Latest news with #LaCroisette

Cannes Film Festival & Market Reaffirms One Persisting Trend

Forbes

3 days ago

Business
Forbes

Cannes Film Festival & Market Reaffirms One Persisting Trend

Amy Baker, CEO and co-founder of Winston Baker, speaks to the audience during the 15th International ... More Film Finance Forum in Cannes. Cannes Film Festival represents the epitome of the film festival experience. It boasts old Hollywood glamour (and an even stricter dress code) from one of the most alluring red carpets in the world to larger-than-life premieres like Mission Impossible – The Final Reckoning, one of the hottest tickets in this year's lineup, But beyond the silver screen and behind the giant red carpet and gowns, there is a well-attended and robust market centered around the Palais just on the edge of the La Croisette. For nearly two decades, this central meeting hub has provided a space for industry professionals and festival goers alike to educate, discuss and pontificate over networking events, panels and more. Amy Baker, CEO and co-founder of Winston Baker, has led the development of this programming with the company's annual International Film Finance Forum in Cannes in partnership with Marché du Film. Winston Baker is a globally recognized entertainment content curator, specializing in strategic solutions across entertainment finance, music, innovation, sports and various pockets of the industry. And as the 15th annual finance forum, this year's program did not disappoint. Set on the Festival Main Stage, Baker's company led candid conversations with thought leaders, established executives and talent to demystify and predict trends in the ever-changing film marketplace. I had a chance to connect with Baker following the whirlwind market to get her sense of how this year compares in Cannes past. She noted a surprising amount of support for their artificial intelligence (AI) panel which focused on China. 'In years past, that was not as well attended but this year the crowd showed up with real interest.' AI topics still appear to be a charged issue within the industry—especially after the strikes of 2023— as attendees often questioned the panel itself and yet inquired about AI uses. Baker says that while there is a 'strong interest in figuring out the use of AI,' it is still met with skepticism and concern (with enough hope to reinforce that AI in film is not going anywhere). An image of panelists at the 15th Annual International Film Finance Forum in Cannes. After 15 years of hosting this event series, Baker notes that the main change is that the industry 'newbies' now bring fresh materials and greater sophistication than in previous years, thanks to increased access to technology. She is impressed with early creators' sizzle reels and sample artwork that look 'just as good as a studio.' With newcomer trailers matching the level of those screening in the professional sales booth, how does the industry discern and pinpoint where the talent lies? Baker was also excited about the Cannes audience's continued support for disruptors and advancement in her disruptors and advancement in her Shifter(s) Series with The Shift. For instance, Lars Knudsen and Ari Aster, Square Peg co-founders and filmmakers known for horror hits like Hereditary and Midsommar, received wide coverage from the press for their latest film screening at the fest Eddington. While the film industry is contracting, this is one example of how there are still seasoned professionals who continue to reinvent the business and draw in eyes. But we were both amused to find that disruption can sometimes be overlooked or judged. Baker remembers back to 11 years ago when Ted Sarandos, the CEO of Netflix, took the stage at her event and proclaimed that streaming movies would take over distribution, and the audience's skepticism was blatantly apparent. Baker has excelled in providing a forum where new ideas and observations are welcome, and the progressive Cannes Film Festival is especially supportive of her programming. When asked about the viability of Cannes for both seasoned industry vets and newcomers, Baker still believes that this is one of the preeminent festivals and markets as it is always on her radar. Her advice to newcomers is that the human experience of attending these markets still rises above any AI algorithm and there is nothing like 'being there in person to run into people and just talk as you never know who you will meet.' Those who prepare and do their Cannes homework can make the most out of this still relevant human experience where one can meet the past, present and future of filmmaking in one beautiful beach setting. Next up for Baker is the inaugural International Film & Television Finance Forum during the Venice Film Festival in August and another forum at the Busan International Film Festival in September. With the American Film Market (AFM) back in Los Angeles this fall, she is also receptive to that being another great watering hole—not just for selling films, but for bringing the industry together through her company to collectively navigate the future of entertainment.

