Latest news with #NextofKin
Hamilton Spectator
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Hamilton Spectator
TIFF to celebrate 50 years of risk and discovery with summer screening series
TORONTO - The head of the Toronto International Film Festival says risk-taking has been central to the organization's legacy, a spirit captured in a series of summer screenings that celebrate its 50th anniversary. Titled 'the TIFF Story in 50 Films,' the series will showcase films that have defined the festival's evolution. Screenings will run June 13 to Aug. 27 at the Lightbox in Toronto. Curated by TIFF CEO Cameron Bailey and a team of past and present programmers, the collection spans five decades, featuring global breakthroughs including Danny Boyle's 2008 rags-to-riches drama 'Slumdog Millionaire' and Canadian classics such as Atom Egoyan's 1984 directorial debut 'Next of Kin.' Bailey says the lineup reflects TIFF's own narrative, which he describes as a 'love story' between curators, audiences and filmmakers. He points out that several selections are films TIFF championed early on — titles that connected with Toronto audiences before going on to achieve global success. For instance, he says Jean-Jacques Beineix's 1981 thriller 'Diva' flopped at the French box office but found new life — and cult status — after resonating with audiences at TIFF. 'As you go through the whole list, there's a little bit of a story either about how the festival and the Toronto audience helped launch that film into world, or how that film helped define what our festival was,' says Bailey. Several screenings will include appearances by talent from the films, including a special presentation of 1994's 'The Shawshank Redemption,' followed by a Q&A with cinematographer Roger Deakins and his wife and creative partner, James Deakins. One film that stands out for Bailey is 'Dead Ringers,' David Cronenberg's 1988 horror thriller that opened TIFF that year. He remembers being in the audience, struck by the power of its première. 'It was quite visceral in many ways. Not what you would call an easy watch. Our team at the time decided that that was an important film to open the festival with, to send a signal that this is the highest achievement in Canadian cinema that year,' he says. 'It's a tough movie, but we think you're up for it, right? And we respect the Toronto audience enough to show them movies that can be challenging. That's part of the story we want to tell as well.' As for the story Bailey wants to tell in the next 50 years of TIFF? 'I have no crystal ball. I can't tell you what technology is going to do to transform the film world,' he says. 'But what I know is that the creative talent is still going to be critical for this. And so what I think about when I think about the next 50 years with TIFF is making sure that we keep tracking down and elevating talent.' He highlights TIFF's Next Wave program — which allows Toronto high school students to program films — along with the festival's several talent development initiatives, including the Directors' Studio and Series Accelerator, as examples. Bailey also wants TIFF to continue being a platform where stars can emerge, noting that Florence Pugh — now fronting Marvel's latest film 'Thunderbolts*' — was discovered in North America largely through 2016's 'Lady Macbeth,' which premièred at TIFF and is also featured in its 50th-anniversary list. 'We've shown that we can discover films and filmmakers who will become globally significant year after year. That's what I want us to keep doing.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 7, 2025.
Winnipeg Free Press
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Winnipeg Free Press
TIFF to celebrate 50 years of risk and discovery with summer screening series
TORONTO – The head of the Toronto International Film Festival says risk-taking has been central to the organization's legacy, a spirit captured in a series of summer screenings that celebrate its 50th anniversary. Titled 'the TIFF Story in 50 Films,' the series will showcase films that have defined the festival's evolution. Screenings will run June 13 to Aug. 27 at the Lightbox in Toronto. Curated by TIFF CEO Cameron Bailey and a team of past and present programmers, the collection spans five decades, featuring global breakthroughs including Danny Boyle's 2008 rags-to-riches drama 'Slumdog Millionaire' and Canadian classics such as Atom Egoyan's 1984 directorial debut 'Next of Kin.' Cameron Bailey walks towards the stage at the Legacy Awards in Toronto, on Sunday, September 29, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paige Taylor White Bailey says the lineup reflects TIFF's own narrative, which he describes as a 'love story' between curators, audiences and filmmakers. He points out that several selections are films TIFF championed early on — titles that connected with Toronto audiences before going on to achieve global success. For instance, he says Jean-Jacques Beineix's 1981 thriller 'Diva' flopped at the French box office but found new life — and cult status — after resonating with audiences at TIFF. 'As you go through the whole list, there's a little bit of a story either about how the festival and the Toronto audience helped launch that film into world, or how that film helped define what our festival was,' says Bailey. Several screenings will include appearances by talent from the films, including a special presentation of 1994's 'The Shawshank Redemption,' followed by a Q&A with cinematographer Roger Deakins and his wife and creative partner, James Deakins. One film that stands out for Bailey is 'Dead Ringers,' David Cronenberg's 1988 horror thriller that opened TIFF that year. He remembers being in the audience, struck by the power of its première. 'It was quite visceral in many ways. Not what you would call an easy watch. Our team at the time decided that that was an important film to open the festival with, to send a signal that this is the highest achievement in Canadian cinema that year,' he says. 'It's a tough movie, but we think you're up for it, right? And we respect the Toronto audience enough to show them movies that can be challenging. That's part of the story we want to tell as well.' As for the story Bailey wants to tell in the next 50 years of TIFF? 'I have no crystal ball. I can't tell you what technology is going to do to transform the film world,' he says. Winnipeg Free Press | Newsletter Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. Sign up for The Warm-Up 'But what I know is that the creative talent is still going to be critical for this. And so what I think about when I think about the next 50 years with TIFF is making sure that we keep tracking down and elevating talent.' He highlights TIFF's Next Wave program — which allows Toronto high school students to program films — along with the festival's several talent development initiatives, including the Directors' Studio and Series Accelerator, as examples. Bailey also wants TIFF to continue being a platform where stars can emerge, noting that Florence Pugh — now fronting Marvel's latest film 'Thunderbolts*' — was discovered in North America largely through 2016's 'Lady Macbeth,' which premièred at TIFF and is also featured in its 50th-anniversary list. 'We've shown that we can discover films and filmmakers who will become globally significant year after year. That's what I want us to keep doing.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 7, 2025.
