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Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
German Works by Fatih Akin, Mascha Schilinski, Christian Petzold Unspool in Cannes, Animation Set for Major Market Showcase
German films and co-productions in Cannes this year are sure to entice festgoers and buyers alike with an eclectic selection heavy on historical drama and animation fare. Highly anticipated works by Fatih Akin, Mascha Schilinski and Christian Petzold are premiering at the festival along with German co-productions from Wes Anderson, Sergei Loznitsa and Kirill Serebrennikov that explore postwar Germany, lives intertwined through time, loss and grief, international espionage, Stalin's Great Purge and a war criminal's escape from justice. More from Variety Wes Anderson Mocks Trump's Movie Tariffs at Cannes: 'Can You Hold Up the Movie in Customs? It Doesn't Ship That Way' Wes Anderson Powers Satyajit Ray's 'Aranyer Din Ratri' Rescue for Cannes Classics Wes Anderson Delights Cannes as 'Phoenician Scheme' Lands 6.5-Minute Standing Ovation, Leading Lady Mia Threapleton Overcome With Tears Unspooling in Cannes Premiere, Akin's 'Amrum' is a family drama set in 1945 on the titular North Sea German island and based on the autobiographical novel of screenwriter Hark Bohm, who also penned the script. It centers on 12-year-old Nanning (Jasper Billerbeck), who does everything he can to help his mother feed the family during the last days of the war, only to face all new challenges when peace finally arrives. The Beta Cinema title also stars Diane Kruger, Laura Tonke, Lisa Hagmeister, Detlev Buck and Matthias Schweighöfer. ''Amrum' is a very special project: it combines Hark Bohm's personal story with Fatih Akin's signature style and brings a piece of Schleswig-Holstein to the Croisette,' noted Helge Albers, CEO of regional funder MOIN, which supported the pic. Vying for the Golden Palm, Schilinski's sophomore work, 'Sound of Falling,' produced by Studio Zentral and handled internationally by MK2 Films, tells the story of four women from different time periods who spend their youth on the same farmstead and whose lives are eerily intertwined. Petzold's 'Miroirs No. 3,' sold by The Match Factory, screens in Directors' Fortnight and marks the director's fourth collaboration with Paula Beer, who plays a music student struggling with the sudden loss of her boyfriend and the mysterious family who offers her assistance. Anderson's U.S.-German co-production 'The Phoenician Scheme,' co-produced by and shot at Studio Babelsberg near Berlin, also premieres in competition. Boasting an all-star cast, the period film stars Benicio del Toro as a European business magnate facing major international challenges to his ambitious infrastructure project in the fictional West Asian nation of Phoenicia. Focus Features is distributing the film globally. Likewise in competition is Loznitsa's 1937-set 'Two Prosecutors,' whose producers include Leipzig-based LOOKSfilm. The Coproduction Office title follows an idealistic young Soviet prosecutor who comes across a letter written by a prisoner. Believing the man to be a victim of the People's Commissariat for Internal Affairs (NKVD) — at the time, the Soviet Union's dreaded interior ministry and secret police — the prosecutor embarks on a dangerous journey in the pursuit of justice in Stalin's USSR. Serebrennikov's 'The Disappearance of Josef Mengele,' based on the novel by Olivier Guez and co-produced by Berlin-base Lupa Film, screens in Cannes Premiere, with Kinology handling international sales. German actor August Diehl stars as the notorious Nazi doctor who, as a fugitive, flees to South America following World War II, eluding capture for his crimes. Also vying for the Golden Palm are Joachim Trier's Scandinavian drama 'Sentimental Value,' which counts Berlin-based Komplizen Film among its co-producers; and Kleber Mendonça Filho's historical thriller 'The Secret Agent,' set in 1977 Brazil and starring Wagner Moura and Udo Kier and co-produced by Berlin's One Two Films. Other competition titles with German co-producers include Carla Simón's Spanish drama 'Romería' (Ventall Cinema); 'La petite dernière' by French filmmaker Hafsia Herzi (Katuh Studio); and Tarik Saleh's Egyptian drama 'Eagles of the Republic' (Films Boutique). German producers likewise backed a number of Un Certain Regard selections, including Morad Mostafa's Cairo-set 'Aisha Can't Fly' (Mayana Film); Francesco Sossai's Italian drama 'The Last One for the Road' (Maze Pictures) and Diego Céspedes' 1980s-set Chilean tale 'The Mysterious Gaze of the Flamingo' (Weydemann Bros.). Also unspooling in the