Exclusive: When Dr. John Shears led the 2022 expedition to find Sir Ernest Shackleton’s ship the Endurance, a former boss gave him a 10% chance of success. “I said to him: ‘Well, Shackleton would have taken that chance,’” he tells Deadline. The extraordinary tale of the effort to find the famous explorer’s ship plays out alongside jaw-dropping newly color-treated footage of the original expedition in Endurance. The feature documentary comes from the Oscar-winning team of Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin and Bafta-nominated Natalie Hewit.
In their first interview about the project, Vasarhelyi, Shears and producer Ruth Johnston tell Deadline about the film, which meshes historic and modern-day adventure. The film will air on Nat Geo and then stream on Disney+ and Hulu later this fall. It will premiere at the London Film Festival.
Endurance tells the stories of two expeditions. In 1914 Sir Ernest Shackleton set out to traverse Antarctica but...
In their first interview about the project, Vasarhelyi, Shears and producer Ruth Johnston tell Deadline about the film, which meshes historic and modern-day adventure. The film will air on Nat Geo and then stream on Disney+ and Hulu later this fall. It will premiere at the London Film Festival.
Endurance tells the stories of two expeditions. In 1914 Sir Ernest Shackleton set out to traverse Antarctica but...
- 9/13/2024
- by Stewart Clarke
- Deadline Film + TV
Documentary ¡Casa Bonita Mi Amor! with Trey Parker and Matt Stone cleaned up on one screen only in Denver and Tamil-language revenge thriller The Greatest Of All Time is the latest Indian film to pop at the North American box office with over $2 million on 530 screens for the three-day weekend and a cume of $3.5 million including previews, according to Comscore, as it sets records at home.
The Alamo Denver had Beetlejuice Beetlejuice in its biggest auditoriums with Casa Bonita showing at one 115-seater and sold out all weekend except for a a dozen or so tickets over Saturday and Sunday morning shows – meaning its $21.75k gross is about the top of what’s possible. The best per screen average for a doc post-Covid is Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin’s Wild Life in 2023 at over $23k each on two screens.
Casa Bonita’s afternoon and evening showings were...
The Alamo Denver had Beetlejuice Beetlejuice in its biggest auditoriums with Casa Bonita showing at one 115-seater and sold out all weekend except for a a dozen or so tickets over Saturday and Sunday morning shows – meaning its $21.75k gross is about the top of what’s possible. The best per screen average for a doc post-Covid is Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin’s Wild Life in 2023 at over $23k each on two screens.
Casa Bonita’s afternoon and evening showings were...
- 9/8/2024
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
The 68 th BFI London Film Festival has announced the full programme line-up, which will be presented in cinemas and online, across the UK.
The Lff will present a vibrant and diverse programme of 253 features, shorts, series and immersive works from 79 countries, featuring 63 languages playing across the 12 days of the festival. This includes 112 works made by female and non-binary filmmakers – 44% of the programme.
World Premieres
From filmmakers and artists include: Steve McQueen’s Blitz which opens the festival, Ben Taylor’s Cunard Gala Joy starring Thomasin McKenzie, James Norton and Bill Nighy, the BFI National Archive and The Film Foundation’s restoration Silent Sherlock, Darren Thornton’s Irish comedy film Four Mothers, spellbinding performance film from Iain Forsyth and Jane Pollard The Extraordinary Miss Flower, thriller series A Thousand Blows from Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight, the latest documentary from Oscar®-winning directing duo Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin Endurance,...
The Lff will present a vibrant and diverse programme of 253 features, shorts, series and immersive works from 79 countries, featuring 63 languages playing across the 12 days of the festival. This includes 112 works made by female and non-binary filmmakers – 44% of the programme.
World Premieres
From filmmakers and artists include: Steve McQueen’s Blitz which opens the festival, Ben Taylor’s Cunard Gala Joy starring Thomasin McKenzie, James Norton and Bill Nighy, the BFI National Archive and The Film Foundation’s restoration Silent Sherlock, Darren Thornton’s Irish comedy film Four Mothers, spellbinding performance film from Iain Forsyth and Jane Pollard The Extraordinary Miss Flower, thriller series A Thousand Blows from Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight, the latest documentary from Oscar®-winning directing duo Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin Endurance,...
- 9/4/2024
- by Zehra Phelan
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Fifteen features will world premiere at the 68th BFI London Film Festival (Lff), including Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin’s documentary Endurance, and previously announced opening title Steve McQueen’s Blitz.
The festival takes place from October 9-20.
Free Solo and Nyad directing duo Vasarhelyi and Chin direct Endurance alongside Natalie Hewit, which examines the lost ship of Antarctic explorer Ernest Shackleton. Further world premieres include Sophie Compton and Daisy-May Hudson’s documentary Holloway, about one of the largest women’s prisons in Europe.
Steven Knight’s Victorian boxing series A Thousand Blows, starring Stephen Graham, will receive its world premiere.
The festival takes place from October 9-20.
Free Solo and Nyad directing duo Vasarhelyi and Chin direct Endurance alongside Natalie Hewit, which examines the lost ship of Antarctic explorer Ernest Shackleton. Further world premieres include Sophie Compton and Daisy-May Hudson’s documentary Holloway, about one of the largest women’s prisons in Europe.
Steven Knight’s Victorian boxing series A Thousand Blows, starring Stephen Graham, will receive its world premiere.
- 9/4/2024
- ScreenDaily
The 68th BFI London Film Festival has unveiled its star-studded 2024 lineup, featuring Angelina Jolie, Elton John, Daniel Craig, Florence Pugh, Andrew Garfield, Saoirse Ronan, and more in a program boasting 39 world premieres and 12 international premieres among its 253 feature, short, series and immersive works.
The festival’s headline gala screenings will showcase a range of high-profile films. The world premiere of Steve McQueen’s “Blitz” starring Ronan opens the festival, while Morgan Neville’s “Piece by Piece” closes it.
Other gala screenings include R.J. Cutler and David Furnish’s “Elton John: Never Too Late,” Sean Baker’s “Anora,” Ali Abbasi’s “The Apprentice” starring Sebastian Stan, Andrea Arnold’s “Bird,” Edward Berger’s “Conclave” with Ralph Fiennes, Jacques Audiard’s “Emilia Pérez,” Mike Leigh’s “Hard Truths,” Ben Taylor’s “Joy,” Pablo Larraín’s “Maria” featuring Jolie, Marielle Heller’s “Nightbitch” starring Amy Adams, Pedro Almodóvar’s “The Room Next Door...
The festival’s headline gala screenings will showcase a range of high-profile films. The world premiere of Steve McQueen’s “Blitz” starring Ronan opens the festival, while Morgan Neville’s “Piece by Piece” closes it.
Other gala screenings include R.J. Cutler and David Furnish’s “Elton John: Never Too Late,” Sean Baker’s “Anora,” Ali Abbasi’s “The Apprentice” starring Sebastian Stan, Andrea Arnold’s “Bird,” Edward Berger’s “Conclave” with Ralph Fiennes, Jacques Audiard’s “Emilia Pérez,” Mike Leigh’s “Hard Truths,” Ben Taylor’s “Joy,” Pablo Larraín’s “Maria” featuring Jolie, Marielle Heller’s “Nightbitch” starring Amy Adams, Pedro Almodóvar’s “The Room Next Door...
- 9/4/2024
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin’s latest documentary feature Endurance about the epic search to find the lost ship of Antarctic explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton, Sean Baker’s Anora, and Marielle Heller’s Nightbitch starring Amy Adams are among the titles that have been announced within the full lineup of the British Film Institute’s (BFI) 68th London Film Festival. Scroll down for the full list.
Endurance, which Oscar winners Vasarhelyi and Chin have made for National Geographic, will screen as a world premiere. Running October 9-20, Lff will feature 40 World Premieres, 12 International Premieres, and 21 European Premieres.
Eye-grabbing entries from today’s launch include headline gala screenings of Sean Baker’s Palme d’Or winner Anora, Edward Berger’s latest feature Conclave, and Ali Abbasi’s much-talked-about Donald Trump biopic The Apprentice. Other highly-anticipated titles that arrive from the...
Endurance, which Oscar winners Vasarhelyi and Chin have made for National Geographic, will screen as a world premiere. Running October 9-20, Lff will feature 40 World Premieres, 12 International Premieres, and 21 European Premieres.
Eye-grabbing entries from today’s launch include headline gala screenings of Sean Baker’s Palme d’Or winner Anora, Edward Berger’s latest feature Conclave, and Ali Abbasi’s much-talked-about Donald Trump biopic The Apprentice. Other highly-anticipated titles that arrive from the...
- 9/4/2024
- by Zac Ntim
- Deadline Film + TV
The 68th BFI London Film Festival has unveiled its lineup of Screen Talks, featuring a roster of high-profile filmmakers and actors.