‘Splitsville' Review: A Tender, Hilarious And Balanced Portrayal Of Love, Friendship And Open Relationships [Cannes 2025]

Geek Vibes Nation

6 days ago

Entertainment
Geek Vibes Nation

‘Splitsville' Review: A Tender, Hilarious And Balanced Portrayal Of Love, Friendship And Open Relationships [Cannes 2025]

Going through a divorce is never pleasant, apart from in the latest movie by Michael Angelo Covino. After taking The Climb to La Croisette in 2019, Covino is returning to Cannes. We're still unsure why Splitsville is a 'Out of Competition' feature, as it's a work that deserves all the accolades it can get. The film is the perfect example of a work that becomes better with each scene. What starts as an explosive unravelling of marriage becomes a tender, hilarious and balanced work about love, friendship and… open relationships. Yes, 'open relationships'. You read that correctly. This edition of Cannes certainly is quite a daring one. After seeing Pillion, which features a BDSM agreement between Alexander Skarsgård and Harry Melling, Splitsville turns the sexiness and steaminess up a notch. There might be less nudity and sex, but there are much more parties involved. The lead cast is quite significant because of the multiple open relationships. You have the four main leads, whose dynamics will change, but also the fuckbuddies on the side, who might become more than that. In an ensemble work like this, some characters are often overlooked and/or underdeveloped because each character needs at least some screen time. However, that's not the case here. No, Covino and co-writer and co-lead Kyle Marvin take their time to cut out well-rounded characters with the necessary individuality and personality. This allows you to fully understand their true (sexual) desires and their journey. And what a journey it is, especially for Carey (Marvin), the traditional husband who wants the whole shebang (wife, marriage and kids) with Ashley (Adria Arjona). However, after Ashley abruptly dumps him on the spot – which is in the middle of the highway – Carey angrily, sadly, and most of all confused, runs to the place of his best friends Julie (Dakota Johnson) and Paul (Covino). That run from the highway to the house is already a major indicator that this work will be full of hilarious encounters and wildly entertaining moments. While there are undoubtedly be some scenes in which the cast and crew take it too far, this movie has an excellent balance between hilarity and big emotions. Paul arrives at his friends' place in the hope of finding advice, comfort, and a temporary bed, but what he gets there is much more life-changing than he could have ever imagined. After finding out that their stable marriage is based on an open relationship, a whole new world opens for Paul. A world in which there's not such a thing as embarrassment or judgment. Covino allows his characters to make mistakes, pursue unconventional relationships, and find out who they really are, even later in life. That lack of judgment and the bigger focus on what it's like to be human makes this feature so intriguing, touching and enthralling. It also certainly sets the film aside from other similar works, and even more, because this movie truly feels like a film. It's entirely shot on gorgeous and textured-looking 35mm, while it's also not too stylized, visual, and directional. Instead of relying on over-the-top cinematography, the filmmaker uses more natural-looking visuals, real-life-sounding conversation and the dynamic energy generated by the cast. This more subdued but dynamic approach ensures that the audience can truly feel what's happening on the screen while allowing the cast to immerse themselves in the role. Johnson (The High Note, Am I Ok?) certainly delivers the most multilayered performance in this work. This is because her character has to endure her unconventional marriage and, deep down, some sadness while trying to be there for her son and friend in need. It might take a while to show her fantastic acting skills truly, but once she does that, she delivers scene-stealing and remarkable acting. Equally scene-stealing but less present is Arjona as Ashley. Right off the bat of Hitman, Arjona now shows an even more hilarious performance. Her comedic timing is extremely impressive, while the sexual awakening of her character guarantees some of the most intense scenes. After Ashley discovers what an open relationship can mean to her, her plan to make her ex jealous completely backfires. Instead of Carey violently going after them, he becomes friends with them, helping them with finding work and organizing game nights. Speaking of Carey, Marvin is excellent as this loveable, laid-back, and feisty lover. What starts as a more timid performance becomes more raunchy and entertaining. That first big fight scene between Carey and Paul certainly got a massive cheer from the Cannes audience, and it's easy to see why. Marvin's electric performance becomes even more enthralling because of Covino's more physical and aggressive acting. Both men have worked together in the past (on The Climb), resulting in very naturally looking, impeccable chemistry and believable performances. Splitsville certainly is one of the best discoveries of the Cannes Film Festival this year. It's a great reminder that there are still American comedies out there that, while it doesn't take itself truly seriously, work after all. Not only because of the incredible dynamic between the cast and the absurd but entertaining script but also because of the humanness and down-to-earth aspect. The screwball comedy with a lot of heart will have you laughing out loud through its 90-minute runtime. Splitsville was screened during the Cannes Film Festival and is out in US theatres on the 22nd of August courtesy of NEON

