News

Mubi, the global streamer, producer and distributor behind “The Substance,” has struck a major three-year co-production, financing and distribution agreement with Our Films, the new Rome-based company founded by prominent European producers Mario Gianani and Lorenzo Mieli.

Our Films, which is part of Mediawan, was launched last year by Gianani and Mieli, and has already become a creative hub for world-class filmmakers from Europe, the U.S. and overseas. Mubi and Our Films share the same passion for artistically ambitious movies that resonate internationally. The agreement also underscores Mediawan’s drive to further strengthen their status as a leading prestige European film studio.

The first film to emerge from this strategic alliance will be the next feature from Paweł Pawlikowski, the Oscar-winning director of “Ida” and “Cold War.”

Mieli previously successfully collaborated with Mubi on three high-profile films: Sofia Coppola’s “Priscilla,” starring Cailee Spaeny; Pablo Larraín’s “Maria,” starring...

A highly anticipated LGBTQ+ musical series (“Mariliendre”), a psychological thriller involving a standout U.S. indie producer-distributor (“Innate”) and a pre-sales hit period drama (“La Favorita 1922”) feature in Coming Next from Spain, a showcase of newest Spanish premium content.

Unspooling March 25 at Series Mania, organized by Icex Spain Trade and Investment’s umbrella organization, Audiovisual from Spain, the event targets buyers and international press, putting the spotlight on some of the most promising Spanish series produced by the country’s top leading companies.

Spain and its content have become a worldwide phenomenon. Think megahits “Money Heist” and “Elite,” which started conquering the TV fiction market seven years ago.

That fire left embers, as proved by recent hits such as the first season of “Berlin,” a “Money Heist” spin-off, toplining Pedro Alonso.

Released Dec. 2023 via Netflix, “Berlin’s” debut was the most-watched series globally upon its premiere, reaching the Top...

Mubi, which recently planted a flag in the U.S. with the wide release of Coralie Fargeat’s “The Substance,” has welcomed Zhang Xin to its board of directors, as part of a new chapter for the rapidly expanding company which will also see Zhang’s New York-based film production and financing group Closer Media become an investor in Mubi.

A billionaire entrepreneur, Zhang co-founded Closer Media and previously co-founded Soho China, a construction giant in Beijing and Shanghai known for its iconic projects designed by leading architects from around the world. She left the company in 2022 and partnered with William Horberg, a veteran producer whose credits include “The Queen’s Gambit” and “The Talented Mr. Ripley,” to break into the media world.

A patron of the arts, Zhang also serves as a Trustee of MoMA, and is a member of both the Harvard Global Advisory Council and Asia Business Council.

The Infiltrator's ending sees Robert Mazur's years of undercover work come into effect with a major bust, leading to questions about the real-life history and the film's thematic implications. Bryan Cranston leads The Infiltrator cast, playing the dual lives of Robert Mazur and his undercover criminal counterpart, Bob Musella. As Musella, he helps drug lords of the cartel with laundering their money, hoping to gain favor and infiltrate their ranks, bringing him closer to higher-ups like Pablo Escobar.

While Mazur's work doesn't directly reach Pablo Escobar, the staged wedding between him and Kathy Ertz (Dianne Kruger), along with years of undercover work, leads to numerous arrests. Mazur spends the majority of the film building connections with the cartel, and his efforts manage to take down Bank of Credit and Commerce International, the seventh-largest private bank in the world, which was vital to the drug lords' money laundering schemes.

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The Substance is a satirical body horror film written and directed by Coralie Fargeat. The 2024 film follows the story of Elisabeth Sparkle, a popular star renowned for an aerobics show but on her 50th birthday, she gets fired from her boss for being old. She soon finds a laboratory that offers her a drug that promises to transform her into a better and younger version of herself. The Substance stars Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley in the lead roles with Dennis Quaid, Hugo Diego Garcia, Oscar Lesage, Tiffany Hofstetter, and Alexandra Papoulias Barton starring in supporting roles. So, if you loved the body horror, biting commentary, and compelling characters in The Substance here are some similar movies you should check out next.

The Neon Demon (Prime Video) Credit – Amazon Studios

The Neon Demon is a psychological horror film...

Hulu has shared the official trailer and key art for the Spanish drama series Fleeting Lies, which will make its U.S. debut on the streaming service on Thursday, October 10. Pedro Almodóvar produces the show.

When Lucia, an executive at a high-tech beauty company, goes to work expecting a promotion and winds up accused of corporate espionage and unceremoniously fired, she goes to great lengths to hide her shame and clear her name.

Also known as Mentiras pasajeras, the series stars Elena Anaya, Pilar Castro, Hugo Silva, Quim Gutiérrez, and Susi Sánchez. The guest stars include María Botto, Pedro Casablanc, Estefanía de los Santos, and María León.

One month before her wedding and the day of her supposed big promotion, Lucía is accused of corporate espionage and fired from her job. Suddenly, Lucía’s life and future take a drastic turn for the worst, as she ponders how to tell her fiancé,...

