The Weeknd is making a large donation to support civilians in Gaza.
13.11.2023 - 16:47 / deadline.com
U.S-Israeli director and actress Aleeza Chanowitz has abandoned plans to attend the Stockholm Film Festival with her TV show Chanshi following a series of email exchanges in the wake of the Israel-Hamas conflict in which the event attempted to rescind an invite it made earlier this fall.
Recounting the episode to Deadline, a visibly hurt Chanowitz said she had been planning to travel to Stockholm for the Chanshi screening this Thursday (November 16) and that in the days immediately after the Hamas terror attacks of October 7 the invite still appeared to be open.
Chanowitz stars as a young Jewish Orthodox woman from Brooklyn who escapes an impending arranged marriage and moves to Israel in search of sexual adventure only to discover that her vision of the country is wrong. Henry Winkler plays the protagonist’s father.
Produced by Tel Aviv-based Kastina Communications, the show first aired on Israeli network Hot at the end of 2022 and then played in Sundance’s Indie Episodic sidebar in January of this year.
Having not received notification of her flights and accommodation from Stockholm last week, Chanowitz got in contact with the festival for an update.
She was told that her invite was no longer active because the Israeli embassy sponsorship of her travel costs had been withdrawn as its resources were being deployed elsewhere in the aftermath of October 7.
When Chanowitz offered to pay her own travels costs, she was told in an email from the hospitality department that the festival had to “to take a stand” and that the event feared that an “unpleasant situation” could arise for her due to the conflict in the backdrop. It was never clearly explained what “the stand” was.
When she pushed back and said she was still happy
The Weeknd is making a large donation to support civilians in Gaza.
The Marrakech Film Festival celebrated its 20th edition this year, arriving at the landmark some 22 years after its 2001 launch due to the missed years of the pandemic.
Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Film Festival launched its third edition on Thursday with a characteristically starry red carpet featuring the likes of Michelle Williams, Johnny Depp, Sharon Stone and Will Smith.
Nick Vivarelli International Correspondent Though the Red Sea Film Festival will feature a slew of films from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region – including 11 feature films from Saudi Arabia – there is a rich roster of international fare set to launch locally from Jeddah. Kaleem Aftab, the festival’s director of international programming, says they received lots more submissions for this year’s third edition.
Leo Barraclough International Features Editor AGC Intl., the international sales and distribution arm of Stuart Ford’s fast-growing independent content studio AGC Studios, has picked up world rights from Image Nation Abu Dhabi, MBC Studios and VOX Studios on Yasir Al Yasiri‘s “HWJN,” and from O3 Medya and Dhafer L’Abidine’s Double A Productions on L’Abidine’s “To My Son.” Saudi fantasy romance ‘HWJN’ will open the Red Sea Film Festival on Nov. 30, while the emotional family drama “To My Son” will premiere in Red Sea’s Arab Spectacular section.
Stuart Ford’s AGC International has picked up world rights to two Arab-produced titles, HWJN by Yasir Al-Yasiri and To My Son byDhafer L’abidine, ahead of their debuts at Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Film Festival.
The Israeli military has said 10 Israelis and two foreigners being held hostage in Gaza have been released and arrived in Egypt on the fifth day of a temporary ceasefire.
Scream fans have called for people to boycott the franchise after Melissa Barrera was fired from Scream VII due to posts about the Israel-Hamas conflict.Barrera, who played Sam Carpenter in 2022’s Scream and sequel Scream VI, was dropped from the upcoming seventh instalment after writing an Instagram post in support of Palestine.In a post on her Instagram Stories, the Mexican-born actor wrote: “I too come from a colonized country. Palestine WILL be free.
Deadline has confirmed that actress Melissa Barrera has been dropped from Spyglass Media’s Scream VII.
Vice President Kamala Harris and Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff, appearing at a Los Angeles re-election fundraiser tonight, each addressed the Israel-Gaza war protests that have highlighted a split on the left.
K.J. Yossman A statement by British actors union Equity about the Israel-Hamas war has sparked outrage over its “inflammatory” language, with some accusing the organization of “antisemitic dogwhistles.” Published last Wednesday, Equity’s statement – the second it has published about Gaza in the past four weeks – accused Israel of “bombing, occupation and apartheid” and demanded the U.K.
EXCLUSIVE: German broadcasting network ARD has been accused of censorship following its decision to pull a scheduled broadcast of Palestinian director Annemarie Jacir’s 2017 feature Wajib due to the Israel-Hamas conflict.
Paul Ridd, a long-term acquisitions exec at Picturehouse Cinemas, has been named director of the Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF).
K.J. Yossman The BBC has apologized after a news anchor mis-reported a Reuters news story to suggest the Israeli arms was targeting medical staff.
Sweden’s Stockholm International Film Festival has denied reports that it disinvited U.S.-Israeli filmmaker and actress Aleeza Chanowitz as an in-person guest at its ongoing edition, running from November 8 to 19.
Addie Morfoot Contributor Things got political on Wednesday at DOC NYC‘s 10th annual Visionaries Tribute Honorees, when honoree Michael Moore asked the crowd to take a pledge “to let our Jewish brothers and sisters know that we will never, ever allow what happened in the 20th century” to happen again. The Gotham Hall gala marks the opening day of the 14th annual DOC NYC and attracts the who’s who of the doc community from both coasts. Hundreds of documentary filmmakers, cinematographers, producers, editors, publicists, and distributors hobnob with Academy doc branch members in hopes of winning their votes.
Nick Vivarelli International Correspondent Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Film Festival has announced the bulk of its lineup from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), signaling that the event is forging ahead with its third edition despite the Israel-Hamas war that has caused cancellations of several movie celebrations across the Arab world. The fest’s third edition, set to run Nov.
Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea International Film Festival has unveiled it 2023 line-up and theme as it maintains its third edition against the backdrop of the escalating Israel-Gaza Conflict. (scroll down for full list)
Andy Burnham has denied being disloyal to Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer over his call for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war.
Asia Jackson has some final thoughts regarding her online feud with Amy Schumer.