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Building on bullish business between Berlin’s European Film Market and the eve of this week’s Málaga Festival Spanish Screenings, Madrid-based Latido Films has unveiled a slew of several dozen deals, led by sales in major European territories of Eva Libertad’s Berlin smash “Deaf” (“Sorda”) and a U.S. pick-up on Bartosz M. Kowalski’s horror film “Night Silence.”

“Deaf’s” release in France will be handled by Paris-based Condor Distribution. Piffl Medien bought the film’s rights for Germany & Austria, while Lucky Red inked Italian rights. The U.K. & Ireland rights were acquired by Curzon, and CineArt took Benelux.

Further “Deaf” buyers include Agora in Switzerland, Outsider in Portugal, Feelgood Entertainment in Greece, Lev Cinemas in Israel and the Association of Czech Film Clubs for Czech Republic and Slovakia.

The film has also been acquired in China by Wise Media, Australia (Madman), Japan (New Select) and Indonesia...

A selection of Spanish titles being sold at the European Film Market.

“My Friend Eva,” Cesc Gay

A romantic comedy about Eva, who, after 20 years of marriage, seeks to rediscover love and passion, directed by “Truman” helmer Gay. “Cesc’s films are always highly anticipated. He’s a director who’s given us so much success in the past,” says the film’s sales agent.

S.A. Filmax

*”The Virgin of the Quarry Lake,” Laura Casabé

Set in 2001 Argentina, this film follows Natalia, who uses dark incantations to win back her love, leading to self-empowerment and a dramatic conclusion. A buzz title at last month’s Sundance market.

S.A. Filmax

*”Fury,” Gemma Blasco

A young actress, Alex, grapples with trauma and isolation after a New Year’s Eve assault. Her brother’s misguided support leads them down dark paths, while Alex finds solace in theatre. Headed to SXSW’s global program this year.

Over the last six years, thanks in the main to the SVOD revolution, Spain, once known for select auteurs – Pedro Almodóvar, J.A. Bayona, Fernando Trueba – has stepped fully onto the world stage as a European film and TV power.

Appropriately then, Spain is the Country in Focus 2025 at Berlin Festival’s European Film Market. Its movie strand says much about Spanish cinema, while Berlin, at large, points up Spain’s larger film industry challenges, shared by much of Europe.

The Focus’ biggest takeaway is Spain’s dramatic explosion of new talent, both producers and directors. In a Spain at the Forefront showcase, 10 Spanish producers making up a Producers Program will talk up their companies and current projects. Another 10 producers form part of Visitors Program at the Berlinale Co-Production Market.

Launched in 1995, Morena Films will unveil “8,” the latest from “Sex and Lucía” helmer Julio Medem. Avalon, producer of Berlin Golden Bear winner “Alcarràs,...

Firmly established as one of Europe’s biggest dedicated showcases for movies from Latin America, Spain and Portugal, Huelva Ibero-American Film Festival celebrates its 50th edition with a bang, with a high-caliber main Competition, a new showcase on Spain. Following, some highlights and trends at this year’s festival, which runs Nov. 15-23.

Paz Vega: A Director is Born

Paz Vega will accept at Huelva a Premio Luz at this year’s opening ceremony. It comes at an opportune time. Known to date as a performer – star of Adam Sandler comedy “Spanglish” and Julio Medem’s carnal physiological odyssey “Sex and Lucia” – Vega has just bowed her first feature, the heavily autobiographical “Rita,” to upbeat reviews. Major plaudits to not only the central performance of the eponymous Rita, a loveable seven year-old moppet growing up in 1984 working class Seville, but Vega’s helming. “Rita’ is shot with an exquisite taste for light,...

The Seville European Film Festival kicks off tonight in the Andalusian capital city. So, we’ve scoured this year’s program to pick ten titles that show off the selection’s breadth and quality.

“The Girl With the Needle” Magnus von Horn (Denmark)

Denmark’s submission to the International Feature race unspools in the years after World War II and follows Karoline, an out-of-work young pregnant woman who meets Dagmar, a woman who runs a clandestine adoption agency. Karoline works as a wet nurse for the agency before learning the shocking truth about the organization. An “extraordinary and upsetting film,” according to its glowing Variety review.

“Flow” Gints Zilbalodis (Latvia)

One of the year’s best-received animated features and Latvia’s Oscars submission, “Flow” heads to Seville as one of the strongest indie contenders for an animated feature nomination. In the wordless film, a small group of animals on a...

Chicago – On Wednesday, October 17th, the 2024 60th Chicago International Film Festival screened “Rita,” a whole-hearted exploration of how parental discord and abuae affects children. The film was the directorial debut of actor Paz Vega (“Sex and Lucia”) and she spent seven years getting it to the screen. The festival runs through October 27th.

During the remaining days of the Festival, besides screening the best in U.S. and international films, there are various sub categories that spotlight different film presentations, special industry gatherings, the conveniently located/parking friendly AMC New City in Chicago as the hub for the festival, and of course filmmaker appearances, film Q&As and red carpet happenings.

Paz Vega at 60th Ciff

Photo credit: Joe Arce of Starstruck Foto for HollywoodChicago.com

Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com talked to Paz Vega about her commitment to getting the story to the screen …

The 60th Chicago International Film...

Spanish actress and director Paz Vega (Spanglish, Sex and Lucia, Rambo: Last Blood, The Oa, Netflix heist drama Kaleidoscope), who wrote and stepped behind the camera for her directorial debut Rita, which world premiered during the 77th edition of the Locarno Film Festival this summer, enjoys writing and directing, adding another layer to her creative endeavors. And she thinks more actors should feel empowered to direct.

