Latest news with #Berlinale
Time of India
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Women in Their 40s: Breaking the Shadows and Embracing Change
A change in perspective is medicinal and life altering. A person, a book, an institution, a conversation, a walk, a disease, a film; can do that for you. In my case, professionally speaking, Shadowbox became the gift that kept giving. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Because Tanushree Das and Saumyananda Sahi (the directors) were generous and open at a time when my life was very tumultuous. Being at the Berlinale was not just extraordinary creative stimulation, but also a celebration of the six-year long journey with this film. As a society, women are thrust into the shadows as they enter their forties. Our worth is directly proportional to our ability to reproduce. As women fight back against these archaic ways of thinking, it will take more than platitudes of equality to calm us down. We are asking for information, access, and education to be shared. That is power. Women in films is an aggregator that is talking to this urgent need. WIF chapters around the world have seen clear success in increasing the number of women at work and better advocacy. So it's not a shot in the dark and hope and a prayer, IT is real change. Give women access to rooms where knowledge is shared and decisions are made. We are not asking for favours. The maiden outing of the WIF India chapter, was to send three of us to attend the producers network at Cannes. Seven days of rapid information shared about the various aspects of producing, case studies of models that worked and those that failed. The collective is not a warm, fuzzy, emotional relationship (nothing wrong with any of this) that can easily devolve into yet another clique, but a professional network that gains momentum with its strength of number and its desire to share information and access. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The core focus is to skill women up and close the gap between men and women in our industry. Men who become allies will only benefit from this inclusion and those who resist it, will be resisting the very idea of change, which is inevitable. To go from the Baksho Bondi collective to the WIF collective, from Berlin to Cannes, I see a pattern emerge. I am my best, when I am learning without the fear of ridicule and when I amsharing without the fear of competition. From Feb to May of 2025 I have learnt from many lives, and I hope to continue actively nurturing this collective, while I enjoy the solitude of my own creative process. One feeds the other.
Time of India
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
‘WIF India aims to reshape not just representation, but the very framework of filmmaking'
Team WIF at Cannes This week at Cannes, Oscar-winning producer Guneet Monga Kapoor launched Women in Film India (WIF India), an initiative partnered with Women in Film LA to support and unite women across Indian film, TV, and digital announcement that Guneet would head the India chapter was made last year, but the official debut took place last week at Cannes. 'When I began my journey in film, resources and mentorship were limited, and the path was challenging,' Monga said. 'Women in Film India is the space I wish had existed back then.' For decades, the unofficial motto for women in Indian film has been - figure it out alone. Now, with WIF India, the plan is to upskill, fund, and mentor women across roles - not just actresses and directors, but producers, crew heads, line managers, screenwriters - the entire ecosystem. The first big move of WIF India is the Cannes Producers' Scholarship. The inaugural recipients include emerging producer Tillotama Shome (one of the producers of Berlinale's Shadowbox), studio executive Rucha Pathak, and independent producer Dimpy Agarwal, who's known for backing socially sharp stories. 'We're building a peer group of women, by women,' Guneet said. 'These global programs exist - but we're making sure they're accessible to Indian women too." 'Independent' doesn't mean alone' WIF India plans to tackle nuts-and-bolts of filmmaking - skill development, crew management, real-world mentorship. Vani Tripathi Tikoo, producer and board member says that despite of all the progress, being a woman in the Indian film industry still often means navigating boys' club. Vani says that WIF India is backed by women who've actually navigated their way through the industry. She adds,"Gender bias is real. Let's say 20 years ago, there were five women producers. Today, there are 50. But are they known? No." And she is not wrong. The names are there. But the access, visibility, and networks? Still lacking. 'Collaborations happen in silos,' Tikoo said. ' This is about creating an intentional, collective push to bring women together - not just on paper, but in action. Across states, languages, industries.' Tilotama Shome says, 'I'm a product of independent cinema, but 'independent' doesn't mean alone. It means having the freedom to make your film your way. But filmmaking is expensive, and high-risk. But making films is expensive and high risk. Hence, it is very important to have a collective that shares information and insights. Given, that the representation of women in films are so low, the up skilling endeavours of WIF, will play an important role towards equity. Education is access and it will be key in pushing the needle towards parity." Vani Tripathi Tikoo says,'In the past eight years, Nicole Kidman has collaborated with 27 female directors across her film and television projects. If our A-listers and leading actresses make it a point to work with women directors every couple of years, it could go a long way in strengthening sisterhood in cinema.' 