Gal Gadot's 'Cleopatra' role sparks online debate about whitewashing and ancient history

Nick Vivarelli International CorrespondentChiara Bellosi, whose first work, “Ordinary Justice,” launched from Berlin’s Generation 14plus section in 2020, is back with “Swing Ride” (“Calcinculo”) about an overweight 15-year-old named Benedetta pining for attention in an Italian province where she falls in love with the skinny non-binary Amanda.A key difference between the two films is that while “Ordinary Justice,” which examined the lives of two families on opposite sides of a murder case, originated from a deeply researched screenplay that Bellosi wrote, “Swing Ride” — premiering in Panorama on Feb. 13 — stems from a prizewinning script proposed to her by Carlo Cresto Dina, her producer, who also discovered Alice Rohrwacher (“Happy as Lazzaro”) and is known for nurturing the cream of Italy’s new cinematic crop.   “It’s a very different process; it was the first time that I had to start from a world that didn’t germinate from me,” said Bellosi about working from the script penned by Maria Teresa Venditti and Luca De Bei that won Italy’s prestigious Solinas prize in 2018.It was like moving into a new house that she had to make her own, she said.“I worked with the writers; I wanted to make a few tweaks and we did that together,” she added, noting that initially “it was a leap into the void.” But directing from their screenplay actually ended up giving her “more freedom” than her previous pic because “the container is already there; but you can go pretty wild with the rest.”This freedom also made it more fun.

Elsa Keslassy International CorrespondentMK2 Films, the banner behind Joachim Trier’s “The Worst Person in the World,” has boarded “Love Life,” the anticipated next film of laureled Japanese director Koji Fukada. Fukada’s credits include the 2016 movie “Harmonium” which won the jury prize at Cannes’ Un Certain Regard, as well as “A Girl Missing” which played at Toronto. His latest film, “The Real Thing” was part of Cannes 2020’s Official Selection.

K.J. Yossman Fresh from appearing in Netflix hit Adam McKay’s “Don’t Look Up,” Mark Rylance’s latest big screen outing is “The Outfit,” in which he stars as Leonard, a 1950s tailor. It is a role that could not be more dissimilar to the fictional megalomaniac billionaire Peter Isherwell, whom Rylance plays in McKay’s disaster movie.Written and directed by Graham Moore, the Oscar-winning scribe behind “The Imitation Game,” “The Outfit” sees Rylance star as a Savile Row tailor who has fled across the Atlantic to escape his tragic past.

Elsa Keslassy International CorrespondentTrustNordisk has closed a flurry of sales on a pair of 3D-animated family features, “Little Allan — The Human Antenna” and “The Super,” underscoring the market appeal of independent youth-skewing movies.“Little Allan – The Human Antenna” marks Danish film Amalie Naesby Fick’s follow up to her commercially successful debut “The Incredible Story of The Giant Pear,” which premiered in the the Generation Kplus section at Berlin in 2018. This year, the helmer has her daring drama series “Sex” selected for the Berlinale Series.The film takes place during summer vacation, when introverted, 11-year old Allan starts acting as a human antenna for his old neighbor, who thinks a huge invasion fleet from the outer space is on its way.

Leo Barraclough International Features EditorAhead of Sunday’s world premiere of documentary “1341 Frames of Love and War,” which plays in Berlinale Special, Variety spoke to Israeli writer/director Ran Tal about the film and its subject, Israeli war photographer Micha Bar-Am.In some ways “Frames” continues Tal’s interest in Israeli history evident in his previous work, “What If? Ehud Barak on War and Peace,” which centered on the former prime minister of Israel. Bar-Am was born in Berlin in 1930, but grew up in what became Israel, and across a five decade-long career as a photographer he documented many of the major episodes – in particular the wars – in the life of the young country, founded in 1948.

Nick Vivarelli International CorrespondentRAI Com is launching sales at the online EFM on Giuseppe Piccioni’s Fascist-era drama ‘L’Ombra del giorno,” starring Italian A-lister Riccardo Scamarcio (“Three Floors”) and Benedetta Porcaroli (“Baby,” “The Catholic School”).Pic, which Scamarcio produced, is a love story with a thriller twist set in 1938, two years before Italy entered World War II. It unfolds entirely in the central Italian town of Ascoli Piceno, a hidden gem with gorgeous medieval monuments, churches and piazzas.The film’s title translates as “The Shadow of the Day,” a reference to the darkness of Fascism.Luciano (Scamarcio), a wounded World War I veteran and a sympathizer of Fascism like most Italians at the time, runs a classy restaurant overlooking the town’s ancient square.

