Pedro Almodóvar Praises Julia Ducournau’s ‘Titane’ as ‘Amazingly Brilliant and Completely Schizophrenic’

Spotted! After HBO Max included a throwback childhood photo of Emma Roberts instead of one of Emma Watson during the Harry Potter reunion special, the England native has responded about the case of mistaken identity.

It looks like HBO Max had a little mix-up on the Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts special.

A case of mistaken identity. HBO Max accidentally used a photo of actress Emma Roberts instead of Hermione Granger actress Emma Watson in the new special, Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts.

Harry Potter reunion on . The week between Christmas and New Year's Eve can be…weird, so try to find some happy with these TV shows and movies.

Despite the continuing challenges of the pandemic, it was a year of highlights from film festivals around the world.

Jazz Tangcay Artisans EditorPenélope Cruz first met Pedro Almodóvar when she was cast in his 1997 film, “Live Flesh.” Almodóvar had originally wanted her to star in “Kika,” but Cruz was too young for the role. The director promised her he would write a character for another movie, and he did.

Elsa Keslassy International CorrespondentThanks to glamorous Paris-set shows like “Lupin” and “Emily in Paris” topping Netflix charts — and daring French female directors Julia Ducournau (“Titane”) and Audrey Diwan (“Happening”) winning top prizes at the Cannes and Venice film festivals — France drew more eyeballs worldwide in 2021 than it has in years.

Elsa Keslassy International CorrespondentThanks to glamorous Paris-set shows like “Lupin” and “Emily in Paris” topping Netflix charts — and daring French female directors Julia Ducournau (“Titane”) and Audrey Diwan (“Happening”) winning top prizes at the Cannes and Venice film festivals — France drew more eyeballs worldwide in 2021 than it has in years.

Lorene Scafaria Guest ColumnistFor Variety‘s Writers on Writers, Lorene Scafaria pens a tribute to “Parallel Mothers” (screenplay by Pedro Almodóvar). Pedro Almodóvar is in control.From the opening image of “Parallel Mothers,” Almodóvar calls attention to the artifice of filmmaking. On the set of a photo shoot, the props and lights and craft service and crew are all in view as Penélope Cruz’s Janis gives her subject precise direction.

NEW YORK -- Pedro Almodóvar has a theory that his films with male protagonists, like his autobiographical 2019 film “Pain and Glory,” are darker and more somber.“I look inside myself when I talk about male characters,” says Almodóvar.“Parallel Mothers,” which Sony Pictures Classics begins releasing in theaters Friday, returns Almodóvar to more melodramatic territory.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences today unveiled its shortlist of 15 films that will advance to the next stage of voting in the International Feature Film category at the Oscars. Notable among omissions is Julia Ducournau’s Titane, the entry from France which won the Cannes Film Festival’s Palme d’Or — becoming only the second movie directed by a woman to scoop that prize.

Fans aren't the only ones excited about the upcoming reunion special — the cast is eager too!Ahead of the premiere of HBO Max's special to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the franchise's first film, , ET spoke with star Rupert Grint about what fans can expect. The 33-year-old actor famously played Harry's best friend Ron Weasley and one-third of the Golden Trio in all eight magical flicks.

.“Other “Harry Potter” cast members featured in the special include Helena Bonham Carter, Robbie Coltrane, Ralph Fiennes, Jason Isaacs, Gary Oldman, Tom Felton, James Phelps, Oliver Phelps, Mark Williams, Bonnie Wright, Alfred Enoch, Ian Hart, Toby Jones, Matthew Lewis, Evanna Lynch, producer David Heyman and filmmakers Chris Columbus, Alfonso Cuarón, Mike Newell and David Yates.“Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts” is executive produced by Casey Patterson of Casey Patterson

Kate Aurthur editorAccio, trailer! At long last, HBO Max has released the much-anticipated preview of “Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts,” its upcoming special that will reunite the actors and filmmakers from the eight-movie series, which will stream on Jan.

Jon Burlingame editor“Parallel Mothers” is Spanish composer Alberto Iglesias’ 13th film for director Pedro Almodóvar and, says Iglesias, “the best experience working for him” to date.The Madrid-based composer is a three-time Oscar nominee, but none of those films (“The Constant Gardener,” “The Kite Runner,” “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy”) were by Almodóvar, his filmmaking partner since 1995.He has six Goya Awards, Spain’s equivalent of the Oscar, for Almodóvar films, including art-house hits “All

Potter films, it will premiere on the streaming service Jan. 1.So in the Colbert version of the special, the Sorting Hat — you know, the magical hat that tells Hogwarts students which of the school’s four houses they’ll be sorted into — is an actual actor, with a huge chip on its soldier and zero discretion.“Dobby was an absolute horn dog.