News

Paradise City Sales has boarded “A Sad and Beautiful World,” Lebanese filmmaker Cyril Aris’s movie which is slated to world premiere at Venice Days.

“A Sad and Beautiful World” is headlined by Lebanese stars Mounia Akl as Yasmina, and Hasan Akil (Memory Box”) as Nino.

A love story spanning three decades, the film revolves around Nino and Yasmina who find themselves drawn together and faced with an impossible choice as they must decide if they want to build a family despite the tragedies ravaging the country. The cast is completed by Julia Kassar, Camille Salameh, Anthony Karam, and Nadyn Chalhoub.

The film is produced by Georges Schoucair at Abbout Productions, one of Lebanon’s top producers whose credits include “Costa Brava,” “Lebanon” and “Memory Box.” The film is also

produced by U.S. banner Diversity Hire (“Joyland”), alongside Reynard Films in Germany.

“A deeply charming film that blends a...

Hasta cuatro presencias españolas en el Festival canadiense.

© TIFF

El Festival Internacional de Cine de Toronto, que celebra su 50.ª edición del 4 al 14 de septiembre, ha anunciado los primeros títulos que integrarán sus dos secciones principales: Galas y Proyecciones Especiales. Aunque se esperan más incorporaciones, ya destacan nombres como Chloé Zhao, Edward Berger, David Michôd, Gus Van Sant, Guillermo del Toro, Mark Jenkin y Paul Greengrass. Además, España no se queda atrás y pone toda la carne en el asador con cuatro títulos. A la previamente anunciada El cautivo, de Alejandro Amenábar, que tendrá su estreno mundial en el certamen canadiense, se suman Tres adioses, de Isabel Coixet, también en calidad de premiere mundial; Sirat, de Oliver Laxe, tras su triunfo en la Croisette; y la coproducción Calle Málaga, que llegará tras su estreno en Venecia.

Galas

Adulthood (Alex Winter)

A Private Life (Rebecca Zlotowski)

Driver’s Ed (Bobby Farrelly)

Eleanor...

Celebrating its 50th edition this year, the Toronto International Film Festival will take place September 4–14. The festival has now unveiled its Galas & Special Presentations lineup, featuring new films by Benny Safdie, Gus Van Sant, Alice Winocour, Baz Luhrmann, Mark Jenkin, Steven Soderbergh, Rian Johnson, Paul Greengrass, Mamoru Hosoda, Joachim Trier, Richard Linklater, Jafar Panahi, Guillermo del Toro, Arnaud Desplechin, and more.

See below.

2025 Galas (in alphabetical order):

*previously announced

*A Private Life | Rebecca Zlotowski | France

North American Premiere

Adulthood | Alex Winter | USA

World Premiere

Driver’s Ed | Bobby Farrelly | USA

World Premiere

Eleanor the Great | Scarlett Johansson | USA

North American Premiere

Eternity | David Freyne | USA

World Premiere

Fuze | David Mackenzie | United Kingdom

World Premiere

Glenrothan | Brian Cox | United Kingdom

World Premiere

Good Fortune | Aziz Ansari | USA

World Premiere

*Hamnet | Chloé Zhao | United Kingdom

Canadian Premiere

*Homebound | Neeraj Ghaywan | India

North American Premiere

*John Candy: I Like Me | Colin Hanks | USA...

World premieres of David Michôd’s boxing biopic Christy starring Sydney Sweeney, Alice Winocour’s fashion industry dramaCouturestarring Angelina Jolie,and David Mackenzie’s action thriller Fuze are among the line-up in Galas and Special Presentations unveiled by Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) today (July 21).

Also selected for their first public screenings at the festival’s 50th anniversary edition (September 4-14)are Isabel Coixet’s drama Three Goodbyes, Romain Gavras’s adventure comedy Sacrifice, mystery The Ugly from Train To Busan’s Yeon Sang-ho, James Vanderbilt’s Nuremberg Trials drama Nuremberg, acquired by Sony Pictures Classics for North America, Aziz Ansari...

World premieres of Aziz Ansari’s comedy Good Fortune starring Seth Rogen and Keanu Reeves, David Michôd’s boxing biopic Christy starring Sydney Sweeney, and David Mackenzie’s action thriller Fuze are among the line-up in Galas and Special Presentations unveiled by Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) today (July 21).

Also selected for their first public screenings at the festival’s 50th anniversary edition (September 4-14)are Isabel Coixet’s drama Three Goodbyes, Romain Gavras’s adventure comedy Sacrifice, mystery The Ugly from Train To Busan’s Yeon Sang-ho, James Vanderbilt’s Nuremberg Trials drama Nuremberg, acquired by Sony Pictures Classics for North America,...