The program includes sessions with Steve McQueen, Lupita Nyong’o, Denis Villeneuve, Andrea Arnold, Sean Baker, Daniel Kaluuya, Mike Leigh, Zoe Saldaña, and the documentary duo Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin.
Villeneuve, fresh off the success of the “Dune” films, will take audiences through his filmography, which includes “Arrival” and “Blade Runner 2049.” British filmmaker Andrea Arnold will share insights into her impact on both big and small screens, while Sean Baker, recent Palme d’Or recipient for “Anora,” will explore his approach to representing marginalized lives on film.
McQueen, whose film “Blitz” serves as the festival’s opening night gala, will discuss his work spanning both cinema and television. Oscar winner Nyong’o is set to reflect on her career trajectory from “12 Years a Slave” to recent...
The program includes sessions with Steve McQueen, Lupita Nyong’o, Denis Villeneuve, Andrea Arnold, Sean Baker, Daniel Kaluuya, Mike Leigh, Zoe Saldaña, and the documentary duo Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin.
Villeneuve, fresh off the success of the “Dune” films, will take audiences through his filmography, which includes “Arrival” and “Blade Runner 2049.” British filmmaker Andrea Arnold will share insights into her impact on both big and small screens, while Sean Baker, recent Palme d’Or recipient for “Anora,” will explore his approach to representing marginalized lives on film.
McQueen, whose film “Blitz” serves as the festival’s opening night gala, will discuss his work spanning both cinema and television. Oscar winner Nyong’o is set to reflect on her career trajectory from “12 Years a Slave” to recent...
- 9/3/2024
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Bird auteur Andrea Arnold, director of Lff opening night film Blitz Steve McQueen and Dune filmmaker Denis Villeneuve are among the filmmakers taking part in the Screen Talks programme at the 68th BFI London Film Festival next month.
Also taking part are this year’s Palme d’Or winner, Anora director Sean Baker; Nyad and Free Solo directing team Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin; and Mike Leigh, whose latest Hard Truths will soon premiere at Toronto, where he’ll also receive an honorary award.
Actors on the billing are 12 Years A Slave star Lupita Nyong’o, Get Out’s Daniel Kaluuya,...
Also taking part are this year’s Palme d’Or winner, Anora director Sean Baker; Nyad and Free Solo directing team Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin; and Mike Leigh, whose latest Hard Truths will soon premiere at Toronto, where he’ll also receive an honorary award.
Actors on the billing are 12 Years A Slave star Lupita Nyong’o, Get Out’s Daniel Kaluuya,...
- 9/3/2024
- ScreenDaily
British Film Institute’s London Film Festival annual Screen Talks returns with a star-studded lineup that includes Andrea Arnold, Sean Baker, Steve McQueen, Lupita Nyong’o, Zoe Saldaña, and many more.
After featured Martin Scorsese, Andrew Haigh, and Lulu Wang spoke at the festival in 2023, this year’s crop of filmmakers represent the most highly-anticipated features on the 2024 festival circuit.
Sean Baker famously won the Palme d’Or at Cannes 2024 for “Anora,” which is an early Oscar frontrunner after IndieWire critic David Ehrlich praised the film for being a blend of “Uncut Gems” and “Pretty Woman.” At BFI, Baker will discuss his filmography including “Tangerine,” “The Florida Project,” and “Red Rocket.”
Steve McQueen, director of the Lff’s Opening Night Gala-selected film “Blitz,” will talk about his new film, alongside his work for the big and small screen, from “Hunger” and “12 Years a Slave” to “Widows,” “Small Axe,” and “Occupied City.
After featured Martin Scorsese, Andrew Haigh, and Lulu Wang spoke at the festival in 2023, this year’s crop of filmmakers represent the most highly-anticipated features on the 2024 festival circuit.
Sean Baker famously won the Palme d’Or at Cannes 2024 for “Anora,” which is an early Oscar frontrunner after IndieWire critic David Ehrlich praised the film for being a blend of “Uncut Gems” and “Pretty Woman.” At BFI, Baker will discuss his filmography including “Tangerine,” “The Florida Project,” and “Red Rocket.”
Steve McQueen, director of the Lff’s Opening Night Gala-selected film “Blitz,” will talk about his new film, alongside his work for the big and small screen, from “Hunger” and “12 Years a Slave” to “Widows,” “Small Axe,” and “Occupied City.
- 9/3/2024
- by Harrison Richlin and Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
Zoe Saldaña (Avatar, Guardians of the Galaxy), Lupita Nyong’o (12 Years A Slave), and Daniel Kaluuya (Black Panther, Get Out) are among the stars set to come out for the 68th BFI London Film Festival and its popular Screen Talks this fall.
“Audiences have the chance to hear first-hand from leading voices in contemporary cinema and television from both sides of the camera, Lff said on Tuesday, also unveiling on-stage appearances from the likes of Denis Villeneuve (Dune, Arrival), Andrea Arnold (Fish Tank, Red Road), Sean Baker (Anora, The Florida Project), following his winning the Palme d’Or in Cannes this year, Mike Leigh (Secrets and Lies, Vera Drake), Steve McQueen (Hunger, Widows), and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin (Nyad, Free Solo).
Last week, the Lff unveiled the 11 competition titles for its 2024 edition, which feature Barry Keoghan, Nick Cave, and the voices of Sarah Snook and Eric Bana, among others.
“Audiences have the chance to hear first-hand from leading voices in contemporary cinema and television from both sides of the camera, Lff said on Tuesday, also unveiling on-stage appearances from the likes of Denis Villeneuve (Dune, Arrival), Andrea Arnold (Fish Tank, Red Road), Sean Baker (Anora, The Florida Project), following his winning the Palme d’Or in Cannes this year, Mike Leigh (Secrets and Lies, Vera Drake), Steve McQueen (Hunger, Widows), and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin (Nyad, Free Solo).
Last week, the Lff unveiled the 11 competition titles for its 2024 edition, which feature Barry Keoghan, Nick Cave, and the voices of Sarah Snook and Eric Bana, among others.
- 9/3/2024
- by Georg Szalai
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The BFI’s London Film Festival has set an impressive lineup of starry names including Academy Award winners Steve McQueen, Denis Villeneuve, Lupita Nyong’o, and recent Palme d’Or winner Sean Baker for this year’s screen talk Q&a sessions. Scroll down for the entire screen talks programme.
This year’s London Film Festival runs from 9 October – 20 October. The festival will open with Steve McQueen’s latest feature Blitz, an exploration of London during World War 2, on opening night at this year’s London Film Festival. The pic will screen as a world premiere.
Directed, produced, and written by McQueen, the film follows the epic journey of George (Elliott Heffernan), a 9-year-old boy in World War II London whose mother Rita (Saoirse Ronan) sends him to safety in the English countryside. The Synopsis reads: George, defiant and determined to return home to Rita and his grandfather Gerald (Paul Weller) in East London,...
This year’s London Film Festival runs from 9 October – 20 October. The festival will open with Steve McQueen’s latest feature Blitz, an exploration of London during World War 2, on opening night at this year’s London Film Festival. The pic will screen as a world premiere.
Directed, produced, and written by McQueen, the film follows the epic journey of George (Elliott Heffernan), a 9-year-old boy in World War II London whose mother Rita (Saoirse Ronan) sends him to safety in the English countryside. The Synopsis reads: George, defiant and determined to return home to Rita and his grandfather Gerald (Paul Weller) in East London,...
- 9/3/2024
- by Zac Ntim
- Deadline Film + TV
Cinetic Media has signed Oscar-winning filmmaker Kevin MacDonald for management.
Macdonald won the Academy Award for Best Documentary for “One Day in September,” a look at the 1972 murder of 11 Israeli athletes at the Summer Olympics In Munich. MacDonald’s narrative feature, “The Last King of Scotland,” earned the best actor Oscar for Forest Whitaker for his chilling performance as Idi Amin.
MacDonald will be attending the Venice Film Festival, where he will premiere a “One to One: John & Yoko,” a documentary about the music legends’ relationship from Mercury Studios. His recent documentary “Klitschko: More Than a Fight,” a look at Vitali Klitschko, a boxing champ turned the mayor of Kyiv, opened the 2024 Sheffield DocFest. Previous work in the non-fiction space include “Marley,” a portrait of reggae great Bob Marley; “Whitney,” an examination of pop sensation Whitney Houston; and “High & Low — John Galliano,” which charts the controversial fashion designer’s fall.
Macdonald won the Academy Award for Best Documentary for “One Day in September,” a look at the 1972 murder of 11 Israeli athletes at the Summer Olympics In Munich. MacDonald’s narrative feature, “The Last King of Scotland,” earned the best actor Oscar for Forest Whitaker for his chilling performance as Idi Amin.