She made the comments during a Tuesday keynote interview at the Iberseries & Platino Industria conference and market in Madrid that was titled “Changing Roles: Paz Vega and Her Transition From the Art of Acting to the Art of Directing.” She recently said in a THR interview that Billy Wilder, Francis Ford Coppola, and Federico Fellini were among her role models.

Vega wrote, directed and executive produced Rita and also plays a small part in it. “In some way, I had the idea to become...

You may have enjoyed Spanish actress Paz Vega‘s performances on the big screen in Spanglish, Sex and Lucia, Acts of Vengeance, or Rambo: Last Blood, among others. Or you may have seen her in such TV series as The Oa or Netflix heist drama Kaleidoscope.

Now, she has written and stepped behind the camera for her directorial debut Rita, which celebrated its world premiere on Friday evening during the 77th edition of the Locarno Film Festival on the Swiss town’s picturesque Piazza Grande. Plus, she plays the mother in the movie. The cast also includes Sofía Allepuz, Alejandro Escamilla, and Roberto Álamo.

“Seville, summer of 1984. Rita and Lolo are brother and sister, seven and five years old, and live at the heart of a humble working-class family,” reads the film’s plot description. “Rita dreams of going to the beach, but at home, her father’s word is law,...

Screen can reveal the first trailer for Paz Vega’s feature directing debut Rita, ahead of its world premiere at Locarno Film Festival’s Piazza Grande on August 16.

Spanish actress Vega’s credits include Sex And Lucia, Talk To Her, and international titles Spanglish and Ridley Scott-produced series Netflix Kaleidoscope.

The Spain-set drama follows a seven-year-old girl and her five-year-old brother as the whole country goes crazy as Spain reach the quarter finals of the 1984 European football championships.

Vega stars alongside Roberto Álamo (a Goyas best actor winner for Rodrigo Sorogoyen’s May God Save Us), and child actors Sofia Allepuz,...

Write about what you know, the old adage runs. In “Rita,” her debut as a writer-director-producer, Spain’s Paz Vega has certainly taken that to heart. Years before breaking out with 2001’s “Sex and Lucia,” then starring opposite Adam Sandler in 2004’s “Spanglish,” Vega grew up in Triana, a district of Seville, in Spain’s Andalusia.

Set in 1984 in an unpretentious part of Vega’s native city, “Rita” co-stars Paz, one of Spain’s best-known faces in international cinema, but it’s a literally self-effacing turn. Although she plays Rita’s mother Mari, and she’s present in multiple scenes, her face is not seen until minute 14 of the film. The focus is on Rita, 7, just one year younger than Vega in real-life in 1984, and her little brother, Lolo, 5.

This is for the most part, or the earlier part of the “Rita,” a nostalgic recreation of Paz’s childhood whose...

New films from well-known auteurs such as Hong Sang-soo, Wang Bing and Ben Rivers will compete for the Golden Leopard against potential discoveries by newcomers and lesser known helmers in a competition that Locarno Film Festival artistic director Giona A. Nazzaro has called “a mosaic that reflects the multiple forms of contemporary cinema.”

Interestingly, all of the four first works in the 17-title competition are directed by women.

Nazzaro spoke to Variety about his choices for what looks like his most ambitious edition.

Talk to me about your opener, Italian director Gianluca Iodice’s “Le déluge” on the last days of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette before their execution, with France’s Mélanie Laurent and Guillaume Canet, who will be honored.

That was a no-brainer. It’s a hotly anticipated film, the second work of an Italian director who made a strong debut with a very personal and powerful film about [Italian protofascist poet] Gabriele d’Annunzio.

Una carta de amor a la valentía de la inocencia. © Filmax

La película “Rita”, ópera prima de Paz Vega, ha sido seleccionada para participar en el 77º Festival de Cine de Locarno, donde tendrá su estreno mundial.

“Rita” está ambientada en Sevilla, en junio de 1984. Rita y Lolo son dos hermanos de 7 y 5 años, hijos de una sencilla familia obrera. Comienzan las vacaciones de verano y el país entero está revolucionado con la Eurocopa de fútbol, donde España ha pasado a los cuartos de final. El calor aprieta y Rita sueña con ir a la playa, pero la vida en el barrio le tiene reservadas otras sorpresas…

La película está protagonizada por un elenco de actores en su mayoría andaluces, entre los que se encuentran los niños Sofía Allepuz, Alejandro Escamilla y Daniel Navarro, acompañados de Paz Vega (“Lucía y el Sexo”), Roberto Álamo (“Que Dios nos Perdone”), Paz de Alarcón...

Conoce todos los detalles de la miniserie basada en un crimen real que conmocionó a España. © Netflix

Netflix ha desvelado el impactante tráiler y póster de “El Caso Asunta”, la miniserie de ficción que aborda un crimen real que conmocionó a España.

El 21 de septiembre de 2013, Rosario Porto y Alfonso Basterra denuncian la desaparición de su hija Asunta, cuyo cuerpo aparece horas después junto a una carretera en las afueras de Santiago de Compostela. La investigación policial pronto desvela pistas que señalan a Rosario y Alfonso como posibles autores del crimen. La noticia conmociona a toda la ciudad e incluso al país. ¿Qué puede llevar a unos padres a acabar con la vida de su hija? ¿Qué se esconde tras la fachada de una familia perfecta?

La miniserie de 6 episodios está dirigida por Carlos Sedes (“Fariña”) y Jacobo Martínez, producida por Bambú Producciones y protagonizada por Candela Peña (“Todo sobre mi Madre...

