I’ll admit that I haven’t been this impressed by a character’s entrance since Henry Fonda appeared in Sergio Leone’s ‘Once Upon a Time in the West’ and managed to go against everything we had come to expect from the blue eyed superstar. And that’s just talking about the first scene of the upcoming FX drama series ‘The Beauty’.
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A still from Chloé Zhao’s ‘Hamnet’ courtesy of Universal Pictures UK
Witnessing the magical reinvention of Shakespeare's own story in Chloé Zhao's must watch film 'Hamnet'
Reinventing Shakespeare, to make his plays and own story more actual and better understood by contemporary audiences, is the key to keeping him alive. And the Chinese-American indie filmmaker turned big budget director finds that balance, perfectly, in her latest film.
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From left, Kritika Kamra, Shreya Dhanwanthary and Juhi Babbar, in a still from Anusha Rizvi’s ‘The Great Shamsuddin Family’
Why Anusha Rizvi's 'The Great Shamsuddin Family' should be a required must-watch for all women
In short, the film not only passes the Bechdel test with flying colors, and showcases a cast of extraordinary actresses playing members of one fabulous family, but it should also be credited with creating a new kind of “Rizvi test”, one which can be used for showing Muslim women characters which finally break down all stereotypes created so far in movies.
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Karim Daoud Anaya in a still from Annemarie Jacir’s ‘Palestine 36’
Oscar shortlisted 'Palestine 36' screens in Gaza and gains momentum with upcoming celebrities campaign
With a recently announced initiative titled “Talking Palestine 36” and a screening in Gaza — the film’s official Palestinian premiere — to show the film to the people to whom it belongs, Annemarie Jacir is making sure her Palestinian Oscar submission doesn’t go unnoticed.
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Why Jafar Panahi's 'It Was Just an Accident' is a serious awards contender this year
While the Iranian helmer’s latest film may not be his best, it has turned out to be his most crucial to date — all because Panahi is finally able to promote it.
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Dhafer L’Abidine and Yasmine Al Massri in a still from ‘Palestine 36’ courtesy of Philistine Films
The most important film you'll watch this year: Annemarie Jacir's Oscar submission 'Palestine 36'
Why, you ask? Because if we are ever to understand the Palestinian/Israeli issues of the present, we need to go back nearly a century and wrap our heads around the crimes, struggles and mistakes of the past.
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'Broken English' in Venice: The unjust unmaking of Marianne Faithfull will be undone!
Two wondrous filmmakers, two outstanding actors and one musical legend come together to recount an icon and set the record straight. In more ways than one.
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A still from ‘Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale’ courtesy of Focus Features
Why 'Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale' is the perfect way to end (and maybe begin again?)
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about what makes a perfect “franchise” film and the Simon Curtis-directed 2025 gem, in theaters on Friday, September 12th, may just end up winning the prize.
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A still from ‘Cotton Queen’ by Suzannah Mirghani, which will screen in Critics’ Week in Venice
Doha Film Institute Venice-bound films include the stunning 'Cotton Queen' by Suzannah Mirghani and Kaouther Ben Hania's Competition title 'The Voice of Hind Rajab'
Other titles supported by the respected Qatari cinematic organization include Jihan K’s personal doc on the disappearance of her father during the Qaddafi regime, Cyril Aris’ ‘A Sad and Beautiful World’ starring Mounia Akl, which will be screening in the Official Selection and Giornate degli Autori lineups, respectively, along with Sofia Alaoui’s sci-fi fable ‘Tarfaya’ which participates in the Venice Production Bridge.
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'The Most Precious of Cargoes' is the most beautiful film you haven't been able to watch. Yet.
If I have anything to do with it, Oscar-winning director Michel Hazanavicius’ animated masterpiece will soon come to US cinemas so that you too can experience this gem in all its actuality, poignancy and beauty.
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Harvey Schein, photo courtesy of the Schein family archives
Justin Schein's 'Death & Taxes' reexamines the American Dream, all the while painting a bold family portrait
And this documentary proves one to be watched, if you find yourself in NYC starting July 18th and LA from July 25th.
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'Modi, Three Days on the Wing of Madness' by Johnny Depp is the film that should be on everyone's watch list
I was lucky to witness a special London screening of the film, thanks to Fashion and Cinema’s Joana Granero, featuring her Q&A with costume designer Penny Rose. And found myself falling in love with an artist whose breaking of conventions has become the stuff of legends… But I’ll leave you guessing just who that is.
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Soad Hosny and Hussein Fahmy in a still from ‘Watch Out for Zouzou’ by Hassan el-Imam
Holding up a mirror to a time of possibilities: 'Watch Out for Zouzou' opens this year's SAFAR film festival in London
The 1972 Egyptian classic enjoys a gorgeous, brand new restoration, allowing younger audiences to discover its magic and its message, while bestowing on those revisiting the film an eerie sense of “what could have been?”
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Cannes Gem: A review of 'Urchin' by Harris Dickinson
A film that, aside from its spellbinding leading man and touching crucial themes about the habits that bring us down, again and again, also begs the question: “Who do the streets of London belong to? Those who thread upon them or those who call them home?”
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Olmo Schnabel's 'Pet Shop Days', EP'd by Martin Scorsese to finally release in the US
Starting out limited, in NYC and LA, the film is a wonder to behold and Schnabel, a filmmaker to watch.
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Anthony Mackie is Sam Wilson, the new Captain America, in ‘Captain America: Brave New World’
Why 'Captain America: Brave New World' got me into Marvel films. Wholeheartedly
With a dissent in popular opinion and critics seemingly agreeing this is one of the weakest installment of the franchise, I’m here to throw the tables upside down and explain why I love Anthony Mackie in the tight-fitting costume of the world-saving superhero, but also how I got into the film way more than I should have.
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Ryan Destiny and Brian Tyree Henry in a still from the film, photo courtesy of Amazon MGM Studios
'The Fire Inside' review: The true life story of a modern, strong, unapologetic and beautiful woman
Winning doesn’t always bring about happiness and success. So the tale of gold winning boxer Claressa “T-Rex” Shields teaches us, in a new film written by Barry Jenkins and directed by Rachel Morrison, coming to UK cinemas on February 7th.
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DFI's 2024 Fall Grants announcement includes projects by Youssef Chebbi, Sofia Alaoui, Mehdi Hmili and Anas Khalaf
As well as a feature doc by Iraqi actress and filmmaker Zahraa Ghandour, a web series by Palestinian storyteller Amer Shomali, Damien Ounouri’s and Adila Bendimerad’s follow up to festival fave ‘The Last Queen’, and shorts by Qatari talents Mahdi Ali Ali and Majid Al-Remaihi.
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A still from ‘Yalla Parkour!’ by Areeb Zuaiter
There are eight DFI-supported titles in this year's Berlinale lineup
And at least one in each section too, including Competition and the new Perspectives for first time features.
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Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande in a still from ‘Wicked’
Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jon M. Chu & Producer Marc Platt talk 'Wicked'
We are living in challenging times. And what comes naturally when that happens? We turn to our memories, letting nostalgia take over from the difficult present. Because everything in our past can be reworked, re imagined and beautified and that’s just what our weary soul needs. And the film ‘Wicked’, releasing this week, allows us to dream too.
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