MacDonald will be attending the Venice Film Festival, where he will premiere a “One to One: John & Yoko,” a documentary about the music legends’ relationship from Mercury Studios. His recent documentary “Klitschko: More Than a Fight,” a look at Vitali Klitschko, a boxing champ turned the mayor of Kyiv, opened the 2024 Sheffield DocFest. Previous work in the non-fiction space include “Marley,” a portrait of reggae great Bob Marley; “Whitney,” an examination of pop sensation Whitney Houston; and “High & Low — John Galliano,” which charts the controversial fashion designer’s fall.
- 8/27/2024
- by Brent Lang
- Variety Film + TV
Lion And Cubs
Indian superstar Shah Rukh Khan, who was recently in Locarno for a celebration, has teamed up with his sons Aryan Khan and AbRam as the voice cast of the Hindi-language version of Disney’s upcoming feature film “Mufasa: The Lion.”
The film is directed by Barry Jenkins and tells the story of the unlikely rise of the beloved king of the Pride Lands, while also introducing an orphaned cub called Mufasa, a sympathetic lion named Taka—the heir to a royal bloodline—and their expansive journey alongside an extraordinary group of misfits. The film has original songs by Lin-Manuel Miranda and an English voice cast of Aaron Pierre as Mufasa, Donald Glover as Simba and Braelyn Rankins as Young Mufasa.
The film will reach Indian theatres on Dec.20 in English, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu versions.
Watch the trailer here:
Format Duo
Nippon TV has finalized a deal...
Indian superstar Shah Rukh Khan, who was recently in Locarno for a celebration, has teamed up with his sons Aryan Khan and AbRam as the voice cast of the Hindi-language version of Disney’s upcoming feature film “Mufasa: The Lion.”
The film is directed by Barry Jenkins and tells the story of the unlikely rise of the beloved king of the Pride Lands, while also introducing an orphaned cub called Mufasa, a sympathetic lion named Taka—the heir to a royal bloodline—and their expansive journey alongside an extraordinary group of misfits. The film has original songs by Lin-Manuel Miranda and an English voice cast of Aaron Pierre as Mufasa, Donald Glover as Simba and Braelyn Rankins as Young Mufasa.
The film will reach Indian theatres on Dec.20 in English, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu versions.
Watch the trailer here:
Format Duo
Nippon TV has finalized a deal...
- 8/12/2024
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Following a bidding war, Sony has won the rights to Michael Crichton’s volcano disaster novel, Eruption, with Keanu Reeves rumoured to be starring.
Here’s a story that has a few intriguing elements to it. Sony has paid what is believed to be a seven figure sum to acquire the rights to Eruption, a volcano disaster movie set in Hawaii. Bidding for the project is said to have been pretty fierce, not least because the project hails (in part) from the pen of the late Michael Crichton, whose work has proven to be a goldmine over the years for film adaptations.
Jurassic Park, Twister and Disclosure are just a few of the high-profile successes that have stemmed from the author’s work. Eruption, which Crichton spent two decades years writing before his death in 2008, ‘follows a history-making volcano explosion that is about to wipe away the big island of Hawaii.
Here’s a story that has a few intriguing elements to it. Sony has paid what is believed to be a seven figure sum to acquire the rights to Eruption, a volcano disaster movie set in Hawaii. Bidding for the project is said to have been pretty fierce, not least because the project hails (in part) from the pen of the late Michael Crichton, whose work has proven to be a goldmine over the years for film adaptations.
Jurassic Park, Twister and Disclosure are just a few of the high-profile successes that have stemmed from the author’s work. Eruption, which Crichton spent two decades years writing before his death in 2008, ‘follows a history-making volcano explosion that is about to wipe away the big island of Hawaii.
- 7/11/2024
- by Dan Cooper
- Film Stories
Exclusive: The Michael Crichton and James Patterson novel Eruption has been bought at auction by Sony in what we hear is a seven-figure deal after several circled.
The feature take of Eruption already has Oscar-winning Free Solo directors Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi attached to direct, and we understand that there already have been conversations with Keanu Reeves to star, though no commitment.
Producers on the feature are Sherri Crichton for Crichton Sun, Patterson and Shane Salerno. Chin and Vasarhelyi also will produce. They made their narrative directing debut on Nyad, which got Oscar noms for Annette Bening and Jodie Foster.
Eruption, which Crichton spent 20 years writing before his death in 2008, follows a history-making volcano explosion that is about to wipe away the big island of Hawaii. However, a secret held for decades by the U.S. military is far more terrifying than any volcano.
The deal for Eruption...
The feature take of Eruption already has Oscar-winning Free Solo directors Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi attached to direct, and we understand that there already have been conversations with Keanu Reeves to star, though no commitment.
Producers on the feature are Sherri Crichton for Crichton Sun, Patterson and Shane Salerno. Chin and Vasarhelyi also will produce. They made their narrative directing debut on Nyad, which got Oscar noms for Annette Bening and Jodie Foster.
Eruption, which Crichton spent 20 years writing before his death in 2008, follows a history-making volcano explosion that is about to wipe away the big island of Hawaii. However, a secret held for decades by the U.S. military is far more terrifying than any volcano.
The deal for Eruption...
- 7/10/2024
- by Mike Fleming Jr and Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Oscar-winning Free Solo directors Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi have come aboard as part of the package to direct Eruption, the novel by Michael Crichton and James Patterson that was just published atop every bestseller list.
The duo will be in the center of meetings to be held next week in which they’ll pitch the book, a large scale earth-threatening thriller about a volcano explosion in Hawaii. At the same time, Jim and Vasarhelyi might also be directing a documentary on the life of the late great Crichton.
Eruption is a big scale disaster novel tale that Crichton spent 20 years working on before his untimely death. The novel just went out to studios and other major buyers. It’s expected to be a big sale, continuing the legacy of the brilliant author behind everything from Jurassic Park, Westworld, Twister, ER and so many others.
The filmmakers made their narrative debut with Nyad,...
The duo will be in the center of meetings to be held next week in which they’ll pitch the book, a large scale earth-threatening thriller about a volcano explosion in Hawaii. At the same time, Jim and Vasarhelyi might also be directing a documentary on the life of the late great Crichton.
Eruption is a big scale disaster novel tale that Crichton spent 20 years working on before his untimely death. The novel just went out to studios and other major buyers. It’s expected to be a big sale, continuing the legacy of the brilliant author behind everything from Jurassic Park, Westworld, Twister, ER and so many others.
The filmmakers made their narrative debut with Nyad,...
- 6/6/2024
- by Mike Fleming Jr
- Deadline Film + TV
After premiering at Doc NYC, Kenji Tsukamoto debut documentary feature, “Ashima,” comes to the San Francisco Bay Area. Here, he follows legendary rock climber, Ashima Shiraishi, as she aims to master a V14 site – a bouldering grade accomplished by only 0.01% of climbers in the world. Over the course of the journey, we watch Shiraishi blossom into fame during her preteen years, cultivate her confidence under unconditional support of her father and coach, Poppo, and sport the colorful climbing shorts designed by her mother.
We caught documentarian Tsukamoto and producer Minji Chang in the advent of their San Francisco Bay Area premiere at CAAMFest 2024. We spoke about what it takes to make a solid documentary film: moving in with the subject, lots of generous editors, and of course, money.
What inspired the film?
Kenji Tsukamoto: In 2009, I moved back to the US from Japan. At the time, Japan had a really high suicide rate and hikkikomori,...
We caught documentarian Tsukamoto and producer Minji Chang in the advent of their San Francisco Bay Area premiere at CAAMFest 2024. We spoke about what it takes to make a solid documentary film: moving in with the subject, lots of generous editors, and of course, money.
What inspired the film?
Kenji Tsukamoto: In 2009, I moved back to the US from Japan. At the time, Japan had a really high suicide rate and hikkikomori,...
- 5/11/2024
- by Grace Han
- AsianMoviePulse
After making the leap to narrative filmmaking last year with “Nyad,” Oscar winners Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin have returned to their documentary roots and are currently at work in the edit suite prepping their next doc feature — “Lost in the Amazon” (working title), about how four Indigenous children survived for 40 days in the Amazon jungle after a plane crash in 2023. The story of their disappearance and eventual recovery transfixed the global media.
Vasarhelyi and Chin co-directed and produced the film with Colombian filmmaker Juan Camilo Cruz for National Geographic.
The feature docu will tell the story of the struggle for survival of the four children — who ranged in age from 11 months to 13 years — in the guerilla-held jungles of Colombia after a plane they were aboard crashed and killed their mother. The children survived for 40 days in the deep Amazonian rainforest using their Indigenous knowledge of the jungle and the...
Vasarhelyi and Chin co-directed and produced the film with Colombian filmmaker Juan Camilo Cruz for National Geographic.
