Zahan Kapoor on Debuting With Hansal Mehta, Anubhav Sinha’s BFI London Film Festival Title ‘Faraaz’ (EXCLUSIVE)

Angelique Jackson “The Inspection” writer-director Elegance Bratton is living out a prayer. “I was in a homeless shelter on my way to joining the Marine Corps, give or take a few years. I didn’t even necessarily understand exactly what I was praying for,” Bratton tells Variety, thinking back to 20 years ago. “I had gotten the job title Combat Camera, which was the first job title I ever had that sounded cool —most times it’s like, I’m the shift supervisor at whatever — so I was just praying that this could mean something more,” he continues. “I wanted it to change my life and it really did.”

As you might expect from the billing, Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio — which had its world premiere at the BFI London Film Festival today — is a very different beast to the 1940 Disney animation, and just as cavalier with the picaresque elements of Carlo Collodi’s 1883 novel. The factor that unifies all three is that the main character — a wooden puppet blessed with life — longs to be a real, human boy, but it’s no spoiler to reveal that del Toro, champion of monsters and misfits, doesn’t see the appeal of that. 

Mark Wahlberg and his funky bunch have left California!

Perhaps best known for his role as Rubeus Hagrid in eight Harry Potter films, Robbie Coltrane OBE was a larger-than-life character whose presence was immediately evident whenever he graced the screen.

Activists from Just Stop Oil have been arrested after throwing tins of soup over Vincent Van Gogh's famous Sunflowers painting at the National Gallery - and then gluing themselves to a nearby wall.

Naman Ramachandran Indonesia’s KawanKawan Media has partnered with Singapore’s Momo Film Co on Nelson Yeo’s “Dreaming & Dying” and Duong Dieu Linh’s “Don’t Cry Butterfly,” it was revealed at this week’s Asian Contents & Film Market, held on the sidelines of the Busan International Film Festival. “Dreaming & Dying,” about three middle aged individuals who are forced to confront their inner demons as a long-buried love triangle between them resurfaces, is currently in production. Yeo said: “ ‘Dreaming & Dying’ is the accumulation of my obsession with dreams and memories. Primarily, it is about how we choose to remember things in our own ways, and as time passes, that fantasy becomes the reality.”

'Terrifier 2' audiences fainted during screenings in the US last week. The long-awaited sequel to the 2016 controversial horror sees maniacal mime Art the Clown butcher and main unsuspsecting victims on Halloween and the first showings of the movie sparked extreme reactions from audiences, with some cinemagoers vomiting due to its "brutal depictions of horror". Producers have issued a warning about the film's "graphic" content to ensure viewers are fully prepared for what they are about to see.

EXCLUSIVE: Following the success on their hit HBO series Silicon Valley, Mike Judge and Alec Berg have found their next comedy to partner on. Sources tell Deadline Picturestart is financing and will produce Automated Trucking, a new feature film comedy based on an original idea from Judge and Berg. Judge will direct with Rob Turbovsky and Matteo Borghese penning the script.

Martin Scorsese gave a long shout-out to the NYFF and the art of cinema on stage at Avery Fisher Hall as the fest celebrated its 60th anniversary with the world premiere of his latest documentary, Personality Crisis: One Night Only. It followed a screening of Armageddon Time, another New York story by native New Yorker James Gray.

Terrifier 2 has reportedly caused people to pass out in cinemas in the US – check out the trailer above.Directed by Damien Leone, the sequel to 2016’s Terrifier sees Art The Clown (David Howard Thornton) resurrected as he hunts for two unsuspecting siblings on Halloween night.Following the film’s release in the US on October 6, the explicit gory scenes have led to some reported incidents involving the emergency services.In a post on Twitter, Andrew Liming shared a picture of emergency services attending to his friend after watching the film, writing: “#Terrifier2 my friend passed out and the theater called an ambulance. Highly recommended.”Another user wrote: “Just saw Terrifier 2.

Jamie Redknapp and his wife Frida exchanged vows, and the couple are certainly looking more in love than ever.MORE: Louise Redknapp displays slender physique in all-black workout gear after reunion with son CharleyJamie and Frida, who married on 18 October 2021, cosied up to one another as they attended the Frieze Art Fair 2022 VIP Preview in London's Regent's Park on Wednesday.WATCH: Jamie Redknapp’s wife Frida shows off petite physique during steamy workout sessionFrida, 38, looked lovely in a long camel-coloured coat, which she teamed with a white roll-neck knitted jumper, coordinating trousers and white trainers.MORE: Jamie Redknapp shares emotional post as son Charley leaves homeExclusive: Louise Redknapp finally addresses ex-husband Jamie Redknapp's decision to remarryThe former footballer rocked a suave navy blue suede jacket with dark trousers and matching shoes. The sighting comes as Jamie's ex-wife Louise Redknapp reunited with their eldest son Charley, who is studying at the University of Arizona.Jamie and Frida, meanwhile, welcomed Raphael, their first child together, in November 2021 after tying the knot in October in an intimate wedding ceremony in London.

