Palestinian-French actress Hiam Abbass and her filmmaker daughter Lina Soualem touch down at the Toronto International Film Festival on Monday with documentary Bye Bye Tiberias.
The intimate work takes the mother and daughter back to the Arab village, situated within Israeli borders in the Lower Galilee, which Abbass left behind in the early 1980s to pursue her acting dreams in Europe.
There, they explore the lives and legacies of four generations of women, all marked in different ways by the consequences of the first generation being expelled from the long-time family home city of Tiberias in 1948, on the eve of the creation of Israel.
Abbass’s near-100 credits have included Tunisian drama Red Satin, Moroccan hit Rock The Casbah, Israeli productions The Syrian Bride and Lemon Tree; Syria civil war-set Insyriated, Palestinian dramas Degradé and Gaza Mon Amour as well as parts in Steven Spielberg’s Munich and Jim Jarmusch’s The Limits Of Control.
The intimate work takes the mother and daughter back to the Arab village, situated within Israeli borders in the Lower Galilee, which Abbass left behind in the early 1980s to pursue her acting dreams in Europe.
There, they explore the lives and legacies of four generations of women, all marked in different ways by the consequences of the first generation being expelled from the long-time family home city of Tiberias in 1948, on the eve of the creation of Israel.
Abbass’s near-100 credits have included Tunisian drama Red Satin, Moroccan hit Rock The Casbah, Israeli productions The Syrian Bride and Lemon Tree; Syria civil war-set Insyriated, Palestinian dramas Degradé and Gaza Mon Amour as well as parts in Steven Spielberg’s Munich and Jim Jarmusch’s The Limits Of Control.
- 9/11/2023
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
There are a lot of reasons why “Air,” the sensational new movie starring Matt Damon and directed by Ben Affleck, is being consumed by audiences with eager pleasure. It’s the rare drama for adults these days that people actually want to see in a movie theater (I don’t mean that to sound negative; the film could jump-start a trend). And that’s no random triumph. “Air,” based on the true story of Nike, Michael Jordan and the man who brought them together, is full of juicy inside talk about money and sports and celebrity and what agents and marketing executives actually do. In that way, it has the qualities that defined both “Jerry Maguire” and “Moneyball.”
The script is by Alex Convery, who has come out of nowhere (this is his first produced feature), and I would personally like to give a high-five to any screenwriter who creates...
The script is by Alex Convery, who has come out of nowhere (this is his first produced feature), and I would personally like to give a high-five to any screenwriter who creates...
- 4/8/2023
- by Owen Gleiberman
- Variety Film + TV
Ben Affleck’s latest directorial effort, the Amazon theatrical release “Air,” has scored the Oscar-winning filmmaker some of the best reviews of his entire career and also probably earned Affleck a spot on many future Spotify Wrapped year-end playlists. The basketball drama about Nike’s efforts to sign Michael Jordan to a lucrative sneaker contract starts with the Dire Straits hit “Money for Nothing” and includes numerous ‘80s favorites throughout.
But Affleck doesn’t just include radio hits on the film’s soundtrack. As revealed by Film Music Reporter – and as known by anyone who has seen the movie thus far – “Air” also heavily features classic ‘80s film score in lieu of its own complete original score. Among some of the movie, scores included in “Air” are “Firestarter,” “Three O’Clock High,” “Risky Business,” “Beverly Hills Cop” and “Beverly Hills Cop II,” “Desperately Seeking Susan,” “Raw Deal,” and “Body Double.” Composer Paul Haslinger,...
But Affleck doesn’t just include radio hits on the film’s soundtrack. As revealed by Film Music Reporter – and as known by anyone who has seen the movie thus far – “Air” also heavily features classic ‘80s film score in lieu of its own complete original score. Among some of the movie, scores included in “Air” are “Firestarter,” “Three O’Clock High,” “Risky Business,” “Beverly Hills Cop” and “Beverly Hills Cop II,” “Desperately Seeking Susan,” “Raw Deal,” and “Body Double.” Composer Paul Haslinger,...
- 4/5/2023
- by Christopher Rosen
- Gold Derby
Marrakech International Film Festival’s project incubator showcased 15 projects in development and nine projects.
Moroccan filmmaker Asmae El Moudir’s The Mother Of All Lies and Tunisian-French director Erige Sehiri’s Under The Fig Trees have won the top post-production prizes at the Marrakech International Film Festival’s Atlas Workshops talent and project incubator.
The films were among 15 projects in development and nine projects in post-production presented in the fourth edition of the workshops, running online from November 22 to 25 and attended by more than 300 international film professionals.
The post-production jury comprised Nuha Eltayeb, director of content acquisitions for the Middle East,...
Moroccan filmmaker Asmae El Moudir’s The Mother Of All Lies and Tunisian-French director Erige Sehiri’s Under The Fig Trees have won the top post-production prizes at the Marrakech International Film Festival’s Atlas Workshops talent and project incubator.
The films were among 15 projects in development and nine projects in post-production presented in the fourth edition of the workshops, running online from November 22 to 25 and attended by more than 300 international film professionals.
The post-production jury comprised Nuha Eltayeb, director of content acquisitions for the Middle East,...
- 11/25/2021
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- ScreenDaily
Bruce Willis appears to have long since given up on any ideas of reclaiming his place at the top of the Hollywood A-list, with the veteran actor now more than happy to continue slumming it in the realm of the VOD action movie. If you include his five upcoming projects that are currently in various stages of development, then 21 of his last 27 efforts will never see the inside of a theater.
The other six are comprised of box office bombs Rock the Casbah, Death Wish and Motherless Brooklyn, and two brief cameos in The Lego Movie: The Second Part and Split, with Glass the only genuine hit that he’s enjoyed in a long time. Quantity has very much taken precedent over quality for the 65 year-old, then, and you’d have to go all the way back to 2012’s Looper to find the last of his major roles to score...
The other six are comprised of box office bombs Rock the Casbah, Death Wish and Motherless Brooklyn, and two brief cameos in The Lego Movie: The Second Part and Split, with Glass the only genuine hit that he’s enjoyed in a long time. Quantity has very much taken precedent over quality for the 65 year-old, then, and you’d have to go all the way back to 2012’s Looper to find the last of his major roles to score...
- 1/10/2021
- by Scott Campbell
- We Got This Covered
Hulu is moving ahead with Dopesick, an 8-episode limited series focused on America’s opioid crisis, brandishing promising marquee names in headliner Michael Keaton, Oscar-winning director Barry Levinson, Emmy-winning writer/showrunner Danny Strong and veteran Emmy-winning producer Warren Littlefield.
The series, a production of Fox 21 Television Studios eyed for 2021, adapts author Beth Macy’s 2018 journalistic book, Dopesick: Dealers, Doctors and the Drug Company that Addicted America. Hulu’s series, like the book, will focus on the ordeal of a Virginia mining town, with Keaton starring as Samuel Finnix, who’s described as “an old-school doctor who approaches his practice with kindness and compassion, but finds himself embroiled in Big Pharma’s deadly secret.” Yet, the series will also intersect “unsparing yet deeply human portraits” of families affected by the pill-pushing encroachment of monolithic companies, all while attempting to shine “a hopeful light” for the future. As Bert Salke, President,...