The feature docu will tell the story of the struggle for survival of the four children — who ranged in age from 11 months to 13 years — in the guerilla-held jungles of Colombia after a plane they were aboard crashed and killed their mother. The children survived for 40 days in the deep Amazonian rainforest using their Indigenous knowledge of the jungle and the...
- 5/9/2024
- by Addie Morfoot
- Variety Film + TV
It's been 28 years since Jan De Bont's "Twister" ripped through theaters and whipped up a $496 million worldwide gross. In the meantime, it's become a weekend cable mainstay, where viewers can tune out its wafer-thin plot and simply enjoy the foul weather spectacle. It's far from a classic, but its visual prowess is undeniable, and its colorful cast of storm chasers led by Bill Paxton and Helen Hunt seem to be having a ball. Any film that includes Philip Seymour Hoffman, Alan Ruck, Jami Gertz, Todd Field, and Lois Smith is bound to be fun on some level.
So why has it taken so long for Universal to make a sequel to the second-highest-grossing film (domestically) of 1996?
"Twisters" didn't exactly have a stormy development process, but it did go through a couple of iterations over the last four years. Joseph Kosinski was attached to direct in early 2020. When that fell through,...
So why has it taken so long for Universal to make a sequel to the second-highest-grossing film (domestically) of 1996?
"Twisters" didn't exactly have a stormy development process, but it did go through a couple of iterations over the last four years. Joseph Kosinski was attached to direct in early 2020. When that fell through,...
- 5/8/2024
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
Oscar-winning director-producers Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth (Chai) Vasarhelyi consistently deliver stunning visuals and compelling documentary content. And following such breakout films as “Meru,” Oscar- and Emmy-winning “Free Solo,” Emmy-winning “The Rescue,” and “Wild Life,” which took advantage of pro climber-cinematographer-NatGeo photographer Chin’s 20 years of athletic cinema and Vasarhelyi’s relentless producer drive for perfection, they moved into feature directing with long-distance swimming drama “Nyad,” which scored Oscar nominations for stars Annette Bening and Jodie Foster.
Over the years, the filmmakers have established their filmmaking prowess, combining immersive cinema verité visuals with deeply felt personal drama. That is on full display in their latest collaboration with NatGeo, the series “Photographer,” for which the duo matched six of the world’s most renowned shooters with veteran directors Marshall Curry, Kristi Jacobson, and Sam Pollard, plus Sundance alumnae Crystal Kayiza and Rita Baghdadi, and set them loose to return with bespoke...
Over the years, the filmmakers have established their filmmaking prowess, combining immersive cinema verité visuals with deeply felt personal drama. That is on full display in their latest collaboration with NatGeo, the series “Photographer,” for which the duo matched six of the world’s most renowned shooters with veteran directors Marshall Curry, Kristi Jacobson, and Sam Pollard, plus Sundance alumnae Crystal Kayiza and Rita Baghdadi, and set them loose to return with bespoke...
- 3/19/2024
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
After making their first narrative feature “Nyad,” which debuted last year and earned Oscar nominations for the film’s stars Annette Bening and Jodie Foster, Academy Award winning directors Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi (“Free Solo”) are returning to their documentary roots with “Photographer.”
The six-part National Geographic docuseries features seven photographers — Cristina Mittermeier and Paul Nicklen, Dan Winters, Campbell Addy, Krystle Wright, Muhammed Muheisen, and Anand Varma. Vérité footage of each subject’s current mission is interwoven with interviews and archival footage to demonstrate how each photographer approaches their work, the intention behind that work, their process, and how they each discover, see and experience the world.
To bring each of the National Geographic photographers’ stories to life, showrunners Chin and Vasarhelyi hired six veteran documentary filmmakers: Marshall Curry (“Racing Dreams”), Crystal Kayiza (“Rest Stop”), Sam Pollard (“MLK/FBI”), Kristi Jacobson (“Solitary”) Rita Baghdadi (“Sirens”) and Pagan Harleman...
The six-part National Geographic docuseries features seven photographers — Cristina Mittermeier and Paul Nicklen, Dan Winters, Campbell Addy, Krystle Wright, Muhammed Muheisen, and Anand Varma. Vérité footage of each subject’s current mission is interwoven with interviews and archival footage to demonstrate how each photographer approaches their work, the intention behind that work, their process, and how they each discover, see and experience the world.
To bring each of the National Geographic photographers’ stories to life, showrunners Chin and Vasarhelyi hired six veteran documentary filmmakers: Marshall Curry (“Racing Dreams”), Crystal Kayiza (“Rest Stop”), Sam Pollard (“MLK/FBI”), Kristi Jacobson (“Solitary”) Rita Baghdadi (“Sirens”) and Pagan Harleman...
- 3/18/2024
- by Addie Morfoot
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Apple TV+ is staying in business with one of the men behind its latest sports docuseries The Dynasty: New England Patriots.
The streamer has struck a first-look deal with director Matthew Hamachek.
It is the latest first-look deal for the tech company following similar deals with the likes of David & Jessica Oyelowo, The Morning Show’s Mimi Leder and Black Bird co-creator Dennis Lehane.
In addition to The Dynasty, Hamachek directed HBO’s Tiger Woods documentary Tiger, which won a sports Emmy in 2022.
He started his career working on the Oscar-nominated documentary Street Fight before working on Racing Dreams and If A Tree Falls before co-producing docs including Cartel Land, Amanda Knox, City of Ghosts and The Trade. He also exec produced Netflix’s Return To Space, which was directed by Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi.
The Apple deal comes ahead of the finale of the ten-part series The Dynasty: New England Patriots,...
The streamer has struck a first-look deal with director Matthew Hamachek.
It is the latest first-look deal for the tech company following similar deals with the likes of David & Jessica Oyelowo, The Morning Show’s Mimi Leder and Black Bird co-creator Dennis Lehane.
In addition to The Dynasty, Hamachek directed HBO’s Tiger Woods documentary Tiger, which won a sports Emmy in 2022.
He started his career working on the Oscar-nominated documentary Street Fight before working on Racing Dreams and If A Tree Falls before co-producing docs including Cartel Land, Amanda Knox, City of Ghosts and The Trade. He also exec produced Netflix’s Return To Space, which was directed by Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi.
The Apple deal comes ahead of the finale of the ten-part series The Dynasty: New England Patriots,...
- 3/13/2024
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
Jodie Foster is one of the most talented and respected actresses in Hollywood. From working on many critically acclaimed projects to being nominated for an Oscar five times and winning two out of them, she has certainly seen the heights of success in her career. Naturally, she has worked very hard for these achievements.
Jodie Foster as Clarice Starling in The Silence of the Lambs
Her most recent work, Nyad, is the perfect example of her dedication as an actress. Not only was she nominated for an Oscar for her work in the sports-thriller film, but she also pushed her physical capabilities as much as she could.
Suggested“I didn’t want that life”: Jodie Foster Vowed To Never Commit The Same Mistake That Destroyed Madonna
It would seem that the 61-year-old actress had a point to prove when making the movie and would stop at nothing to make it.
Jodie Foster as Clarice Starling in The Silence of the Lambs
Her most recent work, Nyad, is the perfect example of her dedication as an actress. Not only was she nominated for an Oscar for her work in the sports-thriller film, but she also pushed her physical capabilities as much as she could.
Suggested“I didn’t want that life”: Jodie Foster Vowed To Never Commit The Same Mistake That Destroyed Madonna
It would seem that the 61-year-old actress had a point to prove when making the movie and would stop at nothing to make it.
- 3/11/2024
- by Ananya Godboley
- FandomWire
Four documentary filmmakers have been selected to participate in Yeti’s inaugural Pretty Wild fellowship program, which supports documentaries that give a fresh perspective on the outdoors and the people and stories that live there.
The projects are: Tasha Van Zandt’s “The Arctic Women,” Mike Day’s “Baby Highlander,” Emily Cohen Ibañez’s “River” and Juliana Schatz Preston’s “Rare Bird.”
The four filmmakers, chosen from 330 submissions spanning 30 countries, are currently in Austin, Texas, for the first of two immersive retreats featured in the eight-month program.
In addition to $50,000 in unrestricted grants, each of the four selected filmmakers will receive guidance throughout the development of their films from a board of mentors. That includes the retreat in Austin, which comes to a close on March 7, as well as another retreat in September in Camden, Maine, leading up to Points North’s 20th annual Camden International Film Festival. The retreats include feedback sessions,...
The projects are: Tasha Van Zandt’s “The Arctic Women,” Mike Day’s “Baby Highlander,” Emily Cohen Ibañez’s “River” and Juliana Schatz Preston’s “Rare Bird.”
The four filmmakers, chosen from 330 submissions spanning 30 countries, are currently in Austin, Texas, for the first of two immersive retreats featured in the eight-month program.
