Agnès Varda Trailblazing Film Artist Award at this year’s festivities.
“September 5” chronicles the 1972 Munich Olympics hostage crisis from the perspective of the ABC television crew that covered the Olympics outside the Olympic Village. It stars Peter Sarsgaard, John Magaro, Ben Chaplin, and Leonie Benesch.
The top honor for documentary filmmaking went to “Martha,...
“Conclave” centers on a cardinal (Ralph Fiennes) who is tasked with leading the secretive papal election after the sudden death of the Pope and finds himself in the middle of a battle for the direction of the Universal Church. It also stars Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow, and Isabella Rossellini. Rossellini received the Agnès Varda Trailblazing Film Artist Award at this year’s festivities.
“September 5” chronicles the 1972 Munich Olympics hostage crisis from the perspective of the ABC television crew that covered the Olympics outside the Olympic Village. It stars Peter Sarsgaard, John Magaro, Ben Chaplin, and Leonie Benesch.
The top honor for documentary filmmaking went to “Martha,...
- 10/22/2024
- by Charles Bright
- Gold Derby
Two films captivated audiences at the Middleburg Film Festival, resulting in a tie for the coveted audience award.
Edward Berger’s religious thriller “Conclave” and Tim Fehlbaum’s historical drama “September 5” both took home the audience award at the Virginia-based festival. Meanwhile, R.J. Cutler’s “Martha,” an intimate look at business mogul Martha Stewart, earned the audience award for best documentary. Mohammad Rasoulof’s Iranian political thriller “The Seed of the Sacred Fig” claimed the top spot for best international feature.
“Conclave,” proving to be a crowd favorite, secured its second audience prize on the festival circuit, having previously won at the Mill Valley Film Festival. The film, which premiered at Telluride to critical acclaim, is generating Oscar buzz for stars Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, Isabella Rossellini and director Berger. Berger’s last film, “All Quiet on the Western Front,” received nine Oscar nominations and won four.
Fehlbaum’s “September...
Edward Berger’s religious thriller “Conclave” and Tim Fehlbaum’s historical drama “September 5” both took home the audience award at the Virginia-based festival. Meanwhile, R.J. Cutler’s “Martha,” an intimate look at business mogul Martha Stewart, earned the audience award for best documentary. Mohammad Rasoulof’s Iranian political thriller “The Seed of the Sacred Fig” claimed the top spot for best international feature.
“Conclave,” proving to be a crowd favorite, secured its second audience prize on the festival circuit, having previously won at the Mill Valley Film Festival. The film, which premiered at Telluride to critical acclaim, is generating Oscar buzz for stars Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, Isabella Rossellini and director Berger. Berger’s last film, “All Quiet on the Western Front,” received nine Oscar nominations and won four.
Fehlbaum’s “September...
- 10/22/2024
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
The British Independent Film Awards (Bifas) has unveiled the documentary and international film longlists for its 2024 ceremony, with films including in-videogame title Grand Theft Hamlet and Sean Baker’s Palme d’Or winner Anora.
Grand Theft Hamlet is on the 12-strong best feature documentary list. The film is the debut feature from directorial duo Pinny Grylls and Sam Crane; it premiered at SXSW this year and was recently acquired for a UK-Ireland theatrical release. It follows two struggling actors who find solace from lockdown isolation by staging William Shakespeare’s Hamlet in the online Grand Theft Auto game.
Scroll down...
Grand Theft Hamlet is on the 12-strong best feature documentary list. The film is the debut feature from directorial duo Pinny Grylls and Sam Crane; it premiered at SXSW this year and was recently acquired for a UK-Ireland theatrical release. It follows two struggling actors who find solace from lockdown isolation by staging William Shakespeare’s Hamlet in the online Grand Theft Auto game.
Scroll down...
- 10/22/2024
- ScreenDaily
Während der Gewinner des Filmpreis Nrw erst am Abend der Preisverleihung am 24. Oktober bekannt gegeben wird, hat das Film Festival Cologne heute erste Preisträger veröffentlicht.
Mohammad Rasoulof, hier bei der Filmkunstmesse Leipzig in diesem Jahr, wird beim Film Festival Cologne ausgezeichnet. (Credit: Uwe Frauendorf/Ag Kino-Gilde)
Die ersten Preisträger des Film Festival Cologne, die zum Abschluss des Festivals am 24. Oktober im Kölner E-Werk ausgezeichnet werden, stehen fest.
Wie das Film Festival Cologne heute mitteilt, wird der aus Haiti stammende Filmemacher Raoul Peck, dessen Dokumentarfilm „Ernest Cole: Lost and Found“ über den südafrikanischen Fotografen Ernest Cole in Köln zu sehen ist, mit dem Filmpreis Köln ausgezeichnet. Peck hatte nicht nur ein Ingenieursstudium an der Humboldt-Universität, sondern in den 80er Jahren auch ein Filmstudium an der Deutschen Film-und Fernsehakademie Berlin absolviert, bevor er Mitte der 1990er Jahre in seinem Heimatland Kulturminister wurde.
Mit dem Hollywood Reporter Award wird in Köln der in...
Mohammad Rasoulof, hier bei der Filmkunstmesse Leipzig in diesem Jahr, wird beim Film Festival Cologne ausgezeichnet. (Credit: Uwe Frauendorf/Ag Kino-Gilde)
Die ersten Preisträger des Film Festival Cologne, die zum Abschluss des Festivals am 24. Oktober im Kölner E-Werk ausgezeichnet werden, stehen fest.
Wie das Film Festival Cologne heute mitteilt, wird der aus Haiti stammende Filmemacher Raoul Peck, dessen Dokumentarfilm „Ernest Cole: Lost and Found“ über den südafrikanischen Fotografen Ernest Cole in Köln zu sehen ist, mit dem Filmpreis Köln ausgezeichnet. Peck hatte nicht nur ein Ingenieursstudium an der Humboldt-Universität, sondern in den 80er Jahren auch ein Filmstudium an der Deutschen Film-und Fernsehakademie Berlin absolviert, bevor er Mitte der 1990er Jahre in seinem Heimatland Kulturminister wurde.
