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The French action thriller Ad Vitam has seen huge success on Netflix since being released earlier this month, but there’s another, hard-hitting action flick from France on the streaming platform that you should absolutely check out. Whether you enjoyed Ad Vitam or not. Released back in 2022, Athena drops audiences into the chaotic world of riots and violence following the tragic killing of a young boy. The boy’s three older brothers, one a soldier, the other a criminal, and the third out for revenge, find themselves at the center of the raging conflict.

Directed and co-written by Romain Gavras alongside Ladj Ly and Elias Belkeddar, Athena stars Dali Benssalah (No Time to Die), Sami Slimane (Beetlejuice Beetlejuice), Anthony Bajon (The Prayer), Ouassini Embarek (The Good Thief), Alexis Manenti. You can check out the official synopsis below.

“After the death of his youngest brother following an alleged police altercation, Abdel...

2024 was a great year for movie fans, delivering a combination of instant classics, blockbuster hits, and well-received sequels, from Nosferatu and Longlegs to Twisters and Alien: Romulus. While some of the year's best movies weren't blockbuster hits, others crossed box office records, delivering fan service and entertainment for various fan bases. The year has been perfect for large franchises.

Although not a surprise, 2024 marks a rarity for Hollywood as a year when all of the US' ten highest-grossing movies are sequels, without exception. From long-awaited superhero team-ups to continuations of iconic family animated movies, the year has raked in billions for major studios, affirming the industry's focus on major franchises. Financial success is no guarantee of quality one way or the other, but the year has produced plenty of successful and entertaining films.

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice Returned to Burton's Iconic Poltergeist $451.1 Million

Director

Tim Burton

IMDb Rating

6.7

Set almost forty...

In another distinctive year for movies, 2024 featured many actors in Hollywood getting very booked and busy. It is typical for an actor to have one or two projects for them to stand out in the year, yet some actors go beyond and star in three or more movies. Because 2024 became crowded with new cinematic features, most viewers didn't realize they saw one actor multiple times.

These actors in 2024 showcased more of their range. They could transition from a spectacular blockbuster to a more character-driven drama or even an animated feature. Acting veterans like Willem Dafoe and Giancarlo Esposito and continuously rising stars such as Margaret Qualley and Fred Hechinger are just a few of several performers who worked extra hard during this particular year.

Catherine O'Hara Continued Playing Mother Characters Movies: Argylle, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, & The Wild Robot

Movie

Character

Argylle

Ruth

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice

Delia Deetz

The Wild Robot

Pinktail

Catherine...

When Beetlejuice Beetlejuice hit theaters in late summer, nobody knew if it would connect with audiences like the 1988 original, now a beloved classic. Director Tim Burton and star Michael Keaton didn't want to make some cheap nostalgia-bait sequel, and waited until they had a new story they felt was worth telling. Luckily for everyone involved, it worked. The film was one of the biggest hits of 2024, grossing over $450 million worldwide and reinvigorating audiences' love for the characters. But as much as the creative team didn't want to repeat themselves, some elements from the first film were probably destined to carry over. One such element comes from one of the first movie's most memorable moments: the supernatural lip-sync number.

In the original, the invading Deetz family is possessed into singing and dancing to Harry Belafonte's "Day-o (The Banana Boat Song)" by the recently deceased Maitlands (Geena Davis and Alec Baldwin...

Tim Burton is one of the greatest creative minds to have ever worked in Hollywood, and it seems that the only thing wilder than the stories he puts on screen are those that he dreams about. While appearing at the Marrakech Film Festival (via Deadline), Burton was asked during a panel the question of what he dreams about. Apparently, getting a haircut from Donald Trump.

Yes, it seems that the director who masterminded freaky fantasy movies such as Beetlejuice, Sleepy Hollow, and Frankenweenie has been having some very peculiar dreams about the president-elect. As he explained to the press:

“I was at dinner at Donald Trump’s house. He wasn’t living Mar-a-Lago but a suburban house. I needed a haircut, so he personally gave me a haircut. It turned out to be a weird version of like a mullet and his hair and then I woke up.”

It is...

Always a destination for amazing movies, Max once again has some great films heading to the platform in December. With star-studded casts and top-notch performances, viewers wont want to miss anything slated for release over the coming weeks. Given the variety of films ready to hit the streaming service, theres likely something for everyone to enjoy next month.

From thrillers to comedies and even an original documentary, Max has it all and certainly wont disappoint. Whether viewers want to laugh, cry, or be inspired, the platform has them covered. No matter what kind of film audiences are looking for, theyre likely to find something worthwhile with Max in December.

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice Stream on December 6

Directed by Tim Burton, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is a sequel to the 1988 award-winning film Beetlejuice and follows three generations of the Deetz family who have all returned to Winter River following an unexpected tragedy. When Lydias (Winona Ryder...

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is set to bring the fright to more screens this holiday season. As the gothic dark fantasy horror comedy spooks its way to a digital release next month, the acclaimed sequel lands a TV home, so audiences on cable can follow along.

Warner Bros. Pictures announced that the Beetlejuice follow-up will premiere via HBO on Dec. 7 at 6:10 p.m. Et. The linear debut imminently follows the anticipated Max streaming release, which hits the HBO-owned service on Dec. 6, including American Sign Language (Asl) and Lngua Brasileira De Sinais (Libras) versions.

Related Michael Keaton's First Film After Beetlejuice 2 Draws Praise at Rotten Tomatoes

Michael Keaton is back on the big screen after the release of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.

Coming out 36 years after the original Beetlejuice debuted, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice sees Michael Keaton return as the Ghost With the Most and Winona Ryder reprise her role as Betelgeuse's favorite target,...

