And not a moment too soon! How do I know, you may be asking yourself? Because I got to go on a set visit and, honestly, this was the journey of a lifetime. Read on to find out more.
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Clockwise from top left, Bong Joon-ho, Guillermo del Toro, Jodie Foster, Jafar Panahi, Kleber Mendonça Filho, Tahar Rahim, Laurence Fishburne and Nadine Labaki
Marrakech IFF announces personalities for stellar conversations, including Bong Joon-ho, Guilermo del Toro & Nadine Labaki
The Marrakech International Film Festival (MIFF) which this year will run from November 28th to December 6th, 2025, has announced its highly anticipated line up for their Conversation Program.
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Marrakech FF announces stellar line up, including world premiere of Meryem Benm'Barek's highly anticipated 'Behind the Palm Trees'
The festival will kick off with ‘Dead Man's Wire’, Gus Van Sant's dark and jubilant comedy and close with Annemarie Jacir’s Palestinian submission to the Oscars ‘Palestine 36’, with loads of wondrous films screening in between.
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A still from ‘Giant’ featuring Amir El Masry, image courtesy of the Red Sea IFF
The Red Sea International Film Festival announces line up, plus opening night film 'Giant' featuring Egyptian-British actor Amir El Masry
The selection includes works which were supported by the Red Sea Fund, including Annemarie Jacir’s ‘Palestine 36’, the Palestinian submission to the Oscar race and ‘Hijra’ by Shahad Ameen which represents Saudi Arabia in the awards run this year.
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Clockwise from left: Raja Amari, Dhafer L’Abidine, Rithy Panh, Alessandra Speciale
Doha Film Festival announces stellar world cinema personalities for their Competition Jury
Included are frequent DFI collaborator Rithy Panh and Tunisian star Dhafer L’Abidine.
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A still from ‘The Reserve’ by Pablo Pérez Lombardini courtesy of © Pikila
World cinema projects from Mexico's 'The Reserve' to Spain's 'Sleepless City' and Japan's ‘Renoir’ in Competition at inaugural Doha Film Festival
Doha Film Festival will showcase a remarkable selection of acclaimed titles from across the world as part of its International Feature Film Competition, reflecting the festival’s commitment to cinematic excellence and cultural diversity, bringing together powerful stories that resonate across borders.
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A still from ‘Khartoum’, a documentary which will screen at the Doha Film Festival later this November
Sudan in focus at the upcoming inaugural Doha Film Festival in Qatar
Featuring music and films from the country in turmoil, the line up for the event held by the Doha Film Institute, highlights the creativity and rich heritage of a nation whose stories continue to inspire the world.
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Upcoming French Film Festival London at Ciné Lumière announces fantastic line-up
And don’t be surprised to find Jafar Panahi’s latest among the films, as that is the official entry to the International Feature Film Oscar race for France. Vive la France, I say!
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A still from ‘Sink’ by Zain Duraie, courtesy of Tabi360
Five films you must watch at this year's BFI London Film Festival
Don’t be mad if I didn’t include your personal fave, or a Hollywood title. There are plenty of those, with galas and special conversations to boot. But for me, these titles deserve a second look.
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A still from ‘Once Upon a Time in Gaza’ by Tarzan and Arab Nasser, courtesy of DFI
Upcoming inaugural Doha Film Festival to showcase Palestinian stories
And honestly, from the DFI, I would expect nothing less!
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Brad Pitt, Joaquin Phoenix produced 'The Voice of Hind Rajab' to open inaugural Doha Film Festival
Tunisian Oscar nominated filmmaker Kaouther Ben Hania’s Venice Silver Lion winner is “a moving tribute to resilience and the power of cinema”.
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A still from Annemarie Jacir’s ‘Palestine 36’ courtesy of Philistine Films
Chloe Zhao's 'Hamnet', two Linklater titles and a Screen Talk with the elusive Daniel Day-Lewis at this year's BFI London Film Fest
The festival will open with Rian Johnson’s ‘Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery’ and close with Julia Jackman’s 100 Nights of Hero’. In between, masterpieces of cinema will rule over Old Foggy for nearly two weeks.
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George Clooney in ‘Jay Kelly’ by Noah Baumbach, photo courtesy of Netflix
The Venice Diaries: A Saudi wonder film, Variety's 2025 Achievement in International Film Award does it right plus films, stars & more stars
Among the highlights of the first few days of the Venice International Film Festival, a first appearance on the Lido by Julia Roberts and some well-deserved recognition for Fatma Hassan Alremaihi, the wondrous CEO of the Doha Film Institute.
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Director Paolo Sorrentino meets his fans on the red carpet of La Biennale di Venezia, photo by © Jacopo Salvi, ASAC
The Venice Diaries: Paolo Sorrentino kicks off 82nd Venice Film Festival with a film about love
Love in all its forms, from messy to romantic, is at the core of Sorrentino’s profound film ‘La Grazia’, his most awardable since ‘La Grande Bellezza’, and at the Opening Ceremony of this year’s La Biennale, it proved an emotional affair.
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A still from ‘Kill the Jockey’ by Luis Ortega, photo courtesy of the LSFF
The London Spanish Film Festival is coming in September, ¡Olé!
With a selection that boasts cinema from Spain, but also co-productions with France, Portugal, Argentina and Italy, this year’s program looks phenomenal. And yours truly is going to be on their Competition Jury for 2025, choosing with my esteemed colleagues our favorites, out of a stellar lineup.
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Charlotte Gainsbourg in a still from ‘Étoile’ on Amazon
Four women-centric TV shows that have revolutionized my life
One title you might be able to guess, perhaps two even, but the next two might astound you, yet they are so worth watching, I’d go to war for them. And I just might have to, as one of my faves has been unceremoniously cancelled…
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A still from ‘A House of Dynamite’ by Kathryn Bigelow
The golden girls of the Lido: Seven women-helmed films to watch at the 82nd Venice Film Festival
From the MENA to the USA, there may not be so so many titles directed by women at the festival. But what is programmed is simply the best.
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Meg Stalter getting photographed by Will Sharpe in a scene from Lena Dunham’s ‘Too Much’ now available on Netflix
Five reasons to love 'Too Much' on Netflix
The series is the start of something beautiful, and grants permission to all women, and men also, those of us who have been told we are “too much” to continue misbehaving, disrupting the status quo and doing things differently. What do I think of it personally? I love it — too much!
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Opening reception for the 2024 edition of AIFF, photo used with permission
"A World Unscripted": Amman International Film Festival kicks off this week with outstanding program
The Amman International Film Festival – Awal Film (AIFF) is in its sixth edition and scheduled to take place in the Jordanian capital from July 2-10, 2025.
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Jason Isaacs in a still from ‘Heavyweight’ by Christopher M. Anthony, photo © Tiernan Hanby, used with permission
Raindance to kick off in London with the world premiere of 'Heavyweight' featuring Jason Isaacs
The 33rd edition of the UK’s leading indie film festival will run from 18 – 27 June at host cinema Vue Piccadilly and will close with the international premiere of Camilla Guttner’s art school drama ‘The Academy’. But there are also loads of cinematic gems screening in between!
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