The new projects from two-time Palme d’Or winner Ruben Östlund (The Triangle of Sadness, The Square); Irish director Lorcan Finnegan (Vivarium and upcoming Nicolas Cage thriller The Surfer); and Polish filmmaker Agnieszka Smoczyńska, director of Letitia Wright/Tamara Lawrance-starrer The Silent Twins, will be pitching to potential backers at this year’s Cannes Investors Circle, an event organized by the Cannes film market that aims to bring together top art-house talent with producers and financiers.
The 2024 Cannes Investors Circle event, held on May 19 at the Plage des Palmes, will showcase 10 never-before-seen films in various stages of development to an exclusive group of investors and film financing experts. The projects range in budget from €1 million ($1.07 million) to more than €20 million ($21.4 million) and have been specifically curated by the market.
“The aim of the Marché du Film with the Cannes Investors Circle is to support artistically and financially
ambitious film projects,...
The 2024 Cannes Investors Circle event, held on May 19 at the Plage des Palmes, will showcase 10 never-before-seen films in various stages of development to an exclusive group of investors and film financing experts. The projects range in budget from €1 million ($1.07 million) to more than €20 million ($21.4 million) and have been specifically curated by the market.
“The aim of the Marché du Film with the Cannes Investors Circle is to support artistically and financially
ambitious film projects,...
- 4/30/2024
- by Scott Roxborough
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
It has been known for a while that the new West End production of William Shakespeare’s famous tragedy, Romeo and Juliet, will be returning to the Duke of York’s Theatre from May 11 through August 3, with Jamie Lloyd directing. But, more importantly for some fans, it has been confirmed that Spider-Man star Tom Holland will be playing Romeo in the play, with Bad Education star Francesca Amewudah-Rivers co-starring as Juliet. And while all of this seems fine and dandy to us, some people are dissatisfied with the fact that Juliet will be played by a black actress and have taken to the Internet to express their anger in the most deplorable way.
The young actress has, thus, been the target of significant racial slander and abuse recently, which is an act that has to be condemned immediately. The producers, as well as some of Rivers’ colleagues, were quick to react,...
The young actress has, thus, been the target of significant racial slander and abuse recently, which is an act that has to be condemned immediately. The producers, as well as some of Rivers’ colleagues, were quick to react,...
- 4/16/2024
- by Arthur S. Poe
- Fiction Horizon
Tamara Lawrance & Sharon D. Clarke Board BBC’s ‘Mr Loverman’
The BBC has revealed first look images of Lennie James in its Mr Loverman adaptation, with the likes of Tamara Lawrance and Sharon D. Clarke boarding. Deadline revealed the series several months back and it is a TV adaptation of Booker winner Bernardine Evaristo’s seventh novel. Alongside the previously announced James (Save Me, Line of Duty) as the exuberant protagonist Barrington Jedidiah Walker will be three-time Olivier Award winner Clarke, Time star Lawrance, Ariyon Bakare, Morris De La Roux and Sharlene Whyte (Small Axe, Stephen). The series follows Barrington, Barry to his mates, a 74 year old, Antiguan born, exuberant Hackney personality, renowned for his dapper taste and fondness for retro suits. Carmel, his wife of 50 years, senses that Barry has been cheating on her with other women. Little does she know what’s really going on: a secret, passionate...
The BBC has revealed first look images of Lennie James in its Mr Loverman adaptation, with the likes of Tamara Lawrance and Sharon D. Clarke boarding. Deadline revealed the series several months back and it is a TV adaptation of Booker winner Bernardine Evaristo’s seventh novel. Alongside the previously announced James (Save Me, Line of Duty) as the exuberant protagonist Barrington Jedidiah Walker will be three-time Olivier Award winner Clarke, Time star Lawrance, Ariyon Bakare, Morris De La Roux and Sharlene Whyte (Small Axe, Stephen). The series follows Barrington, Barry to his mates, a 74 year old, Antiguan born, exuberant Hackney personality, renowned for his dapper taste and fondness for retro suits. Carmel, his wife of 50 years, senses that Barry has been cheating on her with other women. Little does she know what’s really going on: a secret, passionate...
- 4/16/2024
- by Hannah Abraham and Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
More than 800 Black women — including Lashana Lynch and Sheila Atim — and non-binary actors signed an open letter in support of Francesca Amewudah-Rivers, who has been the target of online racial abuse following the announcement of her casting as Juliet in a London West End production of Romeo & Juliet. She is set to star alongside Tom Holland’s Romeo in the play.
The letter, which The Guardian published on Wednesday, was spearheaded by Enola Holmes actor Susan Wokoma and Crowning Glory playwright Somalia Nonyé Seaton. It begins: “When news of...
The letter, which The Guardian published on Wednesday, was spearheaded by Enola Holmes actor Susan Wokoma and Crowning Glory playwright Somalia Nonyé Seaton. It begins: “When news of...
- 4/10/2024
- by Althea Legaspi
- Rollingstone.com
Prominent Black actors including No Time to Die star Lashana Lynch and Enola Holmes’ Susan Wokoma have signed an open letter decrying the abuse faced by Francesca Amewudah-Rivers after she was cast in a West End theatre production of Romeo & Juliet.
The Jamie Lloyd Company announced last month that Amewudah-Rivers will play Juliet alongside Tom Holland’s Romeo in the staging of William Shakespeare’s tragedy, which opens at the Duke of York’s Theatre on May 23.
More than 880 people have signed the open letter, which was organized by Wokoma and writer Somalia Nonyé Seaton. Signatories include Sheila Atim (The Woman King), Marianne Jean-Baptiste (Secrets & Lies), Lolly Adefope (Ghosts), Freema Agyeman (Doctor Who), Wunmi Mosaku, and Tamara Lawrance (Time).
“Too many times, Black performers – particularly Black actresses – are left to face the storm of online abuse after committing the crime of getting a job on their own,...
The Jamie Lloyd Company announced last month that Amewudah-Rivers will play Juliet alongside Tom Holland’s Romeo in the staging of William Shakespeare’s tragedy, which opens at the Duke of York’s Theatre on May 23.
More than 880 people have signed the open letter, which was organized by Wokoma and writer Somalia Nonyé Seaton. Signatories include Sheila Atim (The Woman King), Marianne Jean-Baptiste (Secrets & Lies), Lolly Adefope (Ghosts), Freema Agyeman (Doctor Who), Wunmi Mosaku, and Tamara Lawrance (Time).
“Too many times, Black performers – particularly Black actresses – are left to face the storm of online abuse after committing the crime of getting a job on their own,...
- 4/10/2024
- by Jake Kanter
- Deadline Film + TV
BBC Buys HBO Max Thriller ‘Spy/Master’
The BBC has acquired HBO Max thriller Spy/Master as it continues to beef up its iPlayer offering. Acquired from Warner Bros. Discovery, the show stars Happy Valley’s Alec Secăreanu as the most trusted advisor to Romanian President Nicolae Ceaușescu. With his government poised to uncover that he’s a secret agent for the Soviets, Godeanu uses a diplomatic trip to Germany as a springboard to defect to the U.S. The series also stars Aidan McArdle, Ana Ularu (Who Is Erin Carter?), Laurențiu Bănescu (Boss), Andreea Vasile (Umbre), Nico Mirallegro (Our Girl), lulian Postelnicu (Arest) and Elvira Deatcu (Clanul). “A classic spy drama set at the height of the Cold War, Spy/Master is an atmospheric, complex thriller, dripping with style and suspense,” said Sue Deeks, Head of BBC Programme Acquisition. The show was nominated for the inaugural...
The BBC has acquired HBO Max thriller Spy/Master as it continues to beef up its iPlayer offering. Acquired from Warner Bros. Discovery, the show stars Happy Valley’s Alec Secăreanu as the most trusted advisor to Romanian President Nicolae Ceaușescu. With his government poised to uncover that he’s a secret agent for the Soviets, Godeanu uses a diplomatic trip to Germany as a springboard to defect to the U.S. The series also stars Aidan McArdle, Ana Ularu (Who Is Erin Carter?), Laurențiu Bănescu (Boss), Andreea Vasile (Umbre), Nico Mirallegro (Our Girl), lulian Postelnicu (Arest) and Elvira Deatcu (Clanul). “A classic spy drama set at the height of the Cold War, Spy/Master is an atmospheric, complex thriller, dripping with style and suspense,” said Sue Deeks, Head of BBC Programme Acquisition. The show was nominated for the inaugural...
- 3/27/2024
- by Max Goldbart and Jesse Whittock
- Deadline Film + TV
Hannah Waddingham, Bella Ramsey, drama series Happy Valley and Squid Game: The Challenge were among the winners at the 2024 Royal Television Society program awards. The Rts unveiled the honorees in London on Tuesday evening.
The Sixth Commandment won the most awards with three, including for best limited series and best supporting actor Éanna Hardwicke. Comedy Extraordinary and drama Top Boy were among the other winners.
Waddingham was honored for her work as one of the hosts of the Eurovision Song Contest, while Ramsey won for their role in the prison anthology drama series Time.
The BBC led the winners across the more than two dozen award categories, being able to celebrate a total of 21 honors.
Last year, Kate Winslet and Kit Connor were among the Rts honorees. The organization last year also introduced several new awards categories.
The complete list of Royal Television Society program awards winners for 2024 follows.
Arts...
The Sixth Commandment won the most awards with three, including for best limited series and best supporting actor Éanna Hardwicke. Comedy Extraordinary and drama Top Boy were among the other winners.
Waddingham was honored for her work as one of the hosts of the Eurovision Song Contest, while Ramsey won for their role in the prison anthology drama series Time.
The BBC led the winners across the more than two dozen award categories, being able to celebrate a total of 21 honors.
Last year, Kate Winslet and Kit Connor were among the Rts honorees. The organization last year also introduced several new awards categories.
The complete list of Royal Television Society program awards winners for 2024 follows.
Arts...
- 3/27/2024
- by Georg Szalai
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Jodie Whittaker has gone from playing a Time Lord to doing Time. The former Doctor Who star joins The Last of Us’ Bella Ramsey and The Long Song’s Tamara Lawrance for Season 2 of the British prison drama, now set in a women’s correctional facility in Northern England. Whittaker’s character, Orla, is a single, working-class mother of three, struggling financially, whose world crumbles when she’s sentenced to six months behind bars. Her crime: “fiddling the leccy,” slang for tinkering with the electricity meter to lower her bill. That nonviolent offense lands Orla in the middle of an unfathomable world—confinement with prisoners like Kelsey (Ramsey), a heroin addict, and Abi (Lawrance), a convicted killer—and plunges her even further into an abyss as she tries to hold her family together, with only her alcoholic mother to depend on. Still, it wasn’t hard for Whittaker to connect to Orla,...
