Plastic Free July™ is a global movement that helps millions of people be part of the solution to plastic pollution – so we can have cleaner streets, oceans, and beautiful communities. We’re happy to share a few films with you all that explore the topic of plastics from various angles. We hope you will enjoy […]

Be ready! Mattel will blow your mind and your senses, again, with their new line of collectibles to be exclusively sold at Comic Con on July 24th (https://creations.mattel.com/pages/san-diego-comic-con-2025 ).

Make sure to visit Mattel’s booth #3029 for some guaranteed fun and a chance at buying super exclusive items. As always, Mattel positions itself as the leader of toys for both boys and girls…as well as for more “mature” customers like me who have the nostalgic feeling of a time when I was playing non-stop with my Mattel action figurines in France called:  the ‘Big Jim’ line of action men. I played for hours with my friends when I was 12 or 13, and now my kids are doing the same!

First, let’s mention that Mattel is launching an all-female lineup for the first time at San Diego Comic-Con 2025. “This lineup of collectibles salutes the fearless, fashion-forward and cherished female characters that continue to break boundaries,” said Nick Karamanos, senior vice president, Mattel Creations & Entertainment Partnerships at Mattel. Two Monster High dolls have been selected: the iconic Elvira. Everyone my age knows The Mistress of the Dark so well. And a new generation of kids will discover her with this impressive, spooky, goth creation. Note that Elvira will be exclusively sold at Comic Con, worth the line! And, for sure, this doll will inspire many girls for their next Halloween costume. Another classic doll to get Comic Con will be the “eerie-sistible” Twyla doll. She comes with “killer” high heels and with ‘Dustin’, her loyal bunny, and a limited-edition comic book. Finally, fasten your seatbelt, as the mayor of New Donk City, ‘Pauline’, is “turbo-ing” her exclusive debut for Comic Con as the new, must-buy, Hot Wheels Mario Kart toys. This is also a perfect collectible for boys who want to complete their collection of previous rare acquisitions from past San Diego Comic Conventions, such as Princess Peach, which my sons lined up for last year. Talking of my sons, like the proud dad I am, they are going to go nuts for the macho WWE Ultimate Edition John Cena figure.  This is a multi-articulated figure celebrating the record-setting 17 World Heavyweight Championship reigns of Mr. Cena. It is certain that “The Champ is here!”. As a follow-up to this rumbling figure, you will also have to line up and get the very exclusives: ‘Little People collector Deadpool” and ‘Masters of the Universe turtles of Grayskull Skele-shredder’. Both sets will blow your mind with so many action-packed surprises and punchy approaches. I loved the country theme of the Deadpool set with its taco-fueled farm universe. And what is not to adore with the Skele-Shredder figure coming with interchangeable heads and bad ass weapons. Are you ready for the fun toy fight, or what? Nick Karamanos, SVP of Mattel Creations & Entertainment Partnerships puts it with the right words: “From the chaos of Deadpool to the epic crossover of Skele-Shredder to the infamous Jurassic World T. rex and the undeniable legacy of John Cena, each collectible is designed to deliver that main character moment — and bring a little extra thrill to fans’ shelves.”

Last but not least: a Celebration of classic Hollywood movies. Every year, Mattel honors films that have become part of our eternal landfill culture. It was not a surprise that they put together a ‘Jurassic World T-Rex convention crasher’ set. To celebrate this year’s San Diego Comic-Con, Mattel imagined turning the Buck T. rex loose on the convention center where the annual event is held. This set is packed in a dior

Be ready! Mattel will blow your mind and your senses, again, with their new line of collectibles to be exclusively sold at Comic Con on July 24th (https://creations.mattel.com/pages/san-diego-comic-con-2025 ).

Make sure to visit Mattel’s booth #3029 for some guaranteed fun and a chance at buying super exclusive items. As always, Mattel positions itself as the leader of toys for both boys and girls…as well as for more “mature” customers like me who have the nostalgic feeling of a time when I was playing non-stop with my Mattel action figurines in France called:  the ‘Big Jim’ line of action men. I played for hours with my friends when I was 12 or 13, and now my kids are doing the same!