Guillermo del Toro’s “Frankenstein,” Edward Berger’s “Ballad of a Small Player,” Bobby Farrelly’s “Driver’s Ed,” Brian Cox’s “Glenrothan,” Gus Van Sant’s “Dead Man’s Wire,” Richard Linklater’s “Nouvelle Vague” and Baz Luhrmann’s “EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert” will screen in the Galas and Special Presentations sections of the 2025 Toronto international Film Festival, TIFF organizers announced on Monday.

Those films were among the more than 50 new movies that were added to the robust TIFF lineup. Previously, the festival had announced 17 other galas and special premieres, including Chloé Zhao’s “Hamnet,” Derek Cianfrance’s “Roofman,” Steven Soderbergh’s “The Christophers,” Agnieszka Holland’s “Franz,” Paul Greengrass’ “The Lost Bus” and Rian Johnson’s “Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery.” The festival will open with Colin Hanks’ documentary “John Candy: I Like Me.”

More than 30 of the newly announced films will be world premieres. Those include “Driver’s Ed,...

As the fall festivals begin to roll out their lineups (a phrase you’ll be seeing a lot of on IndieWire in the coming days), a word of both caution and delight: don’t forget about the festival films that have already premiered elsewhere, from Sundance to Cannes. The Toronto International Film Festival certainly has not, as today’s full lineup of Gala and Special Presentations includes plenty of previously-premiered films that are already ranking among the year’s best.

We’re talking Sundance standouts like Mary Bronstein’s “If I Had Legs I’d Kick You” and Clint Bentley’s “Train Dreams,” plus Cannes hits likes Joachim Trier’s “Sentimental Value,” Mascha Schilinski’s “Sound of Falling,” Jafar Panahi’s “It Was Just an Accident,” Richard Linklater’s “Nouvelle Vague,” and Óliver Laxe’s “Sirāt.”

And today’s announcement also includes world premieres like Aziz Ansari’s “Good Fortune,” Maude Apatow’s “Poetic License,...

Days after announcing its gala world premieres, the Toronto International Film Festival has just expanded its lineup with a slate of new films featuring A-listers and Oscar winners. On Monday, the festival announced the highly anticipated debuts of movies starring Keanu Reeves, Vince Vaughn, Seth Rogen, Saoirse Ronan, Dustin Hoffman, and Al Pacino, underscoring the festival’s reputation as a crucial spring board for award-season contenders.

Tuner

The film, starring Hoffman and Leo Woodall, is directed by Oscar-winning documentary filmmaker Daniel Roher (Navalny) in his feature debut. It follows a former piano prodigy (Woodall) who, down on his luck, uses his extraordinary auditory skills to help a found family figure (Hoffman). The cast also includes Havana Rose Liu and Lior Raz.

Christy

Sydney Sweeney stars as trailblazing professional boxer Christy Martin in this drama directed by David Michôd. Based on a true story, the film chronicles Martin’s meteoric rise...

This year, Director Kim Jeewoon, an internationally acclaimed filmmaker known for eminent mise-en-scène and unique cinematic style, will serve as the Dean of the 2025 Chanel X Biff Asian Film Academy. Following his striking debut film The Quiet Family (1998), Kim quickly gained attention as a rising talent, and he went on to establish his international reputation with genre-defying films such as The Foul King (2000) and A Tale of Two Sisters (2003). His works, A Bittersweet Life (2005) and The Good, the Bad, the Weird (2008), were screened at prestigious festivals, including Cannes, Toronto, and Busan, earning widespread acclaim. His critically praised thriller I Saw the Devil (2010) further established his global reputation, winning awards at prominent film festivals worldwide. His latest film, Cobweb (2023), was invited to the Out of Competition Section at the Cannes Film Festival, and he is currently working on his second U.S. feature film, The Hole.

Mattie Do, a groundbreaking filmmaker from Laos,...

The 50th Annual Toronto International Film Festival kicks off this fall and there are some big changes coming this year. An official press release has announced 11 galas and special presentations for global artists that the committee wishes to spotlight this year. The scheduling of these events are a reflection of “TIFF’s commitment to champion new perspectives and cinematic excellence to its diverse international public audience.”

Anita Lee, the Chief Programming Officer of TIFF, said in a statement, “Since its inception, TIFF has championed global cinema that opens our eyes and brings us together. We are delighted to share 11 more titles from our Gala and Special Presentations programmes that showcase the remarkable originality and excellence of today’s most exciting and acclaimed directors. These films reflect a sweeping range of voices and styles that embodies the spirit of TIFF and our commitment to a public audience.”

The films featured at...

The sleepy 2026 Oscar race is about to get a wakeup call, courtesy of Benoit Blanc and the Toronto International Film Festival.

Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery, the anticipated third installment in Rian Johnson's wickedly delicious mystery series starring Daniel Craig, will have its world premiere at the film festival — a traditional launchpad for Academy Awards contenders. The sequel, whose starry cast also includes Glenn Close, Josh Brolin, Mila Kunis, Jeremy Renner, and Kerry Washington, was one of 11 official selections unveiled Wednesday, all of which have Oscar aspirations.