- 3/26/2024
- TV Insider
‘Camomile Lawn’ Novelist’s Estate Snapped Up By Ilp
International Literary Properties has acquired the estate of British The Camomile Lawn novelist Mary Wesley. Channel 4’s adaptation of The Camomile Lawn is Channel 4’s second most successful drama series of all time, according to Ilp, and the deal will see Ilp manage the rights to Wesley’s work. Having famously published her first novel aged 70, she also wrote the likes of Jumping the Queue, Harnessing Peacocks and The Vacillations of Poppy Carew, all of which have previously been adapted for film and TV. “Mary was an incredible woman, an extraordinary author and a very close member of my family,” said Wesley’s daughter in law, the author Xinran Xue. Deadline revealed last year that Ilp, which holds rights to the literary estates of Langston Hughes and Evelyn Waugh, had headed on a West Coast charm offensive and snapped up the estate of Somerset Maugham.
International Literary Properties has acquired the estate of British The Camomile Lawn novelist Mary Wesley. Channel 4’s adaptation of The Camomile Lawn is Channel 4’s second most successful drama series of all time, according to Ilp, and the deal will see Ilp manage the rights to Wesley’s work. Having famously published her first novel aged 70, she also wrote the likes of Jumping the Queue, Harnessing Peacocks and The Vacillations of Poppy Carew, all of which have previously been adapted for film and TV. “Mary was an incredible woman, an extraordinary author and a very close member of my family,” said Wesley’s daughter in law, the author Xinran Xue. Deadline revealed last year that Ilp, which holds rights to the literary estates of Langston Hughes and Evelyn Waugh, had headed on a West Coast charm offensive and snapped up the estate of Somerset Maugham.
- 3/7/2024
- by Max Goldbart, Jesse Whittock and Zac Ntim
- Deadline Film + TV
Looking for a bit of mystery? The best of British streamer BritBox is heading into the new month with a crime-heavy collection of new film and TV titles! The month will kick off with the BritBox exclusive serial adaptation of the Agatha Christie mystery “Murder Is Easy,” starring David Jonsson and Penelope Wilton. Continue throughout March for repeat offenders, like Season 2 of the multi-bafta Award-winning anthology series “Time,” the complete 12-season police procedural program “Trial & Retribution,” or the 1990s crime drama “Killer Net.”
Check out The Streamable’s top picks for BritBox’s latest additions and learn everything coming to the streamer this March!
7-Day Free Trial $8.99+ / month BritBox.com What are the 5 Best Shows and Movies Coming to BritBox in March 2024? “Agatha Christie's Murder Is Easy” | Friday, March 1
David Jonsson leads the cast as the young and ambitious Luke Fitzwilliam in the recent BBC One Christie adaptation. Arriving from...
Check out The Streamable’s top picks for BritBox’s latest additions and learn everything coming to the streamer this March!
7-Day Free Trial $8.99+ / month BritBox.com What are the 5 Best Shows and Movies Coming to BritBox in March 2024? “Agatha Christie's Murder Is Easy” | Friday, March 1
David Jonsson leads the cast as the young and ambitious Luke Fitzwilliam in the recent BBC One Christie adaptation. Arriving from...
- 2/29/2024
- by Ashley Steves
- The Streamable
“The Second Best Hospital in The Galaxy” Trailer Out Now
The doctors are in! Prime Video has released the official trailer for the upcoming adult animated series “The Second Best Hospital in The Galaxy,” coming to the platform late next month.
The new series, produced by Maya Rudolph, Natasha Lyonne, and Danielle Renfrew Behrens’ Animal Pictures, follows Dr. Sleech (voiced by Stephanie Hsu) and Dr. Klak (Keke Palmer), two alien best friends-slash-intergalactically renowned surgeons in the business of rare illnesses, including anxiety-eating parasites, illegal time loops, and deep-space STIs.
Watch the trailer for “The Second Best Hospital in The Galaxy” below:
In addition to Hsu and Palmer, the voice cast will feature Rudolph, Lyonne, Kieran Culkin, Sam Smith, and more. Tracee Ellis Ross, Bowen Yang, Abbi Jacobson, Jay Ellis, Andrew Dismukes, Lennon Parham, Gary Anthony Williams, and John Waters will also make guest appearances throughout the first season, as will...
The doctors are in! Prime Video has released the official trailer for the upcoming adult animated series “The Second Best Hospital in The Galaxy,” coming to the platform late next month.
The new series, produced by Maya Rudolph, Natasha Lyonne, and Danielle Renfrew Behrens’ Animal Pictures, follows Dr. Sleech (voiced by Stephanie Hsu) and Dr. Klak (Keke Palmer), two alien best friends-slash-intergalactically renowned surgeons in the business of rare illnesses, including anxiety-eating parasites, illegal time loops, and deep-space STIs.
Watch the trailer for “The Second Best Hospital in The Galaxy” below:
In addition to Hsu and Palmer, the voice cast will feature Rudolph, Lyonne, Kieran Culkin, Sam Smith, and more. Tracee Ellis Ross, Bowen Yang, Abbi Jacobson, Jay Ellis, Andrew Dismukes, Lennon Parham, Gary Anthony Williams, and John Waters will also make guest appearances throughout the first season, as will...
- 1/30/2024
- by Ashley Steves
- The Streamable
The WGA strike has had an impact on U.K./U.S. co-productions, Channel 4’s head of content Ian Katz said today.
The strike, which has been running since May 2, has spooked U.K. writers who are too loyal or nervous to engage in conversations with U.S. co-production partners, Katz said at a press briefing on Wednesday morning, where Channel 4 unveiled its 2022 revenue results.
“A lot of U.K. writers, either out of a feeling of solidarity with colleagues in the States or concerns about not being able to work in the States, don’t want to be involved in any conversations with U.S. platforms,” Katz said in response to Variety’s question about whether the U.S. strike had had any impact across the pond.
The result is a further blow to the U.K. production sector, which is already suffering from a downturn thanks to...
The strike, which has been running since May 2, has spooked U.K. writers who are too loyal or nervous to engage in conversations with U.S. co-production partners, Katz said at a press briefing on Wednesday morning, where Channel 4 unveiled its 2022 revenue results.
“A lot of U.K. writers, either out of a feeling of solidarity with colleagues in the States or concerns about not being able to work in the States, don’t want to be involved in any conversations with U.S. platforms,” Katz said in response to Variety’s question about whether the U.S. strike had had any impact across the pond.
The result is a further blow to the U.K. production sector, which is already suffering from a downturn thanks to...
- 7/12/2023
- by K.J. Yossman
- Variety Film + TV
Hedge Funds into Festivals: Future Frames — Generation Next of European Cinema at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival 2023Can U.S. companies be viewing international film festivals in a new light that foretells a new source of financing for the festivals which are facing the same cutbacks as all other cultural initiatives as post-Covid inflation and arming big wars take the lion’s share of capital?
Sydney Levine
Published in
SydneysBuzz The Blog
·5 min read·4 days ago
Three important new players are eyeing ten emerging European film directors as they launch their careers in the film industry at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival in the 8th edition of Future Frames — Generation Next of European Cinema organized by the European Film Promotion and Kviff. The selected participants, chosen among film students and graduates, will showcase their films to the festival audience and engage in an intensive program that will introduce them to the film industry and media in a way that goes beyond the borders of Europe.
The final 10, chosen by Kviff’s artistic director Karel Och and his team of programmers follow a two-part schedule, starting with an online pre-program of pitching training and industry meetings. During the festival, Efp introduces the young directors and their films to the public, film industry and press. The three-day on-site event running from 2 July is rounded off by this year’s mentor, the acclaimed Polish director Agnieszka Smoczyńska who will provide an exclusive private master class for the young filmmakers.
*** click here for more information about you might be selected ***
The new financing infusion comes from future-seeing U.S.- and U.K.-based bigtime cultural business for this year’s Future Frames program
A new partnership with leading multi-national lottery operator Allwyn as well as U.S.-based talent agency UTA and management company Range Media Partners will provide feedback and guidance to the filmmakers. One participant will ultimately be selected who will receive a special scholarship sponsored by Allwyn to go to Los Angeles and learn from the best in the film industry.
UTA’s partnership with the Karlovy Vary Film Festival may be explained in part by the agency’s partner Rena Ronson. The first woman to run an independent financing, packaging and sales department at an agency as sole head, she now co-heads UTA Independent Film Group. In reading her in-depth interview with Screen International, readers will learn what gives Rena her special international view of film, something sorely lacking in most U.S. major players.
U.S. based venture capital as invested in Range Media Partners is also aiming outward from the U.S. The largest startup in Hollywood’s talent representation sector in years, Rmp was launched in late summer 2020 during the Covid pandemic. Its founders and partners, two former agents from CAA, Peter Micelli and Jack Whigham, have an ambitious vision for the management, production and business development side of the industry. With financial backing coming former Wall Street hedge funder Steven A. Cohen’ who reached a $1.2 billion settlement of insider trading charges with the Securities and Exchange Commission in 2013, his private equity firm, Point72, has been a valued advisor but has no day-to-day role in running the agency. Their combined vision sees going beyond classic booking roles in TV shows and movies into the empire-building of business development and venture capital investments. Range Media now has nearly 150 staffers thanks to the financial backing from Point72 and it has expanded quickly through another partnership with A+E Networks that gives it a boost in content production and distribution.
Agnieszka Smoczyńska
In an exclusive master class entitled “How to make your first movie“, Agnieszka Smoczyńska will talk about her experiences and encourage the young directors to follow their ideas and go their own ways. Smoczyńska will present her highly-acclaimed first feature film, The Lure, a mixture of musical and horror film.
Agnieszka Smoczyńska debuted in 2015 with The Lure– genre-bending, horror-musical mashup which won awards around the world, at dozens of international festivals, including Sundance Film Festival Porto, Sofia, Montreal, Vilnius. The Lure is a part of the prestigious Criterion Collection and was theatrically released in US via Janus Film. Her second feature film Fugue premiered at the Cannes Critics’ Week. In 2023, it was released in US theaters. In 2022, her English-language debut, The Silent Twins starring Letitia Wright and Tamara Lawrance, premiered in the Un Certain Regard section at the Cannes Film Festival. Smoczyńska took part in the European Cinema: Ten Women Filmmakers to Watch program. She was also a winner of the Global Filmmaking Award sponsored by the Sundance Institute. In 2022 she was among five directors to watch at Cannes Film Festival.
