News

Beta Film has sold historical epic “Rise of the Raven” to multiple territories ahead of its North American premiere at the Toronto Film Festival. Following the festival premiere, CBC will bring the 10-part series to Canadian audiences on their streaming channel CBC Gem from Sept. 19. Beta recently sold the miniseries to Italy’s public broadcaster Rai, which will air it next year.

Croatia’s Hrt, Telekom Deutschland in Germany, Slovakia’s Stvr, Blue TV in Switzerland, and Yes in Israel have already broadcast the drama this year, with Czech TV being the most recent to join this group. The show broke ratings records in Hungary on TV2 and it was a hit with young audiences in particular when it aired on Austria’s Orf and its streaming service.

“Rise of the Raven” tells the story of fearless army commander János Hunyadi (Gellért L. Kádár), who devotes his life to defending Europe against an Ottoman invasion.

A24 has strengthened its U.K. office with another poaching of senior executives from the local industry.

Laura Lankester and Will Johnston, co-CEOs of Lookout Point, the BBC Studios-owned company that has produced a raft of prestige dramas such as “Les Miserables,” “A Suitable Boy,” “War & Peace,” “Gentleman Jack,” “Renegade Nell” and the final season of “Happy Valley,” are set to join A24 as it looks to grow its international TV operations.

The two bolster a team in the U.K. led by Piers Wenger and Rose Garnett, who themselves were hired from the BBC in a major coup back in 2022.

Lankester and Johnston, who will leave their currents positions this autumn, will also continue to produce and deliver Netflix’s recently-unveiled adaptation of “Pride and Prejudice,” written by Dolly Alderton and starring Emma Corrin, Jack Lowden and Olivia Colman, for Lookout Point and BBC Studios, while Lankester...

Natasha Richardson’s mother, Vanessa Redgrave, revealed that she will never get over the tragedy of her daughter’s death.

The Parent Trap actress died at the age of 45 after suffering bleeding in the brain, otherwise known as an epidural hematoma. She was in a skiing accident that resulted in a brain injury on March 16, 2009, while at the Mont Tremblant resort in Canada. The injury was initially not considered serious, and Richardson declined medical attention immediately following the accident. However, within a few hours, she started to experience a severe headache and was quickly rushed to Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. She died two days later.

On Sunday, what would have been Richardson’s 62nd birthday, her sister, Joely Richardson, shared a tribute post to Instagram, writing, “Today would have been my sister Tasha’s birthday. I asked my Ma if she’s like to say anything. This...

‘Slow Horses’ star Jack Lowden is currently in talks to play Mr Darcy in the Netflix series adaptation of ‘Pride and Prejudice.’

Mr Darcy is one of Jane Austen’s most iconic characters, the famously aloof romantic hero whose tumultuous relationship with Elizabeth Bennet is at the centre of Austen’s 1813 novel.

Whilst further casting details have yet to be disclosed, there have been rumours that Daisy Edgar-Jones had been tapped to play Elizabeth Bennet.

Also in news – Keanu Reeves set for ‘John Wick’ 5, animated prequel also set

The series is to be penned by ‘Everything I Know About Love’ author Dolly Alderton.

Lowden is best known for starring opposite Gary Oldman in the Apple TV+ spy series ‘Slow Horses’ for which he’s earned Emmy, Golden Globes and BAFTA TV nominations. Lowden has also appeared in period drama ‘War and Peace’ on the small screen, and features including ‘Dunkirk,...

Netflix’s upcoming “Pride and Prejudice” series adaptation may well have found its Mr. Darcy.

Variety hears that Jack Lowden is currently in talks to the play the famously aloof romantic hero, one of the literary world’s most iconic characters whose tumultuous relationship with Elizabeth Bennet is at the core of Jane Austen’s 1813 novel. Netflix wouldn’t comment on the casting news.

First unveiled last year, Netflix’s “Pride and Prejudice” series is being penned by “Everything I Know About Love” author Dolly Alderton. No casting has been formally announced, although there were early and unconfirmed rumors in the British press that Daisy Edgar-Jones had been tapped to play Elizabeth Bennet.

Best known for his lead role in the Apple TV+ spy series “Slow Horses” — for which he’s earned Emmy, Golden Globes and BAFTA TV nominations — Lowden has also appeared in period drama “War and Peace” on the small screen,...

At nearly five-and-a-half hours — further divided into five massive chapters — Julia Loktev’s “My Undesirable Friends: Part I — Last Air in Moscow” is less like typical docu-journalism, and more akin to Tolstoy’s “War and Peace.” The first volume in a two-part series about independent reporters, it lays out its twists and turns early on: At some point during its runtime, Russia will launch a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Capturing this war and its consequences was never Loktev’s intent, but the film’s evolution is a vital part of its text.

What began as a piece about Loktev’s friends and colleagues being branded “foreign agents” by the Russian state evolves in real time. It’s even forced to switch protagonists at one point, owing the mounting logistical challenges caused by the ongoing conflict. While Loktev intended to work with a professional cinematographer, she would end up shooting much...

Nicola Coughlan best known for ‘Bridgerton’ and ‘Derry Girls, roles says she can’t reveal much about her role in the ‘Doctor Who’ Christmas special for a hilarious reason. While she hasn’t been asked to keep it a secret, she admits that she was confused by the show’s plot since she had never watched it before.

