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Since making her feature directorial debut with the 2010 comedy Africa United, Debs Paterson has done a whole lot of TV work, directing episodes of the shows Doc, Halo, Willow, The Bastard Son & The Devil Himself, A Discovery of Witches, Domina, For Life, Harlots, and Strike Back. Along the way, she was also at the helm of the documentary The Skywalker Legacy. Now, it has been announced that Paterson is set to make her second narrative feature film, a zombie action horror project called Zero Protocol, and Rebecca Hall of Godzilla vs. Kong has signed on to star in the film.

Scripted by by Dan Hall (The Silent Hour), Zero Protocol has the following synopsis: An NYPD commissioner battles to manage a city-wide zombie outbreak exploding in real time, only to discover that her teenage daughter is trapped in the middle of the red zone.

The film is coming our way...

Rebecca Hall, a darling of the horror community thanks to her roles in The Night House and Ressurection is returning to the genre once again. This time around they will star in a zombie-action horror film titled Zero Protocol. An NYPD commissioner battles to manage a city-wide zombie outbreak exploding in real time, only to discover that her teenage daughter is trapped in the middle of the red zone. Debs Paterson will direct a script written by Dan Hall. Financier Anton will head to Marche du Film during Cannes and pull in some pre-sales to help with production which will begin later this year. Anton Launches Sales On The Zombie-actioner “Zero Protocol” Starring Rebecca Hall Rebecca Hall (Warner Bros.’ MonsterVerse franchise,...

[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...

Rebecca Hall has been set to star in the zombie-action horror film Zero Protocol.

Zero Protocol is directed by Debs Paterson and written by Dan Hall (The Silent Hour).

In the action horror movie, “An NYPD commissioner battles to manage a city-wide zombie outbreak exploding in real time, only to discover that her teenage daughter is trapped in the middle of the red zone.”

Director Debs Paterson said in a press release, “Zero Protocol is an incredibly exciting fusion of technical and emotional filmmaking. I’m so thrilled to be working with Imaginarium’s world-class team and the truly extraordinary Rebecca Hall to bring Dan’s gripping script to life.”

Producer Will Tennant added, “Dan has written an absolutely thrilling and terrifying story, and we couldn’t ask for a greater director than Debs to bring together the script’s big set pieces with grounded emotional drama. We are delighted...

Exclusive: Rebecca Hall will star in Debs Paterson’s zombie-action horror Zero Protocol for Anton and Andy Serkis and Jonathan Cavendish’s UK company Imaginarium Productions which will start shooting later this year.

Anton will launch sales at Cannes with WME Independent co-repping the US. Anton is financing the film.

Hall will play an NYPD commissioner who battles to manage a city-wide zombie outbreak exploding in real time, only to discover her teenage daughter is trapped in the middle of the red zone.

Zero Protocol is produced by Imaginarium’s Will Tennant and Cavendish, and is executive produced by Sebastien Raybaud...

Actor Imelda Staunton, director Sally El Hosaini and composer Nainita Desai are among key UK industry figures taking part in Cinesisters Women’s Day Film Festival, taking place on March 8 at London’s All Is Joy Studios.

Cinesisters is a grassroots collective of female-identifying directors, founded in 2017. The event, open to all genders, includes workshops, panels and short film screenings.

The Swimmers director El Hosaini will be joined in a discussion on filmmaking with Isabelle Sieb, Debs Paterson, Jennifer Sheridan and Miranda Bowen.

An exploration of the legal considerations for composers will encompassFor Sama composer Desai, alongside Aisling Brouwer, Carly...

Actor Imelda Staunton, director Sally El Hosaini and composer Nainita Desai are among the key industry figures taking part in Cinesisters Women’s Day Film Festival, taking place on March 8 at London’s All Is Joy Studios.

Cinesisters is a grassroots collective of female-identifying directors, founded in 2017. The event, open to all genders, includes workshops, panels and short film screenings.

The Swimmers director El Hosaini will be joined in a discussion on filmmaking with Isabelle Sieb, Debs Paterson, Jennifer Sheridan and Miranda Bowen.

An exploration of the legal considerations for composers features For Sama composer Desai, alongside Aisling Brouwer, Carly...

TV shows that consistently deliver heart-pumping action have become a dominant force in the modern entertainment industry. A consequence of this massive popularity is that production companies and streaming services are now more likely to invest massive budgets into these shows to enhance their production quality. Expansive set designs, CGI, impressive stunt work, and A-list casting all contribute to these massive budgets (via Media C-Suite).

While a big budget is no guarantee of a good TV show, it is hard to deny that a lot of these shows are incredible. From exploring the worlds of Westeros and Middle-earth, to a galaxy far, far, away, these shows have left an indelible mark on the TV industry and have set the bar for other action TV shows to aspire to. These shows have revolutionized contemporary television, and often boast budgets per episode that rival even the biggest blockbuster movies.