About Allwyn
Announced as a main partner of Karlovy Vary International Film Festival in April 2023, Allwyn, a leading multi-national lottery operator, will support the Future Frames initiative for three years. As a main partner of Kviff, Allwyn will host the Allwyn Future Frames Lounge on site and bring the ten emerging European talents together with industry leaders, including overseas talent agency UTA and management company Range Media Partners.
“We look forward to welcoming all the talented directors to the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival this year, selected as part of the Future Frames initiative. We are also very much looking forward to welcoming one of the ten directors on the newly established scholarship to Hollywood, introduced this year in partnership with UTA and Range Media. Changing lives is core to our mission and we are very pleased to be affording talented directors the opportunity to work with the very best in the film industry,” said Pavel Turek, Allwyn’s Chief Officer of Global Brand, Corporate Communication, and Csr.
This year’s group not only has experience in festivals, but the 10 also includes two award winners such as Germany’s Sophia Mocorrea who won the Short Film Jury Award at the Sundance Film Festival and received a Special Mention at this year’s Berlinale with her film The Kidnapping of the Bride in the Perspektive Deutsches Kino section. The Netherlands’ Joris Tobé’s Frantic Attempts won the Knf Award for Best Graduation Project at the Netherlands Film Festival in 2022. Other films from this year’s Berlinale include The Shift by Denmark’s Amalie Maria Nielsen (Generation Kplus) and Spain’s Christian Avilés’ Daydreaming So Vividly About Our Spanish Holidays(Berlinale Shorts). Heart Fruit by Kim Allamand celebrated its world premiere in the Pardi Di Domani section at the Locarno Film Festival last year.
For more details of the selected 10, click here.
Also chosen are Czech Republic’s Anna Izabela Wowra for Stuck Together, Italy’s Giulia Regini for Cut From the Same Cow, Lithuania’s Rinaldas Tomaševičius for 15, Portugal’s Inês Pedrosa e Melo for Home, Revised, Slovak Republic’s Monika Mahútová for Standing Still and Switzerland’s Kim Allamand for Heart Fruit.
MoviesInternational FilmFilm FestivalsWomen In FilmFilm Financing...
Sydney Levine
Published in
SydneysBuzz The Blog
·5 min read·4 days ago
Three important new players are eyeing ten emerging European film directors as they launch their careers in the film industry at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival in the 8th edition of Future Frames — Generation Next of European Cinema organized by the European Film Promotion and Kviff. The selected participants, chosen among film students and graduates, will showcase their films to the festival audience and engage in an intensive program that will introduce them to the film industry and media in a way that goes beyond the borders of Europe.
The final 10, chosen by Kviff’s artistic director Karel Och and his team of programmers follow a two-part schedule, starting with an online pre-program of pitching training and industry meetings. During the festival, Efp introduces the young directors and their films to the public, film industry and press. The three-day on-site event running from 2 July is rounded off by this year’s mentor, the acclaimed Polish director Agnieszka Smoczyńska who will provide an exclusive private master class for the young filmmakers.
*** click here for more information about you might be selected ***
The new financing infusion comes from future-seeing U.S.- and U.K.-based bigtime cultural business for this year’s Future Frames program
A new partnership with leading multi-national lottery operator Allwyn as well as U.S.-based talent agency UTA and management company Range Media Partners will provide feedback and guidance to the filmmakers. One participant will ultimately be selected who will receive a special scholarship sponsored by Allwyn to go to Los Angeles and learn from the best in the film industry.
UTA’s partnership with the Karlovy Vary Film Festival may be explained in part by the agency’s partner Rena Ronson. The first woman to run an independent financing, packaging and sales department at an agency as sole head, she now co-heads UTA Independent Film Group. In reading her in-depth interview with Screen International, readers will learn what gives Rena her special international view of film, something sorely lacking in most U.S. major players.
U.S. based venture capital as invested in Range Media Partners is also aiming outward from the U.S. The largest startup in Hollywood’s talent representation sector in years, Rmp was launched in late summer 2020 during the Covid pandemic. Its founders and partners, two former agents from CAA, Peter Micelli and Jack Whigham, have an ambitious vision for the management, production and business development side of the industry. With financial backing coming former Wall Street hedge funder Steven A. Cohen’ who reached a $1.2 billion settlement of insider trading charges with the Securities and Exchange Commission in 2013, his private equity firm, Point72, has been a valued advisor but has no day-to-day role in running the agency. Their combined vision sees going beyond classic booking roles in TV shows and movies into the empire-building of business development and venture capital investments. Range Media now has nearly 150 staffers thanks to the financial backing from Point72 and it has expanded quickly through another partnership with A+E Networks that gives it a boost in content production and distribution.
Agnieszka Smoczyńska
In an exclusive master class entitled “How to make your first movie“, Agnieszka Smoczyńska will talk about her experiences and encourage the young directors to follow their ideas and go their own ways. Smoczyńska will present her highly-acclaimed first feature film, The Lure, a mixture of musical and horror film.
Agnieszka Smoczyńska debuted in 2015 with The Lure– genre-bending, horror-musical mashup which won awards around the world, at dozens of international festivals, including Sundance Film Festival Porto, Sofia, Montreal, Vilnius. The Lure is a part of the prestigious Criterion Collection and was theatrically released in US via Janus Film. Her second feature film Fugue premiered at the Cannes Critics’ Week. In 2023, it was released in US theaters. In 2022, her English-language debut, The Silent Twins starring Letitia Wright and Tamara Lawrance, premiered in the Un Certain Regard section at the Cannes Film Festival. Smoczyńska took part in the European Cinema: Ten Women Filmmakers to Watch program. She was also a winner of the Global Filmmaking Award sponsored by the Sundance Institute. In 2022 she was among five directors to watch at Cannes Film Festival.
About Allwyn
Announced as a main partner of Karlovy Vary International Film Festival in April 2023, Allwyn, a leading multi-national lottery operator, will support the Future Frames initiative for three years. As a main partner of Kviff, Allwyn will host the Allwyn Future Frames Lounge on site and bring the ten emerging European talents together with industry leaders, including overseas talent agency UTA and management company Range Media Partners.
“We look forward to welcoming all the talented directors to the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival this year, selected as part of the Future Frames initiative. We are also very much looking forward to welcoming one of the ten directors on the newly established scholarship to Hollywood, introduced this year in partnership with UTA and Range Media. Changing lives is core to our mission and we are very pleased to be affording talented directors the opportunity to work with the very best in the film industry,” said Pavel Turek, Allwyn’s Chief Officer of Global Brand, Corporate Communication, and Csr.
This year’s group not only has experience in festivals, but the 10 also includes two award winners such as Germany’s Sophia Mocorrea who won the Short Film Jury Award at the Sundance Film Festival and received a Special Mention at this year’s Berlinale with her film The Kidnapping of the Bride in the Perspektive Deutsches Kino section. The Netherlands’ Joris Tobé’s Frantic Attempts won the Knf Award for Best Graduation Project at the Netherlands Film Festival in 2022. Other films from this year’s Berlinale include The Shift by Denmark’s Amalie Maria Nielsen (Generation Kplus) and Spain’s Christian Avilés’ Daydreaming So Vividly About Our Spanish Holidays(Berlinale Shorts). Heart Fruit by Kim Allamand celebrated its world premiere in the Pardi Di Domani section at the Locarno Film Festival last year.
For more details of the selected 10, click here.
Also chosen are Czech Republic’s Anna Izabela Wowra for Stuck Together, Italy’s Giulia Regini for Cut From the Same Cow, Lithuania’s Rinaldas Tomaševičius for 15, Portugal’s Inês Pedrosa e Melo for Home, Revised, Slovak Republic’s Monika Mahútová for Standing Still and Switzerland’s Kim Allamand for Heart Fruit.
MoviesInternational FilmFilm FestivalsWomen In FilmFilm Financing...
- 7/10/2023
- by Sydney
- Sydney's Buzz
Polish helmer Agnieszka Smoczyńska fought for Tamara Lawrance to be a part of “The Silent Twins,” she said at Karlovy Vary Film Festival.
“We had two options: [hire] one actress who plays both characters, but there is no chemistry, or find actual twins, which was not possible. We had Letitia Wright, who was this amazing actress and ‘Black Panther’ star, and then we found Tamara,” she said.
The story was inspired by real-life identical twins June and Jennifer Gibbons, who only communicated with each other.
“They are not that similar, so what do you do? You make a decision. And I knew she was the one, because it was all about this tension between them.”
Smoczyńska opened up about difficult choices and her career during an exclusive masterclass for 10 young filmmakers selected for Efp’s Future Frames – Generation Next of European Cinema.
“I really wanted to make my movie. Not somebody else’s movie,...
“We had two options: [hire] one actress who plays both characters, but there is no chemistry, or find actual twins, which was not possible. We had Letitia Wright, who was this amazing actress and ‘Black Panther’ star, and then we found Tamara,” she said.
The story was inspired by real-life identical twins June and Jennifer Gibbons, who only communicated with each other.
“They are not that similar, so what do you do? You make a decision. And I knew she was the one, because it was all about this tension between them.”
Smoczyńska opened up about difficult choices and her career during an exclusive masterclass for 10 young filmmakers selected for Efp’s Future Frames – Generation Next of European Cinema.
“I really wanted to make my movie. Not somebody else’s movie,...
- 7/7/2023
- by Marta Balaga
- Variety Film + TV
New Project
Update: The title of Vannuccini’s sequel to “Commedia” has been changed to “Things and Other Things.”
Riccardo Vannuccini has set a sequel to his feature “Commedia.” Titled “Tarzan,” the project will see him again team up with “This England” star Greta Bellamacina, with whom he starred in “Commedia.”
The duo will reprise their roles as Rocco and Irene, this time in a post-industrial landscape. Manolo Cinti is on board as Dp. “Tarzan,” which begins shooting in Italy this November, is co-produced by Artestudio in Rome and Sulk Youth in the U.K.
“Commedia” is set to be released on Prime Video in the U.K. and U.S. this month.
“Our heroes have managed to mysteriously escape from where they were – but where were they?” says Vannuccini. “They are busy doing nothing, making small acts, to leave imaginative traces of their passage, imagined signs of being in the world.
Update: The title of Vannuccini’s sequel to “Commedia” has been changed to “Things and Other Things.”
