Ukraine Showbiz Latest News and Updates

EXCLUSIVE: Netflix has landed the Sundance Film Festival buzz title documentary Skywalkers: A Love Story. The film premiered January 18 at The Ray Theatre.

Gen X has gotten. No world wars, thankfully, though we did grow up imagining thermonuclear Armageddon as a genuine possibility, if merely accidental.But the Cold War ended. We were evolving!Some credit Ronald Reagan for ending that chapter.

Nikita Kuzmin quickly distracted fans as he gave his followers an alternative look at the Strictly Come Dancing live tour. While fans across the country will be flocking to their local arenas to see him and his co-stars in action, the dancer gave his online followers a behind-the-scenes look at what's going on.

Serbia has jumped to the defense of its countryman Milos Bikovic after Ukraine attacked HBO‘s decision to cast the Russian sympathizer in The White Lotus.

It might come as a surprise to most that the skirmish between Russia and Ukraine has been active for nearly a decade. However, international headlines would raise awareness to new heights upon Russia’s invasion of its neighbor in February of 2022.

Columbia Journalism School has announced the 30 Finalists and winners of the 2024 Alfred I. duPont-Columbia University Awards, honoring outstanding public service audio and video reporting. 

Brian Steinberg Senior TV Editor PBS and ABC News were among the top winners at the duPont-Columbia Awards, some of the top honors accorded each year to audio and video reporting done in the public interest. The 15 award winners of 2024 were announced Thursday during a special ceremony. The awards have been administered since 1968 by Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism.

Army experts have revealed who is exempt from being compelled to join the forces and what it means if someone refuses to sign up.

“The White Lotus” — saying that he’s “the Kremlin’s foreign mouthpiece.”“Milos Bikovic, Serbian actor who has been supporting Russia since the start of the full-scale invasion, is now set to star in HBO’s ‘The White Lotus’ Season 3,” read a post on X, formerly Twitter, from Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ account.“@HBO, is it all right for you to work with a person who supports genocide & violates international law?”Soon after Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, Biković, 36, shared a poll showing that trust in Russian President Vladimir Putin was higher than for Ukraine leader Volodymyr Zelensky, according to Deadline.Biković has starred in a handful of Russian films, including “Sunstroke” (2014), directed by Oscar winner Nikita Mikhalkov. Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs also said that Biković filmed a movie in Crimea, the peninsula that was annexed by Russia in 2014.Biković was awarded Russian citizenship in 2021, when he told the Serbian media outlet Telegraf that he felt an affinity with the country’s culture, according to Deadline.In its post criticizing HBO, the Ukraine Ministry of Foreign Affairs embedded a video accusing Biković of supporting the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR) opens this evening with New Zealand director Jonathan Olgilvie’s coming-of-age tale Head South set against the late 1970s, post-punk music culture of his home city of Christchurch.

HBO for casting Serbian actor Miloš Biković – who is believed to support Russia’s invasion of Ukraine – a starring role in the new season of The White Lotus.Biković was given Russian citizenship in 2021 and was personally honoured by the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, for his contribution to Russian arts and culture. In 2019, the actor said he had been banned from entering Ukraine for national security reasons.HBO announced earlier this month that Biković would star in the third season of the White Lotus, prompting an immediate backlash from Ukrainian social media users.“Miloš Biković, Serbian actor who has been supporting Russia since the start of the full-scale invasion, is now set to star in HBO’s The White Lotus Season 3,” the Ukrainian foreign ministry wrote on X/Twitter on Wednesday.

Ukraine is not happy with HBO for hiring Serbian actor Miloš Biković for season three of The White Lotus.

Ukraine has attacked HBO after The White Lotus cast Miloš Biković, a Serbian actor who has voiced his admiration for Russia and accepted a medal from Vladimir Putin.

SNP Ministers have been accused of planning a “huge” cut to a scheme for helping fleeing Ukrainians set up home in Scotland.

UK TV producers will be given the opportunity to pitch to helm the BBC‘s Eurovision Song Contest coverage, Sports Personality of the Year (SPOTY) awards and iconic kids show Blue Peter as the BBC unveils its next set of tenders.

When Manchester City welcome Chelsea to the Etihad Stadium on February 17, Pep Guardiola will no doubt field the strongest team available to him despite Mauricio Pochettino's side's struggles this term.

Households could end up paying less for their energy bills than they have in over two years according to new predictions from Cornwall Insight.

