Update: Bleecker Street has picked up the film for a 2025 release.
Following up Driveways and Fire Island, Andrew Ahn is nearing production on his next feature, a remake of Ang Lee’s The Wedding Banquet. First confirmed to kick off production this May in Vancouver, The Cinemaholic reports the cast features Lily Gladstone, Bowen Yang, Kelly Marie Tran, Joan Chen, and Youn Yuh-jung. James Schamus, who co-wrote and produced the original 1993 rom-com, returned to script with Ahn.
Here’s the synopsis: “The plot revolves around Min, whose marriage proposal is rejected by his boyfriend Chris (Yang). Min then convinces his best friend Angela (Marie Tran) to marry him for his green card and offers to pay for the IVF treatment of the latter’s partner, Liz (Gladstone), in return. Although Min and Angela plan a “subtle city hall elopement,” their lives are turned upside down when the former’s grandmother...
Following up Driveways and Fire Island, Andrew Ahn is nearing production on his next feature, a remake of Ang Lee’s The Wedding Banquet. First confirmed to kick off production this May in Vancouver, The Cinemaholic reports the cast features Lily Gladstone, Bowen Yang, Kelly Marie Tran, Joan Chen, and Youn Yuh-jung. James Schamus, who co-wrote and produced the original 1993 rom-com, returned to script with Ahn.
Here’s the synopsis: “The plot revolves around Min, whose marriage proposal is rejected by his boyfriend Chris (Yang). Min then convinces his best friend Angela (Marie Tran) to marry him for his green card and offers to pay for the IVF treatment of the latter’s partner, Liz (Gladstone), in return. Although Min and Angela plan a “subtle city hall elopement,” their lives are turned upside down when the former’s grandmother...
- 4/25/2024
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
2023 edition of international finance forum adds episodic content to line-up.
Canadian 2Slgbtq+ film festival Inside Out has unveiled 11 projects to participate in this weekend’s seventh annual international finance forum, which is moving ahead after the end of the Hollywood strikes.
The two-day forum had been scheduled to run during Inside Out’s flagship festival in Toronto in May and now takes place from November 17-18.
The agenda includes in-person conversations and interactive panel discussions with queer filmmakers and producers, as well as one-on-one meetings with executives, and roundtable sessions on co-producing with Canada, and entertainment law and music rights.
Canadian 2Slgbtq+ film festival Inside Out has unveiled 11 projects to participate in this weekend’s seventh annual international finance forum, which is moving ahead after the end of the Hollywood strikes.
The two-day forum had been scheduled to run during Inside Out’s flagship festival in Toronto in May and now takes place from November 17-18.
The agenda includes in-person conversations and interactive panel discussions with queer filmmakers and producers, as well as one-on-one meetings with executives, and roundtable sessions on co-producing with Canada, and entertainment law and music rights.
- 11/17/2023
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
It’s been quite a week for filmmaker Andrew Ahn.
On Wednesday, his Hulu film Fire Island earned an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Television Movie, and on Thursday night at the opening of Outfest he received the Lgbtqia+ festival’s Outfest Achievement Award, recognizing a body of work that includes Fire Island, Driveways (2019), and Spa Night (2016).
The festival called Ahn “a beloved member of the Outfest family” and “a champion of promoting diversity in the arts by mentoring youth filmmakers through programs like our OutSet program, among many others.”
“It’s cool,” Ahn told Deadline of the Outfest honor. “It feels a little early in my career. I legit tried to turn it down when [Outfest director of programming] Mike Dougherty emailed me about it, but they were very supportive and effusive that this was my time. I’m so thankful because Outfest was a big part of my coming of age as a filmmaker.
On Wednesday, his Hulu film Fire Island earned an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Television Movie, and on Thursday night at the opening of Outfest he received the Lgbtqia+ festival’s Outfest Achievement Award, recognizing a body of work that includes Fire Island, Driveways (2019), and Spa Night (2016).
The festival called Ahn “a beloved member of the Outfest family” and “a champion of promoting diversity in the arts by mentoring youth filmmakers through programs like our OutSet program, among many others.”
“It’s cool,” Ahn told Deadline of the Outfest honor. “It feels a little early in my career. I legit tried to turn it down when [Outfest director of programming] Mike Dougherty emailed me about it, but they were very supportive and effusive that this was my time. I’m so thankful because Outfest was a big part of my coming of age as a filmmaker.
- 7/14/2023
- by Matthew Carey
- Deadline Film + TV
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will be launching 10 new scientific and technical investigations in 2023. The investigations will be completed by an Academy committee ahead of the upcoming Scientific and Technical Awards on Feb. 23, 2024.
Investigations currently underway cover the following areas: onboard remote driving apparatus; reusable cable-cutting devices for motion picture squibs; post-process depth of field software; mathematically lossless encoding of motion picture camera raw files; motor-stabilized motion picture camera support systems for hand/body-supported operation; interactive renderers that provide a representative approximation of final offline renders during post-production; volumetric surface reconstruction; pattern-based 3D clothing creation software; layerable hierarchical 3D scene description frameworks; and digital image processing film restoration software utilized for theatrical re-release and archival preservation.
Individuals and companies with devices or claims of innovation that fall under the umbrella of any of these categories are welcomed by the Academy to submit their achievements for review. The...
Investigations currently underway cover the following areas: onboard remote driving apparatus; reusable cable-cutting devices for motion picture squibs; post-process depth of field software; mathematically lossless encoding of motion picture camera raw files; motor-stabilized motion picture camera support systems for hand/body-supported operation; interactive renderers that provide a representative approximation of final offline renders during post-production; volumetric surface reconstruction; pattern-based 3D clothing creation software; layerable hierarchical 3D scene description frameworks; and digital image processing film restoration software utilized for theatrical re-release and archival preservation.
Individuals and companies with devices or claims of innovation that fall under the umbrella of any of these categories are welcomed by the Academy to submit their achievements for review. The...
- 7/13/2023
- by Jazz Tangcay, Charna Flam, Sophia Scorziello and McKinley Franklin
- Variety Film + TV
This month sees the theatrical release of the documentary about Midnight Cowboy that made the festival circuit last year. At the same time, a new doc about another controversial gay-themed movie has its world premiere at Tribeca. Chasing Chasing Amy will also close next month’s Outfest in Los Angeles. This picture has a backstory as fascinating as the tale told in Kevin Smith’s 1997 romantic dramedy, Chasing Amy.
Filmmaker Sav Rodgers, a transgender man, recounts his own obsession with Kevin Smith’s movie, which played a crucial role in his coming out and later transitioning. Rodgers grew up in Kansas and, like many gay teenagers, felt like a freak and outsider in a conservative community. When he saw Chasing Amy on video, it was his first exposure to a proud lesbian character (played by Joey Lauren Adams), who eventually has a love affair with a male comic book artist...
Filmmaker Sav Rodgers, a transgender man, recounts his own obsession with Kevin Smith’s movie, which played a crucial role in his coming out and later transitioning. Rodgers grew up in Kansas and, like many gay teenagers, felt like a freak and outsider in a conservative community. When he saw Chasing Amy on video, it was his first exposure to a proud lesbian character (played by Joey Lauren Adams), who eventually has a love affair with a male comic book artist...
- 6/9/2023
- by Stephen Farber
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Showing Up star Hong Chau couldn’t imagine shooting another film directly after the emotional roller-coaster of The Whale, but she’s grateful that Kelly Reichardt persisted, anyway.
In Reichardt’s newest film that revolves around the Portland art scene, the Oscar-nominated Chau plays Jo, an accomplished, extroverted artist whose celebrated installations have made her the pride and joy of Oregon College of Art and Craft. Michelle Williams’ Lizzy, who helps her mother (Maryann Plunkett) run the school, is a former classmate of Jo’s and now lives in her shadow as both an artist and as her tenant. Lizzy, being more a low-key sculptor, is the polar opposite of Jo in that she’s quite introverted, but she’s actually the character who Chau could identify with most.
“That’s what’s so funny. I’m totally more of a Lizzy than I am a Jo,” Chau tells The Hollywood Reporter.
In Reichardt’s newest film that revolves around the Portland art scene, the Oscar-nominated Chau plays Jo, an accomplished, extroverted artist whose celebrated installations have made her the pride and joy of Oregon College of Art and Craft. Michelle Williams’ Lizzy, who helps her mother (Maryann Plunkett) run the school, is a former classmate of Jo’s and now lives in her shadow as both an artist and as her tenant. Lizzy, being more a low-key sculptor, is the polar opposite of Jo in that she’s quite introverted, but she’s actually the character who Chau could identify with most.
“That’s what’s so funny. I’m totally more of a Lizzy than I am a Jo,” Chau tells The Hollywood Reporter.