Yahoo
10-03-2025
- Yahoo
Fatal Vehicle Accident
Hamilton, TX (FOX 44) – A vehicle accident with four passengers resulted in the death of two people. Texas DPS responded to a report of a one-vehicle fatality crash south of Hamilton. According to the investigation, a 2021 Mazda CX-5 heading southbound on US-281 of Killeen, left the roadway striking a tree and caught fire. Upon impact with the tree, 20-year-old Jessica Ludwig and Jaliyah Stevenson, were ejected from the vehicle and pronounced dead at the scene. Both were from Killeen. Another passenger, 20-year-old male, was transported to a hospital in critical condition. The driver, Tavajenne Capers of Killeen, sustained minor injuries. The crash investigation is still active and open. Next of Kin has been notified. Capers was charged with two counts of Intoxication Manslaughter and released to the Hamilton County Jail staff. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Independent
07-02-2025
- General
- The Independent
Angela Rayner must keep Grenfell families at the heart of her decisions – it's the least they deserve
More than seven years after the Grenfell Tower fire took the lives of 72 people, the blackened remains of the block have been marked for demolition. Survivors and families have not secured justice – and thousands of residents still live in buildings wrapped in unsafe cladding. Given that the horrific fire – which burned for 60 hours – was the worst such tragedy since the Blitz, the lethargy that seems to have doomed the official response is distressing and unforgivable. Now, the fate of the building itself has been settled, though the decision to 'deconstruct' it 'carefully' over a process of around two years remains controversial. Because of the circumstances of their deaths, Grenfell Tower is a kind of crime scene and a grave – and any interference with it is bound to cause pain to at least some of the victims. Some claim that the minister responsible, Angela Rayner, hasn't consulted widely enough those most closely affected. Others, such as the Next of Kin group, have been more sympathetic to the dilemma she faces. What is broadly agreed is that the 24-storey structure – more than half a century old and so badly damaged in the inferno – is unsafe and cannot be literally propped up by 6,000 struts indefinitely. Its very condition forces a decision. Partial demolition is inevitable. The concern, again entirely understandable, is that if the tower disappears completely, then there will never be justice and emotional closure – 'if it's out of sight, it will definitely be out of mind', as one former resident puts it. So there is a case, in principle, for the lower floors of the building to be preserved as a striking and permanent memory of lost lives and a standing indictment of the callous behaviour of those responsible for the disaster. Realistically, Ms Rayner's decision rules it out. As she suggests, it is not possible to satisfy all those affected: 'Being able to see the tower every day helps some people continue to feel close to those they lost. For others, it is a painful reminder of what happened and is having a daily impact on some members of the community.' The Grenfell Memorial Commission has shortlisted five teams of architects to design a fitting tribute. The bereaved families, survivors and the community are in charge of making the selection. The garden and museum at the 9/11 Ground Zero site in New York is an inspiring example of what can be achieved. The Memorial Commission promises to create an area of great sanctity, designed to be a 'peaceful place for remembering and reflecting'. The most fitting memorial to the Grenfell Tower disaster would be to see justice done properly. The families have waited an intolerably long time already. The inquiry has all but completed its work – soon, many previously unseen documents will be published. The final report of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry, published last September, concluded the disaster was the result of 'decades of failure' by central and local government and the construction industry to act on the dangers of flammable materials on these high-rise buildings. The inquiry chairman, Sir Martin Moore-Bick, identified 'systematic dishonesty' in the firms that made and sold the cladding that contributed to the ferocity of the fire and the speed of its spread. The police and public prosecutors should waste no more time in bringing criminal charges against any architects, builders, property managers, councillors, borough officials and emergency services personnel whose actions or negligence caused so much human misery. Ms Rayner, as deputy prime minister, should push forward in this as hard as possible, as well as continuing the urgent remedial work on residential tower blocks across the country – and keeping the Grenfell families at the heart of her decisions. It is the least the survivors and the bereaved deserve.
