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The Taormina Film Festival wrapped its 71st edition with Axel Monsú’s “For Your Sake” taking home the top prize. The Argentinian film tells the story of a young girl played by Sabrina Melgarejo, whose life is restricted by poverty and an oppressive religion until she decides to make an attempt at taking her destiny into her own hands. The prize for best director went to Alex Garland and Ray Mendoza for their Iraqi set war movie “Warfare,” which plays out in real time and is based on real events experienced by Mendoza who wrote the script with Garland.

The jury – led by Da’Vine Joy Randolph, and including Academy Award winning costume designer Sandy Powell, former Variety vice-president of content Steven Gaydos and Italian actresses Ilenia Pastorelli and Alessandra Mastronardi – gave the acting honors to Ebada Hassan, who starred in Nadia Fall’s “Brides” and Geoffrey Rush for the thriller “The Rule of Jenny Pen,...

The Taormina Film Festival has named its 2025 winners.

Wrapping up the 71st edition of the Sicilian-based festival, Saturday’s awards ceremony culminated in the big honor, Premio Migliore Film (Best Film Award), going to Argentinian director Axel Monsú’s For Your Sake.

Premio Migliore Regia (Best Director Award) was awarded to Alex Garland and Ray Mendoza for A24’s Warfare.

The Premio Migliora Attrice (Best Actress Award) went to Ebada Hassan for her performance in director Nadia Fall’s Brides. Geoffrey Rush, who was also honored with the festival’s Excellence Award, won the Premio Migliore Attore (Best Actor Award) for director James Ashcroft’s The Rule of Jenny Pen.

This year’s festival also honored Martin Scorsese, Michael Douglas, Olivia Wilde, Helen Hunt, Catherine Deneuve and Monica Bellucci with awards.

The international jury was led by Oscar-winner Da’Vine Joy Randolph, with panel support from British actor Rupert Everett, 3x...

Oscar winners and Taormina Film Festival jury members Da’Vine Joy Randolph and Sandy Powell joined a panel here dubbed “Women, Not Divas” to speak about the state of the industry and provide insight into their own experiences.

The Holdovers star Randolph, who is jury president, was fairly bullish on the future, noting the emergence of a “sisterhood.” Still, “it requires resilience, it requires standing up for yourself and the power of saying no, and advocacy.”

She noted an “empowering” movement regarding salaries: “Prior, to the idea of how much someone made, they kept that very private. So,” she said turning to her fellow panelists, “let’s say we just got cast in a movie and we’re in the negotiation process; historically, you would go out with your team and negotiate your deal and just hope for the best. Now, what I’m seeing is happening… we will reach out...

Lilo and Stitch has proven that there's still plenty of life in Disney's live-action remakes of animated classics, but the recent reimagining of one of the Mouse House's most popular and well-known tales was a rare misfire.

Snow White arrives on Disney+ tomorrow, and has officially finished up its box office run as one of Disney's worst performing live-action remakes.

The movie, which stars Rachel Zegler in the title role and Gal Gadot as the Evil Queen, ended its theatrical run with $205.5 million worldwide. Only 2016's Pete's Dragon ($143.7 million and 2020's Mulan ($69.9 million) - which, to be fair, debuted during Covid with a simultaneous Premier Access streaming release - have fared worse.

Snow White received mostly negative reviews (40% on Rotten Tomatoes), but was plagued by controversy (whether it was warranted or not is up for debate) in the build-up to its release, which probably didn't help.

Be it Zegler's comments about the animated original,...

Exclusive: Oscar winning actor Geoffrey Rush is the latest addition to the Taormina Film Festival lineup, and will receive the event’s Excellence Award during the 71st edition which runs June 10-14 in the hilltop Sicilian town.

Rush will also present his latest feature, The Rule of Jenny Pen, as part of the official competition selection. The psychological thriller from director James Ashcroft and co-starring John Lithgow debuted on the festival circuit last year and will make its Italian premiere in Taormina.

Rush won the Academy Award for Best Actor in 1997 for Shine, and has also received three BAFTAs, two Golden Globes, a Tony Award, an Emmy Award and four Screen Actors Guild Awards, along with three additional Oscar nominations in other categories.

Tiziana Rocca, Artistic Director of the Taormina Film Festival, said: “We are honored to welcome an artist of Geoffrey Rush’s caliber to Taormina. His presence is...

Exclusive: Actress, director and producer Olivia Wilde will receive the Taormina Film Festival’s Creativity Award at the 71st edition of the event which runs June 10-14 in the hilltop Sicilian town.

Wilde, who started out as an assistant casting director and moved into acting on such series as The O.C. and House, made her feature directing debut with 2019’s Booksmart, following it up with 2022’s Don’t Worry Darling.

As an actress, Wilde has thriller I Want Your Sex from Gregg Araki and Black Bear on deck. Cooper Hoffman and pop superstar Charli Xcx also star.

Wilde is also on her next directing gig, comedy The Invite, from a screenplay by Rashida Jones and Will McCormack. She stars alongside Seth Rogen, Edward Norton and Penélope Cruz.