- 4/7/2023
- by Brian Davids
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Darren Aronofsky's 2022 film "The Whale" has been described as "problematic" by many of its critics. "Problematic" is a word that is more or less the same as "offensive," only amended with smaller, positive qualities lurking therein. Overall, the film's treatment of obesity is badly handled, and its themes are misguided; it's clearly a story of depression and homophobia, but Aronofsky seems to think it's about obesity. Perhaps there is a great, compassionate version of "The Whale" in a parallel universe somewhere, but we certainly didn't get it in ours.
The above-mentioned positive qualities come from the film's performances. Brendan Fraser won an Academy Award for playing the self-hating writing teacher Charlie, and Hong Chau was nominated for her role as Liz, Charlie's nurse and one of his only friends. Indeed, Liz is the only person in Charlie's life that seems to like him, including Charlie. Chau's performance lends...
The above-mentioned positive qualities come from the film's performances. Brendan Fraser won an Academy Award for playing the self-hating writing teacher Charlie, and Hong Chau was nominated for her role as Liz, Charlie's nurse and one of his only friends. Indeed, Liz is the only person in Charlie's life that seems to like him, including Charlie. Chau's performance lends...
- 4/2/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Last year, four out of the five nominees for the Best TV Movie Emmy had their only nomination in that one category including the eventual winner, “Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers.” The only nominee to get recognized in another category was “Zoey’s Extraordinary Christmas,” which scored a bid for Best Choreography for a Scripted Series. Hulu’s raunchy gay rom-com “Fire Island” will be looking to see if it can get into more than one category this year and there’s a solid chance it will nab multiple Emmy nominations.
A promising sign the film could get into the Best TV Movie category was its recent nomination at the Producer’s Guild of America Awards for Best Streamed or Televised Movie. There is much overlap between the voting memberships of the PGA and the TV academy, with two of last year’s guild nominees — “Robin Roberts Presents: Mahalia” and “Oslo...
A promising sign the film could get into the Best TV Movie category was its recent nomination at the Producer’s Guild of America Awards for Best Streamed or Televised Movie. There is much overlap between the voting memberships of the PGA and the TV academy, with two of last year’s guild nominees — “Robin Roberts Presents: Mahalia” and “Oslo...
- 3/31/2023
- by Charles Bright
- Gold Derby
I have been tracking producer Sol Bondy since 2016 when co-production The Happiest Day in the Life of Ölli Mäki won the Un Certain Regard Grand Prize and the European Film Award for Best Debut. He and Fred Burle have been developing The Girl from Köln (aka Köln 75) with writer-director Ido Fluk, the filmmaker behind 2016 Tribeca selection The Ticket since 2019. "This project has been very close to our hearts in the last few years and we're very excited with the way it's been shaped so far," said Bondy, a Variety Producer to Watch in 2018. "It's been such a joy working with Ido on this exciting story and we're thrilled to have put an amazing team together," added Burle, Brazilian born producer who was just made a partner in One Two Films, alongside co-founders Sol Bondy and Christoph Lange. Burle joined One Two in January 2017, having graduated from the German Film and Television Academy (dffb) the previous year. He has previously worked as a film critic, at The Match Factory, and as curator of the inaugural dffb film festival. One Two Films has produced and co-produced award-winning films such as Holy Spider (Read my blog about it here), Vadim Perelman's Persian Lessons (Read my blog about it here), Jennifer Fox's Sundance breakout The Tale, Isabel Coixet's The Bookshop and Juho Kuosmanen's The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Mäki.Other titles in the pipeline include Hafsteinn Gunnar Sigurdsson's dark comedy Northern Comfort, which premieres in SXSW later this month, Annemarie Jacir's survival drama The Oblivion Theory, Sarah Arnold's debut feature Wild Encounters and Michiel ten Horn's romantic comedy Any Other Night. In Berlin this year it was announced that Bankside would be The Girl from Köln's international sales agent and was launching sales. Alamode Film already has German-speaking territories and is a coproducer, who have very recently secured funding through the Fff, the local fund in Bavaria. It is in early pre-production and will shoot this year in Poland and Germany. The Girl from Köln tells the little-known story of Vera Brandes, who, in 1975, at the age of 17, staged the famous Köln Concert by jazz musician Keith Jarrett, which became the top-selling jazz solo album of all time. With Polish Film Institute backing, Oscar-winning Polish producer Ewa Puszczynska (Ida, Cold War) of Extreme Emotions is co-producing along with Annegret Weitkämper-Krug of Germany's Gretchenfilm (Seneca). Oscar nominee and Emmy winner Oren Moverman (Love & Mercy, Bad Education) serves as executive producer. Moverman also produced Fluk's previous feature, The Ticket. The Tale writer-director Jennifer Fox also serves as executive producer. Stephen Kelliher and Sophie Green executive produce for Bankside. It stars Mala Emde (Skin Deep, And Tomorrow the Entire World) in the lead role, alongside John Magaro (Past Lives) as Jarrett. Magaro was also in Cannes last year with Kelly Reichardt's competition title Showing Up.Other cast attached include Alexander Scheer (Rabiye Kurnaz vs. George W. Bush), Ulrich Tukur (The Life of Others), Susanne Wolff (Sisi & I, Styx), Jördis Triebel (Dark), Jan Bülow (Lindenberg) and Marie-Lou Sellem (Tar, Exit Marrakesh). The NYU-graduate Fluk was dubbed "a talent to watch" by Variety following his feature debut Never Too Late, the first crowd-sourced Israeli film ever made. His American debut, the Tribeca competition selection, The Ticket, starred Dan Stevens and Malin Akerman. Upcoming projects include 24 Hours in June, a retelling of the final day in the life of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg who were convicted of spying on behalf of the Soviet Union, to be produced by Academy Award winner James Schamus (Brokeback Mountain) and Joe Pirro (Driveways). Fluk is repped by Amotz Zakai, Amy Schiffman, and Kegan Schell at Echo Lake Entertainment. He is also created the recently-announced HBO series Empty Mansions for Fremantle with director Joe Wright (Atonement, Darkest Hour) attached to direct the pilot. "From the moment I heard Vera's story, about how as a high school teenager she organized one of the greatest concerts in history, I knew her story had to be told," said Fluk. "We were immediately exhilarated by Vera Brandes' remarkable female empowerment story. Her strength, courage and sheer belief in herself and the music of Keith Jarrett will entertain and inspire audiences around the world," added Kelliher.
- 3/5/2023
- by Sydney
- Sydney's Buzz
It’s more than prosthetics. More than the comeback. Brendan Fraser’s work as Charlie in Darren Aronofsky’s “The Whale” is a profound performance for the ages. The A-list star that brought us “The Mummy” and “Encino Man” goes above and beyond the calling of an actor, showcasing the vulnerability of a broken, 600-pound man. Like Aronofsky’s resurrection of Mickey Rourke in “The Wrestler” (2008), Fraser delivers one of the best performances of the year. “The Whale” will surely land him an Oscar nomination for best actor.
The drama is a stark, dour examination of regret and addiction, wrapped into the script written by Samuel D. Hunter, who adapts his play of the same name. Distributed by A24, “The Whale” tells the story of Charlie, an obese gay man who reconnects with his estranged 17-year-old daughter Ellie (played by Sadie Sink) after leaving her and her mother for his younger male lover.
The drama is a stark, dour examination of regret and addiction, wrapped into the script written by Samuel D. Hunter, who adapts his play of the same name. Distributed by A24, “The Whale” tells the story of Charlie, an obese gay man who reconnects with his estranged 17-year-old daughter Ellie (played by Sadie Sink) after leaving her and her mother for his younger male lover.
- 9/12/2022
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
This review of “Fire Island” was first published on May 23, 2022.
Jane Austen is cited just seconds into “Fire Island” — and a character later quotes everyone’s favorite “Emma” adaptation, “Clueless” — and this sparkling tale of star-crossed love affairs on a beach vacation treats “romantic” and “comedy” with equal importance. The fact that its entanglements, misunderstandings, and reconciliations occur among an almost entirely all-male cast serves merely to put a new meaning to the “Pride” in “Pride and Prejudice.”
First-time screenwriter Joel Kim Booster establishes a world in which smartphones and written correspondence can co-exist and where two unlikely partners can find each other by virtue of being the only two people for miles around who want to talk about literature. For all the hook-up apps, Charli Xcx remixes, and six-pack abs on display, “Fire Island” is still the kind of movie where arguing about the short fiction of Alice Munro counts as foreplay.
Jane Austen is cited just seconds into “Fire Island” — and a character later quotes everyone’s favorite “Emma” adaptation, “Clueless” — and this sparkling tale of star-crossed love affairs on a beach vacation treats “romantic” and “comedy” with equal importance. The fact that its entanglements, misunderstandings, and reconciliations occur among an almost entirely all-male cast serves merely to put a new meaning to the “Pride” in “Pride and Prejudice.”