Geek Vibes Nation

6 days ago

Entertainment
Geek Vibes Nation

'Splitsville' Review: A Tender, Hilarious And Balanced Portrayal Of Love, Friendship And Open Relationships

Going through a divorce is never pleasant, apart from in the latest movie by Michael Angelo Covino. After taking The Climb to La Croisette in 2019, Covino is returning to Cannes. We're still unsure why Splitsville is a 'Out of Competition' feature, as it's a work that deserves all the accolades it can get. The film is the perfect example of a work that becomes better with each scene. What starts as an explosive unravelling of marriage becomes a tender, hilarious and balanced work about love, friendship and… open relationships. Yes, 'open relationships'. You read that correctly. This edition of Cannes certainly is quite a daring one. After seeing Pillion , which features a BDSM agreement between Alexander Skarsgård and Harry Melling, Splitsville turns the sexiness and steaminess up a notch. There might be less nudity and sex, but there are much more parties involved. The lead cast is quite significant because of the multiple open relationships. You have the four main leads, whose dynamics will change, but also the fuckbuddies on the side, who might become more than that. In an ensemble work like this, some characters are often overlooked and/or underdeveloped because each character needs at least some screen time. However, that's not the case here. No, Covino and co-writer and co-lead Kyle Marvin take their time to cut out well-rounded characters with the necessary individuality and personality. This allows you to fully understand their true (sexual) desires and their journey. And what a journey it is, especially for Carey (Marvin), the traditional husband who wants the whole shebang (wife, marriage and kids) with Ashley (Adria Arjona). However, after Ashley abruptly dumps him on the spot – which is in the middle of the highway – Carey angrily, sadly, and most of all confused, runs to the place of his best friends Julie (Dakota Johnson) and Paul (Covino). That run from the highway to the house is already a major indicator that this work will be full of hilarious encounters and wildly entertaining moments. While there are undoubtedly be some scenes in which the cast and crew take it too far, this movie has an excellent balance between hilarity and big emotions. Paul arrives at his friends' place in the hope of finding advice, comfort, and a temporary bed, but what he gets there is much more life-changing than he could have ever imagined. After finding out that their stable marriage is based on an open relationship, a whole new world opens for Paul. A world in which there's not such a thing as embarrassment or judgment. Covino allows his characters to make mistakes, pursue unconventional relationships, and find out who they really are, even later in life. That lack of judgment and the bigger focus on what it's like to be human makes this feature so intriguing, touching and enthralling. It also certainly sets the film aside from other similar works, and even more, because this movie truly feels like a film. It's entirely shot on gorgeous and textured-looking 35mm, while it's also not too stylized, visual, and directional. Instead of relying on over-the-top cinematography, the filmmaker uses more natural-looking visuals, real-life-sounding conversation and the dynamic energy generated by the cast. This more subdued but dynamic approach ensures that the audience can truly feel what's happening on the screen while allowing the cast to immerse themselves in the role. Johnson ( The High Note , Am I Ok? ) certainly delivers the most multilayered performance in this work. This is because her character has to endure her unconventional marriage and, deep down, some sadness while trying to be there for her son and friend in need. It might take a while to show her fantastic acting skills truly, but once she does that, she delivers scene-stealing and remarkable acting. Equally scene-stealing but less present is Arjona as Ashley. Right off the bat of Hitman , Arjona now shows an even more hilarious performance. Her comedic timing is extremely impressive, while the sexual awakening of her character guarantees some of the most intense scenes. After Ashley discovers what an open relationship can mean to her, her plan to make her ex jealous completely backfires. Instead of Carey violently going after them, he becomes friends with them, helping them with finding work and organizing game nights. Speaking of Carey, Marvin is excellent as this loveable, laid-back, and feisty lover. What starts as a more timid performance becomes more raunchy and entertaining. That first big fight scene between Carey and Paul certainly got a massive cheer from the Cannes audience, and it's easy to see why. Marvin's electric performance becomes even more enthralling because of Covino's more physical and aggressive acting. Both men have worked together in the past (on The Climb ), resulting in very naturally looking, impeccable chemistry and believable performances. Splitsville certainly is one of the best discoveries of the Cannes Film Festival this year. It's a great reminder that there are still American comedies out there that, while it doesn't take itself truly seriously, work after all. Not only because of the incredible dynamic between the cast and the absurd but entertaining script but also because of the humanness and down-to-earth aspect. The screwball comedy with a lot of heart will have you laughing out loud through its 90-minute runtime. Splitsville was screened during the Cannes Film Festival and is out in US theatres on the 22nd of August courtesy of NEON

