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The ten outstanding actresses and actors from all over Europe have arrived in Germany’s capital city today eagerly waiting to immerse themselves in a tailor-made programme of profile-rising events during this year’s Berlinale.

The ten selected European Shooting Stars for 2025 are: Marina Makris (Cyprus), Besir Zeciri (Denmark), Maarja Johanna Mägi (Estonia), Devrim Lingnau (Germany), Elín Hall (Iceland), Kārlis Arnolds Avots (Latvia), Šarūnas Zenkevičius (Lithuania), Lidija Kordić (Montenegro), Vicente Wallenstein (Portugal) and Frida Gustavsson (Sweden).

Find out more about 2025’s 10 participants

The four-day intensive programme provides a powerful platform for the selected talent giving them the chance to meet international journalists, casting directors, producers and filmmakers, unique opportunities to build a professional network, and equipping the young talents with the necessary means to embark on an international career.

The programme concludes on Monday, 17 February with the European Shooting Stars Awards ceremony at the Berlinale Palast where each actress and...

Each week we highlight the noteworthy titles that have recently hit streaming platforms in the United States. Check out this week’s selections below and past round-ups here.

Across the River and Into the Trees (Paula Ortiz)

Hemingway’s work across novels and short stories has been adapted for film countless times over, yet Across the River and Into the Trees has never properly been rendered onscreen. Until now. Written by Peter Flannery and directed by Paula Ortiz, here is a handsome film that is decidedly modest in its endeavor. The best thing going for it is Liev Schreiber as Colonel Richard Cantwell, the lead of the picture. Schreiber is one of those actors who has somehow always been underrated, despite being capable of playing nearly any kind of part. A kind boyfriend thrust into an impossible familial situation (The Daytrippers)? Check. Tough-but-fractured fixer living on the edge (Ray Donovan)? Check.

Prime Video has released a high-octane trailer for its spy series “Citadel: Diana,” starring Italy’s Matilda De Angelis (“The Undoing”) as Diana Cavalieri, an undercover Citadel agent fighting against an enemy syndicate set in a near-future Milan.

The six-episode show – which marks the streamer’s most ambitious Italian original to date – is the country’s installment of Prime Video’s high-concept “Citadel” franchise that debuted in April 2023. The series is meant to serve as a launch pad for multiple shows set in different countries that are all connected via plot and characters.

De Angelis, a rising Italian star, made her international breakthrough in Susanne Bier’s “The Undoing,” alongside Nicole Kidman and Hugh Grant. She also appeared with Liev Schrieber in the Ernest Hemingway adaptation “Across the River and Into the Trees,” directed by Paula Ortiz.

“Citadel: Diana” takes place in 2030 Milan where, eight years earlier, the independent global...

"Deadpool & Wolverine" isn't just one of the biggest hits of 2024, it's also one of Marvel's biggest hits in a long time. Not since "Spider-Man: No Way Home" has the Marvel Cinematic Universe seen a movie with such cultural penetration, not to mention that this is all stemming from an R-rated affair. A lot of that is credited to bringing back characters from the Fox universe, led by Hugh Jackman as Wolverine. One character we didn't get to see, however, was Liev Schreiber's Sabretooth, with the actor having played the mutant in the much-maligned "X-Men Origins: Wolverine." So, why didn't Schreiber return? It at least had something to do with not wanting to put his body through what it would've required.

In a recent interview with Collider to promote his new movie "Across the River and Into the Trees," Schreiber addressed not coming back in "Deadpool & Wolverine." Instead,...

In a recent interview with Collider's Maggie Lovitt, Liev Schreiber opened up about the ongoing fan enthusiasm for his portrayal of Sabretooth and the persistent rumours surrounding his potential return in Deadpool & Wolverine. The interview, conducted while Schreiber was promoting his latest film Across the River and Into the Trees, provided a fascinating glimpse into the actor's thoughts on his iconic role and the enduring impact it has had on fans. Reflecting on the fan campaigns advocating for his return as Sabretooth, Schreiber expressed his genuine surprise and gratitude.

Netflix’s latest limited series, “The Perfect Couple,” is set to premiere on September 5. The six-episode murder mystery based on Elin Hilderbrand’s novel centers around a wedding on Nantucket that goes wrong when a body is found on the beach.

Starring Nicole Kidman and Liev Schreiber, the story follows Meghann Fahy’s character Amelia Sacks as she plans to marry into one of the town’s wealthiest families. However, her wedding plans take a turn when someone is discovered dead during the ceremony. Kidman plays Greer Garrison Winbury, the formidable mother-in-law who organized every detail of the wedding.

When the investigation begins after the discovery, it reveals that nearly everyone involved may have had reasons to commit murder. This raises the question of whether anyone can truly get away with the crime. Emmy award-winning director Susanne Bier, known for shows like “The Night Manager” and “The Undoing,” guides the production.

