Toronto Film Festival Takeaways: Steven Spielberg’s Big Moment, Netflix’s Comeback and a Moribund Market

Katie Reul editor “Encanto” swept the 37th annual Imagen Awards, which was held Sunday at Downtown Los Angeles’ La Plaza de Cultura y Artes, but the Disney musical movie was closely matched by several wins from Hulu’s “Love, Victor.” Overall, “Encanto” creators took home the most awards of any nominated project and were recognized for Best Feature Film, Best Music Composition for Film or Television, Best Music Supervision for Film or Television and Best Director – Feature Film, which co-director Charise Castro Smith was not expecting. “I’m pretty sure my mom is never going to live down the fact that I won a best director award when nominated against Stephen Spielberg,” Castro Smith, who is also known for producing “The Haunting of Hill House,” joked with the audience during her acceptance speech. “That’s serious bragging rights for her Zumba class.”

Ellise Shafer “Blonde” author Joyce Carol Oates, who penned the biographical fiction novel that the Netflix film is based on, has weighed in on the discourse surrounding Andrew Dominik’s controversial portrait of Marilyn Monroe. On Friday, Oates answered some burning questions from fans via Twitter, including about backlash the film has received that it exploits Monroe’s trauma. Dubbed a fictionalized retelling of the movie star’s life and untimely death, “Blonde” loosely recreates several tragedies during the life of Monroe (Ana de Armas), including the abuse she endured from her mother and the sexual assaults she experienced in Hollywood. In addition to fan outrage on social media, the movie has also been panned by several film critics, including The New York Times’ Manohla Dargis, who wrote in her review: “Given all the indignities and horrors that Marilyn Monroe endured during her 36 years, it is a relief that she didn’t have to suffer through the vulgarities of ‘Blonde,’ the latest necrophiliac entertainment to exploit her.”

Zack Sharf Andrew Dominik’s “Blonde,” starring Ana de Armas as Marilyn Monroe, skyrocketed to the top of Netflix’s movie chart after its first day available to stream, but the NC-17 drama is leaving many subscribers outraged. The film may have been the talk of the Venice Film Festival with its 14-minute standing ovation, but critics and viewers are calling it “sexist,” “cruel” and “one of the most detestable movies” ever made. “Given all the indignities and horrors that Marilyn Monroe endured during her 36 years, it is a relief that she didn’t have to suffer through the vulgarities of ‘Blonde,’ the latest necrophiliac entertainment to exploit her,” wrote The New York Times film critic Manohla Dargis, who panned the movie in her review.

The Rome Film Festival has unveiled its first line-up under the new management team of former Rai executive Paola Malanga as artistic director and Cineteca di Bologna director Gian Luca Farinelli as president, who were both appointed to their roles last March.

Ana de Armas needed to convince Netflix that she could be Marilyn Monroe. She was already the first choice of director Andrew Dominik, whose film “Blonde,” a surrealist vision of the life and death of the screen legend, had been reportedly cast with various leading ladies before alighting on de Armas, but “Knives Out” — the hit film in which the previously little-known performer sat at the center of the mystery — hadn’t yet come out. In 2019, few knew her name. De Armas brought her accent coach to the in-person screen test with Netflix. “I hadn’t had the training and the voice and everything,” says de Armas, who was born and raised in Cuba. “So my coach was crouching on the floor, under the table.” The stakes were high. “I just knew that everything we did that day was going to be the definitive test of the movie to be greenlit or not.” The scene was one in which Monroe pleads with husband Joe DiMaggio to let her move to New York so that she can “start from zero, away from Hollywood,” de Armas recalls; passion had to enter Monroe’s voice, all as the woman under the table fed de Armas the proper pronunciations of the lines.

Antonio Ferme editor There was a lingering feeling of ambiguity and anticipation on Sunday night at Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall, the site of 20th Century Studios’ worldwide premiere of David O. Russell’s “Amsterdam.”  Russell has not released a new film in nearly seven years — his last feature was 2015’s “Joy” with Jennifer Lawrence. Given his various controversies and 2011 sexual assault allegation, it was unclear whether Hollywood would re-embrace the director with open arms. And then Drake walked out on stage. “This is just a real moment,” Drake said. “So I am here to introduce the extremely talented, very legendary, one of the most handsome men in Hollywood. He goes by the name of David O. Russell.”

The People’s Choice Award from the just wrapped 2022 Toronto International Film Festival has gone to Steven Spielberg’s The Fabelmans.  First Runner Up is Canada’s own Sarah Polley’s Women Talking. And Second Runner Up was Rian Johnson’s Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery. The Documentary Award went to Black Ice, and the Midnight Madness winner was Weird: The Al Yankovich Story             .