Jim Carrey‘s recent birthday celebrations has gone viral online.The comedian and actor celebrated his 62nd birthday last week (January 17), enjoying a meal in Los Angeles with a number of famous faces.A photo of the occasion has now appeared online courtesy of friend Jeff Ross, who took to Instagram with a group shot.Included alongside Carrey were Adam Sandler, Seth Green, Ben Schwartz, Howie Mandel, Craig Robinson, Cary Elwes, David Spade, Jimmy Kimmel and Bill Burr.A post shared by Jeff Ross (@therealjeffreyross)“The Laugh Supper ! Happy birthday Jim Carrey ! We love you !” Ross captioned the photo.Many have shared their delight in the comments, with DJ Diplo calling it an “insane group”.“I’m hanging this in my dining room,” another joked, while a third added: “Holy shit! How many legends can fit in one room?!”“Telling my kids this was Jesus Christ and his apostles,” a fourth joked.Carrey is well known for starring in the likes of Ace Ventura, Dumb and Dumber, The Truman Show and recently the Sonic the Hedgehog film series.Back in 2022, he confirmed he was leaving Twitter (now known as X), which comes as a slew of celebrities quit the platform in the wake of Elon Musk’s takeover that year.“I’m leaving Twitter, but 1st here’s a cartoon I made with my friend Jimmy Hayward,” he shared alongside an animated video of one of his paintings.“It’s based on my painting of a crazy old Lighthouse Keeper, standing naked in a storm, summoning the angels and shining his lamp to guide us through a treacherous night.

William Earl administrator SPOILER ALERT: This article discusses plot twists in the new movie “I.S.S.“ “I.S.S.” is a thriller set in outer space, but the creative team was filled with pioneers in their own right. “Blackfish” director Gabriela Cowperthwaite helmed the project, with Oscar winner Ariana DeBose suiting up for the lead role — both creatives playing in a new genre for the first time. The result is a fleet, pulpy film in which three American and three Russian astronauts are living and working together on an international space station.

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba will be coming to the big screen, along with a sneak peek at the new season.Described as an extra-sized blockbuster experience, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba -To the Hashira Training- will allow fans to revisit the finale of the Swordsmith Village Arc while also getting a glimpse at the highly anticipated Hashira Training Arc (season four).The upcoming event marks the first time the finale of the Swordsmith Village Arc has ever been shown in cinemas, and also the first-ever showing of the Hashira Training Arc‘s beginning.Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba -To the Hashira Training- will screen in UK cinemas from February 23.

A Certain Ratio have announced their new Dan Carey-produced album ‘It All Comes Down To This’ and shared its title track.“The two of us we coexist / And it all comes down to this / All mistakes and chances missed / And it all comes down to this,” begins the track, which features a thumping beat reminiscent of Britpop and mid-00 post-punk revival.The LP, ‘It All Comes Down To This’, follows their 2023 album ‘1982’. The album was created and produced alongside Dan Carey (Fontaines DC, Wet Leg, Black Midi, Geese) who helped the band – comprised of Jez Kerr, Martin Moscrop and Donald Johnson strip down A Certain Ratio to its bones.Speaking about the album in a press release, Kerr said: “It’s the Ratio removing the safety net. Every element of everything we’ve done on this album has been a change.”Johnson added: “It wasn’t a matter of rubbing everyone else out, it was, ‘let’s find the thing that makes us work’ and we know that’s just the three of us being as basic as possible – no frills, no major overdubs.

Naman Ramachandran Emma Laird (“A Haunting in Venice,” “Mayor of Kingstown”), Fionn Whitehead (“Dunkirk,” “Port Authority”), Zar Amir Ebrahimi (“Holy Spider,” “Shayda”) and Adwoa Aboah (“Top Boy,” “Willow”) star in psychological drama “Satisfaction.” The film is the narrative feature debut of theater and commercial director Alex Burunova, who is also known for the acclaimed shorts “Pale Blue” and “Lonely Planet.” Set against the backdrop of the Greek isles, the film follows Lola (Laird) who takes revenge against her sexual partner Philip (Whitehead). Things begin to unravel when they encounter the enigmatic Elena (Ebrahimi), who intoxicates Lola with her uninhibited way of being and emboldens her to face the roots of her pain.

Stalker 2: Heart Of Chornobyl has received a new release date.After previously being announced for a Q1 2024 release window, the game has been delayed to September 5 and will be released on Xbox Series X|S and PC. The game will be released on Xbox Game Pass at launch.The trailer announcing the new date is weirdly calm and features a very nice campfire song being played as the point-of-view character reaches for a cup of what looks like coffee.Stalker 2: Heart Of Chornobyl was originally revealed back in 2010, with a release date set for 2012.

Ben Croll Capping a growth year that saw Gallic productions draw 37. 4 million global theatrical admissions for a total of $254 million in international receipts, producers and sales agents indicated that geopolitical tensions and eco-responsible transformation would be two of the major stressors on France’s film export business in the months to come.

Cinema export agency Unifrance’s annual international box office report for 2023 revealed on Tuesday that Russia was the top market in terms of admissions for French cinema last year.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief As Russia’s war in Ukraine approaches its second anniversary, leading Russian director Aleksey German Jr. (“House Arrest,” “Under Electric Clouds”), is currently giving “Air,” his state-funded WWII thriller, a commercial release in Russian cinemas. With ferocious action and cruel detail, “Air” has been called out for being a patriotic film.

Naman Ramachandran Daniel Evans and Tamara Harvey, who took charge as co-artistic directors of the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) in 2023, have unveiled 17 shows for the 2024-25 season, their first for the company. The season includes an eclectic mix of Shakespeare plays and other original work. Emma Rice adapts the celebrated 1990 novel “The Buddha of Suburbia,” an exploration of family, friends, sex, theater and belonging, with author Hanif Kureishi in a co-production with Wise Children.

