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“Lilies Not For Me,” Will Seefried‘s queer romance drama starring Fionn O’Shea (“Normal People”) and Robert Aramayo (“The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power”), has been acquired by Gravitas Ventures for North American distribution.

Set in 1920s England, “Lilies Not for Me” revolves around a gay novelist and his psychiatric nurse who form an unlikely friendship over a series of doctor-prescribed dates. “Through their conversations, he tells her the story of his relationship with an old friend which spiraled out of control when they turned to a risky procedure to cure themselves of their forbidden feelings for one another,” the synopsis reads.

Gravitas Ventures, an Anthem Sports & Entertainment Company, will release the film on digital and cable video on demand in April of this year.

“”Lilies Not For Me “is a poignant film exploring the complexities and danger of queer relationships in the 1920s. We are so...

Set in the early 1920s, Will Seefried’s debut feature, Lilies Not For Me, takes us back to a time when homosexuality was considered a deep sickness in need of a cure. The film follows novelist Owen James as he recounts past relationships to his nurse Dorothy at an asylum, where he’s sent for injections intended to “treat” his sexuality.

Owen’s story centers on his time at a countryside cottage with friend Philip, when their deep feelings emerged. Philip later decides to test an experimental surgery he believes can “cure” queer desire, undergoing the gruesome procedure himself before offering it to Owen. When Charles arrives seeking his father, a romance blossoms that further complicates Owen’s path.

The film contrasts the countryside idyll where Owen and Philip’s love found expression against the grim asylum representing society’s rejection. Through intimate glimpses of longing between the men and the hospital’s cold oppression,...

Antonio Vivaldi, the Italian Baroque composer and violinist who penned “The Four Seasons,” will be portrayed in “Primavera,” the feature debut of Damiano Michieletto, a leading opera director. Memento International has boarded the film which begins shooting this month in Rome and Venice.

“Primavera” was penned by Ludovica Rampoldi, the award-winning screenwriter of movies such as “The Traitor” and “Gomorrah – the series,” among others. The script is loosely adapted from Tiziano Scarpa’s critically acclaimed novel “Stabat Mater.”

Set in 18th century Venice, “Primavera” follows Cecilia, a 20-year-old violin virtuoso who lives at the Pièta orphanage. Despite her talent, Cecilia remains confined within the orphanage, knowing that marriage is the only way out. Yet, her life takes a turn after she meets Antonio Vivaldi, a brilliant and ambitious composer who becomes the new violin teacher. Guided by Vivaldi and his music, Cecilia “finds the strength to challenge the destiny that once seemed inevitable,...

France’s Memento International has added the English-language Venice Horizons title Familiar Touch to its festival slate.

Familiar Touch is the debut feature from US filmmaker Sarah Friedland and is about a woman’s transition to assisted living and the impact it has on her identity and desires.

Kathleen Chalfant, Carolyn Michelle, Andy McQueen, and H. Jon Benjamin star.

“It is a coming-of-age film that reimagines the genre for an older woman,” explained Friedland. “It is both a character study and a portrait of caregiving relationships.”

Friedland wrote the script and produces with Alexandra Byer’s Rathaus Films and Matthew Thurm’s Go For Thurm.

Exclusive: One of the buzzier titles set to debut at this year’s Edinburgh Film Festival is Lilies Not For Me, the first feature from American filmmaker Will Seefried, which we can share a first-look clip from above.

Set in 1920s England, the film follows a gay novelist and his psychiatric nurse who form an unlikely friendship over a series of doctor-prescribed ‘dates’. Through their conversations, he tells her the story of his relationship with an old friend which spiraled out of control when they turned to a risky procedure to cure themselves of their forbidden feelings for one another.

The film stars Fionn O’Shea (Normal People), Robert Aramayo (The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power), Erin Kellyman (The Falcon and the Winter Soldier), Louis Hofmann (Dark), and Jodi Balfour (Quarry). Producers are Hannes Otto, Roelof Storm, Will Seefried, Naima Abed, and Emilie Georges. Memento International is handling the pic.

Will Seefried’s romance drama “Lilies Not for Me,” led by Fionn O’Shea (“Normal People”) and Robert Aramayo (“The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power”), has been boarded by Memento International in the run up to its world premiere at the Edinburgh Film Festival.

The cast of rising actors also includes Erin Kellyman (“Willow”), Jodi Balfour and Louis Hofmann (“Dark”).

