While we absolutely love scripted movies and television here at /Film, we also have a deep appreciation for documentaries — series and films alike. With so many streaming services available, it feels like there are more documentaries out there than ever before, which can make finding the right one to watch a bit intimidating. Thankfully, I'm here to help recommend some of the best docs streaming this May, from remastered versions of music classics like "Stop Making Sense" and "Let it Be" to new docs with a fresh perspective, like the shocking "Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV" and "Stormy." There has honestly been a massive influx of showbiz docs lately, with a couple more great ones dropping fresh this month. The entertainment industry has always been rife with controversy and chaos, so there's sure to be no end of these docs anytime soon. Still, this latest crop is a real doozy.
- 5/1/2024
- by Danielle Ryan
- Slash Film
After revealing behind the scenes details about how he helped bring an all-star group of musicians together to make the Grammy-winning smash hit charity single “We Are the World” in the Netflix documentary “The Greatest Night in Pop,” Lionel Richie recently spoke to IndieWire about which of the participants he knows have watched the movie, and are still reeling from the down-to-the-wire recording session.
“Huey Lewis sat next to me while I’m watching the premiere, and he leaned over to me, and he said, ‘I don’t think we’re going to make it,’” the “American Idol” judge said at an event celebrating the reveal of the current season’s Top 10 finalists. “I said, ‘Huey, it’s 39 years ago. It’s been a success.’ But how we set it up, he was a nervous wreck.”
Richie, who both produced the Sundance premiere directed by Bao Nguyen, and appears heavily in the film,...
“Huey Lewis sat next to me while I’m watching the premiere, and he leaned over to me, and he said, ‘I don’t think we’re going to make it,’” the “American Idol” judge said at an event celebrating the reveal of the current season’s Top 10 finalists. “I said, ‘Huey, it’s 39 years ago. It’s been a success.’ But how we set it up, he was a nervous wreck.”
Richie, who both produced the Sundance premiere directed by Bao Nguyen, and appears heavily in the film,...
- 4/30/2024
- by Marcus Jones
- Indiewire
Griselda, the limited series starring and executive produced by Sofía Vergara, spent its third week atop the English TV list. It dropped to 10.3M views, from its previous week’s 20.6 million, but was still far ahead of No. 2., Season 1 of The Tourist, which moved from Max to Netflix in the U.S., with 6.8M views. One Day, the limited series starring Ambika Mod and Leo Woodall, adapted from David Nicholls’ romance novel that was previously adapted as a movie, debuted in third place with 5.3M views. Netflix says it reached the Top 10 in 75 countries.
Back on the list for the week of Feb. 5-Feb. 11, are the docuseries Alexander: The Making of a God at #3 (3.5M views), Harlan Coben’s crime thriller Fool Me Once at #5 (3.3M views), true crime docuseries American Nightmare at #6 (3M views) and Season 2 of Love on the Spectrum US at #10 (1.2M views).
At the top of...
Back on the list for the week of Feb. 5-Feb. 11, are the docuseries Alexander: The Making of a God at #3 (3.5M views), Harlan Coben’s crime thriller Fool Me Once at #5 (3.3M views), true crime docuseries American Nightmare at #6 (3M views) and Season 2 of Love on the Spectrum US at #10 (1.2M views).
At the top of...
- 2/13/2024
- by Denise Petski
- Deadline Film + TV
Griselda spent another week lording over Netflix, but Fool Me Once had its own reason to celebrate.
It was easily the most-watched title of the week with 20.6M views, marking its second week atop the English-language TV Top 10. According to Netflix, the series was in the Top 10 in 90 countries. That was nearly three times the viewership of second place, which was the docuseries Alexander: The Making of a God with 7.1M views in its debut week.
While Fool Me Once was pushed to No. 4 this week, the additional 5.1M views put it on the Most Popular List at No. 9. The series has managed 84.9M views in its first 35 days on Netflix. Expect this series to continue to climb the list, since it has plenty of time to build a larger 91-day viewership. It’s next hurdle will be Season 2 of Bridgerton, which would require nearly 10M additional views.
Speaking of,...
It was easily the most-watched title of the week with 20.6M views, marking its second week atop the English-language TV Top 10. According to Netflix, the series was in the Top 10 in 90 countries. That was nearly three times the viewership of second place, which was the docuseries Alexander: The Making of a God with 7.1M views in its debut week.
While Fool Me Once was pushed to No. 4 this week, the additional 5.1M views put it on the Most Popular List at No. 9. The series has managed 84.9M views in its first 35 days on Netflix. Expect this series to continue to climb the list, since it has plenty of time to build a larger 91-day viewership. It’s next hurdle will be Season 2 of Bridgerton, which would require nearly 10M additional views.
Speaking of,...
- 2/6/2024
- by Katie Campione
- Deadline Film + TV
Each week we highlight the noteworthy titles that have recently hit streaming platforms in the United States. Check out this week’s selections below and past round-ups here.
The Beekeeper (David Ayer)
It’s the time of year for smooth-brained relaxation. Moviegoers can recover from the holidays with the comfort of knowing Gerard Butler, Liam Neeson, or Jason Statham will be here to satisfy their mid-budget, action-programmer needs. Is it really the new year if one of those cherished Kings of January doesn’t appear on the release slate? There’s no Gerry or Liam, but the ever-reliable Statham dons a trucker hat and blue jeans to grit his way through David Ayer’s The Beekeeper, an overall valiant, occasionally fun attempt to take us out of Q1 doldrums. – Conor O. (full review)
Where to Stream: VOD
Brawl in Cell Block 99 (S. Craig Zahler)
S. Craig Zahler is the...
The Beekeeper (David Ayer)
It’s the time of year for smooth-brained relaxation. Moviegoers can recover from the holidays with the comfort of knowing Gerard Butler, Liam Neeson, or Jason Statham will be here to satisfy their mid-budget, action-programmer needs. Is it really the new year if one of those cherished Kings of January doesn’t appear on the release slate? There’s no Gerry or Liam, but the ever-reliable Statham dons a trucker hat and blue jeans to grit his way through David Ayer’s The Beekeeper, an overall valiant, occasionally fun attempt to take us out of Q1 doldrums. – Conor O. (full review)
Where to Stream: VOD
Brawl in Cell Block 99 (S. Craig Zahler)
S. Craig Zahler is the...
- 2/2/2024
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
From the first seed of an idea to the creative chaos of cramming 40-plus celebrities into a single recording studio, The Greatest Night in Pop, the new documentary from director Bao Nguyen (Be Water)chronicles every obstacle and behind-the-scenes story that led to the iconic song we all know and love. Still performed at karaoke bars and school recitals all over the globe, “We Are the World” gathered together dozens of pop and rock luminaries on one unprecedented night to raise millions of dollars in humanitarian aid for African famine relief. Upon its release in 1985, it quickly became the first single to be certified multiplatinum. Produced by the legendary Quincy Jones, the song was co-written by Lionel Richie and Michael Jackson at the height of their fame, and featured solos by Bob Dylan, Diana Ross, Cyndi Lauper, Stevie Wonder, and Kenny Rogers, among many more musical superstars. Today, it’s...
- 2/1/2024
- by Roxanne Fequiere
- Tudum - Netflix
From singing backup at Elvis Presley’s 1968 comeback TV special to writing Michael Jackson’s “She’s Out of My Life” to arranging the vocals on Billy Joel’s An Innocent Man, longtime Quincy Jones collaborator Tom Bahler has had an improbably jam-packed music career. But as he sees it, the peak of it all came in January of 1985, when Jones called upon him to arrange the array of superstar vocals on “We Are the World.”
With a new documentary on the song, The Greatest Night in Pop, out now on Netflix,...
With a new documentary on the song, The Greatest Night in Pop, out now on Netflix,...