First-time screenwriter Joel Kim Booster establishes a world in which smartphones and written correspondence can co-exist and where two unlikely partners can find each other by virtue of being the only two people for miles around who want to talk about literature. For all the hook-up apps, Charli Xcx remixes, and six-pack abs on display, “Fire Island” is still the kind of movie where arguing about the short fiction of Alice Munro counts as foreplay.
- 6/2/2022
- by Alonso Duralde
- The Wrap
Over the last few years Andrew Ahn has cemented himself as one of the most promising talents in American independent cinema. His first feature, the underrated Spa Night, was an incredibly moving and personal look into a closeted Korean-American man’s struggles with his sexuality and the duty he feels towards his family. Ahn’s empathetic sensibilities were further amplified by his follow-up Driveways, which offered a blend of personal and communal specificity. He’s proven his skills as a quiet dramatist, able to convey the burdens and tragedies of life without pivoting over into melodramatic flourishes—a naturalistic world-building reminiscent of Patrick Wang and Kelly Reichardt, though with a gentler, somewhat simpler touch.
This makes Fire Island, his third feature, a particularly interesting pivot. Instead of being another quietly emotional character piece he’s delivered a joyous romantic comedy, filled to the brim with bright colors, broad comedic beats,...
This makes Fire Island, his third feature, a particularly interesting pivot. Instead of being another quietly emotional character piece he’s delivered a joyous romantic comedy, filled to the brim with bright colors, broad comedic beats,...
- 6/2/2022
- by Logan Kenny
- The Film Stage
Though Jane Austen only wrote one of them, there are actually a few truths universally acknowledged: That a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife, and girls just wanna have fun. To the elite group of authors of pithy maxims, Jane Austen and Cyndi Lauper, we may add a third ingenious scribe: Joel Kim Booster.
The stand-up comedian makes a splashy debut as both a formidable literary force and an appealing leading man in “Fire Island,” his first feature film as screenwriter, and hopefully the first of many. Though the vision was all Booster’s, the love that went into “Fire Island” emanates from every player.
A true ensemble piece, the movie is filled with the joy and camaraderie of that cheesiest of queer epithets — chosen family. But under the Day-Glo sheen of the carless beach town filled with glistening shirtless queers,...
The stand-up comedian makes a splashy debut as both a formidable literary force and an appealing leading man in “Fire Island,” his first feature film as screenwriter, and hopefully the first of many. Though the vision was all Booster’s, the love that went into “Fire Island” emanates from every player.
A true ensemble piece, the movie is filled with the joy and camaraderie of that cheesiest of queer epithets — chosen family. But under the Day-Glo sheen of the carless beach town filled with glistening shirtless queers,...
- 6/2/2022
- by Jude Dry
- Indiewire
While queer comedians have been the hottest thing in stand-up for the last decade, it’s no secret that Hollywood is always the last one to get the joke.
As the likes of Kate McKinnon, Billy Eichner, and Bowen Yang ascended from New York’s musty improv theaters to the casts of “Saturday Night Live” and Disney remakes, the last decade has brought a remarkable shift in not only queer visibility but something far more substantial — queer influence. Queer TV shows like “The Other Two,” “Search Party,” and “Schitt’s Creek” reflect this sea change, but so far movies have been much slower on the uptake.
That all changes this year, with the release of two mainstream comedy movies from gay writers who also star in their projects. While Eichner’s major studio rom-com “Bros” is set to hit theaters in September, Joel Kim Booster’s “Fire Island” opens Pride month...
As the likes of Kate McKinnon, Billy Eichner, and Bowen Yang ascended from New York’s musty improv theaters to the casts of “Saturday Night Live” and Disney remakes, the last decade has brought a remarkable shift in not only queer visibility but something far more substantial — queer influence. Queer TV shows like “The Other Two,” “Search Party,” and “Schitt’s Creek” reflect this sea change, but so far movies have been much slower on the uptake.
That all changes this year, with the release of two mainstream comedy movies from gay writers who also star in their projects. While Eichner’s major studio rom-com “Bros” is set to hit theaters in September, Joel Kim Booster’s “Fire Island” opens Pride month...
- 6/1/2022
- by Jude Dry
- Indiewire
Berlin-based One Two Films, in Cannes this week with Ali Abbasi’s competition title “Holy Spider,” is prepping a new feature from writer-director Ido Fluk, the filmmaker behind 2016 Tribeca selection “The Ticket.”
“Köln 75” tells the true story of Vera Brandes, who, in 1975 and at the age of 17, staged the famous Köln Concert by jazz musician Keith Jarrett, which became the top-selling jazz solo album of all time. It stars Mala Emde (“And Tomorrow the Entire World”) in the lead role, alongside John Magaro (“First Cow”) as Jarrett. Magaro is also in Cannes with Kelly Reichardt’s competition title “Showing Up.”
Oscar-winning Polish producer Ewa Puszczynska of Extreme Emotions will co-produce, with Oscar nominee and Emmy winner Oren Moverman serving as executive producer. Moverman also produced Fluk’s previous feature, “The Ticket.”
Other cast attached include Alexander Scheer (“Rabiye Kurnaz vs. George W. Bush”), Ulrich Tukur (“The Life of Others”), Susanne Wolff...
“Köln 75” tells the true story of Vera Brandes, who, in 1975 and at the age of 17, staged the famous Köln Concert by jazz musician Keith Jarrett, which became the top-selling jazz solo album of all time. It stars Mala Emde (“And Tomorrow the Entire World”) in the lead role, alongside John Magaro (“First Cow”) as Jarrett. Magaro is also in Cannes with Kelly Reichardt’s competition title “Showing Up.”
Oscar-winning Polish producer Ewa Puszczynska of Extreme Emotions will co-produce, with Oscar nominee and Emmy winner Oren Moverman serving as executive producer. Moverman also produced Fluk’s previous feature, “The Ticket.”
Other cast attached include Alexander Scheer (“Rabiye Kurnaz vs. George W. Bush”), Ulrich Tukur (“The Life of Others”), Susanne Wolff...
- 5/20/2022
- by Christopher Vourlias
- Variety Film + TV
On Monday, Hulu released the first official trailer for their upcoming queer romantic comedy film “Fire Island,” directed by Andrew Ahn, who previously directed the 2019 film “Driveways.”
“Fire Island” was written by Joel Kim Booster who also stars in the film as Noah. A modern take on the classic Jane Austen novel “Pride and Prejudice,” “Fire Island” is, according to Hulu, “an unapologetic, modern-day rom-com showcasing a diverse, multicultural examination of queerness and romance. Inspired by the timeless pursuits from Jane Austen’s classic ‘Pride and Prejudice’ the story centers around two best friends (Joel Kim Booster and Bowen Yang) who set out to have a legendary summer adventure with the help of cheap rosé and their cadre of eclectic friends.”
The film stars Booster, Bowen Yang, Margaret Cho, Conrad Ricamora, James Scully, Matt Rogers, and Nick Adams. It was produced by John Hodges, Brooke Posch, and Tony Hernandez under the Jax Media banner.
“Fire Island” was written by Joel Kim Booster who also stars in the film as Noah. A modern take on the classic Jane Austen novel “Pride and Prejudice,” “Fire Island” is, according to Hulu, “an unapologetic, modern-day rom-com showcasing a diverse, multicultural examination of queerness and romance. Inspired by the timeless pursuits from Jane Austen’s classic ‘Pride and Prejudice’ the story centers around two best friends (Joel Kim Booster and Bowen Yang) who set out to have a legendary summer adventure with the help of cheap rosé and their cadre of eclectic friends.”
The film stars Booster, Bowen Yang, Margaret Cho, Conrad Ricamora, James Scully, Matt Rogers, and Nick Adams. It was produced by John Hodges, Brooke Posch, and Tony Hernandez under the Jax Media banner.
- 4/25/2022
- by Caillou Pettis
- Gold Derby
Hulu has released the first trailer for the new queer rom-com “Fire Island,” starring Joel Kim Booster and “Saturday Night Live” star Bowen Yang.
A modern take on the classic Jane Austen novel “Pride and Prejudice,” “Fire Island” focuses on two gay best friends, Noah (Booster) and Howie (Yang), who take a trip to the Pines, a hamlet on New York’s Fire Island that’s a hotspot for queer culture. Over the course of their vacation, they party with friends and develop flirtations with two other, significantly wealthier vacationers, Will (Conrad Ricamora) and Charlie (James Scully). The film also features Yang’s longtime “Las Culturistas” podcast co-host Matt Rogers, Margaret Cho, Nick Adams, Tomás Matos and Torian Miller in supporting roles.