Coughlan is one of the few people who hadn’t watched ‘Doctor Who’ before agreeing to appear as a guest star. In the Christmas special titled ‘Joy To The World,’ she plays a character named Joy, who meets the 15th Doctor, played by Ncuti Gatwa, after checking into a London hotel for a peaceful break. She ends up joining the Doctor on a mission to save Christmas everywhere at once.

The actress admitted on ‘The Graham Norton Show’ that she had no previous connection to the show. She explained that she didn...

Despite Nicola Coughlan playing the companion in Doctor Who's 2024 Christmas special, the actor admits that she had no experience whatsoever prior to being cast in the role. Coughlan's breakout role was in the Channel 4 historical sitcom Derry Girls as anxious teen Claire, before joining Netflix's period drama Bridgerton as the third season's romantic lead, Penelope Featherington. Set following the events of Doctor Who season 14, the Christmas special "Joy to the World" sees Ncuti Gatwa's Fifteenth Doctor travel across human history in a hotel offering rooms from throughout time and space.

Though Christmas will see Doctor Who air its 18th seasonal special, Coughlan admitted during an appearance on The Graham Norton Show (via Pa Media) that she had no prior connection to the long-running sci-fi series. Coughlan explained that she did not watch growing up in Ireland, leading to her needing to do research upon being cast.

Given that Peanuts was a long-running comic strip, all the way from 1950 to 2000, it is no surprise that Peanuts included many pop culture references, including to classic literature. From capturing the Harry Potter fervor that was present in the late '90s to referring to some of the most famous and popular children's books, Peanuts gave readers of the past and present a window into what kids were reading at the time.

Well, for the most part, as Rerun at one point refers to quite the surprising novel, which is not the most child-friendly. Regardless, Peanuts usually focuses on the qualities of their characters and their interactions with others, as well as their reactions to situations. As a result, there were not always a lot of references to things like movies, music, and books in the comic strips. However, there still were enough comic strips referencing classic books to please any bibliophile,...

Exclusive: Here are a couple of exclusive images of Inglourious Basterds star Diane Kruger in buzzy Paramount+ series Little Disasters.

Cannes Award-winning actor Kruger plays Jess in the adaptation of the Sarah Vaughan novel. When she takes her baby daughter to hospital with a head injury that she can’t explain, her close friend and on-duty A&e doctor Liz must make the excruciating decision of whether to call social services on her longtime friend. This decision sets in motion a chain of events that show how one moment can fracture and nearly destroy entire families and friendships. The show also stars Jo Joyner, Patrick Baladi (Ted Lasso), Shelley Conn, Emily Taaffe, JJ Feild, Ben Bailey Smith and Stephen Campbell Moore.

Diane Kruger and JJ Field in Little Disasters. Image: Roughcut / Paramount Global / Kristóf Galgóczi Németh

Kruger has had far more movie roles than TV but she did play Detective Sonya Cross in FX’s version of The Bridge last decade. The German actor, who broke out in 2004’s epic war film Troy, was described as an “intelligent and dynamic actress, whose sheer presence brings with it a unique quality that leaves you inspired” by Little Disasters director Eva Sigurdardottir.

“Attaching Diane allowed me to explore sides of Jess’ character in deeper ways than I had anticipated,” she added. “Little Disasters is a story of a warm and loving mother who is hiding a dark secret, and Diane navigated that character so elegantly, with relatable and warm performances, as well as truly haunting and thrilling moments.”

That relatability attracted Sigurdardottir to Little Disasters, she told us, along with a “tension and thriller engine rooted in very relatable and familiar domestic settings.”

“I am a filmmaker who is drawn to brutally real and gritty stories, and here we had a glamorous and aspirational setting, yet with a terrifying central conflict – a hurt child,” she added.

Marianna Abbotts is exec producing for Big Boys producer Roughcut TV, which has recently moved into drama. She said she “fell in love with” Vaughan’s novels after reading Anatomy of a Scandal. “Sarah often writes about professional women who are forced to make impossible decisions. At the heart of Little Disasters is a really difficult moral dilemma when one friend is forced to call social services on another,” she added.

To aid with tackling these sensitive topics, the Roughcut team worked closely with Vaughan along with multiple advisors. “We wanted to portray the issues in the book accurately and it was extremely important to get that right,” said Abbotts. “We consulted medical, police and social service advisers who guided us with accuracy and sensitivity while understanding the need to tell a dramatic story.”

Little Disasters is a six-part series for Paramount+ UK and Ireland. Ruth Fowler and Amanda Duke adapted the series for the screen with Roughcut Television EPs Ash Atalla, Alex Smith and Abbotts on board alongside Vaughan. Simon Judd EPs for Fremantle, Sigurdardottir is the director and Myf Hopkins serves as the producer. The series was commissioned by Sebastian Cardwell and Paul Testar and will premiere next year. Fremantle is handling global sales.

On Friday November 8 2024, TLC broadcasts 90 Day Fiancé: Before the 90 Days!

More to Love: War and Peace Season 7 Episode Summary

The upcoming episode of “90 Day Fiancé: Before the 90 Days,” titled “More to Love: War and Peace,” promises to be filled with emotional moments and important revelations. Niles finds himself in a tough spot as he decides to come clean to Matilda’s family. He hopes that his honesty will lead to acceptance, but the tension is high. Viewers will see how his words affect Matilda’s family and what this means for their relationship.