John Hopewell Chief International CorrespondentAdding to its notable lineup in Latin American movies, Paris-based sales agent MPM Premium has taken international sales rights to “Fogaréu,” from writer-director Flávia Neves, part of Brazil’s new wave of female filmmakers, which is one of the most exciting developments the country’s cinema currently has going for it.MPM Premium is introducing the film at this week’s Berlin Festival, where it world premieres in Panorama on Feb. 15.First glimpsed at 2020’s Ventana Sur project market, “Fogaréu” shares a sense of attitude and a feminist agenda and a visual verve with fellow Brazilian Ventana Sur titles “The Pink Cloud,” Iuli Gerbase’s a sci-fi character-driven thriller, and “The Joy of Things,” Thais Fujinaga’s portrait of motherhood, also playing at the same market.

Darius Rucker's favorite Super Bowl Sunday tradition involves spending time with his son. The country music star opened up about having the opportunity to attend Super Bowls with his son Jack in a new interview with Fox News Digital. "I've been going a lot in the past few years and taking my son, so that's kind of our thing," Rucker explained.

It’s been nearly 30 years since Kristy Swanson slayed a vampire – but these days, she’s happily finding her footing on a ranch. The actress stars in Pure Flix’s streaming series "Sons of Thunder: Redemption." It tells the tale of a former biker gang member (Rocky Myers) who decides to seek forgiveness from his ex-fiancee at her California horse ranch that is about to close down.The ranch owner (Swanson) decides to host a fundraising rodeo, but trouble isn’t far behind.The show also stars Lorenzo Lamas of "Falcon Crest" and "Renegade" fame. Kristy Swanson attends the 2017 Monster Mania Con on March 10, 2017, in Cherry Hill, New Jersey.

Jason Momoa is enjoying a day out with a friend.

Super Bow LVI pitting the Los Angeles Rams against the Cincinnati Bengals kicks off at 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT from SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, the Rams’ home field. The game will air live on NBC as well as for the first time on the Peacock streaming service and Spanish-language network Telemundo.

Zachary Quinto and Lukas Gage are hitting the red carpet!

Scarlett Johansson and Colin Jost are about to be on everyone’s television screens thanks to their Super Bowl commercial.

It was yet another disappointing day for Manchester United as they once again took the lead in a match but didn't come away the winners.

Doja Cat is bringing the heat to a Super Bowl party!

Naman Ramachandran Acclaimed Bangladeshi director Rubaiyat Hossain, known for her powerful women-centric films, has a new project participating in the Berlinale Co-Production Market and is launching a female filmmaker grant.Her Berlinale co-production market project, “The Difficult Bride,” follows Novera, a bride-to-be in present-day Dhaka who is in love with the groom and the idea of a fairytale wedding, but secretly struggles with her body, which does not seem to comply with the wedding rituals. She makes continuous trips to the beauty salon and uses home remedies to “cure” her body.

Christopher Vourlias Germany’s Sola Media has closed a wave of international sales for the animated feature “Finnick,” produced by Riki Group, which will be released by Sony Pictures Russia in Russia and CIS on March 24.The CGI-animated comedy follows the adventures of 13-year-old Christine, who befriends the young prankster Finnick – one of the furry and usually invisible beings known as Finns. The odd couple has to team up as detectives to solve the mysterious events happening in their city.The Stuttgart-based sales agency has inked deals with Eagle Pictures (Italy), Independent Films (Benelux), Koch Films (German/Austria/Switzerland), Vertigo Releasing (U.K.), Tanweer (Greece), Selmer Media (Scandinavia), Myndform (Iceland), Rialto (Australia and New Zealand), and Black Sheep Films (South Africa), and holds exclusive distribution rights in multiple additional territories.

Wonder Woman 1984 was touted as one of the biggest films to release in 2020, especially, with how massively successful Gal Gadot's first outing was in terms of box-office moolah. Along with Gadot, Chris Pine was all set to return as Steve Trevor with the new additions being Pedro Pascal and Kristen Wiig as the villains' Maxwell Lord and Cheetah.