Further, she’s attached to direct Avengelyne, a feature adaptation of the 1990s comic book character for Warner Bros, and Universal’s Christmas comedy Naughty,...

Exclusive: Iconic French actress Catherine Deneuve has been set to receive a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Taormina Film Festival in Sicily next month. The Oscar nominee will be honored during a gala evening at the Teatro Antico, where she will present her most recent film, Spirit World, from director Erik Khoo.

The star of such films as The Umbrellas of Cherbourg, Les Demoiselles de Rochefort, Belle de Jour, Le Dernier Métro, Indochine, Place Vendôme and 8 Women, Deneuve is next set to star in Asghar Farhadi’s Parallel Tales.

Spirit World, which released in France last year, will be distributed in Italy by Europictures beginning June 26.

Taormina Artistic Director, Tiziana Rocca, commented: “It is an immense honor to welcome Catherine Deneuve to the Taormina Film Festival. Her presence is a gift for our audience and for cinema as a whole. With her grace and talent, she has traversed the history of the seventh art,...

The Filming Italy Sardegna Festival, founded and directed by Tiziana Rocca, has laid out some of its plans for the upcoming 8th edition. The Sardinia-set fest, which combines cinema and television, runs from June 19-22 in Cagliari and at Forte Village.

The short film competition will be presided over by actress and director Micaela Ramazzotti. She will be joined by Heather Graham, Alec Baldwin, Rocío Muñoz Morales, Riccardo Milani, Aurora Giovinazzo and Giacomo Giorgio. Italian actress Martina Stella will act as the fest’s godmother.

Notable guests will include Simon Baker, who is due to receive the Filming Italy Excellence Award, and Oscar-winner Cuba Gooding Jr., who will be honored with the Filming Italy Creativity Award. French actress Anouchka Delon will also attend, receiving an award in memory of her father Alain.

Steven Soderbergh’s horror film Presence, which debuted at Sundance in 2024, is among the films confirmed to screen.

Da’Vine Joy Randolph, who won an Oscar for her role in “The Holdovers,” will preside over the jury of Italy’s upcoming Taormina Film Festival that will run June 10-14 in the Sicilian sea resort.

This year’s other Taormina jurors are Rupert Everett, multiple Oscar-winning costume designer Sandy Powell, former Variety editor Steven Gaydos and Italian actors Ilenia Pastorelli (“They Call Me Jeeg”) and Alessandra Mastronardi (“Medici”).

The Sicilian cinema event, being headed once again by marketing guru Tiziana Rocca, has also announced John Wick” spinoff “Ballerina” as its out-of-competition opening film with director Len Wiseman and actor Norman Reedus in tow.

“I am very enthusiastic about returning to Taormina,” Rocca said at a Cannes press conference. “This year’s biggest challenge will be to relaunch it and place it once again in the international festival sphere,” she added.

Taormina starting this year will be divided into four sections:...

Exclusive:John Gore Studios and Embankment Filmshave unveiled a first look at Joan Collins and Isabella Rossellini in Mike Newell’s The Bitter End.

Miranda Richardson, star ofThe Last Anniversary and Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire,Game Of Thrones and Frankestein actor Charles Dance, and Elle star Laurent Lafittehave joined the cast, as production gets underway in the UK. It is the first production to shoot at the historic Ealing Studios following its recent expansion and renovation.

The film charts the untold story of the final years of Wallis Simpson, the American divorcee who became the Duchess of Windsor...

Exclusive: Embankment Films and John Gore Studios have unveiled a first look at Joan Collins and Isabella Rossellini in Mike Newell’s The Bitter End.

Laurent Lafitte, Miranda Richardson and Charles Dance have joined the cast, as production gets underway in the UK. It is the first production to shoot at the historic Ealing Studios following its recent expansion and renovation.

The film charts the final years of Wallis Simpson, the American divorcee who became the Duchess of Windsor after marrying King Edward VIII, the British king who chose love over duty.

Collins stars as Simpson alongside Rossellini who plays Suzanne Blum,...

Disney‘s live-action Snow White remake is set to arrive on Digital on May 13, followed by 4K Uhd, Blu-ray, and DVD on June 24.

The movie, which stars Rachel Zegler as the titular princess and Gal Gadot as the Evil Queen, did not perform very well at the box office (probably an understatement), and had yet to pass the $100 million milestone domestically in its third weekend in theaters.

Snow White will finish its theatrical run with just over $200 million worldwide, and is expected to end up costing the studio upwards of $115 million.

Per the official press release: "The live-action musical retelling of the classic animated Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs sweeps audiences of all ages into an adventure that blends nostalgia, notable new visuals, and a memorable soundtrack, taking story-telling to all-new fairytale heights. New productions of long-beloved songs complement five original “contemporary kingdom” tunes thoughtfully crafted by Egot winners Benj Pasek and Justin Paul,...

Heigh-ho, heigh-ho! It’s off to homes we go! Disney‘s live-action Snow White will bring the magic of Marc Webb’s adaptation to living rooms and wherever families experience entertainment with Digital, 4K Blu-ray, and DVD releases! Snow White arrives May 13 via digital platforms, including Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, and Fandango at Home, and June 24 on 4K Uhd, Blu-ray, and DVD.

