The Academy’s decision to give the Live Action Short Oscar to a star-laden Wes Anderson film has raised eyebrows…
On Sunday, Wes Anderson picked up his first Academy Awards for The Wonderful Story Of Henry Sugar. It won the Oscar for Best Live Action Short Film, a category that’s traditionally rewarded independent films, rather than Netflix-backed Roald Dahl adaptation with a major film director behind it.
The Live Action Short film category is attracting more and more high profile names to it, and there’s a real risk that’s squeezing out independent filmmakers from a genuine shot at Oscar gold.
None of this is a slight on Wes Anderson, and genuine congratulations to him on his long-overdue first Oscar.
Still, we’ve been contacted by a few independent filmmakers about the message it sounds out. The following words have been penned by Dan Turner, a British...
On Sunday, Wes Anderson picked up his first Academy Awards for The Wonderful Story Of Henry Sugar. It won the Oscar for Best Live Action Short Film, a category that’s traditionally rewarded independent films, rather than Netflix-backed Roald Dahl adaptation with a major film director behind it.
The Live Action Short film category is attracting more and more high profile names to it, and there’s a real risk that’s squeezing out independent filmmakers from a genuine shot at Oscar gold.
None of this is a slight on Wes Anderson, and genuine congratulations to him on his long-overdue first Oscar.
Still, we’ve been contacted by a few independent filmmakers about the message it sounds out. The following words have been penned by Dan Turner, a British...
- 3/12/2024
- by Dan Turner
- Film Stories
A Coenesque caper-gone-wrong and an interactive mother-daughter saga told in bite-size form, Xr titles “Kidnapped in Vostok” (pictured) and “Rock, Paper, Scissors” are among the 17 projects leading distributor Astrea picked up in a recent bout of acquisitions.
Both titles are playing in competition at this year’s NewImages Festival, while other recent Astrea pickups include the Stanislaw Lem inspired short “Cosmogonic,” the award winning interactive film “Glimpse” from Oscar winner Benjamin Cleary and VR designer Michael O’Connor, and all five episodes of the “Missing Pictures” series, in which filmmakers Abel Ferrara, Tsai Ming-Liang, Catherine Hardwicke, Lee Myung-Se and Naomi Kawase reflect on the dream projects they could never get made.
Rounding out the list of recent pickups are “Child of Empire,” “Evolver,” “Gondwana,” “The Mutek Collection,” “Norn Vol. 1: The Nine Daughters of Ran” and “On the Morning You Wake.”
The recent round of acquisitions caps a period of breakneck growth for the young distributor.
Both titles are playing in competition at this year’s NewImages Festival, while other recent Astrea pickups include the Stanislaw Lem inspired short “Cosmogonic,” the award winning interactive film “Glimpse” from Oscar winner Benjamin Cleary and VR designer Michael O’Connor, and all five episodes of the “Missing Pictures” series, in which filmmakers Abel Ferrara, Tsai Ming-Liang, Catherine Hardwicke, Lee Myung-Se and Naomi Kawase reflect on the dream projects they could never get made.
Rounding out the list of recent pickups are “Child of Empire,” “Evolver,” “Gondwana,” “The Mutek Collection,” “Norn Vol. 1: The Nine Daughters of Ran” and “On the Morning You Wake.”
The recent round of acquisitions caps a period of breakneck growth for the young distributor.
- 4/5/2023
- by Ben Croll
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Anonymous Content and Impact Partners have teamed to produce a new doc on a China-based “mistress dispeller,” to be directed and produced by award-winning filmmaker Elizabeth Lo (Stray). Plans for a scripted adaptation of the documentary are also in the works.
The as-yet-untitled feature watches as the mistress dispeller is hired by couples in crisis to break up affairs and save their marriages by any means necessary. Shifting perspectives between husband, wife and mistress, the film is billed as a strikingly intimate story of love and betrayal, as well as a potent exploration of how class, capital and culture collide to shape romantic relationships in contemporary China.
The project produced in association with Cmp is being co-financed by Anonymous Content, Impact Partners and Cmp, having been developed in association with The Concordia Fellowship. Dawn Olmstead, Jessica Grimshaw and Nick Shumaker will exec produce on behalf of Anonymous Content, alongside Jenny Raskin,...
The as-yet-untitled feature watches as the mistress dispeller is hired by couples in crisis to break up affairs and save their marriages by any means necessary. Shifting perspectives between husband, wife and mistress, the film is billed as a strikingly intimate story of love and betrayal, as well as a potent exploration of how class, capital and culture collide to shape romantic relationships in contemporary China.
The project produced in association with Cmp is being co-financed by Anonymous Content, Impact Partners and Cmp, having been developed in association with The Concordia Fellowship. Dawn Olmstead, Jessica Grimshaw and Nick Shumaker will exec produce on behalf of Anonymous Content, alongside Jenny Raskin,...
- 9/14/2022
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Felicity Morris and Bernadette Higgins, the filmmakers behind Netflix’s documentary phenomenon The Tinder Swindler, have signed with Anonymous Content.
The Tinder Swindler is currently up for four Emmys including Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special, Writing for a Nonfiction Program, Music Composition for a Documentary Series or Special (Original Dramatic Score), Sound Editing for a Nonfiction or Reality Program (Single or Multi-Camera) and Picture Editing for a Nonfiction Program.
The feature released in February follows the victims of Simon Liev, an Israeli criminal posing as a wealthy, jet-setting diamond mogul on the dating app Tinder. In this way, he would woo numerous women, and con them out of millions of dollars. Morris wrote and directed the pic, which amassed over 166 million hours watched in its first 28 days on Netflix, coming in as the all-time most-watched documentary feature for the streamer. Higgins served as its producer.
Morris served as Head of U.
The Tinder Swindler is currently up for four Emmys including Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special, Writing for a Nonfiction Program, Music Composition for a Documentary Series or Special (Original Dramatic Score), Sound Editing for a Nonfiction or Reality Program (Single or Multi-Camera) and Picture Editing for a Nonfiction Program.
The feature released in February follows the victims of Simon Liev, an Israeli criminal posing as a wealthy, jet-setting diamond mogul on the dating app Tinder. In this way, he would woo numerous women, and con them out of millions of dollars. Morris wrote and directed the pic, which amassed over 166 million hours watched in its first 28 days on Netflix, coming in as the all-time most-watched documentary feature for the streamer. Higgins served as its producer.
Morris served as Head of U.
- 8/3/2022
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Alain Ughetto’s ‘Interdit aux chiens et aux italiens’ scoops two awards.
Amandine Fredon and Benjamin Massoubre’s French-Luxembourgish 2D animation Little Nicholas – Happy As Can Be won the Cristal for a Feature Film at Annecy International Animation Festival, which held its awards on Saturday, June 18.
Produced by France’s Foliascope and Luxembourg’s Bidibul Productions, the film follows the adventures of a mischievous boy and his schoolmates, teacher and parents in 1960s Paris.
Scroll down for the full list of winners
The story is by Anne Goscinny, Michel Fessler and Massoubre, with Julien Maret leading the animation. France’s Charades is handling world sales,...
Amandine Fredon and Benjamin Massoubre’s French-Luxembourgish 2D animation Little Nicholas – Happy As Can Be won the Cristal for a Feature Film at Annecy International Animation Festival, which held its awards on Saturday, June 18.
Produced by France’s Foliascope and Luxembourg’s Bidibul Productions, the film follows the adventures of a mischievous boy and his schoolmates, teacher and parents in 1960s Paris.
Scroll down for the full list of winners
The story is by Anne Goscinny, Michel Fessler and Massoubre, with Julien Maret leading the animation. France’s Charades is handling world sales,...
- 6/20/2022
- by Ben Dalton
- ScreenDaily
Exclusive: Derek Tsang, who directed the Oscar-nominated Chinese drama Better Days, has signed with Anonymous Content for representation.
The Hong Kong filmmaker’s 2019 feature centered on a bullied teenage girl who formed an unlikely friendship with a mysterious young man. Zhou Dongyu and Jackson Yee starred. The film grossed over 14M on its opening day in China and nearly 240M during its theatrical run. It subsequently received an Oscar nomination for Best International Feature Film, making Tsang the youngest Chinese director ever to receive the recognition—also garnering wins for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Female Lead and more at the 39th Hong Kong Film Awards.
Tsang is currently co-executive producing and directing the pilot for The Three-Body Problem, a Netflix series adaptation of Liu Cixin’s alien invasion novel of the same name. The series hails from David Benioff and Dan Weiss (of Game of Thrones fame...