- 1/31/2024
- by Brian Hiatt
- Rollingstone.com
Chronicling what should probably be considered the Avengers Assemble of the rock music world, Netflix’s latest musical documentary, The Greatest Night in Pop, lays out everything that went behind the scenes of the 1985 single We Are the World. It is certainly one of the most popular songs in the history of music, mainly because of its universal appeal and the people that are associated with it. You don’t get names like Michael Jackson, Bruce Springsteen, Lionel Richie, Quincy Jones, Harry Belafonte, Kenny Rogers, Bob Dylan, and Stevie Wonder working together to create one single piece of art every day. It is a once-in-a-lifetime thing, and Netflix makes sure that the audience gets to see it that way only.
What Happens In The Documentary?
The Greatest Night in Pop takes us back to one cold winter night in January 1985, where all the shining stars of the musical world gathered together in the A&m Studios,...
What Happens In The Documentary?
The Greatest Night in Pop takes us back to one cold winter night in January 1985, where all the shining stars of the musical world gathered together in the A&m Studios,...
- 1/30/2024
- by Rohitavra Majumdar
- Film Fugitives
In the Netflix documentary The Greatest Night in Pop, A-listers from Stevie Wonder to Michael Jackson come together for the recording of an iconic song
For all the behind the scenes gems and 80s nostalgia it has on offer, Bao Nguyen’s The Greatest Night in Pop is a master class in event planning.
As anyone who has ever tried to cram a group of A-listers – or even a crowd of sluggish friends and family members – into the same room at the same time knows, it’s going to be a headache. Bringing together 46 of today’s musical superstars for a night of unpaid work would be near impossible (small wonder most of today’s chart-topping collaborations involve no more than two artists). “There’s so many managers and publicists and agents that you’d have to go through,” Nguyen said from Sundance, where he premiered his film about the...
For all the behind the scenes gems and 80s nostalgia it has on offer, Bao Nguyen’s The Greatest Night in Pop is a master class in event planning.
As anyone who has ever tried to cram a group of A-listers – or even a crowd of sluggish friends and family members – into the same room at the same time knows, it’s going to be a headache. Bringing together 46 of today’s musical superstars for a night of unpaid work would be near impossible (small wonder most of today’s chart-topping collaborations involve no more than two artists). “There’s so many managers and publicists and agents that you’d have to go through,” Nguyen said from Sundance, where he premiered his film about the...
- 1/30/2024
- by Lauren Mechling
- The Guardian - Film News
“The Greatest Night in Pop” is a documentary for anyone who loves “We Are the World” (that would include me), or even for those who look at that legendary charity single with some serious questions but are fascinated by the phenomenon of it (that’s me as well). In a sense, “We Are the World” always was a documentary — the famous music video that captures the song as it was being recorded, in an into-the-night session that took place at A&m Recording Studios in Los Angeles immediately after the American Music Awards on January 28, 1985. (The organizers of USA for Africa realized that only by pinning the recording session to that night could they be sure all the stars they needed for the song would be in one place at the same time.)
That music video has always been more than just a video. It’s a pop-stars-reveal-themselves psychodrama in miniature.
That music video has always been more than just a video. It’s a pop-stars-reveal-themselves psychodrama in miniature.
- 1/29/2024
- by Owen Gleiberman
- Variety Film + TV
The sessions started at Hollywood, California’s A&m Studios the night of Jan. 28, 1985, and didn’t end until well after sunrise the morning of Jan. 29. By that point, it was clear that nothing quite like “We Are the World” could ever happen again. The Greatest Night in Pop, a new documentary on Netflix, brings it all back to vivid life: co-writers Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie joined by Stevie Wonder, Tina Turner, Ray Charles, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, and an improbably long list of other superstars, all crammed in...
- 1/29/2024
- by Brian Hiatt
- Rollingstone.com
Logistically, the task seemed impossible: Gather 46 of the world’s most massive musical stars in a Los Angeles studio and record a hit song, all in a single night. Oh, and the reason for this ambitious endeavor? To raise a record-breaking amount of money to benefit African famine relief and forever alter global pop culture.
No pressure or anything.
On Jan. 28, 1985, that’s exactly what happened during the recording session for “We Are the World.” The story of The Greatest Night in Pop is told in a new documentary film from director Bao Nguyen (Be Water): the idea, the song, and the long, wild night in the studio with some of the most significant musicians of the 20th century.
“This story starts with a call from Harry Belafonte,” Nguyen tells Tudum, referring to the late singer and activist’s idea...
No pressure or anything.
On Jan. 28, 1985, that’s exactly what happened during the recording session for “We Are the World.” The story of The Greatest Night in Pop is told in a new documentary film from director Bao Nguyen (Be Water): the idea, the song, and the long, wild night in the studio with some of the most significant musicians of the 20th century.
“This story starts with a call from Harry Belafonte,” Nguyen tells Tudum, referring to the late singer and activist’s idea...
- 1/29/2024
- by Amanda Richards
- Tudum - Netflix
Plot: In late 1984, inspired by the success of Band-Aid in the UK, legendary producer Quincy Jones decides to make a charity single including all of the biggest pop stars in the country. Due to the complicated schedules of all involved, they only have one evening to complete what will become one of the best-selling singles of all time, “We Are the World.”
Review: If you’ve seen the music video for “We Are the World,” you’ll know that pretty much every pop-rock icon of the first half of the eighties was there for its recording. In addition to co-writers Michael Jackson and Lionel Ritchie, there was Huey Lewis, Hall & Oates, Diana Ross, Kenny Loggins, Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles, Willie Nelson, Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, Kenny Rogers, Paul Simon, Steve Perry and so many more. Even Dan Aykroyd showed up singing in the chorus.
The song was a charity single...
Review: If you’ve seen the music video for “We Are the World,” you’ll know that pretty much every pop-rock icon of the first half of the eighties was there for its recording. In addition to co-writers Michael Jackson and Lionel Ritchie, there was Huey Lewis, Hall & Oates, Diana Ross, Kenny Loggins, Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles, Willie Nelson, Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, Kenny Rogers, Paul Simon, Steve Perry and so many more. Even Dan Aykroyd showed up singing in the chorus.
The song was a charity single...
- 1/28/2024
- by Chris Bumbray
- JoBlo.com
Everyone knows that (almost) all of America’s biggest pop and rock stars crammed into a Los Angeles recording studio on the night of January 28, 1985 in order to lay down the vocals for the charity single “We Are the World,” a semi-tolerable earworm that would ultimately raise more than $68 million to provide food and relief aid to people suffering from starvation in Africa. What Bao Nguyen’s light and fluffy new Netflix documentary presupposes is that it would be entertaining to revisit the room where it happened and watch as this legendary session nearly devolved into an absolute shitshow that threatened to fall apart in 100 different ways due to the egos and insecurities of the singular artists involved.
And while “The Greatest Night in Pop” may not amount to anything more than a sanitized and somewhat masturbatory look back at one of the wildest get-togethers in the modern history of music,...
And while “The Greatest Night in Pop” may not amount to anything more than a sanitized and somewhat masturbatory look back at one of the wildest get-togethers in the modern history of music,...
- 1/24/2024
- by David Ehrlich
- Indiewire
Lionel Richie has been very emotional lately, but he wants to reassure everyone that he’s okay.
According to Richie, it’s just been a heady experience to look back nearly 40 years and relive all the wondrous and chaotic memories of writing and recording “We Are the World” for the new Netflix documentary “The Greatest Night in Pop.”
“Every segment of this journey, I cry,” Richie said at the Variety Studio presented by Audible at Sundance Film Festival, where the film made its world premiere. “It just brings tears to my eyes because some of us are not here anymore. Also it was our innocence. We actually were making a difference, so to see the naive version of ourselves, when we actually had an aha moment that we might take all this celebrity and change the world … I’m just emotional about it because I get to watch my kid being born again.
According to Richie, it’s just been a heady experience to look back nearly 40 years and relive all the wondrous and chaotic memories of writing and recording “We Are the World” for the new Netflix documentary “The Greatest Night in Pop.”
“Every segment of this journey, I cry,” Richie said at the Variety Studio presented by Audible at Sundance Film Festival, where the film made its world premiere. “It just brings tears to my eyes because some of us are not here anymore. Also it was our innocence. We actually were making a difference, so to see the naive version of ourselves, when we actually had an aha moment that we might take all this celebrity and change the world … I’m just emotional about it because I get to watch my kid being born again.