Riley Keough and Callum Turner are to replace Kristen Stewart and Josh O’Connor in ‘Rosebush Pruning’.The upcoming movie - which is being helmed by Brazilian director Karim Aïnouz - was initially going to see 34-year-old Stewart and O’Connor, also 34, in the leading roles, though it has now been revealed the ‘Daisy Jones and the Six’ actress, and the ‘Masters of the Air’ star have taken the former pairs’ parts. The two actors will be joining the likes of Elle Fanning, Pamela Anderson, Jamie Bell, Lukas Gage, Tracy Letts and Elena Anaya in the flick, which is currently filming in Spain. While exact plot details about the picture are unknown at the moment, Aïnouz teased that the project would challenge audiences’ preconceived concepts of "the traditional family and the patriarchy".He told Variety: "I’m so excited to bring this audacious and delicious script to life, which challenges our...

Callum Turner, Riley Keough, Jamie Bell, Lukas Gage, Tracy Letts, Elena Anaya and Pamela Anderson have joined ‘Rosebush Pruning’ from filmmaker Karim Aїnouz.

They join the previously announced Elle Fanning on the cast. Keough and Turner come on board to replace Kristen Stewart and Josh O’Connor.

Aïnouz is directing from a script by Efthimis Filippou. Viola Fügen and Michael Weber are producing for The Match Factory, which is also handling worldwide sales for the film.

Commenting on his upcoming feature, Aïnouz said: “I’m so excited to bring this audacious and delicious script to life, which challenges our notions of the traditional family and the patriarchy, with this brilliant ensemble of actors who I have long admired.”

Also in news – Matthias Schoenaerts set for villain role in ‘Supergirl’

The adaptation rights have been acquired from Kavac Film and Simone Gattoni of Kavac Film is producing. Annamaria Morelli produces for The Apartment...

Rosebush Pruning, the next film from director Karim Anouz, just got a major casting update. Previously, Elle Fanning had been tapped to star alongside Josh O'Connor and Kristen Stewart, but now the project looks much different. A new report from Variety revealed that Callum Turner and Riley Keough have joined the cast of Rosebush Pruning, replacing previously cast stars O'Connor and Stewart. The film is also building out its ensemble, with other big names such as Jamie Bell, Lukas Gage, Tracey Letts, Elena Anaya, and Pamela Anderson all joining the cast. The film recently began shooting in Spain, and O'Connor just recently completed filming Wake Up Dead Man: Knives Out Mystery, the third installment in Rian Johnson's whodunnit mystery franchise. O'Connor may want to avoid a turnaround this quick, which is possibly why his role has been recast with Turner.

Riley Keough and Callum Turner have joined the cast of Karim Aïnouz’s Rosebush Pruning!

The stars are replacing Kristen Stewart and Josh O’Connor were originally announced on the project during Cannes alongside Elle Fanning, via Deadline.

Elle is still on the cast, and filming is underway in Spain.

Keep reading to find out more…

The casting change is believed to be for scheduling reasons, with Kristen currently in post-production on her project, The Chronology of Water.

Jamie Bell, Lukas Gage, Tracy Letts, Elena Anaya and Pamela Anderson have also joined the production.

The movie is an adaptation of Marco Bellochio’s psychological movie from 50 years ago, Fists in the Pocket, about a young man who takes drastic measures to rid his dysfunctional family of its various afflictions.

Riley Keough recently opened up about losing her mom Lisa Marie Presley.

An array of big name talent has joined Elle Fanning in “Rosebush Pruning” from “Motel Destino” and “Firebrand” director Karim Aïnouz for Mubi, The Match Factory and Fremantle company The Apartment.

Callum Turner (“Masters of the Air,” “The Boys in the Boat”), Riley Keough (“Daisy Jones & The Six,” “Zola”), Jamie Bell (“All of Us Strangers, Rocketman”), Lukas Gage (“The White Lotus,” “Euphoria”), Tracy Letts (“Lady Bird,” “Ford vs Ferrari”), Elena Anaya (“The Skin I Live In,” “MotherFatherSon”) and Pamela Anderson (“The Last Showgirl,” the forthcoming “The Naked Gun”) are set to start in the film, which was first announced last year and is now shooting in Spain. Kristen Stewart and Josh O’Connor were originally attached to the project in lead roles alongside Fanning, but have been replaced by Keough and Turner, respectively.

Aïnouz is directing from a script written by Efthimis Filippou (“Kinds of Kindness,” “The Killing of a Sacred Deer,...

Callum Turner and Riley Keough have joined the cast of Karim Aïnouz’s Rosebush Pruning, replacing Kristen Stewart and Josh O’Connor who were originally announced on the project during Cannes alongside Elle Fanning.

Fanning remains on board alongside Masters of the Air star Turner and Daisy Jones & The Six actress Keough, whose involvement was unveiled as filming is underway in Spain.

The swap-out is believed to be for scheduling reasons with Stewart currently immersed in post-production on her long gestated passion project The Chronology of Water.