In another storyline, Bozo faces a difficult situation as he makes a devastating confession. This moment could change everything for him and his partner. The impact of his words will likely resonate throughout the episode, leaving viewers wondering how it will all play out.

Veah opens up to Sunny about her feelings for Rory. This...

On 90 Day Fiance: Before The 90 Days, Rayne convinces Chidi Ikpeamaeze to meet up with her, only to attack him further about his family ties. Tigerlily Taylor fights back against Adnan Abdelfattah‘s double standards but gives in to him in the end. Niles Valentine wins over Matilda‘s family. And Vanja Grbic suffers humiliation when Bozo Vrdoljak admits he’s not feeling it. Let’s unravel it all in this recap of Season 7, Episode 10 War and Peace.

90 Day Fiance: Rayne Rages at Chidi Ikpeamaeze

Rayne is optimistic that Chidi Ikpeamaeze has agreed to hang out with her on 90 Day Fiance. The couple meet at the beach. But while the sea is calming, Rayne’s mood is anything but. At first, they are flirty, even holding hands. But when Chidi defends his close relationship with his family, especially with his sister, Rayne rages. She starts yelling and pushing his hands away.

On Friday November 1 2024, TLC broadcasts 90 Day Fiancé: Before the 90 Days!

First Look: War and Peace Season 7 Episode Summary

The upcoming episode of “90 Day Fiancé: Before the 90 Days,” titled “First Look: War and Peace,” promises to bring a mix of emotions and important revelations. This episode will air on TLC, and fans can expect some intense moments as the couples navigate their relationships.

In this episode, Niles takes a brave step by coming clean to Matilda’s family. He hopes that his honesty will help them accept him. This moment is crucial, as it could change the dynamics between Niles and Matilda’s family, adding more tension to their relationship.

Meanwhile, Bozo faces a tough situation as he makes a devastating confession. This revelation could have significant implications for his relationship, leaving viewers curious about how it will affect his future with his partner.

Veah also has an emotional...

The upcoming episode of “90 Day Fiancé: Before the 90 Days,” titled “War and Peace,” promises to be filled with emotional moments and important revelations. Niles is set to face a significant challenge as he comes clean to Matilda’s family. This moment is crucial for him, as he hopes for their acceptance. The tension in the air will be palpable as viewers watch how Matilda’s family reacts to Niles’ honesty.

Meanwhile, Bozo is also ready to make a confession that could change everything. This revelation might bring new dynamics to his relationship, and fans will be eager to see how it unfolds. The emotional stakes are high, and it will be interesting to see if honesty brings them closer or creates more distance.

In another part of the world, Veah opens up to Sunny about her feelings for Rory. This heartfelt conversation could lead to a turning point in their relationship.

Charles Schulz's legendary Peanuts comic will celebrate its 75th anniversary next October, and theres no better representative of the franchise than Charlie Browns iconic dog, Snoopy. In honor of this milestone and the worlds most famous beagle exclusive Snoopy-themed merchandise will be released next month, including what might be the coolest Snoopy-inspired bag yet.

As reported by Cbr.com, the Peanuts franchise has teamed up with Loungefly, the popular fashion brand known for its stunning work with accessories like bags and wallets, to collaborate on several fashion items, including the immediately iconic, exclusive, limited-edition Snoopy Sequin Cosplay Mini Backpack.

The backpack isn't the only item in the merch drop. Other items in the collection include Peanuts-inspired tote bags, cardholders, andunsurprisinglya few dog-related items, such as a leash, collar, and harness that even Snoopy would love to wear. The collection items will be available for purchase beginning in November...

Known for her natural grace and elegant beauty, Audrey Hepburn was a fixture of many notable films throughout the 1950s and 1960s. Winning an Academy Award for Roman Holiday and starring opposite Henry Fonda and future husband Mel Ferrer in War and Peace, Audrey Hepburn established herself early on as the epitome of glamour and sophistication. In 1957, Hepburn was paired with the legendary Fred Astaire in Funny Face, a film that combined upbeat musical numbers and bold colors with a clever satire of the fashion industry.

While Funny Face is whimsical and pairs one of Hollywood's up-and-coming stars with a legendary leading man known for his roles alongside Ginger Rogers, there's also a substantial amount of depth. Funny Face, as was the case with many films of the Technicolor era, served as a focal point for current trends in fashion but also broke from the typical ways in which women...

In the early 1960s, when the Cold War was at its hottest, the Soviet Union sought to prove its might over America's most valuable commodity the movie industry by mounting the epic to end all epics: a sprawling, hugely expensive adaptation of Leo Tolstoy's War and Peace. Spurned on by the popularity of a 1956 Hollywood version starring Audrey Hepburn and Henry Fonda, the Russian government spared no expense in bringing its most famous work of literature to the screen, spending a reported $100 million on the production (making it the most expensive movie ever made at the time). Museums were raided for set dressings, military planes and explosives were provided without question, and over 15,000 Russian soldiers were used as extras to recreate the historical battles depicted in the novel.

James Bond has been played by some iconic actors, but there are plenty of other classic performers who could have easily been definitive in the role themselves. The early James Bond films established the tone and style of the series, which continues well into the 21st century. While discussions are still being held at the time of this writing over who will replace Daniel Craig in the upcoming James Bond 26 following his swan song in No Time to Die, those kinds of debates have been waged for decades.

