Festivals

The Cannes Film Festival, which gets underway this week, has given an update following complaints from journalists Monday about online ticketing issues. The festival said that difficulties “are very likely due to acts aimed at saturating the site with ticket requests, thus preventing festival-goers from accessing it.” Earlier in the day, festival head Thierry Frémaux had told journalists at a press event that the festival was experiencing attacks by online bots, which could be part of the problem. The festival has also added a portal (click here ) where journalists can “more easily access online bookings.” Below is the festival’s statement. The technical difficulties met this morning on the online ticketing service are very likely due to acts aimed at saturating the site with ticket requests, thus preventing festival-goers from accessing it. We are currently working on fixing the problem. Meanwhile, in order to allow you to access more easily online … [Read more...] about Cannes Film Festival Gives Update On Early Ticketing Problems

EXCLUSIVE: RLJE Films has acquired North American rights to Taurus , the film starring Colson Baker (aka Machine Gun Kelly). The drama, which had its world premiere earlier this year at the Berlin Film Festival, is gearing up for its North American premiere next month at the Tribeca Festival . It will now get a theatrical release later this year. The pic, written and directed by Tim Sutton, stars Baker as a rising but troubled musician who spends his days and nights searching for the inspiration to record his next song. His assistant (Maddie Hasson) wants to save him, his collaborators (Scoot McNairy, Demetrius ‘Lil Meech’ Flenory Jr and Lil TJay) want him in the studio, while his dealer (Ruby Rose) and his ex (Megan Fox) push him deeper into the void. Jib Polhemus produced alongside Rob Paris and Mike Witherill via their Rivulet Media banner. Sutton, Baker and Gul Karakiz are executive producers. The film’s soundtrack features new music from Machine Gun Kelly, … [Read more...] about Colson Baker-Starring ‘Taurus’ Acquired By RLJE Films Ahead Of Tribeca Festival Premiere

Long a bastion of artistic freedom, the Cannes Film Festival has a secret: it censors interviews with festival head Thierry Frémaux. The festival has not only been demanding copy approval as a condition for interviews with Frémaux (something no other festival or organization has asked of us), but after pledging not to make any changes to copy, it has been removing content including potentially uncomfortable answers from Frémaux relating to diversity and controversial filmmakers. Last month we were in Paris following the lineup announcement to interview Frémaux about the selection and the festival more generally for our Cannes Disruptors magazine. Following an entirely amicable and interesting on-record interview, I was belatedly told by the press team about the copy approval requirement. I was told that these conditions were adhered to by trade and French press, including Deadline in the past. I contested the practice as unethical but was told this was done primarily as a … [Read more...] about Why Deadline Can’t Publish Our Magazine Interview With Cannes Film Festival Head Thierry Frémaux

Palme d’Or winning actress Léa Seydoux will star in Happening filmmaker Audrey Diwan ’s English-language directorial debut, Emmanuelle , inspired by Emmanuelle Arsan’s novel and based on a script co-developed by Diwan and Rebecca Zlotowski. The Arsan book follows a young woman’s sexual journey from the arms of her husband to intimate encounters with the wives of his business associates, to further explorations wherein the philosophical and aesthetic facets of eroticism are expounded—and enacted—to the fullest degree. Diwan’s second feature, Happening, adapted from Annie Ernaux’s book recounting her illegal abortion in the 1960s, received the Golden Lion at the 2021 Venice Film Festival; four César Award nominations, including a win for Most Promising Newcomer for Anamaria Vartolomei; and a BAFTA Award nomination; among other honors. The pic features a cast of stellar emerging French acting talent including Anamaria Vartolomei, Kacey Mottet-Klein and Luana Bajrami. … [Read more...] about Léa Seydoux Set For Audrey Diwan’s English-Language Directorial Debut ‘Emmanuelle’ – Cannes

EXCLUSIVE: The American Pavilion has set its 2022 lineup ahead of Tuesday’s opening of the Cannes Film Festival, with industry-focused panels and discussions including conversations with Eva Longoria, Viggo Mortensen, Scott Speedman, Emily Watson and Letitia Wright. AmPav opens its doors Tuesday and kicks off its lineup of panels and presentations Wednesday. Each morning will begin with film screenings as part of the Emerging Filmmaker Showcase, followed by a day of talks and panels, with additional screenings, parties and receptions taking place in the evenings during the run of the festival. The AmPav venue includes a coffee bar, free WiFi and charging stations, a media terrace with a panoramic view of the Riviera, the 25th anniversary of the Emerging Filmmaker Showcase, the Culinary Program featuring chefs from across the U.S. and Canada, and public and private rental for parties and receptions. Its latest Worldwide Student Program will feature a record 243 … [Read more...] about Cannes’ American Pavilion Sets Lineup: Eva Longoria, Viggo Mortensen, Letitia Wright Among In Conversation Guests