In further newly-announced cast additions, Jamie Bell (All of Us Strangers), Lukas Gage, Tracy Letts, Elena Anaya (The Skin I Live In) and Pamela Anderson, who is enjoying a buzzy big screen comeback with The Last Showgirl, have also joined the production.

Originally announced with the title format Rosebushpruning, the movie, for Mubi, The Match Factory...

Callum Turner and Riley Keough have replaced Josh O’Connor and Kristen Stewart in the lead roles of Karim Aїnouz’s Rosebush Pruning.

Jamie Bell, Lukas Gage, Tracy Letts, Elena Anaya and Pamela Anderson have also joined the cast, alongside the previously announced Elle Fanning.

Production is now underway in Spain.

The film centres on a young man suffering from epilepsy who plots the murders of his dysfunctional family.

Efthimis Filippou wrote the script, an adaptation of Marco Bellocchio’s 1965 debut film Fists In The Pocket.

Kavic Film secured the adaptation rights and produces the film with Viola Fügen and Michael Weber...

Prime Video is doubling down in Spain with a slate of new movies, drama series, docs and true-crime shows.

The streamer unveiled its latest slate at a Prime Video Presents event in Madrid last night, with thriller feature Zeta, scripted series Cochinas, a trio of unscripted shows and doc La Joia: Bad Gyal. Original series Reina Roja was confirmed for a third season, while live entertainment show Operación Triunfo has also landed a new season.

Ricardo Cabornero, Director at Prime Video in Spain and Portugal, claimed it had been a “record-breaking year” for the service in Iberia as he rolled out the titles.

Spy pic Zeta follows a Spanish Cni agent, Zeta, who is tasked with tracking down a former spy who participated in an undercover mission 35 years before, with a Colombian spook, Alfa, also trying to find him. The other five participants are murdered at the same time at different embassies around the world,...

Amazon hosted its annual Prime Video Presents event in Madrid this afternoon, where the streaming giant made a raft of announcements, including new theatrical features, true crime docuseries, returning drama programs and the next season of Spain’s uber-popular singing competition “Operación Triunfo.”

Ricardo Carbonero, director of Prime Video in Spain and Portugal, and Maria José Rodríguez, head of Amazon Studios’ Spanish Originals, were in attendance. Joining them were local stars Mario Casas (“Tres metros sobre el cielo”), Elena Anaya (“The Skin I Live In”), Malena Alterio (“Aquí no hay quien viva”), Najwa Nimri (“Money Heist”), Anna Castillo (“Nowhere”) and Maxi Iglesias (“Los artistas: primeros trazos”). Also in attendence were several of the streamer’s current filmakers, including Dani de la Torre (“La sombra de la ley”), Paula Ortiz (“La novia”), Hugo Stuven (“El desafio”) and Ginesta Guindal (“Élite”).

Prime Video Presents, Madrid

According to the streamer, the first half...

Descúbrelo todo sobre el nuevo thriller español de Disney Plus+. © Disney+

Ya está disponible el tráiler oficial de la serie original de Disney+ “Las Largas Sombras”, un poderoso thriller femenino de 6 episodios que reflexiona sobre el peso de la culpa y cómo evoluciona la amistad de un grupo de amigas con el paso de los años. La serie, que cuenta con un equipo íntegramente femenino delante y detrás de las cámaras, es la historia de un grupo de mujeres cuyas estables vidas de éxito se ven repentinamente sacudidas por la aparición de los restos mortales de una de sus compañeras de instituto, desaparecida durante el viaje de fin de curso a Mallorca veinticinco años antes. Y es que, de primeras la serie nos recuerda algo a “Big Little Lies”, una serie muy aclamada y que ha sido una de las claras referencias de la cineasta a la hora de crear este intrigante thriller.

I am Vicente.

After kicking off February with discussions of Albert Lewin’s 1945 adaptation of The Portrait of Dorian Gray (listen) and the perfectly serviceable remake of Friday the 13th (listen), we’re delving into the twisted mind of Pedro Almodóvar with his 2011 thriller The Skin I Live In.

In The Skin I Live In, skilled plastic surgeon Dr. Robert Ledgard (Antonio Banderas) has tried to develop a new super skin ever since his beloved wife was horribly burned in a car accident 12 years prior. Finally, Ledgard has created a skin that guards the body, but is still sensitive to touch. With the aid of his faithful housekeeper Marilia (Marisa Paredes), Ledgard tests his creation on Vera (Elena Anaya), a woman he keeps prisoner against her will in the basement of his Spanish mansion.

Being an Almodóvar film, there’s much more to this twisted plot than meets they eye.

Spain’s TV fiction industry is exercising some caution after high-end Spanish-language series lifted off in 2018.

“We all wanted to launch so many projects, so many new platforms arrived that there was no time for analysis,” says Bambú co-founder Ramón Campos.

As streamers scale back on originals and sales cycles slow, the industry has time for larger re-calculation.

“We come from a spectacular moment, in terms of both quality and volume,” says Sonia Martínez, series editorial director at Buendía Estudios.