Mit dem Hollywood Reporter Award wird in Köln der in...
- 10/21/2024
- by Jochen Müller
- Spot - Media & Film
Un escaparate del mejor cine europeo del año. © Seff
La 21 edición del Festival de Cine Europeo de Sevilla se celebrará del 8 al 16 de noviembre y ya se conoce la programación completa. En total son veintidós estrenos en España, ocho mundiales y dos internacionales.
La sección oficial contará con un jurado de altísimo nivel presidido por el productor británico David Puttnam y con el actor británico Jeremy Irons, la directora artística del Rome Film Fest, Paola Malanga, la programadora francesa Eva Rekettyei y la directora francoargelina Mounia Meddour. Ellos serán los encargados de decidir el palmarés de esta vigésimo primera edición que cuenta en su sección oficial con títulos destacados como Flow, la película representante de Letonia en los Oscars, Julie Keeps Quiet, representante de Bélgica, The Girl with the Needle, representante de Dinamaca, y Santosh, representante de Reino unido. Otros títulos de la sección oficial incluyen A Missing Part, que se presentó en Toronto,...
La 21 edición del Festival de Cine Europeo de Sevilla se celebrará del 8 al 16 de noviembre y ya se conoce la programación completa. En total son veintidós estrenos en España, ocho mundiales y dos internacionales.
La sección oficial contará con un jurado de altísimo nivel presidido por el productor británico David Puttnam y con el actor británico Jeremy Irons, la directora artística del Rome Film Fest, Paola Malanga, la programadora francesa Eva Rekettyei y la directora francoargelina Mounia Meddour. Ellos serán los encargados de decidir el palmarés de esta vigésimo primera edición que cuenta en su sección oficial con títulos destacados como Flow, la película representante de Letonia en los Oscars, Julie Keeps Quiet, representante de Bélgica, The Girl with the Needle, representante de Dinamaca, y Santosh, representante de Reino unido. Otros títulos de la sección oficial incluyen A Missing Part, que se presentó en Toronto,...
- 10/18/2024
- by Marta Medina
- mundoCine
Mohammad Rasoulouf’s tenth directorial and his eighth feature film could also be characterized as one of his more incisive movies, wherein he directly lambasts the Iranian government. “The Seed of the Sacred Fig” chooses to shift the lens directly within the heart of the theocratic administration, to highlight the frailty and rot within a family as ideological and moral differences threaten to rip the family apart.
The Seed of the Sacred Fig (2024) Plot Summary & Movie Synopsis: Iman’s promotion and the paranoia of the job
An honest lawyer, devout to his faith and in his belief in the government, Iman lives with his wife Namjeh and his two daughters, Rezvan and Sara. The promotion entails him as an investigating judge working directly under the Revolutionary Court in Tehran.
The Revolutionary Court encompasses almost all of the offenses that would risk the internal and external health of the country or the ideology at large.
The Seed of the Sacred Fig (2024) Plot Summary & Movie Synopsis: Iman’s promotion and the paranoia of the job
An honest lawyer, devout to his faith and in his belief in the government, Iman lives with his wife Namjeh and his two daughters, Rezvan and Sara. The promotion entails him as an investigating judge working directly under the Revolutionary Court in Tehran.
The Revolutionary Court encompasses almost all of the offenses that would risk the internal and external health of the country or the ideology at large.
- 10/17/2024
- by Amartya Acharya
- High on Films
The 2024 fall film festivals — Venice, Telluride, TIFF, and NYFF — are behind us, but critics deliberating their riches continues. IndieWire has polled 66 critics who attended one or more of these festivals to name their picks for best film, best screenplay, best director, and best first feature, and the results are fascinating, if not exactly shocking.
No films that played at Cannes or festivals earlier than Venice were eligible for consideration here. That means that “Anora,” which won best film, best screenplay, and best director on our Best of Cannes 2024 Critics Survey, was not eligible here. Nor was “The Seed of the Sacred Fig” or “The Substance,” other films that a few of the critics tried to sneak in on their ballots.
But looking at just the films that actually premiered at the fall fests, there was a clear victor: Brady Corbet’s “The Brutalist” received the most overall votes for both Best Film and Best Director,...
No films that played at Cannes or festivals earlier than Venice were eligible for consideration here. That means that “Anora,” which won best film, best screenplay, and best director on our Best of Cannes 2024 Critics Survey, was not eligible here. Nor was “The Seed of the Sacred Fig” or “The Substance,” other films that a few of the critics tried to sneak in on their ballots.
But looking at just the films that actually premiered at the fall fests, there was a clear victor: Brady Corbet’s “The Brutalist” received the most overall votes for both Best Film and Best Director,...
- 10/16/2024
- by Christian Blauvelt
- Indiewire
Payal Kapadia’s All We Imagine As Light and Dea Kulumbegashvili’s April head the nominations for the 17th Asia Pacific Screen Awards (Apsa), each securing nods in five categories.
Both will compete for best film, best director, best screenplay, best cinematography and best performance at the awards, which will be presented on November 30 at a ceremony on Australia’s Gold Coast.
Scroll down for full list of nominations
All We Imagine As Light, billed as an ode to nocturnal Mumbai, premiered in Competition at Cannes, where it won the festival’s grand prix. April, the story of a Georgian ob-gyn who faces accusations,...
Both will compete for best film, best director, best screenplay, best cinematography and best performance at the awards, which will be presented on November 30 at a ceremony on Australia’s Gold Coast.
Scroll down for full list of nominations
All We Imagine As Light, billed as an ode to nocturnal Mumbai, premiered in Competition at Cannes, where it won the festival’s grand prix. April, the story of a Georgian ob-gyn who faces accusations,...
- 10/16/2024
- ScreenDaily
Two films by women directors, Payal Kapadia’s ‘All We Imagine as Light’ and Dea Kulumbegashvili’s ‘April’ lead the nominations for the Asia Pacific Screen Awards.