- 1/23/2024
- by Angelique Jackson
- Variety Film + TV
Lena Waithe, who is a juror at Sundance, believes the festival “really sets the tone for the year,” citing “Past Lives” as an example from last year.
“Obviously, ‘Past Lives’ has done really well, surprisingly so to the business. It’s a quiet movie about home, friends, what would’ve happened if you would’ve stayed in one place versus going somewhere else,” Waithe said. “Ultimately, I look at Sundance as a window into our industry, into what’s happening. And I think there’s a huge diversity in terms of filmmakers, writers, cast, and for me, it’s really about making sure this business still has a heartbeat.”
At the Variety Diversifying Storytelling in Film panel presented by Adobe, Waithe and other creatives at Sundance discussed the role art plays in reflecting society.
Dawn Porter, director of “Luther: Never Too Much,” reflected on how films from “Past Lives” to...
“Obviously, ‘Past Lives’ has done really well, surprisingly so to the business. It’s a quiet movie about home, friends, what would’ve happened if you would’ve stayed in one place versus going somewhere else,” Waithe said. “Ultimately, I look at Sundance as a window into our industry, into what’s happening. And I think there’s a huge diversity in terms of filmmakers, writers, cast, and for me, it’s really about making sure this business still has a heartbeat.”
At the Variety Diversifying Storytelling in Film panel presented by Adobe, Waithe and other creatives at Sundance discussed the role art plays in reflecting society.
Dawn Porter, director of “Luther: Never Too Much,” reflected on how films from “Past Lives” to...
- 1/21/2024
- by Caroline Brew
- Variety Film + TV
“The Greatest Night In Pop” is so entertaining and eminently watchable, and it’s as simple as that. Directed by Bao Nguyen, the acclaimed filmmaker of the Bruce Lee doc “Be Water,” the already-engaging subject matter doesn’t hurt: nearly 50 of the top American music artists in the world all in one room, recording a soon-to-be global hit single. Presumably, everyone knows “We Are The World,” still one of the best-selling pop singles of all time, recorded by the supergroup U.S.A.
Continue reading ‘The Greatest Night In Pop’ Review: A Deeply Entertaining Music Doc About Pop Hit “We Are The World” [Sundance] at The Playlist.
Continue reading ‘The Greatest Night In Pop’ Review: A Deeply Entertaining Music Doc About Pop Hit “We Are The World” [Sundance] at The Playlist.
- 1/20/2024
- by Rodrigo Perez
- The Playlist
At one point as the supergroup dubbed “USA for Africa” was assembling on January 28, 1985, at A&M Recording Studios in Hollywood, Paul Simon reportedly joked, “If a bomb lands on this place, John Denver’s back on top.” Such was the magnitude of mid-‘80s music luminaries on hand, everyone from Diana Ross, Dionne Warwick and Tina Turner through Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, Billy Joel and beyond. Unless you’ve spent your whole life under a rock, sometime or other, the resulting charity single, “We Are the World,” has likely gotten stuck in your head. The song achieved instant global saturation, selling out the initial run of a million copies in the first weekend of its release.
Of course, this is pre-downloads, so we’re talking actual vinyl sales, and it’s audiences with fond recollections of those analog days and the music stars who dominated the charts during the...
Of course, this is pre-downloads, so we’re talking actual vinyl sales, and it’s audiences with fond recollections of those analog days and the music stars who dominated the charts during the...
- 1/20/2024
- by David Rooney
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Actress Richa Chadha has been selected to be part of a distinguished panel discussing ‘Entertainers as Activists’ at the Sundance Film Festival. Richa will share the stage with other influential figures, including philanthropic leader Bridgette Antoinette Evans, comedian and actor Kobi Libii, and documentary filmmaker Bao Nguyen.
Speaking of this, Richa said: “Entertainment has the power to shape perceptions and inspire change. As artists, it’s our responsibility to use our voices to amplify important issues.
“I’m honoured to be part of the Sundance Film Festival panel, discussing how entertainers can be catalysts for meaningful activism. Let our stories not only entertain but also provoke thought and drive positive transformation.”
Known for speaking her mind, Richa Chadha has been a vocal advocate for social change, addressing issues close to her heart and within the film industry.
Richa, along with her husband and business partner Ali Fazal, is jetting off...
Speaking of this, Richa said: “Entertainment has the power to shape perceptions and inspire change. As artists, it’s our responsibility to use our voices to amplify important issues.
“I’m honoured to be part of the Sundance Film Festival panel, discussing how entertainers can be catalysts for meaningful activism. Let our stories not only entertain but also provoke thought and drive positive transformation.”
Known for speaking her mind, Richa Chadha has been a vocal advocate for social change, addressing issues close to her heart and within the film industry.
Richa, along with her husband and business partner Ali Fazal, is jetting off...
- 1/20/2024
- by Agency News Desk
- GlamSham
“I didn’t really know much about the making of the song,” admits The Greatest Night in Pop director Bao Nguyen of 1985’s star-studded Ethiopian famine relief hit “We Are the World.” “You just make these assumptions about how things are made because it just happens. But when you think now of 46 great artists getting together to make that, it would be really impossible for that to happen now.”
Whether or not the superstars of 2024 could or would come together like the hit makers of the Reagan Era did in America and the UK almost 40 years ago is debatable. What is a fact is that Nguyen’s latest documentary is debuting today at the Sundance Film Festival just a few days short of when U.S.A. for Africa recorded the Lionel Richie and Michael Jackson penned tune in a studio in Los Angeles. It is also a fact that, after a total of four Sundance screenings,...
Whether or not the superstars of 2024 could or would come together like the hit makers of the Reagan Era did in America and the UK almost 40 years ago is debatable. What is a fact is that Nguyen’s latest documentary is debuting today at the Sundance Film Festival just a few days short of when U.S.A. for Africa recorded the Lionel Richie and Michael Jackson penned tune in a studio in Los Angeles. It is also a fact that, after a total of four Sundance screenings,...
- 1/19/2024
- by Dominic Patten
- Deadline Film + TV
As a global pop culture event, it’s hard to match the release of “We Are the World,” the charity single that sold more than 20 million copies in 1985 and united 46 musical stars as enormous and disparate as Michael Jackson, Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan and Diana Ross at an all-night secret recording session. The story of that night — the scrambling, the egos, the moments of creative kismet — is now told in Bao Nguyen’s documentary The Greatest Night in Pop, which will premiere Jan. 19 at Sundance before streaming on Netflix beginning Jan. 29.
“When I heard how they assembled the team, to me it was almost like a heist film,” says Nguyen, who directed the 2020 Bruce Lee documentary Be Water. “You have Quincy Jones as the Danny Ocean of the whole effort. And they’re assembling [the team] — who’s the best rock star, who’s the best legend? There’s a bit of...
“When I heard how they assembled the team, to me it was almost like a heist film,” says Nguyen, who directed the 2020 Bruce Lee documentary Be Water. “You have Quincy Jones as the Danny Ocean of the whole effort. And they’re assembling [the team] — who’s the best rock star, who’s the best legend? There’s a bit of...
- 1/18/2024
- by Rebecca Keegan
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Variety is returning to the Sundance Film Festival this year with its annual Interview Studio, presented by Audible, the leading creator and provider of premium audio storytelling. Throughout the festival, videos from the interview studio will be distributed across Variety.com as well as Variety and Audible’s social media channels.
Beginning Friday, January 19, running through Sunday, January 21, the Variety Studio, presented by Audible, will feature interviews with industry-leading directors and top talent from the films premiering at the Sundance Film Festival. Confirmed talent includes Jesse Eisenberg, Kieran Culkin (“A Real Pain”); Jodie Foster, Alex Hedison, Alok Vaid-Menon (“Alok”); Lionel Richie, Bao Nguyen, Julia Nottingham (“The Greatest Night in Pop”); Kerry Washington, Angela Patton, Natalie Rae (“Daughters”); June Squibb, Fred Hechinger, Clark Gregg, Josh Margolin (“Thelma”); Anna Fleck, Ryan Boden, Pedro Pascal, Jay Ellis, Normani, Dominique Thorn, Ji-Young Yoo, Jack Champion (“Freaky Tales”); Richard Linklater, Glen Powell (“Hit Man”); Susanna Fogel,...
