Submissions Now Open for Short Film Competition
AlUla – 25 July, 2023: Film AlUla, the Royal Commission for AlUla's film agency, today launches ‘AlUla Creates' short film competition, joined by acclaimed production company Vertigo Films (Monsters, Britannia, Bronson), award-winning Saudi Filmmaker Haifaa Al Mansour (The Perfect Candidate, Wadjda) and internationally renowned director, producer and actor Katie Holmes (Rare Objects, Alone Together, Batman Begins). Vertigo Films and Film AlUla will helm the competition to support and establish three Saudi women directors in the international marketplace.
Vertigo Films has a longstanding history of discovering and supporting new talent since launching in 2002, with a number of their films and Hetv productions kick-starting the international careers of leading names, including Tom Hardy (Bronson), Gareth Edwards (Monsters), Vanessa Kirby (Kill Command), Sofia Boutella (StreetDance 2), Tom Shankland (The Children), Nicholas Winding Refn (Bronson) and Issa Lopez (Britannia).
Haifaa Al Mansour is the first female filmmaker in Saudi...
AlUla – 25 July, 2023: Film AlUla, the Royal Commission for AlUla's film agency, today launches ‘AlUla Creates' short film competition, joined by acclaimed production company Vertigo Films (Monsters, Britannia, Bronson), award-winning Saudi Filmmaker Haifaa Al Mansour (The Perfect Candidate, Wadjda) and internationally renowned director, producer and actor Katie Holmes (Rare Objects, Alone Together, Batman Begins). Vertigo Films and Film AlUla will helm the competition to support and establish three Saudi women directors in the international marketplace.
Vertigo Films has a longstanding history of discovering and supporting new talent since launching in 2002, with a number of their films and Hetv productions kick-starting the international careers of leading names, including Tom Hardy (Bronson), Gareth Edwards (Monsters), Vanessa Kirby (Kill Command), Sofia Boutella (StreetDance 2), Tom Shankland (The Children), Nicholas Winding Refn (Bronson) and Issa Lopez (Britannia).
Haifaa Al Mansour is the first female filmmaker in Saudi...
- 7/27/2023
- by Adam Symchuk
- AsianMoviePulse
Vertigo Films & Haifaa Al Mansour Join Saudi Female Filmmaker Program
UK production company Vertigo Films (Monsters, Britannia, Bronson) and pioneering Saudi director Haifaa Al Mansour (The Perfect Candidate, Wadjda) have come on board a Film AlUla program aimed at mentoring emerging female Saudi filmmakers. The initiative, bannered the AlUla Creates’ Saudi Women Director Program, was first announced this year at Cannes Film Festival, alongside news that Katie Holmes was also getting involved. Vertigo, Al Mansour and Holmes will work together to select and then support three emerging female filmmakers from Saudi Arabia. Submissions for the program run until August 31. “When I first started making films the idea of working as a female Saudi director seemed outlandish. But I knew that the world was curious to hear from us, to hear our side of the story, and that films from home would strike a chord with audiences around the world,” said Al Mansour,...
UK production company Vertigo Films (Monsters, Britannia, Bronson) and pioneering Saudi director Haifaa Al Mansour (The Perfect Candidate, Wadjda) have come on board a Film AlUla program aimed at mentoring emerging female Saudi filmmakers. The initiative, bannered the AlUla Creates’ Saudi Women Director Program, was first announced this year at Cannes Film Festival, alongside news that Katie Holmes was also getting involved. Vertigo, Al Mansour and Holmes will work together to select and then support three emerging female filmmakers from Saudi Arabia. Submissions for the program run until August 31. “When I first started making films the idea of working as a female Saudi director seemed outlandish. But I knew that the world was curious to hear from us, to hear our side of the story, and that films from home would strike a chord with audiences around the world,” said Al Mansour,...
- 7/26/2023
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
Netflix on Thursday dropped its Saudi Arabian psychological thriller “The Matchmaker,” which centers on a married It worker who becomes infatuated with a beautiful intern at his office and ventures into ground that breaks several types of local boundaries.
In the film, which is directed by Abdulmohsen Aldhabaan — whose 2019 directorial debut “Last Visit” depicted Saudi’s patriarchal culture — the protagonist (Hussam Alharthy) winds up following the intern (Nour Alkhadra) to an eerie desert resort where a matchmaker (Reem Alhabib) promises men she will pair them with their perfect bride.
The basic premise behind “The Matchmaker,” which is produced by disruptive Saudi shingle Telfaz 11, was to make a genre movie that played on the practice of “misyar,” a no-strings attached marriage often done secretly in Saudi society. Under the rules of “misyar” the wife waives conventional marriage rights such as cohabitation and financial support. The practice has been legal in the conservative Muslim kingdom for decades.
In the film, which is directed by Abdulmohsen Aldhabaan — whose 2019 directorial debut “Last Visit” depicted Saudi’s patriarchal culture — the protagonist (Hussam Alharthy) winds up following the intern (Nour Alkhadra) to an eerie desert resort where a matchmaker (Reem Alhabib) promises men she will pair them with their perfect bride.
The basic premise behind “The Matchmaker,” which is produced by disruptive Saudi shingle Telfaz 11, was to make a genre movie that played on the practice of “misyar,” a no-strings attached marriage often done secretly in Saudi society. Under the rules of “misyar” the wife waives conventional marriage rights such as cohabitation and financial support. The practice has been legal in the conservative Muslim kingdom for decades.
- 4/28/2023
- by Nick Vivarelli
- Variety Film + TV
Our critic surveys the streaming services’s current offerings to find the best family films – from Monsters, Inc to The Muppet Movie, Wolfwalkers to Wadjda
You’ve survived the heatwave, perhaps already been away, and still the school holidays stretch languidly into September, demanding plans and playdates and activities to fill the slowed summer hours. Sitting the kids in front of the TV for hours on end obviously shouldn’t be the only solution, but it needn’t be as passive as all that. A family film marathon can be a cheerfully sociable use of shared time – not to mention a cheap one, for parents burnt out on repeat cinema trips to Minions: The Rise of Gru. But which streaming platforms will serve you best this summer? And how few of them can you get away with subscribing to? Allow me to break down the best they have to offer.
You’ve survived the heatwave, perhaps already been away, and still the school holidays stretch languidly into September, demanding plans and playdates and activities to fill the slowed summer hours. Sitting the kids in front of the TV for hours on end obviously shouldn’t be the only solution, but it needn’t be as passive as all that. A family film marathon can be a cheerfully sociable use of shared time – not to mention a cheap one, for parents burnt out on repeat cinema trips to Minions: The Rise of Gru. But which streaming platforms will serve you best this summer? And how few of them can you get away with subscribing to? Allow me to break down the best they have to offer.
- 7/30/2022
- by Guy Lodge
- The Guardian - Film News
IMDbPro March Member of the Month: Writer/director Haifaa Al Mansour is best known for her acclaimed and daring film, Wadjda, which earned a BAFTA nomination for Best Film Not in the English Language as well as many other accolades. She followed with her numerous other projects include 2017’s Mary Shelley, starring Elle Fanning, The Perfect Candidate in 2019, and has even more in store. Read our interview with this brave and brilliant director as our IMDbPro March Member of the Month...
- 3/29/2022
- by IMDbPro Editors
- IMDbPro News
Hollywood and regional stars hit the red carpet event in Jeddah’s Al-Balad historic centre.
Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea International Film Festival (Rsiff) opened in Jeddah on Monday evening (December 6) with an array of international stars on the red carpet, but it was local filmmaker Haifaa Al Mansour who stole the show when she received an honorary career award at the opening ceremony.
“When I was a child, watching a movie for me was a dream, and making the first Saudi film was a dream, and being honoured in the first film festival in Saudi Arabia was also a dream,...
Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea International Film Festival (Rsiff) opened in Jeddah on Monday evening (December 6) with an array of international stars on the red carpet, but it was local filmmaker Haifaa Al Mansour who stole the show when she received an honorary career award at the opening ceremony.
“When I was a child, watching a movie for me was a dream, and making the first Saudi film was a dream, and being honoured in the first film festival in Saudi Arabia was also a dream,...
