The Berlinale 2025 marks the 75th anniversary of the Berlin International Film Festival. The 75th Berlinale is also the first edition under the direction of Tricia Tuttle.

 

For the first time, an animated key visual is at the centre of the design alongside the classic poster. This reflects the media shift towards digital channels and the importance of moving graphics in communication.

 

The design places the Berlinale at the centre of a glowing visual interpretation of the theme of “time”. A modern, lively remix of the historical cinema feeling and an emotional anniversary countdown form the beating heart of the upcoming Berlinale.

 

The animated key visual and the poster will be visible in the city from the end of January. The key design is the basis of numerous adaptations across the Berlinale experience. The poster is now available in the Berlinale Online Shop.

Berlin graphic designer Claudia Schramke created the key design for the 75th Berlinale.

The Sun Valley Film Festival (SVFF) will return December 3-7, 2025 offering an expanded lineup of films, lively Q&A sessions, engaging Coffee Talks and intimate events for AMPAS members and special guests. These dates solidify SVFF as a pivotal destination for award-season contenders and perfectly timed before Academy Award shortlist voting begins.

 

The move follows the success of the Sun Valley Film Festival Winter Screening Series held December 5-8, 2024. The weekend featured critically acclaimed films, Coffee Talks, and intimate receptions and dinners. The event recognized Demi Moore with the Vision Award and Pamela Anderson and Gia Coppola with the Pioneer Award presented by Variety, and Porcelain War with the Impact Award. Screenings included The Last Showgirl, The Substance, Porcelain War, Blink, The Swim Lesson and a curated series of shorts from The New Yorker.

The Substance went on to receive five Golden Globe and seven Critics Choice Award nominations including Best Picture and Best Actress for Moore. Anderson went on to receive a Best Actress Golden Globe nomination and Porcelain War received a Producers Guild Award nomination for Outstanding Documentary. The following films were also part of the Academy Awards shortlist: Porcelain War (Documentary Feature), I am Not a Robot (Live Action Short Film), Seat 31: Zooey Zephyr (Documentary Short Film) and A Swim Lesson (Documentary Short Film).

"The Sun Valley Film Festival continues to grow as a vital platform for filmmakers and a key stop for awards-season contenders, which we showcased this year with our selection of films and honorees including Demi Moore and Pamela Anderson,” said Teddy Grennan, Executive Director of Sun Valley Film Festival. “By anchoring the festival in December, we’re not just celebrating great storytelling but creating meaningful connections between filmmakers and audiences at a pivotal moment in the industry’s calendar."

The five day festival in 2025 will continue its partnership with Deadline at the Vision Award dinner and Variety will present the Pioneer Award. The Screenwriters Lab will be back with the High Scribe award and the winner of the High Scribe Competition invited to return as a Writer-In-Residence at the historic Ernest and Mary Hemingway House. The Sun Valley JR Film Competition which highlights the work of high school students, will continue where finalist films are screened in the festival and judged by industry professionals. The festival’s 1 Potato Initiative will return to support emerging filmmakers and incentivize filmmaking in the state of Idaho. The winning script will receive $5,000 in funds towards shooting their film on location in the state. Submissions open on April 28 at Film Freeway.

 

 

"Our mission has always been to inspire and elevate creative voices, and the 2025 festival will build on that legacy,” said Candice Pate, Director of Sun Valley Film Festival. “As we expand programming across five days to feature some of the best of awards season contenders, we are committed to continuing to support emerging talent, especially with the Screenwriters Lab, 1 Potato Initiative and JR Film Competition. Sun Valley in December is poised to be an unmissable event for film lovers and creators alike.”

For additional information, visit Read more

Pictured:  Ynon Kreiz (Mattel Chairman and CEO), from left, Gal Gadot (Actress/Producer) and Meir Fenigstein (IFF Founder/Executive Director) attend The 36th ISRAEL FILM FESTIVAL in Los Angeles Gala Opening Night and Premiere Screening at Saban Theater, on Wednesday, Nov 13th, 2024 in Los Angeles.   PHOTO CREDIT:  Jordan Strauss/JanuaryImages 