Beginning Friday, January 19, running through Sunday, January 21, the Variety Studio, presented by Audible, will feature interviews with industry-leading directors and top talent from the films premiering at the Sundance Film Festival. Confirmed talent includes Jesse Eisenberg, Kieran Culkin (“A Real Pain”); Jodie Foster, Alex Hedison, Alok Vaid-Menon (“Alok”); Lionel Richie, Bao Nguyen, Julia Nottingham (“The Greatest Night in Pop”); Kerry Washington, Angela Patton, Natalie Rae (“Daughters”); June Squibb, Fred Hechinger, Clark Gregg, Josh Margolin (“Thelma”); Anna Fleck, Ryan Boden, Pedro Pascal, Jay Ellis, Normani, Dominique Thorn, Ji-Young Yoo, Jack Champion (“Freaky Tales”); Richard Linklater, Glen Powell (“Hit Man”); Susanna Fogel,...
- 1/17/2024
- by William Earl
- Variety Film + TV
Netflix has shared the trailer for an upcoming documentary about the making of the 1985 charity single “We Are the World.”
Directed by Bao Nguyen, The Greatest Night in Pop tells the story of how 46 of music’s biggest stars came together in a single day to record one song that would become a global sensation in the truest sense of the phrase. As Lionel Richie explains in the trailer, he and Michael Jackson co-wrote “We Are the World” after Harry Belafonte called him directly to ask if he could write a song to raise money for hunger relief in Africa.
The Greatest Night in Pop compiles footage of that day in Jim Henson’s studio, where Richie’s newly-assembled supergroup recorded the song live — for better or for worse. The Grammy-winning track featured the voices of just some of the biggest stars of the era, including Bruce Springsteen, Smokey Robinson,...
Directed by Bao Nguyen, The Greatest Night in Pop tells the story of how 46 of music’s biggest stars came together in a single day to record one song that would become a global sensation in the truest sense of the phrase. As Lionel Richie explains in the trailer, he and Michael Jackson co-wrote “We Are the World” after Harry Belafonte called him directly to ask if he could write a song to raise money for hunger relief in Africa.
The Greatest Night in Pop compiles footage of that day in Jim Henson’s studio, where Richie’s newly-assembled supergroup recorded the song live — for better or for worse. The Grammy-winning track featured the voices of just some of the biggest stars of the era, including Bruce Springsteen, Smokey Robinson,...
- 1/9/2024
- by Abby Jones
- Consequence - Film News
One of the biggest pop culture moments of the 80s was when a large group of pop artists came together for a special one-time song dedicated to raising awareness and helping to end famine in Africa. That song, “We Are the World,” was amazingly stacked with talent, including Michael Jackson, Lionel Richie, Tina Turner, Bob Dylan, Cyndi Lauper, Bruce Springsteen, Harry Belafonte, Kenny Loggins, Dionne Warwick, and Huey Lewis. A documentary from Netflix recounts the story of how the song came together with The Greatest Night in Pop. The film is also scheduled to screen at the Sundance Film Festival this year, with Lionel Richie in tow.
Netflix’s description of the documentary reads,
“On January 25, 1985, dozens of the biggest names in music convened at a studio in Los Angeles, checked their egos at the door and recorded a song to benefit African famine relief that would alter global pop culture history.
Netflix’s description of the documentary reads,
“On January 25, 1985, dozens of the biggest names in music convened at a studio in Los Angeles, checked their egos at the door and recorded a song to benefit African famine relief that would alter global pop culture history.
- 1/9/2024
- by EJ Tangonan
- JoBlo.com
"Let's get this party started." Netflix has revealed the first official trailer for a music history documentary film called The Greatest Night in Pop, directed by doc filmmaker Bao Nguyen (of the Bruce Lee doc Be Water previously). This film was a last minute addition to the exciting Sundance 2024 line-up, playing at the prestigious film festival in a few weeks before it debuts on Netflix at the end of January. In 1985, 46 music icons, including Lionel Richie, Michael Jackson, Bruce Springsteen, Cyndi Lauper, Diana Ross, and Stevie Wonder, came together for the most star-studded recording session in history. This is the untold story of the legendary global pop song "We Are the World" (listen here) recorded to help bring more support to African famine relief — which very nearly didn't happen. Many of the artists who were there that legendary evening -- Richie, Springsteen, Lauper, Smokey Robinson, Kenny Loggins, Dionne Warwick, and...
- 1/9/2024
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Picture: Netflix
What’s on Netflix exclusively learned on December 15th, 2023 that Netflix is set to release a new documentary covering the 1985 American Music Awards and the creation of the charity hit “We Are the World,” which became the eighth-best-selling physical single of all time. The documentary has now been confirmed by Netflix and is set to release on January 29th, following a premiere at the Sundance Film Festival.
Award-winning director Bao Nguyen is behind the new feature documentary, and it serves as his Netflix debut. He has previously worked on documentaries and shorts for HBO, PBS, and The New York Times. His most known documentaries include Be Water and Live from New York!
Bao Nguyen – Picture: Getty Images
Per the description found on the British Council website, here’s what you can expect from the 1 hour and 42-minute documentary:
“On January 28th, 1985, the stage was set for the annual American Music Awards.
What’s on Netflix exclusively learned on December 15th, 2023 that Netflix is set to release a new documentary covering the 1985 American Music Awards and the creation of the charity hit “We Are the World,” which became the eighth-best-selling physical single of all time. The documentary has now been confirmed by Netflix and is set to release on January 29th, following a premiere at the Sundance Film Festival.
Award-winning director Bao Nguyen is behind the new feature documentary, and it serves as his Netflix debut. He has previously worked on documentaries and shorts for HBO, PBS, and The New York Times. His most known documentaries include Be Water and Live from New York!
Bao Nguyen – Picture: Getty Images
Per the description found on the British Council website, here’s what you can expect from the 1 hour and 42-minute documentary:
“On January 28th, 1985, the stage was set for the annual American Music Awards.
- 1/9/2024
- by Kasey Moore
- Whats-on-Netflix
The schedule for the milestone 40th Sundance Film Festival continues to fall into focus. The beloved Utah event — scheduled for Jan. 19-26 in Park City — has unveiled the lineup for Beyond Film programming and revealed that the documentary The Greatest Night in Pop, a behind-the-scenes look at the creation of the iconic song “We Are the World,” will be part of this year’s program.
The roster of Beyond Film speakers includes notables with films in this year’s festival like Steven Soderbergh (Presence), Jesse Eisenberg (A Real Pain), Chiwetel Ejiofor (Rob Peace), Sue Bird (Sue Bird: In The Clutch), Dee Rees (Pariah), Lucy Lawless (Never Look Away), André Holland (Exhibiting Forgiveness), Debra Granik (Conbody vs Everybody), Jay Ellis (Freaky Tales) and Nzingha Stewart (Me/We).
The slate also includes a conversation within New Frontier, which champions artists practicing at the crossroads of film, art, performance and new media. Titled...
The roster of Beyond Film speakers includes notables with films in this year’s festival like Steven Soderbergh (Presence), Jesse Eisenberg (A Real Pain), Chiwetel Ejiofor (Rob Peace), Sue Bird (Sue Bird: In The Clutch), Dee Rees (Pariah), Lucy Lawless (Never Look Away), André Holland (Exhibiting Forgiveness), Debra Granik (Conbody vs Everybody), Jay Ellis (Freaky Tales) and Nzingha Stewart (Me/We).
The slate also includes a conversation within New Frontier, which champions artists practicing at the crossroads of film, art, performance and new media. Titled...
