Chinese filmmaker Zhang Yimou this week made his first-ever trip to the Far East Film Festival in Italy’s Udine, and appeared to fall in love with the theatrical and festival experience all over again.
At a masterclass on Thursday morning, Zhang spoke of his filmmaking techniques and priorities, his enduring quest for the human touch and why not all films need to be masterpieces.
“Nobody has pure talent. Success also comes from hard work and the kind of luck that pull together an optimal crew and a cast that gels. I don’t believe that all films can be masterpieces and I doubt that I’ve made my best possible film yet. I’m still on the way,” he told a packed audience at Udine’s Teatro Nuovo, most of which had moments earlier watched a screening of his sensational “Raise the Red Lantern,” which had been restored to 4K.
At a masterclass on Thursday morning, Zhang spoke of his filmmaking techniques and priorities, his enduring quest for the human touch and why not all films need to be masterpieces.
“Nobody has pure talent. Success also comes from hard work and the kind of luck that pull together an optimal crew and a cast that gels. I don’t believe that all films can be masterpieces and I doubt that I’ve made my best possible film yet. I’m still on the way,” he told a packed audience at Udine’s Teatro Nuovo, most of which had moments earlier watched a screening of his sensational “Raise the Red Lantern,” which had been restored to 4K.
- 5/2/2024
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Artist International Group has signed renowned Japanese filmmaker Ryuhei Kitamura for representation.
First coming onto the scene in Japan with his ultra-violent zombie samurai action flick Versus, Kitamura directed his first English-language feature with the Bradley Cooper-led The Midnight Meat Train, an adaptation of the Clive Barker novel for Lakeshore Entertainment and Lionsgate.
Previously, Kitamura has helmed manga adaptations including the sci-fi actioner Alive; an epic samurai action pic based on Yu Koyama’s Aragami; Lupin the Third for Toho and Kadokawa; and The Three Sisters of Tenmasouinn. In television, Kitamura created the hit series Sky High before going on to direct a feature adaptation. Other notable credits include the 50th anniversary film Godzilla Final Wars, directing the narrative scenes in the bestselling video game Metal Gear Solid: The Twins Snakes, and his latest Japanese film, Love Death.
Additional English-language credits for Kitamura include Pathé’s No One Lives starring Luke Evans,...
First coming onto the scene in Japan with his ultra-violent zombie samurai action flick Versus, Kitamura directed his first English-language feature with the Bradley Cooper-led The Midnight Meat Train, an adaptation of the Clive Barker novel for Lakeshore Entertainment and Lionsgate.
Previously, Kitamura has helmed manga adaptations including the sci-fi actioner Alive; an epic samurai action pic based on Yu Koyama’s Aragami; Lupin the Third for Toho and Kadokawa; and The Three Sisters of Tenmasouinn. In television, Kitamura created the hit series Sky High before going on to direct a feature adaptation. Other notable credits include the 50th anniversary film Godzilla Final Wars, directing the narrative scenes in the bestselling video game Metal Gear Solid: The Twins Snakes, and his latest Japanese film, Love Death.
Additional English-language credits for Kitamura include Pathé’s No One Lives starring Luke Evans,...
- 4/29/2024
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
NBCUniversal Chair Donna Langley will be honored with the 2024 Kering’s Women in Motion Award at the Cannes Film Festival, celebrating, according to Kering and Cannes “a lifelong career committed to steadfast leadership and the fostering of a more inclusive industry that has helped shape diversity both in front and behind the camera.”
Langley is coming off a fantastic year. NBCUniversal topped the box office charts and was the big winner at the Oscars, thanks to Oppenheimer‘s sweep. Announcing the prize, Kering and the Cannes festival called her a “singular force in the business [who] has gained global recognition through her remarkable career supporting the creation of films that capture the cultural zeitgeist and provide a platform for women and diverse voices globally.” Langley, they said, “has been part of the vanguard of change in Hollywood, challenging the status quo and proving that inclusive casting, hiring and storytelling is smart business.
Langley is coming off a fantastic year. NBCUniversal topped the box office charts and was the big winner at the Oscars, thanks to Oppenheimer‘s sweep. Announcing the prize, Kering and the Cannes festival called her a “singular force in the business [who] has gained global recognition through her remarkable career supporting the creation of films that capture the cultural zeitgeist and provide a platform for women and diverse voices globally.” Langley, they said, “has been part of the vanguard of change in Hollywood, challenging the status quo and proving that inclusive casting, hiring and storytelling is smart business.
- 4/16/2024
- by Scott Roxborough
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
NBCUniversal Studio Group chair and chief content officer Donna Langley will be celebrated at the Cannes Film Festival, where she will receive the Women in Motion Award from Kering’s chairman and CEO François-Henri Pinault, Cannes president Iris Knobloch and director Thierry Fremaux.
The awards ceremony will take place at a glamorous gala dinner hosted by Kering on May 19, which will bring together major talent and executives attending the festival. The tribute will celebrate Langley’s career, steadfast leadership and her role in redefining popular culture, as well as fostering a more inclusive industry by creating opportunities for women and people of color in the entertainment industry.
“Receiving the Women in Motion Award is an immense honor, and to be recognized amongst such remarkable recipients is a testament to the work Kering, the Festival de Cannes and our industry peers do to propel women forward, amplify their voices, create opportunities and push boundaries,...
The awards ceremony will take place at a glamorous gala dinner hosted by Kering on May 19, which will bring together major talent and executives attending the festival. The tribute will celebrate Langley’s career, steadfast leadership and her role in redefining popular culture, as well as fostering a more inclusive industry by creating opportunities for women and people of color in the entertainment industry.
“Receiving the Women in Motion Award is an immense honor, and to be recognized amongst such remarkable recipients is a testament to the work Kering, the Festival de Cannes and our industry peers do to propel women forward, amplify their voices, create opportunities and push boundaries,...
- 4/16/2024
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
NBCUniversal Studio Group’s Chief Content Officer Donna Langley has officially been unveiled as the 2024 Women In Motion Award honoree for the 2024 Cannes Film Festival.
Kering and the Festival de Cannes will present the title to the studio chief on Sunday, May 19, with François-Henri Pinault, chairman and CEO of Kering, and Iris Knobloch, president of the Festival de Cannes, and Thierry Frémaux, director of the Festival de Cannes, hosting the ceremony.
In presenting the Women In Motion Award to Langley, Kering and the Festival de Cannes wish to celebrate a lifelong career committed to steadfast leadership and the fostering of a more inclusive industry that has helped shape diversity both in front and behind the camera, per the press statement.
Langley serves as an ambassador for Vital Voices and sits on the organization’s Board of Directors since 2013. She is also a key founder of The Hollywood Reporter’s Women in Film Mentorship program,...
Kering and the Festival de Cannes will present the title to the studio chief on Sunday, May 19, with François-Henri Pinault, chairman and CEO of Kering, and Iris Knobloch, president of the Festival de Cannes, and Thierry Frémaux, director of the Festival de Cannes, hosting the ceremony.
In presenting the Women In Motion Award to Langley, Kering and the Festival de Cannes wish to celebrate a lifelong career committed to steadfast leadership and the fostering of a more inclusive industry that has helped shape diversity both in front and behind the camera, per the press statement.
Langley serves as an ambassador for Vital Voices and sits on the organization’s Board of Directors since 2013. She is also a key founder of The Hollywood Reporter’s Women in Film Mentorship program,...
- 4/16/2024
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
Universal Studios chief Donna Langley is heading to this year’s Cannes Film Festival where she will be handed Kering’s annual Women In Motion Award.
Previous Women In Motion Award winners include Jane Fonda (2015), Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon (2016), Isabelle Huppert (2017), Patty Jenkins (2018), Gong Li (2019), Salma Hayek (2021), Viola Davis (2022), and Michelle Yeoh (2023).
Recipients of the award are chosen by François-Henri Pinault, Chairman and CEO of Kering, Iris Knobloch, Cannes President, and Thierry Frémaux, Cannes Director. Announcing the award, organizers described Langley as a “singular force in the business.”
“It is an honor to be presenting the 2024 Women In Motion Award to Donna Langley, recognizing her both as one of Hollywood’s most influential leaders and as someone who has dedicated herself to demonstrating on and off-screen that gender equality and diversity are absolutely essential,” Pinault said in a statement. “It highlights the collective effort of people working behind the scenes,...
Previous Women In Motion Award winners include Jane Fonda (2015), Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon (2016), Isabelle Huppert (2017), Patty Jenkins (2018), Gong Li (2019), Salma Hayek (2021), Viola Davis (2022), and Michelle Yeoh (2023).
Recipients of the award are chosen by François-Henri Pinault, Chairman and CEO of Kering, Iris Knobloch, Cannes President, and Thierry Frémaux, Cannes Director. Announcing the award, organizers described Langley as a “singular force in the business.”
“It is an honor to be presenting the 2024 Women In Motion Award to Donna Langley, recognizing her both as one of Hollywood’s most influential leaders and as someone who has dedicated herself to demonstrating on and off-screen that gender equality and diversity are absolutely essential,” Pinault said in a statement. “It highlights the collective effort of people working behind the scenes,...