- 12/7/2021
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- ScreenDaily
The Red Sea International Film Festival (RedSeaIFF), which will have its inaugural edition from 6-15 December, has announced a number of celebrations in honour of the ground-breaking contribution of women to film.
The Festival will honour the first female Saudi filmmaker, Haifaa Al Mansour, who is not only one of the most significant names in the Saudi film industry but has led the way in championing female empowerment across the region.
Her feature debut, Wadjda, was the first film to ever be shot in the Kingdom and was nominated for numerous international awards, including the BAFTA Award for Best Film not in the English Language. She has since gone on to direct numerous TV shows and films internationally, including Mary Shelley and Nappily Ever After, and continues to break ground in filmmaking.
Also in news – Glasgow Film Festival 2022 Announce Retrospective 1962 Screenings
Academy Award and BAFTA-nominated French actress Catherine Deneuve and...
The Festival will honour the first female Saudi filmmaker, Haifaa Al Mansour, who is not only one of the most significant names in the Saudi film industry but has led the way in championing female empowerment across the region.
Her feature debut, Wadjda, was the first film to ever be shot in the Kingdom and was nominated for numerous international awards, including the BAFTA Award for Best Film not in the English Language. She has since gone on to direct numerous TV shows and films internationally, including Mary Shelley and Nappily Ever After, and continues to break ground in filmmaking.
Also in news – Glasgow Film Festival 2022 Announce Retrospective 1962 Screenings
Academy Award and BAFTA-nominated French actress Catherine Deneuve and...
- 12/1/2021
- by Zehra Phelan
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
BIFAs Sets Host
Asim Chaudhry, most known for his role as Chabuddy G in People Just Do Nothing, has been set as host for the 2021 British Independent Film Awards, which will take place on December 5. Back to a physical edition after a one-year virtual hiatus, the ceremony is taking place at London’s Old Billingsgate. Nominations were unveiled last month, with Belfast and Boiling Point leading the way.
BAFTA Rising Star Jury
This year’s BAFTA Rising Star jury will feature Andy Serkis, Sadie Frost and Downton Abbey star Michelle Dockery. Overseen by BAFTA Chair Krishnendu Majumdar, the jury also features casting directors Lucy Bevan and Leo Davis, producer Uzma Hasan, and talent agent Ikki El-Amriti. The shortlist will be announced on February 1, when voting opens to the public. Previous winners of the prize include John Boyega and Letitia Wright. The BAFTAs take place on March 13.
Red Sea Festival To Spotlight Female Filmmakers,...
Asim Chaudhry, most known for his role as Chabuddy G in People Just Do Nothing, has been set as host for the 2021 British Independent Film Awards, which will take place on December 5. Back to a physical edition after a one-year virtual hiatus, the ceremony is taking place at London’s Old Billingsgate. Nominations were unveiled last month, with Belfast and Boiling Point leading the way.
BAFTA Rising Star Jury
This year’s BAFTA Rising Star jury will feature Andy Serkis, Sadie Frost and Downton Abbey star Michelle Dockery. Overseen by BAFTA Chair Krishnendu Majumdar, the jury also features casting directors Lucy Bevan and Leo Davis, producer Uzma Hasan, and talent agent Ikki El-Amriti. The shortlist will be announced on February 1, when voting opens to the public. Previous winners of the prize include John Boyega and Letitia Wright. The BAFTAs take place on March 13.
Red Sea Festival To Spotlight Female Filmmakers,...
- 12/1/2021
- by Tom Grater
- Deadline Film + TV
New works by emerging Arab film directors Soudade Kaadan (“The Day I Lost My Shadow”) and Lina Soualem (“Their Algeria”) are among standouts being presented at the upcoming Cairo Film Connection, the Cairo Film Festival’s co-production platform, where eight out of 15 selected projects are by female filmmakers.
This year more than a third of the Cfc selection is made up of first-time helmers presenting projects, alongside names who’ve made a splash with their debuts and are now working on their second films, and other directors making their first narrative features after establishing themselves in the documentary world.
Cairo Film Festival president Mohamed Hefzy has noted proudly that they received an unprecedented 110 submissions, most of which came from first-timers.
“We’ve decided to take risks in our choices and shine a light on new and eclectic talents,” said new Cfc manager Chadi Zeneddine, who is a former Doha Film Institute programmer.
This year more than a third of the Cfc selection is made up of first-time helmers presenting projects, alongside names who’ve made a splash with their debuts and are now working on their second films, and other directors making their first narrative features after establishing themselves in the documentary world.
Cairo Film Festival president Mohamed Hefzy has noted proudly that they received an unprecedented 110 submissions, most of which came from first-timers.
“We’ve decided to take risks in our choices and shine a light on new and eclectic talents,” said new Cfc manager Chadi Zeneddine, who is a former Doha Film Institute programmer.
- 11/24/2021
- by Nick Vivarelli
- Variety Film + TV
Jury
Italy’s Giuseppe Tornatore, director of the Oscar, BAFTA and Cannes winning film “Cinema Paradiso,” will preside over the features competition jury at Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Film Festival (Dec. 6-15). Tornatore’s latest documentary, “Ennio,” about revered composer Ennio Morricone, which bowed at Venice, will have its Arab premiere at the festival out-of-competition in the International Spectacular strand.
Joining Tornatore on the jury are Tunisian actor Hend Sabry (“The Blue Elephant 2”) Palestinian-American director, writer, actor and producer Cherien Dabis (“Amreeka”), Morelia International Film Festival director Daniela Michel and Saudi filmmaker Abdulaziz Alshlahei (“Zero Distance”).
The Red Sea shorts competition jury will be led by Egypt’s Marwan Hamed, director of Tribeca winner “The Yacoubian Building”) who will be joined by Saudi Arabian actor and director Ahd Kamel (“Wadjda”) and Finnish-Somali director and writer Khadar Ayderus (“The Gravedigger’s Wife”).
Trailer
Universal Pictures has released a trailer for “Redeeming Love,...
Italy’s Giuseppe Tornatore, director of the Oscar, BAFTA and Cannes winning film “Cinema Paradiso,” will preside over the features competition jury at Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Film Festival (Dec. 6-15). Tornatore’s latest documentary, “Ennio,” about revered composer Ennio Morricone, which bowed at Venice, will have its Arab premiere at the festival out-of-competition in the International Spectacular strand.
Joining Tornatore on the jury are Tunisian actor Hend Sabry (“The Blue Elephant 2”) Palestinian-American director, writer, actor and producer Cherien Dabis (“Amreeka”), Morelia International Film Festival director Daniela Michel and Saudi filmmaker Abdulaziz Alshlahei (“Zero Distance”).
The Red Sea shorts competition jury will be led by Egypt’s Marwan Hamed, director of Tribeca winner “The Yacoubian Building”) who will be joined by Saudi Arabian actor and director Ahd Kamel (“Wadjda”) and Finnish-Somali director and writer Khadar Ayderus (“The Gravedigger’s Wife”).
Trailer
Universal Pictures has released a trailer for “Redeeming Love,...
- 11/24/2021
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Middle East Premiere of Joe Wright’s ‘Cyrano’ to Open Saudi Arabia’s Inaugural Red Sea Film Festival
The Middle East premiere of British director Joe Wright’s dazzling romantic drama “Cyrano” will open the Red Sea Film Festival, which is Saudi Arabia’s first full-fledged film festival and market with international ambitions.
The ambitious event, which is a key plank of the kingdom’s plans to diversify its oil-based economy and become a prominent Middle East moviemaking hub – following the 2017 removal of its religion-related ban on cinema – is set to run Dec. 6-15 in the historic district of the city of Jeddah, a Unesco World Heritage site.
Organizers on Tuesday unveiled a well-assorted lineup featuring lots of fresh Arabic fare interspersed with high-profile international pics such as, besides “Cyrano,” Maggie Gyllenhaal’s Elena Ferrante adaptation “The Lost Daughter,” Ana Lily Amirpour’s “Mona Lisa and the Blood Moon,” and Oscar-nominated Japanese filmmaker Mamoru Hosoda’s anime feature “Belle,” which will open the fest’s Next Generation section.
The ambitious event, which is a key plank of the kingdom’s plans to diversify its oil-based economy and become a prominent Middle East moviemaking hub – following the 2017 removal of its religion-related ban on cinema – is set to run Dec. 6-15 in the historic district of the city of Jeddah, a Unesco World Heritage site.
