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First footage of mysterious bio-doc In Whose Name?, promising a fresh perspective on Kanye West’s public transformation over the past six years, including his decision to officially change his name to Ye in 2021, will be unveiled at the upcoming AFM.

Goodfellas and Utopia, who have co-acquired sales rights, have released a first-look image from the work, ahead of screening a first promo to buyers at the market in Las Vegas, with the title already sparking buzz.

Per the release on the AFM splash, the film follows the American rapper, record producer, singer, songwriter, and fashion designer’s ascent to becoming the richest Black man in American history while uncovering why the superstar risked everything he had built in the name of freedom.

“Examining the culture that birthed the star, In Whose Name? explores the overlapping influences of corporate exploitation, racial complexities, and psychological struggles inherent in the American dream,...

A mystery-shrouded documentary about Kanye West has surfaced, with Variety able to reveal details for the very first time alongside its title and a first-look image.

Entitled “In Whose Name?,” the project has been shooting for the last six years, features never-before-seen footage and, according to its description, “promises to offer a unique and cinematic perspective on Ye’s public transformation.” (West changed his name to Ye in 2021.)

Goodfellas and Utopia will join forces to launch international sales of “In Whose Name?” at the American Film Market, with an exclusive promo reel screening on Nov. 7.

The synopsis reads: “With a billion-dollar budget and a commitment to truth, Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, invites 18-year-old Nicolas Ballesteros armed with an iPhone on a six-year journey revealing unfiltered aspects of celebrity life which confront the provocative opinions, grand visions and bold contrarianism that defined him as the world’s most controversial artist.

Indie film distributor Well Go USA Entertainment has acquired North American rights to the thriller “Cold Wallet” from Blue Finch Films.

Directed by Cutter Hodierne (“Fishing Without Nets”) and presented by Steven Soderbergh, the film stars Raúl Castillo (“Cassandro”) and Melonie Diaz (“The First Purge”), with Tony Cavalero (“The Righteous Gemstones”) and Josh Brener (“Silicon Valley”), as well as Zoe Winters (“Succession”).

The film follows a ragtag team of vigilante Redditors who, after losing everything in a cryptocurrency scam, attempt to track down and kidnap the elusive crypto empire kingpin responsible for their sudden financial ruin. But when the home invasion takes a turn for the worse, they unwittingly become pawns in a psychological game that will test both their loyalty and their sanity.

Well Go has slated the film for an early 2025 theatrical release. The movie, which first premiered at SXSW 2024, will have its west coast premiere at Screamfest Horror Film Festival in L.

ESPN Films’ sports docuseries “30 for 30” will launch five new docus this summer.

The upcoming slate features docs about topics including gamer brand FaZe Clan, former track and field superstar Butch Reynolds, and comedy and sports YouTube creator company Dude Perfect.

The summer lineup will launch on June 4 with Kathleen Jayme and Asia Youngman’s “I’m Just Here for the Riot.” About the infamous 2011 Vancouver riot following a Canucks loss to the Boston Bruins during the Stanley Cup final, the film chronicles the event and its aftermath while also raising deeper questions about fandom, violence, and the shocking power of an angry crowd.

The remaining four docus on the slate are: Ismail Al-Amin’s “False Positive,” Justin Staple’s “No Scope: The Story of FaZe Clan,” Jay Caspian Kang’s “American Son,” and Oliver Anderson and Louis Burgdorf’s “Dude Perfect: A Very Long Shot.”

“Our upcoming ’30 for...

U.K. sales and distribution outfit Blue Finch Films has boarded worldwide rights to thriller “Cold Wallet.”

In the film, after losing everything in a cryptocurrency scam, a ragtag team of vigilante Redditors attempt to kidnap the kingpin who cheated them But when the home invasion takes a turn for the worst, they become victims in a sadistic game.

The cast includes Raul Castillo (“Cassandro”), Melonie Diaz (“The First Purge”), Tony Cavalero (“The Righteous Gemstones”) Josh Brener (“Silicon Valley”) and Zoe Winters (“Succession”).

The film is directed by Cutter Hodierne, who won best director at Sundance in 2014 for Vice Films’ Somali pirate thriller “Fishing Without Nets.”

Winner of Decentralized Pictures and Soderbergh’s Andrews/Bernard Award, “Cold Wallet” will have its world premiere at SXSW 2024 as part of the Narrative Spotlight section. Soderbergh said of the film: “This smart, spiky, off-center take on the vigilante genre really kept me engrossed in a how-much-crazier-is-this-going-to-get way,...

Exclusive: Raúl Castillo (The Inspection), Tony Cavalero (The Righteous Gemstones), Melonie Diaz (The First Purge) and Josh Brener (Silicon Valley) are set to topline Cold Wallet — a crypto-heist thriller from director Cutter Hodierne (Fishing Without Nets), which has wrapped production.

