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Starting this evening, The Ballad of Suzanne Césaire, the first feature-length work from artist Madeleine Hunt-Ehrlich, will begin an extended theatrical release at the Brooklyn Academy of Music with a series of rare 35mm engagements.

The film debuted in Competition last year at Rotterdam before embarking on a buzzy festival circuit tour, which included stops in London, Toronto, and New York. It was during this run that I first heard about Ballad. The film had become a significant point of interest for curators, writers, and the cool kids on the circuit, frequently recommended as a “hidden gem” that had to be seen.

“I’m so glad that people are celebrating and talking about the film,” Hunt-Ehrlich says modestly of the buzz.

Part narrative and part experimental, Ballad is indeed a unique proposition. Zita Hanrot, the French actress best known for her roles in French-language titles like Fatima (2015), stars alongside Motell...

Sistas Spoilers November 27, 2024: Next week on Sistas on BET, in the episode titled “Game Recognizes Game,” is some unexpected drama. The investigation is out of control, and the drama is just heating up! Dr. Leed (Christopher Gurr) informs Hudson (James Cusati-Moyer) that the heroin was laced with fentanyl! Andi (K.J. Smith Black) finds […]

The post Sistas Spoilers November 27: Robin and Fatima Face Off appeared first on Soap Opera News.

Warning! This article contains Spoilers for From season 3, episode 8!Elgin is told to draw his own blood in From season 3, episode 8, which is part of the plans laid out to him by the Kimono Womans ghost. Since the end of From season 2, Elgin has been plagued by visions of the Kimono Womans ghost at the Colony House, with her appearances and requests to him escalating throughout season 3. By From season 3, episode 8, Elgin and the Kimono Woman are communicating through both visions and Polaroid pictures, the latter of which are used to instruct him on how to help her.

One of the Polaroid pictures developed for Elgin in From season 3, episode 8 is of a blood bag. There isnt any specific guidance for the blood bag, but it leads Elgin to steal a kit for drawing blood from the clinic. Elgin then uses the kit to draw his own blood and collect it in a bag,...

Warning! This article contains Spoilers for From season 3, episode 4!Fatimas latest twist in From season 3, episode 4 makes her already-worrying pregnancy storyline far more concerning, and stands to be the shows most shocking development yet. When Fatima found out that she was pregnant prior to From season 2s ending, the reveal came with plenty of skepticism considering she was told in the outside world that she wasnt able to have children. This led to speculation that Fatimas baby might turn out to have a twisted supernatural origin related to the towns evil forces, and From season 3s revelations about her pregnancy certainly havent proven this theory wrong.

Most signs point to something being wrong with Fatima and her baby in From season 3. In season 3, episode 2, it was revealed that the only food Fatima could keep down was the rotten crops. In the following episode, a crow smashed into the window before...

After six years, the first official trailer for Den of Thieves 2: Pantera has arrived, giving us our first look at the upcoming heist thriller starring Gerard Butler and O'Shea Jackson Jr., although it looks like there will be a slight twist to their dynamic this time as, instead of trying to one up one another, they'll be teaming up to pull off the diamond heist of a lifetime.

However, the synopsis is not quite as revealing, telling us that "Big Nick (Butler) is back on the hunt in Europe and closing in on Donnie (Jackson), who is embroiled in the treacherous and unpredictable world of diamond thieves and the infamous Panther mafia, as they plot a massive heist of the world’s largest diamond exchange."

In addition to Gerard Butler (300; Olympus Has Fallen) and O'Shea Jackson Jr. (Straight Outta Compton; Godzilla: King of the Monsters) reprising their roles from the previous installment,...

More than 250 international guests, including 53 buyers from 18 countries, have signed up for the Norwegian International Film Festival’s three-day industry event New Nordic Films in Haugesund, which will fête its 30th anniversary and kickoff with Charlotte Sieling’s drama “Way Home”, Aug. 20.

Some of the strongest filmmakers from the region and beyond – including Erik Poppe, Dag Johan Haugerud, Selma Vilhunen, Zaida Bergroth, Rúnar Rúnarsson – will be screening or pitching their next projects, next to scores of rising talents.

“Our DNA hasn’t changed,” said Line Halvorsen, who joined New Nordic Films four years ago and is serving as acting director, temporarily filling in for Gyda Velvin Myklebust.

“Our core is to gather Nordic filmmakers and industryites interested in Nordic films, to serve as a launching pad for new talents, and to spotlight latest industry trends. Together with our twin event in the Göteborg Nordic Film Market, we are here to support our Nordic industry,...

