Zeitgeist Films & Kino Lorber Acquire Rights To Eva Vitija’s Doc ‘Loving Highsmith’ About ‘Carol’ And ‘The Talented Mr. Ripley’ Author

Manori Ravindran International EditorA documentary on counterculture icon and environmentalist Stewart Brand will get a U.S. release via Greenwich Entertainment.The indie distributor has bought the long-gestating “We Are As Gods,” from the directors of the 2017 Bill Nye documentary “Bill Nye: Science Guy,” David Alvarado and Jason Sussman. The documentary, which premiered at SXSW in 2021, will be released in New York and Los Angeles on Aug.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorThe BET Awards are officially a celebration of “Black excellence,” and Sunday night’s show featured blockbuster performances from Lizzo, Mariah Carey, Latto, Jack Harlow (who was joined by Brandy and Lil Wayne) and an elaborate tribute to Lifetime Achievement honoree Sean “Diddy” Combs that included an unannounced in-person speech from Kanye West.But for the second time in three years, the show coincided with galvanizing events in the United States: In 2020, it was George Floyd’s murder at the hands of Minneapolis police and the ensuing the Black Lives Matter protests, and this year it was the Supreme Court’s polarizing overturn of Roe v. Wade and the impending loss of a woman’s right to choose in many states in the country.

The film was acclaimed for its rich visual style of sensual cinematography that never feels vulgar or exploitative of the couple in question. It can be seen plainly in the trailer, which shows Hermes and Betta passionately kissing inside a pink bathroom filled with balloons, a parade of bodies in lingerie on a runway and one man even trying on a black g-string.

Camille Vasquez’s inspiring story might be appearing on the big screen soon! The lawyer was recently interviewed by Access Hollywood’s Mario Lopez, and she revealed she would like to have Eva Longoria portraying her in a potential film or TV series.The fan-favorite lawyer, who is now paving the way for the new generation of Latinas, talked with HOLA! USA about the importance of having family support during her professional career.Now it seems like Camille might be having her story being told in Hollywood, with Lopez asking her about who she thinks would be a great fit to play her role.“I think I should leave that to the casting directors, they get paid a lot of money to do that,” Camille laughed, before mentioning some of her favorite Latina actresses.“I don’t know some wonderful Latina actress that.. Salma Hayek or Eva Longoria.

Killing Eve.In a new interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the actor said she was approached to star in the BBC series but rejected the offer due to family commitments in the US.Rudolph said: “But there was no way I was about to move to Europe for months. Like, how?”Sandra Oh, who was cast as Eve Polastri in Killing Eve, went onto win the Golden Globe for Best Actress for the role in 2019.Since Killing Eve began in 2018, Rudolph has starred in numerous films and TV shows, including the role of Judge Gen in The Good Place and voicing various characters in Netflix series Big Mouth.She also starred as Gale in Paul Thomas Anderson film, Licorice Pizza, which won Best Original Screenplay at this year’s BAFTAs.Rudolph’s next role is in Apple TV+ comedy series Loot, alongside Michaela Jae Rodriguez, Joel Kim Booster, Nat Faxon and Ron Funches.

Clayton Gutzmore Civil rights attorney Ben Crump commanded the attention of the audience inside the New World Center Performance Hall in Miami Beach for the kickoff to the 2022 American Black Film Festival on Wed. June 15, where he took the stage to introduce “Civil,” the upcoming Netflix documentary about his life and work.“I keep getting asked, ‘Why did I do this?’ Crump recounted.

Holly Jones Following its world debut at Cannes Directors’ Fortnight this May, Kino Lorber has snagged North American distribution rights to “1976,” a gripping Pinochet-era drama directed by Manuela Martelli.The film is the first feature for Martelli, produced by Chilean writer-directors Omar Zuniga (“The Strong Ones”) and Dominga Sotomayor (“Too Late to Die Young”) for Cinestación, Alejandra Garcia and writer-director Andres Wood (“Violeta Went to Heaven”) for Wood Producciones, and co-produced by Nathalia Videla Peña and Juan Pablo Gugliotta for Argentina’s Magma Cine.“1976” takes place in a small seaside town where Carmen (Aline Kuppenheim) reflects on her life as she transforms from a side-lined housewife into an integral caretaker. Putting her sanity and the values of her peers on the line, she steps further into uncertainty by aiding a weary and wounded opponent to Pinochet’s regime, Elías (Nicolás Sepúlvda), at her priest’s request.