The television release date for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice has been revealed. The 2024 hit is a legacy sequel to the 1988 horror-comedy and reteams original director Tim Burton with stars Winona Ryder, Catherine O'Hara, and Michael Keaton alongside an incoming cast that includes Burton's Wednesday collaborator Jenna Ortega. It follows the Deetz family mourning the loss of their patriarch, in the process having several run-ins with beings from the afterlife. The Beetlejuice Beetlejuice box office ballooned to $451.1 million over the course of its theatrical run, making it the eighth highest-grossing movie of the year worldwide at the time of writing.

Warner Bros. Pictures has previously announced that Beetlejuice Beetlejuice will begin streaming on Max on Friday, December 6. American Sign Language (Asl) and Lngua Brasileira De Sinais (Libras) versions of the movie will be available to stream, performed by Sophia Morales and Andrey Baptista respectively. However, they have now additionally confirmed that...

Max officially announced the streaming release date for Warner Bros. latest horror comedy Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, which serves as the sequel to Tim Burtons classic 1988 gothic fantasy movie. This comes after more than two months since the Michael Keaton-led movie had made its theatrical debut.

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice has now been scheduled to start streaming on Friday, Dec. 6, exclusively on Max. During its theatrical run, the film earned a worldwide gross of $451 million at the box office against a reported budget of around $100 million. In addition to its commercial success, the sequel also received positive reviews from critics, who praised Burton and the cast for recapturing the first installments charm and magic. It also scored a Certified Fresh rating of 76% on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 356 reviews. At the moment, the sequel is currently available to rent or purchase on digital, as well as on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and DVD.

Related...

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice's streaming release date has been revealed.

According to a new video on the streaming service, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is coming to Max on December 6.

More to come...

Source: Max

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice 7/10

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is the sequel to the original Tim Burton classic that starred Michael Keaton and Wynona Rider in a horror-comedy that involved ghosts trying to scare off new homebuyers from taking their house. The sequel brings back Michael Keaton as the hilarious and sleazy ghost with selfish intentions, now joined by Jenna Ortega in a new role.

Director Tim BurtonRelease Date September 6, 2024Studio(s) Plan B Entertainment, Tim Burton Productions, KatzSmith Productions, Warner Bros. PicturesDistributor(s) Warner Bros. PicturesWriters Larry Wilson, Mike Vukadinovich, Michael McDowell, Seth Grahame-Smith, Alfred Gough, Miles MillarCast Sophie Holland, David Ayres, Jane Leaney, Matthew Lyons, Skylar Park, Liv Spencer, Charlie Hopkinson, Mark Heenehan, Sami Slimane, Nick Kellington, Arthur Conti, Amy Nuttall, Walles Hamonde,...

A fellow horror brunette's fashion served as the template for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice's Lydia Deetz's work attire.

Speaking to Variety, costume designer Colleen Atwood disclosed how, for Lydia's paranormal TV segment, she modeled Winona Ryder's on-camera dress after horror host Elvira, Mistress of the Dark of Elvira's Movie Macabre fame. "We wanted to channel that kind of character for Lydia's TV show," she explained, revealing that she "found that dress at a thrift store. It was this jersey dress, and I did some modifications to it; adding some cleavage and changed it up a bit."

Related 'I Didn't Know': Tim Burton Didn't Tell Michael Keaton About Major Beetlejuice 2 Cameo

Tim Burton had some aces up his sleeves for the Beetlejuice sequel.

Additionally, Atwood created Michael Keaton's new, worn-down version of his Betelgeuse costume, pointing out that it matched the bio-exorcist's current state of mind and body. In the latter's case,...

Tim Burton returned with the long-awaited sequel to 1988's Beetlejuice this year. Several original stars, including Michael Keaton, returned to reprise their roles, and it included several exciting cameos.

Michael Keaton revealed in an interview with Forbes that he didn't know about a secret cameo Tim Burton had planned for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. The film stars Keaton, who reunited with Winona Ryder and Catherine O'Hara. It also added Jenna Ortega, Monica Bellucci, Justin Theroux, and Willem Dafoe. However, Danny DeVito had an unexpected cameo, and Burton didn't tell Keaton about it.

Related Michael Keaton's First Film After Beetlejuice 2 Draws Praise at Rotten Tomatoes

Michael Keaton is back on the big screen after the release of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.

Keaton previously worked with Danny DeVito and Tim Burton on 1992's Batman Returns and 2019's Dumbo, and was a good surprise for Keaton. DeVito appears early in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, where he plays a blue character called The Janitor,...

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice has raced past Dune: Part Two for a major 2024 Warner Bros. record. Both movies are well-received sequels, with Denis Villeneuve's follow-up to his 2021 sci-fi epic Dune earning a Certified Fresh 92% score on Rotten Tomatoes. It was followed six months later by the Beetlejuice Beetlejuice release. The legacy sequel to the 1988 horror-comedy, which re-teams director Tim Burton with stars Michael Keaton, Catherine O'Hara, and Winona Ryder, is now in its seventh weekend and has also been Certified Fresh with a 77% score.

Per The Numbers, as of Sunday morning, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is projected to close out its latest weekend in theaters with a cumulative domestic box office total of $283.97 million. Its 3-day gross of $5 million has pushed it past the domestic total for Dune: Part Two, which earned $282.1 million in North America. This means that the Tim Burton movie is now officially the highest grossing Warner Bros. Pictures release...

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice reunited the 1988 dream team of Tim Burton, Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder, and Catherine O'Hara. With several new additions like Jenna Ortega, Justin Theroux, and Monica Bellucci, the film exceeded expectations and became one of 2024's biggest films.

