Latest news with #MirandaMurray
RNZ News
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- RNZ News
Cannes' top prize goes to It Was Just An Accident by Iran's Jafar Panahi
By Miranda Murray , Reuters Iranian director and screenwriter and producer Jafar Panahi poses with the trophy during a photocall after winning the Palme d'Or for the film "Un simple accident" (A Simple Accident) during the closing ceremony at the 78th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, southern France, on May 24, 2025. Photo: AFP/BERTRAND GUAY Revenge thriller It Was Just An Accident by Iranian director Jafar Panahi, who was barred from filmmaking for 15 years by the government in Tehran, won the Palme d'Or top prize. With the award, Panahi now has the rare honour of winning the top prize at all three major European film festivals, after nabbing Berlin's Golden Bear for Taxi in 2015 and the Golden Lion at Venice for The Circle in 2000. The 64-year-old director, who last attended the festival in person in 2003, addressed his prize to all Iranians, saying the most important thing was Iran and the country's freedom. "Hoping that we will reach a day when no one will tell us what to wear or not wear, what to do or not do," he said, in an apparent reference to Iran's strict Islamic dress code for women. The death in 2022 of a young Iranian Kurdish woman in the custody of the morality police for allegedly violating hijab rules sparked Iran's biggest domestic unrest since the 1979 revolution that brought its clerical rulers to power. Panahi, who has been imprisoned several times in Iran, plans to return to his country after the festival, he told Reuters. "Win or not, I was going to go back either way. Don't be afraid of challenges," said the director who made films illegally during the 15-year ban that was recently lifted. Panahi added that he would never forget his first day at this year's festival, and getting to watch the film with an audience after all those years: "Every moment was thrilling." It Was Just An Accident , which follows a garage owner who rashly kidnaps a one-legged man who looks like the one who tortured him in prison and then has to decide his fate, is only the second Iranian film to win, after Taste of Cherry in 1997. "Art mobilises the creative energy of the most precious, most alive part of us. A force that transforms darkness into forgiveness, hope and new life," said jury president Juliette Binoche when announcing why they chose Panahi for the award. Twenty-two films in total were competing for the prize at the 78th Cannes Film Festival, with entries from well-known directors Richard Linklater, Wes Anderson and Ari Aster. The closing ceremony, which officially ends the glamour-filled festival, went off without a hitch after the Cannes area was hit by a power outage for several hours. Sentimental Value from acclaimed director Joachim Trier received the Grand Prix, the second-highest prize after the Palme d'Or. The jury prize was split between the intergenerational family drama Sound of Falling from German director Mascha Schilinski and Sirat, about a father and son who head into the Moroccan desert, by French-Spanish director Oliver Laxe. Brazil's The Secret Agent was handed two awards, one for best actor for Wagner Moura, as well as best director for Kleber Mendonca Filho. "I was having champagne," said Mendonca Filho after he ran up to the stage again to collect his own award after celebrating the win for Moura, who was not in attendance. Newcomer Nadia Melliti took home best actress for The Little Sister , a queer coming-of-age story about the daughter of Algerian immigrants in Paris. Belgium's Dardenne brothers, who have the rare honour of already having won two Palme d'Or prizes, took home the award for best screenplay for their film Young Mothers . Outside the competition line-up, director Spike Lee brought Highest 2 Lowest starring Denzel Washington to the festival, while Tom Cruise was in town for what could be his final Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning . Washington, who was only briefly at the festival, received a surprise honorary Palme d'Or on Monday night. Robert De Niro had received the same honour, which had been announced in advance, during the opening ceremony on 13 May. - Reuters
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Celebrities unite at exclusive Cannes gala to support AIDS research after Trump cuts