Boo, polling. Though it was a disastrous night for common sense, too.Then Covid caught us with our pants down — despite 2011’s Contagion conveniently giving us a very good idea of what a global pandemic out of China might look like.There have been predictions aplenty that we should be in a recession right now. We’re not.So, while it’s understandable for one to wonder what the year may have in store, any prediction comes with a grain of salt.

Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent Newen Connect has closed a raft of sales on “Kina & Yuk,” a live action family adventure from the team behind “Ailo’s Journey,” ahead of the Unifrance Rendez-Vous showcase. Directed by Guillaume Maidatchevsky (“Ailo’s Journey”), the feature is a wild arctic tale following two foxes who are separated by the melting polar ice and must overcome a number of dangers in the hope of being reunited and raise a family together. The movie was released in French theaters by UGC on Dec.

Ellise Shafer “Love Lies Bleeding” starring Kristen Stewart and Netflix’s “Supersex” series have been added to Berlin Film Festival‘s Special lineup. A romantic thriller centered on a bodybuilder and gym manager, “Love Lies Bleeding” is directed by “Saint Maud” helmer Rose Glass and will have its world premiere at Sundance this month.

The Berlin Film Festival today unveiled further titles for the 2024 edition of its Berlinale Special Presentations sidebar section alongside its classics program. Scroll down for the full list of titles announced today.

Oscar documentary branch voters can’t be accused of parochialism. They ventured far and wide to select their shortlist of feature documentaries for 2023, tapping films from countries as varied as a U.N. roll call: Ukraine, Uganda, Poland, Denmark, Tunisia, Canada and the United States.

every time the phrase is uttered in your presence.And while Margot Robbie appeared to have put her Pink PP phase at the close of last year (recall her at the LA premiere of Saltburn), she as Superstar Barbie in Giorgio Armani Privé at the .Praise Ken, then, that at the AFI Awards Luncheon on 12 January, she came back towards the light (I can only assume that Jo Koy’s monologue ruined anything and everything even vaguely Mattel-related for her forever). —whose relationship with Chanel is definitely not without its detractors—reaffirmed her fashion plate status with stylist Andrew Mukamal, truffling out a look originally at Karl Lagerfeld’s SS95 show for the French house.With the exception of some Manolo Mary-Janes and a smattering of Jessica McCormack jewelry, the erstwhile Clapham resident recreated the original outfit to a tee, complete with a Gripoix brooch and crystal logo belt.Margot Robbie attends the 30th anniversary of Turner Classic Movies in Los Angeles, California on January 12, 2024.Lagerfeld had already been at the helm of Chanel for more than a decade when against a Côte d’Azur-inspired backdrop during Paris Fashion Week, with every supermodel worth her bone structure slipping into designs that intentionally pushed the notion of “good taste” to its very limits.

A pair of TV scripts from hit US sitcom Friends, which were found in a bin 25 years ago, have sold at a UK auction for £22,000.

As awards season switches up a gear, with the handing out of the Golden Globes and the publication of the Bafta shortlists, one major title stands out in the International categories of both: Justine Triet’s Palme d’Or winning courtroom drama Anatomy of a Fall. It would be a reasonable bet for the Oscar win in any year — if it were actually eligible. In lieu of Triet’s film, which fell well within Academy rules in terms of the amount of English spoken, the French selection panel opted instead for period gourmet drama The Taste of Things to do battle for the country’s honor, a move that is sure to cause a lot of confusion in the coming weeks.

Eurovision Song Contest.Organisers of the contest faced backlash and boycott calls in December after allowing Israel to participate in 2024 competition – which is due to take place in Malmö, Sweden from May 7-11 – despite the ongoing conflict with Hamas in Gaza.Since Hamas forces launched a surprise attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1,200 people, at least 22,835 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, amounting to one per cent of the territory’s total pre-war population of 2.27million (per CNN).The petition urges a ban over alleged “war crimes” in Gaza, adding that if Israel is not excluded, they want public broadcaster Yle to withdraw Finland’s entry.Yle said it is monitoring the position of the organiser of the contest, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU).One of the petition’s authors, Lukas Korpelainen, told newspaper Hufvudstadsbladet (via BBC) that it was not acceptable for Israel to “take part in the Eurovision Song Contest to polish its image”.Others who have signed the petition include Finnish artists Olavi Uusivirta, Paleface and 2011 contestant Axel Ehnström.Signatories have accused Yle of double standards, noting that the broadcaster was among the first to demand a ban on Russia from the 2022 contest after its invasion of Ukraine, saying “we expect the same active defending of values from Yle now as well”.Russia was banned from competing in the 2022 Eurovision Song Contest, which was won by Ukraine’s Kalush Orchestra.Yle representative Ville Vilén said the situation in Israel and Gaza was “not quite the same”.“As gruesome as it is, it is not a war of inter-state aggression like between Russia and Ukraine,” he told Finnish tabloid Ilta-Sanomat.Yle’s head of communications, Jere Nurminen, told