The series, a production of Fox 21 Television Studios eyed for 2021, adapts author Beth Macy’s 2018 journalistic book, Dopesick: Dealers, Doctors and the Drug Company that Addicted America. Hulu’s series, like the book, will focus on the ordeal of a Virginia mining town, with Keaton starring as Samuel Finnix, who’s described as “an old-school doctor who approaches his practice with kindness and compassion, but finds himself embroiled in Big Pharma’s deadly secret.” Yet, the series will also intersect “unsparing yet deeply human portraits” of families affected by the pill-pushing encroachment of monolithic companies, all while attempting to shine “a hopeful light” for the future. As Bert Salke, President,...
- 6/17/2020
- by Joseph Baxter
- Den of Geek
Online platform was created to replace physical event that was due to take place in northern French city of Lille.
Series Mania is reopening the project component of the online Digital Forum it set up to replace its physical event in the northern French city of Lille, which was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.
It will now run from April 20 until May 29.
Series Mania CEO and founder Laurence Herszberg said that following consultations with participants after the platform went offline last week it had been decided to reopen the project component of its offering to allow more time for...
Series Mania is reopening the project component of the online Digital Forum it set up to replace its physical event in the northern French city of Lille, which was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.
It will now run from April 20 until May 29.
Series Mania CEO and founder Laurence Herszberg said that following consultations with participants after the platform went offline last week it had been decided to reopen the project component of its offering to allow more time for...
- 4/17/2020
- by 1100388¦Melanie Goodfellow¦0¦
- ScreenDaily
Federation Entertainment has come on board leading Moroccan filmmaker Laila Marrakchi’s “Casa Girls,” a series about four twentysomething single women living in Casablanca.
“Casa Girl” is being developed by Lauraine Heftler and Michael Gentile’s The Film, whose credits include Julie Delpy’s films and upcoming series “On The Verge” (working title). Federation Entertainment will be co-producing the series, on top of handling International sales, and is presenting the project as part of Series Mania’s virtual co-production forum.
The comedy-drama series will follow Kenzo, a young woman who’s been living in Paris for 10 years and returns to her homeland in Casablanca to get over a bad breakup. But instead of finding the comfort and peace she wished for, Kenza discovers that her parents have gone broke. Forced to take a small job, she starts working as a photographer for a cheeky wedding planner who becomes her friend,...
“Casa Girl” is being developed by Lauraine Heftler and Michael Gentile’s The Film, whose credits include Julie Delpy’s films and upcoming series “On The Verge” (working title). Federation Entertainment will be co-producing the series, on top of handling International sales, and is presenting the project as part of Series Mania’s virtual co-production forum.
The comedy-drama series will follow Kenzo, a young woman who’s been living in Paris for 10 years and returns to her homeland in Casablanca to get over a bad breakup. But instead of finding the comfort and peace she wished for, Kenza discovers that her parents have gone broke. Forced to take a small job, she starts working as a photographer for a cheeky wedding planner who becomes her friend,...
- 3/23/2020
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
Charades, the sales firm launched three years ago by former execs at Wild Bunch, Gaumont and Studiocanal, will roll into the Berlinale’s European Film Market with a raft of pre-sales on anticipated French projects, including “The Rosemaker” with Catherine Frot and Laurent Tirard’s “The Speech.”
Charades will unveil the promos of both films, as well as “Madeleine Collins,” Antoine Barraud’s psychological drama headlined by Virginie Efira, and will be hosting the market premieres of Sebastien Demoustier’s “The Girl With a Bracelet” which is generating strong box office returns in France, where it opened last week, and Bruno Merle’s “Felicita.”
A psychological drama, starring Chiara Mastroianni and Roschdy Zem, “The Girl With a Bracelet,” has already attracted 100,000 admissions in five days. The film follows a 16-year-old who stands trial for the murder of her best friend and begins to confess to a secret life that she kept from her parents.
Charades will unveil the promos of both films, as well as “Madeleine Collins,” Antoine Barraud’s psychological drama headlined by Virginie Efira, and will be hosting the market premieres of Sebastien Demoustier’s “The Girl With a Bracelet” which is generating strong box office returns in France, where it opened last week, and Bruno Merle’s “Felicita.”
A psychological drama, starring Chiara Mastroianni and Roschdy Zem, “The Girl With a Bracelet,” has already attracted 100,000 admissions in five days. The film follows a 16-year-old who stands trial for the murder of her best friend and begins to confess to a secret life that she kept from her parents.
- 2/18/2020
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
Paris-based Moroccan filmmaker Laila Marrakchi is developing a pair of daring female-driven projects, “Casa Girls,” a series about four twentysomething single women living in Casablanca, and a drama based on a real-life sex scandal set against an agricultural backdrop in Spain.
Marrakchi, who has so far directed “Rock the Casbah” and “Marock,” both of which were box office hits in Morocco and traveled well, as well as episodes of the hit spy thriller series “The Bureau,” just wrapped the shoot of two episodes of Damien Chazelle’s anticipated Netflix series “The Eddy,” and is getting ready to helm a couple of episodes of “The Opera,” an ambitious show unfolding at the Paris Opera that will start filming next spring.
In between those two shoots, the much sought-after director is developing the scripts of both “Casa Girls” and her next feature film, which will be inspired by a New York Times...
Marrakchi, who has so far directed “Rock the Casbah” and “Marock,” both of which were box office hits in Morocco and traveled well, as well as episodes of the hit spy thriller series “The Bureau,” just wrapped the shoot of two episodes of Damien Chazelle’s anticipated Netflix series “The Eddy,” and is getting ready to helm a couple of episodes of “The Opera,” an ambitious show unfolding at the Paris Opera that will start filming next spring.
In between those two shoots, the much sought-after director is developing the scripts of both “Casa Girls” and her next feature film, which will be inspired by a New York Times...
- 12/3/2019
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
Paris-based sales outfit Charades has boarded Pierre Pinaud’s sophomore feature “The Rose Maker,” a comedy with French star Catherine Frot (“The Midwife”), along with “Africa Mia,” a documentary about the birth of Afro-Cuban music, as well as the U.K. drama “Lynn + Lucy.”
Pinaud will be directing “The Rose Maker” with the popular French helmer Philippe Le Guay, whose credits include the critically acclaimed romantic comedy “The Women on the 6th Floor.”
Penned by Pinaud and Fadette Drouard, the film is a social comedy starring Frot as Eve, a childless woman who has isolated herself from others and is a famous rose maker on the verge on bankruptcy. In a desperate attempt to rescue her business, she hires Serge, Nadège and Fred, three lame ducks enrolled in a back-to-work program who do not have any horticulture skills, and unexpectedly finds out that nurturing others is even more rewarding than creating flowers.
Pinaud will be directing “The Rose Maker” with the popular French helmer Philippe Le Guay, whose credits include the critically acclaimed romantic comedy “The Women on the 6th Floor.”
Penned by Pinaud and Fadette Drouard, the film is a social comedy starring Frot as Eve, a childless woman who has isolated herself from others and is a famous rose maker on the verge on bankruptcy. In a desperate attempt to rescue her business, she hires Serge, Nadège and Fred, three lame ducks enrolled in a back-to-work program who do not have any horticulture skills, and unexpectedly finds out that nurturing others is even more rewarding than creating flowers.
- 5/7/2019
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
High-profile Paris-based Moroccan filmmaker Laila Marrakchi is partnering up with Backup Films (“Donnybrook”) and Alexandre Aja (“The Hills Have Eyes”) on “My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece,” her long-gestating English-language project based on Annabel Pitcher’s bestselling novel.