Sistas Spoilers July 10, 2024: Next week on Sistas on BET, in the episode titled “Where Do Broken Hearts Go?” is some unexpected drama. The logline states: Gary (Chido Nwokocha) forces Andi’s (K.J. Smith Black) hand, and she makes a heartbreaking decision. Karen (Ebony Obsidian) finds solace with Danni (Mignon Von) and with Zac (Devale […]

The post Sistas Spoilers July 10: Fatima Confronts Deja appeared first on Soap Opera News.

Indie Sales has boarded Nathalie Najem’s “No Way Back,” a timely feature debut tackling domestic violence with a cast led by Bastien Bouillon (“The Night of the 12th”) and Zita Hanrot (“Angry Annie”).

Now in post, “No Way Back” will be introduced to buyers by the banner Indie Sales at the Unifrance Rendez-Vous showcase next week.

“No Way Back” tells the story of Laura, who is rebuilding her life after years under the toxic influence of Joachim and is raising their daughter on her own. When Joachim’s new girlfriend, Shirine, shows up at her door in dire straits, Laura realizes that they must help each other to get rid of Joachim’s harmful influence. The film appears to be in a similar vein as Xavier Legrand’s Venice prizewinner “Custody,” with an emphasis on sisterhood.

Bouillon won last year’s Cesar Award for best male newcomer for his...

All eyes are on Alba Baptista.

Over the weekend, “Captain America” star Chris Evans tied the knot with the Portuguese actress in a secret ceremony in Cape Cod.

And while congratulations poured in for the happy couple, many had just one question on their lips.

Read More: Chris Evans Reportedly Marries Alba Baptista In Intimate Wedding Ceremony

Who Is Alba Baptista?

Though she may not be very well known in North America, Baptista is one of Portugal’s biggest stars.

Born on July 10, 1997, in Lison, to a Portuguese mother and Brazilian engineer father, Baptista decided she wanted to be an actress at age 15.

Only a year later, she landed a role as the lead in a short film called “Miami”, for which she received awards.

She soon appeared in the series “A Criação” and the telenovelas “A Impostora” and “Jogo Duplo”.

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Contains mention of suicide and self-harm.

Bird Box Barcelona is finally arriving on Netflix, nearly 5 years after the release of Bird Box — although the movie being referred to as Bird Box 2 switches up the formula for the horror series (and doesn't feature Sandra Bullock). The Spanish-language spin-off is not a sequel but follows a parallel narrative, showcasing new characters whose stories take place at the same time as Bird Box. In the unique premise of Bird Box, powerful entities have decimated the Earth's population due to their ability to induce suicidal impulses when seen. Bird Box established that the entities had hit European countries first, clearing the path for Bird Box Barcelona to shed more light on how the apocalypse originated.

Bird Box, which was adapted from Josh Malerman's novel of the same name, was a critical success for Netflix garnering 89 million viewers within the first four weeks of its release,...

Bird Box is finally getting a sequel, and while there's no A-list actor like Sandra Bullock leading the movie, the Bird Box Barcelona cast is full of great performers. The original Bird Box follows a mother (Bullock) attempting to protect her two children from supernatural entities that make people take their own lives when they're looked at, which leads to everyone blindfolding themselves. However, Bird Box 2 isn't a direct sequel to the original 2018 movie. Bird Box Barcelona takes place in the titular Spanish city, and follows a new group of characters, as the entities terrorize not only a small town but the whole world.

Given that Bird Box Barcelona is much bigger in scope compared to its predecessor, it has a bigger cast. While most of the actors in the movie are extras who take their own lives based on the Bird Box 2 trailer, there's a tight-knit group of survivors...

Actress Fatima Sana Shaikh has said that she loves working with Director Anurag Basu, and that his sets have great food.

The actress will be seen next in ‘Metro in Dino’ which is directed by Anurag Basu. The last time the actress collaborated with Basu was for the crime-comedy film ‘Ludo’.

The actress recently shared a picture of herself with Anurag Basu on her Instagram account and captioned “Hey you! Can’t wait to go back on your set.”

“I am really excited to go on to the sets of ‘Metro’ this month. I love Dada (Anurag Basu). He is a genius. He has a way of creating magic on screen and I am so lucky that I am again getting to work with him and be a part of his magical world,” the actress said.

“He brings the best out of his actors and what’s even better is...

Bird Box was regarded as one of the best thrillers when it was released in 2018 on Netflix. The movie became an instant sensation, eventually becoming many people's favorite due to its riveting plot and outstanding performances by the actors involved, particularly Sandra Bullock.

If you're unfamiliar with the premise of Bird Box, the story takes place in a post-apocalyptic world where people go insane simply by gazing outdoors, which is the result of demonic creatures possessing people and committing horrible atrocities. The survivors who have figured out the problem have sealed up inside their homes, covering everything in the hopes that it will all pass away soon.