Organizers on Tuesday unveiled a well-assorted lineup featuring lots of fresh Arabic fare interspersed with high-profile international pics such as, besides “Cyrano,” Maggie Gyllenhaal’s Elena Ferrante adaptation “The Lost Daughter,” Ana Lily Amirpour’s “Mona Lisa and the Blood Moon,” and Oscar-nominated Japanese filmmaker Mamoru Hosoda’s anime feature “Belle,” which will open the fest’s Next Generation section.
- 11/9/2021
- by Nick Vivarelli
- Variety Film + TV
Event ran September 12-13 concurrent Toronto International Film Festival.
The virtual 2021 Ontario Creates International Financing Forum (iff) that took place this month brought together feature producers on projects at various stages of development with industry executives and hosted more than 550 meetings.
Iff, which took place from September 12-13 concurrent with Toronto International Film Festival, invited 42 industry executives from the likes of Netflix, Neon, Voltage Pictures, The Match Factory and Protagonist Pictures. Charlotte Mickie, vice-president of Celluloid Dreams, said: “Iff is awesome. The offering is diverse and rich, and the conversations with the producers are so stimulating and provocative, in a good way.
The virtual 2021 Ontario Creates International Financing Forum (iff) that took place this month brought together feature producers on projects at various stages of development with industry executives and hosted more than 550 meetings.
Iff, which took place from September 12-13 concurrent with Toronto International Film Festival, invited 42 industry executives from the likes of Netflix, Neon, Voltage Pictures, The Match Factory and Protagonist Pictures. Charlotte Mickie, vice-president of Celluloid Dreams, said: “Iff is awesome. The offering is diverse and rich, and the conversations with the producers are so stimulating and provocative, in a good way.
- 9/30/2021
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
German-born UK composer is known for his work on ‘Mary Queen Of Scots’ and ‘Waltz With Bashir’.
The World Soundtrack Awards has named award-winning composer Max Richter as the guest of honour for its upcoming edition in October.
The German-born, UK composer is known for writing scores spanning both film and TV from period feature Mary Queen Of Scots and Oscar-nominated animation Waltz With Bashir to HBO’s The Leftovers and BBC drama Taboo. He has also recorded nearly a dozen solo albums.
Richter will attend the 21st edition of the awards, which will take place in-person as part of...
The World Soundtrack Awards has named award-winning composer Max Richter as the guest of honour for its upcoming edition in October.
The German-born, UK composer is known for writing scores spanning both film and TV from period feature Mary Queen Of Scots and Oscar-nominated animation Waltz With Bashir to HBO’s The Leftovers and BBC drama Taboo. He has also recorded nearly a dozen solo albums.
Richter will attend the 21st edition of the awards, which will take place in-person as part of...
- 6/30/2021
- by Michael Rosser
- ScreenDaily
This review was initially published after the 2019 Venice Film Festival premiere of “The Perfect Candidate.”
As someone with a side gig on the programming team of an LGBT film festival, I’ve noticed that, while the coming-out drama is often tired and clichéd coming from American filmmakers, it can be thrilling when one is produced a part of the world where an honest conversation about queer lives is in its early stages.
It’s not a put-down, then, when I say that Saudi Arabia’s “The Perfect Candidate” reminds me of a cycle of Jane Fonda films from the 1970s and 80s — notably “Coming Home,” “The China Syndrome” and “9 to 5” — where she plays women who fight back against their understanding of the world and discover their own voices in the process. And Jane never had to do it while wearing a niqab.
With exquisite subtlety, director Haifaa Al...
As someone with a side gig on the programming team of an LGBT film festival, I’ve noticed that, while the coming-out drama is often tired and clichéd coming from American filmmakers, it can be thrilling when one is produced a part of the world where an honest conversation about queer lives is in its early stages.
It’s not a put-down, then, when I say that Saudi Arabia’s “The Perfect Candidate” reminds me of a cycle of Jane Fonda films from the 1970s and 80s — notably “Coming Home,” “The China Syndrome” and “9 to 5” — where she plays women who fight back against their understanding of the world and discover their own voices in the process. And Jane never had to do it while wearing a niqab.
With exquisite subtlety, director Haifaa Al...
- 5/15/2021
- by Alonso Duralde
- The Wrap
Cinema of Saudi Arabia is a small and still quite new, thus undiscovered industry, releasing a modest number of features per year. 2012‘s „Wadjda” by Haifaa al-Mansour, which won accolades on festivals across the world including BAFTA for the best foreign film, was considered the first motion picture with an all-Saudi cast and shot entirely on location in Sa. It was only in 2018 when the country in a series of socio-economic reforms introduced by the ruler lifted its religion-based ban on movie theatres that lasted 35 years. Also, Saudi Film Council (Sfc) was founded. It opened up brand-new opportunities for filmmakers. Abdulmohsen Aldhabaan was among those who decided to benefit from the change of landscape in an emerging industry and applied for a shooting permit. He started watching movies on VHS and DVD and learned about the cinema from an online forum for cinephiles. Since 2006, he worked as a movie critic and journalist,...
- 4/23/2021
- by Joanna Kończak
- AsianMoviePulse
While the name Haifaa Al-Mansour might not be as well known as some international filmmakers, the trailblazing director will always go down in history as the first woman to direct a feature film in Saudi Arabia, with 2012’s “Wadjda.” Obviously, due to the political and religious climate in the Middle East, women aren’t treated nearly as equal as men are, which is something Al-Mansour dives deeper into with her newest film, “The Perfect Candidate.”
Read More: ‘The Perfect Candidate’: Haifaa Al-Mansour Gently Marries Family Tradition & Equality [Venice Review]
And in honor of “The Perfect Candidate” receiving an official theatrical release date in May, we’re thrilled to give our audience an exclusive peek at the trailer for the feature film.
Continue reading ‘The Perfect Candidate’ Exclusive Trailer: Haifaa Al-Mansour’s Heartfelt Drama Arrives In Theaters This May at The Playlist.
Read More: ‘The Perfect Candidate’: Haifaa Al-Mansour Gently Marries Family Tradition & Equality [Venice Review]
And in honor of “The Perfect Candidate” receiving an official theatrical release date in May, we’re thrilled to give our audience an exclusive peek at the trailer for the feature film.
Continue reading ‘The Perfect Candidate’ Exclusive Trailer: Haifaa Al-Mansour’s Heartfelt Drama Arrives In Theaters This May at The Playlist.
- 4/8/2021
- by Charles Barfield
- The Playlist
Bookmark this page for all the latest international feature submissions.
Submissions for the best international feature film award at the 2021 Academy Awards have started to come in, and Screen is keeping a running list of each film below.
Scroll down for the full list
The 93rd Academy Awards is set to take place on April 25, 2021. It was originally set to be held on February 28, before both the ceremony and eligibility period were postponed for two months due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Submitted films must have been released in their respective countries between the expanded dates of October 1, 2019, and December 31, 2020. (Last year it was October-September.
Submissions for the best international feature film award at the 2021 Academy Awards have started to come in, and Screen is keeping a running list of each film below.
Scroll down for the full list
The 93rd Academy Awards is set to take place on April 25, 2021. It was originally set to be held on February 28, before both the ceremony and eligibility period were postponed for two months due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Submitted films must have been released in their respective countries between the expanded dates of October 1, 2019, and December 31, 2020. (Last year it was October-September.
- 12/21/2020
- by Ben Dalton¬Michael Rosser
- ScreenDaily
“Women Make Film.” The title of Irish film savant Mark Cousins’ sprawling 14-hour follow-up to “The Story of Film” serves both as a statement of fact and, if punctuated slightly differently, a call to action: “Women, Make Film!”
Where the earlier documentary was a monumental survey of the medium, attempting to cram its entire history into a single project, with footage shot through the windshields of cars on nearly every continent. He and editor Timo Langer have assembled montage upon montage of magic moments, the vast majority plucked from films even I was unfamiliar with, amounting to an invaluable film appreciation workshop. It’s ideal for those with open minds and eclectic tastes, such as festival audiences and subscribers of Turner Classic Movies and The Criterion Channel, where the film can be absorbed in bite-size chunks.