Michaela Zee editor The American Film Institute has announced that the world premiere of “Selena Gomez: My Mind and Me” is set to open the 36th edition of AFI Fest on Nov. 2. “AFI is proud to launch AFI Fest 2022 with ‘Selena Gomez: My Mind and Me,’ a film as profoundly powerful as it is personal,” AFI President and CEO Bob Gazzale said in a statement. “Selena is a global force in art and entertainment, and we are honored to partner with her, Alek and Apple to shine a light upon her journey in this beautifully crafted celebration of optimism, vulnerability and hopefulness.” Directed by Alek Keshishian (“Madonna: Truth or Dare”), the documentary explores Gomez’s rise to stardom as an actress and singer, along with the personal crises she’s endured throughout her life.

attended the premiere of her upcoming film Causeway at the Toronto International Film Festival wearing a stunning off-the-shoulder Dior Haute Couture dress with a corset-inspired bodice. Lawrence wore the sheer, long-sleeved gown over a pair of high-waisted black briefs and topped off the look with a pair of emerald and diamond Kwiat earrings and strappy black sandals. Similar to her from recent months, Lawrence wore her beachy blonde hair down and swept to the side and kept her makeup look fresh with glowy skin and a classic nude lip. US actress Jennifer Lawrence arrives for the premiere of Causeway during the Toronto International Film Festival in Toronto, Canada, on September 10, 2022. Causeway is a psychological drama starring Jennifer Lawrence as a US soldier recovering from a traumatic brain injury while deployed in Afghanistan. This marks Lawrence's first film premiere in 2022, as well as her first major public appearance since welcoming her first child with husband earlier this year.In a new published in September, the Causeway star revealed that her son's name is Cy and about meeting her baby boy.

Michelle Williams and Paul Dano are stepping out for the premiere of their new movie at the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival!

Brad Pitt is ready to make his way home.

Brad Pitt and Margot Robbie are headed back to Old Hollywood in Damien Chazelle’s new epic, “Babylon”. First-look photos from the upcoming film were released on Thursday, showing the “Once Upon a Time… In Hollywood” co-stars’ upcoming on-screen reunion from the “La La Land” Oscar winner.

Paramount Pictures has unveiled the first stills from Babylon, the latest feature from Oscar winner Damien Chazelle (La La Land), which hits theaters in limited release on Christmas Day, going wide on January 6th.

Brad Pitt and Margot Robbie!MORE: Brad Pitt accused of assault in yet another court battle with former partner Angelina Jolie - all we knowThe stars are starring side by side in a new Damien Chazelle film titled Babylon, and the first glimpse into the epic story is truly show stopping.Set to be released this upcoming December, the movie features Brad and Margot alongside Olivia Wilde, Tobey Maguire, Jean Smart, Samara Weaving, and Max Minghella.WATCH: Brad admits he cries at The Great Pottery ThrowdownMORE: Angelina Jolie's daughter's dorm room at college revealed - see photosThe exciting first look at the drama was revealed on Vanity Fair, and Damien, who is credited as both the director and writer, admitted that he has been mulling over the story that he is depicting ever since he moved to Los Angeles over a decade ago.He explained: "The basic idea was just to do a big, epic, multi character movie, set in these early days of Los Angeles and Hollywood, when both of these things were coming into what we now think of them as."The plot of the movie reads: "Set in Hollywood during the transition from silent films to talkies, focusing on a mixture of historical & fictional characters."A post shared by Vanity Fair (@vanityfair)The first look alone is amazing alreadyBrad stars as Jack Conrad, "a hard-partying 'über-movie star,' inspired by the likes of John Gilbert, Clark Gable, and Douglas Fairbanks." The director detailed that it captures him at a point in his career where he is looking back at it and "starting to wonder what's ahead," a feeling which the actor behind the role expressed he too was starting to feel during a recent feature in GQ.MORE: Brad Pitt looks identical to daughter Shiloh in must-see school

Harry Styles spit on his costar, Chris Pine. It all started at the Don’t Worry Darling premiere, which has proven to be one of the most dramatic releases in Hollywood.There were people on both sides of the theory arguing for hours with internet detectives finding different angles, and slowing down the footage.

Ana de Armas and Adrien Brody arrive at the Hotel Excelsior in Venice, Italy on Wednesday (September 7).

WATCH: Met Gala 2022 red carpet styleWith the likes of Harry Styles, Timothee Chalamet and several Euphoria stars making appearances in Italy for the 79th Venice International Film Festival, we were guaranteed to see a few unique styling choices.From sheer styles and cut-outs, to backless numbers on men and ladies baring all in barely-there frocks, there's been so much to look at.Meanwhile rumours of feuds between certain members of the Don't Worry Darling cast and crew (Florence Pugh and Olivia Wilde, to be specific) have kept all eyes on the red carpet as fans watch out for any awkward encounters.So what have we seen on the red carpet so far, which stars are acing the fashion game and why have some outfits been labelled fashion misses? Keep reading to find out - and see all the photos.Sadie Sink really can do no wrong, making her VFF debut in this divine Alexander McQueen number.The cape, the colour, the jewelled details - this dress is a statement and Olivia Wilde pulls it off flawlessly.Florence Pugh looks phenomenal in this sheer black Valentino number but it's the statement shoes that really pulls this look together.Gemma Chan in silver is something we never knew we needed but god does she look amazing.In a bold fashion move, Timothee Calamet rocked a backless red ensemble by Haider Ackermann that mad eheadlines in the fashion world. We're just glad he wasn't dressed in a boring black suit.This is how you do Barbiecore. Alessandra Ambrosio took feminine to the next level in this pink Ermanno Scervino gown.Okay, we know we just dissed plain black suits, but hear us out: if anyone can get away with this look it's Regé-Jean Page.