Halo (2022-2024) $10.4 Million...

Almost two years ago, the decades-long struggle to bring an adaptation of the beloved video game franchise "Halo" to life finally resulted in, well, a seriously underwhelming Paramount+ show. The fact that the live-action debut of the Master Chief, his Spartan super-soldiers, and their epic war against the alien Covenant had to be relegated to a streaming service, as opposed to receiving the full red carpet treatment on the big screen, was probably an indictment in and of itself. It spoke poorly of this irrevocably Silicon Valley-influenced studio system we currently find ourselves in, and of the lack of ambition and imagination of the decisionmakers involved. Ultimately, it also revealed our own shortcomings as an audience -- one that couldn't simply be satisfied with a number of tremendously well-realized stories told in their perfect medium.

So when season 1 of "Halo" premiered, with all the pressure in the world to live...

Here’s the latest episode of the The Filmmakers Podcast, part of the ever-growing podcast roster here on Nerdly. If you haven’t heard the show yet, you can check out previous episodes on the official podcast site, whilst we’ll be featuring each and every new episode as it premieres.

For those unfamiliar with the series, The Filmmakers Podcast is a podcast about how to make films from micro budget indie films to bigger budget studio films and everything in-between. Our hosts Giles Alderson, Dan Richardson, Andrew Rodger and Cristian James talk how to get films made, how to actually make them and how to try not to f… it up in their very humble opinion. Guests will come on and chat about their film making experiences from directors, writers, producers, screenwriters, actors, cinematographers and distributors.

The Filmmaker’s Podcast #337: ‘Make Your Film’ Live from London Independent Film Festival with Debs Paterson,...

Jay Lycurgo, who plays Nathan in upcoming Netflix series “The Bastard Son & The Devil Himself,” finds himself interrogated by witch Celia (Karen Connell) in a new clip from the show, shared exclusively with Variety.

In the series, which is based on the Half Bad YA series by Sally Green, Lycurgo plays the teenage, illegitimate son of Marcus, considered the world’s most dangerous witch.

At the beginning of the series, with the witch community fearing Nathan takes after his father, he is constantly monitored. In the tense scene above a witch called Celia interrogates him, asking him how he is sleeping at night, whether he has violent dreams, if he is quick to anger and whether he feels any negative feelings towards other witches – at which point she notices a bleeding cut on Nathan’s hand appear to heal up.

In Celia’s world there are clear boundaries between...

Just in time for Halloween, Netflix has announced another brand new horror series that’ll premiere this month, titled “The Bastard Son & The Devil Himself” and arriving on October 28.

Described as an “edgy, YA drama that’s grounded in the modern day,” the Netflix series is set in a world where witches live amongst us. “Expect magic, sarcasm, banter, potions in zip-lock bags, hunters, romance, loyalty and unbreakable friendship…it’s a truly f*cked up ride.”

Watch the bloody official trailer below and read on for details.

In “The Bastard Son & The Devil Himself,” sixteen-year-old Nathan (Jay Lycurgo) is the illegitimate son of the world’s most dangerous witch. Fearing he will follow in his father’s footsteps, Nathan is closely monitored throughout his childhood. As the boundaries between ‘good’ and ‘bad’ fray, Nathan – along with mischievous Annalise (Nadia Parkes) and charismatic Gabriel (Emilien Vekemans) – will soon discover who he truly is.

Netflix has debuted the trailer for YA drama series ‘The B*st*rd Son & The Devil Himself’ series in which is grounded in the modern day where witches live amongst us.

Based on the Half Bad books by Sally Green, The series follows sixteen-year-old Nathan (Jay Lycurgo), the illegitimate son of the world’s most dangerous witch. Fearing he will follow in his father’s footsteps, Nathan is closely monitored throughout his childhood. As the boundaries between ‘good’ and ‘bad’ fray, Nathan – along with mischievous Annalise (Nadia Parkes) and charismatic Gabriel (Emilien Vekemans) – will soon discover who he truly is.

Directed by Colm McCarthy (Black Mirror: Black Museum, The Girl with all the Gifts), Rachna Suri and Debs Paterson, the series stars Jay Lycurgo, Nadia Parkes and Emilien Vekemans (Transferts), Isobel Jesper Jones, Paul Ready (Motherland, The Terror), David Gyasi (Carnival Row, Troy: Fall of a City), Kerry Fox (Conversations with Friends,...

Willow Trailer 2 — Disney+ has released the second TV show trailer for Willow (2022). View here the first Willow teaser trailer. Crew Willow stars Warwick Davis, Erin Kellyman, Ellie Bamber, Tony Revolori, Ruby Cruz, Amer Chadha-Patel, Dempsey Bryk, and Joanne Whalley. Stephen Woolfenden, Debs Paterson, and Jamie Childs directed various episodes of [...]