Per Disney’s press release:

The live-action musical retelling of the classic animated Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs sweeps audiences of all ages into an adventure that blends nostalgia, notable new visuals, and a memorable soundtrack, taking story-telling to all-new fairytale heights. New productions of long-beloved songs complement five original “contemporary kingdom” tunes thoughtfully crafted by Egot winners Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, breathing new melody into a well-known story.

Fans can enjoy Snow White in beautiful sight and sound with 4K Ultra HD with Dolby Vision and Atmos audio.

Disney is bringing its latest live-action remake home. After a not-so-great run in theaters, director Marc Webb's "Snow White" is making its way to digital marketplaces and, soon enough, streaming. So, those who perhaps didn't catch it in theaters will now be able to watch it from the comfort of their couch.

Starring Rachel Zegler as the famed Disney Princess and Gal Gadot as the Evil Queen, "Snow White" serves as a re-imagining of the enduring animated classic "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs." There are some pretty major differences between the films, however, as the live-action "Snow White" sees the titular princess join forces with seven dwarfs and a group of rebels to liberate her kingdom from her wicked stepmother. Now, all of the magic, music, and romance will be available with just the few clicks of a button.

Read more: All 13 Disney Princesses, Ranked

When Can Snow White Be Streamed,...

We have an exclusive look at creating Gal Gadot‘s Old Hag version of the Evil Queen in Snow White!

Gal, along with hair and makeup artist Nadia Stacey and costume designer Sandy Powell, the ladies dish on transforming the actress through prosthetic and costuming details to create the look for the character in the live-action film.

Keep reading to find out more…

“My favorite part was the old hag. I really had the opportunity to come out of my skin,” Gal shares in this exclusive clip. “I love to transform and the prosthetics really lets the character come out. It’s not me. To become that timeless character was just delightful.”

“I called Mark Coulier, the fantastic prosthetics designer, to sculpt the design. I didn’t want it to be scary, but something more magical,” hair and makeup artist Nadia Stacey shared. “I thought about that moment when Snow...

The Walt Disney Studios has announced that Snow White will arrive on May 13 on digital platforms, including Prime Video, Apple TV, and Fandango at Home. The film will be available on 4K Uhd, Blu-ray, and DVD on June 24.

The live-action musical retelling of the classic animated Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs sweeps audiences of all ages into an adventure that blends nostalgia, notable new visuals, and a memorable soundtrack, taking storytelling to all-new fairytale heights.

New productions of long-beloved songs complement five original “contemporary kingdom” tunes thoughtfully crafted by Egot winners Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, breathing new melody into a well-known story.

Fans can enjoy Snow White in beautiful sight and sound with 4K Ultra HD with Dolby Vision and Atmos audio. The digital and Blu-ray offer hours of exclusive bonus content featuring fun bloopers, deleted scenes, featurettes, and a full-length sing-along. The 4K Uhd will be available...

Snow White's digital and physical media release dates have now been revealed as the film's disappointing theatrical run continues. Serving as a live-action adaptation of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937), the new film features Rachel Zegler as the titular Disney Princess, with Gal Gadot playing the Evil Queen. Snow White has been mired in controversy since before its theatrical release on March 21, and the film was ultimately met with lackluster reviews and has so far grossed just $200 million worldwide.

Disney now confirms that Snow White will be available to rent and purchase on VOD starting Tuesday, May 13. A special two-movie bundle that includes the original animated Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs will also be available digitally on this date. The announcement accompanies the reveal that the live-action remake will arrive on 4K Uhd and Blu-ray on June 24, with this date also marking the release of the DVD version of the two-movie collection.

In the wake of January’s catastrophic Palisades Fire, an image featuring a charred Academy Award sitting atop a pile of rubble went viral and became a symbol of the devastation, not only for the area but for its impact on Hollywood professionals. Many industry insiders reposted the image complete with emotional captions including veteran actress Isabella Rossellini, who had just been nominated for an Oscar for Conclave. The image, however, turned out to be fake and AI generated.

Fast-forward to Wednesday when a real charred Oscar turned up at Chateau Marmont, where it was pictured on the famed hotel terrace during a starry event hosted by Anna Wintour and Vogue to announce the details for the forthcoming Vogue World: Hollywood. It belongs to four-time Oscar winner Colleen Atwood, who lost her home in the Palisades Fire as she confirmed during a poignant moment at the podium alongside fellow costume...

Despite the controversy surrounding the seven dwarfs, the recently shuttered Mpc aimed to find the difficult sweet spot between painterly and photoreal in “Snow White,” translating them in a way that does justice to the hand-drawn aesthetic of Walt’s revolutionary debut feature from 1937. It’s shame that it’s one of the VFX studio’s last hurrahs, after working on the Oscar-winning “The Jungle Book” (2016), the Oscar-nominated “The Lion King” (2019), and the “Mufasa” (2024) prequel.