Madrid-based sales outlet Latido Films has unveiled sales on key titles from its European Film Market and Malaga Film Festival (March 1-10) slates.

Beginning with films in pre-production, Jim Sheridan and David Merriman’s true crime courtroom docu-drama Re-creation starring Vicky Krieps has secured pre-sales for Greece (Spentzos) and Portugal (Outsider). The film sees a fictional jury assess the real-life unsolved murder of French TV producer Sophie Toscan du Plantier, who was found dead at her Ireland holiday home in 1996.

Spy thriller Raqqa from Oscar-winning producer-director Gerardo Herrero has pre-sold to the Middle East (Empire). Herrero’s previous feature, Under Therapy,...

Germany’s Beta Film (“Babylon Berlin”) sets its sights on the Croisette for the world premiere of Dutch Royal drama “Máxima,” selected to screen out-of-competition at Canneseries on April 9. In tow, Delfina Chaves (“The Secret of the Greco Family”), who portrays the titular character in the series that Variety recently likened to Emmy-Award-Winning Netflix Drama “The Crown.”

Teased at last month’s London TV Screenings, the six-part drama series unravels the love story between then Dutch Crown Prince Willem-Alexander (Martijn Lakemeier) and his enigmatic Argentine love interest, Máxima, who goes on to become Queen, at his side.

Her future fraught with whispers of her father’s political connection to Argentina’s brutal dictatorship, she’s tasked with circumventing harsh truths to remain faithful to her destiny in the narrative that follows her through her formative years.

“You don’t have to know Máxima and the Dutch royal family to enjoy the show.

Germany’s Beta Film is introducing at the London TV Screenings the first episode of “Maxima,” a six-part drama about the love story between future Queen Maxima of the Netherlands and the then Dutch Crown Prince Willem-Alexander. The series is produced by Millstreet Films “The Neighbors”), with Videoland (Rtl Netherlands) holding Dutch broadcasting rights.

“Maxima” is adapted from the biography written by Dutch journalist Marcia Luyten in celebration of the Queen’s 50th birthday and focuses mainly on how the political background of Maxima’s father interfered with her very public engagement to the Crown Prince. Speaking to Variety ahead of the London TV Screenings, Justus Riesenkampff, EVP Nordics & Benelux at Beta Film, said “Maxima” was “especially appealing because royal stories resonate well.”

“It’s the second TV series made about a living royal — we couldn’t think of any other than ‘The Crown.’ And we have a lot of...

Baz Luhrmann will preside over the jury for the third edition of the festival

The Red Sea International Film Festival has revealed a starry line-up of juries and honorary awardees ahead of the launch of its third edition in Jeddah on Thursday.

The jury for the main feature film competition will comprise Suicide Squad star Joel Kinnaman, Bafta-nominated actor Freida Pinto, Egyptian Grand Hotel star Amina Khalil, and Spanish actor Paz Vega, known for Sex And Lucía and The Oa. As previously announced, Elvis director Baz Luhrmann will preside over the jury.

The festival in Saudi Arabia, which is set...

Diane Kruger, Bollywood star Ranveer Singh and Saudi actor-writer Abdullah Al-Sadhan are set to receive career honors at Saudi Arabia’s upcoming Red Sea International Film Festival, which has also announced its full jury roster.

Joining Baz Luhrmann, who is presiding over the main Red Sea jury, are Swedish-American actor Joel Kinnaman (“Suicide Squad”); Freida Pinto (“Slumdog Millionaire”); Egyptian actor Amina Khalil; (“Grand Hotel”) and Spain’s Paz Vega.

Meanwhile, Turkish-German director Fatih Akin, who directed Kruger in “In The Fade,” will be on the fest’s shorts competition jury alongside Saudi writer and film critic Hana Alomair, who is behind the Netflix Saudi Arabian original “Whispers,” and French-Moroccan actor Assad Bouab (“Call My Agent”).

Dubai-based Iraqi director Yasir Al-Yasiri’s “Hwjn” has been chosen as the opening film of Saudi Arabia’s upcoming Red Sea International Film Festival.

The fest’s third edition is set to kick off Nov.

Germany’s Rtl has acquired royal drama “Maxima” from Beta Film. The show follows the life of Argentinian born Maxima Zorreguieta, who later became Queen Maxima of the Netherlands.

The first six-hour season of the show has just wrapped shooting. Several additional territories are in negotiations. A sneak preview of “Maxima” will be presented at Mipcom in Cannes. The series is produced by Millstreet Films and was commissioned by Rtl Netherlands’ Ott service Videoland.

Shot in New York, Spain, the Netherlands, and Belgium over the course of the summer, the series features a stellar cast: Maxima is portrayed by Argentinian actress Delfina Chaves (“The Secret of the Greco Family”), and Crown Prince Willem-Alexander by Martijn Lakemeier (“The East”). German star actor Sebastian Koch takes on the role of Claus von Amsberg, Willem-Alexander’s father, and Elsie de Brauw (“The Death of My Mother”) stars as Queen Beatrix. Valeria Alonso (“Tell Me Who I Am...

Mubi has announced its lineup of streaming offerings for next month, including the exclusive streaming premiere of Lars von Trier’s The Idiots in a new 4K restoration, Céline Devaux’s anti-romcom Everybody Loves Jeanne, and Tyler Taormina’s Happer’s Comet.

Additional selections include three films by Wong Kar Wai, a Robert Altman double feature, four works by Jacques Rivette, plus shorts by Mia Hansen-Løve and Yorgos Lanthimos.

Check out the lineup below and get 30 days free here.