While it's understandable that you'd be disappointed to learn that you can no longer experience the film for the first time, you should know that a spin-off known as Bird Box Barcelona is currently in production and set to release very soon. It...

Never Say Never Again is a remake of Bond adventure Thunderball, but improved on its predecessor in several ways. Thunderball is the fourth James Bond adventure and was a sensation back in 1965. Adjusted for inflation, it's still one of the most successful entries in the franchise period, but it led to decades of problems for producers Eon too. The Ian Fleming novel Thunderball started life as a screenplay, which he co-wrote with Kevin McClory and Jack Whittingham. Fleming later grew bored of the process but decided to recycle the story for a novel - where he failed to credit his co-writers.

They sued Fleming after Thunderball was published, and as part of a settlement, McClory was awarded the film rights to the book. A deal was later made for him to produce Eon's Thunderball, with an option to remake it a decade after the film's release. The producers assumed the...

Paris-based sales company beefs up slate ahead of Berlinale market.

Paris-based sales company Pyramide International has boarded Anna Novion’s Le Théorème de Marguerite and Marie Garel-Weiss’s Sur La Branche and will kick off pre-sales for the French dramas at the upcoming EFM.

Novion’s Le Théorème de Marguerite stars Ella Rumpf as the titular character, a brilliant mathematics student at France’s top university the Ecole Normale Supérieure. On the day of her thesis presentation, a mistake shakes up all the certainty in her planned-out life and she decides to quit everything and start afresh.

Rumpf notably starred...

Actress and former member of Rajya Sabha, Jaya Prada is set to make her comeback on the screen with her foray in the digital space with the upcoming series ‘Fatima’. The series is a rape-revenge drama about a mother who goes after her daughter’s rapists.

The poster of the series was unveiled on Tuesday and shows Jaya Prada’s burkha-clad character holding a gun.

Talking about the series, she said: “When I was narrated ‘Fatima’, there was no reason to refuse it. I could have not asked for a better story than this to mark my comeback. With time, a lot has changed in the industry, and for good. But the essence is still the same.”

She further mentioned: “Bollywood has always been home to me and will always be my comfort place. I have had a wonderful time shooting for Fatima and I am sure the audience will...

Exclusive: Joaquim de Almeida (Searching 2), Darren Barnet (Never Have I Ever), Kevin Carroll (Showtime’s Let the Right One In) and Jd Pardo (Mayans M.C.) have signed on for roles in Prime Video’s reimagining of the 1989 MGM film Road House, which has entered production in the Dominican Republic.

The actors join an ensemble led by Oscar nominee Jake Gyllenhaal, which also includes two-time UFC champion Conor McGregor, Billy Magnussen, Daniela Melchior, Gbemisola Ikumelo, Lukas Gage, Hannah Love Lanier, Travis Van Winkle, B.K. Cannon, Arturo Castro, Dominique Columbus, Beau Knapp and Bob Menery, as previously announced.

The original action-thriller, which Rowdy Herrington directed from Hilary Henkin’s script, centered on Dalton (Patrick Swayze), a tough bouncer hired to tame a dirty bar. The new take from director Doug Liman (The Bourne Identity) follows a former UFC fighter (Gyllenhaal) who takes a job as a bouncer at a rough-and-tumble roadhouse in the Florida Keys,...

This wayward, occasionally handsome account of the story of Fatima is more interesting on paper than in practice

This British-made epic earns a significant accolade: it is the first film to put the “face” of the prophet Muhammad on screen. No single actor is credited with playing him, or any of the other holy figures in his entourage. And, as a nervous initial disclaimer points out, their faces, often shown in dazzling sunbursts, are computer-generated. Presumably, this is enough to placate Islam’s prohibition on visual representation of the prophet, but this is a Shia-aligned film that is evidently a little more lenient on the issue.

While claiming, as per the title, to be about Muhammad’s daughter Fatimah, this is largely focusing on his cousin and successor Ali. Director Eli King and writer Sheikh al-Habib attempt to give the Islam origin story a contemporary parallel: it has a framing...

Usually when a couple breaks up on a television show, one or both of the brokenhearted lovebirds flies far away, unless there is a child involved or some sort of workplace stronghold.

As fans of Tyler Perry’s Sistas can attest, the wildly popular BET nighttime soap isn’t like other TV offerings, and that’s why Gary won’t leave Andi alone, even though they’re not engaged anymore. After shaming her for taking part in a threesome with Robin and moving out of her apartment, Gary keeps popping up.

More from TVLineTyler Perry's Sistas Recap: Fatima Gets the...

