Filmmakers At Risk Org Makes Appeal For Grounded Iranian Director: “Let Mohammad Rasoulof Go!”

If you caught “Fast X” in the theaters this weekend, you might have seen the return of a few familiar faces from the broader “Fast and the Furious” franchise. But one particular sequence may have surprised even the most optimistic franchise fans.

Nick Vivarelli International Correspondent This year at Cannes Iran being repped by just one film, the timely underground drama “Terrestrial Verses,” co-directed by Canada-based Alireza Khatami and Iran-based Ali Asgari, premiering in Un Certain Regard. Shot in Tehran after the Mahsa Amini movement started, “Verses” consists of 12 tableaus depicting the increasingly absurd and tragic plight that Iranians face in their everyday life with a scathingly ironic deadpan tone. Variety spoke to the directors about how they teamed up and decided to capture the zeitgeist in turbulent Tehran. How did the project germinate?

Ukraine war and the momentous burst of rebellion against the Iranian regime prompted by the death of Mahsa Amini are reverberating profoundly at the Cannes Film Festival. At the festival’s opening ceremony on Tuesday night, legendary French actress Catherine Deneuve paid tribute to the war’s victims by reciting a poem from Ukrainian poet Lessia Oukraïnka, solemnly declaring: “I no longer have either happiness or freedom, only one hope remains to me: to return one day to my beautiful Ukraine.” One year ago, Cannes got off to an emotional start with remarks from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Two of Netflix‘s most popular series are coming back for new seasons!

Peter Debruge Chief Film Critic They instructed her no one must turn their back to the king, but she did so anyway. They warned that she was not to look Louis XV directly in the eyes, lest others take it as “an invitation,” but she ignored Versailles’ advisers on this point as well, defiantly meeting the king’s gaze. Jeanne Bécu was not the type of woman to do as she was told. In this respect, divisive French actor-director Maïwenn can relate, casting herself as the courtesan-turned-comtess in “Jeanne du Barry,” a sensitive and surprisingly low-key portrait of the French monarch’s last mistress. That Maïwenn saw fit to engage tabloid-embattled Johnny Depp as “her king” is just one of the many hurdles she set for herself — but then, no one embarks on such a project with the intention of pleasing her critics.

A fundraising appeal for the family of a pregnant mum who died after a motorway crash which left two young children in a coma has topped £35,000, it was revealed today.

Katy Perry channeled her inner Disney supermom powers for Sunday’s special themed episode of “American Idol”.

The Walking Dead: Dead City finally has a trailer, and it does not disappoint!

Prince George just made history! The second in line to the British throne became the youngest future king to have a role in coronation when he served as a page at his grandfather, King Charles III‘s, crowing ceremony on Saturday.

Prince George just made history! The second in line to the British throne became the youngest future king to have a role in coronation when he served as a page at his grandfather, King Charles III's, crowing ceremony on Saturday.The 9-year-old future monarch was spotted behind his grandfather as he stepped out of the carriage and made his way into the Nave of Westminster Abbey for his historic coronation. George looked all grown up as he wore a red overcoat and walked behind his grandfather, holding the tail end of the train of his coat. George was joined by fellow pages Lord Oliver Cholmondeley, Master Nicholas Barclay and Master Ralph Tollemache, who each walked behind the king holding portions of his robe.Meanwhile, Camilla Parker Bowles's pages of honor were her grandsons, Master Gus and Master Louis Lopes and Master Freddy Parker Bowles, and great-nephew, Master Arthur Elliot, who all made their first public debut as they held onto the extended train of her royal robe as she made her way inside . Ahead of George's big day, a spokesperson for Kensington Palace told ET, «We're all very excited about Prince George's role in the coronation,» the spokesperson said.

During a royal visit to a London pub, Kate Middleton revealed that her eldest child Prince George is “excited” about his grandad's coronation celebrations at the weekend. Kate, 41, proudly said that the young royal had been taking part in rehearsals for the big day, after she travelled on the Tube with Prince William to visit a pub in London.

Mohammad Rasoulof’s hopes to attend the Cannes Film Festival have been dashed.

Nick Vivarelli International Correspondent Dissident Iranian director Mohammad Rasoulof has been banned from leaving Iran to serve as a member of the Cannes Film Festival’s Un Certain Regard jury, according to a report. News of the travel ban for the director who was recently released from Tehran’s Evin prison after being arrested last July for criticizing the government on social media, has been reported by the Farsi-language news service of Radio France Internationale (RFI). The report said Rasoulof had been asked to be a member of the Un Certain Regard jury but has been forced to decline. The Cannes Film Festival did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Dissident Iranian filmmaker Mohammad Rasoulof has confirmed that he was unable to accept an invitation from the Cannes Film Festival to participate in its Un Certain Regard jury after being barred from leaving Iran.

is always there for him – Ben. As the episode continues, members of the family lament their own disappointments of that one important day years – and in some cases, decades – earlier.

READ MORE: Denise Welch supports Harry and Meghan over 'outdated' King CharlesPiers went on to say that he had no problem swearing an oath to the new King, but had his reservations and claimed he had "mixed feelings". He explained his mixed feelings came from the fact the King has earned an "allegiance from us with the longest apprenticeship in history and a lifetime of duty and serviceHe added: "I'll defend King Charles and the institution of the monarchy to the hilt as a unifying force for good in this country. But as always, the devil lurks in the detail.

Middleton’s old town hall could be demolished to make way for new houses and an 80-bed care home. Parkfield House, on Manchester Old Road, was the former municipal borough’s HQ before the local government shake up of 1974 put the town under Rochdale council’s administration.Later bought by the North West Water Authority, the now vacant building was most recently used as offices for security firm Chubb. It dates to the mid-1960s. Having stood empty for three years, Muller Property Group has submitted plans to demolish the ‘brutalist’ structure and replace it with 20 two and four-bed town houses, as well as an 80-bed care home.

Officers in Trafford have launched an appeal to help track down the whereabouts of a man wanted on recall to prison.

Bleecker Street has picked up North American rights to the sci-fi comedy Jules, starring Academy Award winner Ben Kingsley (Gandhi), Emmy nominee Harriet Sansom Harris (Licorice Pizza) and two-time Emmy winner Jane Curtin (3rd Rock from the Sun), slating it for an exclusive theatrical release on August 11th.

A post shared by Tahereh saeedi (@taherehsaidii)The image indicates the first time the director and political figure behind “The White Balloon,” “The Circle,” “Taxi” and most recently “No Bears” has left Iran since he was sentenced to a 20-year travel and filmmaking ban in 2010 for “making propaganda against the system” — a directive that to this point has not slowed his directing career but has held him to the nation’s borders. In July 2022, Panahi was arrested and imprisoned after he protested the arrest of fellow filmmakers Mohammad Rasoulof and Mostafa Al-Ahmad, who were detained for questioning the government response to a building collapse that left 40 dead.