Wonder Woman 1984 was one among the most anticipated movies of 2020. Fans of the DC female superhero were eager to see Gal Gadot wear her golden armour and present a memorable experience.

Gal Gadot won millions of hearts post her stint in Wonder Woman back in 2017. Her utter beauty and fierce role literally left the critics dumbfounded.

Months after her star-studded 'Imagine' cover received backlash on social media, Gal Gadot has opened up about the same in an interview with Vanity Fair. Just to refresh your memory, the video was shot during the first few weeks of the coronavirus pandemic featured the Wonder Woman star and some famous friends  like Avengers: Endgame actor Mark Ruffalo, Jimmy Fallon, Amy Adams, and Will Ferrell among others singing along to John Lennon's peace anthem.Netizens were quick to criticize the video and said that if Gal Gadot was so concerned she could have just donated some money to those who have lost their livelihood due to the Coronavirus pandemic.

Wonder Woman maestro Patty Jenkins. But some Gadot’s casting is another example of Neither Gadot nor Jenkins has addressed the backlash…yet. By By By Authentic, Accessible, RelevantMore from GlamourSee More Stories© 2020 Condé Nast.

Gal Gadot has responded to critics of her star-studded quarantine "Imagine" cover, telling Vanity Fair that she "meant to do something good and pure" in her cover of the John Lennon classic. “Sometimes, you know, you try and do a good deed and it’s just not the right good deed," the actress told the magazine.

Wonder Woman director Patty Jenkins and Gal Gadot are reuniting for another costume drama. The duo will reteam for Cleopatra, a historical biopic in the works from Paramount Pictures, The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed.

Wonder Woman director Patty Jenkins and star Gal Gadot are set to team up again on a new version of Cleopatra.The latest Hollywood take on the historical biopic is set to be produced by Paramount Pictures.The script for the film is set to be penned by Laeta Kalogridis, with Gadot starring as the Queen Of Egypt.The role of Cleopatra was first made famous by Elizabeth Taylor, who portrayed the Queen in the 1963 classic film of the same name.“I love embarking on new journeys, I love the excitement of new projects, the thrill of bringing new stories to life,” Gadot tweeted, confirming her casting in the role.“Cleopatra is a story I wanted to tell for a very long time.

Gal Gadot has confirmed she will star in a new Cleopatra biopic, reuniting with her Wonder Woman director Patty Jenkins.

Following the success of 2017’s “Wonder Woman” and its worldwide box office of more than $820 million, director Patty Jenkins re-teamed with star Gal Gadot for the sequel “Wonder Woman 1984”, currently scheduled for theatrical release on Christmas Day.

After making two “Wonder Woman” films together at Warner Bros., Gal Gadot and Patty Jenkins will head to Paramount to make the historical epic “Cleopatra” after the studio won an intense bidding war for the actor/director duo’s upcoming project.The acquisition is the first major one for Paramount since Emma Watts joined the studio as Motion Picture Group President. Watts, who left 20th Century Fox shortly after its acquisition by Disney, joined Paramount this past June.In addition to respectively acting and directing on the project, Gadot and Jenkins will both produce alongside Atlas Entertainment’s Charles Roven and Pilot Waves, Jason Varsano, who is Gadot’s producing partner.

A couple of years ago it was reported that Denis Villeneuve was going to helm a new film about Cleopatra, but it seems that film (if it ever materializes) will have some competition. It was just announced that “Wonder Woman” director Patty Jenkins and star Gal Gadot will reunite for their own version of “Cleopatra,” for Paramount Pictures.

Brent Lang Executive Editor of Film and MediaGal Gadot will trade her lasso of truth for a golden crown, playing the legendary queen of Egypt in “Cleopatra,” a historical drama that will reunite the actress with her “Wonder Woman” director Patty Jenkins.Paramount Pictures won the rights to the project, reportedly beating out other suitors such as Apple, Universal, Warner Bros. and Netflix.

Mike Fleming Jr Co-Editor-in-Chief, FilmEXCLUSIVE: Paramount Pictures has won an auction for an epic that will have Gal Gadot wearing the crown of a real wonder woman of history. Wonder Woman helmer Patty Jenkins will direct Gadot in Cleopatra, a period biographical drama scripted by Laeta Kalogridis.

Cleopatra is coming to life!