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French cinema often operates with a casual frankness about the body that can feel startling to outside audiences. Zenithal takes this tradition and pushes it into the realm of high farce. The film introduces us to Francis, a dry cleaner living a life of quiet desperation. His glory days, which bizarrely involved being the on-screen nemesis to a martial arts master with a supernaturally large penis, are long past.

His relationship with his partner, Sonia, a self-defense instructor, has stalled. To fix things, she has imposed a strict six-month period of sexual abstinence, a project meant to force them to connect on a higher plane. Francis, feeling useless and adrift, is ill-equipped for this challenge.

The film immediately establishes a world where the anxieties of modern masculinity are not just discussed but given literal, absurd physical form. It’s a strange and provocative setup, a uniquely Gallic satire that uses...

Franco-German broadcaster Arte and Paris-based Miam! Distribution have backed the animated documentary “Boys Boys Boys,” with the European broadcaster set to air the upcoming series next autumn as Miam! handles global sales. Still in production, the project is slated for delivery in mid 2023.

Directed by Valentine Vendroux and Clawdia Prolongeau and produced by Melting Productions, the 2D computer animated series will address a young adult and adolescent crowd in order to puncture myths about masculinity. Based on an original idea from Florent Guimberteau, the project won attention at Annecy’s Mifa Pitch Forum in 2020 while winning the prize for best pitch at the Rennes Animation Festival later that year.

‘’Boys Boys Boys’ questions masculinity through all its definitions and possibilities,’’ says Clement Treboux of Melting Productions. “Through ten short and unique testimonies, men will share their stories while paving new paths. Miam! Distribution’s work on similar series in terms of format,...

Marie Kreutzer’s “Corsage,” which premieres in the Un Certain Regard section of the Cannes Film Festival, has debuted its first clip exclusively with Variety (below). MK2 Films is handling international sales. Ad Vitam will distribute the film in France.

“Corsage” stars Vicky Krieps, who broke out in the Oscar nominated “Phantom Thread.” Last year, she starred in Mia Hansen-Løve’s “Bergman Island,” which was in competition in Cannes, and was nominated for a César for Mathieu Amalric’s “Hold Me Tight.” She will soon be seen in Pathe’s big budget two-part movie “The Three Musketeers.”

“Corsage” centers on Empress Elisabeth of Austria. The monarch is idolized for her beauty and renowned for inspiring fashion trends, but in 1877, “Sissi” – as she is known – celebrates her 40th birthday and must fight to maintain her public image by lacing her corset tighter and tighter. While Elisabeth’s role has been reduced...

“The Power of the Dog” won Best Picture at the 20th Annual Gold Derby Film Awards on March 16, the day before the start of Oscar voting. The Western won three other trophies, too: both Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay for Jane Campion and Best Supporting Actor for Kodi Smit-McPhee. “Dune” was the big winner, with six victories in the creative categories. Scroll down for our complete results, and watch the video above to see our complete awards ceremony featuring acceptance speeches from most of the winners.

Almost 2,700 Gold Derby readers voted for the winners in 22 categories, and they were clearly impressed by the technical and artistic prowess of Denis Villeneuve‘s adaptation of Frank Herbert‘s sci-fi novel. “Dune” claimed Best Cinematography, Best Film Editing, Best Production Design, Best Original Score, Best Sound, and Best Visual Effects.

Our voters spread the wealth elsewhere with each of the 11 other categories going to a different movie,...

“Dune” is the most nominated film at our landmark 20th annual Gold Derby Film Awards honoring the best achievements of 2021. The adaptation of Frank Herbert‘s sci-fi novel has 11 bids including Best Picture and Best Director (Denis Villeneuve). Watch the announcement video above. Scroll down for our complete list of nominations in all 22 categories, and vote for the winners right now in our predictions center. You can register for a free account here if you’re not a Gold Derby member already. You have until Sunday, February 27, to get your votes in.

Almost 2,600 of our registered users voted for nominations using preferential ballots, which meant that passionate support was the key to success. The sci-fi epic “Dune” received bids for Picture, Director, and Adapted Screenplay, but the lion’s share of its recognition came in craft categories that recognize the film’s abundant technical achievements: Best Cinematography, Best Costume Design,...

The Best Animated Short category at this year’s Oscars is looking like it’s going to be an easy one to predict. According to our racetrack odds, the Netflix short, “If Anything Happens I Love You,” is way out front to capture the prize. These odds are derived from the predictions made by our Expert film journalists, Gold Derby Editors, Top 24 Users and the numerous Gold Derby users making their own predictions.

But is the short film really that safe? Let’s dive into this category with a closer look at all five nominees in order by their current Gold Derby odds.

“If Anything Happens I Love You” (odds of winning: 31/10)

A husband and wife are forced to navigate their grief after experiencing the tragic and unexpected loss of their daughter.

This is the first Oscar nomination for both Will McCormack and Michael Govier.

Pros: The short may not...

Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Adarsh Gourav's co-star in The White Tiger and her husband, actor-singer Nick Jonas, today announced the Oscar nominations of Writer-director Ramin Bahrani's The White Tiger. Ramin Bahrani's film has been nominated in the Best Adapted Screenplay category at the upcoming 93rd Academy Awards.

Mank, with 10 nominations, has garnered the highest number of nominations this year. The black and white biopic, based on the life of 'Citizen Kane' co-screenplay writer Herman J Mankiewicz, garnered nominations in the categories of Best Picture, Best Director (for David Fincher), Best Actor (Gary Oldman) and Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Amanda Seyfried).

Other notable films that won multiple nominations include "The Trial Of The Chicago 7" (six nominations), "Judas And The Black Messiah" (six), "The Father" (six) and "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom" (five).

The late Chadwick Boseman is a contender in the Best Actor category for "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom...

Variety's Awards Circuit is home to the official predictions for the upcoming Oscars from Film Awards Editor Clayton Davis. Following Academy Awards history, buzz, news, reviews and sources, the Oscar predictions are updated regularly with the current year's contenders in all categories. Variety's Awards Circuit Prediction schedule consists of four phases, running all year long: Draft, Pre-Season, Regular Season and Post Season. Eligibility calendar and dates of awards will determine how long each phase lasts and will be displayed next to revision date.

To see all the latest predictions, of all the categories, in one place, visit The Collective

Draft>>>Pre Season>>>Regular Season>>>Post Season

2021 Oscars Predictions:

Best Animated Short Film

Updated: Feb. 25, 2021

Awards Prediction Commentary: The Academy announced the shortlist for the animated short contenders, and they produced an interesting crop of selections. Netflix is placing all their power and influence behind the emotional “If Anything Happens I Love You.

Barcelona— Finland’s Yle, Ireland’s 9 Story Distribution International and France’s Folimage have been awarded as Broadcaster, Investor/Distributor and Producer of the Year respectively at this year’s Cartoon Forum, which closes today in Toulouse.

Finnish public broadcaster Yle, through Yle TV2, airs over 3,000 hours of programming per year for 2-12s. Yle has become a proactive partner in animated TV series co-production, and alongside the recently approved 25% cash rebate for domestic and foreign investments is one of the keys to Finland’s new animation revival. Two recent productions in which Yle has participated are “Gigglebug” (Gigglebug Entertainment) and “Albi the Snowman” (Hima Light). The Nordic country was also honored at Cartoon Forum with a Spotlight.

Other nominées in this category were Italy’s DeAKids, Netflix and France’s TF1 Unite Jeunesse.

Founded in 1981 by Jacques-Rémy Girerd, France’s Folimage took the Cartoon Tribute Award for Best Producer of the Year.