News

While current topics tend to occupy our attention and drain the creative juices of the filmmakers trying to stay on top of the trends, others, more universal ones, often get neglected for a period of time. Sometimes, only sometimes, the most authentic and universal things remain hidden in plain sight, often behind a generic title. Both of the claims from previous sentences stand firmly in the only Israeli-led co-production at this year’s Cannes, Mama, which premiered in Cannes Special programme.

For her first fiction feature, Or Sinai reunites with Evgenia Dodina, the lead actress of her award-winning short Anna (2015). Dodina steps in the titular role of Mila, the main breadwinner for her Polish family. We meet her in Israel, where she works for a wealthy couple, Yaffa (Cheli Goldenberg) and Gideon (Meir Swisa), as a housekeeper. At the moment, she is also having a clumsy, but gentle fling with.

In today’s TV news roundup, ABC unveiled the premiere dates for its early 2021 scripted series, and NBC announced details for its annual “Christmas in the Rockefeller Center” special.

Casting

Starz cast Luis Guzmán as a guest star in the second season of crime drama “Hightown.” Guzmán will portray Jorge Cuevas, Frankie’s (Amaury Nolasco) charmingly hilarious but deadly cousin. Also joining the cast this season are guest stars Jona Xiao, Charline St. Charles and Dominic L. Santana. Production is currently underway for Season 2, with creator Rebecca Cutter making her TV directorial debut. Academy Award-nominated cinematographer Rachel Morrison will direct two episodes and lead actor Monica Raymund, as well as Dawn Wilkinson, Radium Cheung and Eagle Egilsson are also tapped to direct.

Dates

Food Network’s “Kid’s Baking Championship” will return with a ninth season premiere Dec. 28. The show, hosted by Valerie Bertinelli and Duff Goldman, will feature a new twist,...