Shaquira McGrath Blows ‘AGT’ Judges Away With Rascal Flatts Cover

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.

Former “America’s Got Talent” winner Darci Lynne Farmer returned to the stage Wednesday for an epic performance.

Jonathan Goodwin almost sent the “America’s Got Talent” judges into a panic on Tuesday night's show. The daredevil performed his “Trial By Fire” act for Howie Mandel, Heidi Klum, Sofia Vergara and guest judge Kenan Thompson and kept everyone on the edges of their seats so much so Mandel actually thought something went wrong.

Jonathan Goodwin took his daredevil act to a whole new level during Tuesday night’s “America’s Got Talent”.

Originally from Kazakhstan, 14-year-old singer Daneliya Tuleshova made a return to the “America’s Got Talent” stage on Tuesday.

second night of live quarterfinals, and there was a new face at the judges' table.

Kenan Thompson will be following the footsteps of Kelly Clarkson as judge of the live episodes of "America's Got Talent" while Simon Cowell recuperates from his back surgery.TV Line reported that the "Saturday Night Live" alum will take over Cowell's seat for this week's live episodes which will air on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Kenan Thompson is the latest celebrity to take a seat in a judge’s chair on “America’s Got Talent”.

Peter White Television EditorKenan Thompson is the latest member of the NBC family to fill in for Simon Cowell on his NBC competition series America’s Got Talent.The SNL star will serve as a guest judge on this Tuesday and Wednesday’s live telecasts of the Terry Crews-hosted AGT, alongside fellow judges Howie Mandel, Heidi Klum and Sofia Vergara. Cowell will skip this season’s opening live shows as he is recovering from a complex back surgery following an electric bike accident over the weekend.In addition to his work on SNL, which he joined in 2003, and comedy competition series Bring The Funny, he stars in upcoming NBC comedy Kenan alongside Don Johnson and Chris Redd.

Roberta Battaglia, who previously nabbed a Golden Buzzer on “America’s Got Talent”, wowed the judges once again during Tuesday’s episode.

“America’s Got Talent” season 14 winner Kodi Lee returned to the stage for a stunning performance Wednesday.

Simon Cowell's family is missing him amid his recent injury. ET's Kevin Frazier spoke with Heidi Klum, Sofia Vergara and Howie Mandel about Cowell's absence from this week's episodes, and they shared when fans might expect to see the 60-year-old TV personality return following his electric bike accident that resulted in a broken back.«We have been told he has been recovering tremendously,» Mandel, 64, said of Cowell. «I would not count him out before the end of this season.»«You're right,» Klum, 47, agreed.«He's had a six-hour operation and he is already on his feet, which is above and beyond expectation, so I am thrilled,» Mandel added.

Singing twin sisters Andrea and Irene Ramos — known collectively as Double Dragon — performed on Tuesday’s edition of “America’s Got Talent”, delivering a pre-taped performance that mashed up “Bang Bang” (by Jessie J, Nicki Minaj and Ariana Grande) and DJ Snake’s “Taki Taki”.

Sofia Vergara was terrified on Tuesday’s “America’s Got Talent” as Brett Loudermilk brought her up on stage once again.

returned on Tuesday — and there was no shortage of amazing acts.Live from Universal Studios Hollywood, 11 of the 44 remaining acts and contestants geared up for the next stage of the competition. Sofia Vergara, Heidi Klum, Howie Mandel and host Terry Crews were ready to see the acts perform around the lot and in person.

Feng-E owned the stage in Taiwan as he delivered an epic performance on Tuesday’s “America’s Got Talent”.

“America’s Got Talent” returned on Tuesday — and there was no shortage of amazing acts.

Roberta Battaglia, who previously nabbed a Golden Buzzer on “America’s Got Talent”, wowed the judges once again during Tuesday’s episode.

Kelly Clarkson is thrilled to fill in for Simon Cowell on “America’s Got Talent” and even more excited to see Arthur Williams perform.

returned on Tuesday — and there was no shortage of amazing acts.Live from Universal Studios Hollywood, 11 of the 44 remaining acts and contestants geared up for the next stage of the competition. Sofia Vergara, Heidi Klum, Howie Mandel and host Terry Crews were ready to see the acts perform around the lot and in person.

Simon Cowell and Sofia Vergara, along with host Terry Crews, who explained how the crew is safely producing the competition show live.«A few weeks ago, we were having this conversation, and I thought it wasn't going to happen,» Cowell admitted to ET's Kevin Frazier. «I mean, there are so many hoops you gotta go through, right? But I think we pulled it off.

Nellie Andreeva Co-Editor-in-Chief, TVSimon Cowell helped jump-start Kelly Clarkson’s career with her win on the first season of American Idol where he was arguably the most influential judge. Now she is returning the favor by filling in for Cowell as a judge on his NBC reality series America’s Got Talent.Clarkson will serve as a guest judge on this Tuesday and Wednesday’s live telecasts of the Terry Crews-hosted AGT, alongside fellow judges Howie Mandel, Heidi Klum and Sofia Vergara.

Simon Cowell was excited about a big return to filming live telecasts of just one day before breaking his back in a bike accident on Saturday. ET spoke to the 60-year-old, as well as new judge Sofia Vergara and the show's host, Terry Crews, on Friday, where Cowell talked about riding «in golf carts, motorbikes» on the set. They also talked about the show's significant changes due to the coronavirus pandemic. Cowell — who now will not be participating in this Tuesday and Wednesday's live telecasts as he recovers from surgery on Saturday — said he enjoyed the «thrill» of not knowing what to expect.«I thought it wasn't gonna happen,» he acknowledged to ET's Kevin Frazier about the popular NBC talent show returning.

Simon Cowell’s “America’s Got Talent” co-stars are wishing him a speedy recovery so he can rejoin them back at work on the NBC competition series as soon as possible. The show’s creator announced he will have to miss the beginning of this season’s live episodes, which begin on Tuesday and Wednesday, so that he can properly recover from a fall that required him to have back surgery.

Simon Cowell, 60, broke his back just one day before he had to start filming the live rounds of America’s Got Talent season 15. His fellow AGT judges — Sofia Vergara, 48, Heidi Klum, 47, and Howie Mandel, 64 — continued to film despite Simon’s absence. They left his seat open while he recovered at home. “We miss our boss!! Come back fast,” Sofia captioned her Instagram photo showing the judges pointing to Simon’s empty AGT seat.

Simon Cowell's family is wishing him well. ET learned on Sunday that the record executive will miss Tuesday and Wednesday's upcoming live episodes of as he recovers from surgery.