Rebecca Souw Achieving a balance between artistic creativity and commercial appeal has been a key component of the success of the Korean film and TV industries, said senior executives at the Asin Contents & Film Market, held this week as part of the Busan International Film Festival. Leading U.S. producer Ted Hope said that “Being audience focused but ambitiously creating authored work,” is significant and that Korean filmmakers are able to tap into a wide range of emotions. Yang Yoomin, a Korean producer who has worked with hit filmmaker Yeon Sang-ho, explained why such a discussion was important. She gave the examples of the Hong Kong and Japanese film industries which have both at times enjoyed international success, but which have recently been eclipsed. Hope said that Hong Kong films and Japanese animation are at opposite ends of the spectrum stretching from commerce and art films, but said that Korean stories demonstrate a balance between authorship and audience-focused approaches.

Kate Moss has been spotted partying with former The Pogues star Shane MacGowan and his wife Victoria Mary Clarke, at Shane's new art exhibition at the Andipa art gallery in London. The supermodel and icon, 48, posed up a storm on Tuesday as she stood behind Shane, 64, who is now in a wheelchair after suffering ailing health after years of hard partying. Since his successful career with The Pogues, who are responsible for the iconic Christmas hit Fairytale of New York, Shane has become an accomplished artist, and his works were set to sell for up to £32,000 at the exhibition.

EXCLUSIVE: Acorn TV and ZDF mystery drama series The Chelsea Detective has a new co-lead for its second season.

FASHION royalty Naomi Campbell puts her best foot forward at the SS23 Alexander McQueen show. The supermodel, 52, dazzled in a bejewelled jumpsuit. Suffering for her art, Naomi teetered on the catwalk in quirky heelless heels.

Nick Vivarelli International Correspondent French production powerhouse Studiocanal is moving into the Italian production market by joining forces with Rome-based shingle Elsinore Film with plans to co-develop and coproduce a slate of scripted and unscripted content for the Italian and international market. Elsinore Film is a boutique outfit headed by Annamaria Morelli (pictured, left), a former head of production at Italian streamer TimVision, who is known for her scouting activity. Morelli has had a hand in shepherding “Skam Italia,” the Italian adaptation of the Nordic drama series that’s a hit in Italy. She was more recently among producers of “Amanda,” a quirky teen dramedy about female friendship by newcomer Carolina Cavalli, that launched positively in September from the Venice fest’s Horizons section. 

EXCLUSIVE: In a competitive situation, BET+ has acquired Trill League, an adaptation of Anthony Piper’s webcomic of the same name, for series development. The animated superhero series, written by Piper and Leann Bowen, hails from Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson‘s G-Unit Film & Television, 3 Arts Entertainment and Lionsgate Television.

The Native American Media Alliance announced today they have selected 10 participants for the 2nd Annual Native American Unscripted Workshop, a talent development program that aims to boost the careers of Native American filmmakers, journalists and media artists in the field of unscripted film and television.

A post shared by @chuckychuckdgafEarlier this year, Run The Jewels‘ Killer Mike has opened up about a new pro-marijuana documentary he’s been working on.Tumbleweeds with Killer Mike is a new docu-series where Mike discusses the “impact and evolution” of cannabis culture, the history of marijuana and its legalisation in states such as Las Vegas, San Francisco, Chicago, and New York.Speaking to Consequence about what viewers can expect from the series, Mike said: “They’re going to further expand what they know in terms of seeing what’s out there on the horizon in terms of advocacy and creating equity and fairness around marijuana. In terms of people that have been sentenced and charged for things, what will happen next in terms of opportunities for them as the world blossoms.“There’s something to learn about how veterans that are coping with PTSD have dealings with marijuana advocacy.

Nick Vivarelli International Correspondent Rome’s innovative MIA market dedicated to international TV series, feature films, and documentaries kicks off its eighth edition Tuesday, headed by new chief Gaia Tridente, who has added an animation section and been busy raising the curated mart’s international profile. The Oct. 11-15 MIA mart – its acronym stands for the Mercato Internazionale Audiovisivo or International Audiovisual Market – this year is positioned prior to the Mipcom content market and conference that runs Oct. 17-20 in Cannes, since Mipcom has shifted its dates back.  But this non-voluntary repositioning has not impacted the number of registered MIA attendees, which is up more than 12% compared with past editions. More than 900 international industry execs are registered for the boutique event being held in central Rome’s Palazzo Barberini, which is Italy’s National Ancient Art gallery that during MIA doubles as the market’s hub where company stands are set up amid Renaissance and Baroque masterpieces. Screenings are held in a nearby state-of-the-art multiplex.