Riccardo Vannuccini has set a sequel to his feature “Commedia.” Titled “Tarzan,” the project will see him again team up with “This England” star Greta Bellamacina, with whom he starred in “Commedia.”
The duo will reprise their roles as Rocco and Irene, this time in a post-industrial landscape. Manolo Cinti is on board as Dp. “Tarzan,” which begins shooting in Italy this November, is co-produced by Artestudio in Rome and Sulk Youth in the U.K.
“Commedia” is set to be released on Prime Video in the U.K. and U.S. this month.
“Our heroes have managed to mysteriously escape from where they were – but where were they?” says Vannuccini. “They are busy doing nothing, making small acts, to leave imaginative traces of their passage, imagined signs of being in the world.
- 6/20/2023
- by K.J. Yossman
- Variety Film + TV
59% of Bifa voters are women or non-binary; with 38% based outside of London.
The British Independent Film Awards (Bifas) will take place on December 3, and has added key industry figures including Jessie Buckley and Laura Poitras to its 1,500-strong voting pool.
Entries will open for features in July, and will close on August 25, with a late entry deadline of September 1.
Features round one voting will run from September 18 to October 2; with longlist announcements from Wednesday, October 18, and round two voting from October 18 to 30.
The nominations will be announced on November 2, with a final round of voting in November. As previously, the...
The British Independent Film Awards (Bifas) will take place on December 3, and has added key industry figures including Jessie Buckley and Laura Poitras to its 1,500-strong voting pool.
Entries will open for features in July, and will close on August 25, with a late entry deadline of September 1.
Features round one voting will run from September 18 to October 2; with longlist announcements from Wednesday, October 18, and round two voting from October 18 to 30.
The nominations will be announced on November 2, with a final round of voting in November. As previously, the...
- 6/14/2023
- by Ben Dalton
- ScreenDaily
Jodie Whittaker, Tamara Lawrance and Bella Ramsey don prison-issue tracksuits in the first image from their upcoming series “Time.”
“Doctor Who” star Whittaker, Lawrance (“The Silent Twins”) and Ramsey (“The Last of Us”) star as three inmates in a women’s prison in the U.K. in a follow-up to the Sean Bean series of the same name.
Jimmy McGovern returns to pen the second anthology-style season of the show with some actors from the series’ first outing – including Siobhan Finneran as prison chaplain Marie-Louise – reprising their roles. Helen Black co-writes while Andrea Harkin directs.
Also joining the cast are Sophie Willan (“Alma’s Not Normal”), Julie Graham (“Shetland”), Alicia Forde (“Waterloo Road”), Lisa Millett (“The A Word”), Kayla Meikle (“The Capture”), James Corrigan (“This Is Going to Hurt”), Nicholas Nunn (“Clique”) and Maimuna Memon (“Sherwood”).
Set in the fictional, high-security prison Carlingford, Kelsey (Ramsey), Orla (Whittaker) and Abi (Lawrance) arrive...
“Doctor Who” star Whittaker, Lawrance (“The Silent Twins”) and Ramsey (“The Last of Us”) star as three inmates in a women’s prison in the U.K. in a follow-up to the Sean Bean series of the same name.
Jimmy McGovern returns to pen the second anthology-style season of the show with some actors from the series’ first outing – including Siobhan Finneran as prison chaplain Marie-Louise – reprising their roles. Helen Black co-writes while Andrea Harkin directs.
Also joining the cast are Sophie Willan (“Alma’s Not Normal”), Julie Graham (“Shetland”), Alicia Forde (“Waterloo Road”), Lisa Millett (“The A Word”), Kayla Meikle (“The Capture”), James Corrigan (“This Is Going to Hurt”), Nicholas Nunn (“Clique”) and Maimuna Memon (“Sherwood”).
Set in the fictional, high-security prison Carlingford, Kelsey (Ramsey), Orla (Whittaker) and Abi (Lawrance) arrive...
- 6/13/2023
- by K.J. Yossman
- Variety Film + TV
Bella Ramsey-starring BBC prison drama Time has added BritBox North America as co-producer and revealed more cast plus first-look image (above).
BritBox also co-produced Season 1 of the heartwrenching show, which starred Sean Bean and Stephen Graham and won two BAFTAs in 2022.
Joining The Last of Us star Ramsey, Tamara Lawrance and former Time Lord Jodie Whittaker are BAFTA-award winner Sophie Willan, Julie Graham (Shetland), Alicia Forde (Waterloo Road), Lisa Millett (The A Word), Faye McKeever (The Responder), Kayla Meikle (The Capture), James Corrigan (This Is Going to Hurt), Nicholas Nunn (Clique) and Maimuna Memon (Sherwood).
The three-parter, which is penned by Jimmy McGovern and Helen Black, will move to life inside a women’s prison called Carlingford, where Kelsey (Ramsey), Orla (Whittaker) and Abi (Lawrance) are thrown together to face an unfamiliar world. With the ever-present threat of violence within its walls, they discover that an unexpected sense of community,...
BritBox also co-produced Season 1 of the heartwrenching show, which starred Sean Bean and Stephen Graham and won two BAFTAs in 2022.
Joining The Last of Us star Ramsey, Tamara Lawrance and former Time Lord Jodie Whittaker are BAFTA-award winner Sophie Willan, Julie Graham (Shetland), Alicia Forde (Waterloo Road), Lisa Millett (The A Word), Faye McKeever (The Responder), Kayla Meikle (The Capture), James Corrigan (This Is Going to Hurt), Nicholas Nunn (Clique) and Maimuna Memon (Sherwood).
The three-parter, which is penned by Jimmy McGovern and Helen Black, will move to life inside a women’s prison called Carlingford, where Kelsey (Ramsey), Orla (Whittaker) and Abi (Lawrance) are thrown together to face an unfamiliar world. With the ever-present threat of violence within its walls, they discover that an unexpected sense of community,...
- 6/13/2023
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
Time Season 2 is moving forward at the BBC.
The broadcaster confirmed Tuesday that the second season will take viewers inside a women's prison to tell a different story than its predecessor.
Bella Ramsey (The Last of Us) and Jodie Whittaker (Doctor Who) will headline the three-part upcoming season, which will begin filming in Liverpool soon.
Tamara Lawrance (The Silent Twins) is also joining the cast, while Siobhan Finneran (Happy Valley) will return as Marie-Louise, a prison chaplain.
Time comes from Jimmy McGovern and will feature Kelsey (Ramsey), who is thrown together with unfamiliar faces with Orla (Whittaker) and Abi (Lawrence).
"I'm very happy to be a part of this project, working with an incredible team and following on from a stellar first season," said Ramsey.
"And it's such an honour to be Kelsey, I'm really excited to experience the world through her for a few months."
"Time was such an...
The broadcaster confirmed Tuesday that the second season will take viewers inside a women's prison to tell a different story than its predecessor.
Bella Ramsey (The Last of Us) and Jodie Whittaker (Doctor Who) will headline the three-part upcoming season, which will begin filming in Liverpool soon.
Tamara Lawrance (The Silent Twins) is also joining the cast, while Siobhan Finneran (Happy Valley) will return as Marie-Louise, a prison chaplain.
Time comes from Jimmy McGovern and will feature Kelsey (Ramsey), who is thrown together with unfamiliar faces with Orla (Whittaker) and Abi (Lawrence).
"I'm very happy to be a part of this project, working with an incredible team and following on from a stellar first season," said Ramsey.
"And it's such an honour to be Kelsey, I'm really excited to experience the world through her for a few months."
"Time was such an...
- 4/11/2023
- by Paul Dailly
- TVfanatic
The Last of Us star Bella Ramsey and Doctor Who alum Jodie Whittaker are set to lead the second season of the BBC’s award-winning prison drama Time, which is scheduled to begin filming in Liverpool soon. Created by Jimmy McGovern (Broken), Time explores life behind bars, with the first season following the story of inmate Mark Cobden (Sean Bean) and prison guard Eric McNally (Stephen Graham). The three-part second season will change things up with a moving and high-stakes portrayal of life inside a women’s prison. Starring alongside Ramsey and Whittaker are Tamara Lawrance (The Silent Twins) and Siobhan Finneran (Happy Valley), who is reprising her role from Season 1 as Marie-Louise, a prison chaplain. The series follows Kelsey (Ramsey), Orla (Whittaker), and Abi (Lawrance) as they arrive at Carlingford Prison on the same day and are thrown together to face an unfamiliar world. Yet, even with the ever-present...
- 4/11/2023
- TV Insider
Jimmy McGovern’s British prison drama “Time” is returning for a second season featuring a new cast.
“The Last of Us” star Bella Ramsey, “Doctor Who’s” Jodie Whittaker and “The Silent Twins” star Tamara Lawrance are all joining the show.
The original show featured Sean Bean and Stephen Graham as a prisoner and prison officer respectively. It averaged 11.6 million viewers across a three-part run and won a 2022 BAFTA Television award for best mini-series.
The new season, which is comprised of three parts, will be set in a women’s prison. Siobhan Finneran (“Happy Valley”), who also featured in Season 1, reprises her role as prison chaplain Marie-Louise.
Ramsey plays Kelsey, who arrives at Carlingford Prison on the same day as Orla (Whittaker) and Abi (Lawrance). The trio must quickly adapt to the environs of their new world, which they will soon discover holds ever-present danger as well as an unexpected sense of community.
“The Last of Us” star Bella Ramsey, “Doctor Who’s” Jodie Whittaker and “The Silent Twins” star Tamara Lawrance are all joining the show.
The original show featured Sean Bean and Stephen Graham as a prisoner and prison officer respectively. It averaged 11.6 million viewers across a three-part run and won a 2022 BAFTA Television award for best mini-series.
The new season, which is comprised of three parts, will be set in a women’s prison. Siobhan Finneran (“Happy Valley”), who also featured in Season 1, reprises her role as prison chaplain Marie-Louise.
Ramsey plays Kelsey, who arrives at Carlingford Prison on the same day as Orla (Whittaker) and Abi (Lawrance). The trio must quickly adapt to the environs of their new world, which they will soon discover holds ever-present danger as well as an unexpected sense of community.
- 4/11/2023
- by K.J. Yossman
- Variety Film + TV
The Last of Us star Bella Ramsey has been cast in the second season of BBC prison drama Time alongside Jodie Whittaker, Tamara Lawrance and Siobhan Finneran.
