Smash Mouth Performs for Thousands Without Masks, Declares 'F**k That COVID'

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.

Billie Eilish, John Legend, Leon Bridges and Jennifer Hudson are set to perform at a star-studded Democratic National Convention.

Ted Johnson Kamala Harris debuted as Joe Biden’s historic choice as his running mate by mixing personal biography and connection with piercing attacks on Donald Trump and Mike Pence.“Let me tell you, as somebody who has presented my fair share of arguments in court, the case against Donald Trump and Mike Pence is open and shut,” Harris said in an appearance with Biden at a high school in Wilmington, DE.The socially distanced nature of the event was evident not just in the lack of a crowd to cheer at various applause lines, but at the caution that the candidates and their spouses used in getting too close to each other.

Tom Tapp Deputy Managing EditorGovernor Gavin Newsom started his Wednesday coronavirus news conference by taking a page out of Donald Trump’s press conference playbook.The governor began by recalling how he started his first business by writing to 14 people he knew and asking for start-up money.He then spent the next 45 minutes of his regular, hourlong COVID-19 press conference reviewing the economic accomplishments of his administration thus far.Newsom talked about line item tax credits, small business loans, unemployment, housing capacity, eviction moratoriums, “shovel-ready” infrastructure projects, wildfire prevention, workforce training, a small business hiring credit, infrastructure grants, extending mortgage relief, incentivizing

Kamala Harris has been chosen as Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden's running mate in this year's US election.The California senator is the first black woman and South Asian American to take the role of Vice President nominee.Joe Biden is going up against President Donald Trump in the US presidential election on November 3 later this year.Mr Biden tweeted that his chosen running mate was "smart, tough, and ready to lead", while former president Barack Obama said she was "more than prepared for the job".But who is Kamala Harris and how did she get here?Ms Harris was born in Oakland, California, to an Indian-born mother and Jamaican-born father.In her autobiography The Truths We Hold, Ms Harris speaks about being raised by her mother

Joe Biden named California Sen. Kamala Harris as his running mate on Tuesday, making history by selecting the first Black woman to compete on a major party's presidential ticket and acknowledging the vital role Black voters will play in his bid to defeat President Donald Trump.

shock to observers since a conservative appointee of President Donald Trump was made CEO of the government agency that oversees the broadcaster, which airs U.S. news across the world.“U.S.

Citing security concerns, President Donald Trump signed an executive order that bans American companies from doing business with TikTok’s parent company. He also said he would bar the app from operating in the country if an American company doesn’t buy TikTok by Sept.

Famous faces from the worlds of film, TV and music have celebrated Joe Biden’s decision to name California Senator Kamala Harris as his running mate.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau ChiefStrong games, music and media performances between April and June helped China’s Tencent deliver a robust quarterly financial performance through the depths of the coronavirus crisis.Group revenue in the second quarter was up by 29% to RMB114 billion ($16.3 billion), with net profits climbing by 37% to RMB32.4 billion ($4.63 billion). For the first half of the year, January to June, revenues climbed by 28% to RMB223 billion ($31.9 billion) with profit of RMB61.9 billion ($8.82 billion) up 18%.The company, which recently saw its massively successful WeChat super-app, as the target of an executive order by U.S.

It’s official! California Senator Kamala Harris was chosen to be Joe Biden’s running mate in his presidential run! The presumptive Democratic nominee announced that he was really ‘proud’ to have Kamala as his potential vice president after months of speculations. Kamala’s pick made history since she is the first Black woman as well as the first person with Indian heritage to get nominated for national office by such a major party.

Joe Biden named California Sen. Kamala Harris as his running mate on Tuesday, making history by selecting the first Black woman to compete on a major party’s presidential ticket and acknowledging the vital role Black voters will play in his bid to defeat President Donald Trump.

Joe Biden named California Sen. Kamala Harris as his running mate on Tuesday, making history by selecting the first Black woman to compete on a major party’s presidential ticket and acknowledging the vital role Black voters will play in his bid to defeat President Donald Trump.

Dominic Patten, Ted Johnson Kamala Harris will be Joe Biden’s running mate against Donald Trump and Mike Pence.The presumptive nominee made it official just now online: Back when Kamala was Attorney General, she worked closely with Beau. I watched as they took on the big banks, lifted up working people, and protected women and kids from abuse.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorIf there’s one thing that can be said for Neil Young over the course of his nearly 60-year career, it’s that he stands behind his principles.

Peter White Television EditorThe Late Show with Stephen Colbert and The Late Late Show with James Corden returned to the studio last night and both hosts showed off how they and their teams were handling the new health and safety protocols.It comes as The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon prepares to welcome back its first in-studio musical guest – the first in-studio guest in late-night since the COVID-19 production shutdown.Colbert filmed Monday night’s show in the Ed Sullivan Theater, except he was in the office building rather than on his usual stage.“Some things have changed,” he said, as he explained how his staff had built a replica of his office in a different office for him to film the show.

John Legend is a lover man, a family man, a soul man, an EGOT, a film and television producer, and — in a role that certainly has not escaped the attention of the president of the United States, or most anyone else — a political animal.

Smash Mouth has now joined the list of high-profile bands to perform for large crowds amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The group performed in Sturgis, South Dakota on Sunday as part of the annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally.

Chris Willman Music WriterIn playing at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally Sunday night, the band Smash Mouth did not feel any need to avoid the elephant in the room, which would be the fears of outsiders — and apparently few in attendance — that the socially un-distanced gathering could be a breeding ground for a coronavirus “super-spreader event.”“F— that COVID s—!” singer Steve Harwell could be heard telling the crowd in video footage.

annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally didn’t seem worried about gathering together during the viral outbreak that’s killed at least 160,000 Americans.“We’re all here together tonight! F–k that COVID shit!” front-man Steve Harwell said on stage, earning cheers from the crowd.The iconic 10-day festival was expected to attract some 250,000 motorcycle enthusiasts, scaled down from about half-a-million people who attended in previous years, according to USA Today.Festival goers didn’t have to face many of the social distancing restrictions common elsewhere in the country, the newspaper reported.

Page Six says Ivana Trump was recently in the Southhampons on Thursday and Friday night, the first time in decades. According to the publication, Ivana won’t be going to any Hamptons fundraisers this weekend.

Zelda Williams isn’t going to stand for Eric Trump posting about her late father, Robin Williams.

Ted Johnson Donald Trump scheduled a last-minute press conference at his Bedminster, NJ, golf club on Friday evening, in part to threaten to sign an executive order if Democrats don’t give in on demands for COVID-19 relief.But when members of the White House pool traveling with the president showed up, standing in the back of the room were members and guests at the country club, many of them not wearing masks.Aside from the clear public health issues, the optics of POTUS addressing his country club members who pay at up to $350,000 to join while millions of Americans don't know how they'll cover rent this month as expanded unemployment benefits have expired is—an interesting choice.

Ted Johnson Laid off and furloughed workers in entertainment face even more uncertainty over unemployment benefits, as negotiations on Capitol Hill stalled over a massive new coronavirus relief package.On Twitter, Donald Trump vowed to go a “different way,” by passing Congress via an executive order to extend enhanced unemployment benefits and issue a temporary moratorium on evictions. But it’s unclear on what legal grounds he can do so, and even then, he has favored a smaller COVID-19 benefit, less than the extra $600-per-week that was provided through the end of July.The dispute between the White House and top Democrats is over more than just unemployment benefits, but the magnitude of the COVID-19 relief package itself.

President Donald Trump is moving one step closer to banning the social media app TikTok in the United States and he just declared a national emergency over the app, according to BuzzFeed.