Nostalgia is a strong factor in the current environment, with many beloved IPs and titles brought back to life with a modern twist. However, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice kept its magic and remained just as politically incorrect and outrageous as the 1988 film. After pushing for a sequel for years, Michael Keaton, who plays the iconic titular ghost, told Collider at the New York Comic-Con he's not surprised the sequel was so popular.

Related Beetlejuice 2 Knocks Out Harry Potter Movie for Latest Box Office Achievement

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice knocks off a Harry Potter film to reach another milestone as one of the studio's highest-grossing movies ever.

"You really never know nowadays how movies are...

This summers blockbuster hit Deadpool & Wolverine has been overtaken as the No. 1 most popular rental on Amazon by another box office hit, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, per Forbes. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, starring Jenna Ortega, Michael Keaton and Winona Ryder, landed on the No. 1 spot on Prime Videos Top 10 List, relegating the Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman-led Deadpool & Wolverine to the No. 2 spot on the list.

The fact that Halloween is so close may have something to do with Beetlejuice Beetlejuice dethroning "Marvel Jesus, perhaps because the sequel offers a more family-friendly, yet spooky alternative to the R-rated Deadpool & Wolverine. The original 1988 Beetlejuice is also on Amazons Top 10 at No. 7.

Related Jurassic World's Big Jenna Ortega Controversy Was Actually for the Best

Jurassic World: Chaos Theorys Season 2 confirms Jenna Ortega has been recast, but the casting controversy reveals a deeper meaning behind the change.

Both Beetlejuice Beetlejuice and Deadpool & Wolverine...

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice has passed a major milestone at the domestic box office after a month in theaters. The Tim Burton legacy sequel sees the director reuniting with multiple stars of the original 1988 horror-comedy, namely Michael Keaton as Betelgeuse, Catherine O'Hara as Delia Deetz, and Winona Ryder as Lydia Deetz. The Beetlejuice Beetlejuice box office opened at the domestic box office with $111 million, which marked the third-highest debut of the year, and quickly rose past $400 million worldwide.

Per Deadline, as of Saturday morning, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is projected to close out its sixth weekend in theaters with a 3-day gross of $7.3 million at the domestic box office. This lands the movie at No. 3 on the chart for the weekend, above the previous weekend's debut Joker: Folie Deux, which is cratering during its sophomore outing. This also brings the legacy sequel's cumulative domestic total to $275.8 million, making it just the fifth 2024 release to pass the $275 million milestone,...

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice continues to scare up good financial returns as it reaches a new mark on Warner Bros.'s all-time box office list. The Beetlejuice sequel wards off the spells of a notable Harry Potter film to reach its latest milestone.

According to Collider, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is now the 25th-highest-grossing Warner Bros. title ever at the domestic box office. The dark fantasy comedy horror blockbuster recently clipped Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets to make the top 25, earning $267 million in North America compared to Chamber of Secrets' $261.9 million following its 2002 release.

Related Justin Theroux Reveals the Origins of Beetlejuice 2 Man Bun, Inspirations for His Character

Exclusive: Justin Theroux discusses his Beetlejuice Beetlejuice character's inspirations.

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice has now made $404.6 million worldwide against its $100 million budget, nearly five times more than the original film earned ($84 million) in 1988. The film's box-office momentum is expected to stall soon given it's now on...

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice keeps scaring up impressive numbers at the box office, proving a worthy and successful sequel to the cult classic, Beetlejuice. For Catherine O'Hara, a mainstay in both films, the Beetlejuice sequel looks set to earn her a new all-time commercial milestone.

Per Collider, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice has now earned $266 million domestically since its Sept. 6 debut across U.S. cinemas. The sequel is now O'Hara's second-highest-grossing movie at the domestic box office in the Canadian actor's 44-year acting career. Only the revered cult classic, Home Alone, has made more, earning $285.8 million in North America. While there is time for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice to catch Home Alone in the top spot, its box office momentum will likely slow down now that the film is available to rent/purchase digitally.

Related Justin Theroux Reveals the Origins of Beetlejuice 2 Man Bun, Inspirations for His Character

Exclusive: Justin Theroux discusses his Beetlejuice Beetlejuice character's inspirations.

Netflixs No. 1 movie is an eight-year-old Tim Burton flick that has been slept on - Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. The 2016 film directed by Burton and written by Jane Goldman is the most-watched movie on Netflix currently, having hit the streamer at the beginning of October, reports ShortList. According to Flixpatrol statistics, the movie has hit the top spot without cracking the U.S. top 10.

The success of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children since coming to Netflix, may be in part due to the box office success that is the recent Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, also directed by Burton. The latter has grossed more than $400 million globally.

Related Michael Keaton Thanks Tim Burton for Standing by His Batman Casting Amid Fan 'Uproar'

Michael Keaton recalls the "uproar" over his casting as Batman while thanking Tim Burton for seeing past it.

Based on a novel of the same name by Ransom Riggs,...

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is ready to spook audiences at home as the movie's theatrical run nears its end. Warner Bros. confirms the official release date for the sequel's digital and 4K Blu-ray editions.

Per ComicBook.com, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice will be available to rent or purchase digitally on Oct. 8. The dark fantasy comedy horror is available to pre-order on various digital platforms, including a Fandango At Home bundle allowing fans to get both Beetlejuice films and an exclusive digital poster accompanying them. An American Sign Language (Asl) version of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice will also become available via digital retailers on Nov. 1.

Related Beetlejuice 2 Writer Reveals if Schitt's Creek and Bram Stoker's Dracula References Were Intentional

Tim Burton's Beetlejuice returns after more than 30 years with new adventures for the Deetz family and it's filled with Easter eggs.

The Tim Burton-helmed Beetlejuice Beetlejuice will also be available via 4K Uhd, Blu-ray and DVD on Nov.