Liev Schreiber in Across The River And Into The Trees

There are many theories about how the magic gets into cinema, but in practice, a lot of it has to do with the right individuals coming together with the right projects. Ernest Hemingway’s final novel, Across The River And Into The Trees, was not as well received as he had hoped upon release, but it has been said that it just didn’t fit into that time. It feels much more apposite today, and it has found the right people to adapt it to the screen in writer Peter Flannery and director Paula Ortiz. This would be nothing, however, without the right performances.

Matilda De Angelis brings the perfect combination of youthful beauty, aristocratic elegance and shrewd intelligence to the character of Renata, the young woman whose attachment to the protagonist, Cantwell, bewilders him and gives him unexpected hope...

Liev Schreiber has the support of his two eldest children at the premiere of his new movie!

The 56-year-old actor and his wife Taylor Neisen were joined by his kids Sasha, 17, and Kai, 15, at the premiere of Across the River and Into the Trees on Thursday night (August 29) at the Angelika Film Center in New York City.

Liev and Taylor‘s one-year-old daughter stayed at home during the night out. For those who don’t know, Liev shares his two older kids with former partner Naomi Watts.

Liev also posed for photos with director Paula Ortiz at the event.

Across the River and Into the Trees is set in post-World War II Italian Venice and follows war-torn U.S. Army Colonel Richard Cantwell, a true hero who faces the news of his illness with indifference. The movie will be released in theaters on August 30.

Watch the trailer below!

Ernest Hemingway’s final novel, Across the River and Into the Trees, isn’t exactly known to be among his best works, so it’s probably no surprise that it took quite a while for anyone to adapt it to the cinematic medium. Director Paula Ortiz’s adaptation is fine, if unremarkable, elevated by its excellent cast and impressive production values.

Across the River and Into the Trees Review

The film follows a US Army Colonel who receives a life-changing diagnosis but meets it with indifference, taking a sojourn through post-wwii Venice. Those familiar with Hemingway’s work won’t be surprised by what Across the River and Into the Trees has in store — it’s poignantly meditative and incredibly simple. However, there is an undeniable elegance in that simplicity that allows this to be a charming drama.

RELATEDStrange Darling Review — Giovanni Ribisi Lenses a Twisty, Captivating Thriller

This feeling...

Ernest Hemingway’s 1950 novel Across the River and Into the Trees has long seemed an unlikely candidate for the silver screen. The story delves deep into existential themes that are challenging to portray visually. Yet the latest film adaptation, directed by Paula Ortiz, proves just how moving a meditation on life, death, and human connection it can be.

At the center are two complex characters. Richard Cantwell is a weary American colonel, already haunted by his actions in two world wars. After learning his heart will soon give out, he makes one last journey to find solace in Venice. There he meets Renata, a young Italian woman facing her own crossroads. On the surface, they seem from different worlds. But in quiet, poignant moments together, they gain deeper understanding.

Liev Schreiber and Matilda De Angelis bring intense depth to these roles. Schreiber especially captures the vulnerability beneath Cantwell’s outer shell.

Ernest Hemingway is undoubtedly one of Americas most important authors, yet his classics have primarily been adapted for the silver screen in the 20th century, and oft-remembered by cinephiles more so than the average film buff. Some have only been adapted once, like The Snows of Kilimanjaro, while others have had a handful of adaptations like The Sun Also Rises. Meanwhile, Across the River and Into the Trees is only just arriving in theaters in 2024. While Peter Flannerys screenplay takes liberties with Hemingways tragic tale of Colonel Richard Cantwells reckoning with life and death, his adaptation of Across the River and Into the Trees still manages to deliver the same sobering conclusion: making peace with the inevitability of death.

In early 1950, Ernest Hemingway’s Across the River and Into the Trees was serialized in Cosmopolitan magazine before being published as a novel in September of that same year. It was panned. Hemingway was reportedly stung by the negative reception. Only two years later, he would tread similar existential ground (albeit with a very different setting and plot) to much more critical and commercial success with The Old Man and the Sea. Hemingway was dead less than a decade later.

His work across novels and short stories has been adapted for film countless times over, yet Across the River and Into the Trees has never properly been rendered onscreen. Until now. Written by Peter Flannery and directed by Paula Ortiz, here is a handsome film that is decidedly modest in its endeavor. The best thing going for it is Liev Schreiber as Colonel Richard Cantwell, the lead of the picture.

"Why don't I show you my beautiful town?" Level 33 Ent. has revealed the official US trailer for a film titled Across the River and Into the Trees, a UK / Spanish / Italy production made by a Spanish filmmaker. It first premiered at a festival back in 2022 and initially opened in Spain last year (as Al otro lado del río y entre los árboles), with a theatrical US release set for the end of August later this summer. The film is based on one of the last full-length novels published by Ernest Hemingway in his lifetime. Set in post-World War II Italian Venice, weary US Army Colonel Richard Cantwell is a true hero who faces the news of his illness with indifference as he struggles with the weight of the war. Amid his unraveling plans, a chance encounter with a countess offers hope & redemption against the backdrop of war. Hemingway's themes of love,...