Continue reading: Willow (2022) TV Show Trailer 2: Evil has Risen Again & The Sorcerer Willow is Need Once More [Disney+]...

Exclusive: Ariel Meislin has left ICM Partners, where she has been a lit agent focusing on directors, to join Kaplan/Perrone Entertainment as a manager. She will become Kaplan/Perrone’s first New York City hire and is tasked with establishing the New York office as the lit management/production company expands its footprint outside of Los Angeles. She also will continue to focus on filmmakers.

Meislin began her career in ICM’s mailroom and rose through the ranks to become an agent in less than two years. Since her promotion to agent two a half years ago, she has built her roster by identifying and transitioning filmmakers from the feature space into television, specializing in international voices. Her clients at ICM included Debs Paterson, Ed Lilly, Alex Gabassi, Amit Gupta (His Dark Materials), Darya Zhuk (Little America), Marialy Rivas, Catriona McKenzie (Marvel’s upcoming Echo), and Stacey Gregg (The Baby), among others. Some of her clients are expected to join Meislin at Kaplan/Perrone.

“We’ve been continually impressed by Ariel’s keen eye at identifying fantastic voices, as well as her tireless focus on accelerating the careers of her clients,” the partners at Kaplan/Perrone said in a statement. “Having a full-time presence in New York will enhance our ability to effectively represent clients on a global level and we feel Ariel’s strong work ethic and entrepreneurial spirit are the ideal fit for Kpe.”

Meislin is the latest ICM agent to depart for another agency or management company ahead of company’s pending acquisition by CAA.

Willow Trailer — Disney+‘s Willow (2022) teaser trailer has been released. The Willow trailer stars Warwick Davis, Erin Kellyman, Ellie Bamber, Tony Revolori, Ruby Cruz, Amer Chadha-Patel, Dempsey Bryk, and Joanne Whalley. Crew Stephen Woolfenden, Debs Paterson, and Jamie Childs directed various episodes of Willow. Plot Synopsis Willow‘s plot synopsis: based on and the sequel [...]

Continue reading: Willow (2022) Teaser Trailer: Warwick Davis & A Team of Heroes Journey to Thwart Evil in Disney+’s Sequel Series...

“Mock if you will,” Christian Evangelist Florence Scanwell (Dorothy Atkinson) chided the bordello workers in Hulu‘s progressive period series Harlots. “There is honor in righteous poverty.” The creative team will be finding new places of employment. Harlots has been cancelled at the streaming service, according to THR, nine months after its third season came to a close.

Based on true stories of real women, Harlots was neither clichéd nor glamorous. It depicted sex work as legitimate. The sex wasn’t gratuitous, it was perfunctory, and there is no judgment of it. The series was written, directed and produced entirely by women. Co-creators Moira Buffini (Jane Eyre) and Alison Newman were Executive Producers alongside Alison Owen, Debra Hayward and Alison Carpenter. Season 3 was written by Buffini, Jane English, Vivienne Harvey and Jessica Ruston, and directed by Robin Sheppard, Chloe Thomas and Debs Paterson, with Pat Tookey-Dickson producing.

Harlots was set in 1763 London.

As if things already weren’t rough enough for the women of 18th century Soho, now they have a pair of ambitious pimp brothers to contend with. Hulu said today that Alfie Allen and Ash Hunter have joined the cast of its drama series Harlots. The streamer also set a July 10 premiere date for Season 3. New episodes will bow on ensuing Wednesdays.

Set in Georgian London, Harlots continues to follow the fortunes of the Wells family. Margaret (Samantha Morton) has been sent to America in chains and Lydia Quigley (Lesley Manville) is vanquished and in Bedlam. It seems that the Wells girls can finally free themselves of their mother’s feud, helped by allies such as Lady Fitz (Liv Tyler). But Charlotte Wells (Jessica Brown-Findlay) soon learns that running a lucrative brothel brings enemies as well as friends, including new pimp in town Isaac Pincher (Alfie Allen). Meanwhile Lydia still finds a way to bite,...

An email mishap has spawned an online group dedicated to supporting women in film.

A group of UK female filmmakers have set up a Facebook group to support women in the industry following an email admin error involving a Bafta initiative.

The Twitter hashtag #BAFTAsLucky225 has already spawned almost 400 posts that have reached 220,156 people since it was instigated at 2pm today (April 4), according to a Twitter analytics tool.

Diane Jessie Miller, director of the Rik Mayall-starring drama One By One, kicked off the social media discussion:

Some days we get good news, some days we get bad news... and some days bad news turns to good news... #BAFTAsLUCKY225

— Diane Jessie Miller (@DianeJMiller) April 4, 2017

Kat Wood, writer-director of the Maggie Gyllenhaal-starring short Home, added her two cents:

Never has rejection come with such a silver lining #baftaslucky225

— Kat Wood (@katruthwood) April 4, 2017

As did Eva Sigurdardottir, a line producer on Rams:

Proud to be one of the...