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice keeps scaring up good results at the box office, validating director Tim Burton's decision to make the sequel well over three decades after the original Beetlejuice debuted. The dark fantasy horror comedy lands Burton a new commercial milestone.

Per ComicBook.com, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, which has grossed over $250 million domestically, is Burton's third-highest-earning domestic film ever. The Beetlejuice sequel barely trails 1989's Batman, which made $251 million domestically. Burton's biggest box-office draw in North America is his 2010 Alice in Wonderland remake, which grossed $334 million and topped the $1 billion mark worldwide.

Related Beetlejuice Had an Even Better Sequel 35 Years Ago

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice has become another huge hit for Tim Burton, but the Ghost with the Most's first sequel was a terrific 1990s animated series.

Since its worldwide theatrical premiere on Sept. 4, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice has made $373.3 million against a $100 million budget, shattering what the original Beetlejuice ($84.5 million) made following its 1988 debut. The...

After a career spanning five decades, Michael Keaton is back on top thanks to his return as Beetlejuice in Tim Burtons legacy sequel to the 1988 horror comedy. The huge success of the movie has resulted in the former Batman star reaching a massive personal milestone to add to his many awards and accolades that he has achieved in his time in the industry.

As the worldwide haul of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice sits just below $350 million, the film has pushed Keatons total career box office revenue to over $7 billion. While the actors career has seen many ups and downs, his box office appeal has rarely waned for long. Even movies he has been involved in that have been deemed a disaster such as Tim Burtons remake of Dumbo have added a substantial amount to his personal tally.

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice 3/5 PG-13ComedySupernaturalFantasyHorror

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is the sequel to the original Tim Burton classic...

Tommy Harper, a producer on Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, believes that the juice could get loose one more time to round out a potential trilogy. Tim Burton's long-awaited follow-up has produced wild numbers at the box office, still maintaining the No.1 spot at the domestic box office, warding off the recently released Transformers One. A third installment in the franchise hasn't yet been confirmed by Warner Bros. or Tim Burton, but Harper says the door will always be open for Burton to complete the trilogy. Speaking to Deadline, Tommy Harper believes that Tim Burton will want to make a third movie in the Beetlejuice franchise.

"I think with Tim's love for the title and the characters, the door is open, but we'll see what happens next," Harper said.

Tim Harper has been a long-time collaborator with Tim Burton, as the pair first worked together on the underrated 2003 movie Big Fish (starring...

Unbelievably, the ghost with the most got the better of the mighty Autobots and Decepticons. The weekend box office seemed like it would almost certainly belong to Chris Hemsworths new film Transformers One, but in a stunning September shocker, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice upsets director Josh Cooleys animated adventure by a mere million dollars. According to the estimates, the Beetlejuice sequel will squeak its way into the No. 1 spot at the domestic box office with $26 million (per The Numbers).

Meanwhile, Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson and Brian Tyree Henrys Transformers origin story will end up ranking at No. 2 with $25 million. Transformers One started off by winning the top spot at the box office on Thursday, September 19, during its preview screenings ($3.4 million) and again on Friday with $9.6 million, but everything changed on Saturday. In a stunning turn of events, moviegoers began flocking to Beetlejuice Beetlejuice rather than the new Transformers flick.

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice 3/5 PG-13ComedySupernaturalFantasyHorror...

If I need to tell you what a great year for movies we just had in 2022, you might be perusing the wrong website. Sure, there may be a lot fewer movies hitting theaters than we're used to, with the theatrical distribution model still recovering from the industry-crippling pandemic, but that just means there was a little less garbage to sift through. However, even with fewer movies at the multiplex, trying to piece together my list of favorite films turned out to be quite the difficult prospect.

Figuring out my absolute favorites toward the top of my list was quite easy, but determining what movies were going to end up towards the end of the list, especially when it came to shifting films outside of my Top 10 Films of 2022, was a lot more challenging. Trying to determine which movies fell just outside of my list was extremely difficult, and there are...

Netflix’s masterpiece, Athena, was shot mainly on the Arri Alexa 65 by cinematographer Matias Boucard AFC. Boucard utilized this extra-large sensor to enhance motion and storytelling in long takes, and within extreme environments.

Athena BTS. Picture: Netflix Athena: Children of Men

Athena is a 2022 French epic action tragedy film directed by Romain Gavras. Starring Dali Benssalah, Sami Slimane, Anthony Bajon, Ouassini Embarek, and Alexis Manenti, the film examines inequality and police violence in a French banlieue community. The film had its world premiere at the 79th Venice International Film Festival on September 2022, where it competed for the Golden Lion award, and was released on 23 September 2022 by Netflix.

Athena BTS. Picture: Netflix Athena BTS. Picture: Netflix

It was praised for its acting, score, direction, and technical aspects, especially regarding its cinematography. Athena’s Dp is Matias Boucard AFC, who used the extra-large sensor of the Arri Alexa 65 to enhance motion, and camera kinetics,...

The leaves are withering, the air is turning crisp, and film festival season is well underway — which means even more foreign-language movies to receive raves on the fall awards circuit before getting promptly buried on a streamer. But don't let that happen to "Athena," a staggering French drama that is in danger of falling into the Netflix abyss, crowded out by your "Gray Men" or "Kissing Booth's." Or check out one of last year's forgotten festival darlings in Céline Sciamma's "Petite Maman." And because spooky season is now here, we have a horror anime classic making their streaming debuts, alongside a cyberpunk anime classic. Plus, "Little Women," but make it crime?

Let's fire up those subtitles and get streaming.

Athena – Netflix

Country: France

Genre: Action drama

Director: Romain Gavras

Cast: Dali Benssalah, Sami Slimane, Anthony Bajon, Ouassini Embarek, Alexis Manenti.