The Hong Kong filmmaker’s 2019 feature centered on a bullied teenage girl who formed an unlikely friendship with a mysterious young man. Zhou Dongyu and Jackson Yee starred. The film grossed over 14M on its opening day in China and nearly 240M during its theatrical run. It subsequently received an Oscar nomination for Best International Feature Film, making Tsang the youngest Chinese director ever to receive the recognition—also garnering wins for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Female Lead and more at the 39th Hong Kong Film Awards.
Tsang is currently co-executive producing and directing the pilot for The Three-Body Problem, a Netflix series adaptation of Liu Cixin’s alien invasion novel of the same name. The series hails from David Benioff and Dan Weiss (of Game of Thrones fame...
- 6/16/2022
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: WME has inked Oscar winner Benjamin Cleary, whose short film Stutterer won the Oscar in 2016.
The Irish writer, director and producer from Dublin most recently wrote and directed the Apple thriller Swan Song, based on his own original idea.
Anonymous Content, Know Wonder, and Concordia produced the film, which starred Mahershala Ali, Glenn Close, Awkwafina and Naomi Harris.
In 2017, Cleary and his creative partner Michael O’Connor co-founded a development and production studio called Mr. Kite. They were recently awarded Best VR Interactive Experience at Cannes Xr 2022 for their first project, a virtual reality animation experience called Glimpse starring Taron Egerton and Lucy Boynton.
Mr. Kite is currently developing a world-building blockchain video game called Today, teaming up with top game developers and collaborators in the worlds of design, architecture, film, fashion, music and art.
Cleary continues to be represented by The Agency (London), Iconoclast, Anonymous Content and Assembly Productions.
The Irish writer, director and producer from Dublin most recently wrote and directed the Apple thriller Swan Song, based on his own original idea.
Anonymous Content, Know Wonder, and Concordia produced the film, which starred Mahershala Ali, Glenn Close, Awkwafina and Naomi Harris.
In 2017, Cleary and his creative partner Michael O’Connor co-founded a development and production studio called Mr. Kite. They were recently awarded Best VR Interactive Experience at Cannes Xr 2022 for their first project, a virtual reality animation experience called Glimpse starring Taron Egerton and Lucy Boynton.
Mr. Kite is currently developing a world-building blockchain video game called Today, teaming up with top game developers and collaborators in the worlds of design, architecture, film, fashion, music and art.
Cleary continues to be represented by The Agency (London), Iconoclast, Anonymous Content and Assembly Productions.
- 6/7/2022
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
“Alex Honnold: The Soloist” and “Glimpse” were awarded at Cannes Xr x VeeR Future Awards on May 22, named best VR story and best VR interactive experience respectively. The winners were announced by jurors Zhang Ziyi and Bad Robot’s Hannah Minghella, who judged 18 shortlisted VR works alongside Michel Reilhac, Vicki Dobbs Beck, Kari Skogland and Doug Chiang.
The event, marking the third year of the partnership, took place online on a shared metaverse called “Alexandria,” created by Cannes Xr and NewImages Festival.
Directed by Jonathan Griffith, two-part series “Alex Honnold: The Soloist” follows the famous rock climber and the star of “Free Solo,” using the latest VR panoramic shooting technology.
“That’s how I fell in love with VR straight away: it’s the best way to bring people into our alien world of climbing,” Griffith tells Variety about “the absolute passion project” of his career.
Also behind “Everest VR:...
The event, marking the third year of the partnership, took place online on a shared metaverse called “Alexandria,” created by Cannes Xr and NewImages Festival.
Directed by Jonathan Griffith, two-part series “Alex Honnold: The Soloist” follows the famous rock climber and the star of “Free Solo,” using the latest VR panoramic shooting technology.
“That’s how I fell in love with VR straight away: it’s the best way to bring people into our alien world of climbing,” Griffith tells Variety about “the absolute passion project” of his career.
Also behind “Everest VR:...
- 5/24/2022
- by Marta Balaga
- Variety Film + TV
Glimpse, an interactive animated film from Swan Song writer-director Benjamin Cleary and Michael O’Connor and featuring the voices of Taron Egerton and Lucy Boynton, and a VR project following Alex Hannold, the subject of the Oscar-winning climbing documentary Free Solo, have won the prizes of the Cannes Xr program that is part of Cannes’ Marché du Film.
Glimpse, which won the VeeR Future Award – Best VR Interactive Experience, follows a heartbroken panda named Herbie (Egerton) who examines the memories of his relationship after recently breaking up with his deer girlfriend Rice (Boynton). The original score is by Julianna Barwick. The project is a co-production of Cleary and O’Connor’s Mr. Kite and Albyon, the studio branch of the Atlas V group. It is Albyon’s first co-production. Lee Harris produced for Electric Skies.
Alex Honnold: The Soloist VR won the VeeR Future Award – Best VR Story prize. Directed by Jonathan Griffith,...
Glimpse, which won the VeeR Future Award – Best VR Interactive Experience, follows a heartbroken panda named Herbie (Egerton) who examines the memories of his relationship after recently breaking up with his deer girlfriend Rice (Boynton). The original score is by Julianna Barwick. The project is a co-production of Cleary and O’Connor’s Mr. Kite and Albyon, the studio branch of the Atlas V group. It is Albyon’s first co-production. Lee Harris produced for Electric Skies.
Alex Honnold: The Soloist VR won the VeeR Future Award – Best VR Story prize. Directed by Jonathan Griffith,...
- 5/24/2022
- by Patrick Hipes
- Deadline Film + TV
#1 New York Times bestselling author Nicholas Sparks (The Notebook) has entered into a first-look production agreement with Universal Pictures, which will see him produce three features for the studio alongside Anonymous Content.
The films will be based on some of Sparks’ most recent novels, the first being his 2021 hit The Wish—a story about the enduring legacy of first love, and the decisions that haunt us forever. Zack Hayden will produce the big-screen adaptation on behalf of Anonymous Content with oversight by CEO Dawn Olmstead and Cco David Levine, alongside Sparks’ longtime literary agent and collaborator, Theresa Park, and Universal Pictures’ Vice President of Production Development, Lexi Barta.
“Nick Sparks’s evocative novels have served as beloved cultural touchstones, with strong characters and powerful themes that make them ideal for cinematic adaptation,” said Universal Pictures President, Peter Cramer. “We are honored to partner with Nick, Theresa, and Anonymous Content on these new films,...
The films will be based on some of Sparks’ most recent novels, the first being his 2021 hit The Wish—a story about the enduring legacy of first love, and the decisions that haunt us forever. Zack Hayden will produce the big-screen adaptation on behalf of Anonymous Content with oversight by CEO Dawn Olmstead and Cco David Levine, alongside Sparks’ longtime literary agent and collaborator, Theresa Park, and Universal Pictures’ Vice President of Production Development, Lexi Barta.
“Nick Sparks’s evocative novels have served as beloved cultural touchstones, with strong characters and powerful themes that make them ideal for cinematic adaptation,” said Universal Pictures President, Peter Cramer. “We are honored to partner with Nick, Theresa, and Anonymous Content on these new films,...
- 5/17/2022
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
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 currently in pre-production.
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 currently in pre-production.
- 5/16/2022
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Jp Richards has left his post as Apple’s Head of Film Marketing Strategy, having notified his team of his decision this morning, Deadline can confirm.
Richards joined the company from Warner Bros. Pictures in January of last year, overseeing marketing campaigns for films across the Apple ecosystem and reporting to Head of Video Marketing, Chris Van Amburg. While it’s unclear as yet where Richards will land, we hear that Apple will name his replacement within a matter of weeks.
Richards was part of the team that worked on the marketing for such titles as the Tom Hanks starrer Finch, Benjamin Cleary’s sci-fi drama Swan Song, starring Mahershala Ali, and Cherry with Tom Holland. He previously served as Co-President of Worldwide Marketing for Warner Bros., there overseeing campaigns for titles ranging from Creed to The Conjuring, Joker and A Star Is Born.
Prior to his time at that studio,...
Richards joined the company from Warner Bros. Pictures in January of last year, overseeing marketing campaigns for films across the Apple ecosystem and reporting to Head of Video Marketing, Chris Van Amburg. While it’s unclear as yet where Richards will land, we hear that Apple will name his replacement within a matter of weeks.
Richards was part of the team that worked on the marketing for such titles as the Tom Hanks starrer Finch, Benjamin Cleary’s sci-fi drama Swan Song, starring Mahershala Ali, and Cherry with Tom Holland. He previously served as Co-President of Worldwide Marketing for Warner Bros., there overseeing campaigns for titles ranging from Creed to The Conjuring, Joker and A Star Is Born.
Prior to his time at that studio,...
- 5/11/2022
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: James Morosini, the writer, director and star of the splashy SXSW comedy I Love My Dad, has signed with Anonymous Content for management.