The 36th ISRAEL FILM FESTIVAL in Los Angeles, the largest showcase for Israeli films in the United States, triumphantly returned after a 2 ½ year absence with sold-out screenings, the most sponsors in its history, and over 7,000 attendees.   The Festival’s Audience Choice Award for Best Feature Film was voted to Come Closer, written and directed by Tom Nesher in her feature film directorial debut and Israel’s submission for the Academy Awards’® Best International Film. The Festival’s Audience Choice Award for Best Documentary was given to The Child Within Me, directed by Yaniv Amoday and Eti Aneta and winner of the Ophir Award for Best Documentary Film (Israel’s equivalent of the Academy Award®).  The Festival’s Audience Choice Award for Best Student Film was awarded to Girl NO. 60427, directed by Shulamit Lifshitz, a student at The Ma'aleh School of Film and Television in Jerusalem, and winner of the BAFTA Student Film Award for Best Live Action Film.  The announcement was made by Meir Fenigstein, founder and executive director of the Israel Film Festival.

 

“Los Angeles audiences thoroughly embraced the return of the Israel Film Festival which had been postponed due to the war in the Middle East.  Residents from Santa Monica and Beverly Hills to the San Fernando valley gathered to be entertained and celebrate Israeli culture, storytelling, its filmmakers and talent both behind and in front of the camera,” said Fenigstein.  “As our hearts ache for so many effected by the war, the sense of community was pervasive as people shared, learned and were reminded of all that Israel has to offer.”

 

This year the Festival added the Community Partner screening series to its programming.  This included more than 20 exclusive premiere screenings sponsored by leading non-profit Jewish and Israeli organizations in Los Angeles for their respective members.  For the first time, the Festival hosted a panel of Israeli-American producers to discuss the option of co-productions between the U.S. and the Israeli film industries.  This was sponsored by the Israel Cinema Project-Rabinovich Foundation.

 

During the Festival’s November 13th – 26th run at six theatres located in Beverly Hills, West Los Angeles and Encino, over 40 features, documentaries and student short films from Israel’s top 7 film schools were screened.  Twenty visiting Israeli filmmakers and talent conducted post screening Q&As with audiences.  Actress/producer Gal Gadot awarded the 2024 IFF Industry Leadership Award to Ynon Kreiz, Mattel Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, who has transformed the company and spearheaded its global blockbuster film, Barbie. The 2024 IFF Lifetime Achievement Award was given to actor/comedian Shaike Levi, an Israeli comedian, singer and actor best known for his role in HaGashash HaHiver, at the Festival’s Closing Night ceremony.

 

The mission of the ISRAEL FILM FESTIVAL is to highlight Israel as the lively and innovative nation that it is as well as to shine a spotl

Highland Film Group Launching International Sales at the American Film Market, CAA Media Finance repping Domestic Rights

Daisy Ridley (the Star Wars franchise, Young Woman and the Sea, Magpie) is set to star in the action-thriller Dedication for director Martin Campbell (Casino Royale, GoldenEye), it was announced today. The screenplay is written by Dan Gordon (Lawrence Kasdan’s Wyatt Earp, Norman Jewison’s The Hurricane). 

 

Dedication is produced by Gemstone Films Ltd., Phil Hunt (Focus Features’ Tar, A24’s Talk to Me), Valentin Dimitrov (Lionsgate’s The Hitman’s Bodyguard), and Sagiv Diamant (We Die Young starring Jean-Claude Van Damme). The film is executive produced by Arianne Fraser and Delphine Perrier for Highland Film Group alongside Gaby Whyte Hart, who also serves as the casting director.

 

Highland Film Group is co-financing Dedication and handling international rights, launching sales at the American Film Market. CAA Media Finance is representing domestic rights. Production is set to begin in spring of 2025 in the Philippines and in Europe. 

 

“What a thrill to collaborate with a director of Martin Campbell’s pedigree whose eye for big-scale action was on spectacular display in the Bond franchise. Daisy Ridley will perfectly embody the multiple facets of a fallen war hero who is forced into combat mode one last time,” said Highland Film Group CEO Arianne Fraser. “It’s fantastic to have Martin and Daisy teaming up again for Dedication. Martin is the ideal director to bring Dan Gordon’s complex and electrifying script to life. It’s a riveting story loaded with engaging characters and we look forward to introducing this powerful adventure to our global partners,” added Highland COO Delphine Perrier.