The latest film adaptation from one of the most, if not the most, acclaimed authors of all time just got an exciting new look. The first trailer for Across the River and Into the Trees, the adaptation based on the novel of the same name by Ernest Hemingway, has been officially released. The trailer sees former X-Men costars Liev Schreiber and Danny Huston, who played Victor Creed and Stryker respectively in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, reunite for a new film now 15 years later. Across the River and Into the Trees is described as capturing the fleeting moment of immortality where time stands still. The book is the last full-length novel that Hemingway published in his distinguished life.

The San Sebastian Film Festival, the biggest film event in the Spanish-speaking world, has unveiled a packed lineup of Spanish titles that is strong on women auteurs, led by Iciar Bollaín, Pilar Palomero, Paula Ortiz and Alauda Ruiz de Azua, who are now stepping up in scale or industry backing as big SVOD players – Movistar Plus+, Prime Video – move into the production of Spanish movies aimed at theatrical release or back their original series.

Vying in main competition, Bollaín’s “I Am Nevenka” looks like the first film to see the light of day from six auteur event movies co-produced by Movistar Plus+ and directed by leading cinematographic talent such as Rodrigo Sorogoyen and Alberto Fernández.

Also selected are two leading lights of a younger generation of women directors which have galvanised Spanish arthouse but are now looking for broader audiences.

Goya and San Sebastian winner Pilar Palomero competes in main competition with “Glimmers,...

Italian state broadcaster Rai’s new world sales arm is gaining traction in Cannes — following its soft launch in Berlin — with four new titles on its slate, including veteran auteur Roberto Andò’s historical drama “The Blunder” starring Toni Servillo (“The Great Beauty”).

In “The Blunder,” which is currently shooting in Sicily, Servillo plays a Sicilian colonel at the head of a ragtag unit trying to outsmart the enemy during the 1860 battle led by Giuseppe Garibaldi that resulted in the unification of Italy.

“The Blunder,” which also stars popular Sicilian comic duo Salvatore Ficarra and Valentino Picone, is produced by Tramp Limited and Bibi Film with Rai Cinema and Medusa, in collaboration with Netflix.

Other titles added during Cannes on the Rai Cinema International Distribution slate include – as previously announced – “Of Dogs and Men,” the upcoming drama by Israeli director Dani Rosenberg (“The Death of Cinema and My Father Too...

Exclusive: Level 33 Entertainment has acquired distribution rights for the United States and Canada to Ernest Hemingway adaptation, Across The River And Into The Trees, starring Liev Schreiber (Spotlight), Matilda De Angelis (The Undoing), Josh Hutcherson (The Hunger Games) and Danny Huston (Yellowstone).

The film, based on one of the last full-length novels published by Hemingway, is directed by Paula Ortiz (The Bride) and adapted for the screen by BAFTA Award winner Peter Flannery (The Devil’s Mistress). Producers include Robert MacLean (Man With A Gun), Kristin Roegner (The Expendables 3), and Michael Paletta (Above The Best).

Across The River And Into The Trees follows Richard Cantwell (Schreiber), an American Army Colonel in post-wwii Italy. Haunted by the war, Cantwell is a bona fide hero who faces news of his illness with stoic disregard. Determined to spend a weekend in quiet solitude, he commandeers a military driver (Hutcherson) to facilitate a...

Variety Awards Circuit section is the home for all awards news and related content throughout the year, featuring the following: the official predictions for the upcoming Oscars, Emmys, Grammys and Tony Awards ceremonies, curated by Variety senior awards editor Clayton Davis. The prediction pages reflect the current standings in the race and do not reflect personal preferences for any individual contender. As other formal (and informal) polls suggest, competitions are fluid and subject to change based on buzz and events. Predictions are updated every Thursday.

Visit the prediction pages for the respective ceremonies via the links below:

Oscars | Emmys | Grammys | Tonys

2024 Oscars Predictions:

Best Achievement in Visual Effects

Weekly Commentary: “The Creator” has the advantage, but honesty, any film can win.

“Godzilla Minus One” is in the discussion and could be a cool choice for the Academy to make, similar to “Ex Machina.” However, don’t count out the power...

Variety Awards Circuit section is the home for all awards news and related content throughout the year, featuring the following: the official predictions for the upcoming Oscars, Emmys, Grammys and Tony Awards ceremonies, curated by Variety senior awards editor Clayton Davis. The prediction pages reflect the current standings in the race and do not reflect personal preferences for any individual contender. As other formal (and informal) polls suggest, competitions are fluid and subject to change based on buzz and events. Predictions are updated every Thursday.

Visit the prediction pages for the respective ceremonies via the links below:

Oscars | Emmys | Grammys | Tonys

2024 Oscars Predictions:

Best Achievement in Makeup and Hairstyling “Poor Things” – Willem Dafoe

Weekly Commentary: Another deathmatch between two movies — Bradley Cooper’s Leonard Bernstein biopic “Maestro” and Yorgos Lanthimos’ sci-fi comedy “Poor Things.”

“Maestro” won big at the Makeup and Hair guild while “Poor Things” took home the BAFTA prize.