Crystal Hayslett never set out to become a fan favorite on Tyler Perry’s Sistas. She was just pursuing a life-long acting dream.

It was a mission she put on hold for five years while working behind the scenes, until Perry gave her the shot she needed.

More from TVLineTyler Perry's Sistas Recap: What Does Karen's News Mean for 'Zatima'?Tyler Perry's Sistas' Devale Ellis Previews a Positive 'Zatima' OutcomeSistas' Ebony Obsidian Asks for a Kinder Karen -- Will Tyler Perry Oblige?

“I knew this was something I wanted to do,” Hayslett tells TVLine. “I wasn’t going into it thinking,...

Keep track of when films are coming out in the territory.

Cinemas in the UK and Ireland are set to reopen this spring, following months of closures due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Screen is listing the release dates for films in the territory in the calendar below. For distributors who wish to add/amend a date on the calendar, please get in touch with Screen here.

Indoor cinemas in England and Scotland will be allowed to reopen from May 17; with dates yet to be confirmed for Wales, Northern Ireland and Ireland.

Screen is also tracking reopening dates of cinemas in...

Paola Suárez, producer of the breakout Argentine mob drama “La Chica que limpia,” died on Sunday after suddenly collapsing in Córdoba, Argentina, at the age of 41.

Her death comes just months after Fox gave a series greenlight in May to “The Cleaning Lady,” a U.S. version of “La Chica que limpia” created by Miranda Kwok, which is scheduled to bow as a midseason entry in the 2021-22 season. “La Muchacha que limpia,” a Mexican makeover produced by WarnerMedia Latin America and Btf Media, aired on HBO Latin America from June 25.

Sporting glasses and a huge grin, Suárez embodied the huge energies of a young generation of Latin American film producers who took Buenos Aires’ Ventana Sur by storm from its second edition in 2010, turning a sales market into an informal international co-production meet attracting thousands.

Suárez didn’t have far to travel, coming from Córdoba, Argentina’s second city,...

Exclusive: Indie international feature Balaban has wrapped principal photography in Kazakhstan.

The coming-of-age drama is inspired by true events in 2006, when one hundred and sixty infants were infected with HIV as a result of tainted blood transfusions, administered in four public hospitals in the country. The story hones in on two Kazakh teenagers who devise a plan to steal a prized Balaban falcon to help fund their dream of moving to Paris.

Aysulu Onaran makes her feature debut on the project, which she scripted with Sam Roffey. Adilet Yessimov produces with Poms and Fatima producer Rose Ganguzza aboard as executive producer.

Kamila Fun-So, Irina Gylko, and Chingiz Kapin lead cast.

The movie was shot on location in the Almaty region of Kazakhstan, which is known for its dramatic mountains and vast nomadic steppe.

Kazakh-born Onaran worked for a decade in a charity with HIV-positive youth in Kazakhstan. In 2021 she initiated...

Exclusive: Joana Ribeiro (The Man Who Killed Don Quixote) and Annelle Olayele (Doctors) are set as series regulars opposite Chiwetel Ejiofor and Naomie Harris in Showtime’s drama series The Man Who Fell to Earth.

Based on the Walter Tevis novel and the iconic 1976 film that starred David Bowie, The Man Who Fell to Earth will follow a new alien character (Ejiofor) who arrives on Earth at a turning point in human evolution and must confront his own past to determine our future.

Ribeiro will play Lisa Dominguez, a signals specialist at the CIA who works for Clay (Jimmi Simpson). Lisa is smart, ambitious, talented and dedicated to her country, while carrying the burden of her own secrets.

Olayele plays Molly Falls, the first human child to meet our Man Who Fell to Earth. Molly’s perspective changes the course of our planet’s evolution.

2020 Showtime Pilots & Series Orders

Alex Kurtzman...

The duo dazzle up front in screenwriter Florence Vignon’s first film – an Easy Tiger production set to be sold by Orange Studio – which begins filming tomorrow. The first clapperboard is set to slam tomorrow, Wednesday 31 March, on L’échappée belle, which will be the first film directed by screenwriter Florence Vignon (the winner of 2010’s Best Adapted Screenplay César for Mademoiselle Chambon and nominated for 2013’s Best Original Screenplay César via A Few Hours of Spring). Shining bright at the head of the cast is seasoned actor Jacques Gamblin and rising star Zita Hanrot (awarded 2016’s Best New Female Hope César for Fatima and...

Portugal’s cash rebate scheme, introduced in 2018, is attracting major international productions and new production outfits and facilities, and providing significant leverage for domestic film and TV productions.

Shoots slowed during the pandemic, with several projects lensed in bubbles, but production is expected to surge in the second half of 2021.

The current cash rebate is tabbed at 25/30% of eligible production spend and may be upwardly revised in the near future.