The potential contenders include:

The Choral: Set against the backdrop of WWI, Ralph Fiennes stars as a tough choir director mentoring a group of enlisted British teens in the Nicholas Hytner film.

Franz: Oscar nominee Agnieszka Holland directs this episodic biopic of writer Franz Kafka (German actor Idan Weiss), from his birth to death.

Hamnet: Nomadland Best...

Chloe Zhao’s Hamnet starring Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal, Paul Greengrass’s wildfire dramaThe Lost Busstarring Matthew McConaughey,and Rian Johnson’s ensemble Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery led by Daniel Craig, are among 11 Galas and Special Presentations that will screen at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF).

Apple Original Films’ The Lost Bus and the third Knives Out mystery at Netflix receive their world premieres at the festival’s 50th edition running September 4-14. The latter will go on to open the BFI London Film Festival in October.

Zhao’s period drama for...

The Toronto International Film Festival celebrates its 50th year in 2025, and this year will play host to a number of exciting world premieres. For TIFF 50, the festival announced 11 new Galas and Special Presentations on Wednesday morning, including heavy hitters like “Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery” at the September festival.

TIFF 50 will also have Special Presentations for “Franz,” “The Lost Bus,” “Rental Family” and “Steal Away.” The six newly-announced Galas include “The Choral,” “Homebound,” “Hamnet,” “A Private Life,” “Roofman” and “She Has No Name.” Both the Special Presentations and the Galas are meant to platform high-profile premieres from notable creators with significant audience buzz.

By far the standout of this announcement, “Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery” sees writer/director Rian Johnson return to the world of detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) for his third mystery movie in the franchise. “Knives Out” had its world...

Detective Benoit Blanc is packing his bags for Canada.

“Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery,” the third murder mystery in director Rian Johnson’s hit series, will have its world premiere at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival. That movie and several others, including Chloe Zhao’s Shakespearean drama “Hamnet” and Channing Tatum’s action comedy “Roofman,” have been added to the lineup.

Johnson’s two prior whodunnits in the trilogy, 2019’s “Knives Out” and 2022’s “Glass Onion,” also had their world premieres at TIFF. Daniel Craig will reprise his role as Benoit Blanc, the sleuth with a distinctly Southern drawl, in “Wake Up Dead Man,” alongside the new ensemble of Josh O’Connor, Glenn Close, Josh Brolin, Mila Kunis, Jeremy Renner, Kerry Washington and Andrew Scott.

“Roofman,” based on the true story of a former Army ranger and professional thief who finds a hideout inside a Toys “R” Us,...

Ok, Ok, television fans, you had your day yesterday, with the announcement of the latest batch of Emmy nominations. Today? It’s back to film land, specifically when it comes to the rapidly approaching spate of fall festivals.

While the Toronto International Film Festival has already made quick work of announcing early picks for its selection, including Colin Hanks’ opening night documentary “John Candy: I Like Me,” plus new films from Steven Soderbergh, Nia DaCosta, Chandler Levack, Alejandro Amenábar, and Sung-hyun Byun, today the festival announced the addition of 11 more titles in the Gala and Special Presentations program.

And they include some biggies, like Rian Johnson’s “Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery”, Derek Cianfrance’s fact-based Channing Tatum-starring “Roofman,” Chloé Zhao’s adaptation of “Hamnet,” Paul Greengrass’ harrowing true story “The Lost Bus,” and Hikari’s intriguing-sounding “Rental Family.”

Those titles are also joined by Nicholas Hytner’s “The Choral,...

‘Frieren’ Frenzy

Sony Music Solutions has unveiled a collaboration between hit anime series “Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End” and “Dungeon ∞ Spiral,” the live-action role-playing game (RPG) attraction at Tokyo’s Tokyu Kabukicho Tower. Running July 18 through Sept. 23, the partnership allows players to select one of four series characters — Frieren, Fern, Stark, or Himmel — as “Buddy Characters” featuring over 140 new Japanese voice lines with English subtitles.

The physical game experience, which opened in March, challenges teams of 2-3 players to defeat monsters through rope-pulling, ball-kicking, and rhythm-based movement in an immersive dungeon setting. Unlike traditional video game RPGs played on screens, this attraction requires players to physically move their bodies to control their avatars, blending strategic gameplay with real-world physical activity and teamwork.

Players receive limited-edition “Buddy Crystal” acrylic blocks as proof of their character bonds, with premium sets including “Memory Crystal” keychains available to buy. The collaboration extends throughout the tower,...

To write about the best Indian movies of the year—another year that echoes the same patterns which seemed to kickstart this decade for us as a nation—is less about what’s merely ‘available to watch’ and more about what truly belongs to this year, and needs to be marked. The state of both theatres and streaming is not just dispiriting but actively disheartening. Single-screen cinemas across the subcontinent are all but extinct.