First, let’s mention that Mattel is launching an all-female lineup for the first time at San Diego Comic-Con 2025. “This lineup of collectibles salutes the fearless, fashion-forward and cherished female characters that continue to break boundaries,” said Nick Karamanos, senior vice president, Mattel Creations & Entertainment Partnerships at Mattel. Two Monster High dolls have been selected: the iconic Elvira. Everyone my age knows The Mistress of the Dark so well. And a new generation of kids will discover her with this impressive, spooky, goth creation. Note that Elvira will be exclusively sold at Comic Con, worth the line! And, for sure, this doll will inspire many girls for their next Halloween costume. Another classic doll to get Comic Con will be the “eerie-sistible” Twyla doll. She comes with “killer” high heels and with ‘Dustin’, her loyal bunny, and a limited-edition comic book. Finally, fasten your seatbelt, as the mayor of New Donk City, ‘Pauline’, is “turbo-ing” her exclusive debut for Comic Con as the new, must-buy, Hot Wheels Mario Kart toys. This is also a perfect collectible for boys who want to complete their collection of previous rare acquisitions from past San Diego Comic Conventions, such as Princess Peach, which my sons lined up for last year. Talking of my sons, like the proud dad I am, they are going to go nuts for the macho WWE Ultimate Edition John Cena figure.  This is a multi-articulated figure celebrating the record-setting 17 World Heavyweight Championship reigns of Mr. Cena. It is certain that “The Champ is here!”. As a follow-up to this rumbling figure, you will also have to line up and get the very exclusives: ‘Little People collector Deadpool” and ‘Masters of the Universe turtles of Grayskull Skele-shredder’. Both sets will blow your mind with so many action-packed surprises and punchy approaches. I loved the country theme of the Deadpool set with its taco-fueled farm universe. And what is not to adore with the Skele-Shredder figure coming with interchangeable heads and bad ass weapons. Are you ready for the fun toy fight, or what? Nick Karamanos, SVP of Mattel Creations & Entertainment Partnerships puts it with the right words: “From the chaos of Deadpool to the epic crossover of Skele-Shredder to the infamous Jurassic World T. rex and the undeniable legacy of John Cena, each collectible is designed to deliver that main character moment — and bring a little extra thrill to fans’ shelves.”

Last but not least: a Celebration of classic Hollywood movies. Every year, Mattel honors films that have become part of our eternal landfill culture. It was not a surprise that they put together a ‘Jurassic World T-Rex convention crasher’ set. To celebrate this year’s San Diego Comic-Con, Mattel imagined turning the Buck T. rex loose on the convention center where the annual event is held. This set is packed in a dior

La Biennale di Venezia is pleased to announce that La Grazia, written and directed by the Oscar®-winning filmmaker Paolo Sorrentino (The Hand of God, The Great Beauty, Il divo), and starring Toni Servillo and Anna Ferzetti, is the opening film, in a world premiere in competition, of the 82nd Venice International Film Festival directed by Alberto Barbera (27 August – 6 September 2025).

Photo: La Grazia Toni Servillo by Andrea Pirrello

La Grazia will have its world premiere screening on Wednesday 27 August 2025 in Sala Grande at the Palazzo del Cinema (Lido di Venezia) on the opening night of the 82nd Biennale Cinema.

 

«I am very happy that the 82nd Venice International Film Festival will open with the new and highly anticipated film by Paolo Sorrentino – stated Alberto Barbera  – I like to recall that one of the most important and internationally acclaimed Italian auteurs made his debut right here at the Biennale di Venezia in 2001 with his first film, One Man Up, in my early years as the Artistic Director. The relationship with the Venice Film Festival became consolidated over the years with the presentation out of competition of the first episodes in the series The Young Pope (seasons one and two) and, above all, with The Hand of God which, in 2021, won the Silver Lion-Grand Jury Prize. Paolo Sorrentino’s return in competition comes with a film destined to leave its mark for its great originality and powerful relevance to the present time, which the audiences of the Venice Film Festival will have the pleasure of discovering on opening night.»

 

La Grazia, written and directed by Paolo Sorrentino, is a  Fremantle film produced by The Apartment, a Fremantle Company, by Numero 10, and by PiperFilm that will distribute it in Italy.