€22.5 million ($27.5 million) in total cash rebate has been disbursed since 2018, roughly equally split between international shoots and 100% Portuguese productions and co-productions.

High-profile projects include Ira Sachs’ “Frankie,” with Isabelle Huppert, Richard Stanley’s “The Color Out of Space,” starring Nicolas Cage, Marco Pontecorvo’s “Fatima,” with Harvey Keitel, and three Bollywood pics. These projects have accessed cash rebate per pic varying between €631,000 and €1.9 million ($2.4 million) Portugal is also shaking up its production eco-system. Pubcaster Rtp has shifted from telenovelas to...

Funded by Turismo de Portugal, the country’s shoot cash rebate aims to increase Portugal’s international visibility. Secretary of State for Tourism Rita Marques stresses that tourism is a key driver of sustainable growth, job creation and foreign investment, as well as promoting Portuguese and European cultural values: “That’s why we have created one of the most competitive film production incentive systems in Europe, especially oriented to those projects that can bring economic social, and environment value and positive impact to the world.”

Portugal boasts the highest number of sunny days in Europe and greener landscapes than much of Southern Europe. Crews are skilled, multi-lingual and offer highly competitive rates.

The major diversity of natural and cultural heritage within a relatively small country means that shoots can access a wide variety of locales within relatively short distances.

The Portugal Film Commission (Pfc) is complemented by 12 film commissions and offices,...

Italian composer Paolo Buonvino competes in the Oscar music races with at least one strong advantage: Andrea Bocelli giving a booming, bravura performance of the theme song. But he also took on a huge creative risk. Buonvino arranged the accompanying vocals for what could’ve turned out to be a sonic train wreck. The latter is performed by a chorus of children singing simultaneously in 16 different languages which, mysteriously, almost impossibly, harmonize into an inspirational listening experience.

“Can you imagine this like magic?” Buonvino asks in our chat with Gold Derby and translator Tommaso Cartia. “This chaotic diversity on the surface, in truth, is so extraordinary to think that we can be all united in the beauty of our diversity. And so like our languages when they are close to each other. They’re so beautifully together. And that’s a strong message of union in the end, the beauty...

This year’s Oscars have set a new record for the largest number of entries ever in the Best Original Song category, but the 105 eligible songs do not include Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross’ “(If Only You Could) Save Me,” a 1930s-style big band song from “Mank” that was recently nominated for the second annual Society of Composers and Lyricists Awards.

The song is heard briefly coming from a radio in the background of one scene and plays for only about 40 seconds. Academy rules require “a clearly audible, intelligible, substantive rendition of both lyric and melody,” and the song was judged to not fulfill that requirement.

Other songs that didn’t make the list, although they were thought to be in the running, include “Uh Oh” from “Promising Young Woman” and “Boss Bitch” from “Birds of Prey.” Even without those, the list of eligible songs tops 100 for the first time...

The number of films available to Oscar voters in a screening room devoted to the Best Picture category hit the 200 mark on Wednesday, which means that $2.5 million has entered the Academy coffers from films paying $12,500 each to be represented in the screening room.

The members-only Academy Screening Room hit the milestone with the addition of more than a dozen movies this week, including Fisher Stevens’ “Palmer,” Lee Daniels’ “The United States vs. Billie Holiday,” John Lee Hancock’s “The Little Things,” the Russo brothers’ “Cherry,” Josh Trank’s “Capone,” the documentary “Coup 53,” the Studio Ghibli animated film “Earwig and the Witch,” the international films “Funny Boy” and “Bacarau” (neither eligible in the Oscars’ Best International Feature Film category) and some off-the-wall selections, including “Snake White – Love Endures” and “Soorarai Pottru.”

Other late additions to the screening room have included “Minari,” “Promising Young Woman,” “The White Tiger” and “Cherry,” which were not added until January.

South Korea-born executive arrives as company prepares for EFM, Filmart.

Ramping up for the year’s first cycle of online festivals and markets, Myriad Pictures president Kirk D’Amico has hired Jaewoo Kim as vice president, distribution and sales.

Jaewoo most recently served as director of international sales and acquisitions at 13 Films, where she handled sales and distribution on films such as The Current War starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Every Breath You Take with Casey Affleck.

Earlier in her career the South Korea-born executive worked for Korean distribution company 9ers Entertainment as manager of the international business, when she acquired...

In 1999, opera legend Andrea Bocelli sang at the Academy Awards with Celine Dion when their duet of “The Prayer” was up for a best song Oscar. Twenty-two years later, Bocelli has another shot at boosting a theme song to a nomination as “Gratia Plena,” which he recorded for the movie “Fatima,” enters the race. Composer Paolo Buonvino (“Medici: Masters of Florence”), who wrote the new song, will also contend for his “Fatima” score.