Even looking back at the era of Sean Connery's James Bond films, several classically trained actors of the stage and screen would have made fitting additions to the franchise. Many of them were even actively considered or offered the part, but all ultimately turned it down for various reasons. Still, it's worth looking back at some of the most interesting classic...

The Scottish star talks about his forthcoming role in David Ireland’s new play in Edinburgh – and why making an Irn Bru ad counts as national service

The actor Jack Lowden, 34, is Scottish in every respect, except that he was born in England. His parents soon returned the family across the border, where he was enrolled in Scottish Youth Theatre and, at the age of 19, bagged his first major role, the lead in the National Theatre of Scotland’s 2010 revival of the Olivier award-winning Black Watch.

Lowden would go on to win an Olivier of his own, for the role of Oswald in the Almeida’s 2013 production of Ibsen’s Ghosts. Screen work followed, including a BBC adaptation of War and Peace, a Scottish Bafta-winning role in Terence Davies’s final film, Benediction, and the 2018 film Mary Queen of Scots, where he met his now-wife, the four-time Oscar-nominated Irish actor...

Polish composer Jan A.P. Kaczmarek, who won a 2004 Oscar for “Finding Neverland,” died Tuesday in Krakow, the Polish Music Foundation announced. He was 71 and had suffered from Multiple System Atrophy (Msa) in recent years.

Also among Kaczmarek’s 50-plus film and television scores, mostly from the 1990s and 2000s, were “Unfaithful,” “Bliss,” “Aimee and Jaguar,” “The Visitor” and “Get Low.” He also scored the lavish four-part French-Italian miniseries of “War and Peace” in 2007.

Kaczmarek had one of the most unusual backgrounds of any film composer of his time. Born in Konin in 1953, he was educated as a lawyer. But he abandoned a planned career as a diplomat to compose music for an experimental theater company, headed by avant-garde theater director Jerzy Grotowski, in Poznan during the 1970s.

He formed his own ensemble, the Orchestra of the Eighth Day, which toured Europe in the late 1970s and early 1980s, releasing an LP,...

Audrey Hepburn starred in 31 high-quality movies, becoming an iconic actress of Hollywood's golden age. Hepburn's impact on fashion is still felt today, with her on-screen fashion inspiring looks in movies and TV. From winning an Oscar for Roman Holiday to earning BAFTA wins and musical roles, Hepburn showcased her range and talent beautifully.

Ranked as one of the greatest female screen legends from the era of classical Hollywood cinema, Audrey Hepburn movies are still beloved classics worldwide. The British actress appeared in 31 high-quality movies during her career, and while some are better than others, they're all solid. Her impact on the fashion world was also significant, with on-screen fashion choices inspired by Audrey Hepburn showing up in movies and TV both at the time and still today.

Hepburn started as a ballerina in her early years and during World War I before starring in Roman Holiday at the age of 24, which earned her an Oscar,...

“We didn’t need dialogue. We had faces,” proclaimed former silent film queen Norma Desmond (Gloria Swanson) in Billy Wilder’s 1950 masterwork “Sunset Boulevard.” One of the greatest faces of the era belonged to French actor Albert Dieudonne who starred in Abel Gance’s breathtaking 1927 epic “Napoleon.” With this dark eyes, distinct nose and rock star style hair, Dieudonne channels the infamous French military leader and emperor who conquered most of Europe in the early 19th century until his disastrous 1812 invasion of Russia. Exiled to Elba in 1814, he emerged once again and suffered a massive defeat at Waterloo in 1815. He died in exile six years later at the age of 51.

Dieudonne commands the 5 ½ hour film restored by Kevin Brownlow which features the jaw-dropping triptych finale that is as exciting now as it was 96 years ago. BFI states that the film is “monumental and visionary, the story’s chapters play out...

Top: Napoleon (Gaumont), Middle: Bill And Ted’s Excellent Adventure (Orion Pictures), Bottom: Napoleon Bunny-Part (Warner Bros. Pictures)Graphic: The A.V. Club

Napoleon Bonaparte died on May 21, 1821, but the iconic French emperor has lived on (and on and on) in numerous movies and television shows. Esteemed director Ridley Scott, who...

When the doyen of Indian documentary filmmaking, Anand Patwardhan, who has been making films for half a century now, says casually that he has not “evolved”, it can be quite a shocker.

For someone, who has made internationally acclaimed documentaries including ‘Bombay: Our City’ (‘Hamara Shahar’) (1985), ‘In Memory of Friends’ (1990), ‘In the Name of God'(‘Ram ke Nam’) (1992),’Father, Son, and Holy War'(1995), ‘A Narmada Diary'(1995), ‘War and Peace’ (2002), ‘Jai Bhim Comrade’ (2011), and ‘Reason’,with virtually all his filmsfacing censorship, and eventually being cleared after legal action, it can be said that they are relevant even today.

“I feel like Ihavebeen saying the same thing for 50 years. Ihavemade films on different issues but theyareinterrelated and unfortunatelydogo out of date. The fact thatthey arestillrelevantcan bedepressing, as the same means that things around have not changed much. Half my life I was fighting the Congress with my art, now it is Bjp,...