“This is a film school of sorts in which all the teachers are women,...
Where the earlier documentary was a monumental survey of the medium, attempting to cram its entire history into a single project, with footage shot through the windshields of cars on nearly every continent. He and editor Timo Langer have assembled montage upon montage of magic moments, the vast majority plucked from films even I was unfamiliar with, amounting to an invaluable film appreciation workshop. It’s ideal for those with open minds and eclectic tastes, such as festival audiences and subscribers of Turner Classic Movies and The Criterion Channel, where the film can be absorbed in bite-size chunks.
“This is a film school of sorts in which all the teachers are women,...
- 9/1/2020
- by Peter Debruge
- Variety Film + TV
The coronavirus continues to sweep the globe, causing mass lockdowns everywhere. Luckily, we live in what is arguably the best time to be stuck at home in history. Widespread internet access means leisure activities are easy; you could spin a roulette on Casimba Casino, do a home workout routine, or listen to music without having to leave the comfort of your home. You also have access to some of the greatest movies ever made, not least by Asian filmmakers. Here are the 10 best Asian movies you can watch during lockdown.
Seven Samurai
This influential Kurosawa masterpiece eventually became The Magnificent Seven, a Western directed by John Sturges. That movie is great, of course, but the original is yet to be topped. Kurosawa’s cinematography is fluid and kinetic, and the characterisation of each of the samurai is compelling and bold. The plot is simple: seven samurai have been hired to...
Seven Samurai
This influential Kurosawa masterpiece eventually became The Magnificent Seven, a Western directed by John Sturges. That movie is great, of course, but the original is yet to be topped. Kurosawa’s cinematography is fluid and kinetic, and the characterisation of each of the samurai is compelling and bold. The plot is simple: seven samurai have been hired to...
- 4/26/2020
- by AMP Training
- AsianMoviePulse
Haifaa Al-Mansour, Saudi Arabia’s first female filmmaker, is adapting the popular young adult novel “The Selection” into a Netflix film.
“The Selection,” written by Kiera Cass, centers on America Singer, a young girl in a dystopian future where she and dozens of other women are relocated to a palace and compete for a prince’s affections. The novel was a critical success that spawned four spin-offs.
More from IndieWireNew Movies: Release Calendar for April 10, Plus Where to Watch the Latest Films'The Half of It' Trailer: Alice Wu's Adorable Queer 'Cyrano' Riff for Netflix
The film will be executive produced by Margaret French Isaac, with Denise Di Novi and Pouya Shahbazian serving as executive producers. Netflix confirmed the news to IndieWire but casting and a release date are still unknown.
“I’m thrilled to be working with the brilliant Haifaa Al-Mansour and our friends at Netflix on this special film,...
“The Selection,” written by Kiera Cass, centers on America Singer, a young girl in a dystopian future where she and dozens of other women are relocated to a palace and compete for a prince’s affections. The novel was a critical success that spawned four spin-offs.
More from IndieWireNew Movies: Release Calendar for April 10, Plus Where to Watch the Latest Films'The Half of It' Trailer: Alice Wu's Adorable Queer 'Cyrano' Riff for Netflix
The film will be executive produced by Margaret French Isaac, with Denise Di Novi and Pouya Shahbazian serving as executive producers. Netflix confirmed the news to IndieWire but casting and a release date are still unknown.
“I’m thrilled to be working with the brilliant Haifaa Al-Mansour and our friends at Netflix on this special film,...
- 4/11/2020
- by Tyler Hersko
- Indiewire
Saudi Arabian filmmaker Haifaa Al-Mansour will direct Netflix’s upcoming film “The Selection,” based on the first entry in Kiera Cass’ popular book series.
Published in 2012, the book is set in a dystopian future where 35 girls are selected to move to a royal palace and compete for a prince’s heart. America Singer is from the society’s lower class and chosen as one of Prince Maxon’s suitors, but she’s torn between the life and love she left behind. Over time, she grows strong feelings for the Prince.
“The Selection” is the first in a five-book series and has sold more than 11 million copies around the world.
“We are thrilled to be working with Netflix and bringing these beloved books to life for the extraordinarily loyal and passionate fan base,” producer Denise Di Novi said. “The author Kiera Cass has created a spellbinding fantasy whose message of empowerment...
Published in 2012, the book is set in a dystopian future where 35 girls are selected to move to a royal palace and compete for a prince’s heart. America Singer is from the society’s lower class and chosen as one of Prince Maxon’s suitors, but she’s torn between the life and love she left behind. Over time, she grows strong feelings for the Prince.
“The Selection” is the first in a five-book series and has sold more than 11 million copies around the world.
“We are thrilled to be working with Netflix and bringing these beloved books to life for the extraordinarily loyal and passionate fan base,” producer Denise Di Novi said. “The author Kiera Cass has created a spellbinding fantasy whose message of empowerment...
- 4/10/2020
- by Justin Kroll
- Variety Film + TV
Distributor Modern Films has opted to give an online release to “The Perfect Candidate” in the U.K., as an alternative to the planned theatrical release, which has been put back as British movie theaters shutter due to coronavirus.
The film by Haifaa Al Mansour, the trailblazing Saudi director of “Wadjda,” was scheduled for theatrical release on March 27. Modern Films attributed the decision to the “current time of uncertainty around cinemagoing and the Covid-19 virus,” and said it preferred this route to canceling or postponing the release. The company plans to release it in theaters as soon as possible.
The partner on the online release is Curzon Cinemas, through their Curzon Home Cinema platform. It will also be available on the BFI Player, as the British Film Institute is supporting the film release through their Lottery-funded Audience Fund, and on Modern Film’s own streaming space via modernfilms.com.
Modern...
The film by Haifaa Al Mansour, the trailblazing Saudi director of “Wadjda,” was scheduled for theatrical release on March 27. Modern Films attributed the decision to the “current time of uncertainty around cinemagoing and the Covid-19 virus,” and said it preferred this route to canceling or postponing the release. The company plans to release it in theaters as soon as possible.
The partner on the online release is Curzon Cinemas, through their Curzon Home Cinema platform. It will also be available on the BFI Player, as the British Film Institute is supporting the film release through their Lottery-funded Audience Fund, and on Modern Film’s own streaming space via modernfilms.com.
Modern...
- 3/17/2020
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
Music Box Films has acquired the North American rights to “The Perfect Candidate” from Saudi Arabian director Haifaa Al-Mansour, an individual with knowledge of the deal told TheWrap.
The distributor plans to release the film theatrically in 2020 followed by a home entertainment release.
“The Perfect Candidate” premiered at the Venice International Film Festival in 2019 and was Saudi Arabia’s official submission to the Best International Feature race at the 92nd Academy Awards. It will next make its U.S. premiere at the Sundance Film Festival later this month.
Al-Mansour is the director of “Wadjda,” which was the first Saudi film to be directed by a woman and the country’s first-ever submission to the Oscars. “The Perfect Candidate” is Al-Mansour’s return to her home country after a few projects in the English language.
The distributor plans to release the film theatrically in 2020 followed by a home entertainment release.
“The Perfect Candidate” premiered at the Venice International Film Festival in 2019 and was Saudi Arabia’s official submission to the Best International Feature race at the 92nd Academy Awards. It will next make its U.S. premiere at the Sundance Film Festival later this month.
Al-Mansour is the director of “Wadjda,” which was the first Saudi film to be directed by a woman and the country’s first-ever submission to the Oscars. “The Perfect Candidate” is Al-Mansour’s return to her home country after a few projects in the English language.
- 1/17/2020
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
Exclusive: Haifaa Al-Mansour’s political parable The Perfect Candidate has been picked up for North America by Music Box Films ahead of the movie’s U.S. premiere at Sundance.
The Venice title is the latest film from pioneering director Haifaa al-Mansour, who made the first Saudi Arabian feature Wadjda in 2012. The film marks a directorial return to her homeland.
The Perfect Candidate follows Maryam, a young Saudi doctor, who runs for city council after the male incumbent repeatedly ignores her request to fix the muddy road leading to her clinic. However, as the campaign slowly garners broader appeal, Maryam’s candidacy challenges her more traditional family, as she becomes a symbol for a much larger movement.
Producers include Al-Mansour, Brad Niemann, Gerhard Meixner and Roman Paul.