“Fatima” is directed by Marco Pontecorvo and stars Harvey Keitel and Sônia Braga alongside Joaquim de Almeida, Goran Visnjic and Lúcia Moniz.

Below, Bocelli and Buonvino speak exclusively with Variety about crafting the music of “Fatima” and the importance of the film’s message.

What was it like collaborating with Paolo Buonvino for the realization of the song “Gratia Plena”?

Bocelli: It has been a very interesting one. As soon as he composed “Gratia Plena,” he wanted me to hear it.

With 2020 now coming to an end – thank goodness – and a new year finally in sight, it’s time to begin looking forward to what all the various streaming platforms will be bringing us to kick off 2021 with. And after Disney Plus was first out of the gate to announce their lineup yesterday, Netflix has now followed, revealing a huge range of content set to drop in January that consists of hit movies, beloved TV shows and a whole lot more.

Of course, the 1st of the month is the busiest day and brings mostly licensed titles with it, as is often the case. But the following days look to keep up the momentum, with a ton of exciting films and television series on the way, all combining for what appears to be a fantastic month of new content.

See below for the full list:

Released January Tba

50M2 *Netflix Original...

Four VOD titles reached #1 in a week with scattershot results across the board. “Mortal” (Saban), a contemporary action film with Nordic mythology roots, took first place at Apple TV. Meanwhile, the PVOD prison drama “The Informer” (Vertical) repeated at #1 at FandangoNow, Paramount’s horror entry “Spell” is first at Spectrum, and romance “After We Collided” from Briarcliff bested at Google Play. “Mortal” is a standard price entry, while “The Informer” is at $19.99 premium, with “Spell” at $9.99 finding a middle ground.

But the highest showing for a new release is #2 at Apple TV for Woody Allen’s “A Rainy Day in New York” (MPI). Its VOD showing comes three weeks after a token theatrical run, more than a year after it opened in most of the world, and after his latest, “Rifkin’s Festival,” premiered overseas.

Right now is something of an intermission period before a slew of studio releases, including several...

Every year, movie-preview pieces herald the holidays’ arrival; in 2020, the headlines are a little different. As USA Today proclaimed, “10 Must-See Movies to Stream Over the Holiday Season.” They include “Soul,” “Mank,” “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom,” “Let Them All Talk,” and “Small Axe” — major awards contenders, many of which would have have been theatrical releases. However, they all belong to streamers, not VOD.

Meanwhile, on Friday Vertical Entertainment dropped an action film, “The Informer,” which stars Joel Kinnaman as an ex-con who returns to prison undercover to expose a Polish drug cartel. Shot in 2017 and released in most of the world in 2019, this title from the director of “Escobar: Paradise Lost” is unlikely to show up on anyone’s awards-season list. However, even at $19.99 to rent, it topped two major VOD charts this weekend.

“The Informer” has a strong ensemble cast that includes Rosamund Pike, Common, Clive Owen, and Ana de Armas...

Reimagining of Sheridan Le Fanu’s 19th-century vampire novella will screen at virtual market.

Arclight Films has bulked up its AFM sales slate with international rights excluding the UK, Australia and Germany to gothic horror and Sitges, Edinburgh and Chicago selection Carmilla.

The solo directorial debut of writer-director Emily Harris stars newcomers Hannah Rae and Devrim Lingnau alongside Jessica Raine, Tobias Menzies and Greg Wise, both of whom were recently featured in Netflix’s The Crown.

Carmilla will screen to buyers at the virtual market next week and is a reimagining of Sheridan Le Fanu’s 19th-century vampire novella of the same name.

Indie veteran lining up development and production fund.

Rose Ganguzza, the New York producer of summer release Fatima, has unveiled a Rose Pictures development slate that includes new work from the directors of How To Build A Girl and Grudge.

Ganguzza, a veteran of the independent space whose producing credits include Margin Call and Kill Your Darlings, has partnered on the content pipeline for 2021 with Max Born, a producer The Devil All The Time, and Jake Alden Falconer, a producer on summer horror film 1Br.

As Fatima – the film released by Bob and Jeanne Berney’s Picturehouse – ranks in the...

Indie veteran lining up development and production fund.

Rose Ganguzza, the New York producer of summer release Fatima, has unveiled a Rose Pictures development slate that includes new work from the directors of How To Build A Girl and Grudge.

Ganguzza, a veteran of the independent space whose producing credits include Margin Call and Kill Your Darlings, has partnered on the content pipeline for 2021 with Max Born, a producer The Devil All The Time, and Jake Alden Falconer, a producer on summer horror film 1Br.