Variety Awards Circuit section is the home for all awards news and related content throughout the year, featuring the following: the official predictions for the upcoming Oscars, Emmys, Grammys and Tony Awards ceremonies, curated by Variety senior awards editor Clayton Davis. The prediction pages reflect the current standings in the race and do not reflect personal preferences for any individual contender. As other formal (and informal) polls suggest, competitions are fluid and subject to change based on buzz and events. Predictions are updated every Thursday.

Visit the prediction pages for the respective ceremonies via the links below:

Oscars | Emmys | Grammys | Tonys

2024 Oscars Predictions:

Best Adapted Screenplay Oppenheimer, from left: Florence Pugh as Jean Tatlock, Cillian Murphy as J. Robert Oppenheimer, 2023. © Universal Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection

Weekly Commentary: Cord Jefferson stands on the brink of potentially making history in the adapted screenplay category with “American Fiction,” potentially becoming only the second...

Variety Awards Circuit section is the home for all awards news and related content throughout the year, featuring the following: the official predictions for the upcoming Oscars, Emmys, Grammys and Tony Awards ceremonies, curated by Variety senior awards editor Clayton Davis. The prediction pages reflect the current standings in the race and do not reflect personal preferences for any individual contender. As other formal (and informal) polls suggest, competitions are fluid and subject to change based on buzz and events. Predictions are updated every Thursday.

Visit the prediction pages for the respective ceremonies via the links below:

Oscars | Emmys | Grammys | Tonys

2024 Oscars Predictions:

Best Actor The Holdovers, Paul Giamatti, 2023. ph: Seacia Pavao / © Focus Features / Courtesy Everett Collection

Weekly Commentary: The realm of lead actor has been ruled by Cillian Murphy’s captivating portrayal in Nolan’s cinematic opus “Oppenheimer.” However, the final stretch of voting has seen two seasoned industry...

Josh Hutcherson's role in Journey to the Center of the Earth showcased his ability to perform and deliver in a more active role. Hutcherson's performance in Across The River and Into the Trees exemplifies his growth as an actor over the years. Bridge to Terabithia is one of Hutcherson's best films, with an outstanding performance and emotional depth.

Josh Hutcherson has had several great roles in the 20 years he has been acting, with incredibly moving and powerful performances. Hutcherson is now in his early thirties, but having started his acting career at the age of 10, he has been in this line of work for decades now. Despite appearing in some hugely popular films like The Polar Express as the motion capture actor for the Hero Boy, Howl's Moving Castle, as the English dubbed voice of Markl and the older brother Walter in Zathura: A Space Adventure, it wasn't until...

The 68th edition will screen a mix of new Spanish films and 2023 favourites and host an expanded industry programme.

The 68th edition of the Seminci, the Valladolid International Film Week opens this weekend (October 21) with a screening of The Movie Teller, directed by Lone Scherfig, starring Bérénice Béjo, Antonio de la Torre and Daniel Brühl and written by Walter Salles, Isabel Coixet and Rafa Russo.

For what is a vital launchpad into the Spanish market, new festival director José Luis Cienfuegos has programmed a series of international festival favourites from 2023 alongside new films by Spanish directors Antonio Méndez Esparza and...

Spanish mini-major Filmax has picked up international sales rights to “Teresa,” the new feature by Paula Ortiz, a fictional story turning on the prominent Spanish mystic and religious reformer Saint Teresa of Jesus.

“Teresa” marks the big screen adaptation of Spaniard playwright Juan Mayorga’s stage play ”La lengua en pedazos,” which narrates a meeting between Saint Teresa of Jesus – also known as Teresa de Ávila – and a character called The Inquisitor.

The feature is not a classic biopic, but rather a free adaptation of the text written by Mayorga – a winner of Spain’s National Prize for Dramatic Literature – which in turn, is based on “The Book of Life,” by Saint Teresa herself.

In the movie, Teresa patiently awaits the Inquisitor’s arrival and judgement. His visit and his words will determine her future. They will hold a religious and dialectical duel, where the question will be if she is set free,...

William J. Immerman, a veteran movie producer who held senior executive positions at studios including 20th Century Fox, died June 24 at his home in Los Angeles of natural causes, his widow, Ginger Immerman told TheWrap on Friday. He was 85.

He began his career in 1965 at American International Pictures, then in 1974 moved to Twentieth Century Fox, where he served as vice president of Business Affairs and senior executive vice president. He oversaw hits including “Star Wars,” “Young Frankenstein” and “The Omen.”

At Cinema Group, where he was Chairman of the Board and President, he also executive produced the comedy “Take This Job and Shove It” for Avco Embassy and Walter Hill’s action film “Southern Comfort,” both in 1981.

Also Read:

Eva Maria Daniels, Producer of ‘Hold the Dark’ and ‘Joe Bell,’ Dies at 43

In 1990, he became Vice Chairman at Cannon Pictures, a role he held for 10 years. He went on to...

Bill Immerman, who was a Senior EVP during the 20th Century Fox 1970s heyday that produced such box office hits as Star Wars, Young Frankensten, and The Omen, died June 24 at his Los Angeles home of natural causes. He was 85.