Both films will compete in five categories – best film, best director, best screenplay, best cinematography and best performance – it was revealed Wednesday in a nominations announcement.
Also competing for best film are Yoko Yamanaka’s Tokyo-set story of a young woman’s mental illness, “Desert of Namibia” (Japan); Neo Sora’s future Tokyo tale of perilous social surveillance “Happyend”; and Jiang Xiaoxuan’s “To Kill a Mongolian Horse”, a portrait of a Mongolian horseman turned performer, based on a true story.
Four of the five films nominated for best film are from female directors, and in an Apsa first, all five best film contenders are first or second features.
In addition to Kapadia, Kulumbegashvili and Jiang, the nominees for best director include Tato Kotetishvili for “Holy Electricity,...
Both films will compete in five categories – best film, best director, best screenplay, best cinematography and best performance – it was revealed Wednesday in a nominations announcement.
Also competing for best film are Yoko Yamanaka’s Tokyo-set story of a young woman’s mental illness, “Desert of Namibia” (Japan); Neo Sora’s future Tokyo tale of perilous social surveillance “Happyend”; and Jiang Xiaoxuan’s “To Kill a Mongolian Horse”, a portrait of a Mongolian horseman turned performer, based on a true story.
Four of the five films nominated for best film are from female directors, and in an Apsa first, all five best film contenders are first or second features.
In addition to Kapadia, Kulumbegashvili and Jiang, the nominees for best director include Tato Kotetishvili for “Holy Electricity,...
- 10/16/2024
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
For as much rich history and beautiful tradition as the Academy Awards are known for, South Korean filmmaker Bong Joon-ho perhaps said it best when he described the ceremony as “very local.” Though this didn’t stop his “Parasite” from sweeping the 2020 Oscars, the rules around what gets nominated and what kind of stories are deserving of such accolades has been a major issue in recent years.
For instance, despite winning the Palme d’Or at the Cannes International Film Festival last year, Justine Triet’s “Anatomy of a Fall” was refused as France’s submission to the Oscar, the country instead choosing the more traditional “The Taste of Things.” Triet went on to win the Best Original Screenplay Oscar for her film while “The Taste of Things” went home empty-handed. In a repeat of these circumstances, Indian filmmaker Payal Kapadia stunned Cannes audiences this year, winning the Grand Prix...
For instance, despite winning the Palme d’Or at the Cannes International Film Festival last year, Justine Triet’s “Anatomy of a Fall” was refused as France’s submission to the Oscar, the country instead choosing the more traditional “The Taste of Things.” Triet went on to win the Best Original Screenplay Oscar for her film while “The Taste of Things” went home empty-handed. In a repeat of these circumstances, Indian filmmaker Payal Kapadia stunned Cannes audiences this year, winning the Grand Prix...
- 10/12/2024
- by Harrison Richlin
- Indiewire
Good afternoon Insiders, Max Goldbart here penning your weekly deep dive newsletter. Read on and sign up here.
Int’l Oscar Race Heats Up
Zoe Saldaña and Karla Sofía Gascón in ‘Emilia Perez
Only a handful left to declare: With the deadline for entry to the Best International Feature Film of the 97th Academy Awards closing on October 2, the race is seriously heating up and frontrunners are starting to emerge. Deadline has tracked 83 entries so far against 88 last year, with a handful of territories still expected to publicly declare their submissions, so we are nearly there in the highly anticipated race. We’ve been on the ground at many a film festival in the past few months and therefore have a decent sense of the frontrunners at this stage.
Hot contenders: Early heat is emanating from Jacques Audiard’s Spanish-language musical Emilia Pérez for France. Karla Sofía Gascón stars as...
Int’l Oscar Race Heats Up
Zoe Saldaña and Karla Sofía Gascón in ‘Emilia Perez
Only a handful left to declare: With the deadline for entry to the Best International Feature Film of the 97th Academy Awards closing on October 2, the race is seriously heating up and frontrunners are starting to emerge. Deadline has tracked 83 entries so far against 88 last year, with a handful of territories still expected to publicly declare their submissions, so we are nearly there in the highly anticipated race. We’ve been on the ground at many a film festival in the past few months and therefore have a decent sense of the frontrunners at this stage.
Hot contenders: Early heat is emanating from Jacques Audiard’s Spanish-language musical Emilia Pérez for France. Karla Sofía Gascón stars as...
- 10/11/2024
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
41 Kinostarts deutscher Filme im Ausland werden nach der jüngsten Sitzung des Vergabegremiums „Distribution Support“ von German Films mit etwas mehr als 300.000 Euro unterstützt.
German Films bezuschusst aktuell den Auslangssstart von „Girl You Know It’s True“ in Slowenien, Serbien, Kroatien sowie Bosnien und Herzegowina (Credit: Gordon Timpen/Leonine Studios / Wiedemann & Berg Film)
302.900 Euro für 41 Kinostarts deutscher Filme im Ausland – so lautet die Bilanz der dritten Sitzung des Vergabegremiums „Distribution Support“ bei German Films in diesem Jahr.
In den meisten Territorien – vier an der Zahl – unterstützt wird Simon Verhoevens Milli-Vanilli-Biopic „Girl You Know It’s True“. Der größte Einzelzuschuss ging mit 25.000 Euro an den Italienstart von „Die Herrlichkeit des Lebens“ von Georg Maas und Judith Kaufmann.
Die aktuell beschlossenen Förderungen im Überblick:
• „Adios Buenos Aires“ in Israel
• „Alter weißer Mann“ in der Schweiz und Lichtenstein
• „Das Geheimnis von La Mancha“ in Bulgarien
• „Das Lehrerzimmer in Israel
• „Der Buchspazierer“ in der Schweiz
• „Der Vierer...
German Films bezuschusst aktuell den Auslangssstart von „Girl You Know It’s True“ in Slowenien, Serbien, Kroatien sowie Bosnien und Herzegowina (Credit: Gordon Timpen/Leonine Studios / Wiedemann & Berg Film)
302.900 Euro für 41 Kinostarts deutscher Filme im Ausland – so lautet die Bilanz der dritten Sitzung des Vergabegremiums „Distribution Support“ bei German Films in diesem Jahr.