Morosini’s film, based on a true story about a father that catfishes his estranged son on Facebook, had him starring alongside Patton Oswalt, Lil Rel Howery, Amy Landecker, Claudia Sulewski and Rachel Dratch. It premiered to critical acclaim at SXSW and went on to claim the Austin-based festival’s Audience Award, as well as its Grand Jury Prize. Magnolia Pictures picked up worldwide rights to the film in April, slating it for release in theaters in the U.S. on August 5, and on VOD on August 12.
Morosini was also recently seen in Mindy Kaling’s HBO Max comedy series, The Sex Lives of College Girls. His past TV credits on the acting side include Ryan Murphy’s American Horror Story and Feud for FX, as...
Morosini’s film, based on a true story about a father that catfishes his estranged son on Facebook, had him starring alongside Patton Oswalt, Lil Rel Howery, Amy Landecker, Claudia Sulewski and Rachel Dratch. It premiered to critical acclaim at SXSW and went on to claim the Austin-based festival’s Audience Award, as well as its Grand Jury Prize. Magnolia Pictures picked up worldwide rights to the film in April, slating it for release in theaters in the U.S. on August 5, and on VOD on August 12.
Morosini was also recently seen in Mindy Kaling’s HBO Max comedy series, The Sex Lives of College Girls. His past TV credits on the acting side include Ryan Murphy’s American Horror Story and Feud for FX, as...
- 5/10/2022
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Julio Peña (Through My Window) has signed with Anonymous Content for management.
Peña is a rising Spanish actor who most recently starred opposite Clara Galle in Netflix’s Spanish-language teen romance Through My Window (A través de mi ventana), based on Wattpad’s YA novel of the same name by Ariana Godoy. The film released on the streamer in February centers on Raquel (Galle), whose longtime crush on her next-door neighbor Ares (Peña) turns into something more when he starts developing feelings for her, despite his family’s objections. Eduard Sola adapted the screenplay, with Marçal Forés directing. Since its debut, the film has become an international hit, catapulting the 21-year-old Peña to global recognition and a social media following of nearly 4 million. Following the film’s success, Netflix has committed to multiple sequels. Peña is currently in production on the second and third chapters of the trilogy, which...
Peña is a rising Spanish actor who most recently starred opposite Clara Galle in Netflix’s Spanish-language teen romance Through My Window (A través de mi ventana), based on Wattpad’s YA novel of the same name by Ariana Godoy. The film released on the streamer in February centers on Raquel (Galle), whose longtime crush on her next-door neighbor Ares (Peña) turns into something more when he starts developing feelings for her, despite his family’s objections. Eduard Sola adapted the screenplay, with Marçal Forés directing. Since its debut, the film has become an international hit, catapulting the 21-year-old Peña to global recognition and a social media following of nearly 4 million. Following the film’s success, Netflix has committed to multiple sequels. Peña is currently in production on the second and third chapters of the trilogy, which...
- 5/5/2022
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Anonymous Content has promoted Joe Bello, Austin Hegedus, Julia Mok and Ali Lefkowitz—four assistants and coordinators working across its Media Rights and Talent divisions—to Manager. Bello, Hegedus and Mok will be working within the Talent division, with Lefkowitz joining the previously promoted Ryan Wilson as a Manager in Media Rights. In their new roles, Bello, Hegedus, Mok and Lefkowitz will continue to work with and expand Anonymous’ client roster.
“Every person in this group has shown such passion and commitment not only to their work and their clients but to their own professional growth during their time at Anonymous, it has truly been a privilege to watch them develop,” said Anonymous Content Partners, Tony Lipp and Kassie Evashevski. “We could not be more excited for them to take this next step in their careers and continue to flourish as our next generation of managers.”
The LA-based Bello...
“Every person in this group has shown such passion and commitment not only to their work and their clients but to their own professional growth during their time at Anonymous, it has truly been a privilege to watch them develop,” said Anonymous Content Partners, Tony Lipp and Kassie Evashevski. “We could not be more excited for them to take this next step in their careers and continue to flourish as our next generation of managers.”
The LA-based Bello...
- 5/5/2022
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Veteran manager James Jolly has joined Anonymous Content’s Talent Division.
Jolly has been working in representation for seven years. His client roster includes SAG Award winner Kelvin Harrison Jr. (Waves), Richa Moorjani (Never Have I Ever), NAACP Image Award-nominated filmmaker Tiffany Johnson (Black Monday), The Game‘s Adriyan Rae and Two Distant Strangers‘ Zaria, among others.
“James has a keen eye for recognizing talent and working with artists to help shape their careers in very meaningful ways,” said Anonymous Content’s Talent Department Head, Tony Lipp. “His genuine and unshakable dedication to his clients will make James a valuable addition to our Talent team as well as Anonymous Content overall and we’re excited to have him.”
“The talent management team at Anonymous Content is best in class,” added Jolly. “They are fiercely passionate about their clients’ success and continue to put them at the forefront of entertainment...
Jolly has been working in representation for seven years. His client roster includes SAG Award winner Kelvin Harrison Jr. (Waves), Richa Moorjani (Never Have I Ever), NAACP Image Award-nominated filmmaker Tiffany Johnson (Black Monday), The Game‘s Adriyan Rae and Two Distant Strangers‘ Zaria, among others.
“James has a keen eye for recognizing talent and working with artists to help shape their careers in very meaningful ways,” said Anonymous Content’s Talent Department Head, Tony Lipp. “His genuine and unshakable dedication to his clients will make James a valuable addition to our Talent team as well as Anonymous Content overall and we’re excited to have him.”
“The talent management team at Anonymous Content is best in class,” added Jolly. “They are fiercely passionate about their clients’ success and continue to put them at the forefront of entertainment...
- 4/19/2022
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
The Irish Film and Television Academy (IFTA) has unveiled its Rising Star nominees for 2022.
The nominees are writer and director Benjamin Cleary, writer and director Colm Bairéad (“An Cailín Ciúin”), actor Hazel Doupe (“You Are Not My Mother”), writer and director Kate Dolan (“You Are Not My Mother”) and actor Sam Keeley (“Kin”).
IFTA’s Rising Star award sets out to put “an international spotlight on Irish professionals who have not only honed their crafts in the formative years of their career but have also excelled in their respective fields.” Previous winners have included Saoirse Ronan, Michael Fassbender and Nicola Coughlan.
“This prestigious award shines a light on five superb Irish professionals who are proving themselves to be world-class talents, exemplifying high-quality craft, skill and expertise on the world stage,” said Áine Moriarty, chief executive of IFTA. “As Ireland’s Rising Stars, they are a reflection of a brilliant new...
The nominees are writer and director Benjamin Cleary, writer and director Colm Bairéad (“An Cailín Ciúin”), actor Hazel Doupe (“You Are Not My Mother”), writer and director Kate Dolan (“You Are Not My Mother”) and actor Sam Keeley (“Kin”).
IFTA’s Rising Star award sets out to put “an international spotlight on Irish professionals who have not only honed their crafts in the formative years of their career but have also excelled in their respective fields.” Previous winners have included Saoirse Ronan, Michael Fassbender and Nicola Coughlan.
“This prestigious award shines a light on five superb Irish professionals who are proving themselves to be world-class talents, exemplifying high-quality craft, skill and expertise on the world stage,” said Áine Moriarty, chief executive of IFTA. “As Ireland’s Rising Stars, they are a reflection of a brilliant new...
- 3/4/2022
- by K.J. Yossman
- Variety Film + TV
Netflix Unveils 3 Apac Series; IFTA Rising Star Nominees; BBC Studios Sells Doc Pair – Global Briefs
Netflix Apac Commissions
Netlfix has unveiled a trio of new series from the Apac region. Boy Swallows Universe, from Australia, is an adaptation of the book of the same name and will be turned into an eight x 1-hour show. John Collee (Master and Commander) is penning the adaptation, which comes from Brouhaha Entertainment Australia. The novel is a coming-of-age story set in Brisbane’s violent working class suburban fringe.
Separately, the streamer has set Copycat Killer, an adaptation of Japanese crime novel Mohohan penned by genre fiction writer Miyabe Miyuki. The project comes from Taiwan and will be directed by Chang Jung-chi and Chang Heng-ju, with a cast that include Wu Kang-ren, Alice Ko, Ruby Lin. It will be produced by Greener Grass Production, which was behind Netflix’s Chinese-language series The Victims’ Game.
Finally, Netflix has set Let’s Get Divorced from Japan. The family sitcom is written by Kankuro Kudo,...