Jimmy McGovern’s show, which featured Stephen Graham and Sean Bean as leads in its heart-wrenching first season, will move on to a women’s prison where Ramsey will play Kelsey, thrown together to face an unfamiliar world with Orla (Whittaker) and Abi (Lawrance).
Even with the ever-present threat of violence within its walls, they discover that an unexpected sense of community, and a shared understanding, still might be possible.
“I’m very happy to be a part of this project, working with an incredible team and following on from a stellar first season” said Ramsey. “And it’s such an honor to be Kelsey, I’m really excited to experience the world through her for a few months.” Deadline revealed Ramsey’s...
Jimmy McGovern’s show, which featured Stephen Graham and Sean Bean as leads in its heart-wrenching first season, will move on to a women’s prison where Ramsey will play Kelsey, thrown together to face an unfamiliar world with Orla (Whittaker) and Abi (Lawrance).
Even with the ever-present threat of violence within its walls, they discover that an unexpected sense of community, and a shared understanding, still might be possible.
“I’m very happy to be a part of this project, working with an incredible team and following on from a stellar first season” said Ramsey. “And it’s such an honor to be Kelsey, I’m really excited to experience the world through her for a few months.” Deadline revealed Ramsey’s...
- 4/11/2023
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
Paris-based Petit Film has boarded “Hot Spot” by Polish director Agnieszka Smoczyńska.
The story, set in the near future, follows a disillusioned private eye Djonny, called to investigate a murder at a refugee camp. But he becomes increasingly unstable as he confronts a cyber witch who gradually takes control of his life.
Smoczyńska’s previous film, Cannes premiere “The Silent Twins” – based on the lives of June and Jennifer Gibbons – earned Letitia Wright and Tamara Lawrance a BIFA [British Independent Film Award] for Best Joint Lead Performance.
“Agnieszka’s work does not derive from, or resemble, any existing films. That’s the first and foremost reason why I would not miss the chance to participate in one of them,” says producer Jean des Forêts, also behind Julia Ducournau’s “Raw” and Lucile Hadžihalilović’s English-language debut “Earwig.”
“Last year the opportunity arose and I seized it immediately. The project brings together a nice band...
The story, set in the near future, follows a disillusioned private eye Djonny, called to investigate a murder at a refugee camp. But he becomes increasingly unstable as he confronts a cyber witch who gradually takes control of his life.
Smoczyńska’s previous film, Cannes premiere “The Silent Twins” – based on the lives of June and Jennifer Gibbons – earned Letitia Wright and Tamara Lawrance a BIFA [British Independent Film Award] for Best Joint Lead Performance.
“Agnieszka’s work does not derive from, or resemble, any existing films. That’s the first and foremost reason why I would not miss the chance to participate in one of them,” says producer Jean des Forêts, also behind Julia Ducournau’s “Raw” and Lucile Hadžihalilović’s English-language debut “Earwig.”
“Last year the opportunity arose and I seized it immediately. The project brings together a nice band...
- 2/19/2023
- by Marta Balaga
- Variety Film + TV
Los Angeles and London-based management and production company 42 has acquired Ob Management, an integrated director management and production firm for commercials and music videos.
Ob founder Otis Bell will stay on to helm the company alongside COO Frida Nilsson. The company will be rebranded as “Ob/42” and continue to operate as a distinct entity within the 42 group. 42 bosses Marc Allen, Josh Varney and Ben Pugh will sit on the board of Ob/42 going forward.
The acquisition includes Probation — which Bell co-founded in 2011 with Matt Davey — a photo agency representing top photographers working in advertising, music and entertainment, which sits alongside Ob Management. It will also include Ob’s U.S. office, Obsidian/Reprobates, headed up by EP Anna Heinrich, which will be consolidated and rebranded under the Ob/42 name as a global identity.
The deal continues 42’s ongoing expansion, which includes the recent hire of former Netflix and Tiger Aspect Productions...
Ob founder Otis Bell will stay on to helm the company alongside COO Frida Nilsson. The company will be rebranded as “Ob/42” and continue to operate as a distinct entity within the 42 group. 42 bosses Marc Allen, Josh Varney and Ben Pugh will sit on the board of Ob/42 going forward.
The acquisition includes Probation — which Bell co-founded in 2011 with Matt Davey — a photo agency representing top photographers working in advertising, music and entertainment, which sits alongside Ob Management. It will also include Ob’s U.S. office, Obsidian/Reprobates, headed up by EP Anna Heinrich, which will be consolidated and rebranded under the Ob/42 name as a global identity.
The deal continues 42’s ongoing expansion, which includes the recent hire of former Netflix and Tiger Aspect Productions...
- 2/6/2023
- by Manori Ravindran
- Variety Film + TV
How Tamara Lawrance Found Her Voice In ‘The Silent Twins’ & Hot Crime Noir Series ‘Get Millie Black’
Exclusive: Silence has been golden for Tamara Lawrance who, paired with Wakanda Forever’s Letitia Wright in The Silent Twins, won the best joint lead performance trophy at the recent BIFA awards.
In director Agnieszka Smoczyńska’s picture they portray inseparable twins, Jennifer and June Gibbons, born to Barbadian parents in 1963. They made an unusual pact at an early age to remain speechless except for communicating with each other in an indecipherable dialect of their own design.
It’s a contrast to a TV drama Lawrance will star in next year, in which she plays a character with more than enough to say. She’s referring to the title role in Channel 4 and HBO’s six-part prestige series Get Millie Black, a crime noir thriller set in Kingston, Jamaica and the UK, created by writer Marlon James whose novel A Brief History of Seven Killings won him the 2015 Man Booker prize.
In director Agnieszka Smoczyńska’s picture they portray inseparable twins, Jennifer and June Gibbons, born to Barbadian parents in 1963. They made an unusual pact at an early age to remain speechless except for communicating with each other in an indecipherable dialect of their own design.
It’s a contrast to a TV drama Lawrance will star in next year, in which she plays a character with more than enough to say. She’s referring to the title role in Channel 4 and HBO’s six-part prestige series Get Millie Black, a crime noir thriller set in Kingston, Jamaica and the UK, created by writer Marlon James whose novel A Brief History of Seven Killings won him the 2015 Man Booker prize.
- 12/19/2022
- by Baz Bamigboye
- Deadline Film + TV
Perfectly mirrored performances from Letitia Wright and Tamara Lawrance distinguish Agnieszka Smoczyńska’s stylistically bold drama based on a true story
At the recent British Independent Film awards (Bifa), the prize for best joint lead performance went to Letitia Wright and Tamara Lawrance for their starring roles in this stylistically adventurous account of real-life twins June and Jennifer Gibbons. Other nominations in that same category included Paul Mescal and Frankie Corio for Aftersun, which proved to be this year’s big Bifa winner; Daryl McCormack and Emma Thompson for the bittersweet sex comedy Good Luck to You, Leo Grande; and Jessie Buckley and Rory Kinnear for the fable-like Men. All these nominations were for films in which a central pair brilliantly carry the drama, sometimes in multiple roles. Yet in the Poland/UK/US co-production The Silent Twins, Wright and Lawrance manage to convince us that they are two sides of a divided soul,...
At the recent British Independent Film awards (Bifa), the prize for best joint lead performance went to Letitia Wright and Tamara Lawrance for their starring roles in this stylistically adventurous account of real-life twins June and Jennifer Gibbons. Other nominations in that same category included Paul Mescal and Frankie Corio for Aftersun, which proved to be this year’s big Bifa winner; Daryl McCormack and Emma Thompson for the bittersweet sex comedy Good Luck to You, Leo Grande; and Jessie Buckley and Rory Kinnear for the fable-like Men. All these nominations were for films in which a central pair brilliantly carry the drama, sometimes in multiple roles. Yet in the Poland/UK/US co-production The Silent Twins, Wright and Lawrance manage to convince us that they are two sides of a divided soul,...
- 12/11/2022
- by Mark Kermode, Observer film critic
- The Guardian - Film News
Christmas is coming, folks, and that means that the Empire Podcast's sack is simply heaving with guests this week. First, Toy Story 3 and Coco director, Lee Unkrich, pops into the booth for a bit to talk about his new, definitive book about the making of Stanley Kubrick's The Shining, and tackle this week's listener question (about Christmas songs in movies). Then Chris Hewitt chats with Resurrection star Rebecca Hall and Emancipation director Antoine Fuqua, and Amon Warmann gets to the heart of The Silent Twins' silent twins, Letitia Wright and Tamara Lawrance. And yes, he asks about Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
Then, in the podbooth, Chris is joined by Helen O'Hara and James Dyer to talk about the week's movie news, including the possible demise of Wonder Woman 3, and review Emancipation, Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio and Resurrection. Bumper-sized! Jam-packed! Ho ho ho! Enjoy!
Listen to the episode...
Then, in the podbooth, Chris is joined by Helen O'Hara and James Dyer to talk about the week's movie news, including the possible demise of Wonder Woman 3, and review Emancipation, Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio and Resurrection. Bumper-sized! Jam-packed! Ho ho ho! Enjoy!
Listen to the episode...
- 12/9/2022
- by Chris Hewitt
- Empire - Movies
In 2020, Letitia Wright and Tamara Lawrance had a challenge on their hands. They’d been cast in The Silent Twins, the film adaptation of the story of June and Jennifer Gibbons, identical twins who made headlines in the Seventies for rarely communicating with anyone but each other. The daughters of Bajan immigrants who’d moved to Pembrokeshire in Wales in 1974, they dressed similarly, moved in unison and had secret laws with one another. Sometimes they’d take it in turns to eat, with only one permitted to have meals on certain days.
Their bond was tight and confounding – and Wright and Lawrance, two unrelated actors, had to become close enough to do it justice on screen. Thankfully, poring over archival footage and documents for a year ahead of filming – as well as a rigorous rehearsal period – made it possible. The actors’ lack of physical similarity is irrelevant; when watching them work together,...
Their bond was tight and confounding – and Wright and Lawrance, two unrelated actors, had to become close enough to do it justice on screen. Thankfully, poring over archival footage and documents for a year ahead of filming – as well as a rigorous rehearsal period – made it possible. The actors’ lack of physical similarity is irrelevant; when watching them work together,...
- 12/9/2022
- by Nicole Vassell
- The Independent - Film
Also out this weekend is a live brodcast of New York’s Metropolitan Opera ’The Hours’ at 133 venues.
Distributors have steered clear of major new releases this weekend ahead of the UK and Ireland December 16 opening of Avatar: The Way Of Water, however there are some notable arthouse titles debuting at the box office.
