Latest news with #AlfonsoCuarón
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Karlovy Vary Fest Sets Lineup, Competition Film From Iran to Be Unveiled Later for 'Safety of its Makers'
The Karlovy Vary International Film Festival (KVIFF) on Tuesday unveiled the lineup of the main competition and other sections for its 59th edition, including a competition movie from Iran whose title and creators will only be shared closer to the fest 'for the safety of its makers.' The fest in the Czech spa town, whose 2025 edition will be running July 4-12, also unveiled its competition jury, including Mexican producer Nicolás Celis (Alfonso Cuarón's Oscar-winning Roma) and Czech actor and director Jiří Mádl (Waves). More from The Hollywood Reporter 'The Real Housewives of London' Cast: Who's Starring in Glitzy Brit-Bound Installment? Pierce Brosnan Talks 'MobLand' Finale, James Bond and Who Sophie's Real Dad Is in 'Mamma Mia!' The Crawleys Are Off to the Races in First Trailer for 'Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale' The Crystal Globe competition this year includes Turkish filmmaker Gözde Kural's Cinema Jazireh, her second feature, about a woman who 'radically changes her identity' in 'Afghanistan under the brutal rule of the Taliban,' documentary Divia, which reminds us that nature suffers with war, through the lens of Russia's war against Ukraine, and Norwegian writer-director Nina Knag's Don't Call Me Mama, a drama about forbidden love. The competition program also includes Czech director Ondřej Provazník's psychological drama Broken Voices, about a 13-year-old female singer who gets the chance to become a member of a world-famous girls' choir but faces a 'clash of innocence and abusive authority, and The Visitor, the feature directorial debut of Lithuanian cinematographer and shorts director Vytautas Katkus about a new father in his mid-30s who leaves his family in Norway and travels to his native Lithuania to sell his parents' flat. Instead of rushing back to his young family to escape the deafening loneliness, he decides to stay. The competition further features the international premiere of Max Walker-Silverman's Rebuilding, which is set in his native Colorado and tells the story of the reticent Dusty (Josh O'Connor), whose ranch has burned down in a devastating wildfire, and Catalan director Pere Vilà Barceló's When a River Becomes the Sea, 'an uncompromising, introspective probe into the soul of a girl who is sexually abused.' KVIFF's Proxima competition program, which aims to put the spotlight on bold works by young filmmakers and renowned auteurs alike, features the likes of Davi Pretto's Future Future, set in a near future where the development of artificial intelligence has brought with it increasing neurological problems, and Daniel Vidal Toche's The Anatomy of the Horses, whose plot summary says: 'Defeated in combat, Ángel returns home to his village in a remote part of the Peruvian Andes. When he arrives, however, he finds the place has completely changed. What was the 18th century is now the present day. What has become of the ideals of the revolution he fought for?' The Proxima lineup also includes Paula Ďurinová's Action Item, an 'activist anatomy of burnout, set in Berlin,' and the Armenian crime drama Thus Spoke the Wind by director Maria Rigel, described as a 'cryptic, visually and aurally mesmerizing film, viewed through the eyes of a child forced to grow up too soon.' Ammar al-Beik's TrepaNation, filmed in a Syrian refugee camp that opened on the outskirts of Berlin in 2014. 'Visual artist and filmmaker Ammar al-Beik has a cubicle assigned to him for seven months and, in order to survive here, he has to film, document, and rebel against the conditions of life in exile, and also against the established rules of documentaries and features,' its synopsis reads. In its special screenings lineup, KVIFF will present the likes of the European premiere of Paul Andrew Williams' Dragonfly and the world premiere of The Czech Film Project, directed by Marek Novák and Mikuláš Novotný. 'At the 1982 Cannes Film Festival, Wim Wenders invited several of his esteemed colleagues to a hotel room, where he filmed their reflections on the future of film,' reads a synopsis for the movie. 