Netlfix has unveiled a trio of new series from the Apac region. Boy Swallows Universe, from Australia, is an adaptation of the book of the same name and will be turned into an eight x 1-hour show. John Collee (Master and Commander) is penning the adaptation, which comes from Brouhaha Entertainment Australia. The novel is a coming-of-age story set in Brisbane’s violent working class suburban fringe.
Separately, the streamer has set Copycat Killer, an adaptation of Japanese crime novel Mohohan penned by genre fiction writer Miyabe Miyuki. The project comes from Taiwan and will be directed by Chang Jung-chi and Chang Heng-ju, with a cast that include Wu Kang-ren, Alice Ko, Ruby Lin. It will be produced by Greener Grass Production, which was behind Netflix’s Chinese-language series The Victims’ Game.
Finally, Netflix has set Let’s Get Divorced from Japan. The family sitcom is written by Kankuro Kudo,...
- 3/4/2022
- by Tom Grater and Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Sara Dosa, the filmmaker whose documentary Fire of Love recently made a major splash at the Sundance Film Festival, has signed with Anonymous Content for management.
The Independent Spirit Award nominee’s latest feature, narrated by Miranda July, tells the story of legendary French volcanologists Katia and Maurice Krafft, their love for each other, and their love of getting as close as possible to fiery volcanoes. It won Sundance’s Jonathan Oppenheim Editing Award, upon its debut at the festival in January. National Geographic Films acquired Fire of Love in a mid-seven-figure worldwide rights deal following a multi-studio bidding war which also marked the first major deal to take place at this year’s virtual festival. It’s set to be released in theaters later this year.
Dosa’s previous directorial work includes The Seer & Unseen, which garnered a number of awards including the McBaine Bay Area Documentary Prize,...
The Independent Spirit Award nominee’s latest feature, narrated by Miranda July, tells the story of legendary French volcanologists Katia and Maurice Krafft, their love for each other, and their love of getting as close as possible to fiery volcanoes. It won Sundance’s Jonathan Oppenheim Editing Award, upon its debut at the festival in January. National Geographic Films acquired Fire of Love in a mid-seven-figure worldwide rights deal following a multi-studio bidding war which also marked the first major deal to take place at this year’s virtual festival. It’s set to be released in theaters later this year.
Dosa’s previous directorial work includes The Seer & Unseen, which garnered a number of awards including the McBaine Bay Area Documentary Prize,...
- 3/3/2022
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Both have received 10 nominations.
Colm Bairéad’s debut The Quiet Girl (An Cailín Ciúin) and Kenneth Branagh’s Belfast are the joint frontrunners for the 2022 Irish Film And Television Academy (IFTA) awards, with 10 nominations each.
The Quiet Girl is an Irish-language drama telling the story of a young girl’s summer break away from her dysfunctional family in 1980s Ireland, when she stays with a foster couple. It is set to receive its premiere as the opening film at the Dublin International Film Festival tomorrow, and recently won the grand prize in the Generation Kplus strand at the Berlinale.
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Colm Bairéad’s debut The Quiet Girl (An Cailín Ciúin) and Kenneth Branagh’s Belfast are the joint frontrunners for the 2022 Irish Film And Television Academy (IFTA) awards, with 10 nominations each.
The Quiet Girl is an Irish-language drama telling the story of a young girl’s summer break away from her dysfunctional family in 1980s Ireland, when she stays with a foster couple. It is set to receive its premiere as the opening film at the Dublin International Film Festival tomorrow, and recently won the grand prize in the Generation Kplus strand at the Berlinale.
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- 2/22/2022
- by Mona Tabbara
- ScreenDaily
Nominations have been announced for this year’s Irish Film And TV Academy Awards (IFTAs). Scroll down for the full list.
Leading the way with ten apiece are Kenneth Branagh’s much-fancied awards contender Beflast and Irish-language feature An Cailín Ciúin, which recently won the Grand Prix of the Generation Kplus program at the Berlin International Film Festival.
Both titles are up for Best Film, alongside Deadly Cuts, Swan Song, Who We Love, and You Are Not My Mother. Of those six, four are debut features.
For Belfast, Branagh will also contend for the Best Director and Best Script prizes. The film is up for seven Oscars this year.
On the TV Side, crime drama Kin dominated the field with 13 nominations, including Best Drama, as well as director, script, actor (twice) and actress. Vikings:Valhalla, the Netflix sequel of the popular historical show, received seven noms, as did BBC show Hidden Assets.
Leading the way with ten apiece are Kenneth Branagh’s much-fancied awards contender Beflast and Irish-language feature An Cailín Ciúin, which recently won the Grand Prix of the Generation Kplus program at the Berlin International Film Festival.
Both titles are up for Best Film, alongside Deadly Cuts, Swan Song, Who We Love, and You Are Not My Mother. Of those six, four are debut features.
For Belfast, Branagh will also contend for the Best Director and Best Script prizes. The film is up for seven Oscars this year.
On the TV Side, crime drama Kin dominated the field with 13 nominations, including Best Drama, as well as director, script, actor (twice) and actress. Vikings:Valhalla, the Netflix sequel of the popular historical show, received seven noms, as did BBC show Hidden Assets.
- 2/22/2022
- by Tom Grater
- Deadline Film + TV
Kenneth Branagh’s “Belfast” and Colm Bairéad “An Cailín Ciúin” lead nominations at the 2022 Irish Film and Television Academy Film and Drama award nominations with 10 nods across categories.
“Belfast” is nominated for best film, best director and script for Branagh, with a lead actor nod for Jude Hill, supporting actor recognitions for Ciarán Hinds and Jamie Dornan and a supporting actress nod for Caitríona Balfe, besides craft nominations.
“An Cailín Ciúin” (“The Quiet Girl”), which won the grand prize at the Generation Kplus strand of the recently concluded Berlin Film Festival, was similarly recognized across the main categories.
“Kin” led the drama nominations with 13 nods, while “Vikings: Valhalla” and “Hidden Assets” had seven each and “Smother” five.
IFTA chief executive Áine Moriarty said: “What a spectacular line-up of nominees that have been shortlisted for Irish Academy Awards this year, after a record-breaking production year for the Irish industry. The work...
“Belfast” is nominated for best film, best director and script for Branagh, with a lead actor nod for Jude Hill, supporting actor recognitions for Ciarán Hinds and Jamie Dornan and a supporting actress nod for Caitríona Balfe, besides craft nominations.
“An Cailín Ciúin” (“The Quiet Girl”), which won the grand prize at the Generation Kplus strand of the recently concluded Berlin Film Festival, was similarly recognized across the main categories.
“Kin” led the drama nominations with 13 nods, while “Vikings: Valhalla” and “Hidden Assets” had seven each and “Smother” five.
IFTA chief executive Áine Moriarty said: “What a spectacular line-up of nominees that have been shortlisted for Irish Academy Awards this year, after a record-breaking production year for the Irish industry. The work...
- 2/22/2022
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Filmmaker Jessica Kingdon, who recently earned her first Oscar nomination for Ascension, has signed with Anonymous Content for management.
Kingdon directed and produced the Best Documentary contender, which plunges into universal paradoxes of economic progress, as it explores the aspiration that drives today’s People’s Republic of China.
The film made its world premiere at the 2021 Tribeca Film Festival, where it won Best Documentary Feature, and was released by MTV Documentary Films in October. In recent months, it has also been nominated for six Critics’ Choice Awards, five Cinema Eye Honors, an IDA award, a DGA Award and an Independent Spirit Award.
Kingdon, who was named to Doc NYC’s “40 Under 40” list in 2020, has previously directed shorts including Routine Island and Commodity City, bringing the latter award winner to more than 50 festivals. She also co-directed the 2020 short It’s Coming! and has served on the producing teams for...
Kingdon directed and produced the Best Documentary contender, which plunges into universal paradoxes of economic progress, as it explores the aspiration that drives today’s People’s Republic of China.
The film made its world premiere at the 2021 Tribeca Film Festival, where it won Best Documentary Feature, and was released by MTV Documentary Films in October. In recent months, it has also been nominated for six Critics’ Choice Awards, five Cinema Eye Honors, an IDA award, a DGA Award and an Independent Spirit Award.
Kingdon, who was named to Doc NYC’s “40 Under 40” list in 2020, has previously directed shorts including Routine Island and Commodity City, bringing the latter award winner to more than 50 festivals. She also co-directed the 2020 short It’s Coming! and has served on the producing teams for...
- 2/15/2022
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
One thing that Hollywood definitely knows how to do is tell a cinematic fairy tale. Whether cut from real life or a work of fiction, filmmakers have long believed that sometimes a story requires bending reality to take flight. In other instances, storytellers have looked to the real world when searching for inspirational tales that feel almost too good to be true. How do our favorite movies inhabit our dream lives, and do our dream lives create situations that might turn fairy tales into nightmares? How do big-screen legends give voices to our most compelling hopes and fears?