However, Mpc doesn’t stand alone. They followed Tim Burton’s “Alice in Wonderland” (2010), the first of the Disney live action remakes, which benefited from the tech achievements of Sony Pictures Imageworks, while Weta Digital created something iconic with the friendly dragon from David Lowery’s “Pete’s Dragon” (2016).

Let’s see how the dwarfs stack up against some of these other notable CG characters:

“Snow White”

For “Snow White,” Mpc applied its photoreal animation skills...

Anna Wintour announced today that the fourth annual Vogue World will take place in Hollywood on October 26 at the Paramount Pictures Studio Lot. Celebrating the “conversation between film and fashion,” 100% of the ticket proceeds will go to the Entertainment Community fund, with a focus on supporting costuming professionals impacted by the Los Angeles wildfires.

“Vogue World: Hollywood will be a one-night-only show with a huge cast of models and actors, dancers, musicians and surprises, and it will set great film costumes next to brilliant fashion collections,” said Wintour. “By mixing fashion with the arts and culture in the center of a city, and by raising funds for a cause, Vogue World has become a runway show-as-rallying cry, a way to fix the attention of a huge global audience, to bring awareness, and sound an unmistakable note of positivity, creativity, and hope.”

This year’s event will feature contributions from costume...

Sure, headlines are calling its launch "a fiasco" and suggesting its underwhelming box office is "in bomb terrority," but there's a case to be made that Disney’s embattled Snow White could be among next year’s Oscar nominees.

Call us Dopey if you must. However, there are several Oscar-winning and -nominated artisans involved in the film's production. Without the consultation of the mirror, here’s the fairest case for the live-action Snow White with Rachel Zegler and Gal Gadot to land some awards recognition next year.

Best Costume Design

Sandy Powell is one of the most-decorated costume designers of all time, with 15 Oscar nominations and three wins — and she has notably already received Oscar nominations for her previous Disney live-action movies: 2015’s Cinderella and 2018’s Mary Poppins Returns. This is also a category where the live-action Disney remakes have historically performed exceptionally well: Alice in Wonderland, Maleficent, Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast,...

Family adventure films have long drawn mileage from quest narratives layered atop allegorical fairy tales. But in an era where Disney’s commodified storytelling has evolved into a saturated subgenre of intellectual property mining, it’s worth revisiting how 1937’s “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” first unlocked a vault of canonical fairy tales that shaped the animation industry. As the first-ever U.S. animated feature, the film not only made waves worldwide with its groundbreaking innovation and craftsmanship but also cemented itself as an inextricable part of Disney’s brand identity.

While cherry blossom-themed theme park rides, an endless array of merchandise, and Broadway adaptations have helped Disney retain its legacy, the studio hasn’t been able to steer clear of the controversies surrounding its live-action remake—one that has faced scrutiny since pre-production, nearly 88 years after the original. Despite the studio’s continued dominance in box office revenue,...

by Cláudio Alves

When was the last time the live-action remake of one of Disney's animated properties presented something worth watching? One supposes Cruella had those Jenny Beavan-designed Oscar-winning costumes to recommend it for, and Winnie the Pooh was alright in its melancholic tone. By my account, the last wholly successful of these enterprises was Kenneth Branagh's Cinderella, released a whole decade ago this year. Part of it stemmed from a willingness to deviate from the original, an understanding of the tale's inherent qualities beyond its value as nostalgia fodder, and the lavish production values courtesy of Dante Ferretti and Sandy Powell.

The latter is back to Disney's mercenary recycling scheme with Snow White, a project that harkens back to Cinderella without reaching the same modest heights. Sandy Powell innocent, though. Well, mostly…...

Actor and filmmaker Harris Dickinson is among the speakers participating in Picturehouse’s inaugural industry event, Picturehouse Create, running April 3-5.

The three-day event will be held at Picturehouse Central in London and includes panels, screenings, masterclasses and networking events.

Dickinson will present a screening of Paul Thomas Anderson’sPunch-Drunk Lovefollowed by a conversation about how the film influenced theBabygirlstar’s acting career as well as his upcoming directorial debutUrchin.

Producers Mike Goodridge, Fiona Lamptey and Mary Burke will participate in a panel on lessons learned in their career. Further sessions tackle topics covering film finance, virtual reality and audience development,...

Oscar-nominated artisans Kris Bowers (“The Wild Robot”), Clément Ducol and Camille (“Emilia Perez), Paul Tazewell (“Wicked”) and Judy Becker (“The Brutalist”) are among the recipients being honored at Variety’s Artisans Awards.

Variety’s 11th annual Artisans Awards is set to take place on Feb. 8 at the Santa Barbara Film Festival.

The festival will be dedicated to Los Angeles. Earlier this month, devastating wildfires affected nearly 200,000 residents and burnt thousands of homes and structures. In a statement, the festival’s creative director Roger Durling said, “As the tragic events in our sister city of Los Angeles were unfolding, we debated about moving forward with Sbiff. Film has always been a conduit for comfort and renewal, and film festivals play a vital role in fostering a sense of connection. Festivals build community, and create an outlet for the process of feelings. In light of this, it became clear that we must...