'It's also about mentorship from people we may not have had access to otherwise' That sense of shared purpose and a long-overdue support system is what drives producer Dimpy Agarwal as well. 'Women in Film India is about to bring real change to how women are seen not just in front of the camera, but in the very structure of how films are made,' she said. 'It's about learning new and creative ways of producing, directing, and screenwriting. It's about mentorship from people we may not have had access to otherwise. This platform offers that and that's exactly the kind of change we need in today's landscape.' The days at Cannes are packed from morning to evening with expert guidance from producers, sales agents, festival programmers and distributors: Tillotama Shome For far too long, there has been a non porous wall between actors and producers, rife with feelings of not understanding each other. It's high time we worked in healthy collaboration. I was invited into the role of a producer with Baksho Bondi ( Shadowbox) by Tanushree Das and Saunyananda Sahi, that had its world premiere at Berlin this year. The learning curve was steep, but it opened my mind to the various moving pieces that go into putting a film together. So I feel very fortunate to follow up this rich experience with being a part of Women in Films, India's maiden step, to attend the producers network at Cannes. The days are packed from morning to evening with expert guidance from producers, sales agents, festival programmers and distributors. I am still reeling with all the information. It also feels amazing to share this journey with two women I admire:Rucha Pathak and Dimpy Agrawal. WIF India Producer's Network Cannes Scholarship has helped me to raise and push my talents as a Producer on a global level: Rucha Pathak "WIF India Producer's Network Cannes Scholarship has helped me to raise and push my talents as a Producer on a global level. From leading Creative and Development at big studios like UTV & UTV Spotboy; from my stint as Chief Creative Officer at Fox Star Studios; and Producing movies at Excel Entertainment — I am now exploring films as a Producer on a global level. As the world comes closer in a post-pandemic era we can tell local stories that can go global. I feel we are now perfectly poised to craft high-impact cinema that pushes creative boundaries and I want to create cinema that's exemplary in terms of being Indian but also going international." We've been going to a lot of other Women in Film chapters and everyone and it's and it's it's actually great to see that everyone's kind of facing similar issues: Dimpy Agarwal "This launch actually feels amazing and it feels like there's a support system for you and it's not a lonely journey because sometimes as women producers, it can tend to get lonely, but there is a support group, people that we can go to with like Rucha, Tillotama, Guneet Rabya, all of us being in the same room, sharing knowledge. We've been going to a lot of other Women in Film chapters and everyone and it's and it's it's actually great to see that everyone's kind of facing similar issues, similar things and how everyone's so supportive of each other and, you know, really helping everyone out, each other out in either setting up meetings for us or introducing someone that we are looking for for our projects. And the entire experience has been very informative about learning about different pre-production systems, learning about different producers, what their wins are, what their losses are." What's Women in Films India About? Women in Films India already had its first board meeting. Vani Tripathi Tikoo, board member, says,'Right before Cannes, we had a meeting where it was decided that we'd launch during the festival. As part of Women in Films India, there will be mentorship programs, collaborative events, and consistent community-building. If I had to sum up the objective in four points: -Women in Films India is more than a platform — it's here to make change. -It will unite film, TV, and digital media under one umbrella. -It will create scholarships and initiatives so women can be heard, seen, celebrated. - It's a one-stop space for women in film to come together and collaborate.' -In addition to the three main fellows, WIF India has awarded a special accreditation grant to Shefali Bhushan, an outstanding woman producer from the Marathi-language film industry, further expanding the organization's support for regional voices. Who can join? Vani says,"The platform's launched. Anyone can join. Yes, there will be some filtering - but it's not gatekeeping. It's to ensure that a real community is being built. One that's language-agnostic, medium-agnostic. Whether you're making documentaries, shorts, OTT shows, web content, feature films - you're in. The board of directors which also includes Karan Johar and Nikkhil Advani will be responsible for policy, but more than that for creating opportunities and for mentoring." Check out our list of the latest Hindi , English , Tamil , Telugu , Malayalam , and Kannada movies . Don't miss our picks for the best Hindi movies , best Tamil movies, and best Telugu films .