MUBI owns worldwide rights  excluding Italy. The Match Factory is handling international sales.

 

Paolo Sorrentino – Biographical notes

Paolo Sorrentino by Avedon

Paolo Sorrentino, film director and screenwriter, was born in Naples in 1970. His first full-length feature film, One ManUp, dates back to 2001 and was selected for the Venice Film Festival. In 2004 he directed The Consequences of Love and in 2006 The Family Friend, both in competition at the Cannes Film Festival. In 2008, with Il Divo, he returned to Cannes winning the Jury Prize. He returned in competition at the Cannes Festival in 2011 with This Must be the Place and two years later with The Great Beauty, which won the Academy Award®, the Golden Globe and the BAFTA Award for best Foreign Language Film, as well as three EFA Awards. He was selected once again in competition at Cannes in 2016 with Youth, garnering three EFA Awards, an Academy Award® nomination and two Golden Globe nominations. In 2016 he created and directed the TV series The Young Pope, nominated at the Golden Globes for Best Actor and at the Emmy Awards for Outstanding Production Design and Outstanding Cinematography. In 2018 he directed the movie Loro starring Toni Servillo and in 2019 Sorrentino directed the second series set in the world of modern papacy,

The legendary American actress Kim Novak (Vertigo, Picnic, Bell, Book and Candle) has been awarded the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival of La Biennale di Venezia (August 27 – September 6, 2025).

 

The decision was made by the Board of Directors of La Biennale, upon recommendation of the Artistic Director of the Festival, Alberto Barbera.

 

Kim Novak in accepting the offer, declared: “I am deeply, deeply touched to receive the prestigious Golden Lion Award from such an enormously respected film festival. To be recognized for my body of work at this time in my life is a dream come true. I will treasure every moment I spend in Venice. It will fill my heart with joy.”

 

With regard to the award to Kim Novak, Festival’s Artistic Director Alberto Barbera declared: “Inadvertently becoming a screen legend, Kim Novak was one of the most beloved icons of an entire era of Hollywood films, from her auspicious debut during the mid-1950s until her premature and voluntary exile from the gilded cage of Los Angeles a short while later. She never refrained from criticizing the studio system, choosing her roles, who she let into her private life and even her name. Forced to renounce her given name, Marilyn Pauline, because it was associated with Monroe, she fought to conserve her last name, agreeing, in exchange, to dye her hair that shade of platinum blonde which set her apart. Independent and nonconformist, she created her own production company and went on strike to renegotiate a salary that was much lower than that of her male co-stars.  Thanks to her exuberant beauty; her ability to bring to life characters who were naïve and discreet, as well as sensuous and tormented; and her seductive and sometimes sorrowful gaze, she was appreciated by some of the major American directors of the period, from  Billy Wilder (Kiss me, Stupid), to Otto Preminger (The Man With the Golden Arm), Robert Aldrich (The Legend of Lylah Clare), George Sidney (The Eddy Duchin Story, Jeanne Eagels, Pal Joey), and Richard Quine, with whom she made unforgettable romantic comedies (Pushover, Bell Book and Candle, Strangers When We Meet, The Notorious Landlady). But her image will remain forever linked to the dual characters she played in Hitchcock’s Vertigo, which became the role of her life. This Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement celebrates a star who was emancipated, a rebel at the heart of Hollywood who illuminated the dreams of movie lovers before retiring to her ranch in Oregon to dedicate herself to painting and to her horses.”

 

On this occasion, the documentary Kim Novak’s Vertigo by Alexandre Philippe, made in exclusive collaboration with the actress, will be presented in its world premiere screening.

 

Kim Novak ­– Biographical notes

Kim Novak, the last of the great glamorous movie stars of the golden era, who was the No. 1 box office star in the world in ’58, ‘59’ and ’60, lives on today as a happy legend, poet, and artist. Despite her glamourous looks, few people realize that Novak was the first woman to start her own production company in 1958. She knew that’s where the control was, and she wasn’t interested in being a “puppet” for Columbia’s Harry Cohn. Cohn said he “manufactured Novak in order to make Rita Hayworth nervous.” No star can be m

Sponsored by the City of Palm Springs, this 31st edition welcomed audiences at the Festival Theaters from June 24-30, 2025. In all, the festival screened 51 curated programs showcasing 311 films from 64 countries and territories, including 45 World Premieres, 10 International Premieres, 36 North American Premieres, 19 U.S. Premieres., and 94 California Premieres. More than 6,200 short films from 141 countries and territories were submitted. 