'This exclusive documentary survey, Room 666, inspired two Czech producers to engage in a similar undertaking in collaboration with the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. During last year's festival, they thus invited around 30 Czech or Czech-based filmmakers from all generations and asked them 'what makes Czech film Czech?'' Also part of the special screenings section are the world premiere of Peter Bebjak's Duchoň, a portrait of singer Karol Duchoň who became a household name more than four decades ago and created the legacy of the 'Czechoslovak Tom Jones,' as well as the European premiere of Cherien Dabis' Palestinian displacement drama All That's Left of You, which debuted at Sundance and is about a Palestinian mother recounting the events that led her teenage son to confront Israeli soldiers at a protest. The official selection 'offers an exciting display of the diversity of contemporary arthouse cinema,' said KVIFF artistic director Karel Och. 'Answering exclusively to their artistic integrity, the filmmakers who have accepted the invitation to premiere their brand new works in Karlovy Vary fearlessly protect the right to challenge expectations, to disrupt stereotypes, and to win over hearts and minds with equal intensity. Disregarding budgetary constraints, these filmmakers from countries, such as Bangladesh, Lithuania, Norway, and Colombia, push the boundaries while keeping in mind the necessary connection between a film and its audience.' And he emphasized: 'The Karlovy Vary IFF has always addressed political issues through powerful individual stories, fully supporting artists and their freedom of expression. Today, we are announcing 11 titles from the usual dozen films in the Crystal Globe Competition. The remaining one comes from Iran; for the safety of its makers, it has been decided to postpone its announcement until closer to the festival.' Check out the full lineup for the 59th KVIFF, as well as its jury members below. CRYSTAL GLOBE COMPETITION Cinema Jazireh Director: Gözde Kural Turkey, Iran, Bulgaria, Romania, 2025, 124 min, world premiere Divia Director: Dmytro Hreshko Poland, Ukraine, Netherlands, USA, 2025, 79 min, world premiere Les Enfants vont bien / Out of Love Director: Nathan Ambrosioni France, 2025, 111 min, world premiere Jimmy Jaguar Director: Bence Fliegauf Hungary, 2025, 112 min, world premiere Quan un riu esdevé el mar / When a River Becomes the Sea Director: Pere Vilà Barceló Spain, 2025, 180 min, world premiere Raději zešílet v divočině / Better Go Mad in the Wild Director: Miro Remo Czech Republic, Slovak Republic, 2025, 77 min, world premiere Rebuilding Director: Max Walker-Silverman USA, 2025, 95 min, international premiere Sbormistr / Broken Voices Director: Ondřej Provazník Czech Republic, Slovak Republic, 2025, 104 min, world premiere Se meg / Don't Call Me Mama Director: Nina Knag Norway, 2025, 108 min, world premiere Svečias / The Visitor Director: Vytautas Katkus Lithuania, Norway, Sweden, 2025, 111 min, world premiere A Vida Luminosa / The Luminous Life Director: João Rosas Portugal, France, 2025, 99 min, international premiere PROXIMA COMPETITION La anatomía de los caballos / The Anatomy of the Horses Director: Daniel Vidal Toche Spain, Peru, Colombia, France, 2025, 106 min, world premiere Avant / Après / Before / After Director: Manoël Dupont Belgium, 2025, 80 min, world premiere Ayspes asatc qamin / Thus Spoke the Wind Director: Maria Rigel Armenia, 2025, 92 min, world premiere Balur Nogorite / Sand City Director: Mahde Hasan Bangladesh, 2024, 99 min, world premiere Forenses / Forensics Director: Federico Atehortúa Arteaga Colombia, 2024, 91 min, international premiere Futuro Futuro / Future Future Director: Davi Pretto Brazil, 2025, 86 min, world premiere Kako je ovde tako zeleno? / How Come It's All Green Out Here? Director: Nikola Ležaić Serbia, Croatia, Bulgaria, 2025, 114 min, world premiere Na druhé straně léta / The Other Side of Summer Director: Vojtěch Strakatý Czech Republic, Croatia, 2025, 85 min, world premiere Neplatené voľno / Action Item Director: Paula ĎurinováSlovak Republic, Czech Republic, Germany, 2025, 69 min, world premiere Regen fiel auf nichts Neues / Rain Fell On the Nothing New Director: Steffen Goldkamp Germany, 2025, 85 min, world premiere Renovacija / Renovation Director: Gabrielė Urbonaitė Lithuania, Latvia, Belgium, 2025, 90 min, world premiere TrepaNation Director: Ammar al-Beik Syria, Germany, France, 2025, 222 min, world premiere Vgainoun mesa ap ti Margo / They Come Out of Margo Director: Alexandros Voulgaris Greece, 2025, 91 min, world premiere SPECIAL SCREENINGS Dragonfly Director: Paul Andrew Williams United Kingdom, 2025, 98 min, European premiere Duchoň Director: Peter Bebjak Slovak Republic, Czech Republic, 2025, 99 min, world premiere Hore je nebo, v doline som ja / Promise, I'll Be Fine Director: Katarína Gramatová Slovak Republic, Czech Republic, 2024, 93 min, European premiere Illi baqi minnak / All That's Left of You Director: Cherien Dabis Germany, Cyprus, Palestine, Jordan, Greece, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, 2025, 145 min, European