National Geographic Blasts Off With ‘The Space Race,’ Documentary On NASA’s Black Astronauts – Reaching For The Stars, Tethered By Racial Prejudice

Jazz Tangcay Artisans Editor Little Richard — music icon, legend and the man behind hits such as “Tutti Frutti” and “Good Golly Miss Molly” — inspired a generation. But despite his success, there were points in his career where “he doesn’t feel he’s been recognized,” says filmmaker Lisa Cortés. Her latest documentary, “Little Richard: I Am Everything,” in theaters on April 21, seeks to remind a new generation of his legacy. Cortés says the documentary draws parallels with “All In: The Fight for Democracy” which she co-directed with Liz Garbus, in which she followed Stacy Abrams on her political campaign. Speaking with Variety, she said, “Both of these films are talking about issues that are political hot buttons. There are states where Black and queer history are under attack, and they’re passing laws against the teaching of this history. We see those are very important parts of Richard’s origin story and of rock ‘and’n’ roll.” She adds, “It’s a film that is still in conversation with many major things that we are facing right now.”

The Anne Rice Cinematic Universe is potentially getting bigger.

Clouds of gloom have settled over much of the documentary field, brought on by multiple factors: a sluggish acquisition market, cutbacks in the executive ranks at Netflix and Showtime, uncertainty around Hulu’s future, CNN Films taking doc production in house, sharper scrutiny of budgets and content needs, and… well, the list goes on. 

Marta Balaga Miep Gies, as well as her husband Jan, helped hide Anne Frank and her family from the Nazis in Amsterdam, she also saved the girl’s diary. But she never considered herself a hero. “She didn’t want to be put on a pedestal. Her mantra was: ‘I just did what human beings are supposed to do and helped someone in need,’” Bel Powley, who plays Gies in National Geographic series “A Small Light,” said Saturday at Canneseries. The international premiere of the first episode screened at the international series festival in Cannes, followed by an on-stage discussion. Amira Casar, “Peaky Blinders” alumnus Joe Cole, Liev Schreiber and Billie Boullet also star in the eight-episode show, which was co-created by Tony Phelan and Joan Rater.

The secret world of modern witches will be revealed in “Coven”.

Ice Spice and Nicki Minaj have released a remix of "Princess Diana," a song that originally featured on Ice's Like..? EP. Minaj pays tribute to the late Diana's U.K.

Ellise Shafer Glen Powell is in talks to star opposite Daisy Edgar-Jones in Universal and Amblin Entertainment’s “Twisters,” a sequel to 1996’s “Twister.” “Minari” helmer Lee Isaac Chung is directing the film from a script by “The Revenant” writer Mark L. Smith. “Twisters” is set to release on July 19, 2024. Starring Helen Hunt, Bill Paxton, Carey Elwes and Philip Seymour Hoffman, 1996’s “Twister” made nearly $500 million at the box office and received Oscar nominations in the visual effects and sound categories. It was directed by Jan De Bont (“Speed”) from a screenplay by Michael Crichton, with Steven Spielberg executive producing.

Angelique Jackson The second annual Strength of a Woman Summit will be hosted by producer, actor and 11-time NAACP Image Award winner Marsai Martin. The summit is presented as part of the Strength of a Woman Festival — launched by Mary J. Blige and Pepsi in partnership with Live Nation Urban — a four day celebration devoted to music, comedy, female empowerment and community building, scheduled for May 11-14. Held on May 13 at AmericasMart in Atlanta, Ga., the experiential summit is billed as “the ultimate destination bringing the festival’s mission and purpose of empowerment, elevation, education and equity to life with engaging experiences and panel discussions focused on wellness, creators, entrepreneurship, beauty, financial literacy, tech and health equity.”

passed away in January at age 81 following a “long illness,” but no further details were given at the time. On Friday, however, Nash disclosed details regarding Crosby’s demise while speaking on the “Kyle Meredith With…” podcast.“He was rehearsing for a show to do in Los Angeles with a full band,” Nash stated. “After three days of rehearsals, he felt a little sick.

Tory voters should vote Labour at the next election if their candidate is best placed to beat the SNP, the leader of the Scottish Conservatives has suggested. Douglas Ross risked a split with Tory leader Rishi Sunak as he said people should “do what’s best for the country” to help loosen the nationalists’ grip on Scotland.

Owen Wilson is back, with brushes, as the longtime host of a beloved but fading Burlington, Vermont-based PBS instructional art show. Paint from IFC Films opens on 800+ screens.