The book has been translated into more than 20 languages and has earned many prizes including the Royal Society of Authors’ Betty Trask nod and the Hull Children’s book of the year. Marrakchi is writing the script with British writer Amber Trentham (“Rhapsody in Blueberry”). The pair is working on the final draft and has incorporated new elements, such as Brexit, into the storyline. The British Film Institute has just come on board to support the project.
The film will revolve around a 10-year-old boy whose sister was killed in a terrorist attack in London when he was 5 years old and has been raised by his father who has become Islamophobic. When...
The book has been translated into more than 20 languages and has earned many prizes including the Royal Society of Authors’ Betty Trask nod and the Hull Children’s book of the year. Marrakchi is writing the script with British writer Amber Trentham (“Rhapsody in Blueberry”). The pair is working on the final draft and has incorporated new elements, such as Brexit, into the storyline. The British Film Institute has just come on board to support the project.
The film will revolve around a 10-year-old boy whose sister was killed in a terrorist attack in London when he was 5 years old and has been raised by his father who has become Islamophobic. When...
- 12/6/2018
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
Martin Scorsese tackled a range of subjects during a discussion on stage at the Marrakech Intl. Film Festival Sunday, including the contribution to cinema of streamers like Netflix, the backers of his latest movie, “The Irishman,” starring Robert De Niro and Al Pacino.
Scorsese is viewed as one of the godfathers of the Marrakech Film Festival, having attended on three previous occasions, including as jury president in 2013. During the fest’s 17th edition, he hosted the career tribute to De Niro on Saturday evening and on Sunday participated in a conversation with Moroccan helmers Laila Marrakchi (“Rock the Casbah”) and Faouzi Bensaidi (“Volubilis”).
As Bensaidi mentioned at the start of the conversation, Scorsese has been a direct inspiration for many Moroccan filmmakers, because of the way that his characters and stories resonate with Moroccans.
Scorsese said that he still watches many films, but now mainly at home, saying that he misses the audience experience.
Scorsese is viewed as one of the godfathers of the Marrakech Film Festival, having attended on three previous occasions, including as jury president in 2013. During the fest’s 17th edition, he hosted the career tribute to De Niro on Saturday evening and on Sunday participated in a conversation with Moroccan helmers Laila Marrakchi (“Rock the Casbah”) and Faouzi Bensaidi (“Volubilis”).
As Bensaidi mentioned at the start of the conversation, Scorsese has been a direct inspiration for many Moroccan filmmakers, because of the way that his characters and stories resonate with Moroccans.
Scorsese said that he still watches many films, but now mainly at home, saying that he misses the audience experience.
- 12/2/2018
- by Martin Dale
- Variety Film + TV
The only time I ever caught Rachid Taha live, at the Lincoln Center Arts Festival in 2002, I told my diary that the French-Algerian singer reminded me of another brazen rock usurper: Pink. An impiously cocky little troublemaker sporting a full panoply of grand gestures to go with his vinyl pants, Taha just went ahead and mixed the rai of his raising with all the raw rock styles he’d blasted as a 17-year-old DJ with a shitty day job at a heating plant in Lyon. As far as he was concerned,...
- 9/13/2018
- by Robert Christgau
- Rollingstone.com
Rachid Taha, the French-Algerian singer best known for fusing rock with raï, a form of traditional Algerian folk, has died from a heart attack at age 59.
“It is with regret and immense sadness that his son Lyes, his family and relatives, his friends and his record label Naïve, announce the death of artist Rachid Taha, following a heart attack overnight at his home in the Lilas [near Paris],” the singer’s family wrote in a statement on Wednesday.
Taha was born in 1958 in Algeria but moved to Lyon, France with his family...
“It is with regret and immense sadness that his son Lyes, his family and relatives, his friends and his record label Naïve, announce the death of artist Rachid Taha, following a heart attack overnight at his home in the Lilas [near Paris],” the singer’s family wrote in a statement on Wednesday.
Taha was born in 1958 in Algeria but moved to Lyon, France with his family...
- 9/12/2018
- by Ryan Reed
- Rollingstone.com
Exclusive: Comedy co-stars Miou-Miou and Camille Chamoux; first look revealed.
WestEnd Films is launching world sales on Saving Mum (working title), a heartwarming comedy which reunites the team behind French comedy Connasse: writer-director Eloïse Lang and French actress Camille Cottin (Allied).
Rounding out the cast are ten-time César Award nominee Miou-Miou (Populaire), Camille Chamoux (Supercondriaque) and Johan Heldenbergh (The Broken Circle Breakdown).
The exclusive first picture released features Camille Cottin, Miou-Miou and Camille Chamoux (from left to right). The film is currently shooting on Reunion Island.
Saving Mum is the French-language remake of Danish comedy All Inclusive. WestEnd Films acquired the remake rights for that film from Happy Ending Film.
The film tells the story of free-spirited Rose (Cottin) and her uptight sister Alice (Chamoux) who take their mother Francoise (Miou-Miou) out of Paris to the tropical island of Reunion for her birthday. But when a sexy bartender, an attractive widow, and cheap margaritas...
WestEnd Films is launching world sales on Saving Mum (working title), a heartwarming comedy which reunites the team behind French comedy Connasse: writer-director Eloïse Lang and French actress Camille Cottin (Allied).
Rounding out the cast are ten-time César Award nominee Miou-Miou (Populaire), Camille Chamoux (Supercondriaque) and Johan Heldenbergh (The Broken Circle Breakdown).
The exclusive first picture released features Camille Cottin, Miou-Miou and Camille Chamoux (from left to right). The film is currently shooting on Reunion Island.
Saving Mum is the French-language remake of Danish comedy All Inclusive. WestEnd Films acquired the remake rights for that film from Happy Ending Film.
The film tells the story of free-spirited Rose (Cottin) and her uptight sister Alice (Chamoux) who take their mother Francoise (Miou-Miou) out of Paris to the tropical island of Reunion for her birthday. But when a sexy bartender, an attractive widow, and cheap margaritas...
- 5/19/2017
- by andreas.wiseman@screendaily.com (Andreas Wiseman)
- ScreenDaily
In the age of the box-office flop, the prime movers in film were independent and online
If you’re looking for themes and narratives from 2015 at the pictures, one word above all others stands out: Flop. This year’s box-office calamities came in all varieties. We got good movies that didn’t deserve to fail, like Guillermo del Toro’s gothic Victorian romance Crimson Peak, Robert Zemeckis’s 3D high-wire drama The Walk, and Danny Boyle’s Steve Jobs biopic. And some that did deserve to fail, such as Ron Howard’s In The Heart Of The Sea, Michael Mann’s lifeless Blackhat, and the Wachowskis’ space opera Jupiter Ascending. Among the deserving dead were the George Clooney-produced Our Brand Is Crisis and the repulsive Bill Murray misfire Rock The Casbah (what were they thinking?). Turkeys were everywhere: Pan, Fantastic Four, Aloha, Tomorrowland, Black Mass, Mortdecai, The Gunman.
Jurassic World...
If you’re looking for themes and narratives from 2015 at the pictures, one word above all others stands out: Flop. This year’s box-office calamities came in all varieties. We got good movies that didn’t deserve to fail, like Guillermo del Toro’s gothic Victorian romance Crimson Peak, Robert Zemeckis’s 3D high-wire drama The Walk, and Danny Boyle’s Steve Jobs biopic. And some that did deserve to fail, such as Ron Howard’s In The Heart Of The Sea, Michael Mann’s lifeless Blackhat, and the Wachowskis’ space opera Jupiter Ascending. Among the deserving dead were the George Clooney-produced Our Brand Is Crisis and the repulsive Bill Murray misfire Rock The Casbah (what were they thinking?). Turkeys were everywhere: Pan, Fantastic Four, Aloha, Tomorrowland, Black Mass, Mortdecai, The Gunman.