Cannes premiere The Silent Twins is this weekend’s widest new release, playing in 160 sites for Universal, following Tamara Lawrance and Letitia Wright’s recent British Independent Film Award (Bifa) win for best joint lead performance. The Lure’s Agnieszka Smoczynska directs this Poland-uk co-production, which is Smoczynska’s English-language debut,...
Distributors have steered clear of major new releases this weekend ahead of the UK and Ireland December 16 opening of Avatar: The Way Of Water, however there are some notable arthouse titles debuting at the box office.
Cannes premiere The Silent Twins is this weekend’s widest new release, playing in 160 sites for Universal, following Tamara Lawrance and Letitia Wright’s recent British Independent Film Award (Bifa) win for best joint lead performance. The Lure’s Agnieszka Smoczynska directs this Poland-uk co-production, which is Smoczynska’s English-language debut,...
- 12/9/2022
- by Mona Tabbara
- ScreenDaily
The story of June and Jennifer Gibbons is one of those “strange but true” curiosities. It’s pitched somewhere alongside the Enfield poltergeist and the dancing plague of 1518. The writers – twins born in 1963 – grew up in Haverfordwest, Wales, the daughters of first-generation Barbadian immigrants. From an early age, they refused to speak to anyone but themselves.
There were other ways to communicate with the world – through poems and stories, or when they were older, drugs, sex and acts of petty crime. At 19, they were found guilty of 16 counts of burglary, theft, and arson. The sisters were institutionalised with an indefinite sentence at the infamous Broadmoor psychiatric hospital where they remained for 11 years.
People tend to fixate on the reasons behind the sisters’ selective mutism. But Agnieszka SmoczyÅ.ska’s The Silent Twins, in its own impassioned and lyrical way, asks an entirely different question: is their choice really that hard to comprehend?...
There were other ways to communicate with the world – through poems and stories, or when they were older, drugs, sex and acts of petty crime. At 19, they were found guilty of 16 counts of burglary, theft, and arson. The sisters were institutionalised with an indefinite sentence at the infamous Broadmoor psychiatric hospital where they remained for 11 years.
People tend to fixate on the reasons behind the sisters’ selective mutism. But Agnieszka SmoczyÅ.ska’s The Silent Twins, in its own impassioned and lyrical way, asks an entirely different question: is their choice really that hard to comprehend?...
- 12/9/2022
- by Clarisse Loughrey
- The Independent - Film
It was a great night for Charlotte Wells' father-daughter drama Aftersun at the British Independent Film Awards on Sunday evening, as the film—– already a favourite going into the evening after 16 nominations, won seven, including Best British Independent Film, Best Director and Best Screenplay.
Other films scoring several awards included Blue Jean, and The Origin, about a nomadic tribe that faces a terrifying ancient threat that comes when night falls.
The BIFAs continued non-gender-specific main performances categories and added one, the Joint Lead Performance, awarded to Tamara Lawrance and Letitia Wright for their roles as extraordinary real-life siblings who communicated only with each other in The Silent Twins.
Here is the full list of winners…
Best British Independent Film
Aftersun – Charlotte Wells, Barry Jenkins, Mark Ceryak, Adele Romanski, Amy Jackson – Winner
Blue Jean – Georgia Oakley, Hélène Sifre
Good Luck To You, Leo Grande – Sophie Hyde, Katy Brand, Debbie Gray, Adrian Politowski
Living – Oliver Hermanus,...
Other films scoring several awards included Blue Jean, and The Origin, about a nomadic tribe that faces a terrifying ancient threat that comes when night falls.
The BIFAs continued non-gender-specific main performances categories and added one, the Joint Lead Performance, awarded to Tamara Lawrance and Letitia Wright for their roles as extraordinary real-life siblings who communicated only with each other in The Silent Twins.
Here is the full list of winners…
Best British Independent Film
Aftersun – Charlotte Wells, Barry Jenkins, Mark Ceryak, Adele Romanski, Amy Jackson – Winner
Blue Jean – Georgia Oakley, Hélène Sifre
Good Luck To You, Leo Grande – Sophie Hyde, Katy Brand, Debbie Gray, Adrian Politowski
Living – Oliver Hermanus,...
- 12/5/2022
- by James White
- Empire - Movies
It has been a stellar year for British talent, as is evidenced by the amazing line up of films celebrated and championed by BIFA this evening. The British Independent Film Awards were handed out this evening in London and we were there to talk to the presenters and nominees on the red carpet.
A full list of winners follows the interviews. Colin Hart and Ethan Hart were on the red carpet, here are their interviews.
The 2022 BIFAs Red Carpet Interviews
The full list of winners is below.
Best British Independent Film
Aftersun Charlotte Wells, Barry Jenkins, Mark Ceryak, Adele Romanski, Amy Jackson (Winner)
Blue Jean Georgia Oakley, Hélène Sifre
Good Luck to You, Leo Grande Sophie Hyde, Katy Brand, Debbie Gray, Adrian Politowski
Living Oliver Hermanus, Kazuo Ishiguro, Stephen Woolley, Elizabeth Karlsen
The Wonder Sebastián Lelio, Emma Donoghue, Alice Birch, Juliette Howell, Andrew Lowe, Tessa Ross, Ed Guiney
Best Director,...
A full list of winners follows the interviews. Colin Hart and Ethan Hart were on the red carpet, here are their interviews.
The 2022 BIFAs Red Carpet Interviews
The full list of winners is below.
Best British Independent Film
Aftersun Charlotte Wells, Barry Jenkins, Mark Ceryak, Adele Romanski, Amy Jackson (Winner)
Blue Jean Georgia Oakley, Hélène Sifre
Good Luck to You, Leo Grande Sophie Hyde, Katy Brand, Debbie Gray, Adrian Politowski
Living Oliver Hermanus, Kazuo Ishiguro, Stephen Woolley, Elizabeth Karlsen
The Wonder Sebastián Lelio, Emma Donoghue, Alice Birch, Juliette Howell, Andrew Lowe, Tessa Ross, Ed Guiney
Best Director,...
- 12/5/2022
- by Jon Lyus
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
It was an historic night for female filmmakers at the British Independent Film Awards, with 10 of the night’s biggest awards going to women or films directed by them. The biggest winner of the night was “Aftersun,” which won Best British Independent Film, as well as Best Director, Best Screenplay, and Best Debut Director for Charlotte Wells. The film also took home prizes for cinematography, editing, and music supervision.
Georgia Oakley’s “Blue Jean” also had a strong showing, with Rosy McEwen winning Best Lead Performance and Kerrie Hayes winning Best Supporting Performance and Oakley winning Best Debut Screenwriter. Shaheen Baig also won Best Casting for the film.
Despite facing stiff competition from the likes of “Decision to Leave” and “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” Joachim Trier’s “The Worst Person in the World” won Best International Independent Film.
Keep reading for the complete list of nominees from the 2022 British Independent Film Awards,...
Georgia Oakley’s “Blue Jean” also had a strong showing, with Rosy McEwen winning Best Lead Performance and Kerrie Hayes winning Best Supporting Performance and Oakley winning Best Debut Screenwriter. Shaheen Baig also won Best Casting for the film.
Despite facing stiff competition from the likes of “Decision to Leave” and “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” Joachim Trier’s “The Worst Person in the World” won Best International Independent Film.
Keep reading for the complete list of nominees from the 2022 British Independent Film Awards,...
- 12/4/2022
- by Christian Zilko
- Indiewire
Charlotte Wells’ directorial feature debut, “Aftersun,” took home the most awards of any nominated film at the 25th annual British Independent Film Awards (BIFA), nabbing seven victories out of 16 nominations.
The film spans a 20-year period, beginning with 11-year-old Sophie (Frankie Corio) on a father-daughter vacation to Turkey and culminating with her reflection on that experience in adulthood. Upon its premiere at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival, “Aftersun” was winner of the French Touch Jury Prize. Most recently, Wells received a breakthrough director prize at the Gotham Awards.
At the Sunday evening ceremony, “Normal People” actor Daisy Edgar-Jones presented the award for best British independent film to Wells. Also added to the feature’s list of accolades were awards for best director, best debut director, best screenplay, best cinematography, best editing and best music supervision.
Director Georgia Oakley’s “Blue Jean” saw a surge of recognition as well, with wins in...
The film spans a 20-year period, beginning with 11-year-old Sophie (Frankie Corio) on a father-daughter vacation to Turkey and culminating with her reflection on that experience in adulthood. Upon its premiere at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival, “Aftersun” was winner of the French Touch Jury Prize. Most recently, Wells received a breakthrough director prize at the Gotham Awards.
At the Sunday evening ceremony, “Normal People” actor Daisy Edgar-Jones presented the award for best British independent film to Wells. Also added to the feature’s list of accolades were awards for best director, best debut director, best screenplay, best cinematography, best editing and best music supervision.
Director Georgia Oakley’s “Blue Jean” saw a surge of recognition as well, with wins in...
- 12/4/2022
- by Katie Reul
- Variety Film + TV
Scottish filmmaker Charlotte Wells’s acclaimed debut feature Aftersun swept the board, snagging seven wins at the British Independent Film Awards (BIFA) in London this evening.
The film won Best British Independent Film, Best Director, Best Screenplay, and The Douglas Hickox Award for Best Debut Director. This evening’s four wins were added to the film’s previously announced haul in the craft categories with three wins including Best Cinematography, Best Editing, and Best Music Supervision.
Georgia Oakley’s 1980s Section 28 era set Blue Jean, which trailed only Aftersun for the most nominations, picked up three awards on the night: Best Lead Performance for Rosy McEwen, Best Supporting Performance for Kerrie Hayes, and Oakley took home the Best Debut Screenwriter award sponsored by Film4.
Elsewhere, Safia Oakley-Green won the Breakthrough Performance award for her role in Andrew Cumming’s debut feature The Origin and Tamara Lawrance and Letitia Wright picked...
The film won Best British Independent Film, Best Director, Best Screenplay, and The Douglas Hickox Award for Best Debut Director. This evening’s four wins were added to the film’s previously announced haul in the craft categories with three wins including Best Cinematography, Best Editing, and Best Music Supervision.
Georgia Oakley’s 1980s Section 28 era set Blue Jean, which trailed only Aftersun for the most nominations, picked up three awards on the night: Best Lead Performance for Rosy McEwen, Best Supporting Performance for Kerrie Hayes, and Oakley took home the Best Debut Screenwriter award sponsored by Film4.