Warwick Davis, star of Harry Potter and Star Wars, will be honored with the BAFTA Fellowship at this year’s film awards.

The BAFTA Fellowship recognizes those who have “made an outstanding and exceptional contribution to film, games or television” and is the arts charity’s most prestigious honor. He will collect the prize on Sunday, Feb. 16 at this year’s Ee BAFTA Film Awards.

Born in Surrey, England, Davis is celebrated for his roles in the world’s most successful and enduring film franchises such as Professor Filius Flitwick in the Harry Potter films and as Wicket the Ewok, selected by George Lucas himself, in Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi (1983). He went on to feature in the franchise regularly, culminating in The Rise of Skywalker (2019).

Davis was diagnosed with spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia congenita at birth, a rare form of dwarfism. BAFTA are honoring Davis for, in part,...

Daniel Craig will be honoured with the Dilys Powell award for excellence in film at the 45th London Critics’ Circle film awards on February 2.

The actor is also nominated at the awards for his role in Luca Guadagnino’s Queer where he plays a heroin-addicted American expat who falls in love with a young man recently discharged from the Navy. The film premiered at last year’s Venice Film Festival.

Craig has previously been honoured by the group for The Mother (2003) and Enduring Love (2024).

Rich Cline, chair of the Critics’ Circle film section, said: “Over the decades, [Craig] has consistently made...

The London Film Critics’ Circle will hand Daniel Craig the Dilys Powell Award for Excellence in Film, the organization’s top honor, at this year’s London Critics’ Circle Film Awards.

“This is such an immense honor and I’m incredibly grateful to the London Film Critics’ Circle,” Craig said of the award.

Last year, the London critics presented the Dilys Powell Award to Jeffrey Wright. Recent recipients have included Michelle Yeoh, Sandy Powell, Sally Potter, Pedro Almodovar, and Kate Winslet.

At the 2024 ceremony, Jonathan Glazer’s The Zone of Interest and Andrew Haigh’s All of Us Strangers won three awards each. Colman Domingo received the inaugural Derek Malcolm Award for Innovation, which will be presented to Zoe Saldaña at this year’s ceremony. Brady Corbet’s The Brutalist and Sean Baker’s Anora lead the Critics’ Circle nominees.

Craig is this year on the awards circuit with Queer by Italian filmmaker Luca Guadagnino.

Queer star Daniel Craig will be awarded the U.K.’s leading film critics’ top honor, the Dilys Powell Award for Excellence in Film.

The James Bond actor will receive the prize at the 45th London Critics’ Circle Film Awards on Feb. 2 at London’s May Fair Hotel. Brady Corbet’s The Brutalist and Sean Baker’s Anora lead the nominees.

“This is such an immense honor and I’m incredibly grateful to the London Film Critics’ Circle,” Craig said on receiving news of the award.

Rich Cline, Chair of the Critics’ Circle Film Section, said: “As critics, we were already fans of Daniel Craig for the adventurous roles he took on even before he became James Bond. We honored him for his roles in The Mother (2003) and Enduring Love (2004), and then of course we also enjoyed his superb take on 007 as well. Over the decades, he has consistently made...

“Furiosa’s” Jenny Beavan has been named as the recipient of this year’s “Career Achievement Award” by the Costume Designers Guild.

Past recipients of the Career Achievement Award include Francine Jamison-Tanchuck, Deborah L. Scott, Michael Kaplan, Ruth E. Carter, Joanna Johnston, Jeffrey Kurland, Ellen Mirojnick, Aggie Rodgers, Sharen Davis, April Ferry, Judianna Makovsky, Eduardo Castro, Julie Weiss, Sandy Powell, Marlene Stewart, Ruth Myers, Ann Roth, Milena Canonero, Albert Wolsky, Colleen Atwood and Theoni V. Aldredge.

“I am very honored to be receiving this award! How wonderful to be recognized by such a fabulous group… costume designers. The best!” said Beavan.

Former guild president Salvador Perez will be bestowed with the Distinguished Service Award.

In the past, the Distinguished Service award has gone to Mary Ellen Fields, Betty Pecha Madden, Maggie Schpak, Sharon Day, Lois DeArmond, Edwina Pellikka and Mary Rose.

“Being a member of the Costume Designers Guild has...

At September’s Toronto International Film Festival, a PETA activist disrupted the premiere of Pharrell Williams’ animated documentary Piece by Piece to protest Williams’ use of fur and exotic skins as Louis Vuitton’s creative director. Unlike Chanel and Gucci, Louis Vuitton has not phased out fur, and the animal rights organization was raising its objections.

Pharrell responded to the activist by saying, “You’re right, you’re right, God bless you,” and encouraged the audience to applaud her. The house continues to use fur. (Williams and Piece by Piece distributor Focus Features declined to comment.)

While focused on Williams’ fashion work, the moment highlighted a crossroads point for the entertainment world too. Several movies this season specifically used vintage or vegan fur — including Angelina Jolie’s Maria Callas biopic Maria and Selena Gomez’s trans-themed dramatic thriller Emilia Pérez — opting out of the material that requires the raising or trapping of animals.