The State keeps pushing its threadbare narratives in film form faster than China exports its goods. Meanwhile, soulless mediocrity churned out by ‘seasoned’ stars floods the Fridays without pause. The star-kid machinery has turned into a trans-ideological crisis—if the production house doesn’t get its faces, the film won’t get made. Re-releases, once nostalgic novelties, have become the norm, as if there’s simply nothing left to show. The surge of blandness is now bleeding into a deeper,...

Richard Linklater’s “Nouvelle Vague,” a cinematic love letter to the French New Wave which bowed at Cannes, will aptly kick off the third edition of the Biarritz Film Festival, also called Nouvelles Vagues, on June 24.

On the following day, Sofia Coppola, the festival’s guest of honor, will attend a screening of “Virgin Suicides” to celebrate its 25-year anniversary and take part in a masterclass before an audience filled with film students.

Coppola’s presence at the festival reflects the involvement of Chanel, a partner of the festival whose mantra is to shine a spotlight on young talent in front and behind the camera. Chanel hosted a glamorous dinner at the Grand Café du Grand Palais in Paris in honor of the festival on June 3.

Along with Nouvelles Vagues founder and president Jérôme Pulis, general delegate Sandrine Brauer and programming director Lili Hinstin, and Chanel president of fashion Bruno Pavlovsky,...

by Jean-Marc Thérouanne

The Vesoul International Film Festival of Asian Cinema salutes fraternally the great Iranian director Jafar Panahi, whose film «un simple accident» won the prestigious Palme d’or at the 78th Cannes Film Festival. This well-deserved award crowns a humanist thriller that poses the serious question of the possibility of the pardon of the oppressed towards his executioner to achieve national reconciliation, on condition of repentance of the latter.

Jafar Panahi is a giant of the world cinema, multi-award-winning author of eleven feature films and seven shorts. He was president of the jury at the 10th Fica Vesoul 2004.

“Simple accident” also wins the citizenship award.

With Shu Qi, main actress in « Résurrection » by Bi Gan (Crédit photo J-m Thérouanne)

The Vesoul Iff Asian Cinema also extends its warm congratulations to Chinese director Bi Gan for the Special Prize of the Cannes 2025 jury, awarded to his film «Résurrection». After...

June arrives this weekend, which means a new slate of library additions is set to arrive on your favorite streaming services. Hulu, HBO Max, Netflix, Peacock, Paramount+, Shudder, and Tubi have announced their June 2025 lineup, so we’re compiling them all into a handy horror guide for your watchlists.

Of note, Hulu is embracing the Aliens and Predator franchises in a big way, especially with the arrival of the animated anthology Predator: Killer of Killers. Peacock goes all in on the Jurassic World franchise just ahead of Jurassic World Rebirth, which will be released in theaters in July. The streamer also celebrates the 50th anniversary of Jaws with a film collection dedicated to the franchise.

Check out the June 2025 horror streaming lineup below.

Hulu

A scene still from 20th Century Studios’ Predator: Killer Of Killers, exclusively on Hulu. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2025 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.

Subhash K Jha speaks to Neeraj Ghaywan about his new film Homebound, which stars Ishaan Khattar, Janhvi Kapoor, and Vishal Jethwa and the incredible reception including a nine-minute standing ovation, at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival.

Ten years since your brilliant directorial debut in Masaan….what took you so long to return with a feature film?

I’ve been trying to answer this question for a long time, but I’ve never quite found a fully formed response, perhaps because I was still grappling with impostor syndrome after Masaan. After the film, I received many scripts and interest from studios, but I often stood in my way. I was searching for something where my identity and my work could merge—something that truly challenges me and resonates deeply with my values and my search for meaning in an increasingly disoriented world. I still don’t have a definitive answer, and maybe that’s okay.

The prestigious Cannes Film Festival is a fest full of discoveries of all kinds, from all different places. Stories that move us and wake us up to the world are presented in every section. It's also my duty to highlight films that deserve extra attention, that stand out amongst the crowd as riveting works of cinema that connect with audiences. Especially films like this one that have an ability to reach anyone anywhere, with a heartbreaking universal story about friendship in a broken society. Homebound is the latest film from Indian filmmaker Neeraj Ghaywan, making his second feature film following Masaan in 2015. This new one just premiered in the Un Certain Regard section of the main festival and is one of the highlights from this section, even though there are always many excellent films to watch. Homebound is a powerful film in many ways, packed with emotion but also driven...

India’s presence on the European film festival circuit has been relatively–and worryingly–muted, especially given the nation’s seismic, almost self-sustaining movie industry. It appeared as though this might finally begin to change in 2024 when Payal Kapadia’s masterfully tender “All We Imagine As Light” broke through the barrier of the Cannes competition after a 30-year drought and emerged as a major standout through the rest of the season (in addition to the support from “Santosh” in the Un Certain Regard section). But one calendar year later, and it appears as though we’re right back where we started; back in Cannes, one lone Indian film appears in a secondary sidebar, left adrift in a sea of Euro-American dominance.