New film productions to celebrate 400 years of Shakespeare; The Hungry named Film London’s first UK-India co-production.

Film London has named Sir Kenneth Branagh as its patron for Shakespeare on Screen, a year-long programme that will form part of the celebrations marking the 400 years since the death of the revered playwright.

As well as supporting Film London’s work, Branagh is also set to participate in next year’s activity, with details set to be revealed next year.

Shakespeare on Screen will include a series of new productions celebrating the Bard’s legacy. These will include a feature film, two shorts from all-female filmmaking teams, three artists’ animations and a BBC Arena documentary examining Shakespeare’s screen legacy.

Some of these productions will be screened nationally as well as forming part of the British Council’s Shakespeare Lives programme, which will see a range of content toured internationally in partnership with the BFI.

Branagh, whose...

A children’s (or family) film with a largely African cast is rare. African children being depicted as anything other than victims of brutal, famine and poverty stricken environments they’ve been born into are almost non existent. So seeing an Africa United poster splashed on the side of a London double-decker bus was very refreshing to see. And while I was cynical about an English director making a film set in Africa and starring African children, it would seem that director Debs Gardner-Paterson (who qualifies for dual British/Rwandan citizenship) did go to great pains to show an Africa that’s more than the limited vision of the continent usually depicted in Western...

With the exception of household names, most people in the creative arts need a day job to make ends meet. But should artists have to work or should they be supported by the state?

Jennie Rooney is the first to admit she has something of a split personality. By day, she is an in-house lawyer for a television company. By night, she is something different altogether: a novelist.

Typically, she will cycle into the office in central London, where she spends much of her day "drawing up contracts involving production companies buying formats such as The X Factor". At 5.30pm, Rooney returns home, eats an early supper and then sits down at her laptop for four hours to write, immersing herself in the world of cold war espionage that provides the backdrop for her third book.

Rooney would like her life to be different. She'd like to be a full-time novelist and,...

The It Crowd’s Chris O’Dowd has been confirmed as host of The Moët British Independent Film Awards, taking place on Sunday 4 December at Old Billingsgate.

This will be the comedian’s first time presenting the ceremony which will cover 18 categories including the Best British Independent Film, sponsored by Moët & Chandon.

Competing for such a prestigious trophy on the night will be Senna, Shame, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Tyrannosaur and We Need to Talk About Kevin.

O’Dowd commented: “I am delighted to be the new host of the Moët British Independent Awards this year and I'm really looking forward to the 4 December. It's a ceremony which cherishes innovation, elegance and class so I’m humbled that they've chosen a host who so clearly lacks any of these things. Expect dancing girls.”

Also announced today was this year’s jury panel, with 2000’s Bifa Producer of the Year winner,...

Gary Oldman, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy As expected, Steve McQueen's Shame, Tomas Alfredson's Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, and Lynne Ramsay's We Need to Talk About Kevin are three of the top contenders for the Raindance Institute's 2011 British Independent Film Awards (Bifa), the British version of the United States' Spirit Awards (West Coast) and Gotham Awards (East Coast) — apart from the fact that British films are almost invariably modestly budget and independently made. [Full list of 2011 British Independent Film Awards nominations.] With seven nods each — including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actor — Shame, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, and actor-turned-filmmaker Paddy Considine's Tyrannosaur topped the list of nominees. We Need to Talk About Kevin and Ben Wheatley's Kill List each received six nods; Richard Ayoade's Submarine got five. Both Ramsay and Wheatley are also up for Best Director; Asif Kapadia's documentary Senna replaced Kill List on the list of Best British Independent Film nominees.

London, Friday 1 July 2011: The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) is delighted to announce the names of the 42 Brits to Watch who will be the focus of the inaugural BAFTA Brits to Watch. The event will take place on Saturday 9 July at the Belasco Theater in Los Angeles. BAFTA’s President, Hrh The Duke of Cambridge, and Hrh The Duchess of Cambridge will attend the event as part of their visit to California, helping highlight the incredible depth and range of great British talent currently emerging in film, television and video games. The 42 Brits have been selected by a BAFTA panel based on a number of criteria. They will generally not be complete beginners in their industry, and will have already begun to show real promise. They are: Rory Aitken, Producer James Bobin, Writer/Director Jessica Brown Findlay, Actress David Buckley, Composer Jamie Bull, Editor Sam Care,...

When Prince William and Duchess Catherine touch down in the States next week, they'll be getting the Hollywood treatment - along with 42 other up-and-coming British stars. On their California itinerary for July 9, the royal couple are set to attend the British Academy of Film and Television Arts "Brits to Watch" event, which Nigel Lythgoe is helping to organize. The event will "highlight the incredible depth and range of great British talent currently emerging in film, television and video games," according to a BAFTA release on Friday, providing the guest list. Photos: Prince William & Kate Middleton Take Canada!So who made the cut?...