That groundbreaking moment, championed by series like “Money Heist” and “Elite,” propelled Spanish fiction production to historic heights of global popularity.

“There is a virtuous circle that began in 2018 and has been continuously regenerating. Spain’s talent base already interests international audiences,” says María Valenzuela, Movistar Plus Intl.’s general manager.

But the country’s TV production scene is still cycling through the fruits of the boom: the number of...

SkyShowtime, the European streaming home to releases from Paramount and Universal, has revealed its upcoming film and TV slate through the rest of the year, including “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” and “Poker Face.”

Just one year since the streaming service’s launch in the Nordics and six months since its rollout in 20 more European markets, SkyShowtime is on track to have 50% of this year’s box office on the platform.

“Less than a year since our launch, SkyShowtime boasts an impressive line-up of amazing content,” SkyShowtime CEO Monty Sarhan said in a statement. “From the latest Hollywood hits and exclusive global series to our local originals, SkyShowtime offers subscribers across Europe an incredible selection of the world’s best entertainment. And with even more spectacular content to come in 2024, SkyShowtime will continue to deliver great entertainment at a great price.”

SkyShowtime is currently available in Albania, Andorra, Bosnia and Herzegovina,...

Network: The CW

Episodes: 10 (hour)

Seasons: One

TV show dates: October 11, 2022 -- December 22, 2022

Series status: Cancelled

Performers include: Tom Welling, Brendan Fraser, Elena Anaya, Ken Duken, Saïd Taghmaoui, Ken Duken, Lisa Loven Kongsli, August Wittgenstein, Stevel Marc, Tanya Van Graan, and Nic Rasenti.

TV show description:

An International action drama series, the Professionals TV show was created by Jeff Most and Michael Colleary.

In the story, Vincent Corbo (Welling) is a top-tier security operative who is paid to protect the interests of rich and powerful clients by any means necessary -- legal or not.

Read More…...

Whether it’s using her lasso to get the truth out of her enemies or her gauntlets capable of trapping energy and using it to her advantage, Wonder Woman has some pretty cool abilities. And that’s not even getting into her crazy speed and jumping ability. While we may not have gotten her invisible jet, the other staples of Wonder Woman are all there, so join us on today’s DC Revisited as we dive into Patty Jenkins’ Wonder Woman.

While we may have finally received a Wonder Woman via Zack Snyder’s Batman v Superman, the project had actually been in development for quite some time. Comedy director Ivan Reitman was even attached to the film as a producer in 1996. Then in ’99, Jon Cohen was tapped by now-producer Joel Silver to write a Wonder Woman script. He was even eyeing Sandra Bullock to star in the title role.

The conspiracies run deep in the first season of the Professionals TV show on The CW. As we all know, Nielsen ratings typically play a big role in determining whether a TV show like Professionals is cancelled or renewed for season two. Unfortunately, most of us do not live in Nielsen households. Because many viewers feel frustrated when their viewing habits and opinions aren't considered, we invite you to rate all of the first season episodes of Professionals here. *Status Update Below.

An International action drama series airing on The CW, the Professionals TV show stars Tom Welling, Brendan Fraser, Elena Anaya, Ken Duken, Saïd Taghmaoui, Ken Duken, Lisa Loven Kongsli, August Wittgenstein, Stevel Marc, Tanya Van Graan, and Nic Rasenti. In the story, Vincent Corbo (Welling) is a top-tier security operative who is paid to protect the interests of...

The Professionals series is an international production that was filmed overseas back in 2020 and was released in various countries over a year ago. Since the drama was produced that long ago, a second season doesn't seem very likely. But, could positive ratings on The CW improve Professionals' chances of being renewed? Stay tuned. *Status Update Below.

An international action drama series, the Professionals TV show stars Tom Welling, Brendan Fraser, Elena Anaya, Ken Duken, Saïd Taghmaoui, Ken Duken, Lisa Loven Kongsli, August Wittgenstein, Stevel Marc, Tanya Van Graan, and Nic Rasenti. In the story, Vincent Corbo (Welling) is a top-tier security operative who is paid to protect the interests of rich and powerful clients by any means necessary -- legal or not. After a next-gen medical satellite explodes on launch, Corbo is hired by the rocket’s designer, billionaire futurist Peter Swann (Fraser), who suspects sabotage. Complicating...

The Brendan Fraser series Professionals is not moving forward at The CW. The series, which premiered season 1 in 2022, was created by Michael Colleary and Jeff Most. A spinoff of the movie Soldiers of Fortune, it followed a former counterintelligence officer who is called in to help a scientist couple following the destruction of their medical satellite. In addition to Fraser, the series starred Elena Anaya, Ken Duken, Lisa Loven Kongsli, and Smallville's Tom Welling.

Per TVLine, Professionals has officially joined the roster of recently canceled CW series. Jeff Most promises that the team is "shopping the second season" elsewhere. However, even if the show does return, it was never part of the plan for Fraser to reprise his role in season 2, though other cast members could return. Read Most's statement below:

The CW hasn’t renewed us for a second season. However, we are shopping the second season...