In den meisten Territorien – vier an der Zahl – unterstützt wird Simon Verhoevens Milli-Vanilli-Biopic „Girl You Know It’s True“. Der größte Einzelzuschuss ging mit 25.000 Euro an den Italienstart von „Die Herrlichkeit des Lebens“ von Georg Maas und Judith Kaufmann.
Die aktuell beschlossenen Förderungen im Überblick:
• „Adios Buenos Aires“ in Israel
• „Alter weißer Mann“ in der Schweiz und Lichtenstein
• „Das Geheimnis von La Mancha“ in Bulgarien
• „Das Lehrerzimmer in Israel
• „Der Buchspazierer“ in der Schweiz
• „Der Vierer...
- 10/11/2024
- by Jochen Müller
- Spot - Media & Film
Nominations voting is from January 8-12, 2025, with official Oscar nominations announced January 17, 2025. Final voting is February 11-18, 2025. And finally, the 97th Oscars telecast will be broadcast on Sunday, March 2 and air live on ABC at 7:00 p.m. Et/ 4:00 p.m. Pt. We update our picks through awards season, so keep checking IndieWire for all our 2025 Oscar predictions.
The State of the Race
Breaking down the odds a film gets a Best Original Screenplay nomination, the first thing to note is that the Oscar usually goes to a film written or co-written by the director. The last film to win this category without the director having a writing credit is “The King’s Speech” over a decade ago. If one were to guess why this is, a good answer would be that with Best Picture expanding to 10 categories, the door opened to voters being invested in even more filmmakers’ successes,...
The State of the Race
Breaking down the odds a film gets a Best Original Screenplay nomination, the first thing to note is that the Oscar usually goes to a film written or co-written by the director. The last film to win this category without the director having a writing credit is “The King’s Speech” over a decade ago. If one were to guess why this is, a good answer would be that with Best Picture expanding to 10 categories, the door opened to voters being invested in even more filmmakers’ successes,...
- 10/10/2024
- by Marcus Jones
- Indiewire
Predicting the eventual five Oscar nominees for Best International Feature is made difficult by the three-step process that begins after the October 2, 2024 deadline for countries to submit entries. To be part of the selection process for this category, which was called Best Foreign Language Film before 2020, requires a great deal of dedication. (Scroll down for the most up-to-date 2025 Oscar predictions for Best International Feature.)
In the days following the deadline for submissions, the academy determines each film’s eligibility. Then the several hundred academy members who serve on the International Feature screening committee are divided into groups and required to watch all their submissions over a six-week period that ends in early December. Their top 15 vote-getters will make it to the next round. That list of semi-finalists will be revealed on December 17, 2024.
These 15 films will be made available to the entire academy membership who can cast ballots for the final...
In the days following the deadline for submissions, the academy determines each film’s eligibility. Then the several hundred academy members who serve on the International Feature screening committee are divided into groups and required to watch all their submissions over a six-week period that ends in early December. Their top 15 vote-getters will make it to the next round. That list of semi-finalists will be revealed on December 17, 2024.
These 15 films will be made available to the entire academy membership who can cast ballots for the final...
- 10/10/2024
- by Paul Sheehan
- Gold Derby
Iranian director Mohammad Rasoulof’s politically-charged thriller “The Seed of the Sacred Fig,” which has been chosen to represent Germany in the upcoming international feature film Oscar race, is becoming a catalyst for calls urging the Academy to rethink the system under which countries submit their candidates.
Tipped as a frontrunner in the category, Rasoulof’s movie is fueling a rallying cry from a group of dissident Iranian filmmakers and others who are questioning whether national film entities in countries ruled by ideologically-driven authoritarian regimes, such as Iran and China, should be allowed to decide which movies get a shot at the Oscar.
Secretly shot in Iran, “The Seed of the Sacred Fig” is about an investigating judge in the Revolutionary Court in Tehran who grapples with mistrust and paranoia as anti-government protests intensify and his family life is devastated. The film won multiple awards at the Cannes Film Festival.
Tipped as a frontrunner in the category, Rasoulof’s movie is fueling a rallying cry from a group of dissident Iranian filmmakers and others who are questioning whether national film entities in countries ruled by ideologically-driven authoritarian regimes, such as Iran and China, should be allowed to decide which movies get a shot at the Oscar.
Secretly shot in Iran, “The Seed of the Sacred Fig” is about an investigating judge in the Revolutionary Court in Tehran who grapples with mistrust and paranoia as anti-government protests intensify and his family life is devastated. The film won multiple awards at the Cannes Film Festival.
- 10/10/2024
- by Nick Vivarelli and Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Seit Ende September standen Eröffnungs- und Abschlussfilm der diesjährigen Viennale fest. Jetzt wurde das komplette Programm präsentiert.
Viennale-Direktorin Eva Sangiorgi (Credit: Alexi Pelekanos)
Nachdem Viennale-Direktorin Eva Sangiorigi Ende August die ersten Programmpunkte für die von 17. bis 29. Oktober stattfindende Festivalausgabe präsentiert hatte und seit Ende September mit Leos Carax‘ „C’est pas moi“ und Mati Diops „Dahomey“ Eröffnungs- und Abschlussfilm feststehen, hat Sangiorgi jetzt zusammen mit Florian Widegger (Leitung Programm Metro Kinokulturhaus) und Michael Loebenstein (Direktor des Österreichischen Filmmuseums) das komplette Programm der Viennale präsentiert.
Neben den bereits bekannt gegebenen Titeln wie Sean Bakers Cannes-Gewinner „Anora“, Jacques Audiards ebenfalls in Cannes ausgezeichneter „Emilia Pérez“, „Peacock“ von Bernhard Wenger, „Henry Fonda For President“ von Alexander Horwarth, „The Village Next to Paradise“ von Mo Harawe,, „Zwischen uns Gott“ von Rebecca Hirneise, „Bluish“ von Lilith Kraxner und Milena Czernovsky, „Dear Beautiful Beloved“ von Juri Rechinsky, „Dreaming Dogs“ von Elsa Kremser und Levin Peter...