"Athena" is a Molotov cocktail of a movie: incendiary,...

This review originally ran in conjunction with the film’s world premiere at the 2022 Venice Film Festival.

For those still under the erroneous impression that police brutality against Black people and other communities of color exists as an exclusively American form of racially motivated violence, “Athena,” an explosive drama (figuratively and literally) from French director Romain Gavras, son of legendary auteur Costa-Gavras, disproves it.

Over the course of one fateful day in the aftermath of the brutal killing of a boy of Middle Eastern descent at the hands of a group of white men — either comprised of cops, members of a far-right clan, or perhaps one and the same — chaos erupts in the disenfranchised Parisian neighborhood of Athena, as young people revolt in response to such injustice.

Almost immediately dropping us into the action, Gavras opens “Athena” with one of cinematographer Matias Boucard’s incredibly impressive one takes that carry...

The Film Circuit begins with Telluride, a small but perfect film festival in the mountains of Colorado as simultaneously Venice unfurls the films that will soon be released in the wonderful arthouse cinemas of Europe, followed closely by Toronto whose films foretell the coming year’s Oscars nominees. It is a very exciting time to be on the festival circuit.

And simultaneously with these great screenings are sidebars, panel discussions, workshops, master classes and all around great networking for filmmakers around the world.

Venezia 79 Competition

Il Signore Delle Formiche

Director Gianni Amelio

Main Cast Luigi Lo Cascio, Elio Germano, Leonardo Maltese, Sara Serraiocco / Italy / 134’

The Whale

Director Darren Aronofsky

Main Cast Brendan Fraser, Sadie Sink, Hong Chau, Samantha Morton, Ty Simpkins / USA / 117’

White Noise

Director Noah Baumbach

Main Cast Adam Driver, Greta Gerwig, Don Cheadle, Raffey Cassidy, Sam Nivola, May Nivola, Jodie Turner-Smith, André L. Benjamin and Lars Eidinger / USA / 136’

L’IMMENSITÀ

Director Emanuele Crialese

Main Cast Penélope Cruz, Luana Giuliani, Vincenzo Amato, Patrizio Francioni / Italy, France / 97’

Saint Omer

Director Alice Diop

Main Cast Kayije Kagame, Guslagie Malanda, Valérie Dréville, Aurélia Petit / France / 123’

Blonde

Director Andrew Dominik

Main Cast Ana de Armas, Adrien Brody, Bobby Cannavale, Xavier Samuel, Julianne Nicholson, Lily Fisher / USA / 166’

TÁR

Director Todd Field

Main Cast Cate Blanchett, Noémie Merlant, Nina Hoss, Sophie Kauer, Julian Glover, Allan Corduner, Mark Strong / USA / 158’

Love Life

Director Kôji Fukada

Main Cast Fumino Kimura, Kento Nagayama, Atom Sunada / Japan, France / 123’

Bardo, Falsa CRÓNICA De Unas Cuantas Verdades

Director Alejandro G. Iñárritu

Main Cast Daniel Giménez Cacho, Griselda Siciliani, Ximena Lamadrid, Iker Sanchez Solano, Andrés Almeida, Francisco Rubio / Mexico / 174’

Athena

Director Romain Gavras

Main Cast Dali Benssalah, Sami Slimane, Anthony Bajon, Ouassini Embarek, Alexis Manenti / France / 97’

Bones And All

Director Luca Guadagnino

Main Cast Taylor Russell, Timothée Chalamet, Mark Rylance, André Holland, Chloë Sevigny, Jessica Harper, David Gordon Green, Michael Stuhlbarg, Jake Horowitz / USA / 130’

The Eternal Daughter

Director Joanna Hogg

Main Cast Tilda Swinton, Joseph Mydell, Carly-Sophia Davies / UK, USA / 96’

Shab, Dakheli, Divar (Beyond The Wall)

Director Vahid Jalilvand

Main Cast Navid Mohammadzadeh, Diana Habibi, Amir Aghaee / Iran / 126’

The Banshees Of Inisherin

Director Martin McDonagh

Main Cast Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson, Kerry Condon, Barry Keoghan / Ireland, UK, USA / 109’

Argentina, 1985

Director Santiago Mitre

Main Cast Ricardo Darín, Peter Lanzani, Alejandra Flechner, Norman Briski / Argentina, USA / 140’

Chiara

Director Susanna Nicchiarelli

Main Cast Margherita Mazzucco, Andrea Carpenzano, Carlotta Natoli, Paola Tiziana Cruciani, Luigi Lo Cascio / Italy, Belgium / 106’

Monica

Director Andrea Pallaoro

Main Cast Trace Lysette, Patricia Clarkson, Adriana Barraza, Emily Browning, Joshua Close / USA, Italy / 113’

Khers Nist (No Bears)

Director Jafar Panahi

Main Cast Jafar Panahi, Naser Hashemi, Vahid Mobaseri, Bakhtiar Panjeei, Mina Kavani, Reza Heydari / Iran / 107’

All The Beauty And The Bloodshed

Director Laura Poitras

USA / 117’

Un Couple

Director Frederick Wiseman

Main Cast Nathalie Boutefeu / France, USA / 64’

The Son

Director Florian Zeller

Main Cast Hugh Jackman, Laura Dern, Vanessa Kirby, Zen McGrath, Anthony Hopkins, Hugh Quarshie / UK / 124’

Les Miens

Director Roschdy Zem

Main Cast Sami Bouajila, Roschdy Zem, Meriem Serbah, Maïwenn, Rachid Bouchareb, Abel Jafrei, Nina Zem / France / 85’

Les Enfants Des Autres

Director Rebecca Zlotowski

Main Cast Virginie Efira, Roschdy Zem, Chiara Mastroianni, Callie Ferreira / France / 104’

Toronto is in spite of itself in a civilized sort of way in competition for the premieres with Venice, though the sequential festivals are serving different constituencies. Still, The Whale, for example is premiering in Venice and then traveling to TIFF.

