Agnieszka Holland’s Venice Competition Entry Explores ‘Border’ Between Good and Evil Amid Europe’s Refugee Crisis

Bobby Brazier is already a front-runner in this year's Strictly Come Dancing and he hasn't even performed for the judges yet. The 20-year-old, who has been partner with Dianne Buswell in the dance contest, is a British model and actor best known for his role as Freddie Slater in EastEnders.

John Hopewell Chief International Correspondent SAN SEBASTIAN — Paris-based Luxbox has clinched major territory pre-sales on anticipated San Sebastian competition title “Puan,” an original attempt by its writer-directors, María Alche (“A Family Submerged”) and Benjamín Naishtat (“Rojo”) to deliver a state of the nation take on Argentina – and any country in thrall of European ideas – but in a notably lighter tone than most Latin American arthouse fare. Key first major territory buyers take in Condor for France, whose release lineup has featured major auteurs such as Kelly Reichardt, Casey Affleck, Agnieszka Holland, Paul Schrader, Denis Villeneuve, Michel Franco and Ira Sachs.

Director Agnieszka Holland has been forced to take 24-hour security protection as she returns to her native Poland for the theatrical release of migrant drama Green Border on Friday (September 22) in the face of a fierce political backlash and online hate campaign.

Christopher Vourlias Polish filmmaker Agnieszka Holland has remained defiant despite a wave of vicious political attacks and online hate speech as she prepares to release her Venice Special Jury Prize-winning refugee drama “Green Border” in Poland on Sept. 22.

Naman Ramachandran Disney’s Hercule Poirot film “A Haunting in Venice” debuted atop the U.K. and Ireland box office with £2.1 million ($2.7 million), according to numbers released by Comscore. In its second weekend, in second place, Warner Bros.’ “The Nun II” collected £1.1 million for a total of £3.8 million.

Amid the onslaught of criminal sexual assault and abuse accusations against Russell Brand, a past interview from his ex-wife, Katy Perry, is now making rounds on social media.

Katy Perry as well as other stars have been circulating amid the sexual assault allegations against the comedian.The Sunday Times, The Times and Channel 4’s Dispatches reported in a joint investigation on Saturday (September 16) that one woman has alleged that she was raped by Brand, while three others have accused him of sexual assault. One of the women also claimed that the rebranded wellness guru had been physically and emotionally abusive.Brand has denied the allegations levelled against him, insisting that all of his relationships have been consensual.In the wake of the allegations, previous comments made about the TV star have been shared widely online.A Vogue interview from 2013 with Brand’s ex-wife Perry saw her describe his behaviour as “very controlling”, alluding to what she described as a “real truth” about the comedian that she wouldn’t disclose.“I felt a lot of responsibility for it ending, but then I found out the real truth, which I can’t necessarily disclose because I keep it locked in my safe for a rainy day,” Perry said.Elsewhere, singer Dannii Minogue said in a 2006 interview with The Mirror that Brand is “a bit of a vile predator”.She recalled an appearance on Brand’s MTV chat show 1 Leicester Square where she had been booked on the show to discuss the release of her album ‘The Hits & Beyond’.“He is completely crazy and a bit of a vile predator.

Katy Perry‘s thoughts on her relationship with ex-husband Russell Brand are starting to see light of day again, one decade later.

Thania Garcia Madison Beer had already handed her sophomore album to her label when she frantically called her producer, New Zealand-born producer Leroy Clampitt, to tell him that she wanted to turn the whole project around. That was nearly a year ago, long before “Silence Between Songs” became the 14-song collection of psychedelic rock-inspired dream pop released today on Epic Records.

Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent The political backlash surrounding Agnieszka Holland’s Venice Special Jury Prize-winning refugee drama “Green Border” hasn’t kept the movie from being a hot seller. The film explores the injustice and terror perpetrated at the Polish-Belarusian border from the perspective of refugees, Polish activists and border guards.

Addie Morfoot Contributor In Polish actor-turned-filmmaker Kasia Smutniak’s documentary “Walls,” she undertakes an uncertain and risky journey into the red zone — a dangerous strip of land in Poland that runs parallel to the Belarus border. Crossing the long border is a 115-mile steel barricade built to repel migrants from entering the European Union in search of refuge. Inside the red zone is Poland’s dense Białowieża Forest, known for its swamps, wolf packs, and desperate migrants trapped in political limbo.