As Fatima – the film released by Bob and Jeanne Berney’s Picturehouse – ranks in the...

Five months after its scuttled April theatrical date, “Antebellum” is showing strong initial response on multiple VOD platforms. The premium-priced horror/thriller (with similarities to Jordan Peele’s hit “Get Out”) scored as the first top studio PVOD release since “Bill & Ted Face the Music” three weeks ago. With about 75 percent of North American theaters now open, they would have benefited from this title.

As always, we don’t have actual revenue totals. For “Antebellum,” however, its opening-weekend status is clear: It found top ranking on charts that rate by total gross (it achieved this in three days on FandangoNow and Vudu) and high placement on two other charts that list by transaction volume. (It debuted too late to place at Spectrum).

Lionsgate retained 80 percent of the take on “Antebellum,” compared to perhaps 50-55 percent for a theatrical run. On that basis, it means that if 500,000 consumers rented it,...

Fatima is a faith-based drama inspired by a true story that happened in Portugal a century ago. Goran Višnjić is one of the film’s stars, and one of the reasons why he wanted to make the movie is because it carries a message of hope, and he considers himself to be a very hopeful person himself.

Fatima is available [...]

The post Goran Višnjić’s Optimism Led Him To ‘Fatima’ appeared first on Hollywood Outbreak.

“Mulan” (Disney) likely had the greatest revenues of any feature films available in homes this weekend. At $29.99, five times or more costly than alternatives and only in its second week of availability, the big-budget remake more than ever needs PVOD to bolster its chances to recoup its cost. With disappointing initial theatrical results in China ($23 million for its initial weekend), one of the countries where it is not streaming, Disney+ interest becomes even more important.

Perhaps the Chinese fiasco could lead to Disney replicating what Universal did with “Trolls World Tour” after its second weekend of home sales. It was an earnings call (not due for several weeks now though), but that is the one time the studio has released specific numbers on one of its releases ($95 million to that point).

After a weekend where much of the media finally noticed that “Tenet” had its initial domestic gross success overstated...

In 1917 Portugal, three children believed they saw an apparition of the Virgin Mary, and their story spread far and wide. Some believed them, others thought it was an offense to Christianity. Now, that event serves as the backdrop for Fatima, a new drama based on the sightings. Goran Višnjić is one [...]

The post Goran Višnjić Hopes That ‘Fatima’ Delivers Hope appeared first on Hollywood Outbreak.

The newest trend in home viewing: the hot title that seems to come out of nowhere. This week it’s “The 2nd,” which jumped to #1 on the AppleTV and GooglePlay movie rental charts. An actioner starring Ryan Phillippe and Casper Van Dien would never register within film Twitter, but that’s not the ruling sensibility of VOD.

This week had a range of alternative offerings, led by the Disney+ debut of “Mulan.” At an estimated $200 million cost, it is by far the most expensive feature film to skip domestic theaters for Premium VOD. This is also the second week of “Bill & Ted Face the Music” (United Artists), as well as first for “I’m Thinking of Ending Things,” the start of Netflix’s fall awards-intended original releases. All that comes as “Tenet” (Warner Bros.) began its muted run in the U.S. as it tries to bring struggling theaters into recovery.

Spain’s hybrid 4th Conecta Fiction, Europe’s biggest TV co-production forum with Latin America, closed its on-site doors on Sept. 3, though its online complement runs until Sept. 11.

Following, 10 takeaways from a unique 2020 edition:

Co-Production Paradigm Shift

Conecta Fiction Reboot’s most significant news may have broken Thursday: The announcement that ViacomCBS Intl. Studios (Vis) Rtve, the Spanish public broadcaster, and Onza Productions had initiated production on “Parot,” a cop thriller shooting in Madrid. Ever more for Spain’s networks and pay TV operators co-production involves less alliances with like-minded and like weight local partners in Europe more tie-ups with U.S. global streamers or pay TV giants. In another example, Conecta Fiction’s gala night series, female conquistador tale “Inés of My Soul,” originated at Chile’s Chilevision, was boarded by Rtve, and then Amazon Prime Video.

At an estimated 477 million, the Spanish-language global market dwarfs the French and...

‘Tenet.’

Warner Bros’ Tenet ruled again in its second weekend while Disney’s The New Mutants opened meekly as the long, slow road to recovery for Australian cinemas continues.

The convoluted time-travel/spy thriller directed by Christopher Nolan rang up $1.6 million on a super-wide 748 screens, falling by 35 per cent, bringing the total to $6.25 million.

Starring John David Washington, Robert Pattinson, Elizabeth Debicki and Kenneth Branagh, the movie launched on 2,810 locations in the US, fetching $US20.2 million – a decent result considering cinemas are closed in Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York and several other major markets.