- 4/16/2024
- by Zac Ntim
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Artist International Group has signed Swedish actor, screenwriter and producer Alexander Karim for management.
Most recently, Karim was seen starring in Frank Doelger’s eco-thriller limited series The Swarm, an eight-parter considered one of Europe’s biggest TV drama swings in some time, at a reported budget of €40 million. Making a splash when it premiered on Zdf in Germany last year, the show’s home in the U.S. is The CW.
Previously starring in three seasons of FX’s political drama Tyrant, Karim also played the lead in The Lawyer, which was Sweden’s most-watched series of 2019. Other recent TV credits include Viaplay’s The Box, a supernatural character-driven anthology series which had him starring opposite Anna Friel and Peter Stormare, and Amazon’s The Wheel of Time.
Past film credits for Karim include Kathryn Bigelow’s Best Picture contender Zero Dark Thirty and the spy thriller Dying of the Light...
Most recently, Karim was seen starring in Frank Doelger’s eco-thriller limited series The Swarm, an eight-parter considered one of Europe’s biggest TV drama swings in some time, at a reported budget of €40 million. Making a splash when it premiered on Zdf in Germany last year, the show’s home in the U.S. is The CW.
Previously starring in three seasons of FX’s political drama Tyrant, Karim also played the lead in The Lawyer, which was Sweden’s most-watched series of 2019. Other recent TV credits include Viaplay’s The Box, a supernatural character-driven anthology series which had him starring opposite Anna Friel and Peter Stormare, and Amazon’s The Wheel of Time.
Past film credits for Karim include Kathryn Bigelow’s Best Picture contender Zero Dark Thirty and the spy thriller Dying of the Light...
- 3/18/2024
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Chudor House Productions and Artist International Group are teaming on a series adaptation of Truth is a Flightless Bird, the internationally bestselling crime novel from Akbar Hussain.
Banshee‘s Adam Targum will serve as showrunner for the drama, with Odiri Iwuji at Chudor House and Aleksey Ageyev at Artist International Group producing. NneNne Iwuji (African Queens: Njinga) is set to co-write alongside Targum and will serve as an executive producer.
Set between Kenya and the U.S., Truth is a Flightless Bird is a brutal love letter to the frontier town that is present-day Nairobi: a studied observation of the failure of bare-knuckled capitalism, the inequality machines our cities have become, and — ultimately — the profoundly irrational human capacity to hope, to risk everything in order to have something in which to believe.
“Truth is a profoundly authentic deep dive of a universally fractured society,” said Targum of the book,...
Banshee‘s Adam Targum will serve as showrunner for the drama, with Odiri Iwuji at Chudor House and Aleksey Ageyev at Artist International Group producing. NneNne Iwuji (African Queens: Njinga) is set to co-write alongside Targum and will serve as an executive producer.
Set between Kenya and the U.S., Truth is a Flightless Bird is a brutal love letter to the frontier town that is present-day Nairobi: a studied observation of the failure of bare-knuckled capitalism, the inequality machines our cities have become, and — ultimately — the profoundly irrational human capacity to hope, to risk everything in order to have something in which to believe.
“Truth is a profoundly authentic deep dive of a universally fractured society,” said Targum of the book,...
- 2/8/2024
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Each week we highlight the noteworthy titles that have recently hit streaming platforms in the United States. Check out this week’s selections below and past round-ups here.
The Beekeeper (David Ayer)
It’s the time of year for smooth-brained relaxation. Moviegoers can recover from the holidays with the comfort of knowing Gerard Butler, Liam Neeson, or Jason Statham will be here to satisfy their mid-budget, action-programmer needs. Is it really the new year if one of those cherished Kings of January doesn’t appear on the release slate? There’s no Gerry or Liam, but the ever-reliable Statham dons a trucker hat and blue jeans to grit his way through David Ayer’s The Beekeeper, an overall valiant, occasionally fun attempt to take us out of Q1 doldrums. – Conor O. (full review)
Where to Stream: VOD
Brawl in Cell Block 99 (S. Craig Zahler)
S. Craig Zahler is the...
The Beekeeper (David Ayer)
It’s the time of year for smooth-brained relaxation. Moviegoers can recover from the holidays with the comfort of knowing Gerard Butler, Liam Neeson, or Jason Statham will be here to satisfy their mid-budget, action-programmer needs. Is it really the new year if one of those cherished Kings of January doesn’t appear on the release slate? There’s no Gerry or Liam, but the ever-reliable Statham dons a trucker hat and blue jeans to grit his way through David Ayer’s The Beekeeper, an overall valiant, occasionally fun attempt to take us out of Q1 doldrums. – Conor O. (full review)
Where to Stream: VOD
Brawl in Cell Block 99 (S. Craig Zahler)
S. Craig Zahler is the...
- 2/2/2024
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
It seems that the commercial value of Asian films, both of the past (for the most part) and of the current ones, is having an impact also on physical media, with a number of established and newer companies releasing even more movies from the region in 2023. At the same time, the competition seems to up the quality of releases which keep getting better and better, to the joy of collectors, a number of which are definitely among the writers of Asian Movie Pulse.
Without further ado, we list here 30 Best Asian DVD and Blu-ray releases of 2023, in no particular order.
1. The Katsuhito Ishii Collection (Third Window Films)
Over the course of his career Japanese auteur Katsuhito Ishii has gained not only popularity among the festival crowd but a loyal group of fans, which all the more understandable when watching his works, that are now gathered in one comprehensive boxset thanks to Third Window.
Without further ado, we list here 30 Best Asian DVD and Blu-ray releases of 2023, in no particular order.
1. The Katsuhito Ishii Collection (Third Window Films)
Over the course of his career Japanese auteur Katsuhito Ishii has gained not only popularity among the festival crowd but a loyal group of fans, which all the more understandable when watching his works, that are now gathered in one comprehensive boxset thanks to Third Window.
- 12/21/2023
- by AMP Group
- AsianMoviePulse
Exclusive: Yasmina El-Abd has signed with David Unger’s Artist International Group (Aig) for U.S. representation.
The rising Mena actress is currently starring in Mbc Studios’ ground breaking Arabic-language musical feature Sukkar, which is due to hit streamer Shahid on December 24 following a strong box office run that began in October. She is signed up to star in a follow up, we hear.
El-Abd has also had parts in Middle Eastern Netflix original Finding Ola and HBO Max and Cbbc kids series Theodosia, and is co-starring in Adi Hasak’s upcoming James Franco series Karantina, which has Adi TV Studios, Dynamic Television, Mbc, Zdf, Asacha Media Group, Blond and Tanweer attached.
She is also reprise her role as Zeina in season 2 of the Netflix’s Egyptian comedy-drama Finding Ola. Season 1 launched in February 2022 and made it into the Top 10 worldwide and topped the charts in the Arab-speaking world for three weeks.
The rising Mena actress is currently starring in Mbc Studios’ ground breaking Arabic-language musical feature Sukkar, which is due to hit streamer Shahid on December 24 following a strong box office run that began in October. She is signed up to star in a follow up, we hear.
El-Abd has also had parts in Middle Eastern Netflix original Finding Ola and HBO Max and Cbbc kids series Theodosia, and is co-starring in Adi Hasak’s upcoming James Franco series Karantina, which has Adi TV Studios, Dynamic Television, Mbc, Zdf, Asacha Media Group, Blond and Tanweer attached.
She is also reprise her role as Zeina in season 2 of the Netflix’s Egyptian comedy-drama Finding Ola. Season 1 launched in February 2022 and made it into the Top 10 worldwide and topped the charts in the Arab-speaking world for three weeks.
- 12/18/2023
- by Jesse Whittock
- Deadline Film + TV
“Ferrari” director Michael Mann is planning to make a U.S. adaptation of South Korean crime thriller “Veteran.”
The project is at development stage, and Mann is working with the U.S. and Korean wings of Cj Enm, Korea’s leading film and TV conglomerate. It is currently undecided whether Mann himself will direct or just take production and writing credits.
“We are developing a script with Michael Mann, but his role and our schedule are not fixed yet,” a source close to Cj Enm told Variety.
Work halted on the project during the Hollywood screenwriters’ strike and it is unclear when development will pick up in earnest.
Mann is currently focusing on the development of “Heat 2,” which he recently confirmed as his next directing outing. The project, which is set up at Warner Bros., is the sequel to his genre-defining 1995 noir “Heat.”
“Veteran” has some similarities with “Heat...
The project is at development stage, and Mann is working with the U.S. and Korean wings of Cj Enm, Korea’s leading film and TV conglomerate. It is currently undecided whether Mann himself will direct or just take production and writing credits.
“We are developing a script with Michael Mann, but his role and our schedule are not fixed yet,” a source close to Cj Enm told Variety.
Work halted on the project during the Hollywood screenwriters’ strike and it is unclear when development will pick up in earnest.