July 1 – Synecdoche, New York, directed by Charlie Kaufman

July 2 – 2046, directed by Wong Kar Wai | As Time Goes By: Three by Wong Kar Wai

July 3 – The Exiles, directed by Kent MacKenzie

July 4 – Ivansxtc, directed by Bernard Rose

July 5 – Un Pur Esprit, directed by Mia Hansen-Løve | Short Films Big Names

July 6 – Contemporary Color, directed by Bill Ross IV, Turner Ross | Turn It Up: Music on Film

July 7 – The Idiots, directed by Lars von Trier...

Coming of age drama is currently in production.

Spanish sales company Filmax has boarded coming of age drama Rita, the directorial debut of leading Spanish actress Paz Vega, which is currently in production.

Rita is produced by Marta Velasco and Gonzalo Bendala at Aralan Films in association with Oda Films, with the participation of Andalusian pubcaster Canal Sur Radio y Televisión.

The film follows 7-year Rita and her 5-year old brother Lolo from a working class family as the whole country goes crazy over the European football championships, with Spain in the quarter-finals.

“The project is touching. We loved it...

Off the heels of a world premiere at the Karlovy Vary Film Festival, where he scooped the Proxima Special Jury Prize, writer-director Eduardo Casanova arrives in Montreal to screen his latest feature “La Piedad” (“La Pietà”) as part of the Queer Genre Cinema Spotlight at Fantasia. The screening marks its North American debut.

The film offers a delightfully bizarre peek into the lives of manic and obsessive Libertad (Ángela Molina), a mother with an insatiable desire to be needed, and her son, Mateo (Manel Llunell), who warily leans into her toxic trappings as the pair become increasingly entwined.

A personal story unfurls in tandem with a poignant subplot that likens their familial relationship to that of a populace and its dictator, showing that those in control of a mere few can use propaganda just as readily as a sadistic leader to manipulate their wards into submission.

“The syndrome I worked from was Munchausen By Proxy,...

Exclusive: Irish filmmaker Alexandra McGuinness (She’s Missing) has set the film Lucia, about James Joyce’s daughter of the same name, as her next project, with Esme Creed-Miles (Amazon’s Hanna) signing on to star.

Lucia is billed as a dance drama with genre elements, with the story beginning in 1932 Paris. Lucia Joyce (Creed-Miles) is a brilliant modern dancer but lives in the shadow of her famous father, James Joyce. Determined to be recognized as an artist and person in her own right, she sets out to create the greatest and most original dance in the world. But can she do so without losing her mind?

McGuiness and her frequent collaborator Antonia Campbell-Hughes wrote the script. Conor Barry is producing for Savage Productions, with John Lang for Super Bloom Films. Screen Island provided development financing, with the Creative Europe Programme – Media of the European Union offering additional support, and Des Hamilton handling casting.

Lucia is McGuinness’ third feature film. She previously directed She’s Missing, starring Eiza González, Josh Hartnett and Lucy Fry, which was released in 2019, and Lotus Eaters, starring Campbell-Hughes and Johnny Flynn, which premiered at Tribeca in 2011.

Miles is an English actress best known for her portrayal of the title character in Amazon’s Hanna, who will next feature in Travis Beacham’s podcast series Impact Winter and Amazon’s animated series, The Legend of Vox Machina.

Barry has two films premiering at SXSW: Campbell-Hughes’ directorial debut It Is In Us All, starring Cosmo Jarvis, and Brendan Muldowney’s horror pic The Cellar. Lang’s most recent producorial effort, Spree, directed by Eugene Kotlyarenko and starring Joe Keery, premiered at Sundance in 2020.

McGuinness is represented by Neon Kite and Hansen, Jacobson, Teller; Creed-Miles by Conway van Gelder Grant (UK), WME and Sloane, Offer, Weber & Dern; and Campbell-Hughes by United Agents (UK) and attorneys Jodi Peikoff and Michael H. Mahan.

Appropriately enough given the show’s enigmatic nature, the slow drip of information about a second season of Spanish genre legend Alex de la Iglesia’s occult horror series “30 Coins” has, for the most part, been cryptic at best. That tradition continued Friday, after HBO Max confirmed the second season, when “Money Heist’s” Najwa Nimri, one of Spain’s biggest film and TV stars, teased her participation in the upcoming season.

Apart from the show’s three leads – Eduard Fernández as Father Vergara, Megan Montaner as veterinarian-turned-demon-hunter Elena and Miguel Ángel Silvestre as Mayor Paco – no other casting has yet been confirmed, but Nimri posted an Instagram story which included part of the Season 2 teaser and the phrase: “We start a new adventure,” while also tweeting #30Monedas – the show’s Spanish-language title.

#30Monedas

— najwa (@Najwa_Nimri) February 11, 2022

In response, Pokeepsie Films, De La Iglesia’s production company which produces the show,...

Chicago – Elena Anaya has had an adventure in her career of over 50 films … from the role of Dracula’s Bride in “Van Helsing” to notable work with director Pedro Almodóvar in “The Skin I Live In,” and up to her current role as Dr. Jo Rojas in “Rifkin’s Festival,” she has embraced the journey with a grateful enthusiasm.

“Rifkin’s Festival” – written and directed by Woody Allen – features Wallace Shawn as Mort Rifkin, a struggling novelist who used to be a film studies professor. Through his academia he met and married Sue (Gina Gershon), a movie publicist who saw potential in his literary pursuit. But the ex-professor doesn’t like modern cinema, and distracts himself at a film festival he’s attending with his wife by pursuing a local cardiologist, portrayed by Elena Anaya, and creating dreams and fantasies from his film heroes.