sidebar is Arab and Tarzan Nasser's 'Once Upon a Time in Gaza,' which counts Hamburg companies Riva Filmproduktion and Red Balloon among its co-producers. The film follows on from the Nasser brothers' festival hit 'Gaza mon Amour.' This year's Cannes Film Market, meanwhile, boasts German comedy, family, drama, documentary and animated fare. Picture Tree Intl. (PTI) is presenting Simon Verhoeven's 'Old White Man' from Wiedemann & Berg and Sentana Filmproduktion. The comedy stars Jan Josef Liefers as advertising manager Heinz, who sets out to prove he's no old white man with a carefully orchestrated dinner party intended to secure a promotion but that instead turns into a minefield of political correctness, awkward revelations and unexpected chaos. PTI is also screening 'Prank,' a family adventure-comedy directed by Benjamin Heisenberg ('The Robber'), who co-wrote the script with Peer Klehmet ('The Famous Five'). Produced by Berlin-based Kundschafter Film and Zurich's Tellfilm, the film follows 12-year-old Chinese exchange student Xi Zhou (Max Zheng), whose seemingly innocent April Fool's prank spirals out of control and drags his host family, their son Lucas (Noèl Gabriel Kipp) and his crush Charly (Maïmouna Rudolph-Mbacké) into a tumultuous adventure. Among the titles presented by Pluto Film are two award-winning German works: Julia Lemke and Anna Koch's Berlinale documentary 'Circusboy,' about 11-year-old Santino, a child of the circus; and Mehmet Akif Büyükatalay's film crew thriller 'Hysteria,' which won the European Cinema Label in Berlin. The Playmaker Munich offers Christina Tournatzès' 'Karla,' based on a true story, about a 12-year-old girl who, in 1962 Munich, files a complaint against her own father, seeking protection from years of abuse. The company also presents Viktor Jakovleski and Nikias Chryssos' 'Rave On,' which follows Kosmo, a reclusive music producer who tries to deliver his latest record to a legendary DJ playing in Berlin's most notorious techno club, but what begins as a simple mission soon derails into an existential rave odyssey. Aaron Altaras and Klemens Schick star. Likewise in The Playmaker lineup is Norbert Lechner's 'The Secret Floor,' in which 12-year-old Karli, newly arrived in the Alps, where his parents have acquired a hotel, discovers he can travel back in time in the building's old elevator – to the year 1938. There he befriends lively Jewish girl Hannah and shoeshiner Georg and witnesses the rising menace of the Third Reich. Family entertainment specialist Studio 100, meanwhile, is showcasing a slew of animation productions: 'Heidi – Rescue of the Lynx,' by Tobias Schwarz and Aizea Roca and set for release this year, follows the spirited 8-year-old Swiss heroine who lives in the Alps with her gruff but loving grandfather. After rescuing an injured lynx cub, she uncovers a dastardly plot by a sly industrialist that threatens her beloved home and the entire alpine ecosystem. In 'Arnie & Barney,' by Sean Heuston and set for delivery in 2026, an ant platoon tries to save their community during a severe drought. Not cut out for heroics, inept ant soldiers Arnie and Barney decide to tackle the problem by themselves, inadvertently becoming the most unlikely of heroes in the process. 'Conni – Mystery of the Crane,' by Dirk Hampel, follows a young girl and her friends who help a hurt crane recover from his injuries in the hope that he can fly south with his flock. Currenty in production, the film is also set for delivery in 2026. In Rob Sprackling and Raúl Garcia's 'Flamingo Flamenco,' a dancing flamingo named Rosie is left traumatized after losing her sister to an attack by wild dogs. A shadow of her former self, the grieving Rosie has also lost the joy of dance – until she meets Carlos, a carefree and exuberant lizard who encourages her to dance once more. Currently in production, 'Flamingo Flamenco' is set for release in 2027. 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
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Longlegs' Star Maika Monroe Joins Horror ‘Victorian Psycho' Ahead Of Summer Shoot; Project In Talks With New U.S. Buyers After Previous A24 Exit — Cannes Market