- 1/6/2024
- by Chris Gardner
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
A still from ‘The Greatest Night in Pop’ by Bao Nguyen, an official selection of the Episodic Program at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival. (Courtesy of Sundance Institute)
The 2024 Sundance Film Festival has added The Greatest Night in Pop, a documentary that explores the creation of the collaborative “We Are the World” song and video, to its lineup.
“We’re thrilled to be adding to our program a special screening of The Greatest Night in Pop, taking us behind the scenes of how ‘We Are the World’ came together, followed by a conversation with Lionel Richie, filmmaker Bao Nguyen, and producer Julia Nottingham,” stated Kim Yutani, Sundance Film Festival Director of Programming. “Our robust film lineup will be rounded out by a wide range of conversations touching upon themes in the programming and featuring some of today’s most inspiring creators and leaders.”
The festival also announced the 2024 Beyond Film schedule,...
The 2024 Sundance Film Festival has added The Greatest Night in Pop, a documentary that explores the creation of the collaborative “We Are the World” song and video, to its lineup.
“We’re thrilled to be adding to our program a special screening of The Greatest Night in Pop, taking us behind the scenes of how ‘We Are the World’ came together, followed by a conversation with Lionel Richie, filmmaker Bao Nguyen, and producer Julia Nottingham,” stated Kim Yutani, Sundance Film Festival Director of Programming. “Our robust film lineup will be rounded out by a wide range of conversations touching upon themes in the programming and featuring some of today’s most inspiring creators and leaders.”
The festival also announced the 2024 Beyond Film schedule,...
- 1/5/2024
- by Rebecca Murray
- Showbiz Junkies
A new documentary, The Greatest Night in Pop, will dig into the history of the 1985 charity smash, “We Are the World.” The film will have its premiere at Sundance on Jan. 19 and then hit Netflix not long after on Jan. 29.
Directed by Bao Nguyen, The Greatest Night in Pop will feature a plethora of previously-unseen footage as it traces the “We Are the World” story from the planning stages through the all-star recording session. The movie will offer a glimpse at Lionel Richie and Michael Jackson’s writing sessions and...
Directed by Bao Nguyen, The Greatest Night in Pop will feature a plethora of previously-unseen footage as it traces the “We Are the World” story from the planning stages through the all-star recording session. The movie will offer a glimpse at Lionel Richie and Michael Jackson’s writing sessions and...
- 1/5/2024
- by Jon Blistein
- Rollingstone.com
Exclusive: Netflix has set a January 29 streaming premiere date for The Greatest Night in Pop, a feature doc just announced as world premiering at the Sundance Film Festival on the 19th of this month.
Directed by award winner Bao Nguyen (Be Water), the film takes viewers back to January 25, 1985, when dozens of the biggest names in music convened at a Los Angeles studio and checked their egos at the door amidst the recording of a song to benefit African famine relief — one that would alter global pop culture history. Chronicled in the doc is the massive undertaking to assemble the world’s most impressive supergroup in a time before cell phones and email. That group of artists, led by the song’s co-writers and two of the most significant musicians of the 20th century — Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie — came from different worlds but united to record “We Are the World.
Directed by award winner Bao Nguyen (Be Water), the film takes viewers back to January 25, 1985, when dozens of the biggest names in music convened at a Los Angeles studio and checked their egos at the door amidst the recording of a song to benefit African famine relief — one that would alter global pop culture history. Chronicled in the doc is the massive undertaking to assemble the world’s most impressive supergroup in a time before cell phones and email. That group of artists, led by the song’s co-writers and two of the most significant musicians of the 20th century — Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie — came from different worlds but united to record “We Are the World.
- 1/5/2024
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Sundance Institute announced the addition of the documentary The Greatest Night in Pop to the 2024 Sundance Film Festival film program and the lineup for the Festival’s Beyond Film programming.
In addition to the three annual series — Power of Story, Cinema Café presented by Audible, and The Big Conversation — this year’s lineup also includes a New Frontier conversation about artificial intelligence and special 40th Edition Celebration events. With the exception of Power of Story, the sole ticketed event, all Beyond Film events are free and open to the public.
Supplementing the Festival experience, Beyond Film provides a community hub for Festivalgoers through artist conversations, talks with filmmakers and experts across the fields of art and science, and audience discourse. The events will take place in person from January 19–26, 2024, with select Beyond Film offerings available beginning January 25, 2024, to audiences across the country on the online Festival Platform. The Festival will...
In addition to the three annual series — Power of Story, Cinema Café presented by Audible, and The Big Conversation — this year’s lineup also includes a New Frontier conversation about artificial intelligence and special 40th Edition Celebration events. With the exception of Power of Story, the sole ticketed event, all Beyond Film events are free and open to the public.
Supplementing the Festival experience, Beyond Film provides a community hub for Festivalgoers through artist conversations, talks with filmmakers and experts across the fields of art and science, and audience discourse. The events will take place in person from January 19–26, 2024, with select Beyond Film offerings available beginning January 25, 2024, to audiences across the country on the online Festival Platform. The Festival will...
- 1/5/2024
- by Valerie Complex
- Deadline Film + TV
The 2024 Sundance Film Festival has unveiled its Beyond Film programming, including discussions with leading auteurs and rising stars.
A trio of annual series — Power of Story, Cinema Café presented by Audible, and The Big Conversation — have shared their respective filmmaker lineups, with the festival also launching special 40th anniversary celebration events and a New Frontier conversation about artificial intelligence in film. The 2024 Sundance Film Festival runs January 18 to 28, with the talks taking place January 19 to 26. Select Beyond Film offerings available beginning January 25 on the digital platform.
The Beyond Film speakers series includes discussions with Steven Soderbergh, Jesse Eisenberg, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Sue Bird, Lucy Lawless, Nzingha Stewart, and Debra Granik, who also serves on the festival jury. For the 40th edition of the festival, alums like Richard Linklater, Dawn Porter, Miguel Arteta, and Christine Vachon will participate in “Power of Story: Four Decades of Taking Chances,” a talk about the importance of independent filmmaking.
A trio of annual series — Power of Story, Cinema Café presented by Audible, and The Big Conversation — have shared their respective filmmaker lineups, with the festival also launching special 40th anniversary celebration events and a New Frontier conversation about artificial intelligence in film. The 2024 Sundance Film Festival runs January 18 to 28, with the talks taking place January 19 to 26. Select Beyond Film offerings available beginning January 25 on the digital platform.
The Beyond Film speakers series includes discussions with Steven Soderbergh, Jesse Eisenberg, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Sue Bird, Lucy Lawless, Nzingha Stewart, and Debra Granik, who also serves on the festival jury. For the 40th edition of the festival, alums like Richard Linklater, Dawn Porter, Miguel Arteta, and Christine Vachon will participate in “Power of Story: Four Decades of Taking Chances,” a talk about the importance of independent filmmaking.
- 1/5/2024
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
Participants include Christine Vachon and Steven Soderbergh.
The Sundance Film Festival has revealed details of this year’s Beyond Film programme of panels and discussions, with participants including Steven Soderbergh, Christine Vachon, Jesse Eisenberg, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Lucy Lawless.
The festival, which runs January 18-28, has also added the world premiere screening of The Greatest Night in Pop to this year’s film line-up. The UK/US documentary, directed by Bao Nguyen, tells the story of 1985 fund-raising pop song We Are the World. Nguyen, producer Julia Nottingham and producer and subject Lionel Richie will be present for a post-screening conversation.
The Sundance Film Festival has revealed details of this year’s Beyond Film programme of panels and discussions, with participants including Steven Soderbergh, Christine Vachon, Jesse Eisenberg, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Lucy Lawless.
The festival, which runs January 18-28, has also added the world premiere screening of The Greatest Night in Pop to this year’s film line-up. The UK/US documentary, directed by Bao Nguyen, tells the story of 1985 fund-raising pop song We Are the World. Nguyen, producer Julia Nottingham and producer and subject Lionel Richie will be present for a post-screening conversation.
- 1/5/2024
- by John Hazelton
- ScreenDaily
Participants include Christine Vachon and Steven Soderbergh.