Mann is currently focusing on the development of “Heat 2,” which he recently confirmed as his next directing outing. The project, which is set up at Warner Bros., is the sequel to his genre-defining 1995 noir “Heat.”
“Veteran” has some similarities with “Heat...
- 11/1/2023
- by Elsa Keslassy and Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
By Ian Shanghai
At the dawn of the year 2000, Beijing's hutong, these narrow communal alleys nowadays dedicated to mass tourism, were not exactly the gentrified cozy district it turned to be: promiscuity, resourcefulness and street codes infused with rigid traditions are customary. Mrs. Wang is used to cope with these, but lately this is not exactly the best time of her life.
Check also this interview
The stock of pirated DVDs she was selling for a living has just been seized by the local police while the parents of the kid she was babysitting on daytime went away without an address, escaping from unpaid rents. And as if that wasn't bad enough, the family of a mahjong gambler her husband has crippled in a fight is chasing her, claiming direct compensation in cash. With her hopeless husband in jail and a kid to get rid of, without the infamous hukou...
At the dawn of the year 2000, Beijing's hutong, these narrow communal alleys nowadays dedicated to mass tourism, were not exactly the gentrified cozy district it turned to be: promiscuity, resourcefulness and street codes infused with rigid traditions are customary. Mrs. Wang is used to cope with these, but lately this is not exactly the best time of her life.
Check also this interview
The stock of pirated DVDs she was selling for a living has just been seized by the local police while the parents of the kid she was babysitting on daytime went away without an address, escaping from unpaid rents. And as if that wasn't bad enough, the family of a mahjong gambler her husband has crippled in a fight is chasing her, claiming direct compensation in cash. With her hopeless husband in jail and a kid to get rid of, without the infamous hukou...
- 9/5/2023
- by Guest Writer
- AsianMoviePulse
Exclusive: Artist International Group on Tuesday announced its signing of Zine Tseng, one of the stars of Netflix’s anticipated sci-fi drama series 3 Body Problem, which is coming to the platform in January.
Created by the Game of Thrones duo of David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, and Alexander Woo, 3 Body Problem adapts a popular book trilogy from Chinese author Liu Cixin, which tells the story of humanity’s first contact with an alien civilization. Tseng therein makes her screen debut as a young version of protagonist Ye Wenjie, who’s portrayed in present day by Rosalind Chao. An astrophysicist conscripted by the Chinese military after seeing her father brutally murdered during the country’s Cultural Revolution of the ’60s, Wendie ultimately makes a decision that echoes across space and time, with major implications for humanity.
Others starring alongside Tseng and Chao include Jovan Adepo, John Bradley, Liam Cunningham,...
Created by the Game of Thrones duo of David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, and Alexander Woo, 3 Body Problem adapts a popular book trilogy from Chinese author Liu Cixin, which tells the story of humanity’s first contact with an alien civilization. Tseng therein makes her screen debut as a young version of protagonist Ye Wenjie, who’s portrayed in present day by Rosalind Chao. An astrophysicist conscripted by the Chinese military after seeing her father brutally murdered during the country’s Cultural Revolution of the ’60s, Wendie ultimately makes a decision that echoes across space and time, with major implications for humanity.
Others starring alongside Tseng and Chao include Jovan Adepo, John Bradley, Liam Cunningham,...
- 8/8/2023
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Premiering 30 years ago this year, Chen Kaige’s enchanting, Palme d’Or-winning, and Oscar-nominated drama Farewell My Concubine is finally returning in its original cut, stunningly restored in 4K. Starring Leslie Cheung, Fengyi Zhang, and Gong Li, the drama was cut by 20 minutes after Harvey Scissorhands had his way with it. Now restored to its original glory and set for a September 22 release beginning at Film Forum from Film Movement Classics, the new trailer has arrived.
Here’s the synopsis: “In Chen Kaige’s adaptation of the Lilian Lee novel, Cheng Dieyi (Leslie Cheung) and Duan Xiaolou (Zhang Fengyi) grow up enduring the harsh training of the Peking Opera Academy, where instructors regularly beat the students to instill in them the discipline needed to master the complex physical and vocal techniques of this ancient art. As the two boys mature, they develop complementary talents: Dieyi, with his fine, delicate features,...
Here’s the synopsis: “In Chen Kaige’s adaptation of the Lilian Lee novel, Cheng Dieyi (Leslie Cheung) and Duan Xiaolou (Zhang Fengyi) grow up enduring the harsh training of the Peking Opera Academy, where instructors regularly beat the students to instill in them the discipline needed to master the complex physical and vocal techniques of this ancient art. As the two boys mature, they develop complementary talents: Dieyi, with his fine, delicate features,...
- 8/8/2023
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Exclusive: Carolina Miranda, the Mexican actress currently starring in the hit Netflix series Fake Profile, has signed with Artist International Group for management.
Debuting on May 31st as the streamer’s number one global non-English series, and remaining on that list for six weeks, Fake Profile centers on Miranda’s character Camila, following her from Las Vegas to Cartagena as she realizes her Tinder match isn’t at all who he says he is.
Prior to that Colombian project from creator Pablo Illanes, the actress was best known for starring in the Netflix series Who Killed Sara?, a thriller that wrapped up its third and final season last year, after establishing itself as one of the most popular non-English language titles in the history of the platform.
Other notable credits for Miranda include Telemundo’s Señora Acero (Woman of Steel), one of the most-watched Spanish-speaking series in the United States...
Debuting on May 31st as the streamer’s number one global non-English series, and remaining on that list for six weeks, Fake Profile centers on Miranda’s character Camila, following her from Las Vegas to Cartagena as she realizes her Tinder match isn’t at all who he says he is.
Prior to that Colombian project from creator Pablo Illanes, the actress was best known for starring in the Netflix series Who Killed Sara?, a thriller that wrapped up its third and final season last year, after establishing itself as one of the most popular non-English language titles in the history of the platform.
Other notable credits for Miranda include Telemundo’s Señora Acero (Woman of Steel), one of the most-watched Spanish-speaking series in the United States...
- 8/7/2023
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Fifth-generation Chinese filmmaker Chen Kaige’s “Farewell My Concubine” wowed the Cannes jury under president Louis Malle in 1993 — all the way to a Palme d’Or win. But by the time the three-hour epic set in the world of the Peking Opera reached U.S. theaters that year, Miramax’s Harvey Weinstein had cut 20 minutes from the movie that left even Malle puzzled. According to Peter Biskind‘s influential “Down and Dirty Pictures,” Malle said the new version seemed “longer because it doesn’t make any sense. It was better before those guys made cuts.”
At last, “Farewell My Concubine,” the only Chinese-language film ever to win the Palme, is now being returned to theaters in its full 171-minute glory, courtesy of Film Movement Classics. IndieWire exclusively announces that the distributor will release a newly restored 4K version in North American theaters beginning September 22 at Film Forum in New York City.
At last, “Farewell My Concubine,” the only Chinese-language film ever to win the Palme, is now being returned to theaters in its full 171-minute glory, courtesy of Film Movement Classics. IndieWire exclusively announces that the distributor will release a newly restored 4K version in North American theaters beginning September 22 at Film Forum in New York City.
- 8/3/2023
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Indiewire
What could be better than one underdog success story? Multiple underdog success stories, and this is the dogma Peter Chan used exactly in order to present the history of the Chinese volleyball team through four decades, by focusing on one of its most iconic individuals, Lang Ping.
by clicking on the image below Check also this interview Director Peter Chan and Actress Lydia Bai on the Technical and Political Challenges Behind China's Oscar Submission ‘Leap'
The story revolves around three key moments in the history of the team, namely the matches against Japan at the World Cup in 1981, against USA at the Beijing Olympics in 2008, and against Brazil at the 2016 Rio Olympics. In that fashion, the narrative unfolds in three arcs. The first one focuses on Lang Ping, and how, under the borderline-exploitative but also tough love training by Yuan Weimin, she came to be the star of the team,...
by clicking on the image below Check also this interview Director Peter Chan and Actress Lydia Bai on the Technical and Political Challenges Behind China's Oscar Submission ‘Leap'
The story revolves around three key moments in the history of the team, namely the matches against Japan at the World Cup in 1981, against USA at the Beijing Olympics in 2008, and against Brazil at the 2016 Rio Olympics. In that fashion, the narrative unfolds in three arcs. The first one focuses on Lang Ping, and how, under the borderline-exploitative but also tough love training by Yuan Weimin, she came to be the star of the team,...
- 7/1/2023
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
Veteran Chinese director Peter Chan Ho-sun is busy as ever these days. Behind the scenes, Chan is laying the foundations of the new production company, Changin’ Pictures, which he formally announced towards the end of last year. In public, the director is one of the most prominent cheerleaders of Chinese cinema, a role he played at the Shanghai International Film Festival this week.
The focus of a MasterClass at the festival, Chan talked expansively about Chinese film and its place in the world. “China has a lot of great stories, and many of them can resonate with people worldwide,” he said. “So why not make these stories that everyone can empathize with? I believe we should aim to make the whole world want to watch Chinese stories. We shouldn’t make films that are intended to please them or enhance a stereotypical image of China. That won’t lead to progress.