In addition to $50,000 in unrestricted grants, each of the four selected filmmakers will receive guidance throughout the development of their films from a board of mentors. That includes the retreat in Austin, which comes to a close on March 7, as well as another retreat in September in Camden, Maine, leading up to Points North’s 20th annual Camden International Film Festival. The retreats include feedback sessions,...
- 3/7/2024
- by Addie Morfoot
- Variety Film + TV
It’s been a remarkable past year for Free Solo directors Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin. At Telluride, they premiered their first narrative feature Nyad, a dramatization of the relentless pursuit of extreme athlete Diana Nyad to swim from Cuba to Florida without the safety of a shark cage. The Netflix release has gone on to earn Oscar nominations for its stars Annette Bening and Jodie Foster.
But the filmmaking couple hasn’t left the world of nonfiction cinema behind. They return to documentary storytelling this month with Photographer, a National Geographic series about the elite artists who take some of the world’s most remarkable images of wildlife and the human family. Vasarhelyi and Chin join the latest episode of Deadline’s Doc Talk podcast to discuss their six-part series, which profiles NatGeo photographers Paul Nicklen, Cristina Mittermeier, Muhammed Muheisen, Krystle Wright and others.
Vasarhelyi and Chin also share insights from making Nyad,...
But the filmmaking couple hasn’t left the world of nonfiction cinema behind. They return to documentary storytelling this month with Photographer, a National Geographic series about the elite artists who take some of the world’s most remarkable images of wildlife and the human family. Vasarhelyi and Chin join the latest episode of Deadline’s Doc Talk podcast to discuss their six-part series, which profiles NatGeo photographers Paul Nicklen, Cristina Mittermeier, Muhammed Muheisen, Krystle Wright and others.
Vasarhelyi and Chin also share insights from making Nyad,...
- 3/6/2024
- by Matthew Carey
- Deadline Film + TV
Embarking on the pursuit of goals is a timeless and universal endeavor that transcends age limitations. While some may argue that age hinders the realization of dreams, it is crucial to dispel this misconception and recognize that age should not impede our aspirations. Nyad is a sports drama that illustrates the steadfast resoluteness of a resilient woman in her sixties, determined to resurrect a previous, thwarted aspiration—the continuous swim from Cuba to Florida. Directed by the dynamic documentary filmmaking duo, Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi, renowned for their Academy and BAFTA-winning documentary Free Solo (2018), which chronicles Alex Honnold’s daring free solo climb in 2017 on El Capitan, a towering 3,000-foot-high rock formation in Yosemite Valley, California. In their debut feature film, they draw significant inspiration from their protagonist’s almost irrationally optimistic outlook and relentless drive. The narrative unfolds as a poignant exploration of the protagonist’s obstinate...
- 2/17/2024
- by Dipankar Sarkar
- Talking Films
The disaster film Twister (watch it Here) was a massive success for Warner Bros., Universal Pictures, and Amblin Entertainment when it was released during the summer movie season in 1996. Made on a budget of $90 million, it earned almost $500 million at the global box office and ranked as the tenth highest-grossing film of all time. Quickly cashing in with a sequel would have made a lot of sense. But while there were rumors – including a memorable one that said the sequel would involve a tornado hitting a major city – a follow-up never made it into production. Until now. Universal and Amblin are reviving the Twister IP with a film called Twisters, which is set to receive a theatrical release on July 19, 2024. Twenty-eight years later, will it be able to replicate or surpass the success of its predecessor? We’ll have to wait and see. But for know, we’re going to...
- 2/15/2024
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
The Vancouver Film Critics Circle Awards has named Justine Triet’s mystery thriller Anatomy of a Fall as the best movie of the year.
The French courtroom drama — which is competing at the Oscars in five categories — also earned Sandra Hüller the best female actor crown for her star turn in the Cannes Palme d’Or award winner. Anatomy of a Fall beat out Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer and Jonathan Glazer’s The Zone of Interest for the best picture prize.
Nolan did, however, pick up the best director honor for Oppenheimer, while his biopic about the father of the A-bomb led to Robert Downey Jr. nabbing the best supporting actor prize. The other multiple winner is Alexander Payne’s The Holdovers, which on the acting front earned Paul Giamatti the best male actor honor for his role as a curmudgeonly classics instructor and Da’Vine Joy Randolph the best supporting...
The French courtroom drama — which is competing at the Oscars in five categories — also earned Sandra Hüller the best female actor crown for her star turn in the Cannes Palme d’Or award winner. Anatomy of a Fall beat out Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer and Jonathan Glazer’s The Zone of Interest for the best picture prize.
Nolan did, however, pick up the best director honor for Oppenheimer, while his biopic about the father of the A-bomb led to Robert Downey Jr. nabbing the best supporting actor prize. The other multiple winner is Alexander Payne’s The Holdovers, which on the acting front earned Paul Giamatti the best male actor honor for his role as a curmudgeonly classics instructor and Da’Vine Joy Randolph the best supporting...
- 2/13/2024
- by Etan Vlessing
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Pope Francis, Hillary Rodham Clinton and former Un chief Ban Ki-Moon will be honored at the upcoming Cinema for Peace gala in Berlin on February 19.
The long-running gala run by the Cinema for Peace Foundation will be accompanied by the inaugural World Forum on the Future Of Democracy, Tech and Humankind.
The latter event will run from February 18 to 19 at the Allianz Forum next to the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin with the aim of promoting the renewal of democracy and freedom at a time when both are under threat.
The Cinema for Peace Foundation was created in 2008 as an international non-profit organization with the goal to foster change through film. Over the years it has worked with a host of stars including Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, Leonardo DiCaprio and George Clooney.
Clinton and Ban will attend the February 19 gala in person while Pope Francis will be shown receiving his award in a recorded video.
The long-running gala run by the Cinema for Peace Foundation will be accompanied by the inaugural World Forum on the Future Of Democracy, Tech and Humankind.
The latter event will run from February 18 to 19 at the Allianz Forum next to the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin with the aim of promoting the renewal of democracy and freedom at a time when both are under threat.
The Cinema for Peace Foundation was created in 2008 as an international non-profit organization with the goal to foster change through film. Over the years it has worked with a host of stars including Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, Leonardo DiCaprio and George Clooney.
Clinton and Ban will attend the February 19 gala in person while Pope Francis will be shown receiving his award in a recorded video.
- 2/12/2024
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
As Spinal Tap’s David St Hubbins famously noted, there is a fine line between stupid and clever. Likewise, one might say, there is a fine line between hero and villain. Diana Nyad – author, radio host, squash player and, most famously, long distance swimmer – encompasses aspects of each of these things in Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi’s take on the most remarkable swim of her life. The film does not concern itself with the way that aspects of that swim have been called into question, nor with Nyad’s established tendency to exaggerate, but focuses instead on her experience of forcing her way through life whilst demanding much more from it than others do, and on others’ experience of the attraction and sometime unpleasantness of being close to such a person.
The closest person of all to her is Bonnie Stoll, her lifelong best friend and latterly her coach.
The closest person of all to her is Bonnie Stoll, her lifelong best friend and latterly her coach.
- 2/11/2024
- by Jennie Kermode
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
Exclusive: Annette Bening, who just received her fifth Oscar nomination last week for her portrayal of champion swimmer Diana Nyad in Nyad, has been named as the inaugural recipient of the Santa Barbara Film Festival’s Arlington Award.
The Arlington represents the first new award the festival has created in more than two decades and is named for the historic venue where all the fest’s annual tributes timed to Oscar season take place. It will be presented on Friday, February 16, 2024 at the theater, preceded by an in-person conversation I will be moderating covering her entire career.
“This is the first award added to our slate in 20 years. It is made to honor an artist who is greatly admired and who has demonstrated an incomparable commitment to film and its craft. Ms. Bening has not only displayed all of those qualities, but is considered by us to be a friend of the film festival.
The Arlington represents the first new award the festival has created in more than two decades and is named for the historic venue where all the fest’s annual tributes timed to Oscar season take place. It will be presented on Friday, February 16, 2024 at the theater, preceded by an in-person conversation I will be moderating covering her entire career.
“This is the first award added to our slate in 20 years. It is made to honor an artist who is greatly admired and who has demonstrated an incomparable commitment to film and its craft. Ms. Bening has not only displayed all of those qualities, but is considered by us to be a friend of the film festival.
- 1/30/2024
- by Pete Hammond
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Netflix has landed the Sundance Film Festival buzz title documentary Skywalkers: A Love Story. The film premiered January 18 at The Ray Theatre.
The film focuses on the boundary-pushing couple Angela Nikolau and Ivan Beerkus from Moscow, and a desperate climb to save their relationship. Directed by Jeff Zimbalist and co-directed by Maria Bukhonina, the film is reminiscent of pics like the Robert Zemeckis-The Walk and the Jimmy Chin/Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi-directed Free Solo, in that you can feel the dizzying heights and the risks just watching.