“Dune” is an expansive fantasy connected to our current planetary environmental crisis and battles over the legacy of energy sources. Frank Herbert’s 1965 novel was previously adapted for the screen in 1984 by David Lynch, to polarizing reactions from critics and audiences, but over time, it has found a passionate cult following. The newest version,...
“Dune” is an expansive fantasy connected to our current planetary environmental crisis and battles over the legacy of energy sources. Frank Herbert’s 1965 novel was previously adapted for the screen in 1984 by David Lynch, to polarizing reactions from critics and audiences, but over time, it has found a passionate cult following. The newest version,...
- 1/14/2022
- by Nick Clement
- Variety Film + TV
Mahershala Ali is keeping himself busy and we're reaping all of the benefits. On top of making his debut in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, starring in an upcoming Netflix thriller, and performing in director Benjamin Cleary's sci-fi film "Swan Song," Ali is also the driving force behind the TV adaptation of "The Plot," which will be debuting on Hulu via Disney's Onyx Collective brand. It's fun to see an actor who is interested in, and found success in, so many different genres hop from project to project. Watching talented people do what they do best is always a good time.
Ali will star and...
The post The Plot: Mahershala Ali Never Stops Working, Sets Up New Hulu Series appeared first on /Film.
Ali will star and...
The post The Plot: Mahershala Ali Never Stops Working, Sets Up New Hulu Series appeared first on /Film.
- 1/11/2022
- by Kaylee Dugan
- Slash Film
Swan Song Review — Swan Song (2021) Film Review, a movie directed by Benjamin Cleary and starring Mahershala Ali, Naomie Harris, Awkwafina, Glenn Close, Nyasha Hatendi, Adam Beach, Lee Shorten, Dax Rey, Ace LeVere, JayR Tinaco, Jessica Hayles, Luke Camilleri and Christine Laliberte. Set in the not-too-distant future, Benjamin Cleary’s new film, Swan Song, features [...]
Continue reading: Film Review: Swan Song (2021): Mahershala Ali Shines in Slow-Moving but Unique Cloning Drama...
Continue reading: Film Review: Swan Song (2021): Mahershala Ali Shines in Slow-Moving but Unique Cloning Drama...
- 1/1/2022
- by Thomas Duffy
- Film-Book
On the December 31, 2021 episode of /Film Daily, /Film editor Ben Pearson presents an interview episode with writer/director Benjamin Cleary and actress Naomie Harris from the AppleTV+ sci-fi drama "Swan Song."
Opening Banter:
In Our Feature Presentation:
Swan Song Director Benjamin Cleary On Envisioning The Future In His Sci-Fi Drama [Interview]
Swan Song Writer/Director Benjamin Cleary Talks About Crafting The Movie's Emotional Ending [Interview]
Swan Song Star Naomie Harris On Reuniting With Mahershala Ali, Finding Strength In Vulnerability, And That Last Scene Of No Time To Die [Interview]
Also mentioned:
All the other stuff you need to know:
The post Daily Podcast: Swan Song Interviews with Writer/Director Benjamin Cleary and Star Naomie Harris appeared first on /Film.
Opening Banter:
In Our Feature Presentation:
Swan Song Director Benjamin Cleary On Envisioning The Future In His Sci-Fi Drama [Interview]
Swan Song Writer/Director Benjamin Cleary Talks About Crafting The Movie's Emotional Ending [Interview]
Swan Song Star Naomie Harris On Reuniting With Mahershala Ali, Finding Strength In Vulnerability, And That Last Scene Of No Time To Die [Interview]
Also mentioned:
All the other stuff you need to know:
The post Daily Podcast: Swan Song Interviews with Writer/Director Benjamin Cleary and Star Naomie Harris appeared first on /Film.
- 12/31/2021
- by Ben Pearson
- Slash Film
To what lengths would you go to save your loved ones from the pain of losing you?
That’s the question Cameron Turner (played by two-time Oscar winner Mahershala Ali) must answer in “Swan Song,” the Apple original drama about a terminally ill man who yearns to spare his wife Poppy (Oscar nominee Naomie Harris) and son from the grief of watching him die. The solution presented to Cameron is the opportunity to replace himself with a “duplicate” named Jack who will slip into his family’s lives without them knowing.
“Swan Song” is set in the very near future, approximately 2040, with writer-director Benjamin Cleary and his team of producers (including Ali) and artisans working to ensure that the sci-fi elements were as technologically sound as possible. But this movie spends less time weighing the ethical debate around these technological advances, focusing instead on Cameron’s existential questions about Jack taking his place.
That’s the question Cameron Turner (played by two-time Oscar winner Mahershala Ali) must answer in “Swan Song,” the Apple original drama about a terminally ill man who yearns to spare his wife Poppy (Oscar nominee Naomie Harris) and son from the grief of watching him die. The solution presented to Cameron is the opportunity to replace himself with a “duplicate” named Jack who will slip into his family’s lives without them knowing.
“Swan Song” is set in the very near future, approximately 2040, with writer-director Benjamin Cleary and his team of producers (including Ali) and artisans working to ensure that the sci-fi elements were as technologically sound as possible. But this movie spends less time weighing the ethical debate around these technological advances, focusing instead on Cameron’s existential questions about Jack taking his place.
- 12/23/2021
- by Angelique Jackson
- Variety Film + TV
If you want to watch a science-fiction movie about clones, you don't have to look too hard to find one. Humanity versus technology is one of the genre's most frequently recurring ideas, and it's often wrapped up in the trappings of a thriller. Maybe the protagonist finds himself replaced by an imposter, and he's forced to go on the run to get his life back. Maybe a whole population of clones plots to fight against the restraints of their designed purpose.
But what happens when a filmmaker avoids the thriller element and instead gives the protagonist an emotional, heart-wrenching decision to make: Will our...
The post Swan Song Writer/Director Benjamin Cleary Talks About Crafting the Movie's Emotional Ending [Interview] appeared first on /Film.
But what happens when a filmmaker avoids the thriller element and instead gives the protagonist an emotional, heart-wrenching decision to make: Will our...
The post Swan Song Writer/Director Benjamin Cleary Talks About Crafting the Movie's Emotional Ending [Interview] appeared first on /Film.
- 12/21/2021
- by Ben Pearson
- Slash Film
Editors note: Deadline’s Read the Screenplay series debuts and celebrates the scripts of films that will be factors in this year’s movie awards race.
The sci-fi concept behind Apple Original Films’ Swan Song was both novel and fantastical: terminally ill Cameron Turner (Mahershala Ali) undergoes an experimental cloning procedure to create a healthy new version of himself to secretly take his place with his wife (Naomi Harris) and family. But writer-director Benjamin Cleary knew his film would be fueled by the deeply real, distinctly human emotions springing from love, loss and grief.
“From the moment the idea for Swan Song came to me almost 10 years ago, I have been both scared and excited by it,” said Cleary, who previously crafted the Oscar-winning short Stutterer. He was aware that he’d be delving into some painful personal territory while also taking on the imposing challenge of directing his first feature film,...
The sci-fi concept behind Apple Original Films’ Swan Song was both novel and fantastical: terminally ill Cameron Turner (Mahershala Ali) undergoes an experimental cloning procedure to create a healthy new version of himself to secretly take his place with his wife (Naomi Harris) and family. But writer-director Benjamin Cleary knew his film would be fueled by the deeply real, distinctly human emotions springing from love, loss and grief.
“From the moment the idea for Swan Song came to me almost 10 years ago, I have been both scared and excited by it,” said Cleary, who previously crafted the Oscar-winning short Stutterer. He was aware that he’d be delving into some painful personal territory while also taking on the imposing challenge of directing his first feature film,...
- 12/20/2021
- by Scott Huver
- Deadline Film + TV
Ali plays a terminally ill man who creates a disease-free version of himself who will live on after his death in Benjamin Cleary’s fine feature debut
The first feature from Benjamin Cleary (after the Oscar-winning short film Stutterer) is a stylish, near-future-set story of love and loss, in which loss can be avoided thanks to radical new technological advances. Mahershala Ali plays Cameron, a husband and father who decides to protect his loved ones from the truth about his terminal diagnosis by signing up for an experimental programme. An alternative Cameron is created; all of his memories are uploaded, and this new, disease-free version of himself is seamlessly introduced into his life.
Ali is tremendous in a dual role that takes in everything from a beguiling meet-cute with his future wife (Naomie Harris) to a third act consumed by grief and doubt about whether he did the best thing for his family after all.