 

Major Billie Jean Parker (Daisy Ridley), a decorated Marine Corps commander, is relieved of duty after a high-stakes mission in the Philippines results in civilian casualties, despite capturing anarchist leader Omar Romatas. Facing the loss of her career, she visits her dying father, Clyde, a former Marine, who asks her to attend a dedication ceremony for a school building named in his honor. The event takes a deadly turn when Omar Romatas's vengeful son, Bento, launches an assault, taking hostages. Forced back into combat, Billie Jean sets traps and executes precise strikes to outwit the attackers. Her tactical instincts and ruthless efficiency shift the fight, as she confronts her past and proves her worth in a relentless battle that will define her legacy.

 

Daisy Ridley is most recognized for her breakthrough role in Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens and subsequent installments: Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi and Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker. Ridley can currently be seen starring in the feature film Magpie, based on a story she developed and produced. She also earned acclaim for her roles in Young Woman and the Sea, which she executive produced, and Sometimes I Think About Dying. Ridley recently completed filming on two productions. The first being Zak Hilditch’s survival thriller, We Bury The Dead. Ridley plays Ava, a desperate woman whose husband is missing in the aftermath of a catastrophic military experiment. The second is Lo

On Friday, Oct. 19, Variety partnered with the Santa Fe International Film festival to celebrate its 10 Screenwriters to Watch. All 10 recipients gathered at Santa Fe’s Lensic Performing Arts Center for a lively conversation about their path to screenwriting and the work that earned them their place on Variety’s annual list of the most […]

 

Hello food and film enthusiasts, 

The 14th Annual Devour! The Food & Film Fest is Officially Underway!

Are you in need of a mid-week culinary escape? Tickets are still available for Wednesday’s Opening Gala Reception, presented by Taste of Nova Scotia, featuring the highly anticipated gala film La Cocina and a lively afterparty—don’t miss out!

As we head into Thursday, get ready for a day packed with flavour and fun! From the fan-favourite Chowder Smackdown to hands-on culinary workshops and captivating films, Thursday is your chance to indulge. Check out the lineup below and grab your tickets now before they’re gone!

 

Culinary Workshop: From the Hill by the Sea – Recipes Inspired by Nova Scotia, Cooked in New York and California w/Seadon Shouse
Location: Devour! Studios, 360 Main Street, Wolfville, NS, B4P 1C4
Ticket Price: $50.00 (includes food samples)

Nova Scotia-born chef Seadon Shouse is a culinary star on both U.S. coasts, serving as Executive Chef at Halifax Hoboken (W Hotel, NJ) and Timber Cove Resort (California). In this demo, Seadon will showcase recipes from his cookbook From The Hill By The Sea, blending Nova Scotia’s flavours with his modern twist. Recipes include: Shellfish Bisque Kelp-Steamed Monkfish with Crab Rice and Caviar Butter Sponsored by: J.R. Mahoney Ltd., Devour! Seafood Partnership - Victoria Co-operative Fisheries, Afishionado Fishmongers, Comeau’s Sea Foods Ltd, and Chef Works. Buy Tickets Now or Call 1-888-311-9090.

