Latest news with #Oscar-qualified
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Jeremy Lin, Craig Smith, and NextShark back new short film about brotherhood, basketball, and mental health
[Source] Omeleto is proud to announce the official release of 'Ayo, Check Up!', a heartfelt and hard-hitting basketball short film premiering May 18, 2025. Executive produced by NBA veterans Jeremy Lin and Craig 'Rhino' Smith, NextShark founder Benny Luo, and four-time Oscar-qualified filmmaker Sy Huq, and helmed by rising director Nathan Xia, the dramedy explores masculinity, mental health, and the healing power of competition. The film made its world premiere at the inaugural UNINTERRUPTED Film Festival, powered by LeBron James' athlete-led media platform and Tribeca, where it was celebrated for its raw authenticity and emotional impact. Since then, 'Ayo, Check Up!' has continued its festival run with official selections at Urbanworld Film Festival, San Diego International Film Festival, and Ouray International Festival. Set on a neighborhood court, the film unpacks the fragile egos, internal battles, and unspoken emotions of everyday men who turn to basketball as an outlet. What starts as a trash-talk-fueled pickup game spirals into something resembling Game 7 of the NBA Finals — with buried frustrations boiling over in a powerful showdown of vulnerability and pride. Trending on NextShark: Unlike traditional sports films, 'Ayo, Check Up!' takes a ground-level approach, capturing the intimacy and intensity of streetball culture. With dynamic cinematography and a visceral flashback sequence, the film redefines what 'Ball is Life' can mean — emotionally, mentally, and visually. Director Nathan Xia was inspired by a personal moment of emotional vulnerability during a real-life game, which sparked a creative vision that drew the attention of high-profile champions of mental health and representation. 'Basketball has always been more than a game for me. It's where I've worked through pressure, pain, and identity. 'Ayo, Check Up!' captures how powerful the court can be — not just for competition, but for healing and mental health,' says executive producer Jeremy Lin. 'I'm proud to support Nathan as a filmmaker telling stories that matter.' Trending on NextShark: With a powerhouse production team and support from platforms like UNINTERRUPTED, 'Ayo, Check Up!' is more than a sports film — it's a mirror for modern masculinity, a celebration of community, and a rallying cry for emotional honesty. Watch the official release on Omeleto, May 18, 2025. Trending on NextShark: Download the NextShark App: Want to keep up to date on Asian American News? Download the NextShark App today!
Yahoo
29-01-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Briarcliff Entertainment Sets March Release Date For ‘October 8', Documentary On Explosion Of Antisemitism After Hamas Attack On Israel
EXCLUSIVE: Briarcliff Entertainment has set a March theatrical release date for the Oscar-qualified documentary October 8, a searing examination of antisemitism that erupted after the Hamas terror attack on Israel of October 7, 2023. Wendy Sachs directed the film (originally titled October H8TE), with Emmy-winning actress and activist Debra Messing serving as executive producer. Messing appears on camera in the documentary, along with actor-comedian Michael Rapaport, author Noa Tishby, Mosab Hassan Yousef (son of Hamas's founder Mosab Hassan Yousef), former Meta COO Sheryl Sandberg, Congressman Ritchie Torres, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, U.S. Ambassador Deborah Lipstadt, college students Tessa Veksler, Noa Fay and Talia Khan, and others. More from Deadline Briarcliff Entertainment Acquires Oscar Contender 'October H8te,' Documentary On Exploding Rise Of Antisemitism After October 7 'The Apprentice' Backer Lauds Briarcliff's Tom Ortenberg – The Only Distributor 'That Had The Balls To Get Us Here' – As Film Set To Open Jon M. Chu & Jill Culton's Dr. Seuss Pic 'Oh, The Places You'll Go!' Gets Release Date Briarcliff plans a March 14 limited nationwide theatrical debut for the film, in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Miami, Washington DC and other cities. 'October 8 offers a searing look at the eruption of antisemitism on college campuses, social media and in the streets of America starting the day after Hamas' attack on Israel on October 7,' a synopsis notes. 'The film unpacks this pivotal moment at American universities where Hamas is celebrated as freedom fighters rather than as terrorists.' The synopsis continues, 'October 8 shows how Hamas has strategically infiltrated American culture with their messaging and propaganda, finding unexpected resonance not only among Gen Z but with both students and faculty on elite college campuses. It also examines the normalization of anti-Zionism that has become the modern iteration of antisemitism. 'Through meticulous investigation, the film exposes how over decades, Hamas created sophisticated networks in America to permeate U.S. institutions, including universities through organizations like Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP). 'Highlighting stunning levels of social engineering, the film also exposes the tsunami of online antisemitism, propaganda, and disinformation unleashed by Iran, China and Russia designed to divide American society.' Sachs' credits include the 2020 documentary Surge (co-directed with Hannah Rosenzweig); the 2022 documentary series Land of the Giants: Titans of Tech, and producing the documentary series My Generation: Gen Z that aired on MSNBC in October 2024. 'Since premiering [October 8] at CAA in October, we've had sold out screenings across the country,' Sachs tells Deadline exclusively. 'The demand to see this film has been remarkable, and not just here in America, but around the world. I'm getting DMs, emails and texts from Melbourne and Mexico City to Montreal and Madrid.' The filmmaker adds, 'I'm thrilled to be working with Briarcliff Entertainment and Universal Pictures, and I'm excited for the film to be available in theaters and on streaming platforms for the world to be able to see this important documentary.' Best of Deadline How to Watch The 67th Annual Grammy Awards Online And With Cable 2025 Awards Season Calendar: Dates For Oscars, Spirits, Grammys, Tonys, Guilds & More The 2025 Oscars: Everything We Know So Far About The Nominations, Ceremony, Date & Host