Can Alexander Skarsgard pull off kinky boots?

Times

21-05-2025

Entertainment
Times

Can Alexander Skarsgard pull off kinky boots?

All respect to the ballgowns and Rihanna's burgeoning baby bump, but there is a wild card in the running for the (unofficial) gong of Biggest Scene Stealer on the Cannes red carpet this week — wild being the operative word. They may not have broken any of the draconian dress code rules but do we think le comité might have had a few thoughts on Alexander Skarsgard's boots? Wowee — they're what you might kindly describe as 'a bit out there'. Robin Hood and angling society president also come to mind — which I hope won't offend any keen fishermen. Thigh high, made of glossy black leather and from Loewe, one of the hippest luxury labels around, they're an esoteric choice to pair with a tuxedo (yep — trousers tucked in), as Skarsgard did on La Croisette on Sunday night. I was just gathering my thoughts when I overheard a colleague in the Times office say she thought they were rather sexy. To which I had to ask: are you OK? Interesting and surprising, yes — but I'm not sure even Skarsgard, the most fanciable of men, can make these kinky boots the kind of look I'd like to find waiting for me at the bar. Not least because I have owned pairs that look worryingly similar. They are a bit fetishy, I'll give them that. Skarsgard does have that dark and twisty brand of handsome going for him — and as it happens, he is at Cannes to promote a BDSM-themed biker film, Pillion. But I don't think that kink is the only theme that he or the architect of this look, the celebrity stylist Harry Lambert, were going for here. • Pillion review — Harry Potter's Dudley Dursley submits in the suburbs Looking at what else the pair have put together for Cannes — dark blue sequin slacks from the British designer Bianca Saunders, tight black leather trousers (again from Loewe) paired with a fitted white T-shirt featuring, prepare yourself, a cartoon of someone seemingly boot-licking — it seems to me that, much like Brad Pitt and Daniel Craig of late, Skarsgard is in the era of taking risks. This is not about being straight-down-the-line fanciable, dear. It's about fashion — with a capital F. Lambert has past form in this department. He made his name working closely with Harry Styles — remember those purple and green feather boas at the 2021 Grammys? I'm always delighted to see a man having more fun than is usually allowed on the red carpet, but it's a shame something similarly plumy wasn't lined up for Skarsgard this week. At the very least, he mightn't have looked so uncomfortably toasty.