The Sundance Film Festival has revealed details of this year’s Beyond Film programme of panels and discussions, with participants including Steven Soderbergh, Christine Vachon, Jesse Eisenberg, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Lucy Lawless.
The festival, which runs January 18-28, has also added the world premiere screening of The Greatest Night in Pop to this year’s film line-up. The UK/US documentary, directed by Bao Nguyen, tells the story of 1985 fund-raising pop song We Are the World. Nguyen, producer Julia Nottingham and producer and subject Lionel Richie will be present for a post-screening conversation.
The Sundance Film Festival has revealed details of this year’s Beyond Film programme of panels and discussions, with participants including Steven Soderbergh, Christine Vachon, Jesse Eisenberg, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Lucy Lawless.
The festival, which runs January 18-28, has also added the world premiere screening of The Greatest Night in Pop to this year’s film line-up. The UK/US documentary, directed by Bao Nguyen, tells the story of 1985 fund-raising pop song We Are the World. Nguyen, producer Julia Nottingham and producer and subject Lionel Richie will be present for a post-screening conversation.
- 1/5/2024
- by John Hazelton
- ScreenDaily
The Viet Film Fest 2022 Awards Ceremony will take place virtually Saturday, October 15 at 6 p.m. Pst. and will be available to watch on www.VietFilmFest.com.
Viet Film Fest is proud to present the Inspiration Award to director Trinh T. Minh-ha. Born in Hanoi, raised in South Vietnam, and later migrating to the United States in 1970, Trinh is also a Distinguished Professor in the Departments of Gender and Women’s Studies and of Rhetoric at the University of California, Berkeley. Originally trained as a composer and pianist, Trinh is a noted literary theorist – often integrating her literary background with her filmmaking in works such as Reassemblage (1982), Surname Viet Given Name Nam (1989), A Tale of Love (1995), and What About China? (2022). Prior winners of the Inspiration Award include Kelly Marie Tran (2021’s Raya and the Last Dragon) and Trần Anh Hùng (1993’s The Scent of Green Papaya).
The Grand Jury for Viet...
Viet Film Fest is proud to present the Inspiration Award to director Trinh T. Minh-ha. Born in Hanoi, raised in South Vietnam, and later migrating to the United States in 1970, Trinh is also a Distinguished Professor in the Departments of Gender and Women’s Studies and of Rhetoric at the University of California, Berkeley. Originally trained as a composer and pianist, Trinh is a noted literary theorist – often integrating her literary background with her filmmaking in works such as Reassemblage (1982), Surname Viet Given Name Nam (1989), A Tale of Love (1995), and What About China? (2022). Prior winners of the Inspiration Award include Kelly Marie Tran (2021’s Raya and the Last Dragon) and Trần Anh Hùng (1993’s The Scent of Green Papaya).
The Grand Jury for Viet...
- 10/16/2022
- by Rouven Linnarz
- AsianMoviePulse
BAFTA has unveiled its 2021 BAFTA Breakthrough cohort, including “It’s a Sin” star Lydia West and “Censor” director Prano Bailey-Bond.
Supported by Netflix, the annual talent initiative, which originally launched in 2013 as “Breakthrough Brits,” was renamed BAFTA Breakthrough in May 2020 and expanded to include the U.S. and India. Previous participants have included Paapa Essiedu, Letitia Wright, Florence Pugh and Josh O’Connor, among others.
This year’s cohort, drawn from the worlds of film, television and games, were hand-picked by a global jury made up of industry leaders including Niamh Algar (“Raise by Wolves”), Tim Renkow (“Jerk”) and ITV’s director of diversity and inclusion, Ade Rawcliffe, who chaired the jury.
24 participants hail from the U.K. and 12 from the U.S. As part of the BAFTA Breakthrough program they will receive access to one-to-one industry meetings, group roundtable sessions, networking opportunities within BAFTA’s membership, peer-to-peer support, global coaching, PR...
Supported by Netflix, the annual talent initiative, which originally launched in 2013 as “Breakthrough Brits,” was renamed BAFTA Breakthrough in May 2020 and expanded to include the U.S. and India. Previous participants have included Paapa Essiedu, Letitia Wright, Florence Pugh and Josh O’Connor, among others.
This year’s cohort, drawn from the worlds of film, television and games, were hand-picked by a global jury made up of industry leaders including Niamh Algar (“Raise by Wolves”), Tim Renkow (“Jerk”) and ITV’s director of diversity and inclusion, Ade Rawcliffe, who chaired the jury.
24 participants hail from the U.K. and 12 from the U.S. As part of the BAFTA Breakthrough program they will receive access to one-to-one industry meetings, group roundtable sessions, networking opportunities within BAFTA’s membership, peer-to-peer support, global coaching, PR...
- 12/8/2021
- by K.J. Yossman
- Variety Film + TV
Viet Film Fest 2021, presented by the Vietnamese American Arts & Letters Association (Vaala), has announced the winners of their Trống Đồng Award for Best Short, Best Actress, Best Actor and Trống Đồng Award for Best Feature. The festival also announced the recipient of the Spotlight Award, reserved for films that highlight an important issue or an emerging filmmaker. All winners were announced at the festival’s first virtual Award Ceremony on Thursday evening, October 28th at 6pm Pst.
“We congratulate this year’s winning films and celebrate the collective talent of Viet Film Fest 2021” said Viet Film Fest 2021 Digital Director, Tony Nguyen. “With our awards, we honor several filmmakers yet we know and must acknowledge that Viet Film Fest has just been made stronger by everyone who has taken part in this year’s virtual celebration of Vietnamese voices and stories in cinema.”
This year’s award winners were selected by the Grand Jury,...
“We congratulate this year’s winning films and celebrate the collective talent of Viet Film Fest 2021” said Viet Film Fest 2021 Digital Director, Tony Nguyen. “With our awards, we honor several filmmakers yet we know and must acknowledge that Viet Film Fest has just been made stronger by everyone who has taken part in this year’s virtual celebration of Vietnamese voices and stories in cinema.”
This year’s award winners were selected by the Grand Jury,...
- 10/30/2021
- by Grace Han
- AsianMoviePulse
Refresh for updates: Twenty years after the horrific attacks of 9/11, America remembered the terror of planes turned into missiles, the nearly 3,000 lives lost and the courage displayed in response. From the memorial sites in New York, Shanksville, Pa, at the Pentagon itself and across the land and the world, voices of commemoration rose up — and Hollywood was no exception.
In so many ways, #neverforget was the deep sentiment as well as the hashtag of the day
As thousands of Americans, plus Presidents current and past (but no Donald Trump), and Vice Presidents past and present offered their salutes and respect to the fallen, cable news and broadcast networks offered wall to wall coverage of today’s events. Many of who spoke today, such as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley and former Potus George W. Bush, noted the unity that emerged out of the attacks and...
In so many ways, #neverforget was the deep sentiment as well as the hashtag of the day
As thousands of Americans, plus Presidents current and past (but no Donald Trump), and Vice Presidents past and present offered their salutes and respect to the fallen, cable news and broadcast networks offered wall to wall coverage of today’s events. Many of who spoke today, such as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley and former Potus George W. Bush, noted the unity that emerged out of the attacks and...
- 9/11/2021
- by Dominic Patten
- Deadline Film + TV
Full Circle Lab, the Southeast Asian project and talent development program co-led by Matthieu Darras and Izabela Igel alongside the Film Development Council of the Philippines, is poised for a third edition. There will also be a particular emphasis on training for the role of producer, with the addition of a Creative Producers Lab.
The Labs will take place online with workshops from Sept. 20 to Oct. 1, 2021 and be preceded by the Fdcp’s Film Industry Conference, open to a larger audience.
The objective is to identify, nurture and support creative projects from the Philippines and Southeast Asia, across features and series, and at different stages (development and post-production).
Leading creative names from the Philippines and the Southeast Asia region including producers Jeremy Chua, John Badalu, producer-director Antoinette Jadaone (“Fan Girl”), directors Sheron Dayoc (“Women of the Weeping River”) and Bui Thac Chuyen (“Adrift”) will join with their latest projects.