It took the filmmakers seven years to chronicle it all, as the climbers scaled some of the some of the world’s highest skyscrapers and sharing intimate photos with their millions of followers on social media. The couple’s relationship was in danger of a freefall when their goals began to differ, as they continued to escape law enforcement to dangle off the skyscrapers,...
The film focuses on the boundary-pushing couple Angela Nikolau and Ivan Beerkus from Moscow, and a desperate climb to save their relationship. Directed by Jeff Zimbalist and co-directed by Maria Bukhonina, the film is reminiscent of pics like the Robert Zemeckis-The Walk and the Jimmy Chin/Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi-directed Free Solo, in that you can feel the dizzying heights and the risks just watching.
It took the filmmakers seven years to chronicle it all, as the climbers scaled some of the some of the world’s highest skyscrapers and sharing intimate photos with their millions of followers on social media. The couple’s relationship was in danger of a freefall when their goals began to differ, as they continued to escape law enforcement to dangle off the skyscrapers,...
- 1/27/2024
- by Mike Fleming Jr
- Deadline Film + TV
Watching 2018's "Free Solo," the Oscar-winning documentary about rock climber Alex Honnold's daring attempt to scale Yosemite's El Capitan with no ropes to protect him from potentially falling, was such a visceral viewing experience, it caused my palms to sweat.
The same thing can be said of "Skywalkers: A Love Story," director Jeff Zimbalist's new documentary about Angela Nikolau and Ivan "Vanya" Beerkus, two Russian "rooftoppers" who have become famous for breaking into skyscrapers, climbing to their highest possible points, and taking photos and videos for social media. The two begin the film as rivals, but team up to work together and eventually ... well, the phrase "fall for each other" carries a heavy connotation given their particular niche, so let's just say their dynamic changes as they survive some ridiculously dangerous climbs and come to love one another. Armed with a phalanx of GoPros, cameras, and drones, Vanya is the straightforward tactician,...
The same thing can be said of "Skywalkers: A Love Story," director Jeff Zimbalist's new documentary about Angela Nikolau and Ivan "Vanya" Beerkus, two Russian "rooftoppers" who have become famous for breaking into skyscrapers, climbing to their highest possible points, and taking photos and videos for social media. The two begin the film as rivals, but team up to work together and eventually ... well, the phrase "fall for each other" carries a heavy connotation given their particular niche, so let's just say their dynamic changes as they survive some ridiculously dangerous climbs and come to love one another. Armed with a phalanx of GoPros, cameras, and drones, Vanya is the straightforward tactician,...
- 1/26/2024
- by Ben Pearson
- Slash Film
The Make-up Artists & Hair Stylists Guild Awards will honor Nyad star Annette Bening with the Distinguished Artisan Award at its 11th annual Muahs Awards.
The event is set for Sunday, February 18, at The Beverly Hilton.
Bening is a Tony Award and five-time Academy Award nominee, and two-time Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild Award winner. Her most recent Academy Award nomination was for her role in Nyad, directed by Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin.
Related: Make-Up Artists & Hair Stylists Guild Sets Michael Westmore For Vanguard Award
“Annette Bening brings fascinating characters to life on the screen with each stunning performance and has won the hearts of moviegoers around the world,” said Julie Socash, president of the Make-up Artists & Hair Stylists Guild. “Her talent and versatility as an actress, from a beguiling Hollywood starlet to a driven marathon swimmer, have been matched by her commitment to her craft, making her...
The event is set for Sunday, February 18, at The Beverly Hilton.
Bening is a Tony Award and five-time Academy Award nominee, and two-time Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild Award winner. Her most recent Academy Award nomination was for her role in Nyad, directed by Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin.
Related: Make-Up Artists & Hair Stylists Guild Sets Michael Westmore For Vanguard Award
“Annette Bening brings fascinating characters to life on the screen with each stunning performance and has won the hearts of moviegoers around the world,” said Julie Socash, president of the Make-up Artists & Hair Stylists Guild. “Her talent and versatility as an actress, from a beguiling Hollywood starlet to a driven marathon swimmer, have been matched by her commitment to her craft, making her...
- 1/26/2024
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
Like clockwork, every January brings a cavalcade of Oscar nominee snubs and surprises, but Academy voting trends typically don't stop there. Sometimes predictable, usually disappointing, and -- every so often -- downright confounding, there's always one nomination wrinkle that everyone's favorite awards show throws into the mix. Let's call it, "Movie that most normies have never even heard of." We use "normie" affectionately, of course, referring to general audiences with nine-to-five jobs who don't spend every waking moment on the internet.
So after today's high-profile Oscars announcement, what stands out as the 2024 version of this annual and bizarrely fascinating event?
Folks, allow me to introduce you to a little movie called "Nyad," a biopic directed by the husband-and-wife directing duo of Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin ("Free Solo") and based on the memoir written by long-distance swimmer Diana Nyad. The film had an unexpectedly strong showing in terms of nominations,...
So after today's high-profile Oscars announcement, what stands out as the 2024 version of this annual and bizarrely fascinating event?
Folks, allow me to introduce you to a little movie called "Nyad," a biopic directed by the husband-and-wife directing duo of Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin ("Free Solo") and based on the memoir written by long-distance swimmer Diana Nyad. The film had an unexpectedly strong showing in terms of nominations,...
- 1/23/2024
- by Jeremy Mathai
- Slash Film
Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer leads the 2024 Vancouver Film Critics Circle Awards nominations, including for best picture and best director, which were announced Monday.
The biopic about the father of the A-bomb will also be competing for best screenplay, best male actor for Cillian Murphy, a best supporting male actor nod for Robert Downey Jr. and best supporting female actor for Emily Blunt.
Oppenheimer’s main rivals are Justine Triet’s Anatomy of a Fall, with four nominations, and Jonathan Glazer’s The Zone of Interest, with three nods. All three films will compete in the best picture category.
Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon, Alexander Payne’s The Holdovers, Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi’s Nyad and Yorgos Lanthimos’ Poor Things each earned two nominations each.
The winners of the Vfcc Awards for international film will be announced on Feb. 12 in Vancouver.
A full list of nominations...
The biopic about the father of the A-bomb will also be competing for best screenplay, best male actor for Cillian Murphy, a best supporting male actor nod for Robert Downey Jr. and best supporting female actor for Emily Blunt.
Oppenheimer’s main rivals are Justine Triet’s Anatomy of a Fall, with four nominations, and Jonathan Glazer’s The Zone of Interest, with three nods. All three films will compete in the best picture category.
Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon, Alexander Payne’s The Holdovers, Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi’s Nyad and Yorgos Lanthimos’ Poor Things each earned two nominations each.
The winners of the Vfcc Awards for international film will be announced on Feb. 12 in Vancouver.
A full list of nominations...
- 1/22/2024
- by Etan Vlessing
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Annette Bening is an actor’s actor. Like many of the greats before her, she began her career in the theatre. Through the 80s, she quietly compiled a library of rich, complex characters before making her Tony-nominated broadway debut in 1987’s “Coastal Disturbances.”
Bening then made her well deserved transition over to Hollywood with John Hughes’ “The Great Outdoors.” The film didn’t perform as well as hoped, nor did Milos Forman’s “Valmont” which was released the following year, but they both paved the way for Bening’s eventual Oscar-nominated breakout as Myra Langtry in Stephen Frears’ “The Grifters.”
She got particularly close to Oscar gold with “American Beauty” in 2000. Annette bagged the BAFTA and SAG award for her iconic portrayal of the colourfully volatile wife-in-crisis, Carolyn Burnham. She lost to Hilary Swank (“Boys Don’t Cry”) though, who had edged her out at the Globes.
Swank clearly was Bening’s kryptonite,...
Bening then made her well deserved transition over to Hollywood with John Hughes’ “The Great Outdoors.” The film didn’t perform as well as hoped, nor did Milos Forman’s “Valmont” which was released the following year, but they both paved the way for Bening’s eventual Oscar-nominated breakout as Myra Langtry in Stephen Frears’ “The Grifters.”
She got particularly close to Oscar gold with “American Beauty” in 2000. Annette bagged the BAFTA and SAG award for her iconic portrayal of the colourfully volatile wife-in-crisis, Carolyn Burnham. She lost to Hilary Swank (“Boys Don’t Cry”) though, who had edged her out at the Globes.
Swank clearly was Bening’s kryptonite,...
- 1/22/2024
- by Nick Bisa
- Gold Derby
Ben Fowlie, founder of the Camden International Film Festival, is departing as executive and artistic director of the Points North Institute, the nonprofit that produces the highly-respected documentary festival in coastal Maine.