The focus of a MasterClass at the festival, Chan talked expansively about Chinese film and its place in the world. “China has a lot of great stories, and many of them can resonate with people worldwide,” he said. “So why not make these stories that everyone can empathize with? I believe we should aim to make the whole world want to watch Chinese stories. We shouldn’t make films that are intended to please them or enhance a stereotypical image of China. That won’t lead to progress.
- 6/13/2023
- by Mathew Scott
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Exclusive: Norwegian actor Rune Temte (Time Bandits) has signed with Artist International Group for management.
Best known for roles in Netflix and BBC Two’s The Last Kingdom, Dexter Fletcher’s acclaimed sports comedy Eddie the Eagle with Taron Egerton and Hugh Jackman, and Captain Marvel, Temte last fall took on a series regular role in Jemaine Clement, Iain Morris and Taika Waititi’s Apple TV+ adaptation of Time Bandits, the 1981 fantasy adventure film from Terry Gilliam.
In the series from Piki Films, Anonymous Content, MRC Television and Paramount Television Studios, centered on a boy’s discovery of a portal in his bedroom that allows him to travel through time, Temte plays the character Bittelig, starring alongside Lisa Kudrow, Kal-El Tuck, Charlyne Yi, Tadhg Murphy, Roger Jean Nsengiyumva, Kiera Thompson and Rachel House.
Most recently seen starring alongside Kristen Wiig and Maggie Smith in Gil Kenan’s film A Boy Called Christmas,...
Best known for roles in Netflix and BBC Two’s The Last Kingdom, Dexter Fletcher’s acclaimed sports comedy Eddie the Eagle with Taron Egerton and Hugh Jackman, and Captain Marvel, Temte last fall took on a series regular role in Jemaine Clement, Iain Morris and Taika Waititi’s Apple TV+ adaptation of Time Bandits, the 1981 fantasy adventure film from Terry Gilliam.
In the series from Piki Films, Anonymous Content, MRC Television and Paramount Television Studios, centered on a boy’s discovery of a portal in his bedroom that allows him to travel through time, Temte plays the character Bittelig, starring alongside Lisa Kudrow, Kal-El Tuck, Charlyne Yi, Tadhg Murphy, Roger Jean Nsengiyumva, Kiera Thompson and Rachel House.
Most recently seen starring alongside Kristen Wiig and Maggie Smith in Gil Kenan’s film A Boy Called Christmas,...
- 6/6/2023
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Chinese actress Zhou Dongyu, who is in Cannes with Anthony Chen’s Un Certain Regard title The Breaking Ice, has had a fairytale career trajectory.
Although she had no desire to act, she was plucked from obscurity by Zhang Yimou when still a high school student in 2010, and became one of China’s most respected young actresses, with a string of award-winning films.
She agreed to star in The Breaking Ice as soon as Chen called her and before he’d even written the script. She’d worked with him before on short film The Break Away, part of Neon-produced anthology The Year Of The Everlasting Storm, which Chen had directed remotely during the pandemic.
“He called and said he wanted to shoot a film in China, quite quickly over the winter, because he had a month free when another project was postponed,” Zhou tells Deadline. “I agreed immediately...
Although she had no desire to act, she was plucked from obscurity by Zhang Yimou when still a high school student in 2010, and became one of China’s most respected young actresses, with a string of award-winning films.
She agreed to star in The Breaking Ice as soon as Chen called her and before he’d even written the script. She’d worked with him before on short film The Break Away, part of Neon-produced anthology The Year Of The Everlasting Storm, which Chen had directed remotely during the pandemic.
“He called and said he wanted to shoot a film in China, quite quickly over the winter, because he had a month free when another project was postponed,” Zhou tells Deadline. “I agreed immediately...
- 5/26/2023
- by Liz Shackleton
- Deadline Film + TV
Michael Douglas was among the many stars to hit the red carpet at Cannes for the opening night of the iconic French film festival.
This year’s fest kicked off with the premiere of “Jeanne du Barry,” the controversial historical drama starring Johnny Depp as Louis Xv.
Read More: Michael Douglas To Receive Honorary Palme d’Or At 2023 Cannes Film Festival
Along with Depp, other famous faces attending opening night ceremony were Brie Larson, Uma Thurman, Gong Li, Elle Fanning, Catherine Deneuve and Helen Mirren.
Douglas was on hand to receive an honourary Palme d’Or, with his wife, Catherine Zeta-Jones and their daughter, Carys Zeta Douglas, also in attendance.
Photo by Vianney Le Caer/Invision/AP — Photo by Vianney Le Caer/Invision/AP
On the red carpet, Douglas visibly blushed when he received a kiss on each cheek from his wife and daughter.
“I’m even older than the festival,...
This year’s fest kicked off with the premiere of “Jeanne du Barry,” the controversial historical drama starring Johnny Depp as Louis Xv.
Read More: Michael Douglas To Receive Honorary Palme d’Or At 2023 Cannes Film Festival
Along with Depp, other famous faces attending opening night ceremony were Brie Larson, Uma Thurman, Gong Li, Elle Fanning, Catherine Deneuve and Helen Mirren.
Douglas was on hand to receive an honourary Palme d’Or, with his wife, Catherine Zeta-Jones and their daughter, Carys Zeta Douglas, also in attendance.
Photo by Vianney Le Caer/Invision/AP — Photo by Vianney Le Caer/Invision/AP
On the red carpet, Douglas visibly blushed when he received a kiss on each cheek from his wife and daughter.
“I’m even older than the festival,...
- 5/16/2023
- by Brent Furdyk
- ET Canada
On a picturesque day in the South of France, throngs of Johnny Depp fans gathered along the Croisette, shrieking and snapping photos as embattled movie star graced the world’s most famous red carpet. “Jeanne du Barry,” which marks Depp’s first leading film role in three years, since ongoing legal battles with ex-wife Amber Heard stalled his Hollywood career, opened the 76th edition of the Cannes Film Festival.
Depp recently won a defamation case in the U.S. against Heard, who was ordered to pay the star $10 million in damages, and is trying to mount a comeback. But the move has been criticized by some and embraced by others, including Cannes chief Thierry Fremaux, who said earlier in the festival “I care about Johnny Depp as an actor.”
As Depp, sporting a slicked back ponytail and tinted purple shades, exited his black car, squeals echoed throughout the sprawling complex that houses the festival,...
Depp recently won a defamation case in the U.S. against Heard, who was ordered to pay the star $10 million in damages, and is trying to mount a comeback. But the move has been criticized by some and embraced by others, including Cannes chief Thierry Fremaux, who said earlier in the festival “I care about Johnny Depp as an actor.”
As Depp, sporting a slicked back ponytail and tinted purple shades, exited his black car, squeals echoed throughout the sprawling complex that houses the festival,...
- 5/16/2023
- by Brent Lang and Rebecca Rubin
- Variety Film + TV
Often, cinema forces audiences to confront harsh realities, even if they seem like accepted elements of a specific culture. Zhang Yimou is no stranger to showing the beautiful qualities of China, yet is not afraid to address the darker sides of his country, such as the history, political corruption, or elements of culture. Nowadays, the director is internationally recognized for his martial arts features such as “Hero,” “House of Flying Daggers,” and “Shadow.” Yet, his directorial career began primarily directing personal dramas that followed women in their struggles against oppression and strict cultural expectations. One of Yimou's most confrontational films is his haunting masterpiece “Raise the Red Lantern.”
on Amazon by clicking on the image below
The movie is based on the novella of the same name written by Su Tong. Another recognized title for the story is “Wives and Concubine.” Writing the screenplay is Ni Zhen',...
on Amazon by clicking on the image below
The movie is based on the novella of the same name written by Su Tong. Another recognized title for the story is “Wives and Concubine.” Writing the screenplay is Ni Zhen',...
- 5/12/2023
- by Sean Barry
- AsianMoviePulse
Paris, April 7, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — François-Henri Pinault, Chairman and CEO of Kering, Iris Knobloch, President of the Festival de Cannes, and Thierry Frémaux, Director of the Festival de Cannes, have chosen this year to pay tribute to Michelle Yeoh’s exceptional career by presenting her with the 2023 Women In Motion Award. The ceremony will be held in Cannes during the official Women In Motion dinner to honor women in cinema. Since its launch during the Festival in 2015, the program has been rewarding and highlighting the creativity and unique contribution made by women in culture and the arts – whose work helps to transform our vision of the world.
A Malaysian-born actress and producer of international renown, Michelle Yeoh has been shattering conventions for decades. By portraying complex, determined women on screen, she has helped to challenge gender and age-related stereotypes in the film industry. For her incredible performance in Everything Everywhere All at Once,...
A Malaysian-born actress and producer of international renown, Michelle Yeoh has been shattering conventions for decades. By portraying complex, determined women on screen, she has helped to challenge gender and age-related stereotypes in the film industry. For her incredible performance in Everything Everywhere All at Once,...