Mentors...
The Labs will take place online with workshops from Sept. 20 to Oct. 1, 2021 and be preceded by the Fdcp’s Film Industry Conference, open to a larger audience.
The objective is to identify, nurture and support creative projects from the Philippines and Southeast Asia, across features and series, and at different stages (development and post-production).
Leading creative names from the Philippines and the Southeast Asia region including producers Jeremy Chua, John Badalu, producer-director Antoinette Jadaone (“Fan Girl”), directors Sheron Dayoc (“Women of the Weeping River”) and Bui Thac Chuyen (“Adrift”) will join with their latest projects.
Mentors...
- 9/2/2021
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
BBC Reel’s online film festival LongShots returns this summer with a new format. The online streaming event, which makes 13 documentary shorts available to watch for free through September 22, convenes 13 international film festivals to showcase the best undistributed works in nonfiction filmmaking. You can watch them all through the BBC Reel website here.
Last year’s LongShots garnered more than 400,000 video views. This year’s showcase features a jury of four who will decide on the festival’s grand prize next month: Director Nandita Das from India, Oscar-nominated Polish director Anna Zamecka, Mexican-Ethiopian filmmaker Jessica Beshir, and award-winning Vietnamese American filmmaker Bao Nguyen (director of last year’s Bruce Lee documentary “Be Water”).
Per BBC, the films in the program “will explore inspiring and exhilarating stories that remind us of the pleasures and joys of human existence, honouring new beginnings and the wonders of our diverse, colorful and flamboyant world.
Last year’s LongShots garnered more than 400,000 video views. This year’s showcase features a jury of four who will decide on the festival’s grand prize next month: Director Nandita Das from India, Oscar-nominated Polish director Anna Zamecka, Mexican-Ethiopian filmmaker Jessica Beshir, and award-winning Vietnamese American filmmaker Bao Nguyen (director of last year’s Bruce Lee documentary “Be Water”).
Per BBC, the films in the program “will explore inspiring and exhilarating stories that remind us of the pleasures and joys of human existence, honouring new beginnings and the wonders of our diverse, colorful and flamboyant world.
- 8/21/2021
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Indiewire
This story about Cannes’ 2020 selection first appeared in TheWrap’s special digital Cannes magazine.
Last year, Cannes announced a list of 62 new feature films as its official selection for 2020, a year in which the festival itself didn’t take place. Bearing the prestigious imprimatur of the festival, the movies had a variety of releases. Here are some of the ones with the highest profiles since being singled out by Cannes.
“The French Dispatch” / Searchlight Pictures
Faithful
“DNA,” Maïwenn
Premiered at the Deauville Film Festival in September 2020, released by Netflix in the U.S. in December and in France in May.
“True Mothers,” Naomi Kawase
Screened at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2020; submitted as Japan’s entry in the Oscars’ Best International Feature Film category.
“Peninsula,” Yeon Sang-Ho
Released theatrically in South Korea in July 2020 and in the U.S. (as Train to Busan Presents: Peninsula) in August.
“Another Round,...
Last year, Cannes announced a list of 62 new feature films as its official selection for 2020, a year in which the festival itself didn’t take place. Bearing the prestigious imprimatur of the festival, the movies had a variety of releases. Here are some of the ones with the highest profiles since being singled out by Cannes.
“The French Dispatch” / Searchlight Pictures
Faithful
“DNA,” Maïwenn
Premiered at the Deauville Film Festival in September 2020, released by Netflix in the U.S. in December and in France in May.
“True Mothers,” Naomi Kawase
Screened at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2020; submitted as Japan’s entry in the Oscars’ Best International Feature Film category.
“Peninsula,” Yeon Sang-Ho
Released theatrically in South Korea in July 2020 and in the U.S. (as Train to Busan Presents: Peninsula) in August.
“Another Round,...
- 7/6/2021
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
Gold House has revealed its list of the 100 Most Impactful Asians of the Year. Vice President Kamala Harris, Oscar winners H.E.R. and Chloé Zhao, and the K-pop group Blackpink are among the list of politicians, entrepreneurs, athletes and entertainers honored.
The nonprofit, which seeks to elevate Asian voices and their cultural impact on society, is working to reshape public opinion through affirming media portrayals. Bob Iger, Daniel Dae Kim, George Takei, Lea Salonga, Lisa Ling, Michael B. Jordan and Michelle Yeoh served as the judges this year.
Bing Chen, president and co-founder of Gold House said, “Our leaders can no longer just be great — they must be good. They can’t just represent us in celebration — they must also elevate us when we’re in pain. That’s why this year’s Gold House A100 List spotlights leaders who were excellent in achievement and eminent in activism. This is, in so many ways,...
The nonprofit, which seeks to elevate Asian voices and their cultural impact on society, is working to reshape public opinion through affirming media portrayals. Bob Iger, Daniel Dae Kim, George Takei, Lea Salonga, Lisa Ling, Michael B. Jordan and Michelle Yeoh served as the judges this year.
Bing Chen, president and co-founder of Gold House said, “Our leaders can no longer just be great — they must be good. They can’t just represent us in celebration — they must also elevate us when we’re in pain. That’s why this year’s Gold House A100 List spotlights leaders who were excellent in achievement and eminent in activism. This is, in so many ways,...
- 5/3/2021
- by Jazz Tangcay
- Variety Film + TV
by Nathaniel R
Bao Nguyen's Be Water premiered on ESPN this past summer and has touched a lot of people since then. It's a lovely meditation on Bruce Lee's life, his relationships to both the East and the West, and the meaning of his legacy and activism. Be Water is one of 238 films eligible for the Oscar this year in Best Documentary Feature. We were thrilled to sit down with Bao Nguyen, over Zoom of course, to discuss his picture and the man and myth that is Bruce Lee.
Be Water was five years in the making, though things sped up considerably once ESPN signed on two years or so ago. Originally Be Water was supposed to come out around Bruce Lee's 80th birthday this past November but demand was so great for new movies during quarantine that the release was moved up to June. Nyugen, had a strange year (didn't we all!
Bao Nguyen's Be Water premiered on ESPN this past summer and has touched a lot of people since then. It's a lovely meditation on Bruce Lee's life, his relationships to both the East and the West, and the meaning of his legacy and activism. Be Water is one of 238 films eligible for the Oscar this year in Best Documentary Feature. We were thrilled to sit down with Bao Nguyen, over Zoom of course, to discuss his picture and the man and myth that is Bruce Lee.
Be Water was five years in the making, though things sped up considerably once ESPN signed on two years or so ago. Originally Be Water was supposed to come out around Bruce Lee's 80th birthday this past November but demand was so great for new movies during quarantine that the release was moved up to June. Nyugen, had a strange year (didn't we all!
- 1/30/2021
- by NATHANIEL R
- FilmExperience
Exclusive: Libby Geist, one of the architects of ESPN’s growing documentary business and exec producer of The Last Dance and O.J: Made In America, is leaving the Disney-owned sports network.
Deadline understands that Geist, who is Vice President and Executive Producer, ESPN Films and Original Content, will work through to the end of 2020. It is understood that her departure is not connected to the recent layoffs introduced by the company and that she is leaving to move closer to production.
She is the latest top-level exec set to leave ESPN and comes after it emerged that content chief Connor Schell is leaving the company in the new year to set up his own production company.
Geist has been with ESPN for 12 years in a variety of roles. She has worked on more than 120 feature-length projects in various capacities and has overseen the docs department since 2016.
She has overseen development,...
Deadline understands that Geist, who is Vice President and Executive Producer, ESPN Films and Original Content, will work through to the end of 2020. It is understood that her departure is not connected to the recent layoffs introduced by the company and that she is leaving to move closer to production.
She is the latest top-level exec set to leave ESPN and comes after it emerged that content chief Connor Schell is leaving the company in the new year to set up his own production company.