Pathe have Main Comp titles in Paolo Sorrentino's This Must Be the Place and Alain Cavalier's Pater on their product list, but the sale agent might find both titles a difficult sell until they are unveiled to the film critic mass. I'd bet that Phyllida Lloyd's The Iron Lady with Meryl Steep is the most desired item on their inventory list. The Iron Lady by Phyllida Lloyd - Completed This Must Be The Place by Paolo Sorrentino - Completed Monsieur Papa by Kad Merad - Completed My Worst Nightmare by Anne Fontaine - Post-Production Pater by Alain Cavalier - Completed Switch by Frederic Schoendoerffer - Completed The Tuche Family (Les Tuche) by Olivier Baroux - Completed The Well-digger's Daughter (La Fille Du Puisatier) by Daniel Auteuil - Completed Titeuf, The Film (Titeuf, Le Film) by Zep - Completed Zarafa by Jean-Christophe Lie - Post-Production Africa United by...

“From Britain with Love” – a curated program of six independent UK films will screen across ten Us cities from June 11 – July 9, 2011, as part of a partnership between Film Society of Lincoln Center, UK Film Council and Emerging Pictures.

The showcase’s premiere constitutes a component of the Film Society’s celebration of its new Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center, and the screenings will run contemporaneously to online webcast conversations with the film’s key talent.

A similar program, named “From Blighty with Love” was run across India in 2010.

Featured in the program are the following films, three of which will be making their Us premieres:

· A Boy Called Dad (80min)

Director: Brian Percival

The debut feature from BAFTA short film winner Brian Percival follows the story of a boy thrust into early adulthood when he becomes a father at the age of 14. Newcomer, Kyle Ward, delivers an impressive performance as...

“From Britain with Love” – a curated program of six independent UK films will screen across ten Us cities from June 11 – July 9, 2011, as part of a partnership between Film Society of Lincoln Center, UK Film Council and Emerging Pictures.

The showcase’s premiere constitutes a component of the Film Society’s celebration of its new Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center, and the screenings will run contemporaneously to online webcast conversations with the film’s key talent.

A similar program, named “From Blighty with Love” was run across India in 2010.

Featured in the program are the following films, three of which will be making their Us premieres:

· A Boy Called Dad (80min)

Director: Brian Percival

The debut feature from BAFTA short film winner Brian Percival follows the story of a boy thrust into early adulthood when he becomes a father at the age of 14. Newcomer, Kyle Ward, delivers an impressive performance as...

Film Society of Lincoln Center, UK Film Council & Emerging Pictures presents From Britain With Love

June 11 . July 9

6 indie UK films will screen in 10 Us cities launching with Toast starring Helena Bonham Carter

The Film Society of Lincoln Center, UK Film Council and Emerging Pictures announced the details today for plans to showcase six recent independent films produced in the United Kingdom for a release in more than ten cities stateside from June 11 . July 9.

Curated by the Film Society of Lincoln Center, and in partnership with Emerging Pictures – the largest all-digital specialty film and alternate content theatre network in the United States – the showcase will premiere at the Film Society of Lincoln Center on June 11 as part of the opening celebration for its state-of-the art Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center. Each of the films will be shown once at the Film Society of Lincoln Center and once downtown at the IFC Center.

Screening tonight at the New York African Film Festival; screened at the London Film Festival last fall; that review follows below….

A children’s (or family) film with a largely African cast is rare. African children being depicted as anything other than victims of brutal, famine and poverty stricken environments they’ve been born into are almost non existent. So seeing an Africa United poster splashed on the side of a London double-decker bus earlier in the week was very refreshing to see.

And while I was cynical about an English director making a film set in Africa and starring African children, it would seem that director Debs Gardner-Paterson (who qualifies for dual British/Rwandan citizenship) did go to great pains to show an Africa that’s more than the limited vision of the continent usually depicted in Western media. While we do have AIDS orphans, a former child soldier...

The New York African Film Festival begins Today New Yorkers, and the 2011 lineup is an impressive one!

Of note, several films that have been touted on this website (old and new) are scheduled to screen at this year’s festival, including, Andrew Dosunmu’s feature film directorial debut and Sundance 2011 entry, Restless City, in what I believe will be the film’s New York city premiere! I saw the film in January, and found it enchanting. You can read my full review of it Here.

Also, Congolese filmmaker Djo Tunda Wa Munga’s explosive Viva Riva!, which premiered at the Toronto Film Festival last fall, and swept the African Movie Academy Awards; a film that’s being referred to as “Congolese Avant-Garde.” I saw it a couple of weeks ago, and dug it! Read me review Here.

New Yorkers will also get to see Besouro (a Shadow And Act Film...

The New York African Film Festival begins tomorrow New Yorkers, and the 2011 lineup is an impressive one!