At least this time, the film comes from a director with experience in this arena, as Neeraj Ghaywan’s debut “Masaan” was given the same Certain Regard treatment just...

There is an immediate and ineradicable relatability between Karan Johar and the people he befriends. I count myself among his close friends.

I vividly remember the first time I spoke to him. It took time. I had loved Kuch Kuch Hota Hai and keenly wanted to speak to him. I asked a dear friend, a sophisticated actress and also a chat-show hostess if she would introduce us. “Darling, I can’t disturb him just like that. I will see when I can mention him to you,” she assured me. I believed her blindly. She was, after all, my dear friend.

Months and years passed. Then Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham came. I still hadn’t spoken to Karan Johar. One day, a kindhearted publicist called and asked if I’d like to talk to Karan Johar.

I said, sure, why not? (pretending to be nonchalant).

That’s when we spoke for the first time.

Neeraj Ghaywan’s Homebound follows two friends—Shoaib (Ishaan Khatter) and Chandan (Vishal Jethwa)—on a quest to join India’s police force as shields against caste and religious prejudice. Beginning in a rural North Indian village, the film tracks their hopeful train journey to the city, their yearlong wait for exam results and, finally, the harrowing mass exodus home under Covid-19 lockdown.

Ghaywan treats this social drama with a patient gaze, allowing moments of shared laughter over a homemade biryani or playful wrestling with pickles to bloom alongside scenes of bureaucratic indifference. His style balances pointed political commentary—framed in the tradition of parallel cinema—with moments of intimacy that invite audiences worldwide to connect with these young men’s dreams and frustrations.

A Journey Through Hope and Despair

Homebound unfolds in three acts that mirror many contemporary social dramas in global art-house circles. The opening sequence—chaotic platforms...

Neeraj Ghaywan’s Homebound follows two childhood friends from a small North Indian village as they take an exam to become a police and chase a job that promises them the dignity they have long been denied. However, as they get closer to their dream, mounting desperation threatens the friendship.

Starring Janhvi Kapoor, Ishaan Khatter and Vishal Jethwa, the film was executive produced by Martin Scorsese.

Ghaywan credits co-producer Mélita Toscan du Plantier for bringing Scorsese onboard. Ghaywan previously directed Masaan, which premiered in Cannes’ Un Certain Regard program in 2015.

“The first time that he read the script, he sent me notes over email about how he felt,” Ghaywan said about Scorsese, in an interview at Deadline’s Cannes studio. “He helped me structure the script in various phases. He told me some things about being expository, saying something with a bigger voice or being more subtle about things, or about certain characters and arcs.

The 78th Cannes Film Festival has been a showcase of breathtaking red carpet moments, but Alia Bhatt’s appearance at the closing ceremony truly stole the show. The talented actress dazzled in a stunning Gucci saree, perfectly highlighting her exquisite sense of style and grace.

A Fusion of Tradition and Modernity

Alia’s saree was a beautiful mix of traditional Indian fashion with a modern twist. The no-pleat design, paired with a plunging neckline blouse, beautifully showcased her toned figure and emphasized her curves. This outfit was a shining example of how Indian fashion can effortlessly merge with contemporary styles.

Check out this post and get influenced by Alia Bhatt’s glamour:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Grazia India (@graziaindia)

A Star-Studded Appearance

As one of L’Oréal’s ambassadors, Alia Bhatt’s presence at Cannes was eagerly awaited. She made quite an impression at the festival,...

Cannes Film With Longest Standing Ovation (Photo Credit – Prime Video)

The 2025 edition of the prestigious Cannes Film Festival in France commenced on May 13, 2025, and will conclude on May 24, 2025. The star-studded fest showcased many eagerly anticipated films and world premieres. And some of them were greeted with standing ovations from the festival audience.

The list includes Tom Cruise’s Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, Denzel Washington’s Highest to Lowest, Kristen Stewart’s The Chronology of Water, Wes Anderson’s The Phoenician Scheme, The Secret Agent, Neeraj Ghaywan’s Homebound, and Joachim Trier’s Sentimental Value. Out of these, Sentimental Value received the longest standing ovation for an impressive nineteen minutes. (via Screenrant) But do you know which film holds the record for the longest standing ovation ever at Cannes? Read on to find out.

The Film That Got The Longest Standing Ovation At Cannes

The still unbeaten record for...

The selection of a film from India at Cannes the year after Payal Kapadia’s “All We Imagine As Light” beat the odds and some rigorous competition to win the Grand Jury Prize was bound to cause excitement. When it turned out to be Neeraj Ghaywan’s “Homebound,” starring rising Hindi cinema actors Ishaan Khatter, Janhvi Kapoor, and Vishal Jethwa, produced by Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions, one of the most iconic Bollywood studios, and as a later announcement revealed, executive produced a certain Martin Scorsese, folks were a bit gobsmacked. A heady cocktail of talents was Cannes bound.