As a Senior EVP at Fox, he was one of three men considered to be the “Office of the President” at the studio. He was also the executive in charge of the original Broadway production of The Wiz.

Born December 29, 1937, in New York, he earned a B.S. in political science from the University of Wisconsin, then a Doctor of Law from Stanford Law School in 1963.

He became a deputy district attorney in Los Angeles in 1964 before joining American International Pictures as an associate counsel. He rose to VP in charge of business affairs and eventually Aip production executive during the time the studio produced such films as Little Shop of Horrors,...

Bill Immerman, veteran executive at film companies including 20th Century Fox, Aip, Cannon Films and Yari Film Group, died June 24 in Los Angeles of natural causes.

Born Dec. 29, 1937 in New York, he graduated the U. of Wisconsin and obtained his J.D. at Stanford Law School. Before moving into entertainment, Immerman started his career as a deputy district attorney for the County of Los Angeles.

He joined American International Pictures as associate counsel in 1965, eventually heading up business affairs and serving as production executive on films including “Little Shop of Horrors,” “Wild In the Streets,” “Three In the Attic” and “An Evening of Edgar Allen Poe,” starring Vincent Price.

In 1972 Immerman became VP of business affairs at Twentieth Century Fox, representing Fox on the board of directors of the Motion Picture Association of American and the Association of Motion Picture and Television Producers. As senior executive VP at Fox, he...

Bleecker Street has nabbed the North American rights to “Across the River and Into the Trees,” an upcoming movie starring Liev Schreiber (“Ray Donovan”) and Josh Hutcherson (“The Hunger Games”). The film is directed by Paula Ortiz, who is best known for her work on “The Bride,” and is expected to debut in the fall of 2023 for a theatrical release.

An adaptation of Ernest Hemingway’s last full-length novel that he published in his lifetime, the movie is set in post-World War II Italy. After American Army Colonel Richard Cantwell (Schreiber) survived the war and emerged as a war hero, he has to grapple with a new battle: his own illness. Determined to find some peace, he enlists a military driver to bring him to his old haunts in Venice. But as his plans unravel, a budding relationships with a young woman teaches him to hope again.

In addition to Schreiber and Hutcherson,...

Bleecker Street has landed North American rights to “Across the River and Into the Trees,” an adaptation of Ernest Hemingway’s last full-length novel.

Liev Schreiber and Josh Hutcherson will star in the film, which will release exclusively in theaters in the fall. News of the sale was announced at the Cannes Film Festival.

Paula Ortiz (“The Bride”) directed “Across the River and Into the Trees,” which takes place in post-wwii Italy. Schreiber plays American Army Colonel Richard Cantwell, a bona fide hero who remains haunted by the war. As he faces news of illness with stoic disregard, he’s determined to spend a week in quiet solitude and commandeers a military driver to facilitate a visit to his old haunts in Venice. As Cantwell’s plans begin to unravel, a chance encounter with a remarkable young woman begins to rekindle in him the hope of renewal.

Matilda De Angelis...

Exclusive autumn theatrical release planned for drama starring Liev Schreiber, Matilda De Angelis.

Bleecker Street has acquired North American rights to Earnest Hemingway adaptation Across The River And Into The Trees starring Liev Schreiber, Matilda De Angelis, Josh Hutcherson and Danny Huston and plans an exclusive theatrical release in autumn.

Paula Ortiz (The Bride) directs from a screenplay by Peter Flannery (The Devil’s Mistress) based on Hemingway’s last full-length novel.

The story takes place in Italy after the Second World War as a cantankerous American Army colonel with a terminal heart condition encounters a remarkable young woman while on...

Bleecker Street has secured the North American rights to Across the River and Into the Trees from award-winning director Paula Ortiz (The Bride), which stars Liev Schreiber (Spotlight, Ray Donovan), Matilda De Angelis (The Undoing, Rose Island), Josh Hutcherson (The Kids Are All Right, The Hunger Games), and Danny Huston (The Aviator, Succession).

The screenplay adaptation was written by BAFTA winner Peter Flannery (The Devil’s Mistress). Bleecker Street is planning a fall theatrical release.

Set in post-wwii Italy, American army colonel Richard Cantwell (Schreiber), haunted by the war, is a bona fide hero who faces news of his illness with stoic disregard. Determined to spend a weekend in quiet solitude, he commandeers a military driver to facilitate a visit to his old haunts in Venice. As Cantwell’s plans begin to unravel, a chance encounter with a remarkable young woman begins to rekindle in him the hope of renewal. Based...

Across The River And Into The Trees, the long-awaited Ernest Hemingway adaptation starring Liev Schreiber (Spotlight), Matilda De Angelis (The Undoing), Josh Hutcherson (The Kids Are All Right) and Danny Huston (The Aviator), has set North American release plans with Bleecker Street. The film based on the last full-length novel published by Hemingway in his lifetime, which award-winner Paula Ortiz (The Bride) directed, will bow exclusively in theaters this fall.