The first feature from Benjamin Cleary (after the Oscar-winning short film Stutterer) is a stylish, near-future-set story of love and loss, in which loss can be avoided thanks to radical new technological advances. Mahershala Ali plays Cameron, a husband and father who decides to protect his loved ones from the truth about his terminal diagnosis by signing up for an experimental programme. An alternative Cameron is created; all of his memories are uploaded, and this new, disease-free version of himself is seamlessly introduced into his life.
Ali is tremendous in a dual role that takes in everything from a beguiling meet-cute with his future wife (Naomie Harris) to a third act consumed by grief and doubt about whether he did the best thing for his family after all.
- 12/19/2021
- by Wendy Ide
- The Guardian - Film News
Producer: Mahershala Ali, Rebecca Bourke, Jonathan King, Jacob Perlin, Adam Shulman, Mimi Valdés.
Executive Producers: Shea Kammer.
Director: Benjamin Cleary.
Screenplay: Benjamin Cleary.
Camera: Masanobu Takayanagi.
Editor: Nathan Nugent.
Music: Jay Wadley.
Cast: Mahershala Ali, Naomie Harris, Glenn Close, Awkwafina, Adam Beach, Dax Rey, Nyasha Hatendi.
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Executive Producers: Shea Kammer.
Director: Benjamin Cleary.
Screenplay: Benjamin Cleary.
Camera: Masanobu Takayanagi.
Editor: Nathan Nugent.
Music: Jay Wadley.
Cast: Mahershala Ali, Naomie Harris, Glenn Close, Awkwafina, Adam Beach, Dax Rey, Nyasha Hatendi.
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…...
- 12/18/2021
- by Nicholas Bell
- IONCINEMA.com
Much-lauded The Lost Daughter, Tribeca Fest winner The Novice, George Clooney’s The Tender Bar plus Swan Song with Mahershala Ali and the doc President dip a toe in the specialty market this Spidey-centric weekend amid gathering Covid clouds.
The question: how will a surging infection rate will impact older arthouse demos already reluctant to return to theaters. The 18 to 34 years-olds flocking to Spider-Man: No Way Home have not been phased yet with crackerjack ticket sales highlighting the divide in a recovering box office between superhero movies and everything else.
“We are trying to keep our heads down and focus on the work and hope for the best. I think a lot of, us even though we avoided the subject, knew...
The question: how will a surging infection rate will impact older arthouse demos already reluctant to return to theaters. The 18 to 34 years-olds flocking to Spider-Man: No Way Home have not been phased yet with crackerjack ticket sales highlighting the divide in a recovering box office between superhero movies and everything else.
“We are trying to keep our heads down and focus on the work and hope for the best. I think a lot of, us even though we avoided the subject, knew...
- 12/17/2021
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
Mahershala Ali and Naomie Harris in “Swan Song,” premiering globally on Apple TV+ on December 17, 2021. Courtesy of Apple TV+
Mahershala Ali plays a man with a fatal disease who is offered an option to spare his family grief, in the science fiction romance Swan Song. Naomie Harris plays the sick man’s wife, Poppy, and Glenn Close plays the scientist who runs the facility who offers that option, in this drama written and directed by Benjamin Cleary.
Curiously, this is the second film this year with this title, the other being a bittersweet indie dramedy about a retired hairdresser who escapes froma nursing home for one last job. This Swan Song is a romantic drama with a science fiction bent but largely an acting showcase for Mahershala Ali, who serves as one of the film’s producers. His character is the center of this emotionally-laden story, which touches more on philosophical issues that science ones,...
Mahershala Ali plays a man with a fatal disease who is offered an option to spare his family grief, in the science fiction romance Swan Song. Naomie Harris plays the sick man’s wife, Poppy, and Glenn Close plays the scientist who runs the facility who offers that option, in this drama written and directed by Benjamin Cleary.
Curiously, this is the second film this year with this title, the other being a bittersweet indie dramedy about a retired hairdresser who escapes froma nursing home for one last job. This Swan Song is a romantic drama with a science fiction bent but largely an acting showcase for Mahershala Ali, who serves as one of the film’s producers. His character is the center of this emotionally-laden story, which touches more on philosophical issues that science ones,...
- 12/17/2021
- by Cate Marquis
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Naomie Harris and Mahershala Ali shared the screen together in Barry Jenkins' Oscar-winning drama "Moonlight," and now the two have reunited for "Swan Song," a sci-fi drama from writer/director Benjamin Cleary that hits AppleTV+ this week. Harris plays Poppy, a musician, teacher, wife, and mother who is unlike the characters the actress has become known for. This is the opposite end of the spectrum from her James Bond franchise character Eve Moneypenny, a role Harris reprised earlier this year in "No Time to Die." I had the chance to briefly ask her about...
The post Swan Song Star Naomie Harris on Reuniting with Mahershala Ali, Finding Strength in Vulnerability, and That Last Scene of No Time to Die [Interview] appeared first on /Film.
The post Swan Song Star Naomie Harris on Reuniting with Mahershala Ali, Finding Strength in Vulnerability, and That Last Scene of No Time to Die [Interview] appeared first on /Film.
- 12/16/2021
- by Ben Pearson
- Slash Film
In 2016, writer/director Benjamin Cleary joined fellow countryman Martin McDonagh on the short list of Irish filmmakers who have won an Oscar for directing a live-action short film. Five years and another short film later, Cleary is making his feature directorial debut with "Swan Song," a sci-fi drama set 20 years in the future.
The story centers on a man (Mahershala Ali) who, after being secretly diagnosed with a terminal illness, grapples with the decision to transfer his memories into a replica body that will take his place and ensure his family doesn't have to suffer the trauma...
The post Swan Song Director Benjamin Cleary on Envisioning the Future in His Sci-Fi Drama [Interview] appeared first on /Film.
The story centers on a man (Mahershala Ali) who, after being secretly diagnosed with a terminal illness, grapples with the decision to transfer his memories into a replica body that will take his place and ensure his family doesn't have to suffer the trauma...
The post Swan Song Director Benjamin Cleary on Envisioning the Future in His Sci-Fi Drama [Interview] appeared first on /Film.
- 12/16/2021
- by Ben Pearson
- Slash Film
Steven Spielberg’s acclaimed musical “West Side Story” and beloved canine mascot-hero property “Clifford the Big Red Dog,” were neck and neck for pole position at the U.K. and Ireland weekend box office.
Disney release “West Side Story” topped the charts with £1.297 million ($1.72 million), while eOne release “Clifford the Big Red Dog” was just behind with £1.293 million ($1.71 million), according to numbers released by Comscore. Both films were debuts.
In its third week, Universal’s previous chart topper “House of Gucci” claimed the third spot with £779,974 and has a total of £7.3 million. Also in its third week, Disney’s “Encanto” collected £635,387 in fourth place for a total of £4.2 million.
Rounding off the top five was Sony’s “Ghostbusters: Afterlife,” which collected £585,505 for a total of £10.1 million.
Elsewhere on the charts, Universal’s James Bond film “No Time to Die” remained in the top 10 after 11 weekends, placing eighth with £118,751 for a total of £96.3 million.
Disney release “West Side Story” topped the charts with £1.297 million ($1.72 million), while eOne release “Clifford the Big Red Dog” was just behind with £1.293 million ($1.71 million), according to numbers released by Comscore. Both films were debuts.
In its third week, Universal’s previous chart topper “House of Gucci” claimed the third spot with £779,974 and has a total of £7.3 million. Also in its third week, Disney’s “Encanto” collected £635,387 in fourth place for a total of £4.2 million.
Rounding off the top five was Sony’s “Ghostbusters: Afterlife,” which collected £585,505 for a total of £10.1 million.
Elsewhere on the charts, Universal’s James Bond film “No Time to Die” remained in the top 10 after 11 weekends, placing eighth with £118,751 for a total of £96.3 million.
- 12/15/2021
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Oscar-winning filmmaker Benjamin Cleary drew on his own feelings about mortality with his new Apple TV+ film, “Swan Song,” which tells the futuristic story of a dying man who clones himself so his family doesn’t have to grieve. The director lost three friends over the course of three years, which set off some profound existential questions in his mind, namely what would happen if he died or if someone he loved died. “All of these things as a writer and a filmmaker, they end up bubbling up from the subconscious,” says Cleary in an exclusive new interview for Gold Derby. “In a sense, I’d been thinking about things like that for a long time.” Watch the full interview above.
SEEAnnie Beauchamp interview: ‘Swan Song’ production designer
With “Swan Song” being set in the future, there are some major technological advancements depicted throughout the film, from Ar screens to the cloning process itself.
SEEAnnie Beauchamp interview: ‘Swan Song’ production designer
With “Swan Song” being set in the future, there are some major technological advancements depicted throughout the film, from Ar screens to the cloning process itself.