Geist has been with ESPN for 12 years in a variety of roles. She has worked on more than 120 feature-length projects in various capacities and has overseen the docs department since 2016.
She has overseen development,...
- 11/16/2020
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
BAFTA has unveiled the jurors for its Breakthrough initiative, the talent showcase that from this year is expanding to include participants from the U.S., China and India.
The UK and U.S. selectees will be unveiled on November 16, with applications opening for India and China later this year. The initiative highlights rising talent from the film, TV and games industries. More info on the program’s new incarnation is available here.
Two juries have been appointed to select the participants. The UK jury will be led by Ade Rawcliffe, Group Director of Diversity and Inclusion at ITV, with select jurors including actress Fiona Shaw and filmmaker Amma Asante. The U.S. jury will be headed by Sony TV exec Kathryn Busby and all3media’s Maria Ishak, with select jurors including No Time To Die director Cary Fukunaga and I May Destroy You actor Paapa Essiedu. The full list of jurors is below.
The UK and U.S. selectees will be unveiled on November 16, with applications opening for India and China later this year. The initiative highlights rising talent from the film, TV and games industries. More info on the program’s new incarnation is available here.
Two juries have been appointed to select the participants. The UK jury will be led by Ade Rawcliffe, Group Director of Diversity and Inclusion at ITV, with select jurors including actress Fiona Shaw and filmmaker Amma Asante. The U.S. jury will be headed by Sony TV exec Kathryn Busby and all3media’s Maria Ishak, with select jurors including No Time To Die director Cary Fukunaga and I May Destroy You actor Paapa Essiedu. The full list of jurors is below.
- 10/19/2020
- by Tom Grater
- Deadline Film + TV
NewFest is hosting a reading of Ang Lee’s groundbreaking Brokeback Mountain at its New York LGBTQ Film Festival on October 18, employing an all-trans cast for the event that commemorates the film’s 15th anniversary.
The cast features Leo Sheng (The L Word) as Ennis, Brian Michael Smith (911: Lone Star) as Jack, Jen Richards (Tales of the City) as Alma, Alexandra Grey (Empire) as Lurleen and Disclosure director Sam Feder as the narrator.
The original film starred Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal as Ennis and Jack, respectively, cowboys who meet in the summer of 1963 and forge an unexpected lifelong connection full of joy, complication and tragedy. It scored eight Oscar nominations and won three, including for Lee’s directing and Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana’s script.
Proceeds from the fundraiser will go to The NewFest Future Fund, to benefit the organization and its programs for LGBTQ+ youth, filmmaker resources,...
The cast features Leo Sheng (The L Word) as Ennis, Brian Michael Smith (911: Lone Star) as Jack, Jen Richards (Tales of the City) as Alma, Alexandra Grey (Empire) as Lurleen and Disclosure director Sam Feder as the narrator.
The original film starred Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal as Ennis and Jack, respectively, cowboys who meet in the summer of 1963 and forge an unexpected lifelong connection full of joy, complication and tragedy. It scored eight Oscar nominations and won three, including for Lee’s directing and Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana’s script.
Proceeds from the fundraiser will go to The NewFest Future Fund, to benefit the organization and its programs for LGBTQ+ youth, filmmaker resources,...
- 10/2/2020
- by Patrick Hipes
- Deadline Film + TV
Sophia Chang is known for managing some of the biggest names in R&b and hip hop such as Raphael Saadiq, Q-Tip, the rap group A Tribe Called Quest as well as members of the iconic Wu-Tang Clan including RZA, Gza and the late, great Ol’ Dirty Bastard. She talks about her experience in her memoir The Baddest BItch in the Room, which she is currently being developed into a scripted series at FX. Now, as a woman of color who has been in a leadership position, Chang is paying it forward with her new mentorship program Unlock Her Potential.
The mentorship program launched in September to bolster women of color so that they can “break up the boys club” and ascend to C-suite, directing and other leadership positions. Under the program, mentees will be paired with a mentor and will have the opportunity to connect with them one-on-one for...
The mentorship program launched in September to bolster women of color so that they can “break up the boys club” and ascend to C-suite, directing and other leadership positions. Under the program, mentees will be paired with a mentor and will have the opportunity to connect with them one-on-one for...
- 10/1/2020
- by Dino-Ray Ramos
- Deadline Film + TV
Check out the latest Academy Dialogues series, “Documentaries Through Our Own Lens,” in which four Oscar-contending documentarians pull no punches — Lisa Cortés, James LeBrecht, Bao Nguyen (ESPN’s “Be Water”), Dawn Porter (Magnolia’s “John Lewis: Good Trouble”) — along with moderator and Academy governor Roger Ross Williams (Emmy-winning “The Apollo”), as they lay out just what inclusion and diversity really means.
It might seem that during the golden age of documentaries, the nonfiction community is among the most diverse in the entertainment industry, with a seeming flood of opportunities to tell their stories. But as Williams pointed out at the start, there are plenty of challenges. “We all know that we have traditionally been defined by other people’s lens,” he said. “The documentary community is seen as progressive and ahead of the game. In the entertainment business the dirty little secret is the documentary community is not that ahead of the game.
It might seem that during the golden age of documentaries, the nonfiction community is among the most diverse in the entertainment industry, with a seeming flood of opportunities to tell their stories. But as Williams pointed out at the start, there are plenty of challenges. “We all know that we have traditionally been defined by other people’s lens,” he said. “The documentary community is seen as progressive and ahead of the game. In the entertainment business the dirty little secret is the documentary community is not that ahead of the game.
- 9/17/2020
- by Anne Thompson
- Thompson on Hollywood
Check out the latest Academy Dialogues series, “Documentaries Through Our Own Lens,” in which four Oscar-contending documentarians pull no punches — Lisa Cortés, James LeBrecht, Bao Nguyen (ESPN’s “Be Water”), Dawn Porter (Magnolia’s “John Lewis: Good Trouble”) — along with moderator and Academy governor Roger Ross Williams (Emmy-winning “The Apollo”), as they lay out just what inclusion and diversity really means.
It might seem that during the golden age of documentaries, the nonfiction community is among the most diverse in the entertainment industry, with a seeming flood of opportunities to tell their stories. But as Williams pointed out at the start, there are plenty of challenges. “We all know that we have traditionally been defined by other people’s lens,” he said. “The documentary community is seen as progressive and ahead of the game. In the entertainment business the dirty little secret is the documentary community is not that ahead of the game.
It might seem that during the golden age of documentaries, the nonfiction community is among the most diverse in the entertainment industry, with a seeming flood of opportunities to tell their stories. But as Williams pointed out at the start, there are plenty of challenges. “We all know that we have traditionally been defined by other people’s lens,” he said. “The documentary community is seen as progressive and ahead of the game. In the entertainment business the dirty little secret is the documentary community is not that ahead of the game.
- 9/17/2020
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
The 19th New York Asian Film Festival (Nyaff) has announced the names of the recipients of its Rising Star Award and Action Cinema Award, as well as the international jury members who will select the winner of the Nyaff “Uncaged” Competition Award during the upcoming virtual edition, running from August 28-September 12 on the Smart Cinema USA app. Tickets for this year’s special virtual edition go on sale August 23.
The 2020 Screen International Rising Star Award goes to South Korean actress Lee Joo-young for Baseball Girl, making its international premiere and screening throughout the festival. The award recognizes her daring choice of roles across her already diverse body of work, as well as her fierce commitment to every performance, whether in indie cinema, where she already stands as a star, or the TV drama scene. These notable traits are exemplified by her tour-de-force turn as the eponymous underdog female athlete in Baseball Girl.
The 2020 Screen International Rising Star Award goes to South Korean actress Lee Joo-young for Baseball Girl, making its international premiere and screening throughout the festival. The award recognizes her daring choice of roles across her already diverse body of work, as well as her fierce commitment to every performance, whether in indie cinema, where she already stands as a star, or the TV drama scene. These notable traits are exemplified by her tour-de-force turn as the eponymous underdog female athlete in Baseball Girl.
- 8/24/2020
- by Don Anelli
- AsianMoviePulse
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