BUY TICKETS HERE

Chowder Smackdown

Read more Il Cinema Ritrovato: Our highlights from this year’s festival Il Cinema Ritrovato: Our highlights from this year’s festival Rick W / Sunday, July 21, 2024 0 107 Last month, the ICO’s Duncan Carson and Sami Abdul-Razzak headed to Bologna for this year’s Il Cinema Ritrovato – the Cineteca di Bologna’s annual festival showcasing the latest restorations and rediscoveries from archives and film laboratories around the world. In this blog, they share a few of their highlights. Duncan Carson, Projects and Business Manager Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors (dir. Sergei Parajanov, 1965) Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors, image courtesy of Oleksandr Dovzhenko National Centre Watching Kleber Mendonça Filho’s cinephilic paean Pictures of Ghosts (2023) last year, the director, reflecting on a lifetime of self-documentation and cinema-going, notes that photographs only unburden themselves as time passes, that the latent parts of an image only emerge with the passing of time. Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors [Tini zabutykh predkiv, 1965] is the film that Sergei Parajanov viewed as his breakthrough into the lyrical, lively, queer space he mapped out in his later work. Like many films at Il Cinema Ritrovato, their meanings are only now on view: not ahead of their time, but ahead of our understanding. Listening to Daniel Bird and Olena Honcharuk speak about the process of restoring the film with the Oleksander Dovzhenko National Centre (Ukraine’s home for its cinematic heritage), it was hard to ignore the reason for making work like this and perpetuating its access. Parajanov was imprisoned and fettered in his time by the USSR, and it’s both hard and easy to see why: his work sings loudly about the power of the hyper-regional and untamed spirit, using every cinematic trick to build a language that is adequate to the true wildness of life off the bureaucrat’s map. Yet a line-by-line censors dissection would struggle to locate this in dialogue. Watching the film in the newly refurbished, undiluted elegance of Cinema Modernissimo – a space I have visited during previous editions in states of decay and renovation –  held a glimmer of hope that what seems ghostly or in retreat can be revived and rebuilt. Parajanov, with his joyful, resistant, inventive spirit, opens up these possibilities, for Ukraine and for the world. Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors is available in a new restoration from The Film Foundation and tickets are available for the UK premiere of the restoration at Cinema Rediscovered in Bristol next week. The Annihilation of Fish (dir. Charles Burnett, 1999) The Annihilation of Fish, image courtesy of UCLA Film & Television Archive Director Charles Burnett, a venerable figure among the L.A. Rebellion filmmakers, has never made films with a continuity of genre or tone. Besides focusing with deep humanity on predominately African American lives, his films glide from the social realism of Killer of Sheep to the folkloric To Sleep with Anger to the gritty The Glass Shield. The Annihilation of Fish (1999) is a lightly madcap, near screwball comedy. James Earl Jones is Fish, a Jamaican gent who in the film’s opening scenes is booted from long-term residential psy Read more Sundance Institute Announces Finalists in RFP Process  Sundance Institute Announces Finalists in RFP Process  Rick W / Friday, July 19, 2024 0 81 Six cities selected to move forward in the next phase of the process PARK CITY, UTAH, July 19, 2024 — Today, the nonprofit Sundance Institute announced the six finalists of its Request for Proposal (RFP) process for a host location for the Sundance Film Festival, which opened submissions on May 7, 2024, and closed on June 21, 2024. These locations have been selected to move forward to the next phase as potential host cities for the Festival beginning in 2027. As part of a thorough evaluation of each potential location, the Sundance Institute assessed each city’s infrastructure, ethos and equity values, event capabilities to host the Festival, and how each finalist could sustainably serve and support the ever-growing Sundance Film Festival community of independent artists and audiences. Each finalist was required to demonstrate how they would welcome and continue to foster the diverse Sundance community and culture of independent creativity that is an integral part of the Institute and Festival experience.  The Sundance Film Festival will take place in Park City and Salt Lake City, Utah in 2025 and 2026. The location decision will apply to the Festival in 2027 and subsequent years. The finalists selected to move forward to the final phase are (in alphabetical order): Atlanta, Georgia Boulder, Colorado Cincinnati, Ohio Louisville, Kentucky Park City/Salt Lake City, Utah Santa Fe, New Mexico   Members of the Sundance Institute selection committee will visit each of the finalist cities in the coming weeks to further explore the possibilities of hosting the Festival.  “For over 40 years, Sundance has supported, sustained, and helped shine an essential spotlight on independent filmmakers and their work. As we very carefully consider this important decision for our Festival, we believe these six finalists allow us the best opportunity to not only secure a sustainable future for our Festival, but also to build upon its legacy while continuing to support the next generation of storytellers and highlight bold new works of art,” said Ebs Burnough, Sundance Institute Board Chair, and Amanda Kelso, Sundance Institute Acting CEO. “We are grateful to all the communities who have expressed interest and been a part of the process, and we have valued the opportunity to learn about the uniqueness of each location. We look forward to the site visits in each of the finalist cities.”  “Throughout this process, we engaged in thoughtful, lively, creative, and supportive conversations with Governors, Mayors, arts advocates, film commissioners, and other local leaders from locations across the country. We’ve been buoyed by the tremendous enthusiasm and submissions from cities around the country and deeply appreciate the energy that went into each proposal,” said Eugene Hernandez, Festival Director and Director of Public Programming. “Getting to six finalists was a difficult decision. Each of these cities has a vibrant creative ecosystem, either expanding or established, and has enabled creativity to flourish in their cities through their support of the arts. These cities understand our ethos, are aligned with our key values, and have shown us interesting possibilities for partnership with our Festival — for our artists, audiences, and all who want to be a part of the Sundance Film Festival — and that makes us want to see more.” The Institute will continue to f Read more First Look for WORDS OF WAR Political Drama Thriller with Maxine Peake, Ciarán Hinds and Jason Isaacs First Look for WORDS OF WAR Political Drama Thriller with Maxine Peake, Ciarán Hinds and Jason Isaacs Rick W / Thursday, May 23, 2024 0 154 Rolling Pictures, Good Films Collective, and Concourse Media have partnered on WORDS OF WAR, which will launch worldwide sales in Cannes. The new political drama/thriller features an award-winning ensemble cast lead by Maxine Peake, Ciarán Hinds and Jason Isaacs, and is further bolstered by Ian Hart, Naomi Battrick, Harry Lawtey, Ellie Bamber, Agni Scott, Alec Newman, and Ben Miles. The film was written by Eric Poppen and is directed by James Strong (BROADCHURCH). The cast alone has combined box office earnings that surpass the $9 billion mark worldwide. WORDS OF WAR is produced by Mark Maxey and Miriam Segal. Sean Penn is executive producer, along with Stefanie Scott, Rick Crumly, Matthew Shreder, Grant Mohrman, Simon Fawcett, Andrew Wing, David and Alexandra Bell and co-executive producers Brett Nemeroff and John Pettit.    War of Words is based on the real-life story of American-Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya’s pioneering, brave crusade, fighting for an independent voice in Russia in the late 1990s and early 2000s. For seven years, she refused to give up reporting on the Second Chechen War despite numerous acts of intimidation and violence and was then assassinated in 2006. She gained widespread international renown for her criticisms of Russia and stands as a pillar of press freedom. The film and Anna significantly represent a microcosm of a global epidemic of a staggering number of journalists being silenced and murdered in the pursuit of uncovering and exposing the truth.   Concourse Media has acquired world rights for WORDS OF WAR and will be presenting the film to buyers in Cannes for the first time.   The relevance of Anna’s story in today’s evolving geopolitical landscape is striking, and it’s more important than ever to ensure her story is told,” states Concourse CEO, Matthew Shreder. “Words of War is a gripping political thriller filled with intensity that will intrigue and enlighten audiences.”   “Before making this film, I was unaware this was an actual epidemic,” said producer Mark Maxey, reflecting on the shocking number of journalists who have been killed in recent years. Executive producer Sean Penn stated journalists are as “essential to all our freedoms as air.” Maxey added “Every journalist should have the right to report what is happening in the world without fear of death or reprisal.”    “Making this important film couldn’t come at a more appropriate time in history, given world events. Its relevance and significance show the cultural power of filmmaking. We have gathered an amazingly talented and acclaimed cast and an award-winning director, and we feel sure that we’re making something that pays fitting tribute to Anna and her courage; a film that strikes a balance between mould-breaking, dynamic entertainment and an inspiring, engaging homage to a true heroine of the 21st century.” Said Segal.   Maxine Peake plays Anna Politkovskaya, the title role. Peake is an English stage, radio, film and television actress, best known to American audiences for playing Steven Hawkings’ nurse and wife, Elaine Mason, in The Theory of Everything. Peake made her name in Europe as Read more Le Procès Du Chien (Dog On Trial), a film by Laetitia Dosch, plays at Festival Rick W / Sunday, May 19, 2024 0 129 April, an idealistic lawyer dedicated to lost causes, agrees to defend Cosmos, a dog that has bitten three people, leading to the first canine trial. She has no choice but to win the case, as otherwise, her unusual client will be put down. A courtroom comedy with a lively cast that raises questions about our relationships with animals Directed by : Laetitia DOSCH Year of production: 2024 Country: Switzerland, France Duration: 85 CREDITS LAETITIA DOSCH Director LAETITIA DOSCH Screenplay ANNE-SOPHIE BAILLY Screenplay CASTING LAETITIA DOSCH AVRIL LUCCIANI FRANÇOIS DAMIENS DARIUCH MICHOVSKI JEAN-PASCAL ZADI MARC ANNE DORVAL ROSELINE BRUCKENHEIMER ANABELA MOREIRA LORENE FURTADO MATHIEU DEMY THE JUDGE PIERRE DELADONCHAMPS JEROME Read more RSS Load next 10 article(s) (11 left)Loading...