When the doyen of Indian documentary filmmaking, Anand Patwardhan, who has been making films for half a century now, says casually that he has not “evolved”, it can be quite a shocker.

For someone, who has made internationally acclaimed documentaries including ‘Bombay: Our City’ (‘Hamara Shahar’) (1985), ‘In Memory of Friends’ (1990), ‘In the Name of God'(‘Ram ke Nam’) (1992),’Father, Son, and Holy War'(1995), ‘A Narmada Diary'(1995), ‘War and Peace’ (2002), ‘Jai Bhim Comrade’ (2011), and ‘Reason’,with virtually all his filmsfacing censorship, and eventually being cleared after legal action, it can be said that they are relevant even today.

“I feel like Ihavebeen saying the same thing for 50 years. Ihavemade films on different issues but theyareinterrelated and unfortunatelydogo out of date. The fact thatthey arestillrelevantcan bedepressing, as the same means that things around have not changed much. Half my life I was fighting the Congress with my art, now it is Bjp,...

The comic strip Peanuts, featuring an iconic cast of characters led by Charlie Brown, was written and drawn by Charles Schulz for nearly 50 years, and according to Robert Thompson, a professor of pop culture at Syracuse University, that makes it the longest story ever told by a single individual.

During an episode of PBS' NewsHour that aired after the passing of Peanuts creator, Charles Schulz, Professor Thompson argues that Peanuts is "arguably the longest story told by a single artist in human history." In the PBS special, entitled "So Long, Charlie Brown," he gives examples ranging from Wagner's operas to Leo Tolstoy's novels of works not as lengthy as the totality of Charlie Brown comics.

Related: 10 Most Heartwarming Peanuts Comics

Charlie Brown Beats Out War and Peace

First appearing in October 1950, the final Peanuts strip ran in February 2000, months shy of fifty years. In all, there were more than 18,250 strips.

Steven Spielberg is retooling Stanley Kubrick's unproduced Napoleon movie into a limited series for HBO, marking the second time Spielberg has brought an unmade Kubrick project to fruition. Spielberg previously finished Kubrick's A.I. Artificial Intelligence film after Kubrick's death, which was a great success at the box office and even garnered Academy Award nominations. Spielberg's previous success with A.I. suggests that his adaptation of Kubrick's Napoleon has the potential to be just as great, given Spielberg's talent and Kubrick's extensive research on the project.

Steven Spielberg is hard at work retooling Stanley Kubrick’s famously unproduced Napoleon movie into a limited series for HBO, and it’s not the first time that Spielberg has revived a Kubrick project. Spielberg has been working for a decade to reimagine Kubrick’s unmade Napoleon Bonaparte biopic as a seven-part miniseries for HBO (via Deadline). The Schindler’s List director has...

James Graham’s BBC drama Sherwood has added more than a dozen Season 2 cast members including David Harewood and Monica Dolan.

One of the BBC’s most-watched drama series last year moves to the present day for its second season. Homeland star Harewood and BAFTA-winner Dolan are joined by Robert Lindsay, Sharlene Whyte (Stephen, Small Axe), Stephen Dillane (Game of Thrones, Vigil), Ria Zmitrowicz (The Power, Three Girls), Aisling Loftus (The Midwich Cuckoos, War and Peace), Robert Emms (Andor, Chernobyl), Michael Balogun (Top Boy, The Lehman Trilogy), Christine Bottomley(Domina, Back To Life), Oliver Huntingdon (The Rising, Happy Valley) Jorden Myrie (Mood, The Strays) and Conor Deane (All Creatures Great & Small, Newark) and Bethany Asher (Wild Bill, Mobility).

Leads David Morrissey and Lesley Manville are reprising their roles and the second season is being directed by three-time BAFTA nominee Clio Barnard, with Quiz scribe Graham penning the six episodes.

German director Timm Kröger’s mystery thriller “The Universal Theory” has started shooting at the ski resort of St. Jakob in Defereggen, Austria. The film’s first image has been released.

The cast is led by Jan Bülow, who starred in “Lindenberg! Mach dein Ding,” and Olivia Ross, a Paris-born, British actress whose credits include History’s “Knightfall,” Netflix’s “The Old Guard,” and the BBC’s “War and Peace” and “Killing Eve.”

Kröger previously directed Venice Critics Week entry “The Council of Birds.” The screenplay was written by Roderick Warich (“The Trouble with Being Born”) and Kröger.

Shot in Cinemascope, in black and white, the 1960s set story unfolds against the backdrop of the Alps. Johannes, a doctor of physics, travels with his doctoral supervisor to a scientific congress in the Alps. A series of mysterious incidents occur on site. He meets his femme fatale, Karin, a jazz pianist...

When the coronavirus hit last spring, some people embraced lockdown as an opportunity to get around to doing the things they always said they’d do someday. The months-long hiatus from normal life meant there was finally time to crack the spine on that moldering copy of “War and Peace,” binge-watch the must-see TV show that had gone unseen or perhaps embrace the art of banana bread-making.

Not Tina Fey.

She spent extra time with her husband, the composer Jeff Richmond, and their two daughters. But her workload never wavered. In the past 14 months, she’s been a pandemic-era jack-of-all-trades. Want a taste of Hollywood’s new normal? Fey helped write the handbook.