Viennale-Direktorin Eva Sangiorgi (Credit: Alexi Pelekanos)
Nachdem Viennale-Direktorin Eva Sangiorigi Ende August die ersten Programmpunkte für die von 17. bis 29. Oktober stattfindende Festivalausgabe präsentiert hatte und seit Ende September mit Leos Carax‘ „C’est pas moi“ und Mati Diops „Dahomey“ Eröffnungs- und Abschlussfilm feststehen, hat Sangiorgi jetzt zusammen mit Florian Widegger (Leitung Programm Metro Kinokulturhaus) und Michael Loebenstein (Direktor des Österreichischen Filmmuseums) das komplette Programm der Viennale präsentiert.
Neben den bereits bekannt gegebenen Titeln wie Sean Bakers Cannes-Gewinner „Anora“, Jacques Audiards ebenfalls in Cannes ausgezeichneter „Emilia Pérez“, „Peacock“ von Bernhard Wenger, „Henry Fonda For President“ von Alexander Horwarth, „The Village Next to Paradise“ von Mo Harawe,, „Zwischen uns Gott“ von Rebecca Hirneise, „Bluish“ von Lilith Kraxner und Milena Czernovsky, „Dear Beautiful Beloved“ von Juri Rechinsky, „Dreaming Dogs“ von Elsa Kremser und Levin Peter...
- 10/9/2024
- by Jochen Müller
- Spot - Media & Film
The Chicago International Film Festival is gearing up for its 60th edition with an exciting lineup of global cinema, running from October 16 to 27, 2024. This year’s competition slate promises a wide array of international storytelling, with films spanning from Azerbaijan to Brazil, Japan to Tunisia, all competing for the festival’s prestigious Gold Hugo awards. The films are set to debut across multiple categories: International Feature, International Documentary, and New Directors, along with entries for the OutLook and Shorts competitions.
A remarkable 30 feature films are making their North American or U.S. premieres, with three world premieres adding to the anticipation. Some filmmakers are no strangers to Chicago, returning to the festival after prior successes, like Péter Kerekes, whose film 107 Mothers earned him the Silver Hugo for Best Director in 2020, and documentary powerhouse Joshua Oppenheimer.
Among the festival’s top-tier International Feature Competition, several standout titles have already made waves at Cannes,...
A remarkable 30 feature films are making their North American or U.S. premieres, with three world premieres adding to the anticipation. Some filmmakers are no strangers to Chicago, returning to the festival after prior successes, like Péter Kerekes, whose film 107 Mothers earned him the Silver Hugo for Best Director in 2020, and documentary powerhouse Joshua Oppenheimer.
Among the festival’s top-tier International Feature Competition, several standout titles have already made waves at Cannes,...
- 10/8/2024
- by Naveed Zahir
- High on Films
Since the academy expanded the Best Picture category at the Oscars in 2010, Best Original Screenplay has gone to writers of a wide-range of genres: dramas; comedies (“Midnight in Paris”); biopics; true-life stories (“Spotlight”); memoirs (“Belfast”); period pictures (“Django Unchained”); war movies (“The Hurt Locker”); sci-fi (“Her”), thrillers horror (“Get Out”) and fantasies (“Everything Everywhere All at Once”) . (Scroll down for the most up-to-date 2025 Oscar predictions for Best Original Screenplay.)
Of this year’s top 10 contenders for Best Original Screenplay, nine were written, at least in part, by the directors. The exception is “Challengers,” which Justin Kuritzkes wrote for director Luca Guadagnino. He also adapted the William S. Burroughs novel “Queer” for this busy helmer and he could well contend over in Best Adapted Screenplay for that.
“Challengers” is, at its heart, a romance. Love, albeit short-lived, is also the subject of the frontrunner in this race, Sean Baker‘s “Anora.
Of this year’s top 10 contenders for Best Original Screenplay, nine were written, at least in part, by the directors. The exception is “Challengers,” which Justin Kuritzkes wrote for director Luca Guadagnino. He also adapted the William S. Burroughs novel “Queer” for this busy helmer and he could well contend over in Best Adapted Screenplay for that.
“Challengers” is, at its heart, a romance. Love, albeit short-lived, is also the subject of the frontrunner in this race, Sean Baker‘s “Anora.
- 10/8/2024
- by Paul Sheehan
- Gold Derby
Exclusive: Boots Riley looks to have found his next project and has landed quite the ensemble, as sources tell Deadline he is partnering with Neon on his film I Love Boosters. Keke Palmer, Naomi Ackie, Lakeith Stanfield and Demi Moore are set to star, with additional casting underway. Principal photography set to begin this fall.
Aaron Ryder and Andrew Swett are producing on behalf of Ryder Picture Company along with Savage Rose Films’ Allison Rose Carter and Jon Read. Mike Jackman, Gus Deardoff, Ken Kao, Josh Rosenbaum, Annapurna and Neon will serve as executive producers. Neon is financing the film with Waypoint Entertainment and will handle the worldwide rights.
The film centers on a ring of enterprising boosters who take aim at a cutthroat fashion maven. Additional plot details are under wraps.
Riley is a multihyphenate working across film and music as a director, producer and screenwriter.
Aaron Ryder and Andrew Swett are producing on behalf of Ryder Picture Company along with Savage Rose Films’ Allison Rose Carter and Jon Read. Mike Jackman, Gus Deardoff, Ken Kao, Josh Rosenbaum, Annapurna and Neon will serve as executive producers. Neon is financing the film with Waypoint Entertainment and will handle the worldwide rights.
The film centers on a ring of enterprising boosters who take aim at a cutthroat fashion maven. Additional plot details are under wraps.
Riley is a multihyphenate working across film and music as a director, producer and screenwriter.
- 10/8/2024
- by Justin Kroll
- Deadline Film + TV
Pan-European indie group Vuelta, which recently bought Telepool in Germany, has completed another strategic acquisition with WW Entertainment, one of Benelux’s largest distributors.