Music Box Films, which acquired all film rights in the U.S. and Canada, plans a theatrical run later this year followed by a home entertainment release.
The Venice title is the latest film from pioneering director Haifaa al-Mansour, who made the first Saudi Arabian feature Wadjda in 2012. The film marks a directorial return to her homeland.
The Perfect Candidate follows Maryam, a young Saudi doctor, who runs for city council after the male incumbent repeatedly ignores her request to fix the muddy road leading to her clinic. However, as the campaign slowly garners broader appeal, Maryam’s candidacy challenges her more traditional family, as she becomes a symbol for a much larger movement.
Producers include Al-Mansour, Brad Niemann, Gerhard Meixner and Roman Paul.
Music Box Films, which acquired all film rights in the U.S. and Canada, plans a theatrical run later this year followed by a home entertainment release.
- 1/17/2020
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
Deadline has highlighted 11 movies that had a transformative impact on the film industry and/or the wider world in the decade of the 2010s. The non-exhaustive list includes movies from across the globe and considers their effect on box office, careers, companies, industry trends and cultural conversation. Our list includes movies released between 2010-2019.
The King’s Speech (2010)
A case can be made that The King’s Speech is the most successful independent British film ever. Made for a budget of around $15 million, the film went on to make north of $415M and score an array of awards, including the Best Picture Oscar (among 12 Academy nominations). The film typified the hard-fought way British independent films get made (although unusually there was no BBC or Film4) and, whether we like it or not, helped cement a global fascination for all things British aristocracy and royal family. The film propelled careers (Tom Hooper and...
The King’s Speech (2010)
A case can be made that The King’s Speech is the most successful independent British film ever. Made for a budget of around $15 million, the film went on to make north of $415M and score an array of awards, including the Best Picture Oscar (among 12 Academy nominations). The film typified the hard-fought way British independent films get made (although unusually there was no BBC or Film4) and, whether we like it or not, helped cement a global fascination for all things British aristocracy and royal family. The film propelled careers (Tom Hooper and...
- 12/30/2019
- by Andreas Wiseman and Tom Grater
- Deadline Film + TV
When Haifaa Al-Mansour made her first feature film “Wadjda” in 2012, Saudi Arabia’s first-ever Oscar submission, she famously had to direct the film from the back of a van while segregated from her male cast and crew as she worked. For her latest film “The Perfect Candidate,” she wanted to see just how much times have changed in her country since then.
While many people filmed TV, the public exhibition of movies early in the decade was still forbidden, and many locals would be apprehensive to allow filmmakers to use actors or use locations for a film for fear of reprisal from radicals or the government. Since “Wadjda,” Al-Mansour has made a handful of English-language films and shows, and she’s observed how the fear toward cinema in her country has lessened.
“Cinema was legal, and I wanted to know what had changed,” Al-Mansour told TheWrap’s Steve Pond following...
While many people filmed TV, the public exhibition of movies early in the decade was still forbidden, and many locals would be apprehensive to allow filmmakers to use actors or use locations for a film for fear of reprisal from radicals or the government. Since “Wadjda,” Al-Mansour has made a handful of English-language films and shows, and she’s observed how the fear toward cinema in her country has lessened.
“Cinema was legal, and I wanted to know what had changed,” Al-Mansour told TheWrap’s Steve Pond following...
- 12/5/2019
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
This year, with some mighty titles from the Maghreb evaluated alongside the rest of continental Africa, the competitive potential of the Middle East lineup handicapped here may seem a tad diminished. Nevertheless, the territory boasts a possible short-list contender in Palestinian helmer Elia Suleiman’s wry travelog “It Must Be Heaven,” which nabbed the international critics award at 2019 Cannes.
Back in 2003, Suleiman’s second feature, “Divine Intervention,” marked the first of 12 submissions made by Palestine over the years. During that time, the entries resulted in two nominations, both for films helmed by Hany Abu-Assad: “Paradise Now” (2005) and “Omar” (2013). Now, Suleiman, like Abu-Assad, is recognized as an elder statesman of Palestinian filmmaking as well as an accomplished auteur whose films continue to bear witness to the surreal and the absurd in Palestinian life at home and abroad. Although his work is better-known in Europe than in the U.S., “It Must Be Heaven...
Back in 2003, Suleiman’s second feature, “Divine Intervention,” marked the first of 12 submissions made by Palestine over the years. During that time, the entries resulted in two nominations, both for films helmed by Hany Abu-Assad: “Paradise Now” (2005) and “Omar” (2013). Now, Suleiman, like Abu-Assad, is recognized as an elder statesman of Palestinian filmmaking as well as an accomplished auteur whose films continue to bear witness to the surreal and the absurd in Palestinian life at home and abroad. Although his work is better-known in Europe than in the U.S., “It Must Be Heaven...
- 12/5/2019
- by Alissa Simon
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Haifaa Al-Mansour, whose The Perfect Candidate bowed in Competition at Venice this year, has signed to direct Let It Go, a biopic of pioneering Brit technology entrepreneur Dame Stephanie Shirley.
The English-language project will track the life of Shirley, who arrived in the UK in 1939 as a six-year-old refugee from Nazi Germany. From humble roots she built up an information technology business to be worth more than $3bn.
She was also a firm advocate of women’s rights in the workplace, creating numerous job opportunities for women at her company and also giving them shares, which made many of them rich. The early days of computing and software were heavily male-dominated, and Shirley adopted the name “Steve” to help her get ahead after finding her letters penned under Stephanie were often ignored.
Producers on the pic are Damian Jones (The Iron Lady) and The Development Partnership, the sister company...
The English-language project will track the life of Shirley, who arrived in the UK in 1939 as a six-year-old refugee from Nazi Germany. From humble roots she built up an information technology business to be worth more than $3bn.
She was also a firm advocate of women’s rights in the workplace, creating numerous job opportunities for women at her company and also giving them shares, which made many of them rich. The early days of computing and software were heavily male-dominated, and Shirley adopted the name “Steve” to help her get ahead after finding her letters penned under Stephanie were often ignored.
Producers on the pic are Damian Jones (The Iron Lady) and The Development Partnership, the sister company...
- 11/6/2019
- by Tom Grater and Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
Haifaa Al Mansour’s “The Perfect Candidate,” about a Saudi doctor who challenges the patriarchal system in her country by running in municipal elections, has been selected as Saudi Arabia’s contender for the international feature film Oscar.
The tale of female empowerment and individualism, which screened at Venice and Toronto, is Saudi Arabia’s first Oscar submission after a longstanding religious ban on cinema in the kingdom was lifted in 2017. The selection was made by the Saudi Academy Awards Committee, an independent group of filmmakers and cinema figures chaired by local director and producer Abdullah Aleyaf.
Al Mansour’s acclaimed debut feature, “Wadjda,” was the first film that Saudi Arabia submitted to the Academy in 2012, before the ban was lifted.
Produced by La-based Al-Mansour and Brad Niemann, with Berlin-based Gerhard Meixner and Roman Paul of Razor Film Produktion, “The Perfect Candidate” is the first film to be supported by the Saudi Film Council,...
The tale of female empowerment and individualism, which screened at Venice and Toronto, is Saudi Arabia’s first Oscar submission after a longstanding religious ban on cinema in the kingdom was lifted in 2017. The selection was made by the Saudi Academy Awards Committee, an independent group of filmmakers and cinema figures chaired by local director and producer Abdullah Aleyaf.
Al Mansour’s acclaimed debut feature, “Wadjda,” was the first film that Saudi Arabia submitted to the Academy in 2012, before the ban was lifted.
Produced by La-based Al-Mansour and Brad Niemann, with Berlin-based Gerhard Meixner and Roman Paul of Razor Film Produktion, “The Perfect Candidate” is the first film to be supported by the Saudi Film Council,...
- 10/4/2019
- by Nick Vivarelli
- Variety Film + TV
Which film will follow on from ‘Roma’ in winning the prize?
Submissions for the best international feature film award at the 2020 Academy Awards have started to come in, and Screen is keeping a running list of each film below.
This is the first year the award will be given under the new name of ‘best international feature film’, after a change in April from ‘foreign-language film’.