Longlegs and It Follows star Maika Monroe has replaced Margaret Qualley in psychological horror-thriller, Victorian Psycho, we can reveal, with Anton continuing to sell at the Cannes market. Monroe takes on the lead role of the young, eccentric governess Winifred Notty, who in 1858 arrives at the remote gothic manor known as Ensor House. Her responsibilities include teaching the children table manners and educating them about their family's history, all whilst hiding her psychopathic tendencies. As Winifred assimilates into life at Ensor House, staff members begin to inexplicably disappear, and the owners of the estate begin to wonder if there is something amiss about their new governess. More from Deadline Nu Boyana Exec Launches Next Gen Company Hollywood Influence Studios With Stratosphere-Shot Debut 'Above The End' Beta Cinema Gives Mid Cannes Market Sales Update On 'Let It Rain', 'The Physician II' & 'The Light' Jacob Elordi & Lily-Rose Depp To Star In Cormac McCarthy Adaptation 'Outer Dark' - Red Hot Project Bubbling At The Cannes Market As previously announced, Thomasin McKenzie (Last Night in Soho) is also cast. Zachary Wigon (Sanctuary) directs from a script by author Virginia Feito (Mrs. March), based on her novel of the same name. Production is being lined up to begin in August of this year. As we revealed late last year, A24 had boarded the project for domestic. However, we can reveal today that the company exited soon after Qualley left some months ago and before Monroe came aboard. No reason was given to us for the departures. We understand Anton has been in talks with other domestic buyers and has already pre-sold the film to multiple international markets. Additional casting is in process. These are the slings and arrows of independent finance and this is a buzzy project that has already withstood the exit of Qualley not long before the intended March shoot and is now pushing forward with another in-demand lead actress and with another domestic buyer likely aboard soon. Kudos to the producers for weathering the storm. Pic is produced by Dan Kagan (Longlegs) under his Traffic. banner as well as Sébastien Raybaud (Greenland: Migration) for Anton and Wigon, in association with Anonymous Content. Nick Shumaker, Bard Dorros and Virginia Feito will executive produce. This will be the third collaboration between Monroe and Kagan following Significant Other and Longlegs. Anton is fully financing the film and is representing international rights. U.S. rights are co-represented by Anton, UTA Independent Film Group and CAA Media Finance. Director Wigon said: 'Maika's intense screen presence has resonated with me over and over again throughout her history of complex performances. I'm absolutely thrilled for her to bring her unique style of psychological portraiture to the fascinatingly bizarre Winifred Notty.' Monroe most recently starred opposite Nicolas Cage in last year's psychological horror hit Longlegs. She has become well-established in the horror genre following her performance in hit It Follows which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in 2014. Additional credits, which both premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, include the cult thriller The Guest and Chloe Okunu's directorial debut Watcher. She is due to start production in the lead role in Reminders of Him, Universal's adaptation of the best-selling novel by Colleen Hoover. Monroe is repped by Entertainment 360, WME, and Felker Toczek. Best of Deadline 2025 TV Cancellations: Photo Gallery Where To Watch All The 'Mission: Impossible' Movies: Streamers With Multiple Films In The Franchise Everything We Know About 'My Life With The Walter Boys' Season 2 So Far
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘The Plague' Review: Joel Edgerton & Cast Of Young Newcomers Turn Summer Boys Camp Into A Psychological Nightmare
The Plague, a world premiere today in the Un Certain Regard section of the Cannes Film Festival, may be fiction, but it brought back vivid, not-so-pleasant memories of my days in elementary school and at the Catalina Island Boys Camp, where every 12-year-old in my cabin nicknamed the kid we labeled a chronic liar and outcast as Skag. We didn't believe this extremely awkward kid about anything including that his father had won four Oscars, as he kept bragging, but the fact is after I got home I discovered it was true. If only we had cell phones and IMDb in those days, Skag might not have become the target of our obsessive bullying. And then in the fifth grade, my entire class zeroed in on one poor girl named Karen who we nicknamed Ledbutt. We all secretly even cut her photo out of our copy of the class photo, something I still have to this day to remind me childhood can be terribly cruel. I too was singled out. It happens. More from Deadline Cannes Film Festival 2025 in Photos: 'Dossier 137', 'Amrum' & 'Sirât' Premieres Beta Cinema Gives Mid Cannes Market Sales Update On 'Let It Rain', 'The Physician II' & 'The Light' Jacob Elordi & Lily-Rose Depp To Star In Cormac McCarthy Adaptation 'Outer Dark' - Red Hot Project Bubbling At The Cannes Market Set at an