Of note, several films that have been touted on this website (old and new) are scheduled to screen at this year’s festival, including, Andrew Dosunmu’s feature film directorial debut and Sundance 2011 entry, Restless City, in what I believe will be the film’s New York city premiere! I saw the film in January, and found it enchanting. You can read my full review of it Here.

Also, Congolese filmmaker Djo Tunda Wa Munga’s explosive Viva Riva!, which premiered at the Toronto Film Festival last fall, and swept the African Movie Academy Awards; a film that’s being referred to as “Congolese Avant-Garde.” I saw it a couple of weeks ago, and dug it! Read me review Here.

New Yorkers will also get to see Besouro (a Shadow And Act Film...

If you’re in the UK you may have seen this DVD on the shelf of your local store over the last week or so but I’ve held off on this review until now for reasons that will hopefully become obvious further down.

Africa United came out last year and our original HeyUGuys review by Lisa Giles-Keddie said “it’s refreshing to watch a film that champions the power of positive thought, fuelling the story from beginning to end. It is a vibrant and positively charming journey that captures the true, fighting spirit of Africa, it is an amazing movie.”. I’m certainly not going to disagree with Lisa as I love the film with its colourful characters and places plus the inspiring story but also because of the fact that it’s a film that’s not afraid to look at the uncomfortable issues that exist in the...

The New York African Film Festival has announced its 2011 lineup, and it’s an impressive one! I’m excited, and hopefully you will be too, especially if you live in New York.

Of note, several films that have been touted on this website (old and new) are scheduled to screen at this year’s festival, including, Andrew Dosunmu’s feature film directorial debut and Sundance 2011 entry, Restless City, in what I believe will be the film’s New York city premiere! I saw the film at Sundance in January, and found it enchanting. You can read my full review of it Here.

Also, Congolese filmmaker Djo Tunda Wa Munga’s Viva Riva!, which screened at the Toronto Film Festival last fall, and Fespaco last month, where it won some awards; a film that’s being referred to as “Congolese Avant-Garde.” I haven’t seen it, but I’m really looking forward to doing so.

Paranormal Activity 2; Easy A; Africa United; Due Date; Travellers

Oren Peli's (surprisingly un)original frightener Paranormal Activity was made for a reported $15,000 and scared hundreds of millions of dollars out of audiences who had presumably never seen The Blair Witch Project. Tod Williams's fatuous prequel, Paranormal Activity 2 (2010, Sony, 15), cost nearly 200 times as much and will surely bore the pants off even the most wide-eyed horror dilettante with its dreary, repetitive rehashing of an already derivative formula. Following an apparent burglary, a young family (including the diehard hackneyed horror triumvirate of teenage daughter, baby and dog) have their house fitted with security cameras which promptly start recording things going bump in the night. Or not.

Long periods of unbelievable boredom ensue, interspersed with sudden, loud, banging noises and the sight of kitchenware moving in a mysterious way, a tedious trope which repeats ad infinitum. Whereas Peli managed...

The New York African Diaspora Film Festival begins in about 2 1/2 weeks – November 26th – and will run for about 2 1/2 weeks, through December 14th.

Starting today, I’ll profile at least 1 film screening at the upcoming festival, until it actually begins.

The opening night film is one that we’ve mentioned previously on this blog. As a matter of fact, it recently screened at the London Film Festival where our own MsWOO saw it, and reviewed it for Shadow And Act (read her critique Here). The film is titled Africa United, and its story goes… Africa United tells the story of three Rwandan kids who walk 3000 miles to the Soccer World Cup in South Africa. Using a sack load of ingenuity and sass (and a World Cup wall chart for a map), they set off in pursuit of an unlikely dream, attracting followers along the way, who help them negotiate through a series of glorious,...

Colin Firth shortlisted for best actor prize as George VI drama picks up eight nominations for British Independent Film awards

Oscar-tipped period drama The King's Speech is the early frontrunner in the British Independent Film awards after securing eight nominations.

Tom Hooper's film, which stars Colin Firth as King George VI and Geoffrey Rush as Australian speech therapist Lionel Logue, tells how the monarch overcame a stammer after unexpectedly becoming king in 1936 following the abdication of his brother, Edward VIII.

Firth picked up a best actor nod, while Rush, Guy Pearce and another co-star, Helena Bonham Carter, received best supporting actor and actress nominations. The film also won nominations in the best film, best director and best screenplay categories.

Other early leaders at the awards, which try to identify the best in British independent film-making, were the London film festival opener, Never Let Me Go, which garnered five nominations,...

Easy A (15)

(Will Gluck, 2010, Us) Emma Stone, Penn Badgley, Amanda Bynes, Patricia Clarkson. 92 mins

There's always room for a smart-mouthed high-school comedy in a Juno/Mean Girls vein – it's just a pity they come along so rarely. This doesn't quite make that grade but it aims for it, tackling issues of virginity and sluttishness through the story of a nice girl who lies about who she's laid and suffers the fallout – especially from the Jesus freaks.