Scroll down for latest entries
The eligibility rules remain the same: an international feature film is defined as a feature-length motion picture produced outside the Us with a predominantly non-English dialogue track and can include animated and documentary features.
Submissions for the best international feature film award at the 2020 Academy Awards have started to come in, and Screen is keeping a running list of each film below.
This is the first year the award will be given under the new name of ‘best international feature film’, after a change in April from ‘foreign-language film’.
Scroll down for latest entries
The eligibility rules remain the same: an international feature film is defined as a feature-length motion picture produced outside the Us with a predominantly non-English dialogue track and can include animated and documentary features.
- 10/4/2019
- by 1101321¦Ben Dalton¦26¦¬0¦Emma Kiely, Nancy Epton¦0¦
- ScreenDaily
Saudi Arabia has selected Haifaa Al Mansour's The Perfect Candidate as its official entry for the 2020 Oscars in the best international feature category, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.
The film — which competed for the Golden Lion in Venice — marks only the country's third submission to the Academy, its first coming in 2014 with Al Mansour's acclaimed debut feature Wadjda, which for many was a surprise omission from the nominations. The country's submission three years later, Barakah Meets Barakah, also didn't make it through to the final shortlist.
The selection was made by the ...
The film — which competed for the Golden Lion in Venice — marks only the country's third submission to the Academy, its first coming in 2014 with Al Mansour's acclaimed debut feature Wadjda, which for many was a surprise omission from the nominations. The country's submission three years later, Barakah Meets Barakah, also didn't make it through to the final shortlist.
The selection was made by the ...
- 10/4/2019
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
Saudi Arabia has selected Haifaa Al Mansour's The Perfect Candidate as its official entry for the 2020 Oscars in the best international feature category, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.
The film — which competed for the Golden Lion in Venice — marks only the country's third submission to the Academy, its first coming in 2014 with Al Mansour's acclaimed debut feature Wadjda, which for many was a surprise omission from the nominations. The country's submission three years later, Barakah Meets Barakah, also didn't make it through to the final shortlist.
The selection was made by the ...
The film — which competed for the Golden Lion in Venice — marks only the country's third submission to the Academy, its first coming in 2014 with Al Mansour's acclaimed debut feature Wadjda, which for many was a surprise omission from the nominations. The country's submission three years later, Barakah Meets Barakah, also didn't make it through to the final shortlist.
The selection was made by the ...
- 10/4/2019
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
In 2013, Saudi Arabian filmmaker Haifaa al-Mansour burst on the scene with “Wadjda,” a female coming-of-age story set in a country where women’s rights still lag behind international standards. “Wadjda” was an instant success, launching al-Mansour’s career as a Hollywood filmmaker and landing her projects such as the Elle Fanning vehicle “Mary Shelley“ and the Netflix original “Nappily Ever After.” Her latest film, “The Perfect Candidate,” sees al-Mansour returning to her native country for another story of female empowerment, this time exploring the evolving political opportunities for women in Saudi Arabia.
Continue reading Mila Al Zahrani Is The Face Of Change In The First Trailer & Clips For Venice’s ‘The Perfect Candidate’ at The Playlist.
Continue reading Mila Al Zahrani Is The Face Of Change In The First Trailer & Clips For Venice’s ‘The Perfect Candidate’ at The Playlist.
- 9/2/2019
- by Matthew Monagle
- The Playlist
Razor Film Produktion shot both Haifaa Al-Mansour’s ’Wadjda’ and her new Venice title.
Speaking in Venice this weekend, German producers Gerhard Meixner and Roman Paul, co-founders of Razor Film Produktion, have expressed their optimism about the future prospects for the Saudi film industry.
Meixner and Paul broke new ground by producing Haifaa Al-Mansour’s Wadjda (2013), the first feature shot entirely in Saudi Arabia as well as the first feature-length film made by a Saudi female director. Now, they’ve been back to Saudi Arabia to produce Al-Mansour’s new feature The Perfect Candidate, sold by The Match Factory, which...
Speaking in Venice this weekend, German producers Gerhard Meixner and Roman Paul, co-founders of Razor Film Produktion, have expressed their optimism about the future prospects for the Saudi film industry.
Meixner and Paul broke new ground by producing Haifaa Al-Mansour’s Wadjda (2013), the first feature shot entirely in Saudi Arabia as well as the first feature-length film made by a Saudi female director. Now, they’ve been back to Saudi Arabia to produce Al-Mansour’s new feature The Perfect Candidate, sold by The Match Factory, which...
- 9/1/2019
- by Geoffrey Macnab
- ScreenDaily
Haifaa al-Mansour, the first Saudi woman to direct a feature, goes back to basics with an effective story of a doctor trying to enter politics
Haifaa al-Mansour was the first Saudi woman to direct a feature film, landing out of the blue at the 2012 Venice film festival with her coming-of-age drama Wadjda. Mansour’s achievement was noteworthy in itself, but Wadjda turned out to be more than some dry historical milestone. It was rousing, galvanic, a big-hearted rebel yell about an 11-year-old girl who defies the elders in her efforts to buy a bicycle so she can race against boys. Just recalling that film is enough to make me well up.
Now, after a brace of English-language misadventures, Mansour is back on home soil, and decidedly back to core principles in that her new film delivers another salute to the indomitable female spirit, to the point where it might just...
Haifaa al-Mansour was the first Saudi woman to direct a feature film, landing out of the blue at the 2012 Venice film festival with her coming-of-age drama Wadjda. Mansour’s achievement was noteworthy in itself, but Wadjda turned out to be more than some dry historical milestone. It was rousing, galvanic, a big-hearted rebel yell about an 11-year-old girl who defies the elders in her efforts to buy a bicycle so she can race against boys. Just recalling that film is enough to make me well up.
Now, after a brace of English-language misadventures, Mansour is back on home soil, and decidedly back to core principles in that her new film delivers another salute to the indomitable female spirit, to the point where it might just...
- 8/30/2019
- by Xan Brooks
- The Guardian - Film News
Trailblazing Saudi Arabian filmmaker Haifaa Al-Mansour doesn’t want to talk politics.
The oil-rich kingdom’s first female director, who in 2012 broke taboos with ”Wadjda,” about a 10-year-old girl who wants to flout the rules and ride a bicycle, is back in Venice with competition pic “The Perfect Candidate.” The new film focuses on a female Saudi doctor who challenges the patriarchal system there by running as a candidate in municipal elections in a tight race against a male opponent.
But asked whether politics have affected Saudi’s embryonic film industry since a 35-year ban on moviegoing was lifted in 2017, she said: “No matter what the political situation is … art should always prevail and be given top priority, because it is … what pushes for civilization to grow, what shapes people’s minds and hearts. It’s important not to give up on that.” She declined to be drawn into specifics.
The oil-rich kingdom’s first female director, who in 2012 broke taboos with ”Wadjda,” about a 10-year-old girl who wants to flout the rules and ride a bicycle, is back in Venice with competition pic “The Perfect Candidate.” The new film focuses on a female Saudi doctor who challenges the patriarchal system there by running as a candidate in municipal elections in a tight race against a male opponent.
But asked whether politics have affected Saudi’s embryonic film industry since a 35-year ban on moviegoing was lifted in 2017, she said: “No matter what the political situation is … art should always prevail and be given top priority, because it is … what pushes for civilization to grow, what shapes people’s minds and hearts. It’s important not to give up on that.” She declined to be drawn into specifics.
- 8/30/2019
- by Nick Vivarelli
- Variety Film + TV
Haifaa Al-Mansour’s “Wadjda,” the first movie ever filmed entirely within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, told the story of a young Muslim girl who bristled against the restrictive gender norms of her ancient local custom and dreamed of owning a bicycle; it followed someone coming-of-age in a country that seemed aggressively resistant to change. Al-Mansour’s “The Perfect Candidate,” which tells the story of a twentysomething Muslim woman who campaigns to win a seat on her town’s municipal council, often feels like a lucid mirror image of the director’s 2012 breakthrough: it follows someone trying to sustain the essence of her identity in a country that’s aggressively coming-of-age. A lot can change in seven years.
Saudi Arabia — as you may have read in the headlines — is making well-publicized strides to join the 21st century. Women have now been granted the right to vote; domestic violence has been...
