Film Festivals & Human Rights Orgs Call For Release Of Imprisoned Belarus Fest Director Tatsiana Hatsura-Yavorska

Todd Spangler NY Digital EditorNow hear this: The 2021 Tribeca Festival announced its inaugural official podcast selections and special events, the first time a major fest is welcoming podcasts into its lineup.The first Tribeca Podcasts lineup features world premieres of 12 fiction and nonfiction podcasts from emerging creators (listed below), as well as panel discussions and other special events.The festival’s 20th anniversary celebration will take place June 9-20 across New York City — the

Jazz Tangcay Artisans EditorCharli XCX Documentary to Close Inside Out Film FestivalToronto’s 2021 Inside Out film festival will take place online from May 27 to June 6. The 2SLGBTQ+ (two-spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer/questioning) fest will open with Natalie Morales’ “Language Lessons,” which picked up the audience award at this year’s SXSW Film Festival.

Jazz Tangcay Artisans EditorJon M. Chu’s “In the Heights” will screen at the Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival with a special preview on June 4 at Hollywood’s TCL Chinese Theatre.The film adaptation of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s hit Broadway musical will screen five days before the Tribeca Film Festival.“We cannot wait to share this incredible film with our audience as part of this year’s festival,” said Edward James Olmos, founder of the Latino Film Institute.

The Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival said Friday that it will host a special preview screening of Warner Bros’ In the Heights on June 4 at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood. It will come ahead of the world premiere of the Jon M Chu-directed adaptation of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Tony-winning musical five days later to open the Tribeca Film Festival.

Rebecca Davis editorThe organization Chinese in Entertainment, the non-profit behind the Los Angeles Chinese Film Festival (LACFF), is changing its name to remove the word “Chinese” after internal discussions about the political implications of the term.After some soul-searching, the team decided that the new name Sino Entertainment Association (SEA) would be better aligned with its goal of championing inclusivity and diversity.

The tradition of featuring the Academy Award winner for Best Director on Variety‘s post-Oscars cover continues with “Nomadland”‘s Chloe Zhao. On the morning after her historic award win that saw her become only the second woman to win the directing honour and the first woman of colour to do so, Zhao tells Variety all about the honour and “Nomadland”‘s Best Picture win.

The Berlin Film Festival's planned in-person event this summer is in doubt amid new coronavirus pandemic restrictions set out in Germany's recently updated Infection Protection Act. The changes "now make the planning of the Berlinale Summer Special a bigger challenge," organizers said in a statement on Wednesday.

Manori Ravindran International EditorBerlin Film Festival organizers have said that staging their planned “Summer Special” in-person event in June is proving to be a “bigger challenge” given a recent update to the country’s Infection Protection Act following the ongoing COVID-19 crisis.A statement from the festival on Wednesday said that Berlin directors are currently speaking with German authorities to “determine the next steps for an all-outdoor event.”“The Berlinale also wants to explore the

The Berlin Film Festival’s planned summer event is in doubt due to ongoing Covid-19 restrictions in Germany.

One of our most anticipated films of the year? “Italian Studies,” the collaboration between Academy Award-nominated actress Vanessa Kirby “Pieces of A Woman“) and Adam Leon, the indie filmmaker behind the American indie writer/director behind acclaimed films like “Gimmie The Loot” and “Tramps.” And we’re fortunate enough to unveil the exclusive first-look image from the film.

Organizers of Geena Davis’ Bentonville Film Festival, which champions inclusion in all forms of media, will be produced as an annual program by the nascent Arkansas nonprofit BFFoundation. Independent film producer Kristin Mann is set as head of content.

Jazz Tangcay Artisans EditorThe New York ReelAbilities Film Festival has announced a selection of exclusive events and speakers to accompany its 13th annual ReelAbilities Film Festival programming.Highlights include the pilot reading of “Disgraced” with Julie Klausner (“Difficult People”), Shannon DeVido (“Best Summer Ever”)  and Alex Scordelis (“Difficult People”)The festival’s closing night will also feature the subject of the film “Not Going Quietly,” activist Ady Barkan, along with the

Indiewire reports.The film, which has the reported working title of Soggy Bottom, is set to be the director’s ninth project and his latest following 2017’s Phantom Thread.While there is no official plot synopsis, the film is reportedly rumoured to follow the story of a high school child actor and his encounter with a Hollywood director in the 1970s.

Michaela Coel is set to release her debut novel. The I May Destroy You star’s first book will be titledMisfits: A Personal Manifesto and will be simultaneouslypublished in the U.K.

Well, the race to summer and Cannes is on. Legendary filmmaker Leos Carax returns to Cannes with his first feature film since the critically acclaimed “Holy Motors” (2012).

Good Deed Entertainment’s genre label Cranked Up Films has acquired U.S. rights to American Badger, an action film written and directed by and starring stunt veteran Kirk Caouette (X-Men, Fantastic Four, Mission to Mars). It is set for a digital and VOD release on June 15.

Tatsiana Hatsura-Yavorska, the director of the Watch Docs Film Festival in Belarus, has been released from prison and had charges against her dropped following an international outcry from film festivals and human rights organizations. Hatsura-Yavorska was arrested in Minsk on April 5, allegedly for her role in organizing an underground photo exhibition celebrating Belarusian health workers.

This year’s Tribeca Film Festival is expected to be very different than previous events. Not only is it the 20th anniversary of the festival, but it’s also the first year the event will be held outdoors in multiple open-air venues, providing the chance for audiences to experience a film festival in person in the age of COVID.

Also Read: Tribeca Film Festival Heads Outdoors With In-Person Event in JuneLast Month, the Tribeca Film Festival announced it was going ahead with its 20th-anniversary edition this June, moving screenings to outdoor venues and becoming the first major U.S.