With offices in Amsterdam and in Belgium, WW Entertainment (previously eOne Entertainment Benelux) has consolidated a solid portfolio of local and international titles in the last decade. WW Entertainment’s recent hits include “Loverboy: Emoties Uit,” as well as “Hit Man” and “Bombini Bangkok Nights.”
The acquisition of WW Entertainment gives Vuelta a solid footprint in Benelux, a key European market for theatrical distribution, spreading from Belgium to the Netherlands.
The deal also fits into Vuelta’s strategy to build synergies with some of its other European distribution banners, including Scanbox in Scandinavia, SquareOne/Telepoolin Germany and Pan in France. The latter just scored big in France with the local dramedy “A Little Something Extra” which outperformed Hollywood blockbusters tops this year’s French box office,...
With offices in Amsterdam and in Belgium, WW Entertainment (previously eOne Entertainment Benelux) has consolidated a solid portfolio of local and international titles in the last decade. WW Entertainment’s recent hits include “Loverboy: Emoties Uit,” as well as “Hit Man” and “Bombini Bangkok Nights.”
The acquisition of WW Entertainment gives Vuelta a solid footprint in Benelux, a key European market for theatrical distribution, spreading from Belgium to the Netherlands.
The deal also fits into Vuelta’s strategy to build synergies with some of its other European distribution banners, including Scanbox in Scandinavia, SquareOne/Telepoolin Germany and Pan in France. The latter just scored big in France with the local dramedy “A Little Something Extra” which outperformed Hollywood blockbusters tops this year’s French box office,...
- 10/8/2024
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
US-Verleih Neon hat einen ersten Trailer von „Die Saat des heiligen Feigenbaums“ von Mohammad Rasoulof veröffentlicht, Mohammad Rasoulofs deutschen Oscarbeitrag.
Gerade erst hat „Die Saat des heiligen Feigenbaums“ seine Deutschlandpremiere auf dem Filmfest Hamburg gefeiert, nachdem Mohammad Rasoulofs unter schwierigen Umständen entstandener Film auf dem Festival de Cannes Weltpremiere gefeiert hatte und dort mit dem Spezialpreis der Jury ausgezeichnet worden war. Aktuell wird „Die Saat des heiligen Feigenbaums“ auch auf dem Zurich Film Festival gezeigt.
US-Verleih Neon hat nunmehr einen ersten Trailer veröffentlicht. In Deutschland wird der aktuelle deutsche Oscarbeitrag am 26. Dezember von Alamode in die Kinos gebracht. Unsere Besprechung finden sie hier.
Gerade erst hat „Die Saat des heiligen Feigenbaums“ seine Deutschlandpremiere auf dem Filmfest Hamburg gefeiert, nachdem Mohammad Rasoulofs unter schwierigen Umständen entstandener Film auf dem Festival de Cannes Weltpremiere gefeiert hatte und dort mit dem Spezialpreis der Jury ausgezeichnet worden war. Aktuell wird „Die Saat des heiligen Feigenbaums“ auch auf dem Zurich Film Festival gezeigt.
US-Verleih Neon hat nunmehr einen ersten Trailer veröffentlicht. In Deutschland wird der aktuelle deutsche Oscarbeitrag am 26. Dezember von Alamode in die Kinos gebracht. Unsere Besprechung finden sie hier.
- 10/8/2024
- by Thomas Schultze
- Spot - Media & Film
If measured by real-world implications, “The Seed of the Sacred Fig” might be the most important film of the year. On Monday, Neon released the trailer for Iranian writer-director Mohammad Rasoulof’s political thriller, which is Germany’s submission for the Academy Award for Best International Feature because Rasoulof has fled political persecution in his native country.
Rasoulof is one of Iran’s most acclaimed filmmakers; his 2020 film “There Is No Evil” won the Golden Bear at the Berlin Film Festival. His outspoken criticism of the Iranian government has led to him serving multiple prison terms. Before “The Seed of the Sacred Fig” premiered at Cannes this year, the Islamic Republic sentenced Rasoulof to eight years in prison, flogging, a fine, and confiscation of his property for protesting the regime, which he does through his films as well as public statements. After that, he fled Iran and made it to Germany,...
Rasoulof is one of Iran’s most acclaimed filmmakers; his 2020 film “There Is No Evil” won the Golden Bear at the Berlin Film Festival. His outspoken criticism of the Iranian government has led to him serving multiple prison terms. Before “The Seed of the Sacred Fig” premiered at Cannes this year, the Islamic Republic sentenced Rasoulof to eight years in prison, flogging, a fine, and confiscation of his property for protesting the regime, which he does through his films as well as public statements. After that, he fled Iran and made it to Germany,...
- 10/7/2024
- by Liam Mathews
- Gold Derby
Nominations voting is from January 8-12, 2025, with official Oscar nominations announced January 17, 2025. Final voting is February 11-18, 2025. And finally, the 97th Oscars telecast will be broadcast on Sunday, March 2 and air live on ABC at 7:00 p.m. Et/ 4:00 p.m. Pt. We update our picks through awards season, so keep checking IndieWire for all our 2025 Oscar predictions.
The State of the Race
Similar to two years ago, the current race for the Best Actor Oscar has four names that seem to have their nominations locked in, with that fifth nomination slot up for grabs.
The Venice premiere of Luca Guadagnino’s “Queer” confirmed suspicions that Daniel Craig could be a major contender this year, but the real surprise from that same festival was just how much Brady Corbet’s “The Brutalist,” and by virtue its lead Adrien Brody, really has a shot at becoming an Academy Awards frontrunner across categories.
The State of the Race
Similar to two years ago, the current race for the Best Actor Oscar has four names that seem to have their nominations locked in, with that fifth nomination slot up for grabs.
The Venice premiere of Luca Guadagnino’s “Queer” confirmed suspicions that Daniel Craig could be a major contender this year, but the real surprise from that same festival was just how much Brady Corbet’s “The Brutalist,” and by virtue its lead Adrien Brody, really has a shot at becoming an Academy Awards frontrunner across categories.