all-boys water polo summer camp, The Plague is on the precipice of horror, but this is no Friday the 13th. Bullying and targeting are their own brand of horror, so I would call this film more of a frightening psychological drama centering on the 12-year-olds aiming for acceptance and conformity at the expense of one lone outcast. It came from writer-director Charlie Polinger's own summer camp experiences, even though the characters here are all made up. It is far less intense horror than Carrie and more along the lines of a Lord of the Flies, the book turned twice into a movie and one every schoolboy read before The Lord of the Rings took over. Set in 2003, 12-year-old Ben (Everett Blunck) finds himself on the edge of manhood and in a moral crisis as he tries to fit in with other campers but has some guilt about partaking in what they call the 'plague,' a fictional malady they collectively decide to create for one unsuspecting camper whom they claim has been stricken with this awful affliction. If you should even touch him, you will get the plague. Chubby and socially inept Eli (Kenny Rasmussen) is the object of this disaffection because he has severe acne on his face and back — and also because, well, he is kinda weird, not at all like the 'normal' kids including bully-in-chief, Jake (Kayo Martin), the pathetic terrorizing ringleader of this bad behavior. Ben increasingly is troubled but also wants to be one of the group, and his doubts are spelled out in his eyes. Trying to keep order is Daddy Wags, the camp counselor nicely played in a supporting role by Joel Edgerton, who also is a producer. But he can only do so much, and you know boys will be monsters given half the chance. In the Trump era, now it is worse since we have sort of license for this type of behavior considering the influencers from the White House on down. The Plague looks like it inevitably is going to fall down the rabbit hole of standard horror tropes at any moment, but this movie is smarter than that and always keeps it credible, tough as it is to watch. Casting director Rebecca Dealy's cast largely is made up of first-time film actors who are 12 or 13 themselves. Notably this is an exceptional debut for Rasmussen and Martin, neither having ever made a film but completely natural here, as is Blunck, who is haunting as Ben. Polinger knows just how to get an authentic performance out of each of these kids, plus he has added some almost surreal visual touches such as synchronized dancing scenes in the pool that add a layer of eerieness to the proceedings. Producers in addition to Edgerton are Lizzie Shapiro, Lucy McKendrick, Steven Schneider, Roy Lee and Derek Dauchy. Title: The PlagueFestival: Cannes (Un Certain Regard)Sales agents: UTA/Cinetic (domestic) , AGC (international)Director-screenwriter: Charlie PolingerCast: Everett Blonck, Kenny Rasmussen, Kayo Martin, Joel Edgerton, Lucas Adler, Caden Burris, Elliott Heffernan, Nicolas, Rasovan, Lennox Espy, Kolton LeeRunning time: 1 hr 39 min Best of Deadline Everything We Know About Ari Aster's 'Eddington' So Far All The Songs In Netflix's 'Forever': From Tyler The Creator To SZA Everything We Know About The 'Hunger Games: Sunrise On The Reaping' Movie So Far
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Beta Reveals Sales for ‘Let It Rain,' ‘The Physician II,' ‘The Light'
Leading sales agency Beta Cinema has revealed a tranche of sales to major territories for 'Let It Rain,' 'The Physician II' and 'The Light.' The Swedish comedy 'Let It Rain,' directed by two-time Oscar-nominee Hannes Holm, was sold to Leonine (German-speaking territories), Benelux and Singapore (September Film), Czech Republic (Film Europe), Former Yugoslavia (Blitz), Bulgaria (Beta Film) and Israel (Lev Cinemas). More from Variety 'Case 137' Director Dominik Moll on Exploring the Gilets Jaunes Riots in His Cannes-Premiering Political Drama: 'These Divisions Still Exist' in French Society Breaking Through the Lens Co-Founder Daphne Schmon on What Has to Change for Gender Equity in Film: 'We Need Actions to Speak Louder Than Words' Riley Keough to Star in Albert Serra's English-Language Debut 'Out of This World,' Exploring U.S.