TIFF Gala Presentations:

The Whale directed by Darren Aronofsky, produced and to be distributed in U.S. and actng as international sales agent A24.

TIFF says: “Brendan Fraser gives a career-defining performance in Darren Aronofsky’s arrestingly intimate drama about a reclusive English professor struggling with personal relationships and self-acceptance, adapted from the stage play by Samuel D. Hunter.”

Alice, Darling by Mary Nighy

Also playing are Alice, Darling (Mary Nighy) in which Anna Kendrick captures the anxious psychology of a woman in an abusive relationship as her friends try to reconnect with her while on a cottage getaway.

Black Ice(Hubert Davis) about Black hockey players facing systemic racism in the sport.

The Greatest Beer Run Ever (Peter Farrelly) about man’s story of leaving New York in 1967 to bring beer to his childhood buddies in the Army while they are fighting in Vietnam. An Apple TV+ production.

Butcher’s Crossing (Gabe Polsky) is a frontier epic about an Ivy League drop-out as he travels to the Colorado wilderness, where he joins a team of buffalo hunters on a journey that puts his life and sanity at risk. Based on the highly acclaimed novel by John Williams. Isa Altitude

The Hummingbird (Francesca Archibugi)Hunt (Jung-jae Lee)A Jazzman’s Blues (Tyler Perry)Kacchey Limbu (Shubham Yogi)Moving On (Paul Weitz)Paris Memories (Alice Winocour)Prisoner’s Daughter (Catherine Hardwicke)Raymond & Ray (Rodrigo García)Roost (Amy Redford)Sidney (Reginald Hudlin)The Son (Florian Zeller)The Swimmers (Sally El Hosaini)What’s Love Got to Do With It? (Shekhar Kapur)The Woman King(Gina Prince-Bythewood)

Special PRESENTATIONSAllelujah (Sir Richard Eyre)All Quiet on the Western Front (Edward Berger)The Banshees Of Inisherin (Martin McDonagh)Blueback (Robert Connolly)The Blue Caftan (Maryam Touzani)Broker (Hirokazu Kore-eda)Brother (Clement Virgo)Bros (Nicholas Stoller)Catherine Called Birdy (Lena Dunham)Causeway (Lila Neugebauer)Chevalier (Stephen Williams)Corsage (Marie Kreutzer)Decision to Leave (Park Chan-wook)Devotion (Jd Dillard)Driving (Madeleine Christian Carion)El Suplente (Diego Lerman)Empire of Light...

It’s always tempting to fetishize single-shot sequences — to look for visible seams in their making, to wonder how many times it took to nail the final take, to get caught up in the meticulous, Milton Bradley’s Mouse Trap choreography of it all. Some are great, some are merely show-offy, and others go from bravura to self-indulgent simply by outstaying their welcome by 30 seconds. It’s usually just look-ma-no-cuts razzle dazzle, a bit of filmmaking virtuosity designed to have viewers wondering, “How did they do that?” The more pertinent question,...

Is reinvention overrated? For at least 45 minutes, Athena (named for the fictional area where the film is based as well as the goddess of wisdom and war) threatens to be Romain Gavras’ magnum opus, but the building blocks haven’t changed. Look at his earliest music video, released in 2002: high rises, young men, tracksuits, BMX tricks. Then look at his work on Justice’s Stress, released seven years after: high rises, young men, tracksuits, only this time with Molotov cocktails and a strain of nihilistic chaos. Even as his most acclaimed work took him to bigger budgets and distant places, Gavras has never strayed far from his core ideas; his career has been an ode to finessing and amping up.

Just wait for the opening sequence, where Gavras, in a single take, moves a tornado of action all the way from a police station to an apartment block that...

Romain Gavras’ immersive modern tragedy Athena just had its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival, receiving a 4 1/2-minute standing ovation in the process.

The French film had people applauding and whooping from the start of the end credits before the crowd stood for the ovation.

The kinetic story begins just after the death of a young boy, in unexplained circumstances, throwing his three brothers and the whole of the eponymous Athena housing project outside Paris into chaos.

Venice Film Festival Photo Gallery: Chalamet, Blanchett, Iñárritu & More

In a star-making turn, Dali Benssalah plays Abdel, a soldier in the French army who is called back from the frontline after the death of his youngest brother following an alleged police altercation, and finds his family torn apart. Caught between his younger brother Karim’s (Sami Slimane) desire for revenge and the criminal dealings of his older brother Moktar (Ouassini Embarek), he...

Designed as something akin to a Greek tragedy for today’s moment, Venice Film Festival Competition title Athena is a torrent, an inundation, a cascade of rage, fury and frustration over the realities of life for a particular group of French families. Such conditions exist in most societies, some more dire than others, but here the wages of pent-up anger are presented with a single-minded intensity and extended duration that would be hard to exceed.

Following in the powerful wake of the 2019 Oscar-nominated sensation Les Misérables, which was also set in a teeming eastern suburb of Paris rarely seen by outsiders, director Romain Gavras and his co-writers Elias Belkeddar and Les Misérables director Ladj Ly use undiluted adrenalin and immersive you-are-there camerawork to plunge you into the middle of a classical drama for modern times. The Netflix-backed film grabs you by the throat and barely allows you a moment for a gasp of air.