Wallace Shawn and Elena Anaya in ‘Rifkin’s...

Since the 1980s Alberto Iglesias has created beautiful, thrilling music for the screen working broadly throughout his native Spain and Hollywood and with a versatile array of directors and genres—underpinned by his iconic collaborations with Pedro Almodóvar. Iglesias' film suites are fashioned with lucious jazz and emotive orchestral poetry. He beautifully balances the tension of theatrical melodrama with voyages into memory and the vibrancy of inner-city life, with its sophisticated glamour and debauched underbellies. This mix provides a healthy dose of Iglesias collaborations with Almodóvar, from their early years with films such as The Flower of My Secret (1995) and Live Flesh (1997) to this year’s Parallel Mothers and The Human Voice (where Igelsias’s key focus was to riff on his Almodóvar themes of the past). Julio Medem’s Sex and Lucia (2001) defines the 2000s moment of contemporary Spanish cinema’s bursts on the global sphere, soundtracked by that early millenium “Igelsias” sound.

Benjamín Mirguet’s “Alfredo Larón,” Niles Atallah’s “Celestial Twins” and Silvina Schnicer’s “The Cottage” feature among 16 projects to be presented at Ventana Sur’s 4th Proyecta co-production forum, a wide-ranging showcase of emerging auteurs and new talents to track from Latin America and Europe.

“Alfredo Larón,” for example, marks the feature debut of Mirguet, the editor of Carlos Reygadas’ “Battle in Heaven,” and also a former Cannes Directors’ Fortnight programmer. Its action takes in a 17-year-old Larón syndrome sufferer’s battle for legal compensation from the Ecuador government and, in a turn of fortune, his happy high-school days in Germany.

Atallah caught attention with “Lucia” at San Sebastián’s 2009 Films In Progress, but all the more for 2017 Rotterdam Tiger Award Special Mention winner “Rey,” edited, as it happens, by Mirguet. A vision of the delirious Orllie-Antoine de Tonnens, who proclaimed himself King of Patagonia in 1860, “Rey” was shot...

Madrid-based Zeta Studios, producer of Netflix mega hit “Elite,” has boarded Guadalajara Intl. Film Festival honoree Julio Medem’s first foray into television, “Jai Alai.” It joins L.A. and Mexico City-based Panamericana Pictures, led by Mexican producer Eva Ruiz de Chavez, who had developed the show with Medem.

Expressing excitement at their first project with Zeta Studios, Ruiz de Chávez said: “It is becoming an international multi-language project just as Julio and I envisioned from the beginning.” “[Zeta Studios CEO] Antonio Asensio has been the perfect partner and I know this will be the beginning of many projects between Zeta and Panamericana Pictures.”

“ ‘Jai Alai’ is a great international production that comes to us through our co-producer, Panamericana, with whom we are very happy to work with hand in hand,” said Asensio, who added: “It is the first series that Julio Medem will address as a screenwriter and director, whose work and career we greatly admire.

The Guadalajara Film Festival (Ficg) will close this October’s rescheduled in-person festival with the first two episodes of Netflix’s animated event series “Maya and the Three” from daytime Emmy-winning director Jorge Gutierrez.

“Having ‘Maya’ premier at my beloved Ficg, in the capital of Mexican animation, is a dream come true!” Gutierrez told Variety after the announcement was made.

Ficg released details outlining the full program for this year’s 36th edition, which also includes a special screening of Dennis Villeneuve’s “Dune” at the festival’s opening ceremony. Other major takeaways include the awarding of this year’s El Mayahuel de Plata to Mexican Cinema, the highest award given out by the festival, to the illustrious Mexican actor Elsa Aguirre, a figurehead of the country’s golden age of cinema.

Other announced honors include the Golden Mayahuel for contribution Ibero-American cinema to Spanish director Julio Medem, who will...

SandalwoodTouted to be a psychological drama thriller, ‘Dvitva’ is bankrolled by producer Vijay Kiragandur under the Hombale Films banner.Tnm StaffPTI/ FacebookActor Trisha has been roped in to star opposite Sandalwood star Puneeth Rajkumar in the upcoming Kannada movie Dvitva. Sharing the news with fans, Hombale Films, the production banner bankrolling the movie, wrote: “The leading lady of #Dvitva is here. We welcome the talented @trishtrashers on board.” The team shared a monochrome photo of Trisha as a collage, similar to the film’s earlier poster, suggesting that the theme is likely to be connected to a puzzle. The film is helmed by director Pawan Kumar, who is best known for films such as Lucia and U Turn. Touted to be a psychological drama thriller, Dvitva is bankrolled by producer Vijay Kiragandur, under the banner of Hombale Films. On July 1, the title and first look poster featuring Puneeth Rajkumar was unveiled by the makers.

OTTThe web series is directed by ‘U Turn' and ‘Lucia’ fame filmmaker Pawan Kumar. Tnm StaffScreengrab/ YouTubeThe makers of the upcoming Telugu web series, Kudi Yedamaithe, launched the trailer online on Wednesday, July 14. The web series is directed by U Turn and Lucia fame filmmaker Pawan Kumar. The film stars Amala Paul and Rahul Vijay in lead roles. Aha Video, the Telugu Over-The-Top (Ott) platform, will stream the series from July 16. Sharing the trailer, Aha Video, wrote, “Meeru expect cheyyani twistlu, kavalanukune thrills, anni kalipi oka full meals lanti package.” Launching the trailer, the streaming service company said that the series will premier on July 16 (Friday). The film revolves around the lives of a no-nonsense cop (Amala Paul) and a delivery boy (Rahul Vijay). Both characters, according to the trailer, believe they are stuck in a time loop. They go about doing their day-to-day activities of working on a...