- 12/14/2021
- by Kevin Jacobsen
- Gold Derby
Ali convincingly plays a man with a terminal illness who has a doppelganger made of himself in this unsettling, elegant film
Mahershala Ali gives a heartfelt performance in this elegant and rather melancholy sci-fi mystery with which Irish film-maker Benjamin Cleary makes his impressive feature debut. It’s an unsettling picture in the tradition of John Frankenheimer’s Seconds or Alex Garland’s Ex Machina.
The time is the not-too-distant future in which Cameron (Ali) is a graphic designer married to Poppy (Naomie Harris), whom he met-cute one morning on a commuter train over a misunderstanding concerning a candy bar (a micro-comedy-of-errors routine which I do have to say has already been used in a number of short films). They now have a small son. But Cameron has a terminal illness and fears revealing it to Poppy will devastate her, as she is only just getting over a family tragedy.
Mahershala Ali gives a heartfelt performance in this elegant and rather melancholy sci-fi mystery with which Irish film-maker Benjamin Cleary makes his impressive feature debut. It’s an unsettling picture in the tradition of John Frankenheimer’s Seconds or Alex Garland’s Ex Machina.
The time is the not-too-distant future in which Cameron (Ali) is a graphic designer married to Poppy (Naomie Harris), whom he met-cute one morning on a commuter train over a misunderstanding concerning a candy bar (a micro-comedy-of-errors routine which I do have to say has already been used in a number of short films). They now have a small son. But Cameron has a terminal illness and fears revealing it to Poppy will devastate her, as she is only just getting over a family tragedy.
- 12/14/2021
- by Peter Bradshaw
- The Guardian - Film News
Naomie Harris is speaking out about an incident of sexual assault that occurred during an audition earlier in the “No Time to Die” star and “Moonlight” Oscar nominee’s career.
In an interview with the Mail on Sunday’s You magazine (via Insider), Harris said that the incident involved a “huge, huge star” though she declined to name which actor. But she said that while she was reading for a role during an audition, the man slid his hand up her skirt.
“What was so shocking about it was the casting director was there and the director and, of course, no one said anything because he was — he is — such a huge star,” she said.
Harris added, “That was my only #MeToo incident, so I felt very lucky given how rife that behavior was.”
Harris said that “now things have definitely changed,” and said how she “was on a project...
In an interview with the Mail on Sunday’s You magazine (via Insider), Harris said that the incident involved a “huge, huge star” though she declined to name which actor. But she said that while she was reading for a role during an audition, the man slid his hand up her skirt.
“What was so shocking about it was the casting director was there and the director and, of course, no one said anything because he was — he is — such a huge star,” she said.
Harris added, “That was my only #MeToo incident, so I felt very lucky given how rife that behavior was.”
Harris said that “now things have definitely changed,” and said how she “was on a project...
- 12/13/2021
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Indiewire
Writer and director Benjamin Cleary’s “Swan Song,” which premieres Dec. 17 on Apple TV Plus, straddles the line between science fiction and drama as Mahershala Ali plays Cameron, a dying man who is presented with a choice that could save his family from grief.
Composer Jay Wadley came onto the movie late in the game; there was already a preliminary cut, which meant not only did he get to see Ali’s performance on-screen, but he got a sense of the editing, writing and cinematography. So he didn’t have to play around with sounds and work on music cues theoretically — he could go right in.
Cleary and Wadley’s approach considered Cameron’s inner turmoil as he deals with the pressure of making the decision to have a healthy clone of himself created in a lab to take his place. The musical key to the dilemma was a piano...
Composer Jay Wadley came onto the movie late in the game; there was already a preliminary cut, which meant not only did he get to see Ali’s performance on-screen, but he got a sense of the editing, writing and cinematography. So he didn’t have to play around with sounds and work on music cues theoretically — he could go right in.
Cleary and Wadley’s approach considered Cameron’s inner turmoil as he deals with the pressure of making the decision to have a healthy clone of himself created in a lab to take his place. The musical key to the dilemma was a piano...
- 12/10/2021
- by Jazz Tangcay
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Deadline has the first exclusive tracks from Jay Wadley’s Swan Song score, which is set for digital release via Lakeshore Records on December 17—the same day that the Apple Original Film premieres in theaters and globally on Apple TV+. Nine instant grat tracks will be available with every preorder.
The first feature from Oscar-winning writer-director Benjamin Cleary is set in the near future and centers on Cameron (Mahershala Ali), a loving husband and father diagnosed with a terminal illness who is presented with an alternative solution by his doctor (Glenn Close) to shield his family from grief. As Cam grapples with whether or not to alter his family’s fate, he ends up learning more about life and love than he ever imagined he would.
For the film marking his first collaboration with Cleary, Wadley looked to evoke deeply felt emotions, maintaining at the same time a sense of space and minimalism.
The first feature from Oscar-winning writer-director Benjamin Cleary is set in the near future and centers on Cameron (Mahershala Ali), a loving husband and father diagnosed with a terminal illness who is presented with an alternative solution by his doctor (Glenn Close) to shield his family from grief. As Cam grapples with whether or not to alter his family’s fate, he ends up learning more about life and love than he ever imagined he would.
For the film marking his first collaboration with Cleary, Wadley looked to evoke deeply felt emotions, maintaining at the same time a sense of space and minimalism.
- 12/10/2021
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Production designer Annie Beauchamp was tasked with creating a grounded yet advanced vision of the future in the new Apple TV+ film “Swan Song.” The film, set about 20 years in the future, tells the story of a man named Cameron Turner (Mahershala Ali), who is dying of terminal cancer and seeks out an experimental new treatment that would allow himself to be cloned, for the benefit of his family. While the plot and setting may be high concept, “Swan Song” is a love story at its core, and it was important for her to reflect that. “I felt the design on this film could really elevate and visually advance the emotion and the intimacy in those special moments,” says Beauchamp in an exclusive new interview for Gold Derby. Watch the full video chat above.
See Gold Derby interviews with 2022 Oscar contenders
Her vision for the film began with researching quantum...
See Gold Derby interviews with 2022 Oscar contenders
Her vision for the film began with researching quantum...
- 12/6/2021
- by Kevin Jacobsen
- Gold Derby
Deadline has launched the streaming site for Contenders Film: New York, its movie awards-season showcase that took place Saturday at the Museum of the Moving Image in Queens. A total of 23 Oscar-buzzed films were on display across the day of panel presentations, a one-stop shop for Academy and guild voters as they sort out their ballots.
Click here for the streaming site.
A24, Amazon, Apple Original Films, Focus Features, MGM/United Artists, Netflix, Neon and Warner Bros spotlighted stars and creatives from their top movies, with panelists including the likes of stars Matt Damon, Mahershala Ali, Dakota Johnson, Amy Schumer, Andre Holland, Richard Jenkins, Ruth Negga, Oscar Isaac, Aunjanue Ellis, Haley Bennett, Alessandro Nivola, Ray Liotta and more.
Among the filmmakers talking part were Janicza Bravo (Zola), David Chase (The Many Saints of Newark), Benjamin Cleary (Swan Song), Asghar Farhadi (A Hero), Maggie Gyllenhaal (The Lost Daughter), Rebecca Hall (Passing...
Click here for the streaming site.
A24, Amazon, Apple Original Films, Focus Features, MGM/United Artists, Netflix, Neon and Warner Bros spotlighted stars and creatives from their top movies, with panelists including the likes of stars Matt Damon, Mahershala Ali, Dakota Johnson, Amy Schumer, Andre Holland, Richard Jenkins, Ruth Negga, Oscar Isaac, Aunjanue Ellis, Haley Bennett, Alessandro Nivola, Ray Liotta and more.
Among the filmmakers talking part were Janicza Bravo (Zola), David Chase (The Many Saints of Newark), Benjamin Cleary (Swan Song), Asghar Farhadi (A Hero), Maggie Gyllenhaal (The Lost Daughter), Rebecca Hall (Passing...
- 12/6/2021
- by The Deadline Team
- Deadline Film + TV
“It started with Ben, with the script being so well written, the characters having the same essence but needing different things,” said Swan Song star and producer Mahershala Ali said of playing two roles in the Apple Original Film.
“It was always clear to me whose shoes I was in,” he added about the characters of Cameron and Jack. “I had to know what I wanted to do and do those things.”
Joined by Swan Song director and writer Benjamin Cleary, Ali was speaking Saturday at Deadline’s Contenders New York showcase.
The Contenders Film: New York — Deadline’s Complete Coverage
Having debuted last month at AFI, the sci-fi drama premieres hits Apple TV+ on December 17. In the Vancouver-shot film, Ali portrays advertising exec Cameron, a man in the near future running out of time due to a terminal illness who decides to spare his family the loss by replacing himself – with himself.
