Filmmaker Martin Scorsese paid tribute Wednesday to Robbie Robertson, calling the musician “one of my closest friends, a constant in my life and my work.”
Robertson, a guitarist, bandleader, producer and composer who also wrote film scores for Martin Scorsese and served as a record executive, died on Wednesday at the age of 80 after a long illness.
Robertson was best known for his stint in The Band, a group of four Canadians (including Ontario native Robertson) and one American who first met while playing backup for rockabilly singer Ronnie Hawkins. Their final concert was chronicled in Scorsese’s “The Last Waltz” in 1976, with the film released in 1978.
Robbie Robertson On Collaborating With Martin Scorsese for “The Irishman”
“I could always go to him as a confidante,” Scorsese continued. “A collaborator. An advisor. I tried to be the same for him.”
Following the breakup of the band, Robertson wrote scores for several Scorsese pictures,...
Robertson, a guitarist, bandleader, producer and composer who also wrote film scores for Martin Scorsese and served as a record executive, died on Wednesday at the age of 80 after a long illness.
Robertson was best known for his stint in The Band, a group of four Canadians (including Ontario native Robertson) and one American who first met while playing backup for rockabilly singer Ronnie Hawkins. Their final concert was chronicled in Scorsese’s “The Last Waltz” in 1976, with the film released in 1978.
Robbie Robertson On Collaborating With Martin Scorsese for “The Irishman”
“I could always go to him as a confidante,” Scorsese continued. “A collaborator. An advisor. I tried to be the same for him.”
Following the breakup of the band, Robertson wrote scores for several Scorsese pictures,...
- 8/9/2023
- by Scott Mendelson
- The Wrap
Penske Media Corporation clarified on Tuesday an email from Hollywood Reporter awards columnist Scott Feinberg in which he demanded to see films ahead of his competitors, saying that the writer didn’t really mean to sound threatening.
“Any suggestion of consequences for not providing early viewing access to Scott was not the intent,” a Penske spokesperson said.
But the email, obtained by TheWrap and first surfaced by Vanity Fair. seemed to clearly reflect that THR’s executive editor of awards had written to studio publicists to demand priority access to the year’s upcoming theatrical releases, even over his colleagues.
The email from Feinberg stated, “As you plan the rollout of your film(s), I would like to respectfully ask that you not show films to any of my fellow awards pundits before you show them to me, even if that person represents himself or herself to you as (a) a potential reviewer of it,...
“Any suggestion of consequences for not providing early viewing access to Scott was not the intent,” a Penske spokesperson said.
But the email, obtained by TheWrap and first surfaced by Vanity Fair. seemed to clearly reflect that THR’s executive editor of awards had written to studio publicists to demand priority access to the year’s upcoming theatrical releases, even over his colleagues.
The email from Feinberg stated, “As you plan the rollout of your film(s), I would like to respectfully ask that you not show films to any of my fellow awards pundits before you show them to me, even if that person represents himself or herself to you as (a) a potential reviewer of it,...
- 8/9/2023
- by Scott Mendelson
- The Wrap
Wes Anderson’s latest film, “Asteroid City,” opens wide this weekend. In typical Anderson fashion, the sci-fi comedy features a large ensemble of A-list actors. It’s based on a story and screenplay by Anderson. Longtime collaborator Alexandre Desplat composed the score, and the soundtrack features 17 country and western songs from the mid 1950s when the film is set.
If you’re a Wes Anderson fan, you’re not going to want to miss “Asteroid City.” Here’s where you can watch it:
When did “Asteroid City” come out?
“Asteroid City” had its world premiere at the 76th Cannes International film festival on May 23, 2023.
It kicked off a limited theatrical run in New York and Los Angeles on June 16th and released wide on June 23.
Is “Asteroid City” in theaters or streaming?
Currently, “Asteroid City” is only available in theaters. You can search for theaters playing “Asteroid City” here.
What is the “Asteroid City” plot?...
If you’re a Wes Anderson fan, you’re not going to want to miss “Asteroid City.” Here’s where you can watch it:
When did “Asteroid City” come out?
“Asteroid City” had its world premiere at the 76th Cannes International film festival on May 23, 2023.
It kicked off a limited theatrical run in New York and Los Angeles on June 16th and released wide on June 23.
Is “Asteroid City” in theaters or streaming?
Currently, “Asteroid City” is only available in theaters. You can search for theaters playing “Asteroid City” here.
What is the “Asteroid City” plot?...
- 6/23/2023
- by Lawrence Yee
- The Wrap
Attendees at the gala premiere of “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” in Los Angeles Wednesday received something more than just the new film. Alongside the usual cast and creatives introducing the movie, they were also treated to a surprise 15-minute orchestral performance of the iconic “Indiana Jones” theme music, conducted by John Williams himself.
You can see a clip from that performance below:
A timeless theme. An unforgettable performance by the legendary John Williams at the U.S. Premiere of #IndianaJones and the Dial of Destiny. pic.twitter.com/fNjcejQSMl
— Disney (@Disney) June 15, 2023 Also Read:
New ‘Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny’ Trailer Finds Harrison Ford Ready for a Final Triumph (Video)
Williams was introduced by Steven Spielberg, who spoke after director James Mangold had introduced a number of cast members, including Harrison Ford, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Mads Mikkelsen, John Rhys-Davies and Toby Jones. Spielberg then took the...
You can see a clip from that performance below:
A timeless theme. An unforgettable performance by the legendary John Williams at the U.S. Premiere of #IndianaJones and the Dial of Destiny. pic.twitter.com/fNjcejQSMl
— Disney (@Disney) June 15, 2023 Also Read:
New ‘Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny’ Trailer Finds Harrison Ford Ready for a Final Triumph (Video)
Williams was introduced by Steven Spielberg, who spoke after director James Mangold had introduced a number of cast members, including Harrison Ford, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Mads Mikkelsen, John Rhys-Davies and Toby Jones. Spielberg then took the...
- 6/15/2023
- by Ross A. Lincoln
- The Wrap
The end of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association and debut of a for-profit Golden Globes Awards, announced by billionaire Todd Boehly’s Eldridge Industries on Monday, sparked confusion and skepticism across Hollywood that seemed unlikely to turn the page on the awards’ tainted past.
“Good to see that the Globes will continue its two most hallowed traditions: Questionable procedures and baffling chaos,” tweeted movie journalist Mark Harris. “They have done what I thought was impossible and… made it worse.”
Harris was referring not just to the awards becoming less transparent as a for-profit business, but to a complicated two-tiered voting system in which about 100 voters will be paid to watch programs and movies, and another 200 will not.
The 95 current members of the HFPA have been offered five-year deals that will pay them $75,000 per year to remain as Globes voters and to also fulfill unspecified tasks related to the awards show.
“Good to see that the Globes will continue its two most hallowed traditions: Questionable procedures and baffling chaos,” tweeted movie journalist Mark Harris. “They have done what I thought was impossible and… made it worse.”
Harris was referring not just to the awards becoming less transparent as a for-profit business, but to a complicated two-tiered voting system in which about 100 voters will be paid to watch programs and movies, and another 200 will not.
The 95 current members of the HFPA have been offered five-year deals that will pay them $75,000 per year to remain as Globes voters and to also fulfill unspecified tasks related to the awards show.
- 6/13/2023
- by Jose Alejandro Bastidas
- The Wrap
“Jeanne du Barry,” the much-discussed Cannes opening night film featuring Johnny Depp as Louis Xv, has been acquired for North American distribution. Vertical grabbed rights to the Maïwenn-directed drama, which stars the writer/director as Jeanne Vaubernier. Vaubernier was a working-class woman in 18th Century France who rose in the social ranks and became King Louis Xv’s lover.
The co-writers are Teddy Lussi-Modeste and Nicolas Livecchi and the film’s producers are Pascal Caucheteux and Grégoire Sorlat. The production companies are Why Not Productions, France 2 Cinéma, France 3 Cinéma, La Petite Reine, Impala Productions, Les Films de Batna, In.2 Film, and Les Films du Fleuve. Below-the-line talent on the film includes cinematographer Laurent Dailland, editor Laure Gardette, production designer Angelo Zamparutti, costume designer Jürgen Doering, and composer Stephen Warbeck.
Johnny Depp in ‘Jeanne du Barry’
“’Jeanne du Barry’ was by far the most talked about film at this year’s Cannes Film Festival,...
