News

It’s shaping up to be a Huston family Christmas.

Siblings and Hollywood royalty Anjelica and Danny Huston are teaming on a new project, The Christmas Witch Trial of La Befana, a hybrid animated and live-action feature film that is currently shooting in Los Angeles and Ontario, Canada.

HighballTV confirmed the details of the film, which was written by David James Brock and HighballTV’s Melissa D’Agostino based on an idea they conceived with Matt Campagna who is also directing with D’Agostino, a frequent creative partner. Johnathan Sharp is producing.

The plot follows a peculiar court case that unspools after the children in a rural Italian village kidnap their legendary Christmas witch, played by Huston, and put her on trial in an attempt to stop her annual judgment from their lives. While casting a spell through witches, fantasy and Italian folklore, the project is said to touch on universal themes of grief,...

No stranger to playing witches on screen, Anjelica Huston (The Witches) has been cast to play the legendary Christmas Witch in upcoming film The Christmas Witch Trial of La Befana.

Variety reports that the holiday movie is a “live-action/hybrid feature,” with Canada’s HighballTV behind the project. It’s based on a popular Italian folk tale, the website notes.

“The Christmas Witch Trial of La Befana tells the story of a group of children who kidnap the legendary Christmas Witch and put her on trial as a means of banishing her annual judgments.”

Variety notes in today’s report detailing the upcoming movie, “production will feature several animation techniques, including extensive use of rotoscope.”

Jesse Gervasi, Maya Misaljevic, Luca Doulgeris, Paolo Mancini, Tarah Consoli, Juan Chioran, and Phil Luzi will also star alongside Anjelica Huston.

Matt Campagna is directing the film, written by David James Brock and Melissa D’Angostino.

Anjelica Huston, one of cinema’s most iconic witch portrayers, has been cast to star in the upcoming live-action/hybrid feature “The Christmas Witch Trial of La Befana,” the first animated film produced by Canada’s HighballTV.

Based on a popular Italian folk tale, “The Christmas Witch Trial of La Befana” tells the story of a group of children who kidnap the legendary Christmas Witch (Huston) and put her on trial as a means of banishing her annual judgments.

David James Brock (“Mother of All Shows”) and Highball TV’s Melissa D’Angostino co-wrote and co-conceived the project alongside Matt Campagna, who will direct. Jonathan Sharp is producing.

According to HighballTV, production will feature several animation techniques, including extensive use of rotoscope. The film will also feature an original songs composed by Brock, D’Angostino and Rebecca Everett.

Other actors set to join Huston in the film include Jesse Gervasi,...

Gravitas Ventures has acquired US rights to Mother Of All Shows, a dark musical comedy from Canadian multi-hyphenate Melissa D’Agostino.

Gravitas, which made the deal at the Cannes market with sales representative Cut Entertainment Group, will release the film on TVoD on July 16. The company and the filmmakers are also planning a limited US/Canada theatrical release on that date.

D’Agostino directed the film, wrote the script with David James Brock and co-stars as Liza, a woman trying to cope with the impending death of her estranged mother Rosa, played by Wendie Malick. In her mind, Liza retreats into...

Exclusive: Carlo Mendez will take over Alvaro Orlando’s role in the indie The Legend of Jack and Diane, following Orlando’s departure due to a scheduling conflict.

He joins a cast led by Tom Sizemore, which also includes Robert Lasardo, David Timlinson and newcomer Lydia Zelmac, with production currently underway in and around the Los Angeles area.

The film directed by Bruce Bellochi is a revenge thriller, which takes its name from John Mellencamp’s classic song “Jack & Diane.” It centers, of course, on Jack (Tomlinson) and Diane (Zelmac), who decide to leave Indiana for a new life in Los Angeles. When the pair discover secrets about the death of Diane’s mother, their worst fears are confirmed, and they are forced to run. On the way to Los Angeles to confront evil, they create a hit list to exact revenge on everyone involved.

Mendez will play Detective Stanley Montana,...