Pardon my French, but the first shot of Romain Gavras’ “Athena” — a sketch of a Greek tragedy transplanted into a housing project on the outskirts of Paris — is absolutely fucking insane. Even in a digital age where dazzling long-takes have become a dime a dozen (and all too easy to fake), the oner that ignites this roman candle of a movie about a police siege on a poor neighborhood is something else. It stands out for its fiery violence, for the ground that it covers, and for the incandescent energy that explodes off the screen like the molotov cocktail that Karim (Sami Slimane) hurls into a crowd of cops and reporters who’ve gathered for a press conference at the local precinct.

The news of the day is personal for the young agitator: Karim’s 13-year-old brother has been murdered, and a video of police officers beating him to death has gone viral.

Venice film festival: A staggeringly good opening set piece is the high point of Romain Gavras’s gritty thriller about police racism

Romain Gavras’s new drama-thriller is about racism, violence and injustice in the Paris banlieues – broadly in the tradition of Mathieu Kassovitz’s La Haine and Ladj Ly’s Les Misérables. It’s spectacular and immersive, with a sensational opening. But it gets bogged down in its own one-note, one-tempo uproar and open-ended parkour camerawork – impressive though that is – and suffers from a number of sneaky false-flag get-out clauses that feel like a cop-out.

It tells the story of four brothers of Algerian origin in the same tough Athena housing estate. Idir has just been killed by a bunch of cops – or guys in cop uniforms – for daring to talk back, an atrocity captured on a viral video. Abdel (Dali Benssalah) is a decorated army hero, Moktar (Ouassini Embarek...

There is no Athena housing project in Paris. That’s a name invented by “Athena” director Romain Gavras and partner in crime Ladj Ly for the banlieu apartment block that becomes a kind of makeshift fortress in an epic standoff between residents — first- and second-generation Black and Arab immigrants tired of being mistreated — and the French national police. Naming it thus lends what unfolds there a classical resonance, one that ties Gavras’ astonishing third feature to the tradition of Greek tragedy, though the situation could hardly be more timely.

“Athena” tells the story of four brothers, one murdered on camera by a group of unidentified men in police uniforms, the three others torn about what to do next. Who were these assailants, shown stomping an innocent 13-year-old to death? Why does the French police seem to be protecting the culprits? And what will it take to obtain justice?

These questions...

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With his incendiary 2019 debut feature, Les Misérables, director Ladj Ly brought the urban unrest, the police brutality and the festering social and racial inequality of the Paris banlieue drama La Haine hurtling into the 21st century, its belly aflame with righteous anger and indignation. Ly serves as a writer and producer on Romain Gavras’ Athena, which is both a companion piece to those films and a thundering amplification of their themes. Where the earlier works built to stunning crescendos of violence, Athena is a live grenade, beginning in full ignition mode and dialing up its intensity throughout with virtuoso technique.

That latter factor will surprise no one familiar with the output of Gavras, son of renowned Greek director Costa-Gavras, who made a mark with his dynamic music videos for artists including Kanye West, Jay-Z and M.I.A. His third feature is a...

After the edgy crime comedy “The World Is Yours,” Romain Gavras is back with thriller “Athena.” Produced by Paris-based Iconoclast for Netflix, the ambitious, €15 million film (15 million) unfolds in the aftermath of the tragic killing of a young boy in what appears to be an act of police brutality. An all-out war sparks in an imaginary community called Athena. It’s the first French movie that Netflix is presenting in competition at the Venice Film Festival.

“Athena” tells the story of the boy’s three siblings, who are responding to the tragedy in different ways and clashing with one another. French star Dali Benssalah plays the older brother, Abdel, a devoted French soldier. Faced with an impossible moral dilemma, Abdel is called back from the frontline to help diffuse the all-out war that has been sparked by his younger brother Karim (Sami Slimane), who wants revenge. Athena becomes the backdrop...

Athena Trailer 2 — Netflix has released the second movie trailer for Athena (2022). Crew Romain Gavras‘ Athena stars Dali Benssalah, Alexis Manenti, Anthony Bajon, Sami Slimane, and Ouassini Embarek. Romain Gavras, Ladj Ly, and Elias Belkeddar wrote the screenplay for Athena. Plot Synopsis Athena‘s plot synopsis: “It is difficult to fight anger; for a man will [...]

Continue reading: Athena (2022) Movie Trailer 2: Romain Gavras’ Community Under Siege & Siblings at War Film...

Netflix has released a new trailer for “Athena,” the latest film from Romain Gavras which will premiere at this year’s Venice Film Festival and hit streaming on Sept. 23.

Described as a modern Greek tragedy, “Athena” follows a French soldier named Abdel (Dali Benssalah) who is called back from the frontline after his youngest brother, still a child, is killed in an alleged police altercation. Caught between his younger brother Karim’s (Sami Slimane) desire for revenge and the criminal dealings of his older brother Moktar (Ouassini Embarek), Abdel struggling to calm the rising tensions as Karim leads the town’s youth in a revolt against the police, turning their community into a fortress under siege.

Also Read:

‘Purple Hearts’ Enters Netflix All-Time Films List, Passing ‘The Irishman’ and ‘The Unforgivable’

Gavras, who the music video for Jay-Z and Ye’s “No Church in the Wild,” directed and produced the film.

"When they strike, we strike back. When they kill, we kill." Holy! Sh*t! Strap in – this looks Awesome! Netflix has debuted the full official trailer for Athena, the latest from French filmmaker Romain Gavras (The World Is Yours). He teams up with the talented filmmaker Ladj Ly, who co-wrote the script and co-produces this, to make a film about youth clashing with police in France. Hours after the tragic death of their youngest brother in unexplained circumstances, three siblings have their lives thrown into chaos. This is premiering at the 2022 Venice Film Festival which kicks off next week and it looks like it's going to knock us out. It looks like Ladj Ly's Les Miserable meets La Haine meets Snyder's 300, with a "war" kicking off in the streets of Paris. Athena stars Dali Benssalah, Alexis Manenti, Anthony Bajon, Sami Slimane, and Ouassini Embarek. I really love these kind...