Corbo is on the hunt for a new home. The CW has reportedly cancelled the Professionals series so the hunt is on for a new home.

An international action drama series, the first season of the Professionals TV show stars Tom Welling, Brendan Fraser, Elena Anaya, Ken Duken, Saïd Taghmaoui, Ken Duken, Lisa Loven Kongsli, August Wittgenstein, Stevel Marc, Tanya Van Graan, and Nic Rasenti. In the story, Vincent Corbo (Welling) is a top-tier security operative who is paid to protect the interests of rich and powerful clients by any means necessary -- legal or not. After a next-gen medical satellite explodes on launch, Corbo is hired by the rocket’s designer, billionaire futurist Peter Swann (Fraser), who suspects sabotage. Complicating Corbo's new job is the fact that his former paramour, medical visionary Dr. Grace Davila (Anaya),...

With an International Panorama spangled by gems – think Spain’s “Apagón,” Sweden’s “Blackwater,” and Canada’s “Disobey” and “Little Bird” – Series Mania also weighs in this year with one, if not the, strongest and most mouthwatering of international competitions in its history.

Including the opening and closing series, Amazon’s “Greek Salad” and Netflix’s “Transatlantic,” nearly all the global streamers have titles in the lineup, from Apple TV+’s “Drops of God” and Paramount+’s “Fleeting Lies.” The lineup also features some A-List international writing talents, such as the U.K.’s Jack Thorne and Israel’s Ron Leshem and Amit Cohen, whose “The Virtues” and “No Man’s Land” rank among the most memorable of recent Series Mania competition titles, and closing the festival, out of competition, “Unorthodox’s” Anna Wenger.”Fleeting Lies” also represents one of the first series from Pedro and Agustín Almodóvar’s El Deseo label in Madrid,...

The Brendan Fraser and Tom Welling-led series Professionals recently finished its first season run in the states. But even with the duo leading the charge, a Season 2 renewal is still up in the air. The series acts as a spin-off to the 2012 feature Soldiers of Fortune. It follows Vincent Corbo (Welling), an ex-counterintelligence officer recruited by billionaire Peter Swann (Fraser) and his financée, Dr. Graciela Davila (Elena Anaya), to investigate a suspected sabotage after a medical satellite explodes on launch. The show was filmed back in 2019 in South Africa and Ireland. It was acquired by The CW in 2021 and eventually premiered in the states in October with a 10-episode first season.

In the year of our Lord Cate Blanchett, running a successful Oscar campaign is akin to running a marathon on a tightrope. The first stride is pivotal: An anticipated title must be properly teased, and “surprise” breakouts still require the right awards context if critics and tastemakers are to anoint a new contender. Next steps come in a flurry: The reaction roundups, review roundups, and reactions to the reaction and review roundups all swirl together to shape the would-be-nominee’s initial “buzz.”

Right now, this is where Brendan Fraser finds himself — in the midst of an Oscar push for his heavily touted “comeback” turn in “The Whale,” a Darren Aronofsky film starring everyone’s favorite “Mummy” lead as a reclusive English teacher living with severe obesity. First looks stirred considerable interest. Early buzz out of Venice is strong. And while the film has seen a steady stream of negative notices,...

Vulture Watch

Corbo's willing to do what it takes to get the job done. Has the Professionals TV show been cancelled or renewed for a second season on The CW? The television vulture is watching all the latest cancellation and renewal news, so this page is the place to track the status of Professionals, season two. Bookmark it, or subscribe for the latest updates. Remember, the television vulture is watching your shows. Are you?  

What's This TV Show About?

An action drama series airing on The CW television network in the United States, the Professionals TV show stars Tom Welling, Brendan Fraser, Elena Anaya, Ken Duken, Saïd Taghmaoui, Ken Duken, Lisa Loven Kongsli, August Wittgenstein, Stevel Marc, Tanya Van Graan, and Nic Rasenti. In the story, Vincent Corbo (Welling) is a top-tier security operative who is paid to protect...

Tom Welling is returning to The CW in two roles. Welling, who starred in Smallville for 10 seasons, is joining the cast of The Winchesters in a recurring role. He will play Samuel Campbell, the father of Mary – Sam and Dean's mother. A prequel to the Supernatural series, the show revolves around the romance of John and Mary Winchester before they had their sons. The Winchesters debuts tonight on The CW.

The network will also launch the Professionals series this evening. It's a 10-episode acquired series that stars Welling, Brendan Fraser, and Elena Anaya. The story follows a top-tier security operative (Welling) who is paid to protect his wealthy clients by any means necessary, legal or otherwise.

Read More…...

After “Midnight in Paris,” Woody Allen will return to the French capital for his 50th movie which he’s described as a “poisonous romantic thriller” with a pair of French stars, Valerie Lemercier (“Aline”) and Niels Schneider (“Love Affair(s))”.