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Nour Films Takes French Rights to Lav Diaz's ‘Magellan' Ahead of Cannes Premiere (EXCLUSIVE)
Sales agency Luxbox has closed a distribution deal for France with Nour Films on Lav Diaz's 'Magellan,' starring Gael García Bernal, which has its world premiere in the Cannes Premiere section of the Cannes Film Festival. The film, set in the 16th century, follows Magellan, a young and ambitious Portuguese navigator. He rebels against the power of the King of Portugal, who doesn't support his dream of discovering the world, and persuades the Spanish monarchy to fund his bold expedition to the fabled lands of the East. More from Variety Scarlett Johansson and Miles Teller Join James Gray's 'Paper Tiger,' Replacing Anne Hathaway and Jeremy Strong Mario Martone Talks Cannes-Bound 'Fuori' Starring Valeria Golino Who 'Was Imbued With the Spirit of Goliarda Sapienza' as First Clip Is Revealed (EXCLUSIVE) Variety Celebrates French Cinema at Pre-Cannes Dinner Hosted at Parisian Landmark Restaurant Laperouse The voyage is exhausting beyond expectations, with hunger and mutiny pushing the crew to their limits. Upon reaching the islands of the Malayan Archipelago, Magellan's mind changes. He becomes obsessed with conquest and conversion, which sparks violent uprisings beyond his control. The Nour Films team said in a joint statement: 'With rare evocative power, 'Magellan' stands out as a new masterpiece by Lav Diaz. The Filipino filmmaker delivers a pictorial fresco of the 16th century, at once a sensory immersion and an uncompromising political perspective on colonial violence. 'Gael García Bernal plays an unsettling Magellan, full of contradictions. His magnetic, restrained performance gives flesh to this mythical character, without ever sanctifying him. A monumental film that Nour Films is proud to support.' Nour Films was the distributor of Berlinale 2018 Golden Bear winner 'Touch Me Not,' Cannes 2023 Caméra d'Or winner 'Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell,' Berlinale 2023 documentary 'Seven Winters in Tehran' and Berlinale 2024 Teddy Award winner 'All Shall Be Well.' The producer of 'Magellan' is Joaquim Sapinho at Rosa Filmes in Portugal. The co-producers are Andergraun Films (Spain), Black Cap Pictures (Philippines), Ten17P (Philippines), El Viaje Filmes (Spain), Volos Films (Taiwan), Lib Films (France) and AKP21 (France). Diaz's previous films include 'The Woman Who Left,' which won Venice's Golden Lion in 2016, and 'From What Is Before,' which won Locarno's Golden Leopard in 2014. Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week Emmy Predictions: Talk/Scripted Variety Series - The Variety Categories Are Still a Mess; Netflix, Dropout, and 'Hot Ones' Stir Up Buzz Oscars Predictions 2026: 'Sinners' Becomes Early Contender Ahead of Cannes Film Festival
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Romería' Review: Carla Simón Takes The Scenic Route For A Highly Personal Journey Of Self-Discovery
A textbook example of the difficult follow-up album — or feature film, in this instance — Catalan filmmaker Carla Simón's Romería strains under the weight of her last film Alcarras, which won the Golden Bear at the Berlinale in 2022, was then invited to 90 more festivals and was as close to a perfect pastorale as any film can claim to be. Drawing on her own Catalan family stories, Alcarras dealt with a family of tenant farmers about to be evicted from the land they have worked for generations. It was a film of sorrow and anger but, above all, a swirl of loving, bickering family life. Along with that film and her 2017 debut, Summer 1993, Romería is grounded in Simón's personal history. This time, she revisits and transforms a trip she took at the age of 17 to Vigo in Galicia, where her father grew up and her parents met. The year is 2004. Fresh-faced Marina — the fictionalized Simón, played by street-casting discovery Llucia Garcia — arrives in Vigo to meet another dense knot of