You may not recognize the name, but in the world of costume design, Paul Tazewell is a recognized talent with a capital “t.” So much so that he appears on his way to ascending into the pantheon of lauded living costume designers that include legends such as Colleen Atwood, Sandy Powell, Jenny Beavan, Mark Bridges, and Ruth Carter. He’s already a Tony Award winner with nine nominations overall, an Emmy Award winner, and an Oscar nominee for Steven Spielberg’s “West Side Story.” With Jon M.

Continue reading Paul Tazewell Breaks Down Glinda’s Subtle Independent Style In ‘Wicked’ at The Playlist.

It was just a year ago I spoke to Rodrigo Prieto about Killers of the Flower Moon, his fifth collaboration with Martin Scorsese. We once again found ourselves at EnergaCAMERIMAGE––this year bringing him into jury duty for the festival’s main competition, working alongside Cate Blanchett, Anthony Dod Mantle, Łukasz Żal, Jolanta Dylewska, Anna Higgs, and Sandy Powell to award a major achievement in cinematography. (A day after our conversation they’d bestow such honor upon The Girl with the Needle.)

Thus there wasn’t an exact objective to our conversation––Prieto is accomplished, engaging, and genial enough to carry a larger-scope chat about cinematography as philosophy and practice, about the particulars of jury duty, and regarding the actor-dp relationship. But this year also yielded his directorial debut, Pedro Páramo, and foretells further collaborations with Martin Scorsese and Taylor Swift, a powerful combination nobody but one man covers.

As...

Were Emma Stone’s organs shifted due to corsets? ( Photo Credit – Instagram )

Emma Stone learned the true meaning of “beauty is pain” on the set of The Favourite—and no, we’re not talking about acting challenges. For her role as Abigail in the 18th-century historical drama, Stone faced a corset that was anything but comfortable. It was so tight her organs, if you read that right—her organs.

Stone, appearing on The Graham Norton Show, shared that her first time wearing a corset for a role was both painful and eye-opening. “It’s historically accurate, but I couldn’t f—ing breathe,” she admitted, giving major props to the costume designer, Sandy Powell. “I would smell menthol… and it sort of made me think I was in a wide open space, then—bam—I was back to not breathing,” she laughed.

But that wasn’t even the worst of it.

Polish-born cinematographer Michal Dymek has won Golden Frog — the main compeition prize — at this year’s Camerimage Film Festival.

Dymek was handed the award this evening at the festival’s closing ceremony by the Camerimage competition jury, which was headed by Cate Blanchett. She was joined by Anna Higgs, Sandy Powell, Anthony Dod Mantle, Rodrigo Prieto, Lukasz Zal, and Jolanta Dylewska.

Directed by Magnus von Horn, The Girl with the Needle debuted at this year’s Cannes Film Festival and has been selected as Denmark’s submission for the Best International Feature Film category at the Oscars.

The film follows Karoline (Sonne), a young factory worker, who is struggling to survive in post-World War I Copenhagen. When she finds herself unemployed, abandoned, and pregnant, she meets Dagmar (Dyrholm), a charismatic woman running an underground adoption agency, helping mothers find foster homes for their unwanted children. With nowhere else to turn,...

Top figures in the cinematography world took on what they described as “a really critical issue that we all know about in our industry” on Tuesday, sharing war stories from the ongoing fight for greater diversity and inclusion.

The broader film industry and cinematography in particular are still woefully out of step with diverse filmmaking talent, said the group during a panel held at the 32nd edition of the EnergaCamerimage film festival in Torun, Poland.

“The idea that inclusion dilutes excellence is not up for debate,” said producer and columnist Anna Higgs as she introduced the hastily assembled talk, called “Widening the Lens: Inclusion and Excellence in our Industry,” which organizers put together this week in the wake of a controversy that saw some top filmmakers boycotting Camerimage.

Industry organizations have decried published remarks made by fest president Marek Zydowicz that seemed to imply that a focus on inclusion can lead to “mediocre film productions,...

The continuing fallout over Camerimage CEO Marek Zydowicz’s Cinematography Today column has forced the festival into damage control. A hastily assembled panel November 19 took on diversity and inclusion in the movie industry, a sore subject when only an estimated seven percent of cinematographers are women.

Moderated by Anna Higgs, a producer and Chair of the Film Committee at BAFTA, the Widening the Lens: Inclusion and Excellence in Our Industry panel held at the Toruń, Poland gathering featured several festival guests: Actor and producer Cate Blanchett; costume designer Sandy Powell; director of photography Mandy Walker; director of photography and, with “Pedro Páramo,” director Rodrigo Prieto; director of photography and British Society of Cinematographers president Chris Ross; and director Maura Delpero (“Vermiglio”).

Higgs insisted they weren’t there to discuss Zydowicz’s words. But she added immediately, “The idea that inclusion dilutes excellence is not up for debate.”

Maura Delpero, whose...

It is business as usual at EnergaCamerimage, the international cinematography festival that opened in Poland on Saturday (November 16). The packed-out opening ceremony did not directly address the ongoing industry backlash to remarks made by the festival director on the eve of the event about female cinematographers.