Variety broke the news of the film in June last year. Booster wrote the script for the film, which is directed by Andrew Ahn, the filmmaker behind critically...
A modern take on the classic Jane Austen novel “Pride and Prejudice,” “Fire Island” focuses on two gay best friends, Noah (Booster) and Howie (Yang), who take a trip to the Pines, a hamlet on New York’s Fire Island that’s a hotspot for queer culture. Over the course of their vacation, they party with friends and develop flirtations with two other, significantly wealthier vacationers, Will (Conrad Ricamora) and Charlie (James Scully). The film also features Yang’s longtime “Las Culturistas” podcast co-host Matt Rogers, Margaret Cho, Nick Adams, Tomás Matos and Torian Miller in supporting roles.
Variety broke the news of the film in June last year. Booster wrote the script for the film, which is directed by Andrew Ahn, the filmmaker behind critically...
- 4/25/2022
- by Wilson Chapman
- Variety Film + TV
The Sundance Institute has announced the 13 writers selected for its 2022 Screenwriters Intensive.
Now in its 10th year, the Screenwriters Intensive is an annual two-day workshop that invites emerging creatives from historically marginalized backgrounds to develop their first full-length feature film scripts under the guidance of the Institute’s Feature Film Program. The workshop is led by Michelle Satter, the founding senior director of the Sundance Institute’s Artist Programs, as well as Ilyse McKimmie, the deputy director of the Feature Film Program.
“We’re thrilled to be bringing together such a dynamic and memorable group of storytellers developing work with bold vision and unique, necessary perspectives,” McKimmie said in a statement. “We look forward to continuing our creative and strategic support of them as they develop their debut features, and we’re excited to welcome them into the vibrant community of Sundance artists.”
The fellows selected for this year are:
Marissa Chibás,...
Now in its 10th year, the Screenwriters Intensive is an annual two-day workshop that invites emerging creatives from historically marginalized backgrounds to develop their first full-length feature film scripts under the guidance of the Institute’s Feature Film Program. The workshop is led by Michelle Satter, the founding senior director of the Sundance Institute’s Artist Programs, as well as Ilyse McKimmie, the deputy director of the Feature Film Program.
“We’re thrilled to be bringing together such a dynamic and memorable group of storytellers developing work with bold vision and unique, necessary perspectives,” McKimmie said in a statement. “We look forward to continuing our creative and strategic support of them as they develop their debut features, and we’re excited to welcome them into the vibrant community of Sundance artists.”
The fellows selected for this year are:
Marissa Chibás,...
- 3/2/2022
- by Wilson Chapman
- Variety Film + TV
“Saturday Night Live” actor Bowen Yang and stand-up comedian Joel Kim Booster will star in a modern romantic comedy called “Fire Island” set at Searchlight Pictures.
Andrew Ahn, the director behind the acclaimed indie “Driveways,” is directing the “unapologetic” feature that’s inspired by Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice.”
“Fire Island” is set in the iconic Fire Island Pines and centers around two best friends who set out to have a legendary week-long summer vacation at the gay mecca with the help of cheap rosé and a cadre of eclectic friends.
Booster also wrote the original screenplay. Filming will begin this summer in both New York City and Fire Island. Searchlight will release the film as a Hulu Original in the U.S. and on Star through Disney+ internationally.
Jax Media, the team behind “Russian Doll” and “Search Party,” is producing the film, with John Hodges, Brooke Posch and Tony Hernandez serving as producers.
Andrew Ahn, the director behind the acclaimed indie “Driveways,” is directing the “unapologetic” feature that’s inspired by Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice.”
“Fire Island” is set in the iconic Fire Island Pines and centers around two best friends who set out to have a legendary week-long summer vacation at the gay mecca with the help of cheap rosé and a cadre of eclectic friends.
Booster also wrote the original screenplay. Filming will begin this summer in both New York City and Fire Island. Searchlight will release the film as a Hulu Original in the U.S. and on Star through Disney+ internationally.
Jax Media, the team behind “Russian Doll” and “Search Party,” is producing the film, with John Hodges, Brooke Posch and Tony Hernandez serving as producers.
- 6/30/2021
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
Bowen Yang and Joel Kim Booster are set to star in “Fire Island,” a romantic comedy from “Spa Night” director Andrew Ahn.
Described as a modern day take on Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice,” the film will center on two best friends embarking on a weeklong vacation to Fire Island — the historic gay escape off the southern shore of Long Island — with the help of cheap rosé and a cadre of eclectic friends.
The project is set up at Searchlight, and will release exclusively on Hulu in the U.S. Globally, the film will stream on Disney Plus under the Star brand.
Jax Media (“Russian Doll”) is producing the project. Ahn will direct from an original feature script by Booster. Shooting will commence this August on Fire Island and in New York City. John Hodges, Brooke Posch and Tony Hernandez will serve as producers for Jax, with Chan Phung...
Described as a modern day take on Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice,” the film will center on two best friends embarking on a weeklong vacation to Fire Island — the historic gay escape off the southern shore of Long Island — with the help of cheap rosé and a cadre of eclectic friends.
The project is set up at Searchlight, and will release exclusively on Hulu in the U.S. Globally, the film will stream on Disney Plus under the Star brand.
Jax Media (“Russian Doll”) is producing the project. Ahn will direct from an original feature script by Booster. Shooting will commence this August on Fire Island and in New York City. John Hodges, Brooke Posch and Tony Hernandez will serve as producers for Jax, with Chan Phung...
- 6/30/2021
- by Matt Donnelly
- Variety Film + TV
One of the great American filmmakers is filling out the cast of her next film. After it was announced the Kelly Reichardt would be reteaming with longtime collaborator Michelle Williams and her First Cow star John Magaro for her new film Showing Up, the rest of the ensemble has been unveiled.
Deadline reports André Benjamin aka André 3000, recently seen in High Life, is continuing to rack up his arthouse cred, alongside Hong Chau, who gave a stellar supporting turn in Driveways last year, Judd Hirsch, Maryann Plunkett, Heather Lawless, Amanda Plummer, and past Reichardt collaborators Larry Fessenden and James Le Gros. The A24 production begins shooting shortly in Portland.
Written by Reichardt and longtime collaborator Jon Raymond, Showing Up has been described as “a vibrant and sharply funny portrait of an artist on the verge of a career-changing exhibition. As she navigates family, friends, and colleagues in the lead up to her show,...
Deadline reports André Benjamin aka André 3000, recently seen in High Life, is continuing to rack up his arthouse cred, alongside Hong Chau, who gave a stellar supporting turn in Driveways last year, Judd Hirsch, Maryann Plunkett, Heather Lawless, Amanda Plummer, and past Reichardt collaborators Larry Fessenden and James Le Gros. The A24 production begins shooting shortly in Portland.
Written by Reichardt and longtime collaborator Jon Raymond, Showing Up has been described as “a vibrant and sharply funny portrait of an artist on the verge of a career-changing exhibition. As she navigates family, friends, and colleagues in the lead up to her show,...
- 6/16/2021
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Jeff Hiller (Nightcap), Mary Catherine Garrison (Veep), Danny McCarthy (The Ballad of Buster Scruggs) and Mike Hagerty (Brooklyn Nine-Nine) are set as series regulars and Murray Hill (Shortbus) and Jon Hudson Odom (Lovecraft Country) have been tapped for recurring roles in Somebody Somewhere, a comedy starring and executive produced by Patti Cake$ star Bridget Everett. The comedy comes from Hannah Bos (HBO’s High Maintenance), Paul Thureen (Driveways), Carolyn Strauss (HBO’s Chernobyl), Patricia Breen (HBO’s Betty) and The Mighty Mint/Duplass Brothers Productions. The seven-episode series is currently in production in Chicagoland.
Created by Bos and Thureen, Somebody Somewhere is inspired by the life of comedian and singer Everett and is set in her native Kansas. Sam (Everett) is a true Kansan on the surface, but beneath it all, struggles to fit the hometown mold. As she grapples with loss and acceptance, singing is Sam’s saving grace...
Created by Bos and Thureen, Somebody Somewhere is inspired by the life of comedian and singer Everett and is set in her native Kansas. Sam (Everett) is a true Kansan on the surface, but beneath it all, struggles to fit the hometown mold. As she grapples with loss and acceptance, singing is Sam’s saving grace...
- 6/10/2021
- by Denise Petski
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: New York-based firm FilmRise has picked up global distribution rights to drama Broken Diamonds, starring Tony and Grammy-winner Benjamin Platt (Dear Evan Hansen), Lola Kirke (Mozart In The Jungle) and Yvette Nicole Brown (Community).
Produced by La La Land and Sicario backers Black Label Media, the film will get its world premiere tomorrow at the Santa Barbara Film Festival.