Ghaywan returns to Cannes’ Un Certain Regard section exactly a decade after his widely loved feature debut “Masaan” premiered there. Just as Kapadia’s film showcased friendship and solidarity between two migrant nurses in Mumbai, Ghaywan’s “Homebound” charts the vicissitudes in the friendship between two young men from North India aspiring to become police constables.

The 77th Cannes Film Festival continues on Day 9 with two world premieres: Oliver Hermanus’s The History of Sound, starring Paul Mescal and Josh O’Connor, and director Joachim Trier’s Sentimental Value, which reunites him with The Worst Person in the World actress Renate Reinsve.

Guests at the premiere for The History of Sound included Teri Hatcher, Taraji P. Henson, Aja Naomi King, John C. Reilly, Julian Assange, Michelle Rodriguez, Edward Enninful, Naomi Campbell, Jenny Slate

Related: ‘Eddington’ Cannes Film Festival Premiere Photos: Joaquin Phoenix, Pedro Pascal, Emma Stone, Austin Butler & More

Mescal stars as Lionel, a gifted singer from rural Kentucky, who leaves his family farm in 1917 to attend the Boston Music Conservatory. There, he meets David (O’Connor), a charming music student soon drafted into the war. In 1920, the two spend the winter in Maine, passionately collecting folk songs. As Lionel builds a successful life in Europe, he...

Neeraj Ghaywan’s “Homebound” is the first time in ages that a mainstream Hindi-language production has felt vital — at least since Ghaywan’s own “Masaan,” which premiered at Cannes 10 years ago. A drama in which aspirations collide with harsh political realities, its tale of impoverished young men trying to escape their circumstances proves to be both a moving character piece, as well as a searing indictment of modern India.

The stage is set when lifelong best friends Shoaib (Ishaan Khatter) and Chandan (Vishal Jethwa) — a Muslim and a Dalit, respectively — board a crowded train to a nearby city. They, along with countless other disenfranchised youths, hope to gain access to a handful of increasingly exclusive government jobs, as their only means of making a decent living. In Shoaib and Chandan’s case, they hope to become police trainees, under the optimistic belief that the official uniform will render them immune...

When Bollywood titan Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions backs a film exploring caste and religious discrimination in rural India with Martin Scorsese as executive producer, cinema history gets rewritten.

“Homebound,” Neeraj Ghaywan’s long-awaited sophomore feature, produced by Johar along with Adar Poonawalla, Apoorva Mehta, Somen Mishra, co-produced by Marijke deSouza and Melita Toscan Du Plantier and executive produced by Scorsese and Pravin Khairnar, isn’t just heading to Cannes’ Un Certain Regard section — it’s smashing industry conventions about who gets to tell which stories and how far they can travel.

The unlikely creative alliance between Bollywood’s glossiest producer, an indie filmmaker with uncompromising social vision, and cinema’s most revered living director has yielded an anticipated festival appearance.

Ghaywan’s 2015 debut “Masaan” had its world premiere at Cannes’ Un Certain Regard strand where it won both the Fipresci Prize and Promising Future Award. The path to securing...

Exclusive: Distributors have come aboard Michael Angelo Covino’s $30m sex comedy Splitsville which debuts tonight (May 19) in Cannes Premiere and stars Covino alongside producing partner Kyle Marvin, Dakota Johnson, and Adria Arjona.

Neon International has closed deals for France (Metropolitan), Benelux (The Searchers), Latin America (Sun), and Portugal (Pris Audiovisuais). Neon has set an August 22 US release on the story of a man who wreaks havoc when he seeks support from friends in an open marriage after his wife asks for a divorce.

Splitsville marks a return to the Croisette for Covino and Marvin after The Climb debuted in...

In celebration of Vicky Kaushal’s birthday, Subhash K Jha focusses in on the actors best performand and it is probably not the one you are thinking about. This one begins with M instead of C. It was Kaushal’s debut film, released in 2015.

Masaan, produced by Madhu Mantena and Phantom, acquires a renewed significance as director Neeraj Ghaywan heads to Cannes with his second feature Homebound, which comes ten years after Masaan was released.

Masaan is set in Varanasi. It is the kind of city that sucks you into its vortex and doesn’t give you the freedom to depart unless it’s by death. There are raw vivid scenes of burning ghats in the film whose scorching embers will singe the viewers’ soul forever.

Masaan is not an easy film to ingest. It sucks you into its world of characters doomed by caste and ruined by wrong choices.

It's no secret that Netflix decides its content strategy based on data. The success of certain kinds of shows and films inspires the streamer to produce more of the same, but with a twist. The Royals, a new eight-episode romantic comedy series, takes the Bridgerton model and applies it to a modern-day Indian setting. The show features a royal family staring bankruptcy and obsolescence in the face, forced to join hands with a brash young CEO of a hospitality company. The family rents out their palace for "commoners" to live in, and love blossoms between the CEO and a young prince. The Royalsopened to terrible reviews last week, but has been making a splash on the streaming charts.