By Miranda Murray and Rollo Ross CANNES, France (Reuters) - Famed actors, directors and music acts like Adrien Brody, Duran Duran and Spike Lee escaped the Cannes Film Festival's crowded Croisette boulevard on Thursday evening for the exclusive grounds of the nearby Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc for a good cause. With tickets starting at $25,000, the amfAR charity dinner has been bringing stars to Cap d'Antibes, Cannes' quieter, palm-lined neighbour, since 1993 in the name of HIV/AIDS research. The charity said the benefit has so far raised nearly $300 million for its research programs on Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Celebrities including "Sing Sing" actor Colman Domingo, award-winning actor Taraji P. Henson and Michelle Rodriguez of the "Fast and Furious" franchise expressed concern about what U.S. President Donald Trump's budget and staffing cuts could mean for AIDS research and prevention around the world. The United States' "recent reduction of a lot of those resources globally has affected the AIDS community profoundly," said Rodriguez on the red carpet ahead of the dinner. "It becomes more important than ever, the work that amfAR does, not only in the research to generate drugs, just the advocacy that they have globally," added the actor. The United Nations AIDS agency warned in March that there could be 2,000 new HIV infections a day across the world and a ten-fold increase in related deaths if funding frozen by the United States is not restored or replaced. "It's very disappointing when people are going to die for something they don't have to die from," said Henson, the event's host and actor from "Hidden Figures" and TV series "Empire." Teri Hatcher, Ed Westwick, Heidi Klum and Lauren Sanchez, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos' fiancee, also attended the dinner that featured a performance by pop rockers Duran Duran.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Director Panahi ready to return to Iran after Cannes to work on next film
By Miranda Murray and Michaela Cabrera CANNES, France (Reuters) -Although he is now free to travel again after a 15-year ban, Iranian director Jafar Panahi said on Wednesday he would be returning immediately to his country after attending the Cannes Film Festival to begin work on his next film. Panahi was in southern France for the premiere of his latest film "It Was Just An Accident," which is competing against 21 other films for the festival's top prize, the Palme d'Or. The 64-year-old was banned from making films or travelling abroad for 20 years in 2010, after he was convicted of "propaganda against the system". That sentence was recently revoked, allowing him to travel again for the first time in 15 years. Despite the travel ban and multiple stints in jail, Panahi said that making films did not put him in any more danger than the actions of other Iranians. "Every day, there is a restriction about the veil, every day there is an issue, but we see women going out unveiled. Isn't that dangerous?" said Panahi. "As soon as the festival ends, the next evening I will be in Tehran," said the winner of several international awards, including the 2015 Berlin Film Festival's Golden Bear for his film "Taxi". "I need to go think about what my next film will be." While he is also allowed to film again, Panahi said that the way he makes movies has not changed, as he does not follow the government's rules, such as submitting his script for approval. "It Was Just An Accident" follows Vahid, played by Vahid Mobasseri, who kidnaps a man with a false leg who looks just like the one who tortured him in prison and ruined his life. Panahi said that being in jail influenced the film but he himself did not experience all the stories recounted in it. "When you imprison an artist, you're giving them material, you're handing them new ideas. You're opening up a whole new world to them," said the director. The director, who was last at Cannes in person in 2003, when "Crimson Gold" was screened in the Un Certain Regard category, was visibly emotional, as was his cast, at Tuesday's premiere. "The excitement of being able to show the conditions we're working in, the circumstances under which we struggle, of being able to show so many things and have others understand-especially people who are not from the Middle East - was truly meaningful and compelling for us," said actor Mariam Afshari.