While production was entirely shut down in 2020, she put finishing touches from home on “Mr. Mayor,” the NBC sitcom starring Ted Danson and Holly Hunter, and remotely filmed a “30 Rock” reunion special entirely over Zoom that aired in July.

Exclusive: Celebrated Russian filmmaker Sergei Bondarchuk, whose classic 1966 adaptation of Leo Tolstoy’s War And Peace was an Oscar and Golden Globe winner, will be the subject of a documentary telling the story of his life. He also helmed the 1970 epic Waterloo, produced by Dino De Laurentiis.

The feature comes from Art Pictures Studio, the production, sales and distribution company run by his son, the actor and filmmaker Fedor Bondarchuk. The doc is shooting in Russia, France, the UK, Italy, and Los Angeles and counts figures including Jean-Luc Godard, Martha De Laurentiis, and Katharina Kubrick as interviewees. Anton Zhelnov and Denis Kataev are directing.

The project is just one of a number being introduced by Art Pictures to buyers at the upcoming Russian Virtual Content Market, which will showcase the country’s latest productions to international distributors in an online event kicking off June 8. The event, run by national body Roskino,...

The Scarecrow of Romney Marsh

Blu ray

Disney Movie Club

1964/ 1:66 / 151 min.

Starring Patrick McGoohan, George Cole, Michael Hordern

Directed by James Neilson

One part Walt Disney, one part Patrick McGoohan – a bittersweet recipe if ever there was one. The notoriously brusque Irishman was immune to the crowd-pleasing sentimentality that shaped Disney’s empire yet he headlined two of that studio’s most appealing entertainments, The Three Lives of Thomasina and The Scarecrow of Romney Marsh. An esoteric feline fantasy and a blood and thunder adventure tale, the films couldn’t have been more unalike but McGoohan anchored them both, reveling in the contradictions of his own characters. In Thomasina he plays a veterinarian with little love for animals. In Scarecrow he’s a kindly minister who spends his evenings terrorizing the parish.

In 18th century England, a brutal age marked by despots and dissent, the Scarecrow haunts the tiny fishing port of Dymchurch.

Tony Sokol Jul 30, 2019

Western movies, and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, wouldn't have been the same without the infamous ranch owned by George Spahn.

Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon a Time in Hollywood attempts to take back stolen potential via the kind of fantasy fulfillment that's made only possible on celluloid. As with the Beatles' song "Helter Skelter," Sharon Tate, and the peace and love generation as a whole, the icons of hope in the 1960s were all tainted by mere association with Charles Manson. None of these needed to be linked to the murderous narcissist. Tate, magnificently captured Margot Robbie in the film, would have continued the rising trajectory of her film and modeling career; "Helter Skelter" would be remembered as the song that invented heavy metal, when it was just Paul McCartney trying to make as much noise on vinyl as possible; peace and Love would...

PBS remains committed to co-producing and acquiring British drama despite increased competition from digital rivals including BritBox and Acorn TV.

The public broadcaster has long been the home of scripted series from the other side of the pond but has found itself competing with more rivals in recent years, including Svod platforms and cable networks, which are increasingly co-producing series with UK networks.

But Paula Kerger, President and CEO of PBS, said that it would not back down in pursuit of the best shows from Britain. She highlighted the fact that PBS was free compared to other services.

“Drama is very important to our audience and stations. But remember, we’re free and we’re available to everyone. We feel that drama and our partnership with British drama is important. Yes, it has become more competitive and we’re working much further [ahead]… it is harder to close some of those...

Netflix has appointed former BBC Studios exec Jackie Lee-Joe as Chief Marketing Officer.

Lee-Joe will start at the online giant in September and will relocate to Los Angeles. She succeeds Kelly Bennett, who announced his retirement from the company earlier this year after seven years in the gig.

Lee-Joe joins at a crucial time given Netflix’s ambitious international growth plan, its awards push and the increasing competition from rival streaming services.

The executive has served as Cmo at UK broadcaster BBC since 2015. She joined BBC from Skype, where she was Global Director for Audience, Entertainment Marketing & Broadcast Media. Previous stops include Virgin Mobile, Carphone Warehouse and Orange.

Lee-Joe becomes the second senior BBC executive to get a top job in Hollywood in recent weeks following the news that BBC Studios Americas president Ann Sarnoff has been chosen as the new CEO of Warner Bros. As the world becomes ever-more...

Netflix may get most of the attention, but it’s hardly a one-stop shop for cinephiles who are looking to stream essential classic and contemporary films. Each of the prominent streaming platforms — and there are more of them all the time — caters to its own niche of film obsessives.

From chilling horror fare on Shudder, to the boundless wonders of the Criterion Channel, and esoteric (but unmissable) festival hits on the newly launched Ovid.tv, IndieWire’s monthly guide will highlight the best of what’s coming to every major streaming site, with an eye towards exclusive titles that may help readers decide which of these services is right for them.

Here’s the best of the best for July 2019.

Amazon Prime

Once again dumping the brunt of its film offering at the tail end of the month, Amazon Prime isn’t doing much to distinguish itself with its July...

