Tim Roth, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Michel Franco, Iazua Larios Talk ‘Sundown’ at Venice

EXCLUSIVE: UK TV firm Projector Pictures has secured the rights to the trilogy of espionage thrillers written by author and journalist Charlotte Philby, the granddaughter of ‘Cambridge spy’ Kim Philby.

After last year’s explosively angry New Order, the prolific Mexican director Michel Franco returns to the Venice Film Festival with Sundown, the minor-key story of a man who decides to abandon his life in favor of getting drunk and shacking up with a cheerful local woman in Acapulco. It is his second collaboration with British actor Tim Roth who plays Neil and who sinks into hazy irresponsibility with the ease of a backpacker who has mastered getting into a hammock.

Anyone familiar with the work of Mexican director Michel Franco, whether they be admirers or detractors, can attest to the “this is not going to end well” sentiment his sordid cinematic provocations instill. With a pensive angle, “Sundown” – a reteaming between the filmmaker and his “Chronic” star Tim Roth – upholds that tension of expecting the worst to come the characters’ way.

Peter Debruge Chief Film CriticIn the span of a year when everyone’s been on edge, prolific Mexican director Michel Franco managed to nuke our comfort zones not once, but twice, delivering separate provocations at back-to-back editions of the Venice Film Festival.

has happened – would be some kind of spoiler. But it would be a stretch to tell you to relax, that all will be revealed, because it won’t, not everything.

Anna Marie de la Fuente Mexico’s Michel Franco is back in Venice after his triumphant Silver Lion win last year for his dystopian thriller “New Order.” His new film “Sundown” is in competition at the Lido where it world premieres on Sunday.

EXCLUSIVE: Ahead of its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival, Protagonist Pictures has closed a UK all rights deal with Curzon for Spanish-language pic Official Competition starring Antonio Banderas, Penelope Cruz and Oscar Martínez.

Leo Barraclough International Features EditorHarry Wootliff, one of Britain’s rising women filmmakers, is in Venice for the world premiere of her second feature, “True Things,” starring Ruth Wilson and Tom Burke. The film, which screens in Venice’s Horizons, also plays at the Toronto Festival.The film, based on Deborah Kay Davies’ novel “True Things About Me,” was initially developed by Jackson and Law’s production company Riff Raff U.K.

The Wanted star Max George has shared an update on Tom Parker as he continues to battle a brain tumour. Strictly Come Dancing star Max, 32, said his friend and former bandmate Tom, 33, is a "different breed" as he praised Tom for his cancer battle so far.

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