Egypt’s El Gouna Film Festival Back After One Year Pause With Diverse Lineup, Hot Arab Projects

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Ichiyama Shozo assumed control of the program of the Tokyo International Film Festival after a long programming career that included Tokyo and the slightly more indie Tokyo Filmex events. He is also a regular producing partner of Chinese art-house darling Jai Zhangke. These influences have shaped his approach to this year’s Tokyo IFF lineup, he told Variety.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Iranian drama film “Empty Nets” was Monday named winner of the AFF Feature Fiction Award at the Adelaide Film Festival. Directed by Behrooz Karamizade, it collected an A$10,000 ($6,320) cash prize.

Good afternoon Insiders. We’re back after a busy week in Cannes and Max Goldbart is here helming your weekly dose of news and analysis. Read on and sign up here.

Qatar’s Doha Film Institute (DFI) has cancelled the 11th edition of its Ajyal Film Festival, which was due to take place from November 8 to 16, due to the Israel-Hamas conflict.

Ellise Shafer Egypt’s El Gouna Film Festival has now been postponed indefinitely due to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas. The festival was previously rescheduled to Oct. 27- Nov.

EXCLUSIVE: Some of Hollywood’s biggest names met with the leadership of SAG-AFTRA today to get the lowdown on the breakdown of talks with the studios and streamers last week.

Emmerdale star Rachael Gill-Davis is delighted to have - sort of - ticked off one of her bucket list items upon her return to the fictional Yorkshire village. The actress reprised the role of Gail Loman in the ITV soap earlier this year after first appearing in the role back in 2019.

Between the Rains and The Echo are among the big winners at the prestigious Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival in Arkansas.

Ellise Shafer Daniel Kaluuya world premiered his feature directorial debut, “The Kitchen,” at the BFI London Film Festival on Sunday night, calling it “one of the best days of my life.” Kaluuya was on hand alongside his co-director Kibwe Tavares, producer Daniel Emmerson and several of the film’s actors, including “Top Boy” star Kane Robinson and newcomer Jedaiah Bannerman. Set in a dystopian London where all social housing has been banned, the film follows the residents of a community called the Kitchen who must fight to save their home. Speaking before the premiere, Kaluuya and Tavares explained that it’s taken nearly a decade to bring the Netflix film to the screen.

Todd Haynes tells me that May December, his gripping melodrama starring Oscar winners Natalie Portman and Julianne Moore, “aggressively disturbs our moral moorings.”

Welcome back to Insider. It’s been a heavy few days for the world and the entertainment sector, but Jesse Whittock is here with the most important TV and film news of the past week for you.

Nick Vivarelli International Correspondent Neom, the Saudi Arabian region on the Red Sea that is aiming to become a major film and TV production hub, has forged a strategic partnership with the Korean Film Council (KOFIC) to set up training programs for young Saudi content creators. The full-service Saudi production hub, which is becoming a major driver of the kingdom’s effort to build a film and TV industry almost from scratch, will be hosting courses held by The Korean Academy of Film Arts (KAFA), South Korea‘s top national film school.

The co-heads of Egypt’s El Gouna Film Festival, which was rescheduled at the eleventh hour this week due to the Israel-Gaza crisis, have vowed that the event will go ahead in some shape or form.

Florence Pugh and her boyfriend of nearly one year, Charlie Gooch, have reportedly called it quits.

Cailee Spaeny dazzles while promoting her new film Priscilla at the 2023 BFI London Film Festival on Monday (October 9).

Valerie Wu Intern The Urbanworld Film Festival, based in New York City, has released its 2023 slate of screenings and presentations. With HBO and WBD as Founding Partner and Prestige Partner, respectively, the 27th annual festival will take place from Nov. 1 to Nov.

Nick Vivarelli International Correspondent Prominent Egyptian director Marwan Hamed, whose epic “Kira and El Gen” about local resistance to British occupation recently scored at the local box office, is being feted with a career award by the El Gouna Film Festival. The Egyptian fest, running Oct.

Cruz Beckham has reportedly parted ways from his girlfriend Tana Holding after a year-long relationship. The 18-year-old son of David and Victoria Beckham first started dating the model in the summer of 2022. In July last year, the pair put on a loved-up display as Cruz was spotted kissing his new girlfriend, Tana Holding, while on holiday with his family.

Sharareh Drury Miami Dade College’s Miami Film Festival GEMS has announced the full lineup for its 2023 festival, which will run from Nov. 2-5. The 10th edition of the fest will feature 26 films from 14 countries, all taking place at MDC’s Koubek Center and Silverspot Cinema.

It’s no exaggeration to say that Korea’s Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) has been through a fair amount of drama this year.