The festival is now heading in to a week of screenings, masterclasses and a buzzy equipment market.

But it had been a difficult build-up to the 32nd edition of the festival following the publication of an op-ed inCinematography World, by event founder and director and CEO Marek Żydowicz, which the British Society of Cinematographers,...

The Substance director Coralie Fargeat has pulled her film, starring Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley, from the 2024 Camerimage Film Festival in response to what she called “highly misogynistic and offensive” comments from festival CEO Marek Zydowicz.

Fargeat announced the decision in a statement on X, in which she noted that The Substance cinematographer Benjamin Kracun has also decided not to attend this year’s Camerimage event kicking off Saturday in Poland.

“The Substance is about the impact of exactly those types of behaviors on our world. We shouldn’t tolerate them anymore. We send our support to all involved in the festival and hope this decision will create a much needed change,” Fargeat and Kracun added in their joint statement.

Festival founder and CEO Marek Zydowicz sparked controversy with his remarks in an editorial last week about the festival’s lack of female cinematographers in selections for past editions. In his column,...

“The Substance” director Coralie Fargeat is the latest filmmaker to bow out of the upcoming Camerimage Film Festival over festival director Marek Żydowicz’s comments calling into question the quality of work from female cinematographers.

“After discovering the highly misogynistic and offensive words of the director of the Camerimage Film Festival, I have decided to pull ‘The Substance’ from the festival (and [director of photography] Benjamin Kračun has decided not to attend),” Fargeat said in a statement posted on X.

She continued, “‘The Substance’ is about the impact of exactly these types of behaviors on our world. We shouldn’t tolerate them anymore. We send our support to all involved in the festival and hope this decision will help create a much needed change.”

Fargeat follows “Blitz” filmmaker Steve McQueen, who dropped out of the festival earlier this week. The backlash comes after Żydowicz, the CEO and founder of the cinematography-focused Camerimage, published...

The Camerimage Film Festival’s jury has openly supported gender equality. This is in response to controversial comments made by the festival’s CEO, Marek Zydowicz, which many in the industry criticized.

The jury, which includes Oscar winner Cate Blanchett and top cinematographers Rodrigo Prieto and Anthony Dod Mantle, said in a statement released Wednesday that they were still committed to promoting diversity in film. Their answer came after Zydowicz wrote an opinion piece in Cinematography World magazine asking if efforts to include women might make art less important.

Zydowicz started the argument by saying that programs that help female cinematographers might result in “mediocre film production.” People in the industry quickly slammed these words. Most notably, director Steve McQueen pulled his movie “Blitz” from the festival’s opening night.

“Having read Marek Zydowicz’s op-ed, I cannot attend the opening presentation,” he said. “Despite his apology, I found his words deeply offensive.

The Camerimage Festival jury, made up up Cate Blanchett, Anna Higgs, Sandy Powell, Anthony Dod Mantle, Rodrigo Prieto, Lukasz Zal and Jolanta Dylewska, have issued a statement on Instagram following comments about gender representation at the festival by its CEO Marek Zydowicz. “We wholeheartedly support the necessary shift towards genuine inclusivity, and festivals can be a great forum for engaging in such conversations and championing positive change,” the group said.

The statement reads in full, “As jury members of the Main Competition at this year’s Camerimage Festival in Poland, we welcome debate regarding gender representation in cinematography.”

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“While we will be focussed on the task we have the great privilege to have been invited to take on — to watch and celebrate the work of cinematographers — we look forward to being part of meaningful discussions with our peers...

Cate Blanchett and her fellow jury members at the 2024 Camerimage Film Festival have put out a statement of support for the event after it was engulfed in controversy earlier this week due to a controversial editorial penned by the festival’s director.

The world’s leading specialty festival dedicated to the art of cinematography, Camerimage is scheduled to kick off Saturday in Toruń, Poland. The festival has long been an industry favorite, especially among directors and their craft collaborators, but it has come under scrutiny after its founder and CEO Marek Zydowicz published an editorial last week attempting to explain the event’s dearth of female cinematographers in the selections of past editions. In his somewhat muddled column, the festival head seemed to argue that pushing for greater female representation could result in a lineup of diminished artistic quality. The reaction from the international film community was swift, with several...

The jury for the EnergaCamerimage International Cinematography Film Festival, led by jury president Cate Blanchett, has made a statement after festival director Marek Żydowicz’s sexist comments went viral.

Żydowicz wrote an opinion piece for Cinematography World magazine, in which he stated that pressure to program films made by female cinematographers and directors in festivals could lead to the inclusion of “mediocre film productions” in lieu of spotlighting the “works and artists with outstanding artistic achievements.”

The British Society of Cinematographers slammed Żydowicz’s statements, and Steve McQueen announced he will no longer attend the festival. McQueen’s “Blitz” is the opening night film and the auteur was previously set to receive the outstanding director award at the festival.

Now, the 2024 Camerimage jury is taking a stand.