 

“Brimming with inspired storytellers and experimentation, this year’s ShortFest once again promises short films which push boundaries, spark conversations, and entertain audiences,” said Lili Rodriguez, Artistic Director of the Palm Springs International Film Society. “As we mark our 31st year, we embrace the fresh voices shaping the future of this industry, the short form which continues to elevate the medium of moviemaking to new heights. We’re thrilled to bring these stories to our passionate Palm Springs community and to welcome filmmakers from across the world to the Coachella Valley.”

 

Short films featuring celebrated film and television actors include Aria starring Pauline Chalamet; BDAY Private Dick starring John C. Reilly and Nick Thune; Blood Boys starring Booboo Stewart; Cattywampus starring Hamish Linklater and John Carroll Lynch; Dragfox starring Ian McKellen and Divina De Campo; Dust to Dust starring Tess Goldwyn; Fireline starring Bobby Soto and Fabian Alomar; Good Boy Banjo starring Albert Birney and Shirley Chen; Hatchlings starring Demi Singelton; Heaven is Nobody’s starring Roger Guenveur Smith; How Was Your Weekend? starring James Morosini and Rachael Harris; I Want To Feel Fun starring Esther Povitsky and Simon Rex; Interloper starring Chloe East and Ryan Simpkins; Little One starring Lucy Walters; Learning How to Drive with Alicia Silverstone; Main Man starring Haley Joel Osment, Finn Wittrock, and Jenny Yang; Matilda and the Brave Escape starring Bella Ramsey; Max Distance starring John Daly; Melody of Love starring Jane Levy and John Reynolds; Moon Lake directed by Jeannie Sui Wonders and starring Chase Sui Wonders; No Experience Necessary starring Michael Graceffa; Petra and the Sun starring Fernando Solís Lara; Retirement Plan starring Domhnall Gleeson; Rhoda starring Emma D’Arcy; She Raised Me starring Rosie O’Donnell; Sleazy Tiger starring Alan Cumming; Tape Worm starring CJ Beckford and Antonia Campbell-Hughes; Tanning Zone directed by Chloe East; Thanks for Having Me starring Caleb Hearon, Johnny Berchtold and Ryan Simpkins; The Errand directed by Hayley Marie Norman and starring Vanessa Chester; The Last Cinnamon Roll starring Reggie Watts; The Yellow starring Haley Joel Osmont and Marin Hinkle; Three Keenings starring Seamus O'Hara; What Freedom starring Ashley Park; What’s the Deal with Birds? starring Chris Pine and Kimia Behpoornia; Where We Came From starring Archie Panjabi; and You Know You Wanna Stay starring Elsie Fisher.

 

In addition to short films, ShortFest spotlighted the Hulu drama Paradise, created by Dan Fogelman and starring Sterling K. Brown. Award-winning writer, director, and ShortFest alum Hanelle M. Culpepper attended the screening of episode "You Asked for Miracles," which she directed. Culpepper attended ShortFest in 2003 with her shorts A Single Roseand Six and the City. Her diverse w

F1: The Movie (Joseph Kosinski, 2025) 3 out of 5 stars Let me preface this review by saying that the racing scenes in F1: The Movie are fantastic. As a longtime fan of director Joseph Kosinski’s work, I am happy to say that he nails the thrill of rushing down a track at 200 MPH. […]

The post Empty “F1: The Movie” Still Dazzles first appeared on Film Festival Today.

ATX TV Festival Announces Finalists and Mentors for the 2025 Pitch Competition & Yearlong Mentorship Program featuring ATX TV Co-President Emily Gipson and More Better Productions’ Rika Dharmesh Bhakta

ATX TV Festival has announced the Top 10 Finalists and new Mentors in its annual Pitch Competition & Mentorship Program, which guides emerging TV writers in developing their projects and the next steps of their career. 

