‘The Mitchells Vs The Machines’ Writer-Director Mike Rianda On Having Queer Representation In Hopes That LGBTQ+ Youth Can Feel “Less Alone Growing Up”

Claudia Eller Co-Editor-in-ChiefWhen Neil Young pulled his music from Spotify over the audio streamer’s continued support of Joe Rogan, whom he accused of spreading “misinformation and lies” about COVID via his podcast interviews, there were some nasty “who cares?” tweets directed at the folk-rock icon. But the haters should care that this deadly pandemic has been raging for nearly two years and it ain’t over yet.Young has been adamant for some time that artists shouldn’t be touring because of COVID; he even pulled out of a Farm Aid benefit, a charity he co-founded.

Alissa Simon Film CriticHelsinki-based helmer-writer Aino Suni makes her feature debut with “Heartbeast,” a queer love story with a dark twist about a Finnish teen whose mother moves her to France. It world premieres in Nordic competition at this year’s Göteborg Festival.What inspired the story?Suni: The documentary “Never Again” I made about Finnish rapper Mercedes Bentso definitely gave me a lot of inspiration. Mercedes Bentso, one of my closest friends today, uses rap as a way to express even the darkest emotions, fears, wants and the most forbidden fantasies, as does Elina, the protagonist of “Heartbeast.”It’s personally important for me to tell stories about queer people.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorThe CMT Music Awards, which agreed to move their date and venue when the 2022 Grammy Awards announced their relocation to Las Vegas, have unveiled the new date and venue for their inaugural broadcast on CBS: The show will now broadcast live from Nashville’s Municipal Auditorium on Monday, April 11, from 8 p.m – 11 p.m. ET; the West Coast broadcast will be delayed, although the show will also be available to stream live and on demand on Paramount+.“The biggest and best moments in music are coming to CBS this April,” said Jack Sussman, executive vice president, specials, music, live events & alternative programming for CBS.

Zack Sharf Graham Nash and India Arie are the latest music artists to announce they are following in the footsteps of Neil Young and Joni Mitchell by removing their music from Spotify. Nash said in a statement that he “completely agrees” with his Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young bandmate Neil Young after “having heard the COVID disinformation spread by Joe Rogan on Spotify.” Nash added, “I am requesting that my solo recordings be removed from the service.”While Young, Mitchell and Nash exited Spotify because of Joe Rogan’s podcast spreading COVID misinformation, India Arie noted on Instagram that she is leaving Spotify because of Rogan’s “language about race.”“Neil Young opened a door that I must walk through,” Arie wrote on Instagram.

Elizabeth Mitchell is headed to The actress will make her first appearance in a February episode of the CBS procedural, and only ET exclusively debuts the official photos of Mitchell in action. In the series, Mitchell plays Angela Cassidy, Scott Forrester’s (Luke Kleintank) long-lost mother who worked for the U.S.

Hadestown, abruptly quitting New York for Vermont ahead of the birth of her second child in early 2020 not only gave her the space to reconnect with herself, it gifted the spark that would allow her to deliver the self-titled Anaïs Mitchell (★★★☆☆), her first album of original material in almost a decade.If you’re familiar with the colorful stories and characters of Hadestown, Mitchell’s prowess as a songwriter and storyteller needs no introduction. For all that Mitchell makes of her desire to tell her story, what really stands out in Anaïs Mitchell is not so much the stories themselves, but the way she pulls out moments in time and pins down the ephemeral feelings that accompany them.

Neil Young bandmate Nils Lofgren is the latest musician to take his solo work off of Spotify, in protest of COVID-19 vaccine misinformation being spread by Joe Rogan.Lofgren, 70, joined Canadian legends Young and Joni Mitchell in removing their music from the streaming service in protest of the podcaster.“A few days ago, my wife Amy and I became aware of Neil and Daryl [Hannah] standing with hundreds of health care professionals, scientists, doctors and nurses in calling out Spotify for promoting lies and misinformation that are hurting and killing people,” the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer wrote on Young’s newsletter Saturday.“When these heroic women and men, who’ve spent their lives healing and saving ours, cry out for help you don’t turn your back on them for money and power. You listen and stand with them.”Rogan has pushed unproven conspiracy theories and anti-vaccination messages on his popular show “The Joe Rogan Experience.”Spotify officials ruled his commentaries “didn’t meet the threshold for removal,” based on policies that allow podcasters to criticize medical guidance, according to internal memos reviewed by The Verge.“We apply our policies consistently and objectively,” Spotify PR leader Dustee Jenkins reportedly told employees.

Elizabeth Mitchell is joining Tim Allen in the upcoming Disney+ limited series, a rep for Disney confirms to ET. The actress will reprise her beloved Carol/Mrs. Claus character, while Allen returns as Scott Calvin/Santa.Mitchell joined the holiday franchise in the 2002 sequel, which saw Allen's St.

Elizabeth Mitchell will be back as Mrs. Clause in Disney+’s upcoming The Santa Clause series.

Fans of “The Santa Clause” franchise have something to “ho, ho, ho” about.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter“The Santa Clause” series at Disney Plus has brought on Elizabeth Mitchell to reprise her role from the film franchise, Variety has confirmed.The series, which was announced on Jan. 14, will see Tim Allen once again play Santa Claus/Scott Calvin. Mitchell will play Scott’s wife, Carol Calvin, a.k.a.

West Side Story‘s Steven Spielberg, The Power of the Dog‘s Jane Campion, Dune‘s Denis Villeneuve, Licorice Pizza‘s Paul Thomas Anderson and Kenneth Branagh of Belfast have been nominated for the top feature film prize as the Directors Guild unveiled nominations Thursday for its 74th annual DGA Awards.

“I have tennis elbow” Jane Campion says, stretching an arm out across the Zoom screen from her temporary Joshua Tree home. She’s in California for the release of her film The Power of the Dog—a Western set in Montana and shot in her native New Zealand.

President Mokgweetsi Masisi addressed LGBTQ activists on Monday

Jamie Lang “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire” and “Four Weddings and a Funeral” director Mike Newell and actor Jason Wong (“The Gentlemen,” “Dungeons & Dragons”) are launching the Kingston International Film Festival (KIFF) to support independent film makers in a post-pandemic world. Taking place June 24-26, the festival is a 50:50 partnership between Blue Elephant Films and Rose Theatre which aims to address a decline in the independent film industry by establishing a new platform for emerging talent and creating opportunities which will link new filmmakers and industry experts.

Lisa Kennedy Every now and again, a documentary filmmaker finds a bona fide star to pin the meaning of her film on, a figure so compelling she leaves a comet trail of thoughts and feelings after the movie’s end. Isabel Castro’s “Mija” boasts two: music manager Doris Muñoz and singer Jacks Haupt. Make that three, including the writer-director herself.

As technology seeps more and more into our everyday lives, writer-director Kogonada is asking audiences to reflect on loss and connection with his new Sundance film, the science-fiction drama “After Yang.” Colin Farrell plays Jake, a father determined to find a way to repair Yang (Justin H. Min), the android companion and live-in babysitter for his daughter (Malea Emma Tjandrawidjaja).