Crowds Throng U.K.-Wide BFI London Film Festival – Global Bulletin

Nick Vivarelli International CorrespondentThe Middle East premiere of British director Joe Wright’s dazzling romantic drama “Cyrano” will open the Red Sea Film Festival, which is Saudi Arabia’s first full-fledged film festival and market with international ambitions.The ambitious event, which is a key plank of the kingdom’s plans to diversify its oil-based economy and become a prominent Middle East moviemaking hub – following the 2017 removal of its religion-related ban on cinema – is set to

Dylan Penn stuns in a red hot dress for the 2021 SCAD Savannah Film Festival on Friday night (October 29) in Savannah, Ga.

Naman Ramachandran Teemu Nikki’s Venice and Antalya winner “The Blind Man Who Did Not Want to See Titanic” won the Golden star for best film at the 5th El Gouna Film Festival in Egypt, which wrapped Friday. The award carries a cash prize of $50,000.The film’s lead Petri Poikolainen won best actor, while Maya Vanderbeque, the young star of “Playground,” won best actress.

Naman Ramachandran The Italian Cultural Institute in London, La Biennale di Venezia and Curzon have teamed for ‘From Venice to London,’ a season where seven films from Venezia 78 will be shown at Curzon cinemas across London from Nov. 18-22.“The Lost Daughter,” directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal will open the season and “The Hand of God,” directed by Paolo Sorrentino, will close it.

The Venice Film Festival, the Italian Cultural Institute in London, and exhibitor Curzon are tying up on London screening series From Venice To London (18 – 22 November).

Naman Ramachandran Yomna Khattab’s “Fifty Meters” (Egypt) was the big winner at the CineGouna Platform, the El Gouna Film Festival’s industry arm created to support and empower Egyptian and Arab filmmakers and help them find artistic and financial support. This year, the CineGouna Platform disbursed awards worth $300,000 across 13 projects in development and seven films in post-production.

Two people who attended the BFI London Film Festival over the weekend have tested positive for Covid-19, prompting organizers to send a letter to guests they believe were in contact to recommend they be tested.

Naman Ramachandran Palestinian filmmaker Said Zagha was turned away by Egyptian authorities in Cairo on his way to the El Gouna Film Festival to pitch his new project.The U.K. permanent resident has a Jordanian passport that indicates he is of Palestinian origin.

Timothee Chalamet, Zendaya and Jason Momoa are ready for their big movie debut!

The IWC Schaffhausen Filmmaker Bursary Award in association with the BFI returned for its sixth year, with lead judges Phoebe Waller-Bridge and BFI Chief Exec Ben Roberts awarding Harry Wootliff the £50,000 bursary. The bursary is the most significant of its kind in the UK film industry and is establishing itself as an indicator of future filmmaking talent with previous winners including Rose Glass and Daniel Kokotajlo.

Naman Ramachandran Panah Panahi’s “Hit the Road,” Laura Wandel’s “Playground” and Liz Garbus’ “Becoming Cousteau” have won the feature competition awards at the 65th BFI London Film Festival.Phoebe Waller-Bridge and BFI chief executive Ben Roberts led a judging panel to award “True Things” filmmaker Harry Wootliff the £50,000 ($68,470) IWC Schaffhausen bursary, which recognizes emerging talent.

K.J. Yossman When a friend told director, writer and actor Missy Malek about a real-life group of disabled drug dealers operating in London, Malek instantly knew she had the makings of a film.“The second I heard it, I was like, ‘Yes, yes, amazing.

Naman Ramachandran British filmmaker Asif Kapadia, Oscar winner for “Amy,” was due to adapt Nick Abadzis’ 2007 graphic novel “Laika” as an animated film before it finally saw fruition as a VR experience.Kapadia came across the novel, based on the true story of a Moscow stray mongrel who was sent into orbit by Russia on Sputnik 2 in 1957, more than five years ago. He read it to his children as a bedtime story and decided to adapt it as an animated film that they could watch.

Naman Ramachandran Actor, writer, director and trans icon Isabel Sandoval wants trans characters in film and TV to be layered, complex and multidimensional.Speaking to Variety during the BFI London Film Festival, where she is the president of the first features jury, the Philippines-born, New York-based Sandoval said that a lot of studios and producers relegate trans characters to the periphery.“It’s important that when you do have trans characters and trans narratives in your films or TV

Two friends try to prevent a war in Munich: The Edge Of War, a thought-provoking Netflix period drama premiering at the BFI London Film Festival.

Naman Ramachandran Leading British independent filmmakers expressed some frank views on gatekeepers acting as a barrier to independent cinema at a BFI London Film Festival panel discussion on Tuesday.The panel consisted of Palme d’Or winner Mike Leigh (“Secrets & Lies”), Oscar winner Asif Kapadia (“Amy”) and Golden Bear winner Michael Winterbottom (“In This World”).

Naman Ramachandran A massive fire that broke out at Egypt’s El Gouna Film Festival on Wednesday is now under control, organizers have confirmed.Shortly after the fire broke out, dramatic videos of the incident were posted on social media. Watch: A massive fire has broken out in the main hall of the El Gouna Film Festival site in Egypt, one day ahead of the opening ceremony, according to local media reports.

Ann-Marie Corvin London-based doc specialist Taskovski Films has acquired the world sales rights to Irish director Pat Collins’ feature doc “The Dance,” which is running in the Documentary Competition at this week’s London Film Festival.Produced through Irish prod cos Harvest Films and South Wind Blows with support from Screen Ireland and RTE, the observation documentary claims to give an insight into the creative mind of choreographer Michael Keegan Dolan as he stages a new international dance

Benedict Cumberbatch revealed the biggest challenge of playing a American rancher in his new film was learning how to roll a cigarette with one hand while sitting on a horse - as he walked the red carpet at its UK premiere. The actor plays a domineering bully who responds with mocking cruelty when his brother brings home a new wife and her son in western drama The Power Of The Dog, which is Oscar-winning director Jane Campion's first film since 2009.