- 10/7/2024
- by Marcus Jones
- Indiewire
A paranoid family faces Iranian oppression in the trailer for dissident director Mohammad Rasoulof’s thriller The Seed of the Sacred Fig that dropped on Monday.
With the Iranian film shot entirely in secret, the teaser for the dissident Iranian filmmaker’s Cannes Special Jury Prize winner centers on a family thrust into the public eye when its patriarch, Iman (Misagh Zare) is named as an investigating judge in Tehran. As political unrest erupts in the streets, Iman realizes that his job is even more dangerous than expected, leaving him distrustful of even his pious wife Najmeh and teenage daughters Sana and Rezvan.
“What curse has fallen upon me?” a whispering Iman asks at one point in the trailer that includes car chases, banging at the family’s front door and a loaded gun to protect against a possible home invasion.
The horror movie tropes around The Seed of the Sacred Fig...
With the Iranian film shot entirely in secret, the teaser for the dissident Iranian filmmaker’s Cannes Special Jury Prize winner centers on a family thrust into the public eye when its patriarch, Iman (Misagh Zare) is named as an investigating judge in Tehran. As political unrest erupts in the streets, Iman realizes that his job is even more dangerous than expected, leaving him distrustful of even his pious wife Najmeh and teenage daughters Sana and Rezvan.
“What curse has fallen upon me?” a whispering Iman asks at one point in the trailer that includes car chases, banging at the family’s front door and a loaded gun to protect against a possible home invasion.
The horror movie tropes around The Seed of the Sacred Fig...
- 10/7/2024
- by Etan Vlessing
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
We often take for granted our freedoms in the U.S. In other countries, such as Iran, those freedoms just don’t exist, such as the freedom to make a feature film. And if there’s one person who has proven his commitment to the art, it’s filmmaker Mohammad Rasoulof. Despite intense legal issues, including imprisonment, he continues to make films, such as “The Seed of the Sacred Fig.”
Read More: ‘The Seed Of The Sacred Fig’ Review: Mohammad Rasoulof’s Searing Indictment Of Modern Iran [Cannes]
As seen in the trailer, “The Seed of the Sacred Fig” tells the story of Iman, a man in Tehran who lands a new job as a judge.
Continue reading ‘The Seed of the Sacred Fig’: Mohammad Rasoulof’s Cannes Hit Arrives In Theaters This November at The Playlist.
Read More: ‘The Seed Of The Sacred Fig’ Review: Mohammad Rasoulof’s Searing Indictment Of Modern Iran [Cannes]
As seen in the trailer, “The Seed of the Sacred Fig” tells the story of Iman, a man in Tehran who lands a new job as a judge.
Continue reading ‘The Seed of the Sacred Fig’: Mohammad Rasoulof’s Cannes Hit Arrives In Theaters This November at The Playlist.
- 10/7/2024
- by Charles Barfield
- The Playlist
Few titles at Cannes carried greater weight than The Seed of the Sacred Fig, Mohammad Rasoulof’s first project to debut since an exile from his native Iran––little wonder in light of its focus on injustice and unrest as they reflect on the country’s women. Following a special award from the festival and pitstops in Toronto and New York, it’s set to begin a U.S. run on November 27, ahead of which is a trailer.
As David Katz said in our review, “My absolute trust in this film started to waver roughly around this moment, my impressed nodding crumpling into a ‘Really?’ facial expression. You may’ve accurately heard about car chases, but I should report that my Locarno audience genuinely laughed at the farcical nature of the blocking throughout the final act. But Rasoulof ultimately succeeds because he is at least one step ahead of us.
As David Katz said in our review, “My absolute trust in this film started to waver roughly around this moment, my impressed nodding crumpling into a ‘Really?’ facial expression. You may’ve accurately heard about car chases, but I should report that my Locarno audience genuinely laughed at the farcical nature of the blocking throughout the final act. But Rasoulof ultimately succeeds because he is at least one step ahead of us.
- 10/7/2024
- by Leonard Pearce
- The Film Stage
- 10/7/2024
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
“The Seed of the Sacred Fig” sprouted as a secret film.
Writer/director Mohammad Rasoulof escaped Iran after being sentenced to eight years of imprisonment and a flogging for protesting political injustices. “The Seed of the Sacred Fig” was shot entirely in secret, and later debuted at Cannes.
The award-winning thriller “centers on a family thrust into the public eye when Iman (Misagh Zare) is appointed as an investigating judge in Tehran. As political unrest erupts in the streets, Iman realizes that his job is even more dangerous than expected, making him increasingly paranoid and distrustful, even of his own wife Najmeh and daughters Sana and Rezvan,” per the official synopsis.
Soheila Golestani, Mahsa Rostami, Setareh Maleki, Niousha Akhshi, Reza Akhlaghi, Shiva Ordooei, and Amineh Arani star.
Rasoulof, who has been imprisoned numerous times for creating films that shine a light on the abusive government powers in Iran, told The...
Writer/director Mohammad Rasoulof escaped Iran after being sentenced to eight years of imprisonment and a flogging for protesting political injustices. “The Seed of the Sacred Fig” was shot entirely in secret, and later debuted at Cannes.
The award-winning thriller “centers on a family thrust into the public eye when Iman (Misagh Zare) is appointed as an investigating judge in Tehran. As political unrest erupts in the streets, Iman realizes that his job is even more dangerous than expected, making him increasingly paranoid and distrustful, even of his own wife Najmeh and daughters Sana and Rezvan,” per the official synopsis.
Soheila Golestani, Mahsa Rostami, Setareh Maleki, Niousha Akhshi, Reza Akhlaghi, Shiva Ordooei, and Amineh Arani star.
Rasoulof, who has been imprisoned numerous times for creating films that shine a light on the abusive government powers in Iran, told The...