Jurassic World...
- 12/19/2015
- by John Patterson
- The Guardian - Film News
This week’s episode of our podcast We Are Movie Geeks The Show is up! Hear Wamg’s Michelle McCue, Jim Batts and Tom Stockman discuss the weekend box office, and next weekend’s releases. We’ll review Beast Of No Nation, Goosebumps, Crimson Peak, Labyrinth Of Lies, and Goodnight Mommy. We’ll also preview Spotlight, The Last Witch Hunter, Truth, and Rock The Casbah. We’ll discuss Rocky Horror Picture Show and our favorite films of director Steven Spielberg. Tom will discuss his weekend visit to New York and his look at Martin Scorsese’s movie poster collection. We Are Movie Geeks The Show is a weekly podcast and can be heard streaming at ONStl.com Online Radio.
Here’s this week’s show. Have a listen:
http://www.wearemoviegeeks.com/wp-content/uploads/Wamg-10-19-54.mp3
The post This Week’s Wamg Podcast – Crimson Peak, Goosebumps, Spielberg, and More!
Here’s this week’s show. Have a listen:
http://www.wearemoviegeeks.com/wp-content/uploads/Wamg-10-19-54.mp3
The post This Week’s Wamg Podcast – Crimson Peak, Goosebumps, Spielberg, and More!
- 10/20/2015
- by Movie Geeks
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Jesus, so much for Bill Murray being anti-“Ghostbusters” or whatever his stance originally was. Perhaps it was that the long-resistant Murray just didn’t want to appear in a proper “Ghostbusters" sequel as Peter Venkman, and that plan was mostly squashed when original “Ghostbuster” Harold Ramis passed away two years ago. Ramis passing changed everything for the “Ghostbusters” world, and instead of trying to square peg a “Ghostbusters 3” into existence, Ivan Reitman and Dan Aykroyd, the main torchbearers of the “Ghostbusters” series, decided to hand it off. Now Paul Feig’s “Ghostbusters,” starring Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, and more, lands in theaters in the summer of 2016. Read More: Watch Opportunity Rock In First Trailer For 'Rock The Casbah' Starring Bill Murray Even though Feig has said that his upcoming “Ghostbusters” won’t connect to the original series, or won’t even reference it — in fact, it...
- 8/9/2015
- by Edward Davis
- The Playlist
We debate "Ant-Man," but like "Tangerine" and "10,000 Km," while I report on Comic-Con and break down the Paramount deal in our latest Screen Talk podcast. Bill Murray opened this year's series of panels in massive Hall H at Comic-Con in San Diego Thursday morning to promote Barry Levinson's October release "Rock the Casbah" (trailer below), dressed in character as aging rock promoter Richie Lanz. Attending The Con for the first time, Murray engaged sweetly with the fans in Hall H. One woman covered with buttons invited Murray to sleep with her under the Petco stadium. "How many people is she asking to sleep with her?" he asked later. "Does everyone give her a button when they leave? I want to feel special." (The rest of our Comic-Con story here.) Read More: Paramount Breaks Theatrical Window with Bold New Plan: Will It Change the Game?...
- 7/10/2015
- by Anne Thompson
- Thompson on Hollywood
The bad news was confirmed Friday morning: Omar Sharif, the Egyptian-born actor who shot to superstardom in the 1960s after scoring back-to-back-to-back hits with "Lawrence of Arabia," "Dr. Zhivago" and "Funny Girl," died on Friday in a Cairo hospital. He was 83, and had also been battling Alzheimer's. According to his agent Steve Kenis, the cause was heart attack. And here's a bittersweet irony: In what likely will be his last feature film, Laila Marrakchi's amusing dramedy "Rock the Casbah," Sharif gives one of his finest performances of recent years -- as a ghost who invites us to join him at his own funeral. As fate would have it, I've had only one opportunity to speak with Sharif, during a 2003 interview graciously arranged by the folks at Sony Pictures Classics to promote "Monsieur Ibrahim" (for which Sharif would win a 2004 Cesar award as Best Actor). The conversation would also serve well as background material for a.
- 7/10/2015
- by Joe Leydon
- Thompson on Hollywood
Actor best known for roles in Lawrence of Arabia and Doctor Zhivago.
Actor Omar Sharif has died aged 83. The Egypt-born actor, who had stepped away from acting since being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, died following a heart attack this afternoon in a hospital in Cairo.
Sharif won two Golden Globes and an Oscar nomination for his role as Sherif Ali in David Lean’s 1962 epic Lawrence of Arabia.
He won a further Golden Globe three years later for Doctor Zhivago.
Sharif was born Michel Demetri Chalhoub in Alexandria on April 10, 1932, and studied acting at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.
Sharif began his acting career in 1953 with a role in romantic drama Sira` Fi al-Wadi before appearing in more than 20 Egyptian productions, including Ayyamna el helwa with singer Abdel Halim Hafez, La anam (1958), Sayedat el kasr (1959) and Anna Karenina adaptation Nahr el hub (1961). He also starred with his wife, Egyptian actress...
Actor Omar Sharif has died aged 83. The Egypt-born actor, who had stepped away from acting since being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, died following a heart attack this afternoon in a hospital in Cairo.
Sharif won two Golden Globes and an Oscar nomination for his role as Sherif Ali in David Lean’s 1962 epic Lawrence of Arabia.
He won a further Golden Globe three years later for Doctor Zhivago.
Sharif was born Michel Demetri Chalhoub in Alexandria on April 10, 1932, and studied acting at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.
Sharif began his acting career in 1953 with a role in romantic drama Sira` Fi al-Wadi before appearing in more than 20 Egyptian productions, including Ayyamna el helwa with singer Abdel Halim Hafez, La anam (1958), Sayedat el kasr (1959) and Anna Karenina adaptation Nahr el hub (1961). He also starred with his wife, Egyptian actress...
- 7/10/2015
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
Omar Sharif, the Egyptian-born actor known for his classic roles in Lawrence of Arabia and Dr. Zhivago, passed away Friday in a Cairo, Egypt hospital after suffering a heart attack. Both the actor's agent Steve Kenis and the head of Egypt's Theatrical Arts Guild Ashraf Zaki confirmed his passing; Sharif was 83. It was recently revealed that the Golden Globe-winning actor was also suffering from Alzheimer's disease, Variety reports.
After beginning his career as a major star in Middle Eastern cinema, Sharif was cast to play Sherif Ali in 1962's epic Lawrence of Arabia,...
After beginning his career as a major star in Middle Eastern cinema, Sharif was cast to play Sherif Ali in 1962's epic Lawrence of Arabia,...
- 7/10/2015
- Rollingstone.com
Omar Sharif, star of Doctor Zhivago and Lawrence of Arabia, has passed away at the age of 83.
The Egyptian-born actor rose to fame in the '60s thanks to his roles in director David Lean's sweeping epics and continued to work across TV and film for a further five decades. Digital Spy takes a look back at some of Sharif's greatest roles below.
David Lean cast Sharif as Arab revolutionary Sherif Ali in 1962's Lawrence of Arabia - the film was his English language debut and earned him an Oscar nomination.
Sharif reunited with Lawrence director David Lean to take on the lead role in Doctor Zhivago in 1965.
