Adrien Brody is not interested in the culture wars. It’s fascinating, he admits, “but it’s really tragic.” “We see how fractured our world is. Look around: It’s not hard to see,” says the Oscar-winning actor from his home in New York. Brody had to dive into these dark corners when preparing for “Manodrome,” in which…
Berlinale Selection ‘Tomorrow is a Long Time’ Producer Potocol Reveals Diverse Slate (EXCLUSIVE)
Singapore-based film production outfit Potocol, whose “Tomorrow is a Long Time,” by Jow Zhi Wei bowed at the Berlin Film Festival’s Generation 14plus competition, has revealed a diverse Asian slate. Potocol’s recent triumphs include Bangladeshi filmmaker Abdullah Mohammad Saad’s Cannes selection “Rehana Maryam Noor” and Indonesian director Makbul Mubarak’s Venice winner “Autobiography.” The company, led…
World War II Adventure Film ‘War Blade’ Picked Up by 101 Films Intl. (EXCLUSIVE)
101 Films Intl. has secured worldwide distribution rights for World War II adventure film “War Blade,” starring Joseph Millson (“Casino Royale,” “The Last Kingdom”), Paul Marlon (“Trigger Point”), Michael McKell (“Murder Investigation Team,” “Doctors”) and Rebecca Scott (“The Capture,” “Transhuman”). The sales company is presenting the film to buyers at the European Film Market in…
‘There’s a Crisis With Men and Violence’: Trump, Culture Wars and the Toxic Masculinity Behind Jesse Eisenberg-Starring Berlin Title ‘Manodrome’
Five years ago, South African director John Trengove’s feature debut, “The Wound,” scored coveted berths at Sundance and Berlin before being short-listed for an Academy Award — even as the powerful gay drama set in the secretive world of Xhosa initiation ceremonies faced angry protests in his home country. His sophomore effort, “Manodrome,” which plays…
‘Jack’s Drive’ Director Susana Nobre talks about Berlinale Forum title ‘Cidade Rabat’
Portuguese director Susana Nobre’s first scripted fiction film, “Cidade Rabat,” is about a producer who grew up in the Cidade Rabat neighborhood in Lisbon, and who suddenly has to come to terms with the death of her mother. The title is partly inspired by her own life, since she grew up in the “Cidade Rabat”…
Sean Penn Lashes Out at ‘Creepy Little Bully’ Putin After Berlin Premiere of Volodymyr Zelenskyy Documentary ‘Superpower’
Sean Penn said he was happy to be a “propagandist” for the Ukrainian war effort and called Russian president Vladimir Putin a “creepy little bully” Saturday in Berlin, after the world premiere of his gonzo documentary “Superpower,” a gripping, courage-under-fire portrait of Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy. “This is not an unbiased film because this is…
Atsu found dead in rubble of Turkey earthquake
Ghanaian footballer Christian Atsu has been found dead under the building where he lived in southern Turkey after last week’s earthquake.
Serena and Venus Williams, Westbrook Studios Board 1971 Women’s World Cup Documentary About Historic Soccer Tournament (EXCLUSIVE)
Tennis legends Serena and Venus Williams and Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith’s Westbrook Studios have boarded the feature documentary “COPA 71,” about the 1971 Women’s World Cup of soccer. The Williams sisters will serve as executive producers on the film, which is a Dogwoof and New Black Films co-production. The project is executive produced…
Netflix to Continue Investing in ‘Fastest Growing Market in the World’ India, Ted Sarandos Reveals in Chat With Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos revealed a continued investment push in the Indian market on Saturday. In a freewheeling chat with Indian filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali in Mumbai to promote the latter’s upcoming Netflix series “Heeramandi,” Sarandos was bullish about India, repeating what he said on Friday to local media about the market’s growth. “India is…
‘Superpower’ Review: Sean Penn’s Right-Minded Ukraine Doc Could Do With a Little Less Sean Penn
Last November, in a gesture that the actor himself described as “a symbolic, silly thing,” Sean Penn gifted one of his two Academy Awards to Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy, to mark his emotional investment in the country as they continue to fight Russia’s invasion — attracting widespread mockery from social media and the entertainment press…