Netflix’s Francisco Ramos: ‘Language is no Longer a Barrier, Only Ambition and Quality Are Barriers’

Elsa Keslassy International CorrespondentMK2, a family-owned French film company boasting a prominent arthouse cinema chain in Paris and in Spain, is staging various events to turn the spotlight on classics from Charles Chaplin to Claude Chabrol and Abbas Kiarostami which are part of its impressive library of 600 movies.MK2’s CEO Nathanael Karmitz has been invited by Thierry Fremaux, the chief of Cannes Film Festival and the ongoing Lumiere Festival in Lyon, to deliver a masterclass on Tuesday

Elaine Low Senior TV WriterAnna Winger’s “Unorthodox,” based on Deborah Feldman’s 2012 memoir about a young woman leaving the ultra-Orthodox Jewish community in New York to start life anew in Berlin, was not intrinsically designed to be an international darling.The mandate of Netflix’s German television group, says co-CEO and chief content officer Ted Sarandos, is simply to “make great TV” for the subscription streaming service’s German audience.

Also on this day: A group of Spanish missionaries settles in present-day San Francisco. Laura Ingalls becomes the first woman to fly across the United States as she completes a nine-stop journey from Roosevelt Field, N.Y., to Glendale, Calif.The first generator at Boulder (later Hoover) Dam begins transmitting electricity to Los Angeles.

No popcorn and soda? Then no reopening for movie theaters in San Francisco. The California chapter of the National Association of Theatre Owners said Tuesday that cinemas in the Bay Area city — one of the largest moviegoing markets in the U.S.

Dave McNary Film ReporterThe National Association of Theatre Owners of California/Nevada has unanimously agreed to remain closed in San Francisco, despite receiving the go-ahead from city officials to reopen.The trade group said Wednesday that the city’s ban on serving concessions makes it “economically impossible” for theaters to reopen and “significantly limits” the moviegoing experience for audiences.“NATO of CA/NV respectfully asks that San Francisco city officials follow the state’s and

Anthony D'Alessandro Editorial Director/Box Office EditorThanks, but no thanks, San Francisco Mayor London Breed.While San Francisco County gave the go-ahead for movie theaters to reopen today, members of the National Association of Theatre Owners of California/Nevada have agreed unanimously to remain closed in the City by the Bay.Why? San Francisco’s current ban on movie concessions “makes it economically impossible for our members to reopen and significantly limits the moviegoing experience

Netflix has picked up worldwide rights outside of France, Spain and China to The Swarm, a horror thriller from French director Just Philippot about a woman who develops an obsessional bond with grasshoppers she is breeding as a high-protein crop. The woman, played by French actress Suliane Brahim, finds herself growing closer to her demanding swarm of bugs as they begin to develop a taste for human blood.

Tom Grater International Film ReporterNetflix has taken world rights to The Swarm, French director Just Philippot’s Cannes Critics’ Week 2020 label horror thriller about a woman who develops an obsessional bond with grasshoppers.The deal, struck with Wild Bunch International, includes all territories excluding France, Spain and China. Pic will launch on Netflix on December 4.

Dave McNary Film ReporterSan Francisco city officials have given the green light to reopening indoor movie theaters on Oct. 7, nearly seven months after the city’s cinemas were shuttered due to the COVID-19 pandemic.The city, one of the key metropolitan markets that’s remained closed, is imposing strict limits on movie theaters.

Tom Tapp Deputy Managing EditorOne day after California Governor Gavin Newsom teased that more of the state’s counties would be allowed to open further as cases fall, the specifics were revealed.The state’s Director of Health and Human Services reported that the counties of San Francisco, Almador and Calaveras would be allowed to move into the Orange — or Moderate — tier and Sacramento, Fresno and Santa Barbara would be allowed to progress into the Red — or TK — tier.

Taylor Swift‘s man Joe Alwyn debuted a handsome new look while hitting the San Sebastián Film Festival in Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain that’s surely got the Lover songstress swooning. Joe, 29, is now rocking longer, floppy hair and it totally suits the Mary Queen of Scots star. It’s very Brad Pitt at the Fast Times at Ridgemont High table read.

Emiliano De Pablos Basque filmmaker Ángel Amigo has drawn inspiration from courtroom sketch techniques for his documentary “Voces del pasado imperfecto” (Voices From the Imperfect Past), about the 1970 trial of ETA militants in Burgos, Spain under the dictatorship of Francisco Franco.Making a virtue out of necessity, because of the lack of visual material, the documentary applies courtroom sketch techniques by graphic designer Unai Guerra, and adds trial session audio recordings made by defense

Tom Grater International Film ReporterMatt Dillon is at Spain’s San Sebastian Film Festival this week for the world premiere of The Great Fellove, his second feature as a director after a 17-year gap since his debut City Of Ghosts.

SAN FRANCISCO -- Longtime benefactor of the arts and culture in San Francisco Ann Getty died Monday.

#cancelnetlfix is happening online here is what I’m going to show yall, the show “cut*es’ is about 4 YOUNG GIRLS doing ADULT THINGS. I’m not going to expose it here cause it’s just so horrendous.

Ann-Marie Corvin While the pandemic has reduced film festivals’ capacity to showcase new work, an all-singing all-dancing Spanish-Italian number has been selected for two.“Explota Explota” (“My Heart Goes Boom!”), the assured debut feature of music promo and commercials director Nacho Álvarez, will receive an RTVE Gala Screening at the San Sebastian Festival next week and has also made the selection for the Toronto Festival’s market screenings.Set in dictator Francisco Franco’s Spain during the