EXCLUSIVE: As international delegates touch down on the Croisette for what feels like the first “real” Cannes market since the pandemic struck, Olivier Albou is getting ready to hit the ground running. The veteran exec, who heads up sales and production house Other Angle with his wife Laurence Schonberg, has four new films on his slate this year that he’s offering up to international buyers. The company will be showing footage for Mélanie Auffret’s Sweet Little Things ( Les Petites Victoires ), starring Julia Piaton and Michel Blanc, about a busy young teacher who’s faced with the challenge of a new student in her class – an explosive 60-year-old man who has finally decided to learn to read and write. Then there’s Jennifer Devoldère’s male midwife feature The Midwife ( Sage Homme ) starring Karin Viard and Melvin Boomer as well as Jonathan Barré’s Serial Driver ( Bonne Conduit ) starring Call My Agent ’s Laure Calamy, Nicolas Marrié and Grégoire Ludig about a … [Read more...] about Other Angle’s Olivier Albou Talks New Cannes Slate & How Company Has Become Key Player In The French Indie Comedy Space

Ahead of its world premiere in Un Certain Regard section of Cannes, the Davy Chou directed and written feature All the People I’ll Never Be has been picked up by Sony Pictures Classics . The New York-based specialty label took all rights in North America, Latin America, Middle East, Australia, and New Zealand. They’ll release the movie under the new title, Return to Seoul . Pic makes its world premiere on the Croisette this Sunday. On an impulse, Freddie, 25, returns to South Korea for the first time, where she was born before being adopted and raised in France. The headstrong young woman starts looking for her biological parents in a country she knows so little about, taking her life in new and unexpected directions. Produced by Charlotte Vincent under her Aurora Films banner and Katia Khazak, co-produced by Hanneke Van Der Tas, Cassandre Warnauts, and Jean-Yves Roubin, and associate produced by Ha Min-Ho and Chou, the movie stars Park Ji-Min, Oh Kwang-Rok, … [Read more...] about Sony Pictures Classics Acquires Un Certain Regard Title ‘All The People I’ll Never Be’ – Cannes

Ahead of its Disney’s Upfront presentation Tuesday in NYC, National Geographic has announced greenlights for six new nonfiction series as part of its latest programming slate. They include Dance The World With Derek Hough , a series which takes viewers on a global cultural journey of the origins of some of the most popular dance styles; Restaurants At The End Of The World, hosted by chef and entrepreneur Kristen Kish; an untitled series with adventurer and travel blogger Jeff Jenkins; Farming Is Life, with urban gardener and influencer Indy Srinath; Extraordinary Birder, hosted by lifelong birder Christian Cooper, and Science Fair : The Series , from the directors and producers of the Emmy-winning documentary film Science Fair, featuring high school competitors of a global science fair competition. The new series, which follow on the success of Gordon Ramsay: Unchartered, Trafficked with Mariana Van Zeller and Running Wild With Bear Grylls, will … [Read more...] about Nat Geo Greenlights Nonfiction Series From Derek Hough, Jeff Jenkins, Kristen Kish, ‘Science Fair’ Team & More

EXCLUSIVE : Anonymous Content and CAA have signed Nuhash Humayun , the Bangladeshi writer-director whose horror short Moshari won the Grand Jury Award at SXSW 2022, for representation. The original 22-minute horror-fantasy pic was the first film from Bangladesh to premiere in SXSW’s Midnight Shorts Program. It follows sisters Apu (Sunerah Binte Kamal) and Ayra (Nairah Onora Saif), who seek shelter inside archaic mosquito nets—the only way to survive against bloodthirsty monsters—if they can first survive each other. Moshari also this year won the Atlanta Film Festival’s prize for Best Narrative Short. In addition to SXSW, Humayun’s projects have earned support from Sundance, Film Independent and ScreenCraft. The filmmaker was a ScreenCraft 2022 Film Fund Jury Winner and the first Bangladeshi fellow accepted to the Sundance Screenwriters Intensive. Up next for Humayun as a director is the feature Moving Bangladesh—a subversive corporate drama, which is … [Read more...] about Anonymous Content & CAA Sign Nuhash Humayun, Filmmaker Behind SXSW Grand Jury Award-Winning Horror Short ‘Moshari’

EXCLUSIVE: Emmy-nominated filmmakers Alex Fumero and Kareem Tabsch are partnering to form the production company Trojan Horse . The company will be based in Los Angeles and Miami. Deadline recently announced their latest project under the banner for Onyx, the limited docuseries Gigante , in collaboration with Don Francisco. Producing unscripted and scripted feature films, series, and podcasts, Trojan Horse recently co-produced the four-part docuseries Menudo: Forever Young , directed by Angel Manuel Soto and Kristofer Rios. The series is set to premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival ahead of its June 23 release on HBO Max. Fumero executive produced the project. Trojan Horse also produced the podcast Crumbs with Sonoro for iHeartMedia. “We’re both bilingual, bicultural, first-generation Americans. Like us, there are millions more who coexist across various cultures and communities and whose stories are important, compelling, entertaining, and ready to … [Read more...] about ‘Mucho Mucho Amor’ Filmmakers Alex Fumero & Kareem Tabsch Launch Production Company Trojan Horse