- 4/7/2023
- by Martin Cid Magazine
- Martin Cid Magazine - Movies
On the heels of her Oscar victory with “Everything Everywhere All At Once,” the inspiring Michelle Yeoh will be celebrated by Kering at this year’s Cannes Film Festival where she will receive the 2023 Women In Motion Award.
The ceremony will be held in Cannes during the glamorous Women In Motion dinner which is dedicated to honoring women in cinema. Yeoh was chosen as this year’s honoree by François-Henri Pinault, chairman and CEO of Kering, and Iris Knobloch, the new president of the Cannes Film Festival, as well Thierry Frémaux, Cannes Festival’s director.
The dinner is part of the pioneering Women in Motion program, launched in 2015 during the Festival to highlight the creativity and contribution made by women in the world of culture and the arts.
Yeoh, who was born in Malaysia, has become a revered actor and producer known for portraying complex and fearless women on screen.
The ceremony will be held in Cannes during the glamorous Women In Motion dinner which is dedicated to honoring women in cinema. Yeoh was chosen as this year’s honoree by François-Henri Pinault, chairman and CEO of Kering, and Iris Knobloch, the new president of the Cannes Film Festival, as well Thierry Frémaux, Cannes Festival’s director.
The dinner is part of the pioneering Women in Motion program, launched in 2015 during the Festival to highlight the creativity and contribution made by women in the world of culture and the arts.
Yeoh, who was born in Malaysia, has become a revered actor and producer known for portraying complex and fearless women on screen.
- 4/6/2023
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
Michelle Yeoh is officially the 2023 Kering Women in Motion Award recipient for this year’s Cannes film festival.
The “Everything Everywhere All at Once” Oscar winner will be celebrated during the annual Women in Motion dinner honoring women in cinema. Since its launch during the festival in 2015, the program has been rewarding and highlighting the creativity and unique contribution made by women in culture and the arts, whose work helps to transform our vision of the world. Past recipients include Jane Fonda, Geena Davis, Susan Sarandon, Isabelle Huppert, Patty Jenkins, Gong Li, Salma Hayek, and Viola Davis.
“I’m very moved to receive this award. I’m convinced that times are changing; public awareness has certainly grown in recent years,” Yeoh said in a press statement. “It’s vital that women, in front of the camera and behind it, keep playing roles and telling stories that reflect the diversity and complexity of the world.
The “Everything Everywhere All at Once” Oscar winner will be celebrated during the annual Women in Motion dinner honoring women in cinema. Since its launch during the festival in 2015, the program has been rewarding and highlighting the creativity and unique contribution made by women in culture and the arts, whose work helps to transform our vision of the world. Past recipients include Jane Fonda, Geena Davis, Susan Sarandon, Isabelle Huppert, Patty Jenkins, Gong Li, Salma Hayek, and Viola Davis.
“I’m very moved to receive this award. I’m convinced that times are changing; public awareness has certainly grown in recent years,” Yeoh said in a press statement. “It’s vital that women, in front of the camera and behind it, keep playing roles and telling stories that reflect the diversity and complexity of the world.
- 4/6/2023
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
Malaysian actress won the Oscar for ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’.
Oscar-winning actress Michelle Yeoh is set to receive Kering’s Women in Motion award at the Cannes Film Festival next month.
The honour recognises creativity and contributions from women in arts and culture, both in front of and behind the camera. Malaysian-born Yeoh was named best actress at this year’s Academy Awards for her performance in Everything Everywhere All at Once, the first Asian actress to win an Oscar in the category.
“I am convinced that times are changing,” said Yeoh. “It’s vital that women – in front...
Oscar-winning actress Michelle Yeoh is set to receive Kering’s Women in Motion award at the Cannes Film Festival next month.
The honour recognises creativity and contributions from women in arts and culture, both in front of and behind the camera. Malaysian-born Yeoh was named best actress at this year’s Academy Awards for her performance in Everything Everywhere All at Once, the first Asian actress to win an Oscar in the category.
“I am convinced that times are changing,” said Yeoh. “It’s vital that women – in front...
- 4/6/2023
- by Rebecca Leffler
- ScreenDaily
Academy Award winner Michelle Yeoh is set to head to the Cannes Film Festival this year, where she will become the latest recipient of Kering’s Women In Motion Award.
Previous Women In Motion Award winners include Jane Fonda (2015), Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon (2016), Isabelle Huppert (2017), Patty Jenkins (2018), Gong Li (2019), Salma Hayek (2021), and Viola Davis (2022).
Recipients of the award are chosen by François-Henri Pinault, Chairman and CEO of Kering, Iris Knobloch, Cannes President, and Thierry Frémaux, Cannes Director. Announcing the award, Pinault said Yeoh has “managed to shatter every stereotype.”
“Together with the Festival de Cannes, we wanted to recognize her significant contribution to cinema, and her ability to inspire future generations of talent. Presenting her with the Women In Motion Award was the obvious choice,” he said.
Yeoh was a member of the 2002 Cannes Competition Jury, chaired by David Lynch, which handed the Palme d’Or to Roman Polanski’s WW2 drama The Pianist.
Previous Women In Motion Award winners include Jane Fonda (2015), Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon (2016), Isabelle Huppert (2017), Patty Jenkins (2018), Gong Li (2019), Salma Hayek (2021), and Viola Davis (2022).
Recipients of the award are chosen by François-Henri Pinault, Chairman and CEO of Kering, Iris Knobloch, Cannes President, and Thierry Frémaux, Cannes Director. Announcing the award, Pinault said Yeoh has “managed to shatter every stereotype.”
“Together with the Festival de Cannes, we wanted to recognize her significant contribution to cinema, and her ability to inspire future generations of talent. Presenting her with the Women In Motion Award was the obvious choice,” he said.
Yeoh was a member of the 2002 Cannes Competition Jury, chaired by David Lynch, which handed the Palme d’Or to Roman Polanski’s WW2 drama The Pianist.
- 4/6/2023
- by Zac Ntim
- Deadline Film + TV
Michelle Yeoh has another award coming her way.
On the heels of a history-making Oscar win for her work in Everything Everywhere All at Once, Kering and the Cannes Film Festival announced today that Yeoh will be presented with a Women in Motion Award during next month’s festival.
The trophy will be presented in Cannes during the official Women In Motion dinner that shines a light on women and their contributions to cinema, an event that launched in 2015. Since then, honorees have included Jane Fonda, Geena Davis, Susan Sarandon, Isabelle Huppert, Patty Jenkins, Gong Li, Salma Hayek and Viola Davis.
Yeoh said she’s “very moved” by the honor. “I’m convinced that times are changing,” she said. “Public awareness has certainly grown in recent years. It’s vital that women — in front of the camera and behind it — keep playing roles and telling stories that reflect the diversity and complexity of the world.
On the heels of a history-making Oscar win for her work in Everything Everywhere All at Once, Kering and the Cannes Film Festival announced today that Yeoh will be presented with a Women in Motion Award during next month’s festival.
The trophy will be presented in Cannes during the official Women In Motion dinner that shines a light on women and their contributions to cinema, an event that launched in 2015. Since then, honorees have included Jane Fonda, Geena Davis, Susan Sarandon, Isabelle Huppert, Patty Jenkins, Gong Li, Salma Hayek and Viola Davis.
Yeoh said she’s “very moved” by the honor. “I’m convinced that times are changing,” she said. “Public awareness has certainly grown in recent years. It’s vital that women — in front of the camera and behind it — keep playing roles and telling stories that reflect the diversity and complexity of the world.
- 4/6/2023
- by Chris Gardner
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Exclusive: Hot on the heels of longtime client Michelle Yeoh becoming the first Best Actress Oscar winner of Asian descent for Everything, Everywhere All At Once, Artist International Group is expanding. Aig has named Kimberly Hines as partner, and Ian Stack as manager. They join Aig’s international talent and producing divisions. They will be based in New York and Rome.
The two will be focused on representing international actors, directors and writers as well as producing film and television.
Hines, who most recently was at Framework Entertainment, brings decades of experience working as a producer, talent agent, and talent manager. She will bring her clients to Aig. Her list includes Mickey Rourke (The Wrestler), Til Schweiger (Inglorious Bastards), Oliver Masucci (The Swarm), Balthazar Getty (Megalopolis), Jacqueline Bisset and others.
Stack had also been a manager and producer at Framework. Prior to Framework, he was an Associate Producer at Weta...
The two will be focused on representing international actors, directors and writers as well as producing film and television.
Hines, who most recently was at Framework Entertainment, brings decades of experience working as a producer, talent agent, and talent manager. She will bring her clients to Aig. Her list includes Mickey Rourke (The Wrestler), Til Schweiger (Inglorious Bastards), Oliver Masucci (The Swarm), Balthazar Getty (Megalopolis), Jacqueline Bisset and others.
Stack had also been a manager and producer at Framework. Prior to Framework, he was an Associate Producer at Weta...