premiere Karavan / Caravan Director: Zuzana Kirchnerová Czech Republic, Slovak Republic, Italy, 2025, 102 min Letní škola, 2001 / Summer School, 2001 Director: Dužan Duong Czech Republic, Slovak Republic, 2025, 102 min, world premiere Projekt český film / The Czech Film Project Director: Marek Novák, Mikuláš Novotný Czech Republic, 2025, 83 min, world premiere A Second Life Director: Laurent Slama France, 2024, 74 min, European premiere Tehran, Kenarat / Tehran Another View Director: Ali Behrad Iran, United Kingdom, 2025, 92 min, European premiere CRYSTAL GLOBE JURY Nicolás Celis Mexican producer, his films include the Oscar-winning Roma (Alfonso Cuarón). One of Latin America's film industry key figures, he has also produced films by Tatiana Huezo, Amat Escalante and Jacques Audiard. Babak Jalali Filmmaker, screenwriter and producer whose second feature Radio Dreams won the Tiger Award at Rotterdam IFF in 2016. With Fremont he won Best Director at KVIFF 2023 and the John Cassavetes Award at the Independent Spirit Awards. Jessica Kiang Film critic, essayist and programmer with bylines in Variety, Sight & Sound, Criterion, Mubi, The New York Times, The LA Times, The Washington Post, Film Comment and Rolling Stone, among other outlets. She is now a member of the selection committee of the Berlinale. Jiří Mádl One of the Czech Republic's most popular actors, now also established as a writer and director. His third directorial effort Waves won the Audience Award at KVIFF 2024 and was shortlisted for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film. Tuva Novotny One of the most prominent and successful actresses in the Nordics today. She has worked with such filmmakers as Lars von Trier, Bent Hamer, Alex Garland and Tobias Lindholm. Her writing/directing debut premiered in San Sebastian IFF's Official Selection. PROXIMA JURY Yulia Evina Bhara Indonesian producer. Her films regularly appear on the programme of important festivals such as Cannes (Tiger Stripes or Renoir), Venice (Autobiography) and San Sebastian (Last Shadow at First Light). Noaz Deshe Romanian filmmaker living in Mexico. His first feature film White Shadow won Best Debut at Venice IFF in 2013. Last year KVIFF screened his Xoftex in the Crystal Globe Competition, where the film earned him a Special Jury Mention. Nelson Carlos De Los Santos Arias Dominican filmmaker. His debut Cocote won the Golden Leopard in the Signs of Life program at the Locarno IFF, while his latest film, Pepe, was selected for last year's Berlinale Competition, where it won a Silver Bear for best director. Jakub Felcman Czech screenwriter, festival organiser, film journalist, creative producer, director, trained plumber. He worked as a script editor on films by Jan Němec, Petr Václav, Radu Jude and Corneliu Porumboiu. Marissa Frobes An agent in the Media Finance department at leading entertainment and sports agency CAA, specializing in packaging and sales of independently financed films. She supported packaging or sales of projects including The Brutalist and Rebuilding (Crystal Globe Competition at this year's KVIFF), among many others. Best of The Hollywood Reporter 13 of Tom Cruise's Most Jaw-Dropping Stunts Hollywood Stars Who Are One Award Away From an EGOT 'The Goonies' Cast, Then and Now
Daily Record
24-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Time running out to watch dystopian thriller hailed a 'masterpiece' by fans on BBC iPlayer
One of the best science fiction films of the century so far is currently available to watch on BBC's iPlayer - but you don't have long to catch it. Co-written and directed by Alfonso Cuarón in 2006, Children of Men has been hailed as a 'masterpiece' by fans of the dystopian thriller. Based on PD James' 1992 novel of the same name, the film is set in 2027 in London and features a world where society is on the brink of collapse due to infertility. Starring Clive Owen, Julianne Moore, Michael Caine, Charlie Hunnam, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Pam Ferris, Children of Men received immense critical acclaim upon release. With a roaring 92 per cent score on Rotten Tomatoes, Cuarón's film was nominated for three Academy Awards - for Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography, and Best Film Editing - as well as three BAFTAs , ultimately winning Best Cinematography and Best Production Design at the British event. While the movie didn't do too well at the global box-office - grossing approximately $70million on a budget of $76m - its critical reception was top-notch. Heaping praise on the director, one critic said: 'A film that has much to recommend it, not least the proof it offers, as if any more were needed, that