Adapted for the screen by BAFTA Award winner Peter Flannery (The Devil’s Mistress), Across the River follows Richard Cantwell (Schreiber), an American Army Colonel in post-wwii Italy. Haunted by the war, Cantwell is a bona fide hero who faces news of his illness with stoic disregard. Determined to spend a weekend in quiet solitude, he commandeers a military driver to facilitate a visit to his old haunts in Venice. As Cantwell’s plans begin to unravel, a chance encounter with...

Ann Dowd will star in “The Undertaker’s Children.” The thriller is currently in pre-production. The Exchange will introduce the title to buyers at the upcoming 2022 Cannes Film Market.

Dowd stars as a secretive undertaker forced to take in two orphans. When her sinister plan for getting rid of the kids in her care is revealed, the children plan a daring escape and find themselves facing evil forces.

Dowd is no stranger to ratcheting up the tension. She is perhaps best known for her role as Aunt Lydia on “The Handmaid’s Tale,” in which she is a stern enforcer of dystopian discipline. For her performance, Dowd won a Primetime Emmy Award for outstanding supporting actress in a drama series in 2017. This year, Dowd was nominated for a BAFTA for best supporting actress for her searing work in “Mass,” a look at the fallout from a school shooting.

“The Undertaker’s...

On the heels of a successful in-person event that welcomed such stars as Woody Harrelson, Amy Poehler, Liev Schreiber and “Dopesick” creator Danny Strong, the 2022 Sun Valley Film Festival, which ran from March 30 to April 3, announced its juried film award winners.

Best narrative feature film went to “Linoleum,” directed by Colin West. “Holy Emy,” helmed by Araceli Lemos, received a special mention. Ron Howard’s “We Feed People” netted the fest’s audience award.

The winners were announced during the Idaho fest’s annual awards bash, which took place at Whiskey Jacques on Ketchum’s main drag of town, and was hosted by filmmaker Bobby Farrelly and comedian Hayes MacArthur, with a musical performance by the Nude Party.

Voting jury members at the fest included Jo Addy (global film and entertainment director of Soho House), Eric Bress, Trevor Groth (film financier at 30West) and producer Heather Rae.

Other awards went to “Mama Bears,...

Playing a character in a film who dies by suicide, adapted from a book penned by a famed author who met the same fate, is already a heady experience. But for Liev Schreiber, who tackles the stoically heroic Colonel Richard Cantwell in the big screen version of Ernest Hemingway’s final full-length novel, “Across the River and Into the Trees,” life imitated art — which imitated life — in ways not even Schreiber could have expected.

“One of the things that happened to us in this epic, long shoot [in Venice, Italy] is that my father had found a sarcoma on his leg — a very, very rapid [growing] one,” Schreiber told a crowd gathered for a special screening and premiere of the film, directed by Paula Ortiz, at the Sun Valley Film Festival Thursday night.

“We only had a month left to shoot,” he continued, “and the crew graciously stopped the film and let me go home to Seattle,...

On the eve of the 11th annual Sun Valley Film Festival, Vision Award honorees Woody Harrelson and Amy Poehler are both experiencing a bit of déjà vu.

For three-time Oscar nominee Harrelson, it’s because he has just learned that his role in the reboot of his 1992 big-screen breakthrough, “White Men Can’t Jump,” will be played by rapper Jack Harlow.

“I don’t know him, but it’s fine with me,” Harrelson says. “I’ll look him up now. I don’t see [myself] being in it, but I feel great about them doing a remake. I just hope he’s a better ball player!”

For Poehler, talking about the fest, which takes place March 20-April 3 in Sun Valley and Ketchum, Idaho, makes her feel a bit like history is repeating. The Emmy-winning “SNL” co-host and “Parks and Recreation” alumna was set to receive the Vision Award in March 2020, but Covid...

Exclusive: Deadline has your first look at the film Across the River and Into the Trees, starring six-time Golden Globe nominee Liev Schreiber (Ray Donovan), which is opening the Sun Valley Film Festival on March 30.

The drama from award-winning Spanish director Paula Ortiz (The Bride) is based on Ernest Hemingway’s last full-length novel of the same name, published in 1950. It tells the story of Colonel Richard Cantwell (Schreiber), a semi-autobiographical character partially based on Hemingway’s friend, Colonel Charles T. Lanham. Cantwell is a complex and conflicted character, wounded and damaged both physically and mentally by World War II, seeking inner peace, and trying to come to terms with his own mortality.

In post-war Italy, Cantwell finds himself a bona fide hero, facing news of his illness with stoic disregard. Determined to spend a weekend in quiet solitude, he commandeers a military driver to facilitate a visit to his old haunts in Venice.

Ernest Hemingway’s 1950 best-selling novel “Across the River and Into the Trees” gets the bigscreen treatment and its world premiere in the final resting place of Papa Hemingway himself at this year’s Sun Valley Film Festival. Star Liev Shrieber will be in attendence at the fest’s opening night special screening, March 30, to participate in a post-screening Q&a moderated by Variety Feature Editor Malina Saval.

The Sun Valley fest runs through April 3 and, in addition to showcasing Shrieber, will honor Woody Harrelson, Amy Poehler and “Dopesick” showrunner Danny Strong. Robert MacLean, producer of “Across the River and Into The Trees,” is also expected to attend.