According to FlixPatrol, The Royals has been topping Netflix's rankings for the last two days, having dethroned the star-studded comedy series The Four Seasons. Co-created by and starring Tina Fey, The Four Seasons also features Will Forte,...

Cannes 2025: When & Where to Watch – Plus Indian Celebs You Can’t Miss(Photo Credit –Instagram)

The globe’s most glamorous movie festival is here! The 78th Cannes Film Festival started on May 13, 2025, and it’s already making waves. From dramatic red carpet entrances to massive film launches, this year’s event is going to be unforgettable, and Indian stars are all set to leave their stamp on the world stage.

Where To Watch Cannes 2025 Live & Important Dates

The festival will take place from May 13 to May 24, in Cannes, France, and fans all over the globe can witness every second live. As per Zee News, the opening ceremony will commence at 7:15 Pm local time (10:45 Pm Ist) on May 13 and include the presentation of the Palme d’Or d’Honneur.

Here’s where you can watch it live:

Festival de Cannes official YouTube channel Mubi FilmyDoo (starts 2:30 Pm...

A few days before the start of the Cannes Film Festival, Variety gathered top French producers, distributors and talent, including Dominik Moll, Elodie Bouchez, Justine Triet and Coralie Fargeat at an intimate dinner hosted at the glamorous landmark restaurant Laperouse.

Bouchez, who recently starred in “Beating Hearts,” will be presenting two films at Cannes’ Directors Fortnight, “Enzo,” directed by Robin Campillo and late filmmaker Laurent Cantet, as well as “Classe Moyenne” by Anthony Cordier. The actor was sitting besides Oscar-nominated producer Marie Ange Luciani (“Anatomy of a Fall”) who produced “Enzo” as well as Laura Wandel’s “Adam’s Sake” which will open Critics’ Week; and Alexandra Henochsberg, president of Ad Vitam, which will distribute seven films from the Official Selection in France, including “The Secret Agent” by Kleber Mendonça Filho; “Romeria” by Carla Simón; “La Petite Dernière” by Hafsia Herzi; “Vie Privée,” starring Jodie Foster and directed by Rebecca Zlotowski; and “Enzo,...

Paradise City Sales and WME Independent are teaming up to co-represent “Homebound,” directed by acclaimed Indian director Neeraj Ghaywan in the run up to its world premiere at Cannes’ Un Certain Regard.

“Homebound” marks Ghaywan’s long-gestated follow up to his feature debut “Masaan” which had also premiered at Un Certain Regard in 2015 and turned out to be a highlight, winning both the Fipresci Prize and Avenir Prize.

The movie hails from Indian powerhouse Dharma Productions whose credits include “My Name Is Khan,” “Raazi” and “Kapoor & Sons.” Producers are Karan Johar, Adar Poonawalla, Apoorva Mehta and Somen Mishra, with co-producers Marijke de Souza and Melita Toscan du Plantier, who had also produced “Masaan” and got Scorsese on board for “Homebound.”

Headlined by Ishaan Khatter (“The Perfect Couple”), Vishal Jethwa (“Tiger 3”), and Janhvi Kapoor (“Devara Part 1”), “Homebound” brings together talent from a new generation of Indian cinema.

“Homebound” revolves...

Must-Watch Indian Thrillers On Ott(Photo Credit –Amazon Prime Video)

The Indian cinema has some of the best suspense thrillers in the world that offer unforgettable experiences. This highly suspenseful mix of action and turns will have you keeping your eyes glued to the screen. These films, available on various Ott platforms, will keep your adrenaline pumping. From crime mysteries to psychological thrillers, here is a list of Indian must-watch films that will catch your attention.

Ratsasan

Platform: Prime Video, JioHotstar

Ratsasan is a Tamil psychological thriller in which a determined cop, Vishnu Vishal, is on the trail of a serial killer preying on young girls. A compelling story and atmosphere give the film a scary edge, punctuated with unexpected twists that the viewer wouldn’t expect. Amala Paul turns in a performance worthy of the stand-out tag, and by the end of the film, the eerie soundtrack will have...

Here’s When You Can Watch John Abraham’s The Diplomat Online!(Photo Credit –Facebook)

The Diplomat was released in theatres on March 14, 2025. Since its theatrical debut, John Abraham’s political drama has created a strong buzz among the audience. The film, which is based on real events, gives audiences a closer look at the intense world of international diplomacy.

Also starring Sadia Khateeb in a key role, The Diplomat impressed with its powerful story and strong performances. After a good theatrical run, fans are excited to know when they can watch it online. Here’s all the latest info about its Ott release.

When & Where To Stream The Diplomat Ott?