Rick Rector, a board member of the Points North Institute, has been appointed Pni’s interim executive director in Fowlie’s stead. Fowlie, in addition to founding the film festival in 2005, established the Points North Institute in 2016, co-founding the nonprofit with Sean Flynn and Caroline von Kuhn.
Von Kuhn will remain as Pni board chair and Flynn will continue to lead Pni’s artist programs and fellowships and expand his role to oversee the upcoming 20th Camden International Film Festival, set for September 12-15, 2024.
Ciff executive and artistic director Ben Fowlie with ‘The Rescue’ director Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi
“After twenty incredible years building this organization from the ground up, it’s the right time for me to step down,...
Rick Rector, a board member of the Points North Institute, has been appointed Pni’s interim executive director in Fowlie’s stead. Fowlie, in addition to founding the film festival in 2005, established the Points North Institute in 2016, co-founding the nonprofit with Sean Flynn and Caroline von Kuhn.
Von Kuhn will remain as Pni board chair and Flynn will continue to lead Pni’s artist programs and fellowships and expand his role to oversee the upcoming 20th Camden International Film Festival, set for September 12-15, 2024.
Ciff executive and artistic director Ben Fowlie with ‘The Rescue’ director Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi
“After twenty incredible years building this organization from the ground up, it’s the right time for me to step down,...
- 1/16/2024
- by Matthew Carey
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Annette Bening is joining Maggie Gyllenhaal’s Frankenstein lore feature at Warner Bros; the studio making it official that this is a go-project. Cameras roll in Q1. This package with its attachments has been out there since it was at Netflix, and the deals have finally closed with everyone. Jessie Buckley is the star of the movie which follows Frankenstein’s pursuit of love.
There’s already been word out there about the cast, including Buckley, and it’s a murderers’ row with Christian Bale, Penélope Cruz, and Peter Sarsgaard. Bale and Buckley have been circling this project well before the strikes.
Logline: A lonely Frankenstein travels to 1930s Chicago to seek the aide of a Dr. Euphronius in creating a companion for himself. The two reinvigorate a murdered young woman and the Bride is born. She is beyond what either of them intended, igniting a combustible romance, the...
There’s already been word out there about the cast, including Buckley, and it’s a murderers’ row with Christian Bale, Penélope Cruz, and Peter Sarsgaard. Bale and Buckley have been circling this project well before the strikes.
Logline: A lonely Frankenstein travels to 1930s Chicago to seek the aide of a Dr. Euphronius in creating a companion for himself. The two reinvigorate a murdered young woman and the Bride is born. She is beyond what either of them intended, igniting a combustible romance, the...
- 1/12/2024
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
After diving in to play Diana Nyad’s best friend and swim coach in the real-life Netflix sports drama, “Nyad,” Jodie Foster is ready for her next cinematic adventure.
“I really like doing things where I learn stuff,” Foster tells me. “I don’t know how to play any musical instruments. If somebody said to me you get to play a violinist and I get a year to do that, I would love that. Or you know, learn a new language like Swedish. Or maybe a javelin thrower.
“Can I do all three at one time?” she cracked. “Somehow, the distraction of having to learn something new for me just gets me jazzed. It’s like school. I love it.”
Foster stars opposite Annette Bening as the titular role in “Nyad,” based on Nyad’s dream at age 60 to complete a 110-mile open ocean swim from Cuba to Florida. Both...
“I really like doing things where I learn stuff,” Foster tells me. “I don’t know how to play any musical instruments. If somebody said to me you get to play a violinist and I get a year to do that, I would love that. Or you know, learn a new language like Swedish. Or maybe a javelin thrower.
“Can I do all three at one time?” she cracked. “Somehow, the distraction of having to learn something new for me just gets me jazzed. It’s like school. I love it.”
Foster stars opposite Annette Bening as the titular role in “Nyad,” based on Nyad’s dream at age 60 to complete a 110-mile open ocean swim from Cuba to Florida. Both...
- 12/22/2023
- by Marc Malkin
- Variety Film + TV
The Oscar shortlists were released December 21 ahead of the nominations on January 23, 2024, and here we’re covering the crafts of makeup and hairstyling, original score, sound, and visual effects.
The big winners — appearing on three lists — were Martin Scorsese’s “Killers of the Flower Moon”, Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer”, Ridley Scott’s “Napoleon”, Yorgos Lanthimos’ “Poor Things,”, and J.A. Bayona’s “Society of the Snow”.
In fact, “Napoleon,” “Poor Things,” and “Society of the Snow” have the potential to be late-season craft juggernauts in competition with “Oppenheimer,” “Killers of the Flower Moon,” and Greta Gerwig’s billion-dollar blockbuster “Barbie,” which scored on two lists (original score and sound).
Also making two lists were Michael Mann’s “Ferrari” (makeup and hairstyling and sound), James Mangold’s “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” (score and visual effects), Bradley Cooper’s “Maestro” (makeup and hairstyling and sound), Christopher McQuarrie’s “Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One...
The big winners — appearing on three lists — were Martin Scorsese’s “Killers of the Flower Moon”, Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer”, Ridley Scott’s “Napoleon”, Yorgos Lanthimos’ “Poor Things,”, and J.A. Bayona’s “Society of the Snow”.
In fact, “Napoleon,” “Poor Things,” and “Society of the Snow” have the potential to be late-season craft juggernauts in competition with “Oppenheimer,” “Killers of the Flower Moon,” and Greta Gerwig’s billion-dollar blockbuster “Barbie,” which scored on two lists (original score and sound).
Also making two lists were Michael Mann’s “Ferrari” (makeup and hairstyling and sound), James Mangold’s “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” (score and visual effects), Bradley Cooper’s “Maestro” (makeup and hairstyling and sound), Christopher McQuarrie’s “Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One...
- 12/21/2023
- by Bill Desowitz
- Indiewire
Annette Bening, who was to have received the Golden Medallion for significant contribution to the world of cinema at September’s Telluride Film Festival — where the latest film in which the veteran actress stars, Jimmy Chin and Chai Vasarhelyi’s Diana Nyad biopic Nyad, had its world premiere — but who was unable to attend the fest due to the actors strike, will be presented with the honor at a special event in Los Angeles on Saturday, Jan. 6, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.
The Bening tribute will include a career-retrospective conversation, interspersed with clips, moderated by her Nyad co-star Jodie Foster, and a presentation of the award by Meg Ryan.
This marks the first time that Telluride has presented an honor outside of the dates of its festival.
“Annette Bening has long deserved a tribute in Telluride — and everywhere else on the planet,” Telluride Film Festival executive director Julie Huntsinger said in a statement.
The Bening tribute will include a career-retrospective conversation, interspersed with clips, moderated by her Nyad co-star Jodie Foster, and a presentation of the award by Meg Ryan.
This marks the first time that Telluride has presented an honor outside of the dates of its festival.
“Annette Bening has long deserved a tribute in Telluride — and everywhere else on the planet,” Telluride Film Festival executive director Julie Huntsinger said in a statement.
- 12/21/2023
- by Scott Feinberg
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Rule change could vastly reduce number of eligible titles – and impact streamer release strategy
The number of films competing for the best film category at the Bafta Film Awards is set to fall from 2025 following a rule announced today that will also likely see a change in the scale of release for streamer titles seeking eligibility in the awards.
From next year, titles competing for best film must achieve a significantly wider release – five times the current requirement.
From the 2025 awards onwards, films must be theatrically exhibited publicly for the first time to a paying audience on at least 50 commercial...
The number of films competing for the best film category at the Bafta Film Awards is set to fall from 2025 following a rule announced today that will also likely see a change in the scale of release for streamer titles seeking eligibility in the awards.
From next year, titles competing for best film must achieve a significantly wider release – five times the current requirement.
From the 2025 awards onwards, films must be theatrically exhibited publicly for the first time to a paying audience on at least 50 commercial...
- 12/20/2023
- by Charles Gant
- ScreenDaily
Deadline’s Read the Screenplay series spotlighting the year’s most talked-about scripts continues with Nyad, Julia Cox’s adaptation of Diana Nyad’s memoir that was the diving-off point for directors Elizabeth Chai Vásárhelyi and Jimmy Chin’s Netflix movie.
The plot follows the true story of Nyad’s attempt to swim from Cuba to Florida at age 63. Annette Bening plays Nyad, and Jodie Foster her coach Bonnie Stoll. Both recently snagged Golden Globe nominations for their performances.
Nyad attempted the Cuba-Florida swim once at the peak of her long-distance swimming career in 1978, but did not make it. Following her retirement, she covered sports for ABC and NPR among other outlets, but after turning 60 in 2010 she attempted the swim again. She didn’t make it that time, either.
The film shows the several attempts Nyad made to cross the 110 miles from Havana to Key West via the Straits of...