World War II drama The Night of the Generals (1967) saw Sharif star alongside Peter O'Toole once more, with Donald Pleasence, Tom Courtenay and Christopher Plummer in the supporting cast."
Sharif starred opposite Barbra Streisand in 1968's Funny Girl, playing a smooth gambler to her Vaudeville performer.
The Egyptian-born actor rose to fame in the '60s thanks to his roles in director David Lean's sweeping epics and continued to work across TV and film for a further five decades. Digital Spy takes a look back at some of Sharif's greatest roles below.
David Lean cast Sharif as Arab revolutionary Sherif Ali in 1962's Lawrence of Arabia - the film was his English language debut and earned him an Oscar nomination.
Sharif reunited with Lawrence director David Lean to take on the lead role in Doctor Zhivago in 1965.
World War II drama The Night of the Generals (1967) saw Sharif star alongside Peter O'Toole once more, with Donald Pleasence, Tom Courtenay and Christopher Plummer in the supporting cast."
Sharif starred opposite Barbra Streisand in 1968's Funny Girl, playing a smooth gambler to her Vaudeville performer.
- 7/10/2015
- Digital Spy
Acting great Omar Sharif has died at the age of 83.
The Egyptian actor was best known for his leading role in Doctor Zhivago and major supporting role in Lawrence of Arabia.
Omar Sharif 1932-2015: Lawrence of Arabia star's incredible career in pictures
His agent Steve Kenis confirmed today (July 10): "He suffered a heart attack this afternoon in a hospital in Cairo."
In May, Kenis had revealed that the actor had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.
After starring in over 20 Egyptian movies, Sharif made his English language debut in David Lean's 1962 epic Lawrence of Arabia.
Omar Sharif 1932-2015: Tributes and reactions from the stars
He won a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor for the performance, and also picked up an Oscar nomination.
Several other major roles followed, and Sharif reunited with Lean in 1965 to lead his adaptation of Boris Pasternak's Doctor Zhivago.
Sharif's last big...
The Egyptian actor was best known for his leading role in Doctor Zhivago and major supporting role in Lawrence of Arabia.
Omar Sharif 1932-2015: Lawrence of Arabia star's incredible career in pictures
His agent Steve Kenis confirmed today (July 10): "He suffered a heart attack this afternoon in a hospital in Cairo."
In May, Kenis had revealed that the actor had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.
After starring in over 20 Egyptian movies, Sharif made his English language debut in David Lean's 1962 epic Lawrence of Arabia.
Omar Sharif 1932-2015: Tributes and reactions from the stars
He won a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor for the performance, and also picked up an Oscar nomination.
Several other major roles followed, and Sharif reunited with Lean in 1965 to lead his adaptation of Boris Pasternak's Doctor Zhivago.
Sharif's last big...
- 7/10/2015
- Digital Spy
Lawrence of Arabia star Omar Sharif is battling Alzheimer's disease, his spokesperson has confirmed.
The actor's agent Steve Kenis told The AP that Sharif has been diagnosed with the neurodegenerative disease.
Omar's son Tarek Sharif first revealed the news in an interview with Spanish outlet El Mundo.
Sharif most recently appeared on the big screen in the 2013 French-Moroccan film Rock the Casbah, and appeared in the television series The Ten Commandments and The Traveller in the last decade.
The Egyptian actor's English-language breakthrough in Lawrence of Arabia (1962) earned him two Golden Globe Awards, and led to his casting in another Golden Globe-winning title role in Doctor Zhivago (1965).
He would become a Hollywood mainstay over the next decade, with prominent parts in Funny Girl, Juggernaut and Top Secret!.
The actor's agent Steve Kenis told The AP that Sharif has been diagnosed with the neurodegenerative disease.
Omar's son Tarek Sharif first revealed the news in an interview with Spanish outlet El Mundo.
Sharif most recently appeared on the big screen in the 2013 French-Moroccan film Rock the Casbah, and appeared in the television series The Ten Commandments and The Traveller in the last decade.
The Egyptian actor's English-language breakthrough in Lawrence of Arabia (1962) earned him two Golden Globe Awards, and led to his casting in another Golden Globe-winning title role in Doctor Zhivago (1965).
He would become a Hollywood mainstay over the next decade, with prominent parts in Funny Girl, Juggernaut and Top Secret!.
- 5/25/2015
- Digital Spy
The latest edition of The Hunger Games franchise predictably dominated ticket sales at Australian cinemas last weekend although the opening was fractionally below the previous edition.
Still, let.s not quibble as The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1 racked up nearly $11.9 million, just 5.6% below Catching Fire.s $12.5 million debut a year ago.
The action thriller starring Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth accounted for a whopping 68% of the entire national B.O. of $17.4 million which, by sheer co-incidence, was up 68% on the previous weekend, according to Rentrak.
Christopher Nolan.s Interstellar plunged by 42% to $2.18 million in its third orbit, collecting $13 million so far, but looks unlikely to reach $20 million.
Mature folks who were not interested in either blockbuster turned up to see Maggie Smith and Kevin Kline bicker and banter in My Old Lady, which fetched $380,000 in its second weekend on 94 screens, dropping by 22%, bringing its tally to $1.12 million.
Still, let.s not quibble as The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1 racked up nearly $11.9 million, just 5.6% below Catching Fire.s $12.5 million debut a year ago.
The action thriller starring Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth accounted for a whopping 68% of the entire national B.O. of $17.4 million which, by sheer co-incidence, was up 68% on the previous weekend, according to Rentrak.
Christopher Nolan.s Interstellar plunged by 42% to $2.18 million in its third orbit, collecting $13 million so far, but looks unlikely to reach $20 million.
Mature folks who were not interested in either blockbuster turned up to see Maggie Smith and Kevin Kline bicker and banter in My Old Lady, which fetched $380,000 in its second weekend on 94 screens, dropping by 22%, bringing its tally to $1.12 million.
- 11/24/2014
- by Don Groves
- IF.com.au
Exclusive: Open Road Films is expanding into the international sales and distribution business after inking a strategic partnership with Glen Basner’s FilmNation Entertainment.
The deal, announced today by Open Road CEO Tom Ortenberg and FilmNation CEO Basner, will allow Open Road to acquire worldwide rights on selected feature projects, with Film Nation selling and servicing international. The move will allow Open Road to offer filmmakers equity and bank financing for productions. The company will also continue to acquire films for U.S. distribution. The pact also gives the well-respected Basner a domestic base to his burgeoning international business.
The companies will be operating together next month at the American Film Market, meeting with buyers, producers and filmmakers. Details of the first projects to emanate from the new partnership are expected in the coming weeks.
“As Open Road Films grows, expanding our domestic footprint to international sales was a natural progression,...
The deal, announced today by Open Road CEO Tom Ortenberg and FilmNation CEO Basner, will allow Open Road to acquire worldwide rights on selected feature projects, with Film Nation selling and servicing international. The move will allow Open Road to offer filmmakers equity and bank financing for productions. The company will also continue to acquire films for U.S. distribution. The pact also gives the well-respected Basner a domestic base to his burgeoning international business.
The companies will be operating together next month at the American Film Market, meeting with buyers, producers and filmmakers. Details of the first projects to emanate from the new partnership are expected in the coming weeks.
“As Open Road Films grows, expanding our domestic footprint to international sales was a natural progression,...
- 10/30/2014
- by Ali Jaafar
- Deadline
Triple Nine
Norman Reedus ("The Walking Dead") has joined the ensemble cast of John Hillcoat's "Triple Nine" at Open Road Films. Filming begins this summer.