Alfonso Cuarón is one of the most visually inspired directors working today,' while another added: 'Alfonso Cuarón proves again what a versatile and talented director he is.' Another states: 'Children of Men feels more relevant than almost every film set in the present day and is better than almost every other film made this year,' while one critic wrote: 'You feel as if you're accompanying a war photographer who's lost a bet. Slogging unflinchingly through humanity's worst hours, the movie laces the narrative's forays into science-fiction grandstanding with a gut-wrenching dynamic.' Audiences were also left spellbound, with one viewer saying: 'Under the stunning direction of Alfonso Cuarón, Children of Men is a beautifully shot (fantastic one-take action sequences), incredibly acted and layered thriller that is packed with emotional depth and continuous suspense. There were a couple of elements that could have been handled with a little bit more flair, but all in all, this was a brilliant and hugely compelling film.' Another feels the film truly stands the test of time: 'Alfonso Cuarón's dystopian vision of a world where women have stopped getting pregnant, and society is falling into despair in the absence of hope for the future, has lost none of its power from its original release - and is perhaps rightly now regarded as one of the best films of its era. 'That it manages to be so prescient, so unflinchingly clear-eyed about the mess we're in, and still provide some genuine hope is remarkable. Truly standing the test of time nearly twenty years on, this looks set to remain one for future generations to revisit and mine for inspiration and insight.' Another said: 'This is an extraordinary artistic breakthrough from a Mexican director who was already fearlessly good to begin with.' Children of Men is streaming on BBC iPlayer until Tuesday and is available for rent on Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV+ for £3.49.
Euronews
05-03-2025
- Science
- Euronews
Space debris: Does orbit need a clean-up?
In Gravity, the 2013 film directed by Alfonso Cuarón, astronauts Matt Kowalski and Ryan Stone are on a spacewalk when they are struck by an expanding cloud of debris, tearing Stone away from the spacecraft. While the film's plot is fiction, it is based on a real theory proposed by NASA expert Don Kessler in 1978. His theory is that once space debris reaches a critical mass, collisions will trigger a chain reaction generating even more debris. Whether Kessler syndrome is already a reality remains a topic of debate in the scientific community. What is certain is that the recent boom in space exploration is raising many questions about how to manage space junk. To better understand space debris and its risks, Euronews Tech Talks spoke with Quentin Verspieren, the space safety programme coordinator at the European Space Agency (ESA). What is space debris? Space debris consists of defunct artificial materials orbiting Earth that usually come from satellites and rockets disintegrating in space, either spontaneously or due to collisions. Verspieren said that normally when a satellite mission ends, agencies either place the object in a graveyard orbit or guide it down into the atmosphere, where it burns up upon reentry. However, when satellite owners fail to follow disposal protocols for cleaning the orbit or unexpected failures occur, the satellite is left in space, creating debris. This junk not only contributes to space pollution but also poses risks to space exploration. 'Our satellites are constantly hit by small debris, in a moderate way, but that could have consequences,' Verspieren said. The most famous example of a collision happened in 2009, between the American Iridium 33 satellite and the defunct Russian Kosmos 2251. This event generated thousands of pieces of debris bigger than 10 cm, Verspieren said. Though rare, space debris can also pose a hazard to people on Earth. In January 2025, Australian airline Qantas announced delays on flights between Sydney and Johannesburg because of falling space debris from a SpaceX rocket. Although assessing the quantity of space debris can be challenging due to its dimension, ESA's statistical model has estimated that there are 1.1 million pieces of debris from 1 to 10 cm, flying in the lowest orbit at 40,000 km/h. To these, we need to add the debris between 1 mm and 1 cm, which is estimated to be 130 million. Although the small pieces of debris might seem irrelevant, they are important for space exploration. "They could make more localised damage on the camera lens, solar panels, not necessarily destroy the entire mission, but hamper some of its capabilities," Verspieren explained. How