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The National
12 hours ago
- The National
Gal Gadot blames 'pressure on celebrities to speak out against Israel' for Snow White's box-office struggles
Gal Gadot said the 'pressure on celebrities to speak out against Israel' contributed to the poor box-office performance of the Disney live-action Snow White. Appearing on Thursday's episode of the Israeli TV show, The A Talks, the actress said she 'really enjoyed filming this movie' and had been confident it would be 'a huge success'. Gadot said she enjoyed working with her co-star Rachel Zegler, despite the media reports around the film's release that suggested there was tension between the two actresses for their clashing political views, specifically Zegler's pro-Palestine stance and Gadot's outspoken support for Israel. Gadot, who served in the Israel Defence Forces as part of her mandatory military service before launching her Hollywood career, said that her time with Zegler on set was positive. 'We laughed, we talked and it was fun. I was sure that this movie was going to be a huge success,' she said. 'And then October 7 happened, and what's happening in all kinds of industries, and also in Hollywood, is that there's a lot of pressure on celebrities to speak out against Israel. I was disappointed that the movie was greatly affected by that and didn't do well at the box office.' Snow White was reportedly cost $270 million to make. The film had a strong opening weekend, but went on to under perform significantly, ultimately grossing about $205 million worldwide and failing to recoup its production and marketing costs. There have been no official statements from Disney regarding the specific impact of the geopolitical issues on the film's performance. Snow White was also negatively received by most critics. It has a score of 38 per cent on the review aggregate site Rotten Tomatoes, with the critics consensus reading: ' Snow White is hardly a grumpy time at the movies thanks to Zegler's luminous star turn, but its bashful treatment of the source material along with some dopey stylistic choices won't make everyone happy, either.'
Broadcast Pro
a day ago
- Broadcast Pro
Red Sea Fund 2025 invites submissions for fourth cycle
The deadline for submissions is August 21, 2024. The Red Sea Fund, an initiative of the Red Sea Film Foundation, has opened applications for its fourth 2025 cycle, inviting filmmakers from Saudi Arabia, the Arab world, Africa and Asia to apply for post-production grants. The deadline for submissions is August 21. This funding round is dedicated to projects that have completed filming and are entering the post-production stage, covering essential processes such as editing, colour grading, sound design, mixing and other technical elements required to finalise a film for festival screenings or distribution. Since its launch in 2021, the Red Sea Fund has backed more than 280 film projects, many of which have gone on to win critical acclaim and prestigious awards at major international festivals. Eligible projects must be feature-length fiction, documentary, or animation films with a minimum runtime of 60 minutes. The director must be of African, Asian or Arab nationality or origin, and applicants must submit a complete rough cut of the film, at least 60 minutes long, via a private online viewing link. Non-English dialogue must be subtitled in English. Applications must also include a range of mandatory materials, such as a logline, synopsis, chain of titles, final script or treatment, full budget breakdown, financial plan, post-production spending plan, project timelines, director/producer biographies, a mood board and a release and distribution strategy. Only complete online applications submitted according to the form's requirements will be reviewed. Applicants will be notified of the Red Sea Fund Committee's decision approximately ten weeks after the closing date. The committee's decision is final and will not be accompanied by feedback. Selected projects will receive an official letter outlining the amount of financial support and next steps. Successful applicants must confirm acceptance within the specified time and sign a post-production funding agreement within four weeks of acceptance.
Gulf Today
4 days ago
- Gulf Today
Pogba in race against time as French League season looms
Paul Pogba's return to Monaco this summer set tongues wagging as the 2018 World Cup winner made his comeback to football after nearly three seasons on the sidelines -- a turbulent period blighted by injury, blackmail and an 18-month doping ban. Now with the 2025-26 Ligue 1 season looming large, the former Manchester United star must put all that behind him and get to work if he is to light up Monaco's Stade Louis II and realise his 'dream' of winning back his spot in the France national team. 'It's the wish of every French football player to represent the France national team, but there are stages,' Pogba said during his unveiling at Monaco in July. 'Today I'm at stage one: coming back and performing well.' Pogba's words attracted attention for what he could still offer on the field, but it was his tears of joy that really grabbed the spotlight. Images of the 32-year-old weeping as he signed a two-year contract with Monaco went viral on social media -- thus setting the tone for a very different type of graft. The arrival of the midfielder at Monaco represented more than just the return of a star name of French football to Ligue 1, it was clearly a marketing opportunity too good to pass up. Pogba was sent straight to work. First, he joined Zinedine Zidane for a video produced by their mutual sponsor, which garnered huge attention. Then, he took a trip to Saint Tropez with American influencer Darren Watkins Junior, who has 40 million followers under the name IShowSpeed. After that, he and his wife, Zulay, launched their new high-end jewellery brand, accompanied by a suitable social media campaign. Named 'Unbreakable', the jewellery collection is a direct nod to Pogba's recent travails. He was the victim in March 2022 of an attempt to extort 13 million euros ($15.1 million) from him by relatives, including his brother Mathias who was sentenced to three years in prison, with two years suspended, in 2024. Pogba was also injured for a long period and then suspended for 18 months after failing a drugs test while at Italian club Juventus in August 2023. 'High intensity': Since having his contract terminated by the Serie A outfit last November, Pogba had been living in the United States and training alone until Monaco came calling and offered him the chance to make his comeback. 'A lot of boxes were ticked: the conditions, the lifestyle, France, Ligue 1, the family, and of course the club,' explained Pogba, who will be playing club football in his home country for the first time in his professional career. Once back in a professional environment at Monaco, 'the easy part was just beginning' for Pogba. If the exquisitely gifted ball-player was less worried about getting his touch back, rediscovering the fitness and intensity of an elite athlete would be more challenging. A month later, Pogba has moved on to the second phase of his programme: individualised work on the pitch, often with the ball. 'I'm determined,' he said on his arrival. 'I want to get back on the pitch. But it will take as long as it takes.' 'Everything is going in the right direction,' Monaco general manager Thiago Scuro told AFP. 'He has started sessions on the pitch and is making progress. The timing is on track, the process is positive, with no red flags or setbacks so far.' Pogba's progress is been closely monitored by Monaco coach Adi Huetter, who so far is impressed by his commitment and how quickly he has integrated into a squad in which he is the elder statesman. For Scuro the key moment will be 'when (Pogba) is able to participate in all training sessions with the group'. 'The intensity, pressure and level are very high. He will have to be able to repeat this training load on a daily basis. We will then see how his body adapts.' Should all go to plan, Pogba could return to competition in the autumn -- perhaps even in time for the home match against fierce rivals Nice on Oct. 5. Agence France-Presse
