Lusia Harris Dies: Pioneering Women’s Hoops Star And Subject Of Oscar-Shortlisted ‘The Queen Of Basketball’ Was 66

K.J. Yossman In a new series, Variety catches up with the directors of the films shortlisted for the International Feature Film Oscar to discuss their road to the awards, what they’ve learned so far, and what’s taken them off guard.Laura Wandel is the auteur behind “Playground” (“Un Monde”), her first feature, about the reality of schoolyard bullying. The film stars newcomer Maya Vanderbeque as seven-year-old Nora, who struggles to know what to do as she witnesses her older brother Abel (Günter Duret) bullied at school.

Hulu and BBC Three today offered a first look at Conversations with Friends, their upcoming limited series starring Alison Oliver, Sasha Lane (American Honey, Hearts Beat Loud), Joe Alwyn (Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk, The Favourite) and Jemima Kirke (Sylvie’s Love, Girls), which is set to premiere this spring.

The Television Critics Association’s (TCA) Winter 2022 Press Tour is in full swing, which means many trailers, first looks, and more. STARZ showed off their wares today.

In just a few days the Winter Olympic Games begin in Beijing, a massive event China will use to present an idealized image of itself to the world.

Belgium’s Oscar-shortlisted International Feature is an intimate child’s-eye view of bullying from debut writer-director Laura Wandel. Playground is known as Un Monde in its native French language, and this is set in a world of its own: the school that two siblings must navigate to get through the day.

Leonard Fenton, who played the tole of Doctor Harold Legg on BBC soap opera EastEnders, has died at the age of 95.The heartbreaking news was announced on the official Facebook page for EastEnders, which shared a statement from Leonard's family. It explained that the actor passed away on Saturday 29 January. They shared: "The family of the actor Leonard Fenton are heartbroken to announce his death at the age of 95 on Saturday January 29th.

Collective earned an Oscar nomination last year for documenting the work of brave investigative reporters in Romania. This year, one of the feature documentaries in contention for Oscar recognition focuses on another group of crusading journalists — the staff of Khabar Lahariya, India’s only newspaper run entirely by women.

Not having it. Prince William’s response to Prince Harry’s security drama shows that the Duke of Cambridge is far from happy with the way his younger brother is “handling” his invitation to the UK.

Panama makes its debut on the International Feature Oscar shortlist with the character-driven thriller Plaza Catedral. This contender from Abner Benaim (Ruben Blades Is Not My Name) is a taut two-hander between a grieving mother and a young street hustler, with a sobering message about corruption and violence. Samuel Goldwyn Films recently acquired the title.

As voters across the Academy branches mull over their Oscar nomination ballots, among the films they’re considering are two that deal with the Deaf experience. One, CODA, is the fictional coming of age story of a girl raised by Deaf parents. The other – Audible – tells a coming of age story as well, but this one is real.

In one of Syrian-born artist Mohamad Hafez’s stunning 3D pieces, a figurine of the Virgin Mary stands before an ornate portal, her hands joined in prayer. The building around her, rendered in plaster, paint, rusted metal and found objects, is blasted to ruins.

EXCLUSIVE: NBA All-Star Shaquille O’Neal is booking theaters in Los Angeles this weekend for free screenings of The Queen of Basketball, in honor of Lusia “Lucy” Harris, the late subject of the Oscar-shortlisted documentary.

Angelique Jackson WarnerMedia OneFifty has acquired the short films, “Namoo” and “When the Sun Sets,” to be released on HBO Max.Both films are shortlisted to be nominated for the 2022 Academy Awards, with “Namoo” as a contender in the animated short film category and “When the Sun Sets” in the live-action short film category. The nominations will be formally announced on Feb.

Naman Ramachandran Elizabeth Mirzaei and Gulistan Mirzaei’s documentary short “Three Songs for Benazir” is that rare love story that dares to find hope beyond war.After winning numerous awards worldwide, the film, produced by Omar Mullick (“These Birds Walk”) alongside Hamayoun Noori and Jamil Rezaei, was snapped up by Netflix. It is also shortlisted in the Academy Awards’ documentary short subject category.Set in a displacement camp in Kabul, the film follows the tender and growing love story between young newlyweds Shaista and Benazir.

Carole Horst Netflix’s “Robin Robin” uses stop-motion animation and felt figures to tell its charming, musical story of a bird who doesn’t quite belong in a family of stealthy mice and discovers her real place in the world. It’s a Christmas tale that’s also made the Oscar shortlist for animated shorts. Directors-writers Dan Ojari and Mikey Please had been working with each other off and on for about 10 years and formed Parabella Studios, where they began developing “Robin Robin.” A serendipitous meeting with Aardman’s Sarah Cox led them to that legendary studio, which they found to be a perfect match for their own sensibilities.

TheWrap-Up,” host Sharon Waxman and special guest co-host and TheWrap contributing editor Ben Svetkey talk the 2022 award season, which is currently taking shape with the Oscars set to have a host again and award show nominations being announced left and right.After a discussion of some recent Hollywood headlines, Sharon and Ben mull who might make a good Oscars host, before turning to the spectacular showing by the stars of “Succession” in the Screen Actor’s Guild Award nominations.Our “Wax On/Wax Off” segment returns, as Sharon shares news of TheWrap’s 14 LA Press Club nominations this week.For this week’s feature interview, Sharon is joined by two women whose powerful documentary films are among the 15 that made the documentaries shortlist for the 2022 Oscars — Nanfu Wang, director of “In the Same Breath,” and Megan Mylan, director of “Simple as Water.” Wang’s film looks at the the people on the ground in the U.S. and in China in the earliest days of the coronavirus outbreak.