The untitled film, the plot of which is being kept under wraps, will start filming next month and will be entirely in French with a budget in the 10-million range. Allen has described the film to be similar to “Match Point,” in that it would be “exciting, dramatic and also very sinister.”

Allen sparked headlines earlier this week after Spanish newspaper La Vanguardia ran a story reporting that the New York-based filmmaker had told them he was planning on retiring. Allen’s representative then issued a statement saying that the director had “no intention of retiring.”

Lemercier is a popular French actor-director whose latest film “Aline,” a movie about Celine Dion,...

Woody Allen is shutting down claims from the weekend that he is retiring after his 50th film, “Wasp 22.” The news came out of an interview with the Oscar winner in Spanish newspaper La Vanguardia that he’d be stepping down from filmmaking after his final project, set to shoot in Paris.

Allen’s press representative issued a statement to IndieWire, saying, “Woody Allen never said he was retiring, nor did he say he was writing another novel. He said he was thinking about not making films, as making films that go straight or very quickly to streaming platforms is not so enjoyable for him, as he is a great lover of the cinema experience. Currently, he has no intention of retiring and is very excited to be in Paris shooting his new movie, which will be the 50th.”

The interview claimed that Allen revealed his upcoming film, France-based thriller “Wasp 22,...

Woody Allen has announced his retirement from filmmaking. in Europe to work on his 50th film, the maestro told Spanish newspaper ‘La Vanguardia’ that he intended to retire from making movies and to dedicate more time to writing during his twilight years, reports ‘Variety’.

His final film is set in Paris and will be shot entirely in French in a couple of weeks. Allen described the film to be similar to ‘Match Point’. It would be “exciting, dramatic and also very sinister.”

Allen recently wrote his fifth collection of humour pieces, ‘Zero Gravity’, which will be published on September 27 by Alianza in Spain. In the US, it was published by Arcade and distributed by Simon & Schuster, notes ‘Variety’.

Allen has been shooting more often in Europe as his support in the US has plunged given the abuse accusations against him. In 2020, he opened the San Sebastian Film Festival with...

Woody Allen has announced his retirement from filmmaking.

While in Europe to work on his 50th film, Woody Allen told Spanish newspaper La Vanguardia that he intended to retire from making movies and to dedicate more time to writing during his twilight years. What is now set to be his final film is set in Paris and will be shot entirely in French in a couple of weeks.

Allen described his upcoming film to be similar to “Match Point,” in that it would be “exciting, dramatic and also very sinister.” Allen recently wrote his fifth collection of humor pieces, “Zero Gravity,” which will be published Sept. 27 by Alianza in Spain. In the U.S., it was published by Arcade and distributed by Simon & Schuster.

Allen has been shooting more often in Europe as his support in the U.S. has plunged given the abuse accusations against him. In 2020, he...

Click here to read the full article.

Woody Allen says he’s no longer much interested in making movies in the streaming era.

“I will probably make one more movie, but a lot of the thrill is gone because it doesn’t have the whole cinema effect. When I started, you would do a film and it would go to movie houses all over the country and people would come,” the filmmaker told Alec Baldwin during an appearance on Instagram Live on Tuesday to tout his latest collection of humor stories, Zero Gravity.

“Now you do a movie and you get a couple of weeks in a movie house, maybe six weeks or four weeks and then it goes right to streaming or to pay per view. People love sitting at home and watching on their big screens and watching it on their television sets and they have good sound and a clear picture.

“El agua,” (Elena López Riera)

A Directors’ Fortnight title, the feature debut of Locarno winning López Riera (“Los Que Desean”), a fantasy-laced village-set critique of gender violence. S.A. Elle Driver

“Alcarràs,” (Carla Simón)

The 2022 Berlin Golden Bear winner, Simón’s follow-up to “Summer 1993” and the flagship title for Catalonia and Spain’s newest filmmaking generation. S.A. MK2 Films

“Amazing Elisa,” (Sádrac González-Perellón)

The next from 2017 BiFan Grand Jury Prize winner González-Perellón (“Black Hollow Cage”), once more mixing fantasy and family dynamics as Elisa, 12, plans revenge after her mother’s tragic death. S.A. Filmax

“The Beasts,” (Rodrigo Sorogoyen)

One of 2022’s most awaited Spanish titles, playing Cannes Premiere, a Galicia-set thriller from Oscar-nominee Sorogoyen (“Mother”), produced by Arcadia, Caballo Films and Le Pacte. S.A. Latido Films

“The Communion Girl,” (Víctor García)

A revenge thriller involving an urban legend about a girl in a communion dress. S.

The CW continues to expand its scripted acquisition slate with the addition of Canadian drama series Family Law, a one-hour legal drama, from Entertainment One. A premiere date is Tbd.

Created, written and executive produced Susin Nielsen, Family Law, stars Jewel Staite (Firefly) and Emmy and Tony nominated Victor Garber (DC’s Legends of Tomorrow), along with Zach Smadu (Cardinal) and Genelle Williams (The Expanse).