While making his name with his striking music videos for the likes of M.I.A., Jay-Z & Kanye West, Jamie xx, and more, French director Romain Gavras has also proven prowess in the feature-length department with Our Day Will Come and The World Is Yours. He’s now back with Athena, which will premiere at the Venice Film Festival before coming to Netflix on September 23, and now the first trailer has landed.

Co-written by Ladj Ly (Les Misérables) and Elias Belkeddar alongside Gavras, the film follows three siblings thrown into chaos after the death of their young brothers following an alleged police altercation. Starring Dali Benssalah, Sami Slimane, Anthony Bajon, Ouassini Embarek, and Alexis Manenti, Gavras’ third feature looking to be a stylish, gripping tragedy.

See the trailer below.

Athena premieres at Venice and arrives on Netflix on September 23.

The post Athena Trailer: Romain Gavras' Venice-Bound Drama Finds Siblings at...

Justice will be served as anarchy erupts following a murder at the hands of a rogue police officer.

Romain Gavras’ “Athena” tells an all-too-timely tale of cop corruption, militant protests, and the intersection between nationalism and personal duty. The film premieres at the 2022 Venice Film Festival on September 2, followed by a September 23 Netflix release.

Per the official synopsis, after the death of his youngest brother following an alleged police altercation, Abdel (Dali Benssalah) is called back from the frontline to find his family torn apart. Caught between his younger brother Karim’s (Sami Slimane) desire for revenge and the criminal dealings of his older brother Moktar (Ouassini Embarek), he struggles to calm the rising tensions. As the situation escalates, their community Athena is transformed into a fortress under siege, becoming a scene of tragedy for both the family and beyond.

Gavras directed, produced, and co-wrote the feature along with Ladj Ly...

Exclusive: Romain Gavras’ Athena will have its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival on September 2, and we’ve got a first-look at the trailer for the immersive modern tragedy from Netflix — check it out above. Following Athena’s Lido bow, it will be released globally on Netflix September 23.

Athena is the third feature from Gavras, here teaming with previous collaborator Elias Belkeddar and longtime friend Ladj Ly (Les Misérables) on writing duties. Ly and Gavras are also producers.

The story begins just after the death of a young boy, in unexplained circumstances, throwing his three brothers and the whole of the eponymous Athena housing project outside Paris into chaos.

In a star-making turn, Dali Benssalah plays Abdel, a soldier in the French army who is called back from the frontline after the death of his youngest brother following an alleged police altercation, and finds his family torn apart. Caught...

Whoa!! Netflix has revealed the first look teaser trailer for a new film titled Athena, the latest from French filmmaker Romain Gavras. He teams up with the talented filmmaker Ladj Ly, who co-wrote the script and co-produces this, to make a film about youth clashing with police in France. Hours after the tragic death of their youngest brother in unexplained circumstances, three siblings have their lives thrown into chaos. That's the only very brief synopsis available so far, and it sounds very similar to La Haine or Ly's last film Les Miserables (which rules) - from this footage, it looks like a combination of both. Athena stars Dali Benssalah, Alexis Manenti, Anthony Bajon, Sami Slimane, and Ouassini Embarek. It might premiere at a few festivals in the fall, but nothing has been announced yet. For now get a first look at some footage below - which reveals a quote to...

French hub confirms €200m investment in French series and features this year.

Netflix France has given a taster of the 25 original French series and films due to be launched on the platform this year at a press event in Paris on Thursday (March 10) and revealed a further 20 titles are in production.

The French hub, which officially opened on the eve of the Covid-19 pandemic in January 2020, also confirmed it would be investing €200m in French content this year.

The Paris team announced two new French feature projects, the presidential election comedy En Place and Le Roi Des Ombres, a family...

Netflix today provided a taste of its slate of original French productions coming up in 2022, which includes 25 new titles for launch this year and 20 projects currently in production. The slate, selected and developed by the Netflix France creative team, reps a total investment of more than 200M euros ($221M) across 2022. The streamer recently signed a deal with the French industry in which it committed to producing at least 10 local films per year, investing about 40M euros ($45M).

Among the projects highlighted during a presentation in Paris today was Romain Gavras’ formerly untitled feature, which is now called Athena. An immersive and modern tragedy, it stars Dali Benssalah, Sami Slimane, Anthony Bajon and is co-written with Oscar nominee Ladj Ly (Les Misérables) and Elias Belkeddar. The logline reads: In the space of a few hours following the tragic death of their younger brother in troubling circumstances, the men’s lives will tip over into chaos.

Netflix unveiled its 2022 slate of 25 French Originals, as well as projects including the second and third opus of its action movie “Lost Bullet,” and “En Place,” a comedy series created by Jean-Pascal Zadi (“Tout simplement Noir”) and Francois Uzan.

The company said it will invest more than €200 million ($220 million) in 2022 in France. Out of these 25 titles, there are about 10 series, and approximately eight films.

The streamers’ French presentation was hosted at the Comedy Club in Paris to tease “Standing-Up,” a series following aspiring stand-up comedians directed by Fanny Herrero, the creator of “Call My Agent.” Herrero attended the press conference along with key Netflix executives in Europe, including Damien Couvreur, Sara May and Gaelle Mareschi.

Besides “Standing Up,” Netflix’s anticipated highlights for 2022 including Romain Gavras’s “Athena,” an immersive and modern tragedy played by Dali Benssalah, Sami Slimane, Anthony Bajon and co-written by Ladj Ly (“Les Miserables”); as well as “Rhythm + Flow France,...