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Wes Anderson makes light of Trump's movie tariff plan at Cannes
By Miranda Murray and Rollo Ross CANNES, France (Reuters) - U.S. director Wes Anderson made light of U.S. President Donald Trump's proposed 100% tariffs on foreign-made films at the Cannes Film Festival on Monday, asking how they would work in practice. The director known for his whimsical storytelling and vibrant palettes mostly filmed his latest caper "The Phoenician Scheme" at a studio outside Berlin. "Can you hold up the movie in customs? I feel it doesn't ship that way," the director of "The Grand Budapest Hotel" and "Rushmore" told a room jam-packed with journalists. "I'd never heard of a 100% tariff before," he added, eliciting laughter from his cast and the crowd. "I'm not an expert in that area of economics, but I feel that means he's saying he's going to take all the money. And then what do we get?" Trump's announcement in early May left many in the entertainment industry concerned and baffled. "The Phoenician Scheme," which is competing for the festival's Palme d'Or top prize, follows corrupt billionaire Zsa-zsa Korda, played by Benicio del Toro, who fears for his life after several assassination attempts. He turns to his daughter Liesl - a standout performance by Mia Threapleton - who is on the verge of becoming a nun, to help him with one last building enterprise. Accompanied by insectologist Bjorn, portrayed by Michael Cera, the three set out to finish off numerous business deals with princes, businessmen, terrorists and distant family. Anderson staple Bill Murray plays God. The director also used the news conference to tease his next project, which he said was writing with fellow filmmaker Roman Coppola and British actor Richard Ayoade, another star of "The Phoenician Scheme". The film, which had its premiere on Sunday evening, was called "daft but fun" by the BBC and summarized by The Hollywood Reporter as "a Wes Anderson for those who've been feeling alienated by Wes Anderson".
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
After US tariff shock, Cannes Film Market is cautiously business-as-usual
By Miranda Murray CANNES, France (Reuters) -Buyers and sellers are heading into this year's Cannes Film Market under a cloud of uncertainty as the initial shock of U.S. President Donald Trump's proposed 100% tariff on foreign-made films has faded into a cautious business-as-usual approach. While the Cannes Film Festival conjures visions of glamorous celebrities on the red carpet and yacht parties, the film market, the world's largest, is the main attraction, bringing together industry players, big and small, to do business. With over 15,000 participants from more than 140 countries, this year's market is set to match last year's record attendance, with the United States still the top participating country despite the recent shifts in international policy. The market has become even more important as the indie film industry - still struggling in the wake of the pandemic and the 2023 Hollywood double strike - has to be more selective about where to put resources when pursuing deals, according to Scott Roxborough, European bureau chief for The Hollywood Reporter. The American Pavilion, which represents U.S. interests at the market, said it expected tariffs would be brought up during panel discussions but did not plan any talks dedicated to them. "We continue to try to understand what this will mean for our industry," said pavilion president and founder Julie Sisk. Cinthya Calderon from the Berlin-based boutique sales outfit m-appeal said the tariff announcement was "a momentary shock." "For now, it seems that everyone is maybe not brushing this information off, but everybody's just thinking, 'well, you know, it is what it is,' but nothing's settled," she said. Nobody knows how this is going to play out, said Rich Wolff, CEO of Philadelphia-based independent distributor Breaking Glass Pictures, which buys multiple foreign-language films annually. Wolff, whose company also produced about 15 films in the U.S. last year, said he hoped Trump's stated desire to revive the domestic film industry would translate to fiscal incentives. "I would hope as our government wants to bring film-making back into the United States that there would be some sort of level of support given to those who need and deserve it, similar to what is going on in the European Union and the UK," he said. LASTING APPEAL Lifting the market's spirits are last year's commercial and popular success of independent films like "The Brutalist" and Oscar blow-out "Anora", as well as the strong consumer demand for international content, particularly on streaming services. Noah Segal, co-president of Canadian distribution and production company Elevation Pictures, suggested consumer preferences could ultimately transcend political blockades. "Trump can put up barriers all he wants, but consumers still want to watch 'Squid Game,'" he said. "I would argue there is enough momentum as a side that the magnetism of international content will drive us to a better solution than just an absolute turning off the taps." Marc Iserlis, head of film at the Republic investment platform, said those indie successes were a sign audiences wanted more than just reboots and sequels, and were moving away from the current "de-globalised moment" following the pandemic. Iserlis heads Republic's new film financing vertical that allows fans to invest in filmmakers' projects, which he said offered a new way to make films amid industry-wide disruption. "This is offering a third new direction, a new channel for investment other than just the high net worth individuals and the studio deals that a lot of film-makers have to take." The market, which opened Tuesday, will run through May 21. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