Pitch Perfect and Dear Evan Hansen star Platt plays a twenty-something writer who, in the wake of his father’s death, sees his dream of moving to Paris put on hold when he must temporarily take care of his mentally ill sister. Above, we can reveal an image from the film.
Written by Steve Waverly, the movie is based on his true-life story about taking care of his older sister who suffers from schizophrenia. Director is Peter Sattler (Camp X-Ray).
FilmRise will handle all broadcast and digital distribution, both domestically and internationally.
Produced by La La Land and Sicario backers Black Label Media, the film will get its world premiere tomorrow at the Santa Barbara Film Festival.
Pitch Perfect and Dear Evan Hansen star Platt plays a twenty-something writer who, in the wake of his father’s death, sees his dream of moving to Paris put on hold when he must temporarily take care of his mentally ill sister. Above, we can reveal an image from the film.
Written by Steve Waverly, the movie is based on his true-life story about taking care of his older sister who suffers from schizophrenia. Director is Peter Sattler (Camp X-Ray).
FilmRise will handle all broadcast and digital distribution, both domestically and internationally.
- 3/31/2021
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
FX’s upcoming docuseries about the fight for LGBTQ+ civil rights in America, “Pride,” has set its full director slate and lined up a May premiere date at the cable network.
The six-part series, which will begin with the 1950s and work forward through the decades, will see six LGBTQ+ directors explore stories ranging from the FBI surveillance of homosexuals during the 1950s Lavender Scare to the “Culture Wars” of the 1990s and beyond. Civil rights pioneer Bayard Rustin, writer Audre Lord and Senators Tammy Baldwin and Lester Hunt are among those interviewed for the series.
Directors include Tom Kalin (“Swoon”), Andrew Ahn (“Driveways”), Cheryl Dunye (“The Watermelon Woman”), Anthony Caronna and Alex Smith (“Susanne Bartsch: On Top”), Yance Ford (“Strong Island”) and Ro Haber (“Pose”).
The series will premiere with its first three episodes airing back-to-back on May 14. The second half of the series will air the following week...
The six-part series, which will begin with the 1950s and work forward through the decades, will see six LGBTQ+ directors explore stories ranging from the FBI surveillance of homosexuals during the 1950s Lavender Scare to the “Culture Wars” of the 1990s and beyond. Civil rights pioneer Bayard Rustin, writer Audre Lord and Senators Tammy Baldwin and Lester Hunt are among those interviewed for the series.
Directors include Tom Kalin (“Swoon”), Andrew Ahn (“Driveways”), Cheryl Dunye (“The Watermelon Woman”), Anthony Caronna and Alex Smith (“Susanne Bartsch: On Top”), Yance Ford (“Strong Island”) and Ro Haber (“Pose”).
The series will premiere with its first three episodes airing back-to-back on May 14. The second half of the series will air the following week...
- 3/30/2021
- by Reid Nakamura
- The Wrap
Although he occasionally uses a broad brush dipped in primary colors while fashioning his admiring portrait of Bob Zellner, the grandson of a Ku Klux Klansman who improbably evolved into a civil rights activist during the early 1960s, filmmaker Barry Alexander Brown shrewdly and intelligently avoids most of the “white savior” clichés common to such scenarios in “Son of the South.” Based on Zellner’s memoir “The Wrong Side of Murder Creek: A White Southerner in the Freedom Movement,” and available starting Feb. 5 in limited theatrical runs and on digital platforms, Brown’s well-crafted and period-persuasive biopic strikes a dramatically sound and emotionally satisfying balance between the moral awakening of its white protagonist and his relationships with sometimes encouraging, sometimes skeptical Black leaders and foot soldiers.
The movie’s opening minutes indicate just how dangerous it could be for a white Southerner to be viewed as a “race traitor” in the days of segregation,...
The movie’s opening minutes indicate just how dangerous it could be for a white Southerner to be viewed as a “race traitor” in the days of segregation,...
- 2/5/2021
- by Joe Leydon
- Variety Film + TV
The number of films available to Oscar voters in a screening room devoted to the Best Picture category hit the 200 mark on Wednesday, which means that $2.5 million has entered the Academy coffers from films paying $12,500 each to be represented in the screening room.
The members-only Academy Screening Room hit the milestone with the addition of more than a dozen movies this week, including Fisher Stevens’ “Palmer,” Lee Daniels’ “The United States vs. Billie Holiday,” John Lee Hancock’s “The Little Things,” the Russo brothers’ “Cherry,” Josh Trank’s “Capone,” the documentary “Coup 53,” the Studio Ghibli animated film “Earwig and the Witch,” the international films “Funny Boy” and “Bacarau” (neither eligible in the Oscars’ Best International Feature Film category) and some off-the-wall selections, including “Snake White – Love Endures” and “Soorarai Pottru.”
Other late additions to the screening room have included “Minari,” “Promising Young Woman,” “The White Tiger” and “Cherry,” which were not added until January.
The members-only Academy Screening Room hit the milestone with the addition of more than a dozen movies this week, including Fisher Stevens’ “Palmer,” Lee Daniels’ “The United States vs. Billie Holiday,” John Lee Hancock’s “The Little Things,” the Russo brothers’ “Cherry,” Josh Trank’s “Capone,” the documentary “Coup 53,” the Studio Ghibli animated film “Earwig and the Witch,” the international films “Funny Boy” and “Bacarau” (neither eligible in the Oscars’ Best International Feature Film category) and some off-the-wall selections, including “Snake White – Love Endures” and “Soorarai Pottru.”
Other late additions to the screening room have included “Minari,” “Promising Young Woman,” “The White Tiger” and “Cherry,” which were not added until January.
- 1/28/2021
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
What a busy morning! Not only did the National Board of Review announce its winners, the Film Independent Spirit Awards revealed their nominees. It was quite the precursor day, to say the least! Nbr gave their top prize to Spike Lee’s Da 5 Bloods, while the Spirit Awards were led by Eliza Hittman’s Never Rarely Sometimes Always. The former snubbed Promising Young Woman as a film, while citing Carey Mulligan in Best Actress, while the latter gave it three nominations, though also snubbing it in Best Feature. Among completely shut out titles, for one reason or another, we have The Father and News of the World. How much does this mean? Well, it remains to be seen, but it’s certainly good news for those titles cited, while at least a slight concern for those left out in the cold. Read on for all of the nominees and winners…...
- 1/26/2021
- by Joey Magidson
- Hollywoodnews.com
Guatemalan Oscar submission title La Llorona named best foreign language film.
UK stars Riz Ahmed and Carey Mulligan have won top acting awards for Sound Of Metal and Promising Young Woman as the National Board of Review (Nbr) announced its 2020 winners.
Spike Lee was named best director and Da 5 Bloods best film in Tuesday’s (January 26) announcement.
Minari, which earlier in the day picked up six Spirit Award nominations, earned Youn Yuh-jung the best supporting actress gong, and Lee Isaac Chung best screenplay.
Jayro Bustamente’s Guatemalan Oscar submission title La Llorona was named best foreign language film.
Chadwick Boseman...
UK stars Riz Ahmed and Carey Mulligan have won top acting awards for Sound Of Metal and Promising Young Woman as the National Board of Review (Nbr) announced its 2020 winners.
Spike Lee was named best director and Da 5 Bloods best film in Tuesday’s (January 26) announcement.
Minari, which earlier in the day picked up six Spirit Award nominations, earned Youn Yuh-jung the best supporting actress gong, and Lee Isaac Chung best screenplay.
Jayro Bustamente’s Guatemalan Oscar submission title La Llorona was named best foreign language film.
Chadwick Boseman...
- 1/26/2021
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Guatemalan Oscar submission title La Llorona named best foreign language film.
British stars Riz Ahmed and Carey Mulligan won top acting awards for Sound Of Metal and Promising Young Woman as the National Board of Review (Nbr) announced its 2020 winners.
Spike Lee was named best director and Da 5 Bloods best film in Tuesday’s (January 26) announcement.
Minari, which earlier in the day picked up six Spirit Award nominations, earned Youn Yuh-jung the best supporting actress gong, and Lee Isaac Chung best screenplay.
Jayro Bustamente’s Guatemalan Oscar submission title La Llorona was named best foreign language film.
Chadwick Boseman...
British stars Riz Ahmed and Carey Mulligan won top acting awards for Sound Of Metal and Promising Young Woman as the National Board of Review (Nbr) announced its 2020 winners.
Spike Lee was named best director and Da 5 Bloods best film in Tuesday’s (January 26) announcement.
Minari, which earlier in the day picked up six Spirit Award nominations, earned Youn Yuh-jung the best supporting actress gong, and Lee Isaac Chung best screenplay.