The co-writers are Teddy Lussi-Modeste and Nicolas Livecchi and the film’s producers are Pascal Caucheteux and Grégoire Sorlat. The production companies are Why Not Productions, France 2 Cinéma, France 3 Cinéma, La Petite Reine, Impala Productions, Les Films de Batna, In.2 Film, and Les Films du Fleuve. Below-the-line talent on the film includes cinematographer Laurent Dailland, editor Laure Gardette, production designer Angelo Zamparutti, costume designer Jürgen Doering, and composer Stephen Warbeck.
Johnny Depp in ‘Jeanne du Barry’
“’Jeanne du Barry’ was by far the most talked about film at this year’s Cannes Film Festival,...
- 6/7/2023
- by Scott Mendelson
- The Wrap
There are only two days left until Cannes 2023 comes to a close, and much like yesterday, things have seemed a bit quiet. The movie on most everyone’s lips, at least if social media is any indicator, was Trần Anh Hùng’s period drama “The Pot au Feu,” a feature that, according to TheWrap’s Ben Croll in his review, “might very well be the most handsomely shot and soothingly felt serving of art house food porn ever brought to screen. It’s about to become your mother’s favorite film, and it’s an absolute delight.”
But before the screening started, as Variety reported, a demonstration in support of Indigenous land rights took place on the film’s red carpet. It was led by the directors and actors of “The Buriti Flower,” a film showing in Un Certain Regard directed by Portugal’s João Salaviza and Renée Nader Messora.
But before the screening started, as Variety reported, a demonstration in support of Indigenous land rights took place on the film’s red carpet. It was led by the directors and actors of “The Buriti Flower,” a film showing in Un Certain Regard directed by Portugal’s João Salaviza and Renée Nader Messora.
- 5/25/2023
- by Kristen Lopez
- The Wrap
The Cannes Film Festival comes to a close on Saturday and you can feel it. Things are starting to slow down, standing ovations aren’t as long and those on the Croisette are starting to get tired.
Beloved filmmaker Wes Anderson debuted his latest feature, “Asteroid City,” on Wednesday and the reaction was more muted than the reception to “Killers of the Flower Moon” or even the more mixed “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.” TheWrap’s Steve Pond emphasized the whole did not live up to the sum of its parts, despite pristine craft as always.
“‘Asteroid City’ also feels like a wasted opportunity of sorts,” he said in his review. “At one point, a radio off-screen plays Slim Whitman’s ‘Indian Love Call,’ the song that killed all the alien invaders in Tim Burton’s ‘Mars Attacks.’ It couldn’t help but prompt a longing for the...
Beloved filmmaker Wes Anderson debuted his latest feature, “Asteroid City,” on Wednesday and the reaction was more muted than the reception to “Killers of the Flower Moon” or even the more mixed “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.” TheWrap’s Steve Pond emphasized the whole did not live up to the sum of its parts, despite pristine craft as always.
“‘Asteroid City’ also feels like a wasted opportunity of sorts,” he said in his review. “At one point, a radio off-screen plays Slim Whitman’s ‘Indian Love Call,’ the song that killed all the alien invaders in Tim Burton’s ‘Mars Attacks.’ It couldn’t help but prompt a longing for the...
- 5/24/2023
- by Kristen Lopez
- The Wrap
The first week of the Cannes Film Festival came to a close on Sunday, and it’s been a time of exhilarating highs coupled with very quiet low days. Where Martin Scorsese and Todd Haynes can have their latest films debut back-to-back and a Sunday that feels incredibly silent by comparison. As TheWrap’s Steve Pond said in his look at the festival so far, this simultaneous mix of high-brow film and those with mass appeal is understandable: “At film festivals like this one, and in times like these, a little cultural schizophrenia can be a glorious thing.”
That said, it’s understandable that Monday’s roundup of the festival is a hodgepodge of things, the calm before the final week that no doubt will see acquisitions come fast and furious, as well as some massive film debuts.
The Writers’ Strike Comes to Cannes as the Independent Market Questions Its...
That said, it’s understandable that Monday’s roundup of the festival is a hodgepodge of things, the calm before the final week that no doubt will see acquisitions come fast and furious, as well as some massive film debuts.
The Writers’ Strike Comes to Cannes as the Independent Market Questions Its...
- 5/22/2023
- by Kristen Lopez
- The Wrap
The fourth day of Cannes took audiences back to their childhoods with the first screening of “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.” The film’s splashy premiere saw stars Harrison Ford, Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Mads Mikkelsen walk the red carpet, alongside Walt Disney CEO Bob Iger and director James Mangold.
The first reactions were slow to drop but were filled with enthusiasm. Variety’s Clayton Davis and IndieWire’s Eric Kohn both brought up that it felt like a return to form for the series, in reference to the last time Indy was seen at Cannes, with 2008’s “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.” Reviews, though, were far more mixed. The general tone seemed to be a bit let down, though some say it has its moments. People still love Harrison Ford in the title role.
TheWrap’s Steve Pond wrote in his review that “’Dial...
The first reactions were slow to drop but were filled with enthusiasm. Variety’s Clayton Davis and IndieWire’s Eric Kohn both brought up that it felt like a return to form for the series, in reference to the last time Indy was seen at Cannes, with 2008’s “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.” Reviews, though, were far more mixed. The general tone seemed to be a bit let down, though some say it has its moments. People still love Harrison Ford in the title role.
TheWrap’s Steve Pond wrote in his review that “’Dial...
- 5/19/2023
- by Kristen Lopez
- The Wrap
“Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” premiered at the Cannes Film Festival to a reportedly tepid reaction from the crowd — though first reactions on social media were more positive. Per usual for Cannes premieres it did receive ovations, but they were reserved for Harrison Ford himself rather than the James Mangold-directed film.
Since then the reviews have been pouring in, and they largely mirror how the audience at Cannes felt: A bit of a letdown, though some say it has its moments. But people still like Harrison Ford.
In his review of “Indy’s” fifth and possibly final installment, David Rooney of the Hollywood Reporter wrote, “This is a big, bombastic movie that goes through the motions but never finds much joy in the process, despite John Williams’ hard-working score continuously pushing our nostalgia buttons and trying to convince us we’re on a wild ride … Both the...
Since then the reviews have been pouring in, and they largely mirror how the audience at Cannes felt: A bit of a letdown, though some say it has its moments. But people still like Harrison Ford.
In his review of “Indy’s” fifth and possibly final installment, David Rooney of the Hollywood Reporter wrote, “This is a big, bombastic movie that goes through the motions but never finds much joy in the process, despite John Williams’ hard-working score continuously pushing our nostalgia buttons and trying to convince us we’re on a wild ride … Both the...
- 5/19/2023
- by Mason Bissada
- The Wrap
The Cannes Film Festival always knows how to make an entrance and, while questions still remain about whether the shaky global theatrical experience and China’s buying power will affect the festival (coupled with issues involving the festival’s online ticketing platform), it wasn’t evident on the red carpet.
Cannes Welcomes Johnny Depp
The opening night feature, the Maïwenn-directed “Jeanne du Barry,” a period piece starring Johnny Depp as Louix Xv, kicked off the first night of the festival. Reviews from critics were tepid but, as TheWrap’s Steve Pond said in his review, “It’s hard to say that Depp’s performance justifies the fuss, because the movie’s all about Jeanne, not Louis.”
Regardless, the film garnered a seven-minute standing ovation for Depp who said at the film’s press conference that “everything that the majority of you have been reading for the last five or...
Cannes Welcomes Johnny Depp
The opening night feature, the Maïwenn-directed “Jeanne du Barry,” a period piece starring Johnny Depp as Louix Xv, kicked off the first night of the festival. Reviews from critics were tepid but, as TheWrap’s Steve Pond said in his review, “It’s hard to say that Depp’s performance justifies the fuss, because the movie’s all about Jeanne, not Louis.”
Regardless, the film garnered a seven-minute standing ovation for Depp who said at the film’s press conference that “everything that the majority of you have been reading for the last five or...
- 5/17/2023
- by Kristen Lopez
- The Wrap
Director Sophie Barthes (“Madame Bovary”) futuristic comedy/drama “The Pod Generation” has been acquired by Roadside Attractions and Vertical after the feature’s Sundance debut back in January.
The feature follows Emilia Clarke’s Rachel and her partner Alvy (Chiwetel Ejiofor), an upscale New York couple living in a future world where natural childbirth is considered passe. When Rachel gets a coveted position at the city’s Womb Center, where children are birthed in egg-like pods, the couple decides to go on a journey towards parenthood that asks the question of what “natural childbirth” truly is.