The story follows a crew of dirty cops blackmailed by the Russian mob to execute a virtually impossible heist. The only way to pull it off is to manufacture a 999, police code for "officer down." Their plan is turned upside down when the unsuspecting rookie they set up to die foils the attack. [Source: Deadline]
Lobster
John C. Reilly, Ashley Jensen, Michael Smiley and Jessica Barden are set to join Colin Farrell and Rachel Weisz in Yorgos Lanthimos' English-language debut "The Lobster". Filming is now underway in Ireland.
Set in the near future, the story posits that single people are arrested and obliged to find a mate within 45 days of their incarceration in a hotel. If they fail to do so, they are transformed into...
Norman Reedus ("The Walking Dead") has joined the ensemble cast of John Hillcoat's "Triple Nine" at Open Road Films. Filming begins this summer.
The story follows a crew of dirty cops blackmailed by the Russian mob to execute a virtually impossible heist. The only way to pull it off is to manufacture a 999, police code for "officer down." Their plan is turned upside down when the unsuspecting rookie they set up to die foils the attack. [Source: Deadline]
Lobster
John C. Reilly, Ashley Jensen, Michael Smiley and Jessica Barden are set to join Colin Farrell and Rachel Weisz in Yorgos Lanthimos' English-language debut "The Lobster". Filming is now underway in Ireland.
Set in the near future, the story posits that single people are arrested and obliged to find a mate within 45 days of their incarceration in a hotel. If they fail to do so, they are transformed into...
- 4/1/2014
- by Garth Franklin
- Dark Horizons
It.s nice to wake up in the morning and the first song in your head is The Clash.s Rock the Casbah. However, I.m here to talk about another Rock The Kasbah. No, it.s not a biopic on the band, but it does have Bill Murray as the lead player. At the beginning of the Shia Labeouf debacle, the actor decided to take on one of the roles in the flick. Now it seems that Labeouf will no longer be rocking any kasbahs. A replacement has already been found in Hawaii Five-o.S Scott Caan who is...
- 4/1/2014
- by Niki Stephens
- JoBlo.com
Taking place from April 8-13, the 31st edition of the Dortmund | Cologne International Women’s Film Festival will have it’s main program in the city of Cologne. A small selection will be seen in Dortmund as well. A total of 106 films from 37 countries will be screened and about 60 international filmmakers are going to be guests in Cologne. The festival will also be putting on a number of events that go beyond what a normal visit to the cinema has to offer. Events intended to spark a critical response to the medium of film via a number of formats – panel discussions, talks and workshops for cinema aficinados and film-makers alike.
Five Germany Premieres Compete for €10,000 Prize
A total of eight exceptional debut feature films will be screened in Cologne, having been short-listed from the 120 international film debuts of the last two years. Of that eight, the festival will present five of them as firsts for Germany – including, as the opening film, the award-winning tragicomedy The Amazing Catfish from Mexico. The other nominees are: Talea (Austria), The Magnetic Tree (Chile), Sense of Humor (France), Matei Child Miner (Romania), Marussia (Russia/France), Under the Starry Sky (Senegal/France) – and The Plague (Spain). Mostly seen against the backdrop of the global economic crisis, shot with stunning visuals and told with surprising concision, these are stories of childhood, family, identity and belonging.
The Jury for this edition will be formed by Kim Yutani, programmer at the Sundance Film Festival, Turkish director Pelin Esmer ( 10 to 11, Watchtower) and German actress Julia Hummer (Gespenster, Top Girl)
Focus: Turkey
At the Cologne location of the Dortmund|Cologne International Women's Film Festival, the spotlight is always on the cinematic oeuvre of a particular region or country. This year, the encounter is with Turkey and its women filmmakers.
The Country Focus zooms in on the ongoing demonstrations and protest movements organized by Turkish citizens since the end of May 2013 against the authoritarian policies of the governing party in Turkey. The program thus sets out to analyze the concepts and definitions of home and identity and to examine to what extent current protests had already been anticipated there in the films of recent years.
Divided into ten programs the festival will present feature films, documentaries and short films from 2004 to 2013 as well as the historic feature film Dönüs (The Return 1972) by and with the great Turkish actress Türkan Soray.
Filmmakers and experts like Deniz Akçay, Pelin Esmer, Serpil Turhan, Rüya Arzu Köksal Kudu, Aysun Bademsoy, Lale Akgün, Mely Kiyak, Can Erdogan, Emel Celebi, Sedef Özge and Güliz Saglam will also be guests. Two panel discussions, a master class with Yeşim Ustaoğlu and the photo exhibition "Tarlabasi - On the Edge of Transformation"round off the programme as a whole.
Let Your Light Shine - The Panorama section
Beyonce, Vulva 3.0 and other top-rate film discoveries. Panorama showcases 45 new, challenging and entertaining films from 28 countries.
Fiction, documentary, essay, avant-garde, experimental films and all the shorter formats: there are no formal restrictions on the Panorama Section and all lengths of movie are welcome. This year, 13 long films and 32 short to medium-length films are on view, including a good few premieres for Germany.
In the course of the selection process, it is the attitude of the women film-makers, the way they represent people in their films and the effect so generated that play an important role. Yet even though the Panorama section attempts to do full justice to the variety of artistic forms of expression, documentary and experimental films are given some priority. Among these are films like Perfect Garden by Mara Mattuschka, Touch by Shelly Silver, Noor by Cagla Zencirci, My Love Awaits Me By The Sea by Mais Darwazah and Rock the Casbah by Laïla Marrakchi and a film program & live performance by Jodie Mack, just to mention a few...
Five Germany Premieres Compete for €10,000 Prize
A total of eight exceptional debut feature films will be screened in Cologne, having been short-listed from the 120 international film debuts of the last two years. Of that eight, the festival will present five of them as firsts for Germany – including, as the opening film, the award-winning tragicomedy The Amazing Catfish from Mexico. The other nominees are: Talea (Austria), The Magnetic Tree (Chile), Sense of Humor (France), Matei Child Miner (Romania), Marussia (Russia/France), Under the Starry Sky (Senegal/France) – and The Plague (Spain). Mostly seen against the backdrop of the global economic crisis, shot with stunning visuals and told with surprising concision, these are stories of childhood, family, identity and belonging.
The Jury for this edition will be formed by Kim Yutani, programmer at the Sundance Film Festival, Turkish director Pelin Esmer ( 10 to 11, Watchtower) and German actress Julia Hummer (Gespenster, Top Girl)
Focus: Turkey
At the Cologne location of the Dortmund|Cologne International Women's Film Festival, the spotlight is always on the cinematic oeuvre of a particular region or country. This year, the encounter is with Turkey and its women filmmakers.
The Country Focus zooms in on the ongoing demonstrations and protest movements organized by Turkish citizens since the end of May 2013 against the authoritarian policies of the governing party in Turkey. The program thus sets out to analyze the concepts and definitions of home and identity and to examine to what extent current protests had already been anticipated there in the films of recent years.
Divided into ten programs the festival will present feature films, documentaries and short films from 2004 to 2013 as well as the historic feature film Dönüs (The Return 1972) by and with the great Turkish actress Türkan Soray.