Naman Ramachandran For the first time in its 37-year history, the SXSW festival in Austin will host South Asian House, an initiative to celebrate South Asians from India, Nepal, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, and Maldives as well as accomplished members of the diaspora. The initiative, scheduled for the first weekend of SXSW on March 11 and 12, 2023, will feature programming around film and television, dance and music, technology, business, fashion, comedy and climate change from a South Asian world view across plenaries, sessions, panel discussions, workshops, art exhibits, book launches and music concerts. It will take place in the 4th Street neighborhood of downtown Austin, near the Austin Convention Center event headquarters.

Manori Ravindran International Editor BBC Film boss Eva Yates has set out her new editorial team, with the BFI’s Kristin Irving joining as a commissioning executive, and Anu Henriques boarding as a development executive. Meanwhile, Claudia Yusef has been named commissioning executive, expanding her responsibilities across development and production. Irving was a senior production and development executive at the BFI’s Film Fund. She formerly worked in a number of development roles including for production company Portobello Pictures on films such as Pawel Pawlikowski’s Oscar-winning “Ida.” She also worked across sales at sister company, Fandango Portobello. At the BFI she has exec produced films including “Rye Lane,” “A Gaza Weekend” and “The Origin.” She joins BBC Film in November.

the American artist Alice Neel – suggests the headgear became his signature long ago. It’s the same beret, he tells me. Neel, who described herself as “a collector of souls”, painted her son “many hundreds” of times before her death in 1984.

What was the first thing you bought at Afflecks? For Miki Christie it was a pair of fishnet tights, sticky black lipstick and a box of nag champa - a heady sandalwood-scented incense.

Jessica Chastain and Eddie Redmayne are stepping out in style.

Naman Ramachandran Singapore’s Momo Film Co has boarded a raft of projects, it was revealed on the opening day of the Busan Asian Contents & Film Market on Saturday. Momo, in which Blue Ant Media’s Beach House Pictures has a majority stake, was founded in 2018 by writer-director Kris Ong (“Sunday”) and Tan Si En, who is a co-producer on Busan and Locarno title “Arnold is a Model Student.” Tan has boarded “Andragogy” by Wregas Bhanuteja (Cannes winner “Prenjak,” Busan 2021 title “Photocopier”) as a co-producer. The film will follow Prani, a middle-aged schoolteacher, whose angry video goes viral and she gets trolled online. Adi Ekatama is producing for Indonesia’s Rekata Studio (“Photocopier”).

Former Presbyterian church minister James Gregory, known to most as Jim, greatly enjoys visiting his weekly art class in Auchterarder to improve his drawing.

EXCLUSIVE: XYZ Films has picked up director Steven LaMorte’s violent slasher parody, The Mean One, and plans to release the film for free online in the U.S. on December 15th.In horror The Mean One, David Howard Thornton (who plays Art The Clown in Terrifier 2) is a hairy, green-skinned grump in a Santa suit, living on a mountain high above the festive small town of Frazier Park, despising the holiday season. Young Cindy You-Know-Who (Krystle Martin), whose parents were butchered by The Mean One twenty Christmases earlier, is returning to town to seek closure. Above is a first-look image from the feature.Directed by LaMorte from a script by Flip and Finn Kobler, David Howard Thornton stars with Krystle Martin, Chase Mullins, John Bigham, Erik Baker, Flip Kobler, and Amy Schumacher.

No matter how good we might be at cooking, mastering the art of a perfectly poached egg can be a long and painful process.

K.J. Yossman Jemima Khan (“What’s Love Got to Do With It?”) and Jaime Ray Newman (“Dopesick”) have boarded Seemab Gul’s Oscar-qualifying short film “Sandstorm” as executive producers. A coming of age story, centering around a Pakistani schoolgirl called Zara, “Sandstorm” navigates the “tricky terrain of internet dating in a conservative Muslim society,” according to the logline as well as questions “the objectification of the female body and its relationship to honor in Pakistani culture.” In the short, Zara sends her virtual boyfriend a “sensual dance video” which he then uses to blackmail her. “Caught between his manipulative behaviour and the desire to experience love on her own terms, Zara searches for the strength to reject the confines of a patriarchal society,” reads the synopsis.

The stars of the upcoming movie Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery are promoting their new film!

Art lovers throughout the world have been captivated by the blockbuster Immersive Van Gogh exhibit, and now a similar immersive experience is in the works that will delight fans of Disney’s beloved animated classics.

walking date, where you can figure out if your date has any taste at all.”Gann and Taglauer are longtime friends and collaborators who, since 2019, have been co-directors of the 24-year-old juried annual arts show. The duo’s intuitive rapport and sense of camaraderie shines even during a half-hour chat over Zoom.Case in point: Gann immediately picks up on Taglauer’s subtle cue to improvise a worst-case date scene at the festival.“You like that?!?” Gann says, in an exaggeratedly dramatic fashion.

Friday, October 7