“Today, every filmmaker dreams to have a theatrical release. Roadside Attractions and Vertical have made this dream possible,” Barthes said in a statement. “The Pod Generation could not have found a better home, with such a dedicated, innovative and experienced team. I’m thrilled to start this adventure with a team truly in love...
The feature follows Emilia Clarke’s Rachel and her partner Alvy (Chiwetel Ejiofor), an upscale New York couple living in a future world where natural childbirth is considered passe. When Rachel gets a coveted position at the city’s Womb Center, where children are birthed in egg-like pods, the couple decides to go on a journey towards parenthood that asks the question of what “natural childbirth” truly is.
“Today, every filmmaker dreams to have a theatrical release. Roadside Attractions and Vertical have made this dream possible,” Barthes said in a statement. “The Pod Generation could not have found a better home, with such a dedicated, innovative and experienced team. I’m thrilled to start this adventure with a team truly in love...
- 3/28/2023
- by Kristen Lopez
- The Wrap
Oscar voters jumped into the multiverse this year, embracing big hit movies and little indies and everything in between. It was a year in which filmmakers worked through the pandemic thinking seriously about what kind of movies they wanted to make, and voters found something to like in intimate dramas, personal coming-of-age stories and a couple of enormous sequels. This special guide will take you through all 23 Oscar categories and introduce you to every nominee — even the ones that need no introduction. At the end of each category, Awards Executive Editor Steve Pond adds his thoughts on this year’s races.
- 2/20/2023
- by Steve Pond, Jason Clark, Libby Hill, Joe McGovern and Missy Schwartz
- The Wrap
Tom Cruise turned up to start his campaign for Oscar gold for “Top Gun: Maverick,” while Academy Award acting frontrunners stepped up their pace by attending events from L.A. to Santa Barbara and beyond in this week’s look at the most interesting parties and premieres — and fashion shows, too.
Annual Oscar Nominees Luncheon
The Beverly Hilton Hotel, Beverly Hills
Austin Butler and Tom Cruise meet up at the Oscar Nominees Luncheon at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. (Getty Images)
It felt like old times at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, as the Annual Oscar Nominees Luncheon returned to the same room where it took place for decades after its beginnings in the 1980s. There were actors sitting next to sound mixers and directors with production designers, a record 182 nominees taking their seats in tables across three levels of the hotel’s ballroom and a “class photo” memorializing the event.
The...
Annual Oscar Nominees Luncheon
The Beverly Hilton Hotel, Beverly Hills
Austin Butler and Tom Cruise meet up at the Oscar Nominees Luncheon at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. (Getty Images)
It felt like old times at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, as the Annual Oscar Nominees Luncheon returned to the same room where it took place for decades after its beginnings in the 1980s. There were actors sitting next to sound mixers and directors with production designers, a record 182 nominees taking their seats in tables across three levels of the hotel’s ballroom and a “class photo” memorializing the event.
The...
- 2/18/2023
- by Jenny Peters
- The Wrap
In “Magazine Dreams,” a lonely, emotionally troubled young man (Jonathan Majors) develops an obsession with bodybuilding. Premiering this weekend at Sundance, the film is both an individual character study and a portrait of the American Dream in all its flawed glory.
Writer-director Elijah Bynum, Majors, and cast members Taylour Paige and Haley Bennett visited TheWrap’s Portrait and Video Studio at The Music Lodge for a conversation with Executive Awards Editor Steve Pond.
Bynum had been “walking around with a character in mind for a while” before he found a story to match. He found the missing piece at his local gym, where he took notice of a bodybuilder who came in every day.
Also Read:
‘Bad Behaviour’ Review: Alice Englert’s Directorial Debut Comes In and Out of Focus
“He had this energy about him, or he seemed to be in quite a bit of pain, physical pain, and spiritual pain,...
Writer-director Elijah Bynum, Majors, and cast members Taylour Paige and Haley Bennett visited TheWrap’s Portrait and Video Studio at The Music Lodge for a conversation with Executive Awards Editor Steve Pond.
Bynum had been “walking around with a character in mind for a while” before he found a story to match. He found the missing piece at his local gym, where he took notice of a bodybuilder who came in every day.
Also Read:
‘Bad Behaviour’ Review: Alice Englert’s Directorial Debut Comes In and Out of Focus
“He had this energy about him, or he seemed to be in quite a bit of pain, physical pain, and spiritual pain,...
- 1/23/2023
- by Harper Lambert
- The Wrap
What sets “Fremont” apart from what otherwise might have played like a stereotypical Sundance entry is the specifics of its environment and protagonist. Helmed by Babak Jalali, the picture offers a small-scale yarn about a young former Afghani translator who ends up living in California and working in a run-down fortune cookie factory.
Jalali, alongside cast members Anaita Wali Zada and Gregg Turkington, stopped by TheWrap’s Portrait and Video Studio at The Music Lodge to discuss the film with TheWrap’s Steve Pond.
Jalali first explained that Fremont, a city he had never heard about until shooting an unrelated short in 2014, holds the biggest Afghan community in the United States. “I found a big community of (former Afghani translators) who had started a new life under a special immigration visa scheme,” he said.
Also Read:
Comedian Sherry Cola Condemns ‘Devastating’ Monterey Park Shooting (Video)
He further explained that he...
Jalali, alongside cast members Anaita Wali Zada and Gregg Turkington, stopped by TheWrap’s Portrait and Video Studio at The Music Lodge to discuss the film with TheWrap’s Steve Pond.
Jalali first explained that Fremont, a city he had never heard about until shooting an unrelated short in 2014, holds the biggest Afghan community in the United States. “I found a big community of (former Afghani translators) who had started a new life under a special immigration visa scheme,” he said.
Also Read:
Comedian Sherry Cola Condemns ‘Devastating’ Monterey Park Shooting (Video)
He further explained that he...
- 1/23/2023
- by Scott Mendelson
- The Wrap
The fantasy film “Everything Everywhere All At Once,” released in theaters 10 months ago, scored a big victory Sunday at the 2023 Critics Choice Awards, winning awards for Best Picture, Best Director (Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert), Best Original Screenplay, Best Supporting Actor for Ke Huy Quan and Best Editing for Paul Rogers.
Brendan Fraser won the award for Best Actor for his emotional role as an overweight man in “The Whale.” In a possible precursor to the Oscars, the award marks Fraser’s first major prize of the season. Two-time Oscar winner Cate Blanchett scored the Best Actress award for her acclaimed and awards-magnet role as a music conductor in “Tár.”
In other top film categories, Angela Bassett (“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”) won Best Supporting Actress, backing up her recent Golden Globe win and solidifying her Oscar chances. Other film winners included Sarah Polley (“Women Talking”) for Best Original Screenplay, and...
Brendan Fraser won the award for Best Actor for his emotional role as an overweight man in “The Whale.” In a possible precursor to the Oscars, the award marks Fraser’s first major prize of the season. Two-time Oscar winner Cate Blanchett scored the Best Actress award for her acclaimed and awards-magnet role as a music conductor in “Tár.”
In other top film categories, Angela Bassett (“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”) won Best Supporting Actress, backing up her recent Golden Globe win and solidifying her Oscar chances. Other film winners included Sarah Polley (“Women Talking”) for Best Original Screenplay, and...
- 1/16/2023
- by Joe McGovern and Steve Pond
- The Wrap
Shuming He didn’t make it easy for himself.
His first feature film as a director is a deeply personal dramedy about a widowed housewife as she steps out of her comfort zone by making a solo trip to South Korea. It stars a veteran Singaporean television actress in her first leading role and features a coming-out subplot in a country that has only recently legalized gay sex.
Nonetheless, “Ajoomma,” whose title translates to “Auntie” (a general term of respect as opposed to a family-specific designation), has been chosen as Singapore’s contender for this year’s Best International Feature Film. The filmmaker sat down with TheWrap’s Steve Pond to discuss the ins and (coming) outs of his deeply personal directorial debut.
“Korean drama was a phenomenon around eight years ago, a very recent thing,” noted He. “When I was growing up I watched a lot of Hong Kong dramas and,...
His first feature film as a director is a deeply personal dramedy about a widowed housewife as she steps out of her comfort zone by making a solo trip to South Korea. It stars a veteran Singaporean television actress in her first leading role and features a coming-out subplot in a country that has only recently legalized gay sex.