OTTThe web-series is directed by ‘U Turn’ and ‘Lucia’ fame director Pawan Kumar. Tnm StaffScreengrab/ YouTubeThe makers of upcoming Telugu web series, Kudi Yedamaithe, starring Amala Paul in the lead, treated fans with the teaser of the series on July 3. Sharing the teaser, Amala Paul wrote, “You're going to be hooked on this one! Can't wait for you all to watch this unmissable sci-fi crime thriller on @ahavideoIN.” The series is created by Ram Vignesh and directed by U Turn and Lucia fame director Pawan Kumar. Amala Paul will be seen as a no-nonsense cop while Rahul Vijay will be playing the role of a delivery boy. The teaser opens with a character asking, “Have you ever felt like the events in your life were repeating themselves?” What follows is a series of shots that parallelly tracks the lives of a delivery boy (played by Rahul Vijay) and a cop...

SandalwoodTouted to be a psychological drama thriller, ‘Dvitva’ is bankrolled by Hombale Films. Tnm StaffThe title and poster from Sandalwood star Puneeth Rajkumar’s upcoming movie with production house Hombale Films were unveiled on Thursday. Titled Dvitva, the graphic first look poster of the psychological thriller features actor Puneeth Rajkumar. Covered in crimson red against a dark blue backdrop, the poster features actor Puneeth’s face broken into different pieces, suggesting that the theme is likely to be connected to a puzzle. The poster sets the tone for an intriguing thriller. The film is helmed by director Pawan Kumar, who is best-known for films such as Lucia and U Turn, while it is bankrolled by producer Kiragandur, under the banner of Hombale Films. Unveiling the title along with a graphic poster, production house Hombale Films wrote, “We bring forward . A unique Psychological Drama Thriller starring@PuneethRajkumar, directed by @Pawanfilms.” Speaking about the project,...

Mexico-us co-production is the latest feature from the Venezuelan director of ‘From Afar’.

Leading German sales firm The Match Factory has secured world sales rights to Lorenzo Vigas’ anticipated drama The Box.

The Mexico-us co-production marks the second narrative feature from the Venezuelan writer/director, whose romantic drama From Afar won the Golden Lion at Venice Film Festival in 2015, making him the first Latin American filmmaker to win the coveted award.

Vigas’ latest centres on a teenager named Hatzin from Mexico City, who travels to collect the remains of his father, which have been found in a communal grave in the northern part of Mexico.

Arclight Films’ Chasing Wonders has locked North American distribution with Gravitas on its coming of age film, Chasing Wonders directed by Paul Meins. A theatrical and on-demand release is scheduled for June 4. Arclight is handling global sales for the pic.

Set in the lush wine country landscapes of Australia and Spain, the heart-warming tale follows 12-year-old Savino, who, encouraged by his maternal grandfather to live a life of hope and possibility, takes off on the adventure of a lifetime to find the magical Emu Plains. His journey leads him to the heart of the human condition – learning to understand our parents’ past but not to be defined by it.

The pic stars Paz Vega, Oscar nominee Edward James Olmos, Quim Gutierrez, Carmen Maura, Goya award-winner Antonio de la Torre, Australia’s Jessica Marais, and making his feature film debut, Michael Crisafulli as Savino.

Australian award-winning screenwriter Judy Morris wrote the screenplay, which was shot over a five-year period.

Chasing Wonders made its World Premiere at the Adelaide Film Festival last year and has been selected for the Gold Coast Film Festival, where it will screen on April 18 and 22.

“Chasing Wonders is an uplifting story of familial love and loss and a powerful exploration of the path to understanding and acceptance. This heartwarming film with top international stars and spectacular landscapes is exactly what audiences yearn for. We are thrilled to have our longtime trusted partners at Gravitas Ventures bringing the film to North American audiences and are certain that their team will make this beautiful film shine bright,” said Arclight Films Chairman Gary Hamilton.

“With an ensemble that includes veteran screen icons alongside exciting new talent, the filmmakers craft an inspiring coming of age story on a canvas of breathtaking vistas across multiple continents. We look forward to North American audiences taking the journey,” said Tony Piantedosi, VP of Acquisitions at Gravitas Ventures.

Hianlo Films presents Chasing Wonders in association with the South Australian Film Corporation, a Met Film and Sla Films production. Anna Vincent (I Am Mother), Stewart Le Marechal (Swimming With Men), Anna Mohr-Pietsch (Swimming With Men), Hilton Nathanson, and Louise Nathanson are producers. Jonny Persey (The Mercy) and Timothy White are EPs.

Program Description

For the first time in its 37-year history, the Rambo series is coming home as a complete SteelBook® set – with original art by some of today’s most celebrated illustrators! Rambo: The Complete SteelBook Collection arrives on 4K Ultra Hdtm October 27 from Lionsgate. This definitive collector’s edition of the legendary series features five uniquely designed SteelBooks by celebrated artists Justin Erickson, Ken Taylor, Grzegorz Domaradzki, Vance Kelly, and John Guydo, housed in a custom SteelBook case. It’s a must-have for Rambo fans! Starring Academy Award® nominee Sylvester Stallone, the collection features all five action-packed Rambo films including First Blood, Rambo: First Blood Part II, Rambo III, Rambo, and Rambo: Last Blood. Rambo: The Complete SteelBook Collection will be available on 4K Ultra HD for the suggested retail price of $119.99.

Official Synopsis

Since its debut nearly four decades ago, the Rambo series starring Sylvester Stallone has become...