Jayro Bustamente’s Guatemalan Oscar submission title La Llorona was named best foreign language film.
Chadwick Boseman...
- 1/26/2021
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Guatemalan Oscar submission title La Llorona named best foreign language film.
British stars Riz Ahmed and Carey Mulligan won top acting awards for Sound Of Metal Promising Young Woman as the National Board of Review announced its 2020 winners.
Spike Lee was named best director and Da 5 Bloods best film in Tuesday’s (January 26) announcement.
Minari, which earlier in the day picked up six Spirit Award nominations, earned Youn Yuh-jung the best supporting actress gong, and Lee Isaac Chung best screenplay. Jayro Bustamente’s Guatemalan Oscar submission title La Llorona was named best foreign language film.
Chadwick Boseman is posthumously...
British stars Riz Ahmed and Carey Mulligan won top acting awards for Sound Of Metal Promising Young Woman as the National Board of Review announced its 2020 winners.
Spike Lee was named best director and Da 5 Bloods best film in Tuesday’s (January 26) announcement.
Minari, which earlier in the day picked up six Spirit Award nominations, earned Youn Yuh-jung the best supporting actress gong, and Lee Isaac Chung best screenplay. Jayro Bustamente’s Guatemalan Oscar submission title La Llorona was named best foreign language film.
Chadwick Boseman is posthumously...
- 1/26/2021
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
The National Board of Review (Nbr) is often one of the first groups to announce its picks for the best films and performances of the year, but the 2020-21 awards season is a season like no other. At this point in the awards season, the Gotham Awards have already declared “Nomadland” the best film of the year, while the NYFCC went with “First Cow” and Lafca chose Steve McQueen’s “Small Axe” anthology series. The Nbr went with ‘Da 5 Bloods’ for 2021. The organization is made up of a group of film enthusiasts, industry professionals, academics, and filmmakers.
Last year, the National Board of Review honored Martin Scorsese’s “The Irishman” with its top prize for Best Film. The gangster drama went on to score 10 Academy Award nominations. Nearly every Nbr winner for Best Film this decade has earned an Oscar nomination for Best Picture, including “The Post,” “Manchester by the Sea,...
Last year, the National Board of Review honored Martin Scorsese’s “The Irishman” with its top prize for Best Film. The gangster drama went on to score 10 Academy Award nominations. Nearly every Nbr winner for Best Film this decade has earned an Oscar nomination for Best Picture, including “The Post,” “Manchester by the Sea,...
- 1/26/2021
- by Zack Sharf
- Indiewire
The National Board of Review selected Spike Lee’s Da 5 Bloods as its best film of 2020 on Tuesday, handing the Netflix drama three honors overall in its annual voting of the year’s best in movies. Lee won best director, and the film also took the ensemble award.
Chadwick Boseman was posthumously honored with with Nbr Icon Award. He featured in Da 5 Bloods in one of his final roles alongside a cast that included Delroy Lindo, Isiah Whitlock Jr, Clarke Peters, Norm Lewis and Jonathan Majors. The pic centers on a close-knit group of Vietnam veterans who return to find the remains of their fallen squad leader and the buried treasure they hid there.
“Da 5 Bloods is not only a unique portrait of the experience and lingering trauma of Black Vietnam War veterans, but also a moving story of enduring friendship, a suspenseful jungle treasure hunt, and...
Chadwick Boseman was posthumously honored with with Nbr Icon Award. He featured in Da 5 Bloods in one of his final roles alongside a cast that included Delroy Lindo, Isiah Whitlock Jr, Clarke Peters, Norm Lewis and Jonathan Majors. The pic centers on a close-knit group of Vietnam veterans who return to find the remains of their fallen squad leader and the buried treasure they hid there.
“Da 5 Bloods is not only a unique portrait of the experience and lingering trauma of Black Vietnam War veterans, but also a moving story of enduring friendship, a suspenseful jungle treasure hunt, and...
- 1/26/2021
- by Patrick Hipes
- Deadline Film + TV
A crippling year for theatrical exhibition, the pandemic-forced shutdowns meant most films weren’t available for viewing in their ideal presentation. However, through the invention and proliferation of Virtual Cinemas as well as festivals going online, it meant more people could get access to films they otherwise wouldn’t have had the opportunity to do so for some time. And with nearly all blockbusters delayed to 2021 or beyond, it meant the more nimble ecosystem of independent and foreign film got the spotlight. Which is to say, there were a few bright points in an otherwise bleak cinematic landscape. So, as we look to hopefully a more promising year, it’s my hope exhibition can survive alongside this more accessible virtual world.
Looking back at the 2020 new releases, there’s a number of films that narrowly missed my top 15, including Dick Johnson Is Dead, The Assistant, Bacurau, Boys State, Minari, Mangrove,...
Looking back at the 2020 new releases, there’s a number of films that narrowly missed my top 15, including Dick Johnson Is Dead, The Assistant, Bacurau, Boys State, Minari, Mangrove,...
- 1/11/2021
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
When Brian Dennehy died this past April at the age of 81, the “Everyman” character actor of extraordinary complexity left behind memorable performances in such films as 1979’s “10,” 1982’s “First Blood,” 1985’s “Cocoon” and “Silverado” and 1990 “Presumed Innocent,” countless TV appearances and gut wrenching, Tony Award-winning turns as Willy Loman in the 1999 revival of Arthur Miller’s “Death of a Salesman” and as James Tyrone in the 2000 revival of Eugene O’Neill’s “Long Day’s Journey Into Night.”
“He was a towering, fearless actor taking on the greatest dramatic roles of the 20th century,” Robert Falls, artistic director of the Goodman Theater in Chicago, told the New York Times. “There were mountains that had to be climbed, and he no problem throwing himself into climbing them.”
Dennehy was nominated for six Emmys including for his terrifying performance as serial killer John Wayne Gacy in the 1992 miniseries “To Catch a Killer” and won...
“He was a towering, fearless actor taking on the greatest dramatic roles of the 20th century,” Robert Falls, artistic director of the Goodman Theater in Chicago, told the New York Times. “There were mountains that had to be climbed, and he no problem throwing himself into climbing them.”
Dennehy was nominated for six Emmys including for his terrifying performance as serial killer John Wayne Gacy in the 1992 miniseries “To Catch a Killer” and won...
- 1/1/2021
- by Susan King
- Gold Derby
Whatever the future holds both for theatrical distribution and for at-home streaming, 2020 will no doubt mark the pivot point in which the destinies of both would forever change. But where and how one sees films will inevitably be less important than the films themselves, and even in this year of turmoil, there was always something to recommend, wherever it was available to be seen.
Notable Runners-Up: “The 40-Year-Old Version,” “Ammonite,” “Another Round,” “And Then We Danced,” “The August Virgin,” “Birds of Prey,” “Da 5 Bloods,” “Emma.,” “The Half of It,” “Happiest Season,” “House of Hummingbird,” “I’m No Longer Here,” “I’m Thinking of Ending Things,” “The Invisible Man,” “Kajillionaire,” “Let Them All Talk,” “Lingua Franca,” “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom,” “Madre,” “Miss Juneteenth,” “The Nest,” “Nomadland,” “One Night in Miami,” “The Photograph,” “The Secret Garden,” “She Dies Tomorrow,” “A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon,” “Shirley,” “Sorry We Missed You,” “Tigertail,” “The Truth,...
Notable Runners-Up: “The 40-Year-Old Version,” “Ammonite,” “Another Round,” “And Then We Danced,” “The August Virgin,” “Birds of Prey,” “Da 5 Bloods,” “Emma.,” “The Half of It,” “Happiest Season,” “House of Hummingbird,” “I’m No Longer Here,” “I’m Thinking of Ending Things,” “The Invisible Man,” “Kajillionaire,” “Let Them All Talk,” “Lingua Franca,” “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom,” “Madre,” “Miss Juneteenth,” “The Nest,” “Nomadland,” “One Night in Miami,” “The Photograph,” “The Secret Garden,” “She Dies Tomorrow,” “A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon,” “Shirley,” “Sorry We Missed You,” “Tigertail,” “The Truth,...
- 12/28/2020
- by Alonso Duralde
- The Wrap
In a year when most films were watched at home, film scores became ambient music by default, and often in a way that may have distracted from the power of their purpose. There weren’t any breakout scores that seemed to take on a life of their own and make their way beyond the small circle of people who actively pay attention to such things; we didn’t get any major new work from stalwarts like Jonny Greenwood, Opn, and Nicholas Britell, while rising stars like the Oscar-winning Ludwig Göransson delivered the most exciting pieces of their careers to empty movie theaters.
And yet, wherever it came from, the best movie music of 2020 arrived like a vital, wordless diary of how it felt to live through the last 12 months — or at least to survive them. Even when they were reduced to mere background noise, some of the year’s standout scores pulsed with inescapable anxiety,...