Nonetheless, “Ajoomma,” whose title translates to “Auntie” (a general term of respect as opposed to a family-specific designation), has been chosen as Singapore’s contender for this year’s Best International Feature Film. The filmmaker sat down with TheWrap’s Steve Pond to discuss the ins and (coming) outs of his deeply personal directorial debut.
“Korean drama was a phenomenon around eight years ago, a very recent thing,” noted He. “When I was growing up I watched a lot of Hong Kong dramas and,...
- 12/10/2022
- by Scott Mendelson
- The Wrap
A movie like “The Woman King” was on Viola Davis’ wish list for a long time before it eventually made its way to the screen.
Released in September, the groundbreaking action epic stars Davis as General Nanisca, the leader of an all-female group of warriors charged with protecting the Kingdom of Dahomey. The film is inspired by real events that took place in the mighty African state during the 18th and 19th centuries.
The Oscar-winning actor, her co-star Thuso Mbedu and director Gina Prince-Bythewood sat down with TheWrap to discuss their individual journeys to “The Woman King” and the uphill battle they faced in getting it made.
Also Read:
‘The Woman King’ Cast on the Long ‘Fight’ to Make Their Blockbuster
“It’s been on my radar to do a film where I can use my body as a part of creating a character, and then create this rich sort of emotional life and journey,...
Released in September, the groundbreaking action epic stars Davis as General Nanisca, the leader of an all-female group of warriors charged with protecting the Kingdom of Dahomey. The film is inspired by real events that took place in the mighty African state during the 18th and 19th centuries.
The Oscar-winning actor, her co-star Thuso Mbedu and director Gina Prince-Bythewood sat down with TheWrap to discuss their individual journeys to “The Woman King” and the uphill battle they faced in getting it made.
Also Read:
‘The Woman King’ Cast on the Long ‘Fight’ to Make Their Blockbuster
“It’s been on my radar to do a film where I can use my body as a part of creating a character, and then create this rich sort of emotional life and journey,...
- 12/9/2022
- by Harper Lambert
- The Wrap
Awards groups continue their need for speed, as the National Board of Review went full Hollywood in their selections of Best Film and Best Director for 2022. The billion-dollar blockbuster “Top Gun: Maverick” took Best Film and Steven Spielberg won Best Director for his heart-rending ode to his childhood in “The Fabelmans”.
Michelle Yeoh continues her hot streak with a Best Actress win for “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” as does Colin Farrell with his Best Actor honors for Martin McDonagh’s “The Banshees of Inisherin” (the director took the original screenplay prize), but his costar Brendan Gleeson picked up awards steam with a Best Supporting Actor nod, and “Glass Onion” standout Janelle Monáe bursts into the awards conversation with her notably twisty turn in Rian Johnson’s “Knives Out” follow-up.
Also Read:
Tom Cruise to Receive David O. Selznick Achievement Award From Producers Guild
This marks the first time a...
Michelle Yeoh continues her hot streak with a Best Actress win for “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” as does Colin Farrell with his Best Actor honors for Martin McDonagh’s “The Banshees of Inisherin” (the director took the original screenplay prize), but his costar Brendan Gleeson picked up awards steam with a Best Supporting Actor nod, and “Glass Onion” standout Janelle Monáe bursts into the awards conversation with her notably twisty turn in Rian Johnson’s “Knives Out” follow-up.
Also Read:
Tom Cruise to Receive David O. Selznick Achievement Award From Producers Guild
This marks the first time a...
- 12/8/2022
- by Jason Clark
- The Wrap
Pan Nalin, writer and director of “Last Film Show,” India’s official submission for the Best International Feature Oscar, turned to his own childhood growing in the Adtala village in Saurashtra for inspiration for the semi-autobiographical film.
Centered on 9-year-old Samay (Bhavin Rabari), “Last Film Show” details a summer spent watching films in the projection booth of a rundown movie palace, falling in love with the art of filmmaking and changing the course of his entire life.
Imagine Nalin’s surprise seeing a similar story unfold in another semi-autobiographical awards contender this year, Steven Spielberg’s “The Fabelmans.”
Also Read:
Sundance 2023 Lineup Includes Films From Randall Park, Nicole Holofcener
“We went to see the movie with the whole cast and crew and when it started, at least 30 times we looked at each other, like, ‘How is that possible?’” Nalin said during a virtual screening of the film as part of...
Centered on 9-year-old Samay (Bhavin Rabari), “Last Film Show” details a summer spent watching films in the projection booth of a rundown movie palace, falling in love with the art of filmmaking and changing the course of his entire life.
Imagine Nalin’s surprise seeing a similar story unfold in another semi-autobiographical awards contender this year, Steven Spielberg’s “The Fabelmans.”
Also Read:
Sundance 2023 Lineup Includes Films From Randall Park, Nicole Holofcener
“We went to see the movie with the whole cast and crew and when it started, at least 30 times we looked at each other, like, ‘How is that possible?’” Nalin said during a virtual screening of the film as part of...
- 12/8/2022
- by Libby Hill
- The Wrap
The filmmakers behind “A Long Break,” Georgia’s official submission for the Best International Feature Oscar, shared their intensely personal connections to the film and the challenges they encountered while making it.
Writer-director Davit Pirtskhalava’s debut feature tells the story of a group of classmates who reunite at their old high school 13 years after graduating. Under the pretense of a good time, Tsitsi (Shako Mirianashvili) gathers the men together for an evening of painful memories and confrontations.
Pirtskhalava, producer Tiko Nadirashvili, and actor Giorgi Sharvashidze revealed what drew them to the project during a virtual screening of the film as part of TheWrap’s 2022-2023 Awards Season Screening Series.
Also Read:
‘Nostalgia’ Filmmakers on Exploring the ‘Interior Labyrinth’ of One Man’s Past (Video)
Like some of his characters, the writer-director said he was a bully and got bullied as a student. “Both sides are victims,” he told moderator Steve Pond.
Writer-director Davit Pirtskhalava’s debut feature tells the story of a group of classmates who reunite at their old high school 13 years after graduating. Under the pretense of a good time, Tsitsi (Shako Mirianashvili) gathers the men together for an evening of painful memories and confrontations.
Pirtskhalava, producer Tiko Nadirashvili, and actor Giorgi Sharvashidze revealed what drew them to the project during a virtual screening of the film as part of TheWrap’s 2022-2023 Awards Season Screening Series.
Also Read:
‘Nostalgia’ Filmmakers on Exploring the ‘Interior Labyrinth’ of One Man’s Past (Video)
Like some of his characters, the writer-director said he was a bully and got bullied as a student. “Both sides are victims,” he told moderator Steve Pond.
- 12/6/2022
- by Harper Lambert
- The Wrap
“Wherever there is a fight for hungry people to eat, we will be there.” So said chef José Andrés in Ron Howard’s recent Emmy-nominated documentary, “We Feed People.” But Andrés, the Santa-like 53-year-old from Spain, is not the type to simply write a check from one of his Michelin-starred restaurants.
With his World Central Kitchen, founded in 2010, Andrés has spent months at a time on the ground in areas devastated by natural disaster or war, from Puerto Rico to Haiti to Ukraine, helping to mass-produce fresh meals using local cuisine. In recent weeks, he was in parts of Florida impacted by Hurricane Ian.
But while Andrés remains connected to the humanitarian work, especially in Ukraine, he’s also busy sharing his message by expanding his media footprint. Like a restaurant tasting menu where the courses keep coming, Andrés has recently started his own production company, José Andrés Media. Ever wary of self-aggrandizing,...
With his World Central Kitchen, founded in 2010, Andrés has spent months at a time on the ground in areas devastated by natural disaster or war, from Puerto Rico to Haiti to Ukraine, helping to mass-produce fresh meals using local cuisine. In recent weeks, he was in parts of Florida impacted by Hurricane Ian.
But while Andrés remains connected to the humanitarian work, especially in Ukraine, he’s also busy sharing his message by expanding his media footprint. Like a restaurant tasting menu where the courses keep coming, Andrés has recently started his own production company, José Andrés Media. Ever wary of self-aggrandizing,...
- 10/10/2022
- by Joe McGovern
- The Wrap
Melanie Lynskey figured that she would start Emmy nominations morning on a positive note. “I just slept in because I was so nervous,” she told TheWrap. “I didn’t want to be watching [the Emmy announcement] as it happened. I just thought: Ok, either I’m going to be woken up cause my phone’s buzzing or I’m going to have a good sleep. Either way, it’s going to be a good morning. So I got woken up ’cause my phone — a lot of people were texting. It was a nice way to wake up.”
