Machérie Ekwa Bahango wants Congo to be noticed by the industry. “Through my films, I would like Congo to be seen as part of the world. Not for the labels people stick on it, but for what it really is,” she tells Variety. “The subjects in my films are difficult, but they are issues that people […]
Variety•Marta Balaga11 Sept
From Hollywood heavyweights and festival chiefs to exhibitors, broadcasters, streamers, heads of state and industry figures from more than 60 countries converged at a historic site in the south of France, where pine trees, sculpture gardens and sun-drenched terraces offered a postcard-worthy backdrop to timely conversations about an industry in upheaval. The Lumiere Summit gathering […]
Variety•Elskes11 Sept
“We Are All Strangers,” written and directed by Anthony Chen, has been selected as Singapore’s official entry in the international feature category at the 99th Academy Awards, the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) said. The pick was made by a Selection Committee drawn from eligible members of the Singapore Film Commission Advisory Committee (SFCAC). Set […]
Variety•Naman Ramachandran11 Sept
Charli xcx is bringing the “Music, Fashion, Film” tour overseas. The avant-garde pop star has announced six U.K. and Europe dates in February 2027, including in Dublin, Ireland; Glasgow, Scotland; Manchester, England; London, England; Amsterdam, The Netherlands; and Paris, France. “Sue Me” and “Bowling Alley” singer Audrey Hobert will open for all dates. Charli is […]
Variety•Ellise Shafer11 Sept
Paris-based international sales company Reel Suspects has boarded worldwide sales on Chinese filmmaker Ah Biao’s feature debut “Border” (“Bian Jing”), which will world premiere in the official selection of the San Sebastián Film Festival, where it competes for the Golden Shell. The cast includes Zheyan Li, Feng Qi, Sanming Han, Gang Zheng and Tao Guo, […]
Variety•Naman Ramachandran11 Sept
New Zealand’s Black Mandala has acquired worldwide sales rights to three horror films from Anatomica Films: “Within Madness,” “Vessel” and “The Thirteenth Gate.” J. M. Stelly wrote and directed all three, producing alongside Johnny Stassi through the Anatomica Films label. Stelly and Black Mandala co-founder Michael Kraetzer negotiated the agreement on Anatomica Films’ behalf. “Within […]
Variety•Naman Ramachandran11 Sept
The 31st Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) has unveiled the lineup for its Master Class, Cine Class and Special Talk programs. Master Class brings together four directors reflecting on their creative work. Na Hong-Jin, who drew global attention this year with “Hope,” will discuss the roots of his creative vision. Filipino auteur Lav Diaz and […]
Variety•Naman Ramachandran11 Sept
Jimmy Kimmel turned to YouTube on Thursday night to house his interview with Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico — in light of fears that the FCC would punish ABC stations for running the chat. “What are they so scared of you?” Kimmel asked the candidate. Said Talarico: “Well, they’re worried that we’re going to […]
Variety•Ethan Shanfeld11 Sept
CBS Studios has filed a motion in Los Angeles Superior Court under the anti-SLAPP statute to strike a lawsuit filed earlier this summer by former “Matlock” writer John Lowe. The CBS Studios filing included multiple declarations disputing his allegations against three of the show’s executive producers. Lowe’s suit against CBS Studios, showrunner Jennie Snyder Urman […]
Variety•Varietyschneider11 Sept
“Being Heumann” opens on a New York sidewalk that doesn’t allow Judy Heumann to climb it. There’s no curb cut or ramp. Just a woman and her wheelchair. Director Siân Heder holds on it — and then Judy gives the middle finger. And it immediately hooks the viewer in for the ride. At least that […]
Variety•Clayton Davis11 Sept
"Being Huemann" isn’t as transporting a movie as "CODA" was, yet it’s a stirring drama cut from the same cloth of cathartic empathy.
Variety•Owen Gleiberman11 Sept
Variety Awards Circuit section is the home for all awards news and related content throughout the year, featuring the following: the official predictions for the upcoming Oscars, Emmys, Grammys and Tony Awards ceremonies, curated by Variety chief awards editor Clayton Davis. The prediction pages reflect the current standings in the race and do not reflect personal preferences for any individual […]
Variety•Clayton Davis11 Sept
“Everything that follows is true. Exactly as we dreamed it,” reads the opening title of “Burgundy,” from award-winning documentary duo Michael Dweck and Gregory Kershaw, with an almost legible wink. It’s a sweet start to a sweet movie, but in retrospect it sounds a little defensive, as though the pair are aware that, especially compared […]
Variety•Jessica Kiang11 Sept
It’s a somewhat telling coincidence that “Stuffed,” a very peculiar new vehicle for Jodie Comer, is premiering at the same edition of Toronto as “Prima Facie,” the film adaptation of the stage hit that won the Liverpudlian actor a Tony last year, but with Cynthia Erivo taking over her role for the screen. “Prima Facie” […]
Variety•Guy Lodge11 Sept
The producers of the documentary series “Quiet on Set” have prevailed in a lawsuit brought by former Nickelodeon showrunner Dan Schneider, who claimed that the show implied that he was a child sex abuser. Schneider sued for defamation in 2024, alleging that the series had falsely portrayed him as being responsible for or having facilitated […]
Variety•Gmaddaus10 Sept
Peter Berg is directing the show opens for all four of Netflix’s NFL gameday livestreams this season — and for the first one, debuting Thursday, he drafted Kyle Chandler, star of the “Friday Night Lights” TV series, for an assist on the play. Berg directed the 2004 movie “Friday Night Lights,” about a high school […]
Variety•Todd Spangler10 Sept
Steve Carell and writer Greg Daniels got so close while making “The Office,” they became like family. So much so that Daniels once wanted Carell to play his dad Aaron in a biopic he wrote about him almost 20 years ago. “He’s a very colorful person and he actually was in the Olympics in 1968, […]
Variety•Marcmalkin10 Sept
Celebrating 40 years of franchise gameplay, an updated version of “The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time” will be available for Nintendo Switch 2 on Nov. 5. The remake will have overhauled visuals, fully voiced cutscenes, expanded character dialogue, symphonic orchestral music, reworked camera and movement controls and more. In this game, the main playable […]
Variety•Tanya Fedak10 Sept
James Talarico, the Democratic candidate running for senator in Texas, has spoken out after ABC pulled his sit-down with Jimmy Kimmel over FCC concerns. The interview will instead be posted to the “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” YouTube channel on Thursday night. “Government censorship should be a concern to all of us, regardless of our political party,” […]
Variety•Ethan Shanfeld10 Sept
“The Legend of Zelda” turns 40 this year, but the titular princess at the center of the franchise doesn’t look a day over whatever ethereal age the Nintendo video game franchise needs her to be for any given game. The magic of the fantasy character is in large part thanks to actress Patricia Summersett, who […]
Variety•Jennifer Maas10 Sept