Look of the Week: Alexander Skarsgård flips the script on thigh-high leather boots

CNN

20-05-2025

Entertainment
CNN

Look of the Week: Alexander Skarsgård flips the script on thigh-high leather boots

While much of the discussion around the Cannes film festival red carpet has been centered on celebrities and their entitlement to long trains and naked dresses, Swedish actor Alexander Skarsgård bravely poses a different question: What if in 2005's 'Mr. and Mrs. Smith' Brad Pitt wore sky-high leather boots instead of Angelina Jolie? On Sunday, Skarsgård, who was attending a premiere of Wes Anderson's latest film 'The Phoenician Scheme,' arrived onto La Croisette in a jaw-dropping pair of thigh-high boots. Styled by Harry Lambert, the square-toe creations were straight off Saint Laurent's Fall-Winter 2025 runway and engulfed the actor's entire leg, only finishing where one might imagine his boxer shorts to begin. It was half-dominatrix, half-fishing wader, and wholly surprising. Tall leather boots have long been considered a sartorial shorthand for female sex appeal. Jolie, in her turn as the archetypal seductive assassin Jane Smith, famously wears a pair with fishnets, suspenders and a strapless PVC minidress under her satin-lined trench coat as she impersonates an escort to complete a mission. Julia Roberts's performance as the sex worker Vivian in 'Pretty Woman' (1990) wore a pair, as did Jane Fonda in her racy rendition of 'Barbarella' in the '60s. Andy Sachs, played by Anne Hathaway, only reaches aesthetic apotheosis in 'The Devil Wears Prada' (2006) after she slips on a pair of knee-high, hosiery-style leather boots. 'Are you wearing…?' stutters Miranda Priestly's vengeful and hierarchical first assistant, played by Emily Blunt, before being interrupted by Hathaway: 'The Chanel boots? Yeah, I am' — a retort that has become one of the most satisfying moments of cinematic history. The history of the boot, however, is far more unisex. Thigh-highs date as far back as the 15th century, where they were typically worn by men — as demonstrated by the medieval skeleton found embedded in London's River Thames in 2018. A potential sailor, fisherman or mudlark, the height of the boots suggested the man was working in the water when he died. They became more fashionable than functional during the Restoration period in England, where they were worn by King Charles I and his calvarymen or Cavaliers. Often complete with a heel that signified status, the riding-style leather boots could be extended fully, reaching the upper thighs, or folded down into cuffs. The boot wasn't perceived as sexy, feminine footwear until the 1960s. In 1962, fashion designer Cristóbal Balenciaga unveiled a knee-high boot on the Fall-Winter runway. The next year, shoe designer Roger Vivier saw Balenciaga's bet and raised him a few inches, designing a thigh-thigh silhouette for Yves Saint Laurent's 1963 collection in alligator leather. 'Ankle-deep, knee-high and even up to the thigh,' reported Vogue at the time. 'This year's best-looking legs will be marching up and down and back again in boots.' The rise of the thigh-high was just one of the many sartorial changes that came with the post-war 'Youthquake.' Hemlines were growing shorter and attitudes to sex were changing. In the brave new world of Mary Quant's miniskirt, a tall boot acted as the perfect picture frame for the exciting, never-before-seen terrain of a bare leg. In womenswear today, a flash of thigh is as ubiquitous as a crew neck T-shirt, but the male leg is far less familiar. Yet, the sentiment has already been embraced by actor Pedro Pascal, who donned the same Saint Laurent boots as Skarsgård in March, and labels Rick Owens, Martine Rose, Givenchy, Maison Margiela and GmbH have all designed their own pair. As we welcome daring gentleman dressers who are open to slipping on a pair of ballet flats and Mary Janes, the over-the-knee boot is nothing more than a logical next step.