And yet, wherever it came from, the best movie music of 2020 arrived like a vital, wordless diary of how it felt to live through the last 12 months — or at least to survive them. Even when they were reduced to mere background noise, some of the year’s standout scores pulsed with inescapable anxiety,...
- 12/23/2020
- by David Ehrlich
- Indiewire
Monday, Dec. 21
“First Cow” Declared Best Picture with Florida Film Critics Circle
The Florida Film Critics Circle awarded its top prize to “First Cow,” and the film’s John Magaro also received a nod in the Best Actor category as a runner up.
Current Oscar frontrunner and festival darling “Nomadland” also landed two wins, Best Director for Chloe Zhao and the Best Actress to Frances McDormand.
The complete list of 2020 winners is below:
Best Picture
“First Cow”
Runner up: “Nomadland”/”Trial of the Chicago 7″/”Minari”
Best Actor
Anthony Hopkins, “The Father”
Runner up: John Magaro, “First Cow”
Best Actress
Frances McDormand, “Nomadland”
Runners up: Viola Davis, “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”/Carey Mulligan, “Promising Young Woman”
Best Supporting Actor
Paul Raci, “Sound of Metal”
Runner up: Brian Dennehy; “Driveways”
Best Supporting Actress
Maria Bakalova, “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm”
Runner up: Yuh-Jung Youn, “Minari”
Best Ensemble
“Mangrove”
Runner up: “The Trial of the Chicago 7...
“First Cow” Declared Best Picture with Florida Film Critics Circle
The Florida Film Critics Circle awarded its top prize to “First Cow,” and the film’s John Magaro also received a nod in the Best Actor category as a runner up.
Current Oscar frontrunner and festival darling “Nomadland” also landed two wins, Best Director for Chloe Zhao and the Best Actress to Frances McDormand.
The complete list of 2020 winners is below:
Best Picture
“First Cow”
Runner up: “Nomadland”/”Trial of the Chicago 7″/”Minari”
Best Actor
Anthony Hopkins, “The Father”
Runner up: John Magaro, “First Cow”
Best Actress
Frances McDormand, “Nomadland”
Runners up: Viola Davis, “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”/Carey Mulligan, “Promising Young Woman”
Best Supporting Actor
Paul Raci, “Sound of Metal”
Runner up: Brian Dennehy; “Driveways”
Best Supporting Actress
Maria Bakalova, “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm”
Runner up: Yuh-Jung Youn, “Minari”
Best Ensemble
“Mangrove”
Runner up: “The Trial of the Chicago 7...
- 12/22/2020
- by Jazz Tangcay
- Variety Film + TV
The Boston Society of Film Critics awards is the precursor season “kickoff” for critics awards this year. The New England based group showed tremendous love for Chloé Zhao’s “Nomadland,” which took home three awards for best picture, director and cinematography (Joshua James Richards).
Comprised of 26 film critics and journalists from the Boston city area, it offered a few inspired choices for the year’s favorite films and performances. 21-year-old Sidney Flanigan took the best actress prize for her debut turn in “Never Rarely Sometimes Always” from Eliza Hittman. You have to go back to 2008 when the group rewarded Sally Hawkins’ work in “Happy-Go-Lucky” for a winner that didn’t move on to an Oscar nomination.
Anthony Hopkins won his second career prize from the 39-year-old group in best actor for his outstanding performance in “The Father” from first-time director Florian Zeller, who also won best new filmmaker. Bsfc awarded...
Comprised of 26 film critics and journalists from the Boston city area, it offered a few inspired choices for the year’s favorite films and performances. 21-year-old Sidney Flanigan took the best actress prize for her debut turn in “Never Rarely Sometimes Always” from Eliza Hittman. You have to go back to 2008 when the group rewarded Sally Hawkins’ work in “Happy-Go-Lucky” for a winner that didn’t move on to an Oscar nomination.
Anthony Hopkins won his second career prize from the 39-year-old group in best actor for his outstanding performance in “The Father” from first-time director Florian Zeller, who also won best new filmmaker. Bsfc awarded...
- 12/13/2020
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
The Surrogate, All I Can Say, Driveways also sell.
Ryan Kampe’s Visit Films has announced a slew of deals following the virtual AFM and Ventana Sur markets.
Tribeca selection Lorelei (pictured) starring Pablo Schreiber and Jena Malone, has been sold to HBO Europe for Eastern Europe. A US announcement is imminent on the film.
SXSW drama The Surrogate has gone to Studio Soho Distribution for UK and Ireland and HBO Europe for Eastern Europe, with Starz picking up US cable rights.
The film opened in the US through a virtual theatrical release orchestrated by Visit’s sister company Monument Releasing,...
Ryan Kampe’s Visit Films has announced a slew of deals following the virtual AFM and Ventana Sur markets.
Tribeca selection Lorelei (pictured) starring Pablo Schreiber and Jena Malone, has been sold to HBO Europe for Eastern Europe. A US announcement is imminent on the film.
SXSW drama The Surrogate has gone to Studio Soho Distribution for UK and Ireland and HBO Europe for Eastern Europe, with Starz picking up US cable rights.
The film opened in the US through a virtual theatrical release orchestrated by Visit’s sister company Monument Releasing,...
- 12/7/2020
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
The awards landscape is saturated with multiple voting bodies and critics groups naming their favorite movies of the year. As is tradition, the IFP Gotham Awards will be the first to reveal its nominations on Nov. 12, celebrating its 30th anniversary. In the past, the group has been a viable launching pad for films that have gone on to win best picture at the Oscars such as “Birdman,” “Spotlight” and “Moonlight.” IFP is planning a hybrid show at its usual Cipriani Wall Street venue in January.
With the Covid-19 pandemic decimating the movie industry, the Gotham Awards will take on an even more important role this year in establishing the narrative for a very unusual award season.
“Welcoming everyone back to New York is an important message to send,” IFP executive director Jeff Sharp tells me. “No one is sitting around twiddling their thumbs. It’s a remarkable time to sell...
With the Covid-19 pandemic decimating the movie industry, the Gotham Awards will take on an even more important role this year in establishing the narrative for a very unusual award season.
“Welcoming everyone back to New York is an important message to send,” IFP executive director Jeff Sharp tells me. “No one is sitting around twiddling their thumbs. It’s a remarkable time to sell...
- 11/5/2020
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
Halloween and politics are just two of the major themes onscreen in a month that offers a flood of brand-new movies on streaming services and VOD. October naturally brings its share of pre-Halloween horror movies, even when movie theaters are closed. Hulu released Clive Barker adaptation “Books of Blood,” which features fresh entries in the vein of the scaremeister’s popular short story anthology, and Amazon Prime launches Welcome to the Blumhouse, shrewdly packaging four of the low-budget horror studio’s not-slick-enough-for-theaters picks into a streaming event. The program launches this week with “Black Box” and “The Lie.”
But this isn’t just any October. Weeks before an all-important presidential election, politically engaged filmmakers are swooping in to sway undecided voters. That explains the surprise release of Alex Gibney and company’s “Totally Under Control,” which looks at the failure of the U.S government’s response to the coronavirus pandemic.
But this isn’t just any October. Weeks before an all-important presidential election, politically engaged filmmakers are swooping in to sway undecided voters. That explains the surprise release of Alex Gibney and company’s “Totally Under Control,” which looks at the failure of the U.S government’s response to the coronavirus pandemic.
- 10/9/2020
- by Peter Debruge
- Variety Film + TV
There’s something about the color of a Texas sky that’s virtually impossible to capture on film: cotton-candy pink clouds set against an expanse of lilac blue at sunset, or the warm honey-orange glow that greets the day. Diane Paragas’ “Yellow Rose” reflects those rare hues in a way that tells you the writer-director once called Texas as home, and watching her story of a Filipina teen with a hankering for country music — which must be Paragas’ story too, at least in part — made this former Texan realize there are a lot of colors we don’t see in films about the Lone Star State.
Sure enough, Paragas grew up in Lubbock, Texas, birthplace of Buddy Holly, which is more than six hours from the live-music capital of Austin, although her young heroine lives just half an hour east in the tiny town of Bastrop. “Yellow Rose” was a...
Sure enough, Paragas grew up in Lubbock, Texas, birthplace of Buddy Holly, which is more than six hours from the live-music capital of Austin, although her young heroine lives just half an hour east in the tiny town of Bastrop. “Yellow Rose” was a...