- 10/7/2024
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
Almost all of the Best Actor winners at this century’s 23 Academy Awards ceremonies have ticked at least one of these two boxes: they were over 40 or portraying a real-life fellow. [The only exceptions: Russell Crowe (“Gladiator”) and Jean Dujardin (“The Artist”) who were 36 and 39 respectively when they won for playing fictional characters.] Of this year’s leading contenders for Best Actor all but one (who stars in a long-awaited sequel to a Best Picture champ) tick at least one of those two boxes. (Scroll down for the most up-to-date 2025 Oscar predictions for Best Actor.)
Ralph Fiennes, 61, is devilishly delightful as a cardinal in Edward Berger‘s thriller “Conclave.” It’s been almost three decades since he was last at the Oscars for his starring role in the Best Picture winner “The English Patient.” His only previous bid was for his scene-stealing role in the 1994 champ “Schindler’s List.”
Colman Domingo, 54, reaped his first...
Ralph Fiennes, 61, is devilishly delightful as a cardinal in Edward Berger‘s thriller “Conclave.” It’s been almost three decades since he was last at the Oscars for his starring role in the Best Picture winner “The English Patient.” His only previous bid was for his scene-stealing role in the 1994 champ “Schindler’s List.”
Colman Domingo, 54, reaped his first...
- 10/7/2024
- by Paul Sheehan
- Gold Derby
Im Rahmen seines cineastischen Jahresrückblicks präsentiert das Berliner Weltkinofestival Around the World in 14 Films von 29. September bis 7. Dezember sechs Debütfilme, die bereits auf anderen Festivals Erfolge feierten. Dazu gehört auch Saulė Bliuvaitės in Locarno mit dem Goldenen Leoparden ausgezeichneter „Toxic”.
Regisseurin Saulė Bliuvaitė mit dem Goldenen Leoparden für „Toxic” (Credit: Locarno Film Festival / Ti-Press)
Die 19. Ausgabe des Berliner Weltkinofestivals Around the World in 14 Films präsentiert von 29. November bis 7. Dezember sechs Debütfilme, die bereits auf anderen Festival Erfolge feierten. Das gab das Festival heute bekannt.
Bei der cineastischen Weltreise in Berlin zu sehen sein werden demnach Saulė Bliuvaitės in Locarno mit dem Goldenen Leoparden ausgezeichneter „Toxic” und Payal Kapadias „All We Imagine As Light“ (hier unsere Spot-Besprechung), der in Cannes mit dem Großen Preis der Jury prämiert worden war. Ebenfalls in Berlin zu sehen sein wird Ariane Labeds “September Says“, der soeben auf dem Filmfest Hamburg gezeigt worden war, die schweizerisch-französische...
Regisseurin Saulė Bliuvaitė mit dem Goldenen Leoparden für „Toxic” (Credit: Locarno Film Festival / Ti-Press)
Die 19. Ausgabe des Berliner Weltkinofestivals Around the World in 14 Films präsentiert von 29. November bis 7. Dezember sechs Debütfilme, die bereits auf anderen Festival Erfolge feierten. Das gab das Festival heute bekannt.
Bei der cineastischen Weltreise in Berlin zu sehen sein werden demnach Saulė Bliuvaitės in Locarno mit dem Goldenen Leoparden ausgezeichneter „Toxic” und Payal Kapadias „All We Imagine As Light“ (hier unsere Spot-Besprechung), der in Cannes mit dem Großen Preis der Jury prämiert worden war. Ebenfalls in Berlin zu sehen sein wird Ariane Labeds “September Says“, der soeben auf dem Filmfest Hamburg gezeigt worden war, die schweizerisch-französische...
- 10/7/2024
- by Jochen Müller
- Spot - Media & Film
By Juan Carlos Ojano
Photo: Cine Diaz
Much has been said about how political the submission process for Best International Feature Film at the Oscars is. That assumption is fair. To quickly summarize the submission process, countries must form a nominating body - approved by their respective governments - that the Academy will then consider. These bodies will be in charge of selecting which films will represent the countries in contention for the award. This season, you have a contender like The Seed of the Sacred Fig and All We Imagine as Light as proof of how contentious and political this process is. Make no mistake: everything about the Oscars is political.
But if there is a film with a fascinating narrative entering this category, it’s the Philippines’ official submission: Ramona S. Díaz’s And So It Begins......
Photo: Cine Diaz
Much has been said about how political the submission process for Best International Feature Film at the Oscars is. That assumption is fair. To quickly summarize the submission process, countries must form a nominating body - approved by their respective governments - that the Academy will then consider. These bodies will be in charge of selecting which films will represent the countries in contention for the award. This season, you have a contender like The Seed of the Sacred Fig and All We Imagine as Light as proof of how contentious and political this process is. Make no mistake: everything about the Oscars is political.
But if there is a film with a fascinating narrative entering this category, it’s the Philippines’ official submission: Ramona S. Díaz’s And So It Begins......
- 10/4/2024
- by Juan Carlos Ojano
- FilmExperience
Unlike the Oscar Best Picture race, which doesn’t have a real frontrunner at this point, there’s a clear favorite in the Best International Feature Film category.
With the deadline for submissions in the category passing on Wednesday and Academy members invited to become voters in the category on Friday, one big question looms over this year’s race: Can anything beat “Emilia Perez”?
At the moment, the answer appears to be no. With 82 countries having announced their entries in the race, no other film has anywhere near the visibility of the French entry, Jacques Audiard’s Spanish-language musical about a Mexican drug lord who undergoes sex reassignment surgery. The film has U.S. distribution from Netflix and is considered a strong candidate for a Best Picture nomination, which in five of the last six years has been a ticket to victory in the international race.
Still, it’s...
With the deadline for submissions in the category passing on Wednesday and Academy members invited to become voters in the category on Friday, one big question looms over this year’s race: Can anything beat “Emilia Perez”?
At the moment, the answer appears to be no. With 82 countries having announced their entries in the race, no other film has anywhere near the visibility of the French entry, Jacques Audiard’s Spanish-language musical about a Mexican drug lord who undergoes sex reassignment surgery. The film has U.S. distribution from Netflix and is considered a strong candidate for a Best Picture nomination, which in five of the last six years has been a ticket to victory in the international race.
Still, it’s...
- 10/4/2024
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
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