The texts were, of course, congratulatory messages for Lynskey’s first-ever Emmy nomination, for lead actress in the hit Showtime series “Yellowjackets.” Most Emmys prognosticators (including our own Steve Pond) favored her for a nomination, noting that her work has been under-appreciated for years. Lynskey, of course, has a different perspective. “It doesn’t feel long overdue to me,...
The texts were, of course, congratulatory messages for Lynskey’s first-ever Emmy nomination, for lead actress in the hit Showtime series “Yellowjackets.” Most Emmys prognosticators (including our own Steve Pond) favored her for a nomination, noting that her work has been under-appreciated for years. Lynskey, of course, has a different perspective. “It doesn’t feel long overdue to me,...
- 7/12/2022
- by Missy Schwartz
- The Wrap
Beyonce may have rocked Coachella in 2018 when she turned her headlining show at that festival into a tribute to Historically Black Colleges and Universities, complete with full marching band. But lots of other people had already known all about the remarkable musical tradition, and particularly the marching band tradition, at HBCUs – and the makers of “March,” a documentary series produced by Stage 13 and airing on the CW, were definitely among those in the know.
“In 2015, 2016 (we made) a series about an amazing marching band at Bethune-Cookman University in Central Florida … and we became obsessed with this world,” “March” executive producer and Stage 13 head of unscripted Sheri Scorca told awards editor Steve Pond at a virtual screening as part of TheWrap’s 2022 Awards Season Screening Series. “You start going down rabbit holes where you watch all the different bands online … And then in 2019, right before everything shut down, we went...
“In 2015, 2016 (we made) a series about an amazing marching band at Bethune-Cookman University in Central Florida … and we became obsessed with this world,” “March” executive producer and Stage 13 head of unscripted Sheri Scorca told awards editor Steve Pond at a virtual screening as part of TheWrap’s 2022 Awards Season Screening Series. “You start going down rabbit holes where you watch all the different bands online … And then in 2019, right before everything shut down, we went...
- 6/9/2022
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
When the Oscars take place on March 27, one of the directors in this year’s crop of nominees for Best Documentary Short will receive their Academy Award in a pretaped ceremony, with their acceptance speech edited into a telecast in a move to trim the telecast to under three hours.
Though the filmmakers told TheWrap at its annual Oscar doc showcase at the Landmark Los Angeles they were dismayed by the move like so many others in the Academy, they feel optimistic about the future of documentary short films as the projects become more accessible.
“The short doc has the lowest barrier of entry to all forms of cinema,” said Ben Proudfoot, director of “The Queen of Basketball.”
“As we think about making the film industry more diverse, more viable, more international… I think the short doc is the most exciting corner of cinema. Frankly, regardless of how the telecast is produced,...
Though the filmmakers told TheWrap at its annual Oscar doc showcase at the Landmark Los Angeles they were dismayed by the move like so many others in the Academy, they feel optimistic about the future of documentary short films as the projects become more accessible.
“The short doc has the lowest barrier of entry to all forms of cinema,” said Ben Proudfoot, director of “The Queen of Basketball.”
“As we think about making the film industry more diverse, more viable, more international… I think the short doc is the most exciting corner of cinema. Frankly, regardless of how the telecast is produced,...
- 3/11/2022
- by Jeremy Fuster
- The Wrap
The Toronto International Film Festival is planning a return to an in-person format for 2022 and will welcome back guests who are both local to Toronto and Canada as well as international guests, TIFF said in a statement Thursday.
2022’s TIFF will run for 11 days between Sept. 8-18, and the festival also plans to relaunch various networking and celebratory events including the TIFF Opening Night Party, the Industry Conference, Filmmaker Dinners, Industry Networking Events, Press & Programmers Events, as well as the TIFF Tribute Awards Gala.
After 2020’s TIFF went virtual due to Covid, last year’s TIFF had some guests in-person, but the festival was largely slimmed down, and the same buzz and parties that usually surround the festival were, “essentially missing,” as TheWrap’s Steve Pond wrote at the time.
“We’re thrilled to share this news about TIFF 2022 and to introduce fresh voices to our programming team,” Cameron Bailey,...
2022’s TIFF will run for 11 days between Sept. 8-18, and the festival also plans to relaunch various networking and celebratory events including the TIFF Opening Night Party, the Industry Conference, Filmmaker Dinners, Industry Networking Events, Press & Programmers Events, as well as the TIFF Tribute Awards Gala.
After 2020’s TIFF went virtual due to Covid, last year’s TIFF had some guests in-person, but the festival was largely slimmed down, and the same buzz and parties that usually surround the festival were, “essentially missing,” as TheWrap’s Steve Pond wrote at the time.
“We’re thrilled to share this news about TIFF 2022 and to introduce fresh voices to our programming team,” Cameron Bailey,...
- 2/24/2022
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
Tom Hanks has joined the cast of Wes Anderson’s next project in a minor role, according to a report in The Hollywood Reporter.
Adrian Brody, Bill Murray and Tilda Swinton are also starring in the untitled project, which is expected to shoot in Spain. Anderson is writing and directing. Plot details are being kept under wraps.
Meanwhile, Anderson has received glowing reviews for his latest film, “The French Dispatch.” TheWrap’s Steve Pond even dubbed it the “ultimate” Wes Anderson project, packing more of his influences and sensibilities — not to mention nearly every cast member who has ever been in one of his movies — into one film.
“It’s an Anderson Sampler Pack, each candied treat more elaborately wrapped and intricately decorated than the last,” Pond wrote. “It’s fun and it’s impossibly stylish and it’s absolutely exhausting, and it might make you start musing about the law of diminishing returns.
Adrian Brody, Bill Murray and Tilda Swinton are also starring in the untitled project, which is expected to shoot in Spain. Anderson is writing and directing. Plot details are being kept under wraps.
Meanwhile, Anderson has received glowing reviews for his latest film, “The French Dispatch.” TheWrap’s Steve Pond even dubbed it the “ultimate” Wes Anderson project, packing more of his influences and sensibilities — not to mention nearly every cast member who has ever been in one of his movies — into one film.
“It’s an Anderson Sampler Pack, each candied treat more elaborately wrapped and intricately decorated than the last,” Pond wrote. “It’s fun and it’s impossibly stylish and it’s absolutely exhausting, and it might make you start musing about the law of diminishing returns.
- 7/30/2021
- by Umberto Gonzalez
- The Wrap
This story on “Summer of Soul” was first published in February 2021 after the film’s premiere at the Sundance Film Festival.
“Summer of Soul,” the feature directorial debut of Ahmir Thompson, better known as Questlove of The Roots, was created with amazing unseen footage of the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival, a landmark concert series featuring absolute legends including Nina Simone and Stevie Wonder performing for more than 300,000 fans.
The whole thing captured by professionals using multiple cameras, and then, incredibly, it was forgotten about and that footage went unused, sitting on a shelf for 50 years, until it was pulled out for this documentary. And Questlove was just as stunned as viewers of his film when he was introduced to it.
“Initially my two producers David Dinerstein and Robert Fyvolent, they had this footage kind of in the pocket for some time and they gauged my interest to see what this is...
“Summer of Soul,” the feature directorial debut of Ahmir Thompson, better known as Questlove of The Roots, was created with amazing unseen footage of the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival, a landmark concert series featuring absolute legends including Nina Simone and Stevie Wonder performing for more than 300,000 fans.
The whole thing captured by professionals using multiple cameras, and then, incredibly, it was forgotten about and that footage went unused, sitting on a shelf for 50 years, until it was pulled out for this documentary. And Questlove was just as stunned as viewers of his film when he was introduced to it.
“Initially my two producers David Dinerstein and Robert Fyvolent, they had this footage kind of in the pocket for some time and they gauged my interest to see what this is...
- 7/2/2021
- by Umberto Gonzalez
- The Wrap
It’s no secret that television and film production faced wildly unprecedented challenges over the past year due to the Covid-19 pandemic, with shows and movies delayed or halted in the middle of shooting, some never to resume again. But what is interesting to see when the creative teams behind these projects get together is how this communal, challenging experience was tackled by them in very different ways — and yet they all can empathize with each other’s plights.
“We were kind of fractured in the way of shooting it out of order like that, and then further fractured by the fact that the pandemic happened and then all of a sudden, everyone had like months away from the project where they weren’t kind of engaged in it,” HBO’s “Mare of Easttown” director Craig Zobel said during TheWrap’s Emmy Contenders Showcase panel with directors of fellow HBO and HBO Max titles.