Carson Burton The creative team behind “Gordita Chronicles” are ready to bring change to the small screen.Premiering on June 23 on HBO Max, the semi-autobiographical series from creator and executive producer Claudia Forestieri tells the story of a Dominican family that leaves Santo Domingo for Miami in pursuit of the American Dream. Joining Forestieri in a keynote conversation at Variety‘s Changemakers Summit with editor-at-large Kate Aurthur were executive producers Zoe Saldaña, Eva Longoria and Brigitte Muñoz-Liebowitz, who also serves as showrunner.

EXCLUSIVE: Vertical Entertainment has locked down worldwide rights to the comedy The Donor Party, toplined by Malin Åkerman (Chick Fight), Rob Corddry (The Unicorn), Erinn Hayes (Gaslit) and Jerry O’Connell (Billions). The company’s plans for the recently-wrapped pic’s release have not yet been disclosed.

Elsa Keslassy International CorrespondentMusic Box Films has acquired North American rights to “Rodeo,” the bold feature debut of Lola Quivoron which premiered in Un Certain Regard at Cannes where it won the Coup de Cœur du Jury special prize. Produced by Charles Gillibert (“Annette”) at CG Cinema and represented by Les Films du Losange, “Rodeo” stars newcomer Julie Ledrue a Julia, a hot tempered and fiercely independent young woman who infiltrates an underground dirt bike community in France.After a chance meeting at an urban ‘Rodeo,’ Julia finds herself drawn into a clandestine and volatile clique and striving to prove herself to the ultra-masculine group, but is she is faced with a series of escalating demands that will make or break her place in the community.

Carson Burton Lionsgate and Roadside Attractions have acquired North American rights to “The Good House” from Amblin Partners, in association with Participant. The film will have its U.S.

reported as a docuseries last year, is produced by Clooney and Grant Heslov of Smokehouse Pictures and David C. Glasser of 101 Studios. The documentary will debut on HBO and be available to stream on HBO Max, though no premiere date has been announced.

Wilson Chapman editorA documentary film focusing on the recent sex abuse scandal at Ohio State University has begun production, HBO has announced. The film is based on a 2020 Sports Illustrated cover story written by Jon Wertheim about allegations of sexual abuse that occurred at Ohio State University from 1978 to 1998. The story details how the university’s athletics physician Richard Strauss abused hundreds of male student athletes, mostly on the wrestling and football teams, and how the university swept the abuse under the rug.

Angelique Jackson In its 26th year, the American Black Film Festival (ABFF) is more star-studded than ever, with a robust lineup of Black film and television stars and creators.After two years of COVID-related pivots, the festival returns to South Beach in Miami for a five-day engagement full of special screenings, panel discussions and events celebrating the Black film and television community. Among the talent joining ABFF festival ambassador Issa Rae, who will debut her new HBO Max series “Rap Sh!t” at the festival are Chanté Adams, Yahya Abdul- Mateen II, Kenya Barris, Gina Prince-Bythewood, Ben Crump, Michael Ealy, DeVon Franklin, Kasi Lemmons, Judge Greg Mathis, LisaRaye McCoy, Kyla Pratt, Trevante Rhodes, Kendrick Sampson, Robin Thede, Judge Lynn Toler, Susan Kelechi Watson and Salli Richardson Whitfield, among many others.

Nick Vivarelli International CorrespondentKino Lorber has acquired North American rights to first-time Lebanese director Mounia Akl’s timely drama “Costa Brava, Lebanon,” which launched positively last year from Venice.“Costa Brava” provides an acerbic take on Lebanon’s waste management crisis and its turbulent political landscape and combines the country’s strife with the global climate crisis. The darkly comic drama pairs Oscar-nominated Lebanese star and filmmaker Nadine Labaki (“Capernaum”) and Palestinian actor Saleh Bakri (“The Band’s Visit”) as a couple who has moved from Beirut to live idyllically in the mountains, until one day the government decides to build a garbage landfill right beside their house.

EXCLUSIVE: Dekanalog has picked up Streetwise, Anatolian Leopard and Fugue, three buzzy international films.