Ukrainian Institute Urges Cannes to Rename Michel Hazanavicius’ Opening Night Film ‘Z’ (EXCLUSIVE)

Pearl Jam paid tribute to the late Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins during the opening leg of their ‘Gigaton’ tour in North America earlier this week.Before performing ‘Quick Escape’ at San Diego’s Viejas Arena on Tuesday (May 3), frontman Eddie Vedder honoured drummer Matt Cameron’s friendship with Hawkins.“[Hawkins] emitted something very incredible and very special,” the Pearl Jam frontman told the audience. “We’re all missing him, and so, Matt, I’m sorry again for your loss.

The Beatles: Get Back” documentary got an unexpected sequel moment Thursday on the opening night of Paul McCartney’s “Got Back” tour, when Macca duetted with a video of John Lennon on the Beatles’ classic “I’ve Got a Feeling.”The homage took place in Spokane, Washington, where video footage shows McCartney and his longtime band performing the song as the crowd erupts when Lennon’s image appears on the video screen. Such video duets have become common at recent concerts, although they’re usually deployed for things like guest raps and moments like Elton John and Dua Lipa’s recent duet on “Cold Heart.” However, this creative use of the tactic is a new peak.McCartney revealed that Jackson had isolated the vocals after getting the idea of having Lennon “sing” along with the live band, as reported by Rolling Stone.

Opening night has arrived for Daniel Craig and Ruth Negga‘s Broadway production of Macbeth!

Elsa Keslassy International CorrespondentGerman actor Oliver Masucci and French star Fanny Ardant have joined the cast of Roman Polanski’s new movie “The Palace,” which will surely be a subject of controversy at the Cannes Film Festival where distribution rights are being sold.The ensemble drama, which had already cast Mickey Rourke, will be headlined by Masucci, the German actor who appeared in “Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore” and the Netflix series “Dark,” and Ardant, the esteemed French star of “La Belle Epoque” and “8 Women.” Budgeted at €13 million ($13.9 million), the movie is currently shooting on location in Gstaad, Switzerland, and is being sold by Wild Bunch International, the powerhouse behind several movies competing at Cannes, notably Arnaud Desplechin’s “Brother and Sister,” Claire Denis’s “Stars at Noon” and the opening night film “Final Cut” from Michel Hazanavicius. The key crew includes Oscar-winning music composer Alexandre Desplat, along with Polanski’s regular cinematographer Pawel Edelman, who previously worked with Polanski on “An Officer and a Spy,” “The Pianist,” “Oliver Twist” and “The Ghost Writer,” as well as set designer Monica Sironi (“Volare”).“The Palace” is produced by Luca Barbareschi at Eliseo Entertainment company, and co-produced by CAB Productions in Switzerland and Lucky Bob in Poland.Penned by Polanski and Jerzy Skolimowski, the movie takes place at a palace in Gstaad on New Year’s Eve in 1999.

The Cannes Film Festival said Monday that it backs the decision by French filmmaker Michel Hazanavicius to change the name of his film, which originally carried the title Z (Comme Z) and will open the 75th edition of the festival next month.

Elsa Keslassy International CorrespondentMichel Hazanavicius’s zombie comedy “Z (Comme Z),” which is set to open the Cannes Film Festival next month, has been renamed “Coupé” in France.The decision to change the movie’s French title follows a letter from the Ukrainian Institute to the director and the Cannes Film Festival, as revealed by Variety, pointing out that “Z” is a pro-war symbol of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and had been used in pro-Russian demonstrations across Europe.The letter from the Ukrainian org, which was signed by its managing director Volodymyr Sheiko, said that changing the film’s title would be a “gesture against the barbarity, violence and terror of the Russian army.”In a statement on Monday, Hazanavicius said he will rename the movie “due to the symbolic charge that the letter Z has gained … and following the plea by Ukrainian filmmakers. “The title was perhaps funny when [I] completed the film several months ago but it isn’t at all today and I can’t bear it,” he added.“My film is meant to bring joy and I wouldn’t want it to be associated in any shape or form to this war.

Rebel Wilson is stepping out for a good cause.

Elsa Keslassy International CorrespondentMemento International has boarded “Falcon Lake,” the feature debut of Quebec-born artist and actor Charlotte Le Bon which will world premiere at Cannes’ Directors’ Fortnight. Penned by Le Bon, François Choquet and Karim Boucherka, “Falcon Lake” is adapted from Bastien Vivès’s graphic novel “A Sister.” The story follows Bastien, a 13-year old boy who moves with his family from Paris to a lakeside chalet in Quebec where he bonds in an unexpected way with Chloé, 16.

Selome Hailu George Lopez and Mayan Lopez’s NBC comedy pilot “Lopez vs. Lopez” has cast Laci Mosley and Kiran Deol in recurring roles and set Kelly Park to direct, Variety has learned exclusively.The multi-cam pilot starring the Lopezes is described as a working-class family comedy about dysfunction, reconnection and all the pain and joy in between.Mosley will play Brookie, Mayan’s co-worker and best friend who always knows what’s trending (and sometimes it’s her feet pics).

Affleck, who will also direct the film, will play Nike co-founder Phil Knight while Damon will play the shoe company’s marketing chief Sonny Vacarro, who oversaw the deal with Jordan. Introduced in 1984 during Jordan’s rookie season with the Chicago Bulls, Nike’s Air Jordan sneakers became arguably the most iconic sneaker brand ever made and paved the way for the contemporary sneaker industry with athlete endorsements.

Swedish director Ruben Östlund is returning to the Cannes Film Festival with “Triangle of Sadness,” a new fashion world social satire starring Harris Dickinson, Charlbi Dean, and Woody Harrelson. Last week, the film was among those announced as part of the competition entries in the 75th-anniversary edition of the festival.

Michel Hazanavicius‘ horror-comedy, “Z (Comme Z)” (known as “Final Cut” in the U.S. thus far), was supposed to premiere at the Sundance Film Festival, but when things when virtual, sale agents Wild Bunch International pulled the film from the festival.

Barry Manilow's musical, , has just been dealt a major setback. The 78-year-old singer revealed that he has tested positive for COVID-19, forcing him to cancel the show's opening night in New York City — something he said he's been waiting for for 25 years.«I am heartbroken to say that I have just tested positive for COVID-19 and won’t be able to attend tonight’s opening night performance of my new musical, ,» Manilow began in a statement shared with ET.