“We were kind of fractured in the way of shooting it out of order like that, and then further fractured by the fact that the pandemic happened and then all of a sudden, everyone had like months away from the project where they weren’t kind of engaged in it,” HBO’s “Mare of Easttown” director Craig Zobel said during TheWrap’s Emmy Contenders Showcase panel with directors of fellow HBO and HBO Max titles.
- 6/12/2021
- by Jennifer Maas
- The Wrap
A group of composers from seven leading shows on Netflix debated the challenges of mapping a musical score to the tone and narrative of shows from “Bridgerton” to “The Crown” to “David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet,” in a discussion led by TheWrap.
Aside from the steamy romance at the heart of Netflix’s Shonda Rhimes-produced Regency-era drama, “Bridgerton” is probably best known for its music, a very distinct mesh of classical songs by famous composers like Johann Sebastian Bach and Antonio Vivaldi and instrumental covers of modern-day pop tracks by the likes of Ariana Grande and Billie Eilish.
The man in charge of bridging the gap between these very different styles, and coming up with the original score that would bind them, was “Bridgerton” composer Kris Bowers. However, Bowers gives a lot of the credit to showrunner Chris Van Dusen for having a “clear” vision for the sound of the period piece,...
Aside from the steamy romance at the heart of Netflix’s Shonda Rhimes-produced Regency-era drama, “Bridgerton” is probably best known for its music, a very distinct mesh of classical songs by famous composers like Johann Sebastian Bach and Antonio Vivaldi and instrumental covers of modern-day pop tracks by the likes of Ariana Grande and Billie Eilish.
The man in charge of bridging the gap between these very different styles, and coming up with the original score that would bind them, was “Bridgerton” composer Kris Bowers. However, Bowers gives a lot of the credit to showrunner Chris Van Dusen for having a “clear” vision for the sound of the period piece,...
- 6/10/2021
- by Jennifer Maas
- The Wrap
A version of this story about “Collective” first appeared in the Down to the Wire issue of TheWrap’s awards magazine.
The Oscar category of Best Documentary was once a reliable safe haven for homegrown American films, but in recent years it has gone international. Since 2015, there have been at least one, and often two, non-English-language titles among the nominees. Films like Italy’s “Fire at Sea,” France’s “Faces Places,” and Brazil’s “The Edge of Democracy” have told stories not with an outsider’s eye, but from within the counties and cultures in which they take place.
But no film had ever been nominated for Best Documentary and Best International Feature Film (formerly known as Best Foreign Language Film) until North Macedonia’s “Honeyland” turned that trick last year. This year the doubleheader occurred again with Alexander Nanau’s “Collective,” an accomplishment that was even more notable considering...
The Oscar category of Best Documentary was once a reliable safe haven for homegrown American films, but in recent years it has gone international. Since 2015, there have been at least one, and often two, non-English-language titles among the nominees. Films like Italy’s “Fire at Sea,” France’s “Faces Places,” and Brazil’s “The Edge of Democracy” have told stories not with an outsider’s eye, but from within the counties and cultures in which they take place.
But no film had ever been nominated for Best Documentary and Best International Feature Film (formerly known as Best Foreign Language Film) until North Macedonia’s “Honeyland” turned that trick last year. This year the doubleheader occurred again with Alexander Nanau’s “Collective,” an accomplishment that was even more notable considering...
- 4/16/2021
- by Joe McGovern
- The Wrap
TheWrap has continued its annual tradition of showcasing the Oscar nominees for Best Documentary Short, gathering the filmmakers behind them to discuss how they brought their stories of injustice past and present to the screen.
Joining TheWrap awards editor Steve Pond on this year’s nominee panel were producer Alice Doyard, (“Colette”) along with directors Sophia Nahli Allison (“A Love Song For Latasha”), Skye Fitzgerald (“Hunger Ward”), Anders Hammer (“Do Not Split”) and Kris Bowers (“A Concerto Is A Conversation”).
Doyard, alongside “Colette” director Anthony Giacchino, took a great deal of time gaining the trust of the film’s subject, Colette Marin-Catherine, one of the last remaining veterans of the French Resistance. The film follows the 90-year-old Colette as she travels with teenage student Lucie Fouble for the first time to the ruins of Mittelbau-Dora concentration camp, where her brother was imprisoned as a Resistance member and was worked to...
Joining TheWrap awards editor Steve Pond on this year’s nominee panel were producer Alice Doyard, (“Colette”) along with directors Sophia Nahli Allison (“A Love Song For Latasha”), Skye Fitzgerald (“Hunger Ward”), Anders Hammer (“Do Not Split”) and Kris Bowers (“A Concerto Is A Conversation”).
Doyard, alongside “Colette” director Anthony Giacchino, took a great deal of time gaining the trust of the film’s subject, Colette Marin-Catherine, one of the last remaining veterans of the French Resistance. The film follows the 90-year-old Colette as she travels with teenage student Lucie Fouble for the first time to the ruins of Mittelbau-Dora concentration camp, where her brother was imprisoned as a Resistance member and was worked to...
- 4/15/2021
- by Jeremy Fuster
- The Wrap
The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences has released the shortlists in the Oscars race for Best Original Score and Best Original Song. “The Trial of the Chicago 7” has landed on both lists to advance in the awards race, as have songs and compositions from “Mulan” and “Minari.” And Sacha Baron Cohen’s satiric “Wuhan Flu” from “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm” also made the cut.
Fifteen scores and songs were added to each respective shortlist from a whopping 136 eligible scores and a record 105 eligible songs. In the score category, other films to make the cut included “Tenet” by Ludwig Goransson, Terence Blanchard for “Da 5 Bloods,” Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross for “Mank,” Alexandre Desplat for “The Midnight Sky” and James Newton Howard for “News of the World.”
The most surprising entry on the list of scores was Lolita Ritmanis’ work in the Latvian film “Blizzard of Souls.” Notable...
Fifteen scores and songs were added to each respective shortlist from a whopping 136 eligible scores and a record 105 eligible songs. In the score category, other films to make the cut included “Tenet” by Ludwig Goransson, Terence Blanchard for “Da 5 Bloods,” Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross for “Mank,” Alexandre Desplat for “The Midnight Sky” and James Newton Howard for “News of the World.”
The most surprising entry on the list of scores was Lolita Ritmanis’ work in the Latvian film “Blizzard of Souls.” Notable...
- 2/9/2021
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
Hogir Hirori, director of “Sabaya,” a documentary from Sweden on the fight to rescue women and girls from Isis slavery at a vast refugee camp on the Syrian side of the Syrian-Iraqi border, said he feared for his safety when he was working alone in the war-torn area.
“In many situations it was dangerous, when I thought: ‘Should I be doing this, is it worth it?’ ” he said.
In a conversation with moderator Steve Pond at TheWrap’s Sundance Studio, presented by Nfp and National Geographic, Hirori said he had originally planned to do the documentary with his wife as a joint project. “But then as the war increased and the situation down there was getting worse with time, I decided it was not safe for the whole family to be there and film together.”
Speaking through translator Hannah Valenta, Kurdish director Hirori said he has made several documentaries about...
“In many situations it was dangerous, when I thought: ‘Should I be doing this, is it worth it?’ ” he said.
In a conversation with moderator Steve Pond at TheWrap’s Sundance Studio, presented by Nfp and National Geographic, Hirori said he had originally planned to do the documentary with his wife as a joint project. “But then as the war increased and the situation down there was getting worse with time, I decided it was not safe for the whole family to be there and film together.”
Speaking through translator Hannah Valenta, Kurdish director Hirori said he has made several documentaries about...
- 2/5/2021
- by Diane Haithman
- The Wrap
Director Rod Lurie, an Army veteran and West Point alum, drew upon his years of military experience while making “The Outpost,” a war film based on Jake Tapper’s book about the Battle of Kamdesh, during which a few dozen Americans were ambushed by hundreds of Taliban soldiers in Afghanistan.
“I’m a military guy, I served a long time ago,” Lurie told TheWrap’s Steve Pond as part of TheWrap’s Screening Series. “Anybody who has any connections in the military was very well aware of this just absolutely incredible f—ing battle.”
He continued, “I was approached about [the film] by a producer named Paul Merriman, who was sort of controlling a screenplay written by Paul Tamasy and Eric Johnson based on the book by Jake Tapper. And this subject matter is what completely drew me in. There’s no filmmaker who has served in the military [who] wouldn’t want to make this particular film.