A family of Syrian refugees and an English teacher from Afghanistan receive about five minutes of joy in veteran Polish auteur Agnieszka Holland’s otherwise grim and harrowing refugee drama, “Green Border.” As they land in a plane to Belarus, hoping to cross into Poland and eventually Sweden for asylum where refugee status awaits, their eyes beam with optimism as a new land of promise reflects on their smiling faces.

Speaking at the Venice Film Film Festival winners’ press conference, Poor Things director Yorgos Lanthimos said he was “personally very disappointed” that his lead actress Emma Stone couldn’t be with him to enjoy the film’s Golden Lion win, but that he also “understands the cause”, referring to the SAG-AFTRA strike which has kept the actress away.

Christopher Vourlias Three decades ago, just a few years after the fall of the Berlin Wall ushered in a new era of hope and promise in Europe, Polish filmmaker Agnieszka Holland made the historical drama “Europa, Europa,” which follows the harrowing ordeal of a Jewish teenager who goes to impossible lengths to survive the Holocaust. The title, says Holland, was meant to express “the duality of the European tradition: Europe of our aspirations, the cradle of culture and civilization, the rule of law and democracy, human rights, equality and fraternity, but on the other hand, Europe as the cradle of the worst crimes against humanity, selfishness and hatred.” Throughout her career, the three-time Academy Award nominee has found inspiration in “the great and tragic subjects of the 20th century,” powered by the conviction that “history is relevant, that what happened is relevant,” Holland tells Variety.

Christopher Vourlias The fall festival circuit features a powerhouse lineup of Polish cinema that showcases an industry in full stride, with hard-hitting topical dramas, award-season hopefuls and potential box-office breakouts highlighting the strength and diversity of filmmaking in a country with a storied cinematic history. Among the hotly anticipated premieres at this week’s Toronto Film Festival is “The Peasants,” a lavish, hand-painted animated feature from the filmmaking team behind Oscar nominee and box-office sensation “Loving Vincent.” Meanwhile, three-time Oscar nominee Agnieszka Holland will be on hand for the North American premiere of “Green Border,” her searing portrayal of Europe’s refugee crisis that just bowed in competition at the Venice Film Festival.

Marta Balaga Controversy over Venice title “Green Border” continues to heat up as director Agnieszka Holland gave an ultimatum to Poland’s Minister of Justice Zbigniew Ziobro following his comments about her film. According to the statement shared with Variety, Holland has hired the lawyers Sylwia Gregorczyk-Abram and Michał Wawrynkiewicz.

Bobby Brazier was all smiles when he scooped the Rising Star trophy at last night's National Television Awards. The 20 year old actor – who plays Freddie Slater in BBC One soap EastEnders – was watched by his proud father, TV presenter Jeff Brazier, at London's O2 Arena on Tuesday, 5 September. And when Bobby paid tribute to the way he was parented by his dad, Jeff was seen getting emotional and wiping away tears.

Christopher Vourlias Three-time Academy Award nominee Agnieszka Holland has called out a hard-right Polish minister who compared her refugee drama “Green Border” to Nazi propaganda, accusing him of “hate speech” and insisting that the Eastern European nation’s right-wing ruling party is “afraid” of her film’s damning portrayal of its response to the refugee crisis. The movie is competing for a Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival this week. “We expected that they would be furious.

As if to come to the aid of her national cinema after the debacle that was Roman Polanski’s The Palace, Poland’s Agnieska Holland, soon to turn 75, restores some of her homeland’s cultural dignity with a devastating exposé that angrily, and quite brilliantly, questions its humanity and political integrity. At 144 minutes, and in black and white, it is not exactly a Trojan horse, and its moral rigor does not come with a spoonful of sugar. But Green Border earns every second of that running time, and with a focus and energy that belies its directors age. Awards-wise, this may prove to be the international feature to beat.

Jessica Kiang While you’re still in the vice-like grip of its multilevel narrative it may not feel like it, but a film like Agnieszka Holland’s bruisingly powerful new refugee drama ultimately comes from a place of optimism. It is optimistic to expect and nurture of a reaction of potentially motivating outrage, when you portray the brutality of which human individuals, at the behest of human institutions, are capable. It is optimistic to believe that, faced with extraordinary cruelty, a viewer’s ordinary decency will be compelled to rise and rebel.