can we deal with space debris? To prevent a Kessler-like scenario, ESA is focusing on designing future satellites with materials that disintegrate more easily upon reentry. In cases where full disintegration is not possible, satellites can be equipped with Earth observation cameras, enabling a controlled re-entry of the device, in uninhabited areas. In the current situation, we don't envision a massive clean-up of the orbits. Quentin Verspieren Space Safety Programme Coordinator at ESA "In the current situation, we don't envision a massive clean-up of the orbits," Verspieren said. "We envision more removing selective objects that could have potentially high risk". This challenge highlights the difficulty of establishing a circular economy in space. To illustrate his point, the ESA expert compared space exploration to buying an expensive car from Italy, shipping it to Brussels on a private jet, and driving it until it runs out of fuel and then abandoning it on the street. 'That's this paradigm shift that we need to have in space, this ability for in-orbit refuelling, in-orbit repair and in-orbit manufacturing,' Verspieren said.
WIRED
20-02-2025
- Entertainment
- WIRED
Netflix Plans to Spend $1 Billion Making Content in Mexico Over the Next 4 Years
Feb 20, 2025 3:18 PM Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos says the money will go toward projects like Alfonso Cuarón's film Roma , which was made in Mexico and went on to international acclaim. Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos presents a gift to Claudia Sheinbaum, Mexico's president, during a press conference at the National Palace in Mexico City, Mexico, on Thursday. Photograph: MayoloStreaming juggernaut Netflix plans to spend $1 billion on film and TV production in Mexico over the next four years. CEO Ted Sarandos announced the plan Thursday during a press conference with Mexico's president, Claudia Sheinbaum. The injection of capital could fund 20 productions per year, on average. During Thursday's event, Netflix also announced a $2 million investment in Mexico City's Churubusco Studios to improve the facilities. The goal is to strengthen the national film industry. 'Our journey in Mexico has taken us from north to south. From sunsets on the Baja California peninsula to sunrises on the Caribbean coast,' Sarandos said. 'We have produced in more than 50 locations in 25 states. With this renewed commitment, we look forward to deepening our partnership even further.' Mexico occupies a key place in Netflix's history. The TV show Club de Cuervos, which was produced in the country and premiered in 2015, was the company's first series shot outside the United States. Since then, Netflix has continued to make projects in Mexico that have been popular both domestically and abroad. Films like Roma , Bardo, and Pinocchio, by Mexican directors Alfonso Cuarón, Alejandro González Iñárritu, and Guillermo del Toro, respectively, have been standouts for the streamer. In 2020, the company established its Latin American headquarters in Mexico City, and in the last five years its workforce has grown tenfold. 'Together with the government of Mexico and the industry, we will continue to fund programs that help develop diverse and creative behind-the-scenes talent in the world of entertainment,' Sarandos stressed. The CEO revealed that the recent production of the feature film Pedro Paramo contributed more than 375 million pesos (about $18 million) to Mexico's gross domestic product and generated thousands of jobs in sectors such as textile manufacturing, hospitality, and transportation. For her part, Sheinbaum noted Netflix's decision to invest in the country not only reflects Mexico's tax incentives and competitive production costs, but also the country's cultural and creative richness, a richness that has allowed the platform to expand through the production of original content. 'These productions are by Mexican talent; they don't come to a location to produce an idea that was generated somewhere else in the world because it's cheap,' Sheinbaum said. 'This is about Mexican talent, creativity and cultural richness.' She suggested that her administration will back these projects with possible government support for the sector. The business opportunities for Netflix in Mexico are evident. The country has millions of streaming customers and each maintains several subscriptions at a time, according to marketing firm Bango. Netflix is among the three most popular platforms among Mexicans. According to a study by HR Media, it is the second most used video-on-demand application, with a market share of 21 percent. This content can also be viewed on the site it originates from.