Filmmakers and experts like Deniz Akçay, Pelin Esmer, Serpil Turhan, Rüya Arzu Köksal Kudu, Aysun Bademsoy, Lale Akgün, Mely Kiyak, Can Erdogan, Emel Celebi, Sedef Özge and Güliz Saglam will also be guests. Two panel discussions, a master class with Yeşim Ustaoğlu and the photo exhibition "Tarlabasi - On the Edge of Transformation"round off the programme as a whole.
Let Your Light Shine - The Panorama section
Beyonce, Vulva 3.0 and other top-rate film discoveries. Panorama showcases 45 new, challenging and entertaining films from 28 countries.
Fiction, documentary, essay, avant-garde, experimental films and all the shorter formats: there are no formal restrictions on the Panorama Section and all lengths of movie are welcome. This year, 13 long films and 32 short to medium-length films are on view, including a good few premieres for Germany.
In the course of the selection process, it is the attitude of the women film-makers, the way they represent people in their films and the effect so generated that play an important role. Yet even though the Panorama section attempts to do full justice to the variety of artistic forms of expression, documentary and experimental films are given some priority. Among these are films like Perfect Garden by Mara Mattuschka, Touch by Shelly Silver, Noor by Cagla Zencirci, My Love Awaits Me By The Sea by Mais Darwazah and Rock the Casbah by Laïla Marrakchi and a film program & live performance by Jodie Mack, just to mention a few...
- 3/31/2014
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
Jim Jarmusch’s Only Lovers Left Alive and Andrzej Wajda’s Walesa: A Man Of Hope will open this year’s ¨Febiofest¨.
The Prague International Film Festival (March 20-28) will present 141 films from 60 countries in 18 different sections.
Special tributes are being dedicated to the Finnish actress Kati Outinen, French animator Sylvain Chomet, Slovak actress Barbora Bobulová, Italian director Gianni Amelio and Ivory Coast-born actor Isaach de Bankolé.
De Bankolé, who first came to prominence in the French film industry with his role in Black Mic Mac, will present his two newest films, Mother Of August and Chaos, in Prague and will receive the Kristian Award for his Contribution to World Cinema.
Febiofest’s New Europe Competition open to first and second feature films will have such films as Wolfskinder, My Nephew, The Idiot, Life Feels Good, Puppy Love, The Machine and Rock The Casbah competing for the €10,000 Grand Prix, including a €5,000 premium for a potential Czech distributor...
The Prague International Film Festival (March 20-28) will present 141 films from 60 countries in 18 different sections.
Special tributes are being dedicated to the Finnish actress Kati Outinen, French animator Sylvain Chomet, Slovak actress Barbora Bobulová, Italian director Gianni Amelio and Ivory Coast-born actor Isaach de Bankolé.
De Bankolé, who first came to prominence in the French film industry with his role in Black Mic Mac, will present his two newest films, Mother Of August and Chaos, in Prague and will receive the Kristian Award for his Contribution to World Cinema.
Febiofest’s New Europe Competition open to first and second feature films will have such films as Wolfskinder, My Nephew, The Idiot, Life Feels Good, Puppy Love, The Machine and Rock The Casbah competing for the €10,000 Grand Prix, including a €5,000 premium for a potential Czech distributor...
- 3/7/2014
- by screen.berlin@googlemail.com (Martin Blaney)
- ScreenDaily
This year’s European Film Market in Berlin has seen all sorts of odd casting announcements, from Shia Labeouf jumping back into acting with Rock the Casbah to Twilight‘s Nikki Reed climbing on board the ridiculous-sounding horror flick Email, but mixed in with all of the strange headlines have been a few promising reveals about some very intriguing projects.
As a big fan of Dogtooth, I was particularly excited to hear some scoop about Greek director Yorgos Lanthimos’ upcoming English-language debut, called The Lobster. Joining a terrific supporting cast, Colin Farrell and Rachel Weisz have now agreed to star in the dystopian romance.
In The Lobster, described as an “unconventional love story,” finding the right partner is literally a matter of life and death. No specifics yet on the roles that Farrell and Weisz are taking on, but it’s certainly not too risky to predict that they’ll...
As a big fan of Dogtooth, I was particularly excited to hear some scoop about Greek director Yorgos Lanthimos’ upcoming English-language debut, called The Lobster. Joining a terrific supporting cast, Colin Farrell and Rachel Weisz have now agreed to star in the dystopian romance.
In The Lobster, described as an “unconventional love story,” finding the right partner is literally a matter of life and death. No specifics yet on the roles that Farrell and Weisz are taking on, but it’s certainly not too risky to predict that they’ll...
- 2/3/2014
- by Isaac Feldberg
- We Got This Covered
When Hollywood superstar and performance artist Shia Labeouf announced his retirement, the cinematic and art worlds came to a crashing halt. But obviously Mr. Labeouf heard the public’s urgent pleas that he reconsider his decision to leave us alone in the cultural wasteland. A mere three weeks following Labeouf’s painful announcement, he has returned to his adoring public, signing onto indie comedy Rock The Casbah. I think we can all breathe a sigh of relief now.
Labeouf joins the cast of the Barry Levinson film alongside Bill Murray, Bruce Willis, Kate Hudson, and Zooey Deschanel. Murray leads the film as Richie Vance, a manager who follows his sole client on a Uso tour in Afghanistan. There he discovers a talented singer and enters her into a singing competition called Afghan Star, or Afghanistan’s version of American Idol.
Admittedly, the plot sounds pretty good, especially with Murray in the lead.
Labeouf joins the cast of the Barry Levinson film alongside Bill Murray, Bruce Willis, Kate Hudson, and Zooey Deschanel. Murray leads the film as Richie Vance, a manager who follows his sole client on a Uso tour in Afghanistan. There he discovers a talented singer and enters her into a singing competition called Afghan Star, or Afghanistan’s version of American Idol.
Admittedly, the plot sounds pretty good, especially with Murray in the lead.
- 1/31/2014
- by Lauren Humphries-Brooks
- We Got This Covered
Gods of Egypt
Chadwick Boseman ("42") is set to play the god of wisdom Thoth in Alex Proyas' "Gods of Egypt" at Summit Entertainment. He joins a cast that currently includes Gerard Butler, Geoffrey Rush, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Brenton Thwaites and Courtney Eaton.
When the god of darkness Set (Butler) takes over Egypt's throne, a handful of heroic rebels must team with an injured Horus (Coster-Waldau) to stop him. [Source: Deadline]
Trainwreck
SNL's Bill Hader is in early talks to join the Judd Apatow-produced "Trainwreck" scheduled to open July 2015. Story details are being kept under wraps. [Source: Variety]
Tumbledown
Rebecca Hall ("Iron Man 3") has joined the cast of Sean Mewshaw's rom-com "Tumbledown" which begins filming late March in Massachusetts. Jason Sudeikis, Blythe Danner and Joe Manganiello also star.
Set in the Maine woods, Hall plays a woman unable to move on after the death of her husband. She eventually meets a...
Chadwick Boseman ("42") is set to play the god of wisdom Thoth in Alex Proyas' "Gods of Egypt" at Summit Entertainment. He joins a cast that currently includes Gerard Butler, Geoffrey Rush, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Brenton Thwaites and Courtney Eaton.
When the god of darkness Set (Butler) takes over Egypt's throne, a handful of heroic rebels must team with an injured Horus (Coster-Waldau) to stop him. [Source: Deadline]
Trainwreck
SNL's Bill Hader is in early talks to join the Judd Apatow-produced "Trainwreck" scheduled to open July 2015. Story details are being kept under wraps. [Source: Variety]
Tumbledown
Rebecca Hall ("Iron Man 3") has joined the cast of Sean Mewshaw's rom-com "Tumbledown" which begins filming late March in Massachusetts. Jason Sudeikis, Blythe Danner and Joe Manganiello also star.
