‘20,000 Bees,’ ‘Sica,’ ‘Girl Unknown,’ ‘Upon Entry’ Energize Malaga Fest Competition

Naman Ramachandran Annie Proulx’s short story “Brokeback Mountain” is set for a stage adaptation on London’s West End. The story was previously adapted as a 2005 film by Ang Lee, starring Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal, playing Jack and Ennis respectively, who take jobs on the remote Brokeback Mountain and develop a relationship. It won three Oscars – for direction, adapted screenplay and score. The West End adaptation will star Mike Faist (BAFTA-nominee for “West Side Story”) and Lucas Hedges (Oscar-nominee for “Manchester by the Sea”) as Jack and Ennis. Both actors will be making their West End debuts.

“Please follow me.” With just three simple, courteous words, the lives of Diego and Elena are forever changed in the psychological drama “Upon Entry.” And after those three words are uttered early on in the suspenseful, methodical film by directors Alejandro Rojas and Juan Sebastián Vásquez, the tension only increases with each passing moment. READ MORE: SXSW 2023 Preview: 25 Must-See Film & TV Projects To Watch You see, Diego (Alberto Ammann) and Elena (Bruna Cusí) are a happy couple who has just landed in Newark from Barcelona and are on the cusp of beginning their new life in America.

John Hopewell Chief International Correspondent With an International Panorama spangled by gems  – think Spain’s “Apagón,” Sweden’s “Blackwater,” and Canada’s “Disobey” and “Little Bird” – Series Mania also weighs in this year with one, if not the, strongest and most mouthwatering of international competitions in its history.  Including the opening and closing series, Amazon’s “Greek Salad” and Netflix’s “Transatlantic,” nearly all the global streamers have titles in the lineup, from Apple TV+’s “Drops of God” and Paramount+’s “Fleeting Lies.” The lineup also features some A-List international writing talents, such as the U.K.’s Jack Thorne and Israel’s Ron Leshem and Amit Cohen, whose “The Virtues” and “No Man’s Land” rank among the most memorable of recent Series Mania competition titles, and closing the festival, out of competition, “Unorthodox’s” Anna Wenger.”Fleeting Lies” also represents one of the first series from Pedro and Agustín Almodóvar’s El Deseo label in Madrid, opening series “Greek Salad” Cedric Klapisch’s first works a TV series creator.

Callum McLennan “Girl, Unknown,” the sophomore feature from Spanish director Pablo Maqueda (“Dear Werner”), currently ranks as one of the early buzz titles at the Málaga Film Festival, even before its world premiere. The film adapts Paco Bezerra’s stage play “Grooming.”  Maqueda, Bezerra and Haizea G. Viana wrote the script, which retains the play’s unsettling cat-and-mouse element. It delves into the recesses of desire, raising questions on depravity, sexuality, and the drive to be fulfilled. The story unfolds a pendulum swinging power dynamic between the seemingly innocent 16 year old Carolina, and a middle aged man she meets in a park named Leo. What begins and is a case of grooming morphs into something far more complex due to Carolina not being all she seems. Maqueda shows a Hanekesque talent in balancing the disturbing with the thrilling. On the film, Maqueda told Variety: “I feel the film as a kaleidoscope and the characters as masks. I like stories that navigate in the daily terror of everyday life,” 

John Hopewell Chief International Correspondent MALAGA, Spain — It’s not over yet. In March 2021, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced the government would plow €1.6 billion ($1.9 billion) into a Spain AVS Hub plan designed to turn Spain into one of the foremost film and TV hubs in Europe. Supported by Spain’s E.U-backed Recuperation, Transformation and Resilience push for post COVID-19 recovery, the Spain AVS Hub plan has been co-financed by part of a €806.9 billion ($866.5 billion) NextGenerationEU stimulus package for the whole of the European Union, which is a temporary instrument.  As that package ends, Spain’s government will look to negotiate funding from alternative sources to ensure that Spain AVS Hub initiatives are more than a flash in the pan, a broad cross-section of governmental authorities told an audience Tuesday at a Malaga Spanish Screening Content conference.

Rachel Fuda is learning the rules of playing the game that is . Last week's episode ended with Jennifer Aydin and Teresa Giudice offering a warning to Rachel and her fellow newbie, Danielle Cabral: beware of Margaret Josephs. Both women feuded majorly with Margaret in season 12, after Marge asked questions about Teresa's new man, Louie Ruelas, and exposed Jennifer's husband's years-old affair. «I understand where they're coming from — and they're validated in their feelings — but it just felt a little mean girl,» Rachel says of the conversation. «It felt like a little aggressive in that moment ... it just didn't feel appropriate at that point.

Michelle Yeoh’s mother couldn’t be prouder at her history-making win at the Oscars.

Michelle Yeoh made history at the 95th Oscars on Sunday, and she had her whole home country behind her!The star completed her awards season run with an Academy Award for Best Actress, making her the first Asian woman and second woman of color to win in the award's history.In her emotional acceptance speech, Michelle thanked her mother, Janet, as well as «all the moms in the world.»«I have to dedicate this to my mom — all the moms in the world — because they are really the superheroes, and without them, none of us would be here tonight,» the actress noted. «She's 84.