- 10/8/2020
- by Peter Debruge
- Variety Film + TV
The most somber part of the best day of the year — the Oscars — is when the ceremony takes a pause to remember the artists that have left us. This upcoming Academy ceremony will likely be as devastating as ever with the Covid-19 pandemic ravaging our country and industry. One observation as we look ahead to the awards landscape is a larger than usual depth of posthumous artists in the running for an Oscar nomination in several categories. While not all of them may end up coming to fruition, the narrative of the season could surround saying “farewell.”
At this time of writing, it looks as though seven individual artists will be in the running for Academy recognition over several categories. The current record of most posthumous nominations in a single year came in 1991 when Howard Ashman landed three separate song credits for Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast” while the other came from Carol Sobieski,...
At this time of writing, it looks as though seven individual artists will be in the running for Academy recognition over several categories. The current record of most posthumous nominations in a single year came in 1991 when Howard Ashman landed three separate song credits for Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast” while the other came from Carol Sobieski,...
- 10/1/2020
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: James Schamus has committed to direct College Republicans, a fact-inspired Dirty Rotten Scoundrels-style coming of age story about top Republican operatives. Logan Lerman has been set to star as a young Lee Atwater, Asa Butterfield as Karl Rove and Kristine Froseth to play Kate King — a composite character who threatens their dreams of glory.
Wes Jones, a writer/producer in the early seasons of Billions, wrote the script that has first made itself known when it topped the Black List in 2010. Likely Story’s Anthony Bregman, The Black List’s Franklin Leonard, Symbolic Exchange’s Schamus and Likely Story’s Peter Cron are producing. Jones and Ken Friemann are exec producers.
Production will begin next spring or summer and the financing and distribution are mobilizing, with CAA Media Finance arranging the financing and repping distribution rights. The film is set in the Summer of 1973, as America witnesses the dirtiest...
Wes Jones, a writer/producer in the early seasons of Billions, wrote the script that has first made itself known when it topped the Black List in 2010. Likely Story’s Anthony Bregman, The Black List’s Franklin Leonard, Symbolic Exchange’s Schamus and Likely Story’s Peter Cron are producing. Jones and Ken Friemann are exec producers.
Production will begin next spring or summer and the financing and distribution are mobilizing, with CAA Media Finance arranging the financing and repping distribution rights. The film is set in the Summer of 1973, as America witnesses the dirtiest...
- 8/12/2020
- by Mike Fleming Jr
- Deadline Film + TV
The latest episode of the Casual Cinecast has arrived, bringing our thoughts on the newly released, First Cow, along with a chat about what we’re watching now. Justin, Mike, and Chris are back for some more movie talk this week! On top of reviewing First Cow, they share their thoughts on Driveways, Somewhere in Time, […]
The post The Casual Cinecast Discusses First Cow, Driveways, and More! appeared first on Cinelinx | Movies. Games. Geek Culture..
The post The Casual Cinecast Discusses First Cow, Driveways, and More! appeared first on Cinelinx | Movies. Games. Geek Culture..
- 8/1/2020
- by Jordan Maison
- Cinelinx
HBO has given a series order to Somebody Somewhere, a comedy starring and executive produced by Patti Cake$ star Bridget Everett, from Hannah Bos (HBO’s High Maintenance), Paul Thureen (Driveways), Carolyn Strauss (HBO’s Chernobyl), Patricia Breen (HBO’s Betty) and The Mighty Mint/Duplass Brothers Productions.
Created by Bos and Thureen, Somebody Somewhere is inspired by the life of comedian and singer Everett and is set in her native Kansas. Sam (played by Everett) is a true Kansan on the surface but beneath it all struggles to fit the hometown mold. As she grapples with loss and acceptance, singing is Sam’s saving grace and leads her on a journey to discover herself and a community of outsiders that don’t fit in but don’t give up. Somebody Somewhere shows finding your people, and finding your voice, is possible. Anywhere. Somewhere.
Bos and Thureen will executive produce,...
Created by Bos and Thureen, Somebody Somewhere is inspired by the life of comedian and singer Everett and is set in her native Kansas. Sam (played by Everett) is a true Kansan on the surface but beneath it all struggles to fit the hometown mold. As she grapples with loss and acceptance, singing is Sam’s saving grace and leads her on a journey to discover herself and a community of outsiders that don’t fit in but don’t give up. Somebody Somewhere shows finding your people, and finding your voice, is possible. Anywhere. Somewhere.
Bos and Thureen will executive produce,...
- 7/21/2020
- by Denise Petski
- Deadline Film + TV
HBO is tapping its ruby slippers and heading to Kansas.
The premium cabler has issued a series order for a new comedy titled “Somebody Somewhere,” which is set in Kansas and will star Kansas-born comedian and singer Bridget Everett.
Inspired by Everett’s life, the series will center around Sam Miller (played by Everett), a true Kansan on the surface who beneath it all struggles to fit the hometown mold. As she grapples with loss and acceptance, singing is Sam’s saving grace and leads her on a journey to discover herself and a community of outsiders that don’t fit in but don’t give up.
Everett is known for her appearances on “Inside Amy Schumer” and recently starred in the Netflix drama “Unbelievable.”
“As a born and bred Kansan, I’m thrilled to share some of the beauty and complexity of the place that I grew up,” said Everett.
The premium cabler has issued a series order for a new comedy titled “Somebody Somewhere,” which is set in Kansas and will star Kansas-born comedian and singer Bridget Everett.
Inspired by Everett’s life, the series will center around Sam Miller (played by Everett), a true Kansan on the surface who beneath it all struggles to fit the hometown mold. As she grapples with loss and acceptance, singing is Sam’s saving grace and leads her on a journey to discover herself and a community of outsiders that don’t fit in but don’t give up.
Everett is known for her appearances on “Inside Amy Schumer” and recently starred in the Netflix drama “Unbelievable.”
“As a born and bred Kansan, I’m thrilled to share some of the beauty and complexity of the place that I grew up,” said Everett.
- 7/21/2020
- by Will Thorne
- Variety Film + TV
A year like no other in film history, 2020 has seen numerous releases and productions delayed, along with worlds of exhibition and distribution needing to rethink their business models. As we near the halfway mark of this tumultuous year, the Oscars and other awards ceremonies have decided to move the marker of eligibility windows to allow more films to be considered but as we look back at the first six months and round up our favorite titles thus far, there’s already plenty of worthwhile films to consider.
While the end of this year will bring personal favorites from all of our writers, think of the below 20 entries (and honorable mentions) as a comprehensive rundown of what should be seen before heading into the back half of the year. As a note, this feature is based solely on U.S. theatrical and digital releases from 2020, with the majority widely available, as noted.
While the end of this year will bring personal favorites from all of our writers, think of the below 20 entries (and honorable mentions) as a comprehensive rundown of what should be seen before heading into the back half of the year. As a note, this feature is based solely on U.S. theatrical and digital releases from 2020, with the majority widely available, as noted.
- 6/23/2020
- by The Film Stage
- The Film Stage
Film financing event to be held during the BFI London Film Festival.
Us producer and filmmaker James Schamus is to speak at Film London’s Production Finance Market (Pfm), which is shifting online due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
The 14th edition of the film financing event will run from October 12-13 during the BFI London Film Festival (Lff), which has yet to confirm how the virus crisis will impact its own plans.
Announcing that Pfm applications are open from today, screen agency Film London said the move online put the health and safety of delegates at the forefront of...
Us producer and filmmaker James Schamus is to speak at Film London’s Production Finance Market (Pfm), which is shifting online due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
The 14th edition of the film financing event will run from October 12-13 during the BFI London Film Festival (Lff), which has yet to confirm how the virus crisis will impact its own plans.
Announcing that Pfm applications are open from today, screen agency Film London said the move online put the health and safety of delegates at the forefront of...
- 6/8/2020
- by 1100453¦Michael Rosser¦9¦
- ScreenDaily
Sometimes, a film manages to be big by actually being small and quiet. Concentrated in a small circle of family and neighbors, and centered around the mundane task of cleaning a dead relative’s home and refurbishing it for sale, Andrew Ahn’s sophomore feature “Driveways” speaks volumes about life, death, growing up and the contemporary America. The film premiered at last year’s edition of Berlinale before going on a predominantly American festival tour. Since last month, it is available on VOD.
Kathy is the single mother of Cody (Lucas Jaye in a breakthrough role) and the two of them arrive to an unnamed upstate New York town to clear out the house of her late sister Kelly. The sisters were estranged for a great part of their lives, Kelly is a decade or so older, and Kathy is simply the only living relative who can inherit the house.
Kathy is the single mother of Cody (Lucas Jaye in a breakthrough role) and the two of them arrive to an unnamed upstate New York town to clear out the house of her late sister Kelly. The sisters were estranged for a great part of their lives, Kelly is a decade or so older, and Kathy is simply the only living relative who can inherit the house.
- 6/7/2020
- by Marko Stojiljković
- AsianMoviePulse
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