cousins, aunts and her paternal grandparents. Marina grew up in Barcelona, where her mother returned when she was born. Her father, as far as she knows, died when she was a baby. Her mother died when she was 11. Both parents used heroin, both died of AIDS. Ostensibly, Marina's most pressing goal is to obtain a sworn statement from her grandparents of her paternity, which was never officially recorded, if she is to be able to claim study assistance as an orphan. Blurred with her need to get a piece of paper, however, is something more existential and clearly Simón's real interest: a longing for shared memories. For whatever reason, her father's family has maintained radio silence since she was a child. All Marina knows about her parents' life in Vigo is contained in her mother's old diary. More from Deadline Sony Pictures Acquires Remake Rights To French Box Office Hit 'A Little Something Extra' - Cannes Josh O'Connor On 'The Mastermind', 'The History Of Sound', His Secret Spielberg Film & How Harris Dickinson Has Inspired Him To Direct 50 Years On, Michael Douglas Reflects On His Epic Journey Making 'One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest': "The Movie Reflects What's Happening In America" The diary is her guidebook. She wants to see the apartment where they lived, the boat they used to take up the coast to Portugal, the beach where she imagines them frolicking naked in the sun, basking in the festive freedom of the post-Franco years. Wearing an old dress of her mother's, she is like Alice venturing into her family's seaside wonderland; whimsical dream sequences show her young parents as if in home movies, the camera jerking and the colors faded unevenly. She shares their fantasy of themselves as romantic rebels. But as she will realize, even a secret diary — 'Don't even think about reading this!' says the front page, scrawled in an exuberantly childish hand — doesn't necessarily tell the truth. Her own time, by contrast, is shot largely in available light. Interiors are dark against the bright windows, exteriors dazzling. There are secrets here, but it is hard for us to pin down what they are. Perhaps these people have simply forgotten when Marina's father Fon died and what he was like. Or have they? Marina only has to drift to a window to overhear a few of her innumerable relatives muttering about her, what she wants, and when she might be thinking of leaving. As in Alcarras, the real adults in the room often turn out to be the children, who can't see any reason to keep their elders' secrets. Garcia is a remarkable discovery. Her Marina has a face as mobile as the sea she discovers she loves; one moment childish, the next melancholy with knowing. Like the sea, she is endlessly watchable. By contrast, her brood of uncles and cousins, who confusingly resemble the parallel hippie gang in the 1983 sequences, never acquire definition as individual characters. Only as a group do they coalesce satisfactorily: watching dolphins from the deck of the yacht, gathering to sing filthy bar-room ballads, or hovering around their poisonous matriarch, first encountered on her daybed watching video footage of the wedding of King Carlos. Her generation had its pretensions, however rough the family seems now. Between these more solid moments, however, is a waft of allusions and trails of information that simply peter out, possibly in a deliberate mirroring of Marina's own frustrations. Much more deliberately structured than the largely improvised Alcarras, it actually feels loose by comparison, its quest narrative never working up momentum. What is strongest, albeit as subtext, is the lived experience of La Movida, where the older generation was confronted with the madness of a younger generation that had cut its ties with Catholic, conservative Spain so severely as to become unknowable. But this is learned only by inference, while everything else is frayed loose ends. We end the film having learned nothing about Marina's life before she