 

Through a screening process of each applicant's 90 second video pitch and writing sample for a scripted series, ATX TV narrows the submissions down to the Top 10 who pitch live at the Festival in front of a panel of Industry Judges. 

 

In alphabetical order by title, the Top 10 Finalists are: 

• Boys’ Club, Christopher De La Cruz (half-hour comedy)
• Bronze Bullet, Brooke Solomon (hourlong Western drama)
• Camp Exodus, Maddie Smith & Air Durnell (half-hour comedy)
• Cricket Club of Canon High, Priya Mohanty (half-hour comedy)
• Don’t Try This At Home, Jules Crosby (half-hour comedy)
• Howl, Zoe Kerr (hourlong thriller)
• Killer of Your Dreams, Ann Chunharakchote (hourlong dark comedy)
• The Magazine, Rima Parikh (half-hour comedy)
• Payola Party, Aritrika Malakar (hourlong drama)
• Zhizha, Desdemona Chiang (half-hour comedy) 

 

The Pitch & Mentorship Program that takes place for the year following the Pitch Competition was developed to form a network of support around the Top 10 Finalists, guide them through the process of fully developing a pitch for their series, and help them get to the next stage of their career, whether that’s a support staff job or a staff writing job, getting their material in front of producers, meeting with agents and managers, and/or expanding their network.

 

“Growing the Pitch Competition & Mentorship Program has become a huge focus for me in my role at ATX TV,” said Emily Gipson, co-founder and co-president, ATX TV Festival. “Finding these incredible, talented writers and diving into the development process with them is as fulfilling for me as we hope it is for our wonderful participants. Discovery, mentorship, and career-building have always been core priorities of ATX TV, and we’re incredibly excited to announce the expansion of our Mentorship Program this year as we welcome our new class of finalists. Let the pitching begin!” 

 

As part of ATX TV Festival’s longstanding Pitch Program, Emily Gipson (Co-President, ATX TV) and Rika Dharmesh Bhakta (Manager of Film & TV Development, More Better Productions) will co-facilitate a year long mentorship program that includes overseeing one-on-one individualized mentorships with lower and mid-level executives, agents, managers, and writers in the industry to support and uplift the next generation of TV creatives. Bhakta, alongside Jackie Cohn, President, More Better productions and executive producer of Severance, will facilitate a pitch workshop for the Top 10 Finalists prior to the Pitch Competition in order to best prepare them to pitch live to judges at the festival. They will hear pitches, read scripts, and meet individually with a select number of the Finalists throughout the year-long program.

 

“Ou

« PIERRE ANGÉNIEUX TRIBUTE»
to DION BEEBE (A.C.S.*, A.S.C*)
(Australia)

and

« ANGÉNIEUX SPECIAL ENCOURAGEMENT »
to EUNSOO CHO
(South Corea)

Friday, May 23, 2025 at 8:00 pm
Salle Buñuel, Palais des Festivals

 

 

This official partner ceremony of the Cannes Film Festival, presented by Charlotte Lipinska and opened by Thierry Frémaux, was an opportunity to celebrate australian director of photography Dion Beebe (A.C.S.*, A.S.C.*), who had given a masterclass the day before.

The honorary godmother of this exceptional evening was the French actress Carole Bouquet.

Emmanuel Sprauel, President of the Angénieux brand and Carole Bouquet, presented the Pierre Angénieux Tribute to Dion Beebe - an Optimo Ultra Compact 21-56 FF zoom specially engraved with his name - which will allow him to express his extraordinary creativity in new ways. 

*ACS : Australian Cinematographers Society  ; *A.S.C. : American Society of Cinematographers 

“Dear Dion, we are particularly happy and proud to honor you today 
and to be able to associate you with this tribute to Pierre Angénieux. 
Thank you, dear Dion, for your availability among us, for your attention, your humility, and for sharing with us through your work your sense of the things in life.”  

Emmanuel Sprauel

 “For actors, light gives us talent or not. If the light is right, we are right. 
When it is not the good one, as far as I’m concerned, I don’t even want to play anymore, I need it. So, dear Dion, your craft is essential to my work. 
I am nothing without you.”

Carole Bouquet