Exclusive: MGM International TV is developing Tacowood, a comedy series headlined and produced by Spanglish star Paz Vega.

Based on an original idea by Spanish writer-producer-director Frank Ariza (Dreamland), Tacowood is a modern-day comedy that follows Guada (Vega), a 40-year-old single mother who spends her days running her family’s taco truck business in the outskirts of Mexico City as she embarks on the journey of a lifetime with her mother and 10-year-old daughter to pursue her dream of becoming a Hollywood actress.

MGM International TV will produce and distribute the project, which will be taken out shortly.

“Good ideas married with good talent knows no borders today,” said Diego Piasek, Svp International Development at MGM International TV. “As a first-generation immigrant myself, I’m so proud that MGM is supporting the new voices of our generation.”

Launched last year, MGM International TV is ramping up in key markets like UK,...

Film analysisBoth the films trace the journey of a flawed male protagonist but the treatment is very different.Vinay Kumar VThe Kannada film industry has been around for 85 years. In the last eight decades, the industry has notched up numerous achievements, won critical acclaim, and received awards from across the world. But, it began to slowly wither and crumble since the 2000s. The industry’s fall was marked by a decline in the quality of movies made, money invested, and the number of screens playing Kannada movies also shrank. But then, things changed a little somewhere in the middle of the last decade. The 2006 hit Mungaru Male brought the Kannada audience back to theatres in large numbers. In 2013, India’s nomination for the Academy Awards was the Kannada movie Lucia, and a steady but shaky growth was noticeable. In 2016, to borrow Nisha Susan’s words, Kannada cinema was “having something...

Madrid — New movies from recent San Sebastian Golden Shell winners – Carlos Vermut’s “Quién te cantará” and Isaki Lacuesta’s “Entre dos aguas” – will screen in main competition this year along with Iciar Bollaín’s “Yuli” and Rodrigo Sorogoyen’s “The Realm.”

Announcing the complete line-up of Spanish films at San Sebastian in Madrid on Friday, San Sebastian director José Luis Rebordinos also confirmed that Enrique Urbizu’s “Giants,” one of the most-awaited of upcoming Movistar + original series, will world premiere out of competition at the Spanish festival, the highest-profile in the Spanish-speaking world.

An explosive mix of downbeat social realism, notable style, darker psychological portraits and edgy and varying genre beats has turned Carlos Vermut (“Magical Girl”) into one of Spain’s most courted young filmmakers. A female-centric melodrama, produced by Enrique Lopez-Lavigne’s Apache Films and sold by Film Factory Entertainment, “Quién te cantará” stars Najwa Nimri (“Sex and Lucia...

This year, a record 928 people were invited to join the motion picture academy and will be eligible to vote for the 2019 Oscars. Compare this intake to the totals of the previous four years: 774 in 2017; 683 in 2016; 322 in 2015; and 271 in 2014.

While Academy Awards nominees are automatically eligible for consideration, the rest of the candidates must go through a fairly cumbersome process. A candidate must meet certain branch specific requirements before even being eligible.

For example, actors must “have a minimum of three theatrical feature film credits, in all of which the roles played were scripted roles, one of which was released in the past five years, and all of which are of a caliber that reflect the high standards of the Academy.” For writers, directors and producers they need have just two of these credits.

The executive committee of the branch must endorse the application before forwarding it to the Board of Governors for final approval.

In an astonishing move to swell the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences membership ranks, a record 928 artists and executives from 59 countries have been invited to join this year. The branches have increasingly actively sought eligible people to become Academy members, but the Board of Governors makes the final call; this year, they did not invite Kobe Bryant although he won an Oscar for animated short “Dear Basketball.”

Clearly, people of color (38 percent) and women (49 percent) are among the many invites, as the Academy continues to address its long-term white-male dominance. As always, actors make up the largest branch of the Academy, but many new members also come from overseas.

In 2017, the Academy invited 744 new members.

Seventeen Oscar winners are among the new invited members (Melissa Etheridge) and 92 Oscar nominees. Nine of the 17 branches invited more women than men. The percentage of women in the Academy has risen from...

In an astonishing move to swell the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences membership ranks, a record 928 artists and executives from 59 countries have been invited to join this year. The branches have increasingly actively sought eligible people to invite to join the Academy, but the Board of Governors makes the final call; this year, they did not invite Kobe Bryant to join although he won an Oscar for animated short “Dear Basketball.”

Clearly, people of color (38 percent) and women (49 percent) are among the many invites, as the Academy continues to address its long-term white-male dominance. As always, actors make up the largest branch of the Academy, but many new members also come from overseas.

In 2017, the Academy invited 744 new members.

Seventeen Oscar winners are among the new members and 92 Oscar nominees. Nine of the 17 branches invited more women than men. The percentage of women in the Academy has risen...

The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences is out with its 2018 list of invitations for membership. Here is the list of the record 928 folks from 59 countries. Note that 10 individuals (noted by an asterisk) have been invited to join the Academy by multiple branches; they must select one branch upon accepting membership.

New members will be welcomed into the Academy at invitation-only receptions in the fall.

Actors

Hiam Abbass – “Blade Runner 2049,” “The Visitor”

Damián Alcázar – “The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian,” “El Crimen del Padre Amaro”

Naveen Andrews – “Mighty Joe Young,” “The English Patient”

Gemma Arterton – “Their Finest,” “Quantum of Solace”

Zawe Ashton – “Nocturnal Animals,” “Blitz”

Eileen Atkins – “Gosford Park,” “Cold Mountain”

Hank Azaria – “Anastasia,” “The Birdcage”

Doona Bae – “Cloud Atlas,” “The Host”

Christine Baranski – “Miss Sloane,” “Mamma Mia!”