- 3/21/2023
- by Mike Fleming Jr
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Artist International Group has signed French actor Kev Adams whose work spans acting, screenwriting and producing.
Adams can most recently be seen in his original comedy Maison De Retraite (Retirement Home), where he plays a young convict forced to work in a retirement home after being sentenced to community service. Directed by Thomas Gilou and co-starring Gérard Depardieu, Adams also co-wrote and produced the comedy, which was among the top grossing French-language films of 2022 with over 2 million tickets sold. A sequel is currently underway.
Adams is also coming off his Netflix stand-up special, Kev Adams: The Real Me, and the original comedy feature Happy Nous Year (Stuck With You), also for Netflix.
Other notable credits include starring as Aladdin in both installments of his hit franchise: The New Adventures of Aladdin and Aladdin 2, which together grossed $55M.
Kev then made his English-language debut alongside Mila Kunis and Kate McKinnon...
Adams can most recently be seen in his original comedy Maison De Retraite (Retirement Home), where he plays a young convict forced to work in a retirement home after being sentenced to community service. Directed by Thomas Gilou and co-starring Gérard Depardieu, Adams also co-wrote and produced the comedy, which was among the top grossing French-language films of 2022 with over 2 million tickets sold. A sequel is currently underway.
Adams is also coming off his Netflix stand-up special, Kev Adams: The Real Me, and the original comedy feature Happy Nous Year (Stuck With You), also for Netflix.
Other notable credits include starring as Aladdin in both installments of his hit franchise: The New Adventures of Aladdin and Aladdin 2, which together grossed $55M.
Kev then made his English-language debut alongside Mila Kunis and Kate McKinnon...
- 3/16/2023
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Artist International Group (Aig) has signed an exclusive representation deal with Selectors, a UK based incubator of IP and producer of fact-based stories across audio, non-scripted, and scripted Film & TV productions.
Founded by William Ralston, a journalist based in London, and entertainment producer and financier Goldfinch, Selectors sources and develops ambitious stories for a worldwide audience in partnership with some of the leading journalists in the industry. In the 12 months since its launch, the company has set up multiple properties with top-tier partners in London, New York, and Los Angeles.
Partnering with Vertigo Films and Palomar Pictures, Selectors is producing a documentary about Iceland’s largest bitcoin heist; and with Cineflix they’re producing a documentary about a secret CIA mission to the top of Nanda Devi, the second highest mountain in India, involving a lost nuclear device and mystery that burns strong today.
In collaboration with Blanchard House,...
Founded by William Ralston, a journalist based in London, and entertainment producer and financier Goldfinch, Selectors sources and develops ambitious stories for a worldwide audience in partnership with some of the leading journalists in the industry. In the 12 months since its launch, the company has set up multiple properties with top-tier partners in London, New York, and Los Angeles.
Partnering with Vertigo Films and Palomar Pictures, Selectors is producing a documentary about Iceland’s largest bitcoin heist; and with Cineflix they’re producing a documentary about a secret CIA mission to the top of Nanda Devi, the second highest mountain in India, involving a lost nuclear device and mystery that burns strong today.
In collaboration with Blanchard House,...
- 2/9/2023
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: French-Italian actress Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu has signed with David Unger’s Artist International Group for management.
Leroy-Beaulieu currently stars alongside Lily Collins in Darren Star’s hit Netflix series Emily in Paris, which returns for its third season on December 21. The actress there plays Sylvie, the fierce French boss of Emily (Collins) at the Parisian marketing firm, Savoir. She is otherwise best known for appearing in three seasons of the acclaimed comedy-drama Call My Agent! from Netflix and France 2.
Leroy-Beaulieu launched her career on the stage before making her screen debut in Roger Vadim’s Surprise Party. She then went on to star in the Academy Award-nominated Three Men and a Cradle, for which she received a César Award nomination for Most Promising Actress. Other notable credits include starring in Andrzej Wajda’s Les Possédés, Philippe Le Guay’s Les Deux Fragonard, and Robert Enrico’s and Richard T. Heffron’s La Révolution Française.
Leroy-Beaulieu currently stars alongside Lily Collins in Darren Star’s hit Netflix series Emily in Paris, which returns for its third season on December 21. The actress there plays Sylvie, the fierce French boss of Emily (Collins) at the Parisian marketing firm, Savoir. She is otherwise best known for appearing in three seasons of the acclaimed comedy-drama Call My Agent! from Netflix and France 2.
Leroy-Beaulieu launched her career on the stage before making her screen debut in Roger Vadim’s Surprise Party. She then went on to star in the Academy Award-nominated Three Men and a Cradle, for which she received a César Award nomination for Most Promising Actress. Other notable credits include starring in Andrzej Wajda’s Les Possédés, Philippe Le Guay’s Les Deux Fragonard, and Robert Enrico’s and Richard T. Heffron’s La Révolution Française.
- 12/14/2022
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Veteran manager Aleksey Ageyev — who while repping a roster of top global filmmakers, has produced more than 30 scripted series and features — has joined David Unger’s global management company Artist International Group as Partner.
Ageyev brings to Aig clients including 2021 Tribeca prize-winning filmmaker Levan Koguashvili (Brighton 4th); screenwriter Elena Kiseleva, who co-wrote Andrey Konchalovskiy’s 2020 Venice Special Jury Prize winner Dear Comrades!; screenwriter Andrey Zolotarev (Sputnik); and showrunner Roman Kantor, among others.
Prior to joining Artist International Group, Ageyev headed up the global talent management company PlusSeven as well as the Los Angeles-based Storyworld Entertainment, where he specialized in adapting foreign formats for the U.S. market. Notable credits include To the Lake and Seven Seconds, both for Netflix.
“International projects are the future of our industry. David Unger has been nurturing international voices for two decades,” said Ageyev. “With our combined efforts, we...
Ageyev brings to Aig clients including 2021 Tribeca prize-winning filmmaker Levan Koguashvili (Brighton 4th); screenwriter Elena Kiseleva, who co-wrote Andrey Konchalovskiy’s 2020 Venice Special Jury Prize winner Dear Comrades!; screenwriter Andrey Zolotarev (Sputnik); and showrunner Roman Kantor, among others.
Prior to joining Artist International Group, Ageyev headed up the global talent management company PlusSeven as well as the Los Angeles-based Storyworld Entertainment, where he specialized in adapting foreign formats for the U.S. market. Notable credits include To the Lake and Seven Seconds, both for Netflix.
“International projects are the future of our industry. David Unger has been nurturing international voices for two decades,” said Ageyev. “With our combined efforts, we...
- 11/21/2022
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Projects starring Donnie Yen and Zhang Ziyi are among the independently produced TV series to be launched on the sidelines of this week’s Busan International Film Festival. The company responsible is Changin’ Pictures, a would-be studio being hatched by Hong Kong-based film director and producer Peter Chan Ho-sun.
Propelled by the growing recognition of Asian talent and the worldwide distribution potential of multinational SVOD platforms, Changin’ Pictures aims to be a powerhouse production hub suppling premium drama content to streaming players.
The company has raised very substantial finance from Asian sources and aims to develop and produce series which it will pitch and license to the platforms, without recourse to the Ott companies’ production funding, greenlighting and editorial constraints.
The company expects to sign up a mix of Asia’s top-billing established filmmakers and fresh talents “to create innovative drama series for Pan-Asian netizens, with an eye to cross-cultural global assimilation.
Propelled by the growing recognition of Asian talent and the worldwide distribution potential of multinational SVOD platforms, Changin’ Pictures aims to be a powerhouse production hub suppling premium drama content to streaming players.
The company has raised very substantial finance from Asian sources and aims to develop and produce series which it will pitch and license to the platforms, without recourse to the Ott companies’ production funding, greenlighting and editorial constraints.
The company expects to sign up a mix of Asia’s top-billing established filmmakers and fresh talents “to create innovative drama series for Pan-Asian netizens, with an eye to cross-cultural global assimilation.
- 10/4/2022
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Action and casino movies are two of the most popular movie genres in the world. And while there are plenty of great action and casino movies from North America and Europe, Asia has its own fair share of excellent films in these genres. In this blog post, we will take a look at some of the best Asian action and casino movies. These films are sure to get your heart racing and your adrenaline pumping!
Why are these films so popular?
There are many reasons why action and casino movies are so popular. For one, they are usually packed with non-stop action and excitement. They often have larger-than-life characters and plots that keep you on the edge of your seat. Additionally, these films usually have amazing production values, with some of the best stunt work and special effects in the business.
With the casino genre, there have been many films...
Why are these films so popular?
There are many reasons why action and casino movies are so popular. For one, they are usually packed with non-stop action and excitement. They often have larger-than-life characters and plots that keep you on the edge of your seat. Additionally, these films usually have amazing production values, with some of the best stunt work and special effects in the business.
With the casino genre, there have been many films...