Britney Spears' real-life personality is very different from her onstage persona. That's according to Fenton Bailey, who directed the singer's 2013 documentary , and discussed the experience during an appearance on SiriusXM's .«Because of 'Oops, I Did It Again' or 'Slave 4 U' we think she's just, like, [a] charged up sex strumpet,» Bailey told host Andy Cohen of Spears' 2000 and 2001 hit songs.«That's not who she is,» he said.

BBC Arts has unveiled a lineup of documentaries for its ‘Arena’ strand that will appear on BBC Two and the BBC iPlayer this spring, and which includes new films about Little Richard and Kae Tempest.‘Little Richard: King And Queen Of Rock N Roll’ will examine the life and career of the rock n roll musician, featuring interviews with Ringo Starr, Keith Richards, Nile Rodgers and Big Freedia, as well as a previously unaired interview with Little Richard himself.Shot over several years, the Kae Tempest documentary offers a glimpse into the life and creative process of the poet, rapper and playwright.Suzy Klein, Head Of Arts And Classical Music TV, says: “’Arena’ is back with a focus on the icons, works, people and moments we think we all know, but where there are still rich and surprising stories to tell”.“I hope audiences will be as gripped by this latest series of films as we are”, she goes on, “and I’m so proud to be working with some of the UK’s leading filmmakers at the height of their careers, championing the best of British documentary-making”.Mark Bell, Commissioning Editor of the series adds: “Creativity is at the heart of ‘Arena’ – and here we have some intriguing cultural subjects paired with a set of brilliant directors, and the resulting films are surprising, bold, and highly individual”.The documentaries are set to air this spring.

What could the future possibly hold for an artist if they have grown too comfortable with success? If they have stayed put in that snug place of glory, but the times have moved on fast without them? These are the hefty considerations at the heart of “Paint,” a slight comedy that sadly embraces neither the worthwhile questions that surround its central premise nor the story’s dark humor potential.That’s too bad, because writer-director Brit McAdams’ narrative feature debut is rooted in a genuinely fascinating subject that apparently served as an inspiration for “Paint.” McAdam’s muse is Bob Ross, a real-life American public television mainstay of the ‘80s and ‘90s. Being the host of a successful PBS show called “The Joy of Painting” during that time, Ross built a loyal audience who loved and were mesmerized by his soothing voice, and even haunted by his creative process and ease with a brush, as Ross slowly created his art in front of curious eyes, narrating it softly and philosophically.

The first “Murder Mystery” from 2019, written by James Vanderbilt (“Zodiac”), was a fun star-studded throwback to the 1980s Agatha Christie films like 1982’s “Evil Under the Sun,” with salt of the earth Brooklynites Nick and Audrey Spitz (Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston) thrown into the mix. The script was a smart, genre-savvy affair coupled with Sandler-style lowbrow comedy, a combination that almost worked, but was undone by the lackluster direction by Kyle Newacheck.

EXCLUSIVE: Legendary astronomer and astrophysicist Carl Sagan, who expanded scientific understanding of the universe and helped millions appreciate the wonders of the cosmos, will be the subject of an upcoming documentary feature from National Geographic Documentary Films.

Harrison Ford and Tim Blake Nelson are spending the day filming the upcoming Captain America 4!

, you probably spend more time dissecting the voices of famous—and infamous—women than you realize. In 2022, the internet dedicated  to picking apart Julia Garner’s accent when she played Russian turned “German”  in Inventing Anna. As part of the larger bimbohood reclamation, Paris Hilton recently  that her syrupy baby voice—the subject of decades of tabloid fixation—was part of a “perfect-life Barbie doll character” she created as a .

National Geographic is a publication usually associated with exotic destinations and photos of white sandy beaches overlooked by towering palm trees. Yet the prestigious travel guide recently directed its spotlight on a beauty spot much closer to home.

Scott Huver After starring in “Paint” as a Bob Ross-esque (but far more angry and tortured) paint instructor, Owen Wilson admits he’s warmed to finding his own sense of zen calm — not with watercolors and brushes, but with Crayolas. “When my boys were little, at restaurants I’d give them crayons and try to calm them down, but I think that maybe adults should be doing that, too,” Wilson told Variety at the premiere of the IFC film at the Ace Hotel on Thursday. ”I don’t know why we ever stop doing that, because there is something really nice about trying to create something.” “I guess there’s that Picasso quote: ‘I want to spend the rest of my life learning to paint like a child,’” he mused. “Not worrying about anything and just expressing yourself — that feels good.”