According to English Jagran, recent reports suggest that The Diplomat has locked its streaming rights with a prominent Ott platform and will soon be available for streaming. If reports are to be believed, the movie will stream on Netflix starting May 9, 2025. For those unaware,...

Martin Scorsese has boarded Indian filmmaker Neeraj Ghaywan’s Cannes Un Certain Regard selection title “Homebound” as an executive producer, Variety has confirmed.

The film is produced by multihyphenate Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions, with Somen Mishra, Apoorva Mehta and Johar producing. It stars Ishaan Khatter (“The Perfect Couple”), Janhvi Kapoor (“Devara Part 1”) and Vishal Jethwa (“Tiger 3”).

In the film, two childhood friends from a small North Indian village chase a police job that promises them the dignity they’ve long been denied. But as they inch closer to their dream, mounting desperation threatens the bond that holds them together.

“Homebound” is co-produced by Mélita Toscan du Plantier, who also produced Ghaywan’s “Masaan,” which debuted at Cannes in 2015 and won the Avenir and Fipresci prizes in the Un Certain regard strand.

“I have seen Neeraj’s first film ‘Masaan’ in 2015 and I loved it, so when Mélita Toscan...

Is Martin Scorsese Part Of Neeraj Ghaywan’s Homebound? ( Photo Credit – Instagram )

Legendary filmmaker Martin Scorsese has joined National Award-winning director Neeraj Ghaywan’s upcoming film, Homebound, as an executive producer. This move showcases a rare and distinguished collaboration ahead of the film’s world premiere in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival.

The highly anticipated new feature film stars Ishaan Khatter, Janhvi Kapoor, and Vishal Jethwa in lead roles. Homebound marks Ghaywan’s long-awaited return to the big screen and to Cannes, a decade after his debut film Masaan premiered at the festival and won two awards.

Speaking about the collaboration, Martin Scorsese said, “I have seen Neeraj’s first film Masaan in 2015 and I loved it, so when Mélita Toscan du Plantier sent me the project of his second film, I was curious. I loved the story, the culture and was willing to help.

Kesari Chapter 2 Is Being Hailed As One Of The Finest Offerings By Dharma Productions (Photo Credit – Dharma Productions)

The Akshay Kumar starrer Kesari Chapter 2, bankrolled by Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions, was released in the theatres on April 18, 2025. The film unravels the untold story of the horrifying Jallianwala Bagh massacre. It chronicles the tale of C Sankaran Nair’s fight against the British Empire. The riveting subject has struck a positive chord with the audience, such that it is being hailed as one of the finest offerings by Dharma Productions.

Kesari Chapter 2 is being celebrated to be a fine blend of a gut-wrenching story and a soulful connect. The incidents shown in the film promise to tug at your heartstrings, and how! On top of it, the intricate direction by Karan Singh Tyagi and the powerful performances by Akshay Kumar, R Madhavan, and Ananya Panday is being the cherry on the cake.

Dieciséis años después, el cine español vuelve a duplicar presencia en la Competición Oficial de la Croisette.

© Cannes

Hoy es un día para celebrar. Porque esta mañana se ha desvelado la programación oficial del Festival de Cannes 2025 y, por primera vez desde aquel histórico 2009 –cuando coincidieron Isabel Coixet y Pedro Almodóvar–, dos cineastas españoles competirán por la ansiada Palma de Oro. Ellos son Carla Simón (recordemos que ganó el Oso de Oro en la Berlinale 2022 con Alcarràs) y Oliver Laxe. España vuelve a estar doblemente representada en la Croisette con sus nuevos largometrajes: Romería y Sirat, respectivamente.

Romería, tercer largometraje de Carla Simón, es una obra profundamente personal en la que la directora catalana se sumerge en la memoria de su familia biológica paterna. La historia sigue a Marina (interpretada por la debutante Llúcia Garcia Torras), una joven adoptada que viaja a Vigo para encontrarse por primera con la familia de su padre biológico.

The Official Selection for the 78th Cannes Film Festival was revealed Thursday, with 19 movies in Competition. See full lists below.

Familiar names who will launch new works in the Competition include Wes Anderson, who brings his latest flick The Phoenician Scheme; Richard Linklater will launch his Paris-shot Nouvelle Vague; Jochim Trier debuts his latest feature Sentimental Value; and Titane Palme d’Or winner Julia Ducournau returns with Alpha.

Cannes will open this year with Leave One Day by first-time French filmmaker Amelie Bonnin. Thierry Frémaux said during his presser this morning that it was the first time a debut film has been selected to open the festival. Also hitting the Croisette for the first time is horror auteur Ari Aster, who returns to feature filmmaking with his buzzy A24 feature Eddington.

Related: Thierry Frémaux Talks ‘Mission: Impossible’; Star Presence; Hollywood Introspection & Oscar Track Record

Elsewhere, American filmmaker Kelly Reichardt will...