Set in the Maine woods, Hall plays a woman unable to move on after the death of her husband. She eventually meets a...
- 1/30/2014
- by Garth Franklin
- Dark Horizons
Hany Abu-Assad’s Omar won best film in the Muhr Arab feature competition at this year’s Dubai International Film Festival (Diff), while Anthony Chen’s Ilo Ilo won best film in the Muhr AsiaAfrica section.
Abu-Assad also won best director in the Arab feature section, while Yasmine Raees won best actress for Egyptian filmmaker Mohamed Khan’s Factory Girl. Best actor went to Hassan Badida for Moroccan filmmaker Hicham Lasri’s They Are The Dogs, which also picked up the Special Jury Prize.
Special Mentions went to Mohamed Amin Benamraoui for Adios Carmen and to Moroccan actress Raouia for her roles in Rock The Casbah and Pillow Secrets.
Ilo Ilo was also a multiple prize-winner, adding to an already weighty awards stash, by taking best actress for Yeo Yann Yann’s performance. Best actor in the AsiaAfrica section went to Irrfan Khan for his role in Ritesh Batra’s The Lunchbox, which also won...
Abu-Assad also won best director in the Arab feature section, while Yasmine Raees won best actress for Egyptian filmmaker Mohamed Khan’s Factory Girl. Best actor went to Hassan Badida for Moroccan filmmaker Hicham Lasri’s They Are The Dogs, which also picked up the Special Jury Prize.
Special Mentions went to Mohamed Amin Benamraoui for Adios Carmen and to Moroccan actress Raouia for her roles in Rock The Casbah and Pillow Secrets.
Ilo Ilo was also a multiple prize-winner, adding to an already weighty awards stash, by taking best actress for Yeo Yann Yann’s performance. Best actor in the AsiaAfrica section went to Irrfan Khan for his role in Ritesh Batra’s The Lunchbox, which also won...
- 12/13/2013
- by lizshackleton@gmail.com (Liz Shackleton)
- ScreenDaily
A strong line-up of documentaries including Mahmoud Kaabour’s Champ Of The Camp and Jehane Noujaim’s The Square, about the Egyptian revolution, were attracting as much critical and public attention as the dramas at this year’s Diff, highlighting the growing strengh of factual filmmaking in the region.
Other stand-out docs included Ahmed Nour’s Waves and Mohamed Amine Boukhris’s War Reporter, which both received world premieres in the Muhr Arab documentary competition, and Jose A Alayon’s docu-drama Slimane, which premiered in Arabian Nights.
The Muhr AsiaAfrica documentary section also contained strong titles such as Sara Rastegar’s My Red Shoes, looking back at the Iranian revolution; Tan Pin Pin’s To Singapore, With Love and Riann Hendricks’ The Devil’s Lair.
Arab fiction titles such as Mohamed Khan’s Factory Girl; which also had its world premiere at Diff; Laila Marrakchi’s Rock The Casbah; Thierry De Peretti’s Apaches and Caroline Link’s [link...
Other stand-out docs included Ahmed Nour’s Waves and Mohamed Amine Boukhris’s War Reporter, which both received world premieres in the Muhr Arab documentary competition, and Jose A Alayon’s docu-drama Slimane, which premiered in Arabian Nights.
The Muhr AsiaAfrica documentary section also contained strong titles such as Sara Rastegar’s My Red Shoes, looking back at the Iranian revolution; Tan Pin Pin’s To Singapore, With Love and Riann Hendricks’ The Devil’s Lair.
Arab fiction titles such as Mohamed Khan’s Factory Girl; which also had its world premiere at Diff; Laila Marrakchi’s Rock The Casbah; Thierry De Peretti’s Apaches and Caroline Link’s [link...
- 12/13/2013
- ScreenDaily
A strong line-up of documentaries including Mahmoud Kaabour’s Champ Of The Camp and Jehane Noujaim’s The Square, about the Egyptian revolution, were attracting as much critical and public attention as the dramas at this year’s Diff, highlighting the growing strengh of factual filmmaking in the region.
Other stand-out docs included Ahmed Nour’s Waves and Mohamed Amine Boukhris’s War Reporter, which both received world premieres in the Muhr Arab documentary competition, and Jose A Alayon’s docu-drama Slimane, which premiered in Arabian Nights.
The Muhr AsiaAfrica documentary section also contained strong titles such as Sara Rastegar’s My Red Shoes, looking back at the Iranian revolution; Tan Pin Pin’s To Singapore, With Love and Riann Hendricks’ The Devil’s Lair.
Arab fiction titles such as Mohamed Khan’s Factory Girl; which also had its world premiere at Diff; Laila Marrakchi’s Rock The Casbah; Thierry De Peretti’s Apaches and Caroline Link’s [link...
Other stand-out docs included Ahmed Nour’s Waves and Mohamed Amine Boukhris’s War Reporter, which both received world premieres in the Muhr Arab documentary competition, and Jose A Alayon’s docu-drama Slimane, which premiered in Arabian Nights.
The Muhr AsiaAfrica documentary section also contained strong titles such as Sara Rastegar’s My Red Shoes, looking back at the Iranian revolution; Tan Pin Pin’s To Singapore, With Love and Riann Hendricks’ The Devil’s Lair.
Arab fiction titles such as Mohamed Khan’s Factory Girl; which also had its world premiere at Diff; Laila Marrakchi’s Rock The Casbah; Thierry De Peretti’s Apaches and Caroline Link’s [link...
- 12/13/2013
- ScreenDaily
The Toronto International Film Festival® has announced the addition of 3 Galas and 19 Special Presentations to the 2013 Festival programme, including a further 12 World Premieres. Representing countries from around the world, the Gala and Special Presentations programmes offer a lineup of diverse titles and genres.
Toronto audiences will be among the first to screen films by directors Fred Schepisi, Alberto Arvelo, Reha Erdem, Dexter Fletcher, Richard Glatzer and Wash Westmoreland, Megan Griffiths, Arnaud Larrieu and Jean-Marie Larrieu, Kevin Macdonald, Arie Posin, Charlie Stratton, Nils Tavernier and John Turturro.
The 38th Toronto International Film Festival runs September 5 to 15, 2013.
Galas Blood Ties
Guillaume Canet, France/USA North American Premiere
New York, 1974. 50-year-old Chris has just been released on good behavior after spending several years in prison. Waiting for him reluctantly outside the prison gates is his younger brother, Frank, a cop with a bright future. Chris and Frank have always been different, yet blood...
Toronto audiences will be among the first to screen films by directors Fred Schepisi, Alberto Arvelo, Reha Erdem, Dexter Fletcher, Richard Glatzer and Wash Westmoreland, Megan Griffiths, Arnaud Larrieu and Jean-Marie Larrieu, Kevin Macdonald, Arie Posin, Charlie Stratton, Nils Tavernier and John Turturro.
The 38th Toronto International Film Festival runs September 5 to 15, 2013.
Galas Blood Ties
Guillaume Canet, France/USA North American Premiere
New York, 1974. 50-year-old Chris has just been released on good behavior after spending several years in prison. Waiting for him reluctantly outside the prison gates is his younger brother, Frank, a cop with a bright future. Chris and Frank have always been different, yet blood...
- 8/17/2013
- by John
- SoundOnSight
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