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The film inspired by real stories, which was in production when news of the Ftx scandal broke, follows a rag-tag team of Redditors who lose everything in a crypto ponzi scheme and plot to kidnap the ‘financial influencer’ who screwed them over. Script was written by John Hibey — the...

“What young people want from pop culture isn’t what old people want from pop culture,” New York Times pop music critic Jon Caramanica observes in Justin Staple’s documentary “American Rapstar.” The film charts the rise of a generation of lo-fi rappers buoyed by the advent of online streaming platform SoundCloud, founded in 2007. Smokepurpp, Lil Xan, and Bhad Bhabie are among the (living) talking heads, while deceased rappers XXXTentacion and Lil Pump also get a spotlight as the feature dives into the substance-abuse epidemic plaguing the scene — from popping Xanax to the more serious, very often fatal fentanyl. Director Staple’s film introduces a lot of big ideas, mostly successfully, from indicting Big Pharma for encouraging pill addiction to the generational divide between the hip-hop artists who came of age in the early 1990s to today’s primarily internet-driven base. While a straightforward documentary in the classic sense, it...

American Rapstar Trailer — Justin Staple‘s American Rapstar (2020) movie trailer has been released by Utopia. The American Rapstar trailer stars Smokepurpp, Lil Xan, XXXTentacion, Lil Peep, and Bhad Bhabie. Crew “Produced by Kerstin Emhoff and Braxton Pope.” Plot Synopsis American Rapstar‘s plot synopsis: “A new scene of troubled, lo-fi young rappers has emerged from Trump’s America, utilizing [...]

Continue reading: American Rapstar (2020) Movie Trailer: Justin Staple’s Doc on SoundCloud-using, Young Lo-Fi Rappers...

"What young people want from pop culture is not what old people want from pop culture…" Utopia has revealed a trailer for a music documentary titled American Rapstar, which originally premiered back in 2020 at a few major documentary festivals. It's finally opening on VOD in October. A new scene of troubled, lo-fi young rappers have emerged from utilizing the SoundCloud streaming platform to quickly become the most culturally disruptive force in hip hop, shocking the world with their rambunctious antics, prescription drug use, facial tattoos, and tons of rebellious punk energy. Justin Staple's new doc American Rapstar tells the story of how these artists, including Smokepurpp, Lil Xan, XXXTentacion, Lil Peep and Bhad Bhabie, have unsettled the music industry, tested pop culture boundaries and paved their own unique roads. On one hand, these artists seem over-the-top ridiculous. On the other hand, this looks like an honest doc that digs...

Lo-fi can be found across all genres of music. The term, which is short for low-fidelity, was once something that was looked down on and implies poor production value or low-quality music. Nowadays, though, lo-fi music is a genre that is intended to defy stereotypes and provide something that most professional music doesn’t. Many of us put on the “chill” playlists we can find under the lo-fi umbrella on YouTube to have to play in the background as we work from home, while others have made careers out of producing music and releasing it on SoundCloud.

Continue reading ‘American Rapstar’ Exclusive Trailer: Justin Staple’s New Doc Puts The Spotlight On A New Generation Of Rappers at The Playlist.

Utopia has purchased global rights to “American Rapstar,” a look at the rise of SoundCloud rappers.

The film, which screened at such major festivals as SXSW, Doc NYC, and the Copenhagen International Documentary Film Festival, pulls back the curtain on a group lo-fi young artists, who boast a rebellious punk energy along with their colorful facial tattoos and penchant for prescription drug use. It’s a rising generation of talent such as Smokepurpp, Lil Xan, XXXTentacion, Lil Peep and Bhad Bhabie, all of whom have disrupted the music industry and used new technologies to grow their audience.

“American Rapstar” will begin streaming on Sept. 1, 2022 on Hulu. Utopia will present a global virtual screening via Altavod.com on Oct. 4, 2022 with exclusive bonus content available only on that day, before releasing the film on-demand on all platforms Oct. 11, 2022.

“I couldn’t be more excited to partner with Utopia for the release of ‘American Rapstar,...

In 2017, Lil Uzi Vert’s “Xo Tour Llif3” peaked at Number Seven on the Billboard Hot 100. The song explored themes of substance abuse and suicide, finding a loyal audience in young listeners. In the chorus, by now etched in rap infamy, Uzi sings, “Push me to the edge/All my friends are dead,” with a bouncy, almost cartoonish swing. The track’s emotional dialogue marked a shift in hip-hop. Emo rap, a subgenre that grew in popularity on SoundCloud during the 2010s, was becoming mainstream.

The movement started with young...