- 8/29/2022
- by Peter Adams
- AsianMoviePulse
Unless you spent the whole 2016 growing potatoes on Mars, there’s a good chance you got some echoes of the controversy and headlines generated by the release of “The Great Wall”. Directed by veteran Chinese director Zhang Yimou, and produced by the Hollywood-based – but Chinese-owned – Legendary studio, it was the most expensive film made in China to that date and was thought to have opened a new era of collaboration between China and the US. The cast includes some of the most famous Chinese actors and A-list star Matt Damon. Certainly, an easy target for criticisms, and even just the release a few months prior of the first teaser and trailer had in fact unleashed an avalanche of comments and accusations, mainly of whitewashing and in particular of re-proposing the same old tale of the white hero who arrives, saves the whole China and possibly snatches a trophy-woman too. But...
- 8/17/2022
- by Adriana Rosati
- AsianMoviePulse
Acting and directing were not on Jay Chou’s mind when he first began his music career nearly two decades ago. But over the years, he has accumulated several memorable film and TV roles locally in Asia and in Hollywood. And, between music ventures, he has sat in the film director’s chair.
“I was born to believe in myself and complete my work on my own,” Chou said in a 2012 interview, discussing his work in acting and directing. “Once I understand how something works, I like to do it myself.”
His screen career began in 2005, when Chou made his film debut with the release of car-racing action feature “Initial D,” an on-screen adaptation of the Japanese manga of the same name, directed by Hong Kong’s Andrew Lau and Alan Mak (“Infernal Affairs”).
The singer-songwriter from Taiwan was cast to play the film’s lead role, an emotionally reserved...
“I was born to believe in myself and complete my work on my own,” Chou said in a 2012 interview, discussing his work in acting and directing. “Once I understand how something works, I like to do it myself.”
His screen career began in 2005, when Chou made his film debut with the release of car-racing action feature “Initial D,” an on-screen adaptation of the Japanese manga of the same name, directed by Hong Kong’s Andrew Lau and Alan Mak (“Infernal Affairs”).
The singer-songwriter from Taiwan was cast to play the film’s lead role, an emotionally reserved...
- 8/1/2022
- by Lily Ooi
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Darko Perić, the Serbian actor best known for his breakout role as Helsinki in Netflix’s award-winning Spanish series Money Heist, has signed with Artist International Group for management.
Created by Álex Pina, the critically acclaimed series known internationally as La casa de papel is one of Netflix’s most-watched of all time, with a Korean offshoot currently airing and a spinoff titled Berlin in the works. The show watches as an unusual group of robbers attempt to carry out the most perfect robbery in Spanish history—stealing 2.4 billion euros from the Royal Mint of Spain. Perić’s character Helsinki is one of the eight people recruited by the enigmatic figure known as “The Professor” (Álvaro Morte) to pull the job off.
Perić has also starred in projects including Fernando León de Aranoa’s A Perfect Day alongside Benicio Del Toro, Tim Robbins and Olga Kurylenko, Creamatorio for Canal+...
Created by Álex Pina, the critically acclaimed series known internationally as La casa de papel is one of Netflix’s most-watched of all time, with a Korean offshoot currently airing and a spinoff titled Berlin in the works. The show watches as an unusual group of robbers attempt to carry out the most perfect robbery in Spanish history—stealing 2.4 billion euros from the Royal Mint of Spain. Perić’s character Helsinki is one of the eight people recruited by the enigmatic figure known as “The Professor” (Álvaro Morte) to pull the job off.
Perić has also starred in projects including Fernando León de Aranoa’s A Perfect Day alongside Benicio Del Toro, Tim Robbins and Olga Kurylenko, Creamatorio for Canal+...
- 7/26/2022
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Click here to read the full article.
The late director Benny Chan, who passed away in 2020, was posthumously awarded the best director prize for his cops-and-robbers actioner Raging Fire at the 40th Hong Kong Film Awards. Actor Andy Lau accepted the award on behalf of Chan’s widow.
Raging Fire also took home the best film, best action choreography and best film editing awards. Its lead Donnie Yen was a producer and one of the action choreographers of the film.
The awards ceremony, held in front of an audience for the first time since the start of the pandemic, was to commend films from both 2020 and 2021 as the ceremony was canceled last year.
The 85-year-old veteran Patrick Tse was crowned best actor for his portrayal of a hitman-turned-noodle maker in black comedy Time. Tse was greeted on stage by a rousing standing ovation. A former matinée idol who was the...
The late director Benny Chan, who passed away in 2020, was posthumously awarded the best director prize for his cops-and-robbers actioner Raging Fire at the 40th Hong Kong Film Awards. Actor Andy Lau accepted the award on behalf of Chan’s widow.
Raging Fire also took home the best film, best action choreography and best film editing awards. Its lead Donnie Yen was a producer and one of the action choreographers of the film.
The awards ceremony, held in front of an audience for the first time since the start of the pandemic, was to commend films from both 2020 and 2021 as the ceremony was canceled last year.
The 85-year-old veteran Patrick Tse was crowned best actor for his portrayal of a hitman-turned-noodle maker in black comedy Time. Tse was greeted on stage by a rousing standing ovation. A former matinée idol who was the...
- 7/19/2022
- by Karen Chu
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Exclusive: Filippo Scotti, the Italian actor known for his critically acclaimed breakout role in the Paolo Sorrentino film The Hand of God, has signed with Artist International Group for management.
The 2021 drama set in 1980s Naples had Scotti playing Fabietto, a football-loving kid whose uncertain but promising future as a filmmaker is shaped when a family tragedy strikes. While the 22-year-old had merely a few credits when he was picked to star in Sorrentino’s autobiographical film for Netflix, the project propelled him into international recognition. When it made its world premiere at the 78th Venice Film Festival, he found himself recognized with the Marcello Mastroianni Award for Best Emerging Actor.
The up-and-coming actor is currently featured in Prada’s Men’s Fall Fashion 2022 campaign, alongside Oscar- and Emmy-winner Rami Malek, Jeff Goldblum, Damson Idris, Asa Butterfield and more.
CEO David Unger founded Artist International Group in 2017. Together with Aig...
The 2021 drama set in 1980s Naples had Scotti playing Fabietto, a football-loving kid whose uncertain but promising future as a filmmaker is shaped when a family tragedy strikes. While the 22-year-old had merely a few credits when he was picked to star in Sorrentino’s autobiographical film for Netflix, the project propelled him into international recognition. When it made its world premiere at the 78th Venice Film Festival, he found himself recognized with the Marcello Mastroianni Award for Best Emerging Actor.
The up-and-coming actor is currently featured in Prada’s Men’s Fall Fashion 2022 campaign, alongside Oscar- and Emmy-winner Rami Malek, Jeff Goldblum, Damson Idris, Asa Butterfield and more.
CEO David Unger founded Artist International Group in 2017. Together with Aig...
- 7/15/2022
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
The plot of the film, inspired by novels “Death of Shanghai” by Hong Ying and “Shanghai” by Yokomitsu Riichi, is set over the course of one week in December of 1941, just before the Pearl Harbour attack. The film, however, opens with the rehearsal of the titular play at Lyceum Theatre. The huge star of Hong Kong cinema Jean Yu is back after the years of absence to work with her former partner actor/director Tan Na (Mark Chao) on the play. But she is a woman with multiple secrets…
Read Marko Stojiljković’s review for Amp here.
Read Marko Stojiljković’s review for Amp here.
- 6/16/2022
- by Suzie Cho
- AsianMoviePulse
A new month brings new titles to HBO Max’s ever-changing (and formidable) roster of films. While the streaming service is parting with some notable movies in May — such as “Pride & Prejudice,” leaving May 27, and “Speed,” leaving at the end of the month — it’s more than making up for the loss with critically acclaimed additions, ranging from enduring indie fares to franchise-spanning blockbusters.
Below, TheWrap highlights seven films spanning a wide variety of genres, at least one of which is sure to resonate or encourage you to go out of your cinematic comfort zone.
“The Perks of Being a Wallflower” John Bramley / Summit Entertainment / Courtesy Everett Collection
Stephen Chbosky’s painfully accurate teen indie spawned a plethora of films dedicated to exploring high school angst and mental health, but it arguably did it best, capturing the 2010s zeitgeist with excruciating precision and dominating Tumblr discourse for years to come.
Below, TheWrap highlights seven films spanning a wide variety of genres, at least one of which is sure to resonate or encourage you to go out of your cinematic comfort zone.
“The Perks of Being a Wallflower” John Bramley / Summit Entertainment / Courtesy Everett Collection
Stephen Chbosky’s painfully accurate teen indie spawned a plethora of films dedicated to exploring high school angst and mental health, but it arguably did it best, capturing the 2010s zeitgeist with excruciating precision and dominating Tumblr discourse for years to come.
- 5/22/2022
- by Natalie Oganesyan
- The Wrap
During his lengthy career as an agent, David Unger saw there was a future in representing actors from the growing international marketplace. That’s what led to the creation of the Artist International Group in 2019.