The drama series follows lawyer and recovering alcoholic Abigail Bianchi (Staite) struggling to put her career and family back together after hitting rock bottom. As a condition of her probation, Abby is forced to work at her estranged father Harry’s (Garber) firm, Svensson and Associates, and practice in family law for the first time while forging new relationships with the half-brother Daniel (Smadu) and half-sister Lucy (Williams) whom she’s never met. The result is a dysfunctional family law firm operating to help other families with their own dysfunctions.

The CW has expanded its slate of scripted acquisitions, picking up one-hour Canadian drama series “Family Law.” Entertainment One (eOne) previously secured international distribution rights for the series, which stars Jewel Staite, Victor Garber, Zach Smadu and Genelle Williams. Dan Loewy, eOne’s executive vice president of sales, brokered the deal.

“Family Law,” produced by Seven24 Films and Lark Productions for Corus Entertainment’s Global, follows lawyer and recovering alcoholic Abigail Bianchi (Staite) as she attempts to put both her personal and professional life back together. As part of her probation, she is forced to work alongside her estranged father Harry (Garber), practicing family law for the first time. Additionally, she must create new relationships with her half-brother Daniel (Smadu) and half-sister Lucy (Williams), whom she’s never met.

“The result is a dysfunctional family law firm operating to help other families with their own dysfunction,” the logline reads.

“Family Law,...

Unspooling March 21-25, the Malaga Festival Fund & Co-Production Event project (Maff) provides a forum for Latin American film projects to seek international production partnerships. Costa Rican productions will be highlighted by subsection Costa Rica Guest Country.

The socially impactful film “Silence of the Earth” will feature in the Maff Social subsection. Female directors earn special emphasis in the Women Screen Industry section.

Following, the profiles of Maff production.

“All My Journey Are Journeys of Return,”

A time-jumping, genre-blending “delirious adventure,” say its makers, from Los Niños Films and Vorágine, currently in production on the World Cinema Fund-backed “Carropasajero.” It depicts a journey which begins in the Rio Magdalena, in the early 19th century, during a search for poet Gaspar de la Noche, who has gone missing in northern Sweden. Carolina Zarate produces.

“Before the Memory,”

Shepherded by Agustina Chiarino, one of Uruguay’s most ambitious film producers, González’s...

The Málaga Festival has never been bigger. To help navigate it, as well as Spain’s burgeoning production output, here’s a breakdown of its main section titles.

2022 Malaga Festival Lineup:

Main Competition

“Emperor Code,”

The Malaga Fest opener, a noirish crime thriller with special services operative Luis Tosar moonlighting for the elite, here trying to dig up the dirt on a young politico. Segueing rapidly to Netflix after an A Contracorriente release in Spain.

“A Mae,”

The latest from the prolific Brazilian narrative and doc director, maker of euthanasia-themed “Antes do fim,” and 2015’s “Hunger.” In it, a humble street vendor mother searches desperately for her missing son, claiming the right to at least bury his body.

“Almost in Love,”

A father-daughter relationship drama from notable Argentine auteur Brzezicki (“Noche”), backed by top-notch Latin American outfits – Argentina’s Ruda Films, Brazil’s Rt Features, Chile’s Quijote- plus Spain’s Vertigo Films,...

Rifkin’s Festival Review — Rifkin’s Festival (2020) Film Review, a movie directed by Woody Allen and starring Wallace Shawn, Gina Gershon, Elena Anaya, Steve Guttenberg, Tammy Blanchard, Sergi Lopez, Christoph Waltz, Andrea Trepat, Michael Garvey, Louis Garrel, Luz Cipriota, Richard Kind and Nathalie Poza. Woody Allen used to come out with a film every year [...]

Continue reading: Film Review: Rifkin’S Festival (2020): Wallace Shawn Stars in Woody Allen’s Smart but Rather Slight Comedy...

Chicago – When an interview opportunity comes up with Wallace Shawn, and it lasts more than 15 minutes, a conversation can be born. In our own version of “My Dinner with Andre,” I got an expansion with the actor, writer and one of the most famous dinner guests in cinema history (he is the “My” in “My Dinner … “ ).

Wallace Shawn’s story begins in New York City, where he was born the son of journalist Cecille Lyon and William Shawn, the longtime editor of the New Yorker magazine. After doing his undergrad at Harvard and post-grad work at Oxford, he eschew his philosophy and political studies to translate a play for a friend. He also had a role in the play, and his future was determined.

Wallace Shawn in ‘Rifkin’s Festival’

Photo credit: MPI Media Group

He began as a playwright, and many of his notable titles have been staged on...

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

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

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

Entering the “likely a money-laundering scheme for Spanish businessmen” part of his European travelogue era, Woody Allen turns uniquely narrow-minded and bitter with Rifkin’s Festival, which takes aim at the film culture that’s both alienated and abandoned him this past decade. Exciting though it is to see the proverbial gloves come off, the hands, sadly, don’t get very dirty.