Elsewhere, Safia Oakley-Green won the Breakthrough Performance award for her role in Andrew Cumming’s debut feature The Origin and Tamara Lawrance and Letitia Wright picked...
- 12/4/2022
- by Zac Ntim
- Deadline Film + TV
Click here to read the full article.
Charlotte Wells’ debut feature Aftersun, starring Paul Mescal and Frankie Corio, was the big winner at this year’s British Independent Film Awards in London, earning seven honors from 16 nominations.
The drama about a father and daughter’s complex relationship won the awards for best British independent film, presented by Daisy Edgar-Jones (Normal People, Where the Crawdads Sing), best director, best debut director and best screenplay on Sunday night.
The film, which became a breakout hit in Cannes, where it was nabbed by A24 and Mubi, previously also won three craft awards: in the best cinematography category for Gregory Oke, for best editing for Blair McClendon and in the best music supervision category, a new honor introduced this year, for Lucy Bright.
Georgia Oakley’s debut film Blue Jean, about a young teacher forced to lead a double life, earned 13 nominations and four BIFAs.
Charlotte Wells’ debut feature Aftersun, starring Paul Mescal and Frankie Corio, was the big winner at this year’s British Independent Film Awards in London, earning seven honors from 16 nominations.
The drama about a father and daughter’s complex relationship won the awards for best British independent film, presented by Daisy Edgar-Jones (Normal People, Where the Crawdads Sing), best director, best debut director and best screenplay on Sunday night.
The film, which became a breakout hit in Cannes, where it was nabbed by A24 and Mubi, previously also won three craft awards: in the best cinematography category for Gregory Oke, for best editing for Blair McClendon and in the best music supervision category, a new honor introduced this year, for Lucy Bright.
Georgia Oakley’s debut film Blue Jean, about a young teacher forced to lead a double life, earned 13 nominations and four BIFAs.
- 12/4/2022
- by Georg Szalai
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Charlotte Wells’ debut scooped seven prizes, including best British independent film and best director.
Charlotte Wells’ directorial debut feature Aftersun was the big winner of the 2022 British Independent Film Awards (Bifas), taking seven prizes at Sunday night’s (December 4) ceremony in London.
Wells’ drama won the award for best British independent film, best director, the Douglas Hickox Award for best debut director, and best screenplay, adding to the three craft awards already announced – best cinematography, best editing and best music supervision.
The Cannes premiere follows a daughter as she reflects on her relationship with her complicated father, through memories of a summer holiday in Turkey,...
Charlotte Wells’ directorial debut feature Aftersun was the big winner of the 2022 British Independent Film Awards (Bifas), taking seven prizes at Sunday night’s (December 4) ceremony in London.
Wells’ drama won the award for best British independent film, best director, the Douglas Hickox Award for best debut director, and best screenplay, adding to the three craft awards already announced – best cinematography, best editing and best music supervision.
The Cannes premiere follows a daughter as she reflects on her relationship with her complicated father, through memories of a summer holiday in Turkey,...
- 12/4/2022
- by Mona Tabbara
- ScreenDaily
Click here to read the full article.
At the first British Independent Film Awards ceremony back in 1998, among the nominees for best British independent film was Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, the directorial debut of a young(ish) Guy Ritchie and a film that propelled him (plus Jason Statham and producer Matthew Vaughn) straight into the big league. It was Ritchie’s first brush with film awards. A few months later, Lock, Stock would land three BAFTA nominations. Within two years he had married Madonna.
Almost a quarter-century on and — with the possible exception of the marrying Madonna part — this is still what the BIFAs are doing best: providing rising talent with a very early (and often crucial) career boost and giving them a moment to celebrate their achievements in the often difficult world of independent film (Lock, Stock took 15 months to secure financial backing).
Heading into the 25th BIFAs on Sunday,...
At the first British Independent Film Awards ceremony back in 1998, among the nominees for best British independent film was Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, the directorial debut of a young(ish) Guy Ritchie and a film that propelled him (plus Jason Statham and producer Matthew Vaughn) straight into the big league. It was Ritchie’s first brush with film awards. A few months later, Lock, Stock would land three BAFTA nominations. Within two years he had married Madonna.
Almost a quarter-century on and — with the possible exception of the marrying Madonna part — this is still what the BIFAs are doing best: providing rising talent with a very early (and often crucial) career boost and giving them a moment to celebrate their achievements in the often difficult world of independent film (Lock, Stock took 15 months to secure financial backing).
Heading into the 25th BIFAs on Sunday,...
- 12/1/2022
- by Alex Ritman
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Polish film and TV writer/director Agnieszka Smoczyńska's biographical film "The Silent Twins" is heading to Peacock. The movie is inspired by the book of the same name written by investigative journalist Marjorie Wallace. Published in 1986 under the title "The Silent Twins: A true story of love and hate, dreams and desolation, genius and destruction," Wallace's book is itself based on the true story of June and Jennifer Gibbons, twin sisters who only communicated with each other, and came to be known as "the silent twins."
Smoczyńska's film is heading to Peacock after getting a very limited theatrical release from Focus Features on September 16, 2022 -- meaning, this is probably the first time most people have even heard of the movie. So, before it joins acclaimed 2022 films like Scott Derrickson's "The Black Phone" on NBCUniversal's streaming service, here's everything you need to know about the film ahead of time.
Smoczyńska's film is heading to Peacock after getting a very limited theatrical release from Focus Features on September 16, 2022 -- meaning, this is probably the first time most people have even heard of the movie. So, before it joins acclaimed 2022 films like Scott Derrickson's "The Black Phone" on NBCUniversal's streaming service, here's everything you need to know about the film ahead of time.
- 11/4/2022
- by Fatemeh Mirjalili
- Slash Film
Charlotte Wells’ indie breakout “Aftersun” continues to build momentum in the indie awards race.
After receiving four Gotham Award nods, “Aftersun” leads the 2022 British Independent Film Awards nominations in 16 categories, followed by 12 for “Blue Jean” and “The Wonder,” respectively. “Living” earned nine nominations and “Flux Gourmet,” “God’s Creatures,” “Men,” and “The Origin” each landed five nods.
The 25th annual BIFAs introduces new performance, first-time documentary feature, and music categories, with female filmmakers dominating the performance, writing, and directing categories for this year’s batch of nominees, recognizing 36 British features. The 2022 BIFA ceremony takes place December 4.
Hosts Sam Claflin and BIFA winner Kosar Ali announced the 2022 BIFA nominations, including former BIFA recipients Emma Thompson, Jessie Buckley, Florence Pugh, and Alice Birch among them. Two Paul Mescal films, “Aftersun” and “God’s Creatures,” are among the top-nominated films, with Mescal in the running for both Best Joint Lead Performance and Best Supporting Performance for the respective films.
After receiving four Gotham Award nods, “Aftersun” leads the 2022 British Independent Film Awards nominations in 16 categories, followed by 12 for “Blue Jean” and “The Wonder,” respectively. “Living” earned nine nominations and “Flux Gourmet,” “God’s Creatures,” “Men,” and “The Origin” each landed five nods.
The 25th annual BIFAs introduces new performance, first-time documentary feature, and music categories, with female filmmakers dominating the performance, writing, and directing categories for this year’s batch of nominees, recognizing 36 British features. The 2022 BIFA ceremony takes place December 4.
Hosts Sam Claflin and BIFA winner Kosar Ali announced the 2022 BIFA nominations, including former BIFA recipients Emma Thompson, Jessie Buckley, Florence Pugh, and Alice Birch among them. Two Paul Mescal films, “Aftersun” and “God’s Creatures,” are among the top-nominated films, with Mescal in the running for both Best Joint Lead Performance and Best Supporting Performance for the respective films.
- 11/4/2022
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
Scottish filmmaker Charlotte Wells’s debut feature Aftersun leads the nominations for this year’s British Independent Film Awards with a sweeping 16 nods, including Best Director and Best film.
The film’s impressive nominations haul includes Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Debut Director (the Douglas Hickox Award) and Best Debut Screenwriter nods for Wells and a Best Joint Lead Performance nomination for stars Paul Mescal and newcomer Frankie Corio, who received a Breakthrough Performance nomination. The Barry Jenkins-produced pic is also up for Best British Independent Film and racked up a further nine craft nominations, including Best Casting and Cinematography.
Inspired by, but not based on, Wells’s experiences as the child of young parents, the poignant ’90s-set film explores a father and daughter’s complex relationship against the backdrop of a simmering holiday the pair have taken to a resort in Turkey.
Georgia Oakley’s debut film Blue Jean trails behind with 13 nominations.
The film’s impressive nominations haul includes Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Debut Director (the Douglas Hickox Award) and Best Debut Screenwriter nods for Wells and a Best Joint Lead Performance nomination for stars Paul Mescal and newcomer Frankie Corio, who received a Breakthrough Performance nomination. The Barry Jenkins-produced pic is also up for Best British Independent Film and racked up a further nine craft nominations, including Best Casting and Cinematography.
Inspired by, but not based on, Wells’s experiences as the child of young parents, the poignant ’90s-set film explores a father and daughter’s complex relationship against the backdrop of a simmering holiday the pair have taken to a resort in Turkey.
Georgia Oakley’s debut film Blue Jean trails behind with 13 nominations.
- 11/4/2022
- by Zac Ntim
- Deadline Film + TV
Charlotte Wells’ “Aftersun” and Georgia Oakley’s “Blue Jean” led the nominations at the 2022 British Independent Film Awards (BIFA) with 16 and 13 nods respectively.
Sebastián Lelio’s “The Wonder” followed with 12 nominations, Oliver Hermanus’ “Living” nine and Peter Strickland’s “Flux Gourmet” seven.
From this year, the awards are permanently going gender neutral for acting categories with the traditional best and supporting actress and actor awards being replaced by best lead performance, best supporting performance, best joint lead performance — for performances that are the joint focus of the film — and best ensemble.
The nominations were revealed at London’s Everyman Broadgate cinema by hosts, actors Sam Clafin (“Peaky Blinders”) and Kosar Ali (double BIFA winner for “Rocks”).
BIFA Nominations 2022
The Richard Harris Award For Outstanding Contribution By An Actor To British Film
To Be Announced
Best British Independent Film
“Aftersun” – Charlotte Wells, Barry Jenkins, Mark Ceryak, Adele Romanski, Amy Jackson
“Blue Jean” – Georgia Oakley,...
Sebastián Lelio’s “The Wonder” followed with 12 nominations, Oliver Hermanus’ “Living” nine and Peter Strickland’s “Flux Gourmet” seven.
