Emily Atack’s boyfriend is reported to be her step-cousin who she’s known for almost 30 years.
15.12.2023 - 15:05 / variety.com
Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent Next Step, a program organized by Cannes Critics’ Week whose recent alumni include Molly Manning Walker (“How to Have Sex”), has unveiled the participants of its milestone 10th edition. Spearheaded by Thomas Rosso, a producer turned artistic director, the workshop selects emerging directors who have had their short films play at Cannes’ parallel section, Critics’ Week, and helps to develop their feature debuts.
Over the last decade, Next Step has supported the development of 88 projects, 29 of which have been completed and 13 of which will shoot in 2024. The filmmakers selected to take part in this edition include Anton Bialas, a French-Swedish filmmaker (“Manta Ray”) developing “Femminielli,” about a baroque nightclub in Paris; Spain’s Irati Gorostidi (“Contadores”) with “Anekumen,” a drama set in 1978 at the end of Franco’s regime in Spain; Swiss helmer Jela Hasler with “To Put Out One Fire,” about a young and idealistic urbanist working in Zurich; France’s Nans Laborde-Jourdàa (“Bolero”) with “Nous brulons,” which tells eight different stories revolving around an addiction to love; and Egypt’s Morad Mostafa (“I Promise You Paradise”) with “Aisha Can’t Fly Away Anymore,” which follows a Somali woman caught in the middle of violent tensions between Egyptians and various African nationalities.
Emily Atack’s boyfriend is reported to be her step-cousin who she’s known for almost 30 years.
Manchester United great Peter Schmeichel says Erik ten Hag was wrong to haul off Kobbie Mainoo at half-time during the 2-1 defeat to Nottingham Forest on Saturday afternoon. Mainoo started for the fourth match running, but the teenager was sacrificed after 45 minutes to make way for Scott McTominay.
Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Liam Neeson-starring “Honest Thief” has secured a multi-platform streaming release in mainland China. It launches on SVOD platforms on Christmas Day (Dec.
EXCLUSIVE: Ava DuVernay is handing out a big screen holiday gift on Christmas Day, but you can get a sneak peek right now.
Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent SF Studios, Scandinavia’s oldest film studio, is set to start introducing concert films to theaters, kicking off with “Hov1 Forever” which follows the popular Swedish band Hov1 across their sold-out summer tour. Hov1, whose tour spanned 27 cities in Sweden and Norway, was Sweden’s most streamed artist in 2023. Portraying Hov1 members Ludwig Kronstrand, Noel Flike, Dante Lindhe, and Axel Liljefors, the movie will show the band performing their biggest hits on stage and engaging with fans, as well as behind-the-scenes glimpse into their off-stage lives, discussions and music production.
Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent “The Count of Monte-Cristo,” the new period epic from the team behind “The Three Musketeers,” is getting ready to hit the market after its five-month shoot wrapped this month. Producers Dimitri Rassam at Mediawan-owned banner Chapter 2 and Pathé have unveiled a first still of the movie (above), which stars Pierre Niney as the iconic title character.
Porno For Pyros have shared an uplifting new Christmas track titled ‘Pete’s Dad’ – check it out below.The new song comes in time for the holiday season, and sees the alt-rock band recall their time spending Christmas with the father of guitarist Peter DiStefano.It also celebrates the musician’s father being told that he is cancer-free. “Pete’s dad don’t have cancer anymore/ The doctor called and told him so, just before/ We sat down for Christmas supper/ When he found out we all cried a little,” frontman Perry Farrell sings in the chorus.Although the track was labelled as new music by the band when they first teased it on their X/Twitter page, it was originally shared nearly 30 years ago as a standalone single in 1995.“Best friends are people of action, when Porno for Pyros created this song ‘Pete’s Dad,’ that’s when I knew these band of men were my best friends,” DiStefano said in a statement announcing the song.
Leo Barraclough International Features Editor European Film Promotion has revealed the 10 emerging actors who will take part in the 27th edition of European Shooting Stars program, which promotes European acting talent. Past Shooting Stars have included Carey Mulligan, Alicia Vikander, Maisie Williams and Riz Ahmed. From Feb.