Beginning on the therapist couch, film critic, professor, and failed novelist Mort Rifkin recounts the story of how he accompanied his wife Sue (Gina Gershon) to the prestigious San Sebastián International Film Festival, where she was handling publicity for Philippe (Louis Garrel), a socially conscious, classic-American-cinema-loving filmmaker diametrically opposed to Mort’s own cinephilic principles. It’s hard to pinpoint what straw man Allen’s exactly going after here—perhaps Phillippe is just a stand-in for all the millennial A24 directors who’ve pissed him off in recent years—but regardless,...

Chicago – The distinctive voice and presence of Wallace Shawn has been in the show business firmament for over 40 years. From his legacy film “My Dinner with Andre” through cultural icon in “The Princess Bride” to “Young Sheldon,” Wally Shawn has endured and prospered. He stars as the title character in “Rifkin’s Festival, opening January 28th, 2022.

Wallace Shawn is Mort Rifkin, a struggling novelist who used to be a film studies professor. Through his academia he met and married Sue (Gina Gershon), a movie publicist who saw potential in his literary pursuit. She is representing a hot young director at the famous San Sebastian Film Festival in Spain, and takes Mort along for the ride. The ex-professor doesn’t like modern cinema, and distracts himself by pursuing a local cardiologist (Elena Anaya) and creating dreams and fantasies from his film heroes.

Wallace Shawn and Gina Gershon in ‘Rifkin’s Festival...

Seeing a Woody Allen movie in 2022 is, it seems fair to say, a curious experience. Those who believe you can’t separate the art from the artist will find copious proof in his latest movie, “Rifkin’s Festival.” But, of course, they’re unlikely to watch it. Those who still celebrate the artist might watch it, but they won’t find much in the way of art.

For his 49th feature film, Allen returns to a well that is not so much dry as desiccated. The movie opens with Wallace Shawn as our Allen doppelgänger, Mort Rifkin. Mort, an anxious former professor, is also a dedicated cinephile and self-defined intellectual who spends the next hour-and-a-half complaining vociferously to his analyst.

He’s reminiscing about a troubled trip to Spain’s San Sebastián Film Festival, which he recently took with his publicist wife, Sue (Gina Gershon). “Film festivals are no longer what they were,...

“I’d frankly prefer not die for anything. And that includes sickness, old days or choking on a bagel.”

Woody Allen’s Rifkin’S Festival starring Wallace Shawn, Gina Gershon, and Cristoph Waltz opens in St. Louis Friday January 28th at Landmark’s Plaza Frontenac Theater. Check their website for times Here.

Mort Rifkin, a retired film studies professor, accompanies his publicist wife Sue to the San Sebastian Film Festival in Spain. He goes not for the films, but because he’s worried that Sue’s fascination with her young buzzed-about film director client, Philippe, might be more than professional. In addition, Mort hopes the change of scenery will provide a respite from his struggle to write a first novel that lives up to his impossibly exacting standards. With Mort’s relentlessly dismissive opinions of Philippe, and Sue’s sharp focus on her career as well as Philippe, their already frayed relationship becomes more strained.

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By Giacomo Selloni

It bodes ill when a film opens with the lead character sitting in his therapist's office complaining about something that has happened in the very recent past. The viewer already has the feeling that they missed something. That they're not in on a joke, a story, a fairy tale. Catching up with the tale may be "Inconceivable!" Sorry. I just had to sneak that in. In Rifkin's Festival the "annoying neurotic" is back. Here, not portrayed by Woody Allen in the role but by great character actor Wallace Shawn (hence the "Princess Bride" reference). He does the genre proud.

Reminiscent of "Manhattan", the film centers around the relationship between Mort Rifkin (Wallace Shawn), a failed novelist who pines over the days he was happiest - teaching cinema, and the much younger, former student he's married to - Sue (Gina Gershon...

Easing his way back into U.S. theaters after a two-year hiatus and an explosively accusatory four-part documentary, Allen v. Farrow, that aired on HBO in 2021, Woody Allen returns with Rifkin’s Festival, an airy, lazy, though rather likable overseas rom-com served with a dose of melancholia and several large portions of cinematic nostalgia.

Shot in picturesque San Sebastián and based around the city’s annual international film festival, Rifkin rehashes bits of earlier Allen efforts, including the artist character from Vicky Cristina Barcelona — does he think all Spanish men are strapping, sexed-up figurative painters? — while revisiting some of his favorite movies in a new light.

The result seems to be primarily aimed at the director’s own age group — a demographic that hasn’t exactly been leading the box office charge these days and that could render this release from MPI Media Group (who briefly put out A Rainy...

Rifkin’S Festival MPI Media Group Reviewed for Shockya.com & BigAppleReviews.net, linked from Rotten Tomatoes by Harvey Karten Director: Woody Allen Screenwriter: Woody Allen Cast: Wallace Shawn, Gina Gershon, Elena Anaya, Louis Garrel Screened at: Critics’ link, NYC, Opens: January 28, 2022 When you were a young man—or hell, middle age or older—did you ever see […]

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