EXCLUSIVE: Fresh from reflecting on his Real Madrid career in his Netflix series, David Beckham is now preparing an ESPN documentary about the Galácticos.
05.12.2023 - 17:45 / variety.com
Addie Morfoot Contributor Madeleine Gavin’s Sundance award-winning documentary “Beyond Utopia” will kick off the winter season of PBS documentary series “Independent Lens” on Jan. 9. Using hidden camera footage, the 115-minute doc follows the high-stakes journey that a handful of desperate families make in order to defect from North Korea — a country with the most brutal regime on earth, led by a dictator, Kim Jong-un.
The doc, which was acquired by Roadside Attractions in August, is vying for Academy Award attention. “Beyond Utopia” is one of six feature docus that make up the program’s winter slate, which begins in January and concludes on Mach 25. Notably, all six films were directed by women and filmmakers of color.
The selected titles cover a wide range of timely issues including racial tensions, gentrification, mental health, representation, and humanity through the lens of individuals, families, and tight-knit communities, “At a time of tremendous upheaval around the world, Independent Lens offers stories about individuals struggling to be free,” says “Independent Lens” executive producer Lois Vossen. “Starting with the gripping account of families who risk everything to escape North Korea, to Floridians fighting to keep their homes, rural Americans struggling with addiction, and women rewriting how and who reports the news, at the core of these documentaries are authentic people telling their own stories.” Following the television debut of “Beyond Utopia” on Jan. 9, two docus chronicling the fights of two distinct Black American neighborhoods — “Racist Trees” and “Razing Liberty Square” — will air on “Independent Lens” on Jan.
22 Jan. 29, respectively. Co-directed and produced by Sara Newens and Mina T.
EXCLUSIVE: Fresh from reflecting on his Real Madrid career in his Netflix series, David Beckham is now preparing an ESPN documentary about the Galácticos.
Loose Women star Frankie Bridge has fans flocking to River Island to snap up a winter jacket that's 'perfect' for winter, and is warm enough to be worn instead of a coat. The 34-year-old caught the attention of her followers after she posted a picture in the £25 high-street jacket, which she says looks 'more expensive' than it is and has a luxurious feeling, and can be worn to the pub, on days out or while relaxing at home.
The Scottish Government has announced that people on a low income will start receiving a one-off payment for £55.05 this week to help with higher energy bills. Around 400,000 eligible households are due the Winter Heating Payment between now and the end of January, 2024.
EXCLUSIVE: As they should, the Black List will be celebrating its 20th anniversary with some of Hollywood’s most acclaimed artists and a cinema institution next year.
Matt Donnelly Senior Film Writer Actor and producer Benjamin Bratt has joined the Oscar hopeful documentary short “Wings of Dust” as executive producer. The “Poker Face” star boards the project with his brother Peter Bratt and Alpita Patel, all under their production banner 5 Stick Films. “Wings of Dust” took the 2023 gold medal at the Student Academy Awards, telling the story of a Peruvian indigenous journalist who risks his life to protect the natural resources of ancestral lands.
Midseason is the new fall.
Caroline Brew editor Director Abdulelah Alqurashi sat down with Variety’s senior artisans editor Jazz Tangcay at Variety’s Artisans Screening Series to break down his film “Alhamour H.A.,” Saudi Arabia’s official Oscars submission. The film is based on the true story of one of Saudi Arabia’s biggest con artists, a former security guard named Hamed who grows rich by convincing people to make dubious investments. Alqurashi lived in Jedda as a banker while the scam was happening.
Fresh off its fall festival circuit run, including its world premiere in competition at the Venice Film Festival, “The Promised Land” will finally arrive in US theaters next February. That’s plenty of time for audiences to catch up with the historical drama before it might vie for the Oscar for Best International Feature Film in March.
Madonna played ‘I Love New York’ for the first time in 15 years as she kicked off the US leg of her ‘Celebration’ tour in the city.Unlike the electro version of track, which featured on her 2005 album ‘Confessions On A Dancefloor’, the Queen of Pop’s version at the Barclays Center last night (December 13) saw her perform a guitar driven version of the song. You can view footage below.Paying tribute to the city where she started her career she told the crowd: “It’s so great to be home… I mean that in a way that only New Yorkers know.“New Yorkers can identify with just-not-giving-a-fuck motherfuckers.
Gogglebox star Izzi Warner has shared a look inside her birthday celebrations ahead of turning 30 later this month.The mum of one took to Instagram to share a series of snaps from her big weekend with her 408,000 Instagram followers. Izzi looked ultra glamourous for the occasion, wearing ASOS LUXE one shoulder asymmetric draped mini dress in pink sequin, which is also available in the brand's Curve range.
December has seen snow, sleet, torrential rain and temperatures plunge below freezing across most parts of Scotland, which means winter is well and truly here. Nearly 700,000 people across Scotland recently received the £300 Autumn cost of living payment and many of those people in receipt of a means-tested benefit may also be due a one-off payment for £55.05 before the end of January.
Cinema professionals from across Europe are gathered in Berlin this evening for the 36th European Film Awards.
Deadline’s Contenders Film: International award-season event launches Saturday beginning at 9 a.m. PT, the latest in our series of showcases that this time turns the focus toward global cinema via discussions with the casts and creatives of 12 movies submitted by their countries for the 2024 Academy Awards’ International Feature race.
Each week we’ve become accustomed to heading over to Frankie Bridge’s Instagram account for her regular Sunday night Frankie’s Faves, which sees the presenter showing off her weekly fashion finds. This week, she shared a whole host of different items including the perfect piece of winter knitwear that’s already got us racing over to the Marks and Spencer website to get our hands on it.
With awards season around the corner, it’s time for countries to select the Best International Feature Film for the Oscars. Bhutan’s pick? Pawo Choyning Dorji‘s “The Monk And The Gun,” which had its world premiere at the Telluride Film Festival earlier this year.
Clayton Davis Senior Awards Editor The Academy has revealed the list of eligible films for consideration in best animated, documentary and international feature of the year, encompassing a broad range of blockbusters and critically acclaimed titles. GKids’ “The Boy and the Heron,” Pixar’s “Elemental,” Sony’s “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” and Illumination’s “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” are among the 33 animated films in the running.
EXCLUSIVE: Peacock has picked up sports documentary Mission to Burnley. Check out a trailer below.
EXCLUSIVE: It’s the most wonderful time of the year — for Freeform, that is.
Three very different movies, original, with arthouse cred and in theaters for weeks, are drawing audiences showing welcome depth and breadth in the specialty market as awards season kicks off. Nicolas Cage’s nerdy character sees his life collapse when he randomly starts appearing in people’s dreamsas Dream Scenario has a solid expansion, Saltburn is attracting young crowds on the coasts, The Holdovers drawing elusive older demos to theaters.
With December now officially here and the countdown to Christmas well and truly on, Britain’s biggest family, the Radfords, have kicked things off in style with a lavish festive dinner to feed all 26 members of the family.Taking to Instagram to document the mammoth sized meal, the family shared a photo of every member of the family settled around a large table, including the two most recent additions to the family, grandchildren Chester Bleu, one, and Elodie Jade, three months. In the festive themed snap, the table could be seen beautifully decorated with plenty of Christmas crackers and a Christmas themed tablecloth as the family teased at what their fans could expect on the big day later this year.