Set in 1920s England, “Lilies Not for Me” revolves around a gay novelist and his psychiatric nurse who form an unlikely friendship over a series of doctor-prescribed dates. “Through their conversations, he tells her the story of his relationship with an old friend which spiraled out of control when they turned to a risky procedure to cure themselves of their forbidden feelings for one another,” the synopsis reads.

The film hails from “Call Me by Your Name” producers Emilie Georges and Naima Abed at Paradise City, as well as Hannes Otto,...

The 77th Edinburgh International Film Festival (Eiff) has launched its entire program for the Aug. 15-21 event, where it will screen 37 new feature films and 18 world premieres.

Ten world premieres will compete for the new Sean Connery Prize for Feature Filmmaking Excellence as the fest showcases talent from filmmakers in the U.K., U.S., Canada, Mexico, Norway, China, Kazakhstan, Belgium, Iran and beyond. Screenings will take place in the heart of Scotland’s picturesque capital at some of the city’s most iconic venues including Cameo Cinema, Summerhall, and 50 George Square.

Nora Fingscheidt’s The Outrun, starring Saoirse Ronan, was previously confirmed as the Fest’s opening night film, with the world premiere of Carla J. Easton and Blair Young’s documentary Since Yesterday: The Untold Story of Scotland’s Girl Bands set to close. Its Midnight Madness strand will close with the body horror The Substance, starring Demi Moore.

Daisy-May Hudson’s fiction debut Lollipop, a documentary about a man’s relationship with a life-sized AI-animated doll and Nina Conti’s Cannes Great 8 title Sunlight are among 18 world premieres at the new-look Edinburgh International Film Festival.

A total of 37 feature films form the line-up of Eiff’s 77th edition, which is the first under the leadership of Paul Ridd as festival director and Andrew Macdonald as chair. The line-up includes 10 world premieres in the running for the £50,000 Sean Connery prize for feature filmmaking excellence, plus four retrospective screenings, a Midnight Madness strand and five short film programmes.

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Victor Gabriel’s “Hallelujah,” Seemab Gul’s “Mulaqat/Sandstorm” and Joseph Pierce’s “Scale” have won the top awards at the 2022 HollyShorts Film Festival, which presented its prizes on Saturday afternoon in Hollywood — thus qualifying for this year’s Academy Awards.

“Hallelujah” won the Grand Prix for the festival’s best short, “Mulaqat/Sandstorm” took the honors as the best live-action short and “Scale” won for animation. HollyShorts is an Oscar-qualifying festival for the short-film categories, and the winners of those three awards are automatically entered in the Oscar race.

The award to “Hallelujah” was presented via video by this year’s Oscar winners for Best Live Action Short, “The Long Goodbye” filmmakers Riz Ahmed and Aniel Karia. The Oscar winners for the 2018 live-action short “Skin,” Jamie Ray Newman and Guy Nattiv, presented the awards to “Mulaqat/Sandstorm” and best-director winner Carlos Segundo (“Sideral”), respectively.

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Oscars Short Doc...

"Light my way in darkness, so I may spread your seed." There have been a handful of films that play with how an alien being would act if it inhabited a human body. What would it make of our strange fleshy bodies? Would it know how to interact? Would it know how to speak? Dominant Species is a short film that also wonders about these questions. Directed by Joseph Sackett, it's described as a "coming-of-age story about coming to terms with the ways you're different." The plot is about 10 aliens in human host bodies learning how to be "men". Short of the Week explains "most of the film is an examination of these new hosts' process of familiarization with the peculiarities of humanity and education in masculine stereotypes." Starring as the 10: Francisco Carrillo, Justin Chiao, Julian Cihi, Marchánt Davis, Vasile Flutur, Zach Fifer, Julio Lousav, Matthew Faroul, Julian Elijah Martinez,...

In today’s TV news roundup, Netflix sets a premiere date for the fourth season of “Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj,” and Revry releases a trailer for a new series starring Laura Linney.

First Looks

Revry has dropped the first trailer, obtained exclusively by Variety, for Laura Linney’s new series “Sink Sank Sunk.” The series follows Cooper (Will Seefried), a young gay recluse whose journey to complete his late-mother’s (Linney) passion project takes him into the unfamiliar waters of community, empathy, and romantic love.

Dates

“Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj” will return to Netflix Aug. 4. The upcoming fourth season of the variety show, in which Minhaj takes on the modern cultural and political landscape, will continue to feature comedic monologues and interviews with celebrity guests.

Season six of “Finding Your Roots,” will premiere Oct. 8 and air through Fall 2020 on PBS. The forthcoming season will feature 27 new guests including actor Jeffrey Wright,...

Network: AMC.