-Russia Rivalry Amid the Ukrainian War (EXCLUSIVE) Robert Gustafsson ('The 100-Year-Old Man'), Jonas Karlsson ('The Snowman') and Karin Lithman ('The Bridge') star in the tale of a grumpy widower who, by miracle or coincidence, finds himself at the center of an event that could transform not only his own life but the fate of his entire village—and possibly the world. Holm earned two Academy Award nominations for 'A Man Called Ove' in 2015. The film became an international box office hit in 2016, grossing over $30 million worldwide, and was later remade as 'A Man Called Otto,' starring Tom Hanks. Holm is one of Sweden's most successful filmmakers, with other hits like 'Adam & Eva' (1997), 'Shit Happens' (2010) and the 'Andersson Trilogy' (2012-2014), all of which set box office records in Sweden. The sweeping epic, 'The Physician II,' starring Tom Payne ('Horizon,' 'Prodigal Son') in the leading role as the gifted healer Rob Cole, was presold to Spain (Dea Planeta), Portugal (Outsider Pictures), Italy (Rai Cinema), Austria (ORF), Czech Republic and Slovakia (Bonton), Former Yugoslavia (Blitz), Poland (Monolith), and Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia (Paradise). This long-awaited sequel to the international box office hit 'The Physician,' explores early treatment of the human soul and is set amidst a gripping royal intrigue in medieval Europe. Emily Cox ('The Last Kingdom: Seven Kings Must Die'), Aiden Gillen ('Game of Thrones,' 'Maze Runner') and Liam Cunningham ('Game of Thrones,' 'Hunger') co-star. Tom Tykwer's Berlinale Opening movie 'The Light' was sold to Italy (Rai Cinema), Benelux (September Film), Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia (European Film Forum), Former Yugoslavia (Discovery), Hungary and Bulgaria (ADS), Greece (TFG), Turkey (Bir Film), Taiwan (Cineplex) and Brazil (Imovision). The politically charged drama stars Lars Eidinger and Nicolette Krebitz as parents of a modern Berlin family on the brink, navigating deep personal and ideological rifts in a rapidly changing world. Tykwer ranks among Germany's most acclaimed directors with a track record including his breakout hit 'Run Lola Run,' 'Cloud Atlas' with Tom Hanks and Hale Barry, and the international hit series 'Babylon Berlin.' Deals across more than 15 territories for Beta Cinema's Cannes Première title, 'Amrum,' directed by Fatih Akin, were announced earlier this week by Variety. Beta Cinema's Cannes slate also includes the Italian hit comedy 'U.S. Palmese' by directors Antonio and Marco Manetti, the Spanish debut 'The Remnants of You' by Gala Gracia and the Nina Hoss-led Berlinale drama 'Cicadas,' directed by Ina Weisse ('The Audition'). 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
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Halle Berry Forced to Change Cannes Dress Amid New Red Carpet Rules, but Says Banning Nudity Is ‘Probably a Good' Thing
Halle Berry revealed during the Cannes jury press conference that she had to make a last-minute fashion change due to the new rules the festival has issued about its starry red carpets. Just ahead of the 2025 festival getting underway, Cannes organizers announced the event would be banning nudity and 'excessively voluminous' clothing. Dresses with long trains and other attributes that could clog up the carpet are also no longer allowed. 'I had an amazing dress by Gupta that I cannot wear tonight because it's too big of a train,' Berry said regarding her look for tonight's opening night gala. 'I'm not going to break the rules. The nudity part is also probably a good rule.' More from Variety Halle Berry Says 'I Don't Know' if James Bond Should Be a Woman, Doubts Jinx Spinoff Movie Will Get Made at Amazon: 'It Should've Happened' Already Concentration Camp Drama 'Each of Us,' Starring Diane Kruger, Boarded by Beta Cinema Cannes Market Hot List: Will New Films From Seth Rogen, Pamela Anderson, Rachel Zegler and Jeremy Allen White Spark Bidding Wars? Cannes issued a statement on Monday, May 12 in which it detailed its new red carpet rules. The festival said the red carpet changes were in accordance with 'the institutional framework' of the Cannes Film Festival and French law. 'This year, the Cannes Film Festival has made explicit in its charter certain rules that have long been in effect. The aim is not to regulate attire per se, but to prohibit full nudity on the red carpet, in accordance with the institutional framework of the event and French law,' said the new instructions from the festival. Cannes added that it 'reserves the right to deny access to individuals whose attire could obstruct the movement of other guests or complicate seating arrangements in the screening rooms.' Berry is serving on this year's competition jury alongside 'Succession' Emmy winner Jeremy Strong, 'All We Imagine as Light' director Payal Kapadia, South Korean filmmaker Hong Sangsoo, Italian actor Alba Rohrwacher, French-Moroccan writer Leïla Slimani, Congolese documentarist Dieudo Hamadi and Mexican filmmaker Carlos Reygadas. Juliette Binoche is overseeing the jury as president. 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