From this year, the awards are permanently going gender neutral for acting categories with the traditional best and supporting actress and actor awards being replaced by best lead performance, best supporting performance, best joint lead performance — for performances that are the joint focus of the film — and best ensemble.
The nominations were revealed at London’s Everyman Broadgate cinema by hosts, actors Sam Clafin (“Peaky Blinders”) and Kosar Ali (double BIFA winner for “Rocks”).
BIFA Nominations 2022
The Richard Harris Award For Outstanding Contribution By An Actor To British Film
To Be Announced
Best British Independent Film
“Aftersun” – Charlotte Wells, Barry Jenkins, Mark Ceryak, Adele Romanski, Amy Jackson
“Blue Jean” – Georgia Oakley,...
- 11/4/2022
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Aftersun and Blue Jean are leading the nominations for the 2022 British Independent Film Awards, unveiled on Friday.
Florence Pugh (The Wonder), Emma Mackey (Emily), Paul Mescal (who got nods in two categories: best joint lead performance for Aftersun and best supporting performance for God’s Creatures), Letitia Wright (The Silent Twins), Bill Nighy (Living), Emily Watson (God’s Creatures) and Emma Thompson (Good Luck to You, Leo Grande) are among the nominees in the now gender-neutral acting, or performance, categories.
Organizers highlighted that it was “a strong year for women filmmakers and performers,” adding: “Women dominate performance, writing and directing categories.”
Aftersun, Charlotte Wells’ debut feature about a father and daughter’s complex relationship, landed 16 nominations for this year’s BIFAs, including for best British independent film, best director, best debut director, best screenplay and best debut screenwriter, along with a best joint lead performance...
Florence Pugh (The Wonder), Emma Mackey (Emily), Paul Mescal (who got nods in two categories: best joint lead performance for Aftersun and best supporting performance for God’s Creatures), Letitia Wright (The Silent Twins), Bill Nighy (Living), Emily Watson (God’s Creatures) and Emma Thompson (Good Luck to You, Leo Grande) are among the nominees in the now gender-neutral acting, or performance, categories.
Organizers highlighted that it was “a strong year for women filmmakers and performers,” adding: “Women dominate performance, writing and directing categories.”
Aftersun, Charlotte Wells’ debut feature about a father and daughter’s complex relationship, landed 16 nominations for this year’s BIFAs, including for best British independent film, best director, best debut director, best screenplay and best debut screenwriter, along with a best joint lead performance...
- 11/4/2022
- by Georg Szalai
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Women dominate the performance, writing and directing categories.
Charlotte Wells’ Aftersun, Georgia Oakley’s Blue Jean and Sebastian Lelio’s The Wonder lead the nominations for the 2022 British Independent Film Awards (Bifas), with several major categories dominated by women including the new merged performance categories.
At the Bifas 25th edition, Wells’ Aftersun has 16 nominations – the second-most ever for a film at the Bifas, behind only Saint Maud’s record 17 from 2020. Wells is nominated for best British independent film, director, screenplay, debut director and debut screenwriter; while Frankie Corio and Paul Mescal are nominated in the new best joint lead performance category.
Charlotte Wells’ Aftersun, Georgia Oakley’s Blue Jean and Sebastian Lelio’s The Wonder lead the nominations for the 2022 British Independent Film Awards (Bifas), with several major categories dominated by women including the new merged performance categories.
At the Bifas 25th edition, Wells’ Aftersun has 16 nominations – the second-most ever for a film at the Bifas, behind only Saint Maud’s record 17 from 2020. Wells is nominated for best British independent film, director, screenplay, debut director and debut screenwriter; while Frankie Corio and Paul Mescal are nominated in the new best joint lead performance category.
- 11/4/2022
- by Ben Dalton
- ScreenDaily
Women dominate the performance, writing and directing categories.
Charlotte Wells’ Aftersun and Georgia Oakley’s Blue Jean lead the nominations for the 2022 British Independent Film Awards (Bifas), with several major categories dominated by women including the new merged performance categories.
At the Bifas 25th edition, Wells’ Aftersun has 16 nominations – the second-most ever for a film at the Bifas, behind only Saint Maud’s record 17 from 2020. Wells is nominated for best British independent film, director, screenplay, debut director and debut screenwriter; while Frankie Corio and Paul Mescal are nominated in the new best joint lead performance category.
Scroll down for the...
Charlotte Wells’ Aftersun and Georgia Oakley’s Blue Jean lead the nominations for the 2022 British Independent Film Awards (Bifas), with several major categories dominated by women including the new merged performance categories.
At the Bifas 25th edition, Wells’ Aftersun has 16 nominations – the second-most ever for a film at the Bifas, behind only Saint Maud’s record 17 from 2020. Wells is nominated for best British independent film, director, screenplay, debut director and debut screenwriter; while Frankie Corio and Paul Mescal are nominated in the new best joint lead performance category.
Scroll down for the...
- 11/4/2022
- by Ben Dalton
- ScreenDaily
"She is like me; as palms become fists and back again, we hold each other with more than words." Focus Features has revealed a short film created as a companion to the new film The Silent Twins. Directed by Agnieszka Smoczynska, the film was released in limited theaters last weekend after premiering at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival earlier this year. It's based on the true story of two Barbados twin sisters living in the UK, played by Letitia Wright and Tamara Lawrance, who don't speak to anyone aside from themselves. This short film is titled simply Kiin and it features a poem by both Letitia Wright and Tamara Lawrance spoken as voiceover, along with a choreographed intimate dance session and other bits of footage spliced in. It's a very dynamic, artistic experience that explores the deeper themes and connection between these two - bonds that go deeper than just words or embraces.
- 9/21/2022
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
I first took notice of Agnieszka Smoczynska when I discovered the film The Lure. It was a strange and beautiful horror tale, one that revolved around the intense relationship between sisters. And yes, they were mermaids. The film was fascinating and unforgettable. And now, the filmmaker takes on another intriguing tale, one that revolves around the true story of sisters June and Jennifer Gibbons called The Silent Twins. What made their story special is that for years, the two would only speak to each other. It’s a unique telling of their tale, and it also features two stunning performances from Letitia Wright and Tamara Lawrence.
We recently sat down to speak with both Ms. Wright and Ms. Lawrence. I was so completely mesmerized by their on-screen connection, I asked about how they approached recreating such an incredible sisterly bond. For Letitia, I asked about coming off of a film...
We recently sat down to speak with both Ms. Wright and Ms. Lawrence. I was so completely mesmerized by their on-screen connection, I asked about how they approached recreating such an incredible sisterly bond. For Letitia, I asked about coming off of a film...
- 9/19/2022
- by JimmyO
- JoBlo.com
The Silent Twins is a new film based on the true story of June and Jennifer Gibbons, twin sisters born in 1963 to parents of Caribbean descent, and whose family lived mainly in Wales. Persecuted at school from an early age—primarily due to the color of their skin and idiosyncratic behavior—the twins gradually withdrew from the world, speaking only to each other (in a combination of sped-up English and Bajan Creole that made it difficult for others to understand), duplicating each other’s movements and behavior, and generally remaining non-communicative with others around them.
While their behavior seemed bizarre to observers, the Gibbons sisters fostered a creative life together, often in their shared bedroom, in which they made art, staged plays with handmade dolls and toys, and dreamed up stories and songs. While both of them wrote several works of fiction, only June’s full-length novel, The Pepsi-Cola Addict,...
While their behavior seemed bizarre to observers, the Gibbons sisters fostered a creative life together, often in their shared bedroom, in which they made art, staged plays with handmade dolls and toys, and dreamed up stories and songs. While both of them wrote several works of fiction, only June’s full-length novel, The Pepsi-Cola Addict,...
- 9/19/2022
- by Don Kaye
- Den of Geek
Brett Morgen’s kaleidoscopic ode to David Bowie landed at no 10 in North America this weekend, singing up 1.225 million on 170 screens – exclusively Imax.
The 7,207 PSA for the Neon distributed Moonage Daydream – expanding to about 600 screens next week — was the best of the ten, which all debuted on north of 2,000 screens.
Directed, written and produced by Morgen, Moonage is the number one music doc opening post pandemic, and the best opening for a post-Covid documentary on less than 200 screens, second only to Roadrunner (Focus Features), which went out on 900+ screens its opening weekend in April of 2021. Over the last 52 weeks, Searchlight Pictures’ The French Dispatch was the only film released on fewer than 200 screens to surpass a 1.2M gross, Neon noted. Morgen hosted nearly sold out Q&a’s opening weekend at the Tcl Chinese Theater in LA.
The doc took in 592k Fri./373k Sat.
The 7,207 PSA for the Neon distributed Moonage Daydream – expanding to about 600 screens next week — was the best of the ten, which all debuted on north of 2,000 screens.
Directed, written and produced by Morgen, Moonage is the number one music doc opening post pandemic, and the best opening for a post-Covid documentary on less than 200 screens, second only to Roadrunner (Focus Features), which went out on 900+ screens its opening weekend in April of 2021. Over the last 52 weeks, Searchlight Pictures’ The French Dispatch was the only film released on fewer than 200 screens to surpass a 1.2M gross, Neon noted. Morgen hosted nearly sold out Q&a’s opening weekend at the Tcl Chinese Theater in LA.
The doc took in 592k Fri./373k Sat.
- 9/18/2022
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
A steady flow of specialty films starts this weekend with the return of a key player to cinemas and a broader arthouse slate that will expand steadily into awards season. This is still a weird theatrical landscape but independent distributors and theater owners have agreed for months that there’s no recovery without a brisker pace of new releases
Indie distributors also appreciate that the weekend’s big studio release, The Woman King with Viola Davis, is a classic battle epic, yes, but also a story for adults, and for women. Another wide release, A24’s XXX prequel Pearl, skews young but — it’s still indie.
“I think we are starting to get a full complement of movies to see. Adult movies that are smart and funny,” says one specialty distribution executive. It’s been a long wait. “Patience is a virtue we need to have a lot of. These may not [all] be huge movies,...
Indie distributors also appreciate that the weekend’s big studio release, The Woman King with Viola Davis, is a classic battle epic, yes, but also a story for adults, and for women. Another wide release, A24’s XXX prequel Pearl, skews young but — it’s still indie.
“I think we are starting to get a full complement of movies to see. Adult movies that are smart and funny,” says one specialty distribution executive. It’s been a long wait. “Patience is a virtue we need to have a lot of. These may not [all] be huge movies,...
- 9/16/2022
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
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