“We welcome debate regarding gender representation,” the jury wrote in a statement that was shared on social media by jury members Anna Higgs and Sandy Powell.

Cate Blanchett and her fellow jury members from Poland’s Camerimage festival have released a statement affirming their support for the festival and commitment to “meaningful discussions” after controversial comments made by the festival’s director to justify the dearth of female cinematographers in the lineup.

“We welcome debate regarding gender representation,” the jury members wrote in a statement that was posted by jury members Anna Higgs and Sandy Powell. The jury is comprised of Blanchett, Anthony Dod Mantle, Higgs, Powell, Rodrigo Prieto, Lukasz Zal and Jolanta Dylewska.

“We look forward to being part of meaningful discussions with our peers at the festival about greater inclusion and recognition of excellence in all its forms in our industry,” the statement continued.

“We wholeheartedly support the necessary shift towards genuine inclusivity and festivals can be a great forum for engaging in such conversations and championing positive change,” the statement concludes.

Blanchett is...

A costume exhibit dedicated to over four decades of costume designer Sandy Powell’s career has opened at Scad’s Museum of Fashion and Film in Atlanta.

Powell, whose credits include “Orlando,” “Shakespeare in Love” and “Far From Heaven” was on hand for the exhibit’s opening. “It been a very strange experience,” Powell told Variety. “It is an emotional one because I’m not just looking at the work. Each one of those pieces, each one of those vignettes brings me back to where I was in my life at those times. So it’s like I’ve seen the last 40 years of my life in one room.”

The exhibit titled Sandy Powell’s Dressing the Part: Costume Design for Film is curated by Rafael Gomes, creative director of Scad Fash museums. On display are a vast array of genres, periods, and realities, showcasing Powell’s dynamic work for films including “Shakespeare in Love,...

“I’ve been thinking for a long time, ‘Wouldn’t it be great to have an exhibition?’” says costume designer Sandy Powell, whose numerous credits include Shakespeare In Love, most of Martin Scorsese’s recent output and the upcoming Snow White. But, for the three-time Oscar and BAFTA winner — and double Costume Designers Guild Award recipient — a career retrospective isn’t necessarily about flexing. She just wants to share.

“Because I have quite a large collection of my own costumes, which I’ve been sneakily collecting over the years,” says Powell, with a smile. So, when the Savannah College of Art and Design (Scad) came calling “out of the blue,” she immediately jumped on board.

“To get the conversation started, I met Sandy in person a few times, including teatime in London,” says Rafael Gomes, curator and creative director for Scad Fash museums. He then held regular Zoom meetings with...

Lido must have felt very empty on Monday, as some of the biggest stars in the world flocked to the historic Venetian Arsenale for a glittery unveiling of Aston Martin’s Vanquish.

“Wolfs” star George Clooney with wife Amal, “Queer” star Daniel Craig, “Horizon 2” director and star Kevin Costner, Benedict Cumberbatch, Michael Douglas and Joel Edgerton all arrived for an intimate, impossibly glamorous gathering.

Acclaimed costume designer Sandy Powell and model and actor Poppy Delevingne were also spotted, as well as Dominic Cooper. Raffey Cassidy still couldn’t shake off the rapturous reception of “The Brutalist,” Brady Corbet’s main competition entry which scored a whooping 12-minute-long standing ovation. Its lead Adrien Brody was also in attendance.

Daniel Craig

Illuminated by the lights and surrounded by the quiet laguna, the new V12 flagship model was revealed by Formula One drivers Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll.

“This is what the...

by Cláudio Alves

The last time an Emma Stone movie won the Best Costume Design Oscar, I ranked her character's many looks. So, it seems appropriate to do the same this year. Once, there was Cruella, but now, one has Poor Things' Bella Baxter to consider.

Breaking the trend of repeat winners and legendary designers finally getting their due, Holly Waddington is a relative newcomer to the costume design big leagues, even though she has worked with names like Sandy Powell and Jacqueline Durran during her tenure in Angels Costume House. Training her craft in that famed establishment, the designer specialized in period costuming, though she's hardly a stickler for historical accuracy. Bored by exact recreation, the artist prefers to play with anachronism, making her a perfect fit for Yorgos Lanthimos' cinema. Indeed, she met the director through Tony McNamara after she costumes The Great's pilot, another take on...

Christine Vachon doesn’t mess around. She is a film professor, best-selling film book author, wife, mother of a film marketing professional, and most of all, producer of independent films. They’re often directed by her close friend and fellow Brown alumnus Todd Haynes. She launched her career at Sundance 1991 with her first feature film, Haynes’ “Poison,” which won the Grand Jury Prize.

Since 1995, she and her producing partner Pam Koffler’s company Killer Films has steadily produced hundreds of movies and television series. Many have won prizes and nominations over the years for the likes of Hilary Swank (“Boys Don’t Cry”), Julianne Moore (“Still Alice”) and Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara (“Carol”), but this year’s Best Picture Oscar nomination for Celine Song’s “Past Lives” is Killer’s first.

New York-based Vachon was packing her bags for the Berlin International Film Festival when we spoke on Zoom, a...