Courtney Love has shared a text conversation she had with Dave Grohl, as part of a call for more women to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame.The Hole vocalist took to Twitter and Instagram this week to share the words of author and journalist Jessica Hopper, who shared an article titled “Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame celebrates women who rock.”In response, Hopper wrote: “Do they tho? 719 inductees to the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame, only 61 are women. That’s 8.48 per cent.

Zack Sharf Digital News Director Michelle Yeoh’s mother and family broke down in tears during the 2023 Oscars telecast, where Yeoh was awarded the best actress prize for her performance in “Everything Everywhere All at Once.” Yeoh’s victory made her the first Asian lead actress winner in Oscars history and only the second woman of color to win the category (Halle Berry, who presented Yeoh with the Oscar alongside Jessica Chastain, was the first for “Monster’s Ball”). The actress’ mom, Janet Yeoh, and other family members watched the Oscars live in Malaysia and cheered, wept and screamed when Michelle’s name was called as the winner. “I so love my daughter and she has made Malaysia proud,” Janet Yeoh told a news conference after her Oscars viewing party in Kuala Lumpur (via Associated Press). “Malaysia Boleh (Malaysia Can)!”

Michelle Yeoh's proud mum Janet broke down in tears as she celebrated her daughter's big Oscars win with friends and family in Malaysia. Actress Michelle, 60, was the winner of the Actress in a Leading Role award for her role in Everything Everywhere All at Once.

John Hopewell Chief International Correspondent Running March 13-17, the Málaga Festival’s Mafiz-Spanish Screenings Content weigh in this year as one of the biggest dedicated Spanish movie platforms in history, boasting also a strong line in Latin American arthouse projects and productions. 10 Takes as the event kicks off, blessed by early Spring sunshine, in the Andalusian city: XXXL In 2022, super-sized by the Spanish Screenings Content, part of Spain’s €1.6 billion ($1.7 billion) AVS Spain Hub, a vibrant Mafiz, the Malaga Film Festival industry area, fair exploded, delivering  a sterling confirmation of Spain’s build as a fiction force in a platform age, aided by robust state sector backing. This year, Mafiz looks even larger. At 1,560 delegates and counting as of March 6, Mafiz is tracking to pass 2022’s final attendance figure of around 1,600, Juan Antonio Vigar, Málaga Festival director told Variety. Participants come from 62 countries, up from 53 last year. “The event’s consolidation is clear,” Vigar added. “It makes us feel that the work we do is useful for the sector,” he adds. 

starringHalle Bailey as Ariel, and things get downright sinister!Bailey and Melissa McCarthy introduced the new trailer during Sunday's broadcast of the 95th Academy Awards, giving viewers their first full look at McCarthy as Ursula. Previous videos teased the sea witch's visage, but this trailer introduces the new iteration of the film's antagonist in her full glory.In the trailer, Ariel's «obsession» with humans is on full display, when she goes above the waters to rescue Prince Eric, played by Jonah Hauer-King.

Shining bright! Kim Kardashian, Khloé Kardashian and more members of their famous family couldn’t have been more eager to celebrate friends Malika Haqq and Khadijah Haqq’s 40th birthday.

EXCLUSIVE: Upon Entry, from directors Alejandro Rojas and Juan Sebastián Vásquez, will make its North American debut at SXSW later this week, and we’ve got the trailer to go with it (check it out above). 

Demi Lovato is giving “Final Girl” energy on the red carpet at the world premiere of Scream 6 at the AMC Lincoln Square Theater in New York City.

Dave Grohl is due to feed the homeless again in Los Angeles.The Foo Fighters singer and guitarist helped out at Hope Of The Valley‘s BBQ last month, cooking for and serving 450 people over an 18 hour period.His gesture came as a result of major snow storms that were about to hit LA.Now, Feed The Streets LA has today (March 6) announced that Grohl will help the organisation hit its 3,500 meals a month target by cooking for the homeless in the Yucca and Skid Row areas of the Californian city.A post shared by FEED THE STREETS (@feedthestreets_la)Feed The Streets LA wrote alongside footage of Grohl helping set up and cook food last month: “2023 has been off to a rocky start with the losses on 5th street. We’ve been trying to figure out ways to keep up with our activations and continue to put out 3,500 meals a month.

Halle Bailey thinks fans are in for a treat when it comes to 'svillainous Ursula. ET spoke with the actress on the red carpet of Saturday's Kids' Choice Awards, where she teased the dramatic transformation of Melissa McCarthy into the iconic sea witch.«People are gonna be so amazed [by] her job [playing] Ursula,» the singer shared. «First of all, she's a beautiful human being, so talented, and the way she just consumes Ursula is so beautiful. I'm just so proud of her and I can't wait for people to see it.»Last month, Bailey unveiled a new teaser for the upcoming live-action adaptation that offered fans their first glimpse of McCarthy's turn as the tentacled antagonist.

If you didn’t think Dave Grohl could get any more awesome, here’s the evidence he could.