LA’s Dances With Films Reveals Slate For 26th Annual Independent Film Festival; To Take Place At TCL Chinese Theater in Hollywood

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief After a golden age in the 1980s, Chinese filmmakers were quietly discouraged from dabbling in the sci-fi genre – it isn’t real science and authorities did not want youngsters to get confused. That stance changed during the last decade and the Shanghai International Film Festival has just hosted its first sci-fi week, comprising nearly a dozen film screenings and a trio of panel discussions featuring the new luminaries in the sector. Reasons for the revised position of China’s authorities are not hard to understand. Not only was Hollywood getting away with dominating a genre that was popular with Chinese audiences, China in the 21st century has become a global technology powerhouse. Its space program, in particular, is now among the most advanced, capable of a normalized rocket launch schedule, international co-operation and lunar and interplanetary missions.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Japanese drama feature “Yoko” won the Golden Goblet best picture award at the Shanghai International Film Festival. The jury Grand Prix was awarded to Spain’s “Muyeres” with China’s Liu Jin winning the best director prize.The trio also collected additional prizes making them the only multiple winners in a ceremony that sprinkled its awards widely. “Yoko,” directed by Kumakiri Kazuyoshi, who earlier this year saw melodramatic “#Manhole” play in Berlin, takes the structure of a road-movie and is a journey of self-discovery of a woman who had been socially isolated in her apartment for many years. Portrayed by global star Rinko Kikuchi (”Babel,” “47 Ronin”), the woman is forced to confront the real world, and herself, when she takes a 658 kilometre cross-country journey to her father’s funeral. Without a cell phone or the money for public transport, she finds herself having to hitch hike. Kikuchi also earned the best actress award.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Eastern Grace Film, a new production company that teased its debut production “The Sand Murmurs” earlier this month, has gone one step further. It used the Shanghai International Film Festival to unveil a slate of nine new film productions. The company is an indirect subsidiary of Baination Pictures, a Beijing-based film and TV group that is listed on the Shenzhen stock exchange. Eastern Grace is headed by president Wilson Jiang, a veteran film distributor in China.

In the buzzing atmosphere of Tribeca’s Storyteller’s Panel, a great conversation between two long-standing peers, Billy Porter and Idina Menzel took place. Their friendship, born out of shared experiences in musical theater, spans several decades, revealing a mutual respect between them.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief “Sunday,” by Uzbekistan-based director Shokir Kholikov, was Thursday named best film in the Asian New Talent section of the 25th Shanghai International Film Festival. The Asian New Talent Awards are called Golden Goblet Awards, but are separate from the festival’s official competition section, and favor new and emerging talent. The main competition jury will hand out its Golden Goblets on Sunday. The best director prize in the Asian New Talent section was shared by two helmers: China’s Luo Dong won for “May.” So too did Kazakhstan’s Aisultan Seit for “Qash.” Luo previously attended the Shanghai festival’s project market ten years ago and has since completed one other film.

Harrison Ford had the support of some Hollywood legends at the premiere of his new movie Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny!

Harrison Ford will turn 81 in July, but he clearly has no plans to slow down. The actor, who stars in the fifth and final installment of the classic "Indiana Jones" film franchise, which will premiere later this month, said that although things have been getting tougher for him as he gets older, he's also glad to be his age.

Harrison Ford has some strong feelings about bringing his time as Indiana Jones to a close. The actor is opening up about how he feels to see the fifth film in the iconic franchise hit theaters.Ford walked the red carpet at the star-studded premiere of Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on Wednesday, and he spoke with ET's Cassie DiLaura about the experience.«I'm so proud,» Ford said of the film and the support it received from fans at the event.That being said, the actor admitted that his feelings were «complicated» with regards to how he felt about having played the iconic character of Indiana Jones — which he first portrayed in 1981's -- for his last time.«I'm very grateful that we get to do this and that we've rounded the corner and brought the character full circle,» Ford shared.

Ke Huy Quan has nothing but love for Harrison Ford!ET's Cassie DiLaura spoke to Quan at the  premiere Wednesday, where the Oscar-winner gushed over his long-lasting relationship with the actor, who he credits for his love of acting.«Honestly, every time I see him — he's such a gracious man, such a humble man. And the reason why I love acting so much is because of him, because of that experience that we had on ,» Quan shared. «So, here we are so many years later.»Quan reunited with Ford at the D23 expo back in September, where Ford was promoting the film, and again on stage at the Academy Awards after presenting Quan and the  cast with an Oscar for Best Picture.

It was a reunion to remember.

Creative Artists Agency announced on Monday that the eighth edition of CAA Moebius, their annual screening series showcasing diverse student filmmakers from around the globe, will return as a live event from June 7-8.

Eva Longoria was joined by actor and founder of the Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival Edward James Olmos at the premiere of her new movie Flamin’ Hot at TCL Chinese Theatre IMAX on Wednesday (May 31) in Los Angeles.

Harrison Ford has more than just acting skills.

AB6IX have announced the dates for their upcoming 2023 ‘The Future’ world tour.AB6IX are set to go on a 12-date world tour from July to September this year, in support of their new mini-album ‘The Future Is Ours: Lost’. The upcoming tour will feature shows in Asia and across North America.AB6IX’s ‘The Future’ world tour outside of South Korea will kick off in Macau, China on July 15.

Exciting news for Kesha fans – she’s going on tour!

In a split ruling today, a state appeals court panel reinstated a grant of parole for former Charles Manson follower Leslie Van Houten, overturning an earlier decision by Gov. Gavin Newsom to block her release.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief The 25th Shanghai International Film Festival, June 9 to 18, has unveiled the titles in contention for awards in its four main feature-length sections: main competition, Asian New Talent, Animation film and documentary. These are eligible for the festival’s prestigious Golden Goblet Awards, winners of which will be announced at the Shanghai Grand Theater on the evening of June 17. While SIFF remains the only mainland China festival to be accredited as a so-called A-list event by the International Federation of Film Producers (FIAPF), its selections are largely separate and distinct from those at other major international festivals.

Shanghai International Film Festival (SIFF) has unveiled the major competition selections for its 25th edition (June 9-18), which will be the first to be held in a fully physical format with international guests since before the pandemic. 

Jay Leno has endured broken bones and a burned body within the last calendar year, but the funny man says only one medical misfortune can force him into retirement. The comedian, 73, said "unless I have a stroke," he's not closing shop. "Then you slow down," he admitted to Page Six.

sting.Jane Fonda revealed Friday she “was in love with” Robert Redford, her on-screen partner for four films — but the “Ordinary People” director, 86, “did not like to kiss” and “has an issue with women.”“He’s always in a bad mood, and I always thought it was my fault,” said Fonda, 85, but added that “he’s a very good person.”The two-time Oscar winner dropped tidbits about her famous male co-stars during an interview at the Cannes Film Festival. Fonda and Redford co-starred in “The Chase” (1966), “Barefoot in the Park” (1967), “The Electric Horseman” (1979) and “Our Souls at Night” (2017).“The last movie I made with him was six years ago,” Fonda said, referring to the Netflix film “Our Souls at Night.”“What was I, about 80 years old or something like that? And I finally knew I had grown up.