Episodes: 10 (hour).

Seasons: One.

TV show dates: June 4, 2018 — July 30, 2018.

Series status: Cancelled.

Performers include: Joy Nash, Julianna Margulies, Robin Weigert, Adam Rothenberg, Tamara Tunie, Erin Darke, Rowena King, Will Seefried, Ricardo Davila, Tramel Tillman, Campbell Scott, Alanna Ubach, Kelly Hu, Marc Blucas, Ami Sheth, and Jen Ponton.

TV show description:

A dark dramedy from creator Marti Noxon, the Dietland TV show centers on Plum Kettle (Nash), a ghostwriter at a top New York fashion magazine. The satirical series follows Plum on her twisted road to self-discovery. While she is on this journey, men who have been accused of sexual abuse and assault have been disappearing, only to turn up dead -- by...

How satisfying is the first season of the Dietland TV show on AMC? As we all know, the Nielsen ratings typically play a big role in determining whether the TV show Dietland is cancelled or renewed for season two. Unfortunately, most of us do not live in Nielsen households. Because many viewers feel frustration when their viewing habits and opinions aren't considered, we'd like to offer you the chance to rate all of the Dietland season one episodes below.

An AMC comedy-drama, Dietland stars Joy Nash, Julianna Margulies, Robin Weigert, Adam Rothenberg, Tamara Tunie, Erin Darke, Rowena King, Will Seefried, Ricardo Davila, Tramel Tillman, Campbell Scott, Alanna Ubach, Kelly Hu, Marc Blucas, Ami Sheth, and Jen Ponton. The action centers on Daisy Chain magazine ghost writer, Plum Kettle (Nash). As this perpetual dieter starts to broaden her perspective on self-worth and...

Other than The Walking Dead, AMC doesn't have any other unqualified hits that would be guaranteed renewal on broadcast network television. In fact, the cable network's second highest performer is the prequel, Fear the Walking Dead, which always runs a distant second to the original, in the Nielsen ratings race. Suffice it to say, the network could use a big hit. Enter the Dietland TV show. Does this new series, from Buffy the Vampire Slayer and UnREAL executive producer Marti Noxon have more staying power than the average dieter? Will Dietland be cancelled or renewed for season two on AMC? Stay tuned. *Status update below.

An AMC comedy-drama, Dietland stars Joy Nash, Julianna Margulies, Robin Weigert, Adam Rothenberg, Tamara Tunie, Erin Darke, Rowena King, Will Seefried, Ricardo Davila, Tramel Tillman, Campbell Scott, Alanna Ubach, Kelly Hu, Marc Blucas, Ami Sheth, and Jen Ponton. The...

Amazon has picked up U.K. rights to AMC’s upcoming “Dietland,” the streaming giant announced Thursday. The show, which is described as darkly comedic, stars Joy Nash and Julianna Margulies. It is set to launch on Prime Video on June 5, following its U.S. premiere the previous day.

Based on a 2015 best-seller by Sarai Walker, “Dietland” follows the life of Plum Kettle (Nash), the ghost-writer for the editor of one of New York’s hottest fashion magazines (Margulies), as she struggles with self-image and embarks on the complicated road to self-acceptance. The 10-episode show, which is executive produced by Marti Noxon, explores the multitude of issues faced by modern women.

Jay Marine, vice president of Prime Video Europe, said the timing of the show “couldn’t be more relevant.” “We’re excited about offering our customers this brilliant series exclusively, alongside other shows that put strong women at their core,...

Feast your eyes on Julianna Margulies’ tasty TV return — it’s calorie-free!

The Good Wife star is headlining AMC’s upcoming revenge drama Dietland, and we’ve got your exclusive first look at the cast’s striking gallery shots.

The revenge-fantasy drama centers on Plum Kettle (played by Joy Nash, Twin Peaks), an obese woman who is planning on weight-loss surgery but gets sidetracked when rival feminist factions somehow get involved. Margulies’ Kitty is a very ambitious magazine editor who’s not quite sure how to cope when a feminist terrorist organization goes after those near and dear to her.

AMC is rounding out the cast for Dietland, its 10-episode straight-to-series darkly comedic drama based on Sarai Walker's novel, which is set for a 2018 premiere. Joining as series regulars are newcomer Tramell Tillman, Robin Weigert (Big Little Lies) and Will Seefried (The Deuce). Dietland, from Marti Noxon (UnReal), Skydance TV and AMC Studios, is set against the backdrop of the beauty industry. It follows Plum Kettle (Joy Nash), an obese woman who is preparing for…...