In US dollars, the international total topped $126 million including China’s $30 million, a record for Nolan in that territory, and, after their second weekends, the UK’s $13.1 million, France’s $10.7 million and Germany’s $8.7 million.

Numero reported the top 20 titles in Australia generated nearly $3.1 million, 15 per cent below the previous frame.

Exhibitors are pleased. “Given the circumstances,...

The Premium VOD debut of United Artists’ “Bill & Ted Face the Music” topped charts from the moment it debuted August 28. As a mid-budget title that’s thriving at $19.99, it could be as important as “Tenet” in determining the shape of movie distribution. “Bill & Ted” didn’t see much theatrical play, but given its day-and-date debut it also didn’t have the option. About 1,000 independent theaters did play the title, where by our estimate it grossed around $1.1 million, or around $1,000 per theater.

That’s not a lot, but it’s better than Searchlight’s theater-only flop “The Personal History of David Copperfield.” Based on those two performances, UA made the right move: Searchlight devoted marketing spend to a disappointheatrical release that now must wait until November before it can play VOD.

“Bill & Ted” was first on all three possible charts. “Fatima” (Picturehouse), the other new PVOD entry, appeared on two.

Argentina and Mexico-based Jaque Content, originator of suspense drama series “La Chica Que Limpia” (“The Cleaning Lady”), now the subject of a Fox U.S. pilot remake, has unveiled plans to produce a horror movie, “Fátima,” as well as “The Hate Farm” (“La Granja del Odio”), an allegorical cyber war thriller.

“The Hate Farm” is one of 12 drama series projects selected for this week’s CoPro pitching sessions, the main industry showcase at Spain’s Conecta Fiction, Europe’s biggest Latin America TV co-production forum.

Produced by Jaque Content and Mexico City-based Kuter Casa Productora, “Fátima” joins a rapidly building lineup of projects that Jaque Content has been developing out of Mexico, such as 10-part series “Zafiros en la Piel,” an adaptation of the eponymous Argentine novel, co-produced with “Instructions Not Included” producer Mónica Lozano.

Jaque Content has also boarded Tatiana Huezo’s feature “Noche de Fuego,” from “Roma” producer...

About 62 percent of U.S. locations were open this weekend, with what looks like a total gross of around $15 million-$16 million. Figure if all theaters were open, $25 million or above would have been the total. The same weekend last year (which included the three days before Labor Day) totaled $92 million.

Obviously, the lack of ongoing films is a key factor, but in 2019 there were no new films that weekend. Aided by more theaters being open and a handful of new releases, this weekend’s numbers are about double last weekend. However, they suggest that a substantial part of the moviegoing public is, so far, not going.

Long-delayed “X-Men” offshoot “The New Mutants” is #1 with $7 million estimated. The 20th Century Fox film saw its release delayed until long after the Disney merger; this is actually its fifth scheduled release date, and only one of those change stemmed from Covid-19. In a world without Covid,...

With North American moviegoing slowly resuming, the X-Men spinoff “The New Mutants” opened with a solid $3.1 million at 2,412 locations on Friday.

That first-day figure portends a weekend opening in line with Disney’s forecast of $7 million to $10 million. About 62% of domestic locations are currently open, while California, New York, New Jersey, North Carolina, Michigan, Maryland, New Mexico and parts of Arizona are still shuttered more than five months after closing down due to the pandemic. Damage from Hurricane Laura has closed down some locations in Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas.

Disney took “The New Mutants” — starring Maisie Williams, Anya Taylor-Joy, Alice Braga, Henry Zaga and Charlie Heaton — off its schedule in March, when cinemas first started to shutter due to the pandemic. The film, which Disney inherited from Fox, has been delayed numerous times since it was originally intended to debut in 2018.

“The New Mutants,” based on the X-Men comic-book series,...

Director Marco Pontecorvo shot his film “Fátima” entirely on location in Portugal, not just for authenticity, but because the Portuguese government also created a special film incentive package, giving the production a tax credit.

The movie, released via PVOD and in theaters on Aug. 28, is based on historical events in 1917 when three young children reported seeing the Virgin Mary in the rural village of Fatima, Portugal while in the fields. The apparitions caused believers to flock to the site.

Set against a backdrop of World War I, Pontecorvo makes his English feature film debut in the retelling of the story. The former “Game of Thrones” cinematographer sought to find the right towns to film in. He relied on production designer Cristina Onori to transport viewers and the production to 1917. Together, they scouted around, settling on the towns of Tapada de Mafra, Coimbra, Tomar, Lisbon and Cidadelhe to serve as a backdrop.