Carlos Bardem – “Assassin’s Creed,” “Che”

Irene Bedard – “Smoke Signals,” “Pocahontas”

Bill Bellamy – “Any Given Sunday,” “love jones”

Haley Bennett – “Thank You for Your Service,...

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has invited a record number of new members, extending invites to 928 people.

The Academy topped last year’s record of 774 new members. It invited 683 members in 2016 and 322 in 2015, which were also record numbers.

The expansion of Academy membership to more than 9,200 stems from an ongoing effort to diversify its ranks following uproar over the lack of African-American nominees in 2015 and 2016, which culminated in 2016’s #OscarsSoWhite controversy. Two weeks after the widely criticized nominations were announced, AMPAS announced a goal to double the number of women and diverse members of the Academy by 2020.

If all the 2018 invitees accept, the overall membership would be 9,226.

Monday’s invitations, if accepted, will result in 38% of the Oscars’ governing body’s new class being comprised of people of color, increasing their representation from 13% in 2017 to 16%.

Meanwhile, the new class is 49% female, boosting the total representation of women...

For the third consecutive year, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has broken its own records and will invite a large, diverse and international group of film professionals to join the organization and vote for the Oscars, the Academy announced on Monday.

The record-shattering list of 928 who will be invited to join includes Emilia Clarke, Ann Dowd, Miles Teller, Evan Rachel Wood, Lena Headey, Harry Shearer and Jada Pinkett Smith. It follows the invitation of a record 683 new members in 2016, and then a new-record 774 members in 2017.

“Harry Potter” creator J.K. Rowling was also invited, as were directors Sean Baker, Luca Guadagnino, Ruben Ostlund, Lee Chang-dong and Chloe Zhao.

Also Read: No Kobe, No Problem: Oscars Academy's Class of 2018 on Track to Be as Big and Diverse as Last 2 Years'

Kendrick Lamar, who wrote music for “Black Panther,” was invited to join the Music Branch.

The invitations will go...

Penelope Cruz took to Instagram Thursday to announce her 2015 drama “Ma Ma” is now available on Apple’s iTunes.

“I’m so excited to share that my new film Ma Ma is now available to buy and rent from @iTunes!” the Oscar-winning actress wrote. “Making this movie has been an incredible experience for me and I hope you enjoy it. Thank you@oscilloscope.” The exclusive video on-demand release comes nearly a year after the film’s release in Spain and two months after the film was released in U.S. theaters.

Here’s the official synopsis: Honoring the high melodrama of Pedro Almodóvar and Douglas Sirk, Ma Ma follows Magda (Cruz) as she experiences tragedies and miracles alike. Just as Magda is diagnosed with breast cancer, she meets Arturo (Luis Tosar), a devoted husband and father in the midst of unspeakable loss. Their chance encounter leads both down a path of strength,...

Penélope Cruz returns as the beloved movie star Macarena Granada in Fernando Trueba’s comedy-drama “The Queen of Spain.” The first teaser trailer for the Spanish-language film was released by Universal Spain’s Twitter account, showing the actress dressed in lavish period pieces and greeting fans as she disembarks a private plane.

“La Reina De España,” as it’s originally titled, follows Macarena, who flees from the glitz and glamour of 1950s Hollywood to return to Madrid, where she signs on to star in an epic Hollywood film.

Read More: Asghar Farhadi To Direct Penélope Cruz & Javier Bardem in Spanish-Language Thriller

The movie is a sequel to Trueba’s 1998 drama “The Girl Of Your Dreams,” also starring Cruz and set during the Spanish Civil War. The feature won Cruz her first Goya Award and took home seven Goyas total.

This is the third time that the director and Cruz work together.

There is no denying the creative means in which Spanish auteur Julio Medem (Sex and Lucia) has presented his latest picture Ma Ma – however that does not instantly equate to a triumphant production. For while it’s easy to admire this particular piece of work for having such a resourceful, innovative approach to storytelling, […]

The post Ma Ma Review appeared first on HeyUGuys.

With a gentle humor in the light of the pain it explores, Julio Medem’s Ma Ma keeps it lens squarely focused on Penélope Cruz’s Magda, a young mother diagnosed with breast cancer and various stages of coping with a new reality. Putting off going to the doctor, the news is bleak, requiring the amputation of her right breast. As she comes to terms with the implications of this new reality, both as a mother, a women, and an object of desire, she studies herself in the mirror in a few sequences of somewhat heavy-handed symbolism.

At her son’s soccer game she encounters a talent scout Arturo (Luis Tosar) who receives a phone call with awful news: a car accident has killed his daughter and wife in a sequence that is abrupt and to the point. Rushing with Arturo to the hospital, she becomes sucked into his world.

Focus Features

Sex and the cinema have always gone hand in hand, predominantly because they are both subjects that heavily rely on the idea of fantasy. Inevitably, filmmakers have thus exploited sex – and all that is associated with the act – to varied results across the span of the century.

There are the “classic” films built around themes of sex, of course: Last Tango in Paris, Belle de Jour, In the Realm of the Senses, Salo, or the 120 Days of Sodom. Then there also those films that have been branded as outright “sexy” – films such as Wild Things, Cruel Intentions, Y Tu Mamá También, The Dreamers and Secretary – which exist purposely to ignite something in the loins. And it’s those sorts of films that this list is interested in.

Everyone is familiar with Basic Instinct and Eyes Wide Shut as far as sexy cinematic ventures go, but what about the...