Judging by the success of everything from Shang-Chi and Lupin, to Parasite, Narcos, Squid Game, Money Heist and Fauda—and the flood of talent those projects introduced to Hollywood—the move has certainly been validated. Unger and other reps who have leaned into global talent management are finding their clients in high demand, thanks to the need by streamers with stagnant domestic subscription growth to make indigenous series and films.
“I spent 25 years nurturing international voices, and they have never mattered more in this streaming economy,” says Unger, whose international sensibilities came from growing up in London and observing the business from that side of the pond. His father produced Don’t Look Now, and his...
Judging by the success of everything from Shang-Chi and Lupin, to Parasite, Narcos, Squid Game, Money Heist and Fauda—and the flood of talent those projects introduced to Hollywood—the move has certainly been validated. Unger and other reps who have leaned into global talent management are finding their clients in high demand, thanks to the need by streamers with stagnant domestic subscription growth to make indigenous series and films.
“I spent 25 years nurturing international voices, and they have never mattered more in this streaming economy,” says Unger, whose international sensibilities came from growing up in London and observing the business from that side of the pond. His father produced Don’t Look Now, and his...
- 5/22/2022
- by Mike Fleming Jr
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Award-winning screenwriter Brock Norman Brock has signed with Artist International Group for management.
Brock most recently co-wrote the script for Laure de Clermont-Tonnerre’s acclaimed drama The Mustang, starring Matthias Schoenaerts. That title, about a convict who trains wild mustangs as part of a rehabilitation program, was released by Focus Features in 2019.
Brock is perhaps best known for co-writing Nicolas Winding Refn’s critically acclaimed 2009 feature, Bronson, starring Tom Hardy, which told the story of the notorious British criminal of the same name. That Vertigo Films title premiered at the BFI London Film Festival and was in competition at Sundance, as well as the Sydney Film Festival, where it won Best Film.
Brock began his career in theater, seeing his play Here is Monster, directed by Mark Ravenhill, secure a nomination for the Verity Bargate Award, celebrating emerging playwrights. He also adapted the cult novel Yardie for Warp and StudioCanal,...
Brock most recently co-wrote the script for Laure de Clermont-Tonnerre’s acclaimed drama The Mustang, starring Matthias Schoenaerts. That title, about a convict who trains wild mustangs as part of a rehabilitation program, was released by Focus Features in 2019.
Brock is perhaps best known for co-writing Nicolas Winding Refn’s critically acclaimed 2009 feature, Bronson, starring Tom Hardy, which told the story of the notorious British criminal of the same name. That Vertigo Films title premiered at the BFI London Film Festival and was in competition at Sundance, as well as the Sydney Film Festival, where it won Best Film.
Brock began his career in theater, seeing his play Here is Monster, directed by Mark Ravenhill, secure a nomination for the Verity Bargate Award, celebrating emerging playwrights. He also adapted the cult novel Yardie for Warp and StudioCanal,...
- 5/18/2022
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Ukrainian-Canadian-American filmmaker Vadim Perelman has inked with Artist International Group for management.
Perelman made his directorial debut in 2003 with House Of Sand And Fog, which went on to be nominated for three Oscars including Best Actor Ben Kingsley, Best Supporting Actress Shohreh Aghdashloo and Best Original Score James Horner.
The pic, which also starred Jennifer Connelly, repped Perlman’s first screenplay credit. Drawn to the story, having been shaped by his own immigrant experience, Perelman adapted the screenplay alongside Shawn Otto from Andre Dubus III’s international bestseller of the same name. DreamWorks acquired domestic distribution rights and released the film to great critical acclaim.
Perelman’s second feature film, The Life Before Her Eyes, starred Uma Thurman and Evan Rachel Wood. Also an adaptation, the pic followed a woman whose survivor’s guilt from a Columbine-like event twenty years ago causes her present-day idyllic life to fall apart.
Perelman made his directorial debut in 2003 with House Of Sand And Fog, which went on to be nominated for three Oscars including Best Actor Ben Kingsley, Best Supporting Actress Shohreh Aghdashloo and Best Original Score James Horner.
The pic, which also starred Jennifer Connelly, repped Perlman’s first screenplay credit. Drawn to the story, having been shaped by his own immigrant experience, Perelman adapted the screenplay alongside Shawn Otto from Andre Dubus III’s international bestseller of the same name. DreamWorks acquired domestic distribution rights and released the film to great critical acclaim.
Perelman’s second feature film, The Life Before Her Eyes, starred Uma Thurman and Evan Rachel Wood. Also an adaptation, the pic followed a woman whose survivor’s guilt from a Columbine-like event twenty years ago causes her present-day idyllic life to fall apart.
- 5/13/2022
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
Actor and producer Viola Davis will be honored with the 2022 Women In Motion Award bestowed by Kering Group and the Cannes Film Festival.
Davis currently appears on screen in the Showtime series “The First Lady,” where she plays Michelle Obama. She recently published her autobiography, “Finding Me,” written during lockdown, that recounts her childhood experiences in an underprivileged environment in Saint Matthews, S.C. The book, which has rapidly become a bestseller, also highlights harassment and abuse faced by the most disadvantaged people in society.
Accordingly, Davis was praised by the award’s organizers both “for her acting roles and her commitment to the rights of women and minorities,” they said, calling her in a statement “one of the most influential American actresses and producers of her time.”
“Her talent, hard work, choice of roles and the way she interprets them have earned her the very highest recognitions in the film industry,...
Davis currently appears on screen in the Showtime series “The First Lady,” where she plays Michelle Obama. She recently published her autobiography, “Finding Me,” written during lockdown, that recounts her childhood experiences in an underprivileged environment in Saint Matthews, S.C. The book, which has rapidly become a bestseller, also highlights harassment and abuse faced by the most disadvantaged people in society.
Accordingly, Davis was praised by the award’s organizers both “for her acting roles and her commitment to the rights of women and minorities,” they said, calling her in a statement “one of the most influential American actresses and producers of her time.”
“Her talent, hard work, choice of roles and the way she interprets them have earned her the very highest recognitions in the film industry,...
- 5/9/2022
- by Nick Vivarelli
- Variety Film + TV
‘Saturday Fiction’ Film Review: Gong Li Period Piece Falls Short as Spy Thriller and Backstage Drama
History struggles to come alive in the mainland Chinese WWII spy thriller “Saturday Fiction,” a poorly lit memory play about a doomed espionage mission involving a famous Chinese actress (Gong Li) and a prominent Japanese military official (Joe Odagiri).
Set in Japanese-occupied Shanghai just before the bombing of Pearl Harbor, this sleepy and visually murky black-and-white drama belabors the same banal truisms about memory and role-playing during wartime –basically, it’s impossible to maintain your autonomy when you’re only a pawn in a complicated game — and tends to be more interesting to think about than to watch.
Filmed with stifling hand-held photography, many scenes plod along in real time without a momentous or compelling pace. The sound design’s focus on background noises, instead of a musical score, also soon becomes more irritating than intriguing. Gong and Odagiri do what they can with a generally thin scenario, inspired by...
Set in Japanese-occupied Shanghai just before the bombing of Pearl Harbor, this sleepy and visually murky black-and-white drama belabors the same banal truisms about memory and role-playing during wartime –basically, it’s impossible to maintain your autonomy when you’re only a pawn in a complicated game — and tends to be more interesting to think about than to watch.
Filmed with stifling hand-held photography, many scenes plod along in real time without a momentous or compelling pace. The sound design’s focus on background noises, instead of a musical score, also soon becomes more irritating than intriguing. Gong and Odagiri do what they can with a generally thin scenario, inspired by...
- 4/20/2022
- by Simon Abrams
- The Wrap
At long last, the Lou Ye’s Venice 2019 premiere Saturday Fiction is arriving stateside. After some delays presumably caused by the pandemic, Strand Releasing will now bow the slow-burn spy thriller at IFC Center on April 22 and the first trailer has arrived.
Led by Gong Li and set in Japanese-occupied Shanghai on the cusp of World War II, the film follows acclaimed actress Jean Yu, who has returned to Shanghai from China after a long absence. Jean Yu is in rehearsals for a play to be directed by a former lover (Mark Chao), but she seems to have ulterior motives, functioning as a double agent and gathering intelligence for the Allies, including the fateful realization of Japan’s imminent attack on Pearl Harbor.
Mark Asch said in his TIFF 2019 review, “A filmmaker perhaps too prolific for his own good, Lou Ye takes his latest spin ‘round the festival circuit with Saturday Fiction,...
Led by Gong Li and set in Japanese-occupied Shanghai on the cusp of World War II, the film follows acclaimed actress Jean Yu, who has returned to Shanghai from China after a long absence. Jean Yu is in rehearsals for a play to be directed by a former lover (Mark Chao), but she seems to have ulterior motives, functioning as a double agent and gathering intelligence for the Allies, including the fateful realization of Japan’s imminent attack on Pearl Harbor.
Mark Asch said in his TIFF 2019 review, “A filmmaker perhaps too prolific for his own good, Lou Ye takes his latest spin ‘round the festival circuit with Saturday Fiction,...
- 3/18/2022
- by Leonard Pearce
- The Film Stage
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