Carlos (15)

(Olivier Assayas, 2010, Fra/Ger) Edgar Ramírez, Alexander Scheer. 159 mins/334 mins

The life of the terrorist serves as a thrilling survey of cold war-era geopolitics in Assayas's swift, stylish, serious biopic, which covers a staggering amount of ground. See feature, p10.

Red (12A)

(Robert Schwentke, 2010, Us) Bruce Willis, Morgan Freeman, Helen Mirren. 111 mins

Senior-citizen assassin comedy that gets away with a lot thanks to its cast. As a ride, it's more stairmaster than a rollercoaster.

This is the daily news vodcast from the London Film Festival on Pure Movies covering the gala screening of Africa United, directed by Debs Gardner-Paterson and starring Roger Nsengiyumva, Sherrie Silver, Eriya Ndayambaje, Yves Dusenge and Sanyu Joanita Kintu. Africa United tells the extraordinary story of three Rwandan children and their bid to achieve their ultimate dream - to take part in the opening ceremony of the 2010 Football World Cup in Johannesburg. On the way to the vital selection trial, disaster strikes when Fabrice, Dudu and Beatrice board the wrong bus and cross into the Congo. Without papers, money or a believable story, they are escorted to a children's refugee camp. But with considerable ingenuity and sass (and a World Cup wall chart for a map), our pint-sized heroes escape the camp and set off in pursuit of their dream, picking up along the way a “dream team” of displaced kids,...

The director of Africa United has confirmed that the movie had the full support of FIFA. Speaking at a London Film Festival press conference, Debs Gardner-Paterson said that the world football federation is a fan of the movie. Gardner-Paterson said: "Obviously a big part of the thing was having their blessing to have the kids go over to the world cup in the first place. "Somebody from FIFA visited the set - do you remember that? And bought (more)...

In a bumper edition of Film Weekly, Jason Solomons meets Anglophile actor Sam Rockwell (Moon, Frost/Nixon, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy) who's in London to promote Conviction, in which he stars alongside Hilary Swank as a man wrongfully imprisoned for murder. Rockwell talks sibling love and justice in a film tipped for Oscar success.

Plus, director Clio Barnard speaks about her much-acclaimed hybrid of documentary and fiction, The Arbor.

Xan Brooks clocks on to review some of this week's other releases including Olivier Assayas's epic Carlos, the star-studded Red and Mary and Max, a downbeat Aussie animated drama featuring the voices of Toni Collette and Philip Seymour Hoffman.

Finally Jason meets director Debs Gardner-Paterson and the cast of Africa United which premiered at the London film festival this week, telling the story of a feisty troupe of African children and their 3,000-mile journey to the 2010 World Cup in Johannesburg.

In a gloomy world full of socio-political issues, especially in relation to screen portrayals of Africa, it’s refreshing to watch a film that champions the power of positive thought, fuelling the story from beginning to end. It is a vibrant and positively charming journey that captures the true, fighting spirit of Africa, it is an amazing movie.

Africa United from debut director Debs Gardner-Paterson is such an inspiring film as it takes young and old on a vibrant and charming journey through several African states (Rwanda, Congo, Burundi, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe and South Africa) to capture the true fighting spirit of Africa.

As the title suggests, it unites all who watch it because of its colourful vitality and infectious childlike awe that kids can relate to and adults can relive and this notion overshadows the football element. It’s like an African Enid Blyton tale, where anything can be...

Filmmaker Richard Curtis has helped organise a collaboration between upcoming drama Africa United and Comic Relief. Speaking at a London Film Festival press conference, the movie's director Debs Gardner-Paterson confirmed that a quarter of the net profit from the film would be donated to the charity. Gardner-Paterson said: "It was through BBC Films and Richard Curtis was really supportive in helping to put that together, which was really fantastic. "Amazingly the exec producers and financiers of the film have all agreed and rewritten their contracts so (more)...

A children’s (or family) film with a largely African cast is rare. African children being depicted as anything other than victims of brutal, famine and poverty stricken environments they’ve been born into are almost non existent. So seeing an Africa United poster splashed on the side of a London double-decker bus earlier in the week was very refreshing to see (it hits cinemas in the UK and Ireland on October 22nd).

And while I was cynical about an English director making a film set in Africa and starring African children, it would seem that director Debs Gardner-Paterson (who qualifies for dual British/Rwandan citizenship) did go to great pains to show an Africa that’s more than the limited vision of the continent usually depicted in Western media. While we do have AIDS orphans, a former child soldier and a child sex worker (albeit with royal lineage), the...

Africa United isn’t a Ken Loach-style social tract on the contemporary ills of a vast and highly diverse continent. Debs Gardner-Paterson’s film is more like a fairytale about football and the joys it brings. And far from being a ‘lads’ film about the game, it is a road movie using the South Africa World Cup merely as a backdrop.