“Across the River and Into the Trees,” directed by Spanish director Paula Ortiz, is a film that resonates with the area’s rich cultural history in a way that cannot be understated. Hemingway’s gravesite in Ketchum, a short mile from the Sun Valley Lodge,...

Exclusive: Dermot Mulroney (Hanna) and singer Justin Furstenfeld have joined Dolph Lundgren, Scott Adkins, and Ryan Kwanten in action movie Section Eight, which The Exchange will be selling at the virtual American Film Market.

The movie charts the story of a former soldier who, after avenging the murder of his family, is sprung from prison and recruited by a shadowy government agency.

Furstenfeld, who is making his acting debut on the movie, is best known as the frontman of U.S. band Blue October. My Best Friend’s Wedding star Mulroney is currently starring in Netflix’s Along For The Ride and Agent Game with Mel Gibson.

An original screenplay by Chad Law and Josh Ridgway, Section Eight is being directed by Christian Sesma (Pay Dirt) and produced by Brandon Burrows of Firebrand. Pic is in post-production.

“It is exciting to have such a talented and dynamic actor like Dermot Mulroney joining our project.

When Brian O’Shea founded the worldwide film sales and finance company The Exchange in 2011, streaming was still in its infancy, release windows were numerous and robust and DVD pre-sales could still provide a big chunk of a movie’s budget. In the ensuing decade, the landscape has undergone a rapid series of dramatic shifts, but the L.A.-based company has survived and prospered, acquiring, financing and selling more than 200 films, with budgets ranging from $5 million to $90 million, including Universal’s “2 Guns,” starring Denzel Washington and Mark Wahlberg; Sundance Award-winners “The Spectacular Now” and “Obvious Child,” and doc “Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street.”

“We’ve had success in keeping all options open and maintaining relationships and building new relationships along the way,” says Nat McCormick, exec VP of worldwide distribution for The Exchange. “Always having our ear to the ground, we know how to best navigate things,...

By forging key partnerships with filmmakers, financiers and distributors through the years, The Exchange, founded by veteran sales executive and CEO Brian O’Shea, has grown to become a leading worldwide sales and finance company. Together with VP of acquisitions & production Caddy Vanasirikul, and the rest of the team, The Exchange has backed a diverse slate of films that include three Bruce Willis movies, a Sesame Street documentary and a movie with a transgender woman in the lead, “Monica,” by Andrea Pallaoro. They have formed a new development/production company, Next, backed by Canadian investors, which Vanasirikul will be heading. The Exchange’s current line-up includes Liev Schreiber’s “Across the River and Into the Trees,” Oliva Munn-led “Replay,” “The Thicket” with Peter Dinklage and Noomi Rapace, and acclaimed documentary “Welcome to Chechnya.”

The Exchange has handled a pretty diversified slate. What are the advantages and, if any, caveats, to handling such a varied slate?...

Wyatt Oleff, who starred in Netflix comedy “I Am Not Ok With This” and appeared in the “It” franchise, “Ugly Betty’s” Michael Urie and Nathan Stewart-Jarrett, who will star in the Jordan Peele co-written and produced “Candyman” and HBO Max’s “Generation,” will topline drama-comedy “Our Last Summer,” executive produced by Alan Ball.

The Exchange is handling worldwide sales rights, and is introducing the film to buyers at the virtual European Film Market, which runs until Friday.

“Our Last Summer” will be directed by Katie Ennis and Gary Jaffe from an original screenplay by Jaffe. Katie Ennis and Emily McCann Lesser, whose credits include Sundance 2020’s “Farewell Amor” and Tribeca 2020’s “Materna,” are producing.

Ennis and Jaffe directed the short “Sunset,” which premiered at Palm Springs ShortsFest and played in more than 35 film festivals, and the short “Last Summer With Uncle Ira” — a proof of concept for “Our Last...

Liev Schreiber leads cast of Matilda De Angelis, Danny Huston, Josh Hutcherson, Laura Morante.

Production has wrapped in Venice and the Veneto region in Italy on Tribune Pictures and The Exchange’s adaptation of Ernest Hemingway’s final novel Across The River And Into The Trees starring Liev Schreiber.

The Exchange handles international sales at the virtual EFM and UTA Independent Film Group represents US rights.

Oscar-nominated Stuart Baird will edit the film with Kate Baird, with whom he worked on Skyfall.

Paula Ortiz directs from Peter Flannery’s adapted screenplay about a damaged American Army colonel seeking peace after the Second World War.

Alex Pettyfer, whose credits include “I Am Number Four” and “Magic Mike,” is attached to lead director Ricardo de Montreuil’s psychological horror feature “The Lost Ones.”

The Exchange is handling the movie’s worldwide sales rights, and will be introducing the title to buyers at the virtual European Film Market, which runs until Friday.

The film is the story of a young family on the run from unseen spirits haunting their daughter. They move to a secluded house to keep her safe from unwanted scrutiny, but when her “visions” attract the attention of a disturbed neighbor, the family is forced into a struggle for survival with both the living and the dead.