The plot follows the true story of Nyad’s attempt to swim from Cuba to Florida at age 63. Annette Bening plays Nyad, and Jodie Foster her coach Bonnie Stoll. Both recently snagged Golden Globe nominations for their performances.
Nyad attempted the Cuba-Florida swim once at the peak of her long-distance swimming career in 1978, but did not make it. Following her retirement, she covered sports for ABC and NPR among other outlets, but after turning 60 in 2010 she attempted the swim again. She didn’t make it that time, either.
The film shows the several attempts Nyad made to cross the 110 miles from Havana to Key West via the Straits of...
- 12/15/2023
- by Fred Topel
- Deadline Film + TV
Sporting events captivate viewers everywhere, whether they are showing a competition or an athlete doing the impossible, but enticing an audience through a sports film in the same way can be a difficult task. It’s up to the cinematographers to bring a unique point of view that will highlight the tension and drama, and put viewers on the edge of their seats.
Creed III brings a surreal visual flair to the boxing ring for Michael B. Jordan’s directorial debut. The story of Diana Nyad’s 102-mile swim comes to life through complicated lighting and camera techniques in Nyad. Michael Mann’s Ferrari documents the thrills, and very real dangers, of racing, with scenes shot at high speed with no green screen.
Michael B. Jordan in ‘Creed III’
Creed III
When working with first-time directors, bringing their vision to life can be sometimes be a challenge. However, Creed IIIcinematographer...
Creed III brings a surreal visual flair to the boxing ring for Michael B. Jordan’s directorial debut. The story of Diana Nyad’s 102-mile swim comes to life through complicated lighting and camera techniques in Nyad. Michael Mann’s Ferrari documents the thrills, and very real dangers, of racing, with scenes shot at high speed with no green screen.
Michael B. Jordan in ‘Creed III’
Creed III
When working with first-time directors, bringing their vision to life can be sometimes be a challenge. However, Creed IIIcinematographer...
- 12/9/2023
- by Ryan Fleming
- Deadline Film + TV
Here’s a look at this week’s biggest premieres, parties and openings in Los Angeles and New York, including events for Poor Things, The Color Purple and American Fiction.
Leave the World Behind premiere
Julia Roberts, Mahershala Ali, Ethan Hawke, Myha’la, Kevin Bacon, Farrah Mackenzie, Charlie Evans and writer-director Sam Esmail walked the carpet at the NYC premiere of their Netflix thriller on Monday.
Ethan Hawke and Julia Roberts Kevin Bacon, Sam Esmail, Ethan Hawke, Julia Roberts, Farrah Mackenzie, Charlie Evans, Mahershala Ali and Myha’la Herrold
American Fiction premiere
Writer-director Cord Jefferson joined stars Jeffrey Wright, Tracee Ellis Ross and Sterling K. Brown at their film’s Los Angeles premiere on Tuesday.
Cord Jefferson, Tracee Ellis Ross, Jeffrey Wright, Sterling K. Brown, Erika Alexander and Adam Brody
Wish music celebration
The team behind the music of Wish, including star Ariana DeBose, celebrated with an event in Los Angeles on Tuesday.
Leave the World Behind premiere
Julia Roberts, Mahershala Ali, Ethan Hawke, Myha’la, Kevin Bacon, Farrah Mackenzie, Charlie Evans and writer-director Sam Esmail walked the carpet at the NYC premiere of their Netflix thriller on Monday.
Ethan Hawke and Julia Roberts Kevin Bacon, Sam Esmail, Ethan Hawke, Julia Roberts, Farrah Mackenzie, Charlie Evans, Mahershala Ali and Myha’la Herrold
American Fiction premiere
Writer-director Cord Jefferson joined stars Jeffrey Wright, Tracee Ellis Ross and Sterling K. Brown at their film’s Los Angeles premiere on Tuesday.
Cord Jefferson, Tracee Ellis Ross, Jeffrey Wright, Sterling K. Brown, Erika Alexander and Adam Brody
Wish music celebration
The team behind the music of Wish, including star Ariana DeBose, celebrated with an event in Los Angeles on Tuesday.
- 12/8/2023
- by Kirsten Chuba
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
“I remember hearing about the swim at the time that she achieved it, but I didn’t follow her,” says “Nyad” star Annette Bening, who plays the titular role of Diana Nyad in the Netflix movie. Although the four-time Oscar nominee wasn’t familiar with the athlete’s previous achievements, she does say, “I used to listen to her on NPR. She used to be on NPR regularly, and I remember her voice and I remember the timbre of it, and just her intelligence. She would weigh in on controversial, ethical issues in athletics. I remember that, but I didn’t really know a lot about her.” Watch the exclusive video interview with Gold Derby above.
Bening was instantly drawn to the script penned by Nyad and Julia Cox. “I immediately wanted to do it,” she says. “I thought, ‘Oh my God, this story is great!’ I was moved by it and moved by her.
Bening was instantly drawn to the script penned by Nyad and Julia Cox. “I immediately wanted to do it,” she says. “I thought, ‘Oh my God, this story is great!’ I was moved by it and moved by her.
- 12/5/2023
- by Denton Davidson and Marcus James Dixon
- Gold Derby
Eileen
Screenplay adapted by Ottessa Moshfegh and Luke Goebel
Ottessa Moshfegh’s debut novel, 2015’s Eileen, was an overwhelming literary success; it won the Pen Award for debut fiction and was shortlisted for the Booker Prize. But beyond the accolades, the critical reception often included backhanded — sometimes bordering on misogynistic — disparagements of the protagonist. The book follows 24-year-old Eileen, stuck caring for her alcoholic father in her Massachusetts hometown while working as a secretary at the local juvenile correction facility. In first-person narrative, she fantasizes about moving to New York City and describes her dirty house, body issues and laxative abuse; the latter spurred readers to use terms like “disgusting” to describe the main character.
Ottessa Moshfegh and Luke Goebel
Moshfegh says she has complicated feelings about that element of the book’s publication, but when she sat down to write the screenplay for the Neon film alongside her husband,...
Screenplay adapted by Ottessa Moshfegh and Luke Goebel
Ottessa Moshfegh’s debut novel, 2015’s Eileen, was an overwhelming literary success; it won the Pen Award for debut fiction and was shortlisted for the Booker Prize. But beyond the accolades, the critical reception often included backhanded — sometimes bordering on misogynistic — disparagements of the protagonist. The book follows 24-year-old Eileen, stuck caring for her alcoholic father in her Massachusetts hometown while working as a secretary at the local juvenile correction facility. In first-person narrative, she fantasizes about moving to New York City and describes her dirty house, body issues and laxative abuse; the latter spurred readers to use terms like “disgusting” to describe the main character.
Ottessa Moshfegh and Luke Goebel
Moshfegh says she has complicated feelings about that element of the book’s publication, but when she sat down to write the screenplay for the Neon film alongside her husband,...
- 11/27/2023
- by Seija Rankin
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Endurance and single-minded determination have been the focus of filmmaking duo Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin with their documentary films Free Solo, Meru and The Rescue, and now, with Nyad, they examine those themes in a narrative feature, with Annette Bening in the starring role of long-distance swimmer Diana Nyad, and Jodie Foster as her coach and best friend Bonnie Stoll. Based on Nyad’s memoir, Find a Way, the film follows Nyad’s multiple attempts to make the 110-mile open ocean swim from Cuba to Florida, dodging sharks and dangerous jellyfish and weathering brutal waves. When Nyad finally succeeds at the age of 64, her message is, “It’s never too late to follow your dream.” Here, Vasarhelyi and Chin look back on how their documentarian skills fed into recreating an epic seafaring experience, and how both their marriage and their working relationship evolved as a result.
Deadline: How did...
Deadline: How did...
- 11/24/2023
- by Antonia Blyth
- Deadline Film + TV
Thanksgiving is a great time to spend with family and eat way too much, but it’s also an opportune time to gather around and watch a great movie together. To that end, we’ve put together a curated list of some of the best new movies streaming on Netflix this month, singling out new releases and new library titles that are sure to keep the whole family engaged. Whether you’re in the mood for an assassin thriller, inspirational drama, animated family film or a cult classic, we’ve got something for everyone.
Check out our picks for the best new movies on Netflix in November below.
“Scott Pilgrim vs. the World” Universal Pictures
There’s no better time to revisit filmmaker Edgar Wright’s cult classic “Scott Pilgrim vs. The World” – but make sure you watch the live-action adaptation of Bryan Lee O’Malley’s graphic novels before you...
Check out our picks for the best new movies on Netflix in November below.
“Scott Pilgrim vs. the World” Universal Pictures
There’s no better time to revisit filmmaker Edgar Wright’s cult classic “Scott Pilgrim vs. The World” – but make sure you watch the live-action adaptation of Bryan Lee O’Malley’s graphic novels before you...
- 11/19/2023
- by Adam Chitwood
- The Wrap
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