arrived in Vigo, nothing about the adoptive mother who keeps texting, nothing about the various other relatives who died in what appears to have been a scorched-earth experience of substance abuse. Even the reason she's there — that declaration of paternity – is so fudged I had to ask a Spanish colleague afterwards what it was about. Romería glows with warmth, but so many hints at not very much makes the process of storytelling feel as heavy as wet sand. Simón reaches a kind of point, but she certainly takes the long way round. Title: Romería Festival: Cannes (Competition)Director/screenwriter: Carla SimónCast: Llúcia Garcia, Tristán Ulloa, Mitch Martin, Sara CasasnovasSales agent: MK2Running time: 1 hr 55 mins Best of Deadline Broadway's 2024-2025 Season: All Of Deadline's Reviews Sundance Film Festival U.S. Dramatic Grand Jury Prize Winners Through The Years Deadline Studio At Sundance Film Festival Photo Gallery: Dylan O'Brien, Ayo Edebiri, Jennifer Lopez, Lily Gladstone, Benedict Cumberbatch & More
The Hindu
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
English-Nepalese thriller ‘Maya Ko Maya' wraps up shoot
English-Nepalese psychological thriller Maya Ko Maya, headlined by Vinay Pathak, Nepal's breakout star Anna Sharma, Saloni Batra and Satyajeet Dubey has wrapped its principal photography, makers announced on Friday. Set in modern Nepal and based on real events, the film is directed by Rohit Karan Baidya. Maya Ko Maya is eyeing a worldwide release in winter 2025. The thriller is produced by Jyadro Movies, Platoon One Films, and Ghaath (Berlinale), on board as a key creative consultant. Billed as a gripping tale of self-discovery and love, the film follows the journey of its protagonist, Maya, who struggles against the weight of societal expectations and turns to a form of therapy, setting off an emotional storm that threatens to reshape everything she knows. Maya Ko Maya explores identity, tradition, and the fight for authenticity in a world caught between past and present. Vinay Pathak described filming in Nepal as a 'deeply transformative experience,' and said the country is a living, breathing character in the film. 'Maya Ko Maya reveals a side of Nepal the world has rarely seen - raw, intimate, and powerful. A land that holds both beauty and pain in a single breath, much like Maya's journey. Rohit's vision and commitment have developed this film into an experience that invites you in with its beauty and stays with you because of what it dares to say,' Vinay Pathak said in a statement. Anna Sharma called the film a 'powerful psychological thriller,' which—though rooted in Nepal—anchors itself in universal emotions. 'It was a truly enriching experience to bring this complex character to life, and working alongside the legendary Vinay Pathak made the journey all the more unforgettable,' Anna said. Saloni Batra said wrapping up the film felt like leaving behind a 'wild, beautiful storm,' and added, 'My character doesn't fit the mould. She's fierce, messy, hopeful, and free. Shooting in Nepal was a treat in itself. The landscapes, the energy, and the people all added something real to the story and to how I approached the character.' 'This film has been a labour of love,' said director Rohit Karan Baidya, known for Life on the Road Nepal (screened at Singapore Independent Film Festival and IndieFilm Fest, California) and the Royal Television Society-nominated pilot Wild Cooks. 'What began as casual interviews in 2019 evolved into something urgent and necessary. Maya Ko Maya is a voice for those forced into silence, and a confrontation of the invisible violence that persists even in progressive societies,' the filmmaker added. Satyajeet Dubey said he was drawn to the film because of how 'uncomfortably human' his character was. 'In this film, nothing is black or white. We're all trapped in shades of grey. It's a psychological thriller, yes, but also a deeply intimate exploration of guilt, control, and suppressed desire,' he added.