“I’m a military guy, I served a long time ago,” Lurie told TheWrap’s Steve Pond as part of TheWrap’s Screening Series. “Anybody who has any connections in the military was very well aware of this just absolutely incredible f—ing battle.”
He continued, “I was approached about [the film] by a producer named Paul Merriman, who was sort of controlling a screenplay written by Paul Tamasy and Eric Johnson based on the book by Jake Tapper. And this subject matter is what completely drew me in. There’s no filmmaker who has served in the military [who] wouldn’t want to make this particular film.
- 2/5/2021
- by Umberto Gonzalez
- The Wrap
Tessa Thompson plays one of the lead characters in Rebecca Hall’s directorial debut “Passing,” based on Nella Larsen’s novel of the same name, and she said the idea of playing Irene “really terrified” her.
“I think we learn over the course of the book that maybe she’s not the most reliable narrator,” she told Steve Pond during TheWrap’s Sundance Virtual Studio presented by Nfp and National Geographic. “I found trying to understand her really fascinating. I guess my experience of the book was so intertwined with living inside of her skin already. Just, I think, because the way that the book is, in a way, and it scared me, truly — the idea of playing her really terrified me. So I thought, that’s probably a good thing to do then.”
“Passing” follows two women — Irene and Claire, played by Tessa Thompson and Ruth Negga. The duo...
“I think we learn over the course of the book that maybe she’s not the most reliable narrator,” she told Steve Pond during TheWrap’s Sundance Virtual Studio presented by Nfp and National Geographic. “I found trying to understand her really fascinating. I guess my experience of the book was so intertwined with living inside of her skin already. Just, I think, because the way that the book is, in a way, and it scared me, truly — the idea of playing her really terrified me. So I thought, that’s probably a good thing to do then.”
“Passing” follows two women — Irene and Claire, played by Tessa Thompson and Ruth Negga. The duo...
- 2/2/2021
- by Beatrice Verhoeven
- The Wrap
Daryl Wein and Zoe Lister-Jones’ Sundance film “How It Ends” was shot during the pandemic and shows the grim realities of what life has been like for Angelenos living through lockdown. Making the film during such a trying time was not only a creative release but, Lister-Jones says, was also an effective form of therapy.
“Like everyone, we were facing so many fears and uncertainty at the beginning of quarantine and I think for both of us, we kind of don’t know how to channel our emotions through anything other than our work,” Lister-Jones told Steve Pond during TheWrap’s Sundance Virtual Studio presented by Nfp and National Geographic. “Our work serves as therapy, and this was no exception. So I think we started to do a lot of inner child work and were trying to have these dialogues with our most vulnerable selves.”
She added: “We didn’t...
“Like everyone, we were facing so many fears and uncertainty at the beginning of quarantine and I think for both of us, we kind of don’t know how to channel our emotions through anything other than our work,” Lister-Jones told Steve Pond during TheWrap’s Sundance Virtual Studio presented by Nfp and National Geographic. “Our work serves as therapy, and this was no exception. So I think we started to do a lot of inner child work and were trying to have these dialogues with our most vulnerable selves.”
She added: “We didn’t...
- 1/31/2021
- by Beatrice Verhoeven
- The Wrap
Edgar Wright never made a documentary before but as a fan of the band Sparks, Wright found the idea of making the documentary “The Sparks Brothers” about them easier than telling dinner guests which Sparks albums they should buy.
“I always entertained the idea of doing one but I think as you’re waiting for the right kind of subject that you’re really passionate about to come along,” Wright told TheWrap’s Steve Pond. “Before I was even a fan I was intrigued by them as a child seeing them on TV, they’re definitely incredibly striking to me, and then as I got older they’re a band that kept about coming back into my life. I guess it was something that I just found them, beyond even the music which I really liked, and came to sort of enjoy more and more as I got older.”
“So...
“I always entertained the idea of doing one but I think as you’re waiting for the right kind of subject that you’re really passionate about to come along,” Wright told TheWrap’s Steve Pond. “Before I was even a fan I was intrigued by them as a child seeing them on TV, they’re definitely incredibly striking to me, and then as I got older they’re a band that kept about coming back into my life. I guess it was something that I just found them, beyond even the music which I really liked, and came to sort of enjoy more and more as I got older.”
“So...
- 1/30/2021
- by Umberto Gonzalez
- The Wrap
One of Saudi Arabian director Shahad Ameen’s first films was “Eye & Mermaid,” a short about a girl who learns that her father’s job is to hunt and slaughter mermaids. It was a story about the fractured relationship between a father and daughter, but for her new film “Scales,” Ameen felt there was a missed opportunity in exploring more about the girl.
“Scales” is Saudi Arabia’s submission to the Best International Feature race at the Oscars. The film is shot in a timeless black and white with an eye toward mythology about a girl named Hayat, who lives in a poor fishing village where families sacrifice one daughter to mermaids in the sea, leading to the fishermen to retaliate by hunting them. Hayat however was spared from this fate and lives as an outcast, and Ameen wanted to explore how this custom could affect someone’s self-esteem.
“It...
“Scales” is Saudi Arabia’s submission to the Best International Feature race at the Oscars. The film is shot in a timeless black and white with an eye toward mythology about a girl named Hayat, who lives in a poor fishing village where families sacrifice one daughter to mermaids in the sea, leading to the fishermen to retaliate by hunting them. Hayat however was spared from this fate and lives as an outcast, and Ameen wanted to explore how this custom could affect someone’s self-esteem.
“It...
- 1/29/2021
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
While American audiences got to know Shira Haas for her breakout role in the Netflix limited series “Unorthodox,” Haas says she was truly moved to tears while reading the screenplay for her latest film “Asia,” which not only won Haas an Israeli Oscar but also a Best Actress prize from the Tribeca Film Festival.
In “Asia,” Haas plays a teenage girl slowly dying from a degenerative motor disease, and the film is named for her character’s mother as the two learn to grapple with death and acceptance. Haas described having an “urge” to tell the story and felt a “spiritual connection” with everyone involved.
“In real life I’m not such an easy crier, and I just couldn’t stop the tears. Also because I really felt a great honor to play such a great complex and amazing character,” Haas told Steve Pond for TheWrap’s Awards and International Screening Series.
In “Asia,” Haas plays a teenage girl slowly dying from a degenerative motor disease, and the film is named for her character’s mother as the two learn to grapple with death and acceptance. Haas described having an “urge” to tell the story and felt a “spiritual connection” with everyone involved.
“In real life I’m not such an easy crier, and I just couldn’t stop the tears. Also because I really felt a great honor to play such a great complex and amazing character,” Haas told Steve Pond for TheWrap’s Awards and International Screening Series.
- 1/26/2021
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
Julia von Heinz, director of the German film “And Tomorrow The Entire World,” grew up in the 1990s as a political activist fighting against anti-fascism. And though she wanted to make a personal film about her own experience, the political climate changed so dramatically in Germany over the last few years that she realized the story demanded a modern update.
Heinz told Steve Pond as part of TheWrap’s Awards and International Screening Series that when she initially pitched her film, she couldn’t find financing because it was a period drama. But the current situation in Germany — not to mention the Trump administration in the U.S. — forced her hand to overhaul the story and make it as urgent and timely as possible.
“Why would I make films about the ’90s?” Heinz said. “I had the feeling now where I can’t do only entertaining films or films to escape from the world.
Heinz told Steve Pond as part of TheWrap’s Awards and International Screening Series that when she initially pitched her film, she couldn’t find financing because it was a period drama. But the current situation in Germany — not to mention the Trump administration in the U.S. — forced her hand to overhaul the story and make it as urgent and timely as possible.
“Why would I make films about the ’90s?” Heinz said. “I had the feeling now where I can’t do only entertaining films or films to escape from the world.
- 1/21/2021
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
Aitor Arregi, Jon Garaño, and Jose Mari Goenaga are the three filmmakers behind the Spanish historical drama “The Endless Trench,” and the film marks the first time all three have a co-directed a film together. So how exactly did all three filmmakers manage the workflow?
“We’ve been working together almost for 20 years now which is quite some time and actually we’ve been directing until now like co-directing with two directors and this is the first time that we are directing, the three of us,” Garaño told TheWrap’s Steve Pond as part of the International Film Screening Series. “This is possible because we share the same vision, and this is important for us to have obviously the same vision, and if we don’t have this vision we construct it.”