Saudi Arabia — as you may have read in the headlines — is making well-publicized strides to join the 21st century. Women have now been granted the right to vote; domestic violence has been...
- 8/29/2019
- by David Ehrlich
- Indiewire
It’s hard to know who’s the perfect audience for “The Perfect Candidate,” Haifaa Al Mansour’s first Saudi film since “Wadjda.” Even more than in that debut hit, her latest is clearly designed to demythologize the Kingdom, taking a host of cultural signifiers and parading them out in the cinematic equivalent of billboard-sized letters to show that Saudi society is heterogeneous and mutable. The script is so simplistic in how it runs through a checklist of cultural practices — women’s dress, gendered spaces, the role of music — that it reduces the people themselves to unsophisticated representatives of change, and yet its welcome message of female empowerment will be embraced by Western audiences pleased to see women removing their niqabs. How it will play regionally is difficult to guess, though it’s encouraging that cinemas now exist in Saudi Arabia for locals to see it, too.
While “Wadjda,” with its scrappy protagonist,...
While “Wadjda,” with its scrappy protagonist,...
- 8/29/2019
- by Jay Weissberg
- Variety Film + TV
Haifaa Al-Mansour, one of only two women directors in this year’s Venice Film Festival Competition, made history in 2012 as the first female Saudi filmmaker with her award-winning debut Wadjda. The film was the first internationally-acclaimed movie shot entirely in Saudi Arabia and the kingdom’s first submission to the Oscars.
Al-Mansour’s new film The Perfect Candidate also breaks ground as the first to be supported by the fledgling Saudi Film Council. Written and produced by La-based Al-Mansour and Brad Niemann, with Gerhard Meixner and Roman Paul of Razor Film Produktion in Berlin also producing, the drama tells the story of a young female doctor (newcomer Mila Alzahrani) who controversially runs for municipal office while her father is off touring the country with the re-established Saudi National Band, which had been banned under law prohibiting public music performances.
UTA Independent Film Group handles North America. The Match Factory has international.
Al-Mansour’s new film The Perfect Candidate also breaks ground as the first to be supported by the fledgling Saudi Film Council. Written and produced by La-based Al-Mansour and Brad Niemann, with Gerhard Meixner and Roman Paul of Razor Film Produktion in Berlin also producing, the drama tells the story of a young female doctor (newcomer Mila Alzahrani) who controversially runs for municipal office while her father is off touring the country with the re-established Saudi National Band, which had been banned under law prohibiting public music performances.
UTA Independent Film Group handles North America. The Match Factory has international.
- 8/29/2019
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
Reframe Rise — Career Acceleration Leads to Commerical Features and High Profile TV for Female DirectorsThe Inaugural Class of ReFrame Rise Directors Announced at the 2019 Women In Film Annual Gala in June.
Hulu Signs on as ReFrame Rise Co-Sponsor
ReFrame™, a collaborative initiative of Women I Film La and Sundance Institute, announced the inaugural class of ReFrame Rise™ directors at the 2019 Women In Film Annual Gala on June 12 at The Beverly Hilton Hotel. The inaugural class of ReFrame Rise directors include Desiree Akhavan, Haifaa al-Mansour, Patricia Cardoso, Hanelle Culpepper, Sydney Freeland, Zetna Fuentes, Tina Mabry and Meera Menon.
ReFrame Rise is a comprehensive and customized 2-year sponsorship that provides endorsement and support to accelerate high-level sustainable careers for experienced female directors who are poised to lead studio and independent features, pilots, and episodic television across all platforms.
During the Women In Film Annual Gala, actor, director, and producer, Kyra Sedgwick, introduced...
Hulu Signs on as ReFrame Rise Co-Sponsor
ReFrame™, a collaborative initiative of Women I Film La and Sundance Institute, announced the inaugural class of ReFrame Rise™ directors at the 2019 Women In Film Annual Gala on June 12 at The Beverly Hilton Hotel. The inaugural class of ReFrame Rise directors include Desiree Akhavan, Haifaa al-Mansour, Patricia Cardoso, Hanelle Culpepper, Sydney Freeland, Zetna Fuentes, Tina Mabry and Meera Menon.
ReFrame Rise is a comprehensive and customized 2-year sponsorship that provides endorsement and support to accelerate high-level sustainable careers for experienced female directors who are poised to lead studio and independent features, pilots, and episodic television across all platforms.
During the Women In Film Annual Gala, actor, director, and producer, Kyra Sedgwick, introduced...
- 8/13/2019
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
German-born French director Moll’s previous features include Harry, He’s Here To Help and Lemming starring Charlotte Gainsbourg.
The Match Factory is introducing Dominik Moll’s new feature Seules Les Bêtes, an adaptation of the 2017 novel by French author Colin Niel, to Afm buyers this week.
Moll is in development on the project, which will star Denis Ménochet, Damien Bonnard, Laure Calamy and Valeria Bruni Tedeschi. The film marks a continuation of The Match Factory’s successful collaboration with German production outfit Razor Film, with whom it partnered on Waltz With Bashir, Wadjda and Looking for Oum Kulthum, and...
The Match Factory is introducing Dominik Moll’s new feature Seules Les Bêtes, an adaptation of the 2017 novel by French author Colin Niel, to Afm buyers this week.
Moll is in development on the project, which will star Denis Ménochet, Damien Bonnard, Laure Calamy and Valeria Bruni Tedeschi. The film marks a continuation of The Match Factory’s successful collaboration with German production outfit Razor Film, with whom it partnered on Waltz With Bashir, Wadjda and Looking for Oum Kulthum, and...
- 10/31/2018
- by Geoffrey Macnab
- ScreenDaily
German-born French director Moll’s previous features include Harry, He’s Here To Help and Lemming starring Charlotte Gainsbourg.
The Match Factory is introducing Dominik Moll’s new feature Seules Les Bêtes, an adaptation of the 2017 novel by French author Colin Niel, to Afm buyers this week.
Moll is in development on the project, which will star Denis Ménochet, Damien Bonnard, Laure Calamy and Valeria Bruni Tedeschi. The film marks a continuation of The Match Factory’s successful collaboration with German production outfit Razor Film, with whom it partnered on Waltz With Bashir, Wadjda and Looking for Oum Kulthum, and...
The Match Factory is introducing Dominik Moll’s new feature Seules Les Bêtes, an adaptation of the 2017 novel by French author Colin Niel, to Afm buyers this week.
Moll is in development on the project, which will star Denis Ménochet, Damien Bonnard, Laure Calamy and Valeria Bruni Tedeschi. The film marks a continuation of The Match Factory’s successful collaboration with German production outfit Razor Film, with whom it partnered on Waltz With Bashir, Wadjda and Looking for Oum Kulthum, and...
- 10/31/2018
- by Geoffrey Macnab
- ScreenDaily
Miu Miu Women’s Tales is back at the Venice Film Festival’s Venice Days section for the seventh year with its 15th and 16th female-directed shorts that explore life through the female gaze. The global fashion brand created its shorts program in 2012, featuring work from such filmmakers as Zoe Cassavetes, Lucrecia Martel, Massy Tadjedin, Ava DuVernay, So Yong Kim, Agnes Varda and Chloe Sevigny.
This year’s offerings feature actress Dakota Fanning’s directing debut, “Hello Apartment,” which premiered earlier this year during London Fashion Week, and “The Wedding Singer’s Daughter” by writer-director Haifaa Al-Mansour, whose breakout feature “Wadjda” in 2012 was Saudi Arabia’s first foreign-language Oscar entry. “The Wedding Singer’s Daughter” will premiere at Venice on Sunday, Sept. 2, followed by a screening of “Hello Apartment.”
The program will also include panel discussions with Fanning and Al-Mansour as well as Bel Powley, Alison Sudol, Gugu Mbatha Raw,...
This year’s offerings feature actress Dakota Fanning’s directing debut, “Hello Apartment,” which premiered earlier this year during London Fashion Week, and “The Wedding Singer’s Daughter” by writer-director Haifaa Al-Mansour, whose breakout feature “Wadjda” in 2012 was Saudi Arabia’s first foreign-language Oscar entry. “The Wedding Singer’s Daughter” will premiere at Venice on Sunday, Sept. 2, followed by a screening of “Hello Apartment.”