With its vibrant cinematography, fast paced style and symbolic characters, the movie attempts to charm you. Whether it does or not depends wholly on the viewer. Go with it and you’ll get a rewarding and moving experience. If you don’t like its tone you’ll probably dismiss it as feel-good schmaltz.

The film is more magical realist than social realist but there are several scenes that are disturbingly aggressive and perhaps veer too much away from the easy-going central thrust. That said, it isn’t the...

Today is day 2nd of the London Film Festival and the film of the day is Africa United. The movie is directed by Debs Gardner-Paterson and is based on the book by Rhidian Brook. It’s out in UK cinemas next week, 22nd October and our review of the movie will be going online shortly.

Africa United stars Eriya Ndayambaje, Yves Dusenge, Sanyu Joanita Kintu, Roger Nsengiyumva, Sherrie Silver and read on for the synopsis then scroll down to view photos and the full press conference.

Synopsis: Three Rwandan children set off to Rwanda’s capital city, Kigali, to audition for the opening ceremony of the 2010 World Cup. The children are Rwandan football prodigy Fabrice, his best friend and ‘manager’ Dudu, and Dudu’s little sister Beatrice. They sneak onto a bus…the wrong bus. Instead of arriving in Rwanda’s capital Kigali, they end up in the Congo. Lost in a dangerous country,...

A new movie starring five young unknowns is tipped to match the success of Slumdog Millionaire

Among the recent flurry of mainstream films set in Africa there has been an inescapable common thread. Blood Diamond, The Last King of Scotland, Shooting Dogs and The Constant Gardener: all well-received, all acclaimed, and all with white protagonists heroically engaging with a dangerous and savage continent.

That pattern may be about to change. Later this month five young, unknown Africans will walk up the red carpet in London's Leicester Square to the British premiere of a film which discards the usual Hollywood stereotypes.

Africa United, dubbed "the rookies' project" by its makers, features a cast of children aged 11 to 15 who had never acted before; a writer producing his first script and a director making her first feature film. It has already been compared favourably to Slumdog Millionaire, and indeed, is being distributed by Pathe,...

This is a clip from Africa United, directed by Debs Gardner-Paterson and starring Roger Nsengiyumva, Sherrie Silver, Eriya Ndayambaje, Yves Dusenge and Sanyu Joanita Kintu. Africa United tells the extraordinary story of three Rwandan children and their bid to achieve their ultimate dream - to take part in the opening ceremony of the 2010 Football World Cup in Johannesburg. On the way to the vital selection trial, disaster strikes when Fabrice, Dudu and Beatrice board the wrong bus and cross into the Congo. Without papers, money or a believable story, they are escorted to a children's refugee camp. But with considerable ingenuity and sass (and a World Cup wall chart for a map), our pint-sized heroes escape the camp and set off in pursuit of their dream, picking up along the way a “dream team” of displaced kids, who help them negotiate a series of thrilling and hilarious adventures.

This is the first trailer for Africa United, directed by Debs Gardner-Paterson and starring Roger Nsengiyumva, Sherrie Silver, Eriya Ndayambaje, Yves Dusenge and Sanyu Joanita Kintu. Africa United tells the extraordinary story of three Rwandan children and their bid to achieve their ultimate dream - to take part in the opening ceremony of the 2010 Football World Cup in Johannesburg. On the way to the vital selection trial, disaster strikes when Fabrice, Dudu and Beatrice board the wrong bus and cross into the Congo. Without papers, money or a believable story, they are escorted to a children's refugee camp. But with considerable ingenuity and sass (and a World Cup wall chart for a map), our pint-sized heroes escape the camp and set off in pursuit of their dream, picking up along the way a “dream team” of displaced kids, who help them negotiate a series of thrilling and hilarious adventures.

It's been a crazy couple of days at Tiff — yesterday's back-to-back interviews in our media lounge included Dustin Milligan, Amanda Crew and Richard de Klerk ("Repeaters"), "Bunraku’s" Josh Hartnett and Guy Moshe, Oscar-nominee Fridrik Thor Fridriksson (“Mamma Gógó”), Debs Gardner-Paterson (“Africa United”), and documentary filmmakers Risteard Ó Domhnaill ("The Pipe") and Shlomi Eldar ("Precious Life”).

Ron Perlman came by with Kevin McKidd for photos by Scott McDermott. Ron had his cigar in hand, apparently a crutch he rarely leaves home without.

We dropped down to the Creative Coalition's event for George Hickenlooper's "Casino Jack" — Hickenlooper was there, as was thesp and theater director Kevin Spacey. Hickenlooper addressed the assembled cocktailers, sharing tales of his remembrances of the enlisted men fighting to avoid the road to Vietnam and the education he absorbed from being around a father who, despite his brilliance politically, perhaps wasn't there emotionally.