“It was always clear to me whose shoes I was in,” he added about the characters of Cameron and Jack. “I had to know what I wanted to do and do those things.”
Joined by Swan Song director and writer Benjamin Cleary, Ali was speaking Saturday at Deadline’s Contenders New York showcase.
The Contenders Film: New York — Deadline’s Complete Coverage
Having debuted last month at AFI, the sci-fi drama premieres hits Apple TV+ on December 17. In the Vancouver-shot film, Ali portrays advertising exec Cameron, a man in the near future running out of time due to a terminal illness who decides to spare his family the loss by replacing himself – with himself.
- 12/4/2021
- by Dominic Patten
- Deadline Film + TV
Deadline’s Contenders Film returns to New York this morning with a hybrid in-person and livestreamed showcase at the Museum of the Moving Image in Queens, and a lineup of 23 films spotlighting the best motion pictures this awards season has to offer. The in-person event kicks off with a breakfast sponsored by United Artists Releasing at 8 a.m. Et, with panels and livestream coverage kicking off at 9:30 a.m.
Click here to register and watch the livestream.
While last year’s supply of movies during a Covid-embattled awards season may have slimmed down, this year, the studios aren’t holding back. This year’s lineup features films from A24, Amazon, Apple Original Films, Focus Features, MGM/United Artists, Netflix, Neon and Warner Bros, and a roster of panelists that includes stars Matt Damon, Mahershala Ali, Tessa Thompson, Dakota Johnson, Amy Schumer, Andre Holland, Richard Jenkins, Ruth Negga, Oscar Isaac,...
Click here to register and watch the livestream.
While last year’s supply of movies during a Covid-embattled awards season may have slimmed down, this year, the studios aren’t holding back. This year’s lineup features films from A24, Amazon, Apple Original Films, Focus Features, MGM/United Artists, Netflix, Neon and Warner Bros, and a roster of panelists that includes stars Matt Damon, Mahershala Ali, Tessa Thompson, Dakota Johnson, Amy Schumer, Andre Holland, Richard Jenkins, Ruth Negga, Oscar Isaac,...
- 12/4/2021
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
Mahershala Ali’s latest film, “Swan Song,” is the first feature film to be produced by his production company, Know Wonder, and it marks his first leading role in a movie.
On this week’s Variety Awards Circuit podcast, Ali discusses what drew him as both actor and producer to the emotional sci-fi tale in which he plays dual roles and reuniting with his “Moonlight” co-star Naomie Harris. He also politely navigates questions about his role as the vampire hunter in the forthcoming MCU movie “Blade.” Listen below!
“I mean, you’re not going to get a great answer, but I will dodge your questions as graciously as possible,” Ali jokes when the subject of “Blade” is broached. But he shares how he first became familiar with the character, via the 1998 Wesley Snipes film.
Ali can talk more freely about “Swan Song,” which premiered at AFI and will be released...
On this week’s Variety Awards Circuit podcast, Ali discusses what drew him as both actor and producer to the emotional sci-fi tale in which he plays dual roles and reuniting with his “Moonlight” co-star Naomie Harris. He also politely navigates questions about his role as the vampire hunter in the forthcoming MCU movie “Blade.” Listen below!
“I mean, you’re not going to get a great answer, but I will dodge your questions as graciously as possible,” Ali jokes when the subject of “Blade” is broached. But he shares how he first became familiar with the character, via the 1998 Wesley Snipes film.
Ali can talk more freely about “Swan Song,” which premiered at AFI and will be released...
- 12/2/2021
- by Jenelle Riley
- Variety Film + TV
Given it’s been a tough 12 months for cinema, it would be an achievement to appear in just one of the top 10 highest grossing films of the year. Naomie Harris has appeared in two: “No Time to Die” and “Venom: Let There Be Carnage,” as MI6 secretary Moneypenny and superhero Shriek, respectively.
Now the actor, who has spent much of her career moving seamlessly between big budget blockbusters such as “Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End” and indie fare, ends the year on screen in Apple Original Films’ “Swan Song” opposite Mahershala Ali, a sci-fi tearjerker that’s already picking up Oscar buzz.
And as if she wasn’t busy enough, having also recently wrapped Showtime series “The Man Who Fell to Earth” opposite Chiwetel Ejiofor, Harris is making her producing debut, she exclusively tells Variety, on a project about an aspect of Black history traditionally under-explored in cinema...
Now the actor, who has spent much of her career moving seamlessly between big budget blockbusters such as “Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End” and indie fare, ends the year on screen in Apple Original Films’ “Swan Song” opposite Mahershala Ali, a sci-fi tearjerker that’s already picking up Oscar buzz.
And as if she wasn’t busy enough, having also recently wrapped Showtime series “The Man Who Fell to Earth” opposite Chiwetel Ejiofor, Harris is making her producing debut, she exclusively tells Variety, on a project about an aspect of Black history traditionally under-explored in cinema...
- 11/26/2021
- by K.J. Yossman
- Variety Film + TV
BIFA Rewards ‘Boiling Point’/’Souvenir 2’
Philip Barantini’s Boiling Point and Joanna Hogg’s The Souvenir Part II have bagged three awards apiece in the British Independent Film Awards (BIFA) craft categories, with the former winning for Best Cinematography, Best Casting and Best Sound and the latter for Best Costume Design, Best Editing and Best Production Design. Rob Savage’s Dashcam took home Best Effects and there were also wins for Will Sharpe’s The Electrical Life of Louis Wain and Clio Barnard’s Ali & Ava. The remaining winners will be revealed at an in-person ceremony on Sunday December 5 in London’s Old Billingsgate.
‘Lupin’ Three Enters Production
Shooting on season three of Netflix’s hit French mystery thriller series Lupin has begun, with star Omar Sy and Netflix tweeting the news yesterday. Gaumont Télévision’s drama from George Kay and François Uzan centres around Assane Diop (Sy), a...
Philip Barantini’s Boiling Point and Joanna Hogg’s The Souvenir Part II have bagged three awards apiece in the British Independent Film Awards (BIFA) craft categories, with the former winning for Best Cinematography, Best Casting and Best Sound and the latter for Best Costume Design, Best Editing and Best Production Design. Rob Savage’s Dashcam took home Best Effects and there were also wins for Will Sharpe’s The Electrical Life of Louis Wain and Clio Barnard’s Ali & Ava. The remaining winners will be revealed at an in-person ceremony on Sunday December 5 in London’s Old Billingsgate.
‘Lupin’ Three Enters Production
Shooting on season three of Netflix’s hit French mystery thriller series Lupin has begun, with star Omar Sy and Netflix tweeting the news yesterday. Gaumont Télévision’s drama from George Kay and François Uzan centres around Assane Diop (Sy), a...
- 11/19/2021
- by Anuj Radia and Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
So have we seen everything yet?
AFI Fest, which just wrapped in Los Angeles, is the final prominent film festival to unveil a handful of awards hopefuls.
Lin-Manuel Miranda’s directorial debut, “Tick, Tick … Boom!,” from Netflix, premiered to strong reviews and plenty of Oscar buzz. As part of a banner year for Miranda that includes involvement in three other projects — “Encanto,” “In the Heights” and “Rita Moreno: Just a Girl Who Decided to Go for It” — Miranda successfully stages a movie adaptation of a lesser-known, autobiographical musical from “Rent” composer Jonathan Larson. The film will most likely earn a second lead actor Oscar nomination for Andrew Garfield (after “Hacksaw Ridge”) for playing Larson, in a role that requires quite a bit of singing.
In fact, Garfield may emerge as a formidable challenger to Will Smith for “King Richard,” where he plays Richard Williams, the father of tennis champs Venus and Serena.
AFI Fest, which just wrapped in Los Angeles, is the final prominent film festival to unveil a handful of awards hopefuls.
Lin-Manuel Miranda’s directorial debut, “Tick, Tick … Boom!,” from Netflix, premiered to strong reviews and plenty of Oscar buzz. As part of a banner year for Miranda that includes involvement in three other projects — “Encanto,” “In the Heights” and “Rita Moreno: Just a Girl Who Decided to Go for It” — Miranda successfully stages a movie adaptation of a lesser-known, autobiographical musical from “Rent” composer Jonathan Larson. The film will most likely earn a second lead actor Oscar nomination for Andrew Garfield (after “Hacksaw Ridge”) for playing Larson, in a role that requires quite a bit of singing.
In fact, Garfield may emerge as a formidable challenger to Will Smith for “King Richard,” where he plays Richard Williams, the father of tennis champs Venus and Serena.
- 11/19/2021
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
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