I recently worked with one of my favorite movie poster artists, Akiko Stehrenberger, on a poster for Louis Garrel’s A Faithful Man which, with its lipstick imprints on Garrel’s face, paid accidental homage to the original poster for François Truffaut’s Stolen Kisses. It was Garrel himself who pointed this out—Akiko had never seen the Truffaut poster before and I’d forgotten it—which sent me down a rabbit hole searching for Stolen Kisses posters, of which, it turns out, there is a remarkable variety.Stolen Kisses premiered at the Avignon Film Festival on August 14, 1968 and opened in New York on March 3, 1969, almost ten years after Truffaut’s debut, The 400 Blows, had premiered at Cannes. Stolen Kisses continued the story of 400 Blows’ charming reprobate Antoine Doinel, now all grown up and working as a private detective.The original French poster, featuring an illustration of Jean-Pierre Léaud as Doinel,...

SandalwoodThe action entertainer, directed by Prakyath Gowda, stars Chirantha in the lead.Digital NativeThe Kannada movie War and Peace, starring Chirantha in the lead, is touted to be a complete action entertainer. The film’s story is based on martial arts, revolving around boxing. Apparently, the lead star will be playing a struggling boxer. Prakyath Gowda, a newbie, is wielding the megaphone for this venture. Reports indicate that the team is planning on roping in Jagapathi Babu for a pivotal role. On this, the film’s director reportedly told Cinema Express in an interview, “The production is in touch with Jagapathi Babu, who perfectly fits the role of a coach. We hope to have him on board.” Meanwhile, Jagapathi Babu is busy playing the baddie in the upcoming Darshan starrer Roberrt. The film is being helmed by Tharun Sudhir. The shooting for this film began at the Kanteerava Studio in...

Neon has released a new trailer for the upcoming music-centric drama Wild Rose, which has critics buzzing about not only the film but the lead performance of Jessie Buckley. The Irish actress had roles in War and Peace and The Woman in White, but is probably best known to audiences for her scene-stealing work in the tremendous HBO miniseries Chernobyl. Wild Rose follows a fresh-out-of-prison mother of two who pursues her dream of becoming a country music superstar, with her eyes on the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville. She’s anchored by her committed mother, …...

Jessie Buckley is having what is popularly known as A Moment, that cultural curiosity when an actor seems to appear from nowhere to star in all of the most interesting projects, all at once. In HBO’s “Chernobyl”, her performance as Lyudmilla Ignatenko, the pregnant housewife who must bear witness to the horrific radiation poisoning of her fireman husband, keeps being singled out for praise. Soon, those kudos will have to compete with the ones she received at the 2018 Toronto International Film Festival premiere of “Wild Rose,” with Buckley in the title role of convict-turned-songbird Rose-Lynn Harlan.

In truth, none of this — not the acting, nor the singing, or even the outsized acclaim — is new. The Killarney-born actress-musician shot out of the gate at age 18 when she came in second on BBC talent show “I’d Do Anything” (belting out the Judy Garland ballad “The Man That Got Away”). “Jessie...

Jessie Buckley is having what is popularly known as A Moment, that cultural curiosity when an actor seems to appear from nowhere to star in all of the most interesting projects, all at once. In HBO’s “Chernobyl”, her performance as Lyudmilla Ignatenko, the pregnant housewife who must bear witness to the horrific radiation poisoning of her fireman husband, keeps being singled out for praise. Soon, those kudos will have to compete with the ones she received at the 2018 Toronto International Film Festival premiere of “Wild Rose,” with Buckley in the title role of convict-turned-songbird Rose-Lynn Harlan.

In truth, none of this — not the acting, nor the singing, or even the outsized acclaim — is new. The Killarney-born actress-musician shot out of the gate at age 18 when she came in second on BBC talent show “I’d Do Anything” (belting out the Judy Garland ballad “The Man That Got Away”). “Jessie...

Russia is a notoriously difficult place to shoot for foreign producers.

Russia is poised to become the latest country to introduce a cash rebate scheme in an attempt to attract international feature film and TV productions to shoot in its locations, make use of the country’s film infrastructure and work with local producers.

The Russian Ministry of Economic Development and Trade has launched a consultation process and invited the opinion of the local industry. The draft resolution on the ministry’s web portal is officially titled: ‘On Approval of the Rules for Granting Subsidies from the Federal Budget to...

Cannes–Russian director Fedor Bondarchuk and his Art Pictures Studio have released the English-subbed teaser to “Attraction 2,” the sequel to Bondarchuk’s 2017 sci-fi blockbuster, which Variety has acquired exclusively.

The director behind record-breaking Russian films such as World War II epic “Stalingrad” was in Cannes this week, where he presented footage from Art Pictures’ slate of upcoming releases at an invitation-only event.

“Attraction 2” is the follow-up to the sci-fi actioner in which Moscow becomes the battleground for all-out war against an army of alien invaders. In the sequel, an alien spaceship crash lands in Moscow, and an ordinary girl gains superpowers that make her the focus of study in secret government labs. But it’s not only the humans who are interested in her new powers, and she will have to decide which side she is on.

Art Pictures Studio will release the film in Russia on Jan. 1, 2020.

Bondarchuk’s father,...

Cannes — Russian director Fedor Bondarchuk introduced four new productions from his Art Pictures Studio Saturday in Cannes, including “Attraction 2,” the sequel to his 2017 sci-fi blockbuster.

The invitation-only showcase at the Gray d’Albion hotel also unveiled footage from three new features that Bondarchuk is either directing or producing. Sci-fi thriller “Sputnik” is the story of a Russian cosmonaut who returns to earth with an alien inside him; “Ice 2” explores a tragic event that shatters the picture-perfect marriage of a top ice hockey player and a renowned figure skater; and “Fyodor Konyukhov” is an animated feature about a Russian explorer’s solo air balloon voyage around the world.