“The Lost Ones,” currently in pre-production and scheduled to be filmed in Ireland in May, is an original screenplay by Miles Kelly and Brandon Robinson, to be directed by De Montreuil (“Lowriders”), and produced by Mini Mach...

Ray Donovan will be getting a new movie adaptation to give proper closure to the canceled Showtime series. The Ray Donovan movie will pick up directly where the show left off with the series finale at the end of season 7 with Liev Schreiber returning to reprise the titular role. Schreiber is also on board to co-write the script with series showrunner David Hollander, who will serve as the director as well. Also returning are Jon Voight and Kerris Dorsey as Ray's father Mickey and daughter Bridget, respectively.

"When Ray Donovan went off our air after seven great seasons, we heard from so many of its loyal fans that they were not ready to say goodbye to Ray and the wonderfully dysfunctional Donovan clan," said Gary Levine, Co-President of Entertainment at Showtime, in a statement. "And so, for them, we are delighted that Liev and David are creating a thrilling new chapter of this iconic series.

Exclusive: The Exchange is to introduce to buyers at the upcoming virtual EFM to feature Our Last Summer, executive-produced by Oscar-winner and True Blood and Six Feet Under creator Alan Ball (American Beauty).

Set in Westchester over the summer of 1991, the film will follow closeted teenager Daniel Rosen who travels a bumpy road to self-acceptance when his estranged gay uncle Ira returns home, dying of complications from HIV/AIDS.

The original screenplay by Gary Jaffe will be directed by Katie Ennis and Jaffe, and produced by Emily McCann Lesser (Farewell Amor) and Ennis. The Exchange is handling worldwide sales rights.

Ennis and Jaffe previously directed the short Sunset, which premiered at Palm Springs ShortsFest and played in more than 35 film festivals, and the short Last Summer With Uncle Ira, produced by McCann Lesser and Ennis. The latter was a proof of concept for Our Last Summer, which premiered at Outfest...

The 41st American Film Market was the first AFM to take place online, thanks to the Covid-19 pandemic, but the the world of independent film has kept its chin up amid daunting challenges.

“I would say it’s a comfortable mixture of cautious but buoyant,” said David Garrett, CEO of Mister Smith Entertainment.

AFM opened on the morning of Nov. 9 on a surprisingly upbeat note as drugmaker Pfizer revealed early data from its coronavirus vaccine that showed it is more than 90% effective — good news that offered promise of a return to movie theaters and soundstages in early 2021. Neon’s distribution president Elissa Federoff expressed guarded optimism that North American audiences will return when the Covid-19 crisis begins abating, during the Future of Film Conference.

“People truly want to get out of the house,” she added.

The prospect of no parties on the Santa Monica Pier, no poolside meetings and no...

Josh Hutcherson and Italian thespian Sabrina Impacciatore have joined the cast of the movie adaptation of Ernest Hemingway’s “Across the River and Into the Trees,” Variety has learned exclusively.

Production companies Tribune Pictures and The Exchange are in pre-production in Italy. Hutcherson and Impacciatore are joining the previously announced cast of Liev Schreiber, Matilda De Angelis, Laura Morante and Giancarlo Giannini.

The producers are Robert MacLean of Tribune Pictures, John Smallcombe and Ken Gord. Spanish director Paula Ortiz is directing the adapted screenplay by Peter Flannery. The film is being produced in association with Jianmin Lv and Spring Era Films. William J. Immerman and Justin Raikes are the executive producers. Andrea Biscaro is the Italian line producer.

Schreiber will portray Colonel Richard Cantwell, a character partially based on Hemingway’s friend Colonel Charles T. Lanham. In the novel, published in 1950, Cantwell is duck hunting in Northern Italy during the...

Hunger Games star Josh Hutcherson and Italian actress Sabrina Impacciatore have joined Liev Schreiber in the feature movie adaptation of Ernest Hemingway’s final novel, Across the River and Into the Trees, now in pre-production in Italy.

The movie version will tell the story of Colonel Richard Cantwell, played by Schreiber, a semi-autobiographical character partially-based-on Hemingway’s friend Colonel Charles T. Lanham.

“Adding Josh to this internationally renowned cast is very exciting. His popularity and talent will help make this film even more valuable to our buyers,” said Brian O’Shea, The Exchange CEO, in a statement. Hutcherson currently stars in Hulu’...

Hunger Games star Josh Hutcherson and Italian actress Sabrina Impacciatore have joined Liev Schreiber in the feature movie adaptation of Ernest Hemingway’s final novel, Across the River and Into the Trees, now in pre-production in Italy.

The movie version will tell the story of Colonel Richard Cantwell, played by Schreiber, a semi-autobiographical character partially-based-on Hemingway’s friend Colonel Charles T. Lanham.

“Adding Josh to this internationally renowned cast is very exciting. His popularity and talent will help make this film even more valuable to our buyers,” said Brian O’Shea, The Exchange CEO, in a statement. Hutcherson currently stars in Hulu’...