Emmerdale star Roxy Shahidi had a cheeky response when she was asked why she had signed up for the upcoming series of Dancing on Ice. The actress was talking as the ITV soap filmed festive proposal scenes in Leeds with none other than Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean.
Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent Les Arcs Film Festival, the European equivalent to the Sundance Film Festival, has unveiled the list of projects which will be presented during its competitive Work-in-Progress showcase. Curated by Tribeca and Les Arcs’ artistic director Frederic Boyer and Lison Hervé, the selection will present a broad range of movies in post-production seeking a sales agent, festival slots and international distribution.
Billy Joel has announced details of a huge upcoming gig in Cardiff – his only show in Europe set for 2024. Find ticket details below.Announced today (December 8), the show will mark the first time that the iconic singer, songwriter and pianist has performed in the Welsh city, and is set to be the only show he will play in the UK and Europe next year.Taking place on August 9, the mammoth live show will see the Piano Man take to the stage at the Principality Stadium and feature support from Chris Isaak.It also marks Joel’s first gig in the UK since his slot at the 2023 edition of the BST Hyde Park concert series in London.
Leo Barraclough International Features Editor London-based international documentary sales and production outfit Dogwoof has boarded world sales for Shiori Ito’s feature documentary, “Black Box Diaries,” which will receive its world premiere in the World Cinema Documentary Competition at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival. The film follows director and journalist Ito’s courageous investigation of her own sexual assault in an improbable attempt to prosecute her high-profile offender.
Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent “The Summer With Carmen,” Zacharias Mavroeidis’ queer comedy, has been acquired in major territories since world premiering at the Venice Film Festival. The movie, which is represented by Be For Films and had its North American premiere at AFI, recently won three prizes at the Thessaloniki Film Festival. It will be released next year by Cinobo in Greece, Epicentre in France and Xenix Filmdistribution in Switzerland.
Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent Former French President François Hollande is part of the voice cast for “Silex & the City – The Movie,” a big-screen spinoff of the popular short-format animated series set in the Stone Age. “Silex & the City” is adapted from the comic book series by the same name created by French cartoonist Jul, which has sold over a million copies.
Peter Debruge Chief Film Critic Up, up and away! The Sundance Film Festival has announced the lineup for its 40th edition, which will take place in Park City, Utah, from Jan. 18–28, with the online component starting Jan.
Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Singapore is launching a new fund to support international coproduction of TV series. It will also expand government investment into virtual production (VP). The two moves were announced on Wednesday by senior minister of state for communications and information Tan Kiat How at the opening ceremony of the Asia Television Forum and Market (ATF).
Switzerland has been named as the Country of Honor at the 2024 edition of the Cannes Marché du Film, running alongside parent event the Cannes Film Festival from May 14 to 22.
Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent The Cannes Film Market, which runs alongside the festival, has named Switzerland as Country of Honor for the 2024 edition that’s set to run May 14-22. As part of the tribute, Cannes will highlight Switzerland’s contributions to the audiovisual industry and provide a platform for emerging Swiss talents and projects in development.
Todd Spangler NY Digital Editor It’s a wonderful… robot? An AI-generated voice of Jimmy Stewart, the legendary Hollywood actor who died in 1997, reads a new bedtime story on the Calm sleep and meditation app. The voice of Stewart, who starred in films including “It’s a Wonderful Life,” “Vertigo” and “Rear Window,” was recreated for the Calm story using AI voice-cloning technology. The project has the consent of Stewart’s family and his estate (managed by CMG Worldwide).
As Democrats look to regain control of the U.S. House of Representatives next year, one of the candidates that may help them do that is a gay former federal prosecutor. That candidate, 38-year-old Will Rollins, is again running against Republican incumbent Ken Calvert in California’s 41st Congressional District in Riverside County. Rollins narrowly lost to Calvert in 2022. Photo: Will Rollins for Congress