The films offered the latest evidence of Bondarchuk’s ambitions to break out of the Russian market. “Art Pictures produces films for a wide audience,” he told Variety after the presentation. The company’s global sales, he noted, have been steadily rising in recent years,...

To the strains of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” Renee Zellweger shows off her portrayal of Judy Garland in the last years of her life in the first trailer for “Judy,” which dropped Friday. The biopic comes from Pathé, BBC Films and Ingenious Media.

In the trailer, Zellweger’s Garland walks the yellow brick road, and is shown in behind-the-scenes dressing-room moments. She is also seen in London, where she gave a number of sold-out concerts at the Talk of the Town club in the late 1960s, at the end of her career. The film depicts her sometimes stormy relationships with musicians and fans, her family and her management.

The trailer closes with an excerpt of Zellweger performing and turning away from the crowd to look into the camera. Jessie Buckley (“War and Peace”), Finn Wittrock (“American Horror Story”) and Michael Gambon (“Harry Potter”) also star in “Judy.”

Rupert Goold helms the picture.

Audrey Hepburn would’ve celebrated her 90th birthday on May 4, 2019. The Oscar-winning actress only appeared in a handful of movies before her death in 1993 at the age of 63, but many of them remain classics. In honor of her birthday, let’s take a look back at 15 of her greatest films, ranked worst to best.

Hepburn was born in 1929 in Ixelles, Brussels. Her family moved to the Netherlands in 1939 after Britain declared war on Germany, and when Hitler’s army invaded in 1940, they were forced to remain for another five years. Hepburn was affected by the occupation both physically and psychologically, witnessing atrocities and suffering from malnutrition when food became scarce. (She would owe her famously slim waistline to this.)

SEEOscar Best Actress Gallery: Every Winner in Academy Award History

Once the war ended in 1945, Hepburn began ballet training in Amsterdam and started appearing as a chorus girl in several musicals after moving to London.

Audrey Hepburn would’ve celebrated her 90th birthday on May 4, 2019. The Oscar-winning actress only appeared in a handful of movies before her death in 1993 at the age of 63, but many of them remain classics. In honor of her birthday, let’s take a look back at 15 of her greatest films, ranked worst to best.

Hepburn was born in 1929 in Ixelles, Brussels. Her family moved to the Netherlands in 1939 after Britain declared war on Germany, and when Hitler’s army invaded in 1940, they were forced to remain for another five years. Hepburn was affected by the occupation both physically and psychologically, witnessing atrocities and suffering from malnutrition when food became scarce. (She would owe her famously slim waistline to this.)

Once the war ended in 1945, Hepburn began ballet training in Amsterdam and started appearing as a chorus girl in several musicals after moving to London. She popped up in small roles...

“Les Misérables” has major stones to debut on the same day and in the same timeslot as the hotly anticipated return of “Game of Thrones,” and that confidence isn’t necessarily foolish or unfounded. With its share of backstabbing, suffering, starry-eyed love, and insurrection, the Victor Hugo novel was delivering large-scale drama long before Jon Snow was even a glint in George R.R. Martin’s eye. PBS’ moving and stunning adaptation of “Les Misérables” is an engrossing treat, featuring a vibrant cast and taking its time to unspool the melodrama and offer loving looks at 19th century France.

Andrew Davies is no stranger to tackling epic tomes such as “War and Peace” and does a credible job wrestling Hugo’s nearly 2,000-page opus to the screen. Fortunately, he has six episodes to work with, which is similar to the author’s five-volume breakdown of the action. Teamed up with director Tom Shankland,...

In this entertaining if sentimental tale co-starring Julie Walters, a young Glaswegian dreams of becoming a star in Nashville

There’s a marvellous singing turn from Jessie Buckley in this movie from screenwriter Nicole Taylor and director Tom Harper about a talented young country singer and ex-convict from Glasgow called Rose-Lynn, desperate to make it to the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee. But how is she going to find money for the air fare? And who is going to look after her kids?

Buckley had already showed audiences what a great actor she is with her performance as Maria Bolkonskaya in the BBC period drama War and Peace (also directed by Harper) and in Michael Pearce’s film Beast. Now Wild Rose puts us in the picture about her wonderful singing voice. A soundtrack album for this could be a big seller.

As far as Andrew Davies is concerned, adapting Victor Hugo’s “Les Misérables” to the screen independent of Alain Boubil, Jean-Marc Natel, and Herbert Kretzmer’s juggernaut musical was nothing short of an overdue necessity. “I hated the musical,” the writer stated outright at the Television Critics Assn.’s winter press tour in February. “I just wanted to rescue this great book from [that] pathetic virago.”

Suffice it to say, his PBS Masterpiece version of “Les Misérables” does not wear its heart on its sleeve nearly as much as the musical’s bombastic numbers do. But Davies — whose considerable résumé includes adaptations of “Pride and Prejudice,” “Vanity Fair,” and “War and Peace” — nonetheless knows how to mine timeless emotion from tomes that many might dismiss as incurably dry.

This new version of “Les Misérables” comes to us in the form of a handsome, sweeping, straightforward series of six episodes. Davies and...