The program will also include panel discussions with Fanning and Al-Mansour as well as Bel Powley, Alison Sudol, Gugu Mbatha Raw,...
- 9/2/2018
- by Terry Flores
- Variety Film + TV
Netflix’s ‘Nappily Ever After’ Trailer: Sanaa Lathan Plays a Control Freak Who Loses Control — Watch
Fifteen years ago, “Real Women Have Curves” director Patricia Cardoso almost made “Nappily Ever After” for Universal Pictures, with Halle Berry in the lead role. An adaptation of the bestselling first installment from Trisha R. Thomas’ eight-book series eventually found a home at Netflix. Berry’s onetime part went to Film Independent Spirit Award nominee Sanaa Lathan (“Love & Basketball”), also the project’s co-producer.
As advertising executive Violet Jones — changed from Venus Johnston in the books — Lathan is a coiffure-conscious perfectionist who believes she’s engineered herself a happy ending. Yet life begins to capsize when her doctor beau presents her with a Chihuahua instead of a proposal, and she is taken off an important work account.
Late one night, convinced she has nothing left to lose — and recalling her boyfriend’s criticism of “You never let your hair down” — she shaves her head. The film’s tagline, naturally,...
As advertising executive Violet Jones — changed from Venus Johnston in the books — Lathan is a coiffure-conscious perfectionist who believes she’s engineered herself a happy ending. Yet life begins to capsize when her doctor beau presents her with a Chihuahua instead of a proposal, and she is taken off an important work account.
Late one night, convinced she has nothing left to lose — and recalling her boyfriend’s criticism of “You never let your hair down” — she shaves her head. The film’s tagline, naturally,...
- 8/2/2018
- by Jenna Marotta
- Indiewire
Filmmaker Haifaa al-Mansour has been the subject of controversy for most of her filmmaking career. After making a series of documentaries and short films, the director burst onto the scene with her film “Wadjda” in 2012. That film is historic as it is the first feature-length film to be shot entirely in Saudi Arabia and the first feature film to be made by a female Saudi filmmaker. And since then, al-Mansour hasn’t stopped, despite getting intense criticism from many in her home country.
Continue reading ‘Nappily Ever After’ Trailer: Acclaimed Director Haifaa al-Mansour Returns With A Netflix Film With Sanaa Lathan at The Playlist.
Continue reading ‘Nappily Ever After’ Trailer: Acclaimed Director Haifaa al-Mansour Returns With A Netflix Film With Sanaa Lathan at The Playlist.
- 8/2/2018
- by Charles Barfield
- The Playlist
Acclaimed filmmaker Haifaa al-Mansour, considered Saudi Arabia's most prominent director, has been named the recipient of CineEurope's inaugural special recognition award.
The award will be presented to Al-Mansour — who rose to fame with her 2012 feature debut Wadjda, the first film to be shot entiirely in Saudi Arabia — at the trade show in Barcelona on Thursday, June 14.
"CineEurope is thrilled to be able to present Haifaa al-Mansour the first-ever special recognition award for her remarkable achievements as an industry leader in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia," said Andrew Sunshine, president of the Film ...
The award will be presented to Al-Mansour — who rose to fame with her 2012 feature debut Wadjda, the first film to be shot entiirely in Saudi Arabia — at the trade show in Barcelona on Thursday, June 14.
"CineEurope is thrilled to be able to present Haifaa al-Mansour the first-ever special recognition award for her remarkable achievements as an industry leader in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia," said Andrew Sunshine, president of the Film ...
- 6/12/2018
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
Acclaimed filmmaker Haifaa al-Mansour, considered Saudi Arabia's most prominent director, has been named the recipient of CineEurope's inaugural special recognition award.
The award will be presented to Al-Mansour — who rose to fame with her 2012 feature debut Wadjda, the first film to be shot entiirely in Saudi Arabia — at the trade show in Barcelona on Thursday, June 14.
"CineEurope is thrilled to be able to present Haifaa al-Mansour the first-ever special recognition award for her remarkable achievements as an industry leader in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia," said Andrew Sunshine, president of the Film ...
The award will be presented to Al-Mansour — who rose to fame with her 2012 feature debut Wadjda, the first film to be shot entiirely in Saudi Arabia — at the trade show in Barcelona on Thursday, June 14.
"CineEurope is thrilled to be able to present Haifaa al-Mansour the first-ever special recognition award for her remarkable achievements as an industry leader in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia," said Andrew Sunshine, president of the Film ...
- 6/12/2018
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Updated at 12Pm Pt with more numbers and analysis. Three-day numbers were being reported sporadically in the early part of Sunday ahead of the Memorial Day holiday. Tops among specialty newcomers based on these early returns is Magnolia’s new documentary, The Gospel According to André, which posted the best per-theater average.
The Kate Novack-directed portrait of André Leon Talley, who is known for his long tenure as a Vogue editor and fashion-world tastemaker, grossed an estimated $44,500 in four New York and La theaters Friday to Sunday, for an average of $11,125. Well Go USA’s Mandarin-language romance How Long Will I Love U followed close behind with a three-day average of $9,130 from a comparatively wider debut in 23 locations, and a total gross of $210K.
IFC Films opened Elle Fanning starrer Mary Shelley, taking in $12,016 from two runs, while Oscilloscope bowed Venice award-winner Summer 1993 in four locations, grossing $21,500 Friday to Sunday.
The Kate Novack-directed portrait of André Leon Talley, who is known for his long tenure as a Vogue editor and fashion-world tastemaker, grossed an estimated $44,500 in four New York and La theaters Friday to Sunday, for an average of $11,125. Well Go USA’s Mandarin-language romance How Long Will I Love U followed close behind with a three-day average of $9,130 from a comparatively wider debut in 23 locations, and a total gross of $210K.
IFC Films opened Elle Fanning starrer Mary Shelley, taking in $12,016 from two runs, while Oscilloscope bowed Venice award-winner Summer 1993 in four locations, grossing $21,500 Friday to Sunday.
- 5/27/2018
- by Brian Brooks
- Deadline Film + TV
Yet another fashion designer documentary, “The Gospel According to Andre” (Magnolia), stood out among new specialized releases. While Memorial Day Weekend will occasionally launch a major platform release like Terence Malick’s “The Tree of Life” a few years ago, this year’s holiday weekend maintained the norm.
Nonetheless specialized audiences are still searching out top films like Magnolia’s Top Ten $5-million breakout “Rbg,” about the octogenarian Supreme Court justice, which continues to thrive at over 400 theaters. Paul Schrader’s “First Reformed” (A24) found more interest in its second weekend in a top city expansion as it goes full steam ahead.
Nonetheless specialized audiences are still searching out top films like Magnolia’s Top Ten $5-million breakout “Rbg,” about the octogenarian Supreme Court justice, which continues to thrive at over 400 theaters. Paul Schrader’s “First Reformed” (A24) found more interest in its second weekend in a top city expansion as it goes full steam ahead.
- 5/27/2018
- by Tom Brueggemann
- Indiewire
IFC Films is scaring up a narrative on Frankenstein author Mary Shelley over the Memorial Day holiday weekend. The feature stars Elle Fanning as the writer, whose real-life story had its own dose of the bizarre. Also noteworthy is that the film is directed by Saudi filmmaker Haifaa Al-Mansour as the follow-up to her successful 2012 debut Wadjda. Non-fiction newcomer The Gospel According to André by the filmmaking team behind hit doc The First Monday in May also joins the list of Specialty releases Friday. The title centers on maverick fashion editor André Leon Talley, and bows in New York and L.A.
Oscilloscope is opening Carla Simón’s Venice fest debut Summer 1993, which was Spain’s entry for Best Foreign Language Oscar consideration last year. And Cartilage Films is launching Bruce La Bruce’s latest The Misandrists.
Also among the weekend’s debuts is John Cameron Mitchell’s How To...
Oscilloscope is opening Carla Simón’s Venice fest debut Summer 1993, which was Spain’s entry for Best Foreign Language Oscar consideration last year. And Cartilage Films is launching Bruce La Bruce’s latest The Misandrists.
Also among the weekend’s debuts is John Cameron Mitchell’s How To...
- 5/24/2018
- by Brian Brooks
- Deadline Film + TV
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