“So it is very important for us to to work in preproduction before the shooting, make everything clear that each of us,...
“We’ve been working together almost for 20 years now which is quite some time and actually we’ve been directing until now like co-directing with two directors and this is the first time that we are directing, the three of us,” Garaño told TheWrap’s Steve Pond as part of the International Film Screening Series. “This is possible because we share the same vision, and this is important for us to have obviously the same vision, and if we don’t have this vision we construct it.”
“So it is very important for us to to work in preproduction before the shooting, make everything clear that each of us,...
- 1/20/2021
- by Umberto Gonzalez
- The Wrap
Ivan-Goran Vitez made his Croatian film “Extracurricular” about an enraged, armed father taking his daughter’s class hostage as a warning to society that there are desperate, lost people among us.
“When I started to think about this film, I wanted to make it some kind of a warning to people not to act this way because, in the film, we have the enraged father who bursts into the school of his 9-year-old daughter, because it’s her birthday and he doesn’t have the right to be with her on her birthday,” Vitez told TheWrap’s Steve Pond.
“He’s a recently divorced man, he’s an unemployed father who lost his rights to be heard in the society and even in his family, and I wanted to warn the society about these people that exist here around us,” he continued. “And we have to be careful, no, you...
“When I started to think about this film, I wanted to make it some kind of a warning to people not to act this way because, in the film, we have the enraged father who bursts into the school of his 9-year-old daughter, because it’s her birthday and he doesn’t have the right to be with her on her birthday,” Vitez told TheWrap’s Steve Pond.
“He’s a recently divorced man, he’s an unemployed father who lost his rights to be heard in the society and even in his family, and I wanted to warn the society about these people that exist here around us,” he continued. “And we have to be careful, no, you...
- 1/17/2021
- by Beatrice Verhoeven
- The Wrap
Chloe Zhao’s acclaimed awards contender “Nomadland” is set to be released in select theaters and drive-in venues on Feb. 19, along with simultaneously debuting on Hulu, Searchlight Pictures announced on Thursday.
The film, starring Frances McDormand as a woman who takes the road after falling on hard economic times, is also getting an exclusive run in select Imax theaters beginning Jan. 29.
In his review of the film, TheWrap’s Steve Pond wrote, Zhao’s “Nomadland” is a tiny indie film on a huge scale, an intimate drama set against the vast spaces of the American West. It’s also a typical production for the young Chinese-American director Zhao in that its cast is made up of non-actors playing themselves, or versions of themselves — except that at the center of the film is a two-time Oscar-winning actress whose very presence, you’d think, would upset the delicate balance that Zhao struck...
The film, starring Frances McDormand as a woman who takes the road after falling on hard economic times, is also getting an exclusive run in select Imax theaters beginning Jan. 29.
In his review of the film, TheWrap’s Steve Pond wrote, Zhao’s “Nomadland” is a tiny indie film on a huge scale, an intimate drama set against the vast spaces of the American West. It’s also a typical production for the young Chinese-American director Zhao in that its cast is made up of non-actors playing themselves, or versions of themselves — except that at the center of the film is a two-time Oscar-winning actress whose very presence, you’d think, would upset the delicate balance that Zhao struck...
- 1/15/2021
- by Umberto Gonzalez
- The Wrap
To portray a fisherman suffering through the Great Hunger, a famine that ravaged Ireland in 1845, in the film “Arracht,” lead actor Donall O Healai fasted for months until he was down to virtually skin and bones.
It’s an extreme level of dedication we’ve seen from a number of actors across the years. But because “Arracht” had to be shot in reverse, O Healai then had to rapidly put back on enormous amounts of weight while filming continued.
“The weight loss was a lot, but the weight gain was also dramatic,” director Tom Sullivan told TheWrap’s Steve Pond. “We didn’t really have, because we were low budget the facility to furlough the actors or crew for a couple of weeks as Donall put the weight on. He had to do that immediately. So that was a massive challenge for him.”
“I was trying to gain as much...
It’s an extreme level of dedication we’ve seen from a number of actors across the years. But because “Arracht” had to be shot in reverse, O Healai then had to rapidly put back on enormous amounts of weight while filming continued.
“The weight loss was a lot, but the weight gain was also dramatic,” director Tom Sullivan told TheWrap’s Steve Pond. “We didn’t really have, because we were low budget the facility to furlough the actors or crew for a couple of weeks as Donall put the weight on. He had to do that immediately. So that was a massive challenge for him.”
“I was trying to gain as much...
- 1/14/2021
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
Anne Paulicevich was determined to tell a story of female heroism after the birth of her daughter and found her script’s inspiration after reading an article about women who work as prostitutes along the Belgian border. The result was the script for her drama “Working Girls,” Belgium’s official selection for the 2021 Golden Globes and the 93rd Academy Awards.
However, she had a small problem. She needed to get access to a brothel to do proper research.
“I was never in a brothel before and so I said to Freìdeìric (co-director) and to the producer, I won’t write this story if I didn’t meet these women,” Paulicevich tells TheWrap’s Steve Pond. “So I spent a lot of time in brothels, like around nine months for the writing.”
“Working Girls” centers on Axelle, Dominique and Conso who leads a double life. Every morning they meet up in...
However, she had a small problem. She needed to get access to a brothel to do proper research.
“I was never in a brothel before and so I said to Freìdeìric (co-director) and to the producer, I won’t write this story if I didn’t meet these women,” Paulicevich tells TheWrap’s Steve Pond. “So I spent a lot of time in brothels, like around nine months for the writing.”
“Working Girls” centers on Axelle, Dominique and Conso who leads a double life. Every morning they meet up in...
- 1/9/2021
- by Umberto Gonzalez
- The Wrap
Maria Bakalova landed the role of a lifetime when she was just a young, aspiring actress in Bulgaria. And it wasn’t for “Borat 2.”
She was cast in Bulgaria’s Oscar submission “The Father” in a tiny but important role, and in speaking with TheWrap, Bakalova described her casting as something of a dream come true.
“They are actually my real teachers, so to work with them was my biggest dream to be part of their movies,” Bakalova told TheWrap’s Steve Pond of “The Father” directors Kristina Grozeva and Petar Valchanov. “I was praying one day to be part of something that they were going to make…When I heard back from them that I could be part of it, I was like ‘Jesus Christ this is the best day of my life!'”
Though she broke out this year and is even earning Oscar buzz for “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm,...
She was cast in Bulgaria’s Oscar submission “The Father” in a tiny but important role, and in speaking with TheWrap, Bakalova described her casting as something of a dream come true.
“They are actually my real teachers, so to work with them was my biggest dream to be part of their movies,” Bakalova told TheWrap’s Steve Pond of “The Father” directors Kristina Grozeva and Petar Valchanov. “I was praying one day to be part of something that they were going to make…When I heard back from them that I could be part of it, I was like ‘Jesus Christ this is the best day of my life!'”
Though she broke out this year and is even earning Oscar buzz for “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm,...
- 1/6/2021
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
There has been no stopping Regina King. After winning an Oscar for “If Beale Street Could Talk” and an Emmy for “Watchmen,” the actress has found herself back in contention for another Academy Award — this time for Best Director.
At the 2020 Power Women Summit on Wednesday, King spoke with TheWrap’s Steve Pond for the Spotlight Conversation presented by Cadillac. King discussed her upcoming directorial debut “One Night In Miami,” which is based on Kemp Powers’ acclaimed play of the same name. Set in 1964, the film tells of a fictional encounter between Muhammad Ali — then known as Cassius Clay — Malcolm X, Sam Cooke and Jim Brown in a Miami hotel room after Ali’s first heavyweight title victory over Sonny Liston. With all four men still on the rise toward superstardom, they have a life-changing and intimate discussion about what it means to be famous Black men in a country that discriminates against them…...
At the 2020 Power Women Summit on Wednesday, King spoke with TheWrap’s Steve Pond for the Spotlight Conversation presented by Cadillac. King discussed her upcoming directorial debut “One Night In Miami,” which is based on Kemp Powers’ acclaimed play of the same name. Set in 1964, the film tells of a fictional encounter between Muhammad Ali — then known as Cassius Clay — Malcolm X, Sam Cooke and Jim Brown in a Miami hotel room after Ali’s first heavyweight title victory over Sonny Liston. With all four men still on the rise toward superstardom, they have a life-changing and intimate discussion about what it means to